slip through the cracks
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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

take stock of

Meaning
to review a situation carefully before making decisions
Example
Let’s **take stock of** our priorities this quarter.
idiom

get the picture

Meaning
to understand the situation
Example
After a few minutes, I started to **get the picture**.
idiom

beyond one's control

Meaning
not under one’s power or influence
Example
The situation is **beyond our control** now.
idiom

hand off to

Meaning
to transfer responsibility or control to someone else
Example
I’ll **hand this off to** the design team tomorrow.
idiom

A politician's promise is like a bubble

Meaning
a politician's promises are often unrealistic or unattainable
Example
You can't trust his plans; **a politician's promise is like a bubble**.
idiom

the art of something

Meaning
the skill of doing something well
Example
She has mastered **the art of** storytelling.
idiom

kindred spirit

Meaning
someone who has similar interests or feelings
Example
We became friends because we’re **kindred spirits**.
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

fall through

Meaning
to fail to happen
Example
Our travel plans might **fall through** if the storm hits.
idiom

The more you know, the more you realize you don’t

Meaning
The more you learn, the more you understand how much there is left to learn.
Example
**The more you know, the more you realize you don’t** — that’s the beauty of curiosity.
idiom

tough cookie

Meaning
a strong and determined person
Example
She’s a **tough cookie** who never gives up easily.
idiom

fearless as a lion

Meaning
to be very brave and bold
Example
The firefighter was **fearless as a lion** during the rescue.
idiom

keep your eyes on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal despite difficulties
Example
Even during tough times, she **kept her eyes on the prize**.
idiom

hit a home run

Meaning
to achieve great success
Example
The new marketing campaign really **hit a home run** with its audience.
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

pick a fight

Meaning
to start an argument intentionally
Example
Don’t **pick a fight** with him; he’s already angry.
idiom

hear someone out

Meaning
to listen to someone until they have finished speaking
Example
Please **hear me out** before you make a decision.
idiom

a shoulder to lean on

Meaning
someone to give you support and comfort
Example
She’s always been **a shoulder to lean on** for me.
idiom

play by ear

Meaning
to improvise or decide as you go rather than following a fixed plan
Example
We don't have a fixed schedule, so let's just **play it by ear**.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
idiom

my way or the highway

Meaning
used to say that someone must accept your rules or leave
Example
The boss said it's **my way or the highway**.
idiom

under the radar

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

to be above board

Meaning
to be open and honest in your actions
Example
His dealings were always **above board**, and everyone trusted him.
idiom

A tough row to hoe

Meaning
A difficult task or situation to handle.
Example
Starting a new business is **a tough row to hoe**.
idiom

drive up

Meaning
to cause something to increase
Example
Rising fuel costs **drive up** the price of groceries.
idiom

smooth over

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

burn your boats

Meaning
to commit yourself to a course of action without a way back
Example
He **burned his boats** when he quit his job to start a business.
idiom

bide your time

Meaning
to wait patiently for the right moment
Example
She decided to **bide her time** before making a move.
idiom

join forces

Meaning
to combine efforts with others for a common purpose
Example
Two companies **joined forces** to create a better product.
idiom

work like a charm

Meaning
to function perfectly or very effectively
Example
The new solution **worked like a charm**.
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

white hat

Meaning
a hacker who uses skills ethically to improve security
Example
**White hats** help companies identify and fix security flaws.
idiom

take the reins

Meaning
to take control or responsibility
Example
After the director retired, she **took the reins** of the company.
idiom

bite your tongue

Meaning
to stop yourself from saying something you want to say
Example
I had to **bite my tongue** when my boss took credit for my work.
idiom

turn your dreams into reality

Meaning
to make your dreams come true through effort
Example
She worked day and night to **turn her dreams into reality**.
idiom

cop a plea

Meaning
to plead guilty to a lesser charge in order to avoid a more severe penalty
Example
He decided to **cop a plea** and serve a shorter sentence.
idiom

from the ground up

Meaning
to build or start something completely from the beginning
Example
The software was built **from the ground up** using new code.
idiom

A picture paints a thousand words

Meaning
A visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
Cultural symbols remind us that **a picture paints a thousand words**.
idiom

pile up

Meaning
to increase into a large amount
Example
Emails tend to **pile up** over the weekend.
idiom

teach by example

Meaning
to show others how to do something by demonstrating it yourself
Example
Good mentors always **teach by example**, showing the way with their actions.
idiom

burn your fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of a bad decision or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by trusting the wrong person.
idiom

cutting-edge marketing

Meaning
using the latest and most advanced marketing techniques
Example
Our company invests in **cutting-edge marketing** strategies.
idiom

As green as grass

Meaning
Very inexperienced or new at something.
Example
He’s **as green as grass** in his new job.
idiom

word gets around

Meaning
news or gossip spreads among people
Example
Be careful—**word gets around** quickly in this office.
idiom

lock it down

Meaning
to secure something completely
Example
Before launching the website, make sure to **lock it down**.
idiom

burn one's bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or opportunities that cannot be restored
Example
He **burned his bridges** when he insulted his boss.
idiom

go through the roof

Meaning
to increase rapidly; to become very high
Example
The prices of housing have **gone through the roof** recently.
idiom

brute force attack

Meaning
a method of hacking that tries all possible combinations of passwords until the correct one is found
Example
The attacker launched a **brute force attack** on the system’s login page.
idiom

drag one’s feet

Meaning
to delay doing something; to do something slowly because you don't want to
Example
He’s **dragging his feet** about finishing the report.
idiom

Pilot project

Meaning
A small-scale experiment to test a concept.
Example
We launched a **pilot project** before going nationwide.
idiom

freak out

Meaning
to become very anxious, upset, or scared
Example
She **freaked out** when she saw the spider.
idiom

after the storm comes the calm

Meaning
peace follows a period of trouble
Example
Stay patient; **after the storm comes the calm**.
idiom

beyond one’s grasp

Meaning
too difficult to understand or achieve
Example
Quantum physics is **beyond my grasp** right now.
idiom

the apple of someone's eye

Meaning
someone very precious or loved deeply
Example
Her daughter is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

at the eleventh hour

Meaning
at the very last moment
Example
He submitted his assignment **at the eleventh hour**.
idiom

to be in good shape

Meaning
to be physically fit and healthy
Example
She exercises daily to stay **in good shape**.
idiom

think twice

Meaning
to reconsider something carefully before acting
Example
You should **think twice** before making that deal.
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

in my opinion

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

blow out of the water

Meaning
to surprise or defeat completely
Example
Their performance **blew us out of the water**.
idiom

get down to business

Meaning
to start working seriously
Example
Let’s stop chatting and **get down to business**.
idiom

Jump in at the deep end

Meaning
to take on a difficult task without preparation
Example
I had to **jump in at the deep end** when I started my new job.
idiom

to goof up

Meaning
to make a silly or careless mistake
Example
She **goofed up** the numbers in the report.
idiom

beat the rap

Meaning
to escape punishment or avoid being convicted
Example
He managed to **beat the rap** thanks to a clever lawyer.
idiom

A bright future awaits

Meaning
good things are coming ahead
Example
Despite the challenges, a **bright future awaits** you.
idiom

Stay in the loop

Meaning
To be informed about something regularly.
Example
Make sure you **stay in the loop** about the latest updates.
idiom

nail down

Meaning
to make something definite or certain
Example
We need to **nail down** the details before signing the contract.
idiom

see the light

Meaning
to finally understand or accept the truth or a new idea
Example
After years of denial, he finally **saw the light**.
idiom

loose cannon

Meaning
an unpredictable person who may cause problems
Example
He’s a **loose cannon** who often says things without thinking.
idiom

zero-day attack

Meaning
a cyberattack that exploits a previously unknown vulnerability
Example
The team discovered a **zero-day attack** before it spread widely.
idiom

take responsibility

Meaning
to be accountable for something you did or are in charge of.
Example
You need to **take responsibility** for your actions.
idiom

Bursting at the seams

Meaning
To be very full or crowded.
Example
The store was **bursting at the seams** during the sale.
idiom

pull at heartstrings

Meaning
to evoke strong emotions, usually sympathy or sadness, in an audience
Example
The charity’s commercial really **pulls at the heartstrings**.
idiom

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings

Meaning
A true friend is the most valuable gift one can have
Example
I consider myself lucky to have you as my friend. **A true friend is the greatest of all blessings**.
idiom

Unicorn company

Meaning
A startup valued at over one billion dollars.
Example
Becoming a **unicorn company** is every founder’s dream.
idiom

spread your wings

Meaning
to start doing new and independent things
Example
After graduation, she wanted to **spread her wings**.
idiom

make your blood run cold

Meaning
to cause extreme fear or horror
Example
The ghost story **made my blood run cold**.
idiom

digital twin

Meaning
a virtual representation of a physical object or system used for simulation and analysis
Example
Using **digital twin** technology, we can simulate the performance of machinery before production.
idiom

black sheep

Meaning
a person who is considered a disgrace to a group or family
Example
He is the **black sheep** of the family.
idiom

sell like hotcakes

Meaning
to sell very quickly and in large quantities
Example
After the ad went viral, the product began to **sell like hotcakes**.
idiom

let your imagination run wild

Meaning
to allow yourself to think freely and creatively
Example
When writing stories, I always **let my imagination run wild**.
idiom

pave the way

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

logged in

Meaning
to gain access to a computer or system
Example
She **logged in** to check her emails.
idiom

level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
The new rules create a **level playing field** for all teams.
idiom

step on it

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

breaking the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation where no progress is being made
Example
The negotiation team succeeded in **breaking the deadlock**.
idiom

bury the differences

Meaning
to forget disagreements and be friendly again
Example
They decided to **bury their differences** and work together.
idiom

to debug a program

Meaning
to identify and fix errors or problems in a computer program
Example
I spent all day **to debug a program** that was causing crashes.
idiom

drop your guard

Meaning
to relax your vigilance or become less careful
Example
Never **drop your guard** when dealing with competitors.
idiom

play to the gallery

Meaning
to try to gain approval from the general public rather than experts
Example
The politician was clearly **playing to the gallery** with his speech.
idiom

pull it off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
No one thought she could do it, but she **pulled it off**.
idiom

the walls have ears

Meaning
be careful what you say because someone might be listening
Example
Speak quietly—**the walls have ears**.
idiom

hand in

Meaning
to submit something to someone in authority
Example
Please **hand in** your assignment by Friday morning.
idiom

over the hill

Meaning
past one's prime; no longer young or at peak performance
Example
Some people think turning forty means you’re **over the hill**, but that’s not true.
idiom

play a part

Meaning
to have a role or influence in something
Example
She **played a part** in making the project successful.
idiom

take the blame

Meaning
to accept responsibility for something wrong
Example
He decided to **take the blame** for the team's failure.
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

have a one-track mind

Meaning
to think about only one thing all the time
Example
He **has a one-track mind** when it comes to his business.
idiom

get a grasp of

Meaning
to understand something fully
Example
It took me a while to **get a grasp of** the new software.
idiom

have it out

Meaning
to talk openly about a disagreement to resolve it
Example
They decided to **have it out** instead of staying angry.
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

in the wrong

Meaning
to be responsible for a mistake or bad situation.
Example
He knew he was **in the wrong** for shouting at her.
idiom

circle of friends

Meaning
a group of people you are friendly with
Example
She has a large **circle of friends** from college.
idiom

hit the streets

Meaning
to go out on patrol or begin a search for a suspect
Example
The officers decided to **hit the streets** after the robbery was reported.
idiom

Curiosity killed the cat

Meaning
Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble.
Example
Don't ask too many questions about his past — **curiosity killed the cat**.
idiom

As far as I can tell

Meaning
As I understand; based on what I know
Example
As far as I can tell, everything is fine.
idiom

virus of doubt

Meaning
a feeling of uncertainty that spreads quickly
Example
A **virus of doubt** spread after the project delay.
idiom

global reach

Meaning
the ability to extend services or products worldwide
Example
With its strong online presence, the company has a significant **global reach**.
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

a burning desire

Meaning
a strong and intense wish to achieve something
Example
She has **a burning desire** to become the best in her field.
idiom

Go all out

Meaning
To use all your energy and resources to achieve something.
Example
They **went all out** to make the event a success.
idiom

The truth hurts

Meaning
The truth can be painful or difficult to accept.
Example
I know you don't want to hear this, but **the truth hurts**.
idiom

social butterfly

Meaning
someone who loves meeting and talking to people
Example
Emma is a **social butterfly**; she knows everyone at the event.
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

jump in

Meaning
to join an activity quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in** if you have suggestions.
idiom

place trust in

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

In due time

Meaning
At the right or appropriate time.
Example
Everything will be alright **in due time**, just be patient.
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

out like a light

Meaning
to fall asleep very quickly
Example
He was **out like a light** as soon as his head hit the pillow.
idiom

It's always darkest before the dawn

Meaning
Things are usually worst just before they improve.
Example
Keep going, **it's always darkest before the dawn**.