small talk
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idiom

small talk

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

stay calm

Meaning
to remain composed and not panic
Example
No need to worry, just **stay calm** and think it through.
idiom

speak out

Meaning
to express an opinion openly and boldly
Example
Employees are encouraged to **speak out** about improvements.
idiom

stand out from the crowd

Meaning
to be noticeably different or better than others
Example
Her talent helps her **stand out from the crowd**.
idiom

stay strong

Meaning
to remain courageous and confident despite difficulties
Example
Whatever happens, **stay strong** and keep moving forward.
idiom

small potatoes

Meaning
something insignificant or of little value
Example
Compared to oil exports, textile trade is **small potatoes**.
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

stick with

Meaning
to continue doing or supporting something despite challenges
Example
If you **stick with** the routine, you’ll see results soon.
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

sow the seeds of something

Meaning
to begin a process that leads to a result
Example
His actions **sowed the seeds of** mistrust among the team.
idiom

sing the same tune

Meaning
to have the same opinion as someone else
Example
Both managers **sing the same tune** about company policy.
idiom

Star-studded

Meaning
Full of famous or talented people.
Example
The event was **star-studded** with celebrities from all fields.
idiom

star-crossed lovers

Meaning
lovers whose relationship is doomed or unlucky
Example
Romeo and Juliet were **star-crossed lovers**.
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

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

sweep something under the rug

Meaning
to ignore or hide a problem or mistake
Example
Don't just **sweep the issue under the rug**. We need to address it.
idiom

split second

Meaning
a very short amount of time
Example
The decision was made in a **split second**.
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

scared stiff

Meaning
to be extremely frightened
Example
I was **scared stiff** when I heard strange noises at night.
idiom

silver bullet

Meaning
a simple and perfect solution to a complex problem
Example
There’s no **silver bullet** for data security.
idiom

starry-eyed

Meaning
having naive or unrealistic dreams or hopes
Example
He was **starry-eyed** about becoming a famous singer.
idiom

switch off

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

share the love

Meaning
to show support or appreciation by liking or sharing someone’s post
Example
**Share the love** by liking and commenting on this post!
idiom

soft sell

Meaning
a subtle and persuasive way of selling without pressure
Example
They used a **soft sell** strategy to gain customer trust.
idiom

sick as a dog

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

spur of the moment

Meaning
an unplanned or spontaneous decision or action
Example
The idea came **on the spur of the moment** during lunch.
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

stick around

Meaning
to stay in a place for a short time longer
Example
Can you **stick around** for the Q&A session?
idiom

spread sunshine

Meaning
to make others happy with your positivity
Example
Her smile always **spreads sunshine** wherever she goes.
idiom

say hello

Meaning
to greet someone
Example
Please **say hello** to your parents for me.
idiom

step in

Meaning
to become involved in order to help or stop something
Example
The manager will **step in** if the discussion gets heated.
idiom

split hairs

Meaning
to argue about small or unimportant details
Example
Stop **splitting hairs** and focus on the main issue.
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

speak your mind

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

strike it lucky

Meaning
to have unexpected good fortune
Example
We **struck it lucky** and found the last two tickets.
idiom

step change

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

stick together

Meaning
to stay close and support each other
Example
In tough times, good friends **stick together**.
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

so far so good

Meaning
used to say that an activity has been successful up to this point
Example
We've finished the first part of the project, and **so far so good**.
idiom

state of the art

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

show appreciation

Meaning
to express gratitude or recognition
Example
We should **show appreciation** for our teachers more often.
idiom

Spread too thin

Meaning
To try to do too many things at once, leaving no energy for any.
Example
She’s **spread too thin** between her job, family, and studies.
idiom

stormy relationship

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

show someone the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a task
Example
She took the time to **show me the ropes** on my first day at work.
idiom

strength in numbers

Meaning
greater power comes from a larger group
Example
We can win this battle if we stick together, there's **strength in numbers**.
idiom

stand by your principles

Meaning
to remain loyal to your values, even in difficult situations
Example
She always **stands by her principles** in tough times.
idiom

scene-stealer

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

serve time

Meaning
to spend time in prison as punishment
Example
He had to **serve time** for his involvement in the fraud case.
idiom

scare the life out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That horror movie **scared the life out of me**.
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

sweep under the rug

Meaning
to hide or ignore problems instead of solving them
Example
You can’t just **sweep problems under the rug** forever.
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

slip one's mind

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

step up your game

Meaning
to improve your performance or effort
Example
You need to **step up your game** if you want to win.
idiom

strike a balance

Meaning
to find a satisfactory compromise between two things
Example
It’s hard to **strike a balance** between career and family.
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

stay the course

Meaning
to continue doing something until it is finished or successful
Example
It’s hard, but you need to **stay the course**.
idiom

split the atom

Meaning
to do something revolutionary or extremely difficult
Example
Creating a universal AI is like trying to **split the atom** of intelligence.
idiom

start from scratch

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

see stars

Meaning
to feel dizzy or stunned, often after being hit
Example
He bumped his head and started to **see stars**.
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

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

spread the love

Meaning
to show kindness and affection to others
Example
She always tries to **spread the love** by helping others.
idiom

spread kindness like wildfire

Meaning
to spread kindness rapidly and uncontrollably
Example
Her acts of kindness **spread like wildfire** in the community.
idiom

sworn friends

Meaning
Friends who are deeply loyal to each other.
Example
Since childhood, they’ve been **sworn friends**.
idiom

set the pace

Meaning
to establish a standard of performance or progress for others to follow
Example
Our CEO always **sets the pace** for the entire company.
idiom

see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
They finally **saw eye to eye** on the business deal.
idiom

sound out

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

sweet tooth

Meaning
a love for sweet foods
Example
She has a **sweet tooth** and can’t resist desserts.
idiom

sweat blood

Meaning
to make an enormous effort
Example
He **sweat blood** to get that promotion.
idiom

soft launch

Meaning
a limited or quiet release of a new product before the full launch
Example
The company did a **soft launch** to test customer reactions.
idiom

speaking for myself

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

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

see the silver lining

Meaning
to find hope or something positive in a bad situation
Example
She tries to **see the silver lining** even in tough times.
idiom

set an example

Meaning
to behave in a way that others should follow
Example
A true leader **sets an example** for others to follow.
idiom

security blanket

Meaning
something that gives a sense of safety or comfort
Example
Using a strong password manager is my **security blanket** online.
idiom

spend money like water

Meaning
to spend money freely or wastefully
Example
She **spends money like water** on clothes.
idiom

set aside

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

swear on one’s life

Meaning
to make a very serious promise that something is true
Example
I **swear on my life**, I didn’t do it!
idiom

shoot for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious
Example
Don’t be afraid to **shoot for the stars**.
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

scare someone half to death

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That spider **scared me half to death**!
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

surf the net

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

shoot for the moon

Meaning
to aim for something very high or ambitious
Example
He decided to **shoot for the moon** and apply to Harvard.
idiom

sing from the same hymn sheet

Meaning
to express the same opinion as others, especially publicly
Example
All the managers are **singing from the same hymn sheet** on this issue.
idiom

steer someone in the right direction

Meaning
to guide someone towards the correct path or decision
Example
The senior manager helped **steer me in the right direction** when I was unsure about the project.
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

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

see off

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

square away

Meaning
to organize or finish something neatly
Example
We need to **square away** the paperwork before the audit.
idiom

state of mind

Meaning
a person's emotional condition
Example
Your **state of mind** affects how you make decisions.
idiom

stressed out

Meaning
feeling very worried or tense because of problems
Example
I'm completely **stressed out** about my exams.
idiom

show leadership

Meaning
to demonstrate leadership qualities or skills
Example
She was able to **show leadership** during the crisis and guide the team through tough times.
idiom

save time

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

sliding into DMs

Meaning
to send a private message to someone on social media, often flirtatiously
Example
He started **sliding into her DMs** after seeing her post.
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

Scale up

Meaning
To expand a company’s operations or reach.
Example
The startup is ready to **scale up** after its first funding round.
idiom

square peg in a round hole

Meaning
someone or something that doesn't fit or belong in a particular place or situation
Example
Putting a modern building in a historical district is like trying to fit a **square peg in a round hole**.
idiom

saber rattling

Meaning
threatening military action to intimidate others
Example
The country’s recent **saber rattling** alarmed its neighbors.
idiom

sweep someone off their feet

Meaning
to make someone fall in love with you suddenly
Example
His charm and confidence really **swept her off her feet**.
idiom

sick and tired of

Meaning
completely bored or annoyed by something
Example
I'm **sick and tired of** listening to his excuses.
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

Speak the truth

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

swear an oath

Meaning
to promise solemnly, often in a formal way
Example
He **swore an oath** to serve his country faithfully.
idiom

stand tall

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

Seed funding

Meaning
Initial capital used to start a business.
Example
They received **seed funding** from angel investors.
idiom

shake off

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

serenity now

Meaning
a phrase used to invoke calmness, usually in a stressful situation
Example
Whenever I feel stressed, I remind myself to say **serenity now**.
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

social butterfly

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

size up

Meaning
to quickly assess someone or something
Example
She walked into the room and instantly **sized up** the situation.
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

step on it

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

sadder but wiser

Meaning
disappointed but having learned from the experience
Example
After that mistake, she was **sadder but wiser**.