thank you kindly
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idiom

thank you kindly

Meaning
a polite way to say thank you warmly
Example
**Thank you kindly** for your time and patience.
B2 idiom

close but no cigar

Almost correct or successful but not quite
Meaning
Almost correct or successful but not quite
Example
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
idiom

stage fright

Meaning
nervousness before performing in front of an audience
Example
Even experienced actors sometimes get **stage fright**.
idiom

Shoulder to shoulder

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

grin and bear it

Meaning
to accept a difficult situation patiently
Example
You just have to **grin and bear it** until the work is done.
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

have a good head on one's shoulders

Meaning
to be sensible and intelligent
Example
She’s only 20, but she **has a good head on her shoulders**.
idiom

bring forward

Meaning
to move something to an earlier time
Example
We had to **bring forward** the meeting due to travel.
idiom

blossom into something

Meaning
to develop or become successful over time
Example
She **blossomed into** a confident and skilled leader.
idiom

carry on about

Meaning
to speak at length in an excited or annoyed way
Example
He kept **carrying on about** the missed deadline all morning.
idiom

gray matter

Meaning
intelligence or brainpower
Example
It takes a lot of **gray matter** to solve such a complex problem.
idiom

Put your thinking cap on

Meaning
To start thinking carefully about something
Example
It’s time to **put your thinking cap on** for the quiz.
idiom

art imitates life

Meaning
art reflects real-life experiences or truths
Example
**Art imitates life**, and great artists capture that essence.
idiom

a foot in the door

Meaning
to have a small opportunity to start working in a company or industry
Example
An internship is a great way to get **a foot in the door**.
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

Go to pieces

Meaning
To lose control of your emotions; to break down.
Example
She **went to pieces** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

A picture paints a thousand words

Meaning
A visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
Cultural symbols remind us that **a picture paints a thousand words**.
idiom

chatterbox

Meaning
a person who talks a lot
Example
My little sister is a real **chatterbox**.
idiom

tear-jerker

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

dodged a bullet

Meaning
To narrowly escape a dangerous or unlucky situation.
Example
We really **dodged a bullet** when that deal fell through.
idiom

Don’t bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
Don’t take on more responsibility than you can handle.
Example
**Don’t bite off more than you can chew**, start small.
idiom

free as a bird

Meaning
completely free; without restrictions
Example
After leaving his job, he felt **free as a bird**.
idiom

scare the life out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That horror movie **scared the life out of me**.
idiom

find the right balance

Meaning
to achieve a healthy or effective equilibrium between work and personal life
Example
It took me a while, but I finally **found the right balance** between work and family.
idiom

find common ground

Meaning
to find shared interests or agreement
Example
We must **find common ground** to resolve this conflict.
idiom

hammer out

Meaning
to reach an agreement after thorough discussion
Example
They stayed late to **hammer out** the final details of the contract.
idiom

have mixed feelings

Meaning
to be uncertain or have both positive and negative emotions
Example
I **have mixed feelings** about moving to another city.
idiom

draw a line in the sand

Meaning
to set a firm boundary or make a limit clear
Example
The prime minister **drew a line in the sand** regarding national security.
idiom

lay up

Meaning
to keep something in reserve for later use
Example
We should **lay up** extra supplies before winter.
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

Seed funding

Meaning
Initial capital used to start a business.
Example
They received **seed funding** from angel investors.
idiom

nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to focus and work hard for a long time
Example
He kept his **nose to the grindstone** and got promoted.
idiom

bottom line

Meaning
the most important point; the final result or profit
Example
The **bottom line** is that trade deficits are increasing.
idiom

the light dawned on someone

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

Cheer up

Meaning
Become happier; don’t be sad.
Example
It’s not the end of the world—**cheer up**!
idiom

trailblaze

Meaning
to be the first to do something or lead the way
Example
She is a **trailblazer** in the tech industry.
idiom

go under the knife

Meaning
to have a surgical operation
Example
He had to **go under the knife** to fix his knee injury.
idiom

Heart full of gratitude

Meaning
Deeply thankful and appreciative.
Example
She spoke with a **heart full of gratitude** for her teachers.
idiom

talk someone into something

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

a slippery slope

Meaning
a course of action that seems to lead to undesirable or dangerous consequences
Example
Starting to ignore small violations can lead to **a slippery slope** of bigger legal issues.
idiom

in a pickle

Meaning
in a difficult or tricky situation
Example
I'm **in a pickle** because I double-booked my meetings.
idiom

in orbit

Meaning
in a state of great excitement or activity
Example
The team was **in orbit** after the big win.
idiom

shake off

Meaning
to get rid of something unpleasant
Example
She took a walk to **shake off** the stress.
idiom

turn things around

Meaning
to reverse a negative situation and make it positive
Example
With some effort, we can **turn things around**.
idiom

in harm’s way

Meaning
In a position to be injured or in danger.
Example
Firefighters often put themselves **in harm’s way** to save others.
idiom

worth one's salt

Meaning
to be competent or deserving respect in one’s field
Example
Any engineer **worth his salt** can solve this problem.
idiom

zone out

Meaning
to stop paying attention and mentally drift away
Example
I completely **zoned out** during the long presentation.
idiom

Bursting at the seams

Meaning
To be very full or crowded.
Example
The store was **bursting at the seams** during the sale.
idiom

bite someone’s head off

Meaning
to speak angrily to someone without reason
Example
I just asked a question, no need to **bite my head off**!
idiom

three sheets to the wind

Meaning
Very drunk or intoxicated.
Example
After the party, he was **three sheets to the wind**.
idiom

play second fiddle

Meaning
to take a subordinate role to someone else
Example
He was tired of **playing second fiddle** to his colleague.
idiom

have cold feet

Meaning
to suddenly become nervous before doing something important
Example
He was ready to get married but **got cold feet** at the last minute.
idiom

lay the blame on

Meaning
to accuse someone of being responsible for something bad.
Example
They tried to **lay the blame on** the new employee.
idiom

track down

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

Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today

Meaning
Do not procrastinate; take advantage of the present moment.
Example
Finish your work now, **don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today**.
idiom

clue in

Meaning
to give someone the necessary information
Example
Can you **clue me in** on the schedule changes?
idiom

East meets West

Meaning
A blending of Eastern and Western cultures
Example
This restaurant is a perfect example of **East meets West** cuisine.
idiom

go through the roof

Meaning
to increase rapidly; to become very high
Example
The prices of housing have **gone through the roof** recently.
idiom

parallel universe

Meaning
a completely different or contrasting situation
Example
Life in the countryside feels like a **parallel universe** compared to the city.
idiom

keep your word

Meaning
to honor a promise or commitment
Example
You must always **keep your word** if you want to gain trust.
idiom

talk out

Meaning
to discuss something until a decision is reached
Example
Let’s **talk out** the disagreement today.
idiom

the scales of justice

Meaning
the system or symbol representing fairness and equality in law
Example
The judge ensures that **the scales of justice** remain balanced.
idiom

to mend fences

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

weakest link

Meaning
the most vulnerable part of a system or group
Example
Human error is often the **weakest link** in cybersecurity.
idiom

short circuit

Meaning
to cause a sudden failure; to interrupt a process abruptly
Example
A small mistake **short-circuited** the entire project.
idiom

pick a fight

Meaning
to start an argument intentionally
Example
Don’t **pick a fight** with him; he’s already angry.
idiom

Don’t be discouraged

Meaning
Stay motivated even after setbacks.
Example
**Don’t be discouraged**—success takes time.
idiom

footloose and fancy-free

Meaning
free to do whatever you want; without commitments
Example
He loves being **footloose and fancy-free** after retirement.
idiom

see stars

Meaning
to feel dizzy or stunned, often after being hit
Example
He bumped his head and started to **see stars**.
idiom

talk behind someone's back

Meaning
to say bad things about someone when they are not present
Example
I don’t like people who **talk behind my back**.
idiom

divide and conquer

Meaning
to gain control by causing disagreement among others
Example
The dictator used a **divide and conquer** strategy to maintain power.
idiom

a law unto oneself

Meaning
someone who acts independently and ignores rules
Example
He’s **a law unto himself**, never following company policies.
idiom

grinning from ear to ear

Meaning
smiling broadly due to happiness
Example
He was **grinning from ear to ear** after receiving the gift.
idiom

under the gun

Meaning
under pressure to perform or complete something
Example
We were **under the gun** to meet the deadline for the report.
idiom

lose your cool

Meaning
to become angry or impatient
Example
Don’t **lose your cool**; the situation will get better.
idiom

full steam ahead

Meaning
to move forward with great energy or speed
Example
The team is going **full steam ahead** with the new logistics plan.
idiom

fall in love

Meaning
to develop romantic feelings for someone
Example
I didn't expect to **fall in love** with her so quickly.
idiom

political mileage

Meaning
advantage gained from a political situation
Example
Opposition leaders tried to gain **political mileage** from the crisis.
idiom

put one's trust in

Meaning
to place reliance or faith in someone or something
Example
He decided to **put his trust in** the new system.
idiom

a light bulb moment

Meaning
a moment of sudden inspiration or realization
Example
She had **a light bulb moment** during the meeting.
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

reinforcement learning

Meaning
a type of machine learning where an agent learns to make decisions by performing actions and receiving feedback
Example
In **reinforcement learning**, the model improves over time as it learns from trial and error.
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

sit back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing
Example
Just **sit back** and enjoy the show.
idiom

when life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Meaning
make the best out of a bad situation
Example
She lost her job but decided to **make lemonade** by starting her own business.
idiom

in good spirits

Meaning
to be cheerful and confident
Example
She was **in good spirits** after her presentation.
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

from the horse’s mouth

Meaning
directly from the original or reliable source
Example
I heard the news **from the horse’s mouth**.
idiom

lay into

Meaning
to criticize someone harshly
Example
Instead of **laying into** the intern, offer some guidance.
idiom

learn from mistakes

Meaning
to improve oneself by understanding and correcting errors
Example
I always try to **learn from mistakes** to avoid repeating them.
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

blow your top

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **blew his top** when he found out about the mistake.
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

A goal without a plan is just a wish

Meaning
Having a goal without a clear plan makes it unlikely to succeed.
Example
Don’t just dream, remember **a goal without a plan is just a wish**.
idiom

cash cow

Meaning
a product or service that consistently generates a lot of money
Example
Their mobile app has become a **cash cow** for the company.
idiom

keep your dreams alive

Meaning
to continue believing in your goals even when it's hard
Example
No matter how tough life gets, **keep your dreams alive**.
idiom

lightning fast

Meaning
extremely fast
Example
She replied **lightning fast** to the email.
idiom

taste of success

Meaning
to experience success for the first time
Example
After years of struggle, he finally got a **taste of success**.
idiom

chip in

Meaning
to contribute money or effort to a shared goal
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in** for Maya’s farewell gift.
idiom

burn bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or connections permanently
Example
Be careful not to **burn bridges** when leaving your job.
idiom

light up someone’s day

Meaning
to make someone happy
Example
Your kind words **lighted up my day**.
idiom

quote chapter and verse

Meaning
to cite something exactly or in great detail
Example
She can **quote chapter and verse** from Shakespeare.
idiom

Jump in at the deep end

Meaning
to take on a difficult task without preparation
Example
I had to **jump in at the deep end** when I started my new job.
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

read between the lines

Meaning
to understand the hidden meaning behind something
Example
She said everything was fine, but if you **read between the lines**, you could tell she was upset.
idiom

level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
The new rules create a **level playing field** for all teams.
idiom

To question everything

Meaning
To critically examine and not blindly accept the status quo or accepted beliefs.
Example
In philosophy, one is encouraged **to question everything** in order to arrive at the truth.
idiom

by leaps and bounds

Meaning
to progress or improve very quickly
Example
Her English has improved **by leaps and bounds**.
idiom

Get off the ground

Meaning
To start successfully; to begin operating.
Example
Our startup finally **got off the ground** after months of planning.
idiom

sick as a dog

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

fade to black

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

pick oneself up

Meaning
to recover from a setback or failure
Example
Even though he failed, he managed to **pick himself up** and try again.
idiom

have faith in

Meaning
to believe or trust in someone or something
Example
You should **have faith in** your abilities.
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

lock horns

Meaning
to get into an argument or fight
Example
They **locked horns** over the new proposal.
idiom

window of opportunity

Meaning
a short period when a chance is available
Example
We have a small **window of opportunity** to launch this product.
idiom

keep one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and continuously
Example
If you **keep your nose to the grindstone**, you'll achieve your goals.
idiom

In uncharted waters

Meaning
In a situation that is unknown or unfamiliar.
Example
The astronauts are heading into **uncharted waters** as they explore the unknown galaxy.
idiom

ahead of the game

Meaning
to have an advantage or be well prepared
Example
She’s always **ahead of the game** with her planning.
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

fight your demons

Meaning
to deal with your fears or bad memories courageously
Example
He’s learning to **fight his demons** from the past.