code like a machine
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
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All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

code like a machine

Meaning
to work extremely fast and efficiently on programming
Example
She can **code like a machine** when a deadline is near.
idiom

lightning fast

Meaning
extremely fast
Example
She replied **lightning fast** to the email.
idiom

Burst with gratitude

Meaning
To feel extremely thankful.
Example
She was **bursting with gratitude** after receiving help.
idiom

Eager beaver

Meaning
A person who is very enthusiastic and eager to do something.
Example
She's an **eager beaver** who always volunteers for extra tasks.
idiom

to lay down the law

Meaning
to assert authority and dictate how things should be done
Example
The new judge quickly **laid down the law** in the courtroom.
idiom

the whole truth and nothing but the truth

Meaning
complete honesty without hiding or changing anything
Example
Please tell **the whole truth and nothing but the truth**.
idiom

Wear many hats

Meaning
To have many roles or responsibilities.
Example
As a small business owner, she **wears many hats**.
idiom

have a chip on your shoulder

Meaning
to be angry or resentful about something from the past
Example
He **has a chip on his shoulder** about being rejected.
idiom

have faith in someone

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
You should **have faith in** your team.
idiom

sworn enemies turned friends

Meaning
two people who used to dislike each other but became friends
Example
They were **sworn enemies turned friends** after college.
idiom

hold your fire

Meaning
to delay taking action or making a response
Example
He told his team to **hold their fire** until he gave the signal.
idiom

live and learn

Meaning
to accept a mistake as a lesson for the future
Example
I lost my wallet again — well, **live and learn**.
idiom

Disrupt the market

Meaning
To radically change an industry with innovation.
Example
Their app aims to **disrupt the market** for food delivery.
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

Keep the tradition alive

Meaning
To continue practicing a custom so that it is not forgotten
Example
Every year we celebrate this festival to **keep the tradition alive**.
idiom

write one’s own story

Meaning
to shape one’s own destiny or path in life
Example
She chose to **write her own story** instead of following tradition.
idiom

cash in on

Meaning
to profit from a situation, often quickly
Example
Several startups tried to **cash in on** the sudden trend.
idiom

a Eureka moment

Meaning
a moment of sudden discovery or realization
Example
He had **a Eureka moment** when he solved the equation.
idiom

travel light

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

phishing attempt

Meaning
an attempt to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity
Example
The email you received looks like a **phishing attempt**, so don't click any links.
idiom

Nosey parker

Meaning
Someone who is too interested in other people's business.
Example
Stop being a **nosey parker** and mind your own business!
idiom

walking on eggshells

Meaning
being very careful not to upset someone
Example
I feel like I am **walking on eggshells** around my boss.
idiom

put in the hours

Meaning
to spend a lot of time working
Example
If you **put in the hours**, you’ll see progress soon.
idiom

pull strings

Meaning
to use influence or connections to get what you want
Example
She **pulled strings** to get him the job.
idiom

sworn enemy

Meaning
someone who will never be your friend
Example
They used to be close but now are **sworn enemies**.
idiom

dress down

Meaning
to scold someone severely
Example
The coach **dressed down** the team for sloppy defense.
idiom

toe the line

Meaning
to obey rules or follow the official policy
Example
All members are expected to **toe the line** with party policy.
idiom

face your fears

Meaning
to confront something that scares you
Example
You need to **face your fears** if you want to grow as a person.
idiom

break away

Meaning
to separate from a group or routine
Example
She plans to **break away** from the commute by working remotely twice a week.
idiom

alive and kicking

Meaning
still healthy and full of life
Example
My grandmother is 90 but still **alive and kicking**.
idiom

vote down

Meaning
to reject something by voting against it
Example
The board may **vote down** the new proposal.
idiom

reach for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious or difficult to achieve
Example
She always tells her students to **reach for the stars** and never give up.
idiom

cold call

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

a snowball's chance in hell

Meaning
no chance at all
Example
He has **a snowball's chance in hell** of winning the lottery.
idiom

art for art’s sake

Meaning
art should be valued for its beauty and not for any moral or political purpose
Example
He believes in **art for art’s sake**, not propaganda.
idiom

Miracles happen

Meaning
Unexpected good things can occur.
Example
Don’t lose faith—**miracles happen** every day.
idiom

the big cheese

Meaning
an important or influential person
Example
He's **the big cheese** in the company.
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

keep one's word

Meaning
to do what one has promised to do
Example
He always **keeps his word**, no matter what.
idiom

drum up

Meaning
to increase interest or support for something
Example
The volunteers are visiting schools to **drum up** excitement for the festival.
idiom

in the lab

Meaning
working in a laboratory environment on experiments or research
Example
The new vaccine is currently being tested **in the lab** before it’s released to the public.
idiom

Many hands make light work

Meaning
Work becomes easier when many people help.
Example
Let’s all join in; **many hands make light work**.
idiom

go for the jugular

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

trade blows

Meaning
to argue or fight with someone
Example
The two rival companies have been **trading blows** over market share for years.
idiom

a fork in the road

Meaning
a point where a decision must be made; a choice between two or more options
Example
When you come to **a fork in the road**, you have to choose which way to go.
idiom

rule out

Meaning
to decide that something is not possible
Example
We can’t **rule out** another delay yet.
idiom

scare the life out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That horror movie **scared the life out of me**.
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

a light bulb moment

Meaning
a moment of sudden inspiration or realization
Example
She had **a light bulb moment** during the meeting.
idiom

take ownership

Meaning
to take full responsibility for something
Example
Leaders should **take ownership** of both successes and failures.
idiom

sit at someone’s feet

Meaning
to learn from someone who is very knowledgeable
Example
Many students wanted to **sit at his feet** and learn from him.
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

cut the mustard

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

take center stage

Meaning
to be the main focus of attention
Example
The issue of climate change **took center stage** at the conference.
idiom

make a name for yourself

Meaning
to become well-known or successful in a particular field
Example
She **made a name for herself** in the world of fashion design.
idiom

train a model

Meaning
to teach an AI model using data to make predictions or decisions
Example
We need to **train a model** on the new dataset before running predictions.
idiom

set your sights high

Meaning
to aim for something ambitious
Example
Always **set your sights high** if you want to grow.
idiom

burst into tears

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **burst into tears** after hearing the bad news.
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

lend a listening ear

Meaning
to listen attentively and sympathetically
Example
Whenever I feel down, she always knows how to **lend a listening ear**.
idiom

white hat

Meaning
a hacker who uses skills ethically to improve security
Example
**White hats** help companies identify and fix security flaws.
idiom

set the stage for

Meaning
to make something possible or likely to happen later
Example
This meeting will **set the stage for** future cooperation.
idiom

full of confidence

Meaning
feeling very sure of yourself
Example
He walked into the interview room **full of confidence**.
idiom

Gordian knot

Meaning
A very complex or unsolvable problem.
Example
The issue of climate change is like a **Gordian knot** that needs bold action.
idiom

roam around

Meaning
to travel or walk around aimlessly
Example
We spent the afternoon **roaming around** the old city.
idiom

rub someone the wrong way

Meaning
to irritate or annoy someone without intending to
Example
His attitude tends to **rub people the wrong way**.
idiom

cover your tracks

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

put a spin on

Meaning
to present information in a way that influences people's perception
Example
The media often **puts a spin on** stories to attract viewers.
idiom

be at the helm

Meaning
to be in charge of or control something
Example
He was **at the helm** of the company when it became successful.
idiom

get along with someone

Meaning
to have a friendly relationship with someone
Example
They really **get along with each other** and are always laughing.
idiom

A friend to all is a friend to none

Meaning
Someone who tries to please everyone may end up pleasing no one
Example
He is friendly to everyone, but he has no real close friends because **a friend to all is a friend to none**.
idiom

level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
The new rules create a **level playing field** for all teams.
idiom

a sound mind in a sound body

Meaning
mental health depends on physical health
Example
**A sound mind in a sound body** is the key to a happy life.
idiom

above board

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

your guess is as good as mine

Meaning
I do not know the answer to a question
Example
I don't know what time the movie starts. **Your guess is as good as mine**.
idiom

refresh one's memory

Meaning
to help someone remember something
Example
Let me **refresh your memory** about what happened last week.
idiom

make history

Meaning
to do something very important that will be remembered
Example
The young scientist **made history** by discovering a new planet.
idiom

get the ball rolling

Meaning
to start something, especially a project or process
Example
Let’s **get the ball rolling** on this new campaign.
idiom

sworn enemy turned friend

Meaning
someone who was once your enemy but is now a friend
Example
After years of rivalry, they became **sworn enemies turned friends**.
idiom

to turn the tide

Meaning
to reverse the direction of events, especially to improve a difficult situation
Example
The new leadership has really **turned the tide** for the company’s performance.
idiom

the bottom line

Meaning
the most important fact or result
Example
The **bottom line** is that we need to increase our profits.
idiom

throw caution to the wind

Meaning
to do something risky without worrying
Example
I decided to **throw caution to the wind** and try it.
idiom

make it to the top

Meaning
to reach the highest point of success
Example
After years of hard work, he finally **made it to the top** of his career.
idiom

bare your soul

Meaning
to share your deepest feelings or secrets honestly
Example
She **bared her soul** to her best friend.
idiom

in the clear

Meaning
not guilty or free from suspicion
Example
After the investigation, he was found to be **in the clear**.
idiom

couldn't believe my eyes

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

to err is human

Meaning
everyone makes mistakes; it’s natural to be imperfect
Example
**To err is human**, but to learn from errors is wisdom.
idiom

keep your cards close to your chest

Meaning
to keep your plans or intentions secret
Example
She always **keeps her cards close to her chest** during negotiations.
idiom

bag of bones

Meaning
a very thin person
Example
After his illness, he turned into a **bag of bones**.
idiom

Shoulder to shoulder

Meaning
Working together closely and equally.
Example
The soldiers stood **shoulder to shoulder** in battle.
idiom

Tell the truth

Meaning
To say what is true instead of lying.
Example
Please **tell the truth**, even if it hurts.
idiom

break down in tears

Meaning
to start crying suddenly
Example
She **broke down in tears** after hearing the sad story.
idiom

easy money

Meaning
money earned with little effort
Example
He thought gambling was **easy money**, but he lost everything.
idiom

eat someone alive

Meaning
to be extremely jealous or angry with someone
Example
She’s so jealous, she could **eat him alive**.
idiom

as honest as the day is long

Meaning
completely honest and trustworthy
Example
Everyone knows that Tom is **as honest as the day is long**.
idiom

painting the town red

Meaning
to go out and enjoy oneself in a lively and extravagant way
Example
After the big win, we went out and started **painting the town red**.
idiom

forbidden fruit

Meaning
something attractive but not allowed or morally wrong
Example
For teenagers, breaking rules often feels like **forbidden fruit**.
idiom

take a shot in the dark

Meaning
to try something without knowing the result
Example
He **took a shot in the dark** and guessed the correct answer.
idiom

backroom deal

Meaning
a secret agreement made by powerful people
Example
The media exposed the **backroom deal** between the two parties.
idiom

gain the upper ground

Meaning
to achieve a position of advantage or superiority
Example
The opposition **gained the upper ground** after the scandal.
idiom

have the upper hand

Meaning
to have control or advantage over someone
Example
After the merger, the larger company **had the upper hand**.
idiom

a bumper crop

Meaning
an unusually large harvest
Example
Farmers are happy this year because of **a bumper crop** of rice.
idiom

lose your cool

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

grind away

Meaning
to work hard on something for a long period
Example
She **grinded away** at her studies to pass the exam.
idiom

to drop the ball

Meaning
to make a mistake; to fail at something important
Example
He really **dropped the ball** by forgetting the meeting.
idiom

phase back in

Meaning
to reintroduce something gradually
Example
We’ll **phase back in** office days next quarter.
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

runs in the family

Meaning
a trait or quality common among family members
Example
Musical talent **runs in the family**.
idiom

minimum viable product

Meaning
the simplest version of a product that can be released to test an idea
Example
The team launched an **MVP (minimum viable product)** to gather user feedback.
idiom

wave off

Meaning
to dismiss or refuse something with a gesture or comment
Example
She **waved off** the compliments with a smile.
idiom

to have hope in one's heart

Meaning
to remain hopeful and optimistic about the future
Example
Despite all the challenges, he always **has hope in his heart**.
idiom

enter stage left

Meaning
to appear or arrive dramatically in a situation
Example
Just when things got complicated, **enter stage left**—our new competitor!
idiom

burst with pride

Meaning
to be very proud of someone or something
Example
His parents **burst with pride** when he won the award.
idiom

spam someone

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

lend a helping hand

Meaning
to offer assistance or support
Example
She always tries to **lend a helping hand** to those in need.
idiom

under someone's nose

Meaning
in an obvious place or situation where someone should have noticed
Example
The keys were **under my nose** the whole time on the kitchen table.
idiom

Move fast and break things

Meaning
To innovate quickly, even if mistakes happen along the way.
Example
Our CEO encourages us to **move fast and break things** to stay ahead of competitors.
idiom

get back together

Meaning
to resume a relationship after breaking up
Example
They **got back together** after a few months apart.
idiom

a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor

Meaning
Challenges and difficulties make people stronger and more experienced.
Example
Remember, **a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor**—you’ll learn from tough times.