penny for your thoughts
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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

pushing the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits or boundaries; to innovate
Example
The new startup is really **pushing the envelope** with its groundbreaking technology.
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

political circus

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

pulling the strings

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

point the finger

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

Meaning
To believe in someone's honesty or ability
Example
I chose to **put my trust in her**, and she didn't disappoint me.
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

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

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

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

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

practice what you preach

Meaning
to act according to the advice you give to others
Example
If you want others to be kind, you need to **practice what you preach**.
idiom

pull at heartstrings

Meaning
to evoke strong emotions, usually sympathy or sadness, in an audience
Example
The charity’s commercial really **pulls at the heartstrings**.
idiom

pillar of strength

Meaning
a person who provides strong support or comfort
Example
She was a **pillar of strength** during difficult times.
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

pop the question

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

paint yourself into a corner

Meaning
to put yourself in a difficult situation with no easy way out
Example
By making so many promises, he **painted himself into a corner**.
idiom

pull someone's leg

Meaning
to tease or joke with someone in a playful way
Example
Don't worry, I was just **pulling your leg** about the test results.
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 one's cards on the table

Meaning
to be honest and open about one’s intentions
Example
The negotiator decided to **put his cards on the table** to speed up talks.
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

patch up

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

play politics

Meaning
to act in a manipulative or strategic way to gain advantage
Example
He was accused of trying to **play politics** instead of focusing on the nation’s welfare.
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

pick a fight

Meaning
to start an argument intentionally
Example
Don’t **pick a fight** with him; he’s already angry.
idiom

Pour your heart out

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

play it straight

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

pay a compliment

Meaning
to give praise or admiration to someone
Example
He always knows how to **pay a compliment** to make someone feel better.
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 words in someone’s mouth

Meaning
to say someone said something they did not
Example
Don’t **put words in my mouth**—I never said that!
idiom

pledge one's word

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

pair up with

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

put your nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and focus on something
Example
If you want to succeed, you have to **put your nose to the grindstone**.
idiom

phishing expedition

Meaning
an attempt to obtain sensitive information by deceit
Example
The suspicious email was part of a **phishing expedition**.
idiom

pan out

Meaning
to turn out well or produce a good result
Example
Luckily, our backup plan **panned out**.
idiom

put your faith in someone

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
She decided to **put her faith in him** and let him handle the project.
idiom

place your confidence in

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

Playing with house money

Meaning
Taking risks with money that was gained easily or unexpectedly.
Example
After their early profits, the traders were **playing with house money**.
idiom

put in long hours

Meaning
to work for many hours
Example
He’s been **putting in long hours** to finish the report.
idiom

Plow the field

Meaning
To prepare for future work or success.
Example
Before launching the product, we need to **plow the field** with proper research.
idiom

penny wise, pound foolish

Meaning
being careful with small amounts of money but careless with large amounts
Example
She refuses to buy a $10 book, but spends $100 on clothes; she's **penny wise, pound foolish**.
idiom

Pass down from generation to generation

Meaning
To transfer knowledge, customs, or traditions from one generation to the next
Example
These folk songs have been **passed down from generation to generation**.
idiom

pass along

Meaning
to share information or items with someone else
Example
Could you **pass along** the agenda to the interns?
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

picture perfect

Meaning
completely flawless or ideal
Example
Their wedding day was **picture perfect**.
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

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

pop the champagne

Meaning
to celebrate a special event or success
Example
Let’s **pop the champagne** to celebrate our victory!
idiom

play fair

Meaning
to act honestly and treat others equally
Example
We expect everyone to **play fair** during the competition.
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

pack up

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

piece of cake

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

Pilot project

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

peace talks

Meaning
negotiations aimed at ending a conflict
Example
The **peace talks** between the two countries lasted for weeks.
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 the wool over someone’s eyes

Meaning
to deceive or trick someone
Example
He tried to **pull the wool over my eyes**, but I knew the truth.
idiom

Put the pedal to the metal

Meaning
To push harder and make a greater effort.
Example
We need to **put the pedal to the metal** if we want to meet the deadline.
idiom

Practice makes perfect

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

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

pay off

Meaning
to yield good results after effort
Example
All those late nights finally **paid off** during the launch.
idiom

patch things up

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

paint the town red

Meaning
to go out and celebrate wildly
Example
After the exam, we decided to **paint the town red**.
idiom

pick oneself up

Meaning
to recover from a setback or failure
Example
Even though he failed, he managed to **pick himself up** and try again.
idiom

pick someone’s brain

Meaning
to ask someone knowledgeable for advice or ideas
Example
I’d like to **pick your brain** about this project idea.
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

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

plant the seed

Meaning
to introduce an idea subtly to influence someone later
Example
He **planted the seed** for the project during the discussion.
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

Put your heads together

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

place trust in

Meaning
to rely on someone or something
Example
I **place my trust in** you to handle this task.
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

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

Play it safe

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

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

Plead the fifth

Meaning
To refuse to answer a question, often in legal contexts, to avoid self-incrimination.
Example
When asked about the financial discrepancies, he chose to **plead the fifth**.
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

pay it forward

Meaning
to do something kind for someone else after receiving kindness
Example
After receiving help from a stranger, he decided to **pay it forward** by helping someone in need.
idiom

political mileage

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

put your faith in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone or something
Example
She decided to **put her faith in** her friends to help her.
idiom

push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate boldly
Example
Tech companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
idiom

plug and play

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

pass the buck

Meaning
to shift responsibility to someone else.
Example
Don’t **pass the buck**; you need to take ownership of your actions.
idiom

play both sides

Meaning
to support opposing parties to gain advantage
Example
Some lobbyists are known to **play both sides** of the issue.
idiom

Push yourself

Meaning
Try to do better or go beyond your limits.
Example
You won’t improve unless you **push yourself**.
idiom

plug into

Meaning
to connect or become involved in something, usually a system or network
Example
You need to **plug into** the right social media channels to reach a wider audience.
idiom

par for the course

Meaning
what is normal or expected in a given situation
Example
Delays are **par for the course** in big projects.
idiom

pull strings

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

pass sentence

Meaning
to announce a punishment in court
Example
The judge will **pass sentence** next week.
idiom

puppy love

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

play a role

Meaning
to have a part in something
Example
Everyone **played a role** in making the show successful.
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 one's trust in

Meaning
to place reliance or faith in someone or something
Example
He decided to **put his trust in** the new system.
idiom

put in a nutshell

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

plan ahead

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

pass with flying colors

Meaning
to succeed brilliantly or achieve something with excellence
Example
She **passed the exam with flying colors**.
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

parallel universe

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

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

pull it off

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

put down roots

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

pumped up

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

patch over

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

Play with fire

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

play hardball

Meaning
to be firm and tough in negotiation
Example
He decided to **play hardball** during the contract talks.