take a leaf out of someone’s book
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idiom

take a leaf out of someone’s book

Meaning
to imitate or follow someone’s good example
Example
Other cities should **take a leaf out of Copenhagen’s book** on eco-friendly transport.
idiom

the last straw

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

the lights are on but nobody’s home

Meaning
someone appears active but is not thinking clearly
Example
When the AI glitched, it was like **the lights were on but nobody’s home**.
idiom

rules are made to be broken

Meaning
sometimes it's okay to ignore rules
Example
He believes **rules are made to be broken**.
idiom

stressed out

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

on good terms with

Meaning
having a friendly and positive relationship with someone
Example
She’s **on good terms with** her ex-husband for the kids’ sake.
idiom

To tell the truth

Meaning
To speak honestly or openly.
Example
**To tell the truth**, I never liked that movie.
idiom

a smart cookie

Meaning
a very clever or intelligent person
Example
Don’t underestimate her; she’s **a smart cookie**.
idiom

a man of faith

Meaning
a person who strongly believes in a particular religion or principle
Example
He is known as **a man of faith** in his community.
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

Put your heads together

Meaning
To discuss and solve a problem collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** to find a solution.
idiom

fall in love

Meaning
to develop romantic feelings for someone
Example
I didn't expect to **fall in love** with her so quickly.
idiom

button up

Meaning
to finish preparations or close something securely
Example
Let’s **button up** the proposal by Friday.
idiom

lock it down

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

in high spirits

Meaning
feeling cheerful and happy
Example
Everyone was **in high spirits** during the festival.
idiom

butterflies in my stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I had **butterflies in my stomach** before the interview.
idiom

block off

Meaning
to close an area so people cannot enter
Example
Police **blocked off** the street after the accident.
idiom

kindred spirit

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

to be honest

Meaning
used when expressing a sincere or frank opinion
Example
**To be honest**, I didn’t like the food.
idiom

push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate boldly
Example
Tech companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
idiom

take it with a pinch of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He exaggerates a lot, so **take it with a pinch of salt**.
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

veer off

Meaning
to suddenly change direction
Example
The conversation **veered off** into weekend plans.
idiom

the moral compass

Meaning
a person's or society’s sense of right and wrong
Example
We must ensure AI doesn’t lose its **moral compass**.
idiom

Power behind the throne

Meaning
A person or group who has a hidden or indirect influence over the leadership
Example
The chief advisor is often considered the **power behind the throne**.
idiom

keep your eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal or objective despite obstacles
Example
Even though the road was tough, he always **kept his eye on the prize** and succeeded.
idiom

blue chip company

Meaning
a large, reliable, and financially stable company
Example
Investors prefer to put their money into **blue chip companies**.
idiom

in a tight spot

Meaning
to be in a difficult or tricky situation
Example
He found himself **in a tight spot** when both friends asked for help.
idiom

You can say that again

Meaning
Used to strongly agree with someone
Example
‘It’s been a long day.’ ‘**You can say that again!**’
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

filter through

Meaning
to spread gradually among people
Example
News of the promotion quickly **filtered through** the office.
idiom

hit the headlines

Meaning
to be reported widely in the news
Example
The company's scandal **hit the headlines** immediately.
idiom

run with it

Meaning
to take an idea and develop it further or act on it
Example
They liked the concept and told us to **run with it**.
idiom

a few bricks short of a load

Meaning
a little stupid or crazy
Example
He tries hard, but he’s **a few bricks short of a load**.
idiom

ring up

Meaning
to calculate and record a sale
Example
The cashier will **ring up** your items at the counter.
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

cut someone down to size

Meaning
to criticize someone to make them feel less important
Example
The manager **cut him down to size** after he bragged too much.
idiom

at odds with

Meaning
to disagree or be in conflict with someone or something
Example
His views are **at odds with** the company policy.
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

put your faith in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone or something
Example
She decided to **put her faith in** her friends to help her.
idiom

patch together

Meaning
to assemble something quickly and roughly
Example
We managed to **patch together** a plan before the call.
idiom

hush-hush

Meaning
kept secret or very confidential
Example
The project is still **hush-hush**, so don’t mention it.
idiom

iron out

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

phase out

Meaning
to gradually stop using or providing something
Example
The company plans to **phase out** plastic packaging by next year.
idiom

blow out of the water

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

roam around

Meaning
to travel or walk around aimlessly
Example
We spent the afternoon **roaming around** the old city.
idiom

pull someone up

Meaning
to reprimand or correct someone for a mistake or poor performance
Example
If a team member is underperforming, it's important to **pull them up** and help them improve.
idiom

change the game

Meaning
to introduce something that significantly alters an industry or field
Example
5G technology will **change the game** for mobile communication.
idiom

deep learning dive

Meaning
to study or explore something in great depth
Example
He took a **deep learning dive** into neural networks last month.
idiom

to break the ice

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

back out

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
They can’t **back out** after signing the contract.
idiom

bite the byte

Meaning
to deal with a difficult technological challenge
Example
Developers had to **bite the byte** to fix the software issue.
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

have a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or idea
Example
When I saw the problem from a different angle, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
idiom

out of the box thinking

Meaning
thinking in a new, innovative, or creative way
Example
The solution requires **out of the box thinking** from all team members.
idiom

brain like a sieve

Meaning
having a very bad memory
Example
I keep forgetting things—I’ve got a **brain like a sieve**!
idiom

Cultural melting pot

Meaning
A place where different cultures blend together
Example
New York is often described as a **cultural melting pot**.
idiom

drive someone crazy

Meaning
to irritate or annoy someone very much
Example
The noise is **driving me crazy**!
idiom

fall back on

Meaning
to rely on something when the first option fails
Example
If the deal falls through, we’ll **fall back on** our backup plan.
idiom

in the lab

Meaning
working in a laboratory environment on experiments or research
Example
The new vaccine is currently being tested **in the lab** before it’s released to the public.
idiom

Tear down barriers

Meaning
To remove obstacles or prejudices between people.
Example
Education helps to **tear down barriers** between communities.
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

face a system error

Meaning
to experience a sudden failure or breakdown
Example
Our plans **faced a system error** when the deal was canceled.
idiom

save for a rainy day

Meaning
to save money for future emergencies
Example
You should **save for a rainy day**.
idiom

behind the firewall

Meaning
protected or isolated from external threats
Example
Sensitive company data should always stay **behind the firewall**.
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

chain reaction

Meaning
a series of events triggered by one event
Example
One breakthrough can start a **chain reaction** of new innovations.
idiom

a glimmer of hope

Meaning
a small sign of improvement or success in a difficult situation
Example
Even in the hardest times, he never gave up because there was always **a glimmer of hope**.
idiom

can't believe your eyes

Meaning
to be so surprised that you doubt what you are seeing
Example
I **couldn’t believe my eyes** when I saw the snowfall.
idiom

A bundle of nerves

Meaning
To be extremely anxious or tense.
Example
Before the presentation, she was **a bundle of nerves**.
idiom

A Catch-22

Meaning
A dilemma or difficult situation from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting conditions.
Example
It’s a **Catch-22**—you can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job.
idiom

justice delayed is justice denied

Meaning
if legal redress is available but not delivered in time, it is as good as having none
Example
Many believe that **justice delayed is justice denied** in this country.
idiom

Cut class

Meaning
To skip a class without permission
Example
He **cut class** to watch a movie.
idiom

hang in there

Meaning
to remain persistent and determined in difficult circumstances
Example
I know you're tired, but **hang in there** because you're almost finished.
idiom

boil down to

Meaning
to have something as the main point or reason
Example
The argument **boiled down to** a simple misunderstanding.
idiom

as far as I'm concerned

Meaning
used to express one’s personal opinion or feeling about something
Example
**As far as I'm concerned**, he did a great job.
idiom

kick up your heels

Meaning
to enjoy yourself by dancing or celebrating
Example
Everyone was ready to **kick up their heels** at the reunion.
idiom

bury the differences

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

age before beauty

Meaning
used humorously to let an older person go first
Example
He opened the door and said, '**Age before beauty**,' letting his grandmother enter first.
idiom

set in stone

Meaning
fixed and not likely to change
Example
Our schedule isn’t **set in stone** yet.
idiom

double-edged sword

Meaning
something that has both positive and negative consequences
Example
AI surveillance is a **double-edged sword** for security and privacy.
idiom

get your ducks in a row

Meaning
to organize things properly before taking action
Example
Before launching the business, we need to **get our ducks in a row**.
idiom

a thorn in the flesh

Meaning
something or someone that causes continuous trouble or annoyance
Example
The new regulations have been **a thorn in the flesh** for small business owners.
idiom

take a hit

Meaning
to suffer a financial loss
Example
The company **took a hit** after the stock market crash.
idiom

get a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared completely healthy by a doctor
Example
After his check-up, he **got a clean bill of health**.
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

couldn’t care less

Meaning
to show total indifference
Example
She **couldn’t care less** about what people think.
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

Bootstrap the business

Meaning
To build a company using only personal finances.
Example
They decided to **bootstrap the business** instead of seeking investors.
idiom

a wolf in sheep's clothing

Meaning
someone who appears harmless but is actually dangerous
Example
He was **a wolf in sheep's clothing**.
idiom

a quick study

Meaning
someone who learns new things very fast
Example
She’s **a quick study** and mastered the topic in a day.
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

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

a match made in heaven

Meaning
a perfect couple, very well suited for each other
Example
They are truly **a match made in heaven**.
idiom

make friends

Meaning
to form new friendships
Example
It’s easy to **make friends** when you’re kind to others.
idiom

hand in glove

Meaning
working closely and harmoniously together
Example
The two partners work **hand in glove** to achieve their goals.
idiom

blind faith

Meaning
trusting without questioning
Example
Having **blind faith** can sometimes lead to disappointment.
idiom

work up

Meaning
to gradually build courage, energy, or an appetite
Example
It took me a while to **work up** the courage to ask.
idiom

Don’t give up

Meaning
Continue trying and don’t quit.
Example
You’ve come so far—**don’t give up** now!
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

the ivory tower

Meaning
a place or situation where one is disconnected from practical concerns or the real world
Example
Academics are often accused of living in **the ivory tower**.
idiom

You took the words right out of my mouth

Meaning
You said exactly what I was thinking
Example
**You took the words right out of my mouth** — I was about to say that!
idiom

frame of mind

Meaning
a person's mood or mental state
Example
He’s not in the right **frame of mind** to make decisions.
idiom

Early adopter

Meaning
Someone who starts using a new product before others.
Example
**Early adopters** often help startups refine their products.
idiom

Band together

Meaning
To unite for a common purpose.
Example
The workers **banded together** to demand better wages.
idiom

apple of one’s eye

Meaning
someone who is cherished above others
Example
Her little son is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

Bet your bottom dollar

Meaning
To be very sure or confident about something.
Example
You can **bet your bottom dollar** that he’ll show up late again.
idiom

yawn fest

Meaning
something extremely boring
Example
That lecture was a total **yawn fest**.
idiom

bright future ahead

Meaning
having positive prospects or possibilities
Example
With your hard work, you have a **bright future ahead**.
idiom

off the top of your head

Meaning
to say something without deep thinking or preparation
Example
I can’t remember the exact number **off the top of my head**.
idiom

glide through

Meaning
to complete something smoothly and easily
Example
She managed to **glide through** the presentation.
idiom

put the finishing touches

Meaning
to complete something perfectly by adding the final details
Example
She’s **putting the finishing touches** on her painting.
idiom

turn the tide

Meaning
to cause a significant change in a situation or trend
Example
The new strategy helped us **turn the tide** in our favor.
idiom

a wake-up call

Meaning
an event that makes someone realize they need to change
Example
Losing his job was a **wake-up call** for him.
idiom

set the trend

Meaning
to start something new that others begin to follow
Example
The company’s campaign **set the trend** for eco-friendly marketing.
idiom

pave the way

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

ease back

Meaning
to relax or slow down the pace of something
Example
After the deadline, we can **ease back** a little.
idiom

a cut above

Meaning
better than others; superior in quality or ability
Example
Her work is **a cut above** the rest.
idiom

snap out of it

Meaning
to stop being upset and start feeling better
Example
You need to **snap out of it** and start thinking positively.
idiom

Spread joy

Meaning
to make others happy by being kind or cheerful
Example
It's important to **spread joy** wherever you go.
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.