Bide one’s time
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idiom

Bide one’s time

Meaning
To wait patiently for the right opportunity.
Example
She decided to **bide her time** before making a move.
idiom

brush off

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

yellow-bellied

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

brighten someone's day

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

Take off

Meaning
To begin to succeed rapidly; to leave the ground.
Example
Her business really **took off** after the new marketing campaign.
idiom

pull the strings

Meaning
to control or influence someone or something secretly
Example
He got the job because his uncle **pulled the strings**.
idiom

tighten your belt

Meaning
to spend less money; to economize
Example
We’ll have to **tighten our belts** until business improves.
idiom

stand on your own two feet

Meaning
to be independent and self-supporting
Example
He worked hard to **stand on his own two feet** after college.
idiom

on the warpath

Meaning
very angry and likely to argue or fight
Example
She was **on the warpath** after hearing the bad news.
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

in the wrong

Meaning
to be responsible for a mistake or bad situation.
Example
He knew he was **in the wrong** for shouting at her.
idiom

neural network of ideas

Meaning
a complex and interconnected web of thoughts or concepts
Example
Her brain works like a **neural network of ideas**.
idiom

Throw down the gauntlet

Meaning
To challenge someone to fight or compete.
Example
He **threw down the gauntlet** by questioning his opponent’s honesty.
idiom

keep someone at arm’s length

Meaning
to avoid getting too close to someone
Example
After the argument, I **kept him at arm’s length**.
idiom

turn up the heat

Meaning
to increase pressure or intensity
Example
The scientists decided to **turn up the heat** on the experiment.
idiom

to take the cake

Meaning
to be the best or most impressive thing in a situation
Example
Out of all the new projects, his idea **took the cake**.
idiom

a level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
We want to create **a level playing field** for all competitors.
idiom

at sixes and sevens

Meaning
in a state of confusion or disorder
Example
After the renovation, the office was **at sixes and sevens** for weeks.
idiom

sow the seeds of something

Meaning
to begin a process that leads to a result
Example
His actions **sowed the seeds of** mistrust among the team.
idiom

the rest is history

Meaning
used to say that everyone knows what happened next
Example
They met in college, fell in love, and **the rest is history**.
idiom

weak link

Meaning
the most vulnerable or insecure part of a system
Example
Humans are often the **weak link** in cybersecurity.
idiom

catch a bug

Meaning
to find a problem or defect in a system
Example
The developer was able to **catch a bug** in the system before it went live.
idiom

rocket science

Meaning
something very complicated or difficult to understand
Example
Coding isn’t **rocket science** if you practice regularly.
idiom

burst with energy

Meaning
to have a lot of energy and enthusiasm
Example
The children were **bursting with energy** during the game.
idiom

short circuit

Meaning
to cause a sudden failure; to interrupt a process abruptly
Example
A small mistake **short-circuited** the entire project.
idiom

pan out

Meaning
to turn out well or produce a good result
Example
Luckily, our backup plan **panned out**.
idiom

bite your tongue

Meaning
to stop yourself from saying something you want to say
Example
I had to **bite my tongue** when my boss took credit for my work.
idiom

lovebirds

Meaning
a couple who are very affectionate with each other
Example
Look at those **lovebirds** holding hands in the park!
idiom

have steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to be visibly very angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** when he saw the damage.
idiom

In due time

Meaning
At the right or appropriate time.
Example
Everything will be alright **in due time**, just be patient.
idiom

count to ten

Meaning
to pause and calm down before reacting in anger
Example
When you’re upset, just **count to ten** before speaking.
idiom

a leopard can't change its spots

Meaning
someone cannot change their inherent nature or characteristics
Example
No matter how hard he tries, **a leopard can't change its spots**.
idiom

touch base with

Meaning
to make brief contact with someone for an update
Example
I'll **touch base with** you after the meeting to confirm the plan.
idiom

birds of a feather

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

The sun will shine again

Meaning
Better times will come after bad ones.
Example
Don’t worry too much — **the sun will shine again**.
idiom

A Pandora’s box

Meaning
A source of endless complications or trouble.
Example
Discussing that topic will open a **Pandora’s box** of complaints.
idiom

a slow learner

Meaning
someone who takes time to understand or learn things
Example
Don’t worry if you need more time—you’re just **a slow learner**.
idiom

I’d say

Meaning
used to express a considered opinion
Example
**I’d say** this is the best option we have.
idiom

sick to death of something

Meaning
extremely tired or annoyed by something
Example
I’m **sick to death of** listening to his complaints.
idiom

the bottom line

Meaning
the most important fact or result
Example
The **bottom line** is that we need to increase our profits.
idiom

a rollercoaster of emotions

Meaning
to experience very high and very low emotional states in a short time
Example
The week was **a rollercoaster of emotions**, with moments of joy and sadness.
idiom

beat the algorithm

Meaning
to find a way to outsmart or bypass a system's logic
Example
Marketers always try to **beat the algorithm** for better reach.
idiom

a tough act to follow

Meaning
something so impressive that others find it hard to match or surpass
Example
His last performance was **a tough act to follow**.
idiom

a brush with fame

Meaning
a brief encounter or experience with a famous person
Example
During the exhibition, I had **a brush with fame** when I met a renowned painter.
idiom

laid-back

Meaning
calm, relaxed, and not easily upset
Example
He’s a very **laid-back** person who rarely gets angry.
idiom

true colors

Meaning
someone’s real character or intentions
Example
He showed his **true colors** when he lied to me.
idiom

spend money like water

Meaning
to spend money freely or wastefully
Example
She **spends money like water** on clothes.
idiom

crossing the aisle

Meaning
when a politician supports or votes for the opposite party
Example
She surprised everyone by **crossing the aisle** to support the bill.
idiom

table a proposal

Meaning
to formally present a proposal for discussion
Example
The ambassador decided to **table a proposal** for regional cooperation.
idiom

talk down to someone

Meaning
to speak to someone as if they are less intelligent
Example
He always **talks down to** his coworkers, which is rude.
idiom

come out clean

Meaning
To be proven innocent or free from blame.
Example
After investigation, he **came out clean**.
idiom

bookend something

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

Stick with it

Meaning
Keep doing something even if it’s hard.
Example
Learning English takes time, so **stick with it**.
idiom

brush aside

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

make a name for oneself

Meaning
to become well-known or famous for something
Example
He **made a name for himself** as a creative designer.
idiom

in a huff

Meaning
angry or offended, usually for a short time
Example
She left the meeting **in a huff** after being criticized.
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

to come clean

Meaning
to admit the truth, especially when it is difficult or embarrassing
Example
He decided it was time to **come clean** about his mistake.
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

foot the bill

Meaning
to pay for something, especially something expensive
Example
His father will **foot the bill** for the wedding.
idiom

push the right buttons

Meaning
to do exactly what is needed to get a desired result
Example
She knows how to **push the right buttons** to impress her boss.
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

envy eats the heart

Meaning
jealousy destroys one’s peace of mind
Example
**Envy eats the heart**, so stop comparing yourself to others.
idiom

fall through the cracks

Meaning
to be overlooked or neglected
Example
I forgot to follow up on his application and it **fell through the cracks**.
idiom

on one's shoulders

Meaning
having the responsibility or burden of something
Example
The success of the project is **on his shoulders**.
idiom

to make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a big impact
Example
Her new book **made a splash** in the literary world.
idiom

Practice makes perfect

Meaning
The more you practice, the better you become.
Example
**Practice makes perfect**, so keep trying.
idiom

Golden handshake

Meaning
A large payment given to someone when they leave a job, especially early retirement.
Example
The CEO received a **golden handshake** when he retired early.
idiom

Bailout package

Meaning
Financial support given to prevent a company or economy from collapsing.
Example
The government announced a **bailout package** for struggling airlines.
idiom

bury the differences

Meaning
to forget disagreements and be friendly again
Example
They decided to **bury their differences** and work together.
idiom

Fashion victim

Meaning
Someone who follows fashion trends blindly
Example
He's such a **fashion victim**—he buys every new style that comes out.
idiom

carve your own path

Meaning
to create your own way of achieving success or independence
Example
She decided to **carve her own path** instead of joining her family business.
idiom

cross the bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to not worry about something until it happens
Example
We’ll **cross the bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

every cloud has a silver lining

Meaning
every difficult situation has a hopeful aspect
Example
I was sad when I lost my job, but then I found a better one. **Every cloud has a silver lining**.
idiom

all in good time

Meaning
something will happen eventually; be patient
Example
**All in good time**, you’ll see the results soon.
idiom

hit the dance floor

Meaning
to start dancing, especially at a party
Example
Let’s **hit the dance floor** and show our moves!
idiom

tie up loose ends

Meaning
to complete the remaining small tasks of a project
Example
Before the deadline, we need to **tie up loose ends**.
idiom

scale back

Meaning
to reduce the size or amount of something
Example
They had to **scale back** the festival because of the budget.
idiom

take sides

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument
Example
It’s hard not to **take sides** when your friends are arguing.
idiom

Keep one’s eye on the ball

Meaning
To stay focused on achieving a goal.
Example
If you **keep your eye on the ball**, you’ll surely succeed.
idiom

beyond one’s grasp

Meaning
too difficult to understand or achieve
Example
Quantum physics is **beyond my grasp** right now.
idiom

Fit like a glove

Meaning
To fit perfectly.
Example
This dress **fits like a glove** on you!
idiom

pulling strings

Meaning
using influence to get something done
Example
He got the engineering contract by **pulling strings**.
idiom

chill out

Meaning
to relax and stop being angry or nervous
Example
You need to **chill out** and enjoy the weekend.
idiom

put in the hours

Meaning
to spend a lot of time working
Example
If you **put in the hours**, you’ll see progress soon.
idiom

Climb the ranks

Meaning
To move up to higher positions through hard work and experience.
Example
He **climbed the ranks** from an intern to a manager in five years.
idiom

step on the gas

Meaning
to move faster; to hurry up
Example
We need to **step on the gas** if we want to reach on time.
idiom

a shot in the arm

Meaning
something that gives encouragement or energy
Example
The new funding was **a real shot in the arm** for the project.
idiom

see the big picture

Meaning
to understand the overall situation or goal
Example
You need to **see the big picture** before making decisions.
idiom

earn your stripes

Meaning
to gain respect or recognition through hard work
Example
She really **earned her stripes** after managing that crisis.
idiom

lose your temper

Meaning
to become angry suddenly
Example
He **lost his temper** when the kids broke the vase.
idiom

keep something under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
They managed to **keep the project under wraps** until the launch day.
idiom

fly high

Meaning
to be very successful or happy
Example
After winning the award, she’s been **flying high**.
idiom

chip away at

Meaning
to gradually work on something to achieve a result
Example
She **chipped away at** her thesis every evening until it was finished.
idiom

take someone to task

Meaning
to strongly criticize someone for something they did wrong
Example
The teacher **took him to task** for cheating on the exam.
idiom

Roll the dice

Meaning
to take a chance on something uncertain
Example
They **rolled the dice** by launching their product early.
idiom

a chatterbox

Meaning
someone who talks a lot, especially a child
Example
My little sister is **a chatterbox**; she never stops talking.
idiom

change with the times

Meaning
to adapt to the changes in society or technology
Example
In order to stay relevant in the business, it's important to **change with the times**.
idiom

bold as brass

Meaning
to be very confident and not shy at all
Example
She walked into the meeting **bold as brass**.
idiom

thinking outside the box

Meaning
to think in an unconventional or creative way
Example
In the tech world, **thinking outside the box** is crucial to developing innovative solutions.
idiom

smooth over

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

get along like a house on fire

Meaning
To quickly become good friends and enjoy each other’s company.
Example
They met last week and **got along like a house on fire**.
idiom

hit the streets

Meaning
to go out on patrol or begin a search for a suspect
Example
The officers decided to **hit the streets** after the robbery was reported.
idiom

a glimmer of hope

Meaning
a small sign of improvement or success in a difficult situation
Example
Even in the hardest times, he never gave up because there was always **a glimmer of hope**.
idiom

live from hand to mouth

Meaning
to barely have enough money to survive
Example
Many laborers **live from hand to mouth** every day.
idiom

Hold out

Meaning
Continue to survive or resist for a long time.
Example
They managed to **hold out** until help arrived.
idiom

come to light

Meaning
to become known or revealed
Example
The truth finally **came to light** after many years.
idiom

fingers crossed

Meaning
hoping for good luck or a good result
Example
I have my **fingers crossed** for your exam results.
idiom

out of orbit

Meaning
beyond control; off the usual path
Example
The project went **out of orbit** after the manager left.
idiom

tough it out

Meaning
to endure a difficult situation with strength and determination
Example
Even though it was a tough day, she managed to **tough it out** and finish the project.
idiom

a weight off your shoulders

Meaning
relief after dealing with a stressful situation
Example
Finishing the project felt like **a weight off my shoulders**.
idiom

behind bars

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

note down

Meaning
to write something so you remember it
Example
Please **note down** the action items before we leave.
idiom

Pivot the business

Meaning
To change direction or strategy to adapt to the market.
Example
After poor sales, they decided to **pivot the business** toward software solutions.
idiom

All for one and one for all

Meaning
Everyone in the group works together for the common good.
Example
In our company, we believe in the motto, **all for one and one for all**.
idiom

Put up walls

Meaning
To create emotional barriers or distance from others.
Example
After the breakup, she **put up walls** and stopped trusting people.
idiom

carve out a niche

Meaning
to establish a unique place or role for oneself
Example
She **carved out a niche** as a specialist in art restoration.
idiom

clash of civilizations

Meaning
the conflict between different cultural, religious, or civilizational groups
Example
The debate about cultural differences is often seen as a **clash of civilizations**.
idiom

market share

Meaning
the portion of a market controlled by a particular company or product
Example
The company increased its **market share** after launching the new product.
idiom

recharge your batteries

Meaning
to rest and regain energy
Example
I took a vacation to **recharge my batteries**.