Out of one’s depth
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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

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

take the wheel

Meaning
to take control or responsibility
Example
It's time for the new manager to **take the wheel**.
idiom

A solid foundation

Meaning
A strong and reliable base or starting point.
Example
The success of this company is built on a **solid foundation** of hard work and dedication.
idiom

think outside the box

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

Zoom in on

Meaning
To focus closely on something
Example
Let’s **zoom in on** the key issues first.
idiom

Keep hope alive

Meaning
To continue believing in a positive outcome.
Example
Even in hard times, we must **keep hope alive**.
idiom

sworn friends

Meaning
Friends who are deeply loyal to each other.
Example
Since childhood, they’ve been **sworn friends**.
idiom

press ahead

Meaning
to continue with determination despite obstacles
Example
Let’s **press ahead** even if the timeline shifts.
idiom

as thick as two short planks

Meaning
very stupid or slow-witted
Example
He’s **as thick as two short planks**, bless him.
idiom

to clean one's hands

Meaning
to rid oneself of responsibility for something, especially wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **clean his hands** of the situation, but we all knew he was involved.
idiom

hit it out of the park

Meaning
to do something extremely well
Example
Your presentation really **hit it out of the park**!
idiom

A stitch in time saves nine

Meaning
Solving a small problem early prevents a bigger problem later.
Example
Fix that leak now — a stitch in time saves nine.
idiom

bored to death

Meaning
extremely bored
Example
I was **bored to death** during the long lecture.
idiom

out of the frying pan into the fire

Meaning
to go from a bad situation to a worse one
Example
Leaving that job was like jumping **out of the frying pan into the fire**.
idiom

push your luck

Meaning
take a risk hoping for more success
Example
You already got a discount, don’t **push your luck**.
idiom

get on like a house on fire

Meaning
to have a very good and friendly relationship
Example
The two sisters **get on like a house on fire**.
idiom

live and learn

Meaning
to accept a mistake as a lesson for the future
Example
I lost my wallet again — well, **live and learn**.
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

brainstorm ideas

Meaning
to think of new and creative ideas
Example
The class gathered to **brainstorm ideas** for the science project.
idiom

a sound mind in a sound body

Meaning
mental health depends on physical health
Example
**A sound mind in a sound body** is the key to a happy life.
idiom

black box problem

Meaning
a situation where the internal workings of an AI system are not transparent or understood
Example
The biggest challenge in deep learning is the **black box problem**.
idiom

to teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something they are set in their ways about
Example
It’s hard to **teach an old dog new tricks** when it comes to new technology.
idiom

political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
Immigration reform has become a **political hot potato** for the government.
idiom

a bundle of joy

Meaning
someone or something that brings great happiness
Example
Their new baby is **a bundle of joy** for the family.
idiom

let sleeping dogs lie

Meaning
to avoid bringing up a problem that will cause trouble
Example
It is better to **let sleeping dogs lie**.
idiom

back each other up

Meaning
to support and help one another
Example
In a good team, members always **back each other up**.
idiom

to break new ground

Meaning
to do something innovative or unprecedented
Example
The company’s new app **broke new ground** in terms of user experience.
idiom

have a vivid imagination

Meaning
to be able to think of interesting and unusual ideas
Example
Children often **have a vivid imagination**.
idiom

better late than never

Meaning
it’s better to do something late than not do it at all
Example
**Better late than never** – he finally apologized.
idiom

take a gamble

Meaning
to take a risk in the hope of success
Example
She **took a gamble** by quitting her job to travel the world.
idiom

run out of steam

Meaning
to lose energy or enthusiasm
Example
After working all day, I completely **ran out of steam**.
idiom

adapt to the changing times

Meaning
to adjust to new conditions or circumstances
Example
In order to survive in this fast-paced world, you must **adapt to the changing times**.
B2 idiom

close but no cigar

Almost correct or successful but not quite
Meaning
Almost correct or successful but not quite
Example
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
idiom

beyond a reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical reason to doubt; with full certainty
Example
The evidence proved his guilt **beyond a reasonable doubt**.
idiom

out of balance

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

to be a sponge for knowledge

Meaning
to absorb information eagerly and enthusiastically
Example
She's **a sponge for knowledge**; she reads every book she can find.
idiom

to get away with murder

Meaning
to do something wrong and avoid punishment
Example
Rich criminals often **get away with murder** due to influence.
idiom

pull it off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
No one thought she could do it, but she **pulled it off**.
idiom

house of cards

Meaning
a plan or structure that is weak and likely to fail
Example
Their business model turned out to be a **house of cards**.
idiom

in the same boat

Meaning
to be in the same difficult situation as others
Example
We are all **in the same boat** with these challenges.
idiom

queue up

Meaning
to line up and wait for your turn
Example
Fans began to **queue up** hours before the show.
idiom

ahead of its time

Meaning
to be unusually advanced or innovative for its era
Example
That invention was **ahead of its time**.
idiom

form follows function

Meaning
the shape of a building or object should primarily relate to its intended function or purpose
Example
In modern architecture, **form follows function** is a principle that's widely accepted.
idiom

hard sell

Meaning
an aggressive or forceful sales approach
Example
Customers today dislike the **hard sell** approach.
idiom

give ground

Meaning
to make concessions or yield in a discussion
Example
He finally **gave ground** on the pricing issue.
idiom

cry a river

Meaning
to cry a lot or show extreme sadness
Example
He **cried a river** after hearing the news.
idiom

artificial brainpower

Meaning
intelligence or decision-making provided by AI systems
Example
The car relies on **artificial brainpower** to navigate through traffic.
idiom

throw your weight behind

Meaning
to support someone or something strongly
Example
The manager **threw his weight behind** the new proposal.
idiom

shoulder the blame

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

to tell you the truth

Meaning
used to introduce an honest or surprising opinion
Example
**To tell you the truth**, I didn’t enjoy the party.
idiom

burn the candle at both ends

Meaning
to work too hard without enough rest
Example
If you **burn the candle at both ends**, you’ll get exhausted soon.
idiom

Down the rabbit hole

Meaning
Entering into a strange, complicated, or bizarre situation.
Example
I went **down the rabbit hole** researching ancient myths.
idiom

cut someone some slack

Meaning
to be less critical or give someone a break
Example
You should **cut him some slack**—he’s having a tough day.
idiom

break out in a cold sweat

Meaning
to suddenly start sweating due to fear or anxiety
Example
He **broke out in a cold sweat** before his job interview.
idiom

keep something to yourself

Meaning
not tell anyone about something
Example
Please **keep it to yourself** until we’re ready to announce.
idiom

roll with

Meaning
to adapt to changes or challenges easily
Example
The team had to **roll with** several last-minute changes to the schedule.
idiom

do without

Meaning
to manage even when something is missing
Example
We’ll **do without** a projector and use prints instead.
idiom

pluck up the courage

Meaning
to make yourself feel brave enough to do something
Example
He finally **plucked up the courage** to speak in public.
idiom

act on

Meaning
to respond to information with action
Example
We need to **act on** the survey results immediately.
idiom

behind the times

Meaning
old-fashioned or not keeping up with modern ideas
Example
My uncle still uses a typewriter—he’s **behind the times**.
idiom

backdoor access

Meaning
a secret or unauthorized way to access a system or information
Example
Hackers found a **backdoor access** to the company’s database.
idiom

in the works

Meaning
something that is being developed or planned
Example
A new product is **in the works** and should be released soon.
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

talk shop

Meaning
to talk about work or business during leisure time
Example
Even at dinner, they started to **talk shop**.
idiom

a cold fish

Meaning
someone who is unemotional or not friendly
Example
He seemed **a cold fish** when I first met him.
idiom

a giant leap for mankind

Meaning
a significant or groundbreaking achievement
Example
The first man landing on the moon was truly **a giant leap for mankind**.
idiom

lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden moment of realization or inspiration
Example
He had a **lightbulb moment** when he figured out how to fix the code.
idiom

carry the responsibility

Meaning
to be in charge of something or to be responsible for it
Example
As the project leader, he had to **carry the responsibility** for the entire team.
idiom

nudge into

Meaning
to gently encourage someone toward something
Example
They **nudged her into** presenting at the meetup.
idiom

get your wires crossed

Meaning
to misunderstand someone or something
Example
We must have **got our wires crossed**, because I thought the meeting was tomorrow.
idiom

The more, the merrier

Meaning
Things are more fun or effective with more people involved.
Example
Bring your friends along — **the more, the merrier**!
idiom

feel the strain

Meaning
to feel stress or pressure from a difficult situation
Example
Many employees are starting to **feel the strain** of the workload.
idiom

Wing it

Meaning
To do something without preparation.
Example
I forgot my notes, so I’ll just **wing it** during the presentation.
idiom

zoom out

Meaning
to look at a situation from a broader perspective
Example
Let’s **zoom out** and review the yearly goals.
idiom

Go overboard

Meaning
To do something to an excessive degree.
Example
He **went overboard** decorating his office for the holidays.
idiom

bravery in the face of danger

Meaning
showing courage even when facing danger
Example
The firefighter showed **bravery in the face of danger**.
idiom

bag of bones

Meaning
a very thin person
Example
After his illness, he turned into a **bag of bones**.
idiom

faint-hearted

Meaning
lacking courage or determination
Example
Climbing this mountain is not for the **faint-hearted**.
idiom

A picture paints a thousand words

Meaning
A visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
Cultural symbols remind us that **a picture paints a thousand words**.
idiom

Make a clean break

Meaning
To completely separate from something or someone, often for a fresh start.
Example
He decided to **make a clean break** from his old habits.
idiom

machine learning curve

Meaning
the process of gradual improvement through experience and learning
Example
The new developers are still on their **machine learning curve**.
idiom

crystal ball

Meaning
the ability to predict the future
Example
I don’t have a **crystal ball**, so I can’t tell what will happen.
idiom

Lead the charge

Meaning
to be at the forefront of an action or movement
Example
He was the one to **lead the charge** in the new project.
idiom

bring up

Meaning
to raise or care for a child until adulthood
Example
She was **brought up** by her grandparents.
idiom

play second fiddle

Meaning
to take a subordinate role to someone else
Example
He was tired of **playing second fiddle** to his colleague.
idiom

apple of someone’s eye

Meaning
someone very precious or loved
Example
Her son is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative
Example
Our company is working on **cutting edge** AI technology.
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

get a foot in the door

Meaning
to take the first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
He took an internship to **get a foot in the door** of the company.
idiom

hit the dirt

Meaning
to go to ground; to take cover or hide
Example
Wild animals often **hit the dirt** when humans approach.
idiom

blue chip

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

get a kick out of

Meaning
to enjoy something very much
Example
He really **gets a kick out of** playing video games with his kids.
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

sit on the fence

Meaning
to avoid making a decision or choice
Example
You can't **sit on the fence** any longer, you need to choose a side.
idiom

save time

Meaning
to reduce the time needed for something
Example
Using shortcuts can **save time** when typing.
idiom

lean into

Meaning
to embrace and actively engage with something
Example
She decided to **lean into** the new role and learn quickly.
idiom

spin-off

Meaning
a product or show that results from another existing one
Example
The successful TV show led to a **spin-off** featuring the same characters.
idiom

A snapshot of

Meaning
A brief look or summary of something
Example
The report gives **a snapshot of** our company's performance.
idiom

crash and burn

Meaning
to fail completely or suddenly
Example
The new software update **crashed and burned** after launch.
idiom

fearless as a lion

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

paint oneself into a corner

Meaning
to create a situation where one has limited options
Example
He **painted himself into a corner** by promising too much.
idiom

Old hat

Meaning
Something that is outdated or no longer interesting
Example
That style is **old hat** now—no one wears it anymore.
idiom

in a state of shock

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or upset
Example
She was **in a state of shock** after hearing the news.
idiom

carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders

Meaning
to feel responsible for many problems or duties
Example
She always **carries the weight of the world on her shoulders**, even when it's not her fault.
idiom

a friend in need is a friend indeed

Meaning
a true friend helps you in difficult times
Example
When I was sick, Jane took care of me—**a friend in need is a friend indeed**.
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

see the big picture

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

take a detour

Meaning
to take an indirect route
Example
We had to **take a detour** because of road construction.
idiom

hang someone out to dry

Meaning
to abandon someone to face blame or trouble alone.
Example
His friends **hung him out to dry** when the teacher asked who cheated.
idiom

a fair trial

Meaning
a trial where all sides are treated equally and justly
Example
The defendant demanded **a fair trial** to prove his innocence.
idiom

fall through

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

pull an all-nighter

Meaning
to stay awake all night to study or work
Example
I had to **pull an all-nighter** to finish my assignment.
idiom

bootstrapping

Meaning
building a business without external funding
Example
He started his company through **bootstrapping**, using only his savings.
idiom

like a kid in a candy store

Meaning
very excited and happy about many options or things
Example
He was **like a kid in a candy store** when he saw all the gadgets.
idiom

settle the score

Meaning
to take revenge or resolve a conflict from the past
Example
He wanted to **settle the score** after last year's argument.
idiom

pull strings

Meaning
to use influence or connections to get what you want
Example
She **pulled strings** to get him the job.
idiom

sail through

Meaning
to succeed at something easily
Example
With all that practice, you’ll **sail through** the interview.
idiom

lay all your cards on the table

Meaning
to be open and honest about your intentions or plans
Example
Let’s **lay all our cards on the table** and discuss the issue.
idiom

share the load

Meaning
to divide the work or responsibility among people
Example
We should **share the load** so no one gets too tired.