to pass the baton
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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

weak link

Meaning
the most vulnerable or insecure part of a system
Example
Humans are often the **weak link** in cybersecurity.
idiom

pull strings

Meaning
to use influence or connections to get what you want
Example
She **pulled strings** to get him the job.
idiom

twist someone's arm

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

itching to do something

Meaning
to be eager or impatient to do something
Example
He’s **itching to start** his new project.
idiom

bend someone’s ear

Meaning
to talk to someone for a long time, usually to complain
Example
He **bent my ear** about his terrible day at work.
idiom

A Romeo

Meaning
A passionate lover or a romantic man.
Example
He acts like **a Romeo** around her.
idiom

break new ground

Meaning
to do something innovative or pioneering
Example
Their research **broke new ground** in medical science.
idiom

come into one's own

Meaning
to reach a stage of maturity or full potential
Example
She really **came into her own** after starting her own business.
idiom

nod in agreement

Meaning
to show agreement by nodding
Example
Everyone **nodded in agreement** when the plan was explained.
idiom

tone down

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

Born in the barn

Meaning
To have bad manners or lack social etiquette.
Example
Close the door! Were you **born in the barn**?
idiom

deep learning dive

Meaning
to study or explore something in great depth
Example
He took a **deep learning dive** into neural networks last month.
idiom

keep in mind

Meaning
to remember something important
Example
**Keep in mind** that deadlines are strict.
idiom

pass sentence

Meaning
to announce a punishment in court
Example
The judge will **pass sentence** next week.
idiom

fed up with

Meaning
tired or annoyed with something
Example
I'm **fed up with** doing the same thing every day.
idiom

take the initiative

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

have a high opinion of yourself

Meaning
to think you are very good or important
Example
He **has a high opinion of himself** after getting the award.
idiom

sing from the same hymn sheet

Meaning
to express the same opinion as others, especially publicly
Example
All the managers are **singing from the same hymn sheet** on this issue.
idiom

lean on

Meaning
to depend on someone for support
Example
You can always **lean on** me when things get tough.
idiom

turn a new leaf

Meaning
to make a fresh start or change for the better
Example
After the incident, he decided to **turn a new leaf** and improve his behavior.
idiom

Game of thrones

Meaning
A struggle for power or control, often involving manipulation and rivalry
Example
The election turned into a **game of thrones** with leaders fighting for dominance.
idiom

a fool and his money are soon parted

Meaning
people who are careless with their money will lose it quickly
Example
He spent all his money on useless gadgets; **a fool and his money are soon parted**.
idiom

thick as thieves

Meaning
very close friends who share everything
Example
Those two are **thick as thieves**.
idiom

Band together

Meaning
To unite for a common purpose.
Example
The workers **banded together** to demand better wages.
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

to draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We need to **draw the line** between inspiration and plagiarism.
idiom

rise and shine

Meaning
wake up and start your day energetically
Example
**Rise and shine**, it’s a brand new day!
idiom

go on a spending spree

Meaning
to spend a lot of money in a short period of time
Example
She **went on a spending spree** after getting her bonus.
idiom

live up to expectations

Meaning
to fulfill what is expected of you
Example
He worked hard to **live up to expectations**.
idiom

face the music

Meaning
to accept criticism or punishment for something you have done
Example
You made a mistake, and now you have to **face the music**.
idiom

Pivot the business

Meaning
To change direction or strategy to adapt to the market.
Example
After poor sales, they decided to **pivot the business** toward software solutions.
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

mix up

Meaning
to confuse two or more things
Example
I always **mix up** their names during meetings.
idiom

meet someone halfway

Meaning
to agree to compromise with someone
Example
We finally **met each other halfway** and agreed on a solution.
idiom

move with the times

Meaning
to change and adapt as things in society or technology change
Example
Businesses must **move with the times** to stay relevant.
idiom

take a gamble

Meaning
to take a risk in the hope of success
Example
She **took a gamble** by quitting her job to travel the world.
idiom

say hello

Meaning
to greet someone
Example
Please **say hello** to your parents for me.
idiom

climb the corporate ladder

Meaning
to advance in one’s career or position in a company
Example
He worked hard to **climb the corporate ladder**.
idiom

beyond one’s comprehension

Meaning
too difficult to understand
Example
Quantum physics is **beyond my comprehension**.
idiom

shake off

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

play fair

Meaning
to act honestly and treat others equally
Example
We expect everyone to **play fair** during the competition.
idiom

state of the art

Meaning
the most modern and advanced
Example
They built a **state-of-the-art** research facility.
idiom

Word on the street

Meaning
Common rumor or gossip
Example
The **word on the street** is that the CEO might resign soon.
idiom

don't count your chickens before they hatch

Meaning
don't make plans for something that might not happen
Example
You should wait until you get the job offer before you start celebrating. **Don't count your chickens before they hatch**.
idiom

walk with confidence

Meaning
to move or act in a way that shows belief in one's abilities
Example
He always **walks with confidence** during his presentations.
idiom

a double-edged sword

Meaning
something that has both positive and negative consequences
Example
The internet is **a double-edged sword**; it provides vast information but also exposes us to privacy risks.
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

bank on

Meaning
to rely on or depend on something happening
Example
You can **bank on** her support during tough times.
idiom

bottle up feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions inside without expressing them
Example
It's not healthy to **bottle up your feelings** for too long.
idiom

call the tune

Meaning
to be in control; to make important decisions
Example
In this company, the investors **call the tune**.
idiom

make amends

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry
Example
He tried to **make amends** by helping her with her work.
idiom

Dressed to kill

Meaning
Wearing very fashionable or attractive clothes
Example
She was **dressed to kill** at the party last night.
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

the grass is always greener on the other side

Meaning
other situations always seem better than your own
Example
**The grass is always greener on the other side**, but be grateful.
idiom

put one on the map

Meaning
to make someone or something famous or well-known
Example
His groundbreaking research **put him on the map** in the scientific community.
idiom

mentor someone

Meaning
to guide or advise someone, typically in a professional context
Example
She has been asked to **mentor** the new recruits in the company.
idiom

word gets around

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

Don't cry over spilled milk

Meaning
Don’t waste time worrying about things that have already happened.
Example
**Don't cry over spilled milk**; learn from your mistake.
idiom

blow off steam

Meaning
to express anger or frustration so that you feel better
Example
He went for a run to **blow off steam** after the argument.
idiom

in the same league

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

live from hand to mouth

Meaning
to barely have enough money to survive
Example
Many laborers **live from hand to mouth** every day.
idiom

the art of persuasion

Meaning
the ability to convince someone to do something or believe something
Example
He mastered **the art of persuasion** and convinced them to support his cause.
idiom

pull your weight

Meaning
to do your fair share of work
Example
Everyone needs to **pull their weight** if we want to finish this project on time.
idiom

rope off

Meaning
to block an area by using a rope or barrier
Example
Staff will **rope off** the wet floor for safety.
idiom

Fall into the same trap

Meaning
to make the same mistake again, often due to not learning from previous experiences
Example
She **fell into the same trap** by trusting him again.
idiom

machine minds

Meaning
refers to artificial intelligence systems capable of learning or thinking
Example
The rise of **machine minds** is reshaping industries worldwide.
idiom

let off some steam

Meaning
to relieve stress or anger by expressing feelings or doing something physical
Example
After that argument, he needed to **let off some steam** by hitting the gym.
idiom

once in a while

Meaning
sometimes, but not very often
Example
I enjoy eating out **once in a while**, but I prefer home-cooked meals.
idiom

Don’t be discouraged

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

keep the momentum

Meaning
to continue progressing without slowing down
Example
We need to **keep the momentum** to reach our target.
idiom

adapt to change

Meaning
to adjust to new circumstances or environments
Example
In order to succeed, you must learn to **adapt to change**.
idiom

make a long story short

Meaning
to tell something briefly
Example
To **make a long story short**, I missed my flight.
idiom

the tide has turned

Meaning
a situation has started to change in your favor
Example
After months of bad luck, **the tide has turned** for our team.
idiom

take with a grain of salt

Meaning
to view something with skepticism or not completely believe it
Example
He's known for exaggerating, so **take his stories with a grain of salt**.
idiom

have your head in the clouds

Meaning
to be daydreaming or not paying attention to reality
Example
He was **having his head in the clouds** during the lecture.
idiom

ahead of the pack

Meaning
to be more successful than competitors
Example
Her innovative ideas always keep her **ahead of the pack**.
idiom

in all honesty

Meaning
To be completely truthful or sincere.
Example
**In all honesty**, I think he deserves the job.
idiom

have a soft spot for someone

Meaning
to feel affection or fondness for someone
Example
He has always **had a soft spot for** his childhood friend.
idiom

the winds of change

Meaning
an influence that promotes change
Example
**The winds of change** are blowing through the organization.
idiom

break out in a cold sweat

Meaning
to suddenly start sweating due to fear or anxiety
Example
He **broke out in a cold sweat** before his job interview.
idiom

get down to the wire

Meaning
to approach the last possible moment before a deadline
Example
The project went **down to the wire**, but we finished on time.
idiom

let someone off the hook

Meaning
to release someone from blame or punishment
Example
The judge decided to **let him off the hook** with a warning.
idiom

get the ball rolling

Meaning
to start something, especially a project or process
Example
Let’s **get the ball rolling** on this new campaign.
idiom

feel on top of things

Meaning
feeling positive and in control of your life
Example
After organizing her tasks, she felt **on top of things**.
idiom

light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
sign of hope after a difficult period
Example
After months of struggle, she finally saw the **light at the end of the tunnel**.
idiom

get ahead

Meaning
to be successful in life or career
Example
She worked hard to **get ahead** in her company.
idiom

Pass down from generation to generation

Meaning
To transfer knowledge, customs, or traditions from one generation to the next
Example
These folk songs have been **passed down from generation to generation**.
idiom

knock someone for six

Meaning
to shock or upset someone greatly
Example
The sudden loss **knocked him for six**.
idiom

steer the ship

Meaning
to be in charge or control of a situation or organization
Example
The manager was able to **steer the ship** through the difficult times.
idiom

turn back the clock

Meaning
to return to an earlier time; to undo progress or change
Example
Many people wish they could **turn back the clock** to their childhood.
idiom

put in a nutshell

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
To **put it in a nutshell**, we need more time to finish.
idiom

backpropagation

Meaning
a learning algorithm used in neural networks to minimize error by adjusting weights through the network
Example
The **backpropagation** algorithm helps in optimizing the neural network's performance.
idiom

two-faced

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

keep away from

Meaning
to avoid someone or something
Example
You should **keep away from** sugary drinks right now.
idiom

work up

Meaning
to gradually build courage, energy, or an appetite
Example
It took me a while to **work up** the courage to ask.
idiom

have the upper hand

Meaning
to have control or advantage over someone
Example
After the merger, the larger company **had the upper hand**.
idiom

back out of

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
He **backed out of** the trip at the last minute.
idiom

a fine line

Meaning
a very small difference between two things
Example
There’s **a fine line** between genius and madness in art.
idiom

peel off

Meaning
to remove something, especially a layer, from a surface
Example
**Peel off** the label before recycling the jar.
idiom

eat someone alive

Meaning
to be extremely jealous or angry with someone
Example
She’s so jealous, she could **eat him alive**.
idiom

stressed out

Meaning
feeling very worried or tense because of problems
Example
I'm completely **stressed out** about my exams.
idiom

change your mind

Meaning
to decide something different from before
Example
She **changed her mind** about going to the party.
idiom

catch some z’s

Meaning
to get some sleep
Example
I need to **catch some z’s** before the meeting.
idiom

a roof over your head

Meaning
a place to live; a shelter
Example
At least we have **a roof over our heads**.
idiom

have faith in

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

narrow down

Meaning
to reduce a list of options to a smaller number
Example
We’ve **narrowed down** the candidates to the final three.
idiom

a miscarriage of justice

Meaning
a wrong or unfair decision by a court
Example
The innocent man’s imprisonment was **a miscarriage of justice**.
idiom

A flash of inspiration

Meaning
A sudden creative idea
Example
He had **a flash of inspiration** while working late at night.
idiom

green around the gills

Meaning
looking sick or nauseated
Example
He looked **green around the gills** after the boat ride.
idiom

automate the process

Meaning
to make a process operate automatically using technology
Example
We need to **automate the process** to save time and cost.
idiom

Left no stone unturned

Meaning
To try every possible way to achieve something.
Example
The detective **left no stone unturned** to find the truth.
idiom

fall for someone

Meaning
to start loving someone; to develop romantic feelings
Example
He **fell for** her the moment he saw her smile.
idiom

the power behind the throne

Meaning
a person who secretly controls or influences the leader
Example
Though he's not the CEO, he's **the power behind the throne**.
idiom

to bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too difficult
Example
He **bit off more than he could chew** by promising to finish the work alone.
idiom

Spread too thin

Meaning
To try to do too many things at once, leaving no energy for any.
Example
She’s **spread too thin** between her job, family, and studies.
idiom

catch the travel bug

Meaning
to become very interested in traveling
Example
After visiting Thailand, she really **caught the travel bug**.
idiom

iron fist in a velvet glove

Meaning
a gentle outward appearance hiding strong control
Example
Her leadership style is an **iron fist in a velvet glove**.
idiom

behind closed doors

Meaning
in private; secretly
Example
The deal was made **behind closed doors**.
idiom

ask around

Meaning
to inquire with several people
Example
I’ll **ask around** to see who can cover the shift.
idiom

back on your feet

Meaning
recovered and healthy again
Example
It’s good to see you **back on your feet** after the flu.