change one's tune
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

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

download information

Meaning
to absorb or receive information quickly
Example
She can **download information** faster than anyone else on the team.
idiom

lose your cool

Meaning
to become angry or impatient
Example
Don’t **lose your cool**; the situation will get better.
idiom

work around

Meaning
to find a practical solution that avoids a problem
Example
We can **work around** the delay by using a backup supplier.
idiom

blind faith

Meaning
trusting without questioning
Example
Having **blind faith** can sometimes lead to disappointment.
idiom

a tough cookie

Meaning
someone who is strong and not easily upset
Example
She’s **a tough cookie**; nothing can discourage her.
idiom

dump someone

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship suddenly or unkindly
Example
She **dumped** him by text message.
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

come to the rescue

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

bury the hatchet

Meaning
to stop fighting and become friends again
Example
After years of argument, they decided to **bury the hatchet**.
idiom

stressed out

Meaning
feeling very worried or tense because of problems
Example
I'm completely **stressed out** about my exams.
idiom

piece of cake

Meaning
something very easy to do
Example
The exam was a **piece of cake** for her.
idiom

get over someone

Meaning
to recover from the pain of a breakup or loss
Example
It took her months to **get over** him.
idiom

cold shoulder

Meaning
to ignore someone deliberately
Example
After the argument, she gave him the **cold shoulder** for days.
idiom

spread kindness

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

tie up loose ends

Meaning
to complete the remaining small tasks of a project
Example
Before the deadline, we need to **tie up loose ends**.
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

make someone green

Meaning
to make someone jealous
Example
Her success **made her colleagues green**.
idiom

Truth hurts

Meaning
The truth can be painful to hear.
Example
**Truth hurts**, but it’s better than a lie.
idiom

be all smiles

Meaning
to look very happy and cheerful
Example
She was **all smiles** after hearing the good news.
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

let off steam

Meaning
to release strong emotions or energy
Example
I went to the gym to **let off steam** after a stressful day.
idiom

go for the jugular

Meaning
to attack someone's most vulnerable point
Example
During the debate, he **went for the jugular**.
idiom

back into

Meaning
to move backwards into something unintentionally
Example
I nearly **backed into** the recycling bin while parking.
idiom

cut the mustard

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

success is within reach

Meaning
success is almost attainable
Example
With just a little more effort, **success is within reach**.
idiom

The more you know, the less you know

Meaning
The more you learn, the more you realize how little you actually know.
Example
After years of study, he said, '**The more you know, the less you know**.'
idiom

break the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation in which progress is not possible
Example
They finally managed to **break the deadlock** through discussion.
idiom

fly off the handle

Meaning
to react in a very angry way without thinking
Example
He **flew off the handle** when someone scratched his new car.
idiom

bring the curtain down

Meaning
to end something; to finish a performance or event
Example
The concert **brought the curtain down** on the music festival.
idiom

the going gets tough

Meaning
when the situation becomes very difficult or challenging
Example
When **the going gets tough**, the tough get going.
idiom

drill down

Meaning
to examine something in greater detail
Example
We need to **drill down** into the survey responses.
idiom

a rollercoaster of emotions

Meaning
to experience very high and very low emotional states in a short time
Example
The week was **a rollercoaster of emotions**, with moments of joy and sadness.
idiom

bottle up feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions inside without expressing them
Example
It's not healthy to **bottle up your feelings** for too long.
idiom

a tough call

Meaning
a difficult decision to make
Example
Choosing between the two offers was **a tough call**.
idiom

take flak

Meaning
to receive strong criticism
Example
The government **took flak** for its poor handling of the crisis.
idiom

play the field

Meaning
to date or have romantic relationships with many people without commitment
Example
He’s still **playing the field** and not looking for a serious relationship.
idiom

word of mouth

Meaning
information spread by people talking to each other
Example
The news spread quickly by **word of mouth**.
idiom

hit the books

Meaning
to study very hard
Example
I can’t go out tonight; I need to **hit the books** for my exam.
idiom

to be in someone’s good books

Meaning
to be in favor with someone
Example
If you want to get promoted, you need to be **in the boss’s good books**.
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

starry-eyed

Meaning
having naive or unrealistic dreams or hopes
Example
He was **starry-eyed** about becoming a famous singer.
idiom

on the beat

Meaning
a police officer's regular patrol route
Example
The officer was **on the beat** when he spotted the suspect.
idiom

Exactly!

Meaning
Used to strongly show agreement
Example
‘It’s time to move on.’ ‘**Exactly!**’
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

run down

Meaning
to feel tired or exhausted due to overwork or illness
Example
You look a bit **run down**; you should get some rest.
idiom

keep someone's secret

Meaning
to not tell others what someone has told you in confidence
Example
You can trust me—I’ll **keep your secret**.
idiom

turn the page

Meaning
to move on to something new after finishing or overcoming something
Example
After the breakup, she decided to **turn the page** and start fresh.
idiom

hit the ceiling

Meaning
to reach the highest possible level or price
Example
The stock prices **hit the ceiling** after the merger news.
idiom

sit in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in a position of control or leadership
Example
After the promotion, she now **sits in the driver’s seat**.
idiom

have stars in one’s eyes

Meaning
to be full of excitement and dreams about the future
Example
Young artists **have stars in their eyes** when they start their careers.
idiom

wear one's heart on one's sleeve

Meaning
to openly show emotions or feelings
Example
He tends to **wear his heart on his sleeve** when it comes to helping others.
idiom

make your blood run cold

Meaning
to cause extreme fear or horror
Example
The ghost story **made my blood run cold**.
idiom

pharming

Meaning
a cyber attack that redirects a website’s traffic to a fraudulent site to steal information
Example
The victim's bank details were stolen due to a **pharming** attack.
idiom

pay attention to

Meaning
to listen carefully or give thought to something
Example
You should **pay attention to** the details of the project.
idiom

blaze a trail

Meaning
to be the first to do something innovative
Example
She **blazed a trail** in renewable energy research.
idiom

take one for the team

Meaning
to sacrifice for the benefit of others
Example
He **took one for the team** and stayed late to finish the report.
idiom

synergy effect

Meaning
the increased effectiveness or value that results from two or more companies working together
Example
The partnership created a **synergy effect**, benefiting both companies.
idiom

set a good example

Meaning
to behave in a way that shows others how they should act
Example
Parents should **set a good example** for their children.
idiom

glance over

Meaning
to read something quickly
Example
Can you **glance over** the memo before we send it?
idiom

spam someone

Meaning
to send too many messages or unnecessary information
Example
Don’t **spam me** with notifications every minute!
idiom

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Meaning
It’s better to hold onto something you have than risk losing it by trying to get something better.
Example
I decided to keep the job offer I already have because **a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush**.
idiom

Like two peas in a pod

Meaning
Two people who are very similar or close.
Example
John and Mike are **like two peas in a pod**. They think alike and do everything together.
idiom

To offer the olive branch

Meaning
To make peace with someone after a conflict
Example
After their argument, he decided to **offer the olive branch** and apologize.
idiom

bosom friend

Meaning
a very close and trusted friend
Example
We’ve been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

hit below the belt

Meaning
to act unfairly or say something hurtful
Example
That comment about her family was really **hitting below the belt**.
idiom

open Pandora’s box

Meaning
to start something that causes many unforeseen problems
Example
Creating sentient AI could **open Pandora’s box** of ethical challenges.
idiom

home is where the heart is

Meaning
your true home is with the people you love
Example
I may live far away, but **home is where the heart is**.
idiom

lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden moment of realization or inspiration
Example
He had a **lightbulb moment** when he figured out how to fix the code.
idiom

smell a rat

Meaning
to suspect something wrong or dishonest
Example
I **smelled a rat** when he offered me free tickets.
idiom

to weigh the pros and cons

Meaning
to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of something
Example
Before making a final decision, it's important to **weigh the pros and cons**.
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

The shot heard around the world

Meaning
An event with worldwide significance or impact.
Example
The invention of the internet was **the shot heard around the world** in communication.
idiom

sick and tired of

Meaning
completely bored or annoyed by something
Example
I'm **sick and tired of** listening to his excuses.
idiom

beyond one's control

Meaning
not under one’s power or influence
Example
The situation is **beyond our control** now.
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

thanks a million

Meaning
a very strong expression of gratitude
Example
You really helped me out, **thanks a million**!
idiom

go along with

Meaning
to agree to something or support an idea
Example
I’ll **go along with** your plan since it sounds reasonable.
idiom

keep your head in the game

Meaning
to stay mentally focused and motivated
Example
Even when things get tough, **keep your head in the game**.
idiom

to clean one's hands

Meaning
to rid oneself of responsibility for something, especially wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **clean his hands** of the situation, but we all knew he was involved.
idiom

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Meaning
Adapt to the customs of the place you are visiting
Example
When traveling abroad, it's wise to **do as the Romans do**.
idiom

a smoke-filled room

Meaning
a place where powerful people make secret political decisions
Example
The policy was decided in **a smoke-filled room**, not in public.
idiom

ease around

Meaning
to move carefully to avoid disturbance
Example
Please **ease around** the cords near the podium.
idiom

data lake

Meaning
a large storage repository that holds raw, unprocessed data
Example
All raw data is stored in the **data lake** for further analysis.
idiom

at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or stressed that you don’t know what to do
Example
I’m **at my wits’ end** trying to finish all this work.
idiom

cloak and dagger

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

on your plate

Meaning
something that is your responsibility or job to handle
Example
I have too much **on my plate** right now with all the projects.
idiom

chatterbox

Meaning
a person who talks a lot
Example
My little sister is a real **chatterbox**.
idiom

close the deal

Meaning
to successfully finalize an agreement
Example
After weeks of negotiation, they finally **closed the deal**.
idiom

machine learning curve

Meaning
the process of gradual improvement through experience and learning
Example
The new developers are still on their **machine learning curve**.
idiom

make up

Meaning
to reconcile after an argument or fight
Example
They always **make up** after small arguments.
idiom

to hack into

Meaning
to gain unauthorized access to a system or network
Example
The attackers managed **to hack into** the company's internal servers.
idiom

cover up

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

wave the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After a long debate, he finally **waved the white flag**.
idiom

take someone's word for it

Meaning
to trust that what someone says is true
Example
I’ll **take your word for it** since you were there.
idiom

the next big thing

Meaning
something that will become extremely popular or successful soon
Example
Everyone thinks blockchain is **the next big thing**.
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

go behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly or deceitfully against someone
Example
She **went behind my back** and told the manager everything.
idiom

talk shop

Meaning
to talk about work or business during leisure time
Example
Even at dinner, they started to **talk shop**.
idiom

kindness goes a long way

Meaning
a small act of kindness can have a big positive impact
Example
Remember, **kindness goes a long way** in building good relationships.
idiom

eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on achieving your goal
Example
She always keeps her **eye on the prize** no matter what.
idiom

In vogue

Meaning
Currently popular or fashionable
Example
Long skirts are **in vogue** again this season.
idiom

in the works

Meaning
something that is being developed or planned
Example
A new product is **in the works** and should be released soon.
idiom

to hit the nail on the head

Meaning
to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem
Example
When she pointed out the lack of communication, she really **hit the nail on the head**.
idiom

Out of curiosity

Meaning
Because of a desire to know or learn something.
Example
I asked him **out of curiosity**, not to interfere.
idiom

drop a bombshell

Meaning
to announce something shocking or unexpected
Example
She **dropped a bombshell** by quitting her job.
idiom

give the cold shoulder

Meaning
to intentionally ignore someone
Example
She **gave me the cold shoulder** at the party.
idiom

open heart

Meaning
to be honest and kind in feelings and actions
Example
He welcomed everyone with an **open heart**.
idiom

Fall down seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying no matter how many times you fail.
Example
**Fall down seven times, stand up eight** — that’s the spirit of success.
idiom

on cloud nine

Meaning
extremely happy; overjoyed
Example
She was **on cloud nine** after getting the job.
idiom

play the political card

Meaning
to use a political issue to one’s advantage
Example
The minister tried to **play the political card** to gain public sympathy.
idiom

tough luck

Meaning
expression of sympathy for someone’s misfortune
Example
Didn’t get the job? **Tough luck**!
idiom

lose touch

Meaning
to stop communicating with someone
Example
We **lost touch** after college.
idiom

pillar of strength

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

to pull strings

Meaning
to use one's influence or connections to get things done
Example
She managed to **pull strings** to get the bill passed in Congress.
idiom

fingers crossed

Meaning
hoping for good luck or a good result
Example
I have my **fingers crossed** for your exam results.
idiom

stand out from the crowd

Meaning
to be noticeably different or better than others
Example
Her talent helps her **stand out from the crowd**.
idiom

beyond the rainbow

Meaning
to hope for something wonderful or dreamlike
Example
She believes her dreams lie **beyond the rainbow**.
idiom

play devil's advocate

Meaning
to argue against an idea to test how strong it is
Example
I don't necessarily disagree, but let me **play devil's advocate** for a moment.
idiom

at death’s door

Meaning
very close to death
Example
He was **at death’s door** before the doctors saved him.
idiom

earn trust

Meaning
to gain someone's trust through actions or reliability
Example
She worked hard to **earn the trust** of her colleagues.