heart sinks
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idiom

heart sinks

Meaning
to feel disappointed or sad suddenly
Example
My **heart sank** when I saw the exam result.
idiom

talk over someone's head

Meaning
to speak in a way that someone cannot understand
Example
The professor was **talking over our heads** during the lecture.
idiom

talk shop

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

honor one's promise

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

a front-page story

Meaning
a news story that is important enough to be placed on the front page of a newspaper
Example
The fire in the city center was **a front-page story** for the national newspapers.
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

to have a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared healthy by a doctor
Example
After the checkup, she got **a clean bill of health**.
idiom

filter bubble

Meaning
a situation where a person only sees online content that reinforces their beliefs
Example
Many people live inside a **filter bubble** on social media.
idiom

artificial instinct

Meaning
a machine’s ability to make decisions that seem natural or human-like
Example
The new model shows a kind of **artificial instinct** while driving.
idiom

change of guard

Meaning
a change in leadership or authority
Example
There has been a **change of guard** in the ruling party.
idiom

talk someone into

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
He **talked me into** joining the event.
idiom

keep in mind

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

put your trust in

Meaning
to have confidence in someone or something
Example
We should **put our trust in** good leaders.
idiom

word gets around

Meaning
news or gossip spreads among people
Example
Be careful—**word gets around** quickly in this office.
idiom

keep your eyes peeled

Meaning
to stay alert and watch carefully
Example
Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of trouble.
idiom

ballpark figure

Meaning
an approximate estimate or number
Example
Can you give me a **ballpark figure** for the project cost?
idiom

in stitches

Meaning
laughing uncontrollably
Example
His joke had everyone **in stitches**.
idiom

take up a hobby

Meaning
to start a new hobby or leisure activity
Example
During the lockdown, many people **took up hobbies** like painting or cooking.
idiom

beyond the scope

Meaning
outside the planned or expected area of focus
Example
The new feature was beyond the scope of the original project but added great value.
idiom

a man of integrity

Meaning
someone who is honest and morally upright
Example
He is known as **a man of integrity** in the business world.
idiom

shoot for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious
Example
Don’t be afraid to **shoot for the stars**.
idiom

check over

Meaning
to examine something carefully for mistakes
Example
Let’s **check over** the draft before sending it.
idiom

as strong as an ox

Meaning
very strong and powerful
Example
He’s **as strong as an ox** after years of training.
idiom

out of memory

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

to hit the jackpot

Meaning
to achieve great success or gain a lot of money
Example
After years of hard work, she finally **hit the jackpot** with her startup.
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

A Catch-22

Meaning
A dilemma or difficult situation from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting conditions.
Example
It’s a **Catch-22**—you can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job.
idiom

write off

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant or not worth considering
Example
Don’t **write off** his idea; it might actually work.
idiom

feel good about yourself

Meaning
to have positive feelings about who you are or what you do
Example
Doing something kind makes you **feel good about yourself**.
idiom

bear the responsibility

Meaning
to take on the duty of something
Example
She was willing to **bear the responsibility** for the new project.
idiom

good to see you

Meaning
a friendly way to greet someone you know
Example
**Good to see you** again after so long!
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

trending topic

Meaning
a subject that is currently popular on social media
Example
Her post became a **trending topic** on Twitter.
idiom

The more, the merrier

Meaning
Things are more fun or effective with more people involved.
Example
Bring your friends along — **the more, the merrier**!
idiom

make up with someone

Meaning
to become friends again after a disagreement
Example
After their argument, they decided to **make up with each other**.
idiom

digital brainchild

Meaning
a product or idea created using digital or AI technology
Example
ChatGPT is the **digital brainchild** of OpenAI.
idiom

scare the life out of someone

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

keep one's 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

cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it happens, not before
Example
We will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

talk someone into something

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
He **talked me into** going to the gym with him.
idiom

Get the message

Meaning
To understand what someone is trying to say.
Example
After his silence, she finally **got the message**.
idiom

have the gift of the gab

Meaning
to be good at talking or persuading people
Example
He’s a great salesman because he **has the gift of the gab**.
idiom

spill the beans

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

kill someone with kindness

Meaning
to be extra kind to someone unpleasant to neutralize their negativity
Example
The best way to deal with her is to **kill her with kindness**.
idiom

back on one’s feet

Meaning
to recover and be healthy again
Example
After a few days of rest, he’s finally **back on his feet**.
idiom

hold oneself accountable

Meaning
to take responsibility for one's actions or decisions
Example
A true leader **holds himself accountable** for the team’s failures.
idiom

social butterfly

Meaning
someone who loves meeting and talking to people
Example
Emma is a **social butterfly**; she knows everyone at the event.
idiom

hold the upper hand

Meaning
to have more power or advantage over others
Example
Negotiations continued, but the buyer **held the upper hand**.
idiom

get a kick out of

Meaning
to enjoy something very much
Example
He really **gets a kick out of** playing video games with his kids.
idiom

give someone a piece of your mind

Meaning
to express your opinion strongly, especially when criticizing someone
Example
She **gave him a piece of her mind** after the argument.
idiom

press ahead

Meaning
to continue with determination despite obstacles
Example
Let’s **press ahead** even if the timeline shifts.
idiom

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Meaning
Adapt to the customs of the place you are visiting
Example
When traveling abroad, it's wise to **do as the Romans do**.
idiom

by and large

Meaning
generally speaking; on the whole
Example
**By and large**, we agree with your proposal.
idiom

Be as good as your word

Meaning
To do what you promised to do.
Example
He said he’d help and he’s **as good as his word**.
idiom

lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden moment of realization or inspiration
Example
He had a **lightbulb moment** when he figured out how to fix the code.
idiom

get on the same page

Meaning
to agree on something or understand something in the same way
Example
Before starting the project, we need to **get on the same page** about the goals.
idiom

to teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something they are set in their ways about
Example
It’s hard to **teach an old dog new tricks** when it comes to new technology.
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

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

strike a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement or arrangement, especially in business
Example
After long discussions, the companies finally **struck a deal**.
idiom

talk in circles

Meaning
to discuss something without reaching a conclusion
Example
We **talked in circles** for hours but didn’t solve anything.
idiom

wave the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After a long debate, he finally **waved the white flag**.
idiom

weed out

Meaning
to remove unwanted people or things
Example
The editor **weeded out** the mistakes before publishing.
idiom

show initiative

Meaning
to take action without being told what to do
Example
Employees are encouraged to **show initiative** and come up with solutions on their own.
idiom

do one's duty

Meaning
to fulfill one's responsibilities or obligations
Example
Every citizen should **do their duty** to help their country.
idiom

a roller coaster of emotions

Meaning
experiencing intense and fluctuating emotions
Example
Her life has been **a roller coaster of emotions** since the accident.
idiom

toe the line

Meaning
to obey rules or follow the official policy
Example
All members are expected to **toe the line** with party policy.
idiom

take a dim view of

Meaning
to disapprove of something; to have a negative opinion
Example
The manager **takes a dim view of** employees arriving late.
idiom

talk around something

Meaning
to discuss something without addressing it directly
Example
She kept **talking around** the topic instead of answering the question directly.
idiom

your own flesh and blood

Meaning
A family member or close relative.
Example
How can you turn away from **your own flesh and blood**?
idiom

draw on

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

to bask in the glory

Meaning
to enjoy the admiration and praise from others after achieving something great
Example
He **basked in the glory** of his victory for weeks after the championship.
idiom

take heart

Meaning
to feel encouraged or more confident
Example
You should **take heart**; things will get better soon.
idiom

bubbling with joy

Meaning
very happy and excited
Example
The children were **bubbling with joy** after receiving their gifts.
idiom

jump out of your skin

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or frightened
Example
I nearly **jumped out of my skin** when I saw the snake.
idiom

keep your mind on

Meaning
to stay focused on a task or goal
Example
If you **keep your mind on** your studies, you’ll do well.
idiom

a rollercoaster of emotions

Meaning
to experience very high and very low emotional states in a short time
Example
The week was **a rollercoaster of emotions**, with moments of joy and sadness.
idiom

cold feet

Meaning
to feel nervous or hesitant about something
Example
He got **cold feet** before proposing to her.
idiom

deep learning

Meaning
A class of machine learning algorithms that uses multiple layers to progressively extract higher-level features from raw input.
Example
The AI system improved through **deep learning**, making it smarter over time.
idiom

pull at heartstrings

Meaning
to evoke strong emotions, usually sympathy or sadness, in an audience
Example
The charity’s commercial really **pulls at the heartstrings**.
idiom

forgive and forget

Meaning
to stop being angry and not remember someone’s mistake
Example
Let’s **forgive and forget** and move on.
idiom

take it to the bank

Meaning
to be certain that something is true or will happen
Example
You can **take it to the bank** that he’ll deliver on his promise.
idiom

a rock in a hard place

Meaning
to be in a very difficult or challenging situation
Example
He found himself **a rock in a hard place** when he had to choose between two difficult options.
idiom

in the long run

Meaning
after a long time; in the end
Example
Saving money now will help you **in the long run**.
idiom

stay strong

Meaning
to remain courageous and confident despite difficulties
Example
Whatever happens, **stay strong** and keep moving forward.
idiom

lead generation

Meaning
the process of attracting and converting strangers into potential customers
Example
We’re focusing on **lead generation** through free webinars.
idiom

data mining

Meaning
the process of discovering patterns and relationships in large datasets
Example
Data mining helps businesses understand customer behavior and predict trends.
idiom

add color to

Meaning
to make something more interesting or lively
Example
The teacher’s stories **added color to** the history lesson.
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

tag along

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

to put two and two together

Meaning
to figure something out from the facts
Example
She didn’t tell me directly, but I **put two and two together**.
idiom

I’m of the opinion that

Meaning
I believe that; expressing a firm opinion
Example
I’m of the opinion that honesty always pays.
idiom

A snapshot of

Meaning
A brief look or summary of something
Example
The report gives **a snapshot of** our company's performance.
idiom

sweep under the rug

Meaning
to hide or ignore problems instead of solving them
Example
You can’t just **sweep problems under the rug** forever.
idiom

lend an ear

Meaning
to listen carefully to someone’s problems or feelings
Example
She’s always ready to **lend an ear** when I’m feeling down.
idiom

playing the field

Meaning
competing with many other companies or individuals in the same market
Example
The company is **playing the field** by expanding into new markets worldwide.
idiom

a million-dollar smile

Meaning
a beautiful and charming smile
Example
She greeted everyone with **a million-dollar smile**.
idiom

Curiosity killed the cat

Meaning
Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble.
Example
Don't ask too many questions about his past — **curiosity killed the cat**.
idiom

cry wolf

Meaning
to raise a false alarm
Example
Do not **cry wolf** or no one will believe you later.
idiom

word of honor

Meaning
a promise made with sincerity and integrity
Example
I give you my **word of honor** that I’ll be there.
idiom

a wake-up call

Meaning
an event that makes someone realize they need to change
Example
Losing his job was a **wake-up call** for him.
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

judge a book by its cover

Meaning
to form an opinion based on appearance only
Example
Don’t **judge a book by its cover**; she’s actually very kind.
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

tear-jerker

Meaning
something that makes you cry, especially a movie or story
Example
That movie was such a **tear-jerker**.
idiom

user journey

Meaning
the complete experience a user has with a brand or product
Example
Mapping the **user journey** helps improve customer satisfaction.
idiom

take ownership

Meaning
to take full responsibility for something
Example
Leaders should **take ownership** of both successes and failures.
idiom

kick around

Meaning
to discuss ideas informally
Example
We can **kick around** some concepts after lunch.
idiom

star-crossed lovers

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

plant the seed

Meaning
to introduce an idea subtly to influence someone later
Example
He **planted the seed** for the project during the discussion.
idiom

run out of time

Meaning
to have no more time available to complete something
Example
We **ran out of time** before finishing the project.
idiom

pay it forward

Meaning
to do something kind for someone else after receiving kindness
Example
After receiving help from a stranger, he decided to **pay it forward** by helping someone in need.
idiom

work up

Meaning
to gradually build courage, energy, or an appetite
Example
It took me a while to **work up** the courage to ask.
idiom

Nero fiddled while Rome burned

Meaning
To ignore a crisis or serious situation while doing something trivial.
Example
The leader was accused of **fiddling while Rome burned** during the economic collapse.
idiom

double down on

Meaning
to increase effort or commitment toward something
Example
After the setback, they **doubled down on** their training routine.
idiom

big picture

Meaning
the overall perspective or situation
Example
Producers always try to see the **big picture** before making changes.
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

out of your mind

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

pivot

Meaning
to change direction or strategy in response to market feedback or failure
Example
After the initial product launch failed, the team decided to **pivot** to a new business model.
idiom

cover your bases

Meaning
to prepare for all possible outcomes; to be cautious
Example
Make sure you **cover your bases** before presenting the report.