no such luck
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

no such luck

Meaning
used when something hoped for did not happen
Example
I hoped to win the lottery, but **no such luck**.
idiom

farm out

Meaning
to give work to someone else to do
Example
The company decided to **farm out** its design work.
idiom

Play with fire

Meaning
To do something dangerous or risky.
Example
You’re **playing with fire** if you invest without research.
idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to **get their hands dirty** when necessary.
idiom

break the bank

Meaning
to cost too much; to use up all your money
Example
Buying that car will **break the bank**.
idiom

robotic response

Meaning
an emotionless or mechanical reaction
Example
She gave a **robotic response** during the interview.
idiom

beyond the scope

Meaning
outside the planned or expected area of focus
Example
The new feature was beyond the scope of the original project but added great value.
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

tough as nails

Meaning
very strong and resilient
Example
She is **tough as nails**, nothing can break her spirit.
idiom

runs in the family

Meaning
a trait or quality common among family members
Example
Musical talent **runs in the family**.
idiom

My two cents

Meaning
My personal opinion or suggestion
Example
That’s just my two cents, but I think we should wait.
idiom

rules are made to be broken

Meaning
sometimes it's okay to ignore rules
Example
He believes **rules are made to be broken**.
idiom

fly by the seat of your pants

Meaning
to do something without planning, using only instinct and experience
Example
We didn't have a map, so we **flew by the seat of our pants**.
idiom

when one door closes, another opens

Meaning
when one opportunity is lost, another appears
Example
Don’t be upset about the rejection—**when one door closes, another opens**.
idiom

couch potato

Meaning
a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV
Example
He’s such a **couch potato**, he never goes out or exercises.
idiom

draw down

Meaning
to reduce the level or amount of something
Example
We plan to **draw down** inventory over the summer.
idiom

on the sly

Meaning
secretly; in a sneaky way
Example
He met her **on the sly** without telling anyone.
idiom

fearless as a lion

Meaning
to be very brave and bold
Example
The firefighter was **fearless as a lion** during the rescue.
idiom

button up

Meaning
to finish preparations or close something securely
Example
Let’s **button up** the proposal by Friday.
idiom

get straight to the point

Meaning
to talk directly about the main topic
Example
Let's **get straight to the point** and discuss the issue.
idiom

spam someone

Meaning
to send too many messages or unnecessary information
Example
Don’t **spam me** with notifications every minute!
idiom

pitch in

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

thank you kindly

Meaning
a polite way to say thank you warmly
Example
**Thank you kindly** for your time and patience.
idiom

gray area

Meaning
a situation that is not clearly defined or falls between two categories
Example
AI surveillance laws still fall into a **gray area**.
idiom

Fall down seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying no matter how many times you fail.
Example
**Fall down seven times, stand up eight** — that’s the spirit of success.
idiom

Chart a course

Meaning
To plan a way to achieve something.
Example
The company has **charted a course** for global expansion.
idiom

the singularity

Meaning
a hypothetical future point when AI surpasses human intelligence
Example
Some experts believe **the singularity** could change humanity forever.
idiom

tear-jerker

Meaning
something that makes you cry, especially a movie or story
Example
That movie was such a **tear-jerker**.
idiom

feel on top of the world

Meaning
to feel very happy and healthy
Example
After recovering from the flu, I **felt on top of the world**.
idiom

on the witness stand

Meaning
to be giving testimony in court
Example
The victim was nervous while **on the witness stand**.
idiom

the naked truth

Meaning
the complete and unvarnished truth
Example
She told me **the naked truth** about what happened.
idiom

build a better mousetrap

Meaning
to improve an existing product or idea
Example
Every tech company tries to **build a better mousetrap** in its field.
idiom

take the scenic route

Meaning
to choose a longer or more beautiful way to travel
Example
Let’s **take the scenic route** through the mountains.
idiom

see the light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
to begin to see signs of improvement after a long period of difficulty
Example
After months of effort, we can finally **see the light at the end of the tunnel**.
idiom

red-eye flight

Meaning
a flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning
Example
I took a **red-eye flight** to save a day on my trip.
idiom

grin from ear to ear

Meaning
to smile broadly because of happiness
Example
She was **grinning from ear to ear** after the compliment.
idiom

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
idiom

have a crush on someone

Meaning
to have romantic feelings for someone, often secretly
Example
I’ve **had a crush on** her for months.
idiom

after the storm comes the calm

Meaning
peace follows a period of trouble
Example
Stay patient; **after the storm comes the calm**.
idiom

table the discussion

Meaning
to postpone discussing something until later
Example
They decided to **table the discussion** until next week.
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

put one's foot down

Meaning
to make a firm decision or take a strong stand on something
Example
She had to **put her foot down** and say no to the proposal.
idiom

put your heart and soul into something

Meaning
to do something with great effort and passion
Example
She **put her heart and soul into** her new business.
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

size up

Meaning
to quickly assess someone or something
Example
She walked into the room and instantly **sized up** the situation.
idiom

tighten one’s belt

Meaning
to spend less money due to financial difficulties
Example
After losing his job, he had to **tighten his belt**.
idiom

to throw one's hat into the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s candidacy or intention to compete in something
Example
He decided to **throw his hat into the ring** and run for mayor.
idiom

reach for the moon

Meaning
to set very high goals
Example
Don’t be afraid to **reach for the moon**.
idiom

Hold it together with duct tape

Meaning
To keep something functioning despite poor condition or limited resources.
Example
The old car is barely running—we’re **holding it together with duct tape**.
idiom

cross your mind

Meaning
to think of something briefly
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could lie.
idiom

kind words cost nothing

Meaning
being kind doesn’t take effort or money
Example
Remember, **kind words cost nothing**.
idiom

in cold blood

Meaning
without emotion or pity; deliberately cruelly
Example
The victim was murdered **in cold blood**.
idiom

a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or understanding
Example
When I saw the results, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
idiom

zero in on

Meaning
to direct all your attention and efforts toward one thing
Example
The team needs to **zero in on** the main problem before making changes.
idiom

engagement rate

Meaning
a measure of how actively people interact with online content
Example
Our **engagement rate** doubled after using video posts.
idiom

add fuel to the fire

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

get wind of something

Meaning
to hear a rumor or piece of information
Example
The media **got wind of** the secret meeting.
idiom

a crash course

Meaning
a short and intensive course of study
Example
I had to take a **crash course** in programming before starting the job.
idiom

throw a curveball

Meaning
to surprise someone with something unexpected
Example
The new policy really **threw us a curveball**.
idiom

lay it on thick

Meaning
to exaggerate praise or flattery
Example
She really **laid it on thick** when complimenting her boss.
idiom

hit rock bottom

Meaning
to reach the lowest point of failure or depression
Example
After losing his job, he **hit rock bottom**.
idiom

scared out of one's wits

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

count your blessings

Meaning
be grateful for the good things in your life
Example
Instead of complaining, **count your blessings**.
idiom

a bitter pill to swallow

Meaning
an unpleasant fact or situation to accept
Example
Losing the championship was **a bitter pill to swallow** for the team.
idiom

A shot in the dark

Meaning
a guess or attempt made without knowing much or anything about the result
Example
His idea about solving the problem was just **a shot in the dark**.
idiom

pumped up

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

Keep an open mind

Meaning
To be willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
Try to **keep an open mind** when learning about different cultures.
idiom

as easy as ABC

Meaning
very easy to do or understand
Example
For him, solving math problems is **as easy as ABC**.
idiom

truth will out

Meaning
the truth will eventually be revealed
Example
You can’t hide it forever; **truth will out**.
idiom

adapt to new surroundings

Meaning
to adjust to a new environment or situation
Example
After moving to a new city, it took her some time to **adapt to new surroundings**.
idiom

expand one's horizons

Meaning
to increase one’s knowledge or experience
Example
Traveling abroad can really help you **expand your horizons**.
idiom

A scoop

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

Trickle-down effect

Meaning
Economic benefits of the wealthy gradually reaching the lower-income groups.
Example
Critics argue that the **trickle-down effect** rarely helps the poor.
idiom

A political animal

Meaning
A person who is very interested in politics and has a talent for it
Example
He’s known to be a real **political animal**.
idiom

stand by someone

Meaning
to remain loyal or supportive
Example
True friends **stand by** each other in hard times.
idiom

sweep someone off their feet

Meaning
to make someone fall in love with you suddenly
Example
His charm and confidence really **swept her off her feet**.
idiom

get one's act together

Meaning
to organize oneself or one's actions effectively
Example
We need to **get our act together** before the deadline.
idiom

go steady

Meaning
to date someone regularly and exclusively
Example
They've been **going steady** for over two years now.
idiom

nod in agreement

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

the ivory tower

Meaning
a place or situation where one is disconnected from practical concerns or the real world
Example
Academics are often accused of living in **the ivory tower**.
idiom

step on it

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

out of one’s mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
He must be **out of his mind** to drive so fast in the rain.
idiom

Fuel the economy

Meaning
To stimulate economic growth.
Example
Government spending can **fuel the economy** during a recession.
idiom

a turning point

Meaning
a moment when an important change happens
Example
Graduating from college was a **turning point** in his life.
idiom

eat one's words

Meaning
to admit that what one said was wrong
Example
He had to **eat his words** after breaking his promise.
idiom

go into orbit

Meaning
to become very excited or angry
Example
Mom **went into orbit** when she saw the mess in my room.
idiom

a rising tide of opportunity

Meaning
an increase in opportunities for growth or success that benefits many people
Example
The new technology sector is creating **a rising tide of opportunity** for young entrepreneurs.
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

get a handle on something

Meaning
to understand or gain control of something
Example
I'm trying to **get a handle on** the new software.
idiom

go green

Meaning
to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle
Example
Many companies are trying to **go green** by using renewable energy sources.
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

a barrel of laughs

Meaning
someone or something very funny or entertaining
Example
The new comedy show is **a barrel of laughs**.
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

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

hold accountable

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

play a role

Meaning
to have a part in something
Example
Everyone **played a role** in making the show successful.
idiom

hard act to follow

Meaning
someone or something so good that it’s difficult to replace
Example
The previous manager was a **hard act to follow**.
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

In a new light

Meaning
To see something from a different perspective
Example
After the discussion, I saw the issue **in a new light**.
idiom

envy eats the heart

Meaning
jealousy destroys one’s peace of mind
Example
**Envy eats the heart**, so stop comparing yourself to others.
idiom

cast the first stone

Meaning
to be the first to criticize or condemn someone
Example
Before you **cast the first stone**, remember that nobody is perfect.
idiom

have faith in yourself

Meaning
to trust your own abilities and decisions
Example
**Have faith in yourself**, you can do this!
idiom

grit your teeth

Meaning
to accept something unpleasant and continue
Example
He had to **grit his teeth** and finish the job.
idiom

cornerstone of success

Meaning
the most important foundation or element for achieving success
Example
Hard work is the **cornerstone of success**.
idiom

give in

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

a labor of love

Meaning
something done out of passion, not for money
Example
Building that model train was **a labor of love** for him.
idiom

outsmart the algorithm

Meaning
to beat or trick a system that uses AI or automation
Example
People try to **outsmart the algorithm** to boost their posts.
idiom

mud-slinging

Meaning
the act of criticizing someone, especially in politics, to harm their reputation
Example
The debate turned into **mud-slinging** very quickly.
idiom

A Pandora’s box

Meaning
A source of endless complications or trouble.
Example
Discussing that topic will open a **Pandora’s box** of complaints.
idiom

Rome wasn’t built in a day

Meaning
Important things take time to accomplish.
Example
**Rome wasn’t built in a day**, be patient with your progress.
idiom

a thorn in the flesh

Meaning
something or someone that causes continuous trouble or annoyance
Example
The new regulations have been **a thorn in the flesh** for small business owners.
idiom

bite someone’s head off

Meaning
to speak angrily to someone without reason
Example
I just asked a question, no need to **bite my head off**!
idiom

hold forth

Meaning
to speak at length about a topic
Example
He loved to **hold forth** on travel stories.
idiom

nuts and bolts

Meaning
the basic practical details of something
Example
Let's focus on the **nuts and bolts** of this new project.
idiom

the light dawned on someone

Meaning
someone suddenly understands something
Example
The **light dawned on her** that she had made a mistake.
idiom

keep someone’s word

Meaning
to do what you promise to do
Example
You can trust him; he always **keeps his word**.
idiom

deep learning

Meaning
A class of machine learning algorithms that uses multiple layers to progressively extract higher-level features from raw input.
Example
The AI system improved through **deep learning**, making it smarter over time.
idiom

When there’s a will, there’s a way

Meaning
If you are determined, you can find a way to achieve your goal.
Example
**When there’s a will, there’s a way**, and he proved it by finishing the race.
idiom

find the right balance

Meaning
to achieve a healthy or effective equilibrium between work and personal life
Example
It took me a while, but I finally **found the right balance** between work and family.
idiom

a ray of hope

Meaning
a small sign of possible success or improvement
Example
The new treatment gave patients **a ray of hope**.