truth will out
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idiom

truth will out

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

put the finishing touches

Meaning
to complete something perfectly by adding the final details
Example
She’s **putting the finishing touches** on her painting.
idiom

win the battle but lose the war

Meaning
to achieve a small success but fail in the larger goal
Example
By focusing on minor issues, they **won the battle but lost the war**.
idiom

rule with an iron fist

Meaning
to control people very strictly and harshly
Example
The dictator **ruled with an iron fist** for twenty years.
idiom

have someone's back

Meaning
to support or defend someone
Example
Don’t worry—I **have your back**.
idiom

blaze a trail

Meaning
to be the first to do something innovative
Example
She **blazed a trail** in renewable energy research.
idiom

make an example of someone

Meaning
to punish someone to warn others
Example
The boss **made an example of** the dishonest employee.
idiom

lock it down

Meaning
to secure something completely
Example
Before launching the website, make sure to **lock it down**.
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 hit piece

Meaning
A story or article intended to damage someone's reputation, often in a biased or unfair way.
Example
The editor criticized the paper for publishing such a **hit piece** on the politician.
idiom

keep moving forward

Meaning
to continue progressing despite obstacles or setbacks
Example
No matter what happens, always **keep moving forward**.
idiom

a window of opportunity

Meaning
a short period when one has a chance to act effectively
Example
We have **a window of opportunity** to finalize the deal this week.
idiom

zone in on

Meaning
to focus attention closely on something specific
Example
We need to **zone in on** the main customer problem.
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

to see the big picture

Meaning
to understand the larger or more important issue
Example
You need to **see the big picture** when making strategic decisions.
idiom

tell tales

Meaning
to gossip or reveal secrets, often to get someone in trouble
Example
Stop **telling tales** about your coworkers.
idiom

sort through

Meaning
to organize by separating what is needed from what is not
Example
Let’s **sort through** the survey responses this afternoon.
idiom

bootstrap a startup

Meaning
to build a business using limited resources without external funding
Example
Many successful founders **bootstrapped their startups** in the early days.
idiom

pay it forward

Meaning
to do something kind for someone else after receiving kindness
Example
After receiving help from a stranger, he decided to **pay it forward** by helping someone in need.
idiom

time flies

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

picture perfect

Meaning
completely flawless or ideal
Example
Their wedding day was **picture perfect**.
idiom

dive into

Meaning
to start doing something with enthusiasm
Example
Let’s **dive into** the agenda after coffee.
idiom

sail through

Meaning
to succeed at something easily
Example
With all that practice, you’ll **sail through** the interview.
idiom

Keep the tradition alive

Meaning
To continue practicing a custom so that it is not forgotten
Example
Every year we celebrate this festival to **keep the tradition alive**.
idiom

Break a sweat

Meaning
To exert effort or work hard at something.
Example
She didn't even **break a sweat** while finishing the entire project in one day.
idiom

tap into

Meaning
to make use of a resource or ability
Example
The startup hopes to **tap into** a new audience through social media.
idiom

Put one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
To focus on hard work and continuous effort.
Example
She really had to **put her nose to the grindstone** to get the promotion.
idiom

make waves

Meaning
to cause trouble or create a significant impact
Example
The new policy **made waves** throughout the organization.
idiom

a fork in the road

Meaning
a point where a decision must be made; a choice between two or more options
Example
When you come to **a fork in the road**, you have to choose which way to go.
idiom

cutthroat competition

Meaning
extremely intense and ruthless competition
Example
The smartphone market is a **cutthroat competition**.
idiom

lend a helping hand

Meaning
to offer assistance or support
Example
She always tries to **lend a helping hand** to those in need.
idiom

a golden goose

Meaning
a source of continuous wealth or profit
Example
Their subscription service has become **a golden goose** for the company.
idiom

double check

Meaning
to verify something again for accuracy
Example
Always **double check** the numbers before submitting.
idiom

ground control

Meaning
authority or people managing a situation
Example
In this project, Sarah is **ground control**.
idiom

back to square one

Meaning
to start over again
Example
After the computer crashed, I had to go **back to square one** with my report.
idiom

Break like the wind

Meaning
To move or pass quickly; sometimes used humorously.
Example
He ran **like the wind** to catch the bus.
idiom

ballpark figure

Meaning
an approximate estimate or number
Example
Can you give me a **ballpark figure** for the project cost?
idiom

well-oiled machine

Meaning
something that operates smoothly and efficiently
Example
Our engineering team runs like a **well-oiled machine**.
idiom

Cover a lot of ground

Meaning
to deal with a lot of information or material
Example
The lecture **covered a lot of ground** in just one hour.
idiom

put two and two together

Meaning
to figure out something by reasoning
Example
He **put two and two together** and realized she was lying.
idiom

cop a plea

Meaning
to plead guilty to a lesser charge in order to avoid a more severe penalty
Example
He decided to **cop a plea** and serve a shorter sentence.
idiom

the human touch

Meaning
a personal or emotional element that technology lacks
Example
Even with AI, customers still appreciate **the human touch** in service.
idiom

open up about

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

write off

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant or not worth considering
Example
Don’t **write off** his idea; it might actually work.
idiom

give someone a hard time

Meaning
to criticize or treat someone harshly
Example
The boss **gave me a hard time** for being late.
idiom

walk a fine line

Meaning
to balance between two difficult choices or opposing sides
Example
The diplomat had to **walk a fine line** between honesty and tact.
idiom

go off the rails

Meaning
to start behaving in an unusual or uncontrolled way
Example
After losing his job, his life seemed to **go off the rails**.
idiom

train of thought

Meaning
a connected series of thoughts
Example
I lost my **train of thought** during the presentation.
idiom

walk a tightrope

Meaning
to be in a difficult situation requiring careful balance
Example
The manager **walked a tightrope** between the demands of staff and management.
idiom

Move heaven and earth

Meaning
To do everything possible to achieve something.
Example
They **moved heaven and earth** to save the project.
idiom

light up someone’s day

Meaning
to make someone happy
Example
Your kind words **lighted up my day**.
idiom

Give and take

Meaning
Mutual compromise or cooperation.
Example
Good teamwork is all about **give and take**.
idiom

Cultural shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when exposed to a different culture or way of life
Example
Moving from a small village to a big city gave me **cultural shock**.
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

reach out to

Meaning
to contact someone to offer or request help
Example
Feel free to **reach out to** me if you need support.
idiom

spur on

Meaning
to encourage someone to continue or try harder
Example
Her mentor’s feedback **spurred her on** to apply for the grant.
idiom

ease up

Meaning
to become less intense or to relax
Example
The rain should **ease up** by the evening commute.
idiom

hit the sack

Meaning
to go to bed
Example
I'm exhausted, so I'm going to **hit the sack** early tonight.
idiom

grow into

Meaning
to gradually become more capable or skilled at something
Example
He will eventually **grow into** the role of manager.
idiom

drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small or insignificant amount compared to what is needed
Example
Our recycling efforts are just a **drop in the ocean** compared to the global pollution problem.
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

take the heat

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

play dirty

Meaning
to use unfair or dishonest methods to win
Example
Politicians often **play dirty** during elections.
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

to make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a big impact
Example
Her new book **made a splash** in the literary world.
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

reach for the moon

Meaning
to set very high goals
Example
Don’t be afraid to **reach for the moon**.
idiom

Face the truth

Meaning
To accept the reality of a situation, even if it’s unpleasant.
Example
You have to **face the truth** about your finances.
idiom

a tough call

Meaning
a difficult decision to make
Example
Choosing between the two offers was **a tough call**.
idiom

have nerves of steel

Meaning
to be very brave and calm under pressure
Example
A firefighter must **have nerves of steel** to face danger every day.
idiom

chip away at

Meaning
to gradually work on something to achieve a result
Example
She **chipped away at** her thesis every evening until it was finished.
idiom

hand in

Meaning
to submit something to someone in authority
Example
Please **hand in** your assignment by Friday morning.
idiom

hard luck story

Meaning
a story about someone's misfortune
Example
He’s always telling a **hard luck story** to get sympathy.
idiom

look before you leap

Meaning
to think carefully about possible risks before doing something
Example
Before starting your own business, remember to **look before you leap**.
idiom

get the credit

Meaning
to receive praise or recognition for something
Example
The whole team worked hard, but only he **got the credit**.
idiom

Eager beaver

Meaning
A person who is very enthusiastic and eager to do something.
Example
She's an **eager beaver** who always volunteers for extra tasks.
idiom

brush aside

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant
Example
Management **brushed aside** the rumors during the briefing.
idiom

envy eats the heart

Meaning
jealousy destroys one’s peace of mind
Example
**Envy eats the heart**, so stop comparing yourself to others.
idiom

run with it

Meaning
to take an idea and develop it further or act on it
Example
They liked the concept and told us to **run with it**.
idiom

save the day

Meaning
to prevent failure or disaster by taking timely action
Example
His quick thinking **saved the day**.
idiom

hit the road again

Meaning
to resume a journey after a stop
Example
After lunch, we **hit the road again**.
idiom

law-abiding citizen

Meaning
a person who always follows the law
Example
He is known as a **law-abiding citizen** in the community.
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

phishing attempt

Meaning
an attempt to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity
Example
The email you received looks like a **phishing attempt**, so don't click any links.
idiom

Spread joy

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

the singularity

Meaning
a hypothetical future point when AI surpasses human intelligence
Example
Some experts believe **the singularity** could change humanity forever.
idiom

make a vow

Meaning
to make a serious promise or pledge
Example
They **made a vow** to stay together forever.
idiom

ask around

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

go down in flames

Meaning
to fail spectacularly
Example
The project **went down in flames** after the funding was cut.
idiom

a flash in the pan

Meaning
something that seems promising at first but fails to deliver
Example
The peace talks were just **a flash in the pan**.
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

wrap your head around

Meaning
to understand or comprehend something difficult
Example
It took me a while to **wrap my head around** the new software.
idiom

black and white

Meaning
clearly defined; without confusion or ambiguity
Example
The contract terms are **black and white**.
idiom

blind faith

Meaning
trusting without questioning
Example
Having **blind faith** can sometimes lead to disappointment.
idiom

hit the ground running

Meaning
to start something energetically and successfully
Example
She joined the team and **hit the ground running** on her first day.
idiom

media circus

Meaning
an excessive or sensationalized media coverage
Example
The trial turned into a **media circus**.
idiom

market share

Meaning
the portion of a market controlled by a particular company or product
Example
The company increased its **market share** after launching the new product.
idiom

in over one’s head

Meaning
to be involved in something too difficult to handle
Example
He’s **in over his head** with this complex project.
idiom

lean over

Meaning
to bend your body forward or downward
Example
Please don’t **lean over** the railing during the show.
idiom

tighten the belt

Meaning
to reduce spending; to save money due to financial constraints
Example
In tough economic times, businesses must **tighten the belt** to survive.
idiom

friends in high places

Meaning
people with power or influence who can help you
Example
He got the job because he has **friends in high places**.
idiom

in someone’s good books

Meaning
to be liked or approved by someone
Example
She’s **in her boss’s good books** after completing the project early.
idiom

put the plan into action

Meaning
to start implementing a plan or idea
Example
After weeks of preparation, it's time to **put the plan into action**.
idiom

a debt of gratitude

Meaning
a feeling of being grateful to someone who has helped you
Example
We owe **a debt of gratitude** to our mentors.
idiom

machine learning curve

Meaning
the process of gradual improvement through experience and learning
Example
The new developers are still on their **machine learning curve**.
idiom

have your jaw drop

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or shocked
Example
My **jaw dropped** when I saw the price.
idiom

go belly up

Meaning
to fail completely; to go bankrupt
Example
Many small businesses **went belly up** during the pandemic.
idiom

wired to learn

Meaning
naturally designed to acquire knowledge or skills
Example
Humans are **wired to learn**, just like AI systems.
idiom

hard sell

Meaning
an aggressive or forceful sales approach
Example
Customers today dislike the **hard sell** approach.
idiom

feel the strain

Meaning
to feel stress or pressure from a difficult situation
Example
Many employees are starting to **feel the strain** of the workload.
idiom

hit the books

Meaning
to study very hard
Example
I can’t go out tonight; I need to **hit the books** for my exam.
idiom

Flying high

Meaning
To be very successful or happy.
Example
After getting promoted, she's **flying high**.
idiom

see the glass half full

Meaning
see the positive side of something
Example
Try to **see the glass half full** instead of half empty.
idiom

sit on the fence

Meaning
to avoid making a decision or choice
Example
You can't **sit on the fence** any longer, you need to choose a side.
idiom

take things to the next level

Meaning
to improve or develop something beyond its current state
Example
We plan to **take our innovation to the next level** this year.
idiom

come to light

Meaning
to become known or revealed
Example
The truth finally **came to light** after many years.
idiom

pumped up

Meaning
full of energy and excitement
Example
He was **pumped up** before the big presentation.
idiom

walk on air

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

stay the course

Meaning
to continue doing something until it is finished or successful
Example
It’s hard, but you need to **stay the course**.
idiom

turn things around

Meaning
to reverse a negative situation and make it positive
Example
With some effort, we can **turn things around**.
idiom

a match made in heaven

Meaning
a perfect couple, very well suited for each other
Example
They are truly **a match made in heaven**.