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All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

break down

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

Go for it

Meaning
To try to achieve something with confidence.
Example
If you really want that job, **go for it**!
idiom

at the end of the day

Meaning
when everything is considered; ultimately
Example
**At the end of the day**, teamwork solved the problem.
idiom

second childhood

Meaning
the time in old age when a person starts behaving like a child again
Example
After retirement, he entered his **second childhood**.
idiom

picture perfect

Meaning
completely flawless or ideal
Example
Their wedding day was **picture perfect**.
idiom

dial in

Meaning
to connect to a meeting or call remotely
Example
I’ll **dial in** from the airport lounge.
idiom

in seventh heaven

Meaning
in a state of great happiness
Example
They were **in seventh heaven** during their honeymoon.
idiom

blow someone away

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

have guts

Meaning
to have courage or confidence to do something difficult
Example
It takes someone with real courage to **have guts** to speak the truth.
idiom

split hairs

Meaning
to argue about small or unimportant details
Example
Stop **splitting hairs** and focus on the main issue.
idiom

Hot off the press

Meaning
Newly printed; very recent news
Example
The report was **hot off the press**, released just minutes ago.
idiom

take the heat

Meaning
to accept criticism or blame.
Example
The manager **took the heat** for the failed project.
idiom

feel ten feet tall

Meaning
to feel very proud and confident
Example
He **felt ten feet tall** after completing the challenge.
idiom

cut and dry

Meaning
clear and straightforward; no room for confusion
Example
The decision wasn’t as **cut and dry** as they expected.
idiom

home is where the heart is

Meaning
your true home is with the people you love
Example
I may live far away, but **home is where the heart is**.
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

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**.
idiom

to be a sponge for knowledge

Meaning
to absorb information eagerly and enthusiastically
Example
She's **a sponge for knowledge**; she reads every book she can find.
idiom

in the limelight

Meaning
to be the focus of public attention
Example
After winning the award, he was **in the limelight** for months.
idiom

throw a tantrum

Meaning
to have an outburst of anger or frustration, often in a childish manner
Example
The child **threw a tantrum** when she didn’t get the toy she wanted.
idiom

in a huff

Meaning
angry or offended, usually for a short time
Example
She left the meeting **in a huff** after being criticized.
idiom

level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
The new rules create a **level playing field** for all teams.
idiom

match made in heaven

Meaning
a perfect romantic couple
Example
Everyone says they are a **match made in heaven**.
idiom

climb to the top

Meaning
to achieve the highest position in a company or field
Example
He’s determined to **climb to the top** of his profession.
idiom

make a name for yourself

Meaning
to become well-known or successful in a particular field
Example
She **made a name for herself** in the world of fashion design.
idiom

can’t wait

Meaning
to be very eager or impatient for something to happen
Example
I **can’t wait** to see the new movie!
idiom

out of sorts

Meaning
feeling slightly unwell or upset
Example
He’s been **out of sorts** since he caught that cold.
idiom

brush off

Meaning
to dismiss something or someone as unimportant
Example
He tried to **brush off** the criticism during the meeting.
idiom

get back on track

Meaning
to return to the right path after a mistake or setback
Example
After a few mistakes, she managed to **get back on track**.
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

conversion rate

Meaning
The percentage of visitors to a website who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up.
Example
Our **conversion rate** has significantly improved after the redesign of the website.
idiom

bang for your buck

Meaning
value for the money spent; a good deal
Example
This insurance plan gives you the best **bang for your buck**.
idiom

the walls have ears

Meaning
be careful what you say because someone might be listening
Example
Speak quietly—**the walls have ears**.
idiom

on the grapevine

Meaning
to hear gossip or rumor indirectly
Example
I heard **on the grapevine** that they’re getting divorced.
idiom

keep away from

Meaning
to avoid someone or something
Example
You should **keep away from** sugary drinks right now.
idiom

pull the plug

Meaning
to stop something; to end support for a project or activity
Example
The company decided to **pull the plug** on the outdated app.
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

pitch in

Meaning
to join others in doing a task or helping
Example
Everyone **pitched in** to clean the park.
idiom

ring in the new year

Meaning
to celebrate the start of a new year
Example
We gathered downtown to **ring in the new year** together.
idiom

give credit where it's due

Meaning
to acknowledge someone's contribution or effort
Example
Let's **give credit where it's due** and thank the team.
idiom

worth one's salt

Meaning
to be competent or deserving respect in one’s field
Example
Any engineer **worth his salt** can solve this problem.
idiom

full of the joys of spring

Meaning
very happy and energetic
Example
She’s **full of the joys of spring** after her vacation.
idiom

in a tight spot

Meaning
to be in a difficult or tricky situation
Example
He found himself **in a tight spot** when both friends asked for help.
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

dial into

Meaning
to connect to a call or meeting
Example
We’ll **dial into** the client briefing at noon.
idiom

rope off

Meaning
to block an area by using a rope or barrier
Example
Staff will **rope off** the wet floor for safety.
idiom

upgrade your mindset

Meaning
to adapt one’s thinking for modern changes or innovation
Example
In the age of AI, it’s vital to **upgrade your mindset**.
idiom

freak out

Meaning
to become very anxious, upset, or scared
Example
She **freaked out** when she saw the spider.
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

feel for

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

a drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small amount compared to what is needed
Example
The money they raised was just **a drop in the ocean** compared to the total cost.
idiom

see the light

Meaning
to finally understand or accept the truth or a new idea
Example
After years of denial, he finally **saw the light**.
idiom

ahead of the pack

Meaning
to be more successful than competitors
Example
Her innovative ideas always keep her **ahead of the pack**.
idiom

the writing on the wall

Meaning
a sign that something bad will happen soon
Example
When sales started falling, the manager saw **the writing on the wall**.
idiom

off the cuff

Meaning
to speak or perform without preparation
Example
He gave an **off the cuff** remark that impressed everyone.
idiom

to goof up

Meaning
to make a silly or careless mistake
Example
She **goofed up** the numbers in the report.
idiom

down to earth

Meaning
practical and realistic
Example
Despite her fame, she’s very **down to earth**.
idiom

a fair trial

Meaning
a trial where all sides are treated equally and justly
Example
The defendant demanded **a fair trial** to prove his innocence.
idiom

in a league of its own

Meaning
being far superior to others in a particular field.
Example
This smartphone is truly **in a league of its own** in terms of camera quality.
idiom

keep on track

Meaning
to continue doing something as planned
Example
We need to **keep on track** to meet our deadlines.
idiom

shoot for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious
Example
Don’t be afraid to **shoot for the stars**.
idiom

for what it’s worth

Meaning
used to introduce an opinion that may or may not be useful
Example
**For what it’s worth**, I think you did the right thing.
idiom

take a leaf out of someone’s book

Meaning
to imitate or follow someone’s good example
Example
Other cities should **take a leaf out of Copenhagen’s book** on eco-friendly transport.
idiom

a brush with fame

Meaning
a brief encounter or experience with a famous person
Example
During the exhibition, I had **a brush with fame** when I met a renowned painter.
idiom

go over

Meaning
to review or discuss something thoroughly
Example
Can we **go over** the agenda together?
idiom

crack the code

Meaning
to solve a complex problem or mystery
Example
It took hours, but we finally **cracked the code** of the system error.
idiom

reach for the moon

Meaning
to set very high goals
Example
Don’t be afraid to **reach for the moon**.
idiom

weigh in on

Meaning
to share an opinion about a topic
Example
The moderator asked experts to **weigh in on** the policy changes.
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

party line

Meaning
the official policy or position of a political party
Example
Members were warned not to speak against the **party line**.
idiom

It rings a bell

Meaning
something sounds familiar
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can’t remember where I heard it.
idiom

judge a book by its cover

Meaning
to form an opinion based on appearance only
Example
Don’t **judge a book by its cover**; she’s actually very kind.
idiom

chill out

Meaning
to relax and stop being angry or nervous
Example
You need to **chill out** and enjoy the weekend.
idiom

show one's true colors

Meaning
to reveal one's true character or feelings, often after a period of hiding them
Example
He finally **showed his true colors** when he volunteered at the charity event.
idiom

read between the lines

Meaning
to understand the hidden meaning behind something
Example
She said everything was fine, but if you **read between the lines**, you could tell she was upset.
idiom

cut someone down to size

Meaning
to criticize someone to make them feel less important
Example
The manager **cut him down to size** after he bragged too much.
idiom

Dress to impress

Meaning
Wear clothes that will make others admire you
Example
You should **dress to impress** for your job interview.
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

On the breadline

Meaning
Living in poverty or with very little money.
Example
After losing his job, he was almost **on the breadline**.
idiom

double back

Meaning
to turn around and go back the way you came
Example
We had to **double back** to grab the projector.
idiom

dot the i's and cross the t's

Meaning
to pay attention to small details or finalize things perfectly
Example
Before the presentation, we need to **dot the i's and cross the t's**.
idiom

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Meaning
The process of improving the visibility of a website or web page in a search engine's unpaid results.
Example
To improve our search rankings, we need to focus on **SEO** strategies.
idiom

to break new ground

Meaning
to do something innovative or unprecedented
Example
The company’s new app **broke new ground** in terms of user experience.
idiom

pull someone up

Meaning
to reprimand or correct someone for a mistake or poor performance
Example
If a team member is underperforming, it's important to **pull them up** and help them improve.
idiom

wind up

Meaning
to end up in a particular situation
Example
If you ignore the warning signs, you could **wind up** in trouble.
idiom

cut your teeth

Meaning
to gain initial experience in a particular area or job
Example
He **cut his teeth** in the banking industry before starting his own firm.
idiom

red tape

Meaning
excessive bureaucracy or rules
Example
The project was delayed because of **red tape**.
idiom

Handle with kid gloves

Meaning
To treat someone very gently or carefully.
Example
They **handled** the new client **with kid gloves**.
idiom

mad as a hornet

Meaning
very angry
Example
She was **mad as a hornet** when she found her phone broken.
idiom

pair up with

Meaning
to join someone to work or participate together
Example
Please **pair up with** a partner for the lab experiment.
idiom

it's a piece of cake

Meaning
it's very easy
Example
The exam was **a piece of cake**.
idiom

music to one’s ears

Meaning
something that makes someone feel very happy or pleased
Example
The news of his promotion was **music to his ears**.
idiom

Climb the ranks

Meaning
To move up to higher positions through hard work and experience.
Example
He **climbed the ranks** from an intern to a manager in five years.
idiom

flash back to

Meaning
to suddenly remember a past event
Example
The photo made her **flash back to** her first day at work.
idiom

chase your dreams

Meaning
to actively try to achieve your ambitions
Example
You should always **chase your dreams** no matter how hard it seems.
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

carry a torch for someone

Meaning
to continue loving someone who doesn’t love you back
Example
He’s still **carrying a torch for** his ex-girlfriend.
idiom

at the eleventh hour

Meaning
at the very last moment
Example
He submitted his assignment **at the eleventh hour**.
idiom

Roll the dice

Meaning
to take a chance on something uncertain
Example
They **rolled the dice** by launching their product early.
idiom

come out of one's shell

Meaning
to become more outgoing or confident
Example
She used to be shy, but now she has finally **come out of her shell**.
idiom

all in the same boat

Meaning
in the same situation or facing the same challenges
Example
We're all **in the same boat**, so let's work together to solve this problem.
idiom

mark up

Meaning
to increase the price of something
Example
Vendors plan to **mark up** prices during the festival.
idiom

get a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared completely healthy by a doctor
Example
After his check-up, he **got a clean bill of health**.
idiom

go viral

Meaning
to become extremely popular online
Example
Her funny video **went viral** overnight.
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

throw shade

Meaning
to subtly insult or criticize someone
Example
She was **throwing shade** at her ex during the conversation.
idiom

In for the long haul

Meaning
Prepared to continue something for a long time.
Example
He knew that success would take years, but he was **in for the long haul**.
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

world at your fingertips

Meaning
to have access to vast information easily, especially online
Example
With smartphones, the **world is at your fingertips**.
idiom

doomscrolling

Meaning
endlessly scrolling through bad news or negative content online
Example
I stayed up late **doomscrolling** last night.
idiom

smooth sailing

Meaning
a situation without problems or difficulties
Example
Once we crossed the border, it was **smooth sailing**.
idiom

hold the reins

Meaning
to be in control of something or in charge of a situation
Example
She’s the one who **holds the reins** of the team, making sure everything runs smoothly.
idiom

influencer culture

Meaning
the trend of social media personalities promoting products or lifestyles
Example
**Influencer culture** has changed how brands market themselves.
idiom

keep your eyes on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal despite difficulties
Example
Even during tough times, she **kept her eyes on the prize**.
idiom

Be all ears

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

take on board

Meaning
to accept or take responsibility for something
Example
The manager had to **take on board** the new task for the team.
idiom

jump on the bandwagon

Meaning
to join something that is already popular or successful
Example
Many people **jumped on the bandwagon** of budget travel.
idiom

soft power

Meaning
a country's ability to influence others through culture or values rather than force
Example
Japan uses **soft power** to promote its culture worldwide.
idiom

Burning question

Meaning
An important or urgent question that people are eager to know.
Example
The **burning question** is whether the plan will actually work.
idiom

chip off the old block

Meaning
a child who closely resembles their parent in looks or behavior
Example
He’s a **chip off the old block**—just as kind and funny as his father.
idiom

post something

Meaning
to share content on a social media platform
Example
She **posted** a beautiful picture on Instagram.