carve out a niche
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idiom

carve out a niche

Meaning
to establish a unique place or role for oneself
Example
She **carved out a niche** as a specialist in art restoration.
idiom

lay it on the line

Meaning
to be very clear or direct about something
Example
I'll **lay it on the line**—if we don't improve, we'll lose investors.
idiom

lay aside

Meaning
to put something away temporarily
Example
Please **lay aside** your phones during the briefing.
idiom

bootstrap a startup

Meaning
to build a business using limited resources without external funding
Example
Many successful founders **bootstrapped their startups** in the early days.
idiom

A goal without a plan is just a wish

Meaning
Having a goal without a clear plan makes it unlikely to succeed.
Example
Don’t just dream, remember **a goal without a plan is just a wish**.
idiom

in the black

Meaning
making a profit; financially stable
Example
Our company is finally **in the black** after two years.
idiom

Disrupt the market

Meaning
To radically change an industry with innovation.
Example
Their app aims to **disrupt the market** for food delivery.
idiom

upload your thoughts

Meaning
to express or share one’s ideas online
Example
People love to **upload their thoughts** on social media.
idiom

run on empty

Meaning
to continue working even when you are tired or out of energy
Example
He’s been **running on empty** for weeks without a break.
idiom

turn dreams into reality

Meaning
to achieve something one has long desired
Example
With hard work and dedication, you can **turn your dreams into reality**.
idiom

strike it rich

Meaning
to suddenly make a lot of money
Example
They **struck it rich** after investing in that startup.
idiom

jump down someone's throat

Meaning
to react angrily and criticize someone suddenly
Example
She **jumped down my throat** when I suggested a different approach.
idiom

cut somebody some slack

Meaning
to not judge someone as severely as you usually would because they are having problems at the present time
Example
He's been under a lot of stress lately, so let's **cut him some slack**.
idiom

more luck than sense

Meaning
successful because of luck, not intelligence
Example
He survived the accident—he’s got **more luck than sense**.
idiom

a storybook ending

Meaning
a perfect or happy ending, like in a fairy tale
Example
Their wedding was a true **storybook ending**.
idiom

take heart

Meaning
to feel encouraged or more confident
Example
You should **take heart**; things will get better soon.
idiom

roll up one's sleeves

Meaning
to prepare to work hard or take on a challenge
Example
We need to **roll up our sleeves** if we want to finish this task on time.
idiom

mix up

Meaning
to confuse two or more things
Example
I always **mix up** their names during meetings.
idiom

keep one's word

Meaning
to do what one has promised to do
Example
He always **keeps his word**, no matter what.
idiom

Plain sailing

Meaning
Something that is easy and without difficulty.
Example
Once we solved the main issue, the rest was **plain sailing**.
idiom

call it a night

Meaning
to stop what you are doing and go home, especially after a party
Example
It’s getting late, let’s **call it a night**.
idiom

Put one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
To focus on hard work and continuous effort.
Example
She really had to **put her nose to the grindstone** to get the promotion.
idiom

wise beyond his years

Meaning
showing maturity or wisdom greater than expected for one’s age
Example
Even as a child, he was **wise beyond his years**.
idiom

hit the big time

Meaning
to achieve great fame or success
Example
The band **hit the big time** after their first album went viral.
idiom

Catch on

Meaning
To begin to understand something.
Example
It took him a while to **catch on** to the new rules.
idiom

No comment

Meaning
Refusing to answer a question
Example
The spokesperson simply said **no comment** to all questions.
idiom

sitting on a gold mine

Meaning
to have something very valuable that is not yet realized
Example
That old property is worth millions — you're **sitting on a gold mine**.
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

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

trailblazer

Meaning
a person who is the first to do something innovative
Example
Elon Musk is often seen as a **trailblazer** in the tech industry.
idiom

cross the line

Meaning
to do something that is considered unacceptable
Example
He **crossed the line** when he insulted her in front of everyone.
idiom

Put your best foot forward

Meaning
to try as hard as you can
Example
She **put her best foot forward** in the interview.
idiom

plug away

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

carry over

Meaning
to transfer something to a later time or place
Example
We’ll **carry over** the unused vacation days to next year.
idiom

scene-stealer

Meaning
someone who attracts attention and stands out
Example
That child actor was a real **scene-stealer**.
idiom

Don’t lose heart

Meaning
Don’t become discouraged.
Example
Even if you fail once, **don’t lose heart**.
idiom

phishing attack

Meaning
a fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity
Example
Never click on suspicious links to avoid a **phishing attack**.
idiom

stick to your guns

Meaning
to remain firm in your beliefs or decisions even under pressure
Example
He **stuck to his guns** even when others doubted him.
idiom

the ball is rolling

Meaning
a process has started and is making progress
Example
Now that **the ball is rolling**, we need to keep working.
idiom

to be ahead of the curve

Meaning
to be more advanced than others
Example
Her research was **ahead of the curve** in the field of artificial intelligence.
idiom

lazy bones

Meaning
a lazy person
Example
Come on, **lazy bones**, get out of bed!
idiom

Know your stuff

Meaning
to be knowledgeable or skilled about something
Example
You can tell she really **knows her stuff** about physics.
idiom

Put your heads together

Meaning
To discuss and solve a problem collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** to find a solution.
idiom

a chip off the old block

Meaning
someone who is very similar to their parent
Example
Your daughter is so smart — she’s **a chip off the old block**.
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

the balance of power

Meaning
a situation in which power is distributed among nations to prevent dominance by one
Example
The UN aims to maintain **the balance of power** among major nations.
idiom

a pipe dream

Meaning
an unrealistic or impossible dream
Example
Owning a private island is just **a pipe dream** for most people.
idiom

get used to it

Meaning
to become familiar with something new
Example
It took a while, but I finally **got used to it**.
idiom

ring the changes

Meaning
to make changes to something to make it more interesting or effective
Example
The restaurant decided to **ring the changes** with a new menu.
idiom

You can do it

Meaning
Have confidence; believe in your ability.
Example
Don’t doubt yourself, **you can do it**!
idiom

set in stone

Meaning
fixed and not likely to change
Example
Our schedule isn’t **set in stone** yet.
idiom

meet halfway

Meaning
to compromise by agreeing to part of what each person wants
Example
We decided to **meet halfway** and agree on a fair price.
idiom

as free as a bird

Meaning
completely free; without worries
Example
After the exams, I felt **as free as a bird**.
idiom

miss the mark

Meaning
to fail to achieve the intended result
Example
His speech **missed the mark** and didn’t impress anyone.
idiom

under oath

Meaning
having sworn to tell the truth in court
Example
He lied **under oath** and was charged with perjury.
idiom

to backfire

Meaning
to have the opposite result of what was intended
Example
His plan **backfired** and made things worse.
idiom

plow ahead

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
Even with setbacks, they decided to **plow ahead** with the project.
idiom

go steady

Meaning
to date someone regularly and exclusively
Example
They've been **going steady** for over two years now.
idiom

mind the gap

Meaning
to be aware of potential problems or discrepancies
Example
The developer needs to **mind the gap** between AI expectations and real-world capabilities.
idiom

refresh one's memory

Meaning
to help someone remember something
Example
Let me **refresh your memory** about what happened last week.
idiom

hit the pause button

Meaning
to take a break or stop what you are doing temporarily
Example
After weeks of hard work, I decided to **hit the pause button** and relax for a while.
idiom

burn a hole in one's pocket

Meaning
to spend money quickly or irresponsibly
Example
After receiving his bonus, he couldn't resist and **burned a hole in his pocket** by buying a new car.
idiom

have words with someone

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

Shoulder to shoulder

Meaning
Working together closely and equally.
Example
The soldiers stood **shoulder to shoulder** in battle.
idiom

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings

Meaning
A true friend is the most valuable gift one can have
Example
I consider myself lucky to have you as my friend. **A true friend is the greatest of all blessings**.
idiom

full of beans

Meaning
very energetic and lively
Example
The kids are **full of beans** this morning.
idiom

Bootstrap the business

Meaning
To build a company using only personal finances.
Example
They decided to **bootstrap the business** instead of seeking investors.
idiom

have your jaw drop

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or shocked
Example
My **jaw dropped** when I saw the price.
idiom

drive someone up the wall

Meaning
to make someone very annoyed or angry
Example
Her constant complaints **drive me up the wall**.
idiom

burst into tears

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **burst into tears** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

have a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or idea
Example
When I saw the problem from a different angle, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
idiom

A seat at the table

Meaning
To have an opportunity to be part of decision-making or important discussions.
Example
She fought for years to earn **a seat at the table** in the boardroom.
idiom

Sail close to the wind

Meaning
To take risks or act dangerously.
Example
He’s **sailing close to the wind** by lying to his boss.
idiom

a heart-to-heart

Meaning
a sincere and open conversation
Example
We had **a heart-to-heart** about our future plans.
idiom

learning on the fly

Meaning
to adapt and learn quickly without prior preparation
Example
AI systems are **learning on the fly** from user data.
idiom

ahead of the curve

Meaning
to be more advanced or innovative than others
Example
Their company is **ahead of the curve** in AI development.
idiom

down to the wire

Meaning
until the very last moment; close to the deadline
Example
The game went **down to the wire**, but they won in the end.
idiom

tough it out

Meaning
to endure a difficult situation with strength and determination
Example
Even though it was a tough day, she managed to **tough it out** and finish the project.
idiom

get in touch

Meaning
to contact or communicate with someone
Example
I’ll **get in touch** with you tomorrow.
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

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

hit like a ton of bricks

Meaning
to cause a sudden and strong shock or surprise
Example
The news of his death **hit me like a ton of bricks**.
idiom

have a brainwave

Meaning
to suddenly have a clever idea
Example
I **had a brainwave** and solved the puzzle.
idiom

a work of art

Meaning
something very beautiful or skillfully made
Example
Her wedding dress was truly **a work of art**.
idiom

wise beyond one's years

Meaning
showing wisdom or maturity greater than expected for one's age
Example
Her advice is always thoughtful—she’s **wise beyond her years**.
idiom

build trust

Meaning
to create or develop trust in a relationship
Example
It takes time to **build trust** with new people.
idiom

work your fingers to the bone

Meaning
to work extremely hard
Example
She **worked her fingers to the bone** to support her family.
idiom

keep your nose clean

Meaning
to stay out of trouble; to behave properly
Example
He’s been **keeping his nose clean** since he got that new job.
idiom

to put two and two together

Meaning
to figure something out from the facts
Example
She didn’t tell me directly, but I **put two and two together**.
idiom

grab attention

Meaning
to make people notice something immediately
Example
Bright colors and bold fonts are used to **grab attention**.
idiom

phishing attempt

Meaning
an attempt to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity
Example
The email you received looks like a **phishing attempt**, so don't click any links.
idiom

artificial intelligence

Meaning
The simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think and learn.
Example
The company has invested heavily in **artificial intelligence** to enhance automation.
idiom

go easy on someone

Meaning
to be gentle or patient with someone
Example
Go easy on him; he’s been through a lot lately.
idiom

rise and fall

Meaning
the success and failure of someone or something over time
Example
The documentary shows the **rise and fall** of the Roman Empire.
idiom

virus of doubt

Meaning
a feeling of uncertainty that spreads quickly
Example
A **virus of doubt** spread after the project delay.
idiom

lose sleep over something

Meaning
to worry a lot about something
Example
Don’t **lose sleep over** minor issues.
idiom

go down in flames

Meaning
to fail spectacularly
Example
The project **went down in flames** after the funding was cut.
idiom

push yourself to the limit

Meaning
to make maximum effort even when it’s tough
Example
Athletes **push themselves to the limit** to achieve their dreams.
idiom

carbon neutral

Meaning
achieving a net-zero carbon footprint, where the amount of carbon dioxide released is equal to the amount removed from the atmosphere
Example
By planting trees and reducing emissions, the company is aiming to become **carbon neutral**.
idiom

Dress to kill

Meaning
To wear clothes that attract a lot of attention and admiration.
Example
She always **dresses to kill** when she goes to parties.
idiom

Help each other out

Meaning
To assist one another, especially in difficult situations.
Example
During the project, we all had to **help each other out** to finish on time.
idiom

spin-off

Meaning
a product or show that results from another existing one
Example
The successful TV show led to a **spin-off** featuring the same characters.
idiom

reinvent the wheel

Meaning
to waste time creating something that already exists
Example
Don’t **reinvent the wheel**; use the existing design.
idiom

trust someone as far as you can throw them

Meaning
to not trust someone much
Example
I wouldn’t **trust him as far as I can throw him**.
idiom

make headway

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
We are finally **making headway** with our new project.
idiom

Break like the wind

Meaning
To move or pass quickly; sometimes used humorously.
Example
He ran **like the wind** to catch the bus.
idiom

Have something up your sleeve

Meaning
To have a secret plan or idea.
Example
Don’t worry, he **has something up his sleeve** for the project.
idiom

Seed funding

Meaning
Initial capital used to start a business.
Example
They received **seed funding** from angel investors.
idiom

The Midas touch

Meaning
The ability to make money or succeed in everything one does.
Example
She seems to have **the Midas touch**—every project she starts becomes a success.
idiom

lose interest

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

Bury yourself in books

Meaning
To spend all your time studying
Example
He **buried himself in books** before the finals.
idiom

keep your word

Meaning
to honor a promise or commitment
Example
You must always **keep your word** if you want to gain trust.
idiom

make a vow

Meaning
to make a serious promise or pledge
Example
They **made a vow** to stay together forever.
idiom

frozen with fear

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

We’re of one mind

Meaning
To share the same opinion
Example
**We’re of one mind** about this decision.
idiom

in the doldrums

Meaning
feeling sad or bored for a long time
Example
He’s been **in the doldrums** since his team lost.
idiom

take the fall for

Meaning
to accept blame for something on behalf of someone else
Example
He decided to **take the fall for** his colleague's mistake.
idiom

to make the grade

Meaning
to meet the required standard
Example
He didn’t **make the grade** in the final exam.
idiom

alien invasion

Meaning
a sudden arrival or overwhelming presence of something unfamiliar
Example
The mall felt like an **alien invasion** during the sale.
idiom

a smart cookie

Meaning
a very clever or intelligent person
Example
Don’t underestimate her; she’s **a smart cookie**.
idiom

take someone's breath away

Meaning
to impress or amaze someone with beauty or charm
Example
Her beauty **took his breath away**.