apple of one’s eye
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idiom

apple of one’s eye

Meaning
someone who is cherished above others
Example
Her little son is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

kind words cost nothing

Meaning
being kind doesn’t take effort or money
Example
Remember, **kind words cost nothing**.
idiom

smooth over

Meaning
to make a problem seem less serious
Example
We need to **smooth over** the miscommunication with a quick call.
idiom

same old story

Meaning
something boringly repetitive
Example
It's the **same old story** every time we meet.
idiom

Break with tradition

Meaning
To do something in a different way from what is usually done
Example
The couple decided to **break with tradition** and have a small wedding on the beach.
idiom

leap of faith

Meaning
to do something without knowing the outcome
Example
Starting his own company was a **leap of faith** for him.
idiom

par for the course

Meaning
what is normal or expected in a given situation
Example
Delays are **par for the course** in big projects.
idiom

Go overboard

Meaning
To do something to an excessive degree.
Example
He **went overboard** decorating his office for the holidays.
idiom

in a word

Meaning
used to give a brief and clear summary
Example
The movie was, **in a word**, amazing.
idiom

the art of war

Meaning
strategies or tactics for achieving success in difficult situations
Example
The general studied **the art of war** to prepare for the upcoming battle.
idiom

warm-hearted

Meaning
kind and sympathetic
Example
She is a **warm-hearted** person who cares for everyone.
idiom

law and order

Meaning
a state of peace maintained by following laws
Example
The police are responsible for maintaining **law and order**.
idiom

cornerstone of success

Meaning
the most important foundation or element for achieving success
Example
Hard work is the **cornerstone of success**.
idiom

hold sway

Meaning
to have great influence or power over others
Example
The leader **held sway** over the entire organization.
idiom

lose your train of thought

Meaning
to forget what you were thinking or saying
Example
I **lost my train of thought** when the phone rang.
idiom

go with your gut

Meaning
to trust your instinct when making a decision
Example
Sometimes you just have to **go with your gut**.
idiom

keep your eyes peeled

Meaning
to stay alert and watch carefully
Example
Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of trouble.
idiom

be like family

Meaning
to be as close as family members
Example
My best friend is **like family** to me.
idiom

wash your hands of something

Meaning
to stop being involved in or responsible for something
Example
After the scandal, the manager **washed his hands of** the project.
idiom

Make every minute count

Meaning
Use your time effectively and make the most of every moment.
Example
To be successful, you need to **make every minute count** and stay focused on your tasks.
idiom

carry over

Meaning
to transfer something to a later time or place
Example
We’ll **carry over** the unused vacation days to next year.
idiom

cold shoulder

Meaning
to ignore someone deliberately
Example
After the argument, she gave him the **cold shoulder** for days.
idiom

In a peaceful state of mind

Meaning
feeling relaxed and at ease without stress or worry
Example
After yoga, she felt **in a peaceful state of mind** all day.
idiom

cut somebody some slack

Meaning
to not judge someone as severely as you usually would because they are having problems at the present time
Example
He's been under a lot of stress lately, so let's **cut him some slack**.
idiom

take the fall

Meaning
to accept blame for something, often to protect others.
Example
He agreed to **take the fall** for the team’s mistake.
idiom

give someone a hand

Meaning
to help someone with a task
Example
Could you **give me a hand** with dinner?
idiom

saber rattling

Meaning
threatening military action to intimidate others
Example
The country’s recent **saber rattling** alarmed its neighbors.
idiom

a taste of your own medicine

Meaning
to experience the same unpleasantness you caused to others
Example
He was rude to everyone, but now he’s getting **a taste of his own medicine**.
idiom

silver surfer

Meaning
an older person who uses the internet regularly
Example
My grandmother is a **silver surfer** who loves social media.
idiom

truth will out

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

Front page news

Meaning
Extremely important or widely discussed news
Example
His heroic act became **front page news** the next morning.
idiom

break your back

Meaning
to work very hard to achieve something
Example
He’s been **breaking his back** to support his family.
idiom

sour grapes

Meaning
pretending to dislike something you can’t have
Example
His comments about the award being unfair are just **sour grapes**.
idiom

byte the bullet

Meaning
to face a difficult situation bravely
Example
We have to **byte the bullet** and fix the system bugs now.
idiom

the doctor ordered

Meaning
exactly what is needed or wanted
Example
After a long day, a cup of coffee was just **what the doctor ordered**.
idiom

a chip off the old block

Meaning
someone who is very similar to their parent
Example
Your daughter is so smart — she’s **a chip off the old block**.
idiom

reach your full potential

Meaning
to achieve the maximum ability or success that you are capable of
Example
By working hard, she was able to **reach her full potential**.
idiom

jury is still out

Meaning
a decision or opinion has not yet been reached
Example
The **jury is still out** on whether the new law will be effective.
idiom

burst of inspiration

Meaning
a sudden feeling of creativity or motivation
Example
He wrote the poem in a **burst of inspiration**.
idiom

day in court

Meaning
a fair opportunity to defend oneself or be heard
Example
Everyone deserves their **day in court**.
idiom

a shoulder to lean on

Meaning
someone to give you support and comfort
Example
She’s always been **a shoulder to lean on** for me.
idiom

a closed book

Meaning
something or someone that is difficult to understand
Example
He’s **a closed book** when it comes to his personal life.
idiom

soft launch

Meaning
a limited or quiet release of a new product before the full launch
Example
The company did a **soft launch** to test customer reactions.
idiom

predictive modeling

Meaning
a technique used in AI to predict future trends based on historical data
Example
The use of **predictive modeling** helps companies plan better for the future.
idiom

narrow in

Meaning
to focus on a smaller area or set of options
Example
Let’s **narrow in** on the two strongest proposals.
idiom

bottom line

Meaning
the most important point; the final result or profit
Example
The **bottom line** is that trade deficits are increasing.
idiom

dream on

Meaning
used to say that something is unlikely to happen
Example
You think you’ll win the lottery? **Dream on!**
idiom

Eager beaver

Meaning
A person who is very enthusiastic and eager to do something.
Example
She's an **eager beaver** who always volunteers for extra tasks.
idiom

to have a clean conscience

Meaning
to feel good about oneself because one has done nothing wrong
Example
After telling the truth, she had **a clean conscience**.
idiom

on the market

Meaning
available for sale
Example
Their house has been **on the market** for over six months.
idiom

Keep going

Meaning
Continue with determination despite difficulties.
Example
You're doing great—just **keep going**!
idiom

slip through the cracks

Meaning
to be overlooked or missed in a system or process
Example
Unfortunately, your application **slipped through the cracks** and wasn't reviewed.
idiom

know the ropes

Meaning
to be very familiar with something; to have a thorough understanding of something
Example
He really **knows the ropes** in this field of work.
idiom

join forces

Meaning
to combine efforts with others for a common purpose
Example
Two companies **joined forces** to create a better product.
idiom

think for yourself

Meaning
to form your own opinions and make your own decisions
Example
You should learn to **think for yourself** instead of copying others.
idiom

not my cup of tea

Meaning
not something one likes or enjoys
Example
Watching cricket is **not my cup of tea**.
idiom

hit it out of the park

Meaning
to do something extremely well
Example
Your presentation really **hit it out of the park**!
idiom

hang back

Meaning
to remain behind or hesitate to act
Example
If you **hang back**, you might miss the opportunity.
idiom

hold the vision

Meaning
to maintain a clear sense of direction or goal
Example
Leaders who **hold the vision** can guide their teams through difficult times.
idiom

ace a test

Meaning
to do extremely well on a test
Example
He studied hard and managed to **ace the test**.
idiom

in orbit

Meaning
in a state of great excitement or activity
Example
The team was **in orbit** after the big win.
idiom

hit the hay

Meaning
to go to bed; to sleep
Example
I'm really tired, so I'm going to **hit the hay** early tonight.
idiom

warm the cockles of one's heart

Meaning
to make someone feel happy or grateful
Example
Her thoughtful gift really **warmed the cockles of my heart**.
idiom

knock around

Meaning
to spend time doing casual activities
Example
We’ll **knock around** the city after the workshop.
idiom

No risk, no reward

Meaning
You can't expect to achieve something without taking risks.
Example
To get ahead in life, you have to understand that **no risk, no reward**.
idiom

hack the system

Meaning
to break into a system or network to gain unauthorized access
Example
He was caught trying to **hack the system** for personal gain.
idiom

back away from

Meaning
to retreat or withdraw from a situation
Example
He chose to **back away from** the argument before it escalated.
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

That’s exactly right

Meaning
Used to completely agree with a statement
Example
**That’s exactly right**, we should focus on quality first.
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

Don’t be discouraged

Meaning
Stay motivated even after setbacks.
Example
**Don’t be discouraged**—success takes time.
idiom

skeleton in the closet

Meaning
a family secret that one wants to keep hidden
Example
Every family has a **skeleton in the closet** they don't talk about.
idiom

call it a day

Meaning
to stop working for the day
Example
Let’s **call it a day** and go home.
idiom

No man is an island

Meaning
People need others for support and connection.
Example
We all need help sometimes because **no man is an island**.
idiom

put the finishing touches

Meaning
to complete something perfectly by adding the final details
Example
She’s **putting the finishing touches** on her painting.
idiom

beyond your wildest dreams

Meaning
better or more amazing than imagined
Example
Her success was **beyond her wildest dreams**.
idiom

get one's act together

Meaning
to organize oneself or one's actions effectively
Example
We need to **get our act together** before the deadline.
idiom

carry forward

Meaning
to move something to a later period
Example
We’ll **carry forward** the unused budget to next quarter.
idiom

catch someone red-handed

Meaning
to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The police **caught him red-handed** as he was stealing from the store.
idiom

show someone the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a task
Example
She took the time to **show me the ropes** on my first day at work.
idiom

A scoop

Meaning
An exclusive piece of news
Example
The journalist got **a scoop** about the minister’s resignation.
idiom

tack on

Meaning
to add something extra, especially at the end
Example
They **tacked on** a brief Q&A after the session.
idiom

ground control

Meaning
authority or people managing a situation
Example
In this project, Sarah is **ground control**.
idiom

tear-jerker

Meaning
something that makes you cry, especially a movie or story
Example
That movie was such a **tear-jerker**.
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

take five

Meaning
to take a short break
Example
Let's **take five** before continuing the meeting.
idiom

get wired

Meaning
to get connected to the internet
Example
Everyone in the office is **getting wired** to the new network.
idiom

rags to riches

Meaning
to go from being poor to becoming rich and successful
Example
His life story is a real **rags to riches** tale.
idiom

bury the lead

Meaning
to hide the most important part of the story
Example
Don’t **bury the lead**—mention the main point first.
idiom

make a breakthrough

Meaning
to make a significant discovery or achievement
Example
She **made a breakthrough** in her research that could change the field.
idiom

take aback

Meaning
to surprise or shock someone suddenly
Example
I was **taken aback** by his rude behavior.
idiom

ride the wave

Meaning
to take advantage of a trend or situation
Example
Many companies are trying to **ride the wave** of AI technology.
idiom

raise the stakes

Meaning
to increase the level of risk or difficulty
Example
We need to **raise the stakes** if we want to make a bigger impact.
idiom

to the letter

Meaning
exactly as instructed
Example
She followed her teacher’s advice **to the letter**.
idiom

a trusted ally

Meaning
a person or group that is trusted and reliable
Example
She has always been **a trusted ally** in our business ventures.
idiom

it takes two to tango

Meaning
both people involved in a situation are equally responsible
Example
You can't blame only him for the argument - **it takes two to tango**.
idiom

pay attention to

Meaning
to listen carefully or give thought to something
Example
You should **pay attention to** the details of the project.
idiom

hit the ceiling

Meaning
to reach the highest possible level or price
Example
The stock prices **hit the ceiling** after the merger news.
idiom

the winds of change

Meaning
an influence that promotes change
Example
**The winds of change** are blowing through the organization.
idiom

have a chip on your shoulder

Meaning
to be angry or resentful about something from the past
Example
He **has a chip on his shoulder** about being rejected.
idiom

phishing attempt

Meaning
an attempt to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity
Example
The email you received looks like a **phishing attempt**, so don't click any links.
idiom

pass along

Meaning
to share information or items with someone else
Example
Could you **pass along** the agenda to the interns?
idiom

head over heels

Meaning
deeply in love
Example
He fell **head over heels** for her the moment they met.
idiom

turing test

Meaning
a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human
Example
The AI passed the **Turing test**, convincing the judges that it was human-like.
idiom

butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth

Meaning
someone who looks innocent but might not be
Example
She looks so sweet—**butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth**.
idiom

Get the message

Meaning
To understand what someone is trying to say.
Example
After his silence, she finally **got the message**.
idiom

steer clear of

Meaning
to avoid someone or something
Example
You should **steer clear of** that street after dark.
idiom

make a scene

Meaning
to create a noisy or dramatic disturbance
Example
Please don’t **make a scene** in public.
idiom

land a job

Meaning
to successfully get a job
Example
He was thrilled to **land a job** at his dream company.
idiom

face the consequences

Meaning
to accept the results of your actions, whether good or bad
Example
You will have to **face the consequences** of your actions.
idiom

to break out in a cold sweat

Meaning
to suddenly become very nervous or afraid
Example
I **broke out in a cold sweat** before giving my first public speech.
idiom

wander off

Meaning
to walk away without purpose or direction
Example
The child **wandered off** while we were shopping.
idiom

yellow-bellied

Meaning
very cowardly
Example
He’s too **yellow-bellied** to stand up for himself.
idiom

hand down to

Meaning
to pass something to someone of a later generation
Example
Grandma **handed this down to** me when I graduated.
idiom

I couldn’t agree more

Meaning
To completely agree with someone
Example
That’s exactly what I was thinking — **I couldn’t agree more**.
idiom

An arm and a leg

Meaning
Something that is very expensive.
Example
That new phone costs **an arm and a leg**, but it’s worth it.
idiom

burning ambition

Meaning
a very strong desire to achieve something
Example
He had a **burning ambition** to become a successful entrepreneur.
idiom

Culture shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when encountering a different culture
Example
Moving to Japan gave her a bit of **culture shock** at first.
idiom

put your faith in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone or something
Example
She decided to **put her faith in** her friends to help her.
idiom

like father, like son

Meaning
a son behaves like his father
Example
Tom loves cars just like his dad — **like father, like son**!
idiom

jump through hoops

Meaning
to do a lot of difficult or complicated things to achieve something
Example
I had to **jump through hoops** to get my visa approved.