strike a chord
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idiom

strike a chord

Meaning
to cause someone to feel sympathy or emotion
Example
Her story **struck a chord** with the audience.
idiom

off the top of my head

Meaning
without much thought or preparation
Example
Off the top of my head, I’d say we need more time.
idiom

a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be brave when you are actually scared or worried
Example
She put on **a brave face** despite feeling nervous inside.
idiom

under someone's thumb

Meaning
completely under someone's control
Example
He's **under his boss's thumb** and can't make his own decisions.
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

Money talks

Meaning
Money has great influence and power.
Example
He got the deal because **money talks**.
idiom

a universe of possibilities

Meaning
endless opportunities or options
Example
Technology has opened **a universe of possibilities**.
idiom

scratch someone's back

Meaning
to do something for someone in exchange for a favor or help later
Example
We agreed to **scratch each other's backs** in this business deal.
idiom

open channels of communication

Meaning
to establish dialogue or discussion
Example
They tried to **open channels of communication** with the neighboring country.
idiom

put someone in their place

Meaning
to show someone that they are not as important as they think
Example
She **put him in his place** when he tried to act superior.
idiom

An ear to the ground

Meaning
To be aware of what is happening around you.
Example
If you want to succeed in business, always keep **an ear to the ground**.
idiom

snowed under

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

AI arms race

Meaning
competition among companies or nations to lead in AI development
Example
Big tech companies are engaged in an **AI arms race**.
idiom

take charge

Meaning
to take control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge** of the project herself.
idiom

Opportunity knocks but once

Meaning
Good opportunities are rare and should be seized when they appear.
Example
Don't miss the chance, **opportunity knocks but once**.
idiom

good Samaritan

Meaning
a person who helps others selflessly
Example
A **good Samaritan** helped the old man cross the street.
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

I’m here for you

Meaning
You can count on my support.
Example
Whenever you need me, **I’m here for you**.
idiom

hard act to follow

Meaning
someone or something so good that it’s difficult to replace
Example
The previous manager was a **hard act to follow**.
idiom

throw money around

Meaning
to spend money carelessly or extravagantly
Example
Some rich importers love to **throw money around** at trade fairs.
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

jump in

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

fight tooth and nail

Meaning
to fight very fiercely or with great determination
Example
They **fought tooth and nail** to protect their rights.
idiom

Don’t give up hope

Meaning
Keep believing that things will get better.
Example
**Don’t give up hope**, miracles can happen any time.
idiom

One step at a time

Meaning
Handle tasks gradually and not all at once.
Example
Don't stress, just take **one step at a time**.
idiom

easy money

Meaning
money earned with little effort
Example
He thought gambling was **easy money**, but he lost everything.
idiom

have butterflies in your stomach

Meaning
to feel very nervous about something
Example
She always **has butterflies in her stomach** before exams.
idiom

learn by doing

Meaning
to gain knowledge through practical experience
Example
Students **learn by doing** during the science experiments.
idiom

time will tell

Meaning
the future will reveal the outcome
Example
**Time will tell** whether this was the right decision.
idiom

Tech-savvy

Meaning
Having good knowledge of modern technology.
Example
Our **tech-savvy** team built the prototype in just a week.
idiom

pull the strings

Meaning
to control or influence someone or something secretly
Example
He got the job because his uncle **pulled the strings**.
idiom

get your foot in the door

Meaning
to make a first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
She finally **got her foot in the door** at a top firm.
idiom

turing test

Meaning
a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human
Example
The AI passed the **Turing test**, convincing the judges that it was human-like.
idiom

tell tales

Meaning
to gossip or reveal secrets, often to get someone in trouble
Example
Stop **telling tales** about your coworkers.
idiom

play both sides

Meaning
to support opposing parties to gain advantage
Example
Some lobbyists are known to **play both sides** of the issue.
idiom

shocked to the core

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

lay into

Meaning
to criticize someone harshly
Example
Instead of **laying into** the intern, offer some guidance.
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

get straight to the point

Meaning
to talk directly about the main topic
Example
Let's **get straight to the point** and discuss the issue.
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

leave a mark

Meaning
to have a lasting effect or influence
Example
Her leadership skills will surely **leave a mark** on the company.
idiom

out of this world

Meaning
extremely good or impressive
Example
The food at that restaurant is **out of this world**.
idiom

wipe the slate clean

Meaning
to forget past mistakes and start fresh
Example
Let’s **wipe the slate clean** and begin again.
idiom

truth will out

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

Know it all

Meaning
Someone who acts as if they know everything.
Example
He’s such a **know it all**, it’s annoying.
idiom

canary in the coal mine

Meaning
an early warning of potential danger
Example
Melting glaciers are the **canary in the coal mine** for climate change.
idiom

play your part

Meaning
to do your share of the work or responsibility
Example
Everyone needs to **play their part** to make the event successful.
idiom

life of the party

Meaning
the most lively and entertaining person at a party
Example
Jake is always the **life of the party**.
idiom

to be on cloud nine

Meaning
to be extremely happy
Example
She was **on cloud nine** after hearing the good news about her promotion.
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

on the gravy train

Meaning
to be in a situation where one makes a lot of money with little effort
Example
He’s been riding **on the gravy train** since he took over the family business.
idiom

take the wind out of someone’s sails

Meaning
To make someone lose confidence or enthusiasm.
Example
Her harsh criticism **took the wind out of his sails**.
idiom

a mind is a terrible thing to waste

Meaning
it is a waste not to use your mental abilities
Example
You should keep learning, **a mind is a terrible thing to waste**.
idiom

your own flesh and blood

Meaning
A family member or close relative.
Example
How can you turn away from **your own flesh and blood**?
idiom

a learning curve

Meaning
the process of learning something new, especially one that requires time and effort
Example
There was a steep **learning curve** when I first started the project.
idiom

jump the gun

Meaning
to start something too soon
Example
They **jumped the gun** by announcing the news early.
idiom

confide in someone

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them secrets
Example
She only **confides in** her best friend.
idiom

cornerstone of success

Meaning
the most important foundation or element for achieving success
Example
Hard work is the **cornerstone of success**.
idiom

food for thought

Meaning
something that makes you think seriously
Example
His comment gave me **food for thought**.
idiom

break the problem down

Meaning
to divide a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts
Example
Let's **break the problem down** into smaller steps.
idiom

get the hang of it

Meaning
to learn or become skilled at something new
Example
Don’t worry, you’ll **get the hang of it** soon.
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

a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor

Meaning
Challenges and difficulties make people stronger and more experienced.
Example
Remember, **a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor**—you’ll learn from tough times.
idiom

a long shot

Meaning
something that has a very small chance of success
Example
Winning the competition is **a long shot**, but we’ll try.
idiom

pick up on

Meaning
to notice or become aware of something
Example
He didn't **pick up on** the subtle hints I was giving.
idiom

to boot up

Meaning
to start something; to begin working or functioning
Example
Let’s **boot up** the new project today and see how it goes.
idiom

be a good sport

Meaning
to be fair and positive in difficult situations
Example
Even when she lost the game, she was **a good sport** and congratulated the winner.
idiom

neural network of ideas

Meaning
a complex and interconnected web of thoughts or concepts
Example
Her brain works like a **neural network of ideas**.
idiom

target audience

Meaning
a specific group of people a campaign is aimed at
Example
You need to know your **target audience** before launching a campaign.
idiom

answer the call

Meaning
to respond to a responsibility or opportunity
Example
He was ready to **answer the call** and take charge of the project.
idiom

as easy as ABC

Meaning
very easy to do or understand
Example
For him, solving math problems is **as easy as ABC**.
idiom

Go against the grain

Meaning
to do something that is contrary to the usual way of doing things
Example
Their new approach really **goes against the grain** of traditional research methods.
idiom

get the jitters

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

run a tight ship

Meaning
to manage an organization or group efficiently and strictly
Example
The manager **runs a tight ship**, and everyone follows the rules.
idiom

a work of art

Meaning
something very beautiful or skillfully made
Example
Her wedding dress was truly **a work of art**.
idiom

I’d say

Meaning
used to express a considered opinion
Example
**I’d say** this is the best option we have.
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

jump on the bandwagon

Meaning
to join something that is already popular or successful
Example
Many people **jumped on the bandwagon** of budget travel.
idiom

white as snow

Meaning
Pure and innocent.
Example
Her intentions were **white as snow**.
idiom

catch lightning in a bottle

Meaning
to achieve something amazing and rare through creativity or luck
Example
Their new design **caught lightning in a bottle**.
idiom

black box problem

Meaning
a situation where the internal workings of an AI system are not transparent or understood
Example
The biggest challenge in deep learning is the **black box problem**.
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

learn your lesson

Meaning
to learn from an unpleasant experience so as not to repeat it
Example
After being late several times, he finally **learned his lesson**.
idiom

get the word out

Meaning
to spread information or make something widely known
Example
We need to **get the word out** about our new service.
idiom

wear the pants

Meaning
to be the person who controls or makes decisions in a family
Example
Everyone knows she **wears the pants** in the house.
idiom

Catch on

Meaning
To begin to understand something.
Example
It took him a while to **catch on** to the new rules.
idiom

big-hearted

Meaning
very kind and generous
Example
He is known as a **big-hearted** man.
idiom

stormy relationship

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

hold down

Meaning
to keep something at a low level
Example
It’s tough to **hold down** rent costs in this city.
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

take the long view

Meaning
to plan or think about the future rather than short-term gains
Example
Successful leaders always **take the long view** when making decisions.
idiom

in the mood

Meaning
feeling like doing something or having a particular attitude
Example
I'm **in the mood** for some chocolate cake today.
idiom

Time heals all wounds

Meaning
Emotional pain will lessen with time.
Example
Don’t worry, time heals all wounds.
idiom

iron out

Meaning
to resolve small problems or differences
Example
We need to **iron out** the payment details before signing.
idiom

recharge your batteries

Meaning
to rest and regain energy
Example
I took a vacation to **recharge my batteries**.
idiom

own your mistakes

Meaning
to take responsibility for what you did wrong.
Example
It’s important to **own your mistakes** and learn from them.
idiom

keep your 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

talk behind someone's back

Meaning
to say bad things about someone when they are not present
Example
I don’t like people who **talk behind my back**.
idiom

keep something under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
They managed to **keep the project under wraps** until the launch day.
idiom

Cross one’s mind

Meaning
To suddenly think of something.
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could be lying.
idiom

catch a bug

Meaning
to find a problem or defect in a system
Example
The developer was able to **catch a bug** in the system before it went live.
idiom

split second

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

All hands on deck

Meaning
Everyone must work together or help with a task.
Example
We need **all hands on deck** to finish this project by tomorrow.
idiom

hit the ceiling

Meaning
to reach the highest possible level or price
Example
The stock prices **hit the ceiling** after the merger news.
idiom

take pride in

Meaning
to feel good about something you have done
Example
You should **take pride in** your achievements.
idiom

circle back

Meaning
to return to a topic or task later
Example
Let's **circle back** to this issue after lunch.
idiom

Exactly!

Meaning
Used to strongly show agreement
Example
‘It’s time to move on.’ ‘**Exactly!**’
idiom

To lend a helping hand

Meaning
to assist someone in a time of need
Example
She always knows when to **lend a helping hand** and never hesitates.
idiom

go for the jugular

Meaning
to attack someone's most vulnerable point
Example
During the debate, he **went for the jugular**.
idiom

drop a line

Meaning
to send someone a short message or note
Example
Please **drop me a line** when you arrive safely.
idiom

scene of the crime

Meaning
the place where something important happened
Example
We returned to the **scene of the crime** to find the truth.
idiom

starry-eyed

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

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
Don’t risk everything on a single plan.
Example
You should invest in different areas; **don’t put all your eggs in one basket**.
idiom

outside the box

Meaning
thinking or acting in an unusual or unconventional way
Example
To solve this problem, we need to think **outside the box**.
idiom

a full plate

Meaning
to be very busy or have many things to do
Example
I can’t join the trip now; I’ve got **a full plate**.
idiom

logged in

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

Break with tradition

Meaning
To do something in a different way from what is usually done
Example
The couple decided to **break with tradition** and have a small wedding on the beach.
idiom

black box thinking

Meaning
analyzing unknown processes by studying their inputs and outputs
Example
In AI research, **black box thinking** helps improve transparency.
idiom

That’s for sure

Meaning
Used to strongly confirm agreement
Example
He’s a great leader — **that’s for sure**.
idiom

take a nosedive

Meaning
to decline suddenly and dramatically
Example
The company's stock **took a nosedive** after the scandal.