ask around
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idiom

ask around

Meaning
to inquire with several people
Example
I’ll **ask around** to see who can cover the shift.
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

come back to earth

Meaning
to return to reality after being excited or daydreaming
Example
After the vacation, it’s time to **come back to earth**.
idiom

wear down

Meaning
to gradually weaken someone or something
Example
Constant delays can **wear down** even the calmest client.
idiom

bail on

Meaning
to abandon someone or something suddenly
Example
He wouldn’t **bail on** his friends at the last minute.
idiom

An old friend is better than two new ones

Meaning
Long-time friends are more valuable than new ones.
Example
I trust John more than anyone else—**an old friend is better than two new ones**.
idiom

the writing on the wall

Meaning
a sign that something bad will happen soon
Example
When sales started falling, the manager saw **the writing on the wall**.
idiom

have a green thumb

Meaning
to be good at gardening
Example
My mother **has a green thumb** and grows beautiful flowers.
idiom

Best foot forward

Meaning
To try to make the best possible impression
Example
She always puts her **best foot forward** on important occasions.
idiom

an out of this world experience

Meaning
an extraordinary or exceptional experience
Example
The view from the space station was truly **an out of this world experience**.
idiom

sliding into DMs

Meaning
to send a private message to someone on social media, often flirtatiously
Example
He started **sliding into her DMs** after seeing her post.
idiom

have a Eureka moment

Meaning
to suddenly realize the solution to a problem
Example
I had a **Eureka moment** while fixing the code last night.
idiom

cut back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something
Example
We’re trying to **cut back on** eating out during the week.
idiom

go head to head

Meaning
to directly compete or confront each other
Example
The two negotiators went **head to head** over the contract terms.
idiom

open the floodgates

Meaning
to allow something to happen on a large scale; to trigger a chain reaction
Example
When the security flaw was leaked, it **opened the floodgates** for hackers worldwide.
idiom

kiss and make up

Meaning
to become friends again after an argument
Example
They always **kiss and make up** after every fight.
idiom

on the radar

Meaning
something that is being monitored or considered
Example
The new scientific theory is now **on the radar** of researchers across the world.
idiom

make yourself at home

Meaning
to feel comfortable and relaxed as if you were at home
Example
Please **make yourself at home** while I get the tea.
idiom

on the run

Meaning
trying to avoid being caught by the police
Example
The suspect has been **on the run** for three days.
idiom

zero-day attack

Meaning
a cyberattack that exploits a previously unknown vulnerability
Example
The team discovered a **zero-day attack** before it spread widely.
idiom

Make headlines

Meaning
To become an important news story
Example
Her sudden resignation **made headlines** across the country.
idiom

have a smile on your face

Meaning
to appear happy and cheerful
Example
She always has a smile on her face, no matter the situation.
idiom

things are looking up

Meaning
the situation is improving
Example
After a tough year, **things are looking up** for our business.
idiom

ray of hope

Meaning
a small sign that something good might happen
Example
The new treatment offers a **ray of hope** for patients.
idiom

flash back to

Meaning
to suddenly remember a past event
Example
The photo made her **flash back to** her first day at work.
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

to frame the issue

Meaning
to present a situation in a particular way
Example
The journalist cleverly **framed the issue** to highlight social inequality.
idiom

seal the deal

Meaning
to finalize or confirm an agreement
Example
Offering a discount helped us **seal the deal** with the client.
idiom

call the shots

Meaning
to be in charge and make decisions
Example
In this company, the manager **calls the shots**.
idiom

to debug a program

Meaning
to identify and fix errors or problems in a computer program
Example
I spent all day **to debug a program** that was causing crashes.
idiom

pumped up

Meaning
full of energy and excitement
Example
He was **pumped up** before the big presentation.
idiom

cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility and tension between countries without actual warfare
Example
During the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a **cold war**.
idiom

to be on the up and up

Meaning
to be honest and trustworthy
Example
I trust her completely because I know she’s always **on the up and up**.
idiom

sing someone’s praises

Meaning
to speak highly of someone
Example
Everyone **sang her praises** after the performance.
idiom

fall behind

Meaning
to fail to keep up with a schedule or progress
Example
If we miss another deadline, we’ll **fall behind** on the project.
idiom

to have hope in one's heart

Meaning
to remain hopeful and optimistic about the future
Example
Despite all the challenges, he always **has hope in his heart**.
idiom

hit the dirt

Meaning
to go to ground; to take cover or hide
Example
Wild animals often **hit the dirt** when humans approach.
idiom

move past

Meaning
to overcome or stop focusing on something
Example
It’s time to **move past** the misunderstanding.
idiom

tag along

Meaning
to join someone’s online activity or conversation uninvited
Example
He just **tagged along** in our group chat without asking.
idiom

gather around

Meaning
to come together around someone or something
Example
Kids **gathered around** to watch the science demo.
idiom

sound bite

Meaning
a short and catchy quote used in media coverage
Example
The politician’s **sound bite** went viral on social media.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
idiom

dig into

Meaning
to explore or investigate something in detail
Example
We’ll **dig into** the customer feedback this afternoon.
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

behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly without their knowledge
Example
She was talking about me **behind my back**.
idiom

keep an eye out

Meaning
to watch for something or someone carefully
Example
Can you **keep an eye out** for my package while I'm away?
idiom

own the mistake

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something wrong
Example
A good leader knows how to **own the mistake** and learn from it.
idiom

breaking the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation where no progress is being made
Example
The negotiation team succeeded in **breaking the deadlock**.
idiom

glide through

Meaning
to complete something smoothly and easily
Example
She managed to **glide through** the presentation.
idiom

move forward

Meaning
to continue with progress after a delay or challenge
Example
After reviewing the feedback, we can **move forward** with the design.
idiom

blow up in your face

Meaning
a plan or situation that suddenly goes wrong and causes trouble
Example
His plan to impress the boss **blew up in his face**.
idiom

hope for the best

Meaning
expect a positive outcome even in uncertainty
Example
We did everything we could, now let’s **hope for the best**.
idiom

build one's confidence

Meaning
to increase one's self-assurance or belief in one's abilities
Example
Public speaking classes helped him **build his confidence**.
idiom

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
idiom

Put the pedal to the metal

Meaning
To push harder and make a greater effort.
Example
We need to **put the pedal to the metal** if we want to meet the deadline.
idiom

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning
To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example
If you think I'm guilty, you're **barking up the wrong tree**.
idiom

be in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in control of a situation
Example
After the merger, our company is **in the driver’s seat**.
idiom

to backfire

Meaning
to have the opposite result of what was intended
Example
His plan **backfired** and made things worse.
idiom

We’re of one mind

Meaning
To share the same opinion
Example
**We’re of one mind** about this decision.
idiom

state of mind

Meaning
a person's emotional condition
Example
Your **state of mind** affects how you make decisions.
idiom

get in shape

Meaning
to become fit through exercise
Example
He started jogging every morning to **get in shape**.
idiom

put the plan into action

Meaning
to start implementing a plan or idea
Example
After weeks of preparation, it's time to **put the plan into action**.
idiom

between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
facing two difficult choices
Example
She’s **between a rock and a hard place** — neither option is good.
idiom

split the atom

Meaning
to do something revolutionary or extremely difficult
Example
Creating a universal AI is like trying to **split the atom** of intelligence.
idiom

scare the living daylights out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very much
Example
The horror movie **scared the living daylights out of** me.
idiom

spam someone

Meaning
to send too many messages or unnecessary information
Example
Don’t **spam me** with notifications every minute!
idiom

give someone a hard time

Meaning
to criticize or treat someone harshly
Example
The boss **gave me a hard time** for being late.
idiom

at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or stressed that you don’t know what to do
Example
I’m **at my wits’ end** trying to finish all this work.
idiom

growth hacking

Meaning
using creative and low-cost strategies to rapidly grow a business or product
Example
Startups rely heavily on **growth hacking** to gain users quickly.
idiom

world at your fingertips

Meaning
to have access to vast information easily, especially online
Example
With smartphones, the **world is at your fingertips**.
idiom

fear of the unknown

Meaning
anxiety about things that are unfamiliar or uncertain
Example
Many people avoid change because of their **fear of the unknown**.
idiom

hold out for

Meaning
to wait to get exactly what you want
Example
She’ll **hold out for** a better offer before signing.
idiom

draw a line

Meaning
to set a limit or boundary
Example
You have to **draw a line** between work and personal life.
idiom

toe the line

Meaning
to obey rules or follow the official policy
Example
All members are expected to **toe the line** with party policy.
idiom

ahead of the game

Meaning
to have an advantage or be well prepared
Example
She’s always **ahead of the game** with her planning.
idiom

call it a night

Meaning
to stop what you are doing and go home, especially after a party
Example
It’s getting late, let’s **call it a night**.
idiom

put in long hours

Meaning
to work for many hours
Example
He’s been **putting in long hours** to finish the report.
idiom

bright spark

Meaning
a very clever or talented person
Example
The new intern is a real **bright spark** with great ideas.
idiom

lay down

Meaning
to establish a rule or principle
Example
The manager **laid down** clear guidelines for remote work.
idiom

twist someone's arm

Meaning
to persuade someone forcefully
Example
I had to **twist his arm** to get him to come.
idiom

in harm’s way

Meaning
In a position to be injured or in danger.
Example
Firefighters often put themselves **in harm’s way** to save others.
idiom

shake things up

Meaning
to cause change in a situation to make it better
Example
The manager decided to **shake things up** in the team.
idiom

machine learning

Meaning
A method of data analysis that automates analytical model building.
Example
We used **machine learning** to predict customer behavior.
idiom

Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion

Meaning
A person in a position of trust must be beyond any hint of wrongdoing.
Example
A judge should remember that **Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion**.
idiom

in someone’s good books

Meaning
to be liked or approved by someone
Example
She’s **in her boss’s good books** after completing the project early.
idiom

early bird

Meaning
a person who wakes up or arrives early
Example
She’s always the **early bird** at the office.
idiom

Seed funding

Meaning
Initial capital used to start a business.
Example
They received **seed funding** from angel investors.
idiom

Put your trust in someone

Meaning
To believe in someone's honesty or ability
Example
I chose to **put my trust in her**, and she didn't disappoint me.
idiom

in one’s element

Meaning
doing something one is good at or enjoys
Example
He’s **in his element** when he’s cooking for friends.
idiom

empty nest

Meaning
a home where the children have grown up and left
Example
After her kids moved out, she felt the **empty nest** syndrome.
idiom

at the top of one’s game

Meaning
to be performing at one’s best level
Example
The athlete is **at the top of his game** this season.
idiom

cut corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way
Example
They **cut corners** to finish the project faster.
idiom

Cultural shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when exposed to a different culture or way of life
Example
Moving from a small village to a big city gave me **cultural shock**.
idiom

low-hanging fruit

Meaning
something easy to achieve or target
Example
We should focus on the **low-hanging fruit** before tackling bigger goals.
idiom

lighten up

Meaning
to stop being so serious or stressed
Example
Come on, **lighten up**! It’s just a joke.
idiom

hold back on

Meaning
to delay or reduce doing something
Example
Let’s **hold back on** hiring until sales improve.
idiom

penny wise, pound foolish

Meaning
being careful with small amounts of money but careless with large amounts
Example
She refuses to buy a $10 book, but spends $100 on clothes; she's **penny wise, pound foolish**.
idiom

take things to the next level

Meaning
to improve or develop something beyond its current state
Example
We plan to **take our innovation to the next level** this year.
idiom

speak of the devil

Meaning
said when someone appears just as you mention them
Example
**Speak of the devil**, here comes John now!
idiom

in the works

Meaning
something that is being developed or planned
Example
A new product is **in the works** and should be released soon.
idiom

lose one's temper

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **lost his temper** when he saw the mess.
idiom

beyond one’s comprehension

Meaning
too difficult to understand
Example
Quantum physics is **beyond my comprehension**.
idiom

digital twin

Meaning
a virtual representation of a physical object or system used for simulation and analysis
Example
Using **digital twin** technology, we can simulate the performance of machinery before production.
idiom

Flying high

Meaning
To be very successful or happy.
Example
After getting promoted, she's **flying high**.
idiom

go down in flames

Meaning
to fail spectacularly
Example
The project **went down in flames** after the funding was cut.
idiom

steal someone’s thunder

Meaning
to take credit for someone else’s idea or success
Example
She **stole my thunder** by announcing the news first.
idiom

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
idiom

make up for

Meaning
to compensate for something
Example
We’ll **make up for** the delay with extra support.
idiom

out with the old, in with the new

Meaning
to replace old things or ideas with new ones
Example
It's time for **out with the old, in with the new**.
idiom

make it happen

Meaning
take action to achieve something
Example
Stop dreaming and **make it happen**.
idiom

get a foot in the door

Meaning
to take the first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
He took an internship to **get a foot in the door** of the company.
idiom

get under someone's skin

Meaning
to annoy or bother someone deeply
Example
She really knows how to **get under my skin**.
idiom

show appreciation

Meaning
to express gratitude or recognition
Example
We should **show appreciation** for our teachers more often.
idiom

catch some z’s

Meaning
to get some sleep
Example
I need to **catch some z’s** before the meeting.
idiom

poetic justice

Meaning
a situation in which virtue is rewarded and vice is punished, often ironically
Example
It was **poetic justice** when the dishonest lawyer lost his case due to his own lies.
idiom

party line

Meaning
the official policy or position of a political party
Example
Members were warned not to speak against the **party line**.
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

ring a bell

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can't remember where I heard it.
idiom

face time

Meaning
direct personal interaction rather than virtual communication
Example
We need more **face time** to build trust among team members.
idiom

head off

Meaning
to prevent something from happening
Example
Early communication can **head off** most misunderstandings.
idiom

Know it all

Meaning
Someone who acts as if they know everything.
Example
He’s such a **know it all**, it’s annoying.