keep your head in the game
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

keep your head in the game

Meaning
to stay mentally focused and motivated
Example
Even when things get tough, **keep your head in the game**.
idiom

make the same mistake twice

Meaning
to repeat a mistake despite knowing it’s wrong
Example
She promised never to **make the same mistake twice**.
idiom

Cross one’s mind

Meaning
To suddenly think of something.
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could be lying.
idiom

have words with someone

Meaning
to argue with someone verbally
Example
I **had words with** my boss about the new policy.
idiom

Crooked as a snake

Meaning
Dishonest or untrustworthy.
Example
Everyone knows that politician is **crooked as a snake**.
idiom

take the lead

Meaning
to go ahead or be in front in a competition
Example
Our team **took the lead** in the final round.
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

once in a while

Meaning
sometimes, but not very often
Example
I enjoy eating out **once in a while**, but I prefer home-cooked meals.
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

make amends

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry
Example
He tried to **make amends** by helping her with her work.
idiom

work hand in hand

Meaning
to work closely and effectively with someone
Example
The designers and developers **work hand in hand** on the project.
idiom

zone out

Meaning
to stop paying attention and mentally drift away
Example
I completely **zoned out** during the long presentation.
idiom

take the wind out of someone’s sails

Meaning
To make someone lose confidence or enthusiasm.
Example
Her harsh criticism **took the wind out of his sails**.
idiom

pumped up

Meaning
full of energy and excitement
Example
He was **pumped up** before the big presentation.
idiom

drag on

Meaning
to continue for too long and become boring
Example
The meeting **dragged on** for hours.
idiom

set your sights on

Meaning
to decide to achieve something; to aim for a specific goal
Example
She has **set her sights on** becoming a doctor.
idiom

peace talks

Meaning
negotiations aimed at ending a conflict
Example
The **peace talks** between the two countries lasted for weeks.
idiom

Put up walls

Meaning
To create emotional barriers or distance from others.
Example
After the breakup, she **put up walls** and stopped trusting people.
idiom

feel on top of the world

Meaning
to feel very happy and healthy
Example
After recovering from the flu, I **felt on top of the world**.
idiom

feel it in your bones

Meaning
to sense something strongly without evidence
Example
I **feel it in my bones** that something bad will happen.
idiom

It’s not over till it’s over

Meaning
Don’t lose hope until the end.
Example
**It’s not over till it’s over**, we can still win this game.
idiom

step up a gear

Meaning
to increase your effort or speed
Example
The team needs to **step up a gear** to meet the deadline.
idiom

Keep it under your hat

Meaning
To keep something secret.
Example
I’ll tell you a secret, but **keep it under your hat**.
idiom

take with a grain of salt

Meaning
to view something with skepticism or not completely believe it
Example
He's known for exaggerating, so **take his stories with a grain of salt**.
idiom

to pick someone's brain

Meaning
to ask someone questions in order to get information or advice
Example
I need to **pick your brain** about your experience with this software.
idiom

hit the hay

Meaning
to go to bed; to sleep
Example
I'm really tired, so I'm going to **hit the hay** early tonight.
idiom

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Meaning
you can’t achieve anything if you don’t take risks
Example
He decided to invest because **nothing ventured, nothing gained**.
idiom

A peaceful mind is a happy mind

Meaning
Mental calmness leads to happiness and contentment.
Example
She believes that **a peaceful mind is a happy mind**.
idiom

Cultural shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when exposed to a different culture or way of life
Example
Moving from a small village to a big city gave me **cultural shock**.
idiom

take it or leave it

Meaning
showing indifference about accepting or rejecting something
Example
That’s my final offer — **take it or leave it**.
idiom

blow someone's cover

Meaning
to reveal someone's secret identity or hidden purpose
Example
The journalist accidentally **blew the cover** of the undercover agent.
idiom

You took the words right out of my mouth

Meaning
You said exactly what I was thinking
Example
**You took the words right out of my mouth** — I was about to say that!
idiom

Take a leap of faith

Meaning
to do something uncertain, trusting that it will succeed
Example
Starting her own company was a **leap of faith**, but it paid off.
idiom

think on one's feet

Meaning
to be able to make quick decisions and act quickly, especially in an emergency
Example
During the meeting, she had to **think on her feet** and come up with a solution.
idiom

to play fair

Meaning
To act honestly and follow the rules.
Example
In every competition, we must **play fair**.
idiom

fade to black

Meaning
to end something dramatically
Example
The director chose to **fade to black** at the emotional climax.
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

pick a fight

Meaning
to start an argument intentionally
Example
Don’t **pick a fight** with him; he’s already angry.
idiom

digital footprint

Meaning
the trace of information left by a user's online activities
Example
Be cautious about what you post online; your **digital footprint** lasts forever.
idiom

table the discussion

Meaning
to postpone discussing something until later
Example
They decided to **table the discussion** until next week.
idiom

rein in

Meaning
to control or limit something
Example
We must **rein in** our spending this quarter.
idiom

grey matter

Meaning
intelligence; the ability to think
Example
Use your **grey matter** to solve the puzzle.
idiom

thick as thieves

Meaning
very close friends who share everything
Example
Those two are **thick as thieves**.
idiom

keep out

Meaning
to prevent someone or something from entering
Example
Close the windows to **keep out** the dust during the renovation.
idiom

live out of a suitcase

Meaning
to travel frequently; to not stay in one place for long
Example
He’s been **living out of a suitcase** for months.
idiom

roll with

Meaning
to adapt to changes or challenges easily
Example
The team had to **roll with** several last-minute changes to the schedule.
idiom

toss out

Meaning
to throw something away
Example
We had to **toss out** the expired snacks.
idiom

a loose cannon

Meaning
A person who behaves unpredictably and may cause problems.
Example
Be careful with him — he’s **a loose cannon**.
idiom

on the world stage

Meaning
in the international arena or community
Example
The country's economy is now strong **on the world stage**.
idiom

market share

Meaning
the portion of a market controlled by a particular company or product
Example
The company increased its **market share** after launching the new product.
idiom

on the right track

Meaning
to be going in the correct direction to achieve success
Example
Your plan sounds great — you’re **on the right track**.
idiom

carry through

Meaning
to complete something despite difficulties
Example
She promised to **carry through** with the training program.
idiom

social media influencer

Meaning
a person who has the power to influence others through social media platforms
Example
She became a **social media influencer** after her makeup tutorials went viral.
idiom

behind the times

Meaning
old-fashioned or not keeping up with modern ideas
Example
My uncle still uses a typewriter—he’s **behind the times**.
idiom

quote chapter and verse

Meaning
to cite something exactly or in great detail
Example
She can **quote chapter and verse** from Shakespeare.
idiom

clear your head

Meaning
to stop thinking about something for a while and relax
Example
After a stressful week, I like to take a walk to **clear my head**.
idiom

cut both ways

Meaning
to have both positive and negative effects
Example
Working from home **cuts both ways** – you save time but lose social interaction.
idiom

Wear many hats

Meaning
To have many roles or responsibilities.
Example
As a small business owner, she **wears many hats**.
idiom

under oath

Meaning
having sworn to tell the truth in court
Example
He lied **under oath** and was charged with perjury.
idiom

change of guard

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

spill the tea

Meaning
to share gossip or secrets
Example
Come on, **spill the tea** - what happened at the party?
idiom

put in long hours

Meaning
to work for many hours
Example
He’s been **putting in long hours** to finish the report.
idiom

bubbling with joy

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

a diplomatic tightrope

Meaning
a very delicate or risky diplomatic situation
Example
Managing relations with both rivals is a **diplomatic tightrope**.
idiom

have a heavy heart

Meaning
to feel deep sadness or sorrow
Example
He left the city **with a heavy heart**.
idiom

throw money around

Meaning
to spend money carelessly or extravagantly
Example
Some rich importers love to **throw money around** at trade fairs.
idiom

to take the high road

Meaning
to choose the most ethical or moral path, even when others don’t
Example
She decided to **take the high road** and not respond with anger.
idiom

to get the ball rolling

Meaning
to start something, especially a project or task
Example
Let's **get the ball rolling** and start the meeting.
idiom

the political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to handle
Example
Corruption has become **a political hot potato** in the country.
idiom

a slap on the wrist

Meaning
a very mild punishment
Example
He got **a slap on the wrist** for such a serious offense.
idiom

gear down

Meaning
to slow the pace of activity
Example
We can **gear down** after the product launch is stable.
idiom

A bundle of nerves

Meaning
To be extremely anxious or tense.
Example
Before the presentation, she was **a bundle of nerves**.
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

Move fast and break things

Meaning
To innovate quickly, even if mistakes happen along the way.
Example
Our CEO encourages us to **move fast and break things** to stay ahead of competitors.
idiom

a pain in the neck

Meaning
someone or something that is very annoying
Example
That constant noise from the construction site is **a pain in the neck**.
idiom

talk up

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

Keep going strong

Meaning
to keep persevering and not give up
Example
Even when times are tough, remember to **keep going strong**.
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

lock and key

Meaning
completely secured or protected
Example
All confidential data is kept under **lock and key**.
idiom

Cheer up

Meaning
Become happier; don’t be sad.
Example
It’s not the end of the world—**cheer up**!
idiom

as thick as thieves

Meaning
To be very close friends who share secrets.
Example
Lisa and Nora are **as thick as thieves** since childhood.
idiom

play it straight

Meaning
to be honest and direct
Example
Just **play it straight** and tell them what happened.
idiom

phase out

Meaning
to gradually stop using or providing something
Example
The company plans to **phase out** plastic packaging by next year.
idiom

kick back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing for a while
Example
After finishing the project, we just **kicked back** and watched a movie.
idiom

Catch on

Meaning
To begin to understand something.
Example
It took him a while to **catch on** to the new rules.
idiom

A picture paints a thousand words

Meaning
A visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
Cultural symbols remind us that **a picture paints a thousand words**.
idiom

carbon neutral

Meaning
achieving a net-zero carbon footprint, where the amount of carbon dioxide released is equal to the amount removed from the atmosphere
Example
By planting trees and reducing emissions, the company is aiming to become **carbon neutral**.
idiom

Move heaven and earth

Meaning
To do everything possible to achieve something.
Example
They **moved heaven and earth** to save the project.
idiom

prodigal son

Meaning
a person who leaves home and returns repentant after wasting wealth or opportunities
Example
After years abroad, he returned home like **the prodigal son**.
idiom

make a killing

Meaning
to earn a large profit quickly
Example
They **made a killing** with their new tech product.
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

Take it easy

Meaning
To relax and not worry too much.
Example
**Take it easy**, everything will be fine.
idiom

drive a hard bargain

Meaning
to be tough in making a deal or negotiation
Example
She always **drives a hard bargain** when negotiating contracts.
idiom

to pull strings

Meaning
to use one's influence or connections to get things done
Example
She managed to **pull strings** to get the bill passed in Congress.
idiom

glance over

Meaning
to read something quickly
Example
Can you **glance over** the memo before we send it?
idiom

do the right thing

Meaning
to act in a morally or socially responsible way
Example
Even when it’s hard, always **do the right thing**.
idiom

betray someone's trust

Meaning
to break someone's confidence in you
Example
She would never **betray your trust**.
idiom

keep an eye on

Meaning
to watch or monitor something or someone carefully
Example
Can you **keep an eye on** the kids while I'm cooking?
idiom

have a brainwave

Meaning
to suddenly have a clever idea
Example
I **had a brainwave** and solved the puzzle.
idiom

mark down

Meaning
to reduce the price of something
Example
The store **marked down** winter coats in March.
idiom

in a nutshell

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
To put it **in a nutshell**, we need more funding.
idiom

out of bandwidth

Meaning
too busy or overwhelmed to handle more tasks
Example
I’m **out of bandwidth** today, can we talk tomorrow?
idiom

offbeat

Meaning
unusual; different from the norm
Example
His **offbeat** sense of humor makes everyone laugh.
idiom

break the mold

Meaning
to do something differently from tradition
Example
She **broke the mold** by becoming the first female CEO.
idiom

keep an eye on someone

Meaning
to watch someone carefully because you don’t trust them completely
Example
I’ll **keep an eye on him** while you’re away.
idiom

pick someone’s brain

Meaning
to ask someone knowledgeable for advice or ideas
Example
I’d like to **pick your brain** about this project idea.
idiom

in one’s element

Meaning
doing something one is good at or enjoys
Example
He’s **in his element** when he’s cooking for friends.
idiom

fit for a king

Meaning
something of very high quality or luxurious
Example
The dinner was **fit for a king**.
idiom

cross the ethical line

Meaning
to do something that is considered morally wrong in ethics
Example
Selling user data without permission **crosses the ethical line**.
idiom

Pilot project

Meaning
A small-scale experiment to test a concept.
Example
We launched a **pilot project** before going nationwide.
idiom

blow off steam

Meaning
to express anger or frustration so that you feel better
Example
He went for a run to **blow off steam** after the argument.
idiom

ride out

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
We managed to **ride out** the storm without damage.
idiom

go over

Meaning
to review or discuss something thoroughly
Example
Can we **go over** the agenda together?
idiom

artificial empathy

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

Ask a million questions

Meaning
To be extremely curious and ask many questions.
Example
Kids often **ask a million questions** about everything.
idiom

sworn enemy

Meaning
someone who will never be your friend
Example
They used to be close but now are **sworn enemies**.
idiom

jury is still out

Meaning
a decision or opinion has not yet been reached
Example
The **jury is still out** on whether the new law will be effective.
idiom

Burst with gratitude

Meaning
To feel extremely thankful.
Example
She was **bursting with gratitude** after receiving help.
idiom

Go bust

Meaning
To go bankrupt or out of business.
Example
Many small banks **went bust** during the financial crisis.
idiom

a roof over your head

Meaning
a place to live; a shelter
Example
At least we have **a roof over our heads**.
idiom

out like a light

Meaning
to fall asleep very quickly
Example
He was **out like a light** as soon as his head hit the pillow.