English Expressions, Idioms & Phrasal Verbs | Meanings, Examples & Usage
a feeling of deep sadness or sorrow
"She left her hometown with a heavy heart."
someone who helps or assists others
"She offered a helping hand to the new student in class."
A story or article intended to damage someone's reputation, often in a biased or unfair way.
"The editor criticized the paper for publishing such a hit piece on the politician."
a group or organization that is divided in opinion or direction cannot succeed
"In a team, a house divided against itself cannot stand; everyone needs to agree on the same goal."
A person with two very different sides to their personality.
"He’s like a Jekyll and Hyde—nice one moment and cruel the next."
a task completed with great success
"The project was completed ahead of schedule, truly a job well done."
a person who is generous and caring
"Her kind heart is what makes her loved by everyone."
someone who has influence in the selection or appointment of a leader
"The senator has become a kingmaker in the current presidential race."
something done out of passion, not for money
"Building that model train was a labor of love for him."
someone who acts independently and ignores rules
"He’s a law unto himself, never following company policies."
a summary or concise statement of an argument or case
"The lawyer's brief was submitted to the judge before the trial began."
Believing in something even without evidence or proof.
"When she took the job offer, it was truly a leap of faith."
the process of learning something new, especially one that requires time and effort
"There was a steep learning curve when I first started the project."
people cannot change their basic character or nature
"He still lies; a leopard can’t change its spots."
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
"We want to create a level playing field for all competitors."
a sign that a situation will improve soon; hope in a difficult situation
"After months of hard work, she finally saw a light at the end of the tunnel."
a moment of sudden inspiration or realization
"She had a light bulb moment during the meeting."
a sudden realization or understanding
"When I saw the results, I had a lightbulb moment."
someone told me something secretly
"A little bird told me that you got a new job."
Knowing a small amount about something can lead to mistakes.
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing — don’t try to fix it if you’re not an expert."
something that has a very small chance of success
"Winning the competition is a long shot, but we’ll try."
A person who behaves unpredictably and may cause problems.
"Be careful with him — he’s a loose cannon."
feeling emotional or about to cry
"He felt a lump in his throat when he said goodbye."
a person who strongly believes in a particular religion or principle
"He is known as a man of faith in his community."
a person who keeps their promises
"He’s a man of his word, you can trust him."
someone who is honest and morally upright
"He is known as a man of integrity in the business world."
a person who has foresight and imagination
"He is a man of vision who transformed the company."
a person with strong purpose and determination to achieve something
"He’s a man with a mission to change the way we think about education."
an outstanding work of art or achievement
"Her latest sculpture is truly a masterpiece."
something that has great potential to become exceptional
"Her new sculpture is a masterpiece in the making."
a perfect couple, very well suited for each other
"They are truly a match made in heaven."
a situation where people agree or have a shared understanding
"The agreement was the result of a real meeting of minds."
a beautiful and charming smile
"She greeted everyone with a million-dollar smile."
it is a waste not to use your mental abilities
"You should keep learning, a mind is a terrible thing to waste."
to have a very bad memory
"He forgets everything; he has a mind like a sieve."
a wrong or unfair decision by a court
"The innocent man’s imprisonment was a miscarriage of justice."
A pessimistic attitude or perspective
"He always has a negative outlook on life."
Someone who is very worried or upset.
"He’s a nervous wreck before every exam."
A sum of money saved for the future or retirement.
"He built up a nest egg for his children's education."
something that is very easy to understand or decide
"The solution to the problem was a no-brainer."
A complete set of false statements.
"His excuse was nothing but a pack of lies."
someone or something that is very annoying
"That constant noise from the construction site is a pain in the neck."
A source of endless complications or trouble.
"Discussing that topic will open a Pandora’s box of complaints."
a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions
"The invention of the internet marked a paradigm shift in communication and information sharing."
someone who loves going to parties
"My roommate is a party animal; she goes out every weekend."
a state of mental and emotional calmness
"After the long vacation, she finally got a peace of mind."
Mental calmness leads to happiness and contentment.
"She believes that a peaceful mind is a happy mind."
a solution that resolves a conflict calmly
"They reached a peaceful resolution after several discussions."
a way of asking someone what they are thinking about
"You look lost in thought — a penny for your thoughts?"
saving money is just as valuable as earning it
"My grandfather always said, 'a penny saved is a penny earned.'"