mama’s boy
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idiom

mama’s boy

Meaning
a man who is excessively attached to his mother
Example
He’s such a **mama’s boy**, always listening to her advice.
idiom

on the gravy train

Meaning
to be in a situation where one makes a lot of money with little effort
Example
He’s been riding **on the gravy train** since he took over the family business.
idiom

bite the bullet

Meaning
to decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating about
Example
I decided to **bite the bullet** and finish my homework.
idiom

set the example

Meaning
to model the behavior you expect from others
Example
The manager always tries to **set the example** by being punctual and hardworking.
idiom

get worked up

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

fib

Meaning
a small or trivial lie
Example
It was just a little **fib**, nothing serious.
idiom

inside job

Meaning
a crime committed by someone within the organization affected
Example
The robbery turned out to be an **inside job**.
idiom

long in the tooth

Meaning
getting old
Example
He’s a bit **long in the tooth** for this kind of work.
idiom

quiet down

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

recharge your batteries

Meaning
to rest and regain energy
Example
I took a vacation to **recharge my batteries**.
idiom

take a nosedive

Meaning
to decline suddenly and dramatically
Example
The company's stock **took a nosedive** after the scandal.
idiom

full of beans

Meaning
very energetic and lively
Example
The kids are **full of beans** this morning.
idiom

drop your guard

Meaning
to relax your vigilance or become less careful
Example
Never **drop your guard** when dealing with competitors.
idiom

burning desire

Meaning
a strong motivation to achieve something
Example
He has a **burning desire** to succeed in life.
idiom

buy a lemon

Meaning
to buy something that is defective or worthless
Example
He **bought a lemon** when he got that used car.
idiom

build bridges

Meaning
to improve relationships between people
Example
We need to **build bridges** between our two departments.
idiom

Wear many hats

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

heart of gold

Meaning
a very kind and generous person
Example
My grandmother has a **heart of gold**.
idiom

dance to one's own tune

Meaning
to behave independently; not influenced by others
Example
He always **dances to his own tune** and never follows the crowd.
idiom

beat oneself up

Meaning
to blame yourself too much for something
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up** over one mistake.
idiom

out of your league

Meaning
too good or powerful to compete with
Example
That company is **out of our league** in terms of resources.
idiom

bent over backwards

Meaning
to try very hard to help or please someone
Example
She **bent over backwards** to make sure everyone was happy.
idiom

stand tall

Meaning
to act in a proud and confident way
Example
She **stood tall** despite all the criticism.
idiom

use up

Meaning
to consume something completely
Example
We’ve **used up** all the printer paper already.
idiom

seal the deal

Meaning
to finalize or confirm an agreement
Example
Offering a discount helped us **seal the deal** with the client.
idiom

the luck of the draw

Meaning
something decided by chance
Example
You can’t choose your team; it’s **the luck of the draw**.
idiom

behind bars

Meaning
in prison
Example
The murderer will spend the rest of his life **behind bars**.
idiom

in the long run

Meaning
after a long time; in the end
Example
Saving money now will help you **in the long run**.
idiom

pull someone's leg

Meaning
to tease or joke with someone in a playful way
Example
Don't worry, I was just **pulling your leg** about the test results.
idiom

In the know

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

pick oneself up

Meaning
to recover from a setback or failure
Example
Even though he failed, he managed to **pick himself up** and try again.
idiom

space out

Meaning
to stop paying attention
Example
He tends to **space out** during long meetings.
idiom

a bolt from the blue

Meaning
a sudden and unexpected event or news
Example
His resignation came **like a bolt from the blue**.
idiom

day in court

Meaning
a fair opportunity to defend oneself or be heard
Example
Everyone deserves their **day in court**.
idiom

sell someone out

Meaning
to betray someone for personal gain
Example
He **sold me out** to save himself.
idiom

groundbreaking discovery

Meaning
a discovery that changes understanding in a field
Example
The new vaccine was a **groundbreaking discovery** in medicine.
idiom

act on

Meaning
to respond to information with action
Example
We need to **act on** the survey results immediately.
idiom

break the glass ceiling

Meaning
to overcome a barrier or limitation, particularly in career or personal advancement
Example
She was the first woman in the company to **break the glass ceiling** and become a senior manager.
idiom

hit the same wavelength

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

spaced out

Meaning
not paying attention; lost in thought
Example
He looked completely **spaced out** during the meeting.
idiom

sow the seeds of something

Meaning
to begin a process that leads to a result
Example
His actions **sowed the seeds of** mistrust among the team.
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

mend fences

Meaning
to repair a damaged relationship
Example
She called her friend to **mend fences** after their disagreement.
idiom

cold case

Meaning
a criminal case that has not been solved for a long time
Example
The detective reopened a **cold case** from 1999.
idiom

Put our heads together

Meaning
To discuss and find a solution collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** and come up with a plan.
idiom

new lease on life

Meaning
a chance to live or start something again after a period of difficulty
Example
Winning the award gave her a **new lease on life**.
idiom

down to the wire

Meaning
until the very last moment; close to the deadline
Example
The game went **down to the wire**, but they won in the end.
idiom

cross your heart and hope to die

Meaning
to swear that something is true, often said with sincerity
Example
I **cross my heart and hope to die** that I will never lie to you.
idiom

I feel that

Meaning
Used to express a personal belief or feeling
Example
I feel that we could do better next time.
idiom

Bet the farm

Meaning
To risk everything on one big decision.
Example
He **bet the farm** on that business deal.
idiom

back each other up

Meaning
to support and help one another
Example
In a good team, members always **back each other up**.
idiom

gain the upper hand

Meaning
to get control or advantage over someone
Example
Through smart negotiation, the ambassador **gained the upper hand**.
idiom

blow one’s own trumpet

Meaning
to praise oneself; to boast about one's achievements
Example
He loves to **blow his own trumpet** whenever he achieves something.
idiom

split the atom

Meaning
to do something revolutionary or extremely difficult
Example
Creating a universal AI is like trying to **split the atom** of intelligence.
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

mix together

Meaning
to combine different things into one
Example
**Mix together** the spices before adding them to the stew.
idiom

find fault

Meaning
to criticize someone or something unfairly
Example
He always **finds fault** with everything I do.
idiom

narrow down to

Meaning
to reduce choices to a smaller number
Example
We’ve **narrowed it down to** three finalists.
idiom

back out

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
They can’t **back out** after signing the contract.
idiom

paint yourself into a corner

Meaning
to put yourself in a difficult situation with no easy way out
Example
By making so many promises, he **painted himself into a corner**.
idiom

out for blood

Meaning
to be extremely determined to defeat or punish someone
Example
After losing last time, the team is **out for blood** this season.
idiom

parallel universe

Meaning
a completely different or contrasting situation
Example
Life in the countryside feels like a **parallel universe** compared to the city.
idiom

at the end of your rope

Meaning
to be extremely frustrated and have no patience left
Example
After dealing with delays all day, she was **at the end of her rope**.
idiom

get to the root of the problem

Meaning
to discover the main cause of a problem
Example
We need to **get to the root of the problem** before we can fix it.
idiom

go to battle

Meaning
to prepare to fight or compete strongly
Example
Our team is ready to **go to battle** in the finals.
idiom

pull someone up

Meaning
to reprimand or correct someone for a mistake or poor performance
Example
If a team member is underperforming, it's important to **pull them up** and help them improve.
idiom

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

Meaning
alert and full of energy, especially in the morning
Example
He came to work **bright-eyed and bushy-tailed** after the weekend.
idiom

match made in heaven

Meaning
a perfect romantic couple
Example
Everyone says they are a **match made in heaven**.
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

artificial instinct

Meaning
a machine’s ability to make decisions that seem natural or human-like
Example
The new model shows a kind of **artificial instinct** while driving.
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

helicopter parent

Meaning
a parent who is overly involved in their child’s life
Example
She’s a bit of a **helicopter parent**, always watching over her kids.
idiom

cross one's heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise, often used by children
Example
I’ll never lie to you again, **cross my heart**.
idiom

Cut class

Meaning
To skip a class without permission
Example
He **cut class** to watch a movie.
idiom

wander off

Meaning
to walk away without purpose or direction
Example
The child **wandered off** while we were shopping.
idiom

chart your own course

Meaning
to plan your own path or future independently
Example
He decided to **chart his own course** and become an entrepreneur.
idiom

Stay in the loop

Meaning
To be informed about something regularly.
Example
Make sure you **stay in the loop** about the latest updates.
idiom

a walking encyclopedia

Meaning
a person who knows a lot about many subjects
Example
Ask him anything about history—he’s **a walking encyclopedia**.
idiom

market forces

Meaning
the economic factors affecting the supply and demand of goods and services in a market
Example
The price increase is driven by **market forces**, as demand for the product rises.
idiom

Take it easy

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

Out of curiosity

Meaning
Because of a desire to know or learn something.
Example
I asked him **out of curiosity**, not to interfere.
idiom

Dig deeper

Meaning
To investigate more thoroughly or find out more details.
Example
Journalists are trained to **dig deeper** into stories.
idiom

chapter and verse

Meaning
to provide full and exact details about something
Example
She can quote **chapter and verse** to support her argument.
idiom

snowed under

Meaning
to have too much work to do
Example
I'm **snowed under** with assignments this week.
idiom

work like a dog

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

reboot your life

Meaning
to start over or make a fresh beginning
Example
After losing his job, he decided to **reboot his life**.
idiom

build one's confidence

Meaning
to increase one's self-assurance or belief in one's abilities
Example
Public speaking classes helped him **build his confidence**.
idiom

take it in stride

Meaning
to accept something calmly without being upset
Example
She **took the criticism in stride**.
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

pay attention to

Meaning
to listen carefully or give thought to something
Example
You should **pay attention to** the details of the project.
idiom

back to the drawing board

Meaning
to start over again after a failure
Example
Our proposal was rejected, so it's **back to the drawing board**.
idiom

fade to black

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

road to success

Meaning
the path or actions that lead to achievement
Example
Hard work is the **road to success**.
idiom

motivate the team

Meaning
to encourage and inspire your team to work harder and achieve goals
Example
As a manager, one of my primary goals is to **motivate the team** to reach their highest potential.
idiom

Flying high

Meaning
To be very successful or happy.
Example
After getting promoted, she's **flying high**.
idiom

divide and conquer

Meaning
to gain control by causing disagreement among others
Example
The dictator used a **divide and conquer** strategy to maintain power.
idiom

in a tight spot

Meaning
to be in a difficult or tricky situation
Example
He found himself **in a tight spot** when both friends asked for help.
idiom

Like two peas in a pod

Meaning
Two people who are very similar or close.
Example
John and Mike are **like two peas in a pod**. They think alike and do everything together.
idiom

reach your full potential

Meaning
to achieve the maximum ability or success that you are capable of
Example
By working hard, she was able to **reach her full potential**.
idiom

clash of wills

Meaning
a conflict between two determined people
Example
It was a **clash of wills** between the manager and the employee.
idiom

True to your word

Meaning
To do exactly what you say you’ll do.
Example
He was **true to his word** and kept his promise.
idiom

Flying blind

Meaning
To act without sufficient information or guidance.
Example
Without proper data, we're **flying blind** on this project.
idiom

moonlight as

Meaning
to work at a second job, especially secretly or part-time
Example
She decided to **moonlight as** a freelance writer to make extra money.
idiom

have the guts

Meaning
to have courage or bravery to do something difficult
Example
She didn’t **have the guts** to tell him the truth.
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

upgrade your thinking

Meaning
to improve your thought process or mindset
Example
To adapt to AI trends, you must **upgrade your thinking**.
idiom

lose ground

Meaning
to lose advantage or control in a situation
Example
During the talks, one side began to **lose ground** quickly.
idiom

take heart

Meaning
to feel encouraged or more confident
Example
You should **take heart**; things will get better soon.
idiom

bend the law

Meaning
to use the law in a dishonest way to achieve something
Example
Some lawyers know how to **bend the law** to help their clients.
idiom

in the wrong hands

Meaning
controlled or used by people who could cause harm
Example
AI technology **in the wrong hands** could be disastrous.
idiom

on thin ice

Meaning
in a risky or dangerous situation
Example
You are **on thin ice** with that behavior.
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

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

Patience pays off

Meaning
Being patient will eventually lead to positive results.
Example
I know you’ve been waiting for a long time, but trust me, **patience pays off**.
idiom

throw your weight behind

Meaning
to support someone or something strongly
Example
The manager **threw his weight behind** the new proposal.
idiom

see the bigger picture

Meaning
to understand the full scope of a situation or problem
Example
To make an informed decision, you need to **see the bigger picture**.
idiom

the wisdom of age

Meaning
knowledge and understanding gained through life experience
Example
He gave me advice that showed **the wisdom of age**.
idiom

opt in

Meaning
to choose to participate
Example
Employees can **opt in** to the wellness program.
idiom

good egg

Meaning
a kind and reliable person
Example
Everyone likes John because he’s a **good egg**.
idiom

bounce back from

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback
Example
The team needs to **bounce back from** last week's loss.
idiom

give someone a dose of their own medicine

Meaning
to treat someone the same bad way they treated others
Example
He was rude to everyone, so I **gave him a dose of his own medicine**.