off the hook
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idiom

off the hook

Meaning
to be free from blame or responsibility for something
Example
He was **off the hook** after his friend confessed.
idiom

on the same wavelength

Meaning
to think in a similar way as someone else
Example
My best friend and I are always **on the same wavelength**.
idiom

on your last legs

Meaning
completely exhausted or near collapse
Example
After working 18 hours straight, I was **on my last legs**.
idiom

olive branch

Meaning
a gesture of peace or reconciliation
Example
The president extended an **olive branch** by inviting his rival to the summit.
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**.
phrasal-verb

open the lines of communication

Meaning
to start talking again after a period of silence
Example
She wanted to **open the lines of communication** with her best friend again.
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

On the breadline

Meaning
Living in poverty or with very little money.
Example
After losing his job, he was almost **on the breadline**.
phrasal-verb

open oneself to

Meaning
to allow oneself to experience or understand new ideas or cultures
Example
Living abroad helped him **open himself to** diverse ways of life.
phrasal-verb

owe to

Meaning
to feel you should thank someone for something
Example
I **owe my success to** my parents’ support.
idiom

On a shoestring budget

Meaning
To live or do something with very little money.
Example
They traveled across Asia **on a shoestring budget**.
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

on background

Meaning
information given to a journalist that cannot be attributed to the source
Example
The official spoke **on background** about the new policy.
idiom

on the sly

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

open access to opportunities

Meaning
to make education, jobs, or services available to more people
Example
Digital transformation helps **open access to opportunities** globally.
idiom

on the stand

Meaning
testifying as a witness in court
Example
She was nervous when she was **on the stand**.
idiom

own up to

Meaning
to admit or confess to something you did wrong
Example
She finally **owned up to** breaking the vase.
phrasal-verb

open up to others

Meaning
to share thoughts and feelings with people from other cultures
Example
When you **open up to others**, you start to understand their perspectives better.
idiom

online presence

Meaning
the existence and activity of a person or business on the internet
Example
A strong **online presence** is essential for digital marketing.
idiom

Out of focus

Meaning
Not clear or not paying attention
Example
He looked tired and completely **out of focus** during the meeting.
idiom

once in a blue moon

Meaning
very rarely
Example
I only see him **once in a blue moon**.
idiom

old friends are gold

Meaning
old friends are precious and valuable
Example
I always say, **old friends are gold**.
phrasal-verb

open yourself up

Meaning
to make yourself emotionally vulnerable or honest
Example
It’s hard to **open yourself up** after being hurt.
idiom

on thin ice

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

on cloud nine

Meaning
extremely happy; overjoyed
Example
She was **on cloud nine** after getting the job.
idiom

open a Pandora’s box

Meaning
to start something that causes many unexpected problems
Example
Unregulated AI development may **open a Pandora’s box** of ethical issues.
idiom

off the top of one's head

Meaning
to say something without thinking carefully or checking
Example
**Off the top of my head**, I think there are five options.
phrasal-verb

open up to someone

Meaning
to share personal feelings or problems with someone you trust
Example
He finally **opened up to** his friend about what he had been going through.
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.
phrasal-verb

open eyes to

Meaning
to make someone realize or become aware of something important
Example
The film **opened people’s eyes to** the struggles of the poor.
phrasal-verb

opt for

Meaning
to choose one thing instead of another
Example
We decided to **opt for** the smaller but cheaper apartment.
idiom

offbeat

Meaning
unusual; different from the norm
Example
His **offbeat** sense of humor makes everyone laugh.
idiom

on the radar

Meaning
something that is being monitored or considered
Example
The new scientific theory is now **on the radar** of researchers across the world.
idiom

out of sorts

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

One step at a time

Meaning
Handle tasks gradually and not all at once.
Example
Don't stress, just take **one step at a time**.
idiom

own the mistake

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something wrong
Example
A good leader knows how to **own the mistake** and learn from it.
idiom

On the record

Meaning
Officially stated and reportable
Example
She made her statement **on the record** during the interview.
idiom

on the up and up

Meaning
honest; truthful; not involved in any wrongdoing
Example
She’s always been **on the up and up** with me.
idiom

on air

Meaning
broadcasting live; being aired on television or radio
Example
The radio show will be **on air** from 7 to 9 PM.
idiom

out of this world

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

open one's heart

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

open hearts to

Meaning
to show kindness and acceptance toward people of other cultures
Example
We should **open our hearts to** people who are different from us.
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

on one’s last legs

Meaning
to be near the end of one’s strength or life
Example
After the long hike, we were all **on our last legs**.
phrasal-verb

open doors for

Meaning
to create opportunities or possibilities for connection or collaboration
Example
Joining community events can **open doors for** meaningful relationships.
idiom

on the beat

Meaning
a police officer's regular patrol route
Example
The officer was **on the beat** when he spotted the suspect.
phrasal-verb

own up to mistakes

Meaning
to admit errors openly so they can be fixed
Example
Good leaders **own up to mistakes** before they snowball.
idiom

on the run

Meaning
trying to avoid being caught by the police
Example
The suspect has been **on the run** for three days.
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

one in a million

Meaning
very special or rare
Example
Her kindness makes her **one in a million**.
idiom

out like a light

Meaning
to fall asleep very quickly
Example
He was **out like a light** as soon as his head hit the pillow.
phrasal-verb

open up trade routes

Meaning
to create new paths for international exchange of goods
Example
They are negotiating to **open up trade routes** with neighboring countries.
phrasal-verb

open out to

Meaning
to become more receptive or welcoming toward new cultures or experiences
Example
Traveling helped her **open out to** different perspectives.
phrasal-verb

open out of yourself

Meaning
to express your true feelings freely; to become emotionally available
Example
It's healthy to **open out of yourself** when you're feeling overwhelmed.
idiom

on the spot

Meaning
to make a decision immediately
Example
He was asked to decide **on the spot**.
phrasal-verb

open up opportunities

Meaning
to create new chances or possibilities for learning or connection
Example
Understanding other cultures can **open up opportunities** for collaboration.
idiom

on the world stage

Meaning
in the international arena or community
Example
The country's economy is now strong **on the world stage**.
idiom

out of memory

Meaning
unable to think clearly; mentally exhausted
Example
After working all night, I was completely **out of memory**.
phrasal-verb

open doors to

Meaning
to create opportunities for cultural connection or understanding
Example
Cultural exchange programs **open doors to** meaningful friendships worldwide.
idiom

opt out of

Meaning
to choose not to participate in something
Example
You can **opt out of** the newsletter at any time.
idiom

outstanding in one’s field

Meaning
to be exceptionally good at one’s work
Example
She’s **outstanding in her field** as a scientist.
idiom

on the horizon

Meaning
likely to happen soon
Example
A new product launch is **on the horizon**.
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

once in a while

Meaning
sometimes, but not very often
Example
I enjoy eating out **once in a while**, but I prefer home-cooked meals.
phrasal-verb

open up about kindness

Meaning
to speak honestly about acts of kindness or gratitude
Example
He finally **opened up about kindness** he received from strangers.
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

on the bench

Meaning
serving as a judge in a court
Example
She spent 20 years **on the bench** before retiring.
idiom

on the rebound

Meaning
starting a new relationship soon after a breakup
Example
He started dating again **on the rebound**.
idiom

open heart

Meaning
to be honest and kind in feelings and actions
Example
He welcomed everyone with an **open heart**.
idiom

on the same page

Meaning
to agree or have the same understanding about something
Example
Before we continue, let’s make sure we’re **on the same page**.
idiom

open the floodgates

Meaning
to allow something to happen on a large scale; to trigger a chain reaction
Example
When the security flaw was leaked, it **opened the floodgates** for hackers worldwide.
idiom

off the wall

Meaning
unusual or unconventional
Example
His ideas are often **off the wall**, but they sometimes work.
idiom

open up

Meaning
to become willing to share thoughts or to start operating
Example
He finally **opened up** about the challenges he’s facing.
phrasal-verb

open up to differences

Meaning
to accept and appreciate diversity
Example
Children should learn to **open up to differences** from an early age.
idiom

overfitting

Meaning
when a model performs well on training data but poorly on unseen data
Example
The model seems to be **overfitting** because it performs well on the training data but poorly on the test set.
idiom

offstage

Meaning
outside of public attention or in private life
Example
He is very different **offstage** than he appears in his shows.
idiom

open channels of communication

Meaning
to establish dialogue or discussion
Example
They tried to **open channels of communication** with the neighboring country.
idiom

on good terms with

Meaning
having a friendly and positive relationship with someone
Example
She’s **on good terms with** her ex-husband for the kids’ sake.
phrasal-verb

own out of

Meaning
to stop being involved because of ethical concerns
Example
The company **owned out of** the project due to ethical issues.
phrasal-verb

open out

Meaning
to become more confident, relaxed, and expressive emotionally
Example
He started to **open out** after making new friends at work.
phrasal-verb

open up over

Meaning
to share personal thoughts because of a particular topic
Example
She finally **opened up over** her anxiety during group coaching.
idiom

out of harm’s way

Meaning
To be safe from danger or difficulty.
Example
Make sure the children are **out of harm’s way** before lighting the fire.
phrasal-verb

open with

Meaning
to begin something by doing or saying something specific
Example
He **opened with** a personal story to connect with the audience.
idiom

out of the woods

Meaning
no longer in danger or difficulty
Example
She’s recovering now, so she’s **out of the woods**.
phrasal-verb

open up inside

Meaning
to become emotionally available to yourself and recognize your true emotions
Example
When he learned to **open up inside**, he finally stopped hiding his pain.
idiom

on the house

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

open your heart to

Meaning
to express love, trust, or care freely
Example
It’s important to **open your heart to** those who care about you.
idiom

Out of fashion

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

opt out

Meaning
to choose not to participate
Example
Employees can **opt out** of the program if they want.
idiom

on shaky ground

Meaning
in an uncertain or unstable situation
Example
His business is **on shaky ground** after the market crash.
idiom

once bitten, twice shy

Meaning
after an unpleasant experience, you are careful to avoid it happening again
Example
After losing money in the stock market, he became **once bitten, twice shy**.
phrasal-verb

open the heart to

Meaning
to express your honest emotions to someone
Example
He finally **opened his heart to** his parents.
phrasal-verb

open out your heart

Meaning
to share your deep emotions honestly with someone
Example
He finally **opened out his heart** to his best friend.
phrasal-verb

open up markets

Meaning
to make trade or business opportunities available; to remove barriers to trade
Example
The trade agreement helped **open up markets** for local exporters.
idiom

on solid ground

Meaning
in a safe or stable situation
Example
After months of hard work, the company is now **on solid ground**.
phrasal-verb

open out with

Meaning
to start being honest and expressive with someone about emotions
Example
She **opened out with** her husband about her anxiety.
idiom

on cue

Meaning
exactly at the right moment
Example
The dog barked **on cue** when the actor opened the door.
idiom

over the horizon

Meaning
something that is expected to happen soon
Example
A big change in the market may be **over the horizon**.
idiom

off to a flying start

Meaning
to begin something, like a journey, very successfully
Example
Our trip was **off to a flying start** with perfect weather.
phrasal-verb

offer help

Meaning
to volunteer to assist someone kindly
Example
It’s thoughtful to **offer help** when someone is struggling.
idiom

own up to your mistakes

Meaning
to admit that you have done something wrong
Example
It takes courage to **own up to your mistakes**.
idiom

on the warpath

Meaning
very angry and likely to argue or fight
Example
She was **on the warpath** after hearing the bad news.
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

out of balance

Meaning
to feel mentally or emotionally unstable
Example
Lack of rest can make you feel **out of balance**.
idiom

on the fence

Meaning
undecided or unsure about something
Example
She’s still **on the fence** about moving abroad.
idiom

out of left field

Meaning
something unexpected or surprising
Example
His question came **out of left field** and shocked everyone.
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

old flame

Meaning
a person one had a romantic relationship with in the past
Example
He met his **old flame** at the reunion.
idiom

out of your mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
You must be **out of your mind** to drive that fast!
idiom

old buddy old pal

Meaning
An affectionate way to refer to a longtime friend.
Example
Hey **old buddy old pal**, long time no see!
phrasal-verb

overflow with

Meaning
to have a large amount of positive feeling or emotion
Example
The parents were **overflowing with** pride at their son’s success.
phrasal-verb

open up to change

Meaning
to become willing to accept new ideas or practices
Example
Societies progress when people **open up to change**.
idiom

overnight success

Meaning
a person or thing that becomes successful very quickly
Example
Her first song made her an **overnight success**.
idiom

over it

Meaning
no longer interested or affected by something
Example
I'm totally **over it** now.
phrasal-verb

open up communication

Meaning
to start or improve honest and clear communication
Example
They tried to **open up communication** to solve their issues.
phrasal-verb

own your progress

Meaning
to take pride in and acknowledge your personal growth
Example
You should **own your progress** and celebrate every small win.
phrasal-verb

open dialogue with

Meaning
to start conversations or discussions with another culture or group
Example
The organization aims to **open dialogue with** minority communities.
idiom

open to abuse

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

off the rails

Meaning
to become uncontrolled or chaotic
Example
After his friend moved away, his life went **off the rails**.
idiom

opt in

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

off the air

Meaning
no longer being broadcasted
Example
The show went **off the air** after ten years.