red tape
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idiom

red tape

Meaning
excessive bureaucracy or rules
Example
The project was delayed because of **red tape**.
idiom

run like clockwork

Meaning
to operate smoothly and efficiently
Example
The production line **runs like clockwork** these days.
idiom

reboot your perspective

Meaning
to start fresh with a new mindset
Example
After project failure, the team decided to **reboot their perspective**.
idiom

rocket science

Meaning
something very complicated or difficult to understand
Example
Coding isn’t **rocket science** if you practice regularly.
idiom

run in the family

Meaning
a characteristic that many members of a family share
Example
Good looks **run in the family** — all of them are beautiful!
idiom

read someone the riot act

Meaning
to warn or scold someone severely for bad behavior
Example
The teacher **read the students the riot act** after the chaos in class.
idiom

reach out

Meaning
to contact someone for help or communication
Example
Feel free to **reach out** if you have more questions.
idiom

Running on empty

Meaning
To continue working or functioning when you have no energy left.
Example
After pulling an all-nighter, he’s **running on empty** today.
idiom

robotic precision

Meaning
extremely accurate and consistent performance
Example
She performs her tasks with **robotic precision**.
idiom

roll with laughter

Meaning
to laugh uncontrollably
Example
The comedian made the whole audience **roll with laughter**.
idiom

race against time

Meaning
to rush to complete something before a deadline
Example
We’re in a **race against time** to meet the client’s demand.
idiom

rule of thumb

Meaning
a general practical principle based on experience
Example
As a **rule of thumb**, I double-check every document.
idiom

rein in

Meaning
to control or limit something
Example
We must **rein in** our spending this quarter.
idiom

rope off

Meaning
to block an area by using a rope or barrier
Example
Staff will **rope off** the wet floor for safety.
idiom

roam around

Meaning
to travel or walk around aimlessly
Example
We spent the afternoon **roaming around** the old city.
idiom

read someone like a book

Meaning
to easily understand someone's thoughts and intentions
Example
She can **read him like a book** and always knows when he's lying.
idiom

ride the wave

Meaning
to take advantage of a trend or situation
Example
Many companies are trying to **ride the wave** of AI technology.
idiom

reach new heights

Meaning
to achieve more than before, to improve
Example
Their business is now **reaching new heights** in terms of revenue.
idiom

ray of sunshine

Meaning
someone or something that brings happiness
Example
Her smile is like a **ray of sunshine** on a cloudy day.
idiom

raise the stakes

Meaning
to increase the level of risk or difficulty
Example
We need to **raise the stakes** if we want to make a bigger impact.
idiom

rest easy

Meaning
to be free from worry or fear
Example
You can **rest easy** knowing everything is under control.
idiom

ramp up

Meaning
to increase the intensity or amount of something
Example
We need to **ramp up** production before the holidays.
idiom

rise and shine

Meaning
wake up and start your day energetically
Example
**Rise and shine**, it’s a brand new day!
idiom

Runway

Meaning
The time a startup has before running out of cash.
Example
We only have six months of **runway** left.
idiom

Run the risk

Meaning
To do something that may result in loss or danger.
Example
You’ll **run the risk** of losing everything if you lie.
idiom

raise the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After several failed attempts, he finally **raised the white flag**.
idiom

raise the roof

Meaning
to make a lot of noise; to celebrate loudly
Example
The crowd **raised the roof** when the team won.
idiom

read between the lines

Meaning
to understand the hidden meaning behind something
Example
She said everything was fine, but if you **read between the lines**, you could tell she was upset.
idiom

reach for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious or difficult to achieve
Example
She always tells her students to **reach for the stars** and never give up.
idiom

rope in

Meaning
to persuade someone to join an activity
Example
They **roped me in** to help with the charity event.
idiom

Rite of passage

Meaning
A ceremony or event marking an important stage in someone's life
Example
Graduation is a **rite of passage** for many students.
idiom

runway left

Meaning
the amount of time before a startup runs out of money
Example
We only have six months of **runway left** to make this work.
idiom

roll into

Meaning
to transition smoothly into something
Example
The webinar will **roll into** a live Q&A.
idiom

rant and rave

Meaning
to shout and complain loudly
Example
He was **ranting and raving** about the bad service.
idiom

raise the bar

Meaning
to set a higher standard or level of quality
Example
The new product really **raised the bar** for the industry.
idiom

rolling in money

Meaning
having a lot of money
Example
After his business took off, he’s been **rolling in money**.
idiom

reach your full potential

Meaning
to achieve the maximum ability or success that you are capable of
Example
By working hard, she was able to **reach her full potential**.
idiom

rules are made to be broken

Meaning
sometimes it's okay to ignore rules
Example
He believes **rules are made to be broken**.
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

rise to the occasion

Meaning
to perform well in a difficult situation
Example
He really **rose to the occasion** during the crisis.
idiom

rub someone the wrong way

Meaning
to irritate or annoy someone without intending to
Example
His attitude tends to **rub people the wrong way**.
idiom

run for office

Meaning
to campaign for a political position
Example
She decided to **run for office** next year.
idiom

runway for growth

Meaning
the time or resources a startup has before it needs more funding
Example
The startup has enough **runway for growth** for the next 12 months.
idiom

reinforcement learning

Meaning
a type of machine learning where an agent learns to make decisions by performing actions and receiving feedback
Example
In **reinforcement learning**, the model improves over time as it learns from trial and error.
idiom

riding the wave

Meaning
taking advantage of a current trend or success
Example
The company is **riding the wave** of its recent success in the international market.
idiom

reach common ground

Meaning
to find shared interests or agreement between parties
Example
After a long discussion, they **reached common ground**.
idiom

ride out

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
We managed to **ride out** the storm without damage.
idiom

ring a bell

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can't remember where I heard it.
idiom

Rome wasn’t built in a day

Meaning
Important things take time to accomplish.
Example
**Rome wasn’t built in a day**, be patient with your progress.
idiom

robotic response

Meaning
an emotionless or mechanical reaction
Example
She gave a **robotic response** during the interview.
idiom

rinse off

Meaning
to wash something quickly with water
Example
**Rinse off** the berries before serving them.
idiom

run with it

Meaning
to take an idea and develop it further or act on it
Example
They liked the concept and told us to **run with it**.
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

rock the boat

Meaning
to cause problems or upset a stable situation
Example
Everything is going well, so let's not **rock the boat** with unnecessary changes.
idiom

run your own show

Meaning
to be in control of your own activities or business
Example
After years of working for others, he wanted to **run his own show**.
idiom

reach the top

Meaning
to achieve the highest position or level in something
Example
After years of hard work, she finally **reached the top** of her profession.
idiom

rob Peter to pay Paul

Meaning
to take money from one part of something in order to pay for something else
Example
They're always **robbing Peter to pay Paul**, moving money around without making any progress.
idiom

roll the credits

Meaning
to finish something officially
Example
After the final announcement, they **rolled the credits** on the project.
idiom

rise and fall

Meaning
the success and failure of someone or something over time
Example
The documentary shows the **rise and fall** of the Roman Empire.
idiom

road to success

Meaning
the path or actions that lead to achievement
Example
Hard work is the **road to success**.
idiom

raining cats and dogs

Meaning
raining very heavily
Example
It's **raining cats and dogs** outside!
idiom

rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
economic growth benefits everyone; a general improvement in the economy helps all participants
Example
The government's new policies are helping the economy, and as a result, **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
idiom

ring in the new year

Meaning
to celebrate the start of a new year
Example
We gathered downtown to **ring in the new year** together.
idiom

rally the troops

Meaning
to motivate or encourage a group to take action
Example
The manager **rallied the troops** before the big presentation.
idiom

reboot your life

Meaning
to start over or make a fresh beginning
Example
After losing his job, he decided to **reboot his life**.
idiom

ring up

Meaning
to calculate and record a sale
Example
The cashier will **ring up** your items at the counter.
idiom

run out of time

Meaning
to have no more time available to complete something
Example
We **ran out of time** before finishing the project.
idiom

race to the bottom

Meaning
a situation where companies or countries lower standards to remain competitive
Example
Reducing wages to attract investors can create a **race to the bottom**.
idiom

run the show

Meaning
to be in charge of an activity or organization
Example
Ever since the director left, Emma has been **running the show**.
idiom

rule out

Meaning
to decide that something is not possible
Example
We can’t **rule out** another delay yet.
idiom

run down

Meaning
to feel tired or exhausted due to overwork or illness
Example
You look a bit **run down**; you should get some rest.
idiom

rule of law

Meaning
the principle that everyone is subject to the law
Example
Democracy depends on the **rule of law**.
idiom

Risk it for the biscuit

Meaning
To take a risk to achieve something worthwhile.
Example
He knew it was risky, but he decided to **risk it for the biscuit**.
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

Roll the dice

Meaning
to take a chance on something uncertain
Example
They **rolled the dice** by launching their product early.
idiom

roll credits

Meaning
to finish or conclude something
Example
Once the project is done, we can **roll credits**.
idiom

run out of bandwidth

Meaning
to have no time or energy left; to be overwhelmed
Example
Sorry, I can’t take another task — I’ve **run out of bandwidth**.
idiom

reach for the moon

Meaning
to set very high goals
Example
Don’t be afraid to **reach for the moon**.
idiom

relieve stress

Meaning
to reduce or eliminate feelings of anxiety or pressure
Example
Yoga can really help to **relieve stress** and improve your mood.
idiom

roll with the punches

Meaning
to adapt to difficulties and keep going
Example
Life throws challenges, so we must **roll with the punches**.
idiom

reach out to

Meaning
to contact someone to offer or request help
Example
Feel free to **reach out to** me if you need support.
idiom

refresh one's memory

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

reap what you sow

Meaning
you get the results of your actions, good or bad
Example
If you’re kind to others, you’ll **reap what you sow**.
idiom

roads less traveled

Meaning
choices or paths in life that are unusual or adventurous
Example
He prefers to take the **roads less traveled** and discover new cultures.
idiom

rough patch

Meaning
a period of difficulty or trouble
Example
Their marriage went through a **rough patch** last year.
idiom

run out of steam

Meaning
to lose energy or enthusiasm
Example
After working all day, I completely **ran out of steam**.
idiom

rule the roost

Meaning
to be the most powerful person in a group or family
Example
It’s clear that Mary **rules the roost** in that household.
idiom

right up one’s alley

Meaning
something that suits one’s interests or abilities perfectly
Example
That cooking workshop is **right up your alley**, you should join!
idiom

rise through the ranks

Meaning
to gradually move up to higher positions in an organization
Example
He **rose through the ranks** to become the CEO.
idiom

reboot your mindset

Meaning
to change your way of thinking completely
Example
To adapt to AI, we need to **reboot our mindset**.
idiom

rack your brains

Meaning
to think very hard about something
Example
I had to **rack my brains** to remember her name.
idiom

roll up one's sleeves

Meaning
to prepare to work hard or take on a challenge
Example
We need to **roll up our sleeves** if we want to finish this task on time.
idiom

recharge your batteries

Meaning
to rest and regain energy
Example
I took a vacation to **recharge my batteries**.
idiom

raise a toast

Meaning
to honor someone or something with a drink
Example
We **raised a toast** to the newlyweds.
idiom

Rewriting history

Meaning
To change the way past events are interpreted or remembered.
Example
Some politicians try **rewriting history** to suit their narrative.
idiom

ray of hope

Meaning
a small sign that something good might happen
Example
The new treatment offers a **ray of hope** for patients.
idiom

reinvent the wheel

Meaning
to waste time creating something that already exists
Example
Don’t **reinvent the wheel**; use the existing design.
idiom

run someone down

Meaning
to criticize someone unfairly; to speak badly about someone
Example
He always **runs his coworkers down** behind their backs.
idiom

red-eye flight

Meaning
a flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning
Example
I took a **red-eye flight** to save a day on my trip.
idiom

reduce carbon footprint

Meaning
to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere
Example
Many companies are working to **reduce their carbon footprint** by using renewable energy.
idiom

Roll up your sleeves

Meaning
To prepare to work hard.
Example
Let’s **roll up our sleeves** and get started.
idiom

ring the changes

Meaning
to make changes to something to make it more interesting or effective
Example
The restaurant decided to **ring the changes** with a new menu.
idiom

runs in the family

Meaning
a trait or quality common among family members
Example
Musical talent **runs in the family**.
idiom

run circles around someone

Meaning
to be much better than someone at something
Example
She can **run circles around** anyone in the debate team.
idiom

rule with an iron fist

Meaning
to control people very strictly and harshly
Example
The dictator **ruled with an iron fist** for twenty years.
idiom

roll with

Meaning
to adapt to changes or challenges easily
Example
The team had to **roll with** several last-minute changes to the schedule.
idiom

raring to go

Meaning
very eager or excited to start something
Example
Everyone was **raring to go** when the event started.
idiom

run on empty

Meaning
to continue working even when you are tired or out of energy
Example
He’s been **running on empty** for weeks without a break.
idiom

robotic process automation

Meaning
the use of AI to automate business processes
Example
Companies are embracing **robotic process automation** to reduce costs.
idiom

rags to riches

Meaning
to go from being poor to becoming rich and successful
Example
His life story is a real **rags to riches** tale.
idiom

ring a bell with someone

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name doesn't **ring a bell with** me at all.
idiom

run a tight ship

Meaning
to manage an organization or group efficiently and strictly
Example
The manager **runs a tight ship**, and everyone follows the rules.