take the road less traveled
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

take the road less traveled

Meaning
to do something different or unconventional
Example
He **took the road less traveled** by choosing a career in adventure sports.
idiom

to keep one's chin up

Meaning
to stay positive and hopeful in a difficult situation
Example
Even though she lost the game, she managed to **keep her chin up** and stayed positive.
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

the big cheese

Meaning
an important or influential person
Example
He's **the big cheese** in the company.
idiom

the real McCoy

Meaning
the genuine or original thing
Example
This painting is **the real McCoy**, not a copy.
idiom

The truth hurts

Meaning
The truth can be painful or difficult to accept.
Example
I know you don't want to hear this, but **the truth hurts**.
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

trust your gut

Meaning
to follow your intuition or instincts
Example
When making big decisions, it’s often best to **trust your gut**.
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

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

take a toll

Meaning
to cause harm or damage over time due to stress or overwork
Example
Long working hours can **take a toll** on your health.
idiom

turn a corner

Meaning
to begin to improve after a difficult period
Example
Things started to **turn a corner** after the new management took over.
idiom

the smoking gun

Meaning
a piece of evidence that clearly proves guilt
Example
The email was **the smoking gun** in the corruption case.
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

talk the talk

Meaning
to speak confidently about something
Example
He can **talk the talk**, but can he walk the walk?
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

to make the grade

Meaning
to meet the required standard
Example
He didn’t **make the grade** in the final exam.
idiom

The waiting game

Meaning
A situation in which you must wait for something to happen.
Example
It’s all about **the waiting game** when you’re looking for a job.
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

To be in someone's corner

Meaning
To support or defend someone.
Example
Even though they were having disagreements, she was always **in his corner**.
idiom

touch base with

Meaning
to make brief contact with someone for an update
Example
I'll **touch base with** you after the meeting to confirm the plan.
idiom

table the discussion

Meaning
to postpone discussing something until later
Example
They decided to **table the discussion** until next week.
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

the pen is mightier than the sword

Meaning
words and communication have more power than violence
Example
He believes **the pen is mightier than the sword**, so he fights with ideas, not weapons.
idiom

take it or leave it

Meaning
showing indifference about accepting or rejecting something
Example
That’s my final offer — **take it or leave it**.
idiom

take it in stride

Meaning
to accept something calmly without being upset
Example
She **took the criticism in stride**.
idiom

to rocket to success

Meaning
to achieve success very quickly
Example
His new startup **rocketed to success** after securing major funding.
idiom

take someone at their word

Meaning
to trust that someone is telling the truth
Example
You can **take her at her word**; she never lies.
idiom

to fall flat on one's face

Meaning
to fail completely or embarrass oneself
Example
The comedian **fell flat on his face** when no one laughed.
idiom

The greater good

Meaning
The idea that actions should be judged based on how much they contribute to the overall well-being of society, rather than individual interests.
Example
In times of crisis, leaders must always think about **the greater good** before making decisions.
idiom

throw the book at someone

Meaning
to punish someone severely
Example
The judge decided to **throw the book at** the criminal.
idiom

take aback

Meaning
to surprise or shock someone suddenly
Example
I was **taken aback** by his rude behavior.
idiom

to see eye to eye

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

tighten your belt

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

take heart

Meaning
to feel encouraged or more confident
Example
You should **take heart**; things will get better soon.
idiom

the green-eyed monster

Meaning
jealousy personified or described as a destructive force
Example
Don't let **the green-eyed monster** ruin your friendship.
idiom

the wisdom of age

Meaning
knowledge and understanding gained through life experience
Example
He gave me advice that showed **the wisdom of age**.
idiom

to weather the storm

Meaning
to successfully overcome a difficult or challenging situation
Example
Despite the economic downturn, the company managed **to weather the storm** and stay profitable.
idiom

the grass is always greener on the other side

Meaning
other situations always seem better than your own
Example
**The grass is always greener on the other side**, but be grateful.
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

tighten the belt

Meaning
to reduce spending; to save money due to financial constraints
Example
In tough economic times, businesses must **tighten the belt** to survive.
idiom

the art of something

Meaning
the skill of doing something well
Example
She has mastered **the art of** storytelling.
idiom

trailblazer

Meaning
a person who is the first to do something innovative
Example
Elon Musk is often seen as a **trailblazer** in the tech industry.
idiom

the art of persuasion

Meaning
the ability to convince someone to do something or believe something
Example
He mastered **the art of persuasion** and convinced them to support his cause.
idiom

take a load off

Meaning
to sit down and relax, especially after working hard
Example
Come in and **take a load off**.
idiom

to spill the beans

Meaning
to reveal a secret by mistake
Example
Tom accidentally **spilled the beans** about the surprise party.
idiom

the big picture

Meaning
the overall view or perspective of a situation
Example
It’s important to look at **the big picture** before making decisions.
idiom

Take one’s breath away

Meaning
To amaze or impress someone greatly.
Example
Her beauty **takes my breath away**.
idiom

to backfire

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

the tide has turned

Meaning
a situation has started to change in your favor
Example
After months of bad luck, **the tide has turned** for our team.
idiom

trust someone with your life

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

Throw money at something

Meaning
To try to solve a problem by spending a lot of money instead of using a better solution.
Example
The government keeps **throwing money at** the education problem instead of reforming it.
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

take the wheel

Meaning
to take control or responsibility
Example
It's time for the new manager to **take the wheel**.
idiom

to put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to risk everything on a single venture or decision
Example
I wouldn’t suggest **putting all your eggs in one basket** with this investment.
idiom

the going gets tough

Meaning
when the situation becomes very difficult or challenging
Example
When **the going gets tough**, the tough get going.
idiom

the buck stops here

Meaning
I am the one responsible; I will take responsibility.
Example
**The buck stops here**, and I will handle the mistake personally.
idiom

truth will out

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

Take your chances

Meaning
To try something despite uncertainty.
Example
He decided to **take his chances** and apply for the international scholarship.
idiom

the life of the party

Meaning
a person who is lively, entertaining, and the center of attention at social gatherings
Example
Everyone loves Tom because he’s always **the life of the party**.
idiom

the writing on the wall

Meaning
a sign that something bad will happen soon
Example
When sales started falling, the manager saw **the writing on the wall**.
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 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 drop the ball

Meaning
to make a mistake; to fail at something important
Example
He really **dropped the ball** by forgetting the meeting.
idiom

throw money at

Meaning
to spend large amounts of money in a hasty or unwise way
Example
The company tried to **throw money at** the problem instead of addressing the root cause.
idiom

throw in the towel

Meaning
to give up or quit
Example
After many failures, he **threw in the towel**.
idiom

take the helm

Meaning
to assume control or leadership of an organization
Example
She **took the helm** of the company after her father's retirement.
idiom

take the high road

Meaning
to act morally or kindly even when others don't
Example
She decided to **take the high road** and forgive him.
idiom

Throw down the gauntlet

Meaning
To challenge someone to fight or compete.
Example
He **threw down the gauntlet** by questioning his opponent’s honesty.
idiom

the long arm of the law

Meaning
the power and reach of the law to catch criminals
Example
**The long arm of the law** finally caught the escaped prisoner.
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

the vision thing

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

Throw money at the problem

Meaning
To try to solve a problem by spending a lot of money instead of finding the real solution.
Example
You can’t just **throw money at the problem**; we need a proper plan.
idiom

the rest is history

Meaning
used to say that everyone knows what happened next
Example
They met in college, fell in love, and **the rest is history**.
idiom

the old school

Meaning
having traditional beliefs or methods
Example
My professor is from **the old school**; he prefers chalkboards to slides.
idiom

tie in with

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

The light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
A sign of hope after a long period of difficulty.
Example
After months of hard work, we finally saw **the light at the end of the tunnel**.
idiom

to draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We need to **draw the line** between inspiration and plagiarism.
idiom

tone down

Meaning
to make something less forceful or intense
Example
Could you **tone down** the colors in that slide?
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

to wear one's heart on one's sleeve

Meaning
to openly show one's emotions or feelings
Example
He really **wears his heart on his sleeve**, you can tell exactly how he feels.
idiom

the political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to handle
Example
Corruption has become **a political hot potato** in the country.
idiom

talk the same language

Meaning
to have similar ideas and understanding
Example
We get along because we **talk the same language**.
idiom

throw someone under the bus

Meaning
to betray or sacrifice someone to save yourself
Example
He **threw his colleague under the bus** to avoid getting fired.
idiom

The longest journey begins with a single step

Meaning
Any big task starts with a small action.
Example
Don't worry about the entire project, **the longest journey begins with a single step**.
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 art of war

Meaning
strategies or tactics for achieving success in difficult situations
Example
The general studied **the art of war** to prepare for the upcoming battle.
idiom

the lion’s share

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

the acid test

Meaning
a true and final test of success
Example
The real market will be **the acid test** for this invention.
idiom

tell it like it is

Meaning
to speak honestly without sugarcoating
Example
She’s known for **telling it like it is**, even when the truth hurts.
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

track down

Meaning
to find something or someone after a search
Example
We finally **tracked down** the missing invoice.
idiom

the ball is in your court

Meaning
it is your turn to make a decision or take action
Example
I've made my offer, now **the ball is in your court**.
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

teach someone a lesson

Meaning
to make someone learn from their mistake
Example
The teacher’s punishment really **taught him a lesson**.
idiom

Tech-savvy

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

the honest truth

Meaning
the absolute and complete truth
Example
To tell you **the honest truth**, I didn’t enjoy the trip.
idiom

To have a heart of gold

Meaning
To be very kind and generous
Example
She has a heart of gold, always helping those in need.
idiom

tack on

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

the bots are taking over

Meaning
referring to the increasing use of AI systems in various industries; the automation of tasks traditionally performed by humans
Example
It feels like **the bots are taking over** every sector of business these days.
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

take the rap

Meaning
to be punished or blamed for something, often unfairly.
Example
He **took the rap** for the team’s poor performance.
idiom

to lose your nerve

Meaning
to lose courage and become too afraid to do something
Example
He wanted to jump, but he **lost his nerve** at the last second.
idiom

take a rain check

Meaning
to decline an offer but suggest doing it another time
Example
Can I **take a rain check** on dinner? I am busy tonight.
idiom

the whole truth

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

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

think tank

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

the whole nine yards

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

The truth will set you free

Meaning
By being truthful, you can avoid trouble and feel liberated.
Example
Even though it was hard, **the truth will set you free** in the end.
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

the upper hand

Meaning
to have control or an advantage over someone
Example
The ruling party has **the upper hand** in this situation.
idiom

take it to the bank

Meaning
to be certain that something is true or will happen
Example
You can **take it to the bank** that he’ll deliver on his promise.
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

to be in good shape

Meaning
to be physically fit and healthy
Example
She exercises daily to stay **in good shape**.
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

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 make a boo-boo

Meaning
to make a small or funny mistake
Example
Oops, I **made a boo-boo** and sent the wrong file!
idiom

the best is yet to come

Meaning
better things are coming in the future
Example
Don’t worry about the past; **the best is yet to come**.