plans are up in the air
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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

Don’t give up hope

Meaning
Keep believing that things will get better.
Example
**Don’t give up hope**, miracles can happen any time.
idiom

to draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We need to **draw the line** between inspiration and plagiarism.
idiom

Light a fire under someone

Meaning
To motivate someone to take action or work harder.
Example
The coach’s speech really **lit a fire under** the players.
idiom

on the grapevine

Meaning
to hear gossip or rumor indirectly
Example
I heard **on the grapevine** that they’re getting divorced.
idiom

take stock of

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

pumped up

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

game plan

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

deep down

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

global reach

Meaning
the ability to extend services or products worldwide
Example
With its strong online presence, the company has a significant **global reach**.
idiom

the whole truth and nothing but the truth

Meaning
complete honesty without hiding or changing anything
Example
Please tell **the whole truth and nothing but the truth**.
idiom

get in touch

Meaning
to contact or communicate with someone
Example
I’ll **get in touch** with you tomorrow.
idiom

Tear down barriers

Meaning
To remove obstacles or prejudices between people.
Example
Education helps to **tear down barriers** between communities.
idiom

cross the aisle

Meaning
to cooperate with members of the opposing political party
Example
He often **crosses the aisle** to work on bipartisan issues.
idiom

stand up for something

Meaning
to support or defend something you believe in
Example
She always **stands up for what she believes in**, even when it's difficult.
idiom

fend off

Meaning
to defend against something or someone
Example
They installed lights to **fend off** raccoons in the yard.
idiom

show someone the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a task
Example
She took the time to **show me the ropes** on my first day at work.
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

off the hook

Meaning
to be free from blame or responsibility for something
Example
He was **off the hook** after his friend confessed.
idiom

out of left field

Meaning
something unexpected or surprising
Example
His question came **out of left field** and shocked everyone.
idiom

give someone a piece of one’s mind

Meaning
to tell someone angrily what you think
Example
She **gave him a piece of her mind** for being rude.
idiom

upgrade your mindset

Meaning
to adapt one’s thinking for modern changes or innovation
Example
In the age of AI, it’s vital to **upgrade your mindset**.
idiom

flag down

Meaning
to signal someone to stop, especially a vehicle
Example
We finally **flagged down** a taxi after ten minutes.
idiom

tighten the belt

Meaning
to reduce spending; to save money due to financial constraints
Example
In tough economic times, businesses must **tighten the belt** to survive.
idiom

button up

Meaning
to finish preparations or close something securely
Example
Let’s **button up** the proposal by Friday.
idiom

take one for the team

Meaning
to sacrifice for the benefit of others
Example
He **took one for the team** and stayed late to finish the report.
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

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

face up to

Meaning
to accept and confront a difficult situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to** the staffing gaps.
idiom

online presence

Meaning
the existence and activity of a person or business on the internet
Example
A strong **online presence** is essential for digital marketing.
idiom

make friends with

Meaning
To become friendly with someone.
Example
It’s easy to **make friends with** kind people.
idiom

make your blood run cold

Meaning
to cause extreme fear or horror
Example
The ghost story **made my blood run cold**.
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

learning on the fly

Meaning
to adapt and learn quickly without prior preparation
Example
AI systems are **learning on the fly** from user data.
idiom

nuts and bolts

Meaning
the basic practical details of something
Example
Let's focus on the **nuts and bolts** of this new project.
idiom

Risk it all

Meaning
To take a huge risk that could lead to loss.
Example
She decided to **risk it all** for her dream project.
idiom

take responsibility

Meaning
to be accountable for something you did or are in charge of.
Example
You need to **take responsibility** for your actions.
idiom

pillar of strength

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

spur of the moment

Meaning
an unplanned or spontaneous decision or action
Example
The idea came **on the spur of the moment** during lunch.
idiom

the ball is rolling

Meaning
a process has started and is making progress
Example
Now that **the ball is rolling**, we need to keep working.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
idiom

lose sleep over something

Meaning
to worry a lot about something
Example
Don’t **lose sleep over** minor issues.
idiom

hard act to follow

Meaning
someone or something so good that it’s difficult to replace
Example
The previous manager was a **hard act to follow**.
idiom

down to the wire

Meaning
until the very last moment; close to the deadline
Example
The game went **down to the wire**, but they won in the end.
idiom

beta test

Meaning
to test a product before official release
Example
We are going to **beta test** our app next week.
idiom

cover story

Meaning
the main story on the front of a magazine or newspaper
Example
Her interview became the **cover story** of the week.
idiom

tomorrow is another day

Meaning
you can start fresh again tomorrow
Example
Don’t worry about your mistakes, **tomorrow is another day**.
idiom

sworn enemy turned friend

Meaning
someone who was once your enemy but is now a friend
Example
After years of rivalry, they became **sworn enemies turned friends**.
idiom

wake up to

Meaning
to become aware of something important
Example
Communities are **waking up to** the impact of noise pollution.
idiom

Keep hope alive

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

Take it easy

Meaning
To relax and not worry too much.
Example
**Take it easy**, everything will be fine.
idiom

take a rain check

Meaning
to decline an offer but suggest doing it another time
Example
Can I **take a rain check** on dinner? I am busy tonight.
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

in good hands

Meaning
to be cared for or managed by someone trustworthy
Example
Don’t worry, your child is **in good hands**.
idiom

A nest egg

Meaning
A sum of money saved for the future or retirement.
Example
He built up a **nest egg** for his children's education.
idiom

deep learning

Meaning
A class of machine learning algorithms that uses multiple layers to progressively extract higher-level features from raw input.
Example
The AI system improved through **deep learning**, making it smarter over time.
idiom

a no-brainer

Meaning
something that is very easy to understand or decide
Example
The solution to the problem was **a no-brainer**.
idiom

catch someone red-handed

Meaning
to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The police **caught him red-handed** as he was stealing from the store.
idiom

spread kindness like wildfire

Meaning
to spread kindness rapidly and uncontrollably
Example
Her acts of kindness **spread like wildfire** in the community.
idiom

train of thought

Meaning
a connected series of thoughts
Example
I lost my **train of thought** during the presentation.
idiom

The Scarlet Letter

Meaning
A symbol of shame or social stigma.
Example
In that conservative town, being divorced was like wearing **a Scarlet Letter**.
idiom

Golden handshake

Meaning
A large payment given to someone when they leave a job, especially early retirement.
Example
The CEO received a **golden handshake** when he retired early.
idiom

believe you can

Meaning
to have the mindset that you are capable of doing something
Example
If you **believe you can**, you’re halfway there.
idiom

sit in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in a position of control or leadership
Example
After the promotion, she now **sits in the driver’s seat**.
idiom

stand on your own two feet

Meaning
to be independent and self-supporting
Example
He worked hard to **stand on his own two feet** after college.
idiom

full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or excitement
Example
The party was in **full swing** when we arrived.
idiom

fish for

Meaning
to try to get something such as information or praise
Example
He keeps **fishing for** compliments about his report.
idiom

Rise from the ashes

Meaning
To recover and become strong again after failure or destruction.
Example
The company **rose from the ashes** after going bankrupt.
idiom

bull market

Meaning
a period when prices of stocks are rising
Example
Investors are optimistic during a **bull market**.
idiom

digital detox

Meaning
a period when a person avoids using digital devices or social media
Example
I’m going on a **digital detox** this weekend.
idiom

burn bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or connections permanently
Example
Be careful not to **burn bridges** when leaving your job.
idiom

Cook up a story

Meaning
To invent a false story.
Example
He **cooked up a story** to explain why he was late.
idiom

a helping hand

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

go ballistic

Meaning
to become extremely angry or excited
Example
Dad **went ballistic** when he found out I dented his car.
idiom

bird’s eye view

Meaning
a view from a high position; an overview
Example
We got a **bird’s eye view** of the city from the tower.
idiom

social media influencer

Meaning
a person who has the power to influence others through social media platforms
Example
She became a **social media influencer** after her makeup tutorials went viral.
idiom

don't judge a book by its cover

Meaning
you shouldn't form an opinion on someone or something based purely on what you see on the outside
Example
She may look serious, but **don't judge a book by its cover**.
idiom

A nervous wreck

Meaning
Someone who is very worried or upset.
Example
He’s **a nervous wreck** before every exam.
idiom

after the rain comes the rainbow

Meaning
good times follow bad times
Example
Don’t lose faith; **after the rain comes the rainbow**.
idiom

hold the fort

Meaning
to be in charge while someone is away
Example
Can you **hold the fort** while I'm at the meeting?
idiom

thank your lucky stars

Meaning
to feel grateful for good fortune
Example
You should **thank your lucky stars** for having such good friends.
idiom

free up

Meaning
to make time, money, or space available
Example
Clearing old files will **free up** storage on the drive.
idiom

grow out of something

Meaning
to stop liking or doing something as you become older or more mature
Example
He eventually **grew out of** his bad habits.
idiom

beat someone to the punch

Meaning
to do something before someone else does
Example
He **beat me to the punch** by applying for the job first.
idiom

Fail fast

Meaning
To quickly identify and learn from failures.
Example
In startups, it’s better to **fail fast** and learn than to waste time.
idiom

wrap your head around

Meaning
to understand or comprehend something difficult
Example
It took me a while to **wrap my head around** the new software.
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

the nuts and bolts

Meaning
the basic practical details of something
Example
We discussed **the nuts and bolts** of the new software project.
idiom

make someone green

Meaning
to make someone jealous
Example
Her success **made her colleagues green**.
idiom

throw good money after bad

Meaning
to waste more money on something that has already failed
Example
Don’t **throw good money after bad** on that failing project.
idiom

zone out

Meaning
to stop paying attention and mentally drift away
Example
I completely **zoned out** during the long presentation.
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

sleep on it

Meaning
to delay making a decision until the next day
Example
This is an important decision, why don't you **sleep on it**?
idiom

own it

Meaning
to take pride in who you are or what you do
Example
Don’t be shy about your success—**own it**!
idiom

open Pandora’s box

Meaning
to start something that causes many unforeseen problems
Example
Creating sentient AI could **open Pandora’s box** of ethical challenges.
idiom

sing the same tune

Meaning
to have the same opinion as someone else
Example
Both managers **sing the same tune** about company policy.
idiom

ethical AI

Meaning
artificial intelligence that is developed and used in ways that are morally and ethically sound.
Example
The company prides itself on creating **ethical AI** systems that respect user privacy.
idiom

off the top of one's head

Meaning
to say something without thinking carefully or checking
Example
**Off the top of my head**, I think there are five options.
idiom

media circus

Meaning
an excessive or sensationalized media coverage
Example
The trial turned into a **media circus**.
idiom

burst with ideas

Meaning
to have many creative ideas at once
Example
After watching the film, he was **bursting with ideas** for his next project.
idiom

A blueprint for success

Meaning
A detailed plan or strategy for achieving success.
Example
Hard work and consistency are **a blueprint for success**.
idiom

get used to it

Meaning
to become familiar with something new
Example
It took a while, but I finally **got used to it**.
idiom

down on your luck

Meaning
experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s been **down on his luck** since losing his job.
idiom

keep the fire burning

Meaning
to stay motivated and passionate about something
Example
Even after failure, he managed to **keep the fire burning**.
idiom

fight your demons

Meaning
to deal with your fears or bad memories courageously
Example
He’s learning to **fight his demons** from the past.
idiom

double check

Meaning
to verify something again for accuracy
Example
Always **double check** the numbers before submitting.
idiom

keep an eye on someone

Meaning
to watch someone carefully because you don’t trust them completely
Example
I’ll **keep an eye on him** while you’re away.
idiom

a clean slate

Meaning
a fresh start; an opportunity to begin again without past mistakes
Example
He moved to a new city for **a clean slate**.
idiom

to make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a big impact
Example
Her new book **made a splash** in the literary world.
idiom

jumpy as a cat

Meaning
easily frightened or nervous
Example
He’s been **jumpy as a cat** since the robbery.
idiom

a shot in the arm

Meaning
something that gives encouragement or energy
Example
The new funding was **a real shot in the arm** for the project.
idiom

talk out

Meaning
to discuss something until a decision is reached
Example
Let’s **talk out** the disagreement today.
idiom

The greater good

Meaning
The idea that actions should be judged based on how much they contribute to the overall well-being of society, rather than individual interests.
Example
In times of crisis, leaders must always think about **the greater good** before making decisions.
idiom

in the public eye

Meaning
being well known or highly visible in public
Example
The journalist has been **in the public eye** for over a decade.
idiom

the buck stops here

Meaning
I am the one responsible; I will take responsibility.
Example
**The buck stops here**, and I will handle the mistake personally.
idiom

better luck next time

Meaning
used to encourage someone who has failed
Example
**Better luck next time**! You almost won.
idiom

bail on

Meaning
to abandon someone or something suddenly
Example
He wouldn’t **bail on** his friends at the last minute.
idiom

win the battle but lose the war

Meaning
to achieve a small success but fail in the larger goal
Example
By focusing on minor issues, they **won the battle but lost the war**.
idiom

a people person

Meaning
someone who enjoys being with and talking to other people
Example
Maria is **a people person**, she makes friends everywhere she goes.
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

set the tone

Meaning
to establish the mood or style for something
Example
The manager's speech **set the tone** for the meeting.