climb to the top
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idiom

climb to the top

Meaning
to achieve the highest position in a company or field
Example
He’s determined to **climb to the top** of his profession.
idiom

crash and burn

Meaning
to fail completely or suddenly
Example
The new software update **crashed and burned** after launch.
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

change with the times

Meaning
to adapt to the changes in society or technology
Example
In order to stay relevant in the business, it's important to **change with the times**.
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

couldn’t care less

Meaning
to show total indifference
Example
She **couldn’t care less** about what people think.
idiom

clear up

Meaning
to make something easier to understand or to tidy a place
Example
Let me **clear up** the schedule so everyone knows their tasks.
idiom

can of worms

Meaning
a complex problem that may cause more trouble once started
Example
AI bias is a **can of worms** that’s hard to fix.
idiom

cut corners

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

call the shots

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

Crossing the Rubicon

Meaning
Taking an irreversible step with serious consequences.
Example
By going public with the information, he was **crossing the Rubicon**.
idiom

count on

Meaning
to rely on or trust someone to do something
Example
You can always **count on** me.
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

cover your tracks

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

crack of dawn

Meaning
very early in the morning
Example
He wakes up at the **crack of dawn** every day.
idiom

Cut class

Meaning
To skip a class without permission
Example
He **cut class** to watch a movie.
idiom

come to the rescue

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

chapter and verse

Meaning
to provide full and exact details about something
Example
She can quote **chapter and verse** to support her argument.
idiom

Caught on camera

Meaning
Recorded on video; captured visually
Example
The accident was **caught on camera** by a passerby.
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

cut both ways

Meaning
to have both positive and negative effects
Example
Working from home **cuts both ways** – you save time but lose social interaction.
idiom

code of ethics

Meaning
a set of moral principles guiding AI development or usage
Example
Developers must follow a strict **code of ethics** in AI research.
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

clean conscience

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

carry yourself with confidence

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

call to order

Meaning
to officially begin a meeting or discussion
Example
The chairperson **called the meeting to order** at 10 AM.
idiom

cover up

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

call to mind

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

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

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.
B2 idiom

close but no cigar

Almost correct or successful but not quite
Meaning
Almost correct or successful but not quite
Example
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
idiom

call to arms

Meaning
a call to take action, especially to defend a cause
Example
The leader’s speech was a **call to arms** for all citizens to fight corruption.
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

count to ten

Meaning
to pause and calm down before reacting in anger
Example
When you’re upset, just **count to ten** before speaking.
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

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

catch the travel bug

Meaning
to become very interested in traveling
Example
After visiting Thailand, she really **caught the travel bug**.
idiom

clear the decks

Meaning
Prepare for action by removing unnecessary things.
Example
We need to **clear the decks** before the new project begins.
idiom

cornerstone of success

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

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

cross the aisle

Meaning
to cooperate with members of the opposing political party
Example
He often **crosses the aisle** to work on bipartisan issues.
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

cry wolf

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

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

Cut your losses

Meaning
To stop doing something that is no longer profitable.
Example
It’s better to **cut your losses** and move on.
idiom

cost an arm and a leg

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

chew someone out

Meaning
to angrily scold or criticize someone
Example
The coach **chewed out** the team for their poor performance.
idiom

carbon neutral

Meaning
achieving a net-zero carbon footprint, where the amount of carbon dioxide released is equal to the amount removed from the atmosphere
Example
By planting trees and reducing emissions, the company is aiming to become **carbon neutral**.
idiom

carve up

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

cross your heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise
Example
I’ll never tell anyone, **cross my heart**.
idiom

cut someone some slack

Meaning
to be less critical or give someone a break
Example
You should **cut him some slack**—he’s having a tough day.
idiom

cut the cord

Meaning
to become independent from someone or something
Example
It’s time for you to **cut the cord** and live on your own.
idiom

caught off guard

Meaning
surprised or shocked by something unexpected
Example
She was **caught off guard** by the sudden question.
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

cross off

Meaning
to remove an item from a list
Example
You can **cross off** the tasks we’ve finished.
idiom

chase rainbows

Meaning
to try to achieve something impossible
Example
Stop **chasing rainbows** and focus on reality.
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

catfish someone

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

cold shoulder

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

call on

Meaning
to request someone to speak or do something
Example
The teacher will **call on** you if you raise your hand.
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

cry one’s heart out

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

Cook up a story

Meaning
To invent a false story.
Example
He **cooked up a story** to explain why he was late.
idiom

code the future

Meaning
to create innovations that shape future technology
Example
AI researchers are working hard to **code the future**.
idiom

calm down

Meaning
to become less angry or upset
Example
Please **calm down**, everything is under control.
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

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

cover all the bases

Meaning
to prepare for every possible situation
Example
We need to **cover all the bases** before the meeting.
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

can't believe your eyes

Meaning
to be so surprised that you doubt what you are seeing
Example
I **couldn’t believe my eyes** when I saw the snowfall.
idiom

cool as a cucumber

Meaning
very calm and composed
Example
He stayed **cool as a cucumber** during the meeting.
idiom

crunch the data

Meaning
to process and analyze large amounts of data
Example
The AI can **crunch the data** in seconds and give insights.
idiom

Crossing the line

Meaning
To go beyond acceptable or proper boundaries.
Example
The diplomat was criticized for **crossing the line** in his comments about the host country.
idiom

Cultural melting pot

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

carry forward

Meaning
to move something to a later period
Example
We’ll **carry forward** the unused budget to next quarter.
idiom

close the deal

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

clash of wills

Meaning
a conflict between two determined people
Example
It was a **clash of wills** between the manager and the employee.
idiom

cutting corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often sacrificing quality
Example
They finished early by **cutting corners**, but the result was poor.
idiom

come clean

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you have been hiding
Example
He finally **came clean** about what happened.
idiom

Cook the books

Meaning
To falsify financial records to hide losses or theft.
Example
The accountant was fired for trying to **cook the books**.
idiom

crunch the numbers

Meaning
to process data or analyze statistics
Example
AI can **crunch the numbers** faster than any human.
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

come to terms

Meaning
to reach an agreement after discussion or conflict
Example
After weeks of negotiation, both sides finally **came to terms**.
idiom

can’t wait

Meaning
to be very eager or impatient for something to happen
Example
I **can’t wait** to see the new movie!
idiom

chill out

Meaning
to relax and stop being angry or nervous
Example
You need to **chill out** and enjoy the weekend.
idiom

chatterbox

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

cream of the crop

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

Cross one’s mind

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

cut above the rest

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

catch a bug

Meaning
to find a problem or defect in a system
Example
The developer was able to **catch a bug** in the system before it went live.
idiom

carry the load

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

cool off with

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

call the tune

Meaning
to be in control; to make important decisions
Example
In this company, the investors **call the tune**.
idiom

castles in the air

Meaning
dreams or plans that are impossible or unrealistic
Example
He’s always building **castles in the air** about his future.
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

cross one's heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise, often used by children
Example
I’ll never lie to you again, **cross my heart**.
idiom

cut to the chase

Meaning
to get to the point quickly
Example
Let’s **cut to the chase** and discuss the main issue.
idiom

carry the burden

Meaning
to take on responsibility or a difficult task
Example
She had to **carry the burden** of the entire project alone.
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

cracks in the wall

Meaning
signs of problems or weaknesses in a system or relationship
Example
There are **cracks in the wall** of their friendship lately.
idiom

Catch on

Meaning
To begin to understand something.
Example
It took him a while to **catch on** to the new rules.
idiom

cut the mustard

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

chin up, soldier

Meaning
to stay brave and strong in difficult situations
Example
**Chin up, soldier**, things will get better soon.
idiom

cut a deal

Meaning
to reach a business agreement quickly
Example
They **cut a deal** to save both companies money.
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

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

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

cut back on

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

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.
idiom

circle around

Meaning
to move repeatedly around something
Example
The hawk kept **circling around** above the trees.
idiom

couch potato

Meaning
a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV
Example
He’s such a **couch potato**, he never goes out or exercises.
idiom

crossed wires

Meaning
a misunderstanding between two people
Example
We must have **crossed wires** about the meeting time.
idiom

confide in someone

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them secrets
Example
She only **confides in** her best friend.