travel light
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idiom

travel light

Meaning
to travel with very little luggage
Example
When I travel for business, I like to **travel light**.
idiom

teach someone a lesson

Meaning
to make someone learn from their mistake
Example
The teacher’s punishment really **taught him a lesson**.
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

the best is yet to come

Meaning
better things are coming in the future
Example
Don’t worry about the past; **the best is yet to come**.
idiom

talk the talk

Meaning
to speak confidently about something
Example
He can **talk the talk**, but can he walk the walk?
idiom

To move mountains

Meaning
To achieve something very difficult or seemingly impossible.
Example
With determination, she can **move mountains**.
idiom

Throw down the gauntlet

Meaning
To challenge someone to fight or compete.
Example
He **threw down the gauntlet** by questioning his opponent’s honesty.
idiom

teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something that is difficult for them to learn due to their age or experience
Example
It's hard to **teach an old dog new tricks**, but I'll try.
idiom

think on one's feet

Meaning
to be able to make quick decisions and act quickly, especially in an emergency
Example
During the meeting, she had to **think on her feet** and come up with a solution.
idiom

Take off

Meaning
To begin to succeed rapidly; to leave the ground.
Example
Her business really **took off** after the new marketing campaign.
idiom

The truth will set you free

Meaning
By being truthful, you can avoid trouble and feel liberated.
Example
Even though it was hard, **the truth will set you free** in the end.
idiom

take the stage

Meaning
to begin performing or speaking publicly
Example
The new actor will **take the stage** for the first time tonight.
idiom

train your brain

Meaning
to practice and improve one’s cognitive abilities
Example
Use puzzles to **train your brain** like an AI model.
idiom

tie the knot of friendship

Meaning
to start a friendship
Example
They **tied the knot of friendship** during college.
idiom

There's strength in numbers

Meaning
A larger group is stronger than an individual.
Example
Together we can achieve more because **there's strength in numbers**.
idiom

talk the same language

Meaning
to have similar ideas and understanding
Example
We get along because we **talk the same language**.
idiom

troll someone

Meaning
to deliberately provoke or upset someone online
Example
Some users love to **troll** others just for fun.
idiom

the big picture

Meaning
the overall view or perspective of a situation
Example
It’s important to look at **the big picture** before making decisions.
idiom

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed **tears of joy** when her son returned home.
idiom

take a deep breath

Meaning
to calm down and relax
Example
**Take a deep breath** before reacting.
idiom

the ivory tower

Meaning
a place or situation where one is disconnected from practical concerns or the real world
Example
Academics are often accused of living in **the ivory tower**.
idiom

The sun is shining

Meaning
A metaphor for happiness or positivity, often used when things are going well.
Example
After all the hard work, things finally seemed to be **shining**.
idiom

the writing on the wall

Meaning
a sign that something bad will happen soon
Example
When sales started falling, the manager saw **the writing on the wall**.
idiom

The darkest hour is just before the dawn

Meaning
Things often seem worst just before they improve.
Example
Things are rough right now, but remember, **the darkest hour is just before the dawn**.
idiom

talk someone's ear off

Meaning
to talk too much and for a long time
Example
She **talked my ear off** about her new job.
idiom

too big to fail

Meaning
a company or institution that is so important that it is unlikely to fail
Example
Many financial institutions were considered **too big to fail** during the 2008 financial crisis.
idiom

top-notch

Meaning
of the highest quality; excellent
Example
Your presentation was absolutely **top-notch**.
idiom

to be in someone’s good books

Meaning
to be in favor with someone
Example
If you want to get promoted, you need to be **in the boss’s good books**.
idiom

Time heals all wounds

Meaning
Emotional pain will lessen with time.
Example
Don’t worry, time heals all wounds.
idiom

to have a ray of hope

Meaning
to see a small sign of improvement in a bad situation
Example
After hearing the good news, I felt I had a **ray of hope** for my future.
idiom

take by surprise

Meaning
to catch someone off guard; to surprise unexpectedly
Example
The sudden rain **took us by surprise**.
idiom

tough it out

Meaning
to endure a difficult situation with strength and determination
Example
Even though it was a tough day, she managed to **tough it out** and finish the project.
idiom

to the letter

Meaning
exactly as instructed
Example
She followed her teacher’s advice **to the letter**.
idiom

tough as nails

Meaning
very strong and resilient
Example
She is **tough as nails**, nothing can break her spirit.
idiom

touch base with

Meaning
to make brief contact with someone for an update
Example
I'll **touch base with** you after the meeting to confirm the plan.
idiom

through thick and thin

Meaning
in good times and bad times
Example
She stood by me **through thick and thin**.
idiom

to take the cake

Meaning
to be the best or most impressive thing in a situation
Example
Out of all the new projects, his idea **took the cake**.
idiom

take sides

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument
Example
It’s hard not to **take sides** when your friends are arguing.
idiom

to be in the doghouse

Meaning
to be in trouble, especially with someone you care about
Example
After forgetting her birthday, he was definitely **in the doghouse**.
idiom

take a rain check

Meaning
to decline an offer but suggest doing it another time
Example
Can I **take a rain check** on dinner? I am busy tonight.
idiom

true colors

Meaning
someone’s real character or intentions
Example
He showed his **true colors** when he lied to me.
idiom

to mess up

Meaning
to make a mistake or do something badly
Example
Don’t **mess up** the report again this time.
idiom

time will tell

Meaning
the future will reveal the outcome
Example
**Time will tell** whether this was the right decision.
idiom

throw money around

Meaning
to spend money carelessly or extravagantly
Example
Some rich importers love to **throw money around** at trade fairs.
idiom

to goof up

Meaning
to make a silly or careless mistake
Example
She **goofed up** the numbers in the report.
idiom

training data

Meaning
data used to train machine learning models to recognize patterns or make predictions
Example
The AI model's performance depends on the quality of its **training data**.
idiom

the blind leading the blind

Meaning
someone inexperienced leading others who also lack experience
Example
The new trainees teaching each other is like **the blind leading the blind**.
idiom

The longest journey begins with a single step

Meaning
Any big task starts with a small action.
Example
Don't worry about the entire project, **the longest journey begins with a single step**.
idiom

to screw up

Meaning
to make a serious mistake or spoil something
Example
I really **screwed up** the presentation.
idiom

the wisdom of age

Meaning
knowledge and understanding gained through life experience
Example
He gave me advice that showed **the wisdom of age**.
idiom

to have a clean conscience

Meaning
to feel good about oneself because one has done nothing wrong
Example
After telling the truth, she had **a clean conscience**.
idiom

to see the silver lining

Meaning
to find something positive in a negative situation
Example
She always tries to **see the silver lining** even in the most challenging situations.
idiom

Tell the truth and shame the devil

Meaning
Always speak the truth, even when it’s hard or risky.
Example
Just **tell the truth and shame the devil**, even if it hurts.
idiom

To be there for someone

Meaning
To offer emotional support when someone is in need
Example
No matter what happens, I’ll always **be there for you**.
idiom

throw oneself at someone's mercy

Meaning
to ask for forgiveness and hope for kindness
Example
She **threw herself at the teacher’s mercy** after missing the deadline.
idiom

test the waters

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

Trickle-down effect

Meaning
Economic benefits of the wealthy gradually reaching the lower-income groups.
Example
Critics argue that the **trickle-down effect** rarely helps the poor.
idiom

the powers that be

Meaning
people or organizations who hold authority or control
Example
The decision depends on **the powers that be**.
idiom

take the rap

Meaning
to be punished or blamed for something, often unfairly.
Example
He **took the rap** for the team’s poor performance.
idiom

to be open and honest

Meaning
to speak frankly or sincerely
Example
I want to **be open and honest** with you about my feelings.
idiom

tune out

Meaning
to stop paying attention to what’s happening around you
Example
He often **tunes out** when people start complaining.
idiom

truth will out

Meaning
the truth will eventually be revealed
Example
You can’t hide it forever; **truth will out**.
idiom

thank you kindly

Meaning
a polite way to say thank you warmly
Example
**Thank you kindly** for your time and patience.
idiom

the tipping point

Meaning
the moment when a change becomes unstoppable
Example
Climate change has reached **the tipping point** for action.
idiom

to take the law into one’s own hands

Meaning
to punish someone personally instead of letting the authorities handle it
Example
The villagers **took the law into their own hands** when the thief escaped.
idiom

throw someone under the bus

Meaning
to betray or sacrifice someone to save yourself
Example
He **threw his colleague under the bus** to avoid getting fired.
idiom

take the scenic route

Meaning
to choose a longer or more beautiful way to travel
Example
Let’s **take the scenic route** through the mountains.
idiom

take one's hat off to

Meaning
to show respect or admiration for someone
Example
I **take my hat off to** you for handling the situation so calmly.
idiom

to reach for the moon

Meaning
to aim for something that is difficult or seemingly impossible to achieve
Example
He decided to **reach for the moon** and apply for the most competitive university.
idiom

take the blame

Meaning
to accept responsibility for something wrong
Example
He decided to **take the blame** for the team's failure.
idiom

think outside the box

Meaning
to think creatively and differently
Example
We need to **think outside the box** to solve this issue.
idiom

the best of both worlds

Meaning
a situation in which you can enjoy the advantages of two very different things at the same time
Example
She works in the city and lives in the country, so she gets **the best of both worlds**.
idiom

take the long view

Meaning
to plan or think about the future rather than short-term gains
Example
Successful leaders always **take the long view** when making decisions.
idiom

turn over a new leaf

Meaning
to start behaving better after doing something wrong
Example
After the accident, he decided to **turn over a new leaf**.
idiom

the bottom line

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

to put one's finger on

Meaning
to identify or recognize something with precision
Example
The journalist was able to **put her finger on** the exact cause of the political unrest.
idiom

tell a tall tale

Meaning
to tell an exaggerated or false story
Example
He loves to **tell tall tales** about his adventures.
idiom

turn a blind eye

Meaning
to deliberately ignore something wrong or unpleasant
Example
The manager **turned a blind eye** to employees leaving early on Fridays.
idiom

tiger mom

Meaning
a strict mother who pushes her children to achieve high standards
Example
Her friends call her a **tiger mom** because she’s very demanding.
idiom

there’s always tomorrow

Meaning
you’ll have another chance in the future
Example
Don’t be sad about today’s failure — **there’s always tomorrow**.
idiom

take a chill pill

Meaning
to calm down or relax; to not overreact
Example
Hey, **take a chill pill**! It’s not that serious.
idiom

take up a hobby

Meaning
to start a new hobby or leisure activity
Example
During the lockdown, many people **took up hobbies** like painting or cooking.
idiom

to wear one's heart on one's sleeve

Meaning
to openly show one's emotions or feelings
Example
He really **wears his heart on his sleeve**, you can tell exactly how he feels.
idiom

turn dreams into reality

Meaning
to achieve something one has long desired
Example
With hard work and dedication, you can **turn your dreams into reality**.
idiom

the ball is rolling

Meaning
a process has started and is making progress
Example
Now that **the ball is rolling**, we need to keep working.
idiom

to make a boo-boo

Meaning
to make a small or funny mistake
Example
Oops, I **made a boo-boo** and sent the wrong file!
idiom

take someone aback

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

the whole truth

Meaning
the complete truth without leaving anything out
Example
She promised to tell **the whole truth** in court.
idiom

the ball is in your court

Meaning
it is your turn to make a decision or take action
Example
I've made my offer, now **the ball is in your court**.
idiom

To be thick as thieves

Meaning
To be very close friends
Example
They've been **thick as thieves** ever since childhood.
idiom

take a stand

Meaning
to make a firm decision or opinion known
Example
It’s time to **take a stand** and support what you believe in.
idiom

take heart

Meaning
to feel encouraged or more confident
Example
You should **take heart**; things will get better soon.
idiom

the end of the road

Meaning
the point where progress stops; the end of something
Example
For us, this is **the end of the road**.
idiom

to come clean

Meaning
to admit the truth, especially when it is difficult or embarrassing
Example
He decided it was time to **come clean** about his mistake.
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

trust someone as far as you can throw them

Meaning
to not trust someone much
Example
I wouldn’t **trust him as far as I can throw him**.
idiom

the cat’s out of the bag

Meaning
the secret is revealed
Example
Now that **the cat’s out of the bag**, everyone knows the truth.
idiom

think tank

Meaning
a group of experts developing new ideas or policies
Example
The **think tank** proposed innovative educational reforms.
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

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

talk in circles

Meaning
to discuss something without reaching a conclusion
Example
We **talked in circles** for hours but didn’t solve anything.
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

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

to get bent out of shape

Meaning
to become angry or upset
Example
Don't **get bent out of shape** over a small mistake.
idiom

take the heat

Meaning
to accept criticism or blame.
Example
The manager **took the heat** for the failed project.
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

throw one’s weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** at work to get things done.
idiom

to have hope in one's heart

Meaning
to remain hopeful and optimistic about the future
Example
Despite all the challenges, he always **has hope in his heart**.
idiom

to get away with murder

Meaning
to do something wrong and avoid punishment
Example
Rich criminals often **get away with murder** due to influence.
idiom

to be in the same boat

Meaning
to be in the same difficult situation
Example
We are all **in the same boat** when it comes to the upcoming project deadline.
idiom

to weather the storm

Meaning
to successfully overcome a difficult or challenging situation
Example
Despite the economic downturn, the company managed **to weather the storm** and stay profitable.
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

the rest is history

Meaning
used to say that everyone knows what happened next
Example
They met in college, fell in love, and **the rest is history**.
idiom

time flies

Meaning
time passes very quickly
Example
**Time flies** when you’re having fun.
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

take it to the next level

Meaning
to improve something significantly; to advance to a higher stage
Example
We plan to **take our business to the next level** this year.
idiom

take pride in

Meaning
to feel good about something you have done
Example
You should **take pride in** your achievements.
idiom

tone down

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

to serve justice

Meaning
to ensure that fairness or punishment is properly given
Example
The court’s decision **served justice** for the victims.