move the goalposts
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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

fill in for

Meaning
to do someone’s job temporarily
Example
Can you **fill in for** Rosa while she’s on leave?
idiom

wipe the slate clean

Meaning
to forget past mistakes and start fresh
Example
Let’s **wipe the slate clean** and begin again.
idiom

bail on

Meaning
to abandon someone or something suddenly
Example
He wouldn’t **bail on** his friends at the last minute.
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

a work in progress

Meaning
something that is still being developed or improved
Example
The project is still **a work in progress**, but it's going well.
idiom

take a breather

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

neural network

Meaning
A series of algorithms that attempt to recognize underlying relationships in a set of data.
Example
The AI system was built using a **neural network** to recognize patterns.
idiom

playing the long game

Meaning
making decisions or taking actions with long-term objectives in mind
Example
The president is **playing the long game** by focusing on long-term foreign policy.
idiom

a snake in the grass

Meaning
a secret enemy
Example
Be careful; there’s **a snake in the grass**.
idiom

slip one's mind

Meaning
to forget something accidentally
Example
Sorry, it completely **slipped my mind** to call you.
idiom

dirty politics

Meaning
political activities that are considered dishonest or unethical
Example
His campaign was full of **dirty politics**, using false information to attack his opponent.
idiom

cutting corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often sacrificing quality
Example
They finished early by **cutting corners**, but the result was poor.
idiom

crack the code

Meaning
to solve a complex problem or mystery
Example
It took hours, but we finally **cracked the code** of the system error.
idiom

come out with it

Meaning
to say something openly or honestly that you’ve been hiding
Example
Stop hesitating and just **come out with it**!
idiom

cut to the chase

Meaning
to get to the point quickly
Example
Let’s **cut to the chase** and discuss the main issue.
idiom

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning
To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example
If you think I'm guilty, you're **barking up the wrong tree**.
idiom

blue chip

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

call a truce

Meaning
to agree to stop fighting or arguing for a while
Example
They decided to **call a truce** until the boss arrived.
idiom

drag on

Meaning
to continue for too long and become boring
Example
The meeting **dragged on** for hours.
idiom

Burn rate

Meaning
The rate at which a startup spends its capital.
Example
Our **burn rate** is too high; we need to cut costs.
idiom

spring for

Meaning
to pay for something, especially as a treat for others
Example
I'll **spring for** dessert since it's your birthday.
idiom

taste of success

Meaning
to experience success for the first time
Example
After years of struggle, he finally got a **taste of success**.
idiom

draw out

Meaning
to encourage someone to express themselves
Example
The mentor helped **draw out** her confidence.
idiom

get one's ducks in a row

Meaning
to organize things in a proper and efficient way
Example
Before we begin, we need to **get our ducks in a row** and finalize the plan.
idiom

on trial

Meaning
being tested or judged
Example
The company is **on trial** for violating privacy laws.
idiom

hit a snag

Meaning
to face an unexpected problem or obstacle
Example
The project **hit a snag** when the server went down.
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

lose one's temper

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **lost his temper** when he saw the mess.
idiom

have an axe to grind

Meaning
to have a personal reason to complain or criticize
Example
She **has an axe to grind** with her former employer.
idiom

my way or the highway

Meaning
used to say that someone must accept your rules or leave
Example
The boss said it's **my way or the highway**.
idiom

blow your top

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **blew his top** when he found out about the mistake.
idiom

clear your head

Meaning
to stop thinking about something for a while and relax
Example
After a stressful week, I like to take a walk to **clear my head**.
idiom

put all your cards on the table

Meaning
to be honest and reveal all the facts in a discussion
Example
It’s time to **put all your cards on the table** and be transparent.
idiom

safeguard your system

Meaning
to protect your computer system or network from attacks
Example
Make sure to **safeguard your system** with the latest antivirus software.
idiom

Go bust

Meaning
To go bankrupt or out of business.
Example
Many small banks **went bust** during the financial crisis.
idiom

jump for joy

Meaning
to be extremely happy and excited
Example
The kids **jumped for joy** when they saw the gifts.
idiom

on fire

Meaning
performing very well; full of energy and success
Example
The sales team is **on fire** this month!
idiom

out of this world

Meaning
extremely good or impressive
Example
The food at that restaurant is **out of this world**.
idiom

think outside the box

Meaning
to think creatively and differently
Example
We need to **think outside the box** to solve this issue.
idiom

a political football

Meaning
an issue used by politicians for their own advantage
Example
Healthcare has become **a political football** in the country.
idiom

scared out of one's wits

Meaning
to be very frightened
Example
The loud thunder **scared me out of my wits**.
idiom

fly off the handle

Meaning
to react in a very angry way without thinking
Example
He **flew off the handle** when someone scratched his new car.
idiom

take the stage

Meaning
to begin performing or speaking publicly
Example
The new actor will **take the stage** for the first time tonight.
idiom

a little bird told me

Meaning
someone told me something secretly
Example
A **little bird told me** that you got a new job.
idiom

Out of one’s depth

Meaning
To be in a situation that is too difficult to understand or deal with.
Example
I felt **out of my depth** in that technical discussion.
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

heartbroken

Meaning
very sad and emotionally hurt
Example
He was **heartbroken** when his pet died.
idiom

rock the boat

Meaning
to cause problems or upset a stable situation
Example
Everything is going well, so let's not **rock the boat** with unnecessary changes.
idiom

nod in agreement

Meaning
to show agreement by nodding
Example
Everyone **nodded in agreement** when the plan was explained.
idiom

in a league of its own

Meaning
being far superior to others in a particular field.
Example
This smartphone is truly **in a league of its own** in terms of camera quality.
idiom

chin up, soldier

Meaning
to stay brave and strong in difficult situations
Example
**Chin up, soldier**, things will get better soon.
idiom

Pop quiz

Meaning
a surprise test given without warning
Example
Our teacher gave us a **pop quiz** today.
idiom

stormy relationship

Meaning
a relationship full of arguments and conflicts
Example
They had a **stormy relationship** for many years.
idiom

take the cake

Meaning
to be the best or most outstanding
Example
Among all the entries, your design really **takes the cake**.
idiom

cutthroat competition

Meaning
extremely intense and ruthless competition
Example
The smartphone market is a **cutthroat competition**.
idiom

open to abuse

Meaning
liable to be misused or exploited
Example
Facial recognition technology is **open to abuse** if not regulated.
idiom

music to my ears

Meaning
something that makes you feel happy or pleased
Example
Hearing that the concert was extended was **music to my ears**.
idiom

make room for

Meaning
to clear space to accommodate something
Example
Let’s **make room for** the new equipment near the window.
idiom

bring to life

Meaning
to make something more interesting or realistic
Example
The artist’s use of color really **brought the painting to life**.
idiom

add fuel to the fire

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

chase rainbows

Meaning
to try to achieve something impossible
Example
Stop **chasing rainbows** and focus on reality.
idiom

second to none

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

Burning question

Meaning
An important or urgent question that people are eager to know.
Example
The **burning question** is whether the plan will actually work.
idiom

rise and shine

Meaning
wake up and start your day energetically
Example
**Rise and shine**, it’s a brand new day!
idiom

be in high spirits

Meaning
to feel very happy and positive
Example
Everyone was **in high spirits** after the successful event.
idiom

get to the point

Meaning
to focus on the important part of a conversation or issue
Example
We don’t have much time, so let’s **get to the point**.
idiom

zero-day vulnerability

Meaning
A security flaw in software that is exploited by hackers before the vendor has a chance to fix it
Example
The **zero-day vulnerability** was exploited by hackers to steal sensitive data.
idiom

blow the whistle

Meaning
to expose wrongdoing or reveal secret information
Example
He **blew the whistle** on the company’s illegal activities.
idiom

leave a mark

Meaning
to have a lasting effect or influence
Example
Her leadership skills will surely **leave a mark** on the company.
idiom

in the same league

Meaning
comparable in quality or ability
Example
Those two companies aren’t **in the same league**.
idiom

pass sentence

Meaning
to announce a punishment in court
Example
The judge will **pass sentence** next week.
idiom

personally speaking

Meaning
expressing one’s own personal view
Example
**Personally speaking**, I prefer quiet places.
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

simmer down

Meaning
to become calmer after being angry or excited
Example
Give him a few minutes to **simmer down** before you talk to him.
idiom

hit the trail

Meaning
to start traveling or begin an adventure
Example
We’ll **hit the trail** early in the morning.
idiom

new lease of life

Meaning
to give someone or something a fresh start or new energy
Example
The renovation of the old building has given it a **new lease of life**.
idiom

carve out

Meaning
to create or obtain something with effort
Example
She managed to **carve out** time for daily reading.
idiom

in my opinion

Meaning
used to express what one thinks or believes
Example
**In my opinion**, this movie is too long.
idiom

cast in stone

Meaning
fixed and unchangeable
Example
The script isn’t **cast in stone**; we can make changes.
idiom

call to mind

Meaning
to remember or recall something
Example
This song **calls to mind** my childhood days.
idiom

under the pump

Meaning
to be under a lot of pressure or stress
Example
The team has been **under the pump** to meet the project deadline.
idiom

move with the times

Meaning
to change and adapt as things in society or technology change
Example
Businesses must **move with the times** to stay relevant.
idiom

take it on the chin

Meaning
to accept a difficult situation without complaining
Example
He **took it on the chin** when his project failed.
idiom

take the blame

Meaning
to accept responsibility for something wrong
Example
He decided to **take the blame** for the team's failure.
idiom

walk a fine line

Meaning
to balance between two difficult choices or opposing sides
Example
The diplomat had to **walk a fine line** between honesty and tact.
idiom

I’d say

Meaning
used to express a considered opinion
Example
**I’d say** this is the best option we have.
idiom

wired for success

Meaning
naturally inclined or designed to succeed
Example
The new AI model seems **wired for success** in every test.
idiom

A flash of inspiration

Meaning
A sudden creative idea
Example
He had **a flash of inspiration** while working late at night.
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**.
idiom

play it by ear

Meaning
to decide or act as the situation develops
Example
We’ll **play it by ear** and see what happens.
idiom

on the house

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

fall for someone

Meaning
to start loving someone; to develop romantic feelings
Example
He **fell for** her the moment he saw her smile.
idiom

bust someone

Meaning
to arrest or catch someone doing something illegal
Example
The officer was able to **bust someone** for selling drugs.
idiom

spur on

Meaning
to encourage someone to continue or try harder
Example
Her mentor’s feedback **spurred her on** to apply for the grant.
idiom

blood, sweat, and tears

Meaning
great effort and hard work
Example
Building this company took a lot of **blood, sweat, and tears**.
idiom

play one's cards close to one's chest

Meaning
to keep one's plans or ideas secret
Example
He always **plays his cards close to his chest** in business.
idiom

soft power

Meaning
a country's ability to influence others through culture or values rather than force
Example
Japan uses **soft power** to promote its culture worldwide.
idiom

a million-dollar smile

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

behind the scenes

Meaning
secretly or without public knowledge
Example
A lot of work happens **behind the scenes** to make a movie.
idiom

teamwork makes the dream work

Meaning
working together leads to success
Example
We can accomplish so much if we cooperate, because **teamwork makes the dream work**.
idiom

to pass the baton

Meaning
to transfer responsibility to someone else
Example
After years of leadership, he decided it was time to **pass the baton** to his successor.
idiom

sleep like a log

Meaning
to sleep very deeply and soundly
Example
After the long journey, I **slept like a log** all night.
idiom

throw someone under the bus

Meaning
to betray or sacrifice someone to save yourself
Example
He **threw his colleague under the bus** to avoid getting fired.
idiom

True blue

Meaning
Loyal and trustworthy.
Example
You can count on her; she’s **true blue**.
idiom

go-getter

Meaning
an ambitious person who achieves their goals
Example
Tom is a real **go-getter**; he never gives up.
idiom

no strings attached

Meaning
with no special conditions or restrictions
Example
They offered me a free trial with **no strings attached**.
idiom

trust goes both ways

Meaning
both sides must trust each other
Example
**Trust goes both ways** in any relationship.
idiom

a heavy heart

Meaning
a feeling of deep sadness or sorrow
Example
She left her hometown with **a heavy heart**.
idiom

out of the box thinking

Meaning
thinking in a new, innovative, or creative way
Example
The solution requires **out of the box thinking** from all team members.
idiom

too big to fail

Meaning
a company or institution that is so important that it is unlikely to fail
Example
Many financial institutions were considered **too big to fail** during the 2008 financial crisis.
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

back up

Meaning
to support or to make a copy of important data
Example
Can you **back up** my explanation during the meeting?
idiom

iron fist in a velvet glove

Meaning
a gentle outward appearance hiding strong control
Example
Her leadership style is an **iron fist in a velvet glove**.
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

play by ear

Meaning
to improvise or decide as you go rather than following a fixed plan
Example
We don't have a fixed schedule, so let's just **play it by ear**.
idiom

Eureka moment

Meaning
a sudden moment of discovery or realization
Example
She had a **Eureka moment** when she found the solution to the problem.
idiom

feeling blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
She’s been **feeling blue** all day.
idiom

lose sleep over something

Meaning
to worry a lot about something
Example
Don’t **lose sleep over** minor issues.
idiom

make a mark

Meaning
to have a noticeable impact or influence
Example
Her speech at the conference really **made a mark** on the audience.
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.