blow off steam
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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

Band together

Meaning
To unite for a common purpose.
Example
The workers **banded together** to demand better wages.
idiom

blow out of the water

Meaning
to surprise or defeat completely
Example
Their performance **blew us out of the water**.
idiom

bail out

Meaning
to release someone from jail after paying bail money
Example
His family managed to **bail him out** after two days.
idiom

bust someone

Meaning
to arrest or catch someone doing something illegal
Example
The officer was able to **bust someone** for selling drugs.
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

backroom deal

Meaning
a secret agreement made by powerful people
Example
The media exposed the **backroom deal** between the two parties.
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

bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too big to handle
Example
I think I **bit off more than I can chew** by agreeing to manage three projects at once.
idiom

block off

Meaning
to close an area so people cannot enter
Example
Police **blocked off** the street after the accident.
idiom

bring down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad or to reduce something
Example
Don’t let one rude comment **bring down** your confidence.
idiom

Bootstrap the business

Meaning
To build a company using only personal finances.
Example
They decided to **bootstrap the business** instead of seeking investors.
idiom

brighten up

Meaning
to become happier or more cheerful
Example
Her face **brightened up** when she saw her friends.
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

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 with energy

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

breach of trust

Meaning
a failure to keep information or promises secure
Example
Leaking user data is a major **breach of trust**.
idiom

brand ambassador

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

believe you can

Meaning
to have the mindset that you are capable of doing something
Example
If you **believe you can**, you’re halfway there.
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

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

black box thinking

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

behind schedule

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

burst of creativity

Meaning
a sudden outpouring of creative ideas
Example
She had a **burst of creativity** and finished the design in one go.
idiom

be on duty

Meaning
to be working or responsible for something at a certain time
Example
The guard was **on duty** all night.
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

beyond belief

Meaning
too surprising or shocking to believe
Example
His recovery was **beyond belief**.
idiom

build from the ground up

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built their business from the ground up** with no investors.
idiom

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning
To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example
If you think I'm guilty, you're **barking up the wrong tree**.
idiom

bold as brass

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

build a better mousetrap

Meaning
to improve an existing product or idea
Example
Every tech company tries to **build a better mousetrap** in its field.
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

be in the limelight

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

bottle up your feelings

Meaning
to hide or suppress your emotions
Example
Don't **bottle up your feelings**; talk about them.
idiom

bring luck

Meaning
to cause good fortune
Example
This bracelet is said to **bring luck** to whoever wears it.
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

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

bottle up emotions

Meaning
to keep feelings inside and not express them
Example
He tends to **bottle up his emotions**, which isn't healthy in the long run.
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

bloom where you are planted

Meaning
to make the best of the situation you are in
Example
Even in a small town, she managed to **bloom where she was planted**.
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

Bursting at the seams

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

butterflies in the stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or excited
Example
I always get **butterflies in my stomach** before a date.
idiom

bubbling with joy

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

book smart

Meaning
knowledgeable from studying rather than experience
Example
He’s **book smart** but lacks practical experience.
idiom

blind date

Meaning
a romantic meeting between two people who have never met before
Example
She met her boyfriend on a **blind date**.
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

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

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

be on the same page

Meaning
to agree with someone or have the same understanding
Example
Before getting married, they made sure they were **on the same page** about their future.
idiom

book someone

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

button up

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

bootstrap a startup

Meaning
to build a business using limited resources without external funding
Example
Many successful founders **bootstrapped their startups** in the early days.
idiom

brand awareness

Meaning
the extent to which consumers are familiar with a brand
Example
Our main goal is to increase **brand awareness** through social media.
idiom

by leaps and bounds

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

bear the responsibility

Meaning
to take on the duty of something
Example
She was willing to **bear the responsibility** for the new project.
idiom

birds of a feather

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

burning desire

Meaning
a strong motivation to achieve something
Example
He has a **burning desire** to succeed in life.
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

build from scratch

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built the company from scratch** with no outside funding.
idiom

back out of

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

Burst with gratitude

Meaning
To feel extremely thankful.
Example
She was **bursting with gratitude** after receiving help.
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

Be all ears

Meaning
To listen very attentively.
Example
I’m **all ears**, tell me what happened!
idiom

blow the whistle

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

be thick as thieves

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

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
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

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

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

blow out of proportion

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

back off

Meaning
to move away or stop pressuring someone
Example
Let’s **back off** and give them space to decide.
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

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

brush aside

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

break the chains

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

blossom into something

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

bring forward

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

butterflies in one's stomach

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

beyond your wildest dreams

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

back away from

Meaning
to retreat or withdraw from a situation
Example
He chose to **back away from** the argument before it escalated.
idiom

blind experiment

Meaning
a test conducted without participants knowing certain information to prevent bias
Example
The scientists conducted a **blind experiment** to ensure accuracy.
idiom

Break like the wind

Meaning
To move or pass quickly; sometimes used humorously.
Example
He ran **like the wind** to catch the bus.
idiom

bent over backwards

Meaning
to try very hard to help or please someone
Example
She **bent over backwards** to make sure everyone was happy.
idiom

build character

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

break a promise

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

bridge the gap

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

byte the bullet

Meaning
to face a difficult situation bravely
Example
We have to **byte the bullet** and fix the system bugs now.
idiom

beyond one’s comprehension

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

beyond a shadow of a doubt

Meaning
without any doubt; completely certain
Example
He is **beyond a shadow of a doubt** the best candidate for the job.
idiom

backdoor entry

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

break down

Meaning
to start crying due to strong emotions
Example
She **broke down** when she heard the sad news.
idiom

balance of trade

Meaning
the difference between a country's exports and imports
Example
A negative **balance of trade** can weaken a nation's currency.
idiom

bring up a family

Meaning
to raise and take care of children
Example
They worked hard to **bring up a family**.
idiom

bull market

Meaning
a period when prices of stocks are rising
Example
Investors are optimistic during a **bull market**.
idiom

bargain chip

Meaning
something of value used in negotiations to get a better deal
Example
His offer of a longer contract was a strong **bargain chip**.
idiom

beyond reasonable doubt

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

beyond the pale

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

build brand loyalty

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

bookend something

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

blow hot and cold

Meaning
to keep changing your attitude or mood
Example
He’s **blowing hot and cold** about the new project.
idiom

bite the bullet

Meaning
to decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating about
Example
I decided to **bite the bullet** and finish my homework.
idiom

burn rubber

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

bare your soul

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

bravery in the face of danger

Meaning
showing courage even when facing danger
Example
The firefighter showed **bravery in the face of danger**.
idiom

butterflies in my stomach

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

birds of a feather flock together

Meaning
People who have similar interests or personalities tend to be friends.
Example
John and Mike are always together; well, **birds of a feather flock together**.
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

beat around the bush

Meaning
to avoid talking about the main topic
Example
Stop **beating around the bush** and tell me what happened.
idiom

burned out

Meaning
completely exhausted or tired due to overwork
Example
After months of overtime, she felt **burned out**.
idiom

bright spark

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