Building castles in the air
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

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

get along with

Meaning
to have a good relationship with someone
Example
I really **get along with** my coworkers.
idiom

back out of

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
He **backed out of** the trip at the last minute.
idiom

pulling the strings

Meaning
to control something or someone secretly
Example
Everyone knows he’s **pulling the strings** behind the scenes.
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

At your own risk

Meaning
You are responsible for any possible danger or loss.
Example
You can enter the cave, but it’s **at your own risk**.
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

hit the hay

Meaning
to go to bed; to sleep
Example
I'm really tired, so I'm going to **hit the hay** early tonight.
idiom

pack up

Meaning
to gather belongings and prepare to leave
Example
We should **pack up** and head home before the storm starts.
idiom

split-second decision

Meaning
a decision made very quickly without much thought
Example
The pilot had to make a **split-second decision** to avoid the crash.
idiom

black sheep of the family

Meaning
a family member who is considered a disgrace
Example
He became the **black sheep of the family** after his bad decisions.
idiom

get straight to the point

Meaning
to talk directly about the main topic
Example
Let's **get straight to the point** and discuss the issue.
idiom

forbidden fruit

Meaning
something attractive but not allowed or morally wrong
Example
For teenagers, breaking rules often feels like **forbidden fruit**.
idiom

Hot off the press

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

the end of the road

Meaning
the point where progress stops; the end of something
Example
For us, this is **the end of the road**.
idiom

frozen with fear

Meaning
unable to move because of extreme fear
Example
She stood **frozen with fear** when the snake appeared.
idiom

go-getter

Meaning
an ambitious person who achieves their goals
Example
Tom is a real **go-getter**; he never gives up.
idiom

visionary leader

Meaning
a leader with a clear vision for the future
Example
Steve Jobs was considered a **visionary leader** for his innovative ideas.
idiom

share the load

Meaning
to divide the work or responsibility among people
Example
We should **share the load** so no one gets too tired.
idiom

do someone a favor

Meaning
to help someone out of kindness
Example
Could you **do me a favor** and close the window?
idiom

penny stock

Meaning
a very low-priced, high-risk stock
Example
He made a fortune trading **penny stocks**.
idiom

nip it in the bud

Meaning
to stop a problem before it gets worse
Example
We should **nip it in the bud** before it becomes serious.
idiom

till the soil

Meaning
to prepare for future success by hard work
Example
He spent years **tilling the soil** before his business finally grew.
idiom

check over

Meaning
to examine something carefully for mistakes
Example
Let’s **check over** the draft before sending it.
idiom

be like family

Meaning
to be as close as family members
Example
My best friend is **like family** to me.
idiom

off script

Meaning
to deviate from a prepared plan or speech
Example
During the meeting, he went **off script** and made some bold statements.
idiom

at ease

Meaning
feeling relaxed and comfortable
Example
He felt completely **at ease** in the quiet garden.
idiom

lost in translation

Meaning
when the meaning is lost or changed in translation or communication
Example
The humor was **lost in translation** when the movie was dubbed.
idiom

robotic precision

Meaning
extremely accurate and consistent performance
Example
She performs her tasks with **robotic precision**.
idiom

fair and square

Meaning
honest and straightforward; without cheating
Example
She won the competition **fair and square**.
idiom

beg to differ

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

debug the problem

Meaning
to identify and fix issues or errors
Example
Let’s **debug the problem** before we push the update.
idiom

get down to business

Meaning
to start working seriously
Example
Let’s stop chatting and **get down to business**.
idiom

a cut above

Meaning
better than others; superior in quality or ability
Example
Her work is **a cut above** the rest.
idiom

open and shut case

Meaning
a case that is easily decided or obvious
Example
It was an **open and shut case** with clear evidence.
idiom

let your hair down

Meaning
to relax and enjoy yourself freely
Example
At the party, everyone **let their hair down**.
idiom

that's the last straw

Meaning
my patience has run out
Example
He's been late all week, but this is **the last straw**.
idiom

code like a machine

Meaning
to work extremely fast and efficiently on programming
Example
She can **code like a machine** when a deadline is near.
idiom

give the green light

Meaning
to give permission or approval to proceed
Example
The board finally **gave the green light** for the new project.
idiom

go over

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

family ties

Meaning
Strong connections among family members.
Example
**Family ties** kept her close to her hometown.
idiom

make an example of someone

Meaning
to punish someone to warn others
Example
The boss **made an example of** the dishonest employee.
idiom

wipe out

Meaning
to eliminate something completely
Example
One bug can **wipe out** hours of unsaved work.
idiom

Under the spotlight

Meaning
Receiving public attention or scrutiny.
Example
The editor has been **under the spotlight** after the controversial article.
idiom

seal the deal

Meaning
to finalize or confirm an agreement
Example
Offering a discount helped us **seal the deal** with the client.
idiom

put your foot in your mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate
Example
He really **put his foot in his mouth** when he mentioned her age.
idiom

old buddy old pal

Meaning
An affectionate way to refer to a longtime friend.
Example
Hey **old buddy old pal**, long time no see!
idiom

tighten your belt

Meaning
to spend less money; to economize
Example
We’ll have to **tighten our belts** until business improves.
idiom

on the ball

Meaning
alert, smart, and quick to react
Example
You need to be **on the ball** to handle this job.
idiom

picture perfect

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

big-hearted

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

digital twin

Meaning
a virtual representation of a physical object or system used for simulation and analysis
Example
Using **digital twin** technology, we can simulate the performance of machinery before production.
idiom

tie in with

Meaning
to connect or coordinate with something else
Example
The workshop topics **tie in with** our current curriculum.
idiom

to hit it off

Meaning
to quickly become good friends
Example
We **hit it off** the moment we met.
idiom

get wired

Meaning
to get connected to the internet
Example
Everyone in the office is **getting wired** to the new network.
idiom

the dawn of a new day

Meaning
a new beginning filled with hope
Example
Her graduation marked **the dawn of a new day** in her life.
idiom

get on the same page

Meaning
to agree on something or understand something in the same way
Example
Before starting the project, we need to **get on the same page** about the goals.
idiom

keep an eye out

Meaning
to watch for something or someone carefully
Example
Can you **keep an eye out** for my package while I'm away?
idiom

face the world

Meaning
to deal with life and its challenges confidently
Example
After recovering, she was ready to **face the world** again.
idiom

go back and forth

Meaning
to keep changing your mind about something
Example
He’s been **going back and forth** about buying a new car.
idiom

heartbroken

Meaning
very sad and emotionally hurt
Example
He was **heartbroken** when his pet died.
idiom

go ballistic

Meaning
to become extremely angry or excited
Example
Dad **went ballistic** when he found out I dented his car.
idiom

Speak the truth

Meaning
To tell the truth without lying.
Example
She decided to **speak the truth** no matter what the consequences were.
idiom

To offer the olive branch

Meaning
To make peace with someone after a conflict
Example
After their argument, he decided to **offer the olive branch** and apologize.
idiom

a snake in the grass

Meaning
a secret enemy
Example
Be careful; there’s **a snake in the grass**.
idiom

afraid of your own shadow

Meaning
to be easily frightened
Example
He’s so timid; he’s **afraid of his own shadow**.
idiom

As old as the hills

Meaning
Very old or ancient
Example
That legend is **as old as the hills**.
idiom

pull your socks up

Meaning
to make an effort to improve your performance
Example
You need to **pull your socks up** if you want that promotion.
idiom

A tough row to hoe

Meaning
A difficult task or situation to handle.
Example
Starting a new business is **a tough row to hoe**.
idiom

run like clockwork

Meaning
to operate smoothly and efficiently
Example
The production line **runs like clockwork** these days.
idiom

to come out on top

Meaning
to succeed in a difficult situation or competition
Example
After a fierce competition, they **came out on top** and won the contract.
idiom

deep down

Meaning
in one’s innermost feelings
Example
**Deep down**, she knew she was wrong.
idiom

Lay down arms

Meaning
to stop fighting and surrender
Example
After the long conflict, both sides decided to **lay down arms** and negotiate.
idiom

agree to disagree

Meaning
to accept that you have different opinions and stop arguing
Example
We’ll just **agree to disagree** on this topic.
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

I’d say

Meaning
used to express a considered opinion
Example
**I’d say** this is the best option we have.
idiom

have nerves of steel

Meaning
to be very brave and calm under pressure
Example
A firefighter must **have nerves of steel** to face danger every day.
idiom

lose interest

Meaning
to stop being interested in something
Example
He quickly **lost interest** in the project.
idiom

take someone aback

Meaning
to surprise or shock someone suddenly
Example
I was **taken aback** by his rude comment.
idiom

grind away

Meaning
to work hard on something for a long period
Example
She **grinded away** at her studies to pass the exam.
idiom

adapt or die

Meaning
to survive, one must adjust to changing conditions
Example
In business, it’s **adapt or die**.
idiom

Jump ship

Meaning
To leave a job or organization suddenly.
Example
Several employees **jumped ship** when the new policy was announced.
idiom

draw in

Meaning
to attract someone’s interest
Example
The bold headline **drew in** readers right away.
idiom

at the helm

Meaning
in a position of leadership or control
Example
With her **at the helm**, the company has grown rapidly.
idiom

hard luck story

Meaning
a story about someone's misfortune
Example
He’s always telling a **hard luck story** to get sympathy.
idiom

stressed out

Meaning
feeling very worried or tense because of problems
Example
I'm completely **stressed out** about my exams.
idiom

to make matters worse

Meaning
to make a bad situation even more difficult or unpleasant
Example
I was already late, and **to make matters worse**, I couldn't find my keys.
idiom

simmer down

Meaning
to become calmer after being angry or excited
Example
Give him a few minutes to **simmer down** before you talk to him.
idiom

robotic response

Meaning
an emotionless or mechanical reaction
Example
She gave a **robotic response** during the interview.
idiom

come to terms with

Meaning
to reach an agreement or accept a situation after some negotiation
Example
It took some time, but eventually we **came to terms with** the new policy.
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

East meets West

Meaning
A blending of Eastern and Western cultures
Example
This restaurant is a perfect example of **East meets West** cuisine.
idiom

spam someone

Meaning
to send too many messages or unnecessary information
Example
Don’t **spam me** with notifications every minute!
idiom

knock around

Meaning
to spend time doing casual activities
Example
We’ll **knock around** the city after the workshop.
idiom

rack your brains

Meaning
to think very hard about something
Example
I had to **rack my brains** to remember her name.
idiom

a pain in the neck

Meaning
someone or something that is very annoying
Example
That constant noise from the construction site is **a pain in the neck**.
idiom

draw attention

Meaning
to make people notice something
Example
The bright colors **draw attention** to the poster.
idiom

make peace with

Meaning
to end conflict and become friendly again
Example
She finally **made peace with** her sister after years of misunderstanding.
idiom

veer off

Meaning
to suddenly change direction
Example
The conversation **veered off** into weekend plans.
idiom

steal someone’s thunder

Meaning
to take credit for someone else’s idea or success
Example
She **stole my thunder** by announcing the news first.
idiom

double-edged sword

Meaning
something that has both positive and negative consequences
Example
AI surveillance is a **double-edged sword** for security and privacy.
idiom

balance of power

Meaning
the distribution of power between nations to prevent any one nation from becoming too powerful
Example
The United Nations aims to maintain the **balance of power** among its member states.
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

play to the gallery

Meaning
to try to gain approval from the general public rather than experts
Example
The politician was clearly **playing to the gallery** with his speech.
idiom

save for a rainy day

Meaning
to save money for future emergencies
Example
You should **save for a rainy day**.
idiom

on your plate

Meaning
something that is your responsibility or job to handle
Example
I have too much **on my plate** right now with all the projects.
idiom

out with the old, in with the new

Meaning
to replace old things or ideas with new ones
Example
It's time for **out with the old, in with the new**.
idiom

make progress

Meaning
to move forward or improve
Example
She is slowly **making progress** with her studies.
idiom

brainstorm

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

Catwalk queen

Meaning
A woman who is very confident and stylish, like a model
Example
She walked into the room like a **catwalk queen**.
idiom

on the mend

Meaning
recovering from an illness or injury
Example
I was sick last week, but I’m **on the mend** now.
B1 idiom

fish out of water

Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Meaning
Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Example
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
idiom

divide and conquer

Meaning
to gain control by causing disagreement among others
Example
The dictator used a **divide and conquer** strategy to maintain power.
idiom

Pull through

Meaning
To survive or recover from a difficult situation.
Example
He was very sick, but he **pulled through** in the end.
idiom

crazy about someone

Meaning
to be deeply attracted or infatuated with someone
Example
She’s **crazy about** her new boyfriend.
idiom

off the top of one's head

Meaning
to say something without thinking carefully or checking
Example
**Off the top of my head**, I think there are five options.
idiom

pay off

Meaning
to yield good results after effort
Example
All those late nights finally **paid off** during the launch.
idiom

eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on achieving your goal
Example
She always keeps her **eye on the prize** no matter what.
idiom

mentor someone

Meaning
to guide or advise someone, typically in a professional context
Example
She has been asked to **mentor** the new recruits in the company.
idiom

A Pandora’s box

Meaning
A source of endless complications or trouble.
Example
Discussing that topic will open a **Pandora’s box** of complaints.
idiom

Face the truth

Meaning
To accept the reality of a situation, even if it’s unpleasant.
Example
You have to **face the truth** about your finances.