Down the rabbit hole
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idiom

Down the rabbit hole

Meaning
Entering into a strange, complicated, or bizarre situation.
Example
I went **down the rabbit hole** researching ancient myths.
idiom

check back

Meaning
to return at a later time for an update
Example
Please **check back** next week for the final list.
idiom

internet troll

Meaning
a person who deliberately posts offensive or provocative comments online
Example
Don’t feed the **internet trolls** by replying to their comments.
idiom

have it out

Meaning
to talk openly about a disagreement to resolve it
Example
They decided to **have it out** instead of staying angry.
idiom

Catch on

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

Front page news

Meaning
Extremely important or widely discussed news
Example
His heroic act became **front page news** the next morning.
idiom

in good faith

Meaning
with honest intentions; sincerely
Example
They acted **in good faith** when signing the agreement.
idiom

go by the book

Meaning
to follow rules or procedures strictly
Example
The officer always **goes by the book** during inspections.
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

a long shot

Meaning
something that has a very small chance of success
Example
Winning the competition is **a long shot**, but we’ll try.
idiom

a universe of possibilities

Meaning
endless opportunities or options
Example
Technology has opened **a universe of possibilities**.
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

Go to pieces

Meaning
To lose control of your emotions; to break down.
Example
She **went to pieces** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

malware

Meaning
software designed to damage or disrupt computers or networks
Example
The antivirus software successfully removed the **malware** from the system.
idiom

have a splitting headache

Meaning
to have a very bad headache
Example
I can’t focus right now; I **have a splitting headache**.
idiom

gear up to

Meaning
to prepare energetically to do something
Example
We’re **gearing up to** launch the app next month.
idiom

rule out

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

pick oneself up

Meaning
to recover from a setback or failure
Example
Even though he failed, he managed to **pick himself up** and try again.
idiom

cold shoulder

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

burn bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or connections permanently
Example
Be careful not to **burn bridges** when leaving your job.
idiom

riding the wave

Meaning
taking advantage of a current trend or success
Example
The company is **riding the wave** of its recent success in the international market.
idiom

paint a vision

Meaning
to clearly describe an inspiring future goal
Example
The leader **painted a vision** of a better, more connected world.
idiom

reboot your perspective

Meaning
to start fresh with a new mindset
Example
After project failure, the team decided to **reboot their perspective**.
idiom

have a smile on your face

Meaning
to appear happy and cheerful
Example
She always has a smile on her face, no matter the situation.
idiom

rolling in money

Meaning
having a lot of money
Example
After his business took off, he’s been **rolling in money**.
idiom

clickbait

Meaning
a headline or content designed to attract attention and encourage clicks
Example
That article title is pure **clickbait**.
idiom

out of bandwidth

Meaning
too busy or overwhelmed to handle more tasks
Example
I’m **out of bandwidth** today, can we talk tomorrow?
idiom

lend an ear

Meaning
to listen carefully to someone’s problems or feelings
Example
She’s always ready to **lend an ear** when I’m feeling down.
idiom

hold your horses

Meaning
to be patient; to wait
Example
**Hold your horses**! The show hasn’t started yet.
idiom

beyond a reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical reason to doubt; with full certainty
Example
The evidence proved his guilt **beyond a reasonable doubt**.
idiom

serve time

Meaning
to spend time in prison as punishment
Example
He had to **serve time** for his involvement in the fraud case.
idiom

turn your dreams into reality

Meaning
to make your dreams come true through effort
Example
She worked day and night to **turn her dreams into reality**.
idiom

small potatoes

Meaning
something insignificant or of little value
Example
Compared to oil exports, textile trade is **small potatoes**.
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

no such luck

Meaning
used when something hoped for did not happen
Example
I hoped to win the lottery, but **no such luck**.
idiom

mend a broken heart

Meaning
to heal from emotional pain after a breakup
Example
It takes time to **mend a broken heart**.
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

get a grasp of

Meaning
to understand something fully
Example
It took me a while to **get a grasp of** the new software.
idiom

bring forward

Meaning
to move something to an earlier time
Example
We had to **bring forward** the meeting due to travel.
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

artificial intelligence

Meaning
The simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think and learn.
Example
The company has invested heavily in **artificial intelligence** to enhance automation.
idiom

law-abiding citizen

Meaning
a person who always follows the law
Example
He is known as a **law-abiding citizen** in the community.
idiom

live from hand to mouth

Meaning
to barely have enough money to survive
Example
Many laborers **live from hand to mouth** every day.
idiom

corner the market

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

to mess up

Meaning
to make a mistake or do something badly
Example
Don’t **mess up** the report again this time.
idiom

against all odds

Meaning
despite great difficulties or challenges
Example
She succeeded **against all odds** and became a doctor.
idiom

drill down

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

throw oneself at someone's mercy

Meaning
to ask for forgiveness and hope for kindness
Example
She **threw herself at the teacher’s mercy** after missing the deadline.
idiom

like a dog with two tails

Meaning
extremely happy and excited
Example
He was **like a dog with two tails** after getting the promotion.
idiom

the calm before the storm

Meaning
a peaceful time before trouble begins
Example
The classroom was silent, like **the calm before the storm**.
idiom

toe the party line

Meaning
to follow the official policies or opinions of one’s political party
Example
Members of parliament are expected to **toe the party line** during the vote.
idiom

nip in the bud

Meaning
to stop something before it becomes a bigger problem
Example
We should **nip the problem in the bud** before it spreads.
idiom

grow into

Meaning
to gradually become more capable or skilled at something
Example
He will eventually **grow into** the role of manager.
idiom

adapt or perish

Meaning
to survive, one must adjust to the new conditions
Example
In the business world, it's all about **adapt or perish**.
idiom

rally the troops

Meaning
to motivate or encourage a group to take action
Example
The manager **rallied the troops** before the big presentation.
idiom

zero-day attack

Meaning
a cyberattack that exploits a previously unknown vulnerability
Example
The team discovered a **zero-day attack** before it spread widely.
idiom

fit for a king

Meaning
something of very high quality or luxurious
Example
The dinner was **fit for a king**.
idiom

empty promise

Meaning
a promise made without the intention to keep it
Example
Politicians often make **empty promises** during elections.
idiom

carve up

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

push the right buttons

Meaning
to do exactly what is needed to get a desired result
Example
She knows how to **push the right buttons** to impress her boss.
idiom

square away

Meaning
to organize or finish something neatly
Example
We need to **square away** the paperwork before the audit.
idiom

A battle of wits

Meaning
A contest or situation where people use intelligence or cleverness to outsmart each other.
Example
The negotiations were a true **battle of wits** between the two leaders.
idiom

Inquisitive mind

Meaning
A curious and eager-to-learn mindset.
Example
Children have an **inquisitive mind** that loves to explore.
idiom

talk someone into something

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
He **talked me into** going to the gym with him.
idiom

take the law into one's own hands

Meaning
to seek justice personally rather than through legal authorities
Example
The villagers decided to **take the law into their own hands** and punished the thief.
idiom

make friends

Meaning
to form new friendships
Example
It’s easy to **make friends** when you’re kind to others.
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

loose lips sink ships

Meaning
talking too much can cause trouble
Example
Remember, **loose lips sink ships**—don’t share sensitive information.
idiom

point the finger

Meaning
to accuse or blame someone
Example
Don’t **point the finger** until you have all the facts.
idiom

Above reproach

Meaning
Completely honest and without fault.
Example
Her integrity is **above reproach**.
idiom

make a breakthrough

Meaning
to make a significant discovery or achievement
Example
She **made a breakthrough** in her research that could change the field.
idiom

Keep one’s eye on the ball

Meaning
To stay focused on achieving a goal.
Example
If you **keep your eye on the ball**, you’ll surely succeed.
idiom

Keep a cool head

Meaning
to remain calm and not get too emotional
Example
In a crisis, it's important to **keep a cool head**.
idiom

Talk through your hat

Meaning
To speak nonsense or about something one knows little about.
Example
He was **talking through his hat** about quantum physics.
idiom

a political football

Meaning
an issue used by politicians for their own advantage
Example
Healthcare has become **a political football** in the country.
idiom

A flash of inspiration

Meaning
A sudden creative idea
Example
He had **a flash of inspiration** while working late at night.
idiom

gain the upper hand

Meaning
to get control or advantage over someone
Example
Through smart negotiation, the ambassador **gained the upper hand**.
idiom

a friend in need is a friend indeed

Meaning
a true friend helps you in difficult times
Example
When I was sick, Jane took care of me—**a friend in need is a friend indeed**.
idiom

Hear something on the grapevine

Meaning
To hear gossip or unofficial news.
Example
I **heard on the grapevine** that she’s leaving the company.
idiom

sort out

Meaning
to organize or resolve a confusing situation
Example
We need to **sort out** this billing error today.
idiom

have words with someone

Meaning
to argue with someone verbally
Example
I **had words with** my boss about the new policy.
idiom

a lump in your throat

Meaning
feeling emotional or about to cry
Example
He felt **a lump in his throat** when he said goodbye.
idiom

The more, the merrier

Meaning
Things are more fun or effective with more people involved.
Example
Bring your friends along — **the more, the merrier**!
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

Love me, love my dog

Meaning
If you love someone, you must accept their flaws too.
Example
**Love me, love my dog**—you can’t love me and hate my friends.
idiom

under the pump

Meaning
to be under a lot of pressure or stress
Example
The team has been **under the pump** to meet the project deadline.
idiom

grin and bear it

Meaning
to accept a difficult situation patiently
Example
You just have to **grin and bear it** until the work is done.
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

brick by brick

Meaning
to achieve something gradually and steadily
Example
He built his business **brick by brick**.
idiom

predictive analytics

Meaning
using data and statistical algorithms to forecast future outcomes
Example
With **predictive analytics**, we can forecast market trends with high accuracy.
idiom

at breaking point

Meaning
so stressed or tired that one can hardly cope
Example
After working 80 hours this week, she’s **at breaking point**.
idiom

hash out

Meaning
to work through the details of something by discussion
Example
They stayed late to **hash out** the final budget cuts.
idiom

to make the grade

Meaning
to meet the required standard
Example
He didn’t **make the grade** in the final exam.
idiom

Give the shirt off your back

Meaning
to give everything you can to help someone
Example
She would **give the shirt off her back** if it meant helping her friends.
idiom

breathe easy

Meaning
to relax after a stressful or dangerous situation
Example
After the pollution control laws were enforced, people could finally **breathe easy**.
idiom

strike a chord

Meaning
to cause someone to feel sympathy or emotion
Example
Her story **struck a chord** with the audience.
idiom

put someone in their place

Meaning
to show someone that they are not as important as they think
Example
She **put him in his place** when he tried to act superior.
idiom

school of hard knocks

Meaning
learning through difficult life experiences
Example
He didn’t go to college; he learned from the **school of hard knocks**.
idiom

the green-eyed monster

Meaning
jealousy personified or described as a destructive force
Example
Don't let **the green-eyed monster** ruin your friendship.
idiom

glide through

Meaning
to complete something smoothly and easily
Example
She managed to **glide through** the presentation.
idiom

burn the midnight oil

Meaning
to work late into the night
Example
She **burned the midnight oil** to finish her project.
idiom

at the end of your rope

Meaning
to be extremely frustrated and have no patience left
Example
After dealing with delays all day, she was **at the end of her rope**.
idiom

algorithm

Meaning
a set of rules or instructions for solving a problem or performing a task
Example
The **algorithm** sorts the data into categories.
idiom

go for the jugular

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

keep one's cards close to the chest

Meaning
to keep one's plans or intentions secret
Example
During the negotiations, she **kept her cards close to the chest**.
idiom

take a step back

Meaning
to pause and reassess a situation
Example
Sometimes you need to **take a step back** to see the bigger picture.
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

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

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

trust someone with your life

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
I’d **trust her with my life**.
idiom

pull an all-nighter

Meaning
to stay awake all night to study or work
Example
I had to **pull an all-nighter** to finish my assignment.
idiom

blind faith

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

go the distance

Meaning
to finish something successfully despite difficulties
Example
Only the most determined athletes can **go the distance**.
idiom

jack up

Meaning
to raise something suddenly and sharply
Example
They might **jack up** ticket prices before the holidays.
idiom

close the deal

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

push yourself to the limit

Meaning
to make maximum effort even when it’s tough
Example
Athletes **push themselves to the limit** to achieve their dreams.
idiom

give someone the shirt off your back

Meaning
to be extremely generous and selfless
Example
He’d **give you the shirt off his back** if you needed it.
idiom

as far as I'm concerned

Meaning
used to express one’s personal opinion or feeling about something
Example
**As far as I'm concerned**, he did a great job.
idiom

open a new chapter

Meaning
to begin a new stage or period in life
Example
Graduating from university **opened a new chapter** in her life.
idiom

To have a heart of gold

Meaning
To be very kind and generous
Example
She has a heart of gold, always helping those in need.
idiom

opt out

Meaning
to choose not to participate
Example
Employees can **opt out** of the program if they want.