keep your shirt on
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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

Wait for the dust to settle

Meaning
Wait until a situation becomes clear or calm.
Example
Let’s **wait for the dust to settle** before making a decision.
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

make a fortune

Meaning
to earn a lot of money
Example
She **made a fortune** selling handmade jewelry online.
idiom

lead by example

Meaning
to show others how to behave by doing it yourself
Example
A true leader always **leads by example**.
idiom

keep it under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
We’re trying to **keep it under wraps** until the official announcement.
idiom

clickbait

Meaning
a headline or content designed to attract attention and encourage clicks
Example
That article title is pure **clickbait**.
idiom

off script

Meaning
to deviate from a prepared plan or speech
Example
During the meeting, he went **off script** and made some bold statements.
idiom

Wishful thinking

Meaning
Believing something because you want it to be true, not because it is realistic.
Example
Believing you'll win the lottery is just **wishful thinking**.
idiom

draw on

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

a roof over your head

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

rob Peter to pay Paul

Meaning
to take money from one part of something in order to pay for something else
Example
They're always **robbing Peter to pay Paul**, moving money around without making any progress.
idiom

under the knife

Meaning
to have surgery
Example
She has to go **under the knife** for her knee problem.
idiom

back to square one

Meaning
to start over again
Example
After the computer crashed, I had to go **back to square one** with my report.
idiom

have a heart of gold

Meaning
to be very kind and generous
Example
Everyone loves her because she **has a heart of gold**.
idiom

get fired up

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

in the works

Meaning
something that is being developed or planned
Example
A new product is **in the works** and should be released soon.
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

chain reaction

Meaning
a series of events triggered by one event
Example
One breakthrough can start a **chain reaction** of new innovations.
idiom

break the silence

Meaning
to start talking after a period of silence
Example
He was the one to **break the silence** after the awkward pause.
idiom

Put your heads together

Meaning
To discuss and solve a problem collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** to find a solution.
idiom

the walls have ears

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

think big

Meaning
to set ambitious and visionary goals
Example
Entrepreneurs must **think big** to make a real impact.
idiom

take a hike

Meaning
to go for a walk or leave; to go away
Example
Let’s **take a hike** in the mountains this weekend.
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

come clean

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you have been hiding
Example
He finally **came clean** about what happened.
idiom

cut the cord

Meaning
to become independent from someone or something
Example
It’s time for you to **cut the cord** and live on your own.
idiom

True friends stab you in the front

Meaning
A true friend tells you harsh truths to your face.
Example
She’s not afraid to tell me the truth, because **true friends stab you in the front**.
idiom

build a better mousetrap

Meaning
to improve an existing product or idea
Example
Every tech company tries to **build a better mousetrap** in its field.
idiom

kindred spirit

Meaning
someone who has similar interests or feelings
Example
We became friends because we’re **kindred spirits**.
idiom

parcel out

Meaning
to divide and distribute something
Example
Let’s **parcel out** the tasks for the festival.
idiom

break into a market

Meaning
to successfully enter a new market or industry
Example
The company is trying to **break into the Asian market**.
idiom

spend money like water

Meaning
to spend money freely or wastefully
Example
She **spends money like water** on clothes.
idiom

go back to the drawing board

Meaning
to start over again because the previous plan failed
Example
Our experiment failed, so we have to **go back to the drawing board**.
idiom

cash in on

Meaning
to profit from a situation, often quickly
Example
Several startups tried to **cash in on** the sudden trend.
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

let bygones be bygones

Meaning
to forget past disagreements and forgive each other
Example
They decided to **let bygones be bygones** and move forward.
idiom

read someone like a book

Meaning
to easily understand someone's thoughts and intentions
Example
She can **read him like a book** and always knows when he's lying.
idiom

win by a landslide

Meaning
to win by a very large margin
Example
The candidate **won by a landslide** with 80% of the votes.
idiom

don't sweat the small stuff

Meaning
don’t worry about minor or unimportant things
Example
It’s just a little mistake, **don’t sweat the small stuff**.
idiom

man’s best friend

Meaning
a common phrase for a dog, symbolizing loyalty and friendship
Example
They say a dog is **man’s best friend**.
idiom

a run for one’s money

Meaning
to compete strongly with someone; to challenge effectively
Example
The new company is giving the old giants **a run for their money**.
idiom

a clean slate

Meaning
a fresh start; an opportunity to begin again without past mistakes
Example
He moved to a new city for **a clean slate**.
idiom

lock horns

Meaning
to get into an argument or fight
Example
They **locked horns** over the new proposal.
idiom

no such luck

Meaning
used when something hoped for did not happen
Example
I hoped to win the lottery, but **no such luck**.
idiom

pull your socks up

Meaning
to make an effort to improve your performance
Example
You need to **pull your socks up** if you want that promotion.
idiom

go under

Meaning
to lose consciousness, usually during surgery
Example
He was nervous before going **under** for his operation.
idiom

fish for

Meaning
to try to get something such as information or praise
Example
He keeps **fishing for** compliments about his report.
idiom

Have something up your sleeve

Meaning
To have a secret plan or idea.
Example
Don’t worry, he **has something up his sleeve** for the project.
idiom

build from the ground up

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built their business from the ground up** with no investors.
idiom

when pigs fly

Meaning
something that will never happen
Example
He'll clean his room **when pigs fly**.
idiom

get through to someone

Meaning
to make someone understand what you mean
Example
I tried to **get through to him**, but he just wouldn’t listen.
idiom

under the stars

Meaning
in the open air, outside, especially at night
Example
We slept **under the stars** by the lake.
idiom

to have someone's back

Meaning
To support or defend someone.
Example
Don’t worry, I **have your back** if things go wrong.
idiom

A shot in the dark

Meaning
a guess or attempt made without knowing much or anything about the result
Example
His idea about solving the problem was just **a shot in the dark**.
idiom

on the rise

Meaning
increasing or growing in value or number
Example
Tech stocks are **on the rise** this quarter.
idiom

A seat at the table

Meaning
To have an opportunity to be part of decision-making or important discussions.
Example
She fought for years to earn **a seat at the table** in the boardroom.
idiom

get under someone's skin

Meaning
to annoy or bother someone deeply
Example
She really knows how to **get under my skin**.
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

the lights are on but nobody’s home

Meaning
someone appears active but is not thinking clearly
Example
When the AI glitched, it was like **the lights were on but nobody’s home**.
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

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

make peace with

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

in safe hands

Meaning
Being protected or taken care of by someone trustworthy.
Example
Don’t worry about the kids, they’re **in safe hands** with Grandma.
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

flesh out

Meaning
to add more detail to something
Example
We need to **flesh out** the proposal before presenting it.
idiom

hit the target audience

Meaning
to reach the intended group of people with a message or product
Example
The new campaign failed to **hit the target audience** effectively.
idiom

Play it safe

Meaning
to avoid taking risks
Example
He always **plays it safe** and never tries new things.
idiom

sing from the same hymn sheet

Meaning
to express the same opinion as others, especially publicly
Example
All the managers are **singing from the same hymn sheet** on this issue.
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

set an example

Meaning
to behave in a way that others should follow
Example
A true leader **sets an example** for others to follow.
idiom

glance over

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

build brand loyalty

Meaning
to create long-term trust and attachment to a brand
Example
Consistent quality helps **build brand loyalty** among customers.
idiom

keep your head up

Meaning
to remain confident and strong during hardships
Example
**Keep your head up**, better days are coming.
idiom

caught between two stools

Meaning
to fail because of trying to do two things at once
Example
He was **caught between two stools**—trying to please both his boss and his team.
idiom

a storybook ending

Meaning
a perfect or happy ending, like in a fairy tale
Example
Their wedding was a true **storybook ending**.
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

Photo finish

Meaning
A very close competition
Example
The race ended in a **photo finish**.
idiom

Keep a cool head

Meaning
to remain calm and not get too emotional
Example
In a crisis, it's important to **keep a cool head**.
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

down the road

Meaning
in the future
Example
We may expand to other countries **down the road**.
idiom

dial back

Meaning
to reduce the strength or amount of something
Example
We may need to **dial back** the advertising spend.
idiom

work like a dog

Meaning
to work very hard without rest
Example
She **works like a dog** to provide for her kids.
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

Take my word for it

Meaning
Trust what I am saying; believe me.
Example
**Take my word for it**, this method really works.
idiom

hang by a thread

Meaning
to be in a very dangerous or uncertain situation
Example
After the accident, his life was **hanging by a thread**.
idiom

eat your heart out

Meaning
to suffer silently from jealousy or longing
Example
He’s been **eating his heart out** since his ex got engaged.
idiom

living the dream

Meaning
living a life that one always desired
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
idiom

You can do it

Meaning
Have confidence; believe in your ability.
Example
Don’t doubt yourself, **you can do it**!
idiom

Calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.
Example
The office is quiet now, but it’s just **the calm before the storm**.
idiom

long story short

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
**Long story short**, we missed the train.
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

strike a bargain

Meaning
to reach an agreement or deal
Example
After some discussion, they **struck a bargain** that suited both parties.
idiom

no worries

Meaning
used to say that everything is fine or there is no problem
Example
**No worries**, I’ll take care of it.
idiom

get cold feet

Meaning
to suddenly become afraid to do something
Example
He **got cold feet** before proposing to her.
idiom

by the skin of one’s teeth

Meaning
To narrowly escape or achieve something by a very small margin.
Example
I passed the exam **by the skin of my teeth**.
idiom

blood is thicker than water

Meaning
family relationships are stronger than others
Example
He helped his brother because **blood is thicker than water**.
idiom

on the right side of the law

Meaning
acting legally; not breaking any laws
Example
He wants to stay **on the right side of the law**.
idiom

put one's foot down

Meaning
to make a firm decision or take a strong stand on something
Example
She had to **put her foot down** and say no to the proposal.
idiom

step on it

Meaning
to go faster; to hurry up
Example
We’re late — **step on it**!
idiom

to sweep someone off their feet

Meaning
to make someone fall in love with you quickly
Example
He **swept her off her feet** with his charm.
idiom

balance of trade

Meaning
the difference between a country's exports and imports
Example
A negative **balance of trade** can weaken a nation's currency.
idiom

in good spirits

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

Through the lens

Meaning
From a particular perspective or point of view
Example
We need to see this issue **through the lens** of equality.
idiom

apple of one’s eye

Meaning
someone who is cherished above others
Example
Her little son is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

move the needle

Meaning
to make a noticeable difference or impact
Example
This new strategy will really **move the needle** for our company.
idiom

reach new heights

Meaning
to achieve more than before, to improve
Example
Their business is now **reaching new heights** in terms of revenue.
idiom

pull the plug

Meaning
to stop something; to end support for a project or activity
Example
The company decided to **pull the plug** on the outdated app.
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

on the house

Meaning
free of charge; paid for by the establishment
Example
The drinks were **on the house** tonight.
idiom

feel ten feet tall

Meaning
to feel very proud and confident
Example
He **felt ten feet tall** after completing the challenge.
idiom

out of the woods

Meaning
no longer in danger or difficulty
Example
She’s recovering now, so she’s **out of the woods**.
idiom

sworn enemy

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

trade off

Meaning
to balance between two opposing things; to compromise
Example
Globalization involves a **trade off** between efficiency and equality.
idiom

open the floodgates

Meaning
to allow something to happen on a large scale; to trigger a chain reaction
Example
When the security flaw was leaked, it **opened the floodgates** for hackers worldwide.
idiom

the smoking gun

Meaning
a piece of evidence that clearly proves guilt
Example
The email was **the smoking gun** in the corruption case.
idiom

make yourself clear

Meaning
to express yourself so that others understand you easily
Example
Could you **make yourself clear**, please?
idiom

bargain for

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

broken-hearted

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