to be in the spotlight
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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

spin up

Meaning
to start something quickly, especially a system
Example
The IT team can **spin up** a test server in minutes.
idiom

Out of one’s depth

Meaning
To be in a situation that is too difficult to understand or deal with.
Example
I felt **out of my depth** in that technical discussion.
idiom

clear away

Meaning
to remove things to tidy a space
Example
Please **clear away** the dishes after lunch.
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

make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a strong impression
Example
The new product launch really **made a splash** in the market.
idiom

rules are made to be broken

Meaning
sometimes it's okay to ignore rules
Example
He believes **rules are made to be broken**.
idiom

steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to look or feel extremely angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** after the argument.
idiom

weakest link

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

put on your thinking cap

Meaning
to start thinking seriously about solving a problem
Example
Let’s **put on our thinking caps** and find a solution.
idiom

head to head

Meaning
to be in direct competition or disagreement
Example
The two leaders went **head to head** in the debate.
idiom

fair and square

Meaning
honest and straightforward; without cheating
Example
She won the competition **fair and square**.
idiom

spill the beans

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

true to one's word

Meaning
To do what one has promised.
Example
She was **true to her word** and helped me finish the project.
idiom

In the calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful period before a difficult situation or conflict arises.
Example
The office was quiet, **in the calm before the storm**, as they prepared for the big meeting.
idiom

Don Quixote

Meaning
A person who is overly idealistic, unrealistic, or impractical.
Example
He’s being **a Don Quixote**, chasing impossible dreams.
idiom

come straight to the point

Meaning
to be direct and honest without wasting time
Example
Please **come straight to the point** and tell me what happened.
idiom

balance out

Meaning
to counteract or cancel the effect of something
Example
The extra volunteers should **balance out** the workload.
idiom

a man with a mission

Meaning
a person with strong purpose and determination to achieve something
Example
He’s **a man with a mission** to change the way we think about education.
idiom

hit the road

Meaning
to start a journey; to leave a place
Example
We should **hit the road** before sunset to avoid traffic.
idiom

the lights are on but nobody’s home

Meaning
someone appears active but is not thinking clearly
Example
When the AI glitched, it was like **the lights were on but nobody’s home**.
idiom

test the waters

Meaning
to try something out before committing fully
Example
Before launching the product, we decided to **test the waters**.
idiom

set an example

Meaning
to behave in a way that others should follow
Example
A true leader **sets an example** for others to follow.
idiom

minimum viable product

Meaning
the simplest version of a product that can be released to test an idea
Example
The team launched an **MVP (minimum viable product)** to gather user feedback.
idiom

circle around

Meaning
to move repeatedly around something
Example
The hawk kept **circling around** above the trees.
idiom

Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth

Meaning
To be born into a wealthy family.
Example
He never had to struggle; he was **born with a silver spoon in his mouth**.
idiom

under oath

Meaning
having sworn to tell the truth in court
Example
He lied **under oath** and was charged with perjury.
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

open one's heart

Meaning
to express feelings or emotions honestly
Example
She finally decided to **open her heart** and share her feelings.
idiom

talk through

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

kick back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing for a while
Example
After finishing the project, we just **kicked back** and watched a movie.
idiom

Culture shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when encountering a different culture
Example
Moving to Japan gave her a bit of **culture shock** at first.
idiom

call a truce

Meaning
to agree to stop fighting or arguing for a while
Example
They decided to **call a truce** until the boss arrived.
idiom

bear market

Meaning
a period when stock prices are falling
Example
Many people lose money during a **bear market**.
idiom

win the battle but lose the war

Meaning
to achieve a small success but fail in the larger goal
Example
By focusing on minor issues, they **won the battle but lost the war**.
idiom

walk on air

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

pipe dream

Meaning
an unrealistic or impossible hope
Example
Becoming a billionaire overnight is just a **pipe dream**.
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

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

in full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or progress
Example
The dance rehearsal is **in full swing** before the big day.
idiom

jog someone's memory

Meaning
to make someone remember something
Example
That smell **jogged my memory** of our school canteen.
idiom

butterflies in my stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I had **butterflies in my stomach** before the interview.
idiom

Opportunity knocks but once

Meaning
Good opportunities are rare and should be seized when they appear.
Example
Don't miss the chance, **opportunity knocks but once**.
idiom

Wisdom comes with age

Meaning
The older you get, the wiser you become, due to experience.
Example
You should listen to him; after all, **wisdom comes with age**.
idiom

book smart

Meaning
knowledgeable from studying rather than experience
Example
He’s **book smart** but lacks practical experience.
idiom

take the plunge

Meaning
to decide to do something risky or difficult
Example
After years of thinking, he finally **took the plunge** and started his business.
idiom

A blurred line

Meaning
An unclear distinction between two things
Example
There’s often **a blurred line** between work and personal life.
idiom

acid test

Meaning
a crucial test that proves the value or success of something
Example
The product launch will be the **acid test** of our new design.
idiom

Power behind the throne

Meaning
A person or group who has a hidden or indirect influence over the leadership
Example
The chief advisor is often considered the **power behind the throne**.
idiom

have nerves of steel

Meaning
to be very brave and calm under pressure
Example
A firefighter must **have nerves of steel** to face danger every day.
idiom

point the finger

Meaning
to accuse or blame someone
Example
Don’t **point the finger** until you have all the facts.
idiom

High stakes

Meaning
Involving serious risk or significant consequences.
Example
Negotiating with investors is a **high-stakes** game.
idiom

show true colors

Meaning
to reveal one’s real character or intentions
Example
He **showed his true colors** when he took charge of the team.
idiom

word gets around

Meaning
news or gossip spreads among people
Example
Be careful—**word gets around** quickly in this office.
idiom

once bitten, twice shy

Meaning
after an unpleasant experience, you are careful to avoid it happening again
Example
After losing money in the stock market, he became **once bitten, twice shy**.
idiom

get to the bottom of

Meaning
to find the real cause of a problem
Example
The manager promised to **get to the bottom of** the issue.
idiom

high-risk, high-reward

Meaning
situations or decisions that involve a lot of risks but also offer the potential for great rewards
Example
Investing in emerging markets can be **high-risk, high-reward**, but the returns are worth it.
idiom

ahead of time

Meaning
before the expected or planned time
Example
She finished her work **ahead of time**.
idiom

gear up to

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

do your own thing

Meaning
to do what you want without worrying about what others think
Example
He prefers to **do his own thing** and not depend on anyone.
idiom

in stitches

Meaning
laughing uncontrollably
Example
His joke had everyone **in stitches**.
idiom

burn your bridges

Meaning
to make a decision that cannot be reversed
Example
Be careful not to **burn your bridges** with your old employer.
idiom

farm out

Meaning
to give work to someone else to do
Example
The company decided to **farm out** its design work.
idiom

raise the white flag

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

Give it your best shot

Meaning
Try as hard as you can.
Example
Even if you fail, **give it your best shot**.
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

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

catch up

Meaning
to meet and talk after a long time; to reach the same level as someone
Example
Let’s **catch up** over coffee this weekend.
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

Rewriting history

Meaning
To change the way past events are interpreted or remembered.
Example
Some politicians try **rewriting history** to suit their narrative.
idiom

move forward

Meaning
to continue with progress after a delay or challenge
Example
After reviewing the feedback, we can **move forward** with the design.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
idiom

get a taste of your own medicine

Meaning
to be treated in the same unpleasant way that you have treated others
Example
He's always rude to people, so I'm glad he finally **got a taste of his own medicine**.
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

team up with

Meaning
to collaborate with someone for a common goal
Example
The nonprofits **teamed up with** local schools for the project.
idiom

lay out

Meaning
to arrange or explain something clearly
Example
He will **lay out** the budget during the meeting.
idiom

to go down in history

Meaning
to be remembered for something important or significant
Example
He **went down in history** as one of the greatest inventors of all time.
idiom

have a crush on someone

Meaning
to have romantic feelings for someone, often secretly
Example
I’ve **had a crush on** her for months.
idiom

runway for growth

Meaning
the time or resources a startup has before it needs more funding
Example
The startup has enough **runway for growth** for the next 12 months.
idiom

burst out laughing

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing loudly
Example
Everyone **burst out laughing** at his joke.
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

add insult to injury

Meaning
to make a bad situation even worse
Example
First, they lost the game, and then, to **add insult to injury**, their bus broke down.
idiom

bury the lead

Meaning
to hide the most important part of the story
Example
Don’t **bury the lead**—mention the main point first.
idiom

give the green light

Meaning
to give permission or approval to proceed
Example
The board finally **gave the green light** for the new project.
idiom

Calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.
Example
The office is quiet now, but it’s just **the calm before the storm**.
idiom

Freudian slip

Meaning
An unintentional mistake that reveals one's true thoughts or feelings.
Example
He made a **Freudian slip** when he called his boss ‘mom’.
idiom

fail to plan is plan to fail

Meaning
without proper planning, failure is inevitable
Example
**Failing to plan is planning to fail**, so prepare early.
idiom

get a foot in the door

Meaning
to take the first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
He took an internship to **get a foot in the door** of the company.
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

brighten up your day

Meaning
to make someone feel happier
Example
Her smile can **brighten up your day** instantly.
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

a man of integrity

Meaning
someone who is honest and morally upright
Example
He is known as **a man of integrity** in the business world.
idiom

No guts, no glory

Meaning
Without courage, you can’t achieve success.
Example
He took the challenge—**no guts, no glory**.
idiom

kingmaker

Meaning
a person who has great influence in deciding who will hold power
Example
The media mogul became a **kingmaker** in national politics.
idiom

bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too big to handle
Example
I think I **bit off more than I can chew** by agreeing to manage three projects at once.
idiom

good Samaritan

Meaning
a person who helps others selflessly
Example
A **good Samaritan** helped the old man cross the street.
idiom

hit a bump in the road

Meaning
to face a temporary problem or setback
Example
Our project **hit a bump in the road**, but we'll recover soon.
idiom

dial back

Meaning
to reduce the strength or amount of something
Example
We may need to **dial back** the advertising spend.
idiom

white as snow

Meaning
Pure and innocent.
Example
Her intentions were **white as snow**.
idiom

like a dog with two tails

Meaning
extremely happy and excited
Example
He was **like a dog with two tails** after getting the promotion.
idiom

on the spot

Meaning
to make a decision immediately
Example
He was asked to decide **on the spot**.
idiom

break the fourth wall

Meaning
to address the audience directly in a play or film
Example
The actor **broke the fourth wall** to make the scene funnier.
idiom

sift through

Meaning
to examine a large amount of information or items carefully
Example
I spent the afternoon **sifting through** old emails for the missing file.
idiom

the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to believe someone even if you are not sure they are telling the truth
Example
I’ll give him **the benefit of the doubt** and believe his story.
idiom

on good terms

Meaning
to have a friendly and peaceful relationship
Example
They are still **on good terms** even after the breakup.
idiom

stay strong

Meaning
to remain courageous and confident despite difficulties
Example
Whatever happens, **stay strong** and keep moving forward.
idiom

ease up

Meaning
to become less intense or to relax
Example
The rain should **ease up** by the evening commute.
idiom

move up

Meaning
to advance to a higher level or position
Example
She hopes to **move up** to a senior role next year.
idiom

The more, the merrier

Meaning
Things are more fun or effective with more people involved.
Example
Bring your friends along — **the more, the merrier**!
idiom

take aback

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

lose touch

Meaning
to stop communicating with someone
Example
We **lost touch** after college.
idiom

fall back on

Meaning
to rely on something when the first option fails
Example
If the deal falls through, we’ll **fall back on** our backup plan.
idiom

line up

Meaning
to arrange people or things in order or to schedule something
Example
We’ve **lined up** three guest speakers for the conference.
idiom

agree to disagree

Meaning
to accept that you have different opinions and stop arguing
Example
We’ll just **agree to disagree** on this topic.
idiom

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Meaning
Always stay optimistic, but be ready for any outcome.
Example
She was nervous about the exam but decided to **hope for the best, prepare for the worst**.
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

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

Make every minute count

Meaning
Use your time effectively and make the most of every moment.
Example
To be successful, you need to **make every minute count** and stay focused on your tasks.
idiom

Give one’s word

Meaning
To make a sincere promise.
Example
He **gave his word** that he would finish the job.
idiom

speak out

Meaning
to express an opinion openly and boldly
Example
Employees are encouraged to **speak out** about improvements.
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.