throw a wrench in the works
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

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 frame the issue

Meaning
to present a situation in a particular way
Example
The journalist cleverly **framed the issue** to highlight social inequality.
idiom

to have a ray of hope

Meaning
to see a small sign of improvement in a bad situation
Example
After hearing the good news, I felt I had a **ray of hope** for my future.
idiom

third time lucky

Meaning
succeeding after two failures
Example
He failed twice, but maybe he’ll be **third time lucky**.
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

to feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel very good or confident
Example
After the spa treatment, I **felt like a million bucks**.
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

talk the talk

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

table the discussion

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

to take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become worse or decline in health
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
idiom

take a leaf out of someone’s book

Meaning
to imitate or follow someone’s good example
Example
Other cities should **take a leaf out of Copenhagen’s book** on eco-friendly transport.
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

talk through

Meaning
to discuss something in detail
Example
Let’s **talk through** the plan before the client call.
idiom

Take off

Meaning
To begin to succeed rapidly; to leave the ground.
Example
Her business really **took off** after the new marketing campaign.
idiom

to strike it rich

Meaning
to suddenly become very wealthy
Example
He **struck it rich** by investing in early-stage tech companies.
idiom

turn dreams into reality

Meaning
to achieve something one has long desired
Example
With hard work and dedication, you can **turn your dreams into reality**.
idiom

the final frontier

Meaning
the last or most difficult challenge or area of exploration
Example
For many scientists, space remains **the final frontier**.
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

trial and error

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

turn the corner

Meaning
to pass a difficult stage and begin to improve
Example
After months of losses, the company finally **turned the corner**.
idiom

to have a thirst for knowledge

Meaning
to have a strong desire to learn or gain more knowledge
Example
She always **has a thirst for knowledge** and keeps reading books.
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

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

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

True friends stab you in the front

Meaning
A true friend tells you harsh truths to your face.
Example
She’s not afraid to tell me the truth, because **true friends stab you in the front**.
idiom

take the fall

Meaning
to accept blame for something, often to protect others.
Example
He agreed to **take the fall** for the team’s mistake.
idiom

think on your feet

Meaning
to make quick decisions or ideas under pressure
Example
Good leaders can **think on their feet**.
idiom

thinking outside the algorithm

Meaning
to think creatively beyond structured systems or programmed logic
Example
Our best innovation came when we started **thinking outside the algorithm**.
idiom

take the fifth

Meaning
to refuse to answer a question on the grounds that it may incriminate oneself
Example
When asked about his involvement, he chose to **take the fifth**.
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

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

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

team up

Meaning
to join with others for a shared goal
Example
Let’s **team up** with finance for the workshop.
idiom

tears of joy

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

the apple of someone's eye

Meaning
someone very precious or loved deeply
Example
Her daughter is the **apple of her eye**.
idiom

talk someone into something

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

take someone's breath away

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

take it in stride

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

Tech-savvy

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

the big cheese

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

Talk through your hat

Meaning
To speak nonsense or about something one knows little about.
Example
He was **talking through his hat** about quantum physics.
idiom

to be in the doghouse

Meaning
to be in trouble, especially with someone you care about
Example
After forgetting her birthday, he was definitely **in the doghouse**.
idiom

Tear down barriers

Meaning
To remove obstacles or prejudices between people.
Example
Education helps to **tear down barriers** between communities.
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

take things to the next level

Meaning
to improve or develop something beyond its current state
Example
We plan to **take our innovation to the next level** this year.
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

tear-jerker

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

time flies

Meaning
time passes very quickly
Example
**Time flies** when you’re having fun.
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

The more you know, the more you realize you don’t

Meaning
The more you learn, the more you understand how much there is left to learn.
Example
**The more you know, the more you realize you don’t** — that’s the beauty of curiosity.
idiom

to err is human

Meaning
everyone makes mistakes; it’s natural to be imperfect
Example
**To err is human**, but to learn from errors is wisdom.
idiom

to be in someone’s good books

Meaning
to be in favor with someone
Example
If you want to get promoted, you need to be **in the boss’s good books**.
idiom

trust someone as far as you can throw them

Meaning
to not trust someone much
Example
I wouldn’t **trust him as far as I can throw him**.
idiom

top dog

Meaning
the most important or powerful person
Example
He’s the **top dog** in the company.
idiom

to be in the same boat

Meaning
to be in the same difficult situation
Example
We are all **in the same boat** when it comes to the upcoming project deadline.
idiom

to debug a program

Meaning
to identify and fix errors or problems in a computer program
Example
I spent all day **to debug a program** that was causing crashes.
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

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 real McCoy

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

to see the silver lining

Meaning
to find something positive in a negative situation
Example
She always tries to **see the silver lining** even in the most challenging situations.
idiom

time warp

Meaning
a situation where time seems to stop or move differently
Example
That old town feels like it’s stuck in a **time warp**.
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

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 cat’s out of the bag

Meaning
the secret is revealed
Example
Now that **the cat’s out of the bag**, everyone knows the truth.
idiom

take five

Meaning
to take a short break
Example
Let's **take five** before continuing the meeting.
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

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

take a detour

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

to tell you the truth

Meaning
used to introduce an honest or surprising opinion
Example
**To tell you the truth**, I didn’t enjoy the party.
idiom

two-faced

Meaning
deceitful; pretending to be friendly while being dishonest
Example
She seems nice, but she’s actually **two-faced**.
idiom

take the initiative

Meaning
to act first and show leadership
Example
Effective leaders often **take the initiative** to improve things.
idiom

to put it bluntly

Meaning
to express an opinion in a direct and straightforward way
Example
**To put it bluntly**, you were wrong.
idiom

think ahead

Meaning
to plan for the future; to anticipate future needs or events
Example
Good managers always **think ahead** before making big decisions.
idiom

the naked truth

Meaning
the complete and unvarnished truth
Example
She told me **the naked truth** about what happened.
idiom

to learn the hard way

Meaning
to learn by making mistakes or through difficult experiences
Example
He **learned the hard way** that honesty is the best policy.
idiom

truth be told

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

to teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something they are set in their ways about
Example
It’s hard to **teach an old dog new tricks** when it comes to new technology.
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

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

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

the teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone knows he’s **the teacher’s pet** in our class.
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

training the model

Meaning
to teach an AI system how to make predictions by feeding it data
Example
We spent weeks **training the model** before deployment.
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

take up a hobby

Meaning
to start a new hobby or leisure activity
Example
During the lockdown, many people **took up hobbies** like painting or cooking.
idiom

tighten your belt

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

throw a wrench into the works

Meaning
to disrupt or complicate something
Example
The sudden resignation of the minister threw a **wrench into the works** of the peace negotiations.
idiom

To offer the olive branch

Meaning
To make peace with someone after a conflict
Example
After their argument, he decided to **offer the olive branch** and apologize.
idiom

to kill two birds with one stone

Meaning
to achieve two things at once
Example
I can **kill two birds with one stone** by listening to a podcast while I exercise.
idiom

To lend a helping hand

Meaning
to assist someone in a time of need
Example
She always knows when to **lend a helping hand** and never hesitates.
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 be of one mind

Meaning
to have the same opinion
Example
We are **of one mind** about this decision.
idiom

trust someone with something

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

tone down

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

tee up

Meaning
to prepare something for easy execution
Example
I’ll **tee up** the slides so you can start on time.
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

take charge

Meaning
to take control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge** of the project herself.
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

to be honest

Meaning
used when expressing a sincere or frank opinion
Example
**To be honest**, I didn’t like the food.
idiom

take someone aback

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

take ownership

Meaning
to take full responsibility for something
Example
Leaders should **take ownership** of both successes and failures.
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

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

true colors

Meaning
someone’s real character or intentions
Example
He showed his **true colors** when he lied to me.
idiom

throw in the towel

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

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

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

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

talk down to someone

Meaning
to speak to someone as if they are less intelligent
Example
He always **talks down to** his coworkers, which is rude.
idiom

take the credit

Meaning
to accept praise for something one did
Example
She was the one who solved the issue, but he tried to **take the credit**.
idiom

to be like family

Meaning
to be as close as family members
Example
My neighbors are **like family** to me.
idiom

the vision thing

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

to pull strings

Meaning
to use one's influence or connections to get things done
Example
She managed to **pull strings** to get the bill passed in Congress.
idiom

Take it one step at a time

Meaning
Deal with tasks gradually instead of rushing.
Example
**Take it one step at a time**, and you’ll succeed.
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

tear down

Meaning
to demolish or dismantle something
Example
They plan to **tear down** the old shed this weekend.