take flak
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idiom

take flak

Meaning
to receive strong criticism
Example
The government **took flak** for its poor handling of the crisis.
idiom

A seat at the table

Meaning
To have an opportunity to be part of decision-making or important discussions.
Example
She fought for years to earn **a seat at the table** in the boardroom.
idiom

carry weight

Meaning
to have influence or importance
Example
His opinion **carries a lot of weight** in this organization.
idiom

to push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate
Example
In the world of AI, companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
idiom

check back in

Meaning
to reconnect later to get an update
Example
Let’s **check back in** next week on the prototype.
idiom

hang onto

Meaning
to keep something and not give it away
Example
I’ll **hang onto** the receipts in case we need a refund.
idiom

go steady

Meaning
to date someone regularly and exclusively
Example
They've been **going steady** for over two years now.
idiom

make up

Meaning
to reconcile after an argument or fight
Example
They always **make up** after small arguments.
idiom

a silver lining

Meaning
a positive aspect in a difficult situation
Example
Losing my job was tough, but the **silver lining** was that I found a better one.
idiom

put the pieces together

Meaning
to understand or solve something by combining information
Example
After examining the data, the engineer **put the pieces together**.
idiom

Put our heads together

Meaning
To discuss and find a solution collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** and come up with a plan.
idiom

save the day

Meaning
to prevent failure or disaster by taking timely action
Example
His quick thinking **saved the day**.
idiom

Ask the right questions

Meaning
To inquire wisely to gain understanding.
Example
Good researchers always **ask the right questions**.
idiom

take one's hat off to

Meaning
to show respect or admiration for someone
Example
I **take my hat off to** you for handling the situation so calmly.
idiom

a fair game

Meaning
a situation where both parties have equal opportunities to succeed or compromise
Example
The terms of the contract were discussed until both sides agreed it was **a fair game**.
idiom

roll into

Meaning
to transition smoothly into something
Example
The webinar will **roll into** a live Q&A.
idiom

pull it off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
No one thought she could do it, but she **pulled it off**.
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

drift apart

Meaning
to slowly become less close or connected over time
Example
After college, they gradually **drifted apart**.
idiom

it blew my mind

Meaning
it amazed or shocked me completely
Example
The technology they used **blew my mind**.
idiom

full of years

Meaning
having lived a long and fulfilling life
Example
He passed away **full of years** and surrounded by family.
idiom

take pride in yourself

Meaning
to feel proud of who you are or what you do
Example
Always **take pride in yourself** and your achievements.
idiom

phase back in

Meaning
to reintroduce something gradually
Example
We’ll **phase back in** office days next quarter.
idiom

bottle up your feelings

Meaning
to hide or suppress your emotions
Example
Don't **bottle up your feelings**; talk about them.
idiom

I’d say

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

There’s always hope

Meaning
No matter how bad things look, you can still hope.
Example
Don’t lose heart — **there’s always hope**.
idiom

bounce around

Meaning
to discuss or move between ideas casually
Example
Let’s **bounce around** concepts before we pick one.
idiom

set the pace

Meaning
to establish a standard of performance or progress for others to follow
Example
Our CEO always **sets the pace** for the entire company.
idiom

the picture of health

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

school someone in something

Meaning
to teach someone about a subject or skill
Example
He **schooled me in** the basics of computer programming.
idiom

warm-hearted

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

teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone teases her for being the **teacher’s pet**.
idiom

a weight off one's shoulders

Meaning
a feeling of relief after a problem or burden is resolved
Example
When she finished the project, it felt like a **weight off her shoulders**.
idiom

extend an olive branch

Meaning
to offer peace or reconciliation
Example
After years of conflict, the president decided to **extend an olive branch**.
idiom

good Samaritan

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

put on the map

Meaning
to make something or someone famous or well-known
Example
The viral campaign **put the brand on the map**.
idiom

open heart

Meaning
to be honest and kind in feelings and actions
Example
He welcomed everyone with an **open heart**.
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

corner the market

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

lose touch

Meaning
to stop communicating with someone
Example
We **lost touch** after college.
idiom

blow away the cobwebs

Meaning
to refresh one’s mind or body after inactivity
Example
A short walk helped me **blow away the cobwebs**.
idiom

give it a shot

Meaning
to try something, even if you are not sure of success
Example
You should **give it a shot**; you might surprise yourself.
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

share the load

Meaning
to divide the work or responsibility among people
Example
We should **share the load** so no one gets too tired.
idiom

once bitten, twice shy

Meaning
after an unpleasant experience, you are careful to avoid it happening again
Example
After losing money in the stock market, he became **once bitten, twice shy**.
idiom

burst with happiness

Meaning
to be full of great joy or excitement
Example
The parents **burst with happiness** when they saw their newborn baby.
idiom

tip of the hat

Meaning
a gesture of appreciation or respect
Example
A **tip of the hat** to everyone who made this event possible.
idiom

out of balance

Meaning
to feel mentally or emotionally unstable
Example
Lack of rest can make you feel **out of balance**.
idiom

dive into

Meaning
to start doing something with enthusiasm
Example
Let’s **dive into** the agenda after coffee.
idiom

zone in on

Meaning
to focus attention closely on something specific
Example
We need to **zone in on** the main customer problem.
idiom

hit the airwaves

Meaning
to start being broadcast on television or radio
Example
The new talk show will **hit the airwaves** next week.
idiom

go easy on someone

Meaning
to be gentle or patient with someone
Example
Go easy on him; he’s been through a lot lately.
idiom

Shoulder to shoulder

Meaning
Working together closely and equally.
Example
The soldiers stood **shoulder to shoulder** in battle.
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

meet and greet

Meaning
an event where people meet and introduce themselves
Example
The company organized a **meet and greet** for new employees.
idiom

back and forth

Meaning
to change opinions or decisions repeatedly
Example
We’ve been going **back and forth** about this issue for weeks.
idiom

social proof

Meaning
the influence that other people’s actions have on one’s own behavior
Example
Positive reviews serve as **social proof** for new customers.
idiom

circle around

Meaning
to move repeatedly around something
Example
The hawk kept **circling around** above the trees.
idiom

rule out

Meaning
to decide that something is not possible
Example
We can’t **rule out** another delay yet.
idiom

find your feet

Meaning
to become comfortable in a new situation
Example
It took a few months for him to **find his feet** in the new city.
idiom

hair stands on end

Meaning
to feel intense fear or horror
Example
The ghost story made my **hair stand on end**.
idiom

a bridge too far

Meaning
an attempt or goal that is too ambitious or impossible to achieve
Example
The proposal to negotiate with all the countries at once was **a bridge too far**.
idiom

grab attention

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

truth will out

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

fade to black

Meaning
to end something dramatically
Example
The director chose to **fade to black** at the emotional climax.
idiom

run someone down

Meaning
to criticize someone unfairly; to speak badly about someone
Example
He always **runs his coworkers down** behind their backs.
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

make a decision

Meaning
to choose something after thinking about it
Example
I need some time to **make a decision** about my career path.
idiom

cloak and dagger

Meaning
involving secrecy, mystery, and deception
Example
The meeting was surrounded by **cloak and dagger** secrecy.
idiom

have big plans

Meaning
to have important or ambitious goals for the future
Example
He **has big plans** to expand his business overseas.
idiom

in over one’s head

Meaning
to be involved in something too difficult to handle
Example
He’s **in over his head** with this complex project.
idiom

get out of hand

Meaning
to become difficult to control
Example
The party started to **get out of hand** when more people arrived.
idiom

Runway

Meaning
The time a startup has before running out of cash.
Example
We only have six months of **runway** left.
idiom

hold off

Meaning
to delay doing something
Example
Let’s **hold off** on finalizing the order until we confirm the budget.
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

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

carve your own path

Meaning
to create your own way of achieving success or independence
Example
She decided to **carve her own path** instead of joining her family business.
idiom

a stroke of genius

Meaning
a brilliant and creative idea
Example
Her design was **a stroke of genius**.
idiom

pay attention to

Meaning
to listen carefully or give thought to something
Example
You should **pay attention to** the details of the project.
idiom

soft sell

Meaning
a subtle and persuasive way of selling without pressure
Example
They used a **soft sell** strategy to gain customer trust.
idiom

code like a machine

Meaning
to work extremely fast and efficiently on programming
Example
She can **code like a machine** when a deadline is near.
idiom

alive and kicking

Meaning
still healthy and full of life
Example
My grandmother is 90 but still **alive and kicking**.
idiom

make a name for yourself

Meaning
to become well-known or successful in a particular field
Example
She **made a name for herself** in the world of fashion design.
idiom

just what the doctor ordered

Meaning
exactly what is needed or wanted
Example
A cup of tea was **just what the doctor ordered**.
idiom

kick the bucket

Meaning
to die (informal)
Example
He finally **kicked the bucket** after a long illness.
idiom

draw attention

Meaning
to make people notice something
Example
The bright colors **draw attention** to the poster.
idiom

cloud computing

Meaning
the practice of using remote servers to store, manage, and process data over the internet
Example
Many businesses rely on **cloud computing** for data storage and security.
idiom

pushing the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits or boundaries; to innovate
Example
The new startup is really **pushing the envelope** with its groundbreaking technology.
idiom

a work in progress

Meaning
something that is still being developed or improved
Example
The project is still **a work in progress**, but it's going well.
idiom

algorithm

Meaning
a set of rules or instructions for solving a problem or performing a task
Example
The **algorithm** sorts the data into categories.
idiom

a political football

Meaning
an issue used by politicians for their own advantage
Example
Healthcare has become **a political football** in the country.
idiom

thank you kindly

Meaning
a polite way to say thank you warmly
Example
**Thank you kindly** for your time and patience.
idiom

create buzz

Meaning
to generate excitement and talk about a product or event
Example
The teaser video helped **create buzz** before the product launch.
idiom

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
idiom

sell someone out

Meaning
to betray someone for personal gain
Example
He **sold me out** to save himself.
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

race against time

Meaning
to rush to complete something before a deadline
Example
We’re in a **race against time** to meet the client’s demand.
idiom

human in the loop

Meaning
a person actively involved in monitoring or controlling an automated process
Example
Even in AI systems, a **human in the loop** ensures ethical decisions.
idiom

wave the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After a long debate, he finally **waved the white flag**.
idiom

make a fortune

Meaning
to earn a lot of money
Example
She **made a fortune** selling handmade jewelry online.
idiom

in a good mood

Meaning
feeling happy or cheerful
Example
She's always **in a good mood** when the sun is shining.
idiom

Wear many hats

Meaning
To have many roles or responsibilities.
Example
As a small business owner, she **wears many hats**.
idiom

a bitter pill to swallow

Meaning
an unpleasant fact or situation to accept
Example
Losing the championship was **a bitter pill to swallow** for the team.
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

On the breadline

Meaning
Living in poverty or with very little money.
Example
After losing his job, he was almost **on the breadline**.
idiom

To go the extra mile

Meaning
To put in more effort than is expected
Example
He always goes the extra mile to help his friends.
idiom

To move mountains

Meaning
To achieve something very difficult or seemingly impossible.
Example
With determination, she can **move mountains**.
idiom

to goof up

Meaning
to make a silly or careless mistake
Example
She **goofed up** the numbers in the report.
idiom

change of heart

Meaning
a change in the way one feels about something or someone
Example
He had a **change of heart** and decided to stay.
idiom

hit the sack

Meaning
to go to bed
Example
I'm exhausted, so I'm going to **hit the sack** early tonight.
idiom

Fall seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying even after multiple failures.
Example
Life is tough, but remember to **fall seven times, stand up eight**.
idiom

a happy camper

Meaning
a person who is content and satisfied with life
Example
After getting the job, he’s been **a happy camper**.
idiom

mix together

Meaning
to combine different things into one
Example
**Mix together** the spices before adding them to the stew.
idiom

Rite of passage

Meaning
A ceremony or event marking an important stage in someone's life
Example
Graduation is a **rite of passage** for many students.
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

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

to be ahead of the curve

Meaning
to be more advanced than others
Example
Her research was **ahead of the curve** in the field of artificial intelligence.
idiom

earn trust

Meaning
to gain someone's trust through actions or reliability
Example
She worked hard to **earn the trust** of her colleagues.
idiom

to fall head over heels

Meaning
to fall deeply in love
Example
He **fell head over heels** for her the moment they met.
idiom

a tough cookie

Meaning
someone who is strong and not easily upset
Example
She’s **a tough cookie**; nothing can discourage her.
idiom

tempt fate

Meaning
to take a foolish risk that may bring bad luck
Example
You’re **tempting fate** by driving without insurance.