pave the way
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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idiom

pave the way

Meaning
to make progress easier for others to follow
Example
Her research **paved the way** for future discoveries.
idiom

through thick and thin

Meaning
in good times and bad times
Example
She stood by me **through thick and thin**.
idiom

the big picture

Meaning
the overall view or perspective of a situation
Example
It’s important to look at **the big picture** before making decisions.
idiom

throw your weight behind

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

run the show

Meaning
to be in charge of an activity or organization
Example
Ever since the director left, Emma has been **running the show**.
idiom

walk a tightrope

Meaning
to be in a difficult situation requiring careful balance
Example
The manager **walked a tightrope** between the demands of staff and management.
idiom

play one's cards close to one's chest

Meaning
to keep one's plans or ideas secret
Example
He always **plays his cards close to his chest** in business.
idiom

shift gears

Meaning
to change one’s approach or activity
Example
We need to **shift gears** if we want to meet the deadline.
idiom

pull out all the stops

Meaning
to make every possible effort to achieve something
Example
The team **pulled out all the stops** to win the championship.
idiom

lay your cards on the table

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

put to the test

Meaning
to see how good someone or something is
Example
Her knowledge was **put to the test** during the interview.
idiom

when pigs fly

Meaning
something that will never happen
Example
He'll clean his room **when pigs fly**.
idiom

take stock of

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

go under

Meaning
to lose consciousness, usually during surgery
Example
He was nervous before going **under** for his operation.
idiom

the next big thing

Meaning
something that will become extremely popular or successful soon
Example
Everyone thinks blockchain is **the next big thing**.
idiom

throw caution to the wind

Meaning
to do something risky without worrying
Example
I decided to **throw caution to the wind** and try it.
idiom

on your plate

Meaning
something that is your responsibility or job to handle
Example
I have too much **on my plate** right now with all the projects.
idiom

Patience pays off

Meaning
Being patient will eventually lead to positive results.
Example
I know you’ve been waiting for a long time, but trust me, **patience pays off**.
idiom

go through the motions

Meaning
to do something without enthusiasm
Example
He’s just **going through the motions** at work.
idiom

deep down

Meaning
in one’s innermost feelings
Example
**Deep down**, she knew she was wrong.
idiom

place your confidence in

Meaning
to trust or rely on someone or something
Example
He **placed his confidence in** the team.
idiom

carry the load

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult
Example
She had to **carry the load** after her manager resigned.
idiom

dial into

Meaning
to connect to a call or meeting
Example
We’ll **dial into** the client briefing at noon.
idiom

carve out a niche

Meaning
to establish a unique place or role for oneself
Example
She **carved out a niche** as a specialist in art restoration.
idiom

team up with

Meaning
to collaborate with someone for a common goal
Example
The nonprofits **teamed up with** local schools for the project.
idiom

turn the tide

Meaning
to cause a significant change in a situation or trend
Example
The new strategy helped us **turn the tide** in our favor.
idiom

make a comeback

Meaning
to return to success after a period of failure
Example
After a year of struggle, the team managed to **make a comeback** and won the championship.
idiom

burning ambition

Meaning
a very strong desire to achieve something
Example
He had a **burning ambition** to become a successful entrepreneur.
idiom

ease up

Meaning
to become less intense or to relax
Example
The rain should **ease up** by the evening commute.
idiom

the story breaks

Meaning
when news becomes public or is first reported
Example
When **the story broke**, everyone was shocked.
idiom

dig into

Meaning
to explore or investigate something in detail
Example
We’ll **dig into** the customer feedback this afternoon.
idiom

cut and paste

Meaning
to copy something with little change
Example
You can't just **cut and paste** ideas from others.
idiom

keep it under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
We’re trying to **keep it under wraps** until the official announcement.
idiom

light bulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or new idea
Example
She had a **light bulb moment** while brainstorming for the campaign.
idiom

Break bread with someone

Meaning
To share a meal; to bond over food
Example
They decided to **break bread** to celebrate their new partnership.
idiom

mums the word

Meaning
keep silent about a secret
Example
**Mum’s the word** about the new project.
idiom

It never rains but it pours

Meaning
When bad things happen, they happen all at once.
Example
First I lost my phone, then my wallet — **it never rains but it pours**.
idiom

Bootstrap the business

Meaning
To build a company using only personal finances.
Example
They decided to **bootstrap the business** instead of seeking investors.
idiom

chase rainbows

Meaning
to try to achieve something impossible
Example
Stop **chasing rainbows** and focus on reality.
idiom

blind date

Meaning
a romantic meeting between two people who have never met before
Example
She met her boyfriend on a **blind date**.
idiom

make waves

Meaning
to cause trouble or create a significant impact
Example
The new policy **made waves** throughout the organization.
idiom

follow your heart

Meaning
to make a decision based on your feelings
Example
When choosing a career, it’s best to **follow your heart**.
idiom

make peace

Meaning
to end a disagreement and become friendly again
Example
The two families finally **made peace** after many years.
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

market forces

Meaning
the economic factors affecting the supply and demand of goods and services in a market
Example
The price increase is driven by **market forces**, as demand for the product rises.
idiom

rule of law

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

on trial

Meaning
being tested or judged
Example
The company is **on trial** for violating privacy laws.
idiom

firewall

Meaning
A security system designed to protect a network from unauthorized access.
Example
The company installed a **firewall** to protect sensitive data from cyber attacks.
idiom

life in the fast lane

Meaning
a lifestyle full of excitement, activity, and sometimes risk
Example
He enjoys **life in the fast lane** with parties and travel.
idiom

turn the tables

Meaning
to reverse a situation and gain the upper hand
Example
They were losing, but managed to **turn the tables** in the final round.
idiom

hit the roof

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

sustainable development

Meaning
development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Example
The company is committed to **sustainable development** by investing in green technologies.
idiom

refresh one's memory

Meaning
to help someone remember something
Example
Let me **refresh your memory** about what happened last week.
idiom

to be in good shape

Meaning
to be physically fit and healthy
Example
She exercises daily to stay **in good shape**.
idiom

sandboxing

Meaning
A security mechanism used to run applications in an isolated environment to prevent potential damage to the system.
Example
By using **sandboxing**, the malware was contained and couldn't affect the rest of the system.
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

burst of inspiration

Meaning
a sudden feeling of creativity or motivation
Example
He wrote the poem in a **burst of inspiration**.
idiom

a happy camper

Meaning
a person who is content and satisfied with life
Example
After getting the job, he’s been **a happy camper**.
idiom

black and white

Meaning
clearly defined; without confusion or ambiguity
Example
The contract terms are **black and white**.
idiom

get to the bottom of

Meaning
to find the real cause of a problem
Example
The manager promised to **get to the bottom of** the issue.
idiom

cover all the angles

Meaning
to examine a story or issue from every perspective
Example
The journalist tried to **cover all the angles** before publishing the article.
idiom

pledge one's word

Meaning
to make a serious or formal promise
Example
He **pledged his word** to support the cause.
idiom

Keep going

Meaning
Continue with determination despite difficulties.
Example
You're doing great—just **keep going**!
idiom

the big bang

Meaning
a sudden and powerful beginning; often used metaphorically
Example
The startup launched with **a big bang** in the tech world.
idiom

stay calm

Meaning
to remain composed and not panic
Example
No need to worry, just **stay calm** and think it through.
idiom

beyond the scope

Meaning
outside the planned or expected area of focus
Example
The new feature was beyond the scope of the original project but added great value.
idiom

drift apart

Meaning
to slowly become less close or connected over time
Example
After college, they gradually **drifted apart**.
idiom

Go against the grain

Meaning
to do something that is contrary to the usual way of doing things
Example
Their new approach really **goes against the grain** of traditional research methods.
idiom

be thick as thieves

Meaning
to be very close friends
Example
Those two have been **thick as thieves** since childhood.
idiom

put the finishing touches

Meaning
to complete something perfectly by adding the final details
Example
She’s **putting the finishing touches** on her painting.
idiom

go the extra mile

Meaning
to make a special effort to achieve something
Example
She always **goes the extra mile** to help her team succeed.
idiom

brick by brick

Meaning
to achieve something gradually and steadily
Example
He built his business **brick by brick**.
idiom

plans are up in the air

Meaning
plans are uncertain or not decided yet
Example
Our travel plans are still **up in the air**.
idiom

forty winks

Meaning
a short nap or brief sleep
Example
He likes to take **forty winks** after work.
idiom

keep body and soul together

Meaning
to manage to stay alive or survive
Example
He worked day and night just to **keep body and soul together**.
idiom

scare the living daylights out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very much
Example
The horror movie **scared the living daylights out of** me.
idiom

Don’t lose heart

Meaning
Don’t become discouraged.
Example
Even if you fail once, **don’t lose heart**.
idiom

turn the page

Meaning
to move on to something new after finishing or overcoming something
Example
After the breakup, she decided to **turn the page** and start fresh.
idiom

race against time

Meaning
to rush to complete something before a deadline
Example
We’re in a **race against time** to meet the client’s demand.
idiom

mud-slinging

Meaning
the act of criticizing someone, especially in politics, to harm their reputation
Example
The debate turned into **mud-slinging** very quickly.
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

time's up

Meaning
the time for something or someone has ended
Example
You have to finish the test now. **Time's up**!
idiom

a helping hand

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

a law unto oneself

Meaning
someone who acts independently and ignores rules
Example
He’s **a law unto himself**, never following company policies.
idiom

mix together

Meaning
to combine different things into one
Example
**Mix together** the spices before adding them to the stew.
idiom

a pipe dream

Meaning
an unrealistic or impossible dream
Example
Owning a private island is just **a pipe dream** for most people.
idiom

hash out

Meaning
to work through the details of something by discussion
Example
They stayed late to **hash out** the final budget cuts.
idiom

Take your chances

Meaning
To try something despite uncertainty.
Example
He decided to **take his chances** and apply for the international scholarship.
idiom

make an example of someone

Meaning
to punish someone to warn others
Example
The boss **made an example of** the dishonest employee.
idiom

personally speaking

Meaning
expressing one’s own personal view
Example
**Personally speaking**, I prefer quiet places.
idiom

make a fuss

Meaning
to complain or get angry about something small or unimportant
Example
She always **makes a fuss** about her food being cold.
idiom

step up

Meaning
to take responsibility or action when needed
Example
When the manager was away, she **stepped up** to lead the team.
idiom

count your blessings

Meaning
be grateful for the good things in your life
Example
Instead of complaining, **count your blessings**.
idiom

slip through the cracks

Meaning
to be overlooked or missed in a system or process
Example
Unfortunately, your application **slipped through the cracks** and wasn't reviewed.
idiom

cloak and dagger

Meaning
involving secrecy, mystery, and deception
Example
The meeting was surrounded by **cloak and dagger** secrecy.
idiom

straight from the horse’s mouth

Meaning
from the most reliable source; directly from the person involved
Example
I heard the news **straight from the horse’s mouth**.
idiom

things are looking up

Meaning
the situation is improving
Example
After a tough year, **things are looking up** for our business.
idiom

itchy feet

Meaning
a strong desire to travel or move around
Example
After a few months at home, I started to get **itchy feet** again.
idiom

a bolt from the blue

Meaning
a sudden and unexpected event or news
Example
His resignation came **like a bolt from the blue**.
idiom

kill two birds with one stone

Meaning
to succeed in achieving two things in a single action
Example
I can **kill two birds with one stone** by listening to a podcast while I exercise.
idiom

go on a spending spree

Meaning
to spend a lot of money in a short period of time
Example
She **went on a spending spree** after getting her bonus.
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

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

A Catch-22

Meaning
A dilemma or difficult situation from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting conditions.
Example
It’s a **Catch-22**—you can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job.
idiom

filter through

Meaning
to spread gradually among people
Example
News of the promotion quickly **filtered through** the office.
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

make headway

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
We are finally **making headway** with our new project.
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

dig out

Meaning
to retrieve something that has been stored or buried
Example
Could you **dig out** last year’s budget notes?
idiom

lose your mind

Meaning
to become mentally unstable or extremely upset
Example
He nearly **lost his mind** after the breakup.
idiom

speaking for myself

Meaning
stating one’s personal opinion only, not others’
Example
**Speaking for myself**, I think we should wait.
idiom

keep your mind on

Meaning
to stay focused on a task or goal
Example
If you **keep your mind on** your studies, you’ll do well.
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

Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today

Meaning
Do not procrastinate; take advantage of the present moment.
Example
Finish your work now, **don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today**.
idiom

opt out of

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

move the goalposts

Meaning
to change the rules or conditions to make success harder
Example
They **moved the goalposts** after we had agreed on the terms.
idiom

bat around

Meaning
to discuss ideas casually
Example
We spent the afternoon **batting around** marketing themes.
idiom

ink in

Meaning
to schedule or confirm something in writing
Example
I’ll **ink in** the interview for Tuesday morning.
idiom

bite your tongue

Meaning
to stop yourself from saying something you want to say
Example
I had to **bite my tongue** when my boss took credit for my work.
idiom

at odds with

Meaning
to disagree or be in conflict with someone or something
Example
His views are **at odds with** the company policy.
idiom

make friends

Meaning
to form new friendships
Example
It’s easy to **make friends** when you’re kind to others.