have someone's back
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idiom

have someone's back

Meaning
to support or defend someone
Example
Don’t worry—I **have your back**.
idiom

catch a bug

Meaning
to find a problem or defect in a system
Example
The developer was able to **catch a bug** in the system before it went live.
idiom

war of words

Meaning
an argument or verbal conflict
Example
The two politicians engaged in a **war of words** on TV.
idiom

Culture shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when encountering a different culture
Example
Moving to Japan gave her a bit of **culture shock** at first.
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

rise to the occasion

Meaning
to perform well in a difficult situation
Example
He really **rose to the occasion** during the crisis.
idiom

take the scenic route

Meaning
to choose a longer or more beautiful way to travel
Example
Let’s **take the scenic route** through the mountains.
idiom

minimum viable product

Meaning
the simplest version of a product that can be released to test an idea
Example
The team launched an **MVP (minimum viable product)** to gather user feedback.
idiom

a work of art

Meaning
something very beautiful or skillfully made
Example
Her wedding dress was truly **a work of art**.
idiom

in hot water

Meaning
in trouble or difficulty
Example
He’s **in hot water** for missing the meeting.
idiom

too big to fail

Meaning
a company or institution that is so important that it is unlikely to fail
Example
Many financial institutions were considered **too big to fail** during the 2008 financial crisis.
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

a brainwave

Meaning
a sudden clever idea or solution
Example
I had **a brainwave** and realized how to fix the issue.
idiom

talk shop

Meaning
to talk about work or business during leisure time
Example
Even at dinner, they started to **talk shop**.
idiom

answer the call of duty

Meaning
to fulfill one's obligation, especially in a difficult situation
Example
Firefighters **answered the call of duty** during the massive fire.
idiom

a house divided against itself cannot stand

Meaning
a group or organization that is divided in opinion or direction cannot succeed
Example
In a team, **a house divided against itself cannot stand**; everyone needs to agree on the same goal.
idiom

be sure of yourself

Meaning
to have confidence in your abilities or opinions
Example
To be a leader, you must **be sure of yourself**.
idiom

mind your peace and quiet

Meaning
to protect your calm and avoid stress or disturbance
Example
She values her alone time to **mind her peace and quiet**.
idiom

blood, sweat, and tears

Meaning
great effort and hard work
Example
Building this company took a lot of **blood, sweat, and tears**.
idiom

chip away at

Meaning
to gradually work on something to achieve a result
Example
She **chipped away at** her thesis every evening until it was finished.
idiom

stick to your guns

Meaning
to remain firm in your beliefs or decisions even under pressure
Example
He **stuck to his guns** even when others doubted him.
idiom

Open-minded

Meaning
Willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
A good therapist must be **open-minded**.
idiom

party animal

Meaning
someone who loves going to parties
Example
She’s such a **party animal**, always out on weekends.
idiom

take aback

Meaning
to surprise or shock someone suddenly
Example
I was **taken aback** by his rude behavior.
idiom

a bolt from the blue

Meaning
a sudden and unexpected event or news
Example
His resignation came **like a bolt from the blue**.
idiom

a snake in the grass

Meaning
a secret enemy
Example
Be careful; there’s **a snake in the grass**.
idiom

stick your neck out

Meaning
to take a risk by doing or saying something that others may disagree with
Example
He **stuck his neck out** to defend his colleague.
idiom

talk up

Meaning
to praise or promote something enthusiastically
Example
The host will **talk up** the new menu tonight.
idiom

bridge the gap

Meaning
to reduce differences or improve relations
Example
The treaty aims to **bridge the gap** between the two sides.
idiom

open and shut case

Meaning
a case that is easily decided or obvious
Example
It was an **open and shut case** with clear evidence.
idiom

grit your teeth

Meaning
to accept something unpleasant and continue
Example
He had to **grit his teeth** and finish the job.
idiom

tear down

Meaning
to demolish or dismantle something
Example
They plan to **tear down** the old shed this weekend.
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

split the atom

Meaning
to do something revolutionary or extremely difficult
Example
Creating a universal AI is like trying to **split the atom** of intelligence.
idiom

break the chains

Meaning
to free oneself from restrictions or limitations
Example
She wanted to **break the chains** of social expectations.
idiom

do the right thing by someone

Meaning
to treat someone fairly and with respect
Example
It's important to always **do the right thing by your colleagues**.
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

to feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel very good or confident
Example
After the spa treatment, I **felt like a million bucks**.
idiom

dwell on

Meaning
to think or speak about something repeatedly
Example
Try not to **dwell on** the minor mistake.
idiom

fight your demons

Meaning
to deal with your fears or bad memories courageously
Example
He’s learning to **fight his demons** from the past.
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

seat of power

Meaning
a place where authority or control is exercised
Example
The prime minister returned to the **seat of power** after a long illness.
idiom

take the edge off

Meaning
to make a bad situation or feeling less intense or unpleasant
Example
A hot cup of tea always helps to **take the edge off**.
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 the streets

Meaning
to go out on patrol or begin a search for a suspect
Example
The officers decided to **hit the streets** after the robbery was reported.
idiom

empty promise

Meaning
a promise made without the intention to keep it
Example
Politicians often make **empty promises** during elections.
idiom

a paradigm shift

Meaning
a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions
Example
The invention of the internet marked a **paradigm shift** in communication and information sharing.
idiom

block out

Meaning
to ignore distractions or unpleasant thoughts
Example
She tried to **block out** the noise and continue working.
idiom

teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone teases her for being the **teacher’s pet**.
idiom

open up about

Meaning
to share personal thoughts or feelings
Example
He finally **opened up about** the project stress.
idiom

Game of thrones

Meaning
A struggle for power or control, often involving manipulation and rivalry
Example
The election turned into a **game of thrones** with leaders fighting for dominance.
idiom

rinse off

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

outside the box

Meaning
thinking or acting in an unusual or unconventional way
Example
To solve this problem, we need to think **outside the box**.
idiom

bond of friendship

Meaning
A strong connection of trust and affection between friends.
Example
Their **bond of friendship** grew stronger over the years.
idiom

to screw up

Meaning
to make a serious mistake or spoil something
Example
I really **screwed up** the presentation.
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

grow by leaps and bounds

Meaning
to grow or improve very quickly
Example
The company has **grown by leaps and bounds** in the last year.
idiom

hit upon an idea

Meaning
to suddenly think of a good idea
Example
I **hit upon an idea** for improving the app.
idiom

table a proposal

Meaning
to formally present a proposal for discussion
Example
The ambassador decided to **table a proposal** for regional cooperation.
idiom

tip of the hat

Meaning
a gesture of appreciation or respect
Example
A **tip of the hat** to everyone who made this event possible.
idiom

come into the spotlight

Meaning
to receive public attention or recognition
Example
She **came into the spotlight** after winning the award.
idiom

hit the town

Meaning
to go out and enjoy with friends
Example
Let’s **hit the town** tonight and celebrate!
idiom

cover all the angles

Meaning
to examine a story or issue from every perspective
Example
The journalist tried to **cover all the angles** before publishing the article.
idiom

to break the ice

Meaning
to start a friendly conversation in an awkward situation
Example
To **break the ice**, I told a joke.
idiom

walk a tightrope

Meaning
to be in a difficult situation requiring careful balance
Example
The manager **walked a tightrope** between the demands of staff and management.
idiom

play to the gallery

Meaning
to try to gain approval from the general public rather than experts
Example
The politician was clearly **playing to the gallery** with his speech.
idiom

get off on the right foot

Meaning
to start a relationship or activity in a positive way
Example
We **got off on the right foot** during our first meeting.
idiom

narrow down

Meaning
to reduce a list of options to a smaller number
Example
We’ve **narrowed down** the candidates to the final three.
idiom

get off scot-free

Meaning
to escape punishment or consequences without facing any penalty
Example
He was caught stealing but managed to **get off scot-free**.
idiom

make it happen

Meaning
take action to achieve something
Example
Stop dreaming and **make it happen**.
idiom

Big fish in a small pond

Meaning
An important person in a small organization or area.
Example
He prefers being a **big fish in a small pond** rather than competing globally.
idiom

a masterpiece

Meaning
an outstanding work of art or achievement
Example
Her latest sculpture is truly **a masterpiece**.
idiom

lose ground

Meaning
to lose advantage or control in a situation
Example
During the talks, one side began to **lose ground** quickly.
idiom

step up one’s game

Meaning
to improve one’s effort or performance
Example
If you want that promotion, you need to **step up your game**.
idiom

take pride in yourself

Meaning
to feel proud of who you are or what you do
Example
Always **take pride in yourself** and your achievements.
idiom

pull strings

Meaning
to use influence or connections to get what you want
Example
She **pulled strings** to get him the job.
idiom

in deep water

Meaning
to be in serious trouble or difficulty
Example
He’s **in deep water** after missing the deadline again.
idiom

the walls have ears

Meaning
be careful what you say because someone might be listening
Example
Speak quietly—**the walls have ears**.
idiom

own up to something

Meaning
to admit or confess responsibility for something
Example
You should **own up to your mistakes** instead of blaming others.
idiom

an out of this world experience

Meaning
an extraordinary or exceptional experience
Example
The view from the space station was truly **an out of this world experience**.
idiom

weather the storm

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
Our company managed to **weather the storm** during the crisis.
idiom

team spirit

Meaning
a feeling of pride and loyalty shared by members of a group
Example
Their **team spirit** helped them win the championship.
idiom

see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
They finally **saw eye to eye** on the business deal.
idiom

hit back

Meaning
to reply to criticism or attack with force
Example
The team plans to **hit back** with a stronger strategy.
idiom

wash your hands of something

Meaning
to stop being involved in or responsible for something
Example
After the scandal, the manager **washed his hands of** the project.
idiom

to serve justice

Meaning
to ensure that fairness or punishment is properly given
Example
The court’s decision **served justice** for the victims.
idiom

fly by the seat of your pants

Meaning
to do something without planning, using only instinct and experience
Example
We didn't have a map, so we **flew by the seat of our pants**.
idiom

Break bread with someone

Meaning
To share a meal; to bond over food
Example
They decided to **break bread** to celebrate their new partnership.
idiom

a giant leap for mankind

Meaning
a significant or groundbreaking achievement
Example
The first man landing on the moon was truly **a giant leap for mankind**.
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

get it right

Meaning
to do something correctly after making a mistake
Example
It took a few tries, but she finally **got it right**.
idiom

cornerstone of success

Meaning
the most important foundation or element for achieving success
Example
Hard work is the **cornerstone of success**.
idiom

twist someone's ear

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something by being persistent
Example
I had to **twist someone's ear** to get him to help me move.
idiom

pick yourself up

Meaning
to recover from a failure or setback
Example
She failed the first time, but she **picked herself up** and tried again.
idiom

make peace with

Meaning
to end conflict and become friendly again
Example
She finally **made peace with** her sister after years of misunderstanding.
idiom

Lose your shirt

Meaning
To lose a lot of money.
Example
He **lost his shirt** gambling last night.
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

my way or the highway

Meaning
used to say that someone must accept your rules or leave
Example
The boss said it's **my way or the highway**.
idiom

a debt of gratitude

Meaning
a feeling of being grateful to someone who has helped you
Example
We owe **a debt of gratitude** to our mentors.
idiom

Go broke

Meaning
To lose all your money; to become bankrupt.
Example
Many small investors **went broke** after the market crash.
idiom

over the hill

Meaning
past one's prime; no longer young or at peak performance
Example
Some people think turning forty means you’re **over the hill**, but that’s not true.
idiom

Sail close to the wind

Meaning
To take risks or act dangerously.
Example
He’s **sailing close to the wind** by lying to his boss.
idiom

behind bars

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

play one's cards close to one's chest

Meaning
to keep one's plans or ideas secret
Example
He always **plays his cards close to his chest** in business.
idiom

be a role model

Meaning
to be an example that others should imitate
Example
She is always a **role model** for younger employees in the company.
idiom

artificial empathy

Meaning
AI's ability to simulate or mimic human emotions
Example
The robot therapist shows **artificial empathy** during sessions.
idiom

out of your mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
You must be **out of your mind** to drive that fast!
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

dance the night away

Meaning
to dance for a long time, especially during a celebration
Example
Everyone **danced the night away** at the wedding reception.
idiom

long time no see

Meaning
used when you meet someone after a long time
Example
**Long time no see!** How have you been?
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

get straight to the point

Meaning
to talk directly about the main topic
Example
Let's **get straight to the point** and discuss the issue.
idiom

create buzz

Meaning
to generate excitement and talk about a product or event
Example
The teaser video helped **create buzz** before the product launch.
idiom

forty winks

Meaning
a short nap or brief sleep
Example
He likes to take **forty winks** after work.
idiom

so far so good

Meaning
used to say that an activity has been successful up to this point
Example
We've finished the first part of the project, and **so far so good**.
idiom

connect the dots

Meaning
to make connections between ideas or information
Example
Once you **connect the dots**, the whole picture will make sense.
idiom

show your true colors

Meaning
to reveal your real character or intentions
Example
He finally **showed his true colors** when he refused to help his friend in need.
idiom

on the stand

Meaning
testifying as a witness in court
Example
She was nervous when she was **on the stand**.
idiom

political mileage

Meaning
advantage gained from a political situation
Example
Opposition leaders tried to gain **political mileage** from the crisis.
idiom

in good spirits

Meaning
to be cheerful and confident
Example
She was **in good spirits** after her presentation.
idiom

gain the upper ground

Meaning
to achieve a position of advantage or superiority
Example
The opposition **gained the upper ground** after the scandal.