take under one’s wing
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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

throw a tantrum

Meaning
to have an outburst of anger or frustration, often in a childish manner
Example
The child **threw a tantrum** when she didn’t get the toy she wanted.
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

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

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

the calm before the storm

Meaning
a peaceful time before trouble begins
Example
The classroom was silent, like **the calm before the storm**.
idiom

the best of both worlds

Meaning
a situation in which you can enjoy the advantages of two very different things at the same time
Example
She works in the city and lives in the country, so she gets **the best of both worlds**.
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

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

tighten the screws

Meaning
to put pressure on someone to make them behave or act a certain way
Example
The government **tightened the screws** on tax evaders.
idiom

the big bang

Meaning
a sudden and powerful beginning; often used metaphorically
Example
The startup launched with **a big bang** in the tech world.
idiom

time is money

Meaning
time is valuable and should not be wasted
Example
In business, every minute counts because **time is money**.
idiom

take the blame

Meaning
to accept responsibility for something wrong
Example
He decided to **take the blame** for the team's failure.
idiom

too big to fail

Meaning
a company or institution that is so important that it is unlikely to fail
Example
Many financial institutions were considered **too big to fail** during the 2008 financial crisis.
idiom

trust issues

Meaning
difficulty trusting others due to past experiences
Example
He has **trust issues** after being betrayed once.
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 have second thoughts

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

twist someone's arm

Meaning
to persuade someone forcefully
Example
I had to **twist his arm** to get him to come.
idiom

to have someone's back

Meaning
To support or defend someone.
Example
Don’t worry, I **have your back** if things go wrong.
idiom

to make the grade

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

trust someone with something

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

To be thick as thieves

Meaning
To be very close friends
Example
They've been **thick as thieves** ever since childhood.
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

talk someone into

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
He **talked me into** joining the event.
idiom

take the stage

Meaning
to begin performing or speaking publicly
Example
The new actor will **take the stage** for the first time tonight.
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

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

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 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

thank your lucky stars

Meaning
to feel grateful for good fortune
Example
You should **thank your lucky stars** for having such good friends.
idiom

to have a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared healthy by a doctor
Example
After the checkup, she got **a clean bill of health**.
idiom

trust one's judgment

Meaning
to believe in someone's decision or ability to make good choices
Example
I always **trust her judgment** when it comes to hiring decisions.
idiom

the lion’s share

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

to get away with murder

Meaning
to do something wrong and avoid punishment
Example
Rich criminals often **get away with murder** due to influence.
idiom

to nurse someone back to health

Meaning
to help someone recover from illness
Example
She **nursed her mother back to health** after the accident.
idiom

The sun is shining

Meaning
A metaphor for happiness or positivity, often used when things are going well.
Example
After all the hard work, things finally seemed to be **shining**.
idiom

to put one's finger on

Meaning
to identify or recognize something with precision
Example
The journalist was able to **put her finger on** the exact cause of the political unrest.
idiom

take one for the team

Meaning
to sacrifice for the benefit of others
Example
He **took one for the team** and stayed late to finish the report.
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

to mess up

Meaning
to make a mistake or do something badly
Example
Don’t **mess up** the report again this time.
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 human touch

Meaning
a personal or emotional element that technology lacks
Example
Even with AI, customers still appreciate **the human touch** in service.
idiom

tune out

Meaning
to stop paying attention to what’s happening around you
Example
He often **tunes out** when people start complaining.
idiom

take a detour

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

To tell the truth

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

to hit it off

Meaning
to quickly become good friends
Example
We **hit it off** the moment we met.
idiom

tell a tall tale

Meaning
to tell an exaggerated or false story
Example
He loves to **tell tall tales** about his adventures.
idiom

talk up

Meaning
to praise or promote something enthusiastically
Example
The host will **talk up** the new menu tonight.
idiom

Time heals all wounds

Meaning
Emotional pain will lessen with time.
Example
Don’t worry, time heals all wounds.
idiom

tough it out

Meaning
to endure a difficult situation with strength and determination
Example
Even though it was a tough day, she managed to **tough it out** and finish the project.
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

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

throw a wrench in the works

Meaning
to cause a problem that stops progress
Example
The last-minute design change **threw a wrench in the works**.
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

trust your gut

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

take the reins

Meaning
to take control or responsibility
Example
After the director retired, she **took the reins** of the company.
idiom

take the law into your own hands

Meaning
to punish someone without legal authority
Example
Citizens should not **take the law into their own hands**.
idiom

teamwork makes the dream work

Meaning
working together leads to success
Example
We can accomplish so much if we cooperate, because **teamwork makes the dream work**.
idiom

trendsetter

Meaning
someone who leads the way in fashion, technology, or other popular areas, setting trends for others to follow
Example
The company became a **trendsetter** in the tech world with its innovative new app.
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 be above board

Meaning
to be open and honest in your actions
Example
His dealings were always **above board**, and everyone trusted him.
idiom

tip off

Meaning
to secretly give information or a warning
Example
A neighbor **tipped off** the police about the noise.
idiom

the light dawned on someone

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

take the pressure off

Meaning
to make a stressful situation easier
Example
Hiring an assistant really **took the pressure off** me.
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

take flak

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

trending topic

Meaning
a subject that is currently popular on social media
Example
Her post became a **trending topic** on Twitter.
idiom

to lay down the law

Meaning
to assert authority and dictate how things should be done
Example
The new judge quickly **laid down the law** in the courtroom.
idiom

the spark of an idea

Meaning
the beginning of a new idea or thought
Example
That comment gave me **the spark of an idea**.
idiom

throw your weight behind

Meaning
to support someone or something strongly
Example
The manager **threw his weight behind** the new proposal.
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

tear into someone

Meaning
to criticize someone angrily
Example
The coach **tore into** the players after they lost the game.
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

throw in the towel

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

Tech-savvy

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

throw caution to the wind

Meaning
to do something risky without worrying
Example
I decided to **throw caution to the wind** and try it.
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

to hack into

Meaning
to gain unauthorized access to a system or network
Example
The attackers managed **to hack into** the company's internal servers.
idiom

the lesser of two evils

Meaning
the less harmful of two bad options
Example
Voters often choose **the lesser of two evils** during elections.
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 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 come out on top

Meaning
to succeed in a difficult situation or competition
Example
After a fierce competition, they **came out on top** and won the contract.
idiom

to rocket to success

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

that's the last straw

Meaning
my patience has run out
Example
He's been late all week, but this is **the last straw**.
idiom

to be in the spotlight

Meaning
to receive a lot of public attention
Example
The artist has been **in the spotlight** since her latest exhibition.
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

travel light

Meaning
to travel with very little luggage
Example
When I travel for business, I like to **travel light**.
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

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

take your breath away

Meaning
to surprise or impress someone very much
Example
The beauty of the sunset will **take your breath away**.
idiom

to firewall something

Meaning
to block or prevent access to something, typically used in the context of protecting a network or system
Example
We need **to firewall something** to protect our database from hackers.
idiom

tough cookie

Meaning
a strong and determined person
Example
She’s a **tough cookie** who never gives up easily.
idiom

trial and error

Meaning
learning through experimenting and correcting mistakes
Example
We developed the product through **trial and error**.
idiom

tear-jerker

Meaning
something that makes you cry, especially a movie or story
Example
That movie was such a **tear-jerker**.
idiom

take the spotlight

Meaning
to be the center of attention or admiration
Example
The young actress **took the spotlight** at the award ceremony.
idiom

to be fair

Meaning
used to introduce a balanced or just opinion
Example
**To be fair**, she did try her best.
idiom

take stock of

Meaning
to review a situation carefully before making decisions
Example
Let’s **take stock of** our priorities this quarter.
idiom

truth be told

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

table the discussion

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

tie the knot

Meaning
to get married
Example
They are planning to **tie the knot** next summer.
idiom

to burn one's fingers

Meaning
to suffer from a bad experience or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** investing in that fake company.
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

take someone to task

Meaning
to strongly criticize someone for something they did wrong
Example
The teacher **took him to task** for cheating on the exam.
idiom

tighten one’s belt

Meaning
to spend less money due to financial difficulties
Example
After losing his job, he had to **tighten his belt**.
idiom

Trickle-down effect

Meaning
Economic benefits of the wealthy gradually reaching the lower-income groups.
Example
Critics argue that the **trickle-down effect** rarely helps the poor.
idiom

take someone's word for it

Meaning
to trust that what someone says is true
Example
I’ll **take your word for it** since you were there.
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

talk shop

Meaning
to talk about work or business during leisure time
Example
Even at dinner, they started to **talk shop**.
idiom

tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small part of a much bigger problem
Example
The data error we found is just the **tip of the iceberg**.
idiom

table a proposal

Meaning
to formally present a proposal for discussion
Example
The ambassador decided to **table a proposal** for regional cooperation.
idiom

take the edge off

Meaning
to make a bad situation or feeling less intense or unpleasant
Example
A hot cup of tea always helps to **take the edge off**.
idiom

The best things in life are worth waiting for

Meaning
The most valuable things take time and effort to achieve.
Example
Remember, **the best things in life are worth waiting for**.
idiom

the early bird catches the worm

Meaning
people who start early are more likely to succeed
Example
**The early bird catches the worm**, so start your day early.