Big fish in a small pond
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idiom

Big fish in a small pond

Meaning
An important person in a small organization or area.
Example
He prefers being a **big fish in a small pond** rather than competing globally.
idiom

tough luck

Meaning
expression of sympathy for someone’s misfortune
Example
Didn’t get the job? **Tough luck**!
idiom

Speak the truth and shame the devil

Meaning
Speak the truth even if it may cause trouble or discomfort.
Example
She always believes that **speak the truth and shame the devil** is the right way.
idiom

shoot from the hip

Meaning
to speak or act without thinking carefully
Example
He tends to **shoot from the hip** during meetings.
phrasal-verb

pull in

Meaning
to attract or earn money, profit, or investment
Example
The new app quickly **pulled in** thousands of subscribers and investors.
phrasal-verb

calm things down

Meaning
to make a tense or angry situation more peaceful
Example
He tried to **calm things down** before it got worse.
idiom

swing vote

Meaning
a vote that is not yet decided and could go either way
Example
The **swing vote** will determine the outcome of the election.
phrasal-verb

turn over

Meaning
to flip something; to change jobs or positions
Example
She **turned over** the page to continue reading.
phrasal-verb

boost confidence

Meaning
to increase optimism or trust in the economy
Example
Positive trade data helped **boost confidence** among entrepreneurs.
phrasal-verb

win out

Meaning
to finally succeed after difficulties or opposition
Example
Despite strong resistance, the reformers **won out** in the end.
phrasal-verb

forgive yourself

Meaning
to stop blaming yourself for past mistakes
Example
You must **forgive yourself** to move forward peacefully.
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

count on

Meaning
to rely on or trust someone to do something
Example
You can always **count on** me.
phrasal-verb

go into

Meaning
to discuss or examine something in detail
Example
The lecturer didn’t **go into** much detail about the topic.
idiom

blow the whistle

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

cool as a cucumber

Meaning
very calm and composed
Example
He stayed **cool as a cucumber** during the meeting.
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

speaking for myself

Meaning
stating one’s personal opinion only, not others’
Example
**Speaking for myself**, I think we should wait.
phrasal-verb

speak softly

Meaning
to talk in a gentle and quiet tone
Example
In public places, it’s polite to **speak softly**.
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

give off

Meaning
to emit a smell, light, or feeling
Example
The candles **give off** a calming scent in the room.
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

boil over

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

wired to learn

Meaning
naturally designed to acquire knowledge or skills
Example
Humans are **wired to learn**, just like AI systems.
phrasal-verb

rise toward excellence

Meaning
to keep improving continuously toward a higher standard
Example
With dedication, anyone can **rise toward excellence**.
idiom

take down

Meaning
to record information in writing
Example
Can you **take down** the meeting notes?
idiom

pivot

Meaning
to change direction or strategy in response to market feedback or failure
Example
After the initial product launch failed, the team decided to **pivot** to a new business model.
phrasal-verb

pack for

Meaning
to prepare luggage for a particular destination or purpose
Example
She’s **packing for** her summer vacation in Thailand.
phrasal-verb

look inside

Meaning
to reflect on your own emotions and motivations
Example
You need to **look inside** yourself to understand your anger.
idiom

dog days

Meaning
the hottest days of summer
Example
During the **dog days** of summer, everyone stays indoors.
phrasal-verb

zero in on goals

Meaning
to focus all attention and effort on achieving something
Example
The team needs to **zero in on goals** to stay efficient.
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

move past

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

bring up old issues

Meaning
to mention past problems during a new argument
Example
He always **brings up old issues** whenever they argue.
phrasal-verb

keep dreaming

Meaning
to continue having hopes and ambitions even when things are difficult
Example
No matter what happens, **keep dreaming** big.
idiom

comic relief

Meaning
a funny moment in a serious situation
Example
The movie’s sidekick provided much-needed **comic relief**.
idiom

to lose your nerve

Meaning
to lose courage and become too afraid to do something
Example
He wanted to jump, but he **lost his nerve** at the last second.
idiom

steer the ship

Meaning
to be in charge or control of a situation or organization
Example
The manager was able to **steer the ship** through the difficult times.
phrasal-verb

hold down inflation

Meaning
to control or keep inflation at a manageable level
Example
The central bank took measures to **hold down inflation**.
phrasal-verb

ring back

Meaning
to return a phone call
Example
I’ll **ring back** when I get home.
phrasal-verb

make amends for

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry for hurting someone
Example
She tried to **make amends for** her mistake.
idiom

internet troll

Meaning
a person who deliberately posts offensive or provocative comments online
Example
Don’t feed the **internet trolls** by replying to their comments.
phrasal-verb

protect against

Meaning
to take measures to defend from threats or attacks
Example
Good antivirus software can **protect against** malware.
idiom

make up with someone

Meaning
to become friends again after a disagreement
Example
After their argument, they decided to **make up with each other**.
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

patch together

Meaning
to assemble something quickly and roughly
Example
We managed to **patch together** a plan before the call.
phrasal-verb

shore up the economy

Meaning
to support or strengthen the economy during difficult times
Example
The stimulus package was introduced to **shore up the economy** after the crisis.
idiom

in the hot seat

Meaning
to be in a difficult or uncomfortable position, often with public scrutiny
Example
After the controversy, the mayor was **in the hot seat** for several days.
phrasal-verb

draw everyone in

Meaning
to involve all members actively in a discussion or activity
Example
The facilitator tried to **draw everyone in** during the brainstorming session.
phrasal-verb

split up tasks

Meaning
to divide work among people in a group
Example
Let’s **split up tasks** so everyone knows what to do.
phrasal-verb

check on

Meaning
to make sure someone is safe or doing well
Example
He **checked on** his grandparents after hearing about the storm.
idiom

work one’s fingers to the bone

Meaning
to work extremely hard
Example
He **worked his fingers to the bone** to build his business.
idiom

backpropagation

Meaning
a learning algorithm used in neural networks to minimize error by adjusting weights through the network
Example
The **backpropagation** algorithm helps in optimizing the neural network's performance.
idiom

pay it forward

Meaning
to do something kind for someone else after receiving kindness
Example
After receiving help from a stranger, he decided to **pay it forward** by helping someone in need.
idiom

take the stand

Meaning
to testify in court
Example
The witness will **take the stand** tomorrow morning.
phrasal-verb

get over hurt

Meaning
to recover emotionally from pain or sadness
Example
It took him months to **get over** the hurt from the breakup.
phrasal-verb

work for

Meaning
to be employed by someone or an organization
Example
I **work for** a multinational company in Dhaka.
idiom

face up to

Meaning
to accept and confront a difficult situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to** the staffing gaps.
phrasal-verb

trip over oneself

Meaning
to make many small mistakes because of nervousness
Example
He **tripped over himself** trying to explain.
phrasal-verb

slow yourself down

Meaning
to reduce your pace to avoid stress or exhaustion
Example
If you feel tired, try to **slow yourself down** and rest a little.
idiom

big-hearted

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

blow someone away

Meaning
to impress or surprise someone greatly
Example
Her performance really **blew me away**.
phrasal-verb

work through pain

Meaning
to deal with emotional pain step by step until you heal
Example
He is still trying to **work through pain** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

slip out

Meaning
to say something unintentionally
Example
The secret just **slipped out** during the chat.
idiom

extend an olive branch

Meaning
to offer peace or reconciliation
Example
After years of conflict, the president decided to **extend an olive branch**.
idiom

to err is human

Meaning
everyone makes mistakes; it’s natural to be imperfect
Example
**To err is human**, but to learn from errors is wisdom.
phrasal-verb

tap into potential

Meaning
to make use of your hidden strengths or abilities
Example
She finally learned how to **tap into potential** and succeed.
phrasal-verb

burst into song

Meaning
to start singing suddenly out of happiness
Example
He **burst into song** when he got the good news.
idiom

Playing both sides

Meaning
To secretly support or manipulate both sides of a conflict for personal gain.
Example
The ambassador was accused of **playing both sides** in the negotiations.
phrasal-verb

shore up confidence

Meaning
to support or strengthen belief and trust in the economy
Example
The government announced new reforms to **shore up confidence** in financial markets.
phrasal-verb

bring in money

Meaning
to generate income or revenue
Example
The new policy helped the government **bring in money** from foreign investors.
idiom

serve time

Meaning
to spend time in prison as punishment
Example
He had to **serve time** for his involvement in the fraud case.
phrasal-verb

find against

Meaning
to decide that someone is wrong or guilty
Example
The judge **found against** the company for breaking the contract.
phrasal-verb

keep moving

Meaning
to continue progressing without giving up
Example
Even when life gets tough, you must **keep moving**.
phrasal-verb

hold on to

Meaning
to keep believing or trying despite difficulties
Example
You must **hold on to** your dreams no matter what happens.
idiom

hope springs eternal

Meaning
people will always have hope, no matter the situation
Example
Even in the darkest times, he believed things would get better because **hope springs eternal**.
phrasal-verb

pick up where you left off

Meaning
to continue doing something from the point you stopped
Example
Let’s **pick up where we left off** last week.
idiom

jumpy as a cat

Meaning
easily frightened or nervous
Example
He’s been **jumpy as a cat** since the robbery.
phrasal-verb

rise with courage

Meaning
to face challenges bravely and stay positive
Example
We must **rise with courage** when life throws difficulties our way.
phrasal-verb

hold back from

Meaning
to resist forgetting or losing traditional values
Example
The villagers **held back from** abandoning their rituals.
idiom

get out of hand

Meaning
to become difficult to control
Example
The party started to **get out of hand** when more people arrived.
idiom

boil down to

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

tear apart alliances

Meaning
to destroy relationships between allied groups or nations
Example
The ongoing dispute **tore apart alliances** that lasted for decades.
idiom

Show of hands

Meaning
A quick way to see who agrees or supports something by raising hands.
Example
Let’s have a **show of hands** to decide who supports the new plan.
idiom

step up one’s game

Meaning
to improve one’s effort or performance
Example
If you want that promotion, you need to **step up your game**.
idiom

cut both ways

Meaning
to have both positive and negative effects
Example
Working from home **cuts both ways** – you save time but lose social interaction.
idiom

fly high

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

flash of genius

Meaning
a sudden brilliant idea or solution
Example
Her idea for the new logo was a real **flash of genius**.
idiom

In the picture

Meaning
Involved or informed about a situation
Example
I want to stay **in the picture** about the new project.
idiom

make it happen

Meaning
take action to achieve something
Example
Stop dreaming and **make it happen**.
phrasal-verb

file under pressure

Meaning
to deliver reports quickly despite stress
Example
She can **file under pressure** while live updates keep coming.
idiom

push your luck

Meaning
take a risk hoping for more success
Example
You already got a discount, don’t **push your luck**.
idiom

sleep on it

Meaning
to delay making a decision until the next day
Example
This is an important decision, why don't you **sleep on it**?
phrasal-verb

flare with anger

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry
Example
She **flared with anger** when she heard the unfair decision.
idiom

Keep an open mind

Meaning
To be willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
Try to **keep an open mind** when learning about different cultures.
phrasal-verb

eat out

Meaning
to eat at a restaurant instead of at home
Example
We decided to **eat out** tonight.
phrasal-verb

come down on

Meaning
to criticize or punish someone strongly for a decision or action
Example
The board will **come down on** any department that exceeds the budget.
phrasal-verb

get past

Meaning
to stop being affected by something difficult or painful
Example
It took him months to **get past** the failure of his first project.
phrasal-verb

freeze with shock

Meaning
to be unable to move because of sudden fear or surprise
Example
He **froze with shock** when he saw the accident.
idiom

a clean slate

Meaning
a fresh start; an opportunity to begin again without past mistakes
Example
He moved to a new city for **a clean slate**.
phrasal-verb

open out

Meaning
to become more confident, relaxed, and expressive emotionally
Example
He started to **open out** after making new friends at work.
phrasal-verb

write in

Meaning
to send a written complaint or opinion
Example
Many viewers **wrote in** to complain about the poor sound quality.
idiom

pull at heartstrings

Meaning
to evoke strong emotions, usually sympathy or sadness, in an audience
Example
The charity’s commercial really **pulls at the heartstrings**.
phrasal-verb

decide on

Meaning
to choose something after thinking carefully
Example
We finally **decided on** the blue design.
phrasal-verb

ground oneself

Meaning
to stay emotionally stable and present in reality
Example
He took a walk outside to **ground himself** after the bad news.
idiom

bear market

Meaning
a period when stock prices are falling
Example
Many people lose money during a **bear market**.
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

the power behind the throne

Meaning
a person who secretly controls or influences the leader
Example
Though he's not the CEO, he's **the power behind the throne**.
idiom

branch out

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

open yourself up to feedback

Meaning
to be willing to receive and accept constructive criticism
Example
To grow, you need to **open yourself up to feedback** from others.
phrasal-verb

spread across

Meaning
to extend over a large area or among many people
Example
The global supply chain **spreads across** several continents.
idiom

out of left field

Meaning
something unexpected or surprising
Example
His question came **out of left field** and shocked everyone.
phrasal-verb

shell out

Meaning
to pay money, especially when you don’t want to
Example
We had to **shell out** $200 for the concert tickets.
idiom

Carry the torch

Meaning
To continue supporting a cause or idea passed from the past.
Example
Young activists are **carrying the torch** of civil rights today.
phrasal-verb

hang around

Meaning
to stay in a place without a clear purpose; to wait aimlessly
Example
There’s no point **hanging around** here, let’s go inside.
phrasal-verb

bring about change

Meaning
to cause something to happen; to make change occur
Example
A good leader can bring about change in any organization.
idiom

put down roots

Meaning
to settle and become established somewhere
Example
After moving to Canada, they finally **put down roots** there.
idiom

draw down

Meaning
to reduce the level or amount of something
Example
We plan to **draw down** inventory over the summer.
idiom

groundbreaking discovery

Meaning
a discovery that changes understanding in a field
Example
The new vaccine was a **groundbreaking discovery** in medicine.
idiom

work like a dog

Meaning
to work very hard without rest
Example
She **works like a dog** to provide for her kids.