drift apart
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idiom

drift apart

Meaning
to slowly become less close or connected over time
Example
After college, they gradually **drifted apart**.
idiom

get your wires crossed

Meaning
to misunderstand someone or something
Example
We must have **got our wires crossed**, because I thought the meeting was tomorrow.
idiom

Hold your head high

Meaning
To be proud and confident even after failure or hardship.
Example
Even after losing, she **held her head high**.
idiom

Cheer up

Meaning
Become happier; don’t be sad.
Example
It’s not the end of the world—**cheer up**!
idiom

on the same page

Meaning
to agree or have the same understanding about something
Example
Before we continue, let’s make sure we’re **on the same page**.
idiom

jump out of one’s skin

Meaning
to be extremely excited or surprised
Example
I almost **jumped out of my skin** when I saw my old friend after years.
idiom

earn someone's trust

Meaning
to gain someone's confidence through actions
Example
You need to **earn their trust** before they open up.
idiom

have your hands full

Meaning
to be very busy with work or responsibilities
Example
She can’t take on another task right now—she already **has her hands full**.
idiom

Jump ship

Meaning
To leave a job or organization suddenly.
Example
Several employees **jumped ship** when the new policy was announced.
idiom

state of the art

Meaning
the most modern and advanced
Example
They built a **state-of-the-art** research facility.
idiom

jump in on

Meaning
to join an activity or discussion quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in on** the brainstorming if you have ideas.
idiom

trust your gut

Meaning
to follow your intuition or instincts
Example
When making big decisions, it’s often best to **trust your gut**.
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

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

copycat

Meaning
someone who imitates another person
Example
She’s such a **copycat**, always doing what I do.
idiom

fed up with

Meaning
tired or annoyed with something
Example
I'm **fed up with** doing the same thing every day.
idiom

pull at heartstrings

Meaning
to evoke strong emotions, usually sympathy or sadness, in an audience
Example
The charity’s commercial really **pulls at the heartstrings**.
idiom

Put your best foot forward

Meaning
to try as hard as you can
Example
She **put her best foot forward** in the interview.
idiom

to bring someone to justice

Meaning
to capture and punish someone for a crime
Example
The police vowed to **bring the killers to justice**.
idiom

penny for your thoughts

Meaning
a way of asking what someone is thinking.
Example
You've been quiet for a while. A **penny for your thoughts**?
idiom

empty nest

Meaning
a home where the children have grown up and left
Example
After her kids moved out, she felt the **empty nest** syndrome.
idiom

Playing both sides

Meaning
To secretly support or manipulate both sides of a conflict for personal gain.
Example
The ambassador was accused of **playing both sides** in the negotiations.
idiom

show compassion

Meaning
to express care or sympathy toward others
Example
We should **show compassion** to those in need.
idiom

Rise from the ashes

Meaning
To recover and become strong again after failure or destruction.
Example
The company **rose from the ashes** after going bankrupt.
idiom

point the finger

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

ballpark figure

Meaning
an approximate estimate or number
Example
Can you give me a **ballpark figure** for the project cost?
idiom

give the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to trust someone even though you may not have all the facts
Example
Even though she was late, I decided to **give her the benefit of the doubt** and not get upset.
idiom

go back to the drawing board

Meaning
to start over again because the previous plan failed
Example
Our experiment failed, so we have to **go back to the drawing board**.
idiom

keep an eye on someone

Meaning
to watch someone carefully because you don’t trust them completely
Example
I’ll **keep an eye on him** while you’re away.
idiom

fulfill one's obligations

Meaning
to complete or carry out one's duties
Example
He always tries to **fulfill his obligations** to his clients.
idiom

pull someone's leg

Meaning
to tease or joke with someone in a playful way
Example
Don't worry, I was just **pulling your leg** about the test results.
idiom

go-getter

Meaning
an ambitious person who achieves their goals
Example
Tom is a real **go-getter**; he never gives up.
idiom

I’m of the opinion that

Meaning
I believe that; expressing a firm opinion
Example
I’m of the opinion that honesty always pays.
idiom

on the warpath

Meaning
very angry and likely to argue or fight
Example
She was **on the warpath** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

keep moving forward

Meaning
to continue progressing despite obstacles or setbacks
Example
No matter what happens, always **keep moving forward**.
idiom

cop a plea

Meaning
to plead guilty to a lesser charge in order to avoid a more severe penalty
Example
He decided to **cop a plea** and serve a shorter sentence.
idiom

Ahead of one’s time

Meaning
Having ideas or attitudes that are too advanced for the present.
Example
Her designs were ahead of her time.
idiom

under a cloud

Meaning
being suspected or in trouble
Example
He left the company **under a cloud** after the scandal.
idiom

fill out

Meaning
to complete a form by providing information
Example
Please **fill out** this survey after the workshop.
idiom

break even

Meaning
to have equal income and expenses, neither profit nor loss
Example
The company finally **broke even** after three years.
idiom

pivot on a dime

Meaning
to change direction or strategy quickly
Example
Startups often have to **pivot on a dime** when market trends shift.
idiom

rise and fall

Meaning
the success and failure of someone or something over time
Example
The documentary shows the **rise and fall** of the Roman Empire.
idiom

rise to the occasion

Meaning
to perform well in a difficult situation
Example
He really **rose to the occasion** during the crisis.
idiom

Play it safe

Meaning
to avoid taking risks
Example
He always **plays it safe** and never tries new things.
idiom

come of age

Meaning
to reach maturity; to become fully developed
Example
The company has **come of age** in the last few years.
idiom

dance to one's own tune

Meaning
to behave independently; not influenced by others
Example
He always **dances to his own tune** and never follows the crowd.
idiom

nip it in the bud

Meaning
to stop a problem before it gets worse
Example
We should **nip it in the bud** before it becomes serious.
idiom

footloose and fancy-free

Meaning
free to do whatever you want; without commitments
Example
He loves being **footloose and fancy-free** after retirement.
idiom

low-hanging fruit

Meaning
something easy to achieve or target
Example
We should focus on the **low-hanging fruit** before tackling bigger goals.
idiom

Pump money into

Meaning
To invest large amounts of money to boost growth.
Example
The government plans to **pump money into** infrastructure projects.
idiom

spread kindness like wildfire

Meaning
to spread kindness rapidly and uncontrollably
Example
Her acts of kindness **spread like wildfire** in the community.
idiom

hit the dance floor

Meaning
to start dancing, especially at a party
Example
Let’s **hit the dance floor** and show our moves!
idiom

zoom in

Meaning
to focus closely on something
Example
Use the report to **zoom in** on customer trends.
idiom

kick up your heels

Meaning
to enjoy yourself by dancing or celebrating
Example
Everyone was ready to **kick up their heels** at the reunion.
idiom

lose your temper

Meaning
to become angry suddenly
Example
He **lost his temper** when the kids broke the vase.
idiom

take the initiative

Meaning
to act first and show leadership
Example
Effective leaders often **take the initiative** to improve things.
idiom

rags to riches

Meaning
to go from being poor to becoming rich and successful
Example
His life story is a real **rags to riches** tale.
idiom

When there’s a will, there’s a way

Meaning
If you are determined, you can find a way to achieve your goal.
Example
**When there’s a will, there’s a way**, and he proved it by finishing the race.
idiom

full steam ahead

Meaning
to move forward with great energy or speed
Example
The team is going **full steam ahead** with the new logistics plan.
idiom

under someone's thumb

Meaning
completely under someone's control
Example
He's **under his boss's thumb** and can't make his own decisions.
idiom

cool off with

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

a figure of speech

Meaning
a phrase used in a non-literal way for effect or emphasis
Example
When he said he could eat a horse, it was just **a figure of speech**.
idiom

carry over

Meaning
to transfer something to a later time or place
Example
We’ll **carry over** the unused vacation days to next year.
idiom

sick and tired of

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

laugh your head off

Meaning
to laugh very loudly or uncontrollably
Example
The movie was so funny that we **laughed our heads off**.
idiom

keep your word

Meaning
to honor a promise or commitment
Example
You must always **keep your word** if you want to gain trust.
idiom

under the microscope

Meaning
being examined very closely
Example
The new policy is **under the microscope** by analysts.
idiom

a mind like a sieve

Meaning
to have a very bad memory
Example
He forgets everything; he has **a mind like a sieve**.
idiom

helping hand

Meaning
assistance or support
Example
He offered a **helping hand** when I was struggling.
idiom

hashtag activism

Meaning
using hashtags to support social or political causes online
Example
**Hashtag activism** can raise awareness but may not lead to real change.
idiom

sift through

Meaning
to examine a large amount of information or items carefully
Example
I spent the afternoon **sifting through** old emails for the missing file.
idiom

dress up

Meaning
to wear formal or special clothes
Example
We don’t have to **dress up** for tonight’s dinner—it’s casual.
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

join up with

Meaning
to become part of a group or team
Example
She’ll **join up with** the outreach crew tomorrow.
idiom

take someone at their word

Meaning
to trust that someone is telling the truth
Example
You can **take her at her word**; she never lies.
idiom

go by the book

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

in good spirits

Meaning
to be cheerful and confident
Example
She was **in good spirits** after her presentation.
idiom

salt of the earth

Meaning
a very good and honest person
Example
My grandfather was the **salt of the earth**.
idiom

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
idiom

go steady

Meaning
to date someone regularly and exclusively
Example
They've been **going steady** for over two years now.
idiom

dive into

Meaning
to start doing something with enthusiasm
Example
Let’s **dive into** the agenda after coffee.
idiom

draw out

Meaning
to encourage someone to express themselves
Example
The mentor helped **draw out** her confidence.
idiom

cool off

Meaning
to become less hot or less angry
Example
Let the soup **cool off** before serving.
idiom

All for one and one for all

Meaning
Everyone in the group works together for the common good.
Example
In our company, we believe in the motto, **all for one and one for all**.
idiom

cover all the angles

Meaning
to examine a story or issue from every perspective
Example
The journalist tried to **cover all the angles** before publishing the article.
idiom

run the show

Meaning
to be in charge of an activity or organization
Example
Ever since the director left, Emma has been **running the show**.
idiom

on your shoulders

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

data-driven

Meaning
based on or influenced by data
Example
We make **data-driven** decisions to ensure the best outcome.
idiom

Things will get better

Meaning
difficult situations will improve over time
Example
I know you're stressed, but remember, **things will get better**.
idiom

skeleton in the closet

Meaning
a family secret that one wants to keep hidden
Example
Every family has a **skeleton in the closet** they don't talk about.
idiom

old buddy old pal

Meaning
An affectionate way to refer to a longtime friend.
Example
Hey **old buddy old pal**, long time no see!
idiom

Flash in the pan

Meaning
Something that shows potential but fails quickly
Example
His first success was just a **flash in the pan**.
idiom

A political animal

Meaning
A person who is very interested in politics and has a talent for it
Example
He’s known to be a real **political animal**.
idiom

to make the grade

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

moral compass

Meaning
a person’s ability to judge what is right and wrong
Example
Developers must keep their **moral compass** while designing AI tools.
idiom

upgrade your thinking

Meaning
to improve your thought process or mindset
Example
To adapt to AI trends, you must **upgrade your thinking**.
idiom

that's the last straw

Meaning
my patience has run out
Example
He's been late all week, but this is **the last straw**.
idiom

mix together

Meaning
to combine different things into one
Example
**Mix together** the spices before adding them to the stew.
idiom

eat someone alive

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

burning with envy

Meaning
feeling intense jealousy
Example
She was **burning with envy** when she heard about his promotion.
idiom

talk nineteen to the dozen

Meaning
to talk very quickly and without stopping
Example
Once she starts, she **talks nineteen to the dozen**.
idiom

stand by someone

Meaning
to remain loyal or supportive
Example
True friends **stand by** each other in hard times.
idiom

butter someone up

Meaning
to flatter someone to gain favor
Example
He’s trying to **butter up** the boss for a promotion.
idiom

be all smiles

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

a stroke of luck

Meaning
something good that happens by chance
Example
It was **a stroke of luck** that I found my lost wallet.
idiom

Curiosity killed the cat

Meaning
Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble.
Example
Don't ask too many questions about his past — **curiosity killed the cat**.
idiom

back out

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
They can’t **back out** after signing the contract.
idiom

blow out of the water

Meaning
to surprise or defeat completely
Example
Their performance **blew us out of the water**.
idiom

life of the party

Meaning
the most lively and entertaining person at a party
Example
Jake is always the **life of the party**.
idiom

To be there for someone

Meaning
To offer emotional support when someone is in need
Example
No matter what happens, I’ll always **be there for you**.
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

a whole new ball game

Meaning
a completely new or different situation; something that changes the way things are done.
Example
Starting a business from scratch is **a whole new ball game**.
idiom

a no-brainer

Meaning
something that is very easy to understand or decide
Example
The solution to the problem was **a no-brainer**.
idiom

in one’s element

Meaning
doing something one is good at or enjoys
Example
He’s **in his element** when he’s cooking for friends.
idiom

Burning question

Meaning
An important or urgent question that people are eager to know.
Example
The **burning question** is whether the plan will actually work.
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

make up your mind

Meaning
to decide something
Example
You need to **make up your mind** about which job to take.
idiom

under the knife

Meaning
to have surgery
Example
She has to go **under the knife** for her knee problem.
idiom

on thin ice

Meaning
in a risky or dangerous situation
Example
You are **on thin ice** with that behavior.