Pay the piper
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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

political football

Meaning
an issue that is constantly debated and used for political gain
Example
The issue of immigration has become a **political football**, with both parties using it to score points.
idiom

put on your thinking cap

Meaning
to start thinking seriously about solving a problem
Example
Let’s **put on our thinking caps** and find a solution.
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

pay through the nose

Meaning
to pay a very high price for something
Example
We **paid through the nose** for that concert ticket.
idiom

patch things up

Meaning
to repair a relationship after a disagreement
Example
They finally **patched things up** after their fight.
idiom

penny stock

Meaning
a very low-priced, high-risk stock
Example
He made a fortune trading **penny stocks**.
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

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

pair up

Meaning
to form groups of two
Example
Students should **pair up** before starting the lab activity.
idiom

pulling the strings

Meaning
to control something or someone secretly
Example
Everyone knows he’s **pulling the strings** behind the scenes.
idiom

peace talks

Meaning
negotiations aimed at ending a conflict
Example
The **peace talks** between the two countries lasted for weeks.
idiom

Pump money into

Meaning
To invest large amounts of money to boost growth.
Example
The government plans to **pump money into** infrastructure projects.
idiom

pioneer a new path

Meaning
to lead the way in a new venture or innovation
Example
He was the first to **pioneer a new path** in renewable energy solutions.
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

patch together

Meaning
to assemble something quickly and roughly
Example
We managed to **patch together** a plan before the call.
idiom

put your money where your mouth is

Meaning
to support your words with actions or financial commitment
Example
If you believe in the project, **put your money where your mouth is**.
idiom

pulling strings

Meaning
using influence to get something done
Example
He got the engineering contract by **pulling strings**.
idiom

peace and quiet

Meaning
a time of calmness and tranquility
Example
I just need some **peace and quiet** to finish my work.
idiom

plug and play

Meaning
easy to use without complex setup
Example
The new printer is **plug and play** – no installation needed.
idiom

pull strings

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

pull yourself together

Meaning
to regain control of your emotions or behavior
Example
Stop crying and **pull yourself together** – we need to find a solution.
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

paint a rosy picture

Meaning
to describe something in an overly optimistic way
Example
The guide **painted a rosy picture** of the museum's future.
idiom

pumped up

Meaning
full of energy and excitement
Example
He was **pumped up** before the big presentation.
idiom

pull your weight

Meaning
to do your fair share of work
Example
Everyone needs to **pull their weight** if we want to finish this project on time.
idiom

pass the torch

Meaning
to hand over a duty or responsibility to someone else
Example
After many years of teaching, the professor decided to **pass the torch** to a younger teacher.
idiom

Put your best foot forward

Meaning
to try as hard as you can
Example
She **put her best foot forward** in the interview.
idiom

phishing attempt

Meaning
an attempt to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity
Example
The email you received looks like a **phishing attempt**, so don't click any links.
idiom

piece of cake

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

put the pieces together

Meaning
to understand or solve something by combining information
Example
After examining the data, the engineer **put the pieces together**.
idiom

put your shoulder to the wheel

Meaning
to start working hard on something
Example
Everyone needs to **put their shoulder to the wheel** to finish the project.
idiom

play to the gallery

Meaning
to try to gain approval from the general public rather than experts
Example
The politician was clearly **playing to the gallery** with his speech.
idiom

party line

Meaning
the official policy or position of a political party
Example
Members were warned not to speak against the **party line**.
idiom

Pilot project

Meaning
A small-scale experiment to test a concept.
Example
We launched a **pilot project** before going nationwide.
idiom

put your foot in your mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate
Example
He really **put his foot in his mouth** when he mentioned her age.
idiom

pot luck

Meaning
whatever is available or happens by chance
Example
Let’s take **pot luck** and eat at that new café.
idiom

peel off

Meaning
to remove something, especially a layer, from a surface
Example
**Peel off** the label before recycling the jar.
idiom

Put our heads together

Meaning
To discuss and find a solution collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** and come up with a plan.
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

patch up

Meaning
to repair something or improve a damaged relationship
Example
They managed to **patch up** their friendship after the argument.
idiom

point the finger

Meaning
to accuse or blame someone
Example
Don’t **point the finger** until you have all the facts.
idiom

political circus

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

parallel universe

Meaning
a completely different or contrasting situation
Example
Life in the countryside feels like a **parallel universe** compared to the city.
idiom

Put your trust in God

Meaning
To rely on faith in God to guide or help you.
Example
In difficult times, she chooses to **put her trust in God**.
idiom

put heads together

Meaning
to work together to solve a problem
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** and find a solution.
idiom

pull someone up

Meaning
to reprimand or correct someone for a mistake or poor performance
Example
If a team member is underperforming, it's important to **pull them up** and help them improve.
idiom

pick yourself up

Meaning
to recover from a failure or setback
Example
She failed the first time, but she **picked herself up** and tried again.
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

phase back in

Meaning
to reintroduce something gradually
Example
We’ll **phase back in** office days next quarter.
idiom

Practice makes perfect

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

pull the plug

Meaning
to stop something; to end support for a project or activity
Example
The company decided to **pull the plug** on the outdated app.
idiom

put the plan into action

Meaning
to start implementing a plan or idea
Example
After weeks of preparation, it's time to **put the plan into action**.
idiom

pair up with

Meaning
to join someone to work or participate together
Example
Please **pair up with** a partner for the lab experiment.
idiom

play a role

Meaning
to have a part in something
Example
Everyone **played a role** in making the show successful.
idiom

phishing

Meaning
A method of trying to gather personal information using deceptive emails, websites, or other communications.
Example
He received an email that looked legitimate, but it was actually a **phishing** attempt.
idiom

penny pincher

Meaning
someone who is very careful about spending money
Example
My uncle is such a **penny pincher** that he reuses tea bags.
idiom

parcel out

Meaning
to divide and distribute something
Example
Let’s **parcel out** the tasks for the festival.
idiom

pledge one's word

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

paint a picture

Meaning
to describe something vividly or clearly
Example
The journalist tried to **paint a picture** of life in the refugee camp.
idiom

put down roots

Meaning
to settle and become established somewhere
Example
After moving to Canada, they finally **put down roots** there.
idiom

Plain sailing

Meaning
Something that is easy and without difficulty.
Example
Once we solved the main issue, the rest was **plain sailing**.
idiom

Put your heads together

Meaning
To discuss and solve a problem collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** to find a solution.
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

Put your thinking cap on

Meaning
To start thinking carefully about something
Example
It’s time to **put your thinking cap on** for the quiz.
idiom

pack up

Meaning
to gather belongings and prepare to leave
Example
We should **pack up** and head home before the storm starts.
idiom

Pyrrhic victory

Meaning
A victory won at too great a cost to be worthwhile.
Example
Winning the lawsuit was a **Pyrrhic victory** since it drained all their finances.
idiom

plant the seeds

Meaning
to begin a process that will develop in the future
Example
The training program **planted the seeds** for long-term success.
idiom

pick up the pace

Meaning
to increase speed
Example
We need to **pick up the pace** if we want to finish the project on time.
idiom

put someone in their place

Meaning
to show someone that they are not as important as they think
Example
She **put him in his place** when he tried to act superior.
idiom

peace of mind

Meaning
a feeling of being calm and free from worry
Example
Insurance gives you **peace of mind** in uncertain times.
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

pat yourself on the back

Meaning
to praise yourself for doing something well
Example
You should **pat yourself on the back** for finishing that project.
idiom

push your luck

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

poetic justice

Meaning
a situation in which virtue is rewarded and vice is punished, often ironically
Example
It was **poetic justice** when the dishonest lawyer lost his case due to his own lies.
idiom

play on someone's emotions

Meaning
to influence someone by appealing to their feelings
Example
The ad tries to **play on people's emotions** to sell products.
idiom

push the right buttons

Meaning
to do exactly what is needed to get a desired result
Example
She knows how to **push the right buttons** to impress her boss.
idiom

put in a nutshell

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

play through the pain

Meaning
to keep working or performing despite pain or hardship
Example
Athletes often **play through the pain** to win.
idiom

play devil's advocate

Meaning
to argue against an idea to test how strong it is
Example
I don't necessarily disagree, but let me **play devil's advocate** for a moment.
idiom

put the brakes on

Meaning
to slow down or stop an activity
Example
The company had to **put the brakes on** its expansion plans.
idiom

put all your cards on the table

Meaning
to be honest and reveal all the facts in a discussion
Example
It’s time to **put all your cards on the table** and be transparent.
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

play God

Meaning
to make decisions that have extreme control over life or morality
Example
Some people fear AI researchers are trying to **play God**.
idiom

play the field

Meaning
to date or have romantic relationships with many people without commitment
Example
He’s still **playing the field** and not looking for a serious relationship.
idiom

Play your cards right

Meaning
To make the right moves to achieve success.
Example
If you **play your cards right**, you might get the promotion.
idiom

put one's foot down

Meaning
to make a firm decision or take a strong stand on something
Example
She had to **put her foot down** and say no to the proposal.
idiom

Play it safe

Meaning
to avoid taking risks
Example
He always **plays it safe** and never tries new things.
idiom

penny for your thoughts

Meaning
a way of asking what someone is thinking.
Example
You've been quiet for a while. A **penny for your thoughts**?
idiom

puppy love

Meaning
a young or innocent kind of love
Example
Their relationship in school was just **puppy love**.
idiom

play by ear

Meaning
to improvise or decide as you go rather than following a fixed plan
Example
We don't have a fixed schedule, so let's just **play it by ear**.
idiom

pull rank

Meaning
to use one's authority to gain an advantage
Example
He **pulled rank** to get the last seat on the plane.
idiom

play your part

Meaning
to do your share of the work or responsibility
Example
Everyone needs to **play their part** to make the event successful.
idiom

put it in a nutshell

Meaning
to explain something in a very clear and concise way
Example
To **put it in a nutshell**, the project was a success.
idiom

phishing attack

Meaning
a fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity
Example
Never click on suspicious links to avoid a **phishing attack**.
idiom

play one's cards right

Meaning
to make the right decisions in order to achieve a good result
Example
If you **play your cards right**, you could get the promotion you want.
idiom

push someone's buttons

Meaning
to deliberately annoy or upset someone
Example
He knows how to **push her buttons** when they argue.
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

post something

Meaning
to share content on a social media platform
Example
She **posted** a beautiful picture on Instagram.
idiom

personally speaking

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

pay the price

Meaning
to suffer the consequences of one’s actions
Example
If you don’t follow the rules, you’ll have to **pay the price**.
idiom

pull oneself up by the bootstraps

Meaning
to improve one's situation through hard work and determination
Example
Despite all the challenges, he **pulled himself up by the bootstraps** and succeeded.
idiom

patch over

Meaning
to cover up a problem without truly fixing it
Example
We can’t just **patch over** the security flaws.
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

put one on the map

Meaning
to make someone or something famous or well-known
Example
His groundbreaking research **put him on the map** in the scientific community.
idiom

play a pivotal role

Meaning
to play an important part in something
Example
She played a **pivotal role** in the success of the team.
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

playing the long game

Meaning
making decisions or taking actions with long-term objectives in mind
Example
The president is **playing the long game** by focusing on long-term foreign policy.
idiom

plan ahead

Meaning
to prepare for the future
Example
You should **plan ahead** to avoid problems later.
idiom

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet

Meaning
Although waiting is hard, it results in good outcomes.
Example
It might be tough, but **patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet**.
idiom

Put one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
To focus on hard work and continuous effort.
Example
She really had to **put her nose to the grindstone** to get the promotion.
idiom

Put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to risk everything on a single opportunity
Example
Don’t **put all your eggs in one basket**; invest in different sectors.
idiom

painting the town red

Meaning
to go out and enjoy oneself in a lively and extravagant way
Example
After the big win, we went out and started **painting the town red**.
idiom

pitch in

Meaning
to join others in doing a task or helping
Example
Everyone **pitched in** to clean the park.
idiom

power play

Meaning
a strategic move to gain or maintain control
Example
The alliance between the two countries is seen as a **power play**.
idiom

pep up

Meaning
to make someone or something more lively or energetic
Example
A quick walk outside always **peps me up** in the afternoon.
idiom

play the political card

Meaning
to use a political issue to one’s advantage
Example
The minister tried to **play the political card** to gain public sympathy.
idiom

press ahead

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

play it straight

Meaning
to be honest and direct
Example
Just **play it straight** and tell them what happened.
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

peace treaty

Meaning
an agreement between two or more parties to stop a war or conflict
Example
The two countries signed a **peace treaty** after years of conflict.