break even
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idiom

break even

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

take a dim view of

Meaning
to disapprove of something; to have a negative opinion
Example
The manager **takes a dim view of** employees arriving late.
idiom

play the field

Meaning
to date or have romantic relationships with many people without commitment
Example
He’s still **playing the field** and not looking for a serious relationship.
idiom

to draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We need to **draw the line** between inspiration and plagiarism.
idiom

out of harm’s way

Meaning
To be safe from danger or difficulty.
Example
Make sure the children are **out of harm’s way** before lighting the fire.
idiom

move the goalposts

Meaning
to change the rules or conditions to make success harder
Example
They **moved the goalposts** after we had agreed on the terms.
idiom

get on like a house on fire

Meaning
to have a very good and friendly relationship
Example
The two sisters **get on like a house on fire**.
idiom

pair off

Meaning
to form groups of two
Example
Students will **pair off** for the lab experiment.
idiom

tack on

Meaning
to add something extra, especially at the end
Example
They **tacked on** a brief Q&A after the session.
idiom

cloud computing

Meaning
the practice of using remote servers to store, manage, and process data over the internet
Example
Many businesses rely on **cloud computing** for data storage and security.
idiom

lose one’s cool

Meaning
to suddenly become angry
Example
Try not to **lose your cool** during the argument.
idiom

think on your feet

Meaning
to make quick decisions or ideas under pressure
Example
Good leaders can **think on their feet**.
idiom

the ball is in your court

Meaning
it is your turn to make a decision or take action
Example
I've made my offer, now **the ball is in your court**.
idiom

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
idiom

I’m with you

Meaning
I agree with your idea or opinion
Example
**I’m with you** on that plan — it’s a good one.
idiom

download information

Meaning
to absorb or receive information quickly
Example
She can **download information** faster than anyone else on the team.
idiom

off the wall

Meaning
unusual or unconventional
Example
His ideas are often **off the wall**, but they sometimes work.
idiom

two peas in a pod

Meaning
two people who are very similar or close
Example
My sister and I are **like two peas in a pod**.
idiom

When the going gets tough, the tough get going

Meaning
Strong people keep working hard even in difficulties.
Example
**When the going gets tough, the tough get going** — never lose hope.
idiom

out of sorts

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

pass with flying colors

Meaning
to succeed brilliantly or achieve something with excellence
Example
She **passed the exam with flying colors**.
idiom

set the tone

Meaning
to establish the mood or style for something
Example
The manager's speech **set the tone** for the meeting.
idiom

reach out to

Meaning
to contact someone to offer or request help
Example
Feel free to **reach out to** me if you need support.
idiom

run someone down

Meaning
to criticize someone unfairly; to speak badly about someone
Example
He always **runs his coworkers down** behind their backs.
idiom

no pain, no gain

Meaning
you have to work hard to achieve success
Example
He practices every day because he believes **no pain, no gain**.
idiom

weakest link

Meaning
the most vulnerable part of a system or group
Example
Human error is often the **weakest link** in cybersecurity.
idiom

online presence

Meaning
the existence and activity of a person or business on the internet
Example
A strong **online presence** is essential for digital marketing.
idiom

faith moves mountains

Meaning
strong belief can achieve great things
Example
Keep believing in yourself—**faith moves mountains**.
idiom

play second fiddle

Meaning
to take a subordinate role to someone else
Example
He was tired of **playing second fiddle** to his colleague.
idiom

garbage in, garbage out

Meaning
flawed input data will produce flawed results
Example
If the training data is poor, the AI model will fail — **garbage in, garbage out**.
idiom

teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone teases her for being the **teacher’s pet**.
idiom

A bright idea

Meaning
a clever or innovative idea
Example
She came up with a **bright idea** for the new marketing campaign.
idiom

on thin ice

Meaning
in a risky or dangerous situation
Example
You are **on thin ice** with that behavior.
idiom

to boot up

Meaning
to start something; to begin working or functioning
Example
Let’s **boot up** the new project today and see how it goes.
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

have a stake in

Meaning
to have an interest or investment in something
Example
She has a **stake in** the company's success.
idiom

deep learning dive

Meaning
to study or explore something in great depth
Example
He took a **deep learning dive** into neural networks last month.
idiom

lay your cards on the table

Meaning
to be open and honest about your intentions or plans
Example
Let’s **lay our cards on the table** and discuss this honestly.
idiom

dig deep

Meaning
to use all your strength and determination to achieve something
Example
You’ll have to **dig deep** to finish this marathon.
idiom

still waters run deep

Meaning
quiet or calm people often have deep thoughts or emotions
Example
He may seem quiet, but remember, **still waters run deep**.
idiom

wave the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After a long debate, he finally **waved the white flag**.
idiom

go viral

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

to kick the bucket

Meaning
to die (humorous or informal)
Example
He used to joke that he’d travel the world before he **kicked the bucket**.
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

to be in the spotlight

Meaning
to receive a lot of public attention
Example
The artist has been **in the spotlight** since her latest exhibition.
idiom

gain ground

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
The company has been **gaining ground** in the tech industry.
idiom

quick on the uptake

Meaning
able to understand things quickly
Example
You don’t need to explain it twice—he’s **quick on the uptake**.
idiom

team effort

Meaning
work done by a group of people to achieve a common goal
Example
The success of the project was due to a great **team effort**.
idiom

have someone's back

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

move forward

Meaning
to continue with progress after a delay or challenge
Example
After reviewing the feedback, we can **move forward** with the design.
idiom

Nero fiddled while Rome burned

Meaning
To ignore a crisis or serious situation while doing something trivial.
Example
The leader was accused of **fiddling while Rome burned** during the economic collapse.
idiom

Follow your nose

Meaning
Trust your instincts and go in the direction that feels right.
Example
If you're lost, just **follow your nose** and you'll find the way.
idiom

human in the loop

Meaning
a person actively involved in monitoring or controlling an automated process
Example
Even in AI systems, a **human in the loop** ensures ethical decisions.
idiom

nose for news

Meaning
an instinct for finding interesting stories
Example
Good reporters have a natural **nose for news**.
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

true colors

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

to sketch out

Meaning
to make a rough plan or outline of something
Example
The director **sketched out** the concept before filming began.
idiom

scared out of one's wits

Meaning
to be very frightened
Example
The loud thunder **scared me out of my wits**.
idiom

wallflower

Meaning
a shy person who avoids social activities
Example
She used to be a **wallflower**, but now she’s more confident.
idiom

A thirst for knowledge

Meaning
A strong desire to learn new things.
Example
He has **a thirst for knowledge** and reads constantly.
idiom

run your own show

Meaning
to be in control of your own activities or business
Example
After years of working for others, he wanted to **run his own show**.
idiom

sink or swim

Meaning
to succeed or fail by your own efforts
Example
When you start your own business, it’s **sink or swim**.
idiom

reach common ground

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

Burst with gratitude

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

a go-getter

Meaning
someone who is very energetic and determined to succeed
Example
He’s **a go-getter** who never gives up on his goals.
idiom

feel blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
I always **feel blue** on rainy days.
idiom

roll with laughter

Meaning
to laugh uncontrollably
Example
The comedian made the whole audience **roll with laughter**.
idiom

put words in someone’s mouth

Meaning
to say someone said something they did not
Example
Don’t **put words in my mouth**—I never said that!
idiom

go off the rails

Meaning
to start behaving in an unusual or uncontrolled way
Example
After losing his job, his life seemed to **go off the rails**.
idiom

bookend something

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

once in a while

Meaning
sometimes, but not very often
Example
I enjoy eating out **once in a while**, but I prefer home-cooked meals.
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

sing the same tune

Meaning
to have the same opinion as someone else
Example
Both managers **sing the same tune** about company policy.
idiom

turn your dreams into reality

Meaning
to make your dreams come true through effort
Example
She worked day and night to **turn her dreams into reality**.
idiom

grow on someone

Meaning
to become more liked or appreciated over time
Example
At first I didn’t like the song, but it **grew on me**.
idiom

kindred spirit

Meaning
someone who has similar interests or feelings
Example
We became friends because we’re **kindred spirits**.
idiom

from my point of view

Meaning
considering something from one's own perspective
Example
**From my point of view**, the plan makes sense.
idiom

lay the blame on

Meaning
to accuse someone of being responsible for something bad.
Example
They tried to **lay the blame on** the new employee.
idiom

hope against hope

Meaning
to continue hoping even when it seems impossible
Example
They **hoped against hope** that their team would win.
idiom

ace a test

Meaning
to do extremely well on a test
Example
He studied hard and managed to **ace the test**.
idiom

Take your chances

Meaning
To try something despite uncertainty.
Example
He decided to **take his chances** and apply for the international scholarship.
idiom

take it in stride

Meaning
to accept something calmly without being upset
Example
She **took the criticism in stride**.
idiom

faint-hearted

Meaning
lacking courage or determination
Example
Climbing this mountain is not for the **faint-hearted**.
idiom

Jump in at the deep end

Meaning
to take on a difficult task without preparation
Example
I had to **jump in at the deep end** when I started my new job.
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

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

shake things up

Meaning
to cause change in a situation to make it better
Example
The manager decided to **shake things up** in the team.
idiom

time warp

Meaning
a situation where time seems to stop or move differently
Example
That old town feels like it’s stuck in a **time warp**.
idiom

by the book

Meaning
to follow the rules exactly
Example
Our manager does everything **by the book**.
idiom

Cross one’s mind

Meaning
To suddenly think of something.
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could be lying.
idiom

luck of the Irish

Meaning
good fortune associated with Irish people
Example
He found gold! Must be the **luck of the Irish**.
idiom

cliffhanger

Meaning
an ending that leaves the audience in suspense
Example
The episode ended on a **cliffhanger**, so we can’t wait for the next one.
idiom

build character

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

put the team on your back

Meaning
to take responsibility for leading and carrying the burden for a group
Example
In the final moments of the game, he **put the team on his back** and led them to victory.
idiom

You took the words right out of my mouth

Meaning
You said exactly what I was thinking
Example
**You took the words right out of my mouth** — I was about to say that!
idiom

growth hacking

Meaning
using creative and low-cost strategies to rapidly grow a business or product
Example
Startups rely heavily on **growth hacking** to gain users quickly.
idiom

empty nest

Meaning
a home where the children have grown up and left
Example
After her kids moved out, she felt the **empty nest** syndrome.
idiom

Plead the fifth

Meaning
To refuse to answer a question, often in legal contexts, to avoid self-incrimination.
Example
When asked about the financial discrepancies, he chose to **plead the fifth**.
idiom

forty winks

Meaning
a short nap or brief sleep
Example
He likes to take **forty winks** after work.
idiom

keep your cards close to your chest

Meaning
to keep your plans or intentions secret
Example
She always **keeps her cards close to her chest** during negotiations.
idiom

keep things bottled up

Meaning
to not express your emotions or worries
Example
He tends to **keep things bottled up** instead of talking about them.
idiom

hold your horses

Meaning
to be patient; to wait
Example
**Hold your horses**! The show hasn’t started yet.
idiom

make small talk

Meaning
to have a casual conversation about unimportant topics
Example
We started to **make small talk** while waiting for the meeting to begin.
idiom

reduce carbon footprint

Meaning
to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere
Example
Many companies are working to **reduce their carbon footprint** by using renewable energy.
idiom

to get away with murder

Meaning
to do something wrong and avoid punishment
Example
Rich criminals often **get away with murder** due to influence.
idiom

Take my word for it

Meaning
Trust what I am saying; believe me.
Example
**Take my word for it**, this method really works.
idiom

catch the travel bug

Meaning
to become very interested in traveling
Example
After visiting Thailand, she really **caught the travel bug**.
idiom

to take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become worse or decline in health
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
idiom

sit at someone’s feet

Meaning
to learn from someone who is very knowledgeable
Example
Many students wanted to **sit at his feet** and learn from him.
idiom

influencer culture

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

engagement rate

Meaning
a measure of how actively people interact with online content
Example
Our **engagement rate** doubled after using video posts.
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

green light

Meaning
permission to start or go ahead with something
Example
The manager gave us the **green light** to launch the project.
idiom

take the credit

Meaning
to accept praise for something one did
Example
She was the one who solved the issue, but he tried to **take the credit**.
idiom

the teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone knows he’s **the teacher’s pet** in our class.
idiom

ghost someone

Meaning
to suddenly stop communicating with someone online
Example
He used to text me daily but then he **ghosted** me.
idiom

soft launch

Meaning
a limited or quiet release of a new product before the full launch
Example
The company did a **soft launch** to test customer reactions.
idiom

find the right balance

Meaning
to achieve a healthy or effective equilibrium between work and personal life
Example
It took me a while, but I finally **found the right balance** between work and family.
idiom

A rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
When the economy improves, everyone benefits to some extent.
Example
When the new policies boosted trade, people said that **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
idiom

brighten up your day

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

lock it down

Meaning
to secure something completely
Example
Before launching the website, make sure to **lock it down**.