you can’t teach an old dog new tricks
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idiom

you can’t teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
it’s hard for older people to learn new things or change habits
Example
My dad refuses to use a smartphone — **you can’t teach an old dog new tricks**.
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

a weight on your shoulders

Meaning
a heavy burden or responsibility causing stress
Example
Running the company alone is **a weight on his shoulders**.
idiom

step up

Meaning
to take responsibility or action when needed
Example
When the manager was away, she **stepped up** to lead the team.
idiom

pull it off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
No one thought she could do it, but she **pulled it off**.
idiom

hang by a thread

Meaning
to be in a very dangerous or uncertain situation
Example
After the accident, his life was **hanging by a thread**.
idiom

the acid test

Meaning
a true and final test of success
Example
The real market will be **the acid test** for this invention.
idiom

black and blue

Meaning
bruised; having marks from injury
Example
He was **black and blue** after falling off his bike.
idiom

to hit the books

Meaning
to study intensely
Example
I need to **hit the books** if I want to pass the exam.
idiom

A bright future lies ahead

Meaning
there is hope for success in the future
Example
With his talent and hard work, **a bright future lies ahead** for him.
idiom

keep faith with someone

Meaning
to remain loyal to someone or something
Example
Even in hard times, she **kept faith with** her friends.
idiom

a pipe dream

Meaning
an unrealistic or impossible dream
Example
Owning a private island is just **a pipe dream** for most people.
idiom

a peaceful resolution

Meaning
a solution that resolves a conflict calmly
Example
They reached **a peaceful resolution** after several discussions.
idiom

fan through

Meaning
to flip through pages quickly
Example
She **fanned through** the report to find the chart.
idiom

get the creative juices flowing

Meaning
to start being creative or imaginative
Example
A walk in nature helps me **get the creative juices flowing**.
idiom

paint a picture

Meaning
to describe something vividly or clearly
Example
The journalist tried to **paint a picture** of life in the refugee camp.
idiom

Put yourself in someone’s shoes

Meaning
To imagine yourself in another person's situation
Example
Try to **put yourself in her shoes** before judging her actions.
idiom

old friend

Meaning
a friend you have known for a long time
Example
I met an **old friend** from college yesterday.
idiom

surf the net

Meaning
to browse or explore websites on the internet
Example
I usually **surf the net** before going to bed.
idiom

Seed funding

Meaning
Initial capital used to start a business.
Example
They received **seed funding** from angel investors.
idiom

Failure is the mother of success

Meaning
Success often comes after learning from failures.
Example
Don’t worry about failing; **failure is the mother of success**.
idiom

strike it lucky

Meaning
to have unexpected good fortune
Example
We **struck it lucky** and found the last two tickets.
idiom

hold down

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

algorithmic bias

Meaning
the systematic favoritism towards certain data or outcomes by an algorithm, often unintentionally.
Example
The development team worked to eliminate **algorithmic bias** in the AI model.
idiom

get down to business

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

a fine line

Meaning
a very small difference between two things
Example
There’s **a fine line** between genius and madness in art.
idiom

in good shape

Meaning
to be physically fit and healthy
Example
He goes to the gym regularly to stay **in good shape**.
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

back on your feet

Meaning
recovered and healthy again
Example
It’s good to see you **back on your feet** after the flu.
idiom

off the rails

Meaning
to become uncontrolled or chaotic
Example
After his friend moved away, his life went **off the rails**.
idiom

play a role

Meaning
to have a part in something
Example
Everyone **played a role** in making the show successful.
idiom

hold someone accountable

Meaning
to make someone take responsibility for their actions
Example
It’s important to **hold people accountable** for their mistakes.
idiom

Fall seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying even after multiple failures.
Example
Life is tough, but remember to **fall seven times, stand up eight**.
idiom

cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility and tension between countries without actual warfare
Example
During the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a **cold war**.
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

get back together

Meaning
to resume a relationship after breaking up
Example
They **got back together** after a few months apart.
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

the tide has turned

Meaning
a situation has started to change in your favor
Example
After months of bad luck, **the tide has turned** for our team.
idiom

take center stage

Meaning
to be the main focus of attention
Example
The issue of climate change **took center stage** at the conference.
idiom

a heart of gold

Meaning
someone who is very kind and caring
Example
She has **a heart of gold**, always helping anyone in need.
idiom

out of your mind

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

birds of a feather flock together

Meaning
People who have similar interests or personalities tend to be friends.
Example
John and Mike are always together; well, **birds of a feather flock together**.
idiom

tempt fate

Meaning
to take a foolish risk that may bring bad luck
Example
You’re **tempting fate** by driving without insurance.
idiom

back out of

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
He **backed out of** the trip at the last minute.
idiom

thank heavens

Meaning
to be very thankful about something
Example
**Thank heavens** the storm is finally over.
idiom

on shaky ground

Meaning
in an uncertain or unstable situation
Example
His business is **on shaky ground** after the market crash.
idiom

to deep dive into data

Meaning
to analyze data in great detail
Example
We need **to deep dive into data** to understand the root cause of the problem.
idiom

feel under pressure

Meaning
to feel stressed or anxious due to responsibilities or expectations
Example
She's **feeling under pressure** to meet the deadline.
idiom

play it by ear

Meaning
to decide or act as the situation develops
Example
We’ll **play it by ear** and see what happens.
idiom

bring home the bacon

Meaning
to earn money to support the family
Example
He works hard every day to **bring home the bacon**.
idiom

break down

Meaning
to start crying due to strong emotions
Example
She **broke down** when she heard the sad news.
idiom

brain like a computer

Meaning
to have an extremely analytical and efficient mind
Example
She remembers every detail; she has a **brain like a computer**.
idiom

to tip the scales

Meaning
to influence the outcome of a situation
Example
One witness’s statement **tipped the scales** in favor of the defendant.
idiom

think on your feet

Meaning
to make quick decisions or ideas under pressure
Example
Good leaders can **think on their feet**.
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

feeling on top of the world

Meaning
feeling extremely happy or successful
Example
After getting the job, I was **on top of the world**.
idiom

square peg in a round hole

Meaning
someone or something that doesn't fit or belong in a particular place or situation
Example
Putting a modern building in a historical district is like trying to fit a **square peg in a round hole**.
idiom

brainstorm an idea

Meaning
to discuss and think creatively to generate new ideas
Example
The teacher asked the class to **brainstorm ideas** for the project.
idiom

agree to disagree

Meaning
to accept that you have different opinions and stop arguing
Example
We’ll just **agree to disagree** on this topic.
idiom

make a leap forward

Meaning
to make significant progress or improvements
Example
The company made a big **leap forward** after the new product launch.
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

rule the roost

Meaning
to be the most powerful person in a group or family
Example
It’s clear that Mary **rules the roost** in that household.
idiom

give off

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

android-like

Meaning
acting emotionless or mechanical like a robot
Example
He works in an **android-like** manner, without any emotion.
idiom

black box problem

Meaning
a situation where the internal workings of an AI system are not transparent or understood
Example
The biggest challenge in deep learning is the **black box problem**.
idiom

have a heart of gold

Meaning
to be very kind and generous
Example
Everyone loves her because she **has a heart of gold**.
idiom

take pride in

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

The shot heard around the world

Meaning
An event with worldwide significance or impact.
Example
The invention of the internet was **the shot heard around the world** in communication.
idiom

wear out

Meaning
to use something until it becomes unusable
Example
You’ll **wear out** those shoes if you hike every weekend.
idiom

on the house

Meaning
free of charge; paid for by the establishment
Example
The drinks were **on the house** tonight.
idiom

mutton dressed as lamb

Meaning
an older person trying to look younger
Example
People laughed when she wore teenage clothes — they said she was **mutton dressed as lamb**.
idiom

out for blood

Meaning
to be extremely determined to defeat or punish someone
Example
After losing last time, the team is **out for blood** this season.
idiom

double back

Meaning
to turn around and go back the way you came
Example
We had to **double back** to grab the projector.
idiom

trade off

Meaning
to balance between two opposing things; to compromise
Example
Globalization involves a **trade off** between efficiency and equality.
idiom

dawn on

Meaning
to become clear to someone after not realizing
Example
It suddenly **dawned on** me that I’d left my wallet.
idiom

in layman's terms

Meaning
to explain something in simple, non-technical language
Example
Can you explain the theory **in layman's terms**?
idiom

Tell the truth

Meaning
To say what is true instead of lying.
Example
Please **tell the truth**, even if it hurts.
idiom

heart in one’s mouth

Meaning
to feel extreme fear or anxiety
Example
My **heart was in my mouth** as I waited for the results.
idiom

smile from ear to ear

Meaning
to have a big, broad smile showing happiness
Example
He was **smiling from ear to ear** after the interview.
idiom

overfitting

Meaning
when a model performs well on training data but poorly on unseen data
Example
The model seems to be **overfitting** because it performs well on the training data but poorly on the test set.
idiom

run the show

Meaning
to be in charge of an activity or organization
Example
Ever since the director left, Emma has been **running the show**.
idiom

saber rattling

Meaning
threatening military action to intimidate others
Example
The country’s recent **saber rattling** alarmed its neighbors.
idiom

go steady

Meaning
to date someone regularly and exclusively
Example
They've been **going steady** for over two years now.
idiom

top-notch

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

lay one’s cards on the table

Meaning
to be open and honest about one’s intentions or feelings
Example
It’s time to **lay our cards on the table** and discuss the issue.
idiom

on good terms

Meaning
to have a friendly and peaceful relationship
Example
They are still **on good terms** even after the breakup.
idiom

go off on a tangent

Meaning
to suddenly start talking about something unrelated
Example
He tends to **go off on a tangent** when discussing politics.
idiom

Born in the barn

Meaning
To have bad manners or lack social etiquette.
Example
Close the door! Were you **born in the barn**?
idiom

hold accountable

Meaning
to make someone responsible for their actions
Example
Managers should be **held accountable** for their team's results.
idiom

tip of the hat

Meaning
a gesture of appreciation or respect
Example
A **tip of the hat** to everyone who made this event possible.
idiom

hit the reset button

Meaning
to start fresh or make a new beginning
Example
After the failure, the team decided to **hit the reset button**.
idiom

doomscrolling

Meaning
endlessly scrolling through bad news or negative content online
Example
I stayed up late **doomscrolling** last night.
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

butterflies in my stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I had **butterflies in my stomach** before the interview.
idiom

ahead of its time

Meaning
to be unusually advanced or innovative for its era
Example
That invention was **ahead of its time**.
idiom

jog someone's memory

Meaning
to make someone remember something
Example
That smell **jogged my memory** of our school canteen.
idiom

burning ambition

Meaning
a very strong desire to achieve something
Example
He had a **burning ambition** to become a successful entrepreneur.
idiom

ease onto

Meaning
to move gently onto something
Example
Please **ease onto** the ramp to avoid jolts.
idiom

stand up and be counted

Meaning
to take responsibility by showing your support or opinion openly
Example
It’s time for everyone to **stand up and be counted**.
idiom

circle of friends

Meaning
a group of people you are friendly with
Example
She has a large **circle of friends** from college.
idiom

global reach

Meaning
the ability to extend services or products worldwide
Example
With its strong online presence, the company has a significant **global reach**.
idiom

tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small part of a much bigger problem
Example
The data error we found is just the **tip of the iceberg**.
idiom

make someone green

Meaning
to make someone jealous
Example
Her success **made her colleagues green**.
idiom

brick by brick

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

carve up

Meaning
to divide something into parts
Example
Let’s **carve up** the timeline into manageable phases.
idiom

Get the message

Meaning
To understand what someone is trying to say.
Example
After his silence, she finally **got the message**.
idiom

stay strong

Meaning
to remain courageous and confident despite difficulties
Example
Whatever happens, **stay strong** and keep moving forward.
idiom

slippery slope

Meaning
a situation that can lead to serious problems if not controlled
Example
Allowing AI to make moral decisions is a **slippery slope**.
idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to **get their hands dirty** when necessary.
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**.
idiom

strike a chord

Meaning
to cause someone to feel sympathy or emotion
Example
Her story **struck a chord** with the audience.
idiom

have stars in one’s eyes

Meaning
to be full of excitement and dreams about the future
Example
Young artists **have stars in their eyes** when they start their careers.
idiom

earn trust

Meaning
to gain someone's trust through actions or reliability
Example
She worked hard to **earn the trust** of her colleagues.
idiom

spaced out

Meaning
not paying attention; lost in thought
Example
He looked completely **spaced out** during the meeting.
idiom

guide the way

Meaning
to lead someone through a process or path
Example
A good leader knows how to **guide the way** for their team to succeed.
idiom

wired differently

Meaning
to think or behave in a unique or unconventional way
Example
Great innovators are often **wired differently**.
idiom

a piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a small part of a larger situation or problem
Example
Finding the right team is just **a piece of the puzzle** in creating a successful business.
idiom

make yourself clear

Meaning
to express yourself so that others understand you easily
Example
Could you **make yourself clear**, please?
idiom

hardwired to do something

Meaning
to be naturally inclined or programmed to behave a certain way
Example
Humans are **hardwired to** seek connection and belonging.
idiom

as happy as a clam

Meaning
feeling completely happy and content
Example
After a long vacation, he was **as happy as a clam**.