lightbulb moment
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

lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden moment of realization or inspiration
Example
He had a **lightbulb moment** when he figured out how to fix the code.
idiom

break up

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship
Example
They decided to **break up** after five years together.
idiom

fair and square

Meaning
honest and straightforward; without cheating
Example
She won the competition **fair and square**.
idiom

It rings a bell

Meaning
something sounds familiar
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can’t remember where I heard it.
idiom

come full circle

Meaning
to return to the original state after a series of changes
Example
After years abroad, she’s **come full circle** and moved back home.
idiom

Roll up your sleeves

Meaning
To prepare to work hard.
Example
Let’s **roll up our sleeves** and get started.
idiom

Exit strategy

Meaning
A plan for how investors or founders will eventually leave or cash out.
Example
Every startup should have a clear **exit strategy**.
idiom

check in on

Meaning
to monitor or see how someone or something is doing
Example
Could you **check in on** the kids while I'm out?
idiom

wrap up

Meaning
to finish something completely
Example
We need to **wrap up** the report before lunch.
idiom

rant and rave

Meaning
to shout and complain loudly
Example
He was **ranting and raving** about the bad service.
idiom

the bottom line

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

hope against hope

Meaning
to continue hoping even when it seems impossible
Example
They **hoped against hope** that their team would win.
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

Apple of my eye

Meaning
Someone you love dearly.
Example
Her son is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

stand on your own two feet

Meaning
to be independent and self-supporting
Example
He worked hard to **stand on his own two feet** after college.
idiom

quiet down

Meaning
to become calmer or make less noise
Example
The kids finally **quieted down** after story time.
idiom

laugh off

Meaning
to dismiss something by treating it as a joke
Example
She tried to **laugh off** the mistake during the presentation.
idiom

big data

Meaning
Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.
Example
The company uses **big data** to improve customer experience.
idiom

jump in on

Meaning
to join an activity or discussion quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in on** the brainstorming if you have ideas.
idiom

at death’s door

Meaning
very close to death
Example
He was **at death’s door** before the doctors saved him.
idiom

put your nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and focus on something
Example
If you want to succeed, you have to **put your nose to the grindstone**.
idiom

call a spade a spade

Meaning
to speak honestly and directly, even if it’s unpleasant
Example
She always **calls a spade a spade**, no matter who gets offended.
idiom

Sail through something

Meaning
To do something easily or successfully.
Example
She **sailed through** her exams with top marks.
idiom

code of ethics

Meaning
a set of moral principles guiding AI development or usage
Example
Developers must follow a strict **code of ethics** in AI research.
idiom

training data

Meaning
data used to train machine learning models to recognize patterns or make predictions
Example
The AI model's performance depends on the quality of its **training data**.
idiom

try and try again

Meaning
to keep trying until you succeed
Example
He didn’t give up and decided to **try and try again**.
idiom

steer the ship

Meaning
to be in charge or control of a situation or organization
Example
The manager was able to **steer the ship** through the difficult times.
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

double check

Meaning
to verify something again for accuracy
Example
Always **double check** the numbers before submitting.
idiom

to put one's finger on

Meaning
to identify or recognize something with precision
Example
The journalist was able to **put her finger on** the exact cause of the political unrest.
idiom

in hot water

Meaning
in trouble or difficulty
Example
He’s **in hot water** for missing the meeting.
idiom

set the wheels in motion

Meaning
to start something or initiate action
Example
The CEO's speech **set the wheels in motion** for the new project.
idiom

till the soil

Meaning
to prepare for future success by hard work
Example
He spent years **tilling the soil** before his business finally grew.
idiom

keep someone's secret

Meaning
to not tell others what someone has told you in confidence
Example
You can trust me—I’ll **keep your secret**.
idiom

wear one's heart on one's sleeve

Meaning
to openly show emotions or feelings
Example
He tends to **wear his heart on his sleeve** when it comes to helping others.
idiom

the conversion funnel

Meaning
the process customers go through from awareness to purchase
Example
We need to analyze where people drop off in **the conversion funnel**.
idiom

take a stand

Meaning
to make a firm decision or opinion known
Example
It’s time to **take a stand** and support what you believe in.
idiom

queue up

Meaning
to line up and wait for your turn
Example
Fans began to **queue up** hours before the show.
idiom

botnet

Meaning
a network of computers infected with malware that are controlled remotely by a hacker
Example
The hacker used the **botnet** to launch a massive DDoS attack on the server.
idiom

the way I see it

Meaning
used to express how one understands or interprets something
Example
**The way I see it**, we should try again.
idiom

encrypted

Meaning
data that is converted into a secure format to prevent unauthorized access
Example
All sensitive communications are **encrypted** to ensure privacy.
idiom

light years ahead

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

steal someone’s thunder

Meaning
to take credit for someone else’s idea or success
Example
She **stole my thunder** by announcing the news first.
idiom

Bear with me

Meaning
Be patient with me.
Example
**Bear with me** while I fix this problem.
idiom

slip into

Meaning
to gradually enter a state or start wearing something
Example
She quickly **slipped into** a more comfortable outfit.
idiom

black hole

Meaning
a situation where things disappear or are lost without explanation
Example
All the research data went into a **black hole** after the server crash.
idiom

take the fifth

Meaning
to refuse to answer a question on the grounds that it may incriminate oneself
Example
When asked about his involvement, he chose to **take the fifth**.
idiom

pitch in

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

wise beyond one's years

Meaning
showing wisdom or maturity greater than expected for one's age
Example
Her advice is always thoughtful—she’s **wise beyond her years**.
idiom

to break the ice

Meaning
to start a friendly conversation in an awkward situation
Example
To **break the ice**, I told a joke.
idiom

blue chip

Meaning
a well-established and financially sound company
Example
He prefers to invest in **blue chip** stocks for stability.
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

ahead of the pack

Meaning
to be more successful than competitors
Example
Her innovative ideas always keep her **ahead of the pack**.
idiom

carry forward

Meaning
to move something to a later period
Example
We’ll **carry forward** the unused budget to next quarter.
idiom

bold as brass

Meaning
to be very confident and not shy at all
Example
She walked into the meeting **bold as brass**.
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

burn your fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of a bad decision or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by trusting the wrong person.
idiom

caught off guard

Meaning
surprised or shocked by something unexpected
Example
She was **caught off guard** by the sudden question.
idiom

Opportunity knocks but once

Meaning
Good opportunities are rare and should be seized when they appear.
Example
Don't miss the chance, **opportunity knocks but once**.
idiom

on the fast track

Meaning
advancing quickly in a career or project
Example
He is **on the fast track** to becoming a manager.
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

spread sunshine

Meaning
to make others happy with your positivity
Example
Her smile always **spreads sunshine** wherever she goes.
idiom

a chapter of one’s life

Meaning
a period or stage in someone’s life
Example
Leaving college was the end of an important **chapter of her life**.
idiom

have a change of heart

Meaning
to change your opinion or the way you feel about something
Example
She was going to move abroad, but she had **a change of heart**.
idiom

rest easy

Meaning
to be free from worry or fear
Example
You can **rest easy** knowing everything is under control.
idiom

machine mind

Meaning
a way of thinking that relies heavily on logic and computation
Example
You need a **machine mind** to understand how neural networks operate.
idiom

train the brain

Meaning
to improve one’s thinking or problem-solving ability through practice
Example
Developers constantly **train their brains** to create smarter algorithms.
idiom

AI arms race

Meaning
competition among companies or nations to lead in AI development
Example
Big tech companies are engaged in an **AI arms race**.
idiom

kick the bucket

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

gloss over

Meaning
to avoid mentioning unpleasant details
Example
The report tries to **gloss over** the budget cuts.
idiom

glide over

Meaning
to deal with something briefly without detail
Example
He tends to **glide over** the technical issues.
idiom

to be in the doghouse

Meaning
to be in trouble, especially with someone you care about
Example
After forgetting her birthday, he was definitely **in the doghouse**.
idiom

top-notch

Meaning
of the highest quality; excellent
Example
Your presentation was absolutely **top-notch**.
idiom

boot up

Meaning
to start a computer or system
Example
My laptop takes forever to **boot up**.
idiom

Gordian knot

Meaning
A very complex or unsolvable problem.
Example
The issue of climate change is like a **Gordian knot** that needs bold action.
idiom

Breaking new ground

Meaning
To make an important new discovery or innovation; to do something that has never been done before.
Example
The new trade agreement is **breaking new ground** in international relations.
idiom

get in shape

Meaning
to become fit through exercise
Example
He started jogging every morning to **get in shape**.
idiom

sweep under the rug

Meaning
to hide or ignore problems instead of solving them
Example
You can’t just **sweep problems under the rug** forever.
idiom

tear into someone

Meaning
to criticize someone angrily
Example
The coach **tore into** the players after they lost the game.
idiom

pat yourself on the back

Meaning
to praise yourself for doing something well
Example
You should **pat yourself on the back** for finishing that project.
idiom

act out

Meaning
to perform or express emotions through actions
Example
Children often **act out** their frustrations.
idiom

eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on achieving your goal
Example
She always keeps her **eye on the prize** no matter what.
idiom

carry on about

Meaning
to speak at length in an excited or annoyed way
Example
He kept **carrying on about** the missed deadline all morning.
idiom

step on it

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

dial back

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

add color to

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

in the dark web

Meaning
in a hidden or secret part of the internet used for illegal activities
Example
Stolen credentials often end up **in the dark web**.
idiom

move the goalposts

Meaning
to change the rules or conditions to make success harder
Example
They **moved the goalposts** after we had agreed on the terms.
idiom

out of shape

Meaning
to be unfit or unhealthy due to lack of exercise
Example
I’m so **out of shape** after sitting at a desk all day.
idiom

a brush with fame

Meaning
a brief encounter or experience with a famous person
Example
During the exhibition, I had **a brush with fame** when I met a renowned painter.
idiom

stick your neck out

Meaning
to take a risk by doing or saying something that others may disagree with
Example
He **stuck his neck out** to defend his colleague.
idiom

sort through

Meaning
to organize by separating what is needed from what is not
Example
Let’s **sort through** the survey responses this afternoon.
idiom

Out of fashion

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

a miscarriage of justice

Meaning
a wrong or unfair decision by a court
Example
The innocent man’s imprisonment was **a miscarriage of justice**.
idiom

nose for news

Meaning
an instinct for finding interesting stories
Example
Good reporters have a natural **nose for news**.
idiom

open and shut case

Meaning
a case that is easily decided or obvious
Example
It was an **open and shut case** with clear evidence.
idiom

fall on one's shoulders

Meaning
to be responsible for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
The task of organizing the event **fell on her shoulders**.
idiom

algorithmic trading

Meaning
the use of algorithms to automate trading in financial markets
Example
Banks are increasingly using **algorithmic trading** to optimize their investments.
idiom

break out in a cold sweat

Meaning
to suddenly start sweating due to fear or anxiety
Example
He **broke out in a cold sweat** before his job interview.
idiom

cut through the noise

Meaning
to stand out from the competition; to be noticed despite distractions
Example
Our campaign needs to **cut through the noise** and grab people’s attention.
idiom

Grounded

Meaning
Unable to go out or fly; restricted for a reason.
Example
All flights were **grounded** due to heavy fog.
idiom

feel blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
I always **feel blue** on rainy days.
idiom

Handed down

Meaning
To give or leave something to someone younger or from a previous generation
Example
This antique watch was **handed down** to me from my grandfather.
idiom

hold accountable

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

hard as nails

Meaning
very tough and determined
Example
She’s **hard as nails** when it comes to achieving her goals.
idiom

crystal ball

Meaning
the ability to predict the future
Example
I don’t have a **crystal ball**, so I can’t tell what will happen.
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

draw on

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

learning on the fly

Meaning
to adapt and learn quickly without prior preparation
Example
AI systems are **learning on the fly** from user data.
idiom

thinking outside the box

Meaning
to think in an unconventional or creative way
Example
In the tech world, **thinking outside the box** is crucial to developing innovative solutions.
idiom

fail to deliver

Meaning
to not meet expectations or complete a task successfully
Example
The company promised improvements but failed to **deliver** on its promises.
idiom

hit the firewall

Meaning
to face a restriction or security block while trying to access something online
Example
I tried to visit the site but **hit the firewall** at work.
idiom

second to none

Meaning
the best; better than everyone else
Example
Her cooking is **second to none**.
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

run down

Meaning
to feel tired or exhausted due to overwork or illness
Example
You look a bit **run down**; you should get some rest.
idiom

key into

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

Flash in the pan

Meaning
Something that shows potential but fails quickly
Example
His first success was just a **flash in the pan**.
idiom

kick up your heels

Meaning
to enjoy yourself by dancing or celebrating
Example
Everyone was ready to **kick up their heels** at the reunion.
idiom

On the clock

Meaning
Working, often with a strict time limit or deadline.
Example
I’m **on the clock** today, so I can’t waste any time.
idiom

keep the ball rolling

Meaning
to keep an activity or process going
Example
Let’s **keep the ball rolling** on this project.