have a spark of creativity
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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

Get the scoop

Meaning
To be the first to report on a story, often an exclusive one.
Example
The reporter worked tirelessly to **get the scoop** on the celebrity scandal.
idiom

Caught with your pants down

Meaning
To be caught unprepared or embarrassed.
Example
The manager was **caught with his pants down** when asked about the figures.
idiom

plow ahead

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
Even with setbacks, they decided to **plow ahead** with the project.
idiom

know something by heart

Meaning
to memorize something perfectly
Example
She **knows all the poems by heart**.
idiom

in contempt of court

Meaning
disrespecting or defying the authority of a court of law
Example
He was found **in contempt of court** for refusing to testify.
idiom

Tell the truth

Meaning
To say what is true instead of lying.
Example
Please **tell the truth**, even if it hurts.
idiom

keep your emotions in check

Meaning
to control your emotions
Example
It's important to **keep your emotions in check** during a meeting.
idiom

on solid ground

Meaning
in a safe or stable situation
Example
After months of hard work, the company is now **on solid ground**.
idiom

itchy feet

Meaning
a strong desire to travel or move around
Example
After a few months at home, I started to get **itchy feet** again.
idiom

fan through

Meaning
to flip through pages quickly
Example
She **fanned through** the report to find the chart.
idiom

Handle with kid gloves

Meaning
To treat someone very gently or carefully.
Example
They **handled** the new client **with kid gloves**.
idiom

to goof up

Meaning
to make a silly or careless mistake
Example
She **goofed up** the numbers in the report.
idiom

Cultural shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when exposed to a different culture or way of life
Example
Moving from a small village to a big city gave me **cultural shock**.
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

queue up

Meaning
to line up and wait for your turn
Example
Fans began to **queue up** hours before the show.
idiom

open Pandora’s box

Meaning
to start something that causes many unforeseen problems
Example
Creating sentient AI could **open Pandora’s box** of ethical challenges.
idiom

rope in

Meaning
to persuade someone to join an activity
Example
They **roped me in** to help with the charity event.
idiom

diplomatic immunity

Meaning
legal protection given to diplomats from prosecution
Example
He could not be arrested because he had **diplomatic immunity**.
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

download information

Meaning
to absorb or receive information quickly
Example
She can **download information** faster than anyone else on the team.
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

leave a carbon footprint

Meaning
to cause pollution or environmental impact through daily activities
Example
Flying frequently can **leave a large carbon footprint**.
idiom

throw money around

Meaning
to spend money carelessly or extravagantly
Example
Some rich importers love to **throw money around** at trade fairs.
idiom

change one's tune

Meaning
to change one's opinion or attitude
Example
After hearing the good news, he decided to **change his tune**.
idiom

Fortune favors the bold

Meaning
Those who take risks are more likely to be successful.
Example
Remember, **fortune favors the bold**, so don’t be afraid to invest in new opportunities.
idiom

cut through the noise

Meaning
to stand out from the competition; to be noticed despite distractions
Example
Our campaign needs to **cut through the noise** and grab people’s attention.
idiom

A Jekyll and Hyde

Meaning
A person with two very different sides to their personality.
Example
He’s like **a Jekyll and Hyde**—nice one moment and cruel the next.
idiom

at the crossroads

Meaning
facing a decision or choice
Example
I’m **at the crossroads** in my career right now.
idiom

run with it

Meaning
to take an idea and develop it further or act on it
Example
They liked the concept and told us to **run with it**.
idiom

paint a picture

Meaning
to describe something vividly or clearly
Example
The journalist tried to **paint a picture** of life in the refugee camp.
idiom

face up to

Meaning
to accept and confront a difficult situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to** the staffing gaps.
idiom

climb the ladder

Meaning
to move up in position or success, especially in a career
Example
He worked hard to **climb the ladder** in his company.
idiom

split-second decision

Meaning
a decision made very quickly without much thought
Example
The pilot had to make a **split-second decision** to avoid the crash.
idiom

once bitten, twice shy

Meaning
after an unpleasant experience, you are careful to avoid it happening again
Example
After losing money in the stock market, he became **once bitten, twice shy**.
idiom

give someone a dose of their own medicine

Meaning
to treat someone the same bad way they treated others
Example
He was rude to everyone, so I **gave him a dose of his own medicine**.
idiom

faith moves mountains

Meaning
strong belief can achieve great things
Example
Keep believing in yourself—**faith moves mountains**.
idiom

draw out

Meaning
to encourage someone to express themselves
Example
The mentor helped **draw out** her confidence.
idiom

wallflower

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

fade to black

Meaning
to end something dramatically
Example
The director chose to **fade to black** at the emotional climax.
idiom

Keep going strong

Meaning
to keep persevering and not give up
Example
Even when times are tough, remember to **keep going strong**.
idiom

mud-slinging

Meaning
the act of criticizing someone, especially in politics, to harm their reputation
Example
The debate turned into **mud-slinging** very quickly.
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

out of memory

Meaning
unable to think clearly; mentally exhausted
Example
After working all night, I was completely **out of memory**.
idiom

when life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Meaning
make the best out of a bad situation
Example
She lost her job but decided to **make lemonade** by starting her own business.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
idiom

To tell the truth

Meaning
To speak honestly or openly.
Example
**To tell the truth**, I never liked that movie.
idiom

touch gold

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

dress down

Meaning
to scold someone severely
Example
The coach **dressed down** the team for sloppy defense.
idiom

Clean hands

Meaning
To be innocent or free from guilt.
Example
He claims to have **clean hands** in the scandal.
idiom

mind over matter

Meaning
the use of willpower to overcome physical problems
Example
Running that marathon was pure **mind over matter**.
idiom

go head to head

Meaning
to directly compete or confront each other
Example
The two negotiators went **head to head** over the contract terms.
idiom

take the rap

Meaning
to be punished or blamed for something, often unfairly.
Example
He **took the rap** for the team’s poor performance.
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

the lesser of two evils

Meaning
the less harmful of two bad options
Example
Voters often choose **the lesser of two evils** during elections.
idiom

key into

Meaning
to pay close attention to or understand something important
Example
Leaders must **key into** what customers value most.
idiom

under false pretenses

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

speak up

Meaning
to express an opinion openly and clearly
Example
If you disagree, please **speak up** during the meeting.
idiom

I’d say

Meaning
used to express a considered opinion
Example
**I’d say** this is the best option we have.
idiom

behind bars

Meaning
in prison
Example
The murderer will spend the rest of his life **behind bars**.
idiom

rinse off

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

hit the dance floor

Meaning
to start dancing, especially at a party
Example
Let’s **hit the dance floor** and show our moves!
idiom

dive into

Meaning
to start doing something with enthusiasm
Example
Let’s **dive into** the agenda after coffee.
idiom

Economic engine

Meaning
A sector that drives overall economic growth.
Example
Manufacturing remains the **economic engine** of the nation.
idiom

In the calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful period before a difficult situation or conflict arises.
Example
The office was quiet, **in the calm before the storm**, as they prepared for the big meeting.
idiom

Cut one’s losses

Meaning
To stop doing something that is failing to avoid further loss.
Example
It’s better to **cut your losses** and exit the market now.
idiom

grin and bear it

Meaning
to accept a difficult situation patiently
Example
You just have to **grin and bear it** until the work is done.
idiom

bosom friend

Meaning
a very close and trusted friend
Example
We’ve been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

get a move on

Meaning
to hurry up or move faster
Example
**Get a move on**, or we’ll miss the train!
idiom

As far as I can tell

Meaning
As I understand; based on what I know
Example
As far as I can tell, everything is fine.
idiom

helicopter parent

Meaning
a parent who is overly involved in their child’s life
Example
She’s a bit of a **helicopter parent**, always watching over her kids.
idiom

have a crush on

Meaning
to be attracted to someone
Example
I **had a crush on** my classmate in college.
idiom

shoot from the hip

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

sugarcoat the truth

Meaning
to make something seem more pleasant or acceptable than it is
Example
Don’t try to **sugarcoat the truth**; we need to be honest about the situation.
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

Old school

Meaning
Having traditional ideas or values; not modern
Example
My father still prefers handwritten letters; he’s really **old school**.
idiom

call a truce

Meaning
to agree to stop fighting or arguing for a while
Example
They decided to **call a truce** until the boss arrived.
idiom

put someone in their place

Meaning
to show someone that they are not as important as they think
Example
She **put him in his place** when he tried to act superior.
idiom

piece together

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

to backfire

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

to have hope in one's heart

Meaning
to remain hopeful and optimistic about the future
Example
Despite all the challenges, he always **has hope in his heart**.
idiom

synergy effect

Meaning
the increased effectiveness or value that results from two or more companies working together
Example
The partnership created a **synergy effect**, benefiting both companies.
idiom

test the waters

Meaning
to try something out before committing fully
Example
Before launching the product, we decided to **test the waters**.
idiom

united we stand, divided we fall

Meaning
people are stronger when they work together
Example
Remember, **united we stand, divided we fall**.
idiom

big brother

Meaning
an older brother or someone who behaves protectively
Example
Mark acts like a **big brother** to everyone in the neighborhood.
idiom

go bankrupt

Meaning
to lose all money and be unable to pay debts
Example
Many start-ups **go bankrupt** within their first year.
idiom

work-life harmony

Meaning
a balanced and peaceful relationship between work and personal life
Example
She believes in maintaining **work-life harmony**.
idiom

work like a charm

Meaning
to function perfectly or very effectively
Example
The new solution **worked like a charm**.
idiom

peel off

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

keep it under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
We’re trying to **keep it under wraps** until the official announcement.
idiom

batten down

Meaning
to secure something tightly in preparation for trouble
Example
Residents will **batten down** their windows before the storm.
idiom

buckle under the strain

Meaning
to give in to stress or pressure
Example
She refused to **buckle under the strain** and kept going.
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

Frankenstein’s monster

Meaning
A creation that turns against its creator.
Example
Social media became a **Frankenstein’s monster** for its inventors.
idiom

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

Meaning
Knowing a small amount about something can lead to mistakes.
Example
**A little knowledge is a dangerous thing** — don’t try to fix it if you’re not an expert.
idiom

bargain chip

Meaning
something of value used in negotiations to get a better deal
Example
His offer of a longer contract was a strong **bargain chip**.
idiom

make progress

Meaning
to move forward or improve
Example
She is slowly **making progress** with her studies.
idiom

bold as brass

Meaning
to be very confident and not shy at all
Example
She walked into the meeting **bold as brass**.
idiom

clear up

Meaning
to make something easier to understand or to tidy a place
Example
Let me **clear up** the schedule so everyone knows their tasks.
idiom

take the helm

Meaning
to assume control or leadership of an organization
Example
She **took the helm** of the company after her father's retirement.
idiom

cover up

Meaning
to hide the truth about something
Example
They tried to **cover up** the mistake.
idiom

build one's confidence

Meaning
to increase one's self-assurance or belief in one's abilities
Example
Public speaking classes helped him **build his confidence**.
idiom

clear your head

Meaning
to stop thinking about something for a while and relax
Example
After a stressful week, I like to take a walk to **clear my head**.
idiom

flash back to

Meaning
to suddenly remember a past event
Example
The photo made her **flash back to** her first day at work.
idiom

full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or excitement
Example
The party was in **full swing** when we arrived.
idiom

a miscarriage of justice

Meaning
a wrong or unfair decision by a court
Example
The innocent man’s imprisonment was **a miscarriage of justice**.
idiom

to clean one's hands

Meaning
to rid oneself of responsibility for something, especially wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **clean his hands** of the situation, but we all knew he was involved.
idiom

meet someone halfway

Meaning
to agree to compromise with someone
Example
We finally **met each other halfway** and agreed on a solution.
idiom

Pump money into

Meaning
To invest large amounts of money to boost growth.
Example
The government plans to **pump money into** infrastructure projects.
idiom

Down the rabbit hole

Meaning
Entering into a strange, complicated, or bizarre situation.
Example
I went **down the rabbit hole** researching ancient myths.
idiom

stand by your principles

Meaning
to remain loyal to your values, even in difficult situations
Example
She always **stands by her principles** in tough times.
idiom

Cut from the same cloth

Meaning
To be very similar in character or behavior.
Example
Those two brothers are **cut from the same cloth**.
idiom

parcel out

Meaning
to divide and distribute something
Example
Let’s **parcel out** the tasks for the festival.
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

reboot your perspective

Meaning
to start fresh with a new mindset
Example
After project failure, the team decided to **reboot their perspective**.
idiom

hang onto

Meaning
to keep something and not give it away
Example
I’ll **hang onto** the receipts in case we need a refund.
idiom

tone down

Meaning
to make something less forceful or intense
Example
Could you **tone down** the colors in that slide?
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

walk tall

Meaning
to behave confidently and proudly
Example
You have every reason to **walk tall** after your success.
idiom

set the record straight

Meaning
to clarify the truth after a misunderstanding
Example
He wanted to **set the record straight** about what really happened.
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.