carve up
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idiom

carve up

Meaning
to divide something into parts
Example
Let’s **carve up** the timeline into manageable phases.
idiom

Pass down from generation to generation

Meaning
To transfer knowledge, customs, or traditions from one generation to the next
Example
These folk songs have been **passed down from generation to generation**.
idiom

even out

Meaning
to make something level or balanced
Example
Stir the batter to **even out** the lumps.
idiom

ring up

Meaning
to calculate and record a sale
Example
The cashier will **ring up** your items at the counter.
idiom

in the money

Meaning
to suddenly have a lot of money
Example
After winning the lottery, they were **in the money**.
idiom

the cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative part of something
Example
This new design is at **the cutting edge** of architecture.
idiom

carry the responsibility

Meaning
to be in charge of something or to be responsible for it
Example
As the project leader, he had to **carry the responsibility** for the entire team.
idiom

change of heart

Meaning
a change in the way one feels about something or someone
Example
He had a **change of heart** and decided to stay.
idiom

a big mouth

Meaning
a person who talks too much or reveals secrets
Example
Don’t tell Jake, he’s **a big mouth**!
idiom

bury the lead

Meaning
to hide the most important part of the story
Example
Don’t **bury the lead**—mention the main point first.
idiom

make a fresh start

Meaning
to start something again in a new way
Example
After the failure, she decided to **make a fresh start**.
idiom

strength in numbers

Meaning
greater power comes from a larger group
Example
We can win this battle if we stick together, there's **strength in numbers**.
idiom

Tell the truth

Meaning
To say what is true instead of lying.
Example
Please **tell the truth**, even if it hurts.
idiom

get a degree

Meaning
to complete a formal education program
Example
She worked hard to **get a degree** in engineering.
idiom

a man of vision

Meaning
a person who has foresight and imagination
Example
He is **a man of vision** who transformed the company.
idiom

feel under pressure

Meaning
to feel stressed or anxious due to responsibilities or expectations
Example
She's **feeling under pressure** to meet the deadline.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
idiom

jack up on

Meaning
to increase something sharply on a specific item
Example
Vendors **jacked up on** bottled water during the festival.
idiom

Money doesn't grow on trees

Meaning
Money is limited and must be earned; not easy to get.
Example
You should save more—**money doesn’t grow on trees**.
idiom

under oath

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

neural network of ideas

Meaning
a complex and interconnected web of thoughts or concepts
Example
Her brain works like a **neural network of ideas**.
idiom

To break ground

Meaning
To begin a new project or initiative.
Example
The company is excited to **break ground** on their new office next month.
idiom

break the internet

Meaning
to cause an enormous amount of attention and discussion online
Example
The celebrity's new photo **broke the internet**.
idiom

pick yourself up

Meaning
to recover from a failure or setback
Example
She failed the first time, but she **picked herself up** and tried again.
idiom

pull yourself together

Meaning
to regain control of your emotions or behavior
Example
Stop crying and **pull yourself together** – we need to find a solution.
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

the proof is in the pudding

Meaning
the real value of something can only be judged when it's put to use
Example
He claims the app is great, but **the proof is in the pudding**.
idiom

veer off

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

to bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too difficult
Example
He **bit off more than he could chew** by promising to finish the work alone.
idiom

parcel out

Meaning
to divide and distribute something
Example
Let’s **parcel out** the tasks for the festival.
idiom

circle back

Meaning
to return to a topic or task later
Example
Let's **circle back** to this issue after lunch.
idiom

thinking outside the algorithm

Meaning
to think creatively beyond structured systems or programmed logic
Example
Our best innovation came when we started **thinking outside the algorithm**.
idiom

have a smile on your face

Meaning
to appear happy and cheerful
Example
She always has a smile on her face, no matter the situation.
idiom

keep your mind on

Meaning
to stay focused on a task or goal
Example
If you **keep your mind on** your studies, you’ll do well.
idiom

going viral

Meaning
to become very popular very quickly on the internet or social media
Example
The video of the cat dancing has **gone viral** and everyone is talking about it.
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

take it with a pinch of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He exaggerates a lot, so **take it with a pinch of salt**.
idiom

puppy love

Meaning
a young or innocent kind of love
Example
Their relationship in school was just **puppy love**.
idiom

build from the ground up

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built their business from the ground up** with no investors.
idiom

in so many words

Meaning
to say something clearly and directly
Example
He didn’t say it **in so many words**, but I knew what he meant.
idiom

kick back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing for a while
Example
After finishing the project, we just **kicked back** and watched a movie.
idiom

paint yourself into a corner

Meaning
to put yourself in a difficult situation with no easy way out
Example
By making so many promises, he **painted himself into a corner**.
idiom

pick a fight

Meaning
to start an argument intentionally
Example
Don’t **pick a fight** with him; he’s already angry.
idiom

a wake-up call

Meaning
an event that makes someone realize they need to change
Example
Losing his job was a **wake-up call** for him.
idiom

top-notch

Meaning
of the highest quality; excellent
Example
Your presentation was absolutely **top-notch**.
idiom

hold the vision

Meaning
to maintain a clear sense of direction or goal
Example
Leaders who **hold the vision** can guide their teams through difficult times.
idiom

heart sinks

Meaning
to feel disappointed or sad suddenly
Example
My **heart sank** when I saw the exam result.
idiom

juggle with

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

caught between two stools

Meaning
to fail because of trying to do two things at once
Example
He was **caught between two stools**—trying to please both his boss and his team.
idiom

Open-minded

Meaning
Willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
A good therapist must be **open-minded**.
idiom

a gray area

Meaning
a situation or topic that is not clear or that can be understood in more than one way
Example
The question of intellectual property rights in the digital age is still **a gray area**.
idiom

over the hill

Meaning
past one's prime; no longer young or at peak performance
Example
Some people think turning forty means you’re **over the hill**, but that’s not true.
idiom

On the clock

Meaning
Working, often with a strict time limit or deadline.
Example
I’m **on the clock** today, so I can’t waste any time.
idiom

reap what you sow

Meaning
you get the results of your actions, good or bad
Example
If you’re kind to others, you’ll **reap what you sow**.
idiom

blow someone away

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

hit the ground running

Meaning
to start something energetically and successfully
Example
She joined the team and **hit the ground running** on her first day.
idiom

give someone a dose of their own medicine

Meaning
to treat someone the same bad way they treated others
Example
He was rude to everyone, so I **gave him a dose of his own medicine**.
idiom

zoom in

Meaning
to focus closely on something
Example
Use the report to **zoom in** on customer trends.
idiom

cool off with

Meaning
to refresh oneself using something
Example
We’ll **cool off with** iced tea after the run.
idiom

in the heat of the moment

Meaning
acting impulsively or emotionally, without thinking
Example
I said some things I regret **in the heat of the moment**.
idiom

under a cloud

Meaning
being suspected or in trouble
Example
He left the company **under a cloud** after the scandal.
idiom

make sense of

Meaning
to understand something that is complicated or unclear
Example
I finally **made sense of** the instructions after reading them twice.
idiom

the calm before the storm

Meaning
a peaceful time before trouble begins
Example
The classroom was silent, like **the calm before the storm**.
idiom

make a name for oneself

Meaning
to become well-known or famous for something
Example
He **made a name for himself** as a creative designer.
idiom

scale back

Meaning
to reduce the size or amount of something
Example
They had to **scale back** the festival because of the budget.
idiom

pep up

Meaning
to make someone or something more lively or energetic
Example
A quick walk outside always **peps me up** in the afternoon.
idiom

around the clock

Meaning
all day and all night; continuously
Example
Doctors worked **around the clock** to save the patients.
idiom

have a falling out

Meaning
to have a disagreement or fight with someone
Example
They **had a falling out** over money issues.
idiom

stretch the truth

Meaning
to exaggerate or make something seem more important than it is
Example
He sometimes **stretches the truth** to impress people.
idiom

beat the rap

Meaning
to escape punishment or avoid being convicted
Example
He managed to **beat the rap** thanks to a clever lawyer.
idiom

artificial instinct

Meaning
a machine’s ability to make decisions that seem natural or human-like
Example
The new model shows a kind of **artificial instinct** while driving.
idiom

spread kindness

Meaning
to do or say kind things to others
Example
We should all try to **spread kindness** every day.
idiom

take the initiative

Meaning
to act first and show leadership
Example
Effective leaders often **take the initiative** to improve things.
idiom

Meet your Waterloo

Meaning
To face a final and decisive defeat.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo** when sales plummeted.
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.
idiom

get hooked on

Meaning
to become addicted or very interested in something
Example
He **got hooked on** playing chess after just one game.
idiom

grow out of something

Meaning
to stop liking or doing something as you become older or more mature
Example
He eventually **grew out of** his bad habits.
idiom

party pooper

Meaning
someone who spoils the fun of others
Example
Don’t be a **party pooper**, join the fun!
idiom

talk out

Meaning
to discuss something until a decision is reached
Example
Let’s **talk out** the disagreement today.
idiom

behind bars

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

wind down

Meaning
to relax or slow down after activity
Example
I like to **wind down** with a book before bed.
idiom

sweet talk someone

Meaning
to flatter or charm someone into doing something
Example
He **sweet talked** his way into getting a discount.
idiom

hard sell

Meaning
an aggressive or forceful sales approach
Example
Customers today dislike the **hard sell** approach.
idiom

Go bust

Meaning
To go bankrupt or out of business.
Example
Many small banks **went bust** during the financial crisis.
idiom

cover your tracks

Meaning
to hide evidence of one’s actions
Example
Hackers often **cover their tracks** after breaking into systems.
idiom

keep in touch

Meaning
to maintain communication with someone
Example
Even after moving away, we **keep in touch** regularly.
idiom

drop a line

Meaning
to send someone a short message or note
Example
Please **drop me a line** when you arrive safely.
idiom

The longest journey begins with a single step

Meaning
Any big task starts with a small action.
Example
Don't worry about the entire project, **the longest journey begins with a single step**.
idiom

clear the air

Meaning
to remove tension or misunderstanding by talking openly
Example
We need to sit down and **clear the air** about what happened last week.
idiom

a chatterbox

Meaning
someone who talks a lot, especially a child
Example
My little sister is **a chatterbox**; she never stops talking.
idiom

show someone the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a task
Example
She took the time to **show me the ropes** on my first day at work.
idiom

dot the i's and cross the t's

Meaning
to pay attention to small details or finalize things perfectly
Example
Before the presentation, we need to **dot the i's and cross the t's**.
idiom

win-win situation

Meaning
a situation where all parties benefit
Example
The new deal was a **win-win situation** for both companies.
idiom

The waiting game

Meaning
A situation in which you must wait for something to happen.
Example
It’s all about **the waiting game** when you’re looking for a job.
idiom

lay all your cards on the table

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

map out

Meaning
to plan something in detail
Example
We should **map out** our marketing strategy for the next quarter.
idiom

the moral compass

Meaning
a person's or society’s sense of right and wrong
Example
We must ensure AI doesn’t lose its **moral compass**.
idiom

post something

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

join forces

Meaning
to combine efforts with others for a common purpose
Example
Two companies **joined forces** to create a better product.
idiom

at loggerheads

Meaning
in strong disagreement or conflict
Example
The two departments have been **at loggerheads** over the new policy.
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

the lion’s share

Meaning
the largest part of something
Example
He took **the lion’s share** of the profits.
idiom

ink in

Meaning
to schedule or confirm something in writing
Example
I’ll **ink in** the interview for Tuesday morning.
idiom

When there’s life, there’s hope

Meaning
As long as you are alive, there is a chance for improvement.
Example
Don’t give up—**when there’s life, there’s hope**.
idiom

leave aside

Meaning
to postpone discussion of something
Example
Let’s **leave aside** that issue until we have more data.
idiom

Dust yourself off

Meaning
Recover after a setback and continue with confidence.
Example
He fell short this time, but he’ll **dust himself off** and try again.
idiom

jump the gun

Meaning
to start something too soon
Example
They **jumped the gun** by announcing the news early.
idiom

A hard row to hoe

Meaning
A difficult task or challenge.
Example
Getting this project done on time is going to be **a hard row to hoe**.
idiom

caught red-handed

Meaning
to be caught in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The thief was **caught red-handed** stealing the wallet.
idiom

down the road

Meaning
in the future
Example
We may expand to other countries **down the road**.
idiom

to be a sponge for knowledge

Meaning
to absorb information eagerly and enthusiastically
Example
She's **a sponge for knowledge**; she reads every book she can find.
idiom

sound out

Meaning
to quietly discover what people think
Example
She will **sound out** the team before making changes.
idiom

flat broke

Meaning
having no money at all
Example
I was **flat broke** after paying all my bills this month.
idiom

shoulder to cry on

Meaning
Someone who listens and comforts you when you’re upset.
Example
After her breakup, Emma needed a **shoulder to cry on**.
idiom

mark up

Meaning
to increase the price of something
Example
Vendors plan to **mark up** prices during the festival.
idiom

strike a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement or arrangement, especially in business
Example
After long discussions, the companies finally **struck a deal**.
idiom

wind up

Meaning
to end up in a particular situation
Example
If you ignore the warning signs, you could **wind up** in trouble.
idiom

hold oneself accountable

Meaning
to take responsibility for one's actions or decisions
Example
A true leader **holds himself accountable** for the team’s failures.
idiom

Never give up

Meaning
Always continue trying despite difficulties.
Example
No matter how hard it is, **never give up**.
idiom

Put your trust in God

Meaning
To rely on faith in God to guide or help you.
Example
In difficult times, she chooses to **put her trust in God**.
idiom

say hello

Meaning
to greet someone
Example
Please **say hello** to your parents for me.