get back on your feet
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idiom

get back on your feet

Meaning
to recover after an illness or difficulty
Example
He lost his job but soon **got back on his feet**.
idiom

wired to learn

Meaning
naturally designed to acquire knowledge or skills
Example
Humans are **wired to learn**, just like AI systems.
idiom

lay it on the line

Meaning
to be very clear or direct about something
Example
I'll **lay it on the line**—if we don't improve, we'll lose investors.
idiom

swear on one’s life

Meaning
to make a very serious promise that something is true
Example
I **swear on my life**, I didn’t do it!
idiom

break the mold

Meaning
to do something differently from tradition
Example
She **broke the mold** by becoming the first female CEO.
idiom

ground control

Meaning
authority or people managing a situation
Example
In this project, Sarah is **ground control**.
idiom

under pressure

Meaning
to be in a stressful situation with a lot of demands
Example
She performs well even when she’s **under pressure**.
idiom

crunch the numbers

Meaning
to process data or analyze statistics
Example
AI can **crunch the numbers** faster than any human.
idiom

gray matter

Meaning
intelligence or brainpower
Example
It takes a lot of **gray matter** to solve such a complex problem.
idiom

Cogito, ergo sum

Meaning
I think, therefore I am. A fundamental philosophical proposition that asserts the act of thinking is proof of one's existence.
Example
René Descartes' famous phrase **Cogito, ergo sum** highlights the importance of self-awareness in understanding existence.
idiom

A leap of faith

Meaning
Believing in something even without evidence or proof.
Example
When she took the job offer, it was truly **a leap of faith**.
idiom

down on one’s luck

Meaning
to be experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s **down on his luck** and can’t find a job.
idiom

lead by example

Meaning
to show others how to behave by doing it yourself
Example
A true leader always **leads by example**.
idiom

off the rails

Meaning
to become uncontrolled or chaotic
Example
After his friend moved away, his life went **off the rails**.
idiom

run in the family

Meaning
a characteristic that many members of a family share
Example
Good looks **run in the family** — all of them are beautiful!
idiom

tone down

Meaning
to make something less forceful or intense
Example
Could you **tone down** the colors in that slide?
idiom

turn back the clock

Meaning
to return to an earlier time; to undo progress or change
Example
Many people wish they could **turn back the clock** to their childhood.
idiom

blind date

Meaning
a romantic meeting between two people who have never met before
Example
She met her boyfriend on a **blind date**.
idiom

a tough call

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

Ask a million questions

Meaning
To be extremely curious and ask many questions.
Example
Kids often **ask a million questions** about everything.
idiom

keep the dream alive

Meaning
to continue to hope or work toward a goal even after setbacks
Example
Even after the failure, they **kept the dream alive**.
idiom

see the silver lining

Meaning
to find hope or something positive in a bad situation
Example
She tries to **see the silver lining** even in tough times.
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

clickbait

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

cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility and tension between countries without actual warfare
Example
During the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a **cold war**.
idiom

go out of your way

Meaning
to make a special effort to help someone
Example
She **went out of her way** to help me with my project.
idiom

step up your game

Meaning
to improve your performance or effort
Example
You need to **step up your game** if you want to win.
idiom

clue in

Meaning
to give someone the necessary information
Example
Can you **clue me in** on the schedule changes?
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

take a dim view of

Meaning
to disapprove of something; to have a negative opinion
Example
The manager **takes a dim view of** employees arriving late.
idiom

Hold out

Meaning
Continue to survive or resist for a long time.
Example
They managed to **hold out** until help arrived.
idiom

warm up to

Meaning
to gradually become more comfortable with someone or something
Example
She slowly **warmed up to** the new routine.
idiom

Plow the field

Meaning
To prepare for future work or success.
Example
Before launching the product, we need to **plow the field** with proper research.
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

mix in

Meaning
to combine one thing with others
Example
Now **mix in** the chopped herbs.
idiom

get the show on the road

Meaning
to begin an activity or journey
Example
Let’s **get the show on the road** and start our trip.
idiom

add on

Meaning
to include something extra
Example
You can **add on** dessert for a small fee.
idiom

to learn the hard way

Meaning
to learn by making mistakes or through difficult experiences
Example
He **learned the hard way** that honesty is the best policy.
idiom

have a blast

Meaning
to have a really good time
Example
We **had a blast** at the concert last night!
idiom

go nuclear

Meaning
to react very strongly or angrily
Example
When the data got deleted, the manager **went nuclear**.
idiom

On the drawing board

Meaning
In the planning or design stage
Example
The new product is still **on the drawing board**, but it will be launched next year.
idiom

mix up

Meaning
to confuse two or more things
Example
I always **mix up** their names during meetings.
idiom

the big bang

Meaning
a sudden and powerful beginning; often used metaphorically
Example
The startup launched with **a big bang** in the tech world.
idiom

take a load off

Meaning
to sit down and relax, especially after working hard
Example
Come in and **take a load off**.
idiom

personally speaking

Meaning
expressing one’s own personal view
Example
**Personally speaking**, I prefer quiet places.
idiom

to lay down the law

Meaning
to assert authority and dictate how things should be done
Example
The new judge quickly **laid down the law** in the courtroom.
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

roll up one's sleeves

Meaning
to prepare to work hard or take on a challenge
Example
We need to **roll up our sleeves** if we want to finish this task on time.
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

Dig deeper

Meaning
To investigate more thoroughly or find out more details.
Example
Journalists are trained to **dig deeper** into stories.
idiom

make headway

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

Like two peas in a pod

Meaning
Two people who are very similar or close.
Example
John and Mike are **like two peas in a pod**. They think alike and do everything together.
idiom

leave aside

Meaning
to postpone discussion of something
Example
Let’s **leave aside** that issue until we have more data.
idiom

Make the most of something

Meaning
To use something to its full potential.
Example
You should **make the most of this opportunity**.
idiom

a silver bullet

Meaning
a simple solution to a complex problem
Example
There is no **silver bullet** for solving climate change, but we need to take action.
idiom

Keep going

Meaning
Continue with determination despite difficulties.
Example
You're doing great—just **keep going**!
idiom

get worked up

Meaning
to become upset or angry about something
Example
Don’t **get worked up** over minor mistakes.
idiom

start from scratch

Meaning
to begin again without any advantage or preparation
Example
They lost everything and had to **start from scratch**.
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

lose your mind

Meaning
to become mentally unstable or extremely upset
Example
He nearly **lost his mind** after the breakup.
idiom

to take the law into one’s own hands

Meaning
to punish someone personally instead of letting the authorities handle it
Example
The villagers **took the law into their own hands** when the thief escaped.
idiom

To lend a helping hand

Meaning
to assist someone in a time of need
Example
She always knows when to **lend a helping hand** and never hesitates.
idiom

A Trojan horse

Meaning
Something intended to secretly undermine or bring harm from within.
Example
The malware acted as **a Trojan horse**, allowing hackers access to private data.
idiom

go under

Meaning
to lose consciousness, usually during surgery
Example
He was nervous before going **under** for his operation.
idiom

talk out

Meaning
to discuss something until a decision is reached
Example
Let’s **talk out** the disagreement today.
idiom

save time

Meaning
to reduce the time needed for something
Example
Using shortcuts can **save time** when typing.
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

go bananas

Meaning
to become very excited or angry
Example
The crowd **went bananas** when their team scored.
idiom

to kill two birds with one stone

Meaning
to achieve two things at once
Example
I can **kill two birds with one stone** by listening to a podcast while I exercise.
idiom

tip off

Meaning
to secretly give information or a warning
Example
A neighbor **tipped off** the police about the noise.
idiom

dial back

Meaning
to reduce the strength or amount of something
Example
We may need to **dial back** the advertising spend.
idiom

green thumb

Meaning
a natural talent for gardening or growing plants
Example
My mother has a **green thumb**; everything she plants grows beautifully.
idiom

cross your heart and hope to die

Meaning
to swear that something is true, often said with sincerity
Example
I **cross my heart and hope to die** that I will never lie to you.
idiom

change of heart

Meaning
a change in the way one feels about something or someone
Example
He had a **change of heart** and decided to stay.
idiom

trickle-down economics

Meaning
an economic theory that suggests that policies benefiting the wealthy will eventually benefit everyone by creating jobs and growth
Example
Critics argue that **trickle-down economics** has failed to provide substantial benefits for the poor.
idiom

artificial brainpower

Meaning
intelligence or decision-making provided by AI systems
Example
The car relies on **artificial brainpower** to navigate through traffic.
idiom

opt out

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

cold call

Meaning
to contact a potential customer without prior introduction
Example
He spent all morning making **cold calls** to new clients.
idiom

hit it out of the park

Meaning
to do something extremely well
Example
Your presentation really **hit it out of the park**!
idiom

hash it out

Meaning
to discuss a problem thoroughly to find a solution
Example
Let’s sit down and **hash it out** instead of fighting.
idiom

spread the word

Meaning
to tell many people about something
Example
Please **spread the word** about our new course.
idiom

in the pink of health

Meaning
in very good health
Example
After months of rest, he’s now **in the pink of health**.
idiom

Get down to brass tacks

Meaning
To start discussing the essential or most important aspects of a matter.
Example
Let’s **get down to brass tacks** and talk about the real issues.
idiom

salt of the earth

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

buy a lemon

Meaning
to buy something that is defective or worthless
Example
He **bought a lemon** when he got that used car.
idiom

keep it up

Meaning
to continue doing something well
Example
You’re doing great with your studies—**keep it up**!
idiom

crack down on

Meaning
to take strict action to stop something
Example
The city plans to **crack down on** illegal parking downtown.
idiom

give the cold shoulder

Meaning
to intentionally ignore someone
Example
She **gave me the cold shoulder** at the party.
idiom

busy as a bee

Meaning
very active or hardworking
Example
She’s **as busy as a bee** preparing for the wedding.
idiom

break into a cold sweat

Meaning
to start sweating due to fear or anxiety
Example
He **broke into a cold sweat** before giving his speech.
idiom

take the fall for

Meaning
to accept blame for something on behalf of someone else
Example
He decided to **take the fall for** his colleague's mistake.
idiom

bootstrap a startup

Meaning
to build a business using limited resources without external funding
Example
Many successful founders **bootstrapped their startups** in the early days.
idiom

to burn one's fingers

Meaning
to suffer from a bad experience or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** investing in that fake company.
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

a piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a small part of a larger situation or problem
Example
Finding the right team is just **a piece of the puzzle** in creating a successful business.
idiom

Get the message

Meaning
To understand what someone is trying to say.
Example
After his silence, she finally **got the message**.
idiom

leave a legacy

Meaning
to create something that lasts and benefits others after you are gone
Example
He worked hard all his life to **leave a legacy** for his children.
idiom

let the cat out of the bag

Meaning
to reveal a secret accidentally
Example
She **let the cat out of the bag** about the surprise party.
idiom

weak link

Meaning
the most vulnerable or insecure part of a system
Example
Humans are often the **weak link** in cybersecurity.
idiom

to kick the bucket

Meaning
to die (humorous or informal)
Example
He used to joke that he’d travel the world before he **kicked the bucket**.
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

at the back of one's mind

Meaning
something that one is not actively thinking about but is still aware of
Example
The fear of failure was always **at the back of his mind**.
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

iron out

Meaning
to resolve small problems or differences
Example
We need to **iron out** the payment details before signing.
idiom

get cold feet

Meaning
to suddenly become afraid to do something
Example
He **got cold feet** before proposing to her.
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

bury the hatchet

Meaning
to stop fighting and become friends again
Example
After years of argument, they decided to **bury the hatchet**.
idiom

be at the helm

Meaning
to be in charge of or control something
Example
He was **at the helm** of the company when it became successful.
idiom

plug and play

Meaning
easy to use without complex setup
Example
The new printer is **plug and play** – no installation needed.
idiom

to feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel very good or confident
Example
After the spa treatment, I **felt like a million bucks**.
idiom

fall flat

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

get down to business

Meaning
to start working seriously
Example
Let’s stop chatting and **get down to business**.
idiom

laugh off

Meaning
to dismiss something by treating it as a joke
Example
She tried to **laugh off** the mistake during the presentation.
idiom

hold your horses

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

brighten up your day

Meaning
to make someone feel happier
Example
Her smile can **brighten up your day** instantly.
idiom

keep your cards close to your chest

Meaning
to keep your plans or intentions secret
Example
She always **keeps her cards close to her chest** during negotiations.
idiom

jump the gun

Meaning
to start something too soon
Example
They **jumped the gun** by announcing the news early.
idiom

man’s best friend

Meaning
a common phrase for a dog, symbolizing loyalty and friendship
Example
They say a dog is **man’s best friend**.
idiom

team effort

Meaning
work done by a group of people to achieve a common goal
Example
The success of the project was due to a great **team effort**.