take by surprise
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idiom

take by surprise

Meaning
to catch someone off guard; to surprise unexpectedly
Example
The sudden rain **took us by surprise**.
idiom

the last straw

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

to backfire

Meaning
to have the opposite result of what was intended
Example
His plan **backfired** and made things worse.
idiom

take up a hobby

Meaning
to start a new hobby or leisure activity
Example
During the lockdown, many people **took up hobbies** like painting or cooking.
idiom

the dream team

Meaning
a group of people who work extremely well together
Example
With these members, we’ve built **the dream team**.
idiom

throw your hat in the ring

Meaning
to show interest in something, especially a competition or challenge
Example
I decided to **throw my hat in the ring** and apply for the leadership role.
idiom

take on board

Meaning
to accept or take responsibility for something
Example
The manager had to **take on board** the new task for the team.
idiom

To tell the truth

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

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
idiom

trade off

Meaning
to balance between two opposing things; to compromise
Example
Globalization involves a **trade off** between efficiency and equality.
idiom

the light dawned on someone

Meaning
someone suddenly understands something
Example
The **light dawned on her** that she had made a mistake.
idiom

to pass the baton

Meaning
to transfer responsibility to someone else
Example
After years of leadership, he decided it was time to **pass the baton** to his successor.
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

Two’s company, three’s a crowd

Meaning
Sometimes, two people are just right, but a third person can make things uncomfortable.
Example
I wanted some alone time with Emily, but as they say, **two’s company, three’s a crowd**.
idiom

talk through

Meaning
to discuss something in detail
Example
Let’s **talk through** the plan before the client call.
idiom

the letter of the law

Meaning
following the exact wording of the law
Example
He follows **the letter of the law**, not its spirit.
idiom

to put two and two together

Meaning
to figure something out from the facts
Example
She didn’t tell me directly, but I **put two and two together**.
idiom

There's strength in numbers

Meaning
A larger group is stronger than an individual.
Example
Together we can achieve more because **there's strength in numbers**.
idiom

the proof is in the pudding

Meaning
the real value of something can only be judged when it's put to use
Example
He claims the app is great, but **the proof is in the pudding**.
idiom

the whole truth

Meaning
the complete truth without leaving anything out
Example
She promised to tell **the whole truth** in court.
idiom

to be open and honest

Meaning
to speak frankly or sincerely
Example
I want to **be open and honest** with you about my feelings.
idiom

take the scenic route

Meaning
to choose a longer or more beautiful way to travel
Example
Let’s **take the scenic route** through the mountains.
idiom

team up with

Meaning
to collaborate with someone for a common goal
Example
The nonprofits **teamed up with** local schools for the project.
idiom

through thick and thin

Meaning
in good times and bad times
Example
She stood by me **through thick and thin**.
idiom

the doctor ordered

Meaning
exactly what is needed or wanted
Example
After a long day, a cup of coffee was just **what the doctor ordered**.
idiom

to take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become worse or decline in health
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
idiom

take a chill pill

Meaning
to calm down or relax; to not overreact
Example
Hey, **take a chill pill**! It’s not that serious.
idiom

talk in circles

Meaning
to discuss something without reaching a conclusion
Example
We **talked in circles** for hours but didn’t solve anything.
idiom

to take the cake

Meaning
to be the best or most impressive thing in a situation
Example
Out of all the new projects, his idea **took the cake**.
idiom

to have a ray of hope

Meaning
to see a small sign of improvement in a bad situation
Example
After hearing the good news, I felt I had a **ray of hope** for my future.
idiom

to weigh the pros and cons

Meaning
to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of something
Example
Before making a final decision, it's important to **weigh the pros and cons**.
idiom

think twice

Meaning
to reconsider something carefully before acting
Example
You should **think twice** before making that deal.
idiom

to be honest

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

take someone under your wing

Meaning
to take responsibility for someone and help them learn
Example
He decided to **take me under his wing** and show me how to succeed.
idiom

to make a name for oneself

Meaning
to become famous or well known for something
Example
He worked hard to **make a name for himself** in the tech industry.
idiom

to kill two birds with one stone

Meaning
to achieve two things at once
Example
I can **kill two birds with one stone** by listening to a podcast while I exercise.
idiom

to encrypt data

Meaning
to convert data into a secure format to prevent unauthorized access
Example
All sensitive information must be **to encrypt data** before storage.
idiom

take it with a grain of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He tends to exaggerate, so **take his stories with a grain of salt**.
idiom

the winds of change

Meaning
an influence that promotes change
Example
**The winds of change** are blowing through the organization.
idiom

The devil is in the details

Meaning
Small details are often the most important or problematic.
Example
The overall concept was great, but **the devil is in the details**.
idiom

Tell the truth

Meaning
To say what is true instead of lying.
Example
Please **tell the truth**, even if it hurts.
idiom

thank heavens

Meaning
to be very thankful about something
Example
**Thank heavens** the storm is finally over.
idiom

the teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone knows he’s **the teacher’s pet** in our class.
idiom

the powers that be

Meaning
people or organizations who hold authority or control
Example
The decision depends on **the powers that be**.
idiom

to be a sponge for knowledge

Meaning
to absorb information eagerly and enthusiastically
Example
She's **a sponge for knowledge**; she reads every book she can find.
idiom

True to your word

Meaning
To do exactly what you say you’ll do.
Example
He was **true to his word** and kept his promise.
idiom

take your time

Meaning
don’t rush; use as much time as needed
Example
**Take your time** and finish the job carefully.
idiom

take your life in your hands

Meaning
To do something very risky or dangerous.
Example
You’re **taking your life in your hands** by driving in that storm.
idiom

truth be told

Meaning
to admit something honestly
Example
**Truth be told**, I don’t really like this movie.
idiom

to have second thoughts

Meaning
to reconsider a decision
Example
I’m **having second thoughts** about moving abroad.
idiom

to machine learn

Meaning
to learn automatically from data without human intervention
Example
The system continues **to machine learn** as more data is fed into it.
idiom

trust someone with something

Meaning
to give someone responsibility for something important
Example
I trust you to **take care of the project**.
idiom

the dawn of a new day

Meaning
a new beginning filled with hope
Example
Her graduation marked **the dawn of a new day** in her life.
idiom

to bend the rules

Meaning
to make exceptions or not strictly follow the law or rules
Example
Sometimes, officers **bend the rules** to help the needy.
idiom

throw a curveball

Meaning
to surprise someone with something unexpected
Example
The new policy really **threw us a curveball**.
idiom

The Scarlet Letter

Meaning
A symbol of shame or social stigma.
Example
In that conservative town, being divorced was like wearing **a Scarlet Letter**.
idiom

tie in with

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

To have a clear conscience

Meaning
To feel that one has done the right thing.
Example
After returning the lost wallet, he went to bed **with a clear conscience**.
idiom

take responsibility

Meaning
to be accountable for something you did or are in charge of.
Example
You need to **take responsibility** for your actions.
idiom

to clean one's hands

Meaning
to rid oneself of responsibility for something, especially wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **clean his hands** of the situation, but we all knew he was involved.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
idiom

the power behind the throne

Meaning
a person who secretly controls or influences the leader
Example
Though he's not the CEO, he's **the power behind the throne**.
idiom

the whole nine yards

Meaning
everything; the entire effort
Example
She went **the whole nine yards** to make her wedding perfect.
idiom

to break out in a cold sweat

Meaning
to suddenly become very nervous or afraid
Example
I **broke out in a cold sweat** before giving my first public speech.
idiom

training the model

Meaning
to teach an AI system how to make predictions by feeding it data
Example
We spent weeks **training the model** before deployment.
idiom

training data

Meaning
data used to train machine learning models to recognize patterns or make predictions
Example
The AI model's performance depends on the quality of its **training data**.
idiom

That ship has sailed

Meaning
That opportunity is gone and cannot be used anymore.
Example
I wanted to apply for that job, but **that ship has sailed**.
idiom

the tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small visible part of a much larger problem
Example
The few complaints we received are just **the tip of the iceberg**.
idiom

to play fair

Meaning
To act honestly and follow the rules.
Example
In every competition, we must **play fair**.
idiom

to reach for the moon

Meaning
to aim for something that is difficult or seemingly impossible to achieve
Example
He decided to **reach for the moon** and apply for the most competitive university.
idiom

the vision thing

Meaning
the ability to imagine and plan the future clearly
Example
Many politicians lack **the vision thing**.
idiom

the sky's the limit

Meaning
there is no limit to what you can achieve
Example
With talent and hard work, **the sky’s the limit** for you.
idiom

talk someone into something

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
He **talked me into** going to the gym with him.
idiom

The more, the merrier

Meaning
Things are more fun or effective with more people involved.
Example
Bring your friends along — **the more, the merrier**!
idiom

Too many cooks spoil the broth

Meaning
When too many people try to manage something, it can fail.
Example
If everyone keeps giving their opinion, remember that **too many cooks spoil the broth**.
idiom

take the lead

Meaning
to go ahead or be in front in a competition
Example
Our team **took the lead** in the final round.
idiom

tie up loose ends

Meaning
to complete the remaining small tasks of a project
Example
Before the deadline, we need to **tie up loose ends**.
idiom

The darkest hour is just before the dawn

Meaning
Things often seem worst just before they improve.
Example
Things are rough right now, but remember, **the darkest hour is just before the dawn**.
idiom

the singularity

Meaning
a hypothetical future point when AI surpasses human intelligence
Example
Some experts believe **the singularity** could change humanity forever.
idiom

tack on

Meaning
to add something extra, especially at the end
Example
They **tacked on** a brief Q&A after the session.
idiom

to have faith in yourself

Meaning
to trust your own abilities and potential
Example
If you want to succeed, you need to **have faith in yourself**.
idiom

team up

Meaning
to join with others for a shared goal
Example
Let’s **team up** with finance for the workshop.
idiom

to be on the up and up

Meaning
to be honest and trustworthy
Example
I trust her completely because I know she’s always **on the up and up**.
idiom

the naked truth

Meaning
the complete and unvarnished truth
Example
She told me **the naked truth** about what happened.
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

talk around

Meaning
to persuade someone by discussion
Example
We finally **talked her around** to joining the team.
idiom

the elephant in the room

Meaning
an obvious problem that no one wants to discuss
Example
Nobody wants to address **the elephant in the room**.
idiom

the nuts and bolts

Meaning
the basic practical details of something
Example
We discussed **the nuts and bolts** of the new software project.
idiom

to mend fences

Meaning
to repair a relationship
Example
After their argument, they decided to **mend fences**.
idiom

turn over a new leaf

Meaning
to start behaving better after doing something wrong
Example
After the accident, he decided to **turn over a new leaf**.
idiom

the conversion funnel

Meaning
the process customers go through from awareness to purchase
Example
We need to analyze where people drop off in **the conversion funnel**.
idiom

to shoot for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious or difficult to achieve
Example
He decided to **shoot for the stars** by applying to the most prestigious universities.
idiom

Take a leap of faith

Meaning
to do something uncertain, trusting that it will succeed
Example
Starting her own company was a **leap of faith**, but it paid off.
idiom

To meet one’s Waterloo

Meaning
To encounter one’s ultimate defeat or failure.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo**.
idiom

to deep dive into data

Meaning
to analyze data in great detail
Example
We need **to deep dive into data** to understand the root cause of the problem.
idiom

The more you know, the more you realize you don’t

Meaning
The more you learn, the more you understand how much there is left to learn.
Example
**The more you know, the more you realize you don’t** — that’s the beauty of curiosity.
idiom

tell tales

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

to see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
We finally **saw eye to eye** on the decision.
idiom

the ball is rolling

Meaning
a process has started and is making progress
Example
Now that **the ball is rolling**, we need to keep working.
idiom

test the waters

Meaning
to try something out before committing fully
Example
Before launching the product, we decided to **test the waters**.
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

teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something that is difficult for them to learn due to their age or experience
Example
It's hard to **teach an old dog new tricks**, but I'll try.
idiom

take things to the next level

Meaning
to improve or develop something beyond its current state
Example
We plan to **take our innovation to the next level** this year.
idiom

Truth hurts

Meaning
The truth can be painful to hear.
Example
**Truth hurts**, but it’s better than a lie.
idiom

turn the other cheek

Meaning
to ignore insults or avoid taking revenge
Example
He chose to **turn the other cheek** instead of fighting back.
idiom

the show must go on

Meaning
to continue despite difficulties
Example
Even after the power went out, the actors knew **the show must go on**.
idiom

take a hit

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

to get the ball rolling

Meaning
to start something, especially a project or task
Example
Let's **get the ball rolling** and start the meeting.
idiom

to have a lot on one's plate

Meaning
to have a lot of tasks or responsibilities to deal with
Example
She can't take on any more projects; she already has **a lot on her plate**.
idiom

to sweep someone off their feet

Meaning
to make someone fall in love with you quickly
Example
He **swept her off her feet** with his charm.
idiom

to make matters worse

Meaning
to make a bad situation even more difficult or unpleasant
Example
I was already late, and **to make matters worse**, I couldn't find my keys.
idiom

thick as thieves

Meaning
very close friends who share everything
Example
Those two are **thick as thieves**.
idiom

to see the big picture

Meaning
to understand the larger or more important issue
Example
You need to **see the big picture** when making strategic decisions.
idiom

the black sheep

Meaning
a person who is a disgrace to their family or group
Example
He’s **the black sheep** of the family.
idiom

trust someone with your life

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
I’d **trust her with my life**.
idiom

the lion’s share

Meaning
the largest part of something
Example
He took **the lion’s share** of the profits.
idiom

the apple of someone's eye

Meaning
someone very precious or loved deeply
Example
Her daughter is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

think tank

Meaning
a group of experts developing new ideas or policies
Example
The **think tank** proposed innovative educational reforms.
idiom

to screw up

Meaning
to make a serious mistake or spoil something
Example
I really **screwed up** the presentation.