forbidden fruit
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idiom

forbidden fruit

Meaning
something attractive but not allowed or morally wrong
Example
For teenagers, breaking rules often feels like **forbidden fruit**.
idiom

Family is everything

Meaning
The family holds the most important place in one's life and provides support and love.
Example
After all that happened, **family is everything**, and they helped him get through the tough time.
idiom

follow your heart

Meaning
to make a decision based on your feelings
Example
When choosing a career, it’s best to **follow your heart**.
idiom

Fall down seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying no matter how many times you fail.
Example
**Fall down seven times, stand up eight** — that’s the spirit of success.
idiom

filter out

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

find fault

Meaning
to criticize someone or something unfairly
Example
He always **finds fault** with everything I do.
idiom

forty winks

Meaning
a short nap or brief sleep
Example
He likes to take **forty winks** after work.
idiom

Follow your nose

Meaning
Trust your instincts and go in the direction that feels right.
Example
If you're lost, just **follow your nose** and you'll find the way.
idiom

feel good about yourself

Meaning
to have positive feelings about who you are or what you do
Example
Doing something kind makes you **feel good about yourself**.
idiom

factor in

Meaning
to include something as part of a calculation or plan
Example
Remember to **factor in** travel time when planning.
idiom

fill in for

Meaning
to do someone’s job temporarily
Example
Can you **fill in for** Rosa while she’s on leave?
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

feel for

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

for what it’s worth

Meaning
used to introduce an opinion that may or may not be useful
Example
**For what it’s worth**, I think you did the right thing.
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

fire up

Meaning
to excite or motivate someone
Example
The coach’s speech really **fired up** the players.
idiom

Fortune favors the bold

Meaning
Those who take risks are more likely to be successful.
Example
Remember, **fortune favors the bold**, so don’t be afraid to invest in new opportunities.
idiom

face the world

Meaning
to deal with life and its challenges confidently
Example
After recovering, she was ready to **face the world** again.
idiom

fend off

Meaning
to defend against something or someone
Example
They installed lights to **fend off** raccoons in the yard.
idiom

fall on one's sword

Meaning
to take responsibility for a failure, often at great personal cost
Example
He decided to **fall on his sword** and resign after the scandal.
idiom

food for thought

Meaning
something that makes you think seriously
Example
His comment gave me **food for thought**.
idiom

from the bottom of my heart

Meaning
with sincere gratitude
Example
I thank you **from the bottom of my heart** for everything.
idiom

fib

Meaning
a small or trivial lie
Example
It was just a little **fib**, nothing serious.
idiom

feeling on top of the world

Meaning
feeling extremely happy or successful
Example
After getting the job, I was **on top of the world**.
idiom

fade to black

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

feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel extremely good or happy
Example
After a great workout, I always **feel like a million bucks**.
idiom

fall in with

Meaning
to join or agree with a group or plan
Example
She decided to **fall in with** the volunteer crew for the weekend.
idiom

fear of the unknown

Meaning
anxiety about things that are unfamiliar or uncertain
Example
Many people avoid change because of their **fear of the unknown**.
idiom

fall for someone

Meaning
to start loving someone; to develop romantic feelings
Example
He **fell for** her the moment he saw her smile.
idiom

feel like a new person

Meaning
to feel refreshed and healthy again
Example
After a good night’s sleep, I **feel like a new person**.
idiom

fail fast, learn faster

Meaning
to quickly identify mistakes and use them as learning opportunities
Example
In startup culture, it’s encouraged to **fail fast, learn faster**.
idiom

from the horse’s mouth

Meaning
directly from the original or reliable source
Example
I heard the news **from the horse’s mouth**.
idiom

fly high

Meaning
to be very successful or happy
Example
After winning the award, she’s been **flying high**.
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

fan through

Meaning
to flip through pages quickly
Example
She **fanned through** the report to find the chart.
idiom

Fall seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying even after multiple failures.
Example
Life is tough, but remember to **fall seven times, stand up eight**.
idiom

fail to plan is plan to fail

Meaning
without proper planning, failure is inevitable
Example
**Failing to plan is planning to fail**, so prepare early.
idiom

face up to

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

Fair enough

Meaning
Used to show you understand or accept someone’s point
Example
‘We can’t afford it now.’ ‘**Fair enough**, maybe later.’
idiom

faint-hearted

Meaning
lacking courage or determination
Example
Climbing this mountain is not for the **faint-hearted**.
idiom

fall on deaf ears

Meaning
when advice or complaints are ignored
Example
His apology **fell on deaf ears**.
idiom

fall flat

Meaning
to fail completely
Example
His idea **fell flat** because nobody liked it.
idiom

Flying high

Meaning
To be very successful or happy.
Example
After getting promoted, she's **flying high**.
idiom

feel the strain

Meaning
to feel stress or pressure from a difficult situation
Example
Many employees are starting to **feel the strain** of the workload.
idiom

face time

Meaning
direct personal interaction rather than virtual communication
Example
We need more **face time** to build trust among team members.
idiom

full of confidence

Meaning
feeling very sure of yourself
Example
He walked into the interview room **full of confidence**.
idiom

feel blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
I always **feel blue** on rainy days.
idiom

face your fears

Meaning
to confront something that scares you
Example
You need to **face your fears** if you want to grow as a person.
idiom

Fail fast

Meaning
To quickly identify and learn from failures.
Example
In startups, it’s better to **fail fast** and learn than to waste time.
idiom

Fit like a glove

Meaning
To fit perfectly.
Example
This dress **fits like a glove** on you!
idiom

free as a bird

Meaning
completely free; without restrictions
Example
After leaving his job, he felt **free as a bird**.
idiom

fear the unknown

Meaning
to be afraid of things you don’t understand or haven’t experienced
Example
Many people **fear the unknown** when starting something new.
idiom

forgive and forget

Meaning
to stop being angry and not remember someone’s mistake
Example
Let’s **forgive and forget** and move on.
idiom

fight your demons

Meaning
to deal with your fears or bad memories courageously
Example
He’s learning to **fight his demons** from the past.
idiom

fall head over heels for someone

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

follow suit

Meaning
to do the same thing as someone else, especially online
Example
After one influencer started the trend, many others **followed suit**.
idiom

Face the truth

Meaning
To accept the reality of a situation, even if it’s unpleasant.
Example
You have to **face the truth** about your finances.
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

fight fire with fire

Meaning
to use the same tactics as one’s opponent
Example
When negotiations failed, they decided to **fight fire with fire**.
idiom

fan out

Meaning
to spread out over an area
Example
Volunteers will **fan out** across the park.
idiom

fearless as a lion

Meaning
to be very brave and bold
Example
The firefighter was **fearless as a lion** during the rescue.
idiom

follow your dreams

Meaning
to pursue what you truly want in life
Example
He quit his job to **follow his dreams** of becoming a musician.
idiom

friends in high places

Meaning
people with power or influence who can help you
Example
He got the job because he has **friends in high places**.
idiom

Fine tuning

Meaning
small adjustments to improve something
Example
The plan just needs some **fine tuning** before we present it.
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

fair-weather friend

Meaning
a person who is only your friend when things are good
Example
A **fair-weather friend** will leave you when things get tough.
idiom

feel off-color

Meaning
to feel slightly ill
Example
I’m feeling a bit **off-color** today.
idiom

find common ground

Meaning
to find shared interests or agreement
Example
We must **find common ground** to resolve this conflict.
idiom

filter through

Meaning
to spread gradually among people
Example
News of the promotion quickly **filtered through** the office.
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

filter bubble

Meaning
a situation where a person only sees online content that reinforces their beliefs
Example
Many people live inside a **filter bubble** on social media.
idiom

fall flat on one’s face

Meaning
to fail completely or embarrass oneself
Example
He **fell flat on his face** trying to start a new business.
idiom

follow through on

Meaning
to complete a task or promise as planned
Example
She always **follows through on** what she says she will do.
idiom

fill out

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

flesh out

Meaning
to add more detail to something
Example
We need to **flesh out** the proposal before presenting it.
idiom

Flying blind

Meaning
To act without sufficient information or guidance.
Example
Without proper data, we're **flying blind** on this project.
idiom

fail better

Meaning
to improve by learning from past failures
Example
Even if you fail, try to **fail better** next time.
idiom

fall behind

Meaning
to fail to keep up with a schedule or progress
Example
If we miss another deadline, we’ll **fall behind** on the project.
idiom

find the right balance

Meaning
to achieve a healthy or effective equilibrium between work and personal life
Example
It took me a while, but I finally **found the right balance** between work and family.
idiom

feel it in your bones

Meaning
to sense something strongly without evidence
Example
I **feel it in my bones** that something bad will happen.
idiom

Failure is the mother of success

Meaning
Success often comes after learning from failures.
Example
Don’t worry about failing; **failure is the mother of success**.
idiom

feeling low

Meaning
feeling depressed or unhappy
Example
I’ve been **feeling low** lately due to stress.
idiom

fall on one's shoulders

Meaning
to be responsible for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
The task of organizing the event **fell on her shoulders**.
idiom

fish for

Meaning
to try to get something such as information or praise
Example
He keeps **fishing for** compliments about his report.
idiom

fair and square

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

feeling blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
She’s been **feeling blue** all day.
idiom

freshen up

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

feel at ease

Meaning
to feel relaxed and confident
Example
He finally **felt at ease** speaking in public.
idiom

feel ten feet tall

Meaning
to feel very proud and confident
Example
He **felt ten feet tall** after completing the challenge.
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

full of beans

Meaning
very energetic and lively
Example
The kids are **full of beans** this morning.
idiom

fun and games

Meaning
enjoyable activities; playful behavior
Example
It’s not all **fun and games** when organizing a big event.
idiom

follow your gut

Meaning
to trust your instincts when making a decision
Example
Sometimes it's best to **follow your gut**.
idiom

flat broke

Meaning
having no money at all
Example
I was **flat broke** after paying all my bills this month.
idiom

fall through

Meaning
to fail to happen
Example
Our travel plans might **fall through** if the storm hits.
idiom

Faith can move mountains

Meaning
Strong belief can achieve the impossible.
Example
He believes that **faith can move mountains** when you truly believe.
idiom

family ties

Meaning
Strong connections among family members.
Example
**Family ties** kept her close to her hometown.
idiom

fall in love

Meaning
to develop romantic feelings for someone
Example
I didn't expect to **fall in love** with her so quickly.
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

feel the pinch

Meaning
to have financial difficulties; to feel short of money
Example
With rising prices, many families are starting to **feel the pinch**.
idiom

face the consequences

Meaning
to accept the results of your actions, whether good or bad
Example
You will have to **face the consequences** of your actions.
idiom

face the music

Meaning
to accept criticism or punishment for something you have done
Example
You made a mistake, and now you have to **face the music**.
idiom

from my point of view

Meaning
considering something from one's own perspective
Example
**From my point of view**, the plan makes sense.
B1 idiom

fish out of water

Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Meaning
Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Example
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
idiom

feel the heat

Meaning
to experience pressure or criticism
Example
The manager began to **feel the heat** after the sales dropped.
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

faithful to the end

Meaning
staying loyal and supportive for a long time
Example
She was **faithful to the end** in her relationship.
idiom

fill in on

Meaning
to provide someone with the latest information
Example
Could you **fill me in on** the policy updates?
idiom

forever grateful

Meaning
thankful for something for a long time
Example
I’ll be **forever grateful** for what you’ve done.
idiom

fit for a king

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

foot the bill

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

fight tooth and nail

Meaning
to fight very fiercely or with great determination
Example
They **fought tooth and nail** to protect their rights.
idiom

fall flat on your face

Meaning
to fail completely in an embarrassing way
Example
He **fell flat on his face** during his first business attempt.
idiom

freak out

Meaning
to become very anxious, upset, or scared
Example
She **freaked out** when she saw the spider.
idiom

free up

Meaning
to make time, money, or space available
Example
Clearing old files will **free up** storage on the drive.
idiom

family comes first

Meaning
family is the most important priority in life
Example
No matter how busy I get, **family comes first** for me.
idiom

full of oneself

Meaning
to be overly proud or self-confident
Example
He’s so **full of himself** after getting that promotion.
idiom

frame of mind

Meaning
a person's mood or mental state
Example
He’s not in the right **frame of mind** to make decisions.
idiom

fly by the seat of your pants

Meaning
to do something without planning, using only instinct and experience
Example
We didn't have a map, so we **flew by the seat of our pants**.