to pick someone's brain
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idiom

to pick someone's brain

Meaning
to ask someone questions in order to get information or advice
Example
I need to **pick your brain** about your experience with this software.
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 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

time is money

Meaning
time is valuable and should not be wasted
Example
In business, every minute counts because **time is money**.
idiom

be a person of your word

Meaning
to be someone who keeps their promises
Example
She is truly **a person of her word**, always doing what she says.
idiom

work toward

Meaning
to make progress in order to achieve something
Example
We’re **working toward** a more flexible schedule for everyone.
idiom

learn from your mistakes

Meaning
to use the experience of past errors to improve future behavior
Example
Everyone makes errors, but wise people **learn from their mistakes**.
idiom

thinking outside the bot

Meaning
to think creatively beyond automated or programmed solutions
Example
To solve this challenge, we need to **think outside the bot**.
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

balance of trade

Meaning
the difference between a country's exports and imports
Example
A negative **balance of trade** can weaken a nation's currency.
idiom

Ask the right questions

Meaning
To inquire wisely to gain understanding.
Example
Good researchers always **ask the right questions**.
idiom

to encrypt data

Meaning
to convert data into a secure format to prevent unauthorized access
Example
All sensitive information must be **to encrypt data** before storage.
idiom

see the light

Meaning
to finally understand or accept the truth or a new idea
Example
After years of denial, he finally **saw the light**.
idiom

burning with envy

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

fit as a fiddle

Meaning
in very good health
Example
My grandfather is 80 but he’s **fit as a fiddle**.
idiom

get under someone's skin

Meaning
to annoy or bother someone deeply
Example
She really knows how to **get under my skin**.
idiom

grab a bite

Meaning
to eat something quickly
Example
Let’s **grab a bite** before the meeting.
idiom

kick around

Meaning
to discuss ideas informally
Example
We can **kick around** some concepts after lunch.
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

leave no stone unturned

Meaning
to do everything possible to achieve a goal
Example
The police **left no stone unturned** in their search for the missing child.
idiom

Climb the ranks

Meaning
To move up to higher positions through hard work and experience.
Example
He **climbed the ranks** from an intern to a manager in five years.
idiom

fight fire with fire

Meaning
to use the same tactics as one’s opponent
Example
When negotiations failed, they decided to **fight fire with fire**.
idiom

find fault

Meaning
to criticize someone or something unfairly
Example
He always **finds fault** with everything I do.
idiom

roll with laughter

Meaning
to laugh uncontrollably
Example
The comedian made the whole audience **roll with laughter**.
idiom

Be as good as your word

Meaning
To do what you promised to do.
Example
He said he’d help and he’s **as good as his word**.
idiom

fire up

Meaning
to excite or motivate someone
Example
The coach’s speech really **fired up** the players.
idiom

on the witness stand

Meaning
to be giving testimony in court
Example
The victim was nervous while **on the witness stand**.
idiom

betray someone's trust

Meaning
to break someone's confidence in you
Example
She would never **betray your trust**.
idiom

win someone over

Meaning
to persuade someone to support you or agree with you
Example
The candidate’s speech **won the crowd over**.
idiom

from the bottom of my heart

Meaning
with sincere gratitude
Example
I thank you **from the bottom of my heart** for everything.
idiom

draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We have to **draw the line** when it comes to unethical behavior.
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

Money talks

Meaning
Money has great influence and power.
Example
He got the deal because **money talks**.
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

Born in the barn

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

spring for

Meaning
to pay for something, especially as a treat for others
Example
I'll **spring for** dessert since it's your birthday.
idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to **get their hands dirty** when necessary.
idiom

work of art

Meaning
something very beautiful or skillfully made
Example
Her handmade dress is truly a **work of art**.
idiom

Word on the street

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

hand in glove

Meaning
working closely and harmoniously together
Example
The two partners work **hand in glove** to achieve their goals.
idiom

good things come to those who wait

Meaning
patience brings positive results
Example
**Good things come to those who wait**, so be patient.
idiom

Cross the Rubicon

Meaning
To make an irreversible decision or take a step from which there is no turning back.
Example
By quitting his job, he **crossed the Rubicon** and committed to his startup dream.
idiom

roll the credits

Meaning
to finish something officially
Example
After the final announcement, they **rolled the credits** on the project.
idiom

give someone the creeps

Meaning
to make someone feel uncomfortable or afraid
Example
Old abandoned houses **give me the creeps**.
idiom

back each other up

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

long story short

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
**Long story short**, we missed the train.
idiom

ring a bell with someone

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name doesn't **ring a bell with** me at all.
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

throw money at

Meaning
to spend large amounts of money in a hasty or unwise way
Example
The company tried to **throw money at** the problem instead of addressing the root cause.
idiom

Put your trust in God

Meaning
To rely on faith in God to guide or help you.
Example
In difficult times, she chooses to **put her trust in God**.
idiom

Wear your heart on your sleeve

Meaning
To openly show your emotions or feelings.
Example
He **wears his heart on his sleeve**, so you always know how he feels.
idiom

carry on luggage

Meaning
small bags taken with you on a plane or trip
Example
She packed all her essentials in her **carry on luggage**.
idiom

deep learning

Meaning
A class of machine learning algorithms that uses multiple layers to progressively extract higher-level features from raw input.
Example
The AI system improved through **deep learning**, making it smarter over time.
idiom

pipe dream

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

a labor of love

Meaning
something done out of passion, not for money
Example
Building that model train was **a labor of love** for him.
idiom

Get down to brass tacks

Meaning
To start discussing the essential or most important aspects of a matter.
Example
Let’s **get down to brass tacks** and talk about the real issues.
idiom

phishing for information

Meaning
attempting to obtain sensitive information by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity
Example
He was **phishing for information** by pretending to be from the bank.
idiom

twist someone's arm

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

take the fall for

Meaning
to accept blame for something on behalf of someone else
Example
He decided to **take the fall for** his colleague's mistake.
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

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

the bottom line

Meaning
the most important fact or result
Example
The **bottom line** is that we need to increase our profits.
idiom

how do you do

Meaning
a formal greeting used when meeting someone for the first time
Example
**How do you do?** It’s a pleasure to meet you.
idiom

scratch someone's back

Meaning
to do something for someone in exchange for a favor or help later
Example
We agreed to **scratch each other's backs** in this business deal.
idiom

to think outside the box

Meaning
to think creatively or unconventionally
Example
In solving AI problems, it is essential to **think outside the box**.
idiom

to have a lot on one's plate

Meaning
to have a lot of tasks or responsibilities to deal with
Example
She can't take on any more projects; she already has **a lot on her plate**.
idiom

in deep water

Meaning
to be in serious trouble or difficulty
Example
He’s **in deep water** after missing the deadline again.
idiom

in the limelight

Meaning
to be the focus of public attention
Example
After winning the award, he was **in the limelight** for months.
idiom

say hello

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

build character

Meaning
to develop positive qualities or strength through challenges
Example
Going through this process will **build character** in the team.
idiom

get used to it

Meaning
to become familiar with something new
Example
It took a while, but I finally **got used to it**.
idiom

take your breath away

Meaning
to surprise or impress someone very much
Example
The beauty of the sunset will **take your breath away**.
idiom

work like a charm

Meaning
to function perfectly or very effectively
Example
The new solution **worked like a charm**.
idiom

asleep on your feet

Meaning
extremely tired and almost falling asleep
Example
You look **asleep on your feet** after working all day.
idiom

pick up on

Meaning
to notice or become aware of something
Example
He didn't **pick up on** the subtle hints I was giving.
idiom

the elephant in the room

Meaning
an obvious problem that no one wants to discuss
Example
Nobody wants to address **the elephant in the room**.
idiom

answer for

Meaning
to be responsible for something and answer to others about it
Example
She had to **answer for** the mistakes made by her team.
idiom

to shoot for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious or difficult to achieve
Example
He decided to **shoot for the stars** by applying to the most prestigious universities.
idiom

drive someone up the wall

Meaning
to make someone very annoyed or angry
Example
Her constant complaints **drive me up the wall**.
idiom

blow someone's cover

Meaning
to reveal someone's secret identity or hidden purpose
Example
The journalist accidentally **blew the cover** of the undercover agent.
idiom

break the bank

Meaning
to cost too much; to use up all your money
Example
Buying that car will **break the bank**.
idiom

to strike it rich

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

learn your lesson

Meaning
to learn from an unpleasant experience so as not to repeat it
Example
After being late several times, he finally **learned his lesson**.
idiom

build brand loyalty

Meaning
to create long-term trust and attachment to a brand
Example
Consistent quality helps **build brand loyalty** among customers.
idiom

A blurred line

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

get your foot in the door

Meaning
to make a first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
She finally **got her foot in the door** at a top firm.
idiom

a cut above

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

laugh off

Meaning
to dismiss something by treating it as a joke
Example
She tried to **laugh off** the mistake during the presentation.
idiom

keep in touch

Meaning
to maintain communication with someone
Example
Even after moving away, we **keep in touch** regularly.
idiom

black sheep of the family

Meaning
a family member who is considered a disgrace
Example
He became the **black sheep of the family** after his bad decisions.
idiom

catch someone red-handed

Meaning
to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The police **caught him red-handed** as he was stealing from the store.
idiom

a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or understanding
Example
When I saw the results, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
idiom

out of sorts

Meaning
feeling slightly unwell or upset
Example
He’s been **out of sorts** since he caught that cold.
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

get a pat on the back

Meaning
to receive praise or recognition for something good
Example
He **got a pat on the back** for completing the project early.
idiom

viral content

Meaning
Content that spreads rapidly across the internet, usually through social media.
Example
The video went **viral** after being shared on Facebook.
idiom

star-crossed lovers

Meaning
lovers whose relationship is doomed or unlucky
Example
Romeo and Juliet were **star-crossed lovers**.
idiom

carry through

Meaning
to complete something despite difficulties
Example
She promised to **carry through** with the training program.
idiom

paint oneself into a corner

Meaning
to create a situation where one has limited options
Example
He **painted himself into a corner** by promising too much.
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

Jump in with both feet

Meaning
To start something enthusiastically without hesitation.
Example
She **jumped in with both feet** when offered the startup role.
idiom

gather up

Meaning
to collect things together
Example
Let’s **gather up** the supplies before the workshop.
idiom

Put the pedal to the metal

Meaning
To push harder and make a greater effort.
Example
We need to **put the pedal to the metal** if we want to meet the deadline.
idiom

downhearted

Meaning
feeling discouraged or sad
Example
She felt **downhearted** after failing the exam.
idiom

on the spot

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

spread kindness like wildfire

Meaning
to spread kindness rapidly and uncontrollably
Example
Her acts of kindness **spread like wildfire** in the community.
idiom

meet someone halfway

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

Patience pays off

Meaning
Being patient will eventually lead to positive results.
Example
I know you’ve been waiting for a long time, but trust me, **patience pays off**.
idiom

put your faith in someone

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
She decided to **put her faith in him** and let him handle the project.
idiom

Know your stuff

Meaning
to be knowledgeable or skilled about something
Example
You can tell she really **knows her stuff** about physics.
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

have butterflies in your stomach

Meaning
to feel very nervous about something
Example
She always **has butterflies in her stomach** before exams.
idiom

get off scot-free

Meaning
to escape punishment or consequences without facing any penalty
Example
He was caught stealing but managed to **get off scot-free**.
idiom

blue sky thinking

Meaning
creative and visionary thinking that ignores practical limitations
Example
Let's engage in some **blue sky thinking** to come up with innovative solutions.
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

global reach

Meaning
the ability to extend services or products worldwide
Example
With its strong online presence, the company has a significant **global reach**.
idiom

set the trend

Meaning
to start something new that others begin to follow
Example
The company’s campaign **set the trend** for eco-friendly marketing.
idiom

let something slip

Meaning
to say something unintentionally that was meant to be secret
Example
She **let it slip** that she was moving abroad.
idiom

dress down

Meaning
to scold someone severely
Example
The coach **dressed down** the team for sloppy defense.