The devil is in the details
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idiom

The devil is in the details

Meaning
Small details are often the most important or problematic.
Example
The overall concept was great, but **the devil is in the details**.
idiom

Wishful thinking

Meaning
Believing something because you want it to be true, not because it is realistic.
Example
Believing you'll win the lottery is just **wishful thinking**.
idiom

cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative
Example
Our company is working on **cutting edge** AI technology.
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

the acid test

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

get the credit

Meaning
to receive praise or recognition for something
Example
The whole team worked hard, but only he **got the credit**.
idiom

salt of the earth

Meaning
a very good and honest person
Example
My grandfather was the **salt of the earth**.
idiom

keep your head up

Meaning
to remain confident and strong during hardships
Example
**Keep your head up**, better days are coming.
idiom

walk on air

Meaning
to feel very happy
Example
She was **walking on air** after hearing his message.
idiom

give in

Meaning
to stop resisting or to agree after initial refusal
Example
After a long debate, the committee finally **gave in**.
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

Roll up your sleeves

Meaning
To prepare to work hard.
Example
Let’s **roll up our sleeves** and get started.
idiom

To be thick as thieves

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

lay into

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

burn your fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of a bad decision or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by trusting the wrong person.
idiom

overfitting

Meaning
when a model performs well on training data but poorly on unseen data
Example
The model seems to be **overfitting** because it performs well on the training data but poorly on the test set.
idiom

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed **tears of joy** when her son returned home.
idiom

leave aside

Meaning
to postpone discussion of something
Example
Let’s **leave aside** that issue until we have more data.
idiom

let sleeping dogs lie

Meaning
to avoid bringing up a problem that will cause trouble
Example
It is better to **let sleeping dogs lie**.
idiom

rub someone the wrong way

Meaning
to irritate or annoy someone without intending to
Example
His attitude tends to **rub people the wrong way**.
idiom

wear out

Meaning
to use something until it becomes unusable
Example
You’ll **wear out** those shoes if you hike every weekend.
idiom

to cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it arises, rather than worrying about it beforehand
Example
Don't worry about the meeting next week, we'll **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

steer someone in the right direction

Meaning
to guide someone towards the correct path or decision
Example
The senior manager helped **steer me in the right direction** when I was unsure about the project.
idiom

stay ahead of the curve

Meaning
to stay more advanced or knowledgeable than others
Example
If you read daily, you can **stay ahead of the curve** in your studies.
idiom

boot up

Meaning
to start a computer or system
Example
My laptop takes forever to **boot up**.
idiom

feel ten feet tall

Meaning
to feel very proud and confident
Example
He **felt ten feet tall** after completing the challenge.
idiom

digital twin

Meaning
a virtual representation of a physical object or system used for simulation and analysis
Example
Using **digital twin** technology, we can simulate the performance of machinery before production.
idiom

reach the top

Meaning
to achieve the highest position or level in something
Example
After years of hard work, she finally **reached the top** of her profession.
idiom

smile from ear to ear

Meaning
to have a big, broad smile showing happiness
Example
He was **smiling from ear to ear** after the interview.
idiom

double check

Meaning
to verify something again for accuracy
Example
Always **double check** the numbers before submitting.
idiom

lose interest

Meaning
to stop being interested in something
Example
He quickly **lost interest** in the project.
idiom

algorithmic trading

Meaning
the use of algorithms to automate trading in financial markets
Example
Banks are increasingly using **algorithmic trading** to optimize their investments.
idiom

give someone a dose of their own medicine

Meaning
to treat someone the same bad way they treated others
Example
He was rude to everyone, so I **gave him a dose of his own medicine**.
idiom

in the nick of time

Meaning
at the last possible moment; just before it’s too late
Example
He arrived **in the nick of time** to catch the train.
idiom

lose one’s cool

Meaning
to suddenly become angry
Example
Try not to **lose your cool** during the argument.
idiom

show leadership

Meaning
to demonstrate leadership qualities or skills
Example
She was able to **show leadership** during the crisis and guide the team through tough times.
idiom

cool off

Meaning
to become less hot or less angry
Example
Let the soup **cool off** before serving.
idiom

down to the wire

Meaning
until the very last moment; close to the deadline
Example
The game went **down to the wire**, but they won in the end.
idiom

take on board

Meaning
to accept or take responsibility for something
Example
The manager had to **take on board** the new task for the team.
idiom

burning with envy

Meaning
feeling intense jealousy
Example
She was **burning with envy** when she heard about his promotion.
idiom

click-through rate

Meaning
the percentage of users who click on an ad or link
Example
Our **click-through rate** improved after we changed the headline.
idiom

on the big screen

Meaning
appearing in a cinema film
Example
Her novel was adapted **on the big screen** last year.
idiom

cry your heart out

Meaning
to cry a lot due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

from my point of view

Meaning
considering something from one's own perspective
Example
**From my point of view**, the plan makes sense.
idiom

take a hit

Meaning
to suffer a financial loss
Example
The company **took a hit** after the stock market crash.
idiom

down on one’s luck

Meaning
to be experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s **down on his luck** and can’t find a job.
idiom

raise the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After several failed attempts, he finally **raised the white flag**.
idiom

nurture talent

Meaning
to help someone's skills and abilities grow and develop
Example
A great mentor knows how to **nurture talent** and help their mentees grow.
idiom

to goof up

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

a no-brainer

Meaning
something that is very easy to understand or decide
Example
The solution to the problem was **a no-brainer**.
idiom

out of harm’s way

Meaning
To be safe from danger or difficulty.
Example
Make sure the children are **out of harm’s way** before lighting the fire.
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

brave the storm

Meaning
to face great difficulties with courage
Example
They **braved the storm** to rescue the stranded people.
idiom

home is where the heart is

Meaning
your true home is with the people you love
Example
I may live far away, but **home is where the heart is**.
idiom

judge a book by its cover

Meaning
to form an opinion based on appearance only
Example
Don’t **judge a book by its cover**; she’s actually very kind.
idiom

in the same league

Meaning
comparable in quality or ability
Example
Those two companies aren’t **in the same league**.
idiom

cloak and dagger

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

get your wires crossed

Meaning
to misunderstand someone or something
Example
We must have **got our wires crossed**, because I thought the meeting was tomorrow.
idiom

go for broke

Meaning
to risk everything to achieve success
Example
They decided to **go for broke** and launch their new product.
idiom

back each other up

Meaning
to support and help one another
Example
In a good team, members always **back each other up**.
idiom

a cut above

Meaning
better than others; superior in quality or ability
Example
Her work is **a cut above** the rest.
idiom

at the top of one’s game

Meaning
to be performing at one’s best level
Example
The athlete is **at the top of his game** this season.
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

peace and quiet

Meaning
a time of calmness and tranquility
Example
I just need some **peace and quiet** to finish my work.
idiom

sworn friends

Meaning
Friends who are deeply loyal to each other.
Example
Since childhood, they’ve been **sworn friends**.
idiom

miss the mark

Meaning
to fail to achieve the intended result
Example
His speech **missed the mark** and didn’t impress anyone.
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

break a leg

Meaning
to wish someone good luck in a performance
Example
Before the play started, everyone told her to **break a leg**.
idiom

join up with

Meaning
to become part of a group or team
Example
She’ll **join up with** the outreach crew tomorrow.
idiom

Fashion victim

Meaning
Someone who follows fashion trends blindly
Example
He's such a **fashion victim**—he buys every new style that comes out.
idiom

Bailout package

Meaning
Financial support given to prevent a company or economy from collapsing.
Example
The government announced a **bailout package** for struggling airlines.
idiom

clue in

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

believe you can

Meaning
to have the mindset that you are capable of doing something
Example
If you **believe you can**, you’re halfway there.
idiom

Pay dividends

Meaning
To bring benefits or rewards later.
Example
Investing in education always **pays dividends** in the long run.
idiom

against the ropes

Meaning
in a difficult situation or near defeat
Example
The company was **against the ropes**, but it managed to recover.
idiom

crack the books

Meaning
to open your books and begin studying
Example
It's time to **crack the books** and prepare for finals.
idiom

cut to the chase

Meaning
to get to the point quickly
Example
Let’s **cut to the chase** and discuss the main issue.
idiom

plan ahead

Meaning
to prepare for the future
Example
You should **plan ahead** to avoid problems later.
idiom

throw oneself at someone's mercy

Meaning
to ask for forgiveness and hope for kindness
Example
She **threw herself at the teacher’s mercy** after missing the deadline.
idiom

lose one's temper

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **lost his temper** when he saw the mess.
idiom

you can’t teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
it’s hard for older people to learn new things or change habits
Example
My dad refuses to use a smartphone — **you can’t teach an old dog new tricks**.
idiom

reduce carbon footprint

Meaning
to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere
Example
Many companies are working to **reduce their carbon footprint** by using renewable energy.
idiom

climb the ladder

Meaning
to move up in position or success, especially in a career
Example
He worked hard to **climb the ladder** in his company.
idiom

hold yourself accountable

Meaning
to take personal responsibility for your actions
Example
You must always **hold yourself accountable** for your actions.
idiom

a rock in a hard place

Meaning
to be in a very difficult or challenging situation
Example
He found himself **a rock in a hard place** when he had to choose between two difficult options.
idiom

kindred spirit

Meaning
someone who has similar interests or feelings
Example
We became friends because we’re **kindred spirits**.
idiom

take it in stride

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

in the works

Meaning
something that is being developed or planned
Example
A new product is **in the works** and should be released soon.
idiom

doomscrolling

Meaning
endlessly scrolling through bad news or negative content online
Example
I stayed up late **doomscrolling** last night.
idiom

chicken out

Meaning
to decide not to do something because of fear
Example
He was going to ask her out but **chickened out** at the last minute.
idiom

keep a low profile

Meaning
to avoid attracting attention; to stay calm and unnoticed
Example
After the controversy, he decided to **keep a low profile**.
idiom

brainstorm an idea

Meaning
to discuss and think creatively to generate new ideas
Example
The teacher asked the class to **brainstorm ideas** for the project.
idiom

smear campaign

Meaning
an attempt to damage someone's reputation through false accusations or gossip
Example
The opposition launched a **smear campaign** against the minister.
idiom

hit the streets

Meaning
to go out on patrol or begin a search for a suspect
Example
The officers decided to **hit the streets** after the robbery was reported.
idiom

a feather in one’s cap

Meaning
an achievement to be proud of
Example
Winning the national award was **a feather in his cap**.
idiom

ahead of the curve

Meaning
to be more advanced or innovative than others
Example
Their company is **ahead of the curve** in AI development.
idiom

a thing of the past

Meaning
something that no longer exists or happens
Example
With smartphones, landline phones are **a thing of the past**.
idiom

take a step back

Meaning
to pause and reassess a situation
Example
Sometimes you need to **take a step back** to see the bigger picture.
idiom

drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small or insignificant amount compared to what is needed
Example
Our recycling efforts are just a **drop in the ocean** compared to the global pollution problem.
idiom

play it straight

Meaning
to be honest and direct
Example
Just **play it straight** and tell them what happened.
idiom

break the law

Meaning
to commit an illegal act
Example
Anyone who **breaks the law** should be punished.
idiom

live out of a suitcase

Meaning
to travel frequently; to not stay in one place for long
Example
He’s been **living out of a suitcase** for months.
idiom

gear up to

Meaning
to prepare energetically to do something
Example
We’re **gearing up to** launch the app next month.
idiom

hold your ground

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

stay calm

Meaning
to remain composed and not panic
Example
No need to worry, just **stay calm** and think it through.
idiom

play devil's advocate

Meaning
to argue against an idea to test how strong it is
Example
I don't necessarily disagree, but let me **play devil's advocate** for a moment.
idiom

take it with a grain of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He tends to exaggerate, so **take his stories with a grain of salt**.
idiom

zero-day exploit

Meaning
a cyberattack that occurs before a vulnerability is patched
Example
Hackers launched a **zero-day exploit** targeting the system’s core files.
idiom

a brainwave

Meaning
a sudden clever idea or solution
Example
I had **a brainwave** and realized how to fix the issue.
idiom

cut someone some slack

Meaning
to be less critical or give someone a break
Example
You should **cut him some slack**—he’s having a tough day.
idiom

head up

Meaning
to lead a team or project
Example
Priya will **head up** the new outreach campaign.
idiom

prodigal son

Meaning
a person who leaves home and returns repentant after wasting wealth or opportunities
Example
After years abroad, he returned home like **the prodigal son**.
idiom

get on like a house on fire

Meaning
to have a very good and friendly relationship
Example
The two sisters **get on like a house on fire**.
idiom

stand by your principles

Meaning
to remain loyal to your values, even in difficult situations
Example
She always **stands by her principles** in tough times.
idiom

show someone the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a task
Example
She took the time to **show me the ropes** on my first day at work.
idiom

grow out of something

Meaning
to stop liking or doing something as you become older or more mature
Example
He eventually **grew out of** his bad habits.
idiom

plant the seeds

Meaning
to begin a process that will develop in the future
Example
The training program **planted the seeds** for long-term success.
idiom

as easy as ABC

Meaning
very easy to do or understand
Example
For him, solving math problems is **as easy as ABC**.
idiom

set aside

Meaning
to reserve something for a particular purpose
Example
We should **set aside** some money for unexpected expenses.
idiom

time's up

Meaning
the time for something or someone has ended
Example
You have to finish the test now. **Time's up**!
idiom

spur on

Meaning
to encourage someone to continue or try harder
Example
Her mentor’s feedback **spurred her on** to apply for the grant.