hard luck story
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idiom

hard luck story

Meaning
a story about someone's misfortune
Example
He’s always telling a **hard luck story** to get sympathy.
idiom

walk a fine line

Meaning
to balance between two difficult choices or opposing sides
Example
The diplomat had to **walk a fine line** between honesty and tact.
idiom

hard sell

Meaning
an aggressive or forceful sales approach
Example
Customers today dislike the **hard sell** approach.
idiom

lay down the law

Meaning
to state rules firmly and clearly
Example
The manager **laid down the law** about punctuality.
idiom

level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
The new rules create a **level playing field** for all teams.
idiom

teach someone a lesson

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

asleep on your feet

Meaning
extremely tired and almost falling asleep
Example
You look **asleep on your feet** after working all day.
idiom

to lose your nerve

Meaning
to lose courage and become too afraid to do something
Example
He wanted to jump, but he **lost his nerve** at the last second.
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

drive up

Meaning
to cause something to increase
Example
Rising fuel costs **drive up** the price of groceries.
idiom

set the example

Meaning
to model the behavior you expect from others
Example
The manager always tries to **set the example** by being punctual and hardworking.
idiom

brain like a sieve

Meaning
having a very bad memory
Example
I keep forgetting things—I’ve got a **brain like a sieve**!
idiom

fearless as a lion

Meaning
to be very brave and bold
Example
The firefighter was **fearless as a lion** during the rescue.
idiom

go viral

Meaning
to become extremely popular online
Example
Her funny video **went viral** overnight.
idiom

sandboxing

Meaning
A security mechanism used to run applications in an isolated environment to prevent potential damage to the system.
Example
By using **sandboxing**, the malware was contained and couldn't affect the rest of the system.
idiom

circle back

Meaning
to return to a topic or task later
Example
Let's **circle back** to this issue after lunch.
idiom

scare the life out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That horror movie **scared the life out of me**.
idiom

economic sanctions

Meaning
penalties imposed by one country on another to influence behavior
Example
The EU imposed **economic sanctions** to pressure the regime to reform.
idiom

speak one’s mind

Meaning
to say exactly what one thinks
Example
She always **speaks her mind**, even if it offends people.
idiom

get a grip

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

take one's hat off to

Meaning
to show respect or admiration for someone
Example
I **take my hat off to** you for handling the situation so calmly.
idiom

fail better

Meaning
to improve by learning from past failures
Example
Even if you fail, try to **fail better** next time.
idiom

prodigal son

Meaning
a person who leaves home and returns repentant after wasting wealth or opportunities
Example
After years abroad, he returned home like **the prodigal son**.
idiom

spill the tea

Meaning
to share gossip or secrets
Example
Come on, **spill the tea** - what happened at the party?
idiom

find the right balance

Meaning
to achieve a healthy or effective equilibrium between work and personal life
Example
It took me a while, but I finally **found the right balance** between work and family.
idiom

Crossing the Rubicon

Meaning
Taking an irreversible step with serious consequences.
Example
By going public with the information, he was **crossing the Rubicon**.
idiom

take pride in

Meaning
to feel good about something you have done
Example
You should **take pride in** your achievements.
idiom

botnet

Meaning
a network of computers infected with malware that are controlled remotely by a hacker
Example
The hacker used the **botnet** to launch a massive DDoS attack on the server.
idiom

talk through

Meaning
to discuss something in detail
Example
Let’s **talk through** the plan before the client call.
idiom

carry on luggage

Meaning
small bags taken with you on a plane or trip
Example
She packed all her essentials in her **carry on luggage**.
idiom

Put one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
To focus on hard work and continuous effort.
Example
She really had to **put her nose to the grindstone** to get the promotion.
idiom

natural language processing

Meaning
a field of AI that focuses on the interaction between computers and human language
Example
Natural language processing enables AI systems to understand and respond to human speech.
idiom

the blind leading the blind

Meaning
someone inexperienced leading others who also lack experience
Example
The new trainees teaching each other is like **the blind leading the blind**.
idiom

sit back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing
Example
Just **sit back** and enjoy the show.
idiom

a blank page

Meaning
a new beginning; an opportunity to start fresh
Example
After graduation, she saw her life as **a blank page** waiting to be written.
idiom

The sun is shining

Meaning
A metaphor for happiness or positivity, often used when things are going well.
Example
After all the hard work, things finally seemed to be **shining**.
idiom

get in shape

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

blow someone's cover

Meaning
to reveal someone's secret identity or hidden purpose
Example
The journalist accidentally **blew the cover** of the undercover agent.
idiom

give in

Meaning
to stop resisting or to agree after initial refusal
Example
After a long debate, the committee finally **gave in**.
idiom

be above board

Meaning
to act in an honest and open manner
Example
She is always **above board** in all her dealings.
idiom

Blue skies thinking

Meaning
Creative or open-minded thinking without limits.
Example
Our brainstorming session encouraged **blue skies thinking**.
idiom

have a smile on your face

Meaning
to appear happy and cheerful
Example
She always has a smile on her face, no matter the situation.
idiom

to pass with flying colors

Meaning
to succeed with a very high score
Example
He studied hard and passed the exam with **flying colors**.
idiom

brush past

Meaning
to move quickly by someone or something with slight contact
Example
He **brushed past** the reporters without stopping.
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

I couldn’t agree more

Meaning
To completely agree with someone
Example
That’s exactly what I was thinking — **I couldn’t agree more**.
idiom

sound out

Meaning
to quietly discover what people think
Example
She will **sound out** the team before making changes.
idiom

sworn friends

Meaning
Friends who are deeply loyal to each other.
Example
Since childhood, they’ve been **sworn friends**.
idiom

make a killing

Meaning
to earn a large profit quickly
Example
They **made a killing** with their new tech product.
idiom

a lump in your throat

Meaning
feeling emotional or about to cry
Example
He felt **a lump in his throat** when he said goodbye.
idiom

A Sherlock Holmes

Meaning
A person who is extremely good at solving mysteries or finding out information.
Example
He’s such **a Sherlock Holmes** when it comes to finding lost things.
idiom

ray of hope

Meaning
a small sign that something good might happen
Example
The new treatment offers a **ray of hope** for patients.
idiom

keep in mind

Meaning
to remember something important
Example
**Keep in mind** that deadlines are strict.
idiom

catch some z’s

Meaning
to get some sleep
Example
I need to **catch some z’s** before the meeting.
idiom

sworn enemy

Meaning
someone who will never be your friend
Example
They used to be close but now are **sworn enemies**.
idiom

above board

Meaning
honest and legal; without deceit
Example
Their business deal was completely **above board**.
idiom

party line

Meaning
the official policy or position of a political party
Example
Members were warned not to speak against the **party line**.
idiom

have a blast

Meaning
to have a really good time
Example
We **had a blast** at the concert last night!
idiom

in the works

Meaning
something that is being developed or planned
Example
A new product is **in the works** and should be released soon.
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

get ahead

Meaning
to be successful in life or career
Example
She worked hard to **get ahead** in her company.
idiom

keep things bottled up

Meaning
to not express your emotions or worries
Example
He tends to **keep things bottled up** instead of talking about them.
idiom

learn the hard way

Meaning
to learn something through experience, especially through making mistakes
Example
He **learned the hard way** that honesty is the best policy.
idiom

Photo finish

Meaning
A very close competition
Example
The race ended in a **photo finish**.
idiom

Batten down the hatches

Meaning
To prepare for a difficult or dangerous situation.
Example
We’d better **batten down the hatches**; a storm is coming.
idiom

burn a hole in one's pocket

Meaning
to spend money quickly or irresponsibly
Example
After receiving his bonus, he couldn't resist and **burned a hole in his pocket** by buying a new car.
idiom

pick a fight

Meaning
to start an argument intentionally
Example
Don’t **pick a fight** with him; he’s already angry.
idiom

back out of

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
He **backed out of** the trip at the last minute.
idiom

set down

Meaning
to place something or write something down
Example
**Set down** your ideas so we can review them.
idiom

Hot off the press

Meaning
Newly printed; very recent news
Example
The report was **hot off the press**, released just minutes ago.
idiom

scene-stealer

Meaning
someone who attracts attention and stands out
Example
That child actor was a real **scene-stealer**.
idiom

bloom where you are planted

Meaning
to make the best of the situation you are in
Example
Even in a small town, she managed to **bloom where she was planted**.
idiom

A bright future lies ahead

Meaning
there is hope for success in the future
Example
With his talent and hard work, **a bright future lies ahead** for him.
idiom

A political animal

Meaning
A person who is very interested in politics and has a talent for it
Example
He’s known to be a real **political animal**.
idiom

come to the rescue

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

A clear conscience is a soft pillow

Meaning
When you live honestly, you sleep peacefully without guilt.
Example
After telling the truth, he had a peaceful night’s sleep because **a clear conscience is a soft pillow**.
idiom

on the cutting block

Meaning
being considered for elimination or discontinuation
Example
Due to budget cuts, several research projects are now **on the cutting block**.
idiom

the scoop

Meaning
exclusive or sensational news
Example
The journalist got **the scoop** on the celebrity wedding.
idiom

pull an all-nighter

Meaning
to stay awake all night to study or work
Example
I had to **pull an all-nighter** to finish my assignment.
idiom

hair-raising experience

Meaning
something very frightening or terrifying
Example
Driving through that storm was a **hair-raising experience**.
idiom

take a leaf out of someone’s book

Meaning
to imitate or follow someone’s good example
Example
Other cities should **take a leaf out of Copenhagen’s book** on eco-friendly transport.
idiom

cut someone down to size

Meaning
to criticize someone to make them feel less important
Example
The manager **cut him down to size** after he bragged too much.
idiom

fend off

Meaning
to defend against something or someone
Example
They installed lights to **fend off** raccoons in the yard.
idiom

wash one’s hands of something

Meaning
to stop being responsible for something
Example
He **washed his hands of** the project after it failed.
idiom

Economic downturn

Meaning
A period when the economy declines or slows down.
Example
Many people lost their jobs during the **economic downturn**.
idiom

Fall down seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying no matter how many times you fail.
Example
**Fall down seven times, stand up eight** — that’s the spirit of success.
idiom

talk over

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

trial and error

Meaning
learning through experimenting and correcting mistakes
Example
We developed the product through **trial and error**.
idiom

be your own biggest fan

Meaning
to appreciate and believe in yourself
Example
You should **be your own biggest fan** to stay motivated.
idiom

wrap your head around something

Meaning
to succeed in understanding something difficult or strange
Example
I'm still trying to **wrap my head around** this new software.
idiom

Star-studded

Meaning
Full of famous or talented people.
Example
The event was **star-studded** with celebrities from all fields.
idiom

early bird

Meaning
a person who wakes up or arrives early
Example
She’s always the **early bird** at the office.
idiom

hold accountable

Meaning
to make someone responsible for their actions
Example
Managers should be **held accountable** for their team's results.
idiom

give someone a leg up

Meaning
to help someone improve their situation or get an advantage
Example
Her mentor **gave her a leg up** in her career.
idiom

on one’s last legs

Meaning
to be near the end of one’s strength or life
Example
After the long hike, we were all **on our last legs**.
idiom

to make the grade

Meaning
to meet the required standard
Example
He didn’t **make the grade** in the final exam.
idiom

dodged a bullet

Meaning
To narrowly escape a dangerous or unlucky situation.
Example
We really **dodged a bullet** when that deal fell through.
idiom

a weight off your shoulders

Meaning
relief after dealing with a stressful situation
Example
Finishing the project felt like **a weight off my shoulders**.
idiom

map out

Meaning
to plan something in detail
Example
We should **map out** our marketing strategy for the next quarter.
idiom

at death’s door

Meaning
very close to death
Example
He was **at death’s door** before the doctors saved him.
idiom

have a vivid imagination

Meaning
to be able to think of interesting and unusual ideas
Example
Children often **have a vivid imagination**.
idiom

rule of thumb

Meaning
a general practical principle based on experience
Example
As a **rule of thumb**, I double-check every document.
idiom

count your blessings

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

put your faith in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone or something
Example
She decided to **put her faith in** her friends to help her.
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

keep your eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal or objective despite obstacles
Example
Even though the road was tough, he always **kept his eye on the prize** and succeeded.
idiom

raining cats and dogs

Meaning
raining very heavily
Example
It's **raining cats and dogs** outside!
idiom

adapt to new surroundings

Meaning
to adjust to a new environment or situation
Example
After moving to a new city, it took her some time to **adapt to new surroundings**.
idiom

opt out

Meaning
to choose not to participate
Example
Employees can **opt out** of the program if they want.
idiom

Throw money at the problem

Meaning
To try to solve a problem by spending a lot of money instead of finding the real solution.
Example
You can’t just **throw money at the problem**; we need a proper plan.
idiom

talk the same language

Meaning
to have similar ideas and understanding
Example
We get along because we **talk the same language**.
idiom

a political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial or sensitive political issue
Example
Immigration has become **a political hot potato** in the country.
idiom

hope springs eternal

Meaning
people will always have hope, no matter the situation
Example
Even in the darkest times, he believed things would get better because **hope springs eternal**.
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

pop the champagne

Meaning
to celebrate a special event or success
Example
Let’s **pop the champagne** to celebrate our victory!
idiom

win the peace

Meaning
to succeed in maintaining peace after a conflict
Example
The treaty was a success, but they still had to **win the peace**.
idiom

never say never

Meaning
to encourage someone to stay hopeful and not give up
Example
**Never say never**—you might succeed next time.
idiom

measure out

Meaning
to calculate and separate a specific amount
Example
Please **measure out** two cups of flour.
idiom

lead by example

Meaning
to show others how to behave by doing it yourself
Example
A true leader always **leads by example**.
idiom

tag along

Meaning
to join someone’s online activity or conversation uninvited
Example
He just **tagged along** in our group chat without asking.
idiom

give the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to trust someone even though you may not have all the facts
Example
Even though she was late, I decided to **give her the benefit of the doubt** and not get upset.