cat nap
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

cat nap

Meaning
a short sleep during the day
Example
I took a **cat nap** before the meeting.
idiom

have the gift of the gab

Meaning
to be good at talking or persuading people
Example
He’s a great salesman because he **has the gift of the gab**.
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

give someone a piece of one’s mind

Meaning
to tell someone angrily what you think
Example
She **gave him a piece of her mind** for being rude.
idiom

influencer marketing

Meaning
promoting products through influential people on social media
Example
Many brands invest in **influencer marketing** to reach younger audiences.
idiom

time flies

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

Time heals all wounds

Meaning
Emotional pain will lessen with time.
Example
Don’t worry, time heals all wounds.
idiom

take your breath away

Meaning
to surprise or impress someone very much
Example
The beauty of the sunset will **take your breath away**.
idiom

to learn the ropes

Meaning
to learn how to do something, especially a job
Example
She is new here, but she is quickly **learning the ropes**.
idiom

Lady Luck

Meaning
personification of luck as a woman who brings good fortune
Example
**Lady Luck** was on our side when we won the match.
idiom

time is money

Meaning
time is valuable and should not be wasted
Example
In business, every minute counts because **time is money**.
idiom

make the tough calls

Meaning
to make difficult decisions in challenging situations
Example
Being a leader means sometimes having to **make the tough calls**.
idiom

give someone a warm welcome

Meaning
to greet someone very kindly and enthusiastically
Example
They **gave us a warm welcome** when we arrived.
idiom

team up with

Meaning
to collaborate with someone for a common goal
Example
The nonprofits **teamed up with** local schools for the project.
idiom

The devil is in the details

Meaning
Small details are often the most important or problematic.
Example
The overall concept was great, but **the devil is in the details**.
idiom

offbeat

Meaning
unusual; different from the norm
Example
His **offbeat** sense of humor makes everyone laugh.
idiom

take a stand

Meaning
to make a firm decision or opinion known
Example
It’s time to **take a stand** and support what you believe in.
idiom

carry through

Meaning
to complete something despite difficulties
Example
She promised to **carry through** with the training program.
idiom

come to mind

Meaning
to suddenly remember something
Example
Her name didn’t **come to mind** at first.
idiom

Blue ocean strategy

Meaning
Creating a new market space with little or no competition.
Example
Their **blue ocean strategy** helped them dominate a new market.
idiom

cry over spilt milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There’s no use **crying over spilt milk**.
idiom

carry the world on your shoulders

Meaning
to feel responsible for everything; to take on too much stress
Example
You can’t **carry the world on your shoulders**; learn to share the load.
idiom

through thick and thin

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

to be of one mind

Meaning
to have the same opinion
Example
We are **of one mind** about this decision.
idiom

in the wrong

Meaning
to be responsible for a mistake or bad situation.
Example
He knew he was **in the wrong** for shouting at her.
idiom

diplomatic tightrope

Meaning
a delicate situation requiring careful diplomacy
Example
The president walked a **diplomatic tightrope** between the two rival nations.
idiom

tune out

Meaning
to stop paying attention to what’s happening around you
Example
He often **tunes out** when people start complaining.
idiom

carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders

Meaning
to feel responsible for many problems or duties
Example
She always **carries the weight of the world on her shoulders**, even when it's not her fault.
idiom

a snowball effect

Meaning
a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate
Example
The more followers she got, the more famous she became, creating **a snowball effect**.
idiom

soft launch

Meaning
a limited or quiet release of a new product before the full launch
Example
The company did a **soft launch** to test customer reactions.
idiom

clash of civilizations

Meaning
the conflict between different cultural, religious, or civilizational groups
Example
The debate about cultural differences is often seen as a **clash of civilizations**.
idiom

above board

Meaning
honest and legal; without deceit
Example
Their business deal was completely **above board**.
idiom

carry weight

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

in good hands

Meaning
to be cared for or managed by someone trustworthy
Example
Don’t worry, your child is **in good hands**.
idiom

kill time

Meaning
to do something while waiting
Example
We played cards to **kill time** before the show started.
idiom

split the atom

Meaning
to do something revolutionary or extremely difficult
Example
Creating a universal AI is like trying to **split the atom** of intelligence.
idiom

give it your all

Meaning
to try your best or use all your energy
Example
If you **give it your all**, you’ll be proud of yourself no matter the result.
idiom

line up

Meaning
to arrange people or things in order or to schedule something
Example
We’ve **lined up** three guest speakers for the conference.
idiom

hit the airwaves

Meaning
to start being broadcast on television or radio
Example
The new talk show will **hit the airwaves** next week.
idiom

measure up

Meaning
to meet expected standards
Example
The new hire has to **measure up** to the team’s standards.
idiom

rags to riches

Meaning
to go from being poor to becoming rich and successful
Example
His life story is a real **rags to riches** tale.
idiom

hit the roof

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
Dad will **hit the roof** when he sees the broken window.
idiom

think on your feet

Meaning
to make quick decisions or ideas under pressure
Example
Good leaders can **think on their feet**.
idiom

fill in on

Meaning
to provide someone with the latest information
Example
Could you **fill me in on** the policy updates?
idiom

win someone over

Meaning
to persuade someone to support you or agree with you
Example
The candidate’s speech **won the crowd over**.
idiom

trial and error

Meaning
learning through experimenting and correcting mistakes
Example
We developed the product through **trial and error**.
idiom

light bulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or new idea
Example
She had a **light bulb moment** while brainstorming for the campaign.
idiom

take the wheel

Meaning
to take control or responsibility
Example
It's time for the new manager to **take the wheel**.
idiom

fly high

Meaning
to be very successful or happy
Example
After winning the award, she’s been **flying high**.
idiom

keep your head up

Meaning
to remain confident and strong during hardships
Example
**Keep your head up**, better days are coming.
idiom

not lose heart

Meaning
to not lose confidence or courage
Example
**Don’t lose heart**; success takes time.
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

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

the early bird catches the worm

Meaning
people who start early are more likely to succeed
Example
**The early bird catches the worm**, so start your day early.
idiom

A Trojan horse

Meaning
Something intended to secretly undermine or bring harm from within.
Example
The malware acted as **a Trojan horse**, allowing hackers access to private data.
idiom

get a word in edgewise

Meaning
to be able to say something during a conversation dominated by others
Example
He talked so much that no one could **get a word in edgewise**.
idiom

I’m here for you

Meaning
You can count on my support.
Example
Whenever you need me, **I’m here for you**.
idiom

keyboard warrior

Meaning
someone who posts aggressive or angry comments online
Example
He acts tough online, but he’s just a **keyboard warrior**.
idiom

see both sides

Meaning
to understand both perspectives in an argument
Example
I can **see both sides** of the issue, so it’s hard to choose.
idiom

take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become more ill
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
idiom

shoot from the hip

Meaning
to speak or act without thinking carefully
Example
He tends to **shoot from the hip** during meetings.
idiom

in the long run

Meaning
after a long time; in the end
Example
Saving money now will help you **in the long run**.
idiom

blueprint for success

Meaning
a detailed plan for achieving success
Example
Strong teamwork is the **blueprint for success** in this project.
idiom

check in with

Meaning
to contact someone to exchange updates
Example
I’ll **check in with** the vendor later today.
idiom

a tough act to follow

Meaning
something so impressive that others find it hard to match or surpass
Example
His last performance was **a tough act to follow**.
idiom

growth hacking

Meaning
using creative and low-cost strategies to rapidly grow a business or product
Example
Startups rely heavily on **growth hacking** to gain users quickly.
B1 idiom

all ears

Listening very attentively
Meaning
Listening very attentively
Example
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
idiom

on the mend

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

Running on empty

Meaning
To continue working or functioning when you have no energy left.
Example
After pulling an all-nighter, he’s **running on empty** today.
idiom

in a good mood

Meaning
feeling happy or cheerful
Example
She's always **in a good mood** when the sun is shining.
idiom

feel it in your bones

Meaning
to sense something strongly without evidence
Example
I **feel it in my bones** that something bad will happen.
idiom

to break new ground

Meaning
to do something innovative or unprecedented
Example
The company’s new app **broke new ground** in terms of user experience.
idiom

at ease

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

in hot water

Meaning
in trouble or difficulty
Example
He’s **in hot water** for missing the meeting.
idiom

social media blackout

Meaning
a period when social media services are unavailable or intentionally avoided
Example
During the **social media blackout**, everyone started reading books again.
idiom

feeling low

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

air gap

Meaning
a physical separation between secure and insecure systems
Example
Critical networks are kept **air-gapped** to prevent unauthorized access.
idiom

lay it on thick

Meaning
to exaggerate praise or flattery
Example
She really **laid it on thick** when complimenting her boss.
idiom

ghost someone

Meaning
to suddenly stop communicating with someone online
Example
He used to text me daily but then he **ghosted** me.
idiom

lay your cards on the table

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

cut above the rest

Meaning
to be better than others
Example
His presentation was **a cut above the rest**.
idiom

blow a fuse

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry or lose control
Example
He **blew a fuse** when he saw the mess.
idiom

blind experiment

Meaning
a test conducted without participants knowing certain information to prevent bias
Example
The scientists conducted a **blind experiment** to ensure accuracy.
idiom

word of honor

Meaning
a promise made with sincerity and integrity
Example
I give you my **word of honor** that I’ll be there.
idiom

throw money around

Meaning
to spend money carelessly or extravagantly
Example
Some rich importers love to **throw money around** at trade fairs.
idiom

Go where no man has gone before

Meaning
To explore or attempt something that has never been done before.
Example
The mission to Mars aims to **go where no man has gone before**.
idiom

Pyrrhic victory

Meaning
A victory won at too great a cost to be worthwhile.
Example
Winning the lawsuit was a **Pyrrhic victory** since it drained all their finances.
idiom

corner office

Meaning
a symbol of success or high position in a company
Example
Everyone dreams of getting the **corner office** one day.
idiom

taste of success

Meaning
to experience success for the first time
Example
After years of struggle, he finally got a **taste of success**.
idiom

In for the long haul

Meaning
Prepared to continue something for a long time.
Example
He knew that success would take years, but he was **in for the long haul**.
idiom

fall flat on your face

Meaning
to fail completely in an embarrassing way
Example
He **fell flat on his face** during his first business attempt.
idiom

call it quits

Meaning
to stop or end something
Example
After working for hours, they decided to **call it quits** for the day.
idiom

green around the gills

Meaning
looking sick or nauseated
Example
He looked **green around the gills** after the boat ride.
idiom

up against the wall

Meaning
to be in a very difficult or desperate situation
Example
The company is **up against the wall** financially after the recent losses.
idiom

drop the ball

Meaning
to make a mistake or fail to do something important
Example
I really **dropped the ball** by forgetting to send that important email.
idiom

catch someone red-handed

Meaning
to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The police **caught him red-handed** as he was stealing from the store.
idiom

travel light

Meaning
to travel with very little luggage
Example
When I travel for business, I like to **travel light**.
idiom

blast off

Meaning
to take off or start with great energy or enthusiasm
Example
The project is ready to **blast off** next week.
idiom

check back

Meaning
to return at a later time for an update
Example
Please **check back** next week for the final list.
idiom

fire up

Meaning
to excite or motivate someone
Example
The coach’s speech really **fired up** the players.
idiom

beat a dead horse

Meaning
to waste time on a topic that has already been resolved
Example
Stop **beating a dead horse**; the decision is final.
idiom

to serve justice

Meaning
to ensure that fairness or punishment is properly given
Example
The court’s decision **served justice** for the victims.
idiom

carry yourself with confidence

Meaning
to behave in a confident and assured way
Example
She always **carries herself with confidence** during meetings.
idiom

lean on

Meaning
to depend on someone for support
Example
You can always **lean on** me when things get tough.
idiom

Fine tuning

Meaning
small adjustments to improve something
Example
The plan just needs some **fine tuning** before we present it.
idiom

sound off

Meaning
to express an opinion loudly or strongly
Example
Feel free to **sound off** during the feedback session.
idiom

kick the bucket

Meaning
to die (informal)
Example
He finally **kicked the bucket** after a long illness.
idiom

play politics

Meaning
to act in a manipulative or strategic way to gain advantage
Example
He was accused of trying to **play politics** instead of focusing on the nation’s welfare.
idiom

have it out

Meaning
to talk openly about a disagreement to resolve it
Example
They decided to **have it out** instead of staying angry.
idiom

at sixes and sevens

Meaning
in a state of confusion or disorder
Example
After the renovation, the office was **at sixes and sevens** for weeks.
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

clean up one’s act

Meaning
to improve behavior or performance; to become more responsible
Example
The factory had to **clean up its act** to avoid heavy fines.
idiom

put first things first

Meaning
to focus on the most important things before others
Example
When managing time, always **put first things first**.
idiom

bank on

Meaning
to rely on or depend on something happening
Example
You can **bank on** her support during tough times.
idiom

put one on the map

Meaning
to make someone or something famous or well-known
Example
His groundbreaking research **put him on the map** in the scientific community.
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

keep all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to rely on a single plan or source of success
Example
Don’t **keep all your eggs in one basket** when investing.
idiom

draw attention

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

opt out of

Meaning
to choose not to participate in something
Example
You can **opt out of** the newsletter at any time.
idiom

by the skin of your teeth

Meaning
to just barely manage to do something
Example
He passed the exam **by the skin of his teeth**.
idiom

a social butterfly

Meaning
someone who is very social and enjoys meeting people
Example
He’s **a social butterfly**, always at some event or gathering.