a lump in your throat
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idiom

a lump in your throat

Meaning
feeling emotional or about to cry
Example
He felt **a lump in his throat** when he said goodbye.
idiom

throw one’s weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** at work to get things done.
idiom

lock horns

Meaning
to get into an argument or fight
Example
They **locked horns** over the new proposal.
idiom

wave the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After a long debate, he finally **waved the white flag**.
idiom

Pull one’s weight

Meaning
To do your fair share of work.
Example
If everyone **pulls their weight**, the job will be done quickly.
idiom

In the blink of an eye

Meaning
Very quickly, almost instantaneously.
Example
The discovery of the new planet happened **in the blink of an eye**.
idiom

off the top of my head

Meaning
without much thought or preparation
Example
Off the top of my head, I’d say we need more time.
idiom

A pack of lies

Meaning
A complete set of false statements.
Example
His excuse was nothing but **a pack of lies**.
idiom

out of balance

Meaning
to feel mentally or emotionally unstable
Example
Lack of rest can make you feel **out of balance**.
idiom

Keep it under your hat

Meaning
To keep something secret.
Example
I’ll tell you a secret, but **keep it under your hat**.
idiom

edge out

Meaning
to narrowly defeat someone or something
Example
They **edged out** their rivals by just one point.
idiom

hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
The refugee crisis has become a **hot potato** in the government.
idiom

green-eyed with envy

Meaning
showing strong jealousy
Example
They were **green-eyed with envy** at her luxurious lifestyle.
idiom

on top of the world

Meaning
to feel extremely happy and successful
Example
After winning the award, he felt **on top of the world**.
idiom

play one's cards right

Meaning
to make the right decisions in order to achieve a good result
Example
If you **play your cards right**, you could get the promotion you want.
idiom

sworn enemy turned friend

Meaning
someone who was once your enemy but is now a friend
Example
After years of rivalry, they became **sworn enemies turned friends**.
idiom

live and let live

Meaning
to allow others to live as they choose without interference
Example
I believe in the principle of **live and let live**.
idiom

take the scenic route

Meaning
to choose a longer or more beautiful way to travel
Example
Let’s **take the scenic route** through the mountains.
idiom

the moral compass

Meaning
a person's or society’s sense of right and wrong
Example
We must ensure AI doesn’t lose its **moral compass**.
idiom

party animal

Meaning
someone who loves going to parties
Example
She’s such a **party animal**, always out on weekends.
idiom

phase back in

Meaning
to reintroduce something gradually
Example
We’ll **phase back in** office days next quarter.
idiom

throw someone under the bus

Meaning
to betray or sacrifice someone to save yourself
Example
He **threw his colleague under the bus** to avoid getting fired.
idiom

go according to plan

Meaning
to happen as expected
Example
Everything went **according to plan** during the event.
idiom

put heads together

Meaning
to work together to solve a problem
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** and find a solution.
idiom

trailblazer

Meaning
a person who is the first to do something innovative
Example
Elon Musk is often seen as a **trailblazer** in the tech industry.
idiom

second childhood

Meaning
the time in old age when a person starts behaving like a child again
Example
After retirement, he entered his **second childhood**.
idiom

a chatterbox

Meaning
someone who talks a lot, especially a child
Example
My little sister is **a chatterbox**; she never stops talking.
idiom

The sun is shining

Meaning
A metaphor for happiness or positivity, often used when things are going well.
Example
After all the hard work, things finally seemed to be **shining**.
idiom

call on

Meaning
to request someone to speak or do something
Example
The teacher will **call on** you if you raise your hand.
idiom

the internet of things (IoT)

Meaning
the connection of everyday objects to the internet to send and receive data
Example
Smart homes are part of the **internet of things (IoT)**, where devices are interconnected.
idiom

to bring someone to justice

Meaning
to capture and punish someone for a crime
Example
The police vowed to **bring the killers to justice**.
idiom

dollar for dollar

Meaning
an exact or equivalent match in value or amount
Example
The government promised a **dollar for dollar** match for all donations.
idiom

have a heavy heart

Meaning
to feel deep sadness or sorrow
Example
He left the city **with a heavy heart**.
idiom

wake up to

Meaning
to become aware of something important
Example
Communities are **waking up to** the impact of noise pollution.
idiom

teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone teases her for being the **teacher’s pet**.
idiom

Zoom in on

Meaning
To focus closely on something
Example
Let’s **zoom in on** the key issues first.
idiom

fingers crossed

Meaning
hoping for good luck or a good result
Example
I have my **fingers crossed** for your exam results.
idiom

bird’s eye view

Meaning
a view from a high position; an overview
Example
We got a **bird’s eye view** of the city from the tower.
idiom

It's always darkest before the dawn

Meaning
Things are usually worst just before they improve.
Example
Keep going, **it's always darkest before the dawn**.
idiom

balance out

Meaning
to counteract or cancel the effect of something
Example
The extra volunteers should **balance out** the workload.
idiom

doubting Thomas

Meaning
a person who refuses to believe without proof
Example
He’s a **doubting Thomas**; he won’t believe it until he sees it himself.
idiom

to play fair

Meaning
To act honestly and follow the rules.
Example
In every competition, we must **play fair**.
idiom

minimum viable product

Meaning
the simplest version of a product that can be released to test an idea
Example
The team launched an **MVP (minimum viable product)** to gather user feedback.
idiom

hit the brakes

Meaning
to slow down or stop something
Example
The company had to **hit the brakes** on its expansion plans.
idiom

take apart

Meaning
to disassemble something into pieces
Example
We had to **take apart** the desk to move it upstairs.
idiom

keep one's head above water

Meaning
to survive financially in difficult times
Example
Many small businesses struggle to **keep their heads above water**.
idiom

fight fire with fire

Meaning
to use the same tactics as one’s opponent
Example
When negotiations failed, they decided to **fight fire with fire**.
idiom

lay up

Meaning
to keep something in reserve for later use
Example
We should **lay up** extra supplies before winter.
idiom

Blue skies thinking

Meaning
Creative or open-minded thinking without limits.
Example
Our brainstorming session encouraged **blue skies thinking**.
idiom

step up a gear

Meaning
to increase your effort or speed
Example
The team needs to **step up a gear** to meet the deadline.
idiom

dial back

Meaning
to reduce the strength or amount of something
Example
We may need to **dial back** the advertising spend.
idiom

time will tell

Meaning
the future will reveal the outcome
Example
**Time will tell** whether this was the right decision.
idiom

Rewriting history

Meaning
To change the way past events are interpreted or remembered.
Example
Some politicians try **rewriting history** to suit their narrative.
idiom

a peaceful resolution

Meaning
a solution that resolves a conflict calmly
Example
They reached **a peaceful resolution** after several discussions.
idiom

full of confidence

Meaning
feeling very sure of yourself
Example
He walked into the interview room **full of confidence**.
idiom

talk in circles

Meaning
to discuss something without reaching a conclusion
Example
We **talked in circles** for hours but didn’t solve anything.
idiom

to put one's foot in one's mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate by mistake
Example
I really **put my foot in my mouth** when I mentioned her ex-boyfriend.
idiom

come to mind

Meaning
to suddenly remember something
Example
Her name didn’t **come to mind** at first.
idiom

be at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or upset that you don't know what to do
Example
I'm **at my wits' end** trying to calm the kids down.
idiom

all in good time

Meaning
something will happen eventually; be patient
Example
**All in good time**, you’ll see the results soon.
idiom

the life of the party

Meaning
a person who is lively, entertaining, and the center of attention at social gatherings
Example
Everyone loves Tom because he’s always **the life of the party**.
idiom

to put one's finger on

Meaning
to identify or recognize something with precision
Example
The journalist was able to **put her finger on** the exact cause of the political unrest.
idiom

data encryption

Meaning
the process of converting data into a code to prevent unauthorized access
Example
Ensure all sensitive information is protected through **data encryption**.
idiom

open Pandora’s box

Meaning
to start something that causes many unforeseen problems
Example
Creating sentient AI could **open Pandora’s box** of ethical challenges.
idiom

Speak from the heart

Meaning
To speak honestly and sincerely.
Example
When he apologized, he really **spoke from the heart**.
idiom

in cold blood

Meaning
without emotion or pity; deliberately cruelly
Example
The victim was murdered **in cold blood**.
idiom

trust someone with something

Meaning
to give someone responsibility for something important
Example
I trust you to **take care of the project**.
idiom

pivot

Meaning
to change direction or strategy in response to market feedback or failure
Example
After the initial product launch failed, the team decided to **pivot** to a new business model.
idiom

have a one-track mind

Meaning
to think about only one thing all the time
Example
He **has a one-track mind** when it comes to his business.
idiom

a brush with fame

Meaning
a brief encounter or experience with a famous person
Example
During the exhibition, I had **a brush with fame** when I met a renowned painter.
idiom

get through to someone

Meaning
to make someone understand what you mean
Example
I tried to **get through to him**, but he just wouldn’t listen.
idiom

break away

Meaning
to separate from a group or routine
Example
She plans to **break away** from the commute by working remotely twice a week.
idiom

bang for your buck

Meaning
value for the money spent; a good deal
Example
This insurance plan gives you the best **bang for your buck**.
idiom

out of the picture

Meaning
no longer involved or relevant
Example
After the gallery closed, the curator was **out of the picture**.
idiom

draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We have to **draw the line** when it comes to unethical behavior.
idiom

a bright spark

Meaning
a clever and intelligent person; someone with original ideas
Example
He's such **a bright spark**; he always finds innovative solutions.
idiom

set the trend

Meaning
to start something new that others begin to follow
Example
The company’s campaign **set the trend** for eco-friendly marketing.
idiom

model evaluation

Meaning
the process of assessing the accuracy and performance of a trained model
Example
Before deploying the system, we need to perform **model evaluation** to ensure accuracy.
idiom

adapt or die

Meaning
to survive, one must adjust to changing conditions
Example
In business, it’s **adapt or die**.
idiom

to put two and two together

Meaning
to figure something out from the facts
Example
She didn’t tell me directly, but I **put two and two together**.
idiom

ease onto

Meaning
to move gently onto something
Example
Please **ease onto** the ramp to avoid jolts.
idiom

read someone the riot act

Meaning
to warn or scold someone severely for bad behavior
Example
The teacher **read the students the riot act** after the chaos in class.
idiom

grateful as can be

Meaning
extremely thankful
Example
I’m **grateful as can be** for your guidance.
idiom

give over to

Meaning
to devote time or space to something
Example
They **gave the evening over to** brainstorming.
idiom

go the distance

Meaning
to finish something successfully despite difficulties
Example
Only the most determined athletes can **go the distance**.
idiom

a masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something that has great potential to become exceptional
Example
Her new sculpture is **a masterpiece in the making**.
idiom

easy come, easy go

Meaning
money that is easily earned is easily lost
Example
He lost all his winnings in a day—**easy come, easy go**.
idiom

divide and conquer

Meaning
to gain control by causing disagreement among others
Example
The dictator used a **divide and conquer** strategy to maintain power.
idiom

heart of gold

Meaning
a very kind and generous person
Example
My grandmother has a **heart of gold**.
idiom

burst out laughing

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing loudly
Example
Everyone **burst out laughing** at his joke.
idiom

break faith

Meaning
to stop being loyal or trustworthy
Example
He **broke faith** with his team when he left suddenly.
idiom

mix up with

Meaning
to become involved with something or someone, often unwisely
Example
Try not to **mix up with** gossip at work.
idiom

down time

Meaning
time when one relaxes and does not work
Example
I need some **down time** after this hectic week.
idiom

keep on keeping on

Meaning
to continue doing something despite challenges
Example
It’s tough, but you have to **keep on keeping on**.
idiom

take it to the next level

Meaning
to improve something significantly; to advance to a higher stage
Example
We plan to **take our business to the next level** this year.
idiom

to pass the baton

Meaning
to transfer responsibility to someone else
Example
After years of leadership, he decided it was time to **pass the baton** to his successor.
idiom

In a new light

Meaning
To see something from a different perspective
Example
After the discussion, I saw the issue **in a new light**.
idiom

in the pink of health

Meaning
in very good health
Example
After months of rest, he’s now **in the pink of health**.
idiom

a man with a mission

Meaning
a person with strong purpose and determination to achieve something
Example
He’s **a man with a mission** to change the way we think about education.
idiom

chapter and verse

Meaning
to provide full and exact details about something
Example
She can quote **chapter and verse** to support her argument.
idiom

call a spade a spade

Meaning
to speak honestly and directly, even if it’s unpleasant
Example
She always **calls a spade a spade**, no matter who gets offended.
idiom

Be all ears

Meaning
To listen very attentively.
Example
I’m **all ears**, tell me what happened!
idiom

set the stage for

Meaning
to make something possible or likely to happen later
Example
This meeting will **set the stage for** future cooperation.
idiom

truth will out

Meaning
the truth will eventually be revealed
Example
You can’t hide it forever; **truth will out**.
idiom

a drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small amount compared to what is needed
Example
The money they raised was just **a drop in the ocean** compared to the total cost.
idiom

tighten one’s belt

Meaning
to spend less money due to financial difficulties
Example
After losing his job, he had to **tighten his belt**.
idiom

The more, the merrier

Meaning
Things are more fun or effective with more people involved.
Example
Bring your friends along — **the more, the merrier**!
idiom

sworn friends

Meaning
Friends who are deeply loyal to each other.
Example
Since childhood, they’ve been **sworn friends**.
idiom

bad blood

Meaning
anger or resentment between family members
Example
There’s still **bad blood** between the cousins after the inheritance issue.
idiom

itching to do something

Meaning
to be eager or impatient to do something
Example
He’s **itching to start** his new project.
idiom

trust your gut

Meaning
to follow your intuition or instincts
Example
When making big decisions, it’s often best to **trust your gut**.
idiom

A bundle of nerves

Meaning
To be extremely anxious or tense.
Example
Before the presentation, she was **a bundle of nerves**.
idiom

Don’t give up

Meaning
Continue trying and don’t quit.
Example
You’ve come so far—**don’t give up** now!
idiom

off to a flying start

Meaning
to begin something, like a journey, very successfully
Example
Our trip was **off to a flying start** with perfect weather.
idiom

money burns a hole in your pocket

Meaning
to be eager to spend money quickly
Example
He just got paid, and already **money burns a hole in his pocket**.
idiom

in layman's terms

Meaning
to explain something in simple, non-technical language
Example
Can you explain the theory **in layman's terms**?
idiom

expand one's horizons

Meaning
to increase one’s knowledge or experience
Example
Traveling abroad can really help you **expand your horizons**.
idiom

head out

Meaning
to leave for a destination
Example
Let’s **head out** before the traffic gets heavy.
idiom

scratch someone's back

Meaning
to do something for someone in exchange for a favor or help later
Example
We agreed to **scratch each other's backs** in this business deal.
idiom

bide your time

Meaning
to wait patiently for the right moment
Example
She decided to **bide her time** before making a move.
idiom

seat of power

Meaning
a place where authority or control is exercised
Example
The prime minister returned to the **seat of power** after a long illness.