shift gears
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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

sandboxing

Meaning
A security mechanism used to run applications in an isolated environment to prevent potential damage to the system.
Example
By using **sandboxing**, the malware was contained and couldn't affect the rest of the system.
idiom

shop till you drop

Meaning
to go shopping for a long time until you are tired
Example
My sister loves to **shop till she drops** during sales.
idiom

synergy

Meaning
the combined power of a group that is greater than the sum of individual efforts
Example
The **synergy** between the teams resulted in a groundbreaking product.
idiom

shoulder to cry on

Meaning
Someone who listens and comforts you when you’re upset.
Example
After her breakup, Emma needed a **shoulder to cry on**.
idiom

second childhood

Meaning
the time in old age when a person starts behaving like a child again
Example
After retirement, he entered his **second childhood**.
idiom

stand tall

Meaning
to act in a proud and confident way
Example
She **stood tall** despite all the criticism.
idiom

sitting on the fence

Meaning
to avoid taking sides or making a decision
Example
He is **sitting on the fence** about the new policy.
idiom

spill the tea

Meaning
to share gossip or secrets
Example
Come on, **spill the tea** - what happened at the party?
idiom

set aside

Meaning
to reserve something for a particular purpose
Example
We should **set aside** some money for unexpected expenses.
idiom

steal the spotlight

Meaning
to get all the attention, often taking it away from someone else
Example
The little girl **stole the spotlight** at the wedding with her adorable dance.
idiom

school someone in something

Meaning
to teach someone about a subject or skill
Example
He **schooled me in** the basics of computer programming.
idiom

scaling up

Meaning
to expand a business rapidly after initial success
Example
After their Series A funding, the team focused on **scaling up**.
idiom

soft spot for someone

Meaning
to feel affection or kindness towards someone
Example
He has a **soft spot for** stray animals.
idiom

switch off

Meaning
to stop thinking about work or problems
Example
It’s important to **switch off** after a long day.
idiom

save for a rainy day

Meaning
to save money for future emergencies
Example
You should **save for a rainy day**.
idiom

slip through the cracks

Meaning
to be overlooked or missed in a system or process
Example
Unfortunately, your application **slipped through the cracks** and wasn't reviewed.
idiom

slip one's mind

Meaning
to forget something accidentally
Example
Sorry, it completely **slipped my mind** to call you.
idiom

shocked to the core

Meaning
deeply shocked or disturbed
Example
Everyone was **shocked to the core** by the tragedy.
idiom

step up to the plate

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something important
Example
When the leader resigned, she **stepped up to the plate** and took charge.
idiom

Speak the truth

Meaning
To tell the truth without lying.
Example
She decided to **speak the truth** no matter what the consequences were.
idiom

sound out

Meaning
to quietly discover what people think
Example
She will **sound out** the team before making changes.
idiom

Supply and demand

Meaning
The relationship between how much of something is available and how much people want it.
Example
The price of oil depends largely on **supply and demand**.
idiom

stand on your own two feet

Meaning
to be independent and self-supporting
Example
He worked hard to **stand on his own two feet** after college.
idiom

see things differently

Meaning
to have a different opinion or perspective
Example
I **see things differently** when it comes to politics.
idiom

Seize the day

Meaning
to take advantage of the present moment
Example
She believes in living life to the fullest and always tries to **seize the day**.
idiom

Speaking personally

Meaning
Expressing one’s personal view or opinion
Example
Speaking personally, I wouldn’t take that risk.
idiom

slip into

Meaning
to gradually enter a state or start wearing something
Example
She quickly **slipped into** a more comfortable outfit.
idiom

school of hard knocks

Meaning
learning through difficult life experiences
Example
He didn’t go to college; he learned from the **school of hard knocks**.
idiom

small talk

Meaning
casual or polite conversation about unimportant topics
Example
We made **small talk** while waiting for the bus.
idiom

sleep on it

Meaning
to delay making a decision until the next day
Example
This is an important decision, why don't you **sleep on it**?
idiom

see off

Meaning
to go with someone to say goodbye when they leave
Example
We’ll **see off** the guests at the station.
idiom

Sow the seeds

Meaning
To begin a process that will develop in the future.
Example
Her small donations **sowed the seeds** of a larger charity movement.
idiom

seat at the table

Meaning
to have influence or participation in important decision-making
Example
Developing nations are demanding a **seat at the table** in climate talks.
idiom

social media blackout

Meaning
a period when social media services are unavailable or intentionally avoided
Example
During the **social media blackout**, everyone started reading books again.
idiom

sick to death of something

Meaning
extremely tired or annoyed by something
Example
I’m **sick to death of** listening to his complaints.
idiom

sleep like a log

Meaning
to sleep very deeply and soundly
Example
After the long journey, I **slept like a log** all night.
idiom

snowed under

Meaning
to have too much work to do
Example
I'm **snowed under** with assignments this week.
idiom

start off on the right foot

Meaning
to begin something well or positively
Example
I want to **start off on the right foot** with my new job.
idiom

social proof

Meaning
the influence that other people’s actions have on one’s own behavior
Example
Positive reviews serve as **social proof** for new customers.
idiom

slip up

Meaning
to make a small mistake
Example
Everyone **slips up** sometimes — don’t worry about it.
idiom

strike while the iron is hot

Meaning
to take advantage of an opportunity immediately
Example
The market conditions are perfect, so we need to **strike while the iron is hot**.
idiom

sugarcoat the truth

Meaning
to make something seem more pleasant or acceptable than it is
Example
Don’t try to **sugarcoat the truth**; we need to be honest about the situation.
idiom

step up one’s game

Meaning
to improve one’s effort or performance
Example
If you want that promotion, you need to **step up your game**.
idiom

speak of the devil

Meaning
said when someone appears just as you mention them
Example
**Speak of the devil**, here comes John now!
idiom

stay composed

Meaning
to remain calm and not show emotion
Example
He **stayed composed** even when things went wrong.
idiom

smooth things over

Meaning
to make a bad situation seem better by dealing with it calmly
Example
She tried to **smooth things over** after their disagreement.
idiom

set a good example

Meaning
to behave in a way that shows others how they should act
Example
Parents should **set a good example** for their children.
idiom

slow as a snail

Meaning
very slow or lazy in movement or action
Example
He walks **slow as a snail** in the morning.
idiom

step on it

Meaning
to go faster; to hurry up
Example
We’re late — **step on it**!
idiom

strike a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement or arrangement, especially in business
Example
After long discussions, the companies finally **struck a deal**.
idiom

separate the wheat from the chaff

Meaning
to distinguish valuable things from worthless ones
Example
It’s time to **separate the wheat from the chaff** in this project.
idiom

smooth over

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

set the example

Meaning
to model the behavior you expect from others
Example
The manager always tries to **set the example** by being punctual and hardworking.
idiom

set your sights high

Meaning
to aim for something ambitious
Example
Always **set your sights high** if you want to grow.
idiom

steal the show

Meaning
to be the most outstanding performer
Example
Her performance **stole the show** last night.
idiom

sing someone’s praises

Meaning
to speak highly of someone
Example
Everyone **sang her praises** after the performance.
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

step up a gear

Meaning
to increase your effort or speed
Example
The team needs to **step up a gear** to meet the deadline.
idiom

sick as a dog

Meaning
very ill
Example
I was **sick as a dog** after eating that street food.
idiom

seal the deal

Meaning
to finalize or confirm an agreement
Example
Offering a discount helped us **seal the deal** with the client.
idiom

sift through

Meaning
to examine a large amount of information or items carefully
Example
I spent the afternoon **sifting through** old emails for the missing file.
idiom

set the stage for

Meaning
to make something possible or likely to happen later
Example
This meeting will **set the stage for** future cooperation.
idiom

set the stage

Meaning
to prepare everything for something to happen
Example
The manager's speech helped **set the stage** for the upcoming conference.
idiom

set your sights on

Meaning
to decide to achieve something; to aim for a specific goal
Example
She has **set her sights on** becoming a doctor.
idiom

scoop the news

Meaning
to be the first to report an important piece of news
Example
The local newspaper **scooped the news** about the mayor's resignation.
idiom

scare the living daylights out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very much
Example
The horror movie **scared the living daylights out of** me.
idiom

settle the score

Meaning
to take revenge or resolve a conflict from the past
Example
He wanted to **settle the score** after last year's argument.
idiom

strike a bargain

Meaning
to reach an agreement or deal
Example
After some discussion, they **struck a bargain** that suited both parties.
idiom

shake things up

Meaning
to cause change in a situation to make it better
Example
The manager decided to **shake things up** in the team.
idiom

sit in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in a position of control or leadership
Example
After the promotion, she now **sits in the driver’s seat**.
idiom

spam someone

Meaning
to send too many messages or unnecessary information
Example
Don’t **spam me** with notifications every minute!
idiom

set a precedent

Meaning
to establish a standard or example for future actions
Example
Banning unethical AI systems will **set a precedent** for accountability.
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

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Meaning
The process of improving the visibility of a website or web page in a search engine's unpaid results.
Example
To improve our search rankings, we need to focus on **SEO** strategies.
idiom

switch over

Meaning
to change from one system or option to another
Example
The team will **switch over** to the new software tonight.
idiom

scene-stealer

Meaning
someone who attracts attention and stands out
Example
That child actor was a real **scene-stealer**.
idiom

show initiative

Meaning
to take action without being told what to do
Example
Employees are encouraged to **show initiative** and come up with solutions on their own.
idiom

social engineering

Meaning
manipulating people into divulging confidential information through psychological tactics
Example
The attacker used **social engineering** to gain access to the company’s secure database.
idiom

save time

Meaning
to reduce the time needed for something
Example
Using shortcuts can **save time** when typing.
idiom

soft power

Meaning
a country's ability to influence others through culture or values rather than force
Example
Japan uses **soft power** to promote its culture worldwide.
idiom

sleep on

Meaning
to delay making a decision until the next day
Example
I'll **sleep on** it and let you know my answer tomorrow.
idiom

stab someone in the back

Meaning
to betray someone who trusts you
Example
I can’t believe he **stabbed me in the back** after all I did for him.
idiom

spur on

Meaning
to encourage someone to continue or try harder
Example
Her mentor’s feedback **spurred her on** to apply for the grant.
idiom

synergy effect

Meaning
the increased effectiveness or value that results from two or more companies working together
Example
The partnership created a **synergy effect**, benefiting both companies.
idiom

sit back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing
Example
Just **sit back** and enjoy the show.
idiom

shake off

Meaning
to get rid of something unpleasant
Example
She took a walk to **shake off** the stress.
idiom

switch on

Meaning
to turn something on so it operates
Example
Please **switch on** the lights before the clients arrive.
idiom

save the day

Meaning
to prevent failure or disaster by taking timely action
Example
His quick thinking **saved the day**.
idiom

steer clear of

Meaning
to avoid someone or something
Example
You should **steer clear of** that street after dark.
idiom

sworn enemy turned friend

Meaning
someone who was once your enemy but is now a friend
Example
After years of rivalry, they became **sworn enemies turned friends**.
idiom

spitting image

Meaning
someone who looks exactly like another person
Example
She is the **spitting image** of her mother.
idiom

shore up

Meaning
to strengthen or support something
Example
They’re investing to **shore up** the rural clinics.
idiom

sworn enemy

Meaning
someone who will never be your friend
Example
They used to be close but now are **sworn enemies**.
idiom

swept off your feet

Meaning
to be suddenly and strongly attracted to someone
Example
She was **swept off her feet** by his charm.
idiom

speak up

Meaning
to express an opinion openly and clearly
Example
If you disagree, please **speak up** during the meeting.
idiom

sign off on

Meaning
to formally approve something
Example
The director needs to **sign off on** the final budget.
idiom

stay ahead of the game

Meaning
to be more successful or prepared than others
Example
To **stay ahead of the game**, you must always keep learning.
idiom

Share a smile

Meaning
to smile and bring happiness to others
Example
It's easy to **share a smile** and brighten someone's day.
idiom

smart cookie

Meaning
a clever and intelligent person
Example
Don’t underestimate her—she’s a **smart cookie**.
idiom

same old story

Meaning
something boringly repetitive
Example
It's the **same old story** every time we meet.
idiom

seeing is believing

Meaning
only what one sees can be believed; things must be experienced to be believed.
Example
I was skeptical at first, but when I saw the results, I realized **seeing is believing**.
idiom

start from scratch

Meaning
to begin again without any advantage or preparation
Example
They lost everything and had to **start from scratch**.
idiom

Spin the story

Meaning
To present information in a biased or manipulative way
Example
The politician tried to **spin the story** to his advantage.
idiom

spin the truth

Meaning
to present a situation in a way that benefits a particular perspective
Example
The politician tried to **spin the truth** about the scandal to protect his reputation.
idiom

speaking for myself

Meaning
stating one’s personal opinion only, not others’
Example
**Speaking for myself**, I think we should wait.
idiom

sit on the fence

Meaning
to avoid making a decision or choice
Example
You can't **sit on the fence** any longer, you need to choose a side.
idiom

smear campaign

Meaning
an attempt to damage someone's reputation through false accusations or gossip
Example
The opposition launched a **smear campaign** against the minister.
idiom

set the tone

Meaning
to establish the mood or style for something
Example
The manager's speech **set the tone** for the meeting.
idiom

see both sides

Meaning
to understand both perspectives in an argument
Example
I can **see both sides** of the issue, so it’s hard to choose.
idiom

show true colors

Meaning
to reveal one’s real character or intentions
Example
He **showed his true colors** when he took charge of the team.
idiom

stick your neck out

Meaning
to take a risk by doing or saying something that others may disagree with
Example
He **stuck his neck out** to defend his colleague.
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

streamline the process

Meaning
to make a process more efficient and effective by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary steps
Example
We need to **streamline the process** of content creation to save time.
idiom

sour grapes

Meaning
pretending to dislike something you can’t have
Example
His comments about the award being unfair are just **sour grapes**.
idiom

stoic calm

Meaning
to remain calm in difficult or stressful situations
Example
Even during the crisis, she maintained **stoic calm**.
idiom

step into someone's shoes

Meaning
to take on someone's role or responsibility
Example
She was able to **step into her boss's shoes** when he was on vacation.
idiom

SEO-friendly

Meaning
optimized to rank higher in search engine results
Example
Make sure your website is **SEO-friendly**.
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

sit at someone’s feet

Meaning
to learn from someone who is very knowledgeable
Example
Many students wanted to **sit at his feet** and learn from him.
idiom

stormy relationship

Meaning
a relationship full of arguments and conflicts
Example
They had a **stormy relationship** for many years.