pledge one's word
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idiom

pledge one's word

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

pick holes in something

Meaning
to find faults in something, especially when it’s not necessary
Example
He loves **picking holes** in everyone else’s ideas.
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

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

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

patch up

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

put a spin on

Meaning
to present information in a way that influences people's perception
Example
The media often **puts a spin on** stories to attract viewers.
idiom

pillar of strength

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

Meaning
to focus on the most important things before others
Example
When managing time, always **put first things first**.
idiom

playing the field

Meaning
competing with many other companies or individuals in the same market
Example
The company is **playing the field** by expanding into new markets worldwide.
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 your trust in

Meaning
to have confidence in someone or something
Example
We should **put our trust in** good leaders.
idiom

phishing expedition

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

pay off

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

Pop quiz

Meaning
a surprise test given without warning
Example
Our teacher gave us a **pop quiz** today.
idiom

peel off

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

pop the champagne

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

party pooper

Meaning
someone who spoils the fun of others
Example
Don’t be a **party pooper**, join the fun!
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

parallel universe

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

phase back in

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

political mileage

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

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

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

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 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

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

political circus

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

pull ahead

Meaning
to take the lead in a race or competition
Example
She **pulled ahead** in the last minute of the race.
idiom

Pick up the tab

Meaning
To pay the bill for something.
Example
John offered to **pick up the tab** for everyone.
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

pioneer a path

Meaning
to be the first to do something new or innovative.
Example
She is determined to **pioneer a path** in sustainable fashion.
idiom

pitch in

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

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

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

put heads together

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

pile up

Meaning
to increase into a large amount
Example
Emails tend to **pile up** over the weekend.
idiom

parcel out

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

pull someone’s weight

Meaning
to do one's fair share of work in a group
Example
Everyone in the team **pulls their weight** to succeed.
idiom

play hardball

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

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

Push yourself

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

puppy love

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

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

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 a cameo

Meaning
to make a brief appearance in a film
Example
The director himself **played a cameo** in the movie.
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

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

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

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

pull strings

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

put on the map

Meaning
to make something or someone famous or well-known
Example
The viral campaign **put the brand on the map**.
idiom

put one's foot in one's mouth

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

put in the hours

Meaning
to spend a lot of time working
Example
If you **put in the hours**, you’ll see progress soon.
idiom

Playing both sides

Meaning
To secretly support or manipulate both sides of a conflict for personal gain.
Example
The ambassador was accused of **playing both sides** in the negotiations.
idiom

push yourself to the limit

Meaning
to make maximum effort even when it’s tough
Example
Athletes **push themselves to the limit** to achieve their dreams.
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

Pay dividends

Meaning
To bring benefits or rewards later.
Example
Investing in education always **pays dividends** in the long run.
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

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

paint a vision

Meaning
to clearly describe an inspiring future goal
Example
The leader **painted a vision** of a better, more connected world.
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

Political bargaining chip

Meaning
An issue or point used to negotiate or exchange in politics.
Example
The trade agreement became a **political bargaining chip** during the negotiations.
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

pivot to success

Meaning
to change direction strategically to achieve success
Example
The company had to **pivot to success** after its first product failed.
idiom

picture perfect

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

Put yourself in someone’s shoes

Meaning
To imagine yourself in another person's situation
Example
Try to **put yourself in her shoes** before judging her actions.
idiom

play dirty

Meaning
to use unfair or dishonest methods to win
Example
Politicians often **play dirty** during elections.
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

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

peace of mind

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

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

party line

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

pick a fight

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

penny stock

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

pass along

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

put in long hours

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

pumped up

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

put two and two together

Meaning
to figure out something by reasoning
Example
He **put two and two together** and realized she was lying.
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

pivot

Meaning
to change direction or strategy in response to market feedback or failure
Example
After the initial product launch failed, the team decided to **pivot** to a new business model.
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

place your confidence in

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

predictive analytics

Meaning
using data and statistical algorithms to forecast future outcomes
Example
With **predictive analytics**, we can forecast market trends with high accuracy.
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

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

patience is a virtue

Meaning
being patient is a good quality
Example
Remember, **patience is a virtue**, so take your time.
idiom

pack up

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

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

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

pipe dream

Meaning
an unrealistic or impossible hope
Example
Becoming a billionaire overnight is just a **pipe dream**.
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

place trust in

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

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 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 your best foot forward

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

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

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

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

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

pivot on a dime

Meaning
to change direction or strategy quickly
Example
Startups often have to **pivot on a dime** when market trends shift.