Take something with a grain of salt
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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idiom

Take something with a grain of salt

Meaning
To not take something too seriously or literally
Example
You should **take his stories with a grain of salt**; he often exaggerates.
idiom

No doubt about it

Meaning
Used to express complete agreement
Example
**No doubt about it**, she deserves the award.
idiom

sick as a dog

Meaning
very ill
Example
I was **sick as a dog** after eating that street food.
idiom

separate the wheat from the chaff

Meaning
to distinguish valuable things from worthless ones
Example
It’s time to **separate the wheat from the chaff** in this project.
idiom

ground control

Meaning
authority or people managing a situation
Example
In this project, Sarah is **ground control**.
idiom

a tough act to follow

Meaning
something so impressive that others find it hard to match or surpass
Example
His last performance was **a tough act to follow**.
idiom

make up your mind

Meaning
to decide something
Example
You need to **make up your mind** about which job to take.
idiom

add on

Meaning
to include something extra
Example
You can **add on** dessert for a small fee.
idiom

the glass is half full

Meaning
seeing the positive side of something
Example
Try to see **the glass as half full** instead of half empty.
idiom

Family is everything

Meaning
The family holds the most important place in one's life and provides support and love.
Example
After all that happened, **family is everything**, and they helped him get through the tough time.
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

land a job

Meaning
to successfully get a job
Example
He was thrilled to **land a job** at his dream company.
idiom

open-hearted

Meaning
kind and honest in expressing feelings
Example
She is an **open-hearted** person who always listens.
idiom

a million-dollar smile

Meaning
a beautiful and charming smile
Example
She greeted everyone with **a million-dollar smile**.
idiom

strike a chord

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

split the atom

Meaning
to do something revolutionary or extremely difficult
Example
Creating a universal AI is like trying to **split the atom** of intelligence.
idiom

take someone's breath away

Meaning
to impress or amaze someone with beauty or charm
Example
Her beauty **took his breath away**.
idiom

glance over

Meaning
to read something quickly
Example
Can you **glance over** the memo before we send it?
idiom

out of one’s mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
He must be **out of his mind** to drive so fast in the rain.
idiom

hold your ground

Meaning
to refuse to change your position or opinion
Example
She **held her ground** even when others disagreed.
idiom

come a long way

Meaning
to make a lot of progress or improvement
Example
She has **come a long way** since she started her career.
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

have words with

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

check in with

Meaning
to contact someone to exchange updates
Example
I’ll **check in with** the vendor later today.
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

chin up, soldier

Meaning
to stay brave and strong in difficult situations
Example
**Chin up, soldier**, things will get better soon.
idiom

hold someone accountable

Meaning
to make someone take responsibility for their actions
Example
It’s important to **hold people accountable** for their mistakes.
idiom

get one's ducks in a row

Meaning
to organize things in a proper and efficient way
Example
Before we begin, we need to **get our ducks in a row** and finalize the plan.
idiom

make up

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

A rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
When the economy improves, everyone benefits to some extent.
Example
When the new policies boosted trade, people said that **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
idiom

blow a fuse

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry or lose control
Example
He **blew a fuse** when he saw the mess.
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

learning on the fly

Meaning
to adapt and learn quickly without prior preparation
Example
AI systems are **learning on the fly** from user data.
idiom

the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to believe someone even if you are not sure they are telling the truth
Example
I’ll give him **the benefit of the doubt** and believe his story.
idiom

book someone

Meaning
to officially charge someone with a crime
Example
The police **booked** him for theft.
idiom

Cut your losses

Meaning
To stop doing something that is no longer profitable.
Example
It’s better to **cut your losses** and move on.
idiom

get a taste of your own medicine

Meaning
to be treated in the same unpleasant way that you have treated others
Example
He's always rude to people, so I'm glad he finally **got a taste of his own medicine**.
idiom

never say never

Meaning
to encourage someone to stay hopeful and not give up
Example
**Never say never**—you might succeed next time.
idiom

break a promise

Meaning
to fail to do what one promised
Example
She **broke her promise** and didn’t call him.
idiom

peace talks

Meaning
negotiations aimed at ending a conflict
Example
The **peace talks** between the two countries lasted for weeks.
idiom

mend fences

Meaning
to repair a damaged relationship
Example
She called her friend to **mend fences** after their disagreement.
idiom

lock it down

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

stand up and be counted

Meaning
to take responsibility by showing your support or opinion openly
Example
It’s time for everyone to **stand up and be counted**.
idiom

take the law into one's own hands

Meaning
to seek justice personally rather than through legal authorities
Example
The villagers decided to **take the law into their own hands** and punished the thief.
idiom

On the drawing board

Meaning
In the planning or design stage
Example
The new product is still **on the drawing board**, but it will be launched next year.
idiom

beyond one’s grasp

Meaning
too difficult to understand or achieve
Example
Quantum physics is **beyond my grasp** right now.
idiom

happy as a clam

Meaning
very content and comfortable
Example
She looked **happy as a clam** on her vacation.
idiom

upgrade your thinking

Meaning
to improve your thought process or mindset
Example
To adapt to AI trends, you must **upgrade your thinking**.
idiom

burst of creativity

Meaning
a sudden outpouring of creative ideas
Example
She had a **burst of creativity** and finished the design in one go.
idiom

get in shape

Meaning
to become fit through exercise
Example
He started jogging every morning to **get in shape**.
idiom

see things differently

Meaning
to have a different opinion or perspective
Example
I **see things differently** when it comes to politics.
idiom

ring a bell

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can't remember where I heard it.
idiom

crossing the aisle

Meaning
when a politician supports or votes for the opposite party
Example
She surprised everyone by **crossing the aisle** to support the bill.
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

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

hard sell

Meaning
an aggressive or forceful sales approach
Example
Customers today dislike the **hard sell** approach.
idiom

miss the point

Meaning
to fail to understand the main idea
Example
You completely **missed the point** of my argument.
idiom

air gap

Meaning
a physical separation between secure and insecure systems
Example
Critical networks are kept **air-gapped** to prevent unauthorized access.
idiom

in all honesty

Meaning
To be completely truthful or sincere.
Example
**In all honesty**, I think he deserves the job.
idiom

Lady Luck

Meaning
personification of luck as a woman who brings good fortune
Example
**Lady Luck** was on our side when we won the match.
idiom

nip in the bud

Meaning
to stop something before it becomes a bigger problem
Example
We should **nip the problem in the bud** before it spreads.
idiom

at sixes and sevens

Meaning
in a state of confusion or disorder
Example
After the renovation, the office was **at sixes and sevens** for weeks.
idiom

cross off

Meaning
to remove an item from a list
Example
You can **cross off** the tasks we’ve finished.
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

buckle under pressure

Meaning
to give in or fail due to too much stress or pressure
Example
Some employees **buckle under pressure**, while others thrive.
idiom

crime doesn't pay

Meaning
doing wrong or illegal things will never bring true success
Example
He learned the hard way that **crime doesn't pay**.
idiom

across the board

Meaning
affecting everyone or everything equally
Example
The new tariffs apply **across the board** to all imported goods.
idiom

light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
sign of hope after a difficult period
Example
After months of struggle, she finally saw the **light at the end of the tunnel**.
idiom

pull rank

Meaning
to use one's authority to gain an advantage
Example
He **pulled rank** to get the last seat on the plane.
idiom

a blank canvas

Meaning
a person or situation that can be developed freely
Example
Starting a new project is like working with **a blank canvas**.
idiom

rule out

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

Don’t give up

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

ring the changes

Meaning
to make changes to something to make it more interesting or effective
Example
The restaurant decided to **ring the changes** with a new menu.
idiom

a fish out of water

Meaning
feeling uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation
Example
She felt like **a fish out of water** at the new school.
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

as happy as a clam

Meaning
feeling completely happy and content
Example
After a long vacation, he was **as happy as a clam**.
idiom

on one's shoulders

Meaning
having the responsibility or burden of something
Example
The success of the project is **on his shoulders**.
idiom

to have second thoughts

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

knock your socks off

Meaning
to impress or surprise someone greatly
Example
The concert will **knock your socks off**!
idiom

filter through

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

keep the peace

Meaning
to maintain order and avoid conflict
Example
The police were called to **keep the peace** during the protest.
idiom

Go down the rabbit hole

Meaning
To get deeply involved in something, often unintentionally.
Example
I started reading about AI and **went down the rabbit hole** for hours.
idiom

white lie

Meaning
a harmless or small lie told to avoid hurting someone
Example
I told a **white lie** to avoid upsetting her.
idiom

life in the fast lane

Meaning
a lifestyle full of excitement, activity, and sometimes risk
Example
He enjoys **life in the fast lane** with parties and travel.
idiom

in stitches

Meaning
laughing uncontrollably
Example
His joke had everyone **in stitches**.
idiom

ghost someone

Meaning
to suddenly stop communicating with someone online
Example
He used to text me daily but then he **ghosted** me.
idiom

Change is the only constant

Meaning
Everything in life keeps changing; nothing stays the same.
Example
Don’t resist — change is the only constant.
idiom

a clean bill of health

Meaning
a report confirming good health
Example
The doctor gave me **a clean bill of health** after the check-up.
idiom

kill two birds with one stone

Meaning
to succeed in achieving two things in a single action
Example
I can **kill two birds with one stone** by listening to a podcast while I exercise.
idiom

sworn enemies turned friends

Meaning
two people who used to dislike each other but became friends
Example
They were **sworn enemies turned friends** after college.
idiom

green with jealousy

Meaning
extremely jealous
Example
He was **green with jealousy** when he saw her with someone else.
idiom

in the dumps

Meaning
feeling sad or depressed
Example
After the argument, he was really **in the dumps**.
idiom

take a detour

Meaning
to take an indirect route
Example
We had to **take a detour** because of road construction.
idiom

on good terms

Meaning
to have a friendly and peaceful relationship
Example
They are still **on good terms** even after the breakup.
idiom

hit the panic button

Meaning
to react too quickly or nervously to a problem
Example
Don’t **hit the panic button** just because the server is down.
idiom

don't sweat the small stuff

Meaning
don’t worry about minor or unimportant things
Example
It’s just a little mistake, **don’t sweat the small stuff**.
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

make oneself clear

Meaning
to express oneself in a way that is easy to understand
Example
Could you **make yourself clear**, please?
idiom

a brush with fame

Meaning
a brief encounter or experience with a famous person
Example
During the exhibition, I had **a brush with fame** when I met a renowned painter.
idiom

sort through

Meaning
to organize by separating what is needed from what is not
Example
Let’s **sort through** the survey responses this afternoon.
idiom

tighten your belt

Meaning
to spend less money; to economize
Example
We’ll have to **tighten our belts** until business improves.
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

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

wander off

Meaning
to walk away without purpose or direction
Example
The child **wandered off** while we were shopping.
idiom

A stitch in time saves nine

Meaning
Solving a small problem early prevents a bigger problem later.
Example
Fix that leak now — a stitch in time saves nine.
idiom

make peace with

Meaning
to end conflict and become friendly again
Example
She finally **made peace with** her sister after years of misunderstanding.
idiom

the cream of the crop

Meaning
the best among a group of people or things
Example
Only **the cream of the crop** get into that university.
idiom

burn the candle at both ends

Meaning
to work too hard without enough rest
Example
If you **burn the candle at both ends**, you’ll get exhausted soon.
idiom

to bite the bullet

Meaning
to make a difficult decision or endure something unpleasant
Example
I didn't want to go to the doctor, but I had to **bite the bullet**.
idiom

influencer marketing

Meaning
promoting products through influential people on social media
Example
Many brands invest in **influencer marketing** to reach younger audiences.
idiom

have a chip on your shoulder

Meaning
to be angry or resentful about something from the past
Example
He **has a chip on his shoulder** about being rejected.
idiom

home sweet home

Meaning
used to express happiness upon returning home
Example
After a long trip, it feels so good to be **home sweet home**.
idiom

rolling in money

Meaning
having a lot of money
Example
After his business took off, he’s been **rolling in money**.
idiom

step change

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

pat on the back

Meaning
to praise or congratulate someone for doing something well
Example
You deserve a **pat on the back** for your effort.
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

stick your neck out

Meaning
to take a risk by doing or saying something that others may disagree with
Example
He **stuck his neck out** to defend his colleague.
idiom

make the grade

Meaning
to reach the desired standard or level
Example
Only a few students **made the grade** in the final test.
idiom

raise the stakes

Meaning
to increase the level of risk or difficulty
Example
We need to **raise the stakes** if we want to make a bigger impact.
idiom

to think outside the box

Meaning
to think creatively or unconventionally
Example
In solving AI problems, it is essential to **think outside the box**.