wrap someone around your finger
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idiom

wrap someone around your finger

Meaning
to have complete control or influence over someone
Example
She has her boss **wrapped around her finger**.
idiom

come to terms with

Meaning
to reach an agreement or accept a situation after some negotiation
Example
It took some time, but eventually we **came to terms with** the new policy.
idiom

wrap up

Meaning
to finish something completely
Example
We need to **wrap up** the report before lunch.
idiom

cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative
Example
Our company is working on **cutting edge** AI technology.
idiom

as thick as two short planks

Meaning
very stupid or slow-witted
Example
He’s **as thick as two short planks**, bless him.
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

a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be brave when you are actually scared or worried
Example
She put on **a brave face** despite feeling nervous inside.
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

do someone a favor

Meaning
to help someone out of kindness
Example
Could you **do me a favor** and close the window?
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

take one for the team

Meaning
to sacrifice for the benefit of others
Example
He **took one for the team** and stayed late to finish the report.
idiom

size up

Meaning
to quickly assess someone or something
Example
She walked into the room and instantly **sized up** the situation.
idiom

take with a grain of salt

Meaning
to view something with skepticism or not completely believe it
Example
He's known for exaggerating, so **take his stories with a grain of salt**.
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

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

Plead the fifth

Meaning
To refuse to answer a question, often in legal contexts, to avoid self-incrimination.
Example
When asked about the financial discrepancies, he chose to **plead the fifth**.
idiom

bat around

Meaning
to discuss ideas casually
Example
We spent the afternoon **batting around** marketing themes.
idiom

give off

Meaning
to emit a smell, light, or feeling
Example
The candles **give off** a calming scent in the room.
idiom

Get traction

Meaning
To start gaining attention or success in the market.
Example
The new app is starting to **get traction** among users.
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

crash and burn

Meaning
to fail completely or suddenly
Example
The new software update **crashed and burned** after launch.
idiom

speak up

Meaning
to express an opinion openly and clearly
Example
If you disagree, please **speak up** during the meeting.
idiom

In someone’s corner

Meaning
To support or stand by someone in times of need
Example
I always know my family will be **in my corner** when things go wrong.
idiom

throw your weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** in meetings.
idiom

make someone's day

Meaning
to make someone very happy
Example
Your message really **made my day**!
idiom

block out

Meaning
to ignore distractions or unpleasant thoughts
Example
She tried to **block out** the noise and continue working.
idiom

double-cross someone

Meaning
to betray someone after pretending to support them
Example
He promised to help but **double-crossed** me in the end.
idiom

new blood

Meaning
new people who bring fresh ideas
Example
The company needs **new blood** to stay competitive.
idiom

Cross one’s mind

Meaning
To suddenly think of something.
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could be lying.
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

right up one’s alley

Meaning
something that suits one’s interests or abilities perfectly
Example
That cooking workshop is **right up your alley**, you should join!
idiom

tie in with

Meaning
to connect or coordinate with something else
Example
The workshop topics **tie in with** our current curriculum.
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

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

reach common ground

Meaning
to find shared interests or agreement between parties
Example
After a long discussion, they **reached common ground**.
idiom

on one's shoulders

Meaning
having the responsibility or burden of something
Example
The success of the project is **on his shoulders**.
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

till the soil

Meaning
to prepare for future success by hard work
Example
He spent years **tilling the soil** before his business finally grew.
B1 idiom

fish out of water

Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Meaning
Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Example
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
idiom

hit the jackpot

Meaning
to achieve great success or win something valuable
Example
He **hit the jackpot** when his startup got acquired for millions.
idiom

a piece of cake

Meaning
something that is very easy to do
Example
The exam was **a piece of cake** for me.
idiom

be like family

Meaning
to be as close as family members
Example
My best friend is **like family** to me.
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

In the calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful period before a difficult situation or conflict arises.
Example
The office was quiet, **in the calm before the storm**, as they prepared for the big meeting.
idiom

a man of vision

Meaning
a person who has foresight and imagination
Example
He is **a man of vision** who transformed the company.
idiom

An ear to the ground

Meaning
To be aware of what is happening around you.
Example
If you want to succeed in business, always keep **an ear to the ground**.
idiom

bounce back

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback or failure
Example
She **bounced back** after losing the competition.
idiom

face the music

Meaning
to accept criticism or punishment for something you have done
Example
You made a mistake, and now you have to **face the music**.
idiom

have a lot on one’s plate

Meaning
to have many responsibilities or tasks
Example
She can’t join us tonight; she **has a lot on her plate**.
idiom

get down to business

Meaning
to start working seriously
Example
Let’s stop chatting and **get down to business**.
idiom

jury is still out

Meaning
a decision or opinion has not yet been reached
Example
The **jury is still out** on whether the new law will be effective.
idiom

Supply and demand

Meaning
The relationship between how much of something is available and how much people want it.
Example
The price of oil depends largely on **supply and demand**.
idiom

the doctor ordered

Meaning
exactly what is needed or wanted
Example
After a long day, a cup of coffee was just **what the doctor ordered**.
idiom

trust your gut

Meaning
to follow your intuition or instincts
Example
When making big decisions, it’s often best to **trust your gut**.
idiom

blind faith

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

stressed out

Meaning
feeling very worried or tense because of problems
Example
I'm completely **stressed out** about my exams.
idiom

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
idiom

fail to plan is plan to fail

Meaning
without proper planning, failure is inevitable
Example
**Failing to plan is planning to fail**, so prepare early.
idiom

a chatterbox

Meaning
someone who talks a lot, especially a child
Example
My little sister is **a chatterbox**; she never stops talking.
idiom

judge, jury, and executioner

Meaning
to control all parts of judging and punishing someone
Example
He acted as **judge, jury, and executioner** in the matter.
idiom

to strike it rich

Meaning
to suddenly become very wealthy
Example
He **struck it rich** by investing in early-stage tech companies.
idiom

Out of curiosity

Meaning
Because of a desire to know or learn something.
Example
I asked him **out of curiosity**, not to interfere.
idiom

social engineering

Meaning
manipulating people into divulging confidential information through psychological tactics
Example
The attacker used **social engineering** to gain access to the company’s secure database.
idiom

AI accountability

Meaning
the responsibility of developers and organizations to ensure AI systems act fairly, safely, and ethically.
Example
Ensuring **AI accountability** is essential to avoid harmful consequences in society.
idiom

hack the system

Meaning
to break into a system or network to gain unauthorized access
Example
He was caught trying to **hack the system** for personal gain.
idiom

backpropagation

Meaning
a learning algorithm used in neural networks to minimize error by adjusting weights through the network
Example
The **backpropagation** algorithm helps in optimizing the neural network's performance.
idiom

keep your mind on

Meaning
to stay focused on a task or goal
Example
If you **keep your mind on** your studies, you’ll do well.
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

make oneself clear

Meaning
to express oneself in a way that is easy to understand
Example
Could you **make yourself clear**, please?
idiom

chicken out

Meaning
to decide not to do something because of fear
Example
He was going to ask her out but **chickened out** at the last minute.
idiom

fly high

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

butterflies in the stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or excited
Example
I always get **butterflies in my stomach** before a date.
idiom

no worries

Meaning
used to say that everything is fine or there is no problem
Example
**No worries**, I’ll take care of it.
idiom

battle of wills

Meaning
a conflict where both sides refuse to give up
Example
It became a **battle of wills** between the manager and the team leader.
idiom

pick up on

Meaning
to notice or become aware of something
Example
He didn't **pick up on** the subtle hints I was giving.
idiom

download information

Meaning
to absorb or receive information quickly
Example
She can **download information** faster than anyone else on the team.
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

data is the new oil

Meaning
information has become a valuable resource in the modern world
Example
Every company knows that **data is the new oil**.
idiom

nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to focus and work hard for a long time
Example
He kept his **nose to the grindstone** and got promoted.
idiom

a bumper crop

Meaning
an unusually large harvest
Example
Farmers are happy this year because of **a bumper crop** of rice.
idiom

thick as thieves

Meaning
very close friends who share everything
Example
Those two are **thick as thieves**.
idiom

talk the same language

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

Out to pasture

Meaning
To retire someone or something from active use.
Example
The old manager was finally **put out to pasture** last year.
idiom

a political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial or sensitive political issue
Example
Immigration has become **a political hot potato** in the country.
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

win someone over

Meaning
to persuade someone to support you or agree with you
Example
The candidate’s speech **won the crowd over**.
idiom

come crashing down

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

put your trust in

Meaning
to have confidence in someone or something
Example
We should **put our trust in** good leaders.
idiom

train of thought

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

under the radar

Meaning
unnoticed or undetected
Example
He stayed **under the radar** during the investigation.
idiom

to make the grade

Meaning
to meet the required standard
Example
He didn’t **make the grade** in the final exam.
idiom

walk on eggshells

Meaning
to be very careful about what you say or do to avoid upsetting someone
Example
Ever since the argument, I've been **walking on eggshells** around him.
idiom

brainstorm ideas

Meaning
to think of new and creative ideas
Example
The class gathered to **brainstorm ideas** for the science project.
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

lose one’s cool

Meaning
to suddenly become angry
Example
Try not to **lose your cool** during the argument.
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**.
idiom

sweat blood

Meaning
to make an enormous effort
Example
He **sweat blood** to get that promotion.
idiom

a snake in the grass

Meaning
a secret enemy
Example
Be careful; there’s **a snake in the grass**.
idiom

the buck stops here

Meaning
I am the one responsible; I will take responsibility.
Example
**The buck stops here**, and I will handle the mistake personally.
idiom

hacktivism

Meaning
the use of hacking to promote political or social causes
Example
The group used **hacktivism** to expose corruption within the government.
idiom

green-eyed jealousy

Meaning
strong feeling of envy
Example
**Green-eyed jealousy** can ruin even the best relationships.
idiom

a giant leap for mankind

Meaning
a significant or groundbreaking achievement
Example
The first man landing on the moon was truly **a giant leap for mankind**.
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

penny for your thoughts

Meaning
a way of asking what someone is thinking.
Example
You've been quiet for a while. A **penny for your thoughts**?
idiom

cut the mustard

Meaning
to perform well or meet expectations
Example
She didn’t **cut the mustard** in her new role.
idiom

hit the target market

Meaning
to reach the intended audience effectively
Example
Our ads finally **hit the target market** this quarter.
idiom

run down

Meaning
to feel tired or exhausted due to overwork or illness
Example
You look a bit **run down**; you should get some rest.
idiom

help someone out

Meaning
to assist someone in a difficult situation
Example
Whenever I am in trouble, she always **helps me out**.
idiom

burn a hole in one's pocket

Meaning
to spend money quickly or irresponsibly
Example
After receiving his bonus, he couldn't resist and **burned a hole in his pocket** by buying a new car.
idiom

Pass down from generation to generation

Meaning
To transfer knowledge, customs, or traditions from one generation to the next
Example
These folk songs have been **passed down from generation to generation**.
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 the spotlight

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

sour grapes

Meaning
pretending to dislike something you can’t have
Example
His comments about the award being unfair are just **sour grapes**.
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

make a vow

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

burst out laughing

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing loudly
Example
Everyone **burst out laughing** at his joke.
idiom

turn a new leaf

Meaning
to make a fresh start or change for the better
Example
After the incident, he decided to **turn a new leaf** and improve his behavior.
idiom

step away

Meaning
to take a short break from a situation
Example
Take a minute to **step away** if you feel overwhelmed.
idiom

stand on your own two feet

Meaning
to be independent and self-supporting
Example
He worked hard to **stand on his own two feet** after college.
idiom

it’s raining cats and dogs

Meaning
raining very heavily
Example
We can’t go out now; **it’s raining cats and dogs**.
idiom

give someone a run for their money

Meaning
to compete strongly against someone
Example
The new player **gave the champion a run for his money**.