Burning question
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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

parallel universe

Meaning
a completely different or contrasting situation
Example
Life in the countryside feels like a **parallel universe** compared to the city.
idiom

have the floor

Meaning
to have the right to speak in a discussion
Example
You **have the floor** now; please share your thoughts.
idiom

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

Meaning
Going from a bad situation to an even worse one.
Example
Quitting that job put him **out of the frying pan and into the fire**.
idiom

Opportunity knocks but once

Meaning
Good opportunities are rare and should be seized when they appear.
Example
Don't miss the chance, **opportunity knocks but once**.
idiom

byte the bullet

Meaning
to face a difficult situation bravely
Example
We have to **byte the bullet** and fix the system bugs now.
idiom

post something

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

reach the top

Meaning
to achieve the highest position or level in something
Example
After years of hard work, she finally **reached the top** of her profession.
idiom

to be honest

Meaning
used when expressing a sincere or frank opinion
Example
**To be honest**, I didn’t like the food.
idiom

sitting on the fence

Meaning
to avoid taking sides or making a decision
Example
He is **sitting on the fence** about the new policy.
idiom

meet someone halfway

Meaning
to agree to compromise with someone
Example
We finally **met each other halfway** and agreed on a solution.
idiom

at each other’s throats

Meaning
to be in constant conflict or fighting
Example
The two brothers were **at each other’s throats** all day.
idiom

gray area

Meaning
a situation that is not clearly defined or falls between two categories
Example
AI surveillance laws still fall into a **gray area**.
idiom

It’s not over till it’s over

Meaning
Don’t lose hope until the end.
Example
**It’s not over till it’s over**, we can still win this game.
idiom

try and try again

Meaning
to keep trying until you succeed
Example
He didn’t give up and decided to **try and try again**.
idiom

extend an olive branch

Meaning
to offer peace or reconciliation
Example
After years of conflict, the president decided to **extend an olive branch**.
idiom

piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a part of the complete solution or understanding
Example
This information is just **a piece of the puzzle**.
idiom

runway left

Meaning
the amount of time before a startup runs out of money
Example
We only have six months of **runway left** to make this work.
idiom

go in one ear and out the other

Meaning
to hear something but quickly forget it
Example
Whatever I tell him **goes in one ear and out the other**.
idiom

Calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.
Example
The office is quiet now, but it’s just **the calm before the storm**.
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

on the grapevine

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

time flies

Meaning
time passes very quickly
Example
**Time flies** when you’re having fun.
idiom

lose confidence

Meaning
to stop believing in your own ability or someone else’s
Example
Don’t **lose confidence** after one failure.
idiom

brave the storm

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

to make a blunder

Meaning
to make a very big or stupid mistake
Example
The company **made a blunder** by ignoring customer feedback.
idiom

a walking encyclopedia

Meaning
a person who knows a lot about many subjects
Example
Ask him anything about history—he’s **a walking encyclopedia**.
idiom

get along like a house on fire

Meaning
To quickly become good friends and enjoy each other’s company.
Example
They met last week and **got along like a house on fire**.
idiom

through thick and thin

Meaning
in good times and bad times
Example
She stood by me **through thick and thin**.
idiom

jump in

Meaning
to join an activity quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in** if you have suggestions.
idiom

school of hard knocks

Meaning
learning through difficult life experiences
Example
He didn’t go to college; he learned from the **school of hard knocks**.
idiom

in seventh heaven

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

Crossing the line

Meaning
To go beyond acceptable or proper boundaries.
Example
The diplomat was criticized for **crossing the line** in his comments about the host country.
idiom

tell tales

Meaning
to gossip or reveal secrets, often to get someone in trouble
Example
Stop **telling tales** about your coworkers.
idiom

full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or excitement
Example
The party was in **full swing** when we arrived.
idiom

color outside the lines

Meaning
to think or act creatively and unconventionally
Example
Good designers always **color outside the lines**.
idiom

Clean hands

Meaning
To be innocent or free from guilt.
Example
He claims to have **clean hands** in the scandal.
idiom

get out of hand

Meaning
to become difficult to control
Example
The party started to **get out of hand** when more people arrived.
idiom

pull the strings

Meaning
to control or influence someone or something secretly
Example
He got the job because his uncle **pulled the strings**.
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

join the dots

Meaning
to connect pieces of information to understand the full picture
Example
AI systems can **join the dots** faster than humans when analyzing data.
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

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

anchors aweigh

Meaning
Ready to depart or begin a journey.
Example
With our bags packed, it’s **anchors aweigh** for the road trip!
idiom

on the sly

Meaning
secretly; in a sneaky way
Example
He met her **on the sly** without telling anyone.
idiom

a people person

Meaning
someone who enjoys being with and talking to other people
Example
Maria is **a people person**, she makes friends everywhere she goes.
idiom

lightning fast

Meaning
extremely fast
Example
She replied **lightning fast** to the email.
idiom

phishing expedition

Meaning
an attempt to obtain sensitive information by deceit
Example
The suspicious email was part of a **phishing expedition**.
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

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

Let the dust settle

Meaning
Wait until a situation becomes calm and clear.
Example
Before making any decisions, let's **let the dust settle** and see what happens.
idiom

own up to something

Meaning
to admit or confess responsibility for something
Example
You should **own up to your mistakes** instead of blaming others.
idiom

bounce back

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

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed **tears of joy** when her son returned home.
idiom

swept off your feet

Meaning
to be suddenly and strongly attracted to someone
Example
She was **swept off her feet** by his charm.
idiom

rally the troops

Meaning
to motivate or encourage a group to take action
Example
The manager **rallied the troops** before the big presentation.
idiom

have words with someone

Meaning
to argue with someone verbally
Example
I **had words with** my boss about the new policy.
idiom

move mountains

Meaning
to achieve something very difficult
Example
With determination, you can **move mountains**.
idiom

under someone's nose

Meaning
in an obvious place or situation where someone should have noticed
Example
The keys were **under my nose** the whole time on the kitchen table.
idiom

artificial brainpower

Meaning
intelligence or decision-making provided by AI systems
Example
The car relies on **artificial brainpower** to navigate through traffic.
idiom

bring down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad or to reduce something
Example
Don’t let one rude comment **bring down** your confidence.
idiom

a splash of color

Meaning
a small amount of bright color added for effect
Example
Add **a splash of color** to make the room lively.
idiom

turn a corner

Meaning
to begin to improve after a difficult period
Example
Things started to **turn a corner** after the new management took over.
idiom

hand over

Meaning
to give control or possession to someone else
Example
She will **hand over** the keys when the lease is signed.
idiom

not born yesterday

Meaning
not easily fooled; experienced and smart
Example
Don’t try to trick me — I was **not born yesterday**.
idiom

Miracles happen

Meaning
Unexpected good things can occur.
Example
Don’t lose faith—**miracles happen** every day.
idiom

zero gravity

Meaning
a state of complete freedom or lack of pressure
Example
After quitting his stressful job, he felt like he was in **zero gravity**.
idiom

A nest egg

Meaning
A sum of money saved for the future or retirement.
Example
He built up a **nest egg** for his children's education.
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

against the ropes

Meaning
in a difficult situation or near defeat
Example
The company was **against the ropes**, but it managed to recover.
idiom

Apple of my eye

Meaning
Someone you love dearly.
Example
Her son is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

Two heads are better than one

Meaning
Working together gives better results.
Example
**Two heads are better than one**, let’s solve it together.
idiom

a mind is a terrible thing to waste

Meaning
it is a waste not to use your mental abilities
Example
You should keep learning, **a mind is a terrible thing to waste**.
idiom

take pride in

Meaning
to feel good about something you have done
Example
You should **take pride in** your achievements.
idiom

rise through the ranks

Meaning
to gradually move up to higher positions in an organization
Example
He **rose through the ranks** to become the CEO.
idiom

knock someone for six

Meaning
to shock or upset someone greatly
Example
The sudden loss **knocked him for six**.
idiom

forever grateful

Meaning
thankful for something for a long time
Example
I’ll be **forever grateful** for what you’ve done.
idiom

fish for

Meaning
to try to get something such as information or praise
Example
He keeps **fishing for** compliments about his report.
idiom

A bundle of nerves

Meaning
To be extremely anxious or tense.
Example
Before the presentation, she was **a bundle of nerves**.
idiom

turn the page

Meaning
to move on to something new after finishing or overcoming something
Example
After the breakup, she decided to **turn the page** and start fresh.
idiom

Keep an open mind

Meaning
To be willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
Try to **keep an open mind** when learning about different cultures.
idiom

hit the ceiling

Meaning
to reach the highest possible level or price
Example
The stock prices **hit the ceiling** after the merger news.
idiom

Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth

Meaning
To be born into a wealthy family.
Example
He never had to struggle; he was **born with a silver spoon in his mouth**.
idiom

the sky's the limit

Meaning
there is no limit to what you can achieve
Example
With talent and hard work, **the sky’s the limit** for you.
idiom

inside job

Meaning
a crime committed by someone within the organization affected
Example
The robbery turned out to be an **inside job**.
idiom

keep your eye on the ball

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal
Example
If you **keep your eye on the ball**, you’ll succeed.
idiom

juggle with

Meaning
to handle several tasks or responsibilities at once
Example
She’s **juggling with** classes, work, and childcare.
idiom

hold your fire

Meaning
to delay taking action or making a response
Example
He told his team to **hold their fire** until he gave the signal.
idiom

pull the wool over someone’s eyes

Meaning
to deceive or trick someone
Example
He tried to **pull the wool over my eyes**, but I knew the truth.
idiom

keep someone's secret

Meaning
to not tell others what someone has told you in confidence
Example
You can trust me—I’ll **keep your secret**.
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

teacher’s pet

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

cross your fingers

Meaning
to hope that things will happen the way you want
Example
I'm **crossing my fingers** that I get the job.
idiom

scene of the crime

Meaning
the place where something important happened
Example
We returned to the **scene of the crime** to find the truth.
idiom

reach new heights

Meaning
to achieve more than before, to improve
Example
Their business is now **reaching new heights** in terms of revenue.
idiom

pat yourself on the back

Meaning
to praise yourself for doing something well
Example
You should **pat yourself on the back** for finishing that project.
idiom

keep things in perspective

Meaning
to stay calm by seeing things realistically
Example
When stressed, try to **keep things in perspective**.
idiom

smile from ear to ear

Meaning
to have a big, broad smile showing happiness
Example
He was **smiling from ear to ear** after the interview.
idiom

on the go

Meaning
always busy or active; traveling a lot
Example
She's always **on the go** with her work trips.
idiom

lay up

Meaning
to keep something in reserve for later use
Example
We should **lay up** extra supplies before winter.
idiom

scoop the news

Meaning
to be the first to report an important piece of news
Example
The local newspaper **scooped the news** about the mayor's resignation.
idiom

high-risk, high-reward

Meaning
situations or decisions that involve a lot of risks but also offer the potential for great rewards
Example
Investing in emerging markets can be **high-risk, high-reward**, but the returns are worth it.
idiom

to have a clean conscience

Meaning
to feel good about oneself because one has done nothing wrong
Example
After telling the truth, she had **a clean conscience**.
idiom

to feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel very good or confident
Example
After the spa treatment, I **felt like a million bucks**.
idiom

make up for

Meaning
to compensate for something
Example
We’ll **make up for** the delay with extra support.
idiom

fair and square

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

I’m of the opinion that

Meaning
I believe that; expressing a firm opinion
Example
I’m of the opinion that honesty always pays.
idiom

get over someone

Meaning
to recover from the pain of a breakup or loss
Example
It took her months to **get over** him.
idiom

a lawyer's brief

Meaning
a summary or concise statement of an argument or case
Example
The **lawyer's brief** was submitted to the judge before the trial began.
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

white lie

Meaning
a harmless or small lie told to avoid hurting someone
Example
I told a **white lie** to avoid upsetting her.
idiom

gather around

Meaning
to come together around someone or something
Example
Kids **gathered around** to watch the science demo.
idiom

Go down the rabbit hole

Meaning
To get deeply involved in something, often unintentionally.
Example
I started reading about AI and **went down the rabbit hole** for hours.
idiom

get ahead of the game

Meaning
to be more successful or advanced than others
Example
He’s always looking for new ideas to **get ahead of the game**.
idiom

expand one's horizons

Meaning
to increase one’s knowledge or experience
Example
Traveling abroad can really help you **expand your horizons**.
idiom

show true colors

Meaning
to reveal one’s real character or intentions
Example
He **showed his true colors** when he took charge of the team.
idiom

Tech-savvy

Meaning
Having good knowledge of modern technology.
Example
Our **tech-savvy** team built the prototype in just a week.
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

give off

Meaning
to emit a smell, light, or feeling
Example
The candles **give off** a calming scent in the room.
idiom

drama queen

Meaning
a person who exaggerates or overreacts to situations
Example
Don’t be such a **drama queen**; it’s not that serious.
idiom

Give the shirt off your back

Meaning
to give everything you can to help someone
Example
She would **give the shirt off her back** if it meant helping her friends.