bottom line
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idiom

bottom line

Meaning
the most important point; the final result or profit
Example
The **bottom line** is that trade deficits are increasing.
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

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 there for someone

Meaning
to support or help someone when they need it
Example
True friends **are there for you** when you need them.
idiom

be sure of yourself

Meaning
to have confidence in your abilities or opinions
Example
To be a leader, you must **be sure of yourself**.
idiom

book smart

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

be thick as thieves

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

big data

Meaning
Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.
Example
The company uses **big data** to improve customer experience.
idiom

bosom friends

Meaning
very close and intimate friends
Example
They have been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

better safe than sorry

Meaning
It’s wiser to be cautious than to take risks and regret later.
Example
I always double-check the locks — **better safe than sorry**.
idiom

blind faith

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

big-hearted

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

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

bold as brass

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

butterflies in one's stomach

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

bear market

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

beat down

Meaning
to strike repeatedly with force, such as intense sun or rain
Example
The afternoon sun **beat down** on the field all day.
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

blur the lines

Meaning
to make the difference between two things less clear or distinct
Example
AI-generated art often **blurs the lines** between human creativity and machine output.
idiom

break into a cold sweat

Meaning
to start sweating due to fear or anxiety
Example
He **broke into a cold sweat** before giving his speech.
idiom

bring forward

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

better luck next time

Meaning
used to encourage someone who has failed
Example
**Better luck next time**! You almost won.
idiom

burst with energy

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

burn the candle at both ends

Meaning
to work too hard without enough rest
Example
If you **burn the candle at both ends**, you’ll get exhausted soon.
idiom

beyond one's control

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

bridge the gap

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

block off

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

brave the storm

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

be comfortable in your own skin

Meaning
to be confident and happy with who you are
Example
It took years for her to **be comfortable in her own skin**.
idiom

be your own biggest fan

Meaning
to appreciate and believe in yourself
Example
You should **be your own biggest fan** to stay motivated.
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

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

better late than never

Meaning
it’s better to do something late than not do it at all
Example
**Better late than never** – he finally apologized.
idiom

brainchild of

Meaning
an idea or invention created by someone
Example
ChatGPT is the **brainchild of** OpenAI researchers.
idiom

break even

Meaning
to have equal income and expenses, neither profit nor loss
Example
The company finally **broke even** after three years.
idiom

bring up a family

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

Blue ocean strategy

Meaning
Creating a new market space with little or no competition.
Example
Their **blue ocean strategy** helped them dominate a new market.
idiom

beat the rap

Meaning
to escape punishment or avoid being convicted
Example
He managed to **beat the rap** thanks to a clever lawyer.
idiom

black and white

Meaning
clearly defined; without confusion or ambiguity
Example
The contract terms are **black and white**.
idiom

bite the dust

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

branch out

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

break the chains

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

bright spark

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

burning desire

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

behind bars

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

back off

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

bury the hatchet

Meaning
to stop fighting and become friends again
Example
After years of argument, they decided to **bury the hatchet**.
idiom

bring the curtain down

Meaning
to end something; to finish a performance or event
Example
The concert **brought the curtain down** on the music festival.
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

Bursting at the seams

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

bat around

Meaning
to discuss ideas casually
Example
We spent the afternoon **batting around** marketing themes.
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

blow someone away

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

Building castles in the air

Meaning
To have unrealistic or impractical plans or dreams.
Example
She’s always **building castles in the air**, dreaming of a perfect world.
idiom

bottle up your feelings

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

bottom out

Meaning
to reach the lowest point before improving
Example
Experts believe the market has **bottomed out**.
idiom

bear in mind

Meaning
to remember or consider something
Example
**Bear in mind** that traffic will be heavy at that time.
idiom

bite the byte

Meaning
to deal with a difficult technological challenge
Example
Developers had to **bite the byte** to fix the software issue.
idiom

bubbling with joy

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

bring down the house

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

broken-hearted

Meaning
extremely sad about something or someone
Example
He was **broken-hearted** after the breakup.
idiom

build up your confidence

Meaning
to gradually become more confident
Example
Public speaking can help you **build up your confidence**.
idiom

brain like a sieve

Meaning
having a very bad memory
Example
I keep forgetting things—I’ve got a **brain like a sieve**!
idiom

blow a fuse

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry or lose control
Example
He **blew a fuse** when he saw the mess.
idiom

break new ground

Meaning
to do something innovative or pioneering
Example
Their research **broke new ground** in medical science.
idiom

break the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation in which progress is not possible
Example
They finally managed to **break the deadlock** through discussion.
idiom

brute force attack

Meaning
a method of hacking that tries all possible combinations of passwords until the correct one is found
Example
The attacker launched a **brute force attack** on the system’s login page.
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

bounce back

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback or failure
Example
She **bounced back** after losing the competition.
idiom

blossom into something

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

busy bee

Meaning
a person who is always busy and active
Example
She’s a **busy bee**, always working on something.
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

buy into

Meaning
to accept or support an idea or plan
Example
The team quickly **bought into** the new workflow.
idiom

bolt from the blue

Meaning
a sudden and unexpected event
Example
The project cancellation came as a **bolt from the blue**.
idiom

burned out

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

burn your bridges

Meaning
to make a decision that cannot be reversed
Example
Be careful not to **burn your bridges** with your old employer.
idiom

behind enemy lines

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

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

blow your top

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **blew his top** when he found out about the mistake.
idiom

be in the limelight

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

blast off

Meaning
to take off or start with great energy or enthusiasm
Example
The project is ready to **blast off** next week.
idiom

brighten up

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

Boom and bust

Meaning
A period of great prosperity followed by a sharp decline.
Example
The real estate market often experiences **boom and bust** cycles.
idiom

Burn rate

Meaning
The rate at which a startup spends its capital.
Example
Our **burn rate** is too high; we need to cut costs.
idiom

bend the truth

Meaning
to slightly change the truth to make something sound better
Example
He tends to **bend the truth** when telling stories.
idiom

Burn the bridges

Meaning
to destroy the possibility of returning to a previous situation
Example
Once he left the company, he decided to **burn the bridges** and not look back.
idiom

break away

Meaning
to separate from a group or routine
Example
She plans to **break away** from the commute by working remotely twice a week.
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

build trust

Meaning
to create or develop trust in a relationship
Example
It takes time to **build trust** with new people.
idiom

break the law

Meaning
to commit an illegal act
Example
Anyone who **breaks the law** should be punished.
idiom

bursting with joy

Meaning
full of happiness and excitement
Example
The children were **bursting with joy** on Christmas morning.
idiom

brand loyalty

Meaning
the tendency of consumers to keep buying the same brand
Example
**Brand loyalty** often depends on consistent quality.
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

bend the rules

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

break into a market

Meaning
to successfully enter a new market or industry
Example
The company is trying to **break into the Asian market**.
idiom

butterflies in your stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I always get **butterflies in my stomach** before a big presentation.
idiom

Break a sweat

Meaning
To exert effort or work hard at something.
Example
She didn't even **break a sweat** while finishing the entire project in one day.
idiom

brush up on

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

beam me up

Meaning
to leave a place quickly or escape an unpleasant situation
Example
This meeting is so boring—someone please **beam me up**!
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

Band together

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

butterflies in the stomach

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

birds of a feather

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

backdoor access

Meaning
a secret or unauthorized way to access a system or information
Example
Hackers found a **backdoor access** to the company’s database.
idiom

beyond reasonable doubt

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

bull market

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

burst with happiness

Meaning
to be full of great joy or excitement
Example
The parents **burst with happiness** when they saw their newborn baby.
idiom

butter someone up

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

break the bank

Meaning
to cost too much; to use up all your money
Example
Buying that car will **break the bank**.
idiom

break down the problem

Meaning
to analyze a problem step by step
Example
Let’s **break down the problem** to understand it better.
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

buckle down

Meaning
to start working seriously
Example
If you want to pass the exam, you’d better **buckle down** and study.