cast in stone
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idiom

cast in stone

Meaning
fixed and unchangeable
Example
The script isn’t **cast in stone**; we can make changes.
idiom

Fall seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying even after multiple failures.
Example
Life is tough, but remember to **fall seven times, stand up eight**.
idiom

tear one’s hair out

Meaning
to be extremely worried or upset
Example
She was **tearing her hair out** trying to find her lost keys.
idiom

drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small or insignificant amount compared to what is needed
Example
Our recycling efforts are just a **drop in the ocean** compared to the global pollution problem.
idiom

put your faith in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone or something
Example
She decided to **put her faith in** her friends to help her.
idiom

over the moon

Meaning
extremely pleased or happy
Example
She was **over the moon** when she won the prize.
idiom

come out with it

Meaning
to say something openly or honestly that you’ve been hiding
Example
Stop hesitating and just **come out with it**!
idiom

at ease

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

balance out

Meaning
to counteract or cancel the effect of something
Example
The extra volunteers should **balance out** the workload.
idiom

bail on

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

feeling low

Meaning
feeling depressed or unhappy
Example
I’ve been **feeling low** lately due to stress.
idiom

put one's foot down

Meaning
to make a firm decision or take a strong stand on something
Example
She had to **put her foot down** and say no to the proposal.
idiom

a fair game

Meaning
a situation where both parties have equal opportunities to succeed or compromise
Example
The terms of the contract were discussed until both sides agreed it was **a fair game**.
idiom

Bide one’s time

Meaning
To wait patiently for the right opportunity.
Example
She decided to **bide her time** before making a move.
idiom

kindred spirit

Meaning
someone who has similar interests or feelings
Example
We became friends because we’re **kindred spirits**.
idiom

own up to

Meaning
to admit or confess to something you did wrong
Example
She finally **owned up to** breaking the vase.
idiom

written in the stars

Meaning
destined to happen; fated
Example
They believe their meeting was **written in the stars**.
idiom

troll someone

Meaning
to deliberately provoke or upset someone online
Example
Some users love to **troll** others just for fun.
idiom

busy bee

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

seat of power

Meaning
a place where authority or control is exercised
Example
The prime minister returned to the **seat of power** after a long illness.
idiom

turn the tide

Meaning
to cause a significant change in a situation or trend
Example
The new strategy helped us **turn the tide** in our favor.
idiom

throw your weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** in meetings.
idiom

hit the right note

Meaning
to do or say something perfectly suitable
Example
Her performance really **hit the right note** with the audience.
idiom

to see the silver lining

Meaning
to find something positive in a negative situation
Example
She always tries to **see the silver lining** even in the most challenging situations.
idiom

pull rank

Meaning
to use one's authority to gain an advantage
Example
He **pulled rank** to get the last seat on the plane.
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

to put it bluntly

Meaning
to express an opinion in a direct and straightforward way
Example
**To put it bluntly**, you were wrong.
idiom

Frankenstein’s monster

Meaning
A creation that turns against its creator.
Example
Social media became a **Frankenstein’s monster** for its inventors.
idiom

street smart

Meaning
having practical intelligence and experience, not just book knowledge
Example
He may not have a degree, but he’s very **street smart**.
idiom

a turning point

Meaning
a moment when an important change happens
Example
Graduating from college was a **turning point** in his life.
idiom

black box

Meaning
a system or process whose workings are not understood or transparent
Example
The neural network is often described as a **black box** because its decision-making process is not fully transparent.
idiom

change one's tune

Meaning
to change one's opinion or attitude
Example
After hearing the good news, he decided to **change his tune**.
idiom

Straight shooter

Meaning
A person who is honest and direct.
Example
You can trust him; he’s a **straight shooter**.
idiom

factor in

Meaning
to include something as part of a calculation or plan
Example
Remember to **factor in** travel time when planning.
idiom

reinvent the wheel

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

canary in the coal mine

Meaning
an early warning of potential danger
Example
Melting glaciers are the **canary in the coal mine** for climate change.
idiom

Baptism of fire

Meaning
A person’s first difficult experience in a new job or role.
Example
Her first week as manager was a real **baptism of fire**.
idiom

brute force attack

Meaning
a method of hacking that tries all possible combinations of passwords until the correct one is found
Example
The attacker launched a **brute force attack** on the system’s login page.
idiom

be sure of yourself

Meaning
to have confidence in your abilities or opinions
Example
To be a leader, you must **be sure of yourself**.
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

separate the wheat from the chaff

Meaning
to distinguish valuable things from worthless ones
Example
It’s time to **separate the wheat from the chaff** in this project.
idiom

hockey stick growth

Meaning
a sharp increase in growth after a period of slow progress
Example
The startup saw **hockey stick growth** after launching their new feature.
idiom

to kill two birds with one stone

Meaning
to achieve two things at once
Example
I can **kill two birds with one stone** by listening to a podcast while I exercise.
idiom

take the pressure off

Meaning
to make a stressful situation easier
Example
Hiring an assistant really **took the pressure off** me.
idiom

offstage

Meaning
outside of public attention or in private life
Example
He is very different **offstage** than he appears in his shows.
idiom

fear of the unknown

Meaning
anxiety about things that are unfamiliar or uncertain
Example
Many people avoid change because of their **fear of the unknown**.
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

beat the algorithm

Meaning
to find a way to outsmart or bypass a system's logic
Example
Marketers always try to **beat the algorithm** for better reach.
idiom

nurture talent

Meaning
to help someone's skills and abilities grow and develop
Example
A great mentor knows how to **nurture talent** and help their mentees grow.
idiom

make friends

Meaning
to form new friendships
Example
It’s easy to **make friends** when you’re kind to others.
idiom

feel ten feet tall

Meaning
to feel very proud and confident
Example
He **felt ten feet tall** after completing the challenge.
idiom

inside job

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

under pressure

Meaning
to be in a stressful situation with a lot of demands
Example
She performs well even when she’s **under pressure**.
idiom

smoke-filled room

Meaning
a place where powerful people make decisions secretly
Example
The new policy was decided in a **smoke-filled room** by senior officials.
idiom

copycat

Meaning
someone who imitates another person
Example
She’s such a **copycat**, always doing what I do.
idiom

keep away from

Meaning
to avoid someone or something
Example
You should **keep away from** sugary drinks right now.
idiom

doubt creeps in

Meaning
to begin to feel uncertain or unsure
Example
After a few failures, **doubt began to creep in**.
idiom

just what the doctor ordered

Meaning
exactly what is needed or wanted
Example
A cup of tea was **just what the doctor ordered**.
idiom

Pay the piper

Meaning
To face the consequences of one’s actions or decisions.
Example
After years of overspending, the country had to **pay the piper**.
idiom

phase out

Meaning
to gradually stop using or providing something
Example
The company plans to **phase out** plastic packaging by next year.
idiom

blow your own trumpet

Meaning
to boast or brag about your achievements
Example
He never stops **blowing his own trumpet** about his success.
idiom

put your nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and focus on something
Example
If you want to succeed, you have to **put your nose to the grindstone**.
idiom

jog someone's memory

Meaning
to make someone remember something
Example
That smell **jogged my memory** of our school canteen.
idiom

the powers that be

Meaning
people or organizations who hold authority or control
Example
The decision depends on **the powers that be**.
idiom

The more you know, the more you realize you don’t

Meaning
The more you learn, the more you understand how much there is left to learn.
Example
**The more you know, the more you realize you don’t** — that’s the beauty of curiosity.
idiom

good Samaritan

Meaning
a person who helps others selflessly
Example
A **good Samaritan** helped the old man cross the street.
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

back on your feet

Meaning
recovered and healthy again
Example
It’s good to see you **back on your feet** after the flu.
idiom

the apple of someone's eye

Meaning
someone very precious or loved deeply
Example
Her daughter is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

rule with an iron fist

Meaning
to control people very strictly and harshly
Example
The dictator **ruled with an iron fist** for twenty years.
idiom

sliding into DMs

Meaning
to send a private message to someone on social media, often flirtatiously
Example
He started **sliding into her DMs** after seeing her post.
idiom

a man of his word

Meaning
a person who keeps their promises
Example
He’s **a man of his word**, you can trust him.
idiom

swear an oath

Meaning
to promise solemnly, often in a formal way
Example
He **swore an oath** to serve his country faithfully.
idiom

yawn fest

Meaning
something extremely boring
Example
That lecture was a total **yawn fest**.
idiom

olive branch

Meaning
a gesture of peace or reconciliation
Example
The president extended an **olive branch** by inviting his rival to the summit.
idiom

a drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small amount compared to what is needed
Example
The money they raised was just **a drop in the ocean** compared to the total cost.
idiom

in a bad mood

Meaning
feeling unhappy or irritable
Example
She’s **in a bad mood** because she didn’t sleep well.
idiom

the naked truth

Meaning
the complete and unvarnished truth
Example
She told me **the naked truth** about what happened.
idiom

chart a new course

Meaning
to plan a new direction or strategy
Example
After the crisis, the CEO decided to **chart a new course**.
idiom

a pipe dream

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

cry your heart out

Meaning
to cry a lot due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

Follow your nose

Meaning
Trust your instincts and go in the direction that feels right.
Example
If you're lost, just **follow your nose** and you'll find the way.
idiom

down in the dumps

Meaning
feeling sad or depressed
Example
He’s been **down in the dumps** since he lost his job.
idiom

bargain for

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

turn up the heat

Meaning
to increase pressure or intensity
Example
The scientists decided to **turn up the heat** on the experiment.
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

Keep an even keel

Meaning
To stay calm and steady, especially during difficulties.
Example
Despite the pressure, she **kept an even keel** throughout the project.
idiom

pass along

Meaning
to share information or items with someone else
Example
Could you **pass along** the agenda to the interns?
idiom

come through

Meaning
to do what is expected or promised, especially in difficult situations
Example
She always **comes through** when we need her most.
idiom

get under someone's skin

Meaning
to annoy or bother someone deeply
Example
She really knows how to **get under my skin**.
idiom

pillar of strength

Meaning
a person who provides strong support or comfort
Example
She was a **pillar of strength** during difficult times.
idiom

in orbit

Meaning
in a state of great excitement or activity
Example
The team was **in orbit** after the big win.
idiom

see off

Meaning
to go with someone to say goodbye when they leave
Example
We’ll **see off** the guests at the station.
idiom

a steep learning curve

Meaning
when something is difficult to learn, usually quickly
Example
The new software had a **steep learning curve**, but I managed to understand it.
idiom

under investigation

Meaning
being examined or looked into by authorities for possible wrongdoing
Example
The suspect is currently **under investigation** for his involvement in the crime.
idiom

step on the gas

Meaning
to move faster; to hurry up
Example
We need to **step on the gas** if we want to reach on time.
idiom

hold over

Meaning
to postpone something to a later time
Example
They had to **hold over** the vote until next week.
idiom

cold case

Meaning
a criminal case that has not been solved for a long time
Example
The detective reopened a **cold case** from 1999.
idiom

laid-back

Meaning
calm, relaxed, and not easily upset
Example
He’s a very **laid-back** person who rarely gets angry.
idiom

turn the other cheek

Meaning
to ignore insults or avoid taking revenge
Example
He chose to **turn the other cheek** instead of fighting back.
idiom

a fine line

Meaning
a very small difference between two things
Example
There’s **a fine line** between genius and madness in art.
idiom

easy come, easy go

Meaning
money that is easily earned is easily lost
Example
He lost all his winnings in a day—**easy come, easy go**.
idiom

face the consequences

Meaning
to accept the results of your actions, whether good or bad
Example
You will have to **face the consequences** of your actions.
idiom

a bitter pill to swallow

Meaning
an unpleasant fact or situation to accept
Example
Losing the championship was **a bitter pill to swallow** for the team.
idiom

hit the dirt

Meaning
to go to ground; to take cover or hide
Example
Wild animals often **hit the dirt** when humans approach.
idiom

pull oneself up by the bootstraps

Meaning
to improve one's situation through hard work and determination
Example
Despite all the challenges, he **pulled himself up by the bootstraps** and succeeded.
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

take a chill pill

Meaning
to calm down or relax; to not overreact
Example
Hey, **take a chill pill**! It’s not that serious.
idiom

heart skips a beat

Meaning
to feel excited or nervous because of love
Example
Every time he smiles, her **heart skips a beat**.
idiom

early bird

Meaning
a person who wakes up or arrives early
Example
She’s always the **early bird** at the office.
idiom

get off on the right foot

Meaning
to start a relationship or activity in a positive way
Example
We **got off on the right foot** during our first meeting.
idiom

scare someone half to death

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That spider **scared me half to death**!
idiom

go to seed

Meaning
to decline in quality or condition
Example
The old factory has really **gone to seed** over the years.
idiom

cold call

Meaning
to contact a potential customer without prior introduction
Example
He spent all morning making **cold calls** to new clients.
idiom

carry weight

Meaning
to have influence or importance
Example
His opinion **carries a lot of weight** in this organization.
idiom

work one’s fingers to the bone

Meaning
to work extremely hard
Example
He **worked his fingers to the bone** to build his business.
idiom

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

Meaning
It's important to maintain good relationships with your friends, but it's equally important to understand your enemies.
Example
He always watches his competitors carefully because he believes in **keeping your friends close and your enemies closer**.
idiom

follow in someone’s footsteps

Meaning
to do the same work or live the same way as someone else, usually a family member
Example
He decided to **follow in his father’s footsteps** and become a lawyer.
idiom

Things will get better

Meaning
difficult situations will improve over time
Example
I know you're stressed, but remember, **things will get better**.
idiom

give someone a run for their money

Meaning
to compete strongly against someone
Example
The new player **gave the champion a run for his money**.
idiom

Don’t give up hope

Meaning
Keep believing that things will get better.
Example
**Don’t give up hope**, miracles can happen any time.