going viral
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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

zone in on

Meaning
to focus attention closely on something specific
Example
We need to **zone in on** the main customer problem.
idiom

take the long view

Meaning
to plan or think about the future rather than short-term gains
Example
Successful leaders always **take the long view** when making decisions.
idiom

call someone out

Meaning
to criticize someone publicly for their behavior or actions
Example
She **called him out** for being rude to the waiter.
idiom

pull it off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
No one thought she could do it, but she **pulled it off**.
idiom

in a bad mood

Meaning
feeling unhappy or irritable
Example
She’s **in a bad mood** because she didn’t sleep well.
idiom

phishing attempt

Meaning
an attempt to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity
Example
The email you received looks like a **phishing attempt**, so don't click any links.
idiom

cut corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way
Example
They **cut corners** to finish the project faster.
idiom

throw one's hat in the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s intention to compete for a position or office
Example
Several candidates have **thrown their hats in the ring** for the presidency.
idiom

big data

Meaning
Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.
Example
The company uses **big data** to improve customer experience.
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

Apple of my eye

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

comic relief

Meaning
a funny moment in a serious situation
Example
The movie’s sidekick provided much-needed **comic relief**.
idiom

help someone out

Meaning
to assist someone in a difficult situation
Example
Whenever I am in trouble, she always **helps me out**.
idiom

tighten the belt

Meaning
to reduce spending; to save money due to financial constraints
Example
In tough economic times, businesses must **tighten the belt** to survive.
idiom

to backfire

Meaning
to have the opposite result of what was intended
Example
His plan **backfired** and made things worse.
idiom

turing test

Meaning
a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human
Example
The AI passed the **Turing test**, convincing the judges that it was human-like.
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

have a spark of creativity

Meaning
to show signs of being creative or imaginative
Example
Even as a child, she **had a spark of creativity**.
idiom

speak of the devil

Meaning
said when someone appears just as you mention them
Example
**Speak of the devil**, here comes John now!
idiom

pan out

Meaning
to turn out well or produce a good result
Example
Luckily, our backup plan **panned out**.
idiom

phishing expedition

Meaning
an attempt to obtain sensitive information by deceit
Example
The suspicious email was part of a **phishing expedition**.
idiom

take it or leave it

Meaning
showing indifference about accepting or rejecting something
Example
That’s my final offer — **take it or leave it**.
idiom

Put up walls

Meaning
To create emotional barriers or distance from others.
Example
After the breakup, she **put up walls** and stopped trusting people.
idiom

seeing is believing

Meaning
only what one sees can be believed; things must be experienced to be believed.
Example
I was skeptical at first, but when I saw the results, I realized **seeing is believing**.
idiom

butter someone up

Meaning
to flatter someone to gain favor
Example
He’s trying to **butter up** the boss for a promotion.
idiom

carry the weight of responsibility

Meaning
to bear the burden of an important duty or obligation
Example
As a team leader, he has to **carry the weight of responsibility**.
idiom

Fine tuning

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

put your foot down

Meaning
to assert your authority or make a firm decision
Example
When they asked for an extension, he decided to **put his foot down** and refuse.
idiom

fib

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

piece together

Meaning
to understand something by combining small details
Example
The detective tried to **piece together** what had happened that night.
idiom

in for a shock

Meaning
about to be very surprised or shocked
Example
You’re **in for a shock** when you see the bill.
idiom

match made in heaven

Meaning
a perfect romantic couple
Example
Everyone says they are a **match made in heaven**.
idiom

hit rock bottom

Meaning
to reach the lowest point of failure or depression
Example
After losing his job, he **hit rock bottom**.
idiom

smooth things over

Meaning
to make a bad situation seem better by dealing with it calmly
Example
She tried to **smooth things over** after their disagreement.
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

lose track of

Meaning
to forget or stop being aware of something
Example
I completely **lost track of time** while watching the movie.
idiom

deep learning

Meaning
A class of machine learning algorithms that uses multiple layers to progressively extract higher-level features from raw input.
Example
The AI system improved through **deep learning**, making it smarter over time.
idiom

bury the hatchet

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

wallflower

Meaning
a shy person who avoids social activities
Example
She used to be a **wallflower**, but now she’s more confident.
idiom

a fair game

Meaning
a situation where both parties have equal opportunities to succeed or compromise
Example
The terms of the contract were discussed until both sides agreed it was **a fair game**.
idiom

the tipping point

Meaning
the moment when a change becomes unstoppable
Example
Climate change has reached **the tipping point** for action.
idiom

blackout

Meaning
to lose consciousness temporarily
Example
He suddenly **blacked out** during the match.
idiom

make hay while the sun shines

Meaning
take advantage of a good situation while it lasts
Example
You should **make hay while the sun shines** and finish your work early.
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

burn your boats

Meaning
to commit yourself to a course of action without a way back
Example
He **burned his boats** when he quit his job to start a business.
idiom

thank you kindly

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

on shaky ground

Meaning
in an uncertain or unstable situation
Example
His business is **on shaky ground** after the market crash.
idiom

lean into

Meaning
to embrace and actively engage with something
Example
She decided to **lean into** the new role and learn quickly.
idiom

win the battle but lose the war

Meaning
to achieve a small success but fail in the larger goal
Example
By focusing on minor issues, they **won the battle but lost the war**.
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

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

throw a curveball

Meaning
to surprise someone with something unexpected
Example
The new policy really **threw us a curveball**.
idiom

dump someone

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship suddenly or unkindly
Example
She **dumped** him by text message.
idiom

follow your gut

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

under false pretenses

Meaning
by lying or misleading someone
Example
He got the job **under false pretenses**.
idiom

the nuts and bolts

Meaning
the basic practical details of something
Example
We discussed **the nuts and bolts** of the new software project.
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

a light bulb moment

Meaning
a moment of sudden inspiration or realization
Example
She had **a light bulb moment** during the meeting.
idiom

bear the responsibility

Meaning
to take on the duty of something
Example
She was willing to **bear the responsibility** for the new project.
idiom

the luck of the draw

Meaning
something decided by chance
Example
You can’t choose your team; it’s **the luck of the draw**.
idiom

talk in circles

Meaning
to discuss something without reaching a conclusion
Example
We **talked in circles** for hours but didn’t solve anything.
idiom

stand one’s ground

Meaning
to refuse to change your opinion or position
Example
She **stood her ground** during the heated debate.
idiom

bend the truth

Meaning
to slightly change the truth to make something sound better
Example
He tends to **bend the truth** when telling stories.
idiom

miss the mark

Meaning
to fail to achieve the intended result
Example
His speech **missed the mark** and didn’t impress anyone.
idiom

hard act to follow

Meaning
someone or something so good that it’s difficult to replace
Example
The previous manager was a **hard act to follow**.
idiom

sign up for

Meaning
to enroll in or agree to participate in something
Example
I’m going to **sign up for** the evening yoga class.
idiom

new kid on the block

Meaning
someone new to a place or situation
Example
He’s the **new kid on the block** in the company.
idiom

as honest as the day is long

Meaning
completely honest and trustworthy
Example
Everyone knows that Tom is **as honest as the day is long**.
idiom

a snowball effect

Meaning
a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate
Example
The more followers she got, the more famous she became, creating **a snowball effect**.
idiom

play a role

Meaning
to have a part in something
Example
Everyone **played a role** in making the show successful.
idiom

the grass is always greener on the other side

Meaning
other situations always seem better than your own
Example
**The grass is always greener on the other side**, but be grateful.
idiom

a kingmaker

Meaning
someone who has influence in the selection or appointment of a leader
Example
The senator has become **a kingmaker** in the current presidential race.
idiom

to have a clean conscience

Meaning
to feel good about oneself because one has done nothing wrong
Example
After telling the truth, she had **a clean conscience**.
idiom

show who's boss

Meaning
to make people recognize your authority
Example
Sometimes a leader must **show who's boss**.
idiom

phishing for information

Meaning
attempting to obtain sensitive information by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity
Example
He was **phishing for information** by pretending to be from the bank.
idiom

rinse off

Meaning
to wash something quickly with water
Example
**Rinse off** the berries before serving them.
idiom

diplomatic tightrope

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

cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it happens, not before
Example
We will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

pass sentence

Meaning
to announce a punishment in court
Example
The judge will **pass sentence** next week.
idiom

in the same frame

Meaning
having a shared perspective or understanding
Example
Before we start, we need to make sure everyone is **in the same frame**.
idiom

call around

Meaning
to contact several people or places by phone
Example
I’ll **call around** to find a venue with parking.
idiom

jump the gun

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

every cloud has a silver lining

Meaning
every difficult situation has a hopeful aspect
Example
I was sad when I lost my job, but then I found a better one. **Every cloud has a silver lining**.
idiom

work like a dog

Meaning
to work very hard without rest
Example
She **works like a dog** to provide for her kids.
idiom

call to action

Meaning
a prompt that encourages an immediate response from an audience
Example
Your ad must include a strong **call to action**.
idiom

bravery in the face of danger

Meaning
showing courage even when facing danger
Example
The firefighter showed **bravery in the face of danger**.
idiom

peace of mind

Meaning
a feeling of being calm and free from worry
Example
Insurance gives you **peace of mind** in uncertain times.
idiom

burst into tears

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **burst into tears** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

power play

Meaning
a strategic move to gain or maintain control
Example
The alliance between the two countries is seen as a **power play**.
idiom

break the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation in which progress is not possible
Example
They finally managed to **break the deadlock** through discussion.
B1 idiom

all ears

Listening very attentively
Meaning
Listening very attentively
Example
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
idiom

lend a listening ear

Meaning
to listen attentively and sympathetically
Example
Whenever I feel down, she always knows how to **lend a listening ear**.
idiom

carve out

Meaning
to create or obtain something with effort
Example
She managed to **carve out** time for daily reading.
idiom

smoke and mirrors

Meaning
something that is intended to deceive or confuse
Example
The company’s promises were just **smoke and mirrors**.
idiom

lay up

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

sit in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in a position of control or leadership
Example
After the promotion, she now **sits in the driver’s seat**.
idiom

easy does it

Meaning
used to tell someone to be careful and patient
Example
**Easy does it**, don’t rush the process.
idiom

a work in progress

Meaning
something that is still being developed or improved
Example
The project is still **a work in progress**, but it's going well.
idiom

talk over someone's head

Meaning
to speak in a way that someone cannot understand
Example
The professor was **talking over our heads** during the lecture.
idiom

set the stage for

Meaning
to make something possible or likely to happen later
Example
This meeting will **set the stage for** future cooperation.
idiom

to cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it arises, rather than worrying about it beforehand
Example
Don't worry about the meeting next week, we'll **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

be responsible for

Meaning
to be in charge of or accountable for something
Example
She is **responsible for** managing the entire department.
idiom

hang back

Meaning
to remain behind or hesitate to act
Example
If you **hang back**, you might miss the opportunity.
idiom

have guts

Meaning
to have courage or confidence to do something difficult
Example
It takes someone with real courage to **have guts** to speak the truth.
idiom

same old story

Meaning
something boringly repetitive
Example
It's the **same old story** every time we meet.
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

the elephant in the room

Meaning
an obvious problem that no one wants to discuss
Example
Nobody wants to address **the elephant in the room**.
idiom

To have a heart of gold

Meaning
To be very kind and generous
Example
She has a heart of gold, always helping those in need.
idiom

on the stump

Meaning
to campaign for political office, especially by giving speeches in public
Example
The candidate has been **on the stump** for weeks, rallying support across the country.
idiom

can't believe your eyes

Meaning
to be so surprised that you doubt what you are seeing
Example
I **couldn’t believe my eyes** when I saw the snowfall.
idiom

circle around

Meaning
to move repeatedly around something
Example
The hawk kept **circling around** above the trees.
idiom

pave the way

Meaning
to make progress easier for others to follow
Example
Her research **paved the way** for future discoveries.
idiom

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
idiom

piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a part of the complete solution or understanding
Example
This information is just **a piece of the puzzle**.
idiom

red-eye flight

Meaning
a flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning
Example
I took a **red-eye flight** to save a day on my trip.
idiom

read between the lines

Meaning
to understand the hidden meaning behind something
Example
She said everything was fine, but if you **read between the lines**, you could tell she was upset.
idiom

Shoulder to shoulder

Meaning
Working together closely and equally.
Example
The soldiers stood **shoulder to shoulder** in battle.
idiom

Put your heart into it

Meaning
To do something with full effort and enthusiasm.
Example
If you **put your heart into it**, you’ll achieve great results.