keep an eye out
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idiom

keep an eye out

Meaning
to watch for something or someone carefully
Example
Can you **keep an eye out** for my package while I'm away?
idiom

Throw money at something

Meaning
To try to solve a problem by spending a lot of money instead of using a better solution.
Example
The government keeps **throwing money at** the education problem instead of reforming it.
idiom

mind the gap

Meaning
to be aware of potential problems or discrepancies
Example
The developer needs to **mind the gap** between AI expectations and real-world capabilities.
idiom

be a good sport

Meaning
to be fair and positive in difficult situations
Example
Even when she lost the game, she was **a good sport** and congratulated the winner.
idiom

hold the vision

Meaning
to maintain a clear sense of direction or goal
Example
Leaders who **hold the vision** can guide their teams through difficult times.
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

a sound bite

Meaning
a short, memorable part of a speech or interview often used in the media
Example
The politician's **sound bite** was replayed on every major news channel.
idiom

a close call

Meaning
A situation where a disaster or accident was narrowly avoided.
Example
That was **a close call** — the car almost hit us!
idiom

keep the peace

Meaning
to maintain order and avoid conflict
Example
The police were called to **keep the peace** during the protest.
idiom

light years ahead

Meaning
far more advanced than others
Example
This new smartphone is **light years ahead** of its competitors.
idiom

take responsibility

Meaning
to be accountable for something you did or are in charge of.
Example
You need to **take responsibility** for your actions.
idiom

paint yourself into a corner

Meaning
to put yourself in a difficult situation with no easy way out
Example
By making so many promises, he **painted himself into a corner**.
idiom

pot luck

Meaning
whatever is available or happens by chance
Example
Let’s take **pot luck** and eat at that new café.
idiom

crazy about someone

Meaning
to be deeply attracted or infatuated with someone
Example
She’s **crazy about** her new boyfriend.
idiom

a fool and his money are soon parted

Meaning
people who are careless with their money will lose it quickly
Example
He spent all his money on useless gadgets; **a fool and his money are soon parted**.
idiom

shake off

Meaning
to get rid of something unpleasant
Example
She took a walk to **shake off** the stress.
idiom

party animal

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

never look back

Meaning
to focus on moving forward and not dwell on past mistakes
Example
Once she made the decision, she promised to **never look back**.
idiom

put on a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be confident or happy when you are not
Example
She **put on a brave face** even after hearing the bad news.
idiom

keep your eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal or objective despite obstacles
Example
Even though the road was tough, he always **kept his eye on the prize** and succeeded.
idiom

Wing it

Meaning
To do something without preparation.
Example
I forgot my notes, so I’ll just **wing it** during the presentation.
idiom

brush off

Meaning
to dismiss something or someone as unimportant
Example
He tried to **brush off** the criticism during the meeting.
idiom

spaced out

Meaning
not paying attention; lost in thought
Example
He looked completely **spaced out** during the meeting.
idiom

the early bird catches the worm

Meaning
people who start early are more likely to succeed
Example
**The early bird catches the worm**, so start your day early.
idiom

hold forth

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

to lose your nerve

Meaning
to lose courage and become too afraid to do something
Example
He wanted to jump, but he **lost his nerve** at the last second.
idiom

keep up with the times

Meaning
to stay updated or adapt to modern trends
Example
In the fast-moving tech industry, companies must **keep up with the times**.
idiom

a sound mind in a sound body

Meaning
mental health depends on physical health
Example
**A sound mind in a sound body** is the key to a happy life.
idiom

crossing the ethical boundary

Meaning
to act in a way that goes beyond moral acceptability
Example
Using AI to manipulate emotions may be **crossing the ethical boundary**.
idiom

feel under pressure

Meaning
to feel stressed or anxious due to responsibilities or expectations
Example
She's **feeling under pressure** to meet the deadline.
idiom

hold accountable

Meaning
to make someone responsible for their actions
Example
Managers should be **held accountable** for their team's results.
idiom

Throw down the gauntlet

Meaning
To challenge someone to fight or compete.
Example
He **threw down the gauntlet** by questioning his opponent’s honesty.
idiom

stress out

Meaning
to become very anxious or nervous due to pressure
Example
She tends to **stress out** before exams.
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

at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or stressed that you don’t know what to do
Example
I’m **at my wits’ end** trying to finish all this work.
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

walking on eggshells

Meaning
being very careful not to upset someone
Example
I feel like I am **walking on eggshells** around my boss.
idiom

a foot in the door

Meaning
to have a small opportunity to start working in a company or industry
Example
An internship is a great way to get **a foot in the door**.
idiom

hold off

Meaning
to delay doing something
Example
Let’s **hold off** on finalizing the order until we confirm the budget.
idiom

pitch in

Meaning
to join others in doing a task or helping
Example
Everyone **pitched in** to clean the park.
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

tiger mom

Meaning
a strict mother who pushes her children to achieve high standards
Example
Her friends call her a **tiger mom** because she’s very demanding.
idiom

A politician's promise is like a bubble

Meaning
a politician's promises are often unrealistic or unattainable
Example
You can't trust his plans; **a politician's promise is like a bubble**.
idiom

The darkest hour is just before the dawn

Meaning
Things often seem worst just before they improve.
Example
Things are rough right now, but remember, **the darkest hour is just before the dawn**.
idiom

to have a clean conscience

Meaning
to feel good about oneself because one has done nothing wrong
Example
After telling the truth, she had **a clean conscience**.
idiom

jump the shark

Meaning
when something begins to decline in quality or popularity
Example
The show **jumped the shark** after season five.
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

run out of steam

Meaning
to lose energy or enthusiasm
Example
After working all day, I completely **ran out of steam**.
idiom

map out

Meaning
to plan something in detail
Example
We should **map out** our marketing strategy for the next quarter.
idiom

home is where the heart is

Meaning
your true home is with the people you love
Example
I may live far away, but **home is where the heart is**.
idiom

be lost for words

Meaning
to be so surprised that you cannot speak
Example
I was **lost for words** when I won the prize.
idiom

burn the candle at both ends

Meaning
to work too hard without enough rest
Example
If you **burn the candle at both ends**, you’ll get exhausted soon.
idiom

eat humble pie

Meaning
to admit your mistake and apologize
Example
After blaming her friend, she had to **eat humble pie** when she realized she was wrong.
idiom

Take it one step at a time

Meaning
Deal with tasks gradually instead of rushing.
Example
**Take it one step at a time**, and you’ll succeed.
idiom

carve your own path

Meaning
to create your own way of achieving success or independence
Example
She decided to **carve her own path** instead of joining her family business.
idiom

empty promise

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

tack on

Meaning
to add something extra, especially at the end
Example
They **tacked on** a brief Q&A after the session.
idiom

do without

Meaning
to manage even when something is missing
Example
We’ll **do without** a projector and use prints instead.
idiom

throw your hat in the ring

Meaning
to show interest in something, especially a competition or challenge
Example
I decided to **throw my hat in the ring** and apply for the leadership role.
idiom

a bumper crop

Meaning
an unusually large harvest
Example
Farmers are happy this year because of **a bumper crop** of rice.
idiom

grow on someone

Meaning
to become more liked or appreciated over time
Example
At first I didn’t like the song, but it **grew on me**.
idiom

in beta

Meaning
in the testing phase before final release
Example
The app is still **in beta**, so expect some bugs.
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

bite the bullet

Meaning
to decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating about
Example
I decided to **bite the bullet** and finish my homework.
idiom

table the issue

Meaning
to postpone discussion of a topic for later
Example
They decided to **table the issue** until next week.
idiom

to kick the bucket

Meaning
to die (humorous or informal)
Example
He used to joke that he’d travel the world before he **kicked the bucket**.
idiom

stretch the truth

Meaning
to exaggerate or make something seem more important than it is
Example
He sometimes **stretches the truth** to impress people.
idiom

ace a test

Meaning
to do extremely well on a test
Example
He studied hard and managed to **ace the test**.
idiom

mend fences

Meaning
to repair a damaged relationship
Example
She called her friend to **mend fences** after their disagreement.
idiom

hit the reset button

Meaning
to start fresh or make a new beginning
Example
After the failure, the team decided to **hit the reset button**.
idiom

get along with

Meaning
to have a good relationship with someone
Example
I really **get along with** my coworkers.
idiom

to hit the nail on the head

Meaning
to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem
Example
When she pointed out the lack of communication, she really **hit the nail on the head**.
idiom

mix together

Meaning
to combine different things into one
Example
**Mix together** the spices before adding them to the stew.
idiom

bottle up your feelings

Meaning
to hide or suppress your emotions
Example
Don't **bottle up your feelings**; talk about them.
idiom

Fine tuning

Meaning
small adjustments to improve something
Example
The plan just needs some **fine tuning** before we present it.
idiom

The best things in life are worth waiting for

Meaning
The most valuable things take time and effort to achieve.
Example
Remember, **the best things in life are worth waiting for**.
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

step up to the plate

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something important
Example
When the leader resigned, she **stepped up to the plate** and took charge.
idiom

in the footsteps of

Meaning
to follow someone’s example or career path
Example
She followed **in the footsteps of** her father, becoming a successful entrepreneur.
idiom

set the stage

Meaning
to prepare everything for something to happen
Example
The manager's speech helped **set the stage** for the upcoming conference.
idiom

the bottom line

Meaning
the most important fact or result
Example
The **bottom line** is that we need to increase our profits.
idiom

rule the roost

Meaning
to be the most powerful person in a group or family
Example
It’s clear that Mary **rules the roost** in that household.
idiom

drop a line

Meaning
to send someone a short message or note
Example
Please **drop me a line** when you arrive safely.
idiom

be your own biggest fan

Meaning
to appreciate and believe in yourself
Example
You should **be your own biggest fan** to stay motivated.
idiom

tighten the belt

Meaning
to reduce spending; to save money due to financial constraints
Example
In tough economic times, businesses must **tighten the belt** to survive.
idiom

tone down

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

a stepping stone

Meaning
an event or experience that helps one to progress
Example
This internship was **a stepping stone** to my career.
idiom

Put your thinking cap on

Meaning
To start thinking carefully about something
Example
It’s time to **put your thinking cap on** for the quiz.
idiom

a spark of genius

Meaning
a sudden and brilliant idea
Example
Her **spark of genius** helped us solve the problem quickly.
idiom

keyboard warrior

Meaning
someone who posts aggressive or angry comments online
Example
He acts tough online, but he’s just a **keyboard warrior**.
idiom

brainstorm ideas

Meaning
to think of new and creative ideas
Example
The class gathered to **brainstorm ideas** for the science project.
idiom

in for a shock

Meaning
about to be very surprised or shocked
Example
You’re **in for a shock** when you see the bill.
idiom

a fork in the road

Meaning
a point where a decision must be made; a choice between two or more options
Example
When you come to **a fork in the road**, you have to choose which way to go.
idiom

let something slip

Meaning
to say something unintentionally that was meant to be secret
Example
She **let it slip** that she was moving abroad.
idiom

The unexamined life is not worth living

Meaning
A life lived without introspection or self-reflection is not truly fulfilling or meaningful.
Example
Socrates' belief that **the unexamined life is not worth living** continues to inspire those seeking a deeper understanding of existence.
idiom

get a handle on something

Meaning
to understand or gain control of something
Example
I'm trying to **get a handle on** the new software.
idiom

believe you can

Meaning
to have the mindset that you are capable of doing something
Example
If you **believe you can**, you’re halfway there.
idiom

source close to the matter

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

rope off

Meaning
to block an area by using a rope or barrier
Example
Staff will **rope off** the wet floor for safety.
idiom

Plow the field

Meaning
To prepare for future work or success.
Example
Before launching the product, we need to **plow the field** with proper research.
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

key into

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

in the limelight

Meaning
to be the focus of public attention
Example
After winning the award, he was **in the limelight** for months.
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

pull rank

Meaning
to use one's authority to gain an advantage
Example
He **pulled rank** to get the last seat on the plane.
idiom

The waiting game

Meaning
A situation in which you must wait for something to happen.
Example
It’s all about **the waiting game** when you’re looking for a job.
idiom

a bundle of joy

Meaning
someone or something that brings great happiness
Example
Their new baby is **a bundle of joy** for the family.
idiom

brand loyalty

Meaning
the tendency of consumers to keep buying the same brand
Example
**Brand loyalty** often depends on consistent quality.
idiom

zero-day exploit

Meaning
a cyberattack that occurs before a vulnerability is patched
Example
Hackers launched a **zero-day exploit** targeting the system’s core files.
idiom

keep your shirt on

Meaning
stay calm; don’t get angry or impatient
Example
**Keep your shirt on**, we’ll solve it soon.
idiom

set the trend

Meaning
to start something new that others begin to follow
Example
The company’s campaign **set the trend** for eco-friendly marketing.
idiom

blow your own trumpet

Meaning
to boast or brag about your achievements
Example
He never stops **blowing his own trumpet** about his success.
idiom

Build bridges, not walls

Meaning
Make connections and friendships rather than creating barriers
Example
Instead of fighting, let's **build bridges, not walls**.
idiom

raise the bar

Meaning
to set a higher standard or level of quality
Example
The new product really **raised the bar** for the industry.
idiom

gray matter

Meaning
intelligence or brainpower
Example
It takes a lot of **gray matter** to solve such a complex problem.
idiom

to frame the issue

Meaning
to present a situation in a particular way
Example
The journalist cleverly **framed the issue** to highlight social inequality.
idiom

natural language processing

Meaning
a field of AI that focuses on the interaction between computers and human language
Example
Natural language processing enables AI systems to understand and respond to human speech.
idiom

a closed book

Meaning
something or someone that is difficult to understand
Example
He’s **a closed book** when it comes to his personal life.
idiom

cry your heart out

Meaning
to cry a lot due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

troll someone

Meaning
to deliberately provoke or upset someone online
Example
Some users love to **troll** others just for fun.