grab attention
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idiom

grab attention

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

Keep going

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

put something on the back burner

Meaning
to delay dealing with something until later
Example
The government decided to **put the issue on the back burner** for now.
idiom

give away

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

broken-hearted

Meaning
extremely sad about something or someone
Example
He was **broken-hearted** after the breakup.
idiom

burst of inspiration

Meaning
a sudden feeling of creativity or motivation
Example
He wrote the poem in a **burst of inspiration**.
idiom

Stand your ground

Meaning
to remain firm in your beliefs or decisions despite opposition
Example
Even though they disagreed, he decided to **stand his ground** and not back down.
idiom

a pipe dream

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

fake it till you make it

Meaning
to act confidently until you actually feel confident
Example
**Fake it till you make it**—confidence will follow.
idiom

long in the tooth

Meaning
getting old
Example
He’s a bit **long in the tooth** for this kind of work.
idiom

Disrupt the market

Meaning
To radically change an industry with innovation.
Example
Their app aims to **disrupt the market** for food delivery.
idiom

come through

Meaning
to do what is expected or promised, especially in difficult situations
Example
She always **comes through** when we need her most.
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

divide and conquer

Meaning
to gain control by causing disagreement among others
Example
The dictator used a **divide and conquer** strategy to maintain power.
idiom

call to arms

Meaning
a call to take action, especially to defend a cause
Example
The leader’s speech was a **call to arms** for all citizens to fight corruption.
idiom

to throw one's hat into the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s candidacy or intention to compete in something
Example
He decided to **throw his hat into the ring** and run for mayor.
idiom

on air

Meaning
broadcasting live; being aired on television or radio
Example
The radio show will be **on air** from 7 to 9 PM.
idiom

the tipping point

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

A Pandora’s box

Meaning
A source of endless complications or trouble.
Example
Discussing that topic will open a **Pandora’s box** of complaints.
idiom

tap into

Meaning
to make use of a resource or ability
Example
The startup hopes to **tap into** a new audience through social media.
idiom

motivate the team

Meaning
to encourage and inspire your team to work harder and achieve goals
Example
As a manager, one of my primary goals is to **motivate the team** to reach their highest potential.
idiom

smooth over

Meaning
to make a problem seem less serious
Example
We need to **smooth over** the miscommunication with a quick call.
idiom

peel off

Meaning
to remove something, especially a layer, from a surface
Example
**Peel off** the label before recycling the jar.
idiom

good egg

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

place your confidence in

Meaning
to trust or rely on someone or something
Example
He **placed his confidence in** the team.
idiom

blow out of the water

Meaning
to surprise or defeat completely
Example
Their performance **blew us out of the water**.
idiom

Wing it

Meaning
To do something without preparation.
Example
I forgot my notes, so I’ll just **wing it** during the presentation.
idiom

make amends

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry
Example
He tried to **make amends** by helping her with her work.
idiom

where there’s a will, there’s a way

Meaning
if you are determined, you can find a solution
Example
**Where there’s a will, there’s a way**—you can do it!
idiom

on cue

Meaning
exactly at the right moment
Example
The dog barked **on cue** when the actor opened the door.
idiom

wired to learn

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

chase your dreams

Meaning
to actively try to achieve your ambitions
Example
You should always **chase your dreams** no matter how hard it seems.
idiom

keep in touch

Meaning
to maintain communication with someone
Example
Even after moving away, we **keep in touch** regularly.
idiom

Pay dividends

Meaning
To bring benefits or rewards later.
Example
Investing in education always **pays dividends** in the long run.
idiom

Inquisitive mind

Meaning
A curious and eager-to-learn mindset.
Example
Children have an **inquisitive mind** that loves to explore.
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

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

cold shoulder

Meaning
to ignore someone deliberately
Example
After the argument, she gave him the **cold shoulder** for days.
idiom

take it with a grain of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He tends to exaggerate, so **take his stories with a grain of salt**.
idiom

head off

Meaning
to prevent something from happening
Example
Early communication can **head off** most misunderstandings.
idiom

the honest truth

Meaning
the absolute and complete truth
Example
To tell you **the honest truth**, I didn’t enjoy the trip.
idiom

a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or understanding
Example
When I saw the results, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
idiom

follow your heart

Meaning
to make a decision based on your feelings
Example
When choosing a career, it’s best to **follow your heart**.
idiom

anchors aweigh

Meaning
Ready to depart or begin a journey.
Example
With our bags packed, it’s **anchors aweigh** for the road trip!
idiom

Slow and steady wins the race

Meaning
Consistency and patience lead to success.
Example
Remember, **slow and steady wins the race**.
idiom

hit the pause button

Meaning
to take a break or stop what you are doing temporarily
Example
After weeks of hard work, I decided to **hit the pause button** and relax for a while.
idiom

make it big

Meaning
to become very successful or famous
Example
He moved to Hollywood to **make it big**.
idiom

do your own thing

Meaning
to do what you want without worrying about what others think
Example
He prefers to **do his own thing** and not depend on anyone.
idiom

a foot in the door

Meaning
to have a small opportunity to start working in a company or industry
Example
An internship is a great way to get **a foot in the door**.
idiom

fail fast, learn faster

Meaning
to quickly identify mistakes and use them as learning opportunities
Example
In startup culture, it’s encouraged to **fail fast, learn faster**.
idiom

law of the jungle

Meaning
survival of the strongest; lack of order or law
Example
In war, the **law of the jungle** often applies.
idiom

run a tight ship

Meaning
to manage an organization or group efficiently and strictly
Example
The manager **runs a tight ship**, and everyone follows the rules.
idiom

take someone's word for it

Meaning
to trust that what someone says is true
Example
I’ll **take your word for it** since you were there.
idiom

Don’t give up

Meaning
Continue trying and don’t quit.
Example
You’ve come so far—**don’t give up** now!
idiom

own up to

Meaning
to admit or confess to something you did wrong
Example
She finally **owned up to** breaking the vase.
idiom

as thick as two short planks

Meaning
very stupid or slow-witted
Example
He’s **as thick as two short planks**, bless him.
idiom

busy bee

Meaning
a person who is always busy and active
Example
She’s a **busy bee**, always working on something.
idiom

pay the price

Meaning
to suffer the consequences of one’s actions
Example
If you don’t follow the rules, you’ll have to **pay the price**.
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

quote chapter and verse

Meaning
to cite something exactly or in great detail
Example
She can **quote chapter and verse** from Shakespeare.
idiom

carry over

Meaning
to transfer something to a later time or place
Example
We’ll **carry over** the unused vacation days to next year.
idiom

Pilot project

Meaning
A small-scale experiment to test a concept.
Example
We launched a **pilot project** before going nationwide.
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

ahead of time

Meaning
before the expected or planned time
Example
She finished her work **ahead of time**.
idiom

scare someone half to death

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That spider **scared me half to death**!
idiom

data-driven

Meaning
based on or influenced by data
Example
We make **data-driven** decisions to ensure the best outcome.
idiom

Cross my heart

Meaning
I swear or promise sincerely.
Example
I will help you, **cross my heart**.
idiom

come to the rescue

Meaning
to help someone in trouble
Example
A firefighter **came to the rescue** of the trapped cat.
idiom

carry the weight

Meaning
to take on a large responsibility or burden
Example
As the team leader, it's his job to **carry the weight** of the project's success.
idiom

teach someone a lesson

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

brand ambassador

Meaning
a person who promotes a brand through personal influence
Example
They hired a celebrity as their **brand ambassador**.
idiom

jog someone's memory

Meaning
to make someone remember something
Example
That smell **jogged my memory** of our school canteen.
idiom

on the up and up

Meaning
honest; truthful; not involved in any wrongdoing
Example
She’s always been **on the up and up** with me.
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

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

move the goalposts

Meaning
to change the rules or conditions to make success harder
Example
They **moved the goalposts** after we had agreed on the terms.
idiom

Make every minute count

Meaning
Use your time effectively and make the most of every moment.
Example
To be successful, you need to **make every minute count** and stay focused on your tasks.
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

on the right side of the law

Meaning
acting legally; not breaking any laws
Example
He wants to stay **on the right side of the law**.
idiom

hit the dirt

Meaning
to go to ground; to take cover or hide
Example
Wild animals often **hit the dirt** when humans approach.
idiom

have steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to be visibly very angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** when he saw the damage.
idiom

burn your fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of a bad decision or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by trusting the wrong person.
idiom

on the front line

Meaning
directly involved in the most active or dangerous part of something
Example
Doctors were **on the front line** during the pandemic.
idiom

land a job

Meaning
to successfully get a job
Example
He was thrilled to **land a job** at his dream company.
idiom

see both sides

Meaning
to understand both perspectives in an argument
Example
I can **see both sides** of the issue, so it’s hard to choose.
idiom

smell a rat

Meaning
to suspect something wrong or dishonest
Example
I **smelled a rat** when he offered me free tickets.
idiom

a learning curve

Meaning
the process of learning something new, especially one that requires time and effort
Example
There was a steep **learning curve** when I first started the project.
idiom

It's always darkest before the dawn

Meaning
Things are usually worst just before they improve.
Example
Keep going, **it's always darkest before the dawn**.
idiom

have the time of your life

Meaning
to have an extremely enjoyable experience
Example
We **had the time of our lives** at the amusement park.
idiom

hit the tourist trail

Meaning
to visit popular tourist destinations
Example
We decided to **hit the tourist trail** after exploring the local villages.
idiom

come back to earth

Meaning
to return to reality after being excited or daydreaming
Example
After the vacation, it’s time to **come back to earth**.
idiom

lock in

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

new lease of life

Meaning
to give someone or something a fresh start or new energy
Example
The renovation of the old building has given it a **new lease of life**.
idiom

hammer out a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement after long discussion
Example
They spent hours to **hammer out a deal** that satisfied both sides.
idiom

hit the ceiling

Meaning
to reach the highest possible level or price
Example
The stock prices **hit the ceiling** after the merger news.
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

news travels fast

Meaning
information spreads quickly
Example
In small towns, **news travels fast**.
idiom

shop till you drop

Meaning
to go shopping for a long time until you are tired
Example
My sister loves to **shop till she drops** during sales.
idiom

a pain in the neck

Meaning
someone or something that is very annoying
Example
That constant noise from the construction site is **a pain in the neck**.
idiom

find common ground

Meaning
to find shared interests or agreement
Example
We must **find common ground** to resolve this conflict.
idiom

jump the gun

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

touch gold

Meaning
to be very successful or lucky in something
Example
Every project he takes on seems to **touch gold**.
idiom

bring home the bacon

Meaning
to earn money to support the family
Example
He works hard every day to **bring home the bacon**.
idiom

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Meaning
Always stay optimistic, but be ready for any outcome.
Example
She was nervous about the exam but decided to **hope for the best, prepare for the worst**.
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

go with the flow

Meaning
to accept things as they come; not resist change
Example
Instead of worrying, just **go with the flow**.
idiom

a blessing in disguise

Meaning
something that seems bad but results in something good
Example
Losing that job was **a blessing in disguise**.
idiom

pop the question

Meaning
to ask someone to marry you
Example
He finally **popped the question** during dinner.
idiom

to make matters worse

Meaning
to make a bad situation even more difficult or unpleasant
Example
I was already late, and **to make matters worse**, I couldn't find my keys.
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

true colors

Meaning
someone’s real character or intentions
Example
He showed his **true colors** when he lied to me.
idiom

as thick as thieves

Meaning
To be very close friends who share secrets.
Example
Lisa and Nora are **as thick as thieves** since childhood.
idiom

on the rebound

Meaning
starting a new relationship soon after a breakup
Example
He started dating again **on the rebound**.
idiom

make yourself at home

Meaning
to feel comfortable and relaxed as if you were at home
Example
Please **make yourself at home** while I get the tea.
idiom

the conversion funnel

Meaning
the process customers go through from awareness to purchase
Example
We need to analyze where people drop off in **the conversion funnel**.
idiom

Take something with a grain of salt

Meaning
To not take something too seriously or literally
Example
You should **take his stories with a grain of salt**; he often exaggerates.
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

rally the troops

Meaning
to motivate or encourage a group to take action
Example
The manager **rallied the troops** before the big presentation.
idiom

cut through the red tape

Meaning
to remove bureaucratic obstacles or delays
Example
The new policy helps **cut through the red tape** and speed up approvals.
idiom

come out with it

Meaning
to say something openly or honestly that you’ve been hiding
Example
Stop hesitating and just **come out with it**!
idiom

put on your thinking cap

Meaning
to start thinking seriously about solving a problem
Example
Let’s **put on our thinking caps** and find a solution.