give someone a hard time
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idiom

give someone a hard time

Meaning
to criticize or treat someone harshly
Example
The boss **gave me a hard time** for being late.
idiom

go up in smoke

Meaning
to fail completely; to come to nothing
Example
All his dreams **went up in smoke** after the deal collapsed.
idiom

go back to square one

Meaning
to start again from the beginning
Example
If this doesn’t work, we’ll have to **go back to square one**.
idiom

go through the motions

Meaning
to do something without enthusiasm
Example
He’s just **going through the motions** at work.
idiom

give someone a break

Meaning
to give someone a chance or show them mercy
Example
He’s new here, so **give him a break**.
idiom

get a new lease on life

Meaning
to gain new energy or enthusiasm for something
Example
After the surgery, she felt like she had **got a new lease on life**.
idiom

glass half full

Meaning
to see things positively rather than negatively
Example
He always sees the **glass half full**, no matter what happens.
idiom

Golden goose

Meaning
A source of continuous profit or success.
Example
Tourism has been the country's **golden goose** for years.
idiom

give thanks

Meaning
to express gratitude
Example
We should always **give thanks** for what we have.
idiom

get under someone's skin

Meaning
to annoy or bother someone deeply
Example
She really knows how to **get under my skin**.
idiom

get worked up

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

Get the scoop

Meaning
To be the first to report on a story, often an exclusive one.
Example
The reporter worked tirelessly to **get the scoop** on the celebrity scandal.
idiom

give the green light

Meaning
to give permission or approval to proceed
Example
The board finally **gave the green light** for the new project.
idiom

give someone a run for their money

Meaning
to compete strongly against someone
Example
The new player **gave the champion a run for his money**.
idiom

give someone a shot in the arm

Meaning
to boost someone’s confidence or enthusiasm
Example
The victory **gave the team a shot in the arm** before the final.
idiom

go along with

Meaning
to agree to something or support an idea
Example
I’ll **go along with** your plan since it sounds reasonable.
idiom

get back on track

Meaning
to return to the right path after a mistake or setback
Example
After a few mistakes, she managed to **get back on track**.
idiom

get along with someone

Meaning
to have a friendly relationship with someone
Example
They really **get along with each other** and are always laughing.
idiom

grow out of something

Meaning
to stop liking or doing something as you become older or more mature
Example
He eventually **grew out of** his bad habits.
idiom

get the credit

Meaning
to receive praise or recognition for something
Example
The whole team worked hard, but only he **got the credit**.
idiom

Go overboard

Meaning
To do something to an excessive degree.
Example
He **went overboard** decorating his office for the holidays.
idiom

get a degree

Meaning
to complete a formal education program
Example
She worked hard to **get a degree** in engineering.
idiom

get a good deal

Meaning
to buy something at a low price; to make a bargain
Example
I **got a good deal** on this phone online.
idiom

go down in flames

Meaning
to fail spectacularly
Example
The project **went down in flames** after the funding was cut.
idiom

give someone a warm welcome

Meaning
to greet someone very kindly and enthusiastically
Example
They **gave us a warm welcome** when we arrived.
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

get a grip

Meaning
to control your emotions and behave sensibly
Example
Stop panicking and **get a grip** on yourself!
idiom

get a pat on the back

Meaning
to receive praise or recognition for something good
Example
He **got a pat on the back** for completing the project early.
idiom

give someone the creeps

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

green-eyed with envy

Meaning
showing strong jealousy
Example
They were **green-eyed with envy** at her luxurious lifestyle.
idiom

go with your gut

Meaning
to trust your instinct when making a decision
Example
Sometimes you just have to **go with your gut**.
idiom

give someone a hand

Meaning
to help someone with a task
Example
Could you **give me a hand** with dinner?
idiom

get in touch

Meaning
to contact or communicate with someone
Example
I’ll **get in touch** with you tomorrow.
idiom

give it your all

Meaning
to try your best or use all your energy
Example
If you **give it your all**, you’ll be proud of yourself no matter the result.
idiom

get the wrong end of the stick

Meaning
to misunderstand a situation or statement completely
Example
I think you’ve **got the wrong end of the stick**—I wasn’t blaming you.
idiom

grab attention

Meaning
to make people notice something immediately
Example
Bright colors and bold fonts are used to **grab attention**.
idiom

go behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly or deceitfully against someone
Example
She **went behind my back** and told the manager everything.
idiom

get to the bottom of things

Meaning
to find out the real cause or truth behind something
Example
The detective worked hard to **get to the bottom of things**.
idiom

grind away

Meaning
to work hard on something for a long period
Example
She **grinded away** at her studies to pass the exam.
idiom

gain the upper ground

Meaning
to achieve a position of advantage or superiority
Example
The opposition **gained the upper ground** after the scandal.
idiom

going viral

Meaning
to become very popular very quickly on the internet or social media
Example
The video of the cat dancing has **gone viral** and everyone is talking about it.
idiom

gears in motion

Meaning
the process has started and is progressing
Example
Once the plan was approved, the **gears were in motion**.
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

go bankrupt

Meaning
to lose all money and be unable to pay debts
Example
Many start-ups **go bankrupt** within their first year.
idiom

groundbreaking discovery

Meaning
a discovery that changes understanding in a field
Example
The new vaccine was a **groundbreaking discovery** in medicine.
idiom

get hooked on

Meaning
to become addicted or very interested in something
Example
He **got hooked on** playing chess after just one game.
idiom

Go out on a limb

Meaning
to take a risk by supporting something or someone
Example
He **went out on a limb** by recommending her for the job.
idiom

get straight to the point

Meaning
to talk directly about the main topic
Example
Let's **get straight to the point** and discuss the issue.
idiom

green with envy

Meaning
very jealous
Example
She was **green with envy** when she saw my new phone.
idiom

get down to the wire

Meaning
to approach the last possible moment before a deadline
Example
The project went **down to the wire**, but we finished on time.
idiom

go belly up

Meaning
to fail completely; to go bankrupt
Example
Many small businesses **went belly up** during the pandemic.
idiom

go out of one’s way

Meaning
to make a special effort to help someone
Example
She **went out of her way** to make sure we felt welcome.
idiom

give someone a dose of their own medicine

Meaning
to treat someone the same bad way they treated others
Example
He was rude to everyone, so I **gave him a dose of his own medicine**.
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

go separate ways

Meaning
to end a relationship or partnership
Example
After ten years together, they decided to **go separate ways**.
idiom

grasp at straws

Meaning
to try any method to succeed, even if unlikely
Example
He was **grasping at straws** when he suggested that idea.
idiom

go in one ear and out the other

Meaning
to hear something but quickly forget it
Example
Whatever I tell him **goes in one ear and out the other**.
idiom

get to the point

Meaning
to focus on the important part of a conversation or issue
Example
We don’t have much time, so let’s **get to the point**.
idiom

give me a hand

Meaning
to help someone
Example
Can you **give me a hand** with this bag?
idiom

glide through

Meaning
to complete something smoothly and easily
Example
She managed to **glide through** the presentation.
idiom

get acquainted

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

get your ducks in a row

Meaning
to organize things properly before taking action
Example
Before launching the business, we need to **get our ducks in a row**.
idiom

Go Dutch

Meaning
To share the cost of something equally.
Example
Let’s **go Dutch** on the dinner tonight.
idiom

gray area

Meaning
a situation that is not clearly defined or falls between two categories
Example
AI surveillance laws still fall into a **gray area**.
idiom

get your act together

Meaning
start working efficiently or properly
Example
You need to **get your act together** if you want to meet the deadline.
idiom

Go where no man has gone before

Meaning
To explore or attempt something that has never been done before.
Example
The mission to Mars aims to **go where no man has gone before**.
idiom

give over to

Meaning
to devote time or space to something
Example
They **gave the evening over to** brainstorming.
idiom

go bananas over something

Meaning
to become extremely excited or enthusiastic about something
Example
Kids **go bananas over** the new video game console.
idiom

get out of hand

Meaning
to become difficult to control
Example
The party started to **get out of hand** when more people arrived.
idiom

go off on a tangent

Meaning
to suddenly start talking about something unrelated
Example
He tends to **go off on a tangent** when discussing politics.
idiom

go through the roof

Meaning
to increase rapidly; to become very high
Example
The prices of housing have **gone through the roof** recently.
idiom

gear up for

Meaning
to prepare for something
Example
The engineers are **gearing up for** the final test run.
idiom

go under

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

Go down the rabbit hole

Meaning
To get deeply involved in something, often unintentionally.
Example
I started reading about AI and **went down the rabbit hole** for hours.
idiom

get away with murder

Meaning
to do something very bad without being punished for it
Example
He’s so spoiled that he can **get away with murder** at home.
idiom

go-getter

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

get a move on

Meaning
to hurry up or move faster
Example
**Get a move on**, or we’ll miss the train!
idiom

grow on someone

Meaning
to become more liked or appreciated over time
Example
At first I didn’t like the song, but it **grew on me**.
idiom

go into orbit

Meaning
to become very excited or angry
Example
Mom **went into orbit** when she saw the mess in my room.
idiom

get a handle on something

Meaning
to understand or gain control of something
Example
I'm trying to **get a handle on** the new software.
idiom

gain the upper hand

Meaning
to get control or advantage over someone
Example
Through smart negotiation, the ambassador **gained the upper hand**.
idiom

get used to it

Meaning
to become familiar with something new
Example
It took a while, but I finally **got used to it**.
idiom

Give one’s word

Meaning
To make a sincere promise.
Example
He **gave his word** that he would finish the job.
idiom

go easy on someone

Meaning
to be gentle or patient with someone
Example
Go easy on him; he’s been through a lot lately.
idiom

good egg

Meaning
a kind and reliable person
Example
Everyone likes John because he’s a **good egg**.
idiom

go over

Meaning
to review or discuss something thoroughly
Example
Can we **go over** the agenda together?
idiom

go off the rails

Meaning
to start behaving in an unusual or uncontrolled way
Example
After losing his job, his life seemed to **go off the rails**.
idiom

go according to plan

Meaning
to happen as expected
Example
Everything went **according to plan** during the event.
idiom

grit your teeth

Meaning
to accept something unpleasant and continue
Example
He had to **grit his teeth** and finish the job.
idiom

Gordian knot

Meaning
A very complex or unsolvable problem.
Example
The issue of climate change is like a **Gordian knot** that needs bold action.
idiom

get fired up

Meaning
to become very excited or enthusiastic about something
Example
The team got **fired up** before the final match.
idiom

go under the knife

Meaning
to have a surgical operation
Example
He had to **go under the knife** to fix his knee injury.
idiom

get off on the right foot

Meaning
to start a relationship or activity in a positive way
Example
We **got off on the right foot** during our first meeting.
idiom

gather around

Meaning
to come together around someone or something
Example
Kids **gathered around** to watch the science demo.
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

give someone the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to trust someone even when you are not sure they are honest
Example
I will **give him the benefit of the doubt** this time.
idiom

give off

Meaning
to emit a smell, light, or feeling
Example
The candles **give off** a calming scent in the room.
idiom

Go to pieces

Meaning
To lose control of your emotions; to break down.
Example
She **went to pieces** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

get to the bottom of it

Meaning
to find the real reason or cause of something
Example
Let’s **get to the bottom of it** before making any decision.
idiom

growth hacking

Meaning
using creative and low-cost strategies to rapidly grow a business or product
Example
Startups rely heavily on **growth hacking** to gain users quickly.
idiom

get a taste of your own medicine

Meaning
to be treated in the same unpleasant way that you have treated others
Example
He's always rude to people, so I'm glad he finally **got a taste of his own medicine**.
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

get your money’s worth

Meaning
to get value or satisfaction from what you paid for
Example
That smartphone is so durable—you really **got your money’s worth**.
idiom

get through to someone

Meaning
to make someone understand what you mean
Example
I tried to **get through to him**, but he just wouldn’t listen.
idiom

Get the message

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

Grounded

Meaning
Unable to go out or fly; restricted for a reason.
Example
All flights were **grounded** due to heavy fog.
idiom

get the jitters

Meaning
to feel extremely nervous or anxious
Example
I always **get the jitters** before a big meeting.
idiom

go steady

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

give out

Meaning
to distribute something
Example
We’ll **give out** the schedules at the door.
idiom

go to battle

Meaning
to prepare to fight or compete strongly
Example
Our team is ready to **go to battle** in the finals.
idiom

get your foot in the door

Meaning
to make a first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
She finally **got her foot in the door** at a top firm.
idiom

green around the gills

Meaning
looking sick or nauseated
Example
He looked **green around the gills** after the boat ride.
idiom

glue together

Meaning
to attach pieces firmly using adhesive
Example
Let the students **glue together** the collage pieces.
idiom

gloss over

Meaning
to avoid mentioning unpleasant details
Example
The report tries to **gloss over** the budget cuts.
idiom

grease the wheels

Meaning
to make a process run more smoothly by helping it along or making it easier
Example
Bribing officials is a common way to grease the wheels in international trade negotiations.
idiom

game plan

Meaning
a carefully thought-out strategy
Example
We need a solid **game plan** before meeting the investors.
idiom

get one's ducks in a row

Meaning
to organize things in a proper and efficient way
Example
Before we begin, we need to **get our ducks in a row** and finalize the plan.
idiom

get away from it all

Meaning
to take a break from daily routine; to relax
Example
We went to the countryside to **get away from it all**.
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 your point across

Meaning
to express an idea clearly so that others understand it
Example
It’s important to **get your point across** during discussions.
idiom

get a word in edgewise

Meaning
to be able to say something during a conversation dominated by others
Example
He talked so much that no one could **get a word in edgewise**.