to spill the beans
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idiom

to spill the beans

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

go to seed

Meaning
to decline in quality or condition
Example
The old factory has really **gone to seed** over the years.
idiom

bear the responsibility

Meaning
to take on the duty of something
Example
She was willing to **bear the responsibility** for the new project.
idiom

I couldn’t agree more

Meaning
To completely agree with someone
Example
That’s exactly what I was thinking — **I couldn’t agree more**.
idiom

Miracles happen

Meaning
Unexpected good things can occur.
Example
Don’t lose faith—**miracles happen** every day.
idiom

lay down

Meaning
to establish a rule or principle
Example
The manager **laid down** clear guidelines for remote work.
idiom

trending topic

Meaning
a subject that is currently popular on social media
Example
Her post became a **trending topic** on Twitter.
idiom

have a short fuse

Meaning
to get angry easily
Example
Be careful what you say; he **has a short fuse**.
idiom

tag along

Meaning
to join someone’s online activity or conversation uninvited
Example
He just **tagged along** in our group chat without asking.
idiom

ride the wave

Meaning
to take advantage of a trend or situation
Example
Many companies are trying to **ride the wave** of AI technology.
idiom

make a scene

Meaning
to create a noisy or dramatic disturbance
Example
Please don’t **make a scene** in public.
idiom

dig out

Meaning
to retrieve something that has been stored or buried
Example
Could you **dig out** last year’s budget notes?
idiom

talk over someone's head

Meaning
to speak in a way that someone cannot understand
Example
The professor was **talking over our heads** during the lecture.
idiom

take down

Meaning
to record information in writing
Example
Can you **take down** the meeting notes?
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

boil over

Meaning
when anger becomes too much to control
Example
The argument finally **boiled over** into a shouting match.
idiom

Seed funding

Meaning
Initial capital used to start a business.
Example
They received **seed funding** from angel investors.
idiom

cut both ways

Meaning
to have both positive and negative effects
Example
Working from home **cuts both ways** – you save time but lose social interaction.
idiom

Stand your ground

Meaning
to remain firm in your beliefs or decisions despite opposition
Example
Even though they disagreed, he decided to **stand his ground** and not back down.
idiom

political circus

Meaning
a situation where politics becomes chaotic and theatrical
Example
The election debates turned into a **political circus**.
idiom

Keep it real

Meaning
To stay honest and genuine.
Example
She always tries to **keep it real** in her relationships.
idiom

in the wrong hands

Meaning
controlled or used by people who could cause harm
Example
AI technology **in the wrong hands** could be disastrous.
idiom

heart skips a beat

Meaning
to feel excited or nervous because of love
Example
Every time he smiles, her **heart skips a beat**.
idiom

Go for it

Meaning
To try to achieve something with confidence.
Example
If you really want that job, **go for it**!
idiom

code of ethics

Meaning
a set of moral principles guiding AI development or usage
Example
Developers must follow a strict **code of ethics** in AI research.
idiom

sell like hotcakes

Meaning
to sell very quickly and in large quantities
Example
After the ad went viral, the product began to **sell like hotcakes**.
idiom

target audience

Meaning
a specific group of people a campaign is aimed at
Example
You need to know your **target audience** before launching a campaign.
idiom

block off

Meaning
to close an area so people cannot enter
Example
Police **blocked off** the street after the accident.
idiom

gear down

Meaning
to slow the pace of activity
Example
We can **gear down** after the product launch is stable.
idiom

jumpy as a cat

Meaning
easily frightened or nervous
Example
He’s been **jumpy as a cat** since the robbery.
idiom

make a name for oneself

Meaning
to become well-known or famous for something
Example
He **made a name for himself** as a creative designer.
idiom

jump out of your chair

Meaning
to react suddenly from shock or surprise
Example
He **jumped out of his chair** when he heard the news.
idiom

plant the seed

Meaning
to introduce an idea subtly to influence someone later
Example
He **planted the seed** for the project during the discussion.
idiom

a dead-end job

Meaning
a job with no opportunity for advancement or improvement
Example
He quit his **dead-end job** to start his own business.
idiom

to take the bull by the horns

Meaning
to confront a problem or challenge directly and with determination
Example
We need to **take the bull by the horns** and start making decisions now.
idiom

a picture is worth a thousand words

Meaning
a visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
That photo truly proves that **a picture is worth a thousand words**.
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

strike a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement or arrangement, especially in business
Example
After long discussions, the companies finally **struck a deal**.
idiom

easy does it

Meaning
used to tell someone to be careful and patient
Example
**Easy does it**, don’t rush the process.
idiom

a heavy heart

Meaning
a feeling of deep sadness or sorrow
Example
She left her hometown with **a heavy heart**.
idiom

pass the torch

Meaning
to hand over a duty or responsibility to someone else
Example
After many years of teaching, the professor decided to **pass the torch** to a younger teacher.
idiom

Masterpiece

Meaning
A work of outstanding artistry or craftsmanship.
Example
The sculpture he created is truly a **masterpiece**.
idiom

come to the rescue

Meaning
to help someone in trouble
Example
A firefighter **came to the rescue** of the trapped cat.
idiom

Old hat

Meaning
Something that is outdated or no longer interesting
Example
That style is **old hat** now—no one wears it anymore.
idiom

cracks in the wall

Meaning
signs of problems or weaknesses in a system or relationship
Example
There are **cracks in the wall** of their friendship lately.
idiom

on the fast track

Meaning
advancing quickly in a career or project
Example
He is **on the fast track** to becoming a manager.
idiom

come crashing down

Meaning
to suddenly fail or collapse
Example
Their plans **came crashing down** after the crisis.
idiom

over the moon

Meaning
extremely pleased or happy
Example
She was **over the moon** when she won the prize.
idiom

crime doesn't pay

Meaning
doing wrong or illegal things will never bring true success
Example
He learned the hard way that **crime doesn't pay**.
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

do without

Meaning
to manage even when something is missing
Example
We’ll **do without** a projector and use prints instead.
idiom

a light bulb moment

Meaning
a moment of sudden inspiration or realization
Example
She had **a light bulb moment** during the meeting.
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

written in the stars

Meaning
destined to happen; fated
Example
They believe their meeting was **written in the stars**.
idiom

wash one’s hands of something

Meaning
to stop being responsible for something
Example
He **washed his hands of** the project after it failed.
idiom

red-eye flight

Meaning
a flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning
Example
I took a **red-eye flight** to save a day on my trip.
idiom

at the cutting edge

Meaning
at the most advanced position in a field
Example
The lab is **at the cutting edge** of medical research.
idiom

I’m with you

Meaning
I agree with your idea or opinion
Example
**I’m with you** on that plan — it’s a good one.
idiom

One step at a time

Meaning
Handle tasks gradually and not all at once.
Example
Don't stress, just take **one step at a time**.
idiom

keep your options open

Meaning
to delay making a final decision so you have choices
Example
I’ll **keep my options open** until I hear back from all the universities.
idiom

cast in stone

Meaning
fixed and unchangeable
Example
The script isn’t **cast in stone**; we can make changes.
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

self-assured

Meaning
confident and sure of oneself
Example
She walked into the room looking calm and **self-assured**.
idiom

pull oneself up by the bootstraps

Meaning
to improve one's situation through hard work and determination
Example
Despite all the challenges, he **pulled himself up by the bootstraps** and succeeded.
idiom

pioneer a new path

Meaning
to lead the way in a new venture or innovation
Example
He was the first to **pioneer a new path** in renewable energy solutions.
idiom

machine learning fairness

Meaning
the concept of ensuring that machine learning models make unbiased, equitable decisions.
Example
The research team focused on improving **machine learning fairness** to eliminate discrimination.
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

hush-hush

Meaning
kept secret or very confidential
Example
The project is still **hush-hush**, so don’t mention it.
idiom

opt out

Meaning
to choose not to participate
Example
Employees can **opt out** of the program if they want.
idiom

Make a mountain out of a molehill

Meaning
To exaggerate a small problem and make it seem much bigger than it really is.
Example
She made such a big deal out of forgetting her phone; she really **made a mountain out of a molehill**.
idiom

Keep one’s eye on the ball

Meaning
To stay focused on achieving a goal.
Example
If you **keep your eye on the ball**, you’ll surely succeed.
idiom

run someone down

Meaning
to criticize someone unfairly; to speak badly about someone
Example
He always **runs his coworkers down** behind their backs.
idiom

think twice

Meaning
to reconsider something carefully before acting
Example
You should **think twice** before making that deal.
idiom

have confidence in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone’s ability
Example
I **have confidence in** your judgment.
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

stormy relationship

Meaning
a relationship full of arguments and conflicts
Example
They had a **stormy relationship** for many years.
idiom

break down in tears

Meaning
to start crying suddenly
Example
She **broke down in tears** after hearing the sad story.
idiom

loose lips sink ships

Meaning
talking too much can cause trouble
Example
Remember, **loose lips sink ships**—don’t share sensitive information.
idiom

build up your confidence

Meaning
to gradually become more confident
Example
Public speaking can help you **build up your confidence**.
idiom

in a world of your own

Meaning
to be lost in thought or imagination
Example
He didn’t hear me because he was **in a world of his own**.
idiom

open heart

Meaning
to be honest and kind in feelings and actions
Example
He welcomed everyone with an **open heart**.
idiom

as thick as thieves

Meaning
To be very close friends who share secrets.
Example
Lisa and Nora are **as thick as thieves** since childhood.
idiom

breeze through

Meaning
to do something easily and with little effort
Example
She managed to **breeze through** the exam without any problems.
idiom

have cold feet

Meaning
to suddenly become nervous before doing something important
Example
He was ready to get married but **got cold feet** at the last minute.
idiom

out of one’s mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
He must be **out of his mind** to drive so fast in the rain.
idiom

a lump in your throat

Meaning
feeling emotional or about to cry
Example
He felt **a lump in his throat** when he said goodbye.
idiom

the last straw

Meaning
the final problem that makes a situation unbearable
Example
His rude comment was **the last straw** for her.
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

play politics

Meaning
to act in a manipulative or strategic way to gain advantage
Example
He was accused of trying to **play politics** instead of focusing on the nation’s welfare.
idiom

gray area

Meaning
a situation that is not clearly defined or falls between two categories
Example
AI surveillance laws still fall into a **gray area**.
idiom

parallel universe

Meaning
a completely different or contrasting situation
Example
Life in the countryside feels like a **parallel universe** compared to the city.
idiom

flesh out

Meaning
to add more detail to something
Example
We need to **flesh out** the proposal before presenting it.
idiom

Keep going strong

Meaning
to keep persevering and not give up
Example
Even when times are tough, remember to **keep going strong**.
idiom

see off

Meaning
to go with someone to say goodbye when they leave
Example
We’ll **see off** the guests at the station.
idiom

a roller coaster of emotions

Meaning
experiencing intense and fluctuating emotions
Example
Her life has been **a roller coaster of emotions** since the accident.
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

draw a line in the sand

Meaning
to set a firm boundary or make a limit clear
Example
The prime minister **drew a line in the sand** regarding national security.
idiom

draw attention

Meaning
to make people notice something
Example
The bright colors **draw attention** to the poster.
idiom

sink or swim

Meaning
to succeed or fail by your own efforts
Example
When you start your own business, it’s **sink or swim**.
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

write one’s own story

Meaning
to shape one’s own destiny or path in life
Example
She chose to **write her own story** instead of following tradition.
idiom

grow by leaps and bounds

Meaning
to grow or improve very quickly
Example
The company has **grown by leaps and bounds** in the last year.
idiom

have a blast

Meaning
to have a really good time
Example
We **had a blast** at the concert last night!
idiom

Money doesn't grow on trees

Meaning
Money is limited and must be earned; not easy to get.
Example
You should save more—**money doesn’t grow on trees**.
idiom

The melting pot

Meaning
A place where many different cultures blend together
Example
New York is often called **the melting pot** of cultures.
idiom

try and try again

Meaning
to keep trying until you succeed
Example
He didn’t give up and decided to **try and try again**.
idiom

behind bars

Meaning
in prison
Example
The murderer will spend the rest of his life **behind bars**.
idiom

get to the bottom of things

Meaning
to find out the real cause or truth behind something
Example
The detective worked hard to **get to the bottom of things**.
idiom

Spread joy

Meaning
to make others happy by being kind or cheerful
Example
It's important to **spread joy** wherever you go.
idiom

gloss over

Meaning
to avoid mentioning unpleasant details
Example
The report tries to **gloss over** the budget cuts.
idiom

jump on the bandwagon

Meaning
to join something that is already popular or successful
Example
Many people **jumped on the bandwagon** of budget travel.
idiom

A Catch-22

Meaning
A dilemma or difficult situation from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting conditions.
Example
It’s a **Catch-22**—you can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job.
idiom

have faith in

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

Two’s company, three’s a crowd

Meaning
Sometimes, two people are just right, but a third person can make things uncomfortable.
Example
I wanted some alone time with Emily, but as they say, **two’s company, three’s a crowd**.
idiom

the lion’s share

Meaning
the largest part of something
Example
He took **the lion’s share** of the profits.
idiom

pull someone up

Meaning
to reprimand or correct someone for a mistake or poor performance
Example
If a team member is underperforming, it's important to **pull them up** and help them improve.
idiom

sift out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from a mix
Example
We need to **sift out** duplicate entries in the list.
idiom

open up about

Meaning
to share personal thoughts or feelings
Example
He finally **opened up about** the project stress.
idiom

a blank slate

Meaning
a person with no prior knowledge or experience
Example
He came to the school like a **blank slate**.
idiom

to make a name for oneself

Meaning
to become famous or well known for something
Example
He worked hard to **make a name for himself** in the tech industry.
idiom

shoulder the responsibility

Meaning
to accept or take on a responsibility
Example
He was ready to **shoulder the responsibility** of leading the project.