old flame
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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

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

honesty is the best policy

Meaning
being honest is always the best way to behave
Example
My parents always taught me that **honesty is the best policy**.
idiom

drive someone crazy

Meaning
to irritate or annoy someone very much
Example
The noise is **driving me crazy**!
idiom

game plan

Meaning
a carefully thought-out strategy
Example
We need a solid **game plan** before meeting the investors.
idiom

tie the knot

Meaning
to get married
Example
They are planning to **tie the knot** next summer.
idiom

living the dream

Meaning
living a life that one always desired
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
idiom

fall back on

Meaning
to rely on something when the first option fails
Example
If the deal falls through, we’ll **fall back on** our backup plan.
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

a mind is a terrible thing to waste

Meaning
it is a waste not to use your mental abilities
Example
You should keep learning, **a mind is a terrible thing to waste**.
idiom

piece of cake

Meaning
something very easy to do
Example
The exam was a **piece of cake** for her.
idiom

get back on track

Meaning
to return to the right path after a mistake or setback
Example
After a few mistakes, she managed to **get back on track**.
idiom

cut the mustard

Meaning
to perform well or meet expectations
Example
She didn’t **cut the mustard** in her new role.
idiom

Caught on camera

Meaning
Recorded on video; captured visually
Example
The accident was **caught on camera** by a passerby.
idiom

low-hanging fruit

Meaning
something easy to achieve or target
Example
We should focus on the **low-hanging fruit** before tackling bigger goals.
idiom

touch wood

Meaning
to say something positive and hope it continues to be good
Example
We haven’t lost a game yet, **touch wood**.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
idiom

Nero fiddled while Rome burned

Meaning
To ignore a crisis or serious situation while doing something trivial.
Example
The leader was accused of **fiddling while Rome burned** during the economic collapse.
B1 idiom

all ears

Listening very attentively
Meaning
Listening very attentively
Example
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
idiom

put a spin on

Meaning
to present information in a way that influences people's perception
Example
The media often **puts a spin on** stories to attract viewers.
idiom

cut back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something
Example
We’re trying to **cut back on** eating out during the week.
idiom

the real McCoy

Meaning
the genuine or original thing
Example
This painting is **the real McCoy**, not a copy.
idiom

make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a strong impression
Example
The new product launch really **made a splash** in the market.
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

dawn on

Meaning
to become clear to someone after not realizing
Example
It suddenly **dawned on** me that I’d left my wallet.
idiom

grassroots movement

Meaning
a political movement started and driven by ordinary people
Example
The campaign grew into a powerful **grassroots movement** for change.
idiom

break the silence

Meaning
to start talking after a period of silence
Example
He was the one to **break the silence** after the awkward pause.
idiom

battle-tested

Meaning
proven effective through experience or hardship
Example
She’s a **battle-tested** leader who knows how to stay calm under pressure.
idiom

take someone's word for it

Meaning
to trust that what someone says is true
Example
I’ll **take your word for it** since you were there.
idiom

note down

Meaning
to write something so you remember it
Example
Please **note down** the action items before we leave.
idiom

sit at someone’s feet

Meaning
to learn from someone who is very knowledgeable
Example
Many students wanted to **sit at his feet** and learn from him.
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

Family is everything

Meaning
The family holds the most important place in one's life and provides support and love.
Example
After all that happened, **family is everything**, and they helped him get through the tough time.
idiom

put your faith in the hands of

Meaning
to trust someone with something important
Example
She decided to **put her faith in the hands of** her lawyer for the case.
idiom

play a cameo

Meaning
to make a brief appearance in a film
Example
The director himself **played a cameo** in the movie.
idiom

shoulder to cry on

Meaning
Someone who listens and comforts you when you’re upset.
Example
After her breakup, Emma needed a **shoulder to cry on**.
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

work-life harmony

Meaning
a balanced and peaceful relationship between work and personal life
Example
She believes in maintaining **work-life harmony**.
idiom

cracks in the wall

Meaning
signs of problems or weaknesses in a system or relationship
Example
There are **cracks in the wall** of their friendship lately.
idiom

change with the times

Meaning
to adapt to the changes in society or technology
Example
In order to stay relevant in the business, it's important to **change with the times**.
idiom

to have a fever pitch

Meaning
to reach an intense level of excitement or emotion
Example
The crowd’s excitement reached **fever pitch** during the final moments.
idiom

make someone green

Meaning
to make someone jealous
Example
Her success **made her colleagues green**.
idiom

let the cat out of the bag

Meaning
to reveal a secret accidentally
Example
She **let the cat out of the bag** about the surprise party.
idiom

Pivot the business

Meaning
To change direction or strategy to adapt to the market.
Example
After poor sales, they decided to **pivot the business** toward software solutions.
idiom

Never give up

Meaning
Always continue trying despite difficulties.
Example
No matter how hard it is, **never give up**.
idiom

tighten the screws

Meaning
to put pressure on someone to make them behave or act a certain way
Example
The government **tightened the screws** on tax evaders.
idiom

come a long way

Meaning
to make a lot of progress or improvement
Example
She has **come a long way** since she started her career.
idiom

map out

Meaning
to plan something in detail
Example
We should **map out** our marketing strategy for the next quarter.
idiom

head out

Meaning
to leave for a destination
Example
Let’s **head out** before the traffic gets heavy.
idiom

lock someone up

Meaning
to imprison or jail someone
Example
They managed to **lock him up** for his crimes.
idiom

a mind like a sieve

Meaning
to have a very bad memory
Example
He forgets everything; he has **a mind like a sieve**.
idiom

off the wall

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

farm out

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

on the tip of one's tongue

Meaning
when you can almost remember something but not quite
Example
His name is **on the tip of my tongue**, but I can’t recall it.
idiom

cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it happens, not before
Example
We will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

hit the right note

Meaning
to do or say something perfectly suitable
Example
Her performance really **hit the right note** with the audience.
idiom

see off

Meaning
to go with someone to say goodbye when they leave
Example
We’ll **see off** the guests at the station.
idiom

political circus

Meaning
a situation where politics becomes chaotic and theatrical
Example
The election debates turned into a **political circus**.
idiom

turn over a new leaf

Meaning
to start behaving better after doing something wrong
Example
After the accident, he decided to **turn over a new leaf**.
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

go off on a tangent

Meaning
to suddenly start talking about something unrelated
Example
He tends to **go off on a tangent** when discussing politics.
idiom

hit the books

Meaning
to study very hard
Example
I can’t go out tonight; I need to **hit the books** for my exam.
idiom

a bone of contention

Meaning
a subject of disagreement or dispute
Example
Money has always been **a bone of contention** between them.
idiom

fair-weather friend

Meaning
a person who is only your friend when things are good
Example
A **fair-weather friend** will leave you when things get tough.
idiom

to drop the ball

Meaning
to make a mistake; to fail at something important
Example
He really **dropped the ball** by forgetting the meeting.
idiom

hope against hope

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

bring down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad or to reduce something
Example
Don’t let one rude comment **bring down** your confidence.
idiom

a snowball's chance in hell

Meaning
no chance at all
Example
He has **a snowball's chance in hell** of winning the lottery.
idiom

Take a leap of faith

Meaning
to do something uncertain, trusting that it will succeed
Example
Starting her own company was a **leap of faith**, but it paid off.
idiom

hang loose

Meaning
to relax and take things easy
Example
We’re on vacation, so just **hang loose** and enjoy.
idiom

Fuel the economy

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

trade blows

Meaning
to argue or fight with someone
Example
The two rival companies have been **trading blows** over market share for years.
idiom

keep someone’s word

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

Be as good as your word

Meaning
To do what you promised to do.
Example
He said he’d help and he’s **as good as his word**.
idiom

scale back

Meaning
to reduce the size or amount of something
Example
They had to **scale back** the festival because of the budget.
idiom

put your foot in it

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate by mistake
Example
I really **put my foot in it** when I asked about her ex-husband.
idiom

a lawyer's brief

Meaning
a summary or concise statement of an argument or case
Example
The **lawyer's brief** was submitted to the judge before the trial began.
idiom

by the way

Meaning
used to introduce a new topic or add extra information
Example
**By the way**, did you finish your project?
idiom

strength in numbers

Meaning
greater power comes from a larger group
Example
We can win this battle if we stick together, there's **strength in numbers**.
idiom

see the big picture

Meaning
to understand the overall situation or goal
Example
You need to **see the big picture** before making decisions.
idiom

hook the audience

Meaning
to capture and maintain the interest of the audience
Example
You need a strong headline to **hook the audience** immediately.
idiom

wear down

Meaning
to gradually weaken someone or something
Example
Constant delays can **wear down** even the calmest client.
idiom

put in a nutshell

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
To **put it in a nutshell**, we need more time to finish.
idiom

to tip the scales

Meaning
to influence the outcome of a situation
Example
One witness’s statement **tipped the scales** in favor of the defendant.
idiom

a spark of genius

Meaning
a sudden and brilliant idea
Example
Her **spark of genius** helped us solve the problem quickly.
idiom

pull your socks up

Meaning
to make an effort to improve your performance
Example
You need to **pull your socks up** if you want that promotion.
idiom

never look back

Meaning
to focus on moving forward and not dwell on past mistakes
Example
Once she made the decision, she promised to **never look back**.
idiom

A bundle of nerves

Meaning
To be extremely anxious or tense.
Example
Before the presentation, she was **a bundle of nerves**.
idiom

school of thought

Meaning
a particular way of thinking or set of ideas
Example
There’s a **school of thought** that believes learning by doing is best.
idiom

teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone teases her for being the **teacher’s pet**.
idiom

cover your tracks

Meaning
to hide evidence of one’s actions
Example
Hackers often **cover their tracks** after breaking into systems.
idiom

give in

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

make a name for oneself

Meaning
to become well-known or famous for something
Example
He **made a name for himself** as a creative designer.
idiom

hand off to

Meaning
to transfer responsibility or control to someone else
Example
I’ll **hand this off to** the design team tomorrow.
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

to lose your nerve

Meaning
to lose courage and become too afraid to do something
Example
He wanted to jump, but he **lost his nerve** at the last second.
idiom

win by a landslide

Meaning
to win by a very large margin
Example
The candidate **won by a landslide** with 80% of the votes.
idiom

break free

Meaning
to escape from control or restriction
Example
She wanted to **break free** from her routine life.
idiom

level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
The new rules create a **level playing field** for all teams.
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

stand one’s ground

Meaning
to refuse to change your opinion or position
Example
She **stood her ground** during the heated debate.
idiom

full of years

Meaning
having lived a long and fulfilling life
Example
He passed away **full of years** and surrounded by family.
idiom

chip off the old block

Meaning
a child who closely resembles their parent in looks or behavior
Example
He’s a **chip off the old block**—just as kind and funny as his father.
idiom

the human touch

Meaning
a personal or emotional element that technology lacks
Example
Even with AI, customers still appreciate **the human touch** in service.
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

pay attention to

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

keep your fingers crossed

Meaning
to hope for good luck
Example
I am **keeping my fingers crossed** for the exam results.
idiom

Practice makes perfect

Meaning
The more you practice, the better you become.
Example
**Practice makes perfect**, so keep trying.
idiom

as fit as a fiddle

Meaning
in very good health
Example
My grandfather is 80 but still **as fit as a fiddle**.
idiom

to be in the same boat

Meaning
to be in the same difficult situation
Example
We are all **in the same boat** when it comes to the upcoming project deadline.
idiom

under the table

Meaning
done secretly or dishonestly, often involving money
Example
He was paid **under the table** to avoid taxes.
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

head over heels

Meaning
deeply in love
Example
He fell **head over heels** for her the moment they met.
idiom

turn a corner

Meaning
to begin to improve after a difficult period
Example
Things started to **turn a corner** after the new management took over.
idiom

quick on the uptake

Meaning
able to understand things quickly
Example
You don’t need to explain it twice—he’s **quick on the uptake**.
idiom

cutthroat competition

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

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

pioneer new ideas

Meaning
to introduce or create new concepts or methods
Example
He is always looking to **pioneer new ideas** in his field.
idiom

Look on the bright side

Meaning
To focus on the positive aspects of a situation.
Example
**Look on the bright side**, at least you learned something.
idiom

call someone out

Meaning
to criticize someone publicly for their behavior or actions
Example
She **called him out** for being rude to the waiter.