be there for someone
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idiom

be there for someone

Meaning
to support or help someone when they need it
Example
True friends **are there for you** when you need them.
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

bare your soul

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

buy into

Meaning
to accept or support an idea or plan
Example
The team quickly **bought into** the new workflow.
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

behind the times

Meaning
old-fashioned or not keeping up with modern ideas
Example
My uncle still uses a typewriter—he’s **behind the times**.
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

blind justice

Meaning
justice that is impartial and not influenced by external factors
Example
**Blind justice** treats everyone the same, regardless of wealth or status.
idiom

burn your fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of a bad decision or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by trusting the wrong person.
idiom

Bursting at the seams

Meaning
To be very full or crowded.
Example
The store was **bursting at the seams** during the sale.
idiom

bubbling with joy

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

behind bars

Meaning
in prison
Example
The murderer will spend the rest of his life **behind bars**.
idiom

bend someone’s ear

Meaning
to talk to someone for a long time, usually to complain
Example
He **bent my ear** about his terrible day at work.
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

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

Boom and bust

Meaning
A period of great prosperity followed by a sharp decline.
Example
The real estate market often experiences **boom and bust** cycles.
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

born poor, die rich

Meaning
to start life poor but become rich through hard work
Example
He’s the kind of man who wants to **born poor, die rich**.
idiom

brand ambassador

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

black box thinking

Meaning
analyzing unknown processes by studying their inputs and outputs
Example
In AI research, **black box thinking** helps improve transparency.
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

bosom friends

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

break new ground

Meaning
to do something innovative or pioneering
Example
Their research **broke new ground** in medical science.
idiom

burn rubber

Meaning
to drive very fast
Example
They **burned rubber** as they raced to the hospital.
idiom

Build bridges, not walls

Meaning
Make connections and friendships rather than creating barriers
Example
Instead of fighting, let's **build bridges, not walls**.
idiom

beyond your wildest dreams

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

book someone

Meaning
to officially charge someone with a crime
Example
The police **booked** him for theft.
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

beginner’s luck

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

big data

Meaning
Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.
Example
The company uses **big data** to improve customer experience.
idiom

bring up

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

be thick as thieves

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

beyond the pale

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

break free

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

believe you’re good enough

Meaning
to accept that you are capable and worthy
Example
To overcome fear, you must **believe you’re good enough**.
idiom

burst of inspiration

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

by leaps and bounds

Meaning
to progress or improve very quickly
Example
Her English has improved **by leaps and bounds**.
idiom

busy bee

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

bursting with joy

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

breathe in

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

brand loyalty

Meaning
the tendency of consumers to keep buying the same brand
Example
**Brand loyalty** often depends on consistent quality.
idiom

be above board

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

black box

Meaning
a system or process whose workings are not understood or transparent
Example
The neural network is often described as a **black box** because its decision-making process is not fully transparent.
idiom

blow one’s top

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry
Example
He **blew his top** when he saw the mistake.
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

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

balance of power

Meaning
the distribution of power between nations to prevent any one nation from becoming too powerful
Example
The United Nations aims to maintain the **balance of power** among its member states.
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

blow one’s own trumpet

Meaning
to praise oneself; to boast about one's achievements
Example
He loves to **blow his own trumpet** whenever he achieves something.
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

blue chip

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

be at someone’s beck and call

Meaning
to always be ready to help or obey someone
Example
The assistant is **at his boss’s beck and call**.
idiom

brick by brick

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

bloom where you’re planted

Meaning
make the best of your current situation
Example
Even in tough times, she **blooms where she’s planted**.
idiom

burn the midnight oil

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

burn a hole in one's pocket

Meaning
to spend money quickly or irresponsibly
Example
After receiving his bonus, he couldn't resist and **burned a hole in his pocket** by buying a new car.
idiom

balance the books

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

brush off

Meaning
to dismiss something or someone as unimportant
Example
He tried to **brush off** the criticism during the meeting.
idiom

back out of

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
He **backed out of** the trip at the last minute.
idiom

brainstorm an idea

Meaning
to discuss and think creatively to generate new ideas
Example
The teacher asked the class to **brainstorm ideas** for the project.
idiom

button up

Meaning
to finish preparations or close something securely
Example
Let’s **button up** the proposal by Friday.
idiom

blank mind

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

big-hearted

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

blow off steam

Meaning
to express anger or frustration so that you feel better
Example
He went for a run to **blow off steam** after the argument.
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

behind the scenes

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

brush aside

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

branch out

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

blue chip company

Meaning
a large, reliable, and financially stable company
Example
Investors prefer to put their money into **blue chip companies**.
idiom

build character

Meaning
to develop positive qualities or strength through challenges
Example
Going through this process will **build character** in the team.
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

better luck next time

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

break the chains

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

black hat

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

Bury yourself in books

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

blow out of proportion

Meaning
to exaggerate or overstate something
Example
The media **blew the story out of proportion**.
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

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

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

big mouth

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

bring the curtain down

Meaning
to end something; to finish a performance or event
Example
The concert **brought the curtain down** on the music festival.
idiom

break faith

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

behind someone’s back

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

bring forward

Meaning
to move something to an earlier time
Example
We had to **bring forward** the meeting due to travel.
idiom

bookend something

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

burst with ideas

Meaning
to have many creative ideas at once
Example
After watching the film, he was **bursting with ideas** for his next project.
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

break down in tears

Meaning
to start crying suddenly
Example
She **broke down in tears** after hearing the sad story.
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

Break bread with someone

Meaning
To share a meal; to bond over food
Example
They decided to **break bread** to celebrate their new partnership.
idiom

busy as a bee

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

bounce back

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback or failure
Example
She **bounced back** after losing the competition.
idiom

Born in the barn

Meaning
To have bad manners or lack social etiquette.
Example
Close the door! Were you **born in the barn**?
idiom

backseat driver

Meaning
a person who gives unwanted advice or direction
Example
Don't be a **backseat driver**, let me handle it.
idiom

blow your mind

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

Break a sweat

Meaning
To exert effort or work hard at something.
Example
She didn't even **break a sweat** while finishing the entire project in one day.
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

bond of friendship

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

big thanks

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

bounce around

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

beat the rap

Meaning
to escape punishment or avoid being convicted
Example
He managed to **beat the rap** thanks to a clever lawyer.
idiom

brush past

Meaning
to move quickly by someone or something with slight contact
Example
He **brushed past** the reporters without stopping.
idiom

be in high spirits

Meaning
to feel very happy and positive
Example
Everyone was **in high spirits** after the successful event.
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

be comfortable in your own skin

Meaning
to be confident and happy with who you are
Example
It took years for her to **be comfortable in her own skin**.
idiom

behind schedule

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

brighten up your day

Meaning
to make someone feel happier
Example
Her smile can **brighten up your day** instantly.
idiom

breathe easy

Meaning
to relax after a stressful or dangerous situation
Example
After the pollution control laws were enforced, people could finally **breathe easy**.
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

backdoor entry

Meaning
a secret or unofficial way to access something
Example
Hackers found a **backdoor entry** into the company’s database.
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

branch off

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