sorry sight
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idiom

sorry sight

Meaning
something or someone that looks pitiful or regrettable
Example
After the storm, the park was a **sorry sight**.
idiom

on the up and up

Meaning
honest; truthful; not involved in any wrongdoing
Example
She’s always been **on the up and up** with me.
idiom

nudge into

Meaning
to gently encourage someone toward something
Example
They **nudged her into** presenting at the meetup.
idiom

third time lucky

Meaning
succeeding after two failures
Example
He failed twice, but maybe he’ll be **third time lucky**.
idiom

take the stage

Meaning
to begin performing or speaking publicly
Example
The new actor will **take the stage** for the first time tonight.
idiom

kick up a fuss

Meaning
to make a big complaint or protest about something
Example
They **kicked up a fuss** when the restaurant ran out of food.
idiom

A Sherlock Holmes

Meaning
A person who is extremely good at solving mysteries or finding out information.
Example
He’s such **a Sherlock Holmes** when it comes to finding lost things.
idiom

make a good impression

Meaning
to create a positive image of yourself in someone's mind
Example
You should dress well to **make a good impression**.
idiom

out of the woods

Meaning
no longer in danger or difficulty
Example
She’s recovering now, so she’s **out of the woods**.
idiom

change your mind

Meaning
to decide something different from before
Example
She **changed her mind** about going to the party.
idiom

cry wolf

Meaning
to raise a false alarm
Example
Do not **cry wolf** or no one will believe you later.
idiom

to keep one's chin up

Meaning
to stay positive and hopeful in a difficult situation
Example
Even though she lost the game, she managed to **keep her chin up** and stayed positive.
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

lock in

Meaning
to secure something so it cannot change
Example
Let's **lock in** the reservation before the price goes up.
idiom

Dress to kill

Meaning
To wear clothes that attract a lot of attention and admiration.
Example
She always **dresses to kill** when she goes to parties.
idiom

say hello

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

zero-day exploit

Meaning
a cyberattack that occurs before a vulnerability is patched
Example
Hackers launched a **zero-day exploit** targeting the system’s core files.
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

roll the credits

Meaning
to finish something officially
Example
After the final announcement, they **rolled the credits** on the project.
idiom

blue chip

Meaning
a well-established and financially sound company
Example
He prefers to invest in **blue chip** stocks for stability.
idiom

on the fence

Meaning
undecided or unsure about something
Example
She’s still **on the fence** about moving abroad.
idiom

run your own show

Meaning
to be in control of your own activities or business
Example
After years of working for others, he wanted to **run his own show**.
idiom

mind your peace and quiet

Meaning
to protect your calm and avoid stress or disturbance
Example
She values her alone time to **mind her peace and quiet**.
idiom

hand down

Meaning
to pass something to someone of a later generation
Example
My grandmother **handed down** this recipe to me.
idiom

A Faustian bargain

Meaning
A deal where one sacrifices moral integrity for power or success.
Example
Signing that contract was **a Faustian bargain** for him.
idiom

bravery in the face of danger

Meaning
showing courage even when facing danger
Example
The firefighter showed **bravery in the face of danger**.
idiom

feel the heat

Meaning
to experience pressure or criticism
Example
The manager began to **feel the heat** after the sales dropped.
idiom

scared out of one's wits

Meaning
to be very frightened
Example
The loud thunder **scared me out of my wits**.
idiom

march to the beat of your own drum

Meaning
to act independently and follow your own ideas
Example
She doesn’t care about trends; she **marches to the beat of her own drum**.
idiom

at the end of your rope

Meaning
to be extremely frustrated and have no patience left
Example
After dealing with delays all day, she was **at the end of her rope**.
idiom

at war with oneself

Meaning
to be conflicted or struggling internally
Example
She is **at war with herself** about the decision to move abroad.
idiom

When there’s a will, there’s a way

Meaning
If you are determined, you can find a way to achieve your goal.
Example
**When there’s a will, there’s a way**, and he proved it by finishing the race.
idiom

blow one’s own trumpet

Meaning
to praise oneself; to boast about one's achievements
Example
He loves to **blow his own trumpet** whenever he achieves something.
idiom

reach for the moon

Meaning
to set very high goals
Example
Don’t be afraid to **reach for the moon**.
idiom

offline mode

Meaning
a state of being disconnected from the internet or unavailable
Example
He’s been in **offline mode** all weekend, not answering any messages.
idiom

pass the torch

Meaning
to hand over a duty or responsibility to someone else
Example
After many years of teaching, the professor decided to **pass the torch** to a younger teacher.
idiom

sweet tooth

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

pair up

Meaning
to form groups of two
Example
Students should **pair up** before starting the lab activity.
idiom

lay down

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

On the record

Meaning
Officially stated and reportable
Example
She made her statement **on the record** during the interview.
idiom

Baptism of fire

Meaning
A person’s first difficult experience in a new job or role.
Example
Her first week as manager was a real **baptism of fire**.
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

scale back

Meaning
to reduce the size or amount of something
Example
They had to **scale back** the festival because of the budget.
idiom

check over

Meaning
to examine something carefully for mistakes
Example
Let’s **check over** the draft before sending it.
idiom

to put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to risk everything on a single venture or decision
Example
I wouldn’t suggest **putting all your eggs in one basket** with this investment.
idiom

burst out laughing

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing loudly
Example
Everyone **burst out laughing** at his joke.
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

take the helm

Meaning
to assume control or leadership of an organization
Example
She **took the helm** of the company after her father's retirement.
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

In the calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful period before a difficult situation or conflict arises.
Example
The office was quiet, **in the calm before the storm**, as they prepared for the big meeting.
idiom

diplomatic immunity

Meaning
legal protection given to diplomats from prosecution
Example
He could not be arrested because he had **diplomatic immunity**.
idiom

That’s exactly right

Meaning
Used to completely agree with a statement
Example
**That’s exactly right**, we should focus on quality first.
idiom

take one for the team

Meaning
to sacrifice for the benefit of others
Example
He **took one for the team** and stayed late to finish the report.
idiom

make up for

Meaning
to compensate for something
Example
We’ll **make up for** the delay with extra support.
idiom

I’m with you

Meaning
I agree with your idea or opinion
Example
**I’m with you** on that plan — it’s a good one.
idiom

walk a tightrope

Meaning
to be in a difficult situation requiring careful balance
Example
The manager **walked a tightrope** between the demands of staff and management.
idiom

A bright idea

Meaning
a clever or innovative idea
Example
She came up with a **bright idea** for the new marketing campaign.
idiom

the human touch

Meaning
a personal or emotional element that technology lacks
Example
Even with AI, customers still appreciate **the human touch** in service.
idiom

backroom deal

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

Family is everything

Meaning
The family holds the most important place in one's life and provides support and love.
Example
After all that happened, **family is everything**, and they helped him get through the tough time.
idiom

keep body and soul together

Meaning
to manage to stay alive or survive
Example
He worked day and night just to **keep body and soul together**.
idiom

keep one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and continuously
Example
If you **keep your nose to the grindstone**, you'll achieve your goals.
idiom

stay strong

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

warm-hearted

Meaning
kind and sympathetic
Example
She is a **warm-hearted** person who cares for everyone.
idiom

crossing the ethical boundary

Meaning
to act in a way that goes beyond moral acceptability
Example
Using AI to manipulate emotions may be **crossing the ethical boundary**.
idiom

sign off on

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

make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a strong impression
Example
The new product launch really **made a splash** in the market.
idiom

climb the ladder of success

Meaning
to achieve higher positions in career or life
Example
She’s been **climbing the ladder of success** through hard work.
idiom

The longest journey begins with a single step

Meaning
Any big task starts with a small action.
Example
Don't worry about the entire project, **the longest journey begins with a single step**.
idiom

feel good about yourself

Meaning
to have positive feelings about who you are or what you do
Example
Doing something kind makes you **feel good about yourself**.
idiom

iron out the wrinkles

Meaning
to solve small problems or differences
Example
We need to **iron out the wrinkles** before launching the project.
idiom

keep your fingers crossed

Meaning
to hope for good luck
Example
I am **keeping my fingers crossed** for the exam results.
idiom

have a change of heart

Meaning
to change your opinion or the way you feel about something
Example
She was going to move abroad, but she had **a change of heart**.
idiom

beyond the scope

Meaning
outside the planned or expected area of focus
Example
The new feature was beyond the scope of the original project but added great value.
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

the cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative part of something
Example
This new design is at **the cutting edge** of architecture.
idiom

get to the root of the problem

Meaning
to discover the main cause of a problem
Example
We need to **get to the root of the problem** before we can fix it.
idiom

moonlight as

Meaning
to work at a second job, especially secretly or part-time
Example
She decided to **moonlight as** a freelance writer to make extra money.
idiom

grab attention

Meaning
to make people notice something immediately
Example
Bright colors and bold fonts are used to **grab attention**.
idiom

come to terms

Meaning
to reach an agreement after discussion or conflict
Example
After weeks of negotiation, both sides finally **came to terms**.
idiom

Calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.
Example
The office is quiet now, but it’s just **the calm before the storm**.
idiom

tie in with

Meaning
to connect or coordinate with something else
Example
The workshop topics **tie in with** our current curriculum.
idiom

shake off

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

pick oneself up

Meaning
to recover from a setback or failure
Example
Even though he failed, he managed to **pick himself up** and try again.
idiom

green light

Meaning
permission to start or go ahead with something
Example
The manager gave us the **green light** to launch the project.
idiom

plant the seed

Meaning
to introduce an idea subtly to influence someone later
Example
He **planted the seed** for the project during the discussion.
idiom

weak link

Meaning
the most vulnerable or insecure part of a system
Example
Humans are often the **weak link** in cybersecurity.
idiom

go off on a tangent

Meaning
to suddenly start talking about something unrelated
Example
He tends to **go off on a tangent** when discussing politics.
idiom

find your balance

Meaning
to maintain a healthy work-life equilibrium
Example
It’s important to **find your balance** between work and rest.
idiom

music to one’s ears

Meaning
something that makes someone feel very happy or pleased
Example
The news of his promotion was **music to his ears**.
idiom

a drama queen

Meaning
someone who exaggerates or overreacts to situations
Example
Stop acting like **a drama queen**; it’s not that serious.
idiom

To have a heart of gold

Meaning
To be very kind and generous
Example
She has a heart of gold, always helping those in need.
idiom

weigh the pros and cons

Meaning
to consider the advantages and disadvantages before making a choice
Example
You should **weigh the pros and cons** before quitting your job.
idiom

by and large

Meaning
generally speaking; on the whole
Example
**By and large**, we agree with your proposal.
idiom

break the bank

Meaning
to cost too much; to use up all your money
Example
Buying that car will **break the bank**.
idiom

A battle of wits

Meaning
A contest or situation where people use intelligence or cleverness to outsmart each other.
Example
The negotiations were a true **battle of wits** between the two leaders.
idiom

keep up with the times

Meaning
to stay updated or adapt to modern trends
Example
In the fast-moving tech industry, companies must **keep up with the times**.
idiom

over the horizon

Meaning
something that is expected to happen soon
Example
A big change in the market may be **over the horizon**.
idiom

Love me, love my dog

Meaning
If you love someone, you must accept their flaws too.
Example
**Love me, love my dog**—you can’t love me and hate my friends.
idiom

truth will out

Meaning
the truth will eventually be revealed
Example
You can’t hide it forever; **truth will out**.
idiom

The best things in life are worth waiting for

Meaning
The most valuable things take time and effort to achieve.
Example
Remember, **the best things in life are worth waiting for**.
idiom

a spark of genius

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

helicopter parent

Meaning
a parent who is overly involved in their child’s life
Example
She’s a bit of a **helicopter parent**, always watching over her kids.
idiom

high-risk, high-reward

Meaning
situations or decisions that involve a lot of risks but also offer the potential for great rewards
Example
Investing in emerging markets can be **high-risk, high-reward**, but the returns are worth it.
idiom

a gift from the heavens

Meaning
a blessing or something very special
Example
Her support during the tough times was **a gift from the heavens**.
idiom

break the clutter

Meaning
to stand out in a crowded or competitive market
Example
A good tagline can help a brand **break the clutter**.
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

to go down in history

Meaning
to be remembered for something important or significant
Example
He **went down in history** as one of the greatest inventors of all time.
idiom

lovey-dovey

Meaning
showing a lot of affection publicly
Example
The couple was being **lovey-dovey** at the restaurant.
idiom

jot down quickly

Meaning
to write something fast so you don’t forget
Example
**Jot down quickly** the ideas that come up in the meeting.
idiom

loose lips sink ships

Meaning
talking too much can cause trouble
Example
Remember, **loose lips sink ships**—don’t share sensitive information.
idiom

the last straw

Meaning
the final problem that makes a situation unbearable
Example
His rude comment was **the last straw** for her.
idiom

warp speed

Meaning
very high speed; extremely fast progress
Example
The project is moving at **warp speed** now.
idiom

betray someone's trust

Meaning
to break someone's confidence in you
Example
She would never **betray your trust**.
idiom

nod off

Meaning
to fall asleep suddenly, especially when sitting
Example
He **nodded off** during the boring lecture.
idiom

break into

Meaning
to enter a new field or profession successfully
Example
She managed to **break into** the film industry last year.
idiom

a snake in the grass

Meaning
a secret enemy
Example
Be careful; there’s **a snake in the grass**.
idiom

bite the bullet

Meaning
to decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating about
Example
I decided to **bite the bullet** and finish my homework.
idiom

hit the firewall

Meaning
to face a restriction or security block while trying to access something online
Example
I tried to visit the site but **hit the firewall** at work.
idiom

bookend something

Meaning
to mark the beginning and end of something
Example
Her career was **bookended** by two great performances.
idiom

to cloud-sync

Meaning
to synchronize data or files between devices via cloud services
Example
I always **to cloud-sync** my documents so that I can access them anywhere.