sound off
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idiom

sound off

Meaning
to express an opinion loudly or strongly
Example
Feel free to **sound off** during the feedback session.
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

in the money

Meaning
to suddenly have a lot of money
Example
After winning the lottery, they were **in the money**.
idiom

from the bottom of my heart

Meaning
with sincere gratitude
Example
I thank you **from the bottom of my heart** for everything.
idiom

make a breakthrough

Meaning
to make a significant discovery or achievement
Example
She **made a breakthrough** in her research that could change the field.
idiom

tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small part of a much bigger problem
Example
The data error we found is just the **tip of the iceberg**.
idiom

bring the curtain down

Meaning
to end something; to finish a performance or event
Example
The concert **brought the curtain down** on the music festival.
idiom

at loggerheads

Meaning
in strong disagreement or conflict
Example
The two departments have been **at loggerheads** over the new policy.
idiom

throw one’s weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** at work to get things done.
idiom

pay a compliment

Meaning
to give praise or admiration to someone
Example
He always knows how to **pay a compliment** to make someone feel better.
idiom

own up to something

Meaning
to admit or confess responsibility for something
Example
You should **own up to your mistakes** instead of blaming others.
idiom

never look back

Meaning
to focus on moving forward and not dwell on past mistakes
Example
Once she made the decision, she promised to **never look back**.
idiom

ahead of time

Meaning
before the expected or planned time
Example
She finished her work **ahead of time**.
idiom

political circus

Meaning
a situation where politics becomes chaotic and theatrical
Example
The election debates turned into a **political circus**.
idiom

corner the market

Meaning
to dominate a particular market
Example
They’ve managed to **corner the market** in organic products.
idiom

have words with

Meaning
to argue or disagree with someone
Example
She **had words with** her boss about the new schedule.
idiom

malware

Meaning
software designed to damage or disrupt computers or networks
Example
The antivirus software successfully removed the **malware** from the system.
idiom

get the ball rolling

Meaning
to start something, especially a project or process
Example
Let’s **get the ball rolling** on this new campaign.
idiom

a level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
We want to create **a level playing field** for all competitors.
idiom

Put your best foot forward

Meaning
to try as hard as you can
Example
She **put her best foot forward** in the interview.
idiom

pulling strings

Meaning
using influence to get something done
Example
He got the engineering contract by **pulling strings**.
idiom

on the right side of the law

Meaning
acting legally; not breaking any laws
Example
He wants to stay **on the right side of the law**.
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

factor in

Meaning
to include something as part of a calculation or plan
Example
Remember to **factor in** travel time when planning.
idiom

under the gun

Meaning
under pressure to perform or complete something
Example
We were **under the gun** to meet the deadline for the report.
idiom

dream on

Meaning
used to say that something is unlikely to happen
Example
You think you’ll win the lottery? **Dream on!**
idiom

actions speak louder than words

Meaning
what people do is more important than what they say
Example
**Actions speak louder than words**, so prove it with effort.
idiom

old friend

Meaning
a friend you have known for a long time
Example
I met an **old friend** from college yesterday.
idiom

climb the ladder

Meaning
to move up in position or success, especially in a career
Example
He worked hard to **climb the ladder** in his company.
idiom

pulling the strings

Meaning
to control something or someone secretly
Example
Everyone knows he’s **pulling the strings** behind the scenes.
idiom

head back to

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
Let’s **head back to** the office after lunch.
idiom

lay one’s cards on the table

Meaning
to be open and honest about one’s intentions or feelings
Example
It’s time to **lay our cards on the table** and discuss the issue.
idiom

behind schedule

Meaning
later than planned or expected
Example
The flight is **behind schedule** because of the storm.
idiom

A bright idea

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

off script

Meaning
to deviate from a prepared plan or speech
Example
During the meeting, he went **off script** and made some bold statements.
idiom

have your jaw drop

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or shocked
Example
My **jaw dropped** when I saw the price.
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

phishing attempt

Meaning
an attempt to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity
Example
The email you received looks like a **phishing attempt**, so don't click any links.
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

Show of hands

Meaning
A quick way to see who agrees or supports something by raising hands.
Example
Let’s have a **show of hands** to decide who supports the new plan.
idiom

beyond a reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical reason to doubt; with full certainty
Example
The evidence proved his guilt **beyond a reasonable doubt**.
idiom

pivot on a dime

Meaning
to change direction or strategy quickly
Example
Startups often have to **pivot on a dime** when market trends shift.
idiom

at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or stressed that you don’t know what to do
Example
I’m **at my wits’ end** trying to finish all this work.
idiom

fly off the handle

Meaning
to react in a very angry way without thinking
Example
He **flew off the handle** when someone scratched his new car.
idiom

blow the whistle

Meaning
to expose wrongdoing or reveal secret information
Example
He **blew the whistle** on the company’s illegal activities.
idiom

a blessing in disguise

Meaning
something that seems bad but results in something good
Example
Losing that job was **a blessing in disguise**.
idiom

weed out

Meaning
to remove unwanted people or things
Example
The editor **weeded out** the mistakes before publishing.
idiom

the long arm of the law

Meaning
the power and reach of the law to catch criminals
Example
**The long arm of the law** finally caught the escaped prisoner.
idiom

wrap your head around

Meaning
to understand or comprehend something difficult
Example
It took me a while to **wrap my head around** the new software.
idiom

Take it one step at a time

Meaning
Deal with tasks gradually instead of rushing.
Example
**Take it one step at a time**, and you’ll succeed.
idiom

reach new heights

Meaning
to achieve more than before, to improve
Example
Their business is now **reaching new heights** in terms of revenue.
idiom

help someone out

Meaning
to assist someone in a difficult situation
Example
Whenever I am in trouble, she always **helps me out**.
idiom

mad scientist

Meaning
a person who is dangerously or foolishly creative or obsessed with experiments
Example
He looks like a **mad scientist** when he’s working in his lab all night.
idiom

to nurse someone back to health

Meaning
to help someone recover from illness
Example
She **nursed her mother back to health** after the accident.
idiom

bring to the table

Meaning
to contribute something useful or valuable
Example
Each team member **brings something unique to the table**.
idiom

burning the midnight oil

Meaning
working late into the night
Example
She’s been **burning the midnight oil** to finish the report.
idiom

go nuclear

Meaning
to react very strongly or angrily
Example
When the data got deleted, the manager **went nuclear**.
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

Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion

Meaning
A person in a position of trust must be beyond any hint of wrongdoing.
Example
A judge should remember that **Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion**.
idiom

walk a fine line

Meaning
to balance between two difficult choices or opposing sides
Example
The diplomat had to **walk a fine line** between honesty and tact.
idiom

crossed wires

Meaning
a misunderstanding between two people
Example
We must have **crossed wires** about the meeting time.
idiom

a piece of cake

Meaning
something that is very easy to do
Example
The exam was **a piece of cake** for me.
idiom

pull ahead

Meaning
to take the lead in a race or competition
Example
She **pulled ahead** in the last minute of the race.
idiom

political mileage

Meaning
advantage gained from a political situation
Example
Opposition leaders tried to gain **political mileage** from the crisis.
idiom

play a part

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

have steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to be visibly very angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** when he saw the damage.
idiom

Pay dividends

Meaning
To bring benefits or rewards later.
Example
Investing in education always **pays dividends** in the long run.
idiom

like one big happy family

Meaning
people living or working together in harmony
Example
Our office team works **like one big happy family**.
idiom

trust goes both ways

Meaning
both sides must trust each other
Example
**Trust goes both ways** in any relationship.
idiom

step change

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

open and shut case

Meaning
a case that is easily decided or obvious
Example
It was an **open and shut case** with clear evidence.
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

Keep someone posted

Meaning
To keep someone informed about something.
Example
Please **keep me posted** about any updates.
idiom

a helping hand

Meaning
someone who helps or assists others
Example
She offered **a helping hand** to the new student in class.
idiom

down on your luck

Meaning
experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s been **down on his luck** since losing his job.
idiom

the picture of health

Meaning
a person who looks very healthy
Example
Despite his age, he’s still **the picture of health**.
idiom

go under

Meaning
to lose consciousness, usually during surgery
Example
He was nervous before going **under** for his operation.
idiom

take a dim view of

Meaning
to disapprove of something; to have a negative opinion
Example
The manager **takes a dim view of** employees arriving late.
idiom

give away

Meaning
to donate or to reveal something unintentionally
Example
They plan to **give away** the extra supplies to the shelter.
idiom

not the sharpest tool in the shed

Meaning
not very intelligent
Example
He’s kind but **not the sharpest tool in the shed**.
idiom

own up to your mistakes

Meaning
to admit that you have done something wrong
Example
It takes courage to **own up to your mistakes**.
idiom

see the big picture

Meaning
to understand the overall situation or goal
Example
You need to **see the big picture** before making decisions.
idiom

big mouth

Meaning
someone who talks too much or reveals secrets
Example
Don’t tell him anything — he’s got a **big mouth**.
idiom

an out of this world experience

Meaning
an extraordinary or exceptional experience
Example
The view from the space station was truly **an out of this world experience**.
idiom

find fault

Meaning
to criticize someone or something unfairly
Example
He always **finds fault** with everything I do.
idiom

mind over matter

Meaning
the use of willpower to overcome physical problems
Example
Running that marathon was pure **mind over matter**.
idiom

have a falling out

Meaning
to have a disagreement or fight with someone
Example
They **had a falling out** over money issues.
idiom

big thanks

Meaning
an informal way to say thank you very much
Example
**Big thanks** to everyone who supported the project.
idiom

an open book

Meaning
someone who is easy to understand or very honest
Example
He’s **an open book**; you can always tell what he’s thinking.
idiom

Pump money into

Meaning
To invest large amounts of money to boost growth.
Example
The government plans to **pump money into** infrastructure projects.
idiom

stand by someone

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

catch up

Meaning
to meet and talk after a long time; to reach the same level as someone
Example
Let’s **catch up** over coffee this weekend.
idiom

sign off on

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

play God

Meaning
to make decisions that have extreme control over life or morality
Example
Some people fear AI researchers are trying to **play God**.
idiom

in the hot seat

Meaning
to be in a difficult or uncomfortable position, often with public scrutiny
Example
After the controversy, the mayor was **in the hot seat** for several days.
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

Don’t bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
Don’t take on more responsibility than you can handle.
Example
**Don’t bite off more than you can chew**, start small.
idiom

groundbreaking discovery

Meaning
a discovery that changes understanding in a field
Example
The new vaccine was a **groundbreaking discovery** in medicine.
idiom

play through the pain

Meaning
to keep working or performing despite pain or hardship
Example
Athletes often **play through the pain** to win.
idiom

lose track of

Meaning
to forget or stop being aware of something
Example
I completely **lost track of time** while watching the movie.
idiom

Running on empty

Meaning
To continue working or functioning when you have no energy left.
Example
After pulling an all-nighter, he’s **running on empty** today.
idiom

Put one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
To focus on hard work and continuous effort.
Example
She really had to **put her nose to the grindstone** to get the promotion.
idiom

rest easy

Meaning
to be free from worry or fear
Example
You can **rest easy** knowing everything is under control.
idiom

lay out

Meaning
to arrange or explain something clearly
Example
He will **lay out** the budget during the meeting.
idiom

In the eye of the beholder

Meaning
Beauty or value is subjective and dependent on the viewer.
Example
Art is truly **in the eye of the beholder**, as different people have different tastes.
idiom

to take a deep dive

Meaning
to thoroughly investigate or explore something
Example
Before the presentation, we need to **take a deep dive** into the data.
idiom

get something off your chest

Meaning
to talk about something that has been worrying you
Example
I needed to **get it off my chest**, so I finally told her the truth.
idiom

wear out

Meaning
to use something until it becomes unusable
Example
You’ll **wear out** those shoes if you hike every weekend.
idiom

Under the spotlight

Meaning
Receiving public attention or scrutiny.
Example
The editor has been **under the spotlight** after the controversial article.
idiom

look before you leap

Meaning
to think carefully about possible risks before doing something
Example
Before starting your own business, remember to **look before you leap**.
idiom

run circles around someone

Meaning
to be much better than someone at something
Example
She can **run circles around** anyone in the debate team.
idiom

Out of fashion

Meaning
No longer trendy or popular
Example
Those jeans went **out of fashion** years ago.
idiom

to tip the scales

Meaning
to influence the outcome of a situation
Example
One witness’s statement **tipped the scales** in favor of the defendant.
idiom

brave the storm

Meaning
to face great difficulties with courage
Example
They **braved the storm** to rescue the stranded people.
idiom

get the jitters

Meaning
to feel extremely nervous or anxious
Example
I always **get the jitters** before a big meeting.
idiom

spread kindness like wildfire

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

beyond belief

Meaning
too surprising or shocking to believe
Example
His recovery was **beyond belief**.
idiom

get ahead in life

Meaning
to succeed or progress in one's life or career
Example
He worked hard to **get ahead in life** and build a successful career.
idiom

lost for words

Meaning
unable to speak because of surprise or shock
Example
I was **lost for words** when I saw the results.
idiom

break the ice

Meaning
to start a friendly conversation in an awkward situation
Example
To **break the ice**, I told a funny story.