out of orbit
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idiom

out of orbit

Meaning
beyond control; off the usual path
Example
The project went **out of orbit** after the manager left.
idiom

throw a tantrum

Meaning
to have an outburst of anger or frustration, often in a childish manner
Example
The child **threw a tantrum** when she didn’t get the toy she wanted.
idiom

put your foot down

Meaning
to assert your authority or make a firm decision
Example
When they asked for an extension, he decided to **put his foot down** and refuse.
idiom

show true colors

Meaning
to reveal one’s real character or intentions
Example
He **showed his true colors** when he took charge of the team.
idiom

hand down to

Meaning
to pass something to someone of a later generation
Example
Grandma **handed this down to** me when I graduated.
idiom

your guess is as good as mine

Meaning
I do not know the answer to a question
Example
I don't know what time the movie starts. **Your guess is as good as mine**.
idiom

Power behind the throne

Meaning
A person or group who has a hidden or indirect influence over the leadership
Example
The chief advisor is often considered the **power behind the throne**.
idiom

The waiting game

Meaning
A situation in which you must wait for something to happen.
Example
It’s all about **the waiting game** when you’re looking for a job.
idiom

brush off

Meaning
to dismiss something or someone as unimportant
Example
He tried to **brush off** the criticism during the meeting.
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

back on one’s feet

Meaning
to recover and be healthy again
Example
After a few days of rest, he’s finally **back on his feet**.
idiom

lose your train of thought

Meaning
to forget what you were thinking or saying
Example
I **lost my train of thought** when the phone rang.
idiom

ring the changes

Meaning
to make changes to something to make it more interesting or effective
Example
The restaurant decided to **ring the changes** with a new menu.
idiom

have a vivid imagination

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

Pay the piper

Meaning
To face the consequences of one’s actions or decisions.
Example
After years of overspending, the country had to **pay the piper**.
idiom

call a truce

Meaning
to agree to stop fighting or arguing for a while
Example
They decided to **call a truce** until the boss arrived.
idiom

walk tall

Meaning
to behave confidently and proudly
Example
You have every reason to **walk tall** after your success.
idiom

to put one's foot in one's mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate by mistake
Example
I really **put my foot in my mouth** when I mentioned her ex-boyfriend.
idiom

penny wise and pound foolish

Meaning
careful with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Example
He’s **penny wise and pound foolish** when it comes to investments.
idiom

to firewall something

Meaning
to block or prevent access to something, typically used in the context of protecting a network or system
Example
We need **to firewall something** to protect our database from hackers.
idiom

No comment

Meaning
Refusing to answer a question
Example
The spokesperson simply said **no comment** to all questions.
idiom

go steady

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

fit as a fiddle

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

pick up on

Meaning
to notice or become aware of something
Example
He didn't **pick up on** the subtle hints I was giving.
idiom

blue chip company

Meaning
a large, reliable, and financially stable company
Example
Investors prefer to put their money into **blue chip companies**.
idiom

burn your bridges

Meaning
to make a decision that cannot be reversed
Example
Be careful not to **burn your bridges** with your old employer.
idiom

hold all the cards

Meaning
to be in a strong position to control or influence a situation
Example
In the negotiations, the buyer **held all the cards**.
idiom

Bursting at the seams

Meaning
To be very full or crowded.
Example
The store was **bursting at the seams** during the sale.
idiom

game plan

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

sink or swim

Meaning
to succeed or fail by your own efforts
Example
When you start your own business, it’s **sink or swim**.
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

not the sharpest tool in the shed

Meaning
not very intelligent
Example
He’s kind but **not the sharpest tool in the shed**.
idiom

come of age

Meaning
to reach maturity; to become fully developed
Example
The company has **come of age** in the last few years.
idiom

get the credit

Meaning
to receive praise or recognition for something
Example
The whole team worked hard, but only he **got the credit**.
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 news

Meaning
New and important information being reported immediately
Example
We have **breaking news** about the election results.
idiom

sick to death of something

Meaning
extremely tired or annoyed by something
Example
I’m **sick to death of** listening to his complaints.
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

fan through

Meaning
to flip through pages quickly
Example
She **fanned through** the report to find the chart.
idiom

hangover cure

Meaning
a remedy for the aftereffects of drinking too much alcohol
Example
He swears by coffee as the best **hangover cure**.
idiom

set a precedent

Meaning
to establish a standard or example for future actions
Example
Banning unethical AI systems will **set a precedent** for accountability.
idiom

it blew my mind

Meaning
it amazed or shocked me completely
Example
The technology they used **blew my mind**.
idiom

cry your heart out

Meaning
to cry a lot due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

Caught on camera

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

fake news

Meaning
false or misleading information presented as news
Example
Be careful not to believe in **fake news** spread on social media.
idiom

by trial and error

Meaning
learning by experimenting and correcting mistakes
Example
We developed the best method **by trial and error**.
idiom

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link

Meaning
the strength of a group depends on the weakest member
Example
In any team, **a chain is only as strong as its weakest link**.
idiom

caught between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
in a difficult situation where any choice you make will have negative consequences
Example
I'm **caught between a rock and a hard place** - both options are terrible.
idiom

push the algorithm

Meaning
to test the limits or performance of an AI system
Example
The engineers wanted to **push the algorithm** further to improve accuracy.
idiom

to be open and honest

Meaning
to speak frankly or sincerely
Example
I want to **be open and honest** with you about my feelings.
idiom

in one ear and out the other

Meaning
to not pay attention to what is said
Example
Whatever I tell him goes **in one ear and out the other**.
idiom

in the dark web

Meaning
in a hidden or secret part of the internet used for illegal activities
Example
Stolen credentials often end up **in the dark web**.
idiom

be above board

Meaning
to act in an honest and open manner
Example
She is always **above board** in all her dealings.
idiom

blackout

Meaning
to lose consciousness temporarily
Example
He suddenly **blacked out** during the match.
idiom

hold forth

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

come straight to the point

Meaning
to be direct and honest without wasting time
Example
Please **come straight to the point** and tell me what happened.
idiom

Gordian knot

Meaning
A very complex or unsolvable problem.
Example
The issue of climate change is like a **Gordian knot** that needs bold action.
idiom

phishing for information

Meaning
attempting to obtain sensitive information by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity
Example
He was **phishing for information** by pretending to be from the bank.
idiom

chalk up

Meaning
to attribute something to a particular cause
Example
Let’s **chalk up** the delay to bad weather.
idiom

An old friend is better than two new ones

Meaning
Long-time friends are more valuable than new ones.
Example
I trust John more than anyone else—**an old friend is better than two new ones**.
idiom

lose confidence

Meaning
to stop believing in your own ability or someone else’s
Example
Don’t **lose confidence** after one failure.
idiom

hit the same wavelength

Meaning
to share similar thoughts and feelings
Example
We **hit the same wavelength** from the first conversation.
idiom

in a league of its own

Meaning
being far superior to others in a particular field.
Example
This smartphone is truly **in a league of its own** in terms of camera quality.
idiom

a brainwave

Meaning
a sudden clever idea or solution
Example
I had **a brainwave** and realized how to fix the issue.
idiom

at a crossroads

Meaning
at a point where a decision must be made
Example
After years of travel, she found herself **at a crossroads** in life.
idiom

as easy as ABC

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

shoot for the moon

Meaning
to aim for something very high or ambitious
Example
He decided to **shoot for the moon** and apply to Harvard.
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

come out of one's shell

Meaning
to become more outgoing or confident
Example
She used to be shy, but now she has finally **come out of her shell**.
idiom

Pour your heart out

Meaning
To express all your feelings honestly.
Example
She **poured her heart out** to her best friend.
idiom

Speak the truth and shame the devil

Meaning
Speak the truth even if it may cause trouble or discomfort.
Example
She always believes that **speak the truth and shame the devil** is the right way.
idiom

Ride it out

Meaning
Endure a difficult situation until it improves.
Example
We just need to **ride it out** until things get better.
idiom

drive someone up the wall

Meaning
to make someone very annoyed or angry
Example
Her constant complaints **drive me up the wall**.
idiom

grey matter

Meaning
intelligence; the ability to think
Example
Use your **grey matter** to solve the puzzle.
idiom

add color to

Meaning
to make something more interesting or lively
Example
The teacher’s stories **added color to** the history lesson.
idiom

plan B

Meaning
an alternative plan if the first one fails
Example
We should have a **plan B** in case things go wrong.
idiom

black box thinking

Meaning
analyzing unknown processes by studying their inputs and outputs
Example
In AI research, **black box thinking** helps improve transparency.
idiom

head back to

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
Let’s **head back to** the office after lunch.
idiom

a silver bullet

Meaning
a simple solution to a complex problem
Example
There is no **silver bullet** for solving climate change, but we need to take action.
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

hit the panic button

Meaning
to react too quickly or nervously to a problem
Example
Don’t **hit the panic button** just because the server is down.
idiom

blind justice

Meaning
justice that is impartial and not influenced by external factors
Example
**Blind justice** treats everyone the same, regardless of wealth or status.
idiom

show the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a job or task
Example
It took me a while to **show the ropes** to the new employee, but now they’re doing well.
idiom

reinvent the wheel

Meaning
to waste time creating something that already exists
Example
Don’t **reinvent the wheel**; use the existing design.
idiom

viral content

Meaning
Content that spreads rapidly across the internet, usually through social media.
Example
The video went **viral** after being shared on Facebook.
idiom

political mileage

Meaning
advantage gained from a political situation
Example
Opposition leaders tried to gain **political mileage** from the crisis.
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

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

the lights are on but nobody’s home

Meaning
someone appears active but is not thinking clearly
Example
When the AI glitched, it was like **the lights were on but nobody’s home**.
idiom

small potatoes

Meaning
something insignificant or of little value
Example
Compared to oil exports, textile trade is **small potatoes**.
idiom

comic relief

Meaning
a funny moment in a serious situation
Example
The movie’s sidekick provided much-needed **comic relief**.
idiom

take sides

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument
Example
It’s hard not to **take sides** when your friends are arguing.
idiom

offline mode

Meaning
a state of being disconnected from the internet or unavailable
Example
He’s been in **offline mode** all weekend, not answering any messages.
idiom

a vision for the future

Meaning
a clear idea or plan about what should happen in the future
Example
The CEO has **a vision for the future** of the company that will guide its growth.
idiom

Things will get better

Meaning
difficult situations will improve over time
Example
I know you're stressed, but remember, **things will get better**.
idiom

weigh in on

Meaning
to share an opinion about a topic
Example
The moderator asked experts to **weigh in on** the policy changes.
idiom

fail to deliver

Meaning
to not meet expectations or complete a task successfully
Example
The company promised improvements but failed to **deliver** on its promises.
idiom

shake off

Meaning
to get rid of something unpleasant
Example
She took a walk to **shake off** the stress.
idiom

off the beaten track

Meaning
in a place not visited by many people; remote or unusual
Example
We found a lovely beach **off the beaten track**.
idiom

stay ahead of the curve

Meaning
to stay more advanced or knowledgeable than others
Example
If you read daily, you can **stay ahead of the curve** in your studies.
idiom

dog days

Meaning
the hottest days of summer
Example
During the **dog days** of summer, everyone stays indoors.
idiom

wise up

Meaning
to become aware or informed about something
Example
It’s time to **wise up** and start saving money.
idiom

blue sky thinking

Meaning
creative and visionary thinking that ignores practical limitations
Example
Let's engage in some **blue sky thinking** to come up with innovative solutions.
idiom

change one's tune

Meaning
to change one's opinion or attitude
Example
After hearing the good news, he decided to **change his tune**.
idiom

hand in

Meaning
to submit something to someone in authority
Example
Please **hand in** your assignment by Friday morning.
idiom

Crossing the line

Meaning
To go beyond acceptable or proper boundaries.
Example
The diplomat was criticized for **crossing the line** in his comments about the host country.
idiom

give it a rest

Meaning
to stop talking or thinking about something stressful
Example
You’ve been worrying too much—**give it a rest**.
idiom

in the spotlight

Meaning
receiving public attention
Example
After the award, she’s been **in the spotlight** constantly.
idiom

on your shoulders

Meaning
used when someone has responsibility for something
Example
The success of this plan rests **on your shoulders**.
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

to make a blunder

Meaning
to make a very big or stupid mistake
Example
The company **made a blunder** by ignoring customer feedback.
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.
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

go out of one’s way

Meaning
to make a special effort to help someone
Example
She **went out of her way** to make sure we felt welcome.
idiom

roads less traveled

Meaning
choices or paths in life that are unusual or adventurous
Example
He prefers to take the **roads less traveled** and discover new cultures.
idiom

sound bite

Meaning
a short and catchy quote used in media coverage
Example
The politician’s **sound bite** went viral on social media.
idiom

burn a hole in one's pocket

Meaning
to spend money quickly or irresponsibly
Example
After receiving his bonus, he couldn't resist and **burned a hole in his pocket** by buying a new car.
idiom

get along like a house on fire

Meaning
To quickly become good friends and enjoy each other’s company.
Example
They met last week and **got along like a house on fire**.
idiom

carry on about

Meaning
to speak at length in an excited or annoyed way
Example
He kept **carrying on about** the missed deadline all morning.
idiom

get over someone

Meaning
to recover from the pain of a breakup or loss
Example
It took her months to **get over** him.
idiom

a heavy heart

Meaning
a feeling of deep sadness or sorrow
Example
She left her hometown with **a heavy heart**.