have cold feet
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idiom

have cold feet

Meaning
to suddenly become nervous before doing something important
Example
He was ready to get married but **got cold feet** at the last minute.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
idiom

build from the ground up

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built their business from the ground up** with no investors.
idiom

fall for someone

Meaning
to start loving someone; to develop romantic feelings
Example
He **fell for** her the moment he saw her smile.
idiom

Dress to kill

Meaning
To wear clothes that attract a lot of attention and admiration.
Example
She always **dresses to kill** when she goes to parties.
idiom

bolt from the blue

Meaning
a sudden and unexpected event
Example
The project cancellation came as a **bolt from the blue**.
idiom

catch the train

Meaning
to be on time for a train or event
Example
Hurry up or you’ll not **catch the train**!
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

lose your mind

Meaning
to become mentally unstable or extremely upset
Example
He nearly **lost his mind** after the breakup.
idiom

out of left field

Meaning
something unexpected or surprising
Example
His question came **out of left field** and shocked everyone.
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

carry on about

Meaning
to speak at length in an excited or annoyed way
Example
He kept **carrying on about** the missed deadline all morning.
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 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 according to plan

Meaning
to happen as expected
Example
Everything went **according to plan** during the event.
idiom

kick off

Meaning
to start an event or activity
Example
The workshop will **kick off** at 9 a.m. sharp.
idiom

Burn the bridges

Meaning
to destroy the possibility of returning to a previous situation
Example
Once he left the company, he decided to **burn the bridges** and not look back.
idiom

hold forth

Meaning
to speak at length about a topic
Example
He loved to **hold forth** on travel stories.
idiom

lay it on thick

Meaning
to exaggerate praise or flattery
Example
She really **laid it on thick** when complimenting her boss.
idiom

guide the way

Meaning
to lead someone through a process or path
Example
A good leader knows how to **guide the way** for their team to succeed.
idiom

a barrel of laughs

Meaning
someone or something very funny or entertaining
Example
The new comedy show is **a barrel of laughs**.
idiom

raise the stakes

Meaning
to increase the level of risk or difficulty
Example
We need to **raise the stakes** if we want to make a bigger impact.
idiom

Old school

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

bend someone’s ear

Meaning
to talk to someone for a long time, usually to complain
Example
He **bent my ear** about his terrible day at work.
idiom

black box thinking

Meaning
analyzing unknown processes by studying their inputs and outputs
Example
In AI research, **black box thinking** helps improve transparency.
idiom

form follows function

Meaning
the shape of a building or object should primarily relate to its intended function or purpose
Example
In modern architecture, **form follows function** is a principle that's widely accepted.
idiom

carry the weight of the world

Meaning
to take on a lot of responsibility
Example
John felt like he had to **carry the weight of the world** on his shoulders at work.
idiom

star-crossed lovers

Meaning
lovers whose relationship is doomed or unlucky
Example
Romeo and Juliet were **star-crossed lovers**.
idiom

set the pace

Meaning
to establish a standard of performance or progress for others to follow
Example
Our CEO always **sets the pace** for the entire company.
idiom

I owe you one

Meaning
used to express that you are thankful and plan to return the favor
Example
Thanks for helping me move, **I owe you one**!
idiom

hit it out of the park

Meaning
to do something extremely well
Example
Your presentation really **hit it out of the park**!
idiom

drop your jaw

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or shocked
Example
Everyone’s jaws **dropped** when they saw the price.
idiom

act of kindness

Meaning
a single good deed or gesture to help others
Example
That was such a beautiful **act of kindness**.
idiom

swear an oath

Meaning
to promise solemnly, often in a formal way
Example
He **swore an oath** to serve his country faithfully.
idiom

sitting on a gold mine

Meaning
to have something very valuable that is not yet realized
Example
That old property is worth millions — you're **sitting on a gold mine**.
idiom

honor one's promise

Meaning
to keep a promise or commitment
Example
She **honored her promise** to visit the orphanage.
idiom

On the breadline

Meaning
Living in poverty or with very little money.
Example
After losing his job, he was almost **on the breadline**.
idiom

canary in the coal mine

Meaning
an early warning of potential danger
Example
Melting glaciers are the **canary in the coal mine** for climate change.
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

Talk through your hat

Meaning
To speak nonsense or about something one knows little about.
Example
He was **talking through his hat** about quantum physics.
idiom

in a pickle

Meaning
in a difficult or tricky situation
Example
I'm **in a pickle** because I double-booked my meetings.
idiom

swept off your feet

Meaning
to be suddenly and strongly attracted to someone
Example
She was **swept off her feet** by his charm.
idiom

envy eats the heart

Meaning
jealousy destroys one’s peace of mind
Example
**Envy eats the heart**, so stop comparing yourself to others.
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

cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative
Example
Our company is working on **cutting edge** AI technology.
idiom

Pyrrhic victory

Meaning
A victory won at too great a cost to be worthwhile.
Example
Winning the lawsuit was a **Pyrrhic victory** since it drained all their finances.
idiom

A giant leap

Meaning
A significant advancement or achievement.
Example
Landing on the moon was **a giant leap** for mankind.
idiom

Rite of passage

Meaning
A ceremony or event marking an important stage in someone's life
Example
Graduation is a **rite of passage** for many students.
idiom

circle of friends

Meaning
a group of people you are friendly with
Example
She has a large **circle of friends** from college.
idiom

better luck next time

Meaning
used to encourage someone who has failed
Example
**Better luck next time**! You almost won.
idiom

lost in translation

Meaning
when the meaning is lost or changed in translation or communication
Example
The humor was **lost in translation** when the movie was dubbed.
idiom

robotic response

Meaning
an emotionless or mechanical reaction
Example
She gave a **robotic response** during the interview.
idiom

keep things in perspective

Meaning
to stay calm by seeing things realistically
Example
When stressed, try to **keep things in perspective**.
idiom

drum up

Meaning
to increase interest or support for something
Example
The volunteers are visiting schools to **drum up** excitement for the festival.
idiom

in the driver's seat

Meaning
to be in control of a situation
Example
After the merger, she was **in the driver’s seat** of the company.
idiom

to spill the beans

Meaning
to reveal a secret by mistake
Example
Tom accidentally **spilled the beans** about the surprise party.
idiom

by the skin of one’s teeth

Meaning
To narrowly escape or achieve something by a very small margin.
Example
I passed the exam **by the skin of my teeth**.
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

party pooper

Meaning
someone who spoils the fun of others
Example
Don’t be a **party pooper**, join the fun!
idiom

confide in someone

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them secrets
Example
She only **confides in** her best friend.
idiom

bring down the house

Meaning
to get an enthusiastic applause from the audience
Example
Her solo performance **brought down the house**.
idiom

run for office

Meaning
to campaign for a political position
Example
She decided to **run for office** next year.
idiom

own up to

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

take charge

Meaning
to take control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge** of the project herself.
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

in the wrong hands

Meaning
controlled or used by people who could cause harm
Example
AI technology **in the wrong hands** could be disastrous.
idiom

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed **tears of joy** when her son returned home.
idiom

take the time to listen

Meaning
to make an effort to understand or care about someone else's feelings
Example
Sometimes, all we need is to **take the time to listen** to others' problems.
idiom

ring a bell

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can't remember where I heard it.
idiom

Spin the story

Meaning
To present information in a biased or manipulative way
Example
The politician tried to **spin the story** to his advantage.
idiom

keep your nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and continuously
Example
If you **keep your nose to the grindstone**, you’ll achieve your goals.
idiom

android-like

Meaning
acting emotionless or mechanical like a robot
Example
He works in an **android-like** manner, without any emotion.
idiom

switch over

Meaning
to change from one system or option to another
Example
The team will **switch over** to the new software tonight.
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

corner office

Meaning
a symbol of success or high position in a company
Example
Everyone dreams of getting the **corner office** one day.
idiom

reinforcement learning

Meaning
a type of machine learning where an agent learns to make decisions by performing actions and receiving feedback
Example
In **reinforcement learning**, the model improves over time as it learns from trial and error.
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

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

throw shade

Meaning
to subtly insult or criticize someone
Example
She was **throwing shade** at her ex during the conversation.
idiom

be at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or upset that you don't know what to do
Example
I'm **at my wits' end** trying to calm the kids down.
idiom

cash in on

Meaning
to profit from a situation, often quickly
Example
Several startups tried to **cash in on** the sudden trend.
idiom

pat yourself on the back

Meaning
to praise yourself for doing something well
Example
You should **pat yourself on the back** for finishing that project.
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

turn over a new leaf

Meaning
to start behaving better after doing something wrong
Example
After the accident, he decided to **turn over a new leaf**.
idiom

on edge

Meaning
to be nervous, tense, or irritable
Example
She’s been **on edge** since the exam started.
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

back into

Meaning
to move backwards into something unintentionally
Example
I nearly **backed into** the recycling bin while parking.
idiom

do good to others

Meaning
to act in a way that helps other people
Example
It is always a good idea to **do good to others**.
idiom

let off steam

Meaning
to release strong emotions or energy
Example
I went to the gym to **let off steam** after a stressful day.
idiom

chase rainbows

Meaning
to try to achieve something impossible
Example
Stop **chasing rainbows** and focus on reality.
idiom

Break a sweat

Meaning
To exert effort or work hard at something.
Example
She didn't even **break a sweat** while finishing the entire project in one day.
idiom

take the high road

Meaning
to act morally or kindly even when others don't
Example
She decided to **take the high road** and forgive him.
idiom

square peg in a round hole

Meaning
someone or something that doesn't fit or belong in a particular place or situation
Example
Putting a modern building in a historical district is like trying to fit a **square peg in a round hole**.
idiom

sit at someone’s feet

Meaning
to learn from someone who is very knowledgeable
Example
Many students wanted to **sit at his feet** and learn from him.
idiom

Make a mountain out of a molehill

Meaning
To exaggerate a small problem and make it seem much bigger than it really is.
Example
She made such a big deal out of forgetting her phone; she really **made a mountain out of a molehill**.
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

head back to

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
Let’s **head back to** the office after lunch.
idiom

pack up

Meaning
to gather belongings and prepare to leave
Example
We should **pack up** and head home before the storm starts.
idiom

When the going gets tough, the tough get going

Meaning
Strong people keep working hard even in difficulties.
Example
**When the going gets tough, the tough get going** — never lose hope.
idiom

juggle with

Meaning
to handle several tasks or responsibilities at once
Example
She’s **juggling with** classes, work, and childcare.
idiom

Share a smile

Meaning
to smile and bring happiness to others
Example
It's easy to **share a smile** and brighten someone's day.
idiom

hand in

Meaning
to submit something to someone in authority
Example
Please **hand in** your assignment by Friday morning.
idiom

draw on

Meaning
to use something as a resource
Example
We’ll **draw on** last year’s data for the report.
idiom

on trial

Meaning
being tested or judged
Example
The company is **on trial** for violating privacy laws.
idiom

As cool as a cucumber

Meaning
Very calm and relaxed.
Example
Even in stressful situations, she stays **as cool as a cucumber**.
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

click-through rate

Meaning
the percentage of users who click on an ad or link
Example
Our **click-through rate** improved after we changed the headline.
idiom

Put yourself in someone’s shoes

Meaning
To imagine yourself in another person's situation
Example
Try to **put yourself in her shoes** before judging her actions.
idiom

soft power

Meaning
a country's ability to influence others through culture or values rather than force
Example
Japan uses **soft power** to promote its culture worldwide.
idiom

miss out on

Meaning
to fail to experience something enjoyable
Example
Don’t **miss out on** the early-bird discount.
idiom

fight fire with fire

Meaning
to use the same tactics as one’s opponent
Example
When negotiations failed, they decided to **fight fire with fire**.
idiom

Power behind the throne

Meaning
A person or group who has a hidden or indirect influence over the leadership
Example
The chief advisor is often considered the **power behind the throne**.
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

yellow-bellied

Meaning
very cowardly
Example
He’s too **yellow-bellied** to stand up for himself.
idiom

land a job

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

the apple of someone's eye

Meaning
someone very precious or loved deeply
Example
Her daughter is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

a friend in need is a friend indeed

Meaning
a true friend helps you in difficult times
Example
When I was sick, Jane took care of me—**a friend in need is a friend indeed**.
idiom

fall flat on one’s face

Meaning
to fail completely or embarrass oneself
Example
He **fell flat on his face** trying to start a new business.
idiom

paint a new picture

Meaning
to create a new vision or concept
Example
The designer managed to **paint a new picture** for the brand.
idiom

law-abiding citizen

Meaning
a person who always follows the law
Example
He is known as a **law-abiding citizen** in the community.
idiom

take five

Meaning
to take a short break
Example
Let's **take five** before continuing the meeting.