To tell the truth
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idiom

To tell the truth

Meaning
To speak honestly or openly.
Example
**To tell the truth**, I never liked that movie.
idiom

in two minds

Meaning
undecided about something
Example
I'm **in two minds** about accepting the new job offer.
idiom

change your mind

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

brainstorm

Meaning
to generate many creative ideas in a group discussion
Example
Let’s **brainstorm** some ideas for our next campaign.
idiom

land a job

Meaning
to successfully get a job
Example
He was thrilled to **land a job** at his dream company.
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

to break out in a cold sweat

Meaning
to suddenly become very nervous or afraid
Example
I **broke out in a cold sweat** before giving my first public speech.
idiom

Make headlines

Meaning
To become an important news story
Example
Her sudden resignation **made headlines** across the country.
idiom

same old story

Meaning
something boringly repetitive
Example
It's the **same old story** every time we meet.
idiom

go out of one’s way

Meaning
to make a special effort to help someone
Example
She **went out of her way** to make sure we felt welcome.
idiom

sweeten the deal

Meaning
to make an offer more attractive
Example
They decided to **sweeten the deal** by offering free shipping.
idiom

a lawyer's brief

Meaning
a summary or concise statement of an argument or case
Example
The **lawyer's brief** was submitted to the judge before the trial began.
idiom

cross the ethical line

Meaning
to do something that is considered morally wrong in ethics
Example
Selling user data without permission **crosses the ethical line**.
idiom

feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel extremely good or happy
Example
After a great workout, I always **feel like a million bucks**.
idiom

artificial neural network

Meaning
an AI system designed to mimic the human brain's ability to recognize patterns and solve problems.
Example
The **artificial neural network** is capable of processing data in a way similar to the human brain.
idiom

time is money

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

A seat at the table

Meaning
To have an opportunity to be part of decision-making or important discussions.
Example
She fought for years to earn **a seat at the table** in the boardroom.
idiom

raise the stakes

Meaning
to increase the level of risk or difficulty
Example
We need to **raise the stakes** if we want to make a bigger impact.
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

hang loose

Meaning
to relax and take things easy
Example
We’re on vacation, so just **hang loose** and enjoy.
idiom

zero in

Meaning
to focus closely on something
Example
Our analysis should **zero in** on customer pain points.
idiom

learn by heart

Meaning
to memorize something perfectly
Example
He **learned the poem by heart** for the recital.
idiom

walk on air

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

connect the dots

Meaning
to make connections between ideas or information
Example
Once you **connect the dots**, the whole picture will make sense.
idiom

united we stand, divided we fall

Meaning
people are stronger when they work together
Example
Remember, **united we stand, divided we fall**.
idiom

shake like a leaf

Meaning
to tremble with fear or nervousness
Example
She was **shaking like a leaf** before her first flight.
idiom

get something off your chest

Meaning
to talk about something that has been worrying you
Example
I needed to **get it off my chest**, so I finally told her the truth.
idiom

not the sharpest tool in the shed

Meaning
not very intelligent
Example
He’s kind but **not the sharpest tool in the shed**.
idiom

the story breaks

Meaning
when news becomes public or is first reported
Example
When **the story broke**, everyone was shocked.
idiom

off script

Meaning
to deviate from a prepared plan or speech
Example
During the meeting, he went **off script** and made some bold statements.
idiom

put in a nutshell

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

ask around

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

put in long hours

Meaning
to work for many hours
Example
He’s been **putting in long hours** to finish the report.
idiom

win hands down

Meaning
to win easily or convincingly
Example
Our team **won hands down** in the final match.
idiom

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
idiom

reach for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious or difficult to achieve
Example
She always tells her students to **reach for the stars** and never give up.
idiom

a ray of hope

Meaning
a small sign of possible success or improvement
Example
The new treatment gave patients **a ray of hope**.
idiom

rise and shine

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

go behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly or deceitfully against someone
Example
She **went behind my back** and told the manager everything.
idiom

open a new chapter

Meaning
to begin a new stage or period in life
Example
Graduating from university **opened a new chapter** in her life.
idiom

Open a can of worms

Meaning
To start something that creates many new problems.
Example
By questioning the policy, he **opened a can of worms**.
idiom

drill down into

Meaning
to examine something in great depth
Example
The analyst will **drill down into** the sales numbers for trends.
idiom

free as a bird

Meaning
completely free; without restrictions
Example
After leaving his job, he felt **free as a bird**.
idiom

fade to black

Meaning
to end something dramatically
Example
The director chose to **fade to black** at the emotional climax.
idiom

on the right side of the law

Meaning
acting legally; not breaking any laws
Example
He wants to stay **on the right side of the law**.
idiom

live and learn

Meaning
to accept a mistake as a lesson for the future
Example
I lost my wallet again — well, **live and learn**.
idiom

a heavy heart

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

hit the gas

Meaning
to accelerate; to move faster
Example
He **hit the gas** to catch the green light.
idiom

move mountains

Meaning
to achieve something very difficult
Example
With determination, you can **move mountains**.
idiom

in one ear and out the other

Meaning
to not pay attention to what is said
Example
Whatever I tell him goes **in one ear and out the other**.
idiom

get over someone

Meaning
to recover from the pain of a breakup or loss
Example
It took her months to **get over** him.
idiom

fall head over heels

Meaning
to fall deeply in love
Example
He **fell head over heels** in love with her the moment they met.
idiom

online presence

Meaning
the existence and activity of a person or business on the internet
Example
A strong **online presence** is essential for digital marketing.
idiom

tear into someone

Meaning
to criticize someone angrily
Example
The coach **tore into** the players after they lost the game.
idiom

show appreciation

Meaning
to express gratitude or recognition
Example
We should **show appreciation** for our teachers more often.
idiom

sketchy details

Meaning
information that is incomplete or unclear
Example
The witness gave only **sketchy details** about the incident.
idiom

pick up the pace

Meaning
to increase speed
Example
We need to **pick up the pace** if we want to finish the project on time.
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

make it big

Meaning
to become very successful or famous
Example
He moved to Hollywood to **make it big**.
idiom

loose cannon

Meaning
an unpredictable person who may cause problems
Example
He’s a **loose cannon** who often says things without thinking.
idiom

a dime a dozen

Meaning
very common and not valuable
Example
Those toys are **a dime a dozen** at the market.
idiom

call on

Meaning
to request someone to speak or do something
Example
The teacher will **call on** you if you raise your hand.
idiom

full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or excitement
Example
The party was in **full swing** when we arrived.
idiom

check back

Meaning
to return at a later time for an update
Example
Please **check back** next week for the final list.
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

a slippery slope

Meaning
a course of action that seems to lead to undesirable or dangerous consequences
Example
Starting to ignore small violations can lead to **a slippery slope** of bigger legal issues.
idiom

a snowball effect

Meaning
a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate
Example
The more followers she got, the more famous she became, creating **a snowball effect**.
idiom

keep an eye on someone

Meaning
to watch someone carefully because you don’t trust them completely
Example
I’ll **keep an eye on him** while you’re away.
idiom

key in

Meaning
to enter data using a keyboard or keypad
Example
Please **key in** your code before the door locks.
idiom

grassroots movement

Meaning
a political movement started and driven by ordinary people
Example
The campaign grew into a powerful **grassroots movement** for change.
idiom

change gears

Meaning
to shift to a new way of thinking or doing things
Example
We need to **change gears** if we want to reach our target in time.
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

when one door closes, another opens

Meaning
when one opportunity is lost, another appears
Example
Don’t be upset about the rejection—**when one door closes, another opens**.
idiom

put your nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and focus on something
Example
If you want to succeed, you have to **put your nose to the grindstone**.
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

Bury yourself in books

Meaning
To spend all your time studying
Example
He **buried himself in books** before the finals.
idiom

put your foot in your mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate
Example
He really **put his foot in his mouth** when he mentioned her age.
idiom

act of kindness

Meaning
a single good deed or gesture to help others
Example
That was such a beautiful **act of kindness**.
idiom

leap forward

Meaning
a sudden and significant progress
Example
This innovation represents a **leap forward** in technology.
idiom

put in the hours

Meaning
to spend a lot of time working
Example
If you **put in the hours**, you’ll see progress soon.
idiom

Risk it all

Meaning
To take a huge risk that could lead to loss.
Example
She decided to **risk it all** for her dream project.
idiom

love is blind

Meaning
people in love do not see each other's faults
Example
They say **love is blind**, and he proves it every day.
idiom

grateful as can be

Meaning
extremely thankful
Example
I’m **grateful as can be** for your guidance.
idiom

brain like a sieve

Meaning
having a very bad memory
Example
I keep forgetting things—I’ve got a **brain like a sieve**!
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

to clean one's hands

Meaning
to rid oneself of responsibility for something, especially wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **clean his hands** of the situation, but we all knew he was involved.
idiom

full of confidence

Meaning
feeling very sure of yourself
Example
He walked into the interview room **full of confidence**.
idiom

on the spot

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

Frankenstein’s monster

Meaning
A creation that turns against its creator.
Example
Social media became a **Frankenstein’s monster** for its inventors.
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

clear the air

Meaning
to remove tension or misunderstanding by talking openly
Example
We need to sit down and **clear the air** about what happened last week.
idiom

open a Pandora’s box

Meaning
to start something that causes many unexpected problems
Example
Unregulated AI development may **open a Pandora’s box** of ethical issues.
idiom

Pay dividends

Meaning
To bring benefits or rewards later.
Example
Investing in education always **pays dividends** in the long run.
idiom

upload your thoughts

Meaning
to express or share one’s ideas online
Example
People love to **upload their thoughts** on social media.
idiom

a social butterfly

Meaning
someone who is very social and enjoys meeting people
Example
He’s **a social butterfly**, always at some event or gathering.
idiom

hold down

Meaning
to keep something at a low level
Example
It’s tough to **hold down** rent costs in this city.
idiom

sleep it off

Meaning
to sleep in order to recover from tiredness or sickness
Example
He drank too much and needed to **sleep it off**.
idiom

grasp at straws

Meaning
to try any method to succeed, even if unlikely
Example
He was **grasping at straws** when he suggested that idea.
idiom

plan B

Meaning
an alternative plan if the first one fails
Example
We should have a **plan B** in case things go wrong.
idiom

the apple of one's eye

Meaning
someone or something that is cherished or loved deeply
Example
Her son is truly **the apple of her eye**.
idiom

Open-minded

Meaning
Willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
A good therapist must be **open-minded**.
idiom

a breath of fresh air

Meaning
something new and refreshing
Example
Her positive attitude is **a breath of fresh air** in the office.
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

get worked up

Meaning
to become upset or angry about something
Example
Don’t **get worked up** over minor mistakes.
idiom

see stars

Meaning
to feel dizzy or stunned, often after being hit
Example
He bumped his head and started to **see stars**.
idiom

in cold blood

Meaning
without emotion or pity; deliberately cruelly
Example
The victim was murdered **in cold blood**.
idiom

penny wise, pound foolish

Meaning
being careful with small amounts of money but careless with large amounts
Example
She refuses to buy a $10 book, but spends $100 on clothes; she's **penny wise, pound foolish**.
idiom

leave a legacy

Meaning
to create something that lasts and benefits others after you are gone
Example
He worked hard all his life to **leave a legacy** for his children.
idiom

A Jekyll and Hyde

Meaning
A person with two very different sides to their personality.
Example
He’s like **a Jekyll and Hyde**—nice one moment and cruel the next.
idiom

living the dream

Meaning
living a life that one always desired
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
idiom

beyond belief

Meaning
too surprising or shocking to believe
Example
His recovery was **beyond belief**.
idiom

once in a blue moon

Meaning
very rarely
Example
I only see him **once in a blue moon**.
idiom

burn your fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of a bad decision or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by trusting the wrong person.
idiom

under oath

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

behind enemy lines

Meaning
in a hostile or dangerous situation
Example
Journalists were working **behind enemy lines** to report the truth.
idiom

lay down

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

pick a fight

Meaning
to start an argument intentionally
Example
Don’t **pick a fight** with him; he’s already angry.
idiom

shocked to the core

Meaning
deeply shocked or disturbed
Example
Everyone was **shocked to the core** by the tragedy.
idiom

blow out of proportion

Meaning
to exaggerate or overstate something
Example
The media **blew the story out of proportion**.