break out in a cold sweat
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idiom

break out in a cold sweat

Meaning
to suddenly start sweating due to fear or anxiety
Example
He **broke out in a cold sweat** before his job interview.
idiom

birds of a feather

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

behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly without their knowledge
Example
She was talking about me **behind my back**.
idiom

back and forth

Meaning
to change opinions or decisions repeatedly
Example
We’ve been going **back and forth** about this issue for weeks.
idiom

break one's word

Meaning
to fail to keep a promise
Example
Don’t **break your word**; people rely on you.
idiom

boot up

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

burst with energy

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

build up your confidence

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

bargain for

Meaning
to expect or plan for something
Example
The workload was more than we **bargained for**.
idiom

blue chip

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

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

back on track

Meaning
to return to the right path or plan
Example
After some delays, our trip is **back on track**.
idiom

Blue skies thinking

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

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

bend the rules

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

blueprint for success

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

Bet your bottom dollar

Meaning
To be very sure or confident about something.
Example
You can **bet your bottom dollar** that he’ll show up late again.
idiom

black and blue

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

beyond reasonable doubt

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

blue chip company

Meaning
a large, reliable, and financially stable company
Example
Investors prefer to put their money into **blue chip companies**.
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

break the chains

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

blow someone away

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

bare your soul

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

butterflies in my stomach

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

be your own biggest fan

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

bail out

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

blow out of the water

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

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

break new ground

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

burst with pride

Meaning
to be very proud of someone or something
Example
His parents **burst with pride** when he won the award.
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

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

branch off

Meaning
to separate from a main route or line of development
Example
The hiking path will **branch off** near the lake.
idiom

back into

Meaning
to move backwards into something unintentionally
Example
I nearly **backed into** the recycling bin while parking.
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

be on edge

Meaning
to be nervous, tense, or easily upset
Example
She’s been **on edge** all day waiting for the results.
idiom

bounce back from

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback
Example
The team needs to **bounce back from** last week's loss.
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

beat someone to the punch

Meaning
to do something before someone else does
Example
He **beat me to the punch** by applying for the job first.
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

break down in tears

Meaning
to start crying suddenly
Example
She **broke down in tears** after hearing the sad story.
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

bail on

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

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 schedule

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

breaking the deadlock

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

bottom line

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

bite the dust

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

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

beyond one's control

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

brainstorm

Meaning
to generate many creative ideas in a group discussion
Example
Let’s **brainstorm** some ideas for our next campaign.
idiom

Buy low, sell high

Meaning
The strategy of buying goods or assets cheaply and selling them for a profit.
Example
Every investor dreams to **buy low, sell high**.
idiom

burn bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or connections permanently
Example
Be careful not to **burn bridges** when leaving your job.
idiom

beyond one’s grasp

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

brighten someone's day

Meaning
to make someone feel happier
Example
Her kindness really **brightened my day**.
idiom

book smart

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

bat around

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

book someone

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

back up

Meaning
to support or to make a copy of important data
Example
Can you **back up** my explanation during the meeting?
idiom

betray someone's trust

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

breach of trust

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

bad blood

Meaning
anger or resentment between family members
Example
There’s still **bad blood** between the cousins after the inheritance issue.
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

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

breathe easy

Meaning
to relax after a stressful or dangerous situation
Example
After the pollution control laws were enforced, people could finally **breathe easy**.
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

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

build brand loyalty

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

back off

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

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

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

blow someone's mind

Meaning
to amaze or astonish someone
Example
The magic show really **blew my mind**.
idiom

breathe in

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

blow your mind

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

behind bars

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

botnet

Meaning
a network of computers infected with malware that are controlled remotely by a hacker
Example
The hacker used the **botnet** to launch a massive DDoS attack on the server.
idiom

balance the books

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

build one's confidence

Meaning
to increase one's self-assurance or belief in one's abilities
Example
Public speaking classes helped him **build his confidence**.
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

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

Break with tradition

Meaning
To do something in a different way from what is usually done
Example
The couple decided to **break with tradition** and have a small wedding on the beach.
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

bubbling with joy

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

burning the candle at both ends

Meaning
working very hard without enough rest
Example
He is **burning the candle at both ends** with two jobs.
idiom

break the problem down

Meaning
to divide a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts
Example
Let's **break the problem down** into smaller steps.
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

behind closed doors

Meaning
in private; secretly
Example
The deal was made **behind closed doors**.
idiom

brush off

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

big brother

Meaning
an older brother or someone who behaves protectively
Example
Mark acts like a **big brother** to everyone in the neighborhood.
idiom

backroom deal

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

busy bee

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

brainchild of

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

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

bright spark

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

break a leg

Meaning
to wish someone good luck in a performance
Example
Before the play started, everyone told her to **break a leg**.
idiom

be a person of your word

Meaning
to be someone who keeps their promises
Example
She is truly **a person of her word**, always doing what she says.
idiom

beat the clock

Meaning
to finish something before the deadline
Example
We managed to **beat the clock** and submit the report early.
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

Breaking news

Meaning
New and important information being reported immediately
Example
We have **breaking news** about the election results.
idiom

by the skin of your teeth

Meaning
to just barely manage to do something
Example
He passed the exam **by the skin of his teeth**.