boot up
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idiom

boot up

Meaning
to start a computer or system
Example
My laptop takes forever to **boot up**.
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

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

break up

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship
Example
They decided to **break up** after five years together.
idiom

brave the storm

Meaning
to face great difficulties with courage
Example
They **braved the storm** to rescue the stranded people.
idiom

build character

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

beyond one's control

Meaning
not under one’s power or influence
Example
The situation is **beyond our control** now.
idiom

butter someone up

Meaning
to flatter someone to gain favor
Example
He’s trying to **butter up** the boss for a promotion.
idiom

black sheep

Meaning
a person who is considered a disgrace to a group or family
Example
He is the **black sheep** of the family.
idiom

bootstrapping

Meaning
building a business without external funding
Example
He started his company through **bootstrapping**, using only his savings.
idiom

Blue skies thinking

Meaning
Creative or open-minded thinking without limits.
Example
Our brainstorming session encouraged **blue skies thinking**.
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

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

bright spark

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

blind faith

Meaning
trusting without questioning
Example
Having **blind faith** can sometimes lead to disappointment.
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

between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
facing two difficult choices
Example
She’s **between a rock and a hard place** — neither option is good.
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

book smart

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

batten down

Meaning
to secure something tightly in preparation for trouble
Example
Residents will **batten down** their windows before the storm.
idiom

blow your own trumpet

Meaning
to boast or brag about your achievements
Example
He never stops **blowing his own trumpet** about his success.
idiom

bury your head in the sand

Meaning
to ignore a problem hoping it will go away
Example
We can’t **bury our heads in the sand** about climate change any longer.
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

black and blue

Meaning
bruised; having marks from injury
Example
He was **black and blue** after falling off his bike.
idiom

burn the midnight oil

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

break into

Meaning
to enter a new field or profession successfully
Example
She managed to **break into** the film industry last year.
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

beg to differ

Meaning
to politely disagree with someone
Example
I **beg to differ**, but I think your conclusion is incorrect.
idiom

bite the dust

Meaning
to fail or be defeated
Example
Several small startups **bit the dust** last year.
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

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

buckle under the strain

Meaning
to give in to stress or pressure
Example
She refused to **buckle under the strain** and kept going.
idiom

betray someone's trust

Meaning
to break someone's confidence in you
Example
She would never **betray your trust**.
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

brainstorm ideas

Meaning
to think of new and creative ideas
Example
The class gathered to **brainstorm ideas** for the science project.
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

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

book someone

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

beat a dead horse

Meaning
to waste time on a topic that has already been resolved
Example
Stop **beating a dead horse**; the decision is final.
idiom

bring luck

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

break the chains

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

big picture

Meaning
the overall perspective or situation
Example
Producers always try to see the **big picture** before making changes.
idiom

be a role model

Meaning
to be an example that others should imitate
Example
She is always a **role model** for younger employees in the company.
idiom

breathe in

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

brush past

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

bark up the wrong tree

Meaning
to make a wrong assumption
Example
If you think I took your wallet, you’re **barking up the wrong tree**.
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 reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical reason to doubt; with full certainty
Example
The evidence proved his guilt **beyond a reasonable doubt**.
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

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

burst of inspiration

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

be accountable for

Meaning
to be responsible for something and able to explain it
Example
As the team leader, he is **accountable for the project's outcome**.
idiom

beyond one’s grasp

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

boil down to

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

breach of trust

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

brush up on

Meaning
to improve one’s skill or knowledge
Example
She decided to **brush up on** her painting techniques.
idiom

bear market

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

break the fourth wall

Meaning
to address the audience directly in a play or film
Example
The actor **broke the fourth wall** to make the scene funnier.
idiom

blow your mind

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

balance the books

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

block out

Meaning
to ignore distractions or unpleasant thoughts
Example
She tried to **block out** the noise and continue working.
idiom

Bury yourself in books

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

blank mind

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

Bear with me

Meaning
Be patient with me.
Example
**Bear with me** while I fix this problem.
idiom

buy a lemon

Meaning
to buy something that is defective or worthless
Example
He **bought a lemon** when he got that used car.
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

beyond your wildest dreams

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

blood is thicker than water

Meaning
family relationships are stronger than others
Example
He helped his brother because **blood is thicker than water**.
idiom

bull market

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

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

break free

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

build from scratch

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

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

be thick as thieves

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

black hole

Meaning
a situation where things disappear or are lost without explanation
Example
All the research data went into a **black hole** after the server crash.
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

build bridges

Meaning
to improve relationships between people
Example
We need to **build bridges** between our two departments.
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

blow up in your face

Meaning
a plan or situation that suddenly goes wrong and causes trouble
Example
His plan to impress the boss **blew up in his face**.
idiom

be a good sport

Meaning
to be fair and positive in difficult situations
Example
Even when she lost the game, she was **a good sport** and congratulated the winner.
idiom

bounce around

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

blueprint for success

Meaning
a detailed plan for achieving success
Example
Strong teamwork is the **blueprint for success** in this project.
idiom

barefaced lie

Meaning
a bold and shameless lie
Example
His excuse was a **barefaced lie**.
idiom

burn your boats

Meaning
to commit yourself to a course of action without a way back
Example
He **burned his boats** when he quit his job to start a business.
idiom

behind enemy lines

Meaning
in a hostile or dangerous situation
Example
Journalists were working **behind enemy lines** to report the truth.
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

back away from

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

bend the law

Meaning
to use the law in a dishonest way to achieve something
Example
Some lawyers know how to **bend the law** to help their clients.
idiom

Best foot forward

Meaning
To try to make the best possible impression
Example
She always puts her **best foot forward** on important occasions.
idiom

bear with

Meaning
to be patient with someone or something
Example
Please **bear with** us while we resolve the issue.
idiom

backdoor

Meaning
An undocumented way of accessing a system or software, usually used by hackers to bypass security.
Example
The attacker installed a **backdoor** to access the system at any time without being detected.
idiom

bend the rules

Meaning
to make exceptions; to modify rules slightly
Example
The teacher **bent the rules** to help the new student.
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

behind the eight ball

Meaning
to be in a difficult position or disadvantage
Example
Without proper funding, the project is **behind the eight ball**.
idiom

blue sky thinking

Meaning
creative and visionary thinking that ignores practical limitations
Example
Let's engage in some **blue sky thinking** to come up with innovative solutions.
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

breaking the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation where no progress is being made
Example
The negotiation team succeeded in **breaking the deadlock**.
idiom

brighten up your day

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

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

blue chip

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

burning the midnight oil

Meaning
working late into the night
Example
She’s been **burning the midnight oil** to finish the report.
idiom

bring down the house

Meaning
to get an enthusiastic applause from the audience
Example
Her solo performance **brought down the house**.
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

big-hearted

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

bail on

Meaning
to abandon someone or something suddenly
Example
He wouldn’t **bail on** his friends at the last minute.
idiom

Bet the farm

Meaning
To risk everything on one big decision.
Example
He **bet the farm** on that business deal.
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

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

beyond the rainbow

Meaning
to hope for something wonderful or dreamlike
Example
She believes her dreams lie **beyond the rainbow**.
idiom

behind bars

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

by the skin of one’s teeth

Meaning
To narrowly escape or achieve something by a very small margin.
Example
I passed the exam **by the skin of my teeth**.