on the stand
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idiom

on the stand

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

break the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation in which progress is not possible
Example
They finally managed to **break the deadlock** through discussion.
idiom

code the future

Meaning
to create innovations that shape future technology
Example
AI researchers are working hard to **code the future**.
idiom

track down

Meaning
to find something or someone after a search
Example
We finally **tracked down** the missing invoice.
idiom

talk up

Meaning
to praise or promote something enthusiastically
Example
The host will **talk up** the new menu tonight.
idiom

grease the wheels

Meaning
to make a process run more smoothly by helping it along or making it easier
Example
Bribing officials is a common way to grease the wheels in international trade negotiations.
idiom

the pen is mightier than the sword

Meaning
words and communication have more power than violence
Example
He believes **the pen is mightier than the sword**, so he fights with ideas, not weapons.
idiom

go through the roof

Meaning
to increase rapidly; to become very high
Example
The prices of housing have **gone through the roof** recently.
idiom

pop the question

Meaning
to ask someone to marry you
Example
He finally **popped the question** during dinner.
idiom

Make up for lost time

Meaning
To do something faster to compensate for wasted time.
Example
We worked overtime to make up for lost time.
idiom

shoulder the blame

Meaning
to take responsibility for something bad.
Example
He decided to **shoulder the blame** for the error.
idiom

mend a broken heart

Meaning
to heal from emotional pain after a breakup
Example
It takes time to **mend a broken heart**.
idiom

a drama queen

Meaning
someone who exaggerates or overreacts to situations
Example
Stop acting like **a drama queen**; it’s not that serious.
idiom

a meeting of minds

Meaning
a situation where people agree or have a shared understanding
Example
The agreement was the result of a real **meeting of minds**.
idiom

a splash of color

Meaning
a small amount of bright color added for effect
Example
Add **a splash of color** to make the room lively.
idiom

crossed wires

Meaning
a misunderstanding between two people
Example
We must have **crossed wires** about the meeting time.
idiom

green-eyed jealousy

Meaning
strong feeling of envy
Example
**Green-eyed jealousy** can ruin even the best relationships.
idiom

keep your fingers crossed

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

carry yourself with confidence

Meaning
to behave in a confident and assured way
Example
She always **carries herself with confidence** during meetings.
idiom

pick holes in something

Meaning
to find faults in something, especially when it’s not necessary
Example
He loves **picking holes** in everyone else’s ideas.
idiom

zoom in

Meaning
to focus closely on something
Example
Use the report to **zoom in** on customer trends.
idiom

take a deep breath

Meaning
to calm down and relax
Example
**Take a deep breath** before reacting.
idiom

wired to learn

Meaning
naturally designed to acquire knowledge or skills
Example
Humans are **wired to learn**, just like AI systems.
idiom

hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
The refugee crisis has become a **hot potato** in the government.
idiom

a helping hand

Meaning
someone who helps or assists others
Example
She offered **a helping hand** to the new student in class.
idiom

top dog

Meaning
the most important or powerful person
Example
He’s the **top dog** in the company.
idiom

train of thought

Meaning
a connected series of thoughts
Example
I lost my **train of thought** during the presentation.
idiom

shoot for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious
Example
Don’t be afraid to **shoot for the stars**.
idiom

time is money

Meaning
time is valuable and should not be wasted
Example
In business, every minute counts because **time is money**.
idiom

full of beans

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

by the skin of your teeth

Meaning
to just barely manage to do something
Example
He passed the exam **by the skin of his teeth**.
idiom

make your dreams come true

Meaning
to achieve what you have always wanted
Example
She worked hard to **make her dreams come true**.
idiom

carry on luggage

Meaning
small bags taken with you on a plane or trip
Example
She packed all her essentials in her **carry on luggage**.
idiom

feel at ease

Meaning
to feel relaxed and confident
Example
He finally **felt at ease** speaking in public.
idiom

break away

Meaning
to separate from a group or routine
Example
She plans to **break away** from the commute by working remotely twice a week.
idiom

My two cents

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

breaking the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation where no progress is being made
Example
The negotiation team succeeded in **breaking the deadlock**.
idiom

A thirst for knowledge

Meaning
A strong desire to learn new things.
Example
He has **a thirst for knowledge** and reads constantly.
idiom

come down hard on

Meaning
to punish or criticize someone severely
Example
The company **came down hard on** employees who broke the rules.
idiom

Pull one’s weight

Meaning
To do your fair share of work.
Example
If everyone **pulls their weight**, the job will be done quickly.
idiom

keep an eye on someone

Meaning
to watch someone carefully because you don’t trust them completely
Example
I’ll **keep an eye on him** while you’re away.
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

put your feet up

Meaning
to relax after a period of hard work
Example
After the long day, I just want to **put my feet up**.
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.
idiom

the cat’s out of the bag

Meaning
the secret is revealed
Example
Now that **the cat’s out of the bag**, everyone knows the truth.
idiom

take stock of

Meaning
to review a situation carefully before making decisions
Example
Let’s **take stock of** our priorities this quarter.
idiom

Hot off the press

Meaning
Newly printed; very recent news
Example
The report was **hot off the press**, released just minutes ago.
idiom

hit the roof

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
Dad will **hit the roof** when he sees the broken window.
idiom

kindness goes a long way

Meaning
a small act of kindness can have a big positive impact
Example
Remember, **kindness goes a long way** in building good relationships.
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

hit like a ton of bricks

Meaning
to cause a sudden and strong shock or surprise
Example
The news of his death **hit me like a ton of bricks**.
idiom

stress out

Meaning
to become very anxious or nervous due to pressure
Example
She tends to **stress out** before exams.
idiom

your own flesh and blood

Meaning
A family member or close relative.
Example
How can you turn away from **your own flesh and blood**?
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

turn the other cheek

Meaning
to ignore insults or avoid taking revenge
Example
He chose to **turn the other cheek** instead of fighting back.
idiom

brush up on

Meaning
to improve one’s skill or knowledge
Example
She decided to **brush up on** her painting techniques.
idiom

apology accepted

Meaning
used to say that you forgive someone
Example
Don’t worry, **apology accepted**.
idiom

tee up

Meaning
to prepare something for easy execution
Example
I’ll **tee up** the slides so you can start on time.
idiom

to fall head over heels

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

rule of law

Meaning
the principle that everyone is subject to the law
Example
Democracy depends on the **rule of law**.
idiom

Caught with your pants down

Meaning
To be caught unprepared or embarrassed.
Example
The manager was **caught with his pants down** when asked about the figures.
idiom

gain ground

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
The company has been **gaining ground** in the tech industry.
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

dive into

Meaning
to start doing something with enthusiasm
Example
Let’s **dive into** the agenda after coffee.
idiom

put on a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be confident or happy when you are not
Example
She **put on a brave face** even after hearing the bad news.
idiom

robotic precision

Meaning
extremely accurate and consistent performance
Example
She performs her tasks with **robotic precision**.
idiom

cash in on

Meaning
to profit from a situation, often quickly
Example
Several startups tried to **cash in on** the sudden trend.
idiom

A giant leap

Meaning
A significant advancement or achievement.
Example
Landing on the moon was **a giant leap** for mankind.
idiom

on the ball

Meaning
alert, smart, and quick to react
Example
You need to be **on the ball** to handle this job.
idiom

to burn one's fingers

Meaning
to suffer from a bad experience or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** investing in that fake company.
idiom

hand down

Meaning
to pass something to someone of a later generation
Example
My grandmother **handed down** this recipe to me.
idiom

A true friend is one who stands by you

Meaning
A true friend will be there for you during difficult times
Example
Even in the worst of times, she proved to be a true friend. **A true friend is one who stands by you**.
idiom

swept off your feet

Meaning
to be suddenly and strongly attracted to someone
Example
She was **swept off her feet** by his charm.
idiom

I feel that

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

get under someone's skin

Meaning
to annoy or bother someone deeply
Example
She really knows how to **get under my skin**.
idiom

come rain or shine

Meaning
no matter what happens; in any weather or situation
Example
He goes jogging **come rain or shine**.
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

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

fall through

Meaning
to fail to happen
Example
Our travel plans might **fall through** if the storm hits.
idiom

blow someone's cover

Meaning
to reveal someone's secret identity or hidden purpose
Example
The journalist accidentally **blew the cover** of the undercover agent.
idiom

have the gift of the gab

Meaning
to be good at talking or persuading people
Example
He’s a great salesman because he **has the gift of the gab**.
idiom

spread sunshine

Meaning
to make others happy with your positivity
Example
Her smile always **spreads sunshine** wherever she goes.
idiom

reach new heights

Meaning
to achieve more than before, to improve
Example
Their business is now **reaching new heights** in terms of revenue.
idiom

at the cutting edge

Meaning
at the most advanced position in a field
Example
The lab is **at the cutting edge** of medical research.
idiom

Golden handshake

Meaning
A large payment given to someone when they leave a job, especially early retirement.
Example
The CEO received a **golden handshake** when he retired early.
idiom

a blessing in disguise

Meaning
something that seems bad but results in something good
Example
Losing that job was **a blessing in disguise**.
idiom

hang onto

Meaning
to keep something and not give it away
Example
I’ll **hang onto** the receipts in case we need a refund.
idiom

cliffhanger

Meaning
an ending that leaves the audience in suspense
Example
The episode ended on a **cliffhanger**, so we can’t wait for the next one.
idiom

step in

Meaning
to become involved in order to help or stop something
Example
The manager will **step in** if the discussion gets heated.
idiom

To go the extra mile

Meaning
To put in more effort than is expected
Example
He always goes the extra mile to help his friends.
idiom

Hold out

Meaning
Continue to survive or resist for a long time.
Example
They managed to **hold out** until help arrived.
idiom

take apart

Meaning
to disassemble something into pieces
Example
We had to **take apart** the desk to move it upstairs.
idiom

for what it’s worth

Meaning
used to introduce an opinion that may or may not be useful
Example
**For what it’s worth**, I think you did the right thing.
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

create buzz

Meaning
to generate excitement and talk about a product or event
Example
The teaser video helped **create buzz** before the product launch.
idiom

split decision

Meaning
a decision where people are divided in opinion
Example
The committee made a **split decision** on the proposal.
idiom

by and large

Meaning
generally speaking; on the whole
Example
**By and large**, we agree with your proposal.
idiom

grow by leaps and bounds

Meaning
to grow or improve very quickly
Example
The company has **grown by leaps and bounds** in the last year.
idiom

thinking outside the algorithm

Meaning
to think creatively beyond structured systems or programmed logic
Example
Our best innovation came when we started **thinking outside the algorithm**.
idiom

how’s it going

Meaning
a casual way of asking how someone is doing
Example
**How’s it going?** You look great today!
idiom

ask around

Meaning
to inquire with several people
Example
I’ll **ask around** to see who can cover the shift.
idiom

troll someone

Meaning
to deliberately provoke or upset someone online
Example
Some users love to **troll** others just for fun.
idiom

to make a boo-boo

Meaning
to make a small or funny mistake
Example
Oops, I **made a boo-boo** and sent the wrong file!
idiom

take the cake

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

brainstorm an idea

Meaning
to discuss and think creatively to generate new ideas
Example
The teacher asked the class to **brainstorm ideas** for the project.
idiom

True friends stab you in the front

Meaning
A true friend tells you harsh truths to your face.
Example
She’s not afraid to tell me the truth, because **true friends stab you in the front**.
idiom

bury the hatchet

Meaning
to stop fighting and become friends again
Example
After years of argument, they decided to **bury the hatchet**.
idiom

Play with fire

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

keep up with

Meaning
to stay informed or at the same level as something or someone
Example
It's hard to **keep up with** the latest tech trends.
idiom

a couch potato

Meaning
a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV
Example
He’s become **a couch potato** since he lost his job.
idiom

manna from heaven

Meaning
an unexpected gift or blessing
Example
The bonus was **manna from heaven** during the tough month.
idiom

Seed funding

Meaning
Initial capital used to start a business.
Example
They received **seed funding** from angel investors.
idiom

kick around

Meaning
to discuss ideas informally
Example
We can **kick around** some concepts after lunch.
idiom

up to speed

Meaning
to have the latest information or be fully informed
Example
I’ll get you **up to speed** on the new system tomorrow.
idiom

heart in one’s mouth

Meaning
to feel extreme fear or anxiety
Example
My **heart was in my mouth** as I waited for the results.
idiom

pharming

Meaning
a cyber attack that redirects a website’s traffic to a fraudulent site to steal information
Example
The victim's bank details were stolen due to a **pharming** attack.
idiom

go off the deep end

Meaning
to become very angry or emotional suddenly
Example
She **went off the deep end** when she heard the bad news.
idiom

That’s exactly right

Meaning
Used to completely agree with a statement
Example
**That’s exactly right**, we should focus on quality first.
idiom

under the table

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

the early bird catches the worm

Meaning
people who start early are more likely to succeed
Example
**The early bird catches the worm**, so start your day early.
idiom

fed up with

Meaning
tired or annoyed with something
Example
I'm **fed up with** doing the same thing every day.