play on someone's emotions
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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

to put two and two together

Meaning
to figure something out from the facts
Example
She didn’t tell me directly, but I **put two and two together**.
idiom

get ahead in life

Meaning
to succeed or progress in one's life or career
Example
He worked hard to **get ahead in life** and build a successful career.
idiom

mentor from the sidelines

Meaning
to guide someone without directly getting involved in their work
Example
Sometimes, the best leaders **mentor from the sidelines** and let others take charge.
idiom

beyond a reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical reason to doubt; with full certainty
Example
The evidence proved his guilt **beyond a reasonable doubt**.
idiom

moral compass

Meaning
a person’s ability to judge what is right and wrong
Example
Developers must keep their **moral compass** while designing AI tools.
idiom

gloss over

Meaning
to avoid mentioning unpleasant details
Example
The report tries to **gloss over** the budget cuts.
idiom

sweet tooth

Meaning
a love for sweet foods
Example
She has a **sweet tooth** and can’t resist desserts.
idiom

gear up

Meaning
to prepare energetically for something
Example
The team is **gearing up** for the product launch next week.
idiom

give it a shot

Meaning
to try something, even if you are not sure of success
Example
You should **give it a shot**; you might surprise yourself.
idiom

snap out of it

Meaning
to stop being upset and start feeling better
Example
You need to **snap out of it** and start thinking positively.
idiom

kind words cost nothing

Meaning
being kind doesn’t take effort or money
Example
Remember, **kind words cost nothing**.
idiom

never say never

Meaning
to encourage someone to stay hopeful and not give up
Example
**Never say never**—you might succeed next time.
idiom

to err is human

Meaning
everyone makes mistakes; it’s natural to be imperfect
Example
**To err is human**, but to learn from errors is wisdom.
idiom

digital twin

Meaning
a virtual representation of a physical object or system used for simulation and analysis
Example
Using **digital twin** technology, we can simulate the performance of machinery before production.
idiom

blaze a trail

Meaning
to be the first to do something innovative
Example
She **blazed a trail** in renewable energy research.
idiom

walk on eggshells

Meaning
to be very careful about what you say or do to avoid upsetting someone
Example
Ever since the argument, I've been **walking on eggshells** around him.
idiom

self-assured

Meaning
confident and sure of oneself
Example
She walked into the room looking calm and **self-assured**.
idiom

tear down

Meaning
to demolish or dismantle something
Example
They plan to **tear down** the old shed this weekend.
idiom

thick as thieves

Meaning
very close friends who share everything
Example
Those two are **thick as thieves**.
idiom

Zoom in on

Meaning
To focus closely on something
Example
Let’s **zoom in on** the key issues first.
idiom

throw one's hat in the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s intention to compete for a position or office
Example
Several candidates have **thrown their hats in the ring** for the presidency.
idiom

get to the bottom of things

Meaning
to find out the real cause or truth behind something
Example
The detective worked hard to **get to the bottom of things**.
idiom

In a new light

Meaning
To see something from a different perspective
Example
After the discussion, I saw the issue **in a new light**.
idiom

fall on one's sword

Meaning
to take responsibility for a failure, often at great personal cost
Example
He decided to **fall on his sword** and resign after the scandal.
idiom

cliffhanger

Meaning
an ending that leaves the audience in suspense
Example
The episode ended on a **cliffhanger**, so we can’t wait for the next one.
idiom

get in touch

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

vote down

Meaning
to reject something by voting against it
Example
The board may **vote down** the new proposal.
idiom

A peaceful mind is a happy mind

Meaning
Mental calmness leads to happiness and contentment.
Example
She believes that **a peaceful mind is a happy mind**.
idiom

balance of trade

Meaning
the difference between a country's exports and imports
Example
A negative **balance of trade** can weaken a nation's currency.
idiom

my bad

Meaning
a casual way to admit a small mistake
Example
Oh, I forgot to bring your book — **my bad**!
idiom

make someone's day

Meaning
to make someone very happy
Example
Your message really **made my day**!
idiom

branch out

Meaning
to expand into new activities or areas
Example
The bakery plans to **branch out** into catering services next year.
idiom

get your act together

Meaning
start working efficiently or properly
Example
You need to **get your act together** if you want to meet the deadline.
idiom

the powers that be

Meaning
people or organizations who hold authority or control
Example
The decision depends on **the powers that be**.
idiom

to screw up

Meaning
to make a serious mistake or spoil something
Example
I really **screwed up** the presentation.
idiom

be all smiles

Meaning
to look very happy and cheerful
Example
She was **all smiles** after hearing the good news.
idiom

I owe you one

Meaning
used to express that you are thankful and plan to return the favor
Example
Thanks for helping me move, **I owe you one**!
idiom

to kick the bucket

Meaning
to die (humorous or informal)
Example
He used to joke that he’d travel the world before he **kicked the bucket**.
idiom

Batten down the hatches

Meaning
To prepare for a difficult or dangerous situation.
Example
We’d better **batten down the hatches**; a storm is coming.
idiom

bend the rules

Meaning
to make exceptions; to modify rules slightly
Example
The teacher **bent the rules** to help the new student.
idiom

take the stand

Meaning
to testify in court
Example
The witness will **take the stand** tomorrow morning.
idiom

data encryption

Meaning
the process of converting data into a code to prevent unauthorized access
Example
Ensure all sensitive information is protected through **data encryption**.
idiom

win someone over

Meaning
to persuade someone to support you or agree with you
Example
The candidate’s speech **won the crowd over**.
idiom

lazy bones

Meaning
a lazy person
Example
Come on, **lazy bones**, get out of bed!
idiom

keep your fingers crossed

Meaning
to hope for good luck
Example
I am **keeping my fingers crossed** for the exam results.
idiom

Burning question

Meaning
An important or urgent question that people are eager to know.
Example
The **burning question** is whether the plan will actually work.
idiom

Best foot forward

Meaning
To try to make the best possible impression
Example
She always puts her **best foot forward** on important occasions.
idiom

machine mind

Meaning
a way of thinking that relies heavily on logic and computation
Example
You need a **machine mind** to understand how neural networks operate.
idiom

butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth

Meaning
someone who looks innocent but might not be
Example
She looks so sweet—**butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth**.
idiom

bear with

Meaning
to be patient with someone or something
Example
Please **bear with** us while we resolve the issue.
idiom

in all honesty

Meaning
To be completely truthful or sincere.
Example
**In all honesty**, I think he deserves the job.
idiom

driving innovation

Meaning
leading or inspiring new and creative ideas.
Example
The startup is **driving innovation** in renewable energy solutions.
idiom

have a smile on your face

Meaning
to appear happy and cheerful
Example
She always has a smile on her face, no matter the situation.
idiom

serenity now

Meaning
a phrase used to invoke calmness, usually in a stressful situation
Example
Whenever I feel stressed, I remind myself to say **serenity now**.
idiom

add insult to injury

Meaning
to make a bad situation even worse
Example
First, they lost the game, and then, to **add insult to injury**, their bus broke down.
idiom

Family is everything

Meaning
The family holds the most important place in one's life and provides support and love.
Example
After all that happened, **family is everything**, and they helped him get through the tough time.
idiom

Don't cry over spilled milk

Meaning
Don’t waste time worrying about things that have already happened.
Example
**Don't cry over spilled milk**; learn from your mistake.
idiom

circle around

Meaning
to move repeatedly around something
Example
The hawk kept **circling around** above the trees.
idiom

carve out

Meaning
to create or obtain something with effort
Example
She managed to **carve out** time for daily reading.
idiom

in the black

Meaning
making a profit; financially stable
Example
Our company is finally **in the black** after two years.
idiom

black and blue

Meaning
bruised; having marks from injury
Example
He was **black and blue** after falling off his bike.
idiom

on all fours

Meaning
crawling on hands and knees
Example
The baby moved **on all fours** across the floor.
idiom

a ticking time bomb

Meaning
A situation or person that could become dangerous at any moment.
Example
His anger issues make him **a ticking time bomb**.
idiom

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning
To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example
If you think I'm guilty, you're **barking up the wrong tree**.
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

as fit as a fiddle

Meaning
in very good health
Example
My grandfather is 80 but still **as fit as a fiddle**.
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

ground control

Meaning
authority or people managing a situation
Example
In this project, Sarah is **ground control**.
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

sort out

Meaning
to organize or resolve a confusing situation
Example
We need to **sort out** this billing error today.
idiom

worth one's salt

Meaning
to be competent or deserving respect in one’s field
Example
Any engineer **worth his salt** can solve this problem.
idiom

heart of gold

Meaning
a very kind and generous person
Example
My grandmother has a **heart of gold**.
idiom

as thick as thieves

Meaning
To be very close friends who share secrets.
Example
Lisa and Nora are **as thick as thieves** since childhood.
idiom

go off on a tangent

Meaning
to suddenly start talking about something unrelated
Example
He tends to **go off on a tangent** when discussing politics.
idiom

window shopping

Meaning
looking at things in shops without buying them
Example
We went **window shopping** at the mall yesterday.
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

loose lips sink ships

Meaning
talking too much can cause trouble
Example
Remember, **loose lips sink ships**—don’t share sensitive information.
idiom

chicken out

Meaning
to decide not to do something because of fear
Example
He was going to ask her out but **chickened out** at the last minute.
idiom

empty nest

Meaning
a home where the children have grown up and left
Example
After her kids moved out, she felt the **empty nest** syndrome.
idiom

sweat blood

Meaning
to make an enormous effort
Example
He **sweat blood** to get that promotion.
idiom

Take my word for it

Meaning
Trust what I am saying; believe me.
Example
**Take my word for it**, this method really works.
idiom

Keep someone posted

Meaning
To keep someone informed about something.
Example
Please **keep me posted** about any updates.
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

A true friend is one who stands by you

Meaning
A true friend will be there for you during difficult times
Example
Even in the worst of times, she proved to be a true friend. **A true friend is one who stands by you**.
idiom

refresh one's memory

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

zero-day vulnerability

Meaning
A security flaw in software that is exploited by hackers before the vendor has a chance to fix it
Example
The **zero-day vulnerability** was exploited by hackers to steal sensitive data.
idiom

patch up

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

take the initiative

Meaning
to act first and show leadership
Example
Effective leaders often **take the initiative** to improve things.
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

break the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation in which progress is not possible
Example
They finally managed to **break the deadlock** through discussion.
idiom

chill out

Meaning
to relax and stop being angry or nervous
Example
You need to **chill out** and enjoy the weekend.
idiom

open channels of communication

Meaning
to establish dialogue or discussion
Example
They tried to **open channels of communication** with the neighboring country.
idiom

a storybook ending

Meaning
a perfect or happy ending, like in a fairy tale
Example
Their wedding was a true **storybook ending**.
idiom

cold shoulder

Meaning
to ignore someone deliberately
Example
After the argument, she gave him the **cold shoulder** for days.
idiom

in the wrong hands

Meaning
controlled or used by people who could cause harm
Example
AI technology **in the wrong hands** could be disastrous.
idiom

A clear conscience is a soft pillow

Meaning
When you live honestly, you sleep peacefully without guilt.
Example
After telling the truth, he had a peaceful night’s sleep because **a clear conscience is a soft pillow**.
idiom

state of the art

Meaning
the most modern and advanced
Example
They built a **state-of-the-art** research facility.
idiom

digital brainchild

Meaning
a product or idea created using digital or AI technology
Example
ChatGPT is the **digital brainchild** of OpenAI.
idiom

drop your jaw

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or shocked
Example
Everyone’s jaws **dropped** when they saw the price.
idiom

go the distance

Meaning
to finish something successfully despite difficulties
Example
Only the most determined athletes can **go the distance**.
idiom

one in a million

Meaning
very special or rare
Example
Her kindness makes her **one in a million**.
idiom

knuckle down

Meaning
to start working hard, especially after delaying
Example
It’s time to **knuckle down** and finish this report.
idiom

make oneself clear

Meaning
to express oneself in a way that is easy to understand
Example
Could you **make yourself clear**, please?
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

a law unto oneself

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

Give one’s word

Meaning
To make a sincere promise.
Example
He **gave his word** that he would finish the job.
idiom

teach by example

Meaning
to show others how to do something by demonstrating it yourself
Example
Good mentors always **teach by example**, showing the way with their actions.
idiom

hair-raising experience

Meaning
something very frightening or terrifying
Example
Driving through that storm was a **hair-raising experience**.
idiom

back each other up

Meaning
to support and help one another
Example
In a good team, members always **back each other up**.
idiom

make a mark

Meaning
to have a noticeable impact or influence
Example
Her speech at the conference really **made a mark** on the audience.
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

once bitten, twice shy

Meaning
after an unpleasant experience, you are careful to avoid it happening again
Example
After losing money in the stock market, he became **once bitten, twice shy**.
idiom

breathe in

Meaning
to inhale air deeply
Example
Take a moment to **breathe in** before you speak.
idiom

hand in glove

Meaning
working closely and harmoniously together
Example
The two partners work **hand in glove** to achieve their goals.
idiom

Meet your Waterloo

Meaning
To face a final and decisive defeat.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo** when sales plummeted.
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

take a toll

Meaning
to cause harm or damage over time due to stress or overwork
Example
Long working hours can **take a toll** on your health.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
idiom

to be fair

Meaning
used to introduce a balanced or just opinion
Example
**To be fair**, she did try her best.
idiom

Above reproach

Meaning
Completely honest and without fault.
Example
Her integrity is **above reproach**.