give someone the cold shoulder
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idiom

give someone the cold shoulder

Meaning
to deliberately ignore or show disapproval toward someone
Example
After the argument, she **gave him the cold shoulder**.
idiom

bloom where you’re planted

Meaning
make the best of your current situation
Example
Even in tough times, she **blooms where she’s planted**.
idiom

lean on

Meaning
to depend on someone for support
Example
You can always **lean on** me when things get tough.
idiom

talk over

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

split decision

Meaning
a decision where people are divided in opinion
Example
The committee made a **split decision** on the proposal.
idiom

get in touch

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

beyond words

Meaning
too great or extreme to be described in words
Example
Her kindness was **beyond words**.
idiom

take shape

Meaning
to begin to develop or become clear
Example
Our business plan is finally **taking shape**.
idiom

in the money

Meaning
to suddenly have a lot of money
Example
After winning the lottery, they were **in the money**.
idiom

hair stands on end

Meaning
to feel intense fear or horror
Example
The ghost story made my **hair stand on end**.
idiom

a slow learner

Meaning
someone who takes time to understand or learn things
Example
Don’t worry if you need more time—you’re just **a slow learner**.
idiom

pulling the strings

Meaning
to control something or someone secretly
Example
Everyone knows he’s **pulling the strings** behind the scenes.
idiom

dig in your heels

Meaning
to refuse to give up or change your position
Example
He **dug in his heels** and refused to quit until he succeeded.
idiom

hand over

Meaning
to give control or possession to someone else
Example
She will **hand over** the keys when the lease is signed.
idiom

A nest egg

Meaning
A sum of money saved for the future or retirement.
Example
He built up a **nest egg** for his children's education.
idiom

put your feet up

Meaning
to relax after a period of hard work
Example
After the long day, I just want to **put my feet up**.
idiom

fly high

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

turn a corner

Meaning
to begin to improve after a difficult period
Example
Things started to **turn a corner** after the new management took over.
idiom

fall back on

Meaning
to rely on something when the first option fails
Example
If the deal falls through, we’ll **fall back on** our backup plan.
idiom

check over

Meaning
to examine something carefully for mistakes
Example
Let’s **check over** the draft before sending it.
idiom

beat around the bush

Meaning
to avoid talking about the main topic
Example
Stop **beating around the bush** and tell me what happened.
idiom

put your trust in

Meaning
to have confidence in someone or something
Example
We should **put our trust in** good leaders.
idiom

get down to business

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

Pick up the tab

Meaning
To pay the bill for something.
Example
John offered to **pick up the tab** for everyone.
idiom

have cold feet

Meaning
to suddenly become nervous before doing something important
Example
He was ready to get married but **got cold feet** at the last minute.
idiom

True friends stab you in the front

Meaning
A true friend tells you harsh truths to your face.
Example
She’s not afraid to tell me the truth, because **true friends stab you in the front**.
idiom

hit the firewall

Meaning
to face a restriction or security block while trying to access something online
Example
I tried to visit the site but **hit the firewall** at work.
idiom

work of art

Meaning
something very beautiful or skillfully made
Example
Her handmade dress is truly a **work of art**.
idiom

shoot from the hip

Meaning
to speak or act without thinking carefully
Example
He tends to **shoot from the hip** during meetings.
idiom

take by surprise

Meaning
to catch someone off guard; to surprise unexpectedly
Example
The sudden rain **took us by surprise**.
idiom

lock in

Meaning
to secure something so it cannot change
Example
Let's **lock in** the reservation before the price goes up.
idiom

machine learning curve

Meaning
the process of gradual improvement through experience and learning
Example
The new developers are still on their **machine learning curve**.
idiom

more luck than sense

Meaning
successful because of luck, not intelligence
Example
He survived the accident—he’s got **more luck than sense**.
idiom

have butterflies in your stomach

Meaning
to feel very nervous about something
Example
She always **has butterflies in her stomach** before exams.
idiom

to put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to risk everything on a single venture or decision
Example
I wouldn’t suggest **putting all your eggs in one basket** with this investment.
idiom

the moral compass

Meaning
a person's or society’s sense of right and wrong
Example
We must ensure AI doesn’t lose its **moral compass**.
idiom

hang out with

Meaning
to spend time with friends
Example
We usually **hang out with** our classmates after school.
idiom

keep your dreams alive

Meaning
to continue believing in your goals even when it's hard
Example
No matter how tough life gets, **keep your dreams alive**.
idiom

rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
economic growth benefits everyone; a general improvement in the economy helps all participants
Example
The government's new policies are helping the economy, and as a result, **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
idiom

Through the lens

Meaning
From a particular perspective or point of view
Example
We need to see this issue **through the lens** of equality.
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

have confidence in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone’s ability
Example
I **have confidence in** your judgment.
idiom

change of scene

Meaning
a new environment or situation
Example
After months of work, I needed a **change of scene**.
idiom

bubbling with joy

Meaning
very happy and excited
Example
The children were **bubbling with joy** after receiving their gifts.
idiom

get over someone

Meaning
to recover from the pain of a breakup or loss
Example
It took her months to **get over** him.
idiom

teach someone a lesson

Meaning
to make someone learn from their mistake
Example
The teacher’s punishment really **taught him a lesson**.
idiom

Lose your shirt

Meaning
To lose a lot of money.
Example
He **lost his shirt** gambling last night.
idiom

all in good time

Meaning
something will happen eventually; be patient
Example
**All in good time**, you’ll see the results soon.
idiom

At a snail’s pace

Meaning
Very slowly.
Example
The traffic was moving **at a snail’s pace**.
idiom

weigh your options

Meaning
to consider different possibilities before deciding
Example
You should **weigh your options** before buying the car.
idiom

on the rise

Meaning
increasing or growing in value or number
Example
Tech stocks are **on the rise** this quarter.
idiom

Seed funding

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

at your breaking point

Meaning
to be very close to losing control due to stress
Example
After months of overwork, she was **at her breaking point**.
idiom

scared stiff

Meaning
to be extremely frightened
Example
I was **scared stiff** when I heard strange noises at night.
idiom

Carry the torch

Meaning
To continue supporting a cause or idea passed from the past.
Example
Young activists are **carrying the torch** of civil rights today.
idiom

a labor of love

Meaning
something done out of passion, not for money
Example
Building that model train was **a labor of love** for him.
idiom

the bottom has fallen out

Meaning
a situation in which something has suddenly failed or collapsed
Example
The market for tech stocks has crashed; the **bottom has fallen out**.
idiom

Show of hands

Meaning
A quick way to see who agrees or supports something by raising hands.
Example
Let’s have a **show of hands** to decide who supports the new plan.
idiom

mend fences

Meaning
to repair a damaged relationship
Example
She called her friend to **mend fences** after their disagreement.
idiom

figure out

Meaning
to understand or solve something
Example
We need to **figure out** why the emails bounced.
idiom

get to the bottom of

Meaning
to find the real cause of a problem
Example
The manager promised to **get to the bottom of** the issue.
idiom

get something off your chest

Meaning
to talk about something that has been worrying you
Example
I needed to **get it off my chest**, so I finally told her the truth.
idiom

breeze through

Meaning
to do something easily and with little effort
Example
She managed to **breeze through** the exam without any problems.
idiom

leaf through

Meaning
to turn the pages of a book or magazine casually
Example
He likes to **leaf through** catalogs during lunch.
idiom

lay up

Meaning
to keep something in reserve for later use
Example
We should **lay up** extra supplies before winter.
idiom

take flak

Meaning
to receive strong criticism
Example
The government **took flak** for its poor handling of the crisis.
idiom

switch over

Meaning
to change from one system or option to another
Example
The team will **switch over** to the new software tonight.
idiom

diplomatic tightrope

Meaning
a delicate situation requiring careful diplomacy
Example
The president walked a **diplomatic tightrope** between the two rival nations.
idiom

lightning fast

Meaning
extremely fast
Example
She replied **lightning fast** to the email.
idiom

Apple of my eye

Meaning
Someone you love dearly.
Example
Her son is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

to bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too difficult
Example
He **bit off more than he could chew** by promising to finish the work alone.
idiom

as strong as an ox

Meaning
very strong and powerful
Example
He’s **as strong as an ox** after years of training.
idiom

go according to plan

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

put on the map

Meaning
to make something or someone famous or well-known
Example
The viral campaign **put the brand on the map**.
idiom

key in

Meaning
to enter data using a keyboard or keypad
Example
Please **key in** your code before the door locks.
idiom

go ballistic

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

thank you kindly

Meaning
a polite way to say thank you warmly
Example
**Thank you kindly** for your time and patience.
idiom

beyond one’s grasp

Meaning
too difficult to understand or achieve
Example
Quantum physics is **beyond my grasp** right now.
idiom

Open book

Meaning
Someone who is easy to understand or transparent.
Example
She’s an **open book**; you always know what she’s thinking.
idiom

Go exploring

Meaning
To travel or look around to discover new things.
Example
Let's **go exploring** around the city this weekend.
idiom

phase out

Meaning
to gradually stop using or providing something
Example
The company plans to **phase out** plastic packaging by next year.
idiom

at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or stressed that you don’t know what to do
Example
I’m **at my wits’ end** trying to finish all this work.
idiom

Calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.
Example
The office is quiet now, but it’s just **the calm before the storm**.
idiom

sworn enemies turned friends

Meaning
two people who used to dislike each other but became friends
Example
They were **sworn enemies turned friends** after college.
idiom

hook the audience

Meaning
to capture and maintain the interest of the audience
Example
You need a strong headline to **hook the audience** immediately.
idiom

all smiles

Meaning
very happy and cheerful
Example
He was **all smiles** after hearing the compliment.
idiom

Break the news

Meaning
To tell someone important or bad news.
Example
He didn’t know how to **break the news** to his parents.
idiom

in two minds

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

family ties

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

split hairs

Meaning
to argue about small or unimportant details
Example
Stop **splitting hairs** and focus on the main issue.
idiom

on your last legs

Meaning
completely exhausted or near collapse
Example
After working 18 hours straight, I was **on my last legs**.
idiom

reach new heights

Meaning
to achieve more than before, to improve
Example
Their business is now **reaching new heights** in terms of revenue.
idiom

read someone like a book

Meaning
to easily understand someone's thoughts and intentions
Example
She can **read him like a book** and always knows when he's lying.
idiom

hit the target market

Meaning
to reach the intended audience effectively
Example
Our ads finally **hit the target market** this quarter.
idiom

tide over

Meaning
to help someone through a difficult period
Example
A short-term loan will **tide us over** until the invoices are paid.
idiom

smile from ear to ear

Meaning
to have a big, broad smile showing happiness
Example
He was **smiling from ear to ear** after the interview.
idiom

draw down

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

believe you can

Meaning
to have the mindset that you are capable of doing something
Example
If you **believe you can**, you’re halfway there.
idiom

Make the most of something

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

carry through

Meaning
to complete something despite difficulties
Example
She promised to **carry through** with the training program.
idiom

brand loyalty

Meaning
the tendency of consumers to keep buying the same brand
Example
**Brand loyalty** often depends on consistent quality.
idiom

behind the scenes

Meaning
secretly or without public knowledge
Example
A lot of work happens **behind the scenes** to make a movie.
idiom

count your blessings

Meaning
be grateful for the good things in your life
Example
Instead of complaining, **count your blessings**.
idiom

kick around

Meaning
to discuss ideas informally
Example
We can **kick around** some concepts after lunch.
idiom

carry the burden

Meaning
to take on responsibility or a difficult task
Example
She had to **carry the burden** of the entire project alone.
idiom

drama queen

Meaning
a person who exaggerates or overreacts to situations
Example
Don’t be such a **drama queen**; it’s not that serious.
idiom

burn out

Meaning
to become very tired and lose motivation due to overwork
Example
If you don’t rest, you’ll **burn out** soon.
idiom

Throw down the gauntlet

Meaning
To challenge someone to fight or compete.
Example
He **threw down the gauntlet** by questioning his opponent’s honesty.
idiom

free up

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

A bright idea

Meaning
a clever or innovative idea
Example
She came up with a **bright idea** for the new marketing campaign.
idiom

in the cloud

Meaning
stored or managed on remote servers via the internet
Example
All our data is now **in the cloud**.
idiom

a gray area

Meaning
a situation or topic that is not clear or that can be understood in more than one way
Example
The question of intellectual property rights in the digital age is still **a gray area**.
idiom

have faith in

Meaning
to believe or trust in someone or something
Example
You should **have faith in** your abilities.
idiom

pot luck

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

head back to

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
Let’s **head back to** the office after lunch.
idiom

a pipe dream

Meaning
an unrealistic or impossible dream
Example
Owning a private island is just **a pipe dream** for most people.
idiom

on edge

Meaning
to be nervous, tense, or irritable
Example
She’s been **on edge** since the exam started.
idiom

cut both ways

Meaning
to have both positive and negative effects
Example
Working from home **cuts both ways** – you save time but lose social interaction.
idiom

keep an eye out

Meaning
to watch for something or someone carefully
Example
Can you **keep an eye out** for my package while I'm away?
idiom

change your mind

Meaning
to decide something different from before
Example
She **changed her mind** about going to the party.
idiom

behind closed doors

Meaning
in private; secretly
Example
The deal was made **behind closed doors**.