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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

fade to black

Meaning
to end something dramatically
Example
The director chose to **fade to black** at the emotional climax.
idiom

chase rainbows

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

Keep going strong

Meaning
to keep persevering and not give up
Example
Even when times are tough, remember to **keep going strong**.
idiom

rise to the occasion

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

dream big

Meaning
to have ambitious goals and aspirations
Example
If you want to achieve greatness, you must **dream big**.
idiom

window shopping

Meaning
looking at things in shops without buying them
Example
We went **window shopping** at the mall yesterday.
idiom

square peg in a round hole

Meaning
someone or something that doesn't fit or belong in a particular place or situation
Example
Putting a modern building in a historical district is like trying to fit a **square peg in a round hole**.
idiom

if you ask me

Meaning
used when giving a personal opinion, often without being asked
Example
**If you ask me**, they made a bad decision.
idiom

set the standard

Meaning
to establish an example of excellence that others strive to reach
Example
Her work ethic has **set the standard** for the entire team.
idiom

crazy about someone

Meaning
to be deeply attracted or infatuated with someone
Example
She’s **crazy about** her new boyfriend.
idiom

against all odds

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

Tell the truth and shame the devil

Meaning
Always speak the truth, even when it’s hard or risky.
Example
Just **tell the truth and shame the devil**, even if it hurts.
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

the cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative part of something
Example
This new design is at **the cutting edge** of architecture.
idiom

adapt to change

Meaning
to adjust to new circumstances or environments
Example
In order to succeed, you must learn to **adapt to change**.
idiom

The greater good

Meaning
The idea that actions should be judged based on how much they contribute to the overall well-being of society, rather than individual interests.
Example
In times of crisis, leaders must always think about **the greater good** before making decisions.
idiom

throw shade

Meaning
to subtly insult or criticize someone
Example
She was **throwing shade** at her ex during the conversation.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
idiom

At the drop of a hat

Meaning
Immediately; without hesitation.
Example
He’s ready to help **at the drop of a hat**.
idiom

have a spark of creativity

Meaning
to show signs of being creative or imaginative
Example
Even as a child, she **had a spark of creativity**.
idiom

take the long view

Meaning
to plan or think about the future rather than short-term gains
Example
Successful leaders always **take the long view** when making decisions.
idiom

blank mind

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

big mouth

Meaning
someone who talks too much or reveals secrets
Example
Don’t tell him anything — he’s got a **big mouth**.
idiom

put your nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and focus on something
Example
If you want to succeed, you have to **put your nose to the grindstone**.
idiom

wise beyond one's years

Meaning
showing wisdom or maturity greater than expected for one's age
Example
Her advice is always thoughtful—she’s **wise beyond her years**.
idiom

give someone the creeps

Meaning
to make someone feel uncomfortable or afraid
Example
Old abandoned houses **give me the creeps**.
idiom

have a heart of gold

Meaning
to be very kind and generous
Example
Everyone loves her because she **has a heart of gold**.
idiom

eat one's words

Meaning
to admit that what one said was wrong
Example
He had to **eat his words** after breaking his promise.
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

change your tune

Meaning
to change your opinion or attitude
Example
He criticized the plan at first but later **changed his tune**.
idiom

circle of friends

Meaning
a group of people you are friendly with
Example
She has a large **circle of friends** from college.
idiom

pot luck

Meaning
whatever is available or happens by chance
Example
Let’s take **pot luck** and eat at that new café.
idiom

reboot your mindset

Meaning
to change your way of thinking completely
Example
To adapt to AI, we need to **reboot our mindset**.
idiom

wear out

Meaning
to use something until it becomes unusable
Example
You’ll **wear out** those shoes if you hike every weekend.
idiom

get acquainted

Meaning
to become familiar or friendly with someone
Example
We had a short chat to **get acquainted**.
idiom

to get the ball rolling

Meaning
to start something, especially a project or task
Example
Let's **get the ball rolling** and start the meeting.
idiom

a tough call

Meaning
a difficult decision to make
Example
Choosing between the two offers was **a tough call**.
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

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

hit back

Meaning
to reply to criticism or attack with force
Example
The team plans to **hit back** with a stronger strategy.
idiom

bright future ahead

Meaning
having positive prospects or possibilities
Example
With your hard work, you have a **bright future ahead**.
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

run a tight ship

Meaning
to manage an organization or group efficiently and strictly
Example
The manager **runs a tight ship**, and everyone follows the rules.
idiom

make headway

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

catch lightning in a bottle

Meaning
to achieve something amazing and rare through creativity or luck
Example
Their new design **caught lightning in a bottle**.
idiom

tighten your belt

Meaning
to spend less money; to economize
Example
We’ll have to **tighten our belts** until business improves.
idiom

back to square one

Meaning
to start over again
Example
After the computer crashed, I had to go **back to square one** with my report.
idiom

hold accountable

Meaning
to make someone responsible for their actions
Example
Managers should be **held accountable** for their team's results.
idiom

Wisdom comes with age

Meaning
The older you get, the wiser you become, due to experience.
Example
You should listen to him; after all, **wisdom comes with age**.
idiom

To offer the olive branch

Meaning
To make peace with someone after a conflict
Example
After their argument, he decided to **offer the olive branch** and apologize.
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

apology accepted

Meaning
used to say that you forgive someone
Example
Don’t worry, **apology accepted**.
idiom

Put up walls

Meaning
To create emotional barriers or distance from others.
Example
After the breakup, she **put up walls** and stopped trusting people.
idiom

set the tone

Meaning
to establish the mood or style for something
Example
The manager's speech **set the tone** for the meeting.
idiom

jump the shark

Meaning
when something begins to decline in quality or popularity
Example
The show **jumped the shark** after season five.
idiom

pull the plug

Meaning
to stop something; to end support for a project or activity
Example
The company decided to **pull the plug** on the outdated app.
idiom

a dead-end job

Meaning
a job with no opportunity for advancement or improvement
Example
He quit his **dead-end job** to start his own business.
idiom

Masterpiece

Meaning
A work of outstanding artistry or craftsmanship.
Example
The sculpture he created is truly a **masterpiece**.
idiom

blaze a trail

Meaning
to be the first to do something innovative
Example
She **blazed a trail** in renewable energy research.
idiom

blow your top

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **blew his top** when he found out about the mistake.
idiom

market share

Meaning
the portion of a market controlled by a particular company or product
Example
The company increased its **market share** after launching the new product.
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

backpropagation

Meaning
a learning algorithm used in neural networks to minimize error by adjusting weights through the network
Example
The **backpropagation** algorithm helps in optimizing the neural network's performance.
idiom

take a stand

Meaning
to make a firm decision or opinion known
Example
It’s time to **take a stand** and support what you believe in.
idiom

break into a market

Meaning
to successfully enter a new market or industry
Example
The company is trying to **break into the Asian market**.
idiom

Seed funding

Meaning
Initial capital used to start a business.
Example
They received **seed funding** from angel investors.
idiom

Cross my heart

Meaning
I swear or promise sincerely.
Example
I will help you, **cross my heart**.
idiom

play a part

Meaning
to have a role or influence in something
Example
She **played a part** in making the project successful.
idiom

open the floodgates

Meaning
to allow something to happen on a large scale; to trigger a chain reaction
Example
When the security flaw was leaked, it **opened the floodgates** for hackers worldwide.
idiom

in the same league

Meaning
comparable in quality or ability
Example
Those two companies aren’t **in the same league**.
idiom

The longest journey begins with a single step

Meaning
Any big task starts with a small action.
Example
Don't worry about the entire project, **the longest journey begins with a single step**.
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

I owe you one

Meaning
used to express that you are thankful and plan to return the favor
Example
Thanks for helping me move, **I owe you one**!
idiom

the upper hand

Meaning
to have control or an advantage over someone
Example
The ruling party has **the upper hand** in this situation.
idiom

meet someone halfway

Meaning
to agree to compromise with someone
Example
We finally **met each other halfway** and agreed on a solution.
idiom

off the beaten track

Meaning
in a place not visited by many people; remote or unusual
Example
We found a lovely beach **off the beaten track**.
idiom

fake news

Meaning
false or misleading information presented as news
Example
Be careful not to believe in **fake news** spread on social media.
idiom

the proof is in the pudding

Meaning
the real value of something can only be judged when it's put to use
Example
He claims the app is great, but **the proof is in the pudding**.
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

market forces

Meaning
the economic factors affecting the supply and demand of goods and services in a market
Example
The price increase is driven by **market forces**, as demand for the product rises.
idiom

do the right thing

Meaning
to act in a morally or socially responsible way
Example
Even when it’s hard, always **do the right thing**.
idiom

ease off

Meaning
to gradually become less strong or intense
Example
The rain should **ease off** by evening.
idiom

On the clock

Meaning
Working, often with a strict time limit or deadline.
Example
I’m **on the clock** today, so I can’t waste any time.
idiom

face up to

Meaning
to accept and confront a difficult situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to** the staffing gaps.
idiom

hockey stick growth

Meaning
a sharp increase in growth after a period of slow progress
Example
The startup saw **hockey stick growth** after launching their new feature.
idiom

draw down

Meaning
to reduce the level or amount of something
Example
We plan to **draw down** inventory over the summer.
idiom

follow in someone’s footsteps

Meaning
to do the same work or live the same way as someone else, usually a family member
Example
He decided to **follow in his father’s footsteps** and become a lawyer.
idiom

the old school

Meaning
having traditional beliefs or methods
Example
My professor is from **the old school**; he prefers chalkboards to slides.
idiom

stick your neck out

Meaning
to take a risk by doing or saying something that others may disagree with
Example
He **stuck his neck out** to defend his colleague.
idiom

under investigation

Meaning
being examined or looked into by authorities for possible wrongdoing
Example
The suspect is currently **under investigation** for his involvement in the crime.
idiom

hardwired to do something

Meaning
to be naturally inclined or programmed to behave a certain way
Example
Humans are **hardwired to** seek connection and belonging.
idiom

move up the ladder

Meaning
to be promoted or advance in one’s job
Example
She hopes to **move up the ladder** by the end of the year.
idiom

double-edged sword

Meaning
something that has both positive and negative consequences
Example
AI surveillance is a **double-edged sword** for security and privacy.
idiom

To tell the truth

Meaning
To speak honestly or openly.
Example
**To tell the truth**, I never liked that movie.
idiom

A red herring

Meaning
A misleading clue or distraction intended to divert attention from the real issue.
Example
The new law was just a **red herring** to distract from the corruption scandal.
idiom

nurture talent

Meaning
to help someone's skills and abilities grow and develop
Example
A great mentor knows how to **nurture talent** and help their mentees grow.
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

dig into

Meaning
to explore or investigate something in detail
Example
We’ll **dig into** the customer feedback this afternoon.
idiom

keep away from

Meaning
to avoid someone or something
Example
You should **keep away from** sugary drinks right now.
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

cover all bases

Meaning
to prepare for all possible situations
Example
Before the presentation, we need to **cover all bases**.
idiom

neural network of ideas

Meaning
a complex and interconnected web of thoughts or concepts
Example
Her brain works like a **neural network of ideas**.
idiom

spread kindness like wildfire

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

Fashion victim

Meaning
Someone who follows fashion trends blindly
Example
He's such a **fashion victim**—he buys every new style that comes out.
idiom

Wishful thinking

Meaning
Believing something because you want it to be true, not because it is realistic.
Example
Believing you'll win the lottery is just **wishful thinking**.
idiom

a man of integrity

Meaning
someone who is honest and morally upright
Example
He is known as **a man of integrity** in the business world.
idiom

masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something developing into something great
Example
Her latest project looks like **a masterpiece in the making**.
idiom

go places

Meaning
to be likely to become successful in the future
Example
Everyone says he’s going to **go places** with his skills.
idiom

wrap up

Meaning
to finish something completely
Example
We need to **wrap up** the report before lunch.
idiom

fair and square

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

rack your brains

Meaning
to think very hard about something
Example
I had to **rack my brains** to remember her name.
idiom

have a short fuse

Meaning
to get angry easily
Example
Be careful what you say; he **has a short fuse**.
idiom

talk up

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

lose one's temper

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **lost his temper** when he saw the mess.
idiom

pass the buck

Meaning
to shift responsibility to someone else.
Example
Don’t **pass the buck**; you need to take ownership of your actions.
idiom

put the pieces together

Meaning
to understand or solve something by combining information
Example
After examining the data, the engineer **put the pieces together**.
idiom

have a green thumb

Meaning
to be good at gardening
Example
My mother **has a green thumb** and grows beautiful flowers.
idiom

to learn the ropes

Meaning
to learn how to do something, especially a job
Example
She is new here, but she is quickly **learning the ropes**.
idiom

sit in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in a position of control or leadership
Example
After the promotion, she now **sits in the driver’s seat**.
idiom

out of sorts

Meaning
feeling slightly unwell or upset
Example
He’s been **out of sorts** since he caught that cold.