catch some z’s
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idiom

catch some z’s

Meaning
to get some sleep
Example
I need to **catch some z’s** before the meeting.
idiom

crossing the aisle

Meaning
when a politician supports or votes for the opposite party
Example
She surprised everyone by **crossing the aisle** to support the bill.
idiom

come full circle

Meaning
to return to the original state after a series of changes
Example
After years abroad, she’s **come full circle** and moved back home.
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

Caught with your pants down

Meaning
To be caught unprepared or embarrassed.
Example
The manager was **caught with his pants down** when asked about the figures.
idiom

cover your tracks

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

come to mind

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

crystal ball

Meaning
the ability to predict the future
Example
I don’t have a **crystal ball**, so I can’t tell what will happen.
idiom

catfish someone

Meaning
to deceive someone by creating a fake online identity
Example
He was **catfished** by someone pretending to be a model.
idiom

come rain or shine

Meaning
no matter what happens; in any weather or situation
Example
He goes jogging **come rain or shine**.
idiom

check in on

Meaning
to monitor or see how someone or something is doing
Example
Could you **check in on** the kids while I'm out?
idiom

cutthroat competition

Meaning
extremely intense and ruthless competition
Example
The smartphone market is a **cutthroat competition**.
idiom

cream of the crop

Meaning
the best of a group; the finest selection
Example
These students are the **cream of the crop**.
idiom

conversion rate

Meaning
The percentage of visitors to a website who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up.
Example
Our **conversion rate** has significantly improved after the redesign of the website.
idiom

Crooked as a snake

Meaning
Dishonest or untrustworthy.
Example
Everyone knows that politician is **crooked as a snake**.
idiom

cancel culture

Meaning
the practice of withdrawing support from someone after they do something offensive
Example
Many celebrities fear **cancel culture** online.
idiom

cast the first stone

Meaning
to be the first to criticize or condemn someone
Example
Before you **cast the first stone**, remember that nobody is perfect.
idiom

cold call

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

climb the corporate ladder

Meaning
to advance in one’s career or position in a company
Example
He worked hard to **climb the corporate ladder**.
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

curtain call

Meaning
when performers return to the stage to receive applause
Example
After their amazing act, the team received a standing ovation during the **curtain call**.
idiom

cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility and tension between countries without actual warfare
Example
During the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a **cold war**.
idiom

chase your dreams

Meaning
to actively try to achieve your ambitions
Example
You should always **chase your dreams** no matter how hard it seems.
idiom

crash the system

Meaning
to cause complete failure in a system or process
Example
One wrong command can **crash the system**.
idiom

come to the rescue

Meaning
to help someone in trouble
Example
A firefighter **came to the rescue** of the trapped cat.
idiom

cat nap

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

carry the load

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult
Example
She had to **carry the load** after her manager resigned.
idiom

Cross one’s mind

Meaning
To suddenly think of something.
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could be lying.
idiom

cut back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something
Example
We’re trying to **cut back on** eating out during the week.
idiom

cry a river

Meaning
to cry a lot or show extreme sadness
Example
He **cried a river** after hearing the news.
idiom

close the book on something

Meaning
to stop dealing with or thinking about something
Example
After years of conflict, they finally **closed the book on** their rivalry.
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

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

call to action

Meaning
a prompt that encourages an immediate response from an audience
Example
Your ad must include a strong **call to action**.
idiom

cry one’s eyes out

Meaning
to cry a lot; to weep uncontrollably
Example
She **cried her eyes out** after watching that sad movie.
idiom

change gears

Meaning
to shift to a new way of thinking or doing things
Example
We need to **change gears** if we want to reach our target in time.
idiom

call a truce

Meaning
to agree to stop fighting or arguing for a while
Example
They decided to **call a truce** until the boss arrived.
idiom

click-through rate

Meaning
the percentage of users who click on an ad or link
Example
Our **click-through rate** improved after we changed the headline.
idiom

check back in

Meaning
to reconnect later to get an update
Example
Let’s **check back in** next week on the prototype.
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

count your blessings

Meaning
be grateful for the good things in your life
Example
Instead of complaining, **count your blessings**.
idiom

carry on about

Meaning
to speak at length in an excited or annoyed way
Example
He kept **carrying on about** the missed deadline all morning.
idiom

cry wolf

Meaning
to raise a false alarm
Example
Do not **cry wolf** or no one will believe you later.
idiom

crime doesn't pay

Meaning
doing wrong or illegal things will never bring true success
Example
He learned the hard way that **crime doesn't pay**.
idiom

cross your mind

Meaning
to think of something briefly
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could lie.
idiom

cry over spilled milk

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

cross the floor

Meaning
to change political allegiance or party
Example
The MP shocked everyone when he decided to **cross the floor** and join the opposition.
idiom

cost an arm and a leg

Meaning
to be very expensive
Example
That designer bag **cost an arm and a leg**.
idiom

call around

Meaning
to contact several people or places by phone
Example
I’ll **call around** to find a venue with parking.
idiom

chain reaction

Meaning
a series of events triggered by one event
Example
One breakthrough can start a **chain reaction** of new innovations.
idiom

cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it happens, not before
Example
We will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

cover up

Meaning
to hide the truth about something
Example
They tried to **cover up** the mistake.
idiom

cut the mustard

Meaning
to perform well or meet expectations
Example
She didn’t **cut the mustard** in her new role.
idiom

chicken out

Meaning
to decide not to do something because of fear
Example
He was going to ask her out but **chickened out** at the last minute.
idiom

Cut from the same cloth

Meaning
To be very similar in character or behavior.
Example
Those two brothers are **cut from the same cloth**.
idiom

crack under pressure

Meaning
to lose control or fail when under stress
Example
Some people **crack under pressure**, while others thrive.
idiom

cast in stone

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

comic relief

Meaning
a funny moment in a serious situation
Example
The movie’s sidekick provided much-needed **comic relief**.
idiom

carve your own path

Meaning
to create your own way of achieving success or independence
Example
She decided to **carve her own path** instead of joining her family business.
idiom

Climb the ranks

Meaning
To move up to higher positions through hard work and experience.
Example
He **climbed the ranks** from an intern to a manager in five years.
idiom

call the shots

Meaning
to be in charge and make decisions
Example
In this company, the manager **calls the shots**.
idiom

cloak and dagger

Meaning
involving secrecy, mystery, and deception
Example
The meeting was surrounded by **cloak and dagger** secrecy.
idiom

climbing the ladder

Meaning
to improve one's position, typically in a career or personal growth
Example
He started at the bottom of the company and has been **climbing the ladder** ever since.
idiom

corner the market

Meaning
to dominate a particular market
Example
They’ve managed to **corner the market** in organic products.
idiom

clue in

Meaning
to give someone the necessary information
Example
Can you **clue me in** on the schedule changes?
idiom

come back to earth

Meaning
to return to reality after being excited or daydreaming
Example
After the vacation, it’s time to **come back to earth**.
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

carry a torch for someone

Meaning
to continue loving someone who doesn’t love you back
Example
He’s still **carrying a torch for** his ex-girlfriend.
idiom

Clean hands

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

carry the weight of the world

Meaning
to take on a lot of responsibility
Example
John felt like he had to **carry the weight of the world** on his shoulders at work.
idiom

chip in for

Meaning
to contribute money toward a shared cost
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in for** a farewell cake.
idiom

catch the train

Meaning
to be on time for a train or event
Example
Hurry up or you’ll not **catch the train**!
idiom

change your mind

Meaning
to decide something different from before
Example
She **changed her mind** about going to the party.
idiom

create buzz

Meaning
to generate excitement and talk about a product or event
Example
The teaser video helped **create buzz** before the product launch.
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

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

Cultural melting pot

Meaning
A place where different cultures blend together
Example
New York is often described as a **cultural melting pot**.
idiom

Cultural shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when exposed to a different culture or way of life
Example
Moving from a small village to a big city gave me **cultural shock**.
idiom

cover all bases

Meaning
to prepare for all possible situations
Example
Before the presentation, we need to **cover all bases**.
idiom

call someone out

Meaning
to criticize someone publicly for their behavior or actions
Example
She **called him out** for being rude to the waiter.
idiom

copycat

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

catch lightning in a bottle

Meaning
to achieve something amazing and rare through creativity or luck
Example
Their new design **caught lightning in a bottle**.
idiom

clean conscience

Meaning
feeling that you have done nothing wrong
Example
He can sleep well because he has a **clean conscience**.
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

crack down on

Meaning
to take strict action to stop something
Example
The city plans to **crack down on** illegal parking downtown.
idiom

come into one's own

Meaning
to reach a stage of maturity or full potential
Example
She really **came into her own** after starting her own business.
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

Cut one’s losses

Meaning
To stop doing something that is failing to avoid further loss.
Example
It’s better to **cut your losses** and exit the market now.
idiom

crossing the ethical boundary

Meaning
to act in a way that goes beyond moral acceptability
Example
Using AI to manipulate emotions may be **crossing the ethical boundary**.
idiom

cry one’s heart out

Meaning
to cry very hard due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after the breakup.
idiom

cross your heart and hope to die

Meaning
to swear that something is true, often said with sincerity
Example
I **cross my heart and hope to die** that I will never lie to you.
idiom

cold feet

Meaning
to feel nervous or hesitant about something
Example
He got **cold feet** before proposing to her.
idiom

come out on top

Meaning
to be the best or most successful in a situation
Example
Despite the competition, she **came out on top**.
idiom

clean up your act

Meaning
to start behaving more responsibly.
Example
You need to **clean up your act** if you want that promotion.
idiom

cover all the angles

Meaning
to examine a story or issue from every perspective
Example
The journalist tried to **cover all the angles** before publishing the article.
idiom

code your way out

Meaning
to solve a problem through programming skills
Example
When the system crashed, she managed to **code her way out**.
idiom

change of scene

Meaning
a new environment or situation
Example
After months of work, I needed a **change of scene**.
idiom

crack the books

Meaning
to open your books and begin studying
Example
It's time to **crack the books** and prepare for finals.
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

call to mind

Meaning
to remember or recall something
Example
This song **calls to mind** my childhood days.
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

Cover a lot of ground

Meaning
to deal with a lot of information or material
Example
The lecture **covered a lot of ground** in just one hour.
idiom

Catwalk queen

Meaning
A woman who is very confident and stylish, like a model
Example
She walked into the room like a **catwalk queen**.
idiom

chip away at

Meaning
to gradually work on something to achieve a result
Example
She **chipped away at** her thesis every evening until it was finished.
idiom

come out clean

Meaning
To be proven innocent or free from blame.
Example
After investigation, he **came out clean**.
idiom

cover story

Meaning
the main story on the front of a magazine or newspaper
Example
Her interview became the **cover story** of the week.
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

crack the code

Meaning
to solve a complex problem or mystery
Example
It took hours, but we finally **cracked the code** of the system error.
idiom

clear away

Meaning
to remove things to tidy a space
Example
Please **clear away** the dishes after lunch.
idiom

cornerstone of success

Meaning
the most important foundation or element for achieving success
Example
Hard work is the **cornerstone of success**.
idiom

cutting-edge marketing

Meaning
using the latest and most advanced marketing techniques
Example
Our company invests in **cutting-edge marketing** strategies.
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

climb the ladder of success

Meaning
to achieve higher positions in career or life
Example
She’s been **climbing the ladder of success** through hard work.
idiom

Carry the torch

Meaning
To continue supporting a cause or idea passed from the past.
Example
Young activists are **carrying the torch** of civil rights today.
idiom

call the bluff

Meaning
to challenge someone to prove their authority or claim
Example
She **called his bluff** when he threatened to quit.
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

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

cut corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way
Example
They **cut corners** to finish the project faster.
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

cut through the noise

Meaning
to stand out from the competition; to be noticed despite distractions
Example
Our campaign needs to **cut through the noise** and grab people’s attention.