go behind someone’s back
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
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

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 separate ways

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

gloss over

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

go back and forth

Meaning
to keep changing your mind about something
Example
He’s been **going back and forth** about buying a new car.
idiom

ghost in the machine

Meaning
a mysterious or unexplained force in a system or person
Example
There must be a **ghost in the machine** causing these AI errors.
idiom

grateful as can be

Meaning
extremely thankful
Example
I’m **grateful as can be** for your guidance.
idiom

get a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared completely healthy by a doctor
Example
After his check-up, he **got a clean bill of health**.
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

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

Golden handshake

Meaning
A large payment given to someone when they leave a job, especially early retirement.
Example
The CEO received a **golden handshake** when he retired early.
idiom

get one's act together

Meaning
to organize oneself or one's actions effectively
Example
We need to **get our act together** before the deadline.
idiom

Give the shirt off your back

Meaning
to give everything you can to help someone
Example
She would **give the shirt off her back** if it meant helping her friends.
idiom

gear up for

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

Meaning
to spread information or make something widely known
Example
We need to **get the word out** about our new service.
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

get used to it

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

get the jitters

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

game plan

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

go public

Meaning
to sell shares of a company to the public for the first time
Example
The startup plans to **go public** next year.
idiom

go for broke

Meaning
to risk everything to achieve success
Example
They decided to **go for broke** and launch their new product.
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

grab a bite

Meaning
to eat something quickly
Example
Let’s **grab a bite** before the meeting.
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

go down in flames

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

give someone a warm welcome

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

Give it your best shot

Meaning
Try as hard as you can.
Example
Even if you fail, **give it your best shot**.
idiom

go on a spending spree

Meaning
to spend a lot of money in a short period of time
Example
She **went on a spending spree** after getting her bonus.
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

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

gain ground

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
The company has been **gaining ground** in the tech industry.
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 on like a house on fire

Meaning
to have a very good and friendly relationship
Example
The two sisters **get on like a house on fire**.
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

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

grow by leaps and bounds

Meaning
to grow or improve very quickly
Example
The company has **grown by leaps and bounds** in the last year.
idiom

go the extra mile

Meaning
to make a special effort to achieve something
Example
She always **goes the extra mile** to help her team succeed.
idiom

give over to

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

Give one’s word

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

gather around

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

give away

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

good egg

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

go through a transformation

Meaning
to undergo a significant change or improvement
Example
The company had to **go through a transformation** to survive in the competitive market.
idiom

get acquainted

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

Go Dutch

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

get along with

Meaning
to have a good relationship with someone
Example
I really **get along with** my coworkers.
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

Give and take

Meaning
Mutual compromise or cooperation.
Example
Good teamwork is all about **give and take**.
idiom

Go against the grain

Meaning
to do something that is contrary to the usual way of doing things
Example
Their new approach really **goes against the grain** of traditional research methods.
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

glide over

Meaning
to deal with something briefly without detail
Example
He tends to **glide over** the technical issues.
idiom

good Samaritan

Meaning
a person who helps others selflessly
Example
A **good Samaritan** helped the old man cross the street.
idiom

get to the root of the problem

Meaning
to discover the main cause of a problem
Example
We need to **get to the root of the problem** before we can fix it.
idiom

Go all out

Meaning
To use all your energy and resources to achieve something.
Example
They **went all out** to make the event a success.
idiom

green with envy

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

green with jealousy

Meaning
extremely jealous
Example
He was **green with jealousy** when he saw her with someone else.
idiom

groundbreaking discovery

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

Meaning
a very good chance; rare opportunity
Example
This is a **golden opportunity** to show your talent.
idiom

go off the deep end

Meaning
to become very angry or emotional suddenly
Example
She **went off the deep end** when she heard the bad news.
idiom

go bananas

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

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to **get their hands dirty** when necessary.
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

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

go for the jugular

Meaning
to attack someone's most vulnerable point
Example
During the debate, he **went for the jugular**.
idiom

go green

Meaning
to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle
Example
Many companies are trying to **go green** by using renewable energy sources.
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

gear toward

Meaning
to design or aim something for a particular group
Example
The course is **geared toward** new managers.
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

give credit where it's due

Meaning
to acknowledge someone's contribution or effort
Example
Let's **give credit where it's due** and thank the team.
idiom

get the creative juices flowing

Meaning
to start being creative or imaginative
Example
A walk in nature helps me **get the creative juices flowing**.
idiom

give someone a hand

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

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

good to see you

Meaning
a friendly way to greet someone you know
Example
**Good to see you** again after so long!
idiom

give someone the shirt off your back

Meaning
to be extremely generous and selfless
Example
He’d **give you the shirt off his back** if you needed it.
idiom

give the cold shoulder

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

get ahead in life

Meaning
to succeed or progress in one's life or career
Example
He worked hard to **get ahead in life** and build a successful career.
idiom

go above and beyond

Meaning
to do more than what is required
Example
She **went above and beyond** to complete the project ahead of schedule.
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

get in shape

Meaning
to become fit through exercise
Example
He started jogging every morning to **get in shape**.
idiom

Get off the ground

Meaning
To start successfully; to begin operating.
Example
Our startup finally **got off the ground** after months of planning.
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

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

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

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

go ballistic

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

get down to business

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

get cold feet

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

get into the habit

Meaning
to begin to do something regularly
Example
I’ve **got into the habit** of reading before bed.
idiom

get along like a house on fire

Meaning
To quickly become good friends and enjoy each other’s company.
Example
They met last week and **got along like a house on fire**.
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 back on one's word

Meaning
to not do what one said one would do
Example
He **went back on his word** about helping me.
idiom

give it a rest

Meaning
to stop talking or thinking about something stressful
Example
You’ve been worrying too much—**give it a rest**.
idiom

grinning from ear to ear

Meaning
smiling broadly due to happiness
Example
He was **grinning from ear to ear** after receiving the gift.
idiom

glide through

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

Get traction

Meaning
To start gaining attention or success in the market.
Example
The new app is starting to **get traction** among users.
idiom

Go broke

Meaning
To lose all your money; to become bankrupt.
Example
Many small investors **went broke** after the market crash.
idiom

global reach

Meaning
the ability to extend services or products worldwide
Example
With its strong online presence, the company has a significant **global reach**.
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

get wired

Meaning
to get connected to the internet
Example
Everyone in the office is **getting wired** to the new network.
idiom

go under

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

give someone a piece of one’s mind

Meaning
to tell someone angrily what you think
Example
She **gave him a piece of her mind** for being rude.
idiom

get under someone's skin

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

give someone a piece of your mind

Meaning
to express your opinion strongly, especially when criticizing someone
Example
She **gave him a piece of her mind** after the argument.
idiom

go belly up

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

go through the motions

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

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

garbage in, garbage out

Meaning
flawed input data will produce flawed results
Example
If the training data is poor, the AI model will fail — **garbage in, garbage out**.