know something by heart
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

know something by heart

Meaning
to memorize something perfectly
Example
She **knows all the poems by heart**.
idiom

add color to

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

break free

Meaning
to escape from control or restriction
Example
She wanted to **break free** from her routine life.
idiom

rags to riches

Meaning
to go from being poor to becoming rich and successful
Example
His life story is a real **rags to riches** tale.
idiom

under pressure

Meaning
to be in a stressful situation with a lot of demands
Example
She performs well even when she’s **under pressure**.
idiom

your guess is as good as mine

Meaning
I do not know the answer to a question
Example
I don't know what time the movie starts. **Your guess is as good as mine**.
idiom

a mind is a terrible thing to waste

Meaning
it is a waste not to use your mental abilities
Example
You should keep learning, **a mind is a terrible thing to waste**.
idiom

outside the box

Meaning
thinking or acting in an unusual or unconventional way
Example
To solve this problem, we need to think **outside the box**.
idiom

keep the home fires burning

Meaning
to maintain a happy home while others are away
Example
While her husband was abroad, she **kept the home fires burning**.
idiom

a thorn in one's side

Meaning
a constant source of annoyance or trouble
Example
The trade dispute has become **a thorn in our side**.
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

get worked up

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

have a whale of a time

Meaning
to have an extremely enjoyable time
Example
We **had a whale of a time** at the beach party.
idiom

ring the changes

Meaning
to make changes to something to make it more interesting or effective
Example
The restaurant decided to **ring the changes** with a new menu.
idiom

on the fence

Meaning
undecided or unsure about something
Example
She’s still **on the fence** about moving abroad.
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

spread the word

Meaning
to tell many people about something
Example
Please **spread the word** about our new course.
idiom

to drop the ball

Meaning
to make a mistake; to fail at something important
Example
He really **dropped the ball** by forgetting the meeting.
idiom

that's the last straw

Meaning
my patience has run out
Example
He's been late all week, but this is **the last straw**.
idiom

go belly up

Meaning
to fail completely; to go bankrupt
Example
Many small businesses **went belly up** during the pandemic.
idiom

Political bargaining chip

Meaning
An issue or point used to negotiate or exchange in politics.
Example
The trade agreement became a **political bargaining chip** during the negotiations.
idiom

plan ahead

Meaning
to prepare for the future
Example
You should **plan ahead** to avoid problems later.
idiom

to be on the up and up

Meaning
to be honest and trustworthy
Example
I trust her completely because I know she’s always **on the up and up**.
idiom

through thick and thin

Meaning
in good times and bad times
Example
She stood by me **through thick and thin**.
idiom

grind away

Meaning
to work hard on something for a long period
Example
She **grinded away** at her studies to pass the exam.
idiom

to boot up

Meaning
to start something; to begin working or functioning
Example
Let’s **boot up** the new project today and see how it goes.
idiom

out of the box

Meaning
creative and different from usual ideas
Example
Her **out of the box** marketing strategy increased sales rapidly.
idiom

hand in

Meaning
to submit something to someone in authority
Example
Please **hand in** your assignment by Friday morning.
idiom

on the house

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

keep your cool

Meaning
to stay calm under stress or provocation
Example
Even in emergencies, he always **keeps his cool**.
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

give me a hand

Meaning
to help someone
Example
Can you **give me a hand** with this bag?
idiom

brush off

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

Big fish in a small pond

Meaning
An important person in a small organization or area.
Example
He prefers being a **big fish in a small pond** rather than competing globally.
idiom

the whole truth and nothing but the truth

Meaning
complete honesty without hiding or changing anything
Example
Please tell **the whole truth and nothing but the truth**.
idiom

be there for someone

Meaning
to support or help someone when they need it
Example
True friends **are there for you** when you need them.
idiom

bring the curtain down

Meaning
to end something; to finish a performance or event
Example
The concert **brought the curtain down** on the music festival.
idiom

talk up

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

to have faith in yourself

Meaning
to trust your own abilities and potential
Example
If you want to succeed, you need to **have faith in yourself**.
idiom

as luck would have it

Meaning
by chance; fortunately or unfortunately
Example
**As luck would have it**, I met my old friend at the airport.
idiom

Keep fighting

Meaning
Continue striving; don’t give up.
Example
No matter what happens, just **keep fighting**.
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

beyond one's control

Meaning
not under one’s power or influence
Example
The situation is **beyond our control** now.
idiom

Talk through your hat

Meaning
To speak nonsense or about something one knows little about.
Example
He was **talking through his hat** about quantum physics.
idiom

Economic downturn

Meaning
A period when the economy declines or slows down.
Example
Many people lost their jobs during the **economic downturn**.
idiom

a win-win situation

Meaning
a situation where everyone benefits
Example
Merging the two companies created **a win-win situation** for both parties.
idiom

break the mold

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

hold your nerve

Meaning
to remain calm and confident under pressure
Example
She **held her nerve** and finished the speech perfectly.
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

circle around

Meaning
to move repeatedly around something
Example
The hawk kept **circling around** above the trees.
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

Boom and bust

Meaning
A period of great prosperity followed by a sharp decline.
Example
The real estate market often experiences **boom and bust** cycles.
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

white hat

Meaning
a hacker who uses skills ethically to improve security
Example
**White hats** help companies identify and fix security flaws.
idiom

a heart of gold

Meaning
someone who is very kind and caring
Example
She has **a heart of gold**, always helping anyone in need.
idiom

feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel extremely good or happy
Example
After a great workout, I always **feel like a million bucks**.
idiom

talk through

Meaning
to discuss something in detail
Example
Let’s **talk through** the plan before the client call.
idiom

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
idiom

lay off

Meaning
to dismiss someone from a job due to lack of work or money
Example
The company hopes to avoid having to **lay off** employees.
idiom

Ask a million questions

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

in the line of fire

Meaning
to be in a situation where one is likely to be blamed or criticized
Example
The manager found himself **in the line of fire** after the project failed.
idiom

draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We have to **draw the line** when it comes to unethical behavior.
idiom

a universe of possibilities

Meaning
endless opportunities or options
Example
Technology has opened **a universe of possibilities**.
idiom

step up one’s game

Meaning
to improve one’s effort or performance
Example
If you want that promotion, you need to **step up your game**.
idiom

put your foot down

Meaning
to assert your authority or make a firm decision
Example
When they asked for an extension, he decided to **put his foot down** and refuse.
idiom

Building castles in the air

Meaning
To have unrealistic or impractical plans or dreams.
Example
She’s always **building castles in the air**, dreaming of a perfect world.
idiom

hit the road again

Meaning
to resume a journey after a stop
Example
After lunch, we **hit the road again**.
idiom

come of age

Meaning
to reach maturity; to become fully developed
Example
The company has **come of age** in the last few years.
idiom

table a proposal

Meaning
to formally present a proposal for discussion
Example
The ambassador decided to **table a proposal** for regional cooperation.
idiom

come to terms

Meaning
to reach an agreement after discussion or conflict
Example
After weeks of negotiation, both sides finally **came to terms**.
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

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

In for the long haul

Meaning
Prepared to continue something for a long time.
Example
He knew that success would take years, but he was **in for the long haul**.
idiom

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

Meaning
Knowing a small amount about something can lead to mistakes.
Example
**A little knowledge is a dangerous thing** — don’t try to fix it if you’re not an expert.
idiom

a shoulder to cry on

Meaning
someone who listens and supports you when you are sad
Example
She has always been **a shoulder to cry on** when I needed help.
idiom

on good terms

Meaning
to have a friendly and peaceful relationship
Example
They are still **on good terms** even after the breakup.
idiom

double-cross someone

Meaning
to betray someone after pretending to support them
Example
He promised to help but **double-crossed** me in the end.
idiom

make up for

Meaning
to compensate for something
Example
We’ll **make up for** the delay with extra support.
idiom

hack the system

Meaning
to break into a system or network to gain unauthorized access
Example
He was caught trying to **hack the system** for personal gain.
idiom

go out of one’s way

Meaning
to make a special effort to help someone
Example
She **went out of her way** to make sure we felt welcome.
idiom

the art of war

Meaning
strategies or tactics for achieving success in difficult situations
Example
The general studied **the art of war** to prepare for the upcoming battle.
idiom

AI-powered

Meaning
referring to systems or applications that use artificial intelligence to function
Example
The company launched an **AI-powered** assistant to help customers find products more easily.
idiom

have a good character

Meaning
to be honest, moral, and respectable
Example
He has always **had a good character**, and that’s why people trust him.
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

bored to death

Meaning
extremely bored
Example
I was **bored to death** during the long lecture.
idiom

set a precedent

Meaning
to establish a standard or example for future actions
Example
Banning unethical AI systems will **set a precedent** for accountability.
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

put your foot in your mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate
Example
He really **put his foot in his mouth** when he mentioned her age.
idiom

Band together

Meaning
To unite for a common purpose.
Example
The workers **banded together** to demand better wages.
idiom

talk the talk

Meaning
to speak confidently about something
Example
He can **talk the talk**, but can he walk the walk?
idiom

give someone the shirt off your back

Meaning
to be extremely generous and selfless
Example
He’d **give you the shirt off his back** if you needed it.
idiom

In the know

Meaning
Having information that most people do not have.
Example
She’s always **in the know** about company secrets.
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

the old school

Meaning
having traditional beliefs or methods
Example
My professor is from **the old school**; he prefers chalkboards to slides.
idiom

give in

Meaning
to stop resisting or to agree after initial refusal
Example
After a long debate, the committee finally **gave in**.
idiom

to hack into

Meaning
to gain unauthorized access to a system or network
Example
The attackers managed **to hack into** the company's internal servers.
idiom

hit the sack

Meaning
to go to bed
Example
I'm exhausted, so I'm going to **hit the sack** early tonight.
idiom

cross the aisle

Meaning
to cooperate with members of the opposing political party
Example
He often **crosses the aisle** to work on bipartisan issues.
idiom

As green as grass

Meaning
Very inexperienced or new at something.
Example
He’s **as green as grass** in his new job.
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

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

steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to look or feel extremely angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** after the argument.
idiom

mother hen

Meaning
a person who is very protective or caring, especially within a family
Example
Aunt Mary is a real **mother hen**, always looking after everyone.
idiom

lose touch

Meaning
to stop communicating with someone
Example
We **lost touch** after college.
idiom

play both sides

Meaning
to support opposing parties to gain advantage
Example
Some lobbyists are known to **play both sides** of the issue.
idiom

hand down to

Meaning
to pass something to someone of a later generation
Example
Grandma **handed this down to** me when I graduated.
idiom

Don't rush things

Meaning
Take your time and don't hurry.
Example
You don't need to finish everything today, **don't rush things**.
idiom

algorithm

Meaning
a set of rules or instructions for solving a problem or performing a task
Example
The **algorithm** sorts the data into categories.
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

actions speak louder than words

Meaning
what people do is more important than what they say
Example
**Actions speak louder than words**, so prove it with effort.
idiom

bosom friends

Meaning
very close and intimate friends
Example
They have been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

join the dots

Meaning
to connect pieces of information to understand the full picture
Example
AI systems can **join the dots** faster than humans when analyzing data.
idiom

give someone a piece of one’s mind

Meaning
to tell someone angrily what you think
Example
She **gave him a piece of her mind** for being rude.
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

add fuel to the fire

Meaning
to make a bad situation worse
Example
Your comments **added fuel to the fire**.
idiom

a fine line

Meaning
a very small difference between two things
Example
There’s **a fine line** between genius and madness in art.
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

Keep the faith

Meaning
Continue to believe that things will work out.
Example
Even in hard times, **keep the faith**.
idiom

block out

Meaning
to ignore distractions or unpleasant thoughts
Example
She tried to **block out** the noise and continue working.
idiom

take a toll

Meaning
to cause harm or damage over time due to stress or overwork
Example
Long working hours can **take a toll** on your health.