light years ahead
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idiom

light years ahead

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

A scoop

Meaning
An exclusive piece of news
Example
The journalist got **a scoop** about the minister’s resignation.
idiom

full of yourself

Meaning
to be too proud or self-centered
Example
He’s so **full of himself** after getting that promotion.
idiom

That’s for sure

Meaning
Used to strongly confirm agreement
Example
He’s a great leader — **that’s for sure**.
idiom

clear the decks

Meaning
Prepare for action by removing unnecessary things.
Example
We need to **clear the decks** before the new project begins.
idiom

get the show on the road

Meaning
to begin an activity or journey
Example
Let’s **get the show on the road** and start our trip.
idiom

hit the same wavelength

Meaning
to share similar thoughts and feelings
Example
We **hit the same wavelength** from the first conversation.
idiom

penny pincher

Meaning
someone who is very careful about spending money
Example
My uncle is such a **penny pincher** that he reuses tea bags.
idiom

build character

Meaning
to develop positive qualities or strength through challenges
Example
Going through this process will **build character** in the team.
idiom

start from scratch

Meaning
to begin again without any advantage or preparation
Example
They lost everything and had to **start from scratch**.
idiom

open one's heart

Meaning
to express feelings or emotions honestly
Example
She finally decided to **open her heart** and share her feelings.
idiom

spread your wings

Meaning
to start doing new and independent things
Example
After graduation, she wanted to **spread her wings**.
idiom

be accountable for

Meaning
to be responsible for something and able to explain it
Example
As the team leader, he is **accountable for the project's outcome**.
idiom

to have second thoughts

Meaning
to reconsider a decision
Example
I’m **having second thoughts** about moving abroad.
idiom

Out of fashion

Meaning
No longer trendy or popular
Example
Those jeans went **out of fashion** years ago.
idiom

Best foot forward

Meaning
To try to make the best possible impression
Example
She always puts her **best foot forward** on important occasions.
idiom

crunch the numbers

Meaning
to process data or analyze statistics
Example
AI can **crunch the numbers** faster than any human.
idiom

silver surfer

Meaning
an older person who uses the internet regularly
Example
My grandmother is a **silver surfer** who loves social media.
idiom

get the hang of it

Meaning
to learn or become skilled at something new
Example
Don’t worry, you’ll **get the hang of it** soon.
idiom

pumped up

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

at each other’s throats

Meaning
to be in constant conflict or fighting
Example
The two brothers were **at each other’s throats** all day.
idiom

Fail fast

Meaning
To quickly identify and learn from failures.
Example
In startups, it’s better to **fail fast** and learn than to waste time.
idiom

a global village

Meaning
the world considered as a single community due to technology and communication
Example
The internet has turned the world into **a global village**.
idiom

Above reproach

Meaning
Completely honest and without fault.
Example
Her integrity is **above reproach**.
idiom

time is money

Meaning
time is valuable and should not be wasted
Example
In business, every minute counts because **time is money**.
idiom

get a grip

Meaning
to control your emotions and behave sensibly
Example
Stop panicking and **get a grip** on yourself!
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

a million-dollar smile

Meaning
a beautiful and charming smile
Example
She greeted everyone with **a million-dollar smile**.
idiom

A true friend is one who stands by you

Meaning
A true friend will be there for you during difficult times
Example
Even in the worst of times, she proved to be a true friend. **A true friend is one who stands by you**.
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

sign off on

Meaning
to formally approve something
Example
The director needs to **sign off on** the final budget.
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

machine learning

Meaning
A method of data analysis that automates analytical model building.
Example
We used **machine learning** to predict customer behavior.
idiom

sell like hotcakes

Meaning
to sell very quickly and in large quantities
Example
After the ad went viral, the product began to **sell like hotcakes**.
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

Out to pasture

Meaning
To retire someone or something from active use.
Example
The old manager was finally **put out to pasture** last year.
idiom

hit the brakes

Meaning
to slow down or stop something
Example
The company had to **hit the brakes** on its expansion plans.
idiom

the best is yet to come

Meaning
better things are coming in the future
Example
Don’t worry about the past; **the best is yet to come**.
idiom

keep away from

Meaning
to avoid someone or something
Example
You should **keep away from** sugary drinks right now.
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

take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become more ill
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
idiom

a friend in need is a friend indeed

Meaning
a true friend helps you in difficult times
Example
When I was sick, Jane took care of me—**a friend in need is a friend indeed**.
idiom

shake off

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

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
idiom

red tape

Meaning
excessive bureaucracy or rules
Example
The project was delayed because of **red tape**.
idiom

pillar of strength

Meaning
a person who provides strong support or comfort
Example
She was a **pillar of strength** during difficult times.
idiom

carry through

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

take a leaf out of someone’s book

Meaning
to imitate or follow someone’s good example
Example
Other cities should **take a leaf out of Copenhagen’s book** on eco-friendly transport.
idiom

all in the same boat

Meaning
in the same situation or facing the same challenges
Example
We're all **in the same boat**, so let's work together to solve this problem.
idiom

make your blood run cold

Meaning
to cause extreme fear or horror
Example
The ghost story **made my blood run cold**.
idiom

hand over to

Meaning
to transfer control or responsibility to someone
Example
I’ll **hand this over to** the legal team for review.
idiom

tighten the screws

Meaning
to put pressure on someone to make them behave or act a certain way
Example
The government **tightened the screws** on tax evaders.
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

Don Quixote

Meaning
A person who is overly idealistic, unrealistic, or impractical.
Example
He’s being **a Don Quixote**, chasing impossible dreams.
idiom

kick the bucket

Meaning
to die (informal)
Example
He finally **kicked the bucket** after a long illness.
idiom

take a dim view of

Meaning
to disapprove of something; to have a negative opinion
Example
The manager **takes a dim view of** employees arriving late.
idiom

a rolling stone gathers no moss

Meaning
a person who keeps moving and exploring avoids boredom or stagnation
Example
**A rolling stone gathers no moss**, and he’s always on the move.
idiom

code your way out

Meaning
to solve a problem through programming skills
Example
When the system crashed, she managed to **code her way out**.
idiom

runway left

Meaning
the amount of time before a startup runs out of money
Example
We only have six months of **runway left** to make this work.
idiom

a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be brave when you are actually scared or worried
Example
She put on **a brave face** despite feeling nervous inside.
idiom

a chip off the old block

Meaning
someone who is very similar to their parent
Example
Your daughter is so smart — she’s **a chip off the old block**.
idiom

Make the most of something

Meaning
To use something to its full potential.
Example
You should **make the most of this opportunity**.
idiom

go places

Meaning
to be likely to become successful in the future
Example
Everyone says he’s going to **go places** with his skills.
idiom

paint a new picture

Meaning
to create a new vision or concept
Example
The designer managed to **paint a new picture** for the brand.
idiom

Open a can of worms

Meaning
To start something that creates many new problems.
Example
By questioning the policy, he **opened a can of worms**.
idiom

out of sorts

Meaning
feeling slightly unwell or upset
Example
He’s been **out of sorts** since he caught that cold.
idiom

fed up with

Meaning
tired or annoyed with something
Example
I'm **fed up with** doing the same thing every day.
idiom

go off the rails

Meaning
to start behaving in an unusual or uncontrolled way
Example
After losing his job, his life seemed to **go off the rails**.
idiom

put the brakes on

Meaning
to slow down or stop an activity
Example
The company had to **put the brakes on** its expansion plans.
idiom

upload your thoughts

Meaning
to express or share one’s ideas online
Example
People love to **upload their thoughts** on social media.
idiom

cry one’s eyes out

Meaning
to cry a lot; to weep uncontrollably
Example
She **cried her eyes out** after watching that sad movie.
idiom

go belly up

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

wallflower

Meaning
a shy person who avoids social activities
Example
She used to be a **wallflower**, but now she’s more confident.
idiom

cover all the angles

Meaning
to examine a story or issue from every perspective
Example
The journalist tried to **cover all the angles** before publishing the article.
idiom

step away

Meaning
to take a short break from a situation
Example
Take a minute to **step away** if you feel overwhelmed.
idiom

never say never

Meaning
to encourage someone to stay hopeful and not give up
Example
**Never say never**—you might succeed next time.
idiom

kick around

Meaning
to discuss ideas informally
Example
We can **kick around** some concepts after lunch.
idiom

ride the wave

Meaning
to take advantage of a trend or situation
Example
Many companies are trying to **ride the wave** of AI technology.
idiom

fulfill one's obligations

Meaning
to complete or carry out one's duties
Example
He always tries to **fulfill his obligations** to his clients.
idiom

keep the momentum

Meaning
to continue progressing without slowing down
Example
We need to **keep the momentum** to reach our target.
idiom

to be above board

Meaning
to be open and honest in your actions
Example
His dealings were always **above board**, and everyone trusted him.
idiom

crime doesn't pay

Meaning
doing wrong or illegal things will never bring true success
Example
He learned the hard way that **crime doesn't pay**.
idiom

driving innovation

Meaning
leading or inspiring new and creative ideas.
Example
The startup is **driving innovation** in renewable energy solutions.
idiom

take the plunge

Meaning
to decide to do something risky or difficult
Example
After years of thinking, he finally **took the plunge** and started his business.
idiom

a kingmaker

Meaning
someone who has influence in the selection or appointment of a leader
Example
The senator has become **a kingmaker** in the current presidential race.
idiom

get away with murder

Meaning
to do something very bad without being punished for it
Example
He’s so spoiled that he can **get away with murder** at home.
idiom

take a breather

Meaning
to rest for a short while to relax
Example
Let’s **take a breather** before continuing the meeting.
idiom

sit in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in a position of control or leadership
Example
After the promotion, she now **sits in the driver’s seat**.
idiom

tell it like it is

Meaning
to speak honestly without sugarcoating
Example
She’s known for **telling it like it is**, even when the truth hurts.
idiom

glue together

Meaning
to attach pieces firmly using adhesive
Example
Let the students **glue together** the collage pieces.
idiom

help someone out

Meaning
to assist someone in a difficult situation
Example
Whenever I am in trouble, she always **helps me out**.
idiom

meet halfway

Meaning
to compromise by agreeing to part of what each person wants
Example
We decided to **meet halfway** and agree on a fair price.
idiom

long story short

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

Caught with your pants down

Meaning
To be caught unprepared or embarrassed.
Example
The manager was **caught with his pants down** when asked about the figures.
idiom

big picture

Meaning
the overall perspective or situation
Example
Producers always try to see the **big picture** before making changes.
idiom

Break like the wind

Meaning
To move or pass quickly; sometimes used humorously.
Example
He ran **like the wind** to catch the bus.
idiom

don't judge a book by its cover

Meaning
you shouldn't form an opinion on someone or something based purely on what you see on the outside
Example
She may look serious, but **don't judge a book by its cover**.
idiom

on the same playing field

Meaning
in the same conditions or with equal chances
Example
We’re now **on the same playing field** as our competitors.
idiom

wash one’s hands of something

Meaning
to stop being responsible for something
Example
He **washed his hands of** the project after it failed.
idiom

tell tales

Meaning
to gossip or reveal secrets, often to get someone in trouble
Example
Stop **telling tales** about your coworkers.
idiom

copycat

Meaning
someone who imitates another person
Example
She’s such a **copycat**, always doing what I do.
idiom

to be in someone’s good books

Meaning
to be in favor with someone
Example
If you want to get promoted, you need to be **in the boss’s good books**.
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

Put your heart into it

Meaning
To do something with full effort and enthusiasm.
Example
If you **put your heart into it**, you’ll achieve great results.
idiom

win the peace

Meaning
to succeed in maintaining peace after a conflict
Example
The treaty was a success, but they still had to **win the peace**.
idiom

fall behind

Meaning
to fail to keep up with a schedule or progress
Example
If we miss another deadline, we’ll **fall behind** on the project.
idiom

tell a tall tale

Meaning
to tell an exaggerated or false story
Example
He loves to **tell tall tales** about his adventures.
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

dress down

Meaning
to scold someone severely
Example
The coach **dressed down** the team for sloppy defense.
idiom

have a short fuse

Meaning
to get angry easily
Example
Be careful what you say; he **has a short fuse**.
idiom

sustainable development

Meaning
development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Example
The company is committed to **sustainable development** by investing in green technologies.
idiom

make a name for yourself

Meaning
to become well-known or successful in a particular field
Example
She **made a name for herself** in the world of fashion design.
idiom

on the cutting edge

Meaning
at the forefront of innovation or technology
Example
The laboratory is **on the cutting edge** of artificial intelligence research.
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

keep something under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
They managed to **keep the project under wraps** until the launch day.
idiom

SEO-friendly

Meaning
optimized to rank higher in search engine results
Example
Make sure your website is **SEO-friendly**.
idiom

on top of the world

Meaning
to feel extremely happy and successful
Example
After winning the award, he felt **on top of the world**.
idiom

a learning curve

Meaning
the process of learning something new, especially one that requires time and effort
Example
There was a steep **learning curve** when I first started the project.
idiom

better luck next time

Meaning
used to encourage someone who has failed
Example
**Better luck next time**! You almost won.
idiom

a bridge too far

Meaning
an attempt or goal that is too ambitious or impossible to achieve
Example
The proposal to negotiate with all the countries at once was **a bridge too far**.
idiom

put one on the map

Meaning
to make someone or something famous or well-known
Example
His groundbreaking research **put him on the map** in the scientific community.