run on empty
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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

bargain for

Meaning
to expect or plan for something
Example
The workload was more than we **bargained for**.
idiom

Sail close to the wind

Meaning
To take risks or act dangerously.
Example
He’s **sailing close to the wind** by lying to his boss.
idiom

stand trial

Meaning
to appear in court to answer criminal charges
Example
He will **stand trial** for fraud next month.
idiom

talk down to someone

Meaning
to speak to someone as if they are less intelligent
Example
He always **talks down to** his coworkers, which is rude.
idiom

take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become more ill
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
idiom

keep up with the Joneses

Meaning
to try to match your neighbors or peers in wealth or possessions
Example
Many people go into debt trying to **keep up with the Joneses**.
idiom

Tell the truth and shame the devil

Meaning
Always speak the truth, even when it’s hard or risky.
Example
Just **tell the truth and shame the devil**, even if it hurts.
idiom

lay down

Meaning
to establish a rule or principle
Example
The manager **laid down** clear guidelines for remote work.
idiom

place trust in

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

one in a million

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

fine-tune

Meaning
to make small adjustments to improve performance
Example
The team **fine-tuned** the design before the final launch.
idiom

stand by someone

Meaning
to remain loyal or supportive
Example
True friends **stand by** each other in hard times.
idiom

ink in

Meaning
to schedule or confirm something in writing
Example
I’ll **ink in** the interview for Tuesday morning.
idiom

to bite the bullet

Meaning
to make a difficult decision or endure something unpleasant
Example
I didn't want to go to the doctor, but I had to **bite the bullet**.
idiom

to come out on top

Meaning
to succeed in a difficult situation or competition
Example
After a fierce competition, they **came out on top** and won the contract.
idiom

green-eyed jealousy

Meaning
strong feeling of envy
Example
**Green-eyed jealousy** can ruin even the best relationships.
idiom

have itchy feet

Meaning
to feel a strong desire to travel or move
Example
After a few months at home, I started to **have itchy feet** again.
idiom

face your fears

Meaning
to confront something that scares you
Example
You need to **face your fears** if you want to grow as a person.
idiom

brush up on

Meaning
to improve one’s skill or knowledge
Example
She decided to **brush up on** her painting techniques.
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

answer for

Meaning
to be responsible for something and answer to others about it
Example
She had to **answer for** the mistakes made by her team.
idiom

Frankenstein’s monster

Meaning
A creation that turns against its creator.
Example
Social media became a **Frankenstein’s monster** for its inventors.
idiom

Make up one's mind

Meaning
To decide or come to a conclusion about something.
Example
After much deliberation, he finally **made up his mind** and chose the first option.
idiom

The melting pot

Meaning
A place where many different cultures blend together
Example
New York is often called **the melting pot** of cultures.
idiom

use up

Meaning
to consume something completely
Example
We’ve **used up** all the printer paper already.
idiom

a masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something that has great potential to become exceptional
Example
Her new sculpture is **a masterpiece in the making**.
idiom

green with jealousy

Meaning
extremely jealous
Example
He was **green with jealousy** when he saw her with someone else.
idiom

live and learn

Meaning
to accept a mistake as a lesson for the future
Example
I lost my wallet again — well, **live and learn**.
idiom

go through a transformation

Meaning
to undergo a significant change or improvement
Example
The company had to **go through a transformation** to survive in the competitive market.
idiom

a universe of possibilities

Meaning
endless opportunities or options
Example
Technology has opened **a universe of possibilities**.
idiom

move up

Meaning
to advance to a higher level or position
Example
She hopes to **move up** to a senior role next year.
idiom

a snowball effect

Meaning
a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate
Example
The more followers she got, the more famous she became, creating **a snowball effect**.
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

meet someone halfway

Meaning
to agree to compromise with someone
Example
We finally **met each other halfway** and agreed on a solution.
idiom

fan through

Meaning
to flip through pages quickly
Example
She **fanned through** the report to find the chart.
idiom

clean up your act

Meaning
to start behaving more responsibly.
Example
You need to **clean up your act** if you want that promotion.
idiom

buckle under the strain

Meaning
to give in to stress or pressure
Example
She refused to **buckle under the strain** and kept going.
idiom

a window of opportunity

Meaning
a short period when one has a chance to act effectively
Example
We have **a window of opportunity** to finalize the deal this week.
idiom

Fall seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying even after multiple failures.
Example
Life is tough, but remember to **fall seven times, stand up eight**.
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

do time

Meaning
to spend time in prison
Example
He had to **do time** for his crimes.
idiom

own the mistake

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something wrong
Example
A good leader knows how to **own the mistake** and learn from it.
idiom

feel ten feet tall

Meaning
to feel very proud and confident
Example
He **felt ten feet tall** after completing the challenge.
idiom

shift gears

Meaning
to change one’s approach or activity
Example
We need to **shift gears** if we want to meet the deadline.
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

count your blessings

Meaning
be grateful for the good things in your life
Example
Instead of complaining, **count your blessings**.
idiom

touch wood

Meaning
to say something positive and hope it continues to be good
Example
We haven’t lost a game yet, **touch wood**.
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

draw up

Meaning
to prepare an official document or plan
Example
The lawyer will **draw up** the agreement this afternoon.
idiom

blood is thicker than water

Meaning
family relationships are stronger than others
Example
He helped his brother because **blood is thicker than water**.
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

the driving force

Meaning
the person or thing that motivates or leads progress
Example
She was **the driving force** behind the project.
idiom

line up with

Meaning
to match or agree with something
Example
These metrics **line up with** our targets.
idiom

twist someone's arm

Meaning
to persuade someone forcefully
Example
I had to **twist his arm** to get him to come.
idiom

open the floodgates

Meaning
to allow something to happen on a large scale; to trigger a chain reaction
Example
When the security flaw was leaked, it **opened the floodgates** for hackers worldwide.
idiom

Balance the scales

Meaning
to make sure everything is fair or equal
Example
We need to **balance the scales** before making a final decision.
idiom

bottom line

Meaning
the most important point; the final result or profit
Example
The **bottom line** is that trade deficits are increasing.
idiom

give me a hand

Meaning
to help someone
Example
Can you **give me a hand** with this bag?
idiom

in one ear and out the other

Meaning
to not pay attention to what is said
Example
Whatever I tell him goes **in one ear and out the other**.
idiom

step change

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

blow your mind

Meaning
to impress or amaze someone greatly
Example
The new AI technology will **blow your mind**.
idiom

cool off with

Meaning
to refresh oneself using something
Example
We’ll **cool off with** iced tea after the run.
idiom

gain the upper hand

Meaning
to get control or advantage over someone
Example
Through smart negotiation, the ambassador **gained the upper hand**.
idiom

bored to death

Meaning
extremely bored
Example
I was **bored to death** during the long lecture.
idiom

mix up

Meaning
to confuse two or more things
Example
I always **mix up** their names during meetings.
idiom

in no time

Meaning
very quickly; almost immediately
Example
He finished the task **in no time**.
idiom

time will tell

Meaning
the future will reveal the outcome
Example
**Time will tell** whether this was the right decision.
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

cry over spilled milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There's no use **crying over spilled milk**.
idiom

out of memory

Meaning
unable to think clearly; mentally exhausted
Example
After working all night, I was completely **out of memory**.
idiom

fade to black

Meaning
to end something dramatically
Example
The director chose to **fade to black** at the emotional climax.
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

artificial instinct

Meaning
a machine’s ability to make decisions that seem natural or human-like
Example
The new model shows a kind of **artificial instinct** while driving.
idiom

tie the knot

Meaning
to get married
Example
They are planning to **tie the knot** next summer.
idiom

move mountains

Meaning
to achieve something very difficult
Example
With determination, you can **move mountains**.
idiom

Slow and steady wins the race

Meaning
Consistency and patience lead to success.
Example
Remember, **slow and steady wins the race**.
idiom

in my opinion

Meaning
used to express what one thinks or believes
Example
**In my opinion**, this movie is too long.
idiom

go behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly or deceitfully against someone
Example
She **went behind my back** and told the manager everything.
idiom

take the long view

Meaning
to plan or think about the future rather than short-term gains
Example
Successful leaders always **take the long view** when making decisions.
idiom

see red

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **saw red** when his computer crashed again.
idiom

keep all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to rely on a single plan or source of success
Example
Don’t **keep all your eggs in one basket** when investing.
idiom

lose faith in someone

Meaning
to stop trusting someone
Example
After what he did, I’ve completely **lost faith in him**.
idiom

move ahead with

Meaning
to continue progress on something
Example
Despite the delay, we’ll **move ahead with** the rollout.
idiom

blow away

Meaning
to impress or surprise someone very much
Example
Her singing **blew me away**.
idiom

more luck than sense

Meaning
successful because of luck, not intelligence
Example
He survived the accident—he’s got **more luck than sense**.
idiom

come back to earth

Meaning
to return to reality after being excited or daydreaming
Example
After the vacation, it’s time to **come back to earth**.
idiom

take the heat

Meaning
to accept criticism or blame.
Example
The manager **took the heat** for the failed project.
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

To toe the line

Meaning
To follow rules or policies strictly, often without questioning
Example
The senator was expected to **toe the line** and support the party’s stance.
idiom

bend the law

Meaning
to use the law in a dishonest way to achieve something
Example
Some lawyers know how to **bend the law** to help their clients.
idiom

go bananas

Meaning
to become very excited or angry
Example
The crowd **went bananas** when their team scored.
idiom

A Scrooge

Meaning
A very stingy or miserly person.
Example
Don’t be **a Scrooge**—it’s Christmas!
idiom

lighten up

Meaning
to stop being so serious or stressed
Example
Come on, **lighten up**! It’s just a joke.
idiom

brighten someone's day

Meaning
to make someone feel happier
Example
Her kindness really **brightened my day**.
idiom

in one piece

Meaning
safe and unharmed after a difficult situation
Example
Luckily, everyone came out **in one piece** after the accident.
idiom

jury is still out

Meaning
a decision or opinion has not yet been reached
Example
The **jury is still out** on whether the new law will be effective.
idiom

on the dot

Meaning
exactly on time; punctual
Example
The meeting started **on the dot** at 10 a.m.
idiom

time is money

Meaning
time is valuable and should not be wasted
Example
In business, every minute counts because **time is money**.
idiom

spin doctor

Meaning
a person who gives a favorable interpretation of events to the media
Example
The politician hired a **spin doctor** to handle the press.
idiom

put your heart and soul into something

Meaning
to do something with great effort and passion
Example
She **put her heart and soul into** her new business.
idiom

sleep like a baby

Meaning
to sleep very peacefully and comfortably
Example
After a warm bath, she **slept like a baby**.
idiom

mix in

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

down the road

Meaning
in the future
Example
We may expand to other countries **down the road**.
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 heads together

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

get your money’s worth

Meaning
to get value or satisfaction from what you paid for
Example
That smartphone is so durable—you really **got your money’s worth**.
idiom

friends in high places

Meaning
people with power or influence who can help you
Example
He got the job because he has **friends in high places**.
idiom

carry the weight

Meaning
to take on a large responsibility or burden
Example
As the team leader, it's his job to **carry the weight** of the project's success.
idiom

talk up

Meaning
to praise or promote something enthusiastically
Example
The host will **talk up** the new menu tonight.
idiom

backroom deal

Meaning
a secret agreement made by powerful people
Example
The media exposed the **backroom deal** between the two parties.
idiom

for what it’s worth

Meaning
used to introduce an opinion that may or may not be useful
Example
**For what it’s worth**, I think you did the right thing.
idiom

a brush with fame

Meaning
a brief encounter or experience with a famous person
Example
During the exhibition, I had **a brush with fame** when I met a renowned painter.
idiom

a mind is a terrible thing to waste

Meaning
it is a waste not to use your mental abilities
Example
You should keep learning, **a mind is a terrible thing to waste**.
idiom

step on the gas

Meaning
to move faster; to hurry up
Example
We need to **step on the gas** if we want to reach on time.
idiom

just what the doctor ordered

Meaning
exactly what is needed or wanted
Example
A cup of tea was **just what the doctor ordered**.
idiom

around the clock

Meaning
all day and all night; continuously
Example
Doctors worked **around the clock** to save the patients.
idiom

have a spark of creativity

Meaning
to show signs of being creative or imaginative
Example
Even as a child, she **had a spark of creativity**.
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

keep it up

Meaning
to continue doing something well
Example
You’re doing great with your studies—**keep it up**!
idiom

fear of the unknown

Meaning
anxiety about things that are unfamiliar or uncertain
Example
Many people avoid change because of their **fear of the unknown**.