be a person of your word
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idiom

be a person of your word

Meaning
to be someone who keeps their promises
Example
She is truly **a person of her word**, always doing what she says.
idiom

breathe in

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

Be as good as your word

Meaning
To do what you promised to do.
Example
He said he’d help and he’s **as good as his word**.
idiom

burning ambition

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

beat someone to the punch

Meaning
to do something before someone else does
Example
He **beat me to the punch** by applying for the job first.
idiom

bubbling with joy

Meaning
very happy and excited
Example
The children were **bubbling with joy** after receiving their gifts.
idiom

breeze through

Meaning
to do something easily and with little effort
Example
She managed to **breeze through** the exam without any problems.
idiom

blow away the cobwebs

Meaning
to refresh one’s mind or body after inactivity
Example
A short walk helped me **blow away the cobwebs**.
idiom

break one's word

Meaning
to fail to keep a promise
Example
Don’t **break your word**; people rely on you.
idiom

break the law

Meaning
to commit an illegal act
Example
Anyone who **breaks the law** should be punished.
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

beat a dead horse

Meaning
to waste time on a topic that has already been resolved
Example
Stop **beating a dead horse**; the decision is final.
idiom

big picture

Meaning
the overall perspective or situation
Example
Producers always try to see the **big picture** before making changes.
idiom

betray someone's trust

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

blueprint for success

Meaning
a detailed plan for achieving success
Example
Strong teamwork is the **blueprint for success** in this project.
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

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

beyond one’s comprehension

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

beyond reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical uncertainty
Example
The jury found him guilty **beyond reasonable doubt**.
idiom

brick by brick

Meaning
to achieve something gradually and steadily
Example
He built his business **brick by brick**.
idiom

by the book

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

beyond the scope

Meaning
outside the planned or expected area of focus
Example
The new feature was beyond the scope of the original project but added great value.
idiom

backdoor access

Meaning
a secret or unauthorized way to access a system or information
Example
Hackers found a **backdoor access** to the company’s database.
idiom

brighten someone's day

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

break faith

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

bookend something

Meaning
to mark the beginning and end of something
Example
Her career was **bookended** by two great performances.
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

Burning question

Meaning
An important or urgent question that people are eager to know.
Example
The **burning question** is whether the plan will actually work.
idiom

black and white

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

busy bee

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

ballpark figure

Meaning
an approximate estimate or number
Example
Can you give me a **ballpark figure** for the project cost?
idiom

be on edge

Meaning
to be nervous, tense, or easily upset
Example
She’s been **on edge** all day waiting for the results.
idiom

birds of a feather

Meaning
people with similar interests or characteristics
Example
Tom and Jerry are always together—**birds of a feather**.
idiom

bail someone out

Meaning
to help someone out of a difficult situation
Example
His friend **bailed him out** when he ran out of money.
idiom

Born and bred

Meaning
Having lived all one’s life in a particular place and influenced by its culture
Example
She’s a Dhaka **born and bred** woman.
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

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

build brand loyalty

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

balance the books

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

Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth

Meaning
To be born into a wealthy family.
Example
He never had to struggle; he was **born with a silver spoon in his mouth**.
idiom

bend the law

Meaning
to use the law in a dishonest way to achieve something
Example
Some lawyers know how to **bend the law** to help their clients.
idiom

burn bridges

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

back out

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

burst with happiness

Meaning
to be full of great joy or excitement
Example
The parents **burst with happiness** when they saw their newborn baby.
idiom

by the way

Meaning
used to introduce a new topic or add extra information
Example
**By the way**, did you finish your project?
idiom

break the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation in which progress is not possible
Example
They finally managed to **break the deadlock** through discussion.
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

be responsible for

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

break the mold

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

butterflies in my stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I had **butterflies in my stomach** before the interview.
idiom

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

Meaning
alert and full of energy, especially in the morning
Example
He came to work **bright-eyed and bushy-tailed** after the weekend.
idiom

Bet the farm

Meaning
To risk everything on one big decision.
Example
He **bet the farm** on that business deal.
idiom

burn the midnight oil

Meaning
to work late into the night
Example
She **burned the midnight oil** to finish her project.
idiom

behind closed doors

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

back to square one

Meaning
to start over again
Example
After the computer crashed, I had to go **back to square one** with my report.
idiom

bursting with joy

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

break free

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

burning the midnight oil

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

beyond a reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical reason to doubt; with full certainty
Example
The evidence proved his guilt **beyond a reasonable doubt**.
idiom

be sure of yourself

Meaning
to have confidence in your abilities or opinions
Example
To be a leader, you must **be sure of yourself**.
idiom

be like family

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

blue chip

Meaning
a well-established and financially sound company
Example
He prefers to invest in **blue chip** stocks for stability.
idiom

bargain for

Meaning
to expect or plan for something
Example
The workload was more than we **bargained for**.
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

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 accountable for

Meaning
to be responsible for something and able to explain it
Example
As the team leader, he is **accountable for the project's outcome**.
idiom

bridge the gap

Meaning
to reduce differences or improve relations
Example
The treaty aims to **bridge the gap** between the two sides.
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

bare your soul

Meaning
to share your deepest feelings or secrets honestly
Example
She **bared her soul** to her best friend.
idiom

break the ice

Meaning
to start a friendly conversation in an awkward situation
Example
To **break the ice**, I told a funny story.
idiom

beam me up

Meaning
to leave a place quickly or escape an unpleasant situation
Example
This meeting is so boring—someone please **beam me up**!
idiom

better late than never

Meaning
it’s better to do something late than not do it at all
Example
**Better late than never** – he finally apologized.
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

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

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

beg to differ

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

butterflies in one's stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I had **butterflies in my stomach** before the interview.
idiom

burst of inspiration

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

beginner’s luck

Meaning
success for someone inexperienced
Example
He won his first game — must be **beginner’s luck**.
idiom

burn one’s fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of one’s own mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by investing in a risky business.
idiom

be in the limelight

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

burst out laughing

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

battle of wills

Meaning
a conflict where both sides refuse to give up
Example
It became a **battle of wills** between the manager and the team leader.
idiom

blow the whistle

Meaning
to expose wrongdoing or reveal secret information
Example
He **blew the whistle** on the company’s illegal activities.
idiom

buckle down

Meaning
to start working seriously
Example
If you want to pass the exam, you’d better **buckle down** and study.
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

blur the lines

Meaning
to make the difference between two things less clear or distinct
Example
AI-generated art often **blurs the lines** between human creativity and machine output.
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

Balance the scales

Meaning
to make sure everything is fair or equal
Example
We need to **balance the scales** before making a final decision.
idiom

burn the candle at both ends

Meaning
to work too hard without enough rest
Example
If you **burn the candle at both ends**, you’ll get exhausted soon.
idiom

bag of bones

Meaning
a very thin person
Example
After his illness, he turned into a **bag of bones**.
idiom

brand ambassador

Meaning
a person who promotes a brand through personal influence
Example
They hired a celebrity as their **brand ambassador**.
idiom

boil over

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

brush aside

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant
Example
Management **brushed aside** the rumors during the briefing.
idiom

big-hearted

Meaning
very kind and generous
Example
He is known as a **big-hearted** man.
idiom

blow someone's cover

Meaning
to reveal someone's secret identity or hidden purpose
Example
The journalist accidentally **blew the cover** of the undercover agent.
idiom

branch out

Meaning
to expand into new activities or areas
Example
The bakery plans to **branch out** into catering services next year.
idiom

buckle under pressure

Meaning
to give in or fail due to too much stress or pressure
Example
Some employees **buckle under pressure**, while others thrive.
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 someone’s head off

Meaning
to speak angrily to someone without reason
Example
I just asked a question, no need to **bite my head off**!
idiom

break a promise

Meaning
to fail to do what one promised
Example
She **broke her promise** and didn’t call him.
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

break the fourth wall

Meaning
to address the audience directly in a play or film
Example
The actor **broke the fourth wall** to make the scene funnier.
idiom

break the chains

Meaning
to free oneself from restrictions or limitations
Example
She wanted to **break the chains** of social expectations.
idiom

bury the hatchet

Meaning
to stop fighting and become friends again
Example
After years of argument, they decided to **bury the hatchet**.
idiom

Blue ocean strategy

Meaning
Creating a new market space with little or no competition.
Example
Their **blue ocean strategy** helped them dominate a new market.
idiom

break the internet

Meaning
to cause an enormous amount of attention and discussion online
Example
The celebrity's new photo **broke the internet**.
idiom

by and large

Meaning
generally speaking; on the whole
Example
**By and large**, we agree with your proposal.
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

burn out

Meaning
to become very tired and lose motivation due to overwork
Example
If you don’t rest, you’ll **burn out** soon.
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

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

back on your feet

Meaning
recovered and healthy again
Example
It’s good to see you **back on your feet** after the flu.
idiom

burst into tears

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **burst into tears** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

build castles in the air

Meaning
to make unrealistic plans or dreams
Example
He’s always **building castles in the air** instead of acting.
idiom

Baptism of fire

Meaning
A person’s first difficult experience in a new job or role.
Example
Her first week as manager was a real **baptism of fire**.
idiom

black hat

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