rock the boat
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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

under oath

Meaning
having sworn to tell the truth in court
Example
He lied **under oath** and was charged with perjury.
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

on the warpath

Meaning
very angry and likely to argue or fight
Example
She was **on the warpath** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

a light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
a sign that a situation will improve soon; hope in a difficult situation
Example
After months of hard work, she finally saw **a light at the end of the tunnel**.
idiom

be accountable for

Meaning
to be responsible for something and able to explain it
Example
As the team leader, he is **accountable for the project's outcome**.
idiom

off the beaten path

Meaning
doing something unusual or original
Example
Her ideas are always **off the beaten path**.
idiom

bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too big to handle
Example
I think I **bit off more than I can chew** by agreeing to manage three projects at once.
idiom

eat someone alive

Meaning
to be extremely jealous or angry with someone
Example
She’s so jealous, she could **eat him alive**.
idiom

at the crossroads

Meaning
facing a decision or choice
Example
I’m **at the crossroads** in my career right now.
idiom

come a long way

Meaning
to make a lot of progress or improvement
Example
She has **come a long way** since she started her career.
idiom

justice delayed is justice denied

Meaning
if legal redress is available but not delivered in time, it is as good as having none
Example
Many believe that **justice delayed is justice denied** in this country.
idiom

kick back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing for a while
Example
After finishing the project, we just **kicked back** and watched a movie.
idiom

To lend a helping hand

Meaning
to assist someone in a time of need
Example
She always knows when to **lend a helping hand** and never hesitates.
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

Keep a cool head

Meaning
to remain calm and not get too emotional
Example
In a crisis, it's important to **keep a cool head**.
idiom

push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate boldly
Example
Tech companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
idiom

code of ethics

Meaning
a set of moral principles guiding AI development or usage
Example
Developers must follow a strict **code of ethics** in AI research.
idiom

a spark of genius

Meaning
a sudden and brilliant idea
Example
Her **spark of genius** helped us solve the problem quickly.
idiom

have a splitting headache

Meaning
to have a very bad headache
Example
I can’t focus right now; I **have a splitting headache**.
idiom

hand over

Meaning
to give control or possession to someone else
Example
She will **hand over** the keys when the lease is signed.
idiom

give someone the cold shoulder

Meaning
to deliberately ignore or show disapproval toward someone
Example
After the argument, she **gave him the cold shoulder**.
idiom

long in the tooth

Meaning
getting old
Example
He’s a bit **long in the tooth** for this kind of work.
idiom

go off the deep end

Meaning
to become very angry or emotional suddenly
Example
She **went off the deep end** when she heard the bad news.
idiom

beyond reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical uncertainty
Example
The jury found him guilty **beyond reasonable doubt**.
idiom

lose touch

Meaning
to stop communicating with someone
Example
We **lost touch** after college.
idiom

set the bar high

Meaning
to establish high standards or expectations
Example
Her achievements have **set the bar high** for future leaders.
idiom

alive and kicking

Meaning
still healthy and full of life
Example
My grandmother is 90 but still **alive and kicking**.
idiom

smooth over

Meaning
to make a problem seem less serious
Example
We need to **smooth over** the miscommunication with a quick call.
idiom

surf the net

Meaning
to browse or explore websites on the internet
Example
I usually **surf the net** before going to bed.
idiom

A truth universally acknowledged

Meaning
A widely accepted truth or belief.
Example
**A truth universally acknowledged** is that honesty is important.
idiom

mend a broken heart

Meaning
to heal from emotional pain after a breakup
Example
It takes time to **mend a broken heart**.
idiom

hear something through the grapevine

Meaning
to hear news or rumors indirectly
Example
I **heard through the grapevine** that they are getting married.
idiom

True blue

Meaning
Loyal and trustworthy.
Example
You can count on her; she’s **true blue**.
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

Go overboard

Meaning
To do something to an excessive degree.
Example
He **went overboard** decorating his office for the holidays.
idiom

talk the talk

Meaning
to speak confidently about something
Example
He can **talk the talk**, but can he walk the walk?
idiom

word of honor

Meaning
a promise made with sincerity and integrity
Example
I give you my **word of honor** that I’ll be there.
idiom

lock horns

Meaning
to get into an argument or fight
Example
They **locked horns** over the new proposal.
idiom

no strings attached

Meaning
with no special conditions or restrictions
Example
They offered me a free trial with **no strings attached**.
idiom

bear market

Meaning
a period when stock prices are falling
Example
Many people lose money during a **bear market**.
idiom

touch gold

Meaning
to be very successful or lucky in something
Example
Every project he takes on seems to **touch gold**.
idiom

show one's true colors

Meaning
to reveal one's true character or feelings, often after a period of hiding them
Example
He finally **showed his true colors** when he volunteered at the charity event.
idiom

lose track of

Meaning
to forget or stop being aware of something
Example
I completely **lost track of time** while watching the movie.
idiom

sustainable development

Meaning
development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Example
The company is committed to **sustainable development** by investing in green technologies.
idiom

hit the town

Meaning
to go out and enjoy with friends
Example
Let’s **hit the town** tonight and celebrate!
idiom

eat humble pie

Meaning
to admit your mistake and apologize
Example
After blaming her friend, she had to **eat humble pie** when she realized she was wrong.
idiom

fed up with

Meaning
tired or annoyed with something
Example
I'm **fed up with** doing the same thing every day.
idiom

success is earned, not given

Meaning
success comes from hard work, not by chance
Example
Remember, **success is earned, not given**, so work hard every day.
idiom

tickled pink

Meaning
very pleased or delighted
Example
She was **tickled pink** by the surprise gift.
idiom

the upper hand

Meaning
to have control or an advantage over someone
Example
The ruling party has **the upper hand** in this situation.
idiom

laid-back

Meaning
calm, relaxed, and not easily upset
Example
He’s a very **laid-back** person who rarely gets angry.
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

to take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become worse or decline in health
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
idiom

behind enemy lines

Meaning
in a hostile or dangerous situation
Example
Journalists were working **behind enemy lines** to report the truth.
idiom

buckle under pressure

Meaning
to give in or fail due to too much stress or pressure
Example
Some employees **buckle under pressure**, while others thrive.
idiom

No risk, no reward

Meaning
You can't expect to achieve something without taking risks.
Example
To get ahead in life, you have to understand that **no risk, no reward**.
idiom

heartbroken

Meaning
very sad and emotionally hurt
Example
He was **heartbroken** when his pet died.
idiom

love at first sight

Meaning
to fall in love immediately after meeting someone for the first time
Example
It was **love at first sight** when they met in college.
idiom

grasp at straws

Meaning
to try any method to succeed, even if unlikely
Example
He was **grasping at straws** when he suggested that idea.
idiom

keep your eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal or objective despite obstacles
Example
Even though the road was tough, he always **kept his eye on the prize** and succeeded.
idiom

roll credits

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

mix in

Meaning
to combine one thing with others
Example
Now **mix in** the chopped herbs.
idiom

machine learning to the rescue

Meaning
using machine learning algorithms to solve complex problems that humans can't easily handle
Example
When the data was too large for traditional methods, **machine learning to the rescue** helped us find patterns.
idiom

a steep learning curve

Meaning
when something is difficult to learn, usually quickly
Example
The new software had a **steep learning curve**, but I managed to understand it.
idiom

low-hanging fruit

Meaning
something easy to achieve or target
Example
We should focus on the **low-hanging fruit** before tackling bigger goals.
idiom

An arm and a leg

Meaning
Something that is very expensive.
Example
That new phone costs **an arm and a leg**, but it’s worth it.
idiom

long story short

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
**Long story short**, we missed the train.
idiom

luck of the Irish

Meaning
good fortune associated with Irish people
Example
He found gold! Must be the **luck of the Irish**.
idiom

High stakes

Meaning
Involving serious risk or significant consequences.
Example
Negotiating with investors is a **high-stakes** game.
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

a ray of sunshine

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

chart a new course

Meaning
to plan a new direction or strategy
Example
After the crisis, the CEO decided to **chart a new course**.
idiom

go above and beyond

Meaning
to do more than what is required
Example
She **went above and beyond** to complete the project ahead of schedule.
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

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

Give the shirt off your back

Meaning
to give everything you can to help someone
Example
She would **give the shirt off her back** if it meant helping her friends.
idiom

state of the art

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

tie the knot of friendship

Meaning
to start a friendship
Example
They **tied the knot of friendship** during college.
idiom

step change

Meaning
a significant improvement or shift
Example
This marks a **step change** in how we approach innovation.
idiom

to tip the scales

Meaning
to influence the outcome of a situation
Example
One witness’s statement **tipped the scales** in favor of the defendant.
idiom

the honest truth

Meaning
the absolute and complete truth
Example
To tell you **the honest truth**, I didn’t enjoy the trip.
idiom

on your shoulders

Meaning
used when someone has responsibility for something
Example
The success of this plan rests **on your shoulders**.
idiom

be on duty

Meaning
to be working or responsible for something at a certain time
Example
The guard was **on duty** all night.
idiom

as wise as an owl

Meaning
very wise or knowledgeable
Example
My grandfather is **as wise as an owl**.
idiom

hit home

Meaning
to be fully understood or have a strong impact
Example
The reality of the housing crisis really **hit home** for them.
idiom

to cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it arises, rather than worrying about it beforehand
Example
Don't worry about the meeting next week, we'll **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

take a gamble

Meaning
to take a risk in the hope of success
Example
She **took a gamble** by quitting her job to travel the world.
idiom

double back

Meaning
to turn around and go back the way you came
Example
We had to **double back** to grab the projector.
idiom

measure out

Meaning
to calculate and separate a specific amount
Example
Please **measure out** two cups of flour.
idiom

happy as a clam

Meaning
very content and comfortable
Example
She looked **happy as a clam** on her vacation.
idiom

down and out

Meaning
feeling hopeless and defeated
Example
After losing everything, he was completely **down and out**.
idiom

spin-off

Meaning
a product or show that results from another existing one
Example
The successful TV show led to a **spin-off** featuring the same characters.
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

old friend

Meaning
a friend you have known for a long time
Example
I met an **old friend** from college yesterday.
idiom

find common ground

Meaning
to find shared interests or agreement
Example
We must **find common ground** to resolve this conflict.
idiom

a man of his word

Meaning
a person who keeps their promises
Example
He’s **a man of his word**, you can trust him.
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

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

zero gravity

Meaning
a state of complete freedom or lack of pressure
Example
After quitting his stressful job, he felt like he was in **zero gravity**.
idiom

speak your mind

Meaning
to say exactly what you think
Example
Don't be afraid to **speak your mind**.
idiom

under the radar

Meaning
unnoticed or undetected
Example
He stayed **under the radar** during the investigation.
idiom

wave the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After a long debate, he finally **waved the white flag**.
idiom

face a system error

Meaning
to experience a sudden failure or breakdown
Example
Our plans **faced a system error** when the deal was canceled.
idiom

a labor of love

Meaning
something done out of passion, not for money
Example
Building that model train was **a labor of love** for him.
idiom

It’s not over till it’s over

Meaning
Don’t lose hope until the end.
Example
**It’s not over till it’s over**, we can still win this game.
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

feel off-color

Meaning
to feel slightly ill
Example
I’m feeling a bit **off-color** today.
idiom

ease around

Meaning
to move carefully to avoid disturbance
Example
Please **ease around** the cords near the podium.
idiom

take center stage

Meaning
to be the main focus of attention
Example
The issue of climate change **took center stage** at the conference.
idiom

a silver lining

Meaning
a positive aspect in a difficult situation
Example
Losing my job was tough, but the **silver lining** was that I found a better one.
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

open up

Meaning
to become willing to share thoughts or to start operating
Example
He finally **opened up** about the challenges he’s facing.
idiom

rant and rave

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

Wing it

Meaning
To do something without preparation.
Example
I forgot my notes, so I’ll just **wing it** during the presentation.
idiom

a dead-end job

Meaning
a job with no opportunity for advancement or improvement
Example
He quit his **dead-end job** to start his own business.
idiom

to make a blunder

Meaning
to make a very big or stupid mistake
Example
The company **made a blunder** by ignoring customer feedback.
idiom

nose around

Meaning
to search for information in a curious way
Example
Reporters began to **nose around** after the leak.
idiom

get to the point

Meaning
to focus on the important part of a conversation or issue
Example
We don’t have much time, so let’s **get to the point**.
idiom

keep track of

Meaning
to monitor or record information consistently
Example
Use the shared sheet to **keep track of** expenses.
idiom

give someone a run for their money

Meaning
to compete strongly against someone
Example
The new player **gave the champion a run for his money**.