come down hard on
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idiom

come down hard on

Meaning
to punish or criticize someone severely
Example
The company **came down hard on** employees who broke the rules.
idiom

never say never

Meaning
to encourage someone to stay hopeful and not give up
Example
**Never say never**—you might succeed next time.
idiom

drag one’s feet

Meaning
to delay doing something; to do something slowly because you don't want to
Example
He’s **dragging his feet** about finishing the report.
idiom

anchors aweigh

Meaning
Ready to depart or begin a journey.
Example
With our bags packed, it’s **anchors aweigh** for the road trip!
idiom

feel for

Meaning
to have sympathy for someone
Example
We really **feel for** anyone stuck in that traffic.
idiom

the story breaks

Meaning
when news becomes public or is first reported
Example
When **the story broke**, everyone was shocked.
idiom

gear up

Meaning
to prepare energetically for something
Example
The team is **gearing up** for the product launch next week.
idiom

fair and square

Meaning
honest and straightforward; without cheating
Example
She won the competition **fair and square**.
idiom

offbeat

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

make up with someone

Meaning
to become friends again after a disagreement
Example
After their argument, they decided to **make up with each other**.
idiom

chip off the old block

Meaning
a child who closely resembles their parent in looks or behavior
Example
He’s a **chip off the old block**—just as kind and funny as his father.
idiom

keep up with the Joneses

Meaning
to try to match your neighbors or peers in wealth or possessions
Example
Many people go into debt trying to **keep up with the Joneses**.
idiom

foot the bill

Meaning
to pay for something, especially something expensive
Example
His father will **foot the bill** for the wedding.
idiom

grab attention

Meaning
to make people notice something immediately
Example
Bright colors and bold fonts are used to **grab attention**.
idiom

grateful as can be

Meaning
extremely thankful
Example
I’m **grateful as can be** for your guidance.
idiom

get in touch

Meaning
to contact or communicate with someone
Example
I’ll **get in touch** with you tomorrow.
idiom

surf the net

Meaning
to browse or explore websites on the internet
Example
I usually **surf the net** before going to bed.
idiom

share the load

Meaning
to divide the work or responsibility among people
Example
We should **share the load** so no one gets too tired.
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

head over heels

Meaning
deeply in love
Example
He fell **head over heels** for her the moment they met.
idiom

black sheep

Meaning
a person who is considered a disgrace to a group or family
Example
He is the **black sheep** of the family.
idiom

feel under pressure

Meaning
to feel stressed or anxious due to responsibilities or expectations
Example
She's **feeling under pressure** to meet the deadline.
idiom

dodged a bullet

Meaning
To narrowly escape a dangerous or unlucky situation.
Example
We really **dodged a bullet** when that deal fell through.
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

the elephant in the room

Meaning
an obvious problem that no one wants to discuss
Example
Nobody wants to address **the elephant in the room**.
idiom

sit back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing
Example
Just **sit back** and enjoy the show.
idiom

play second fiddle

Meaning
to take a subordinate role to someone else
Example
He was tired of **playing second fiddle** to his colleague.
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

breach of trust

Meaning
a failure to keep information or promises secure
Example
Leaking user data is a major **breach of trust**.
idiom

in black and white

Meaning
in written form; clearly stated
Example
The rules are clearly written **in black and white**.
idiom

have a sense of self-worth

Meaning
to believe that you are valuable and deserve respect
Example
It's important to **have a sense of self-worth** to succeed in life.
idiom

the art of war

Meaning
strategies or tactics for achieving success in difficult situations
Example
The general studied **the art of war** to prepare for the upcoming battle.
idiom

runway for growth

Meaning
the time or resources a startup has before it needs more funding
Example
The startup has enough **runway for growth** for the next 12 months.
idiom

talk up

Meaning
to praise or promote something enthusiastically
Example
The host will **talk up** the new menu tonight.
idiom

see the light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
to begin to see signs of improvement after a long period of difficulty
Example
After months of effort, we can finally **see the light at the end of the tunnel**.
idiom

debug the problem

Meaning
to identify and fix issues or errors
Example
Let’s **debug the problem** before we push the update.
idiom

call the shots

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

throw your weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** in meetings.
idiom

lean into

Meaning
to embrace and actively engage with something
Example
She decided to **lean into** the new role and learn quickly.
idiom

nose for news

Meaning
an instinct for finding interesting stories
Example
Good reporters have a natural **nose for news**.
idiom

blank mind

Meaning
unable to think clearly or remember something
Example
During the exam, my **mind went blank**.
idiom

give out

Meaning
to distribute something
Example
We’ll **give out** the schedules at the door.
idiom

leave no stone unturned

Meaning
to do everything possible to achieve a goal
Example
The police **left no stone unturned** in their search for the missing child.
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

make headway

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
We are finally **making headway** with our new project.
idiom

Economic downturn

Meaning
A period when the economy declines or slows down.
Example
Many people lost their jobs during the **economic downturn**.
idiom

That’s exactly right

Meaning
Used to completely agree with a statement
Example
**That’s exactly right**, we should focus on quality first.
idiom

stay the course

Meaning
to continue doing something until it is finished or successful
Example
It’s hard, but you need to **stay the course**.
idiom

cold case

Meaning
a criminal case that has not been solved for a long time
Example
The detective reopened a **cold case** from 1999.
idiom

vote down

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

wait in the wings

Meaning
to be ready to take over or step in when needed
Example
The assistant manager was **waiting in the wings** for a promotion.
idiom

words can’t express

Meaning
used to show that you are very thankful beyond words
Example
**Words can’t express** how thankful I am for your support.
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

In the calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful period before a difficult situation or conflict arises.
Example
The office was quiet, **in the calm before the storm**, as they prepared for the big meeting.
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

a catnap

Meaning
a short, light sleep
Example
I took **a catnap** after lunch.
idiom

play both sides

Meaning
to support opposing parties to gain advantage
Example
Some lobbyists are known to **play both sides** of the issue.
idiom

Break with tradition

Meaning
To do something in a different way from what is usually done
Example
The couple decided to **break with tradition** and have a small wedding on the beach.
idiom

As old as the hills

Meaning
Very old or ancient
Example
That legend is **as old as the hills**.
idiom

back into

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

get along with

Meaning
to have a good relationship with someone
Example
I really **get along with** my coworkers.
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

break a leg

Meaning
to wish someone good luck in a performance
Example
Before the play started, everyone told her to **break a leg**.
idiom

stand up and be counted

Meaning
to take responsibility by showing your support or opinion openly
Example
It’s time for everyone to **stand up and be counted**.
idiom

Know the drill

Meaning
To be familiar with a routine or procedure.
Example
Everyone here **knows the drill** during an emergency.
idiom

Bootstrap the business

Meaning
To build a company using only personal finances.
Example
They decided to **bootstrap the business** instead of seeking investors.
idiom

on your shoulders

Meaning
used when someone has responsibility for something
Example
The success of this plan rests **on your shoulders**.
idiom

a diplomatic tightrope

Meaning
a very delicate or risky diplomatic situation
Example
Managing relations with both rivals is a **diplomatic tightrope**.
idiom

hand over to

Meaning
to transfer control or responsibility to someone
Example
I’ll **hand this over to** the legal team for review.
idiom

short circuit

Meaning
to cause a sudden failure; to interrupt a process abruptly
Example
A small mistake **short-circuited** the entire project.
idiom

lose your train of thought

Meaning
to forget what you were thinking or saying
Example
I **lost my train of thought** when the phone rang.
idiom

robotic response

Meaning
an emotionless or mechanical reaction
Example
She gave a **robotic response** during the interview.
idiom

flash of genius

Meaning
a sudden brilliant idea or solution
Example
Her idea for the new logo was a real **flash of genius**.
idiom

wrap your head around

Meaning
to understand or comprehend something difficult
Example
It took me a while to **wrap my head around** the new software.
idiom

the world is your oyster

Meaning
you can achieve anything you want in life
Example
With your talent, **the world is your oyster**.
idiom

take the edge off

Meaning
to make a bad situation or feeling less intense or unpleasant
Example
A hot cup of tea always helps to **take the edge off**.
idiom

chart your own course

Meaning
to plan your own path or future independently
Example
He decided to **chart his own course** and become an entrepreneur.
idiom

in the cloud

Meaning
stored or managed on remote servers via the internet
Example
All our data is now **in the cloud**.
idiom

to come out on top

Meaning
to succeed in a difficult situation or competition
Example
After a fierce competition, they **came out on top** and won the contract.
idiom

a feather in one’s cap

Meaning
an achievement to be proud of
Example
Winning the national award was **a feather in his cap**.
idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to **get their hands dirty** when necessary.
idiom

spread the word

Meaning
to tell many people about something
Example
Please **spread the word** about our new course.
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

penny wise, pound foolish

Meaning
being careful with small amounts of money but careless with large amounts
Example
She refuses to buy a $10 book, but spends $100 on clothes; she's **penny wise, pound foolish**.
idiom

blood, sweat, and tears

Meaning
great effort and hard work
Example
Building this company took a lot of **blood, sweat, and tears**.
idiom

stoic calm

Meaning
to remain calm in difficult or stressful situations
Example
Even during the crisis, she maintained **stoic calm**.
idiom

penny stock

Meaning
a very low-priced, high-risk stock
Example
He made a fortune trading **penny stocks**.
idiom

butterflies in the stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or excited
Example
I always get **butterflies in my stomach** before a date.
idiom

the buck stops here

Meaning
I am the one responsible; I will take responsibility.
Example
**The buck stops here**, and I will handle the mistake personally.
idiom

keep up with the times

Meaning
to stay updated or adapt to modern trends
Example
In the fast-moving tech industry, companies must **keep up with the times**.
idiom

dawn on

Meaning
to become clear to someone after not realizing
Example
It suddenly **dawned on** me that I’d left my wallet.
idiom

To be in someone's corner

Meaning
To support or defend someone.
Example
Even though they were having disagreements, she was always **in his corner**.
idiom

chip in for

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

piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a part of the complete solution or understanding
Example
This information is just **a piece of the puzzle**.
idiom

grin from ear to ear

Meaning
to smile broadly because of happiness
Example
She was **grinning from ear to ear** after the compliment.
idiom

Throw money at the problem

Meaning
To try to solve a problem by spending a lot of money instead of finding the real solution.
Example
You can’t just **throw money at the problem**; we need a proper plan.
idiom

to blow it

Meaning
to ruin a chance or opportunity by mistake
Example
He **blew it** by arriving late to the interview.
idiom

Light a fire under someone

Meaning
To motivate someone to take action or work harder.
Example
The coach’s speech really **lit a fire under** the players.
idiom

too big to fail

Meaning
a company or institution that is so important that it is unlikely to fail
Example
Many financial institutions were considered **too big to fail** during the 2008 financial crisis.
idiom

in the trenches

Meaning
to be deeply involved in hard work or challenging situations
Example
She’s **in the trenches** with the rest of the team, solving problems every day.
idiom

top dog

Meaning
the most important or powerful person
Example
He’s the **top dog** in the company.
idiom

the ball is rolling

Meaning
a process has started and is making progress
Example
Now that **the ball is rolling**, we need to keep working.
idiom

talk the talk

Meaning
to speak confidently about something
Example
He can **talk the talk**, but can he walk the walk?
idiom

backroom deal

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

filter out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from something
Example
Use this tool to **filter out** spam messages.
idiom

hit rock bottom

Meaning
to reach the lowest point of failure or depression
Example
After losing his job, he **hit rock bottom**.
idiom

have guts

Meaning
to have courage or confidence to do something difficult
Example
It takes someone with real courage to **have guts** to speak the truth.
idiom

clear away

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

a man with a mission

Meaning
a person with strong purpose and determination to achieve something
Example
He’s **a man with a mission** to change the way we think about education.
idiom

mark up

Meaning
to increase the price of something
Example
Vendors plan to **mark up** prices during the festival.
idiom

take the plunge

Meaning
to decide to do something risky or difficult
Example
After years of thinking, he finally **took the plunge** and started his business.
idiom

narrow down to

Meaning
to reduce choices to a smaller number
Example
We’ve **narrowed it down to** three finalists.
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

a loose cannon

Meaning
A person who behaves unpredictably and may cause problems.
Example
Be careful with him — he’s **a loose cannon**.
idiom

happy as a clam

Meaning
very content and comfortable
Example
She looked **happy as a clam** on her vacation.
idiom

keep an eye out

Meaning
to watch for something or someone carefully
Example
Can you **keep an eye out** for my package while I'm away?
idiom

Never say die

Meaning
Always remain optimistic and determined.
Example
He faced many challenges but had a **never say die** attitude.
idiom

keep a stiff upper lip

Meaning
to not show your emotions in difficult situations
Example
Even after losing the match, the team **kept a stiff upper lip**.
idiom

a workaholic

Meaning
a person who works too much and finds it hard to stop
Example
He’s such **a workaholic**, even on weekends he works.
idiom

you’ve got this

Meaning
to reassure someone that they can handle a situation
Example
Don’t worry about the presentation—**you’ve got this**!