pull out all the stops
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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

patch up

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

parallel universe

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

parcel out

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

pass along

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

political mileage

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

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

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 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 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

push the algorithm

Meaning
to test the limits or performance of an AI system
Example
The engineers wanted to **push the algorithm** further to improve accuracy.
idiom

play hardball

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

put your trust in

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

party animal

Meaning
someone who loves going to parties
Example
She’s such a **party animal**, always out on weekends.
idiom

paint oneself into a corner

Meaning
to create a situation where one has limited options
Example
He **painted himself into a corner** by promising too much.
idiom

Power behind the throne

Meaning
A person or group who has a hidden or indirect influence over the leadership
Example
The chief advisor is often considered the **power behind the throne**.
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

pull ahead

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

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 the brakes on

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

pluck up the courage

Meaning
to make yourself feel brave enough to do something
Example
He finally **plucked up the courage** to speak in public.
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 in the hours

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

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

patch over

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

pave the way

Meaning
to make progress easier for others to follow
Example
Her research **paved the way** for future discoveries.
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

put your foot in it

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate by mistake
Example
I really **put my foot in it** when I asked about her ex-husband.
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

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

paint the town red

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

play it straight

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

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

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

patch things up

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

Pull together

Meaning
To work as a group to achieve something.
Example
If we all **pull together**, we can finish the project on time.
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

put something on the back burner

Meaning
to delay dealing with something until later
Example
The government decided to **put the issue on the back burner** for now.
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

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

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

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

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

picture perfect

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

pot luck

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

Put up walls

Meaning
To create emotional barriers or distance from others.
Example
After the breakup, she **put up walls** and stopped trusting people.
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

pan out

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

play dirty

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

phase back in

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

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
idiom

pop the question

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

Push yourself

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

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

Play it safe

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

play a role

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

pledge one's word

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

pay off

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

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

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

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 through

Meaning
To survive or recover from a difficult situation.
Example
He was very sick, but he **pulled through** in the end.
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

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 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

predictive modeling

Meaning
a technique used in AI to predict future trends based on historical data
Example
The use of **predictive modeling** helps companies plan better for the future.
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

phishing expedition

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

put heads together

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

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

party pooper

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

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

paint a vision

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

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

pair off

Meaning
to form groups of two
Example
Students will **pair off** for the lab experiment.
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

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

put the team on your back

Meaning
to take responsibility for leading and carrying the burden for a group
Example
In the final moments of the game, he **put the team on his back** and led them to victory.
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 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

put first things first

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

paint a new picture

Meaning
to create a new vision or concept
Example
The designer managed to **paint a new picture** for the brand.
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

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

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

Play with fire

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

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 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

penny stock

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

pass with flying colors

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

peel off

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

patience is a virtue

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

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

piece of cake

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