In the blink of an eye
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idiom

In the blink of an eye

Meaning
Very quickly, almost instantaneously.
Example
The discovery of the new planet happened **in the blink of an eye**.
idiom

Face the truth

Meaning
To accept the reality of a situation, even if it’s unpleasant.
Example
You have to **face the truth** about your finances.
idiom

to encrypt data

Meaning
to convert data into a secure format to prevent unauthorized access
Example
All sensitive information must be **to encrypt data** before storage.
idiom

face a system error

Meaning
to experience a sudden failure or breakdown
Example
Our plans **faced a system error** when the deal was canceled.
idiom

top-notch

Meaning
of the highest quality; excellent
Example
Your presentation was absolutely **top-notch**.
idiom

take the fifth

Meaning
to refuse to answer a question on the grounds that it may incriminate oneself
Example
When asked about his involvement, he chose to **take the fifth**.
idiom

the long arm of the law

Meaning
the power and reach of the law to catch criminals
Example
**The long arm of the law** finally caught the escaped prisoner.
idiom

at the back of one's mind

Meaning
something that one is not actively thinking about but is still aware of
Example
The fear of failure was always **at the back of his mind**.
B1 idiom

all ears

Listening very attentively
Meaning
Listening very attentively
Example
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
idiom

in the hot seat

Meaning
to be in a difficult or uncomfortable position, often with public scrutiny
Example
After the controversy, the mayor was **in the hot seat** for several days.
idiom

cutting-edge marketing

Meaning
using the latest and most advanced marketing techniques
Example
Our company invests in **cutting-edge marketing** strategies.
idiom

take one for the team

Meaning
to sacrifice for the benefit of others
Example
He **took one for the team** and stayed late to finish the report.
idiom

turn up the heat

Meaning
to increase pressure or intensity
Example
The scientists decided to **turn up the heat** on the experiment.
idiom

artificial genius

Meaning
an exceptionally smart system created by humans
Example
Chatbots have become the face of **artificial genius**.
idiom

spring for

Meaning
to pay for something, especially as a treat for others
Example
I'll **spring for** dessert since it's your birthday.
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

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

scoop the news

Meaning
to be the first to report an important piece of news
Example
The local newspaper **scooped the news** about the mayor's resignation.
idiom

show compassion

Meaning
to express care or sympathy toward others
Example
We should **show compassion** to those in need.
idiom

play the political card

Meaning
to use a political issue to one’s advantage
Example
The minister tried to **play the political card** to gain public sympathy.
idiom

Bootstrap the business

Meaning
To build a company using only personal finances.
Example
They decided to **bootstrap the business** instead of seeking investors.
idiom

warm-hearted

Meaning
kind and sympathetic
Example
She is a **warm-hearted** person who cares for everyone.
idiom

go with the flow

Meaning
to accept things as they come; not resist change
Example
Instead of worrying, just **go with the flow**.
idiom

wired differently

Meaning
to think or behave in a unique or unconventional way
Example
Great innovators are often **wired differently**.
idiom

star-crossed lovers

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

At the forefront

Meaning
being in a leading or important position in a field
Example
The research center is **at the forefront** of renewable energy studies.
idiom

patch over

Meaning
to cover up a problem without truly fixing it
Example
We can’t just **patch over** the security flaws.
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

tear down

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

veer off

Meaning
to suddenly change direction
Example
The conversation **veered off** into weekend plans.
idiom

new lease on life

Meaning
a chance to live or start something again after a period of difficulty
Example
Winning the award gave her a **new lease on life**.
idiom

get a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared completely healthy by a doctor
Example
After his check-up, he **got a clean bill of health**.
idiom

settle in

Meaning
to become comfortable in a new place or situation
Example
It took a week to **settle in** after the move.
idiom

have a falling out

Meaning
to have a disagreement or fight with someone
Example
They **had a falling out** over money issues.
idiom

put your trust in

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

Pour your heart out

Meaning
To express all your feelings honestly.
Example
She **poured her heart out** to her best friend.
idiom

let your imagination run wild

Meaning
to allow yourself to think freely and creatively
Example
When writing stories, I always **let my imagination run wild**.
idiom

keep on keeping on

Meaning
to continue doing something despite challenges
Example
It’s tough, but you have to **keep on keeping on**.
idiom

on the beat

Meaning
a police officer's regular patrol route
Example
The officer was **on the beat** when he spotted the suspect.
idiom

hand off to

Meaning
to transfer responsibility or control to someone else
Example
I’ll **hand this off to** the design team tomorrow.
idiom

mad as a hornet

Meaning
very angry
Example
She was **mad as a hornet** when she found her phone broken.
idiom

Look on the bright side

Meaning
To focus on the positive aspects of a situation.
Example
**Look on the bright side**, at least you learned something.
idiom

make headway

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
We are finally **making headway** with our new project.
idiom

on your last legs

Meaning
completely exhausted or near collapse
Example
After working 18 hours straight, I was **on my last legs**.
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

get fired up

Meaning
to become very excited or enthusiastic about something
Example
The team got **fired up** before the final match.
idiom

tide over

Meaning
to help someone through a difficult period
Example
A short-term loan will **tide us over** until the invoices are paid.
idiom

overnight success

Meaning
a person or thing that becomes successful very quickly
Example
Her first song made her an **overnight success**.
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

snap out of it

Meaning
to stop being upset and start feeling better
Example
You need to **snap out of it** and start thinking positively.
idiom

music to my ears

Meaning
something that makes you feel happy or pleased
Example
Hearing that the concert was extended was **music to my ears**.
idiom

cut and dry

Meaning
clear and straightforward; no room for confusion
Example
The decision wasn’t as **cut and dry** as they expected.
idiom

broken-hearted

Meaning
extremely sad about something or someone
Example
He was **broken-hearted** after the breakup.
idiom

the moral compass

Meaning
a person's or society’s sense of right and wrong
Example
We must ensure AI doesn’t lose its **moral compass**.
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

talk someone's ear off

Meaning
to talk too much and for a long time
Example
She **talked my ear off** about her new job.
idiom

face up to

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

get worked up

Meaning
to become upset or angry about something
Example
Don’t **get worked up** over minor mistakes.
idiom

piece of cake

Meaning
something very easy to do
Example
The exam was a **piece of cake** for her.
idiom

go ballistic

Meaning
to become extremely angry or excited
Example
Dad **went ballistic** when he found out I dented his car.
idiom

third time lucky

Meaning
succeeding after two failures
Example
He failed twice, but maybe he’ll be **third time lucky**.
idiom

a man with a mission

Meaning
a person with strong purpose and determination to achieve something
Example
He’s **a man with a mission** to change the way we think about education.
idiom

on the market

Meaning
available for sale
Example
Their house has been **on the market** for over six months.
idiom

ease up on

Meaning
to reduce how much you use or pressure someone
Example
Let’s **ease up on** the reminders now that the report is done.
idiom

data privacy

Meaning
the protection of personal information from unauthorized access or disclosure.
Example
The company implemented strong **data privacy** measures to protect customer information.
idiom

zero-day attack

Meaning
a cyberattack that exploits a previously unknown vulnerability
Example
The team discovered a **zero-day attack** before it spread widely.
idiom

to kill two birds with one stone

Meaning
to achieve two things at once
Example
I can **kill two birds with one stone** by listening to a podcast while I exercise.
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

split the difference

Meaning
to agree on a compromise between two opinions or prices
Example
Let’s **split the difference** and meet halfway.
idiom

Stick with it

Meaning
Keep doing something even if it’s hard.
Example
Learning English takes time, so **stick with it**.
idiom

get over someone

Meaning
to recover from the pain of a breakup or loss
Example
It took her months to **get over** him.
idiom

to bite the bullet

Meaning
to make a difficult decision or endure something unpleasant
Example
I didn't want to go to the doctor, but I had to **bite the bullet**.
idiom

bargain for

Meaning
to expect or plan for something
Example
The workload was more than we **bargained for**.
idiom

to take the bull by the horns

Meaning
to confront a problem or challenge directly and with determination
Example
We need to **take the bull by the horns** and start making decisions now.
idiom

data-driven decision making

Meaning
making decisions based on data analysis rather than intuition or personal experience
Example
In the world of business, **data-driven decision making** is crucial for success.
idiom

bookworm

Meaning
a person who loves reading
Example
He’s such a **bookworm**; he spends all his free time in the library.
idiom

sit tight

Meaning
to stay calm and wait patiently
Example
Just **sit tight** and wait for the results.
idiom

Plead the fifth

Meaning
To refuse to answer a question, often in legal contexts, to avoid self-incrimination.
Example
When asked about the financial discrepancies, he chose to **plead the fifth**.
idiom

the walls have ears

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

dead tired

Meaning
extremely tired or exhausted
Example
After the long trip, we were **dead tired**.
idiom

make a scene

Meaning
to create a noisy or dramatic disturbance
Example
Please don’t **make a scene** in public.
idiom

take five

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

hockey stick growth

Meaning
a sharp increase in growth after a period of slow progress
Example
The startup saw **hockey stick growth** after launching their new feature.
idiom

build bridges

Meaning
to improve relationships between people
Example
We need to **build bridges** between our two departments.
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

The devil is in the details

Meaning
Small details are often the most important or problematic.
Example
The overall concept was great, but **the devil is in the details**.
idiom

have itchy feet

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

Put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to risk everything on a single opportunity
Example
Don’t **put all your eggs in one basket**; invest in different sectors.
idiom

fail forward

Meaning
to learn and grow from failure
Example
Don’t be afraid to **fail forward** and learn from your mistakes.
idiom

encrypted

Meaning
data that is converted into a secure format to prevent unauthorized access
Example
All sensitive communications are **encrypted** to ensure privacy.
idiom

bank on

Meaning
to rely on or depend on something happening
Example
You can **bank on** her support during tough times.
idiom

get the creative juices flowing

Meaning
to start being creative or imaginative
Example
A walk in nature helps me **get the creative juices flowing**.
idiom

square away

Meaning
to organize or finish something neatly
Example
We need to **square away** the paperwork before the audit.
idiom

to make matters worse

Meaning
to make a bad situation even more difficult or unpleasant
Example
I was already late, and **to make matters worse**, I couldn't find my keys.
idiom

shoot for the stars

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

Slow and steady wins the race

Meaning
Consistency and patience lead to success.
Example
Remember, **slow and steady wins the race**.
idiom

to be open and honest

Meaning
to speak frankly or sincerely
Example
I want to **be open and honest** with you about my feelings.
idiom

a dark horse

Meaning
a person who keeps their skills or plans secret until an important moment
Example
Nobody expected her to win; she was **a dark horse**.
idiom

out of balance

Meaning
to feel mentally or emotionally unstable
Example
Lack of rest can make you feel **out of balance**.
idiom

have a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or idea
Example
When I saw the problem from a different angle, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
idiom

hit it off

Meaning
to become friends quickly and easily
Example
They **hit it off** right after being introduced.
idiom

to see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
We finally **saw eye to eye** on the decision.
idiom

get a good deal

Meaning
to buy something at a low price; to make a bargain
Example
I **got a good deal** on this phone online.
idiom

carry yourself with confidence

Meaning
to behave in a confident and assured way
Example
She always **carries herself with confidence** during meetings.
idiom

carry weight

Meaning
to have influence or importance
Example
His opinion **carries a lot of weight** in this organization.
idiom

wait and see

Meaning
to be patient until something becomes clear
Example
Let’s **wait and see** what happens next.
idiom

hang someone out to dry

Meaning
to abandon someone to face blame or trouble alone.
Example
His friends **hung him out to dry** when the teacher asked who cheated.
idiom

sorry sight

Meaning
something or someone that looks pitiful or regrettable
Example
After the storm, the park was a **sorry sight**.
idiom

see things differently

Meaning
to have a different opinion or perspective
Example
I **see things differently** when it comes to politics.
idiom

breeze through

Meaning
to do something easily and with little effort
Example
She managed to **breeze through** the exam without any problems.
idiom

better safe than sorry

Meaning
It’s wiser to be cautious than to take risks and regret later.
Example
I always double-check the locks — **better safe than sorry**.
idiom

look forward to

Meaning
to feel excited about something that is going to happen
Example
I **look forward to** meeting you soon.
idiom

a Eureka moment

Meaning
a moment of sudden discovery or realization
Example
He had **a Eureka moment** when he solved the equation.
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

at odds with

Meaning
to disagree or be in conflict with someone or something
Example
His views are **at odds with** the company policy.
idiom

nitpick

Meaning
to find small, unimportant faults in something
Example
Stop **nitpicking** every little mistake I make!
idiom

A thirst for knowledge

Meaning
A strong desire to learn new things.
Example
He has **a thirst for knowledge** and reads constantly.
idiom

Spread like wildfire

Meaning
To become widely known very quickly.
Example
The news of their engagement **spread like wildfire**.
idiom

truth be told

Meaning
to admit something honestly
Example
**Truth be told**, I don’t really like this movie.
idiom

sow the seeds of something

Meaning
to begin a process that leads to a result
Example
His actions **sowed the seeds of** mistrust among the team.
idiom

on the same wavelength

Meaning
to think in a similar way as someone else
Example
My best friend and I are always **on the same wavelength**.