fine-tune
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idiom

fine-tune

Meaning
to make small adjustments to improve performance
Example
The team **fine-tuned** the design before the final launch.
idiom

extend an olive branch

Meaning
to offer peace or reconciliation
Example
After years of conflict, the president decided to **extend an olive branch**.
idiom

game changer

Meaning
an idea or event that changes everything significantly
Example
The new app was a real **game changer** for the company.
idiom

hand in glove

Meaning
working closely and harmoniously together
Example
The two partners work **hand in glove** to achieve their goals.
idiom

social media blackout

Meaning
a period when social media services are unavailable or intentionally avoided
Example
During the **social media blackout**, everyone started reading books again.
idiom

build from the ground up

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built their business from the ground up** with no investors.
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

take a leaf out of someone’s book

Meaning
to imitate or follow someone’s good example
Example
Other cities should **take a leaf out of Copenhagen’s book** on eco-friendly transport.
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

out of harm’s way

Meaning
To be safe from danger or difficulty.
Example
Make sure the children are **out of harm’s way** before lighting the fire.
idiom

save for a rainy day

Meaning
to save money for future emergencies
Example
You should **save for a rainy day**.
idiom

Keep an even keel

Meaning
To stay calm and steady, especially during difficulties.
Example
Despite the pressure, she **kept an even keel** throughout the project.
idiom

put your foot in your mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate
Example
He really **put his foot in his mouth** when he mentioned her age.
idiom

hard as nails

Meaning
very tough and determined
Example
She’s **hard as nails** when it comes to achieving her goals.
idiom

dig into

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

by the skin of one’s teeth

Meaning
To narrowly escape or achieve something by a very small margin.
Example
I passed the exam **by the skin of my teeth**.
idiom

a giant leap for mankind

Meaning
a significant or groundbreaking achievement
Example
The first man landing on the moon was truly **a giant leap for mankind**.
idiom

the smoking gun

Meaning
a piece of evidence that clearly proves guilt
Example
The email was **the smoking gun** in the corruption case.
idiom

come full circle

Meaning
to return to the original state after a series of changes
Example
After years abroad, she’s **come full circle** and moved back home.
idiom

model evaluation

Meaning
the process of assessing the accuracy and performance of a trained model
Example
Before deploying the system, we need to perform **model evaluation** to ensure accuracy.
idiom

get ahead of the game

Meaning
to be more successful or advanced than others
Example
He’s always looking for new ideas to **get ahead of the game**.
idiom

taste of success

Meaning
to experience success for the first time
Example
After years of struggle, he finally got a **taste of success**.
idiom

you can’t teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
it’s hard for older people to learn new things or change habits
Example
My dad refuses to use a smartphone — **you can’t teach an old dog new tricks**.
idiom

fail to deliver

Meaning
to not meet expectations or complete a task successfully
Example
The company promised improvements but failed to **deliver** on its promises.
idiom

make a long story short

Meaning
to tell something briefly
Example
To **make a long story short**, I missed my flight.
idiom

a blast from the past

Meaning
something that reminds you of an earlier time
Example
Seeing that old photo album was **a blast from the past**.
idiom

a rip-off

Meaning
something that is too expensive or not worth its price
Example
That restaurant is **a rip-off**; the food is not worth the money.
idiom

Disrupt the market

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

lose faith in someone

Meaning
to stop trusting someone
Example
After what he did, I’ve completely **lost faith in him**.
idiom

hit the town

Meaning
to go out and enjoy with friends
Example
Let’s **hit the town** tonight and celebrate!
idiom

a fool and his money are soon parted

Meaning
people who are careless with their money will lose it quickly
Example
He spent all his money on useless gadgets; **a fool and his money are soon parted**.
idiom

Speak from the heart

Meaning
To speak honestly and sincerely.
Example
When he apologized, he really **spoke from the heart**.
idiom

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Meaning
It’s better to hold onto something you have than risk losing it by trying to get something better.
Example
I decided to keep the job offer I already have because **a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush**.
idiom

out of bounds

Meaning
not allowed or beyond acceptable limits
Example
His rude comment was **out of bounds**.
idiom

just what the doctor ordered

Meaning
exactly what is needed or wanted
Example
A cup of tea was **just what the doctor ordered**.
idiom

talk over

Meaning
to discuss something thoroughly
Example
Let’s **talk over** the proposal before we send it.
idiom

bite your tongue

Meaning
to stop yourself from saying something you want to say
Example
I had to **bite my tongue** when my boss took credit for my work.
idiom

spin-off

Meaning
a product or show that results from another existing one
Example
The successful TV show led to a **spin-off** featuring the same characters.
idiom

paint a new picture

Meaning
to create a new vision or concept
Example
The designer managed to **paint a new picture** for the brand.
idiom

fall short

Meaning
to fail to meet expectations or standards
Example
His efforts **fell short** of what was needed to win the competition.
idiom

tear down

Meaning
to demolish or dismantle something
Example
They plan to **tear down** the old shed this weekend.
idiom

call around

Meaning
to contact several people or places by phone
Example
I’ll **call around** to find a venue with parking.
idiom

ride out

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
We managed to **ride out** the storm without damage.
idiom

don't count your chickens before they hatch

Meaning
don't make plans for something that might not happen
Example
You should wait until you get the job offer before you start celebrating. **Don't count your chickens before they hatch**.
idiom

from the ground up

Meaning
to build or start something completely from the beginning
Example
The software was built **from the ground up** using new code.
idiom

cry over spilled milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There's no use **crying over spilled milk**.
idiom

Sail close to the wind

Meaning
To take risks or act dangerously.
Example
He’s **sailing close to the wind** by lying to his boss.
idiom

throw a party

Meaning
to organize and host a celebration
Example
We’re going to **throw a party** for her birthday.
idiom

go ballistic

Meaning
to become extremely angry or excited
Example
Dad **went ballistic** when he found out I dented his car.
idiom

feather in one’s cap

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

cross the line

Meaning
to do something that is considered unacceptable
Example
He **crossed the line** when he insulted her in front of everyone.
idiom

target audience

Meaning
a specific group of people a campaign is aimed at
Example
You need to know your **target audience** before launching a campaign.
idiom

a peaceful resolution

Meaning
a solution that resolves a conflict calmly
Example
They reached **a peaceful resolution** after several discussions.
idiom

to teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something they are set in their ways about
Example
It’s hard to **teach an old dog new tricks** when it comes to new technology.
idiom

Patience pays off

Meaning
Being patient will eventually lead to positive results.
Example
I know you’ve been waiting for a long time, but trust me, **patience pays off**.
idiom

ring up

Meaning
to calculate and record a sale
Example
The cashier will **ring up** your items at the counter.
idiom

let off some steam

Meaning
to relieve stress or anger by expressing feelings or doing something physical
Example
After that argument, he needed to **let off some steam** by hitting the gym.
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

bear the responsibility

Meaning
to take on the duty of something
Example
She was willing to **bear the responsibility** for the new project.
idiom

love at first sight

Meaning
to fall in love immediately after meeting someone for the first time
Example
It was **love at first sight** when they met in college.
idiom

out of your mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
You must be **out of your mind** to drive that fast!
idiom

code your way out

Meaning
to solve a problem through programming skills
Example
When the system crashed, she managed to **code her way out**.
idiom

malware

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

ahead of the game

Meaning
to have an advantage or be well prepared
Example
She’s always **ahead of the game** with her planning.
idiom

know someone inside out

Meaning
to know someone very well
Example
I **know her inside out**; we’ve been friends for years.
idiom

take the fall

Meaning
to accept blame for something, often to protect others.
Example
He agreed to **take the fall** for the team’s mistake.
idiom

brush aside

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant
Example
Management **brushed aside** the rumors during the briefing.
idiom

take the spotlight

Meaning
to be the center of attention or admiration
Example
The young actress **took the spotlight** at the award ceremony.
idiom

freshen up

Meaning
to wash or tidy oneself to feel renewed
Example
Guests can **freshen up** in the lounge before dinner.
idiom

take charge

Meaning
to take control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge** of the project herself.
idiom

around the clock

Meaning
all day and all night; continuously
Example
Doctors worked **around the clock** to save the patients.
idiom

hit the books

Meaning
to study very hard
Example
I can’t go out tonight; I need to **hit the books** for my exam.
idiom

wave the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After a long debate, he finally **waved the white flag**.
idiom

Take it one step at a time

Meaning
Deal with tasks gradually instead of rushing.
Example
**Take it one step at a time**, and you’ll succeed.
idiom

break the ice

Meaning
to start a friendly conversation in an awkward situation
Example
To **break the ice**, I told a funny story.
idiom

do someone a favor

Meaning
to help someone out of kindness
Example
Could you **do me a favor** and close the window?
idiom

third time lucky

Meaning
succeeding after two failures
Example
He failed twice, but maybe he’ll be **third time lucky**.
idiom

a game changer

Meaning
something that completely changes the way things are done
Example
The new technology is a **game changer** for the healthcare industry.
idiom

navigate uncharted waters

Meaning
Deal with a situation that is new and unknown.
Example
Starting this business means **navigating uncharted waters**.
idiom

color outside the lines

Meaning
to think or act creatively and unconventionally
Example
Good designers always **color outside the lines**.
idiom

nose around

Meaning
to search for information in a curious way
Example
Reporters began to **nose around** after the leak.
idiom

rules are made to be broken

Meaning
sometimes it's okay to ignore rules
Example
He believes **rules are made to be broken**.
idiom

A watched pot never boils

Meaning
Time feels longer when you are waiting for something.
Example
Don't keep looking at the clock; **a watched pot never boils**.
idiom

stay ahead of the game

Meaning
to be more successful or prepared than others
Example
To **stay ahead of the game**, you must always keep learning.
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

make a fortune

Meaning
to earn a lot of money
Example
She **made a fortune** selling handmade jewelry online.
idiom

Make up for lost time

Meaning
To do something faster to compensate for wasted time.
Example
We worked overtime to make up for lost time.
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

give it a shot

Meaning
to try something, even if you are not sure of success
Example
You should **give it a shot**; you might surprise yourself.
idiom

get off scot-free

Meaning
to escape punishment or consequences without facing any penalty
Example
He was caught stealing but managed to **get off scot-free**.
idiom

tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small part of a much bigger problem
Example
The data error we found is just the **tip of the iceberg**.
idiom

justice delayed is justice denied

Meaning
if legal redress is available but not delivered in time, it is as good as having none
Example
Many believe that **justice delayed is justice denied** in this country.
idiom

to be in good shape

Meaning
to be physically fit and healthy
Example
She exercises daily to stay **in good shape**.
idiom

the teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone knows he’s **the teacher’s pet** in our class.
idiom

work-life harmony

Meaning
a balanced and peaceful relationship between work and personal life
Example
She believes in maintaining **work-life harmony**.
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

behind the eight ball

Meaning
to be in a difficult position or disadvantage
Example
Without proper funding, the project is **behind the eight ball**.
idiom

lay the blame on

Meaning
to accuse someone of being responsible for something bad.
Example
They tried to **lay the blame on** the new employee.
idiom

strike a bargain

Meaning
to reach an agreement or deal
Example
After some discussion, they **struck a bargain** that suited both parties.
idiom

weather the storm

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
Our company managed to **weather the storm** during the crisis.
idiom

the ball is in your court

Meaning
it is your turn to make a decision or take action
Example
I've made my offer, now **the ball is in your court**.
idiom

on the big screen

Meaning
appearing in a cinema film
Example
Her novel was adapted **on the big screen** last year.
idiom

come back to earth

Meaning
to return to reality after being excited or daydreaming
Example
After the vacation, it’s time to **come back to earth**.
idiom

give away

Meaning
to donate or to reveal something unintentionally
Example
They plan to **give away** the extra supplies to the shelter.
idiom

the conversion funnel

Meaning
the process customers go through from awareness to purchase
Example
We need to analyze where people drop off in **the conversion funnel**.
idiom

weed out

Meaning
to remove unwanted people or things
Example
The editor **weeded out** the mistakes before publishing.
idiom

in two minds

Meaning
undecided about something
Example
I'm **in two minds** about accepting the new job offer.
idiom

own up to something

Meaning
to admit or confess responsibility for something
Example
You should **own up to your mistakes** instead of blaming others.
idiom

Ride it out

Meaning
Endure a difficult situation until it improves.
Example
We just need to **ride it out** until things get better.
idiom

make your blood run cold

Meaning
to cause extreme fear or horror
Example
The ghost story **made my blood run cold**.
idiom

put heads together

Meaning
to work together to solve a problem
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** and find a solution.
idiom

bounce around

Meaning
to discuss or move between ideas casually
Example
Let’s **bounce around** concepts before we pick one.
idiom

bite the dust

Meaning
to fail or be defeated
Example
Several small startups **bit the dust** last year.
idiom

chip in

Meaning
to contribute money or effort to a shared goal
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in** for Maya’s farewell gift.
idiom

stand tall

Meaning
to act in a proud and confident way
Example
She **stood tall** despite all the criticism.
idiom

bang for your buck

Meaning
value for the money spent; a good deal
Example
This insurance plan gives you the best **bang for your buck**.
idiom

stick together

Meaning
to stay close and support each other
Example
In tough times, good friends **stick together**.
idiom

build castles in the air

Meaning
to make unrealistic plans or dreams
Example
He’s always **building castles in the air** instead of acting.
idiom

come into one's own

Meaning
to reach a stage of maturity or full potential
Example
She really **came into her own** after starting her own business.