blackout
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idiom

blackout

Meaning
to lose consciousness temporarily
Example
He suddenly **blacked out** during the match.
idiom

carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders

Meaning
to feel responsible for many problems or duties
Example
She always **carries the weight of the world on her shoulders**, even when it's not her fault.
idiom

lose your train of thought

Meaning
to forget what you were thinking or saying
Example
I **lost my train of thought** when the phone rang.
idiom

blossom into something

Meaning
to develop or become successful over time
Example
She **blossomed into** a confident and skilled leader.
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

get the show on the road

Meaning
to begin an activity or journey
Example
Let’s **get the show on the road** and start our trip.
idiom

get one's act together

Meaning
to organize oneself or one's actions effectively
Example
We need to **get our act together** before the deadline.
idiom

set in stone

Meaning
fixed and not likely to change
Example
Our schedule isn’t **set in stone** yet.
idiom

ring the changes

Meaning
to make changes to something to make it more interesting or effective
Example
The restaurant decided to **ring the changes** with a new menu.
idiom

out of the frying pan into the fire

Meaning
to go from a bad situation to a worse one
Example
Leaving that job was like jumping **out of the frying pan into the fire**.
idiom

Take it one step at a time

Meaning
Deal with tasks gradually instead of rushing.
Example
**Take it one step at a time**, and you’ll succeed.
idiom

put someone in their place

Meaning
to show someone that they are not as important as they think
Example
She **put him in his place** when he tried to act superior.
idiom

stand trial

Meaning
to appear in court to answer criminal charges
Example
He will **stand trial** for fraud next month.
idiom

over it

Meaning
no longer interested or affected by something
Example
I'm totally **over it** now.
idiom

peace talks

Meaning
negotiations aimed at ending a conflict
Example
The **peace talks** between the two countries lasted for weeks.
idiom

cross that bridge when we come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem only when it arises
Example
Don't worry about the challenges now, we will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
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

sitting on the fence

Meaning
to avoid taking sides or making a decision
Example
He is **sitting on the fence** about the new policy.
idiom

Never give up

Meaning
Always continue trying despite difficulties.
Example
No matter how hard it is, **never give up**.
idiom

Wait for the dust to settle

Meaning
Wait until a situation becomes clear or calm.
Example
Let’s **wait for the dust to settle** before making a decision.
idiom

gears in motion

Meaning
the process has started and is progressing
Example
Once the plan was approved, the **gears were in motion**.
idiom

hang someone out to dry

Meaning
to abandon someone to face blame or trouble alone.
Example
His friends **hung him out to dry** when the teacher asked who cheated.
idiom

set the standard

Meaning
to establish an example of excellence that others strive to reach
Example
Her work ethic has **set the standard** for the entire team.
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

pot luck

Meaning
whatever is available or happens by chance
Example
Let’s take **pot luck** and eat at that new café.
idiom

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
idiom

Cross the Rubicon

Meaning
To make an irreversible decision or take a step from which there is no turning back.
Example
By quitting his job, he **crossed the Rubicon** and committed to his startup dream.
idiom

Living beyond one’s means

Meaning
Spending more money than one can afford.
Example
Many people get into debt by **living beyond their means**.
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

ease off on

Meaning
to reduce the amount or pressure of something
Example
They decided to **ease off on** overtime this month.
idiom

pass the buck

Meaning
to shift responsibility to someone else.
Example
Don’t **pass the buck**; you need to take ownership of your actions.
idiom

Break with tradition

Meaning
To do something in a different way from what is usually done
Example
The couple decided to **break with tradition** and have a small wedding on the beach.
idiom

ghost in the machine

Meaning
a mysterious or unexplained force in a system or person
Example
There must be a **ghost in the machine** causing these AI errors.
idiom

red-eye flight

Meaning
a flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning
Example
I took a **red-eye flight** to save a day on my trip.
idiom

make a vow

Meaning
to make a serious promise or pledge
Example
They **made a vow** to stay together forever.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
idiom

under someone's thumb

Meaning
completely under someone's control
Example
He's **under his boss's thumb** and can't make his own decisions.
idiom

go with your gut

Meaning
to trust your instinct when making a decision
Example
Sometimes you just have to **go with your gut**.
idiom

double check

Meaning
to verify something again for accuracy
Example
Always **double check** the numbers before submitting.
idiom

show who's boss

Meaning
to make people recognize your authority
Example
Sometimes a leader must **show who's boss**.
idiom

have someone's back

Meaning
to support or defend someone
Example
Don’t worry—I **have your back**.
idiom

Economic downturn

Meaning
A period when the economy declines or slows down.
Example
Many people lost their jobs during the **economic downturn**.
idiom

learn from your mistakes

Meaning
to use the experience of past errors to improve future behavior
Example
Everyone makes errors, but wise people **learn from their mistakes**.
idiom

to have a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared healthy by a doctor
Example
After the checkup, she got **a clean bill of health**.
idiom

the world is your oyster

Meaning
you can achieve anything you want in life
Example
With your talent, **the world is your oyster**.
idiom

to put two and two together

Meaning
to figure something out from the facts
Example
She didn’t tell me directly, but I **put two and two together**.
idiom

a flash in the pan

Meaning
something that seems promising at first but fails to deliver
Example
The peace talks were just **a flash in the pan**.
idiom

in your face advertising

Meaning
aggressive or very direct form of advertising
Example
Some brands use **in your face advertising** to stay memorable.
idiom

get ahead

Meaning
to be successful in life or career
Example
She worked hard to **get ahead** in her company.
idiom

Buy low, sell high

Meaning
The strategy of buying goods or assets cheaply and selling them for a profit.
Example
Every investor dreams to **buy low, sell high**.
idiom

narrow down

Meaning
to reduce a list of options to a smaller number
Example
We’ve **narrowed down** the candidates to the final three.
idiom

feel for

Meaning
to have sympathy for someone
Example
We really **feel for** anyone stuck in that traffic.
idiom

taste of success

Meaning
to experience success for the first time
Example
After years of struggle, he finally got a **taste of success**.
idiom

fall flat on your face

Meaning
to fail completely in an embarrassing way
Example
He **fell flat on his face** during his first business attempt.
idiom

cast the first stone

Meaning
to be the first to criticize or condemn someone
Example
Before you **cast the first stone**, remember that nobody is perfect.
idiom

dodged a bullet

Meaning
To narrowly escape a dangerous or unlucky situation.
Example
We really **dodged a bullet** when that deal fell through.
idiom

draw a line

Meaning
to set a limit or boundary
Example
You have to **draw a line** between work and personal life.
idiom

a man of his word

Meaning
a person who keeps their promises
Example
He’s **a man of his word**, you can trust him.
idiom

bright spark

Meaning
a very clever or talented person
Example
The new intern is a real **bright spark** with great ideas.
idiom

hand in glove

Meaning
working closely and harmoniously together
Example
The two partners work **hand in glove** to achieve their goals.
idiom

tie in with

Meaning
to connect or coordinate with something else
Example
The workshop topics **tie in with** our current curriculum.
idiom

out of your mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
You must be **out of your mind** to drive that fast!
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

mull over

Meaning
to think carefully about something
Example
Take a day to **mull over** the offer.
idiom

tighten one’s belt

Meaning
to spend less money due to financial difficulties
Example
After losing his job, he had to **tighten his belt**.
idiom

agree to disagree

Meaning
to accept that you have different opinions and stop arguing
Example
We’ll just **agree to disagree** on this topic.
idiom

to be fair

Meaning
used to introduce a balanced or just opinion
Example
**To be fair**, she did try her best.
idiom

balance out

Meaning
to counteract or cancel the effect of something
Example
The extra volunteers should **balance out** the workload.
idiom

Know something inside out

Meaning
To know something very well
Example
She **knows the syllabus inside out**.
idiom

play hardball

Meaning
to be firm and tough in negotiation
Example
He decided to **play hardball** during the contract talks.
idiom

let bygones be bygones

Meaning
to forget past disagreements and forgive each other
Example
They decided to **let bygones be bygones** and move forward.
idiom

true colors

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

grow by leaps and bounds

Meaning
to grow or improve very quickly
Example
The company has **grown by leaps and bounds** in the last year.
idiom

leave a carbon footprint

Meaning
to cause pollution or environmental impact through daily activities
Example
Flying frequently can **leave a large carbon footprint**.
idiom

change of scene

Meaning
a new environment or situation
Example
After months of work, I needed a **change of scene**.
idiom

Ask a million questions

Meaning
To be extremely curious and ask many questions.
Example
Kids often **ask a million questions** about everything.
idiom

tip of the hat

Meaning
a gesture of appreciation or respect
Example
A **tip of the hat** to everyone who made this event possible.
idiom

save for a rainy day

Meaning
to save money for future emergencies
Example
You should **save for a rainy day**.
idiom

hit the sack

Meaning
to go to bed
Example
I'm exhausted, so I'm going to **hit the sack** early tonight.
idiom

grab a bite

Meaning
to eat something quickly
Example
Let’s **grab a bite** before the meeting.
idiom

be at the helm

Meaning
to be in charge of or control something
Example
He was **at the helm** of the company when it became successful.
idiom

figure out

Meaning
to understand or solve something
Example
We need to **figure out** why the emails bounced.
idiom

on background

Meaning
information given to a journalist that cannot be attributed to the source
Example
The official spoke **on background** about the new policy.
idiom

make room for

Meaning
to clear space to accommodate something
Example
Let’s **make room for** the new equipment near the window.
idiom

reach common ground

Meaning
to find shared interests or agreement between parties
Example
After a long discussion, they **reached common ground**.
idiom

ramp up

Meaning
to increase the intensity or amount of something
Example
We need to **ramp up** production before the holidays.
idiom

play your part

Meaning
to do your share of the work or responsibility
Example
Everyone needs to **play their part** to make the event successful.
idiom

push yourself to the limit

Meaning
to make maximum effort even when it’s tough
Example
Athletes **push themselves to the limit** to achieve their dreams.
idiom

set a precedent

Meaning
to establish a standard or example for future actions
Example
Banning unethical AI systems will **set a precedent** for accountability.
idiom

go-getter

Meaning
an ambitious person who achieves their goals
Example
Tom is a real **go-getter**; he never gives up.
idiom

how’s it going

Meaning
a casual way of asking how someone is doing
Example
**How’s it going?** You look great today!
idiom

play the political card

Meaning
to use a political issue to one’s advantage
Example
The minister tried to **play the political card** to gain public sympathy.
idiom

make friends

Meaning
to form new friendships
Example
It’s easy to **make friends** when you’re kind to others.
idiom

call a spade a spade

Meaning
to speak honestly and directly, even if it’s unpleasant
Example
She always **calls a spade a spade**, no matter who gets offended.
idiom

a long shot

Meaning
something that has a very small chance of success
Example
Winning the competition is **a long shot**, but we’ll try.
idiom

Game of thrones

Meaning
A struggle for power or control, often involving manipulation and rivalry
Example
The election turned into a **game of thrones** with leaders fighting for dominance.
idiom

a law unto oneself

Meaning
someone who acts independently and ignores rules
Example
He’s **a law unto himself**, never following company policies.
idiom

soft sell

Meaning
a subtle and persuasive way of selling without pressure
Example
They used a **soft sell** strategy to gain customer trust.
idiom

save time

Meaning
to reduce the time needed for something
Example
Using shortcuts can **save time** when typing.
idiom

open the floodgates

Meaning
to allow something to happen on a large scale; to trigger a chain reaction
Example
When the security flaw was leaked, it **opened the floodgates** for hackers worldwide.
idiom

smoke-filled room

Meaning
a place where powerful people make decisions secretly
Example
The new policy was decided in a **smoke-filled room** by senior officials.
idiom

check up on

Meaning
to verify that someone or something is doing well
Example
I’ll **check up on** the interns after the training session.
idiom

cross the ethical line

Meaning
to do something that is considered morally wrong in ethics
Example
Selling user data without permission **crosses the ethical line**.
idiom

to see the silver lining

Meaning
to find something positive in a negative situation
Example
She always tries to **see the silver lining** even in the most challenging situations.
idiom

You can say that again

Meaning
Used to strongly agree with someone
Example
‘It’s been a long day.’ ‘**You can say that again!**’
idiom

With friends like that, who needs enemies?

Meaning
A person’s actions or behavior make them worse than an enemy.
Example
He betrayed me again, **with friends like that, who needs enemies?**
idiom

Don’t give up

Meaning
Continue trying and don’t quit.
Example
You’ve come so far—**don’t give up** now!
idiom

walking on air

Meaning
to feel very happy and excited
Example
After winning the match, he was **walking on air**.
idiom

lean into

Meaning
to embrace and actively engage with something
Example
She decided to **lean into** the new role and learn quickly.
idiom

blow one’s top

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

twist someone's ear

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something by being persistent
Example
I had to **twist someone's ear** to get him to help me move.
idiom

blow someone away

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

by trial and error

Meaning
learning by experimenting and correcting mistakes
Example
We developed the best method **by trial and error**.
idiom

smart cookie

Meaning
a clever and intelligent person
Example
Don’t underestimate her—she’s a **smart cookie**.
idiom

a masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something that has great potential to become exceptional
Example
Her new sculpture is **a masterpiece in the making**.
idiom

make a decision

Meaning
to choose something after thinking about it
Example
I need some time to **make a decision** about my career path.
idiom

go live

Meaning
to start broadcasting in real time on social media
Example
She plans to **go live** tonight to talk with her followers.
idiom

Supply and demand

Meaning
The relationship between how much of something is available and how much people want it.
Example
The price of oil depends largely on **supply and demand**.
idiom

in the cloud

Meaning
stored or managed on remote servers via the internet
Example
All our data is now **in the cloud**.
idiom

go on a spending spree

Meaning
to spend a lot of money in a short period of time
Example
She **went on a spending spree** after getting her bonus.