back out
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

back out

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
They can’t **back out** after signing the contract.
idiom

be above board

Meaning
to act in an honest and open manner
Example
She is always **above board** in all her dealings.
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

be on duty

Meaning
to be working or responsible for something at a certain time
Example
The guard was **on duty** all night.
idiom

blaze a trail

Meaning
to be the first to do something innovative
Example
She **blazed a trail** in renewable energy research.
idiom

bring down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad or to reduce something
Example
Don’t let one rude comment **bring down** your confidence.
idiom

build bridges

Meaning
to improve relationships between people
Example
We need to **build bridges** between our two departments.
idiom

boil down to

Meaning
to have something as the main point or reason
Example
The argument **boiled down to** a simple misunderstanding.
idiom

burn bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or connections permanently
Example
Be careful not to **burn bridges** when leaving your job.
idiom

bear the brunt

Meaning
to take the main responsibility or suffering of something unpleasant
Example
The junior staff had to **bear the brunt** of the manager’s anger.
idiom

busy bee

Meaning
a person who is always busy and active
Example
She’s a **busy bee**, always working on something.
idiom

bite the dust

Meaning
to fail or be defeated
Example
Several small startups **bit the dust** last year.
idiom

bounce back from

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback
Example
The team needs to **bounce back from** last week's loss.
idiom

Break the news

Meaning
To tell someone important or bad news.
Example
He didn’t know how to **break the news** to his parents.
idiom

bail out

Meaning
to release someone from jail after paying bail money
Example
His family managed to **bail him out** after two days.
idiom

bring up

Meaning
to raise or care for a child until adulthood
Example
She was **brought up** by her grandparents.
idiom

birds of a feather flock together

Meaning
People who have similar interests or personalities tend to be friends.
Example
John and Mike are always together; well, **birds of a feather flock together**.
idiom

bend the truth

Meaning
to slightly change the truth to make something sound better
Example
He tends to **bend the truth** when telling stories.
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

bear in mind

Meaning
to remember or consider something
Example
**Bear in mind** that traffic will be heavy at that time.
idiom

bursting with joy

Meaning
full of happiness and excitement
Example
The children were **bursting with joy** on Christmas morning.
idiom

back into

Meaning
to move backwards into something unintentionally
Example
I nearly **backed into** the recycling bin while parking.
idiom

broken-hearted

Meaning
extremely sad about something or someone
Example
He was **broken-hearted** after the breakup.
idiom

Band together

Meaning
To unite for a common purpose.
Example
The workers **banded together** to demand better wages.
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

black and white

Meaning
clearly defined; without confusion or ambiguity
Example
The contract terms are **black and white**.
idiom

burn one's bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or opportunities that cannot be restored
Example
He **burned his bridges** when he insulted his boss.
idiom

beyond one’s comprehension

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

brighten someone's day

Meaning
to make someone feel happier
Example
Her kindness really **brightened my day**.
idiom

brainstorm

Meaning
to generate many creative ideas in a group discussion
Example
Let’s **brainstorm** some ideas for our next campaign.
idiom

busy as a bee

Meaning
very active or hardworking
Example
She’s **as busy as a bee** preparing for the wedding.
idiom

be a good sport

Meaning
to be fair and positive in difficult situations
Example
Even when she lost the game, she was **a good sport** and congratulated the winner.
idiom

boot up

Meaning
to start a computer or system
Example
My laptop takes forever to **boot up**.
idiom

Blue skies thinking

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

bring home the bacon

Meaning
to earn money to support the family
Example
He works hard every day to **bring home the bacon**.
idiom

beta test

Meaning
to test a product before official release
Example
We are going to **beta test** our app next week.
idiom

Burn the bridges

Meaning
to destroy the possibility of returning to a previous situation
Example
Once he left the company, he decided to **burn the bridges** and not look back.
idiom

blank mind

Meaning
unable to think clearly or remember something
Example
During the exam, my **mind went blank**.
idiom

boil over

Meaning
when anger becomes too much to control
Example
The argument finally **boiled over** into a shouting match.
idiom

be lost for words

Meaning
to be so surprised that you cannot speak
Example
I was **lost for words** when I won the prize.
idiom

break down

Meaning
to start crying due to strong emotions
Example
She **broke down** when she heard the sad news.
idiom

Bury yourself in books

Meaning
To spend all your time studying
Example
He **buried himself in books** before the finals.
idiom

behind the firewall

Meaning
protected or isolated from external threats
Example
Sensitive company data should always stay **behind the firewall**.
idiom

breach of trust

Meaning
a failure to keep information or promises secure
Example
Leaking user data is a major **breach of trust**.
idiom

bolt from the blue

Meaning
a sudden and unexpected event
Example
The project cancellation came as a **bolt from the blue**.
idiom

better safe than sorry

Meaning
It’s wiser to be cautious than to take risks and regret later.
Example
I always double-check the locks — **better safe than sorry**.
idiom

balance the books

Meaning
to make sure income and expenses are equal
Example
The accountant worked late to **balance the books**.
idiom

bark up the wrong tree

Meaning
to make a wrong assumption
Example
If you think I took your wallet, you’re **barking up the wrong tree**.
idiom

back to the drawing board

Meaning
to start over again after a failure
Example
Our proposal was rejected, so it's **back to the drawing board**.
idiom

by the book

Meaning
to follow the rules exactly
Example
Our manager does everything **by the book**.
idiom

Burn rate

Meaning
The rate at which a startup spends its capital.
Example
Our **burn rate** is too high; we need to cut costs.
idiom

bottle up feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions inside without expressing them
Example
It's not healthy to **bottle up your feelings** for too long.
idiom

better luck next time

Meaning
used to encourage someone who has failed
Example
**Better luck next time**! You almost won.
idiom

break free

Meaning
to escape from control or restriction
Example
She wanted to **break free** from her routine life.
idiom

bond of friendship

Meaning
A strong connection of trust and affection between friends.
Example
Their **bond of friendship** grew stronger over the years.
idiom

bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too big to handle
Example
I think I **bit off more than I can chew** by agreeing to manage three projects at once.
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

buckle under the strain

Meaning
to give in to stress or pressure
Example
She refused to **buckle under the strain** and kept going.
idiom

burning the midnight oil

Meaning
working late into the night
Example
She’s been **burning the midnight oil** to finish the report.
idiom

botnet

Meaning
a network of computers infected with malware that are controlled remotely by a hacker
Example
The hacker used the **botnet** to launch a massive DDoS attack on the server.
idiom

bosom friends

Meaning
very close and intimate friends
Example
They have been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

break the glass ceiling

Meaning
to overcome a barrier or limitation, particularly in career or personal advancement
Example
She was the first woman in the company to **break the glass ceiling** and become a senior manager.
idiom

betray someone's trust

Meaning
to break someone's confidence in you
Example
She would never **betray your trust**.
idiom

blow your mind

Meaning
to impress or amaze someone greatly
Example
The new AI technology will **blow your mind**.
idiom

black hat

Meaning
a hacker with malicious intent
Example
**Black hats** often exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain.
idiom

be thick as thieves

Meaning
to be very close friends
Example
Those two have been **thick as thieves** since childhood.
idiom

bank on

Meaning
to rely on or depend on something happening
Example
You can **bank on** her support during tough times.
idiom

blow out of the water

Meaning
to surprise or defeat completely
Example
Their performance **blew us out of the water**.
idiom

behind someone’s back

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

breathe in

Meaning
to inhale air deeply
Example
Take a moment to **breathe in** before you speak.
idiom

blind experiment

Meaning
a test conducted without participants knowing certain information to prevent bias
Example
The scientists conducted a **blind experiment** to ensure accuracy.
idiom

be like family

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

burst with joy

Meaning
to be so happy that it’s hard to contain emotions
Example
The parents **burst with joy** when their child won the prize.
idiom

bottom line

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

behind closed doors

Meaning
in private; secretly
Example
The deal was made **behind closed doors**.
idiom

bail on

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

bear the responsibility

Meaning
to take on the duty of something
Example
She was willing to **bear the responsibility** for the new project.
idiom

bravery in the face of danger

Meaning
showing courage even when facing danger
Example
The firefighter showed **bravery in the face of danger**.
idiom

bring down the house

Meaning
to get an enthusiastic applause from the audience
Example
Her solo performance **brought down the house**.
idiom

believe in yourself

Meaning
to have confidence in your own abilities
Example
**Believe in yourself** and you can achieve anything.
idiom

Bring peace to

Meaning
To restore calm or tranquility in a situation.
Example
Her kind words helped **bring peace to** the argument.
idiom

brain like a computer

Meaning
to have an extremely analytical and efficient mind
Example
She remembers every detail; she has a **brain like a computer**.
idiom

black box problem

Meaning
a situation where the internal workings of an AI system are not transparent or understood
Example
The biggest challenge in deep learning is the **black box problem**.
idiom

behind schedule

Meaning
later than planned or expected
Example
The flight is **behind schedule** because of the storm.
idiom

beyond the pale

Meaning
outside acceptable rules or standards
Example
His behavior was **beyond the pale**.
idiom

branch off

Meaning
to separate from a main route or line of development
Example
The hiking path will **branch off** near the lake.
idiom

be your own biggest fan

Meaning
to appreciate and believe in yourself
Example
You should **be your own biggest fan** to stay motivated.
idiom

Batten down the hatches

Meaning
To prepare for a difficult or dangerous situation.
Example
We’d better **batten down the hatches**; a storm is coming.
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

break the silence

Meaning
to start talking after a period of silence
Example
He was the one to **break the silence** after the awkward pause.
idiom

bull market

Meaning
a period when prices of stocks are rising
Example
Investors are optimistic during a **bull market**.
idiom

bosom friend

Meaning
a very close and trusted friend
Example
We’ve been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

behind the scenes

Meaning
secretly or without public knowledge
Example
A lot of work happens **behind the scenes** to make a movie.
idiom

bad luck

Meaning
unfortunate or unlucky situation
Example
It’s just **bad luck** that it rained on our picnic day.
idiom

barefaced lie

Meaning
a bold and shameless lie
Example
His excuse was a **barefaced lie**.
idiom

big thanks

Meaning
an informal way to say thank you very much
Example
**Big thanks** to everyone who supported the project.
idiom

burned out

Meaning
completely exhausted or tired due to overwork
Example
After months of overtime, she felt **burned out**.
idiom

brain like a sieve

Meaning
having a very bad memory
Example
I keep forgetting things—I’ve got a **brain like a sieve**!
idiom

bat around

Meaning
to discuss ideas casually
Example
We spent the afternoon **batting around** marketing themes.
idiom

Burst with gratitude

Meaning
To feel extremely thankful.
Example
She was **bursting with gratitude** after receiving help.
idiom

brighten up

Meaning
to become happier or more cheerful
Example
Her face **brightened up** when she saw her friends.
idiom

bounce around

Meaning
to discuss or move between ideas casually
Example
Let’s **bounce around** concepts before we pick one.
idiom

Building castles in the air

Meaning
To have unrealistic or impractical plans or dreams.
Example
She’s always **building castles in the air**, dreaming of a perfect world.
idiom

bargain chip

Meaning
something of value used in negotiations to get a better deal
Example
His offer of a longer contract was a strong **bargain chip**.
idiom

build brand loyalty

Meaning
to create long-term trust and attachment to a brand
Example
Consistent quality helps **build brand loyalty** among customers.
idiom

bounce rate

Meaning
the percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page
Example
We need to lower our **bounce rate** to keep visitors engaged.
idiom

be responsible for

Meaning
to be in charge of or accountable for something
Example
She is **responsible for** managing the entire department.
idiom

backdoor

Meaning
An undocumented way of accessing a system or software, usually used by hackers to bypass security.
Example
The attacker installed a **backdoor** to access the system at any time without being detected.
idiom

break the problem down

Meaning
to divide a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts
Example
Let's **break the problem down** into smaller steps.
idiom

build from the ground up

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built their business from the ground up** with no investors.
idiom

beat down

Meaning
to strike repeatedly with force, such as intense sun or rain
Example
The afternoon sun **beat down** on the field all day.
idiom

Behind the curve

Meaning
To be less advanced or slow compared to competitors.
Example
Our company is **behind the curve** in adopting AI technologies.
idiom

big mouth

Meaning
someone who talks too much or reveals secrets
Example
Don’t tell him anything — he’s got a **big mouth**.
idiom

born in the purple

Meaning
born into a wealthy or royal family
Example
He was **born in the purple**, so wealth was never an issue.
idiom

be in the limelight

Meaning
to be the center of attention
Example
The actor was **in the limelight** after his award win.
idiom

Breaking news

Meaning
New and important information being reported immediately
Example
We have **breaking news** about the election results.
idiom

Breaking new ground

Meaning
To make an important new discovery or innovation; to do something that has never been done before.
Example
The new trade agreement is **breaking new ground** in international relations.
idiom

beg to differ

Meaning
to politely disagree with someone
Example
I **beg to differ**, but I think your conclusion is incorrect.
idiom

break the mold

Meaning
to do something differently from tradition
Example
She **broke the mold** by becoming the first female CEO.
idiom

break up

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship
Example
They decided to **break up** after five years together.
idiom

beat oneself up

Meaning
to blame yourself too much for something
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up** over one mistake.