win the peace
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

win the peace

Meaning
to succeed in maintaining peace after a conflict
Example
The treaty was a success, but they still had to **win the peace**.
idiom

catch lightning in a bottle

Meaning
to achieve something amazing and rare through creativity or luck
Example
Their new design **caught lightning in a bottle**.
idiom

a few bricks short of a load

Meaning
a little stupid or crazy
Example
He tries hard, but he’s **a few bricks short of a load**.
idiom

chip in for

Meaning
to contribute money toward a shared cost
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in for** a farewell cake.
idiom

run like clockwork

Meaning
to operate smoothly and efficiently
Example
The production line **runs like clockwork** these days.
idiom

in deep water

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

a bridge too far

Meaning
an attempt or goal that is too ambitious or impossible to achieve
Example
The proposal to negotiate with all the countries at once was **a bridge too far**.
idiom

Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion

Meaning
A person in a position of trust must be beyond any hint of wrongdoing.
Example
A judge should remember that **Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion**.
idiom

steer the ship

Meaning
to be in charge or control of a situation or organization
Example
The manager was able to **steer the ship** through the difficult times.
idiom

head out

Meaning
to leave for a destination
Example
Let’s **head out** before the traffic gets heavy.
idiom

open heart

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

do without

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

broken-hearted

Meaning
extremely sad about something or someone
Example
He was **broken-hearted** after the breakup.
idiom

sing from the same hymn sheet

Meaning
to express the same opinion as others, especially publicly
Example
All the managers are **singing from the same hymn sheet** on this issue.
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

switch on

Meaning
to turn something on so it operates
Example
Please **switch on** the lights before the clients arrive.
idiom

bend the truth

Meaning
to slightly change the truth to make something sound better
Example
He tends to **bend the truth** when telling stories.
idiom

steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to look or feel extremely angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** after the argument.
idiom

burn the candle at both ends

Meaning
to work too hard without enough rest
Example
If you **burn the candle at both ends**, you’ll get exhausted soon.
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

cover up

Meaning
to hide the truth about something
Example
They tried to **cover up** the mistake.
idiom

a lightbulb moment

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

clean conscience

Meaning
feeling that you have done nothing wrong
Example
He can sleep well because he has a **clean conscience**.
idiom

paint the town red

Meaning
to go out and celebrate wildly
Example
After the exam, we decided to **paint the town red**.
idiom

out of your mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
You must be **out of your mind** to drive that fast!
idiom

take it on the chin

Meaning
to accept a difficult situation without complaining
Example
He **took it on the chin** when his project failed.
idiom

stay composed

Meaning
to remain calm and not show emotion
Example
He **stayed composed** even when things went wrong.
idiom

go with your gut

Meaning
to trust your instinct when making a decision
Example
Sometimes you just have to **go with your gut**.
idiom

Ride it out

Meaning
Endure a difficult situation until it improves.
Example
We just need to **ride it out** until things get better.
idiom

soft launch

Meaning
a limited or quiet release of a new product before the full launch
Example
The company did a **soft launch** to test customer reactions.
idiom

out of bandwidth

Meaning
too busy or overwhelmed to handle more tasks
Example
I’m **out of bandwidth** today, can we talk tomorrow?
idiom

a fresh start

Meaning
a new beginning after difficulties or mistakes
Example
After the breakup, she wanted **a fresh start**.
idiom

break free

Meaning
to escape from control or restriction
Example
She wanted to **break free** from her routine life.
idiom

hold the reins

Meaning
to be in control of something or in charge of a situation
Example
She’s the one who **holds the reins** of the team, making sure everything runs smoothly.
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

fall flat on one’s face

Meaning
to fail completely or embarrass oneself
Example
He **fell flat on his face** trying to start a new business.
idiom

food for thought

Meaning
something that makes you think seriously
Example
His comment gave me **food for thought**.
idiom

pull yourself together

Meaning
to regain control of your emotions or behavior
Example
Stop crying and **pull yourself together** – we need to find a solution.
idiom

a cold fish

Meaning
someone who is unemotional or not friendly
Example
He seemed **a cold fish** when I first met him.
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

ease off on

Meaning
to reduce the amount or pressure of something
Example
They decided to **ease off on** overtime this month.
idiom

get your wires crossed

Meaning
to misunderstand someone or something
Example
We must have **got our wires crossed**, because I thought the meeting was tomorrow.
idiom

have a bone to pick

Meaning
to have a complaint or disagreement with someone
Example
I **have a bone to pick** with you about yesterday’s meeting.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
idiom

be in high spirits

Meaning
to feel very happy and positive
Example
Everyone was **in high spirits** after the successful event.
idiom

patch up

Meaning
to repair something or improve a damaged relationship
Example
They managed to **patch up** their friendship after the argument.
idiom

come a long way

Meaning
to make a lot of progress or improvement
Example
She has **come a long way** since she started her career.
idiom

ring in the new year

Meaning
to celebrate the start of a new year
Example
We gathered downtown to **ring in the new year** together.
idiom

burst of creativity

Meaning
a sudden outpouring of creative ideas
Example
She had a **burst of creativity** and finished the design in one go.
idiom

get the show on the road

Meaning
to begin an activity or journey
Example
Let’s **get the show on the road** and start our trip.
idiom

break down the problem

Meaning
to analyze a problem step by step
Example
Let’s **break down the problem** to understand it better.
idiom

the old school

Meaning
having traditional beliefs or methods
Example
My professor is from **the old school**; he prefers chalkboards to slides.
idiom

no rocket scientist

Meaning
not very intelligent; not a genius
Example
He’s **no rocket scientist**, but he works hard.
idiom

bull market

Meaning
a period when prices of stocks are rising
Example
Investors are optimistic during a **bull market**.
idiom

to have a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared healthy by a doctor
Example
After the checkup, she got **a clean bill of health**.
idiom

sit in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in a position of control or leadership
Example
After the promotion, she now **sits in the driver’s seat**.
idiom

pick yourself up

Meaning
to recover from a failure or setback
Example
She failed the first time, but she **picked herself up** and tried again.
idiom

sell someone out

Meaning
to betray someone for personal gain
Example
He **sold me out** to save himself.
idiom

fly high

Meaning
to be very successful or happy
Example
After winning the award, she’s been **flying high**.
idiom

like one big happy family

Meaning
people living or working together in harmony
Example
Our office team works **like one big happy family**.
idiom

on the line

Meaning
at risk; in danger of being lost
Example
The company’s reputation is **on the line** after the failed shipment.
idiom

brighten someone's day

Meaning
to make someone feel happier
Example
Her kindness really **brightened my day**.
idiom

start off on the right foot

Meaning
to begin something well or positively
Example
I want to **start off on the right foot** with my new job.
idiom

read someone the riot act

Meaning
to warn or scold someone severely for bad behavior
Example
The teacher **read the students the riot act** after the chaos in class.
idiom

Buy low, sell high

Meaning
The strategy of buying goods or assets cheaply and selling them for a profit.
Example
Every investor dreams to **buy low, sell high**.
idiom

call to mind

Meaning
to remember or recall something
Example
This song **calls to mind** my childhood days.
idiom

an open book

Meaning
someone who is easy to understand or very honest
Example
He’s **an open book**; you can always tell what he’s thinking.
idiom

economic sanctions

Meaning
penalties imposed by one country on another to influence behavior
Example
The EU imposed **economic sanctions** to pressure the regime to reform.
idiom

a gray area

Meaning
a situation or topic that is not clear or that can be understood in more than one way
Example
The question of intellectual property rights in the digital age is still **a gray area**.
idiom

thanks a million

Meaning
a very strong expression of gratitude
Example
You really helped me out, **thanks a million**!
idiom

get a degree

Meaning
to complete a formal education program
Example
She worked hard to **get a degree** in engineering.
idiom

don't judge a book by its cover

Meaning
you shouldn't form an opinion on someone or something based purely on what you see on the outside
Example
She may look serious, but **don't judge a book by its cover**.
idiom

hit it off

Meaning
to become friends quickly and easily
Example
They **hit it off** right after being introduced.
idiom

To lend a helping hand

Meaning
to assist someone in a time of need
Example
She always knows when to **lend a helping hand** and never hesitates.
idiom

turn back the clock

Meaning
to return to an earlier time; to undo progress or change
Example
Many people wish they could **turn back the clock** to their childhood.
idiom

take it with a grain of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He tends to exaggerate, so **take his stories with a grain of salt**.
idiom

play second fiddle

Meaning
to take a subordinate role to someone else
Example
He was tired of **playing second fiddle** to his colleague.
idiom

scared stiff

Meaning
to be extremely frightened
Example
I was **scared stiff** when I heard strange noises at night.
idiom

do good to others

Meaning
to act in a way that helps other people
Example
It is always a good idea to **do good to others**.
idiom

stab someone in the back

Meaning
to betray someone who trusts you
Example
I can’t believe he **stabbed me in the back** after all I did for him.
idiom

at the helm

Meaning
in a position of leadership or control
Example
With her **at the helm**, the company has grown rapidly.
idiom

jot down quickly

Meaning
to write something fast so you don’t forget
Example
**Jot down quickly** the ideas that come up in the meeting.
idiom

hook the audience

Meaning
to capture and maintain the interest of the audience
Example
You need a strong headline to **hook the audience** immediately.
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

at death’s door

Meaning
very close to death
Example
He was **at death’s door** before the doctors saved him.
idiom

rise and fall

Meaning
the success and failure of someone or something over time
Example
The documentary shows the **rise and fall** of the Roman Empire.
idiom

draw in

Meaning
to attract someone’s interest
Example
The bold headline **drew in** readers right away.
idiom

roam around

Meaning
to travel or walk around aimlessly
Example
We spent the afternoon **roaming around** the old city.
idiom

Take your chances

Meaning
To try something despite uncertainty.
Example
He decided to **take his chances** and apply for the international scholarship.
idiom

trust someone with something

Meaning
to give someone responsibility for something important
Example
I trust you to **take care of the project**.
idiom

carry the weight of the world

Meaning
to take on a lot of responsibility
Example
John felt like he had to **carry the weight of the world** on his shoulders at work.
idiom

Handle with kid gloves

Meaning
To treat someone very gently or carefully.
Example
They **handled** the new client **with kid gloves**.
idiom

pull at heartstrings

Meaning
to evoke strong emotions, usually sympathy or sadness, in an audience
Example
The charity’s commercial really **pulls at the heartstrings**.
idiom

Keep your head above water

Meaning
Manage to survive or cope with difficulties.
Example
It’s hard, but I’m trying to **keep my head above water**.
idiom

lose your nerve

Meaning
to become too frightened to do something
Example
I was going to ask her out, but I **lost my nerve**.
idiom

blow away

Meaning
to impress or surprise someone very much
Example
Her singing **blew me away**.
idiom

hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
The refugee crisis has become a **hot potato** in the government.
idiom

fall head over heels for someone

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

burning desire

Meaning
a strong motivation to achieve something
Example
He has a **burning desire** to succeed in 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

brick by brick

Meaning
to achieve something gradually and steadily
Example
He built his business **brick by brick**.
idiom

be all smiles

Meaning
to look very happy and cheerful
Example
She was **all smiles** after hearing the good news.
idiom

mend fences

Meaning
to repair a damaged relationship
Example
She called her friend to **mend fences** after their disagreement.
idiom

take the bull by the horns

Meaning
to face a difficult situation directly and with courage
Example
She decided to **take the bull by the horns** and confront her manager.
idiom

curtain call

Meaning
when performers return to the stage to receive applause
Example
After their amazing act, the team received a standing ovation during the **curtain call**.
idiom

Pyrrhic victory

Meaning
A victory won at too great a cost to be worthwhile.
Example
Winning the lawsuit was a **Pyrrhic victory** since it drained all their finances.
idiom

Exactly!

Meaning
Used to strongly show agreement
Example
‘It’s time to move on.’ ‘**Exactly!**’
idiom

out of the frying pan into the fire

Meaning
to go from a bad situation to a worse one
Example
Leaving that job was like jumping **out of the frying pan into the fire**.
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 cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative part of something
Example
This new design is at **the cutting edge** of architecture.
idiom

in the spotlight

Meaning
receiving public attention
Example
After the award, she’s been **in the spotlight** constantly.
idiom

in the heat of the moment

Meaning
acting impulsively or emotionally, without thinking
Example
I said some things I regret **in the heat of the moment**.
idiom

lead generation

Meaning
the process of attracting and converting strangers into potential customers
Example
We’re focusing on **lead generation** through free webinars.
idiom

to bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too difficult
Example
He **bit off more than he could chew** by promising to finish the work alone.
idiom

cut through the noise

Meaning
to stand out from the competition; to be noticed despite distractions
Example
Our campaign needs to **cut through the noise** and grab people’s attention.
idiom

word gets around

Meaning
news or gossip spreads among people
Example
Be careful—**word gets around** quickly in this office.
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

true colors

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

at peace with oneself

Meaning
feeling calm and accepting of oneself
Example
She felt **at peace with herself** after making the decision.
idiom

filter out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from something
Example
Use this tool to **filter out** spam messages.
idiom

edge in

Meaning
to insert or add something gradually
Example
He managed to **edge in** a quick question before the meeting ended.