The Reason Why, Results & Consequences, Persuasion and 6 More Topics · English Idioms: Influence

used when one wants to explain how a series of events made something happen without giving away many details

"One thing led to another."

"One thing led to another during the meeting and by the end they had agreed on an entirely new strategy."

to cause strong and overwhelming emotional reactions, often leading to a burst of tears, feelings, or memories

"The news opened the floodgates quickly."

"When she started crying, it opened the floodgates and everyone began to share their feelings."

to create a situation in which it is easier for one to do something or for something to happen

"This discovery paved the way for new medicine."

"His research paved the way for future scientists to make even more important discoveries."

to be the direct cause of something, particularly something unpleasant

"He is at bottom."

"The detective suspected that the jealous brother was at the bottom of the crime."

to have a limited amount or number of something left

"It is down to you now to finish the job."

"It is down to the last few tickets, so you should buy yours quickly before they sell out."

with no particular or apparent reason

"Do not argue for the sake of it."

"He disagreed with the plan for the sake of it without having any real reason."

to figure out why things are the way they are and be able to identify the reason

"I can't put my finger on it."

"He couldn't quite put his finger on why the project felt incomplete."

used to refer to where the all the trouble comes from or where things get difficult

"The lack of money is where the shoe pinches."

"The company's cash flow problem is where the shoe pinches because they cannot pay suppliers."

the strong belief of someone being responsible for or guilty of something

"The finger of suspicion pointed at the butler."

"The finger of suspicion pointed at the security guard because he alone had access to the safe."

a situation in which one finds it impossible to determine which one of two things is responsible for the occurrence of another or existed before the other one did

"It is a chicken and egg situation with jobs and experience."

"You need experience to get a job but you need a job to get experience it is a chicken and egg situation."

to blame someone or hold them accountable for something bad that has happened

"They point the finger."

"It is unhelpful to point the finger at one person when the whole team made errors."

to do something that makes it possible or easier for something else to occur

"This sets the stage well."

"The new government policies set the stage for significant economic reforms that would transform the country's financial system over the next decade."

to cause the development of a particular idea or feeling

"She planted the seeds of doubt."

"The teacher's inspiring words planted the seeds of ambition in the young student's mind from an early age."

(of an action or decision) to allow for many possibilities, particularly those that were previously unavailable

"This will open the floodgates."

"The new policy will effectively open the floodgates to a wide range of previously unimagined opportunities."

to be heavily dependent on someone or something

"It is down to you."

"The success of this ambitious project is entirely down to the dedication and expertise of the lead engineer."

to cause the development of a particular idea or feeling

"He will sow the seeds."

"The controversial remarks by the politician seemed to sow the seeds of widespread public discontent."

to be brave and responsible enough to accept all the consequences of one's or others' unpleasant deeds

"The manager had to carry the can for the team's failure."

"The young intern was left to carry the can for the mistake that his boss had made."

to face the consequences of one's behavior or actions

"You will have to pay the piper."

"If you stay up late every night eventually you will have to pay the piper and feel exhausted the next day."

to have no option but to suffer or deal with the unfavorable effects of something, particularly one's deeds

"We pay the price."

"The company will have to pay the price for its unethical business practices."

the main and worst set of problems that are caused by someone or something

"The small town bore the brunt of the storm."

"The small coastal town bore the brunt of the hurricane while other areas were only slightly damaged."

to suffer the consequences of a business deal or a relationship gone wrong

"He burned his fingers badly."

"She burned her fingers in the stock market and lost most of her savings in just a few months."

to accept the consequences of the things one has done

"You pay the fiddler."

"After years of reckless spending, he finally had to pay the fiddler for his financial irresponsibility."

a very bad situation that is a result of the simultaneous occurrence of a series of unpleasant things

"The crisis was a perfect storm of events."

"The crisis was a perfect storm of events and multiple factors combined to create disaster."

a situation where something increases or gives rise to other things

"The debt grew like a snowball effect."

"The debt grew like a snowball effect and soon he owed far more than he could ever repay."

to assume someone responsible for something good that happened to one and be grateful to them

"I have you to thank."

"We have the new manager to thank for the improved working conditions and friendly atmosphere in the office."

the time when one faces the consequences of one's past deeds or mistakes

"The day of reckoning for his lies had arrived."

"The day of reckoning has arrived for the dishonest businessman as the police have finally collected enough evidence."

to become existent or be born

"The project finally saw the light."

"After years of development and testing, the revolutionary new vaccine finally saw the light of day."

to experience significant and often negative results or expenses because of one's choices or actions

"We pay dearly now."

"The hikers paid dearly for ignoring the weather warnings and venturing into the mountains unprepared."

to suffer the unpleasant consequences of one's own deeds

"Let him stew in juice."

"After his reckless decisions, he was left to stew in his own juice."

to cause the development of a particular idea or feeling

"She planted the seeds of doubt."

"The teacher's inspiring words planted the seeds of ambition in the young student's mind from an early age."

to become existent or be born

"The idea will see the light."

"After years of development in secret, the innovative technology is finally ready to see the light of day."

to do something that leads to the occurrence of something in the future, particularly something unpleasant

"This can sow the seeds."

"His initial act of negligence inadvertently sowed the seeds of a much larger and more serious environmental disaster."

a type of system that rewards individuals for some of their actions and punishes or threatens them for some of their other actions

"Carrot and stick works."

"The company's management uses a carrot and stick approach to ensure productivity and compliance."

to make effort to convince an individual to do something for one by offering a reward for their action

"Offer him a carrot."

"The recruiter decided to offer the candidate a carrot to accept the challenging new position."

to make someone excited about doing something by promising them a reward

"They dangled a carrot for him."

"The company dangled a carrot of a promotion to motivate the struggling employee."

to make someone start thinking sensibly by the means of help or persuasion

"Talk sense into him."

"I tried to talk some sense into my brother before he made that impulsive purchase."

a person who is good at using words to convince or trick others into doing what they want

"He is a fast talker."

"Be wary of the salesman; he's a fast talker who can persuade you to buy anything."

to force or persuade someone to do something they are unwilling to do

"He twisted my arm until I agreed."

"I did not want to go to the party but my friend twisted my arm and I agreed."

to compel someone to accept one’s ideas and beliefs, especially in an annoying way

"Stop shoving your opinions down my throat."

"My uncle always tries to shove his political opinions down our throats during family dinners."

to quickly turn a disadvantageous circumstance into a beneficial one

"The team turned the tables in the second half."

"The smaller company turned the tables on its larger competitor by releasing a superior product at a lower price."

to change an unfavorable situation so that it works to one's advantage

"They turned the tide."

"The coach's halftime speech helped the team turn the tide of the game."

to say that someone's happiness or success will not last long as the situation is about to change

"He will laugh later."

"He boasted about his victory, but he will soon laugh on the other side of his face."

used to refer to a situation that has completely changed in one's favor

"The shoe is on other foot."

"After years of being overlooked, she finally got the promotion, and now the shoe is on the other foot."

used to refer to a sudden change in a situation where one or a group of people who were weak, unsuccessful, oppressed, etc. become strong, successful, liberated, etc.

"The worm turned finally."

"After years of being overlooked, the worm turned when she finally got her promotion."

the contrasting experiences of both prosperity and adversity that individuals may encounter in life

"Weal and woe together."

"Through all the weal and woe of life, their friendship remained steadfast and true."

used to say that a person's opinion or a situation has changed

"The tide is turning."

"The tide is turning in the election as more voters express dissatisfaction with the current government."

to involuntarily become deeply involved or invested in something

"Caught up in the moment."

"The young man got caught up in the excitement of the protest and was arrested along with the other demonstrators."

used to say that someone has been involved in something from its early stages

"In on the ground floor."

"He invested in the startup when it was just an idea so he got in on the ground floor and became very wealthy."

to unintentionally become a part of an argument other people are having

"Caught in the crossfire."

"The innocent civilians were caught in the crossfire during the battle, suffering the most despite having no involvement in the conflict."

being involved with other people, groups, organizations, etc.

"In bed with rivals."

"The politician was accused of being in bed with the construction companies that had donated money to his election campaign."

to be involved with something that is too challenging or demanding for one to handle

"I am up to my ears in work."

"After the unexpected surge in orders, the small business owner found himself up to his neck in administrative tasks."

tendency to take part in an activity started by someone else to receive a share of its profits

"A piece of action."

"The young lawyer wanted a piece of the action so she joined the prestigious firm that was handling the high profile case."

to be in risk of receiving punishment or getting into trouble

"You are in for trouble."

"If the teacher finds out you cheated on the exam, you are in for a very serious punishment."

to offer one's unwanted opinion or advice

"Sticks his oar in."

"I was trying to resolve the issue with my colleague, but my manager put her oar in and made everything more complicated."

to become involved in a situation that in no way concerns one

"He always pokes his nose into my business."

"My nosy neighbour always sticks her nose into my business and asks too many personal questions."

used to tell someone that it depends on them to make a certain decision or to take a specified action

"I made my offer — the ball is in your court now."

"The company has submitted its revised proposal and the ball is now firmly in the client's court."

to be involved or have influence in a particular matter or situation

"Finger in the pie."

"The local politician has a finger in every pie and is involved in almost every business decision made in the town."

to have a tendency to share or become involved in everything

"She has a finger in every pie."

"Our manager seems to have a finger in every pie, from marketing campaigns to product development and even office renovations."

to engage in manual work, particularly one that is exhausting or of high difficulty

"The CEO is not afraid to get his hands dirty."

"The CEO is not afraid to get his hands dirty and often works alongside the factory workers on the production line."

someone who is caught between two individuals or groups who are having a fight or argument

"Meat in the sandwich."

"The junior manager felt like the meat in the sandwich between the demanding boss and the unhappy employees."

to be in the company of two people who prefer to be alone, particularly a romantic couple

"Play gooseberry always."

"She felt awkward playing gooseberry while her two friends were being romantic with their partners at the dinner table."

used when a specific task or a particular situation is being dealt with

"I am on the case."

"Don't worry about the missing documents; the detective assured us he was on the case and would find them quickly."

to be prepared or anticipating a specific event, situation, or consequence, whether positive or negative.

"We are in for trouble."

"Given the current economic downturn and rising inflation, the company is clearly in for a challenging quarter."

used to say that something must be addressed and handled

"This is on hand."

"The urgent matter of climate change requires immediate attention; it is a problem that is very much on hand."

to become involved in an activity or event that is unpleasant or morally questionable, often requiring one to engage in dishonest or unethical behavior

"You must get hands dirty."

"To truly understand the complexities of the situation, one must be willing to get their hands dirty with the practical, unglamorous work."

to prevent trouble by trying not to become involved in something or draw attention to oneself

"Keep your head down."

"The new employee kept his head down and worked hard to avoid attracting any negative attention from the strict manager."

to try to stay away from trouble

"Keep your nose clean."

"After his release from prison, he promised to keep his nose clean and stay away from any illegal activities."

to decide to be no longer involved with something in any way

"Wash my hands of it."

"After the committee made the decision without consulting her she washed her hands of the whole project and refused to help."

to refuse to get involved with someone or something in any way

"I want no truck with him."

"My father has no truck with modern technology and refuses to use a smartphone or a computer at home."

to only concern oneself with one's own private matters and not to interfere in those of others

"Just mind your own business, please."

"I told him to mind his own business and stop interfering with my personal decisions."

to refrain from interfering in someone else's private affairs

"He told me to mind my own beeswax."

"I wish my nosy neighbour would mind her own beeswax instead of asking about my personal life."

used to tell someone that it is not necessary for them to know about something and that they should stop questioning about it

"That is none of your business."

"What I do in my free time is none of your business so please stop asking me about it."

to have nothing to do with someone or something

"I would not touch him."

"I would not touch that old car with a ten-foot pole because it has so many mechanical problems."

in a state where one notices something but refuses to get oneself involved in it

"From the sidelines."

"She preferred to observe the political debate from the sidelines rather than actively participating in the heated discussions."

to avoid doing something by making excuses or being dishonest

"He weaseled his way out."

"He tried to worm his way out of doing the dishes by claiming that he had a headache and needed to rest."

to not become involved with or go near someone or something

"Give him a wide berth."

"After their argument at the meeting, everyone in the office gave him a wide berth for the rest of the week."

to do one's best to avoid someone or something completely

"Avoid him like plague."

"Since their argument she has avoided him like the plague and refuses to be in the same room."

to finally manage to get rid of someone or something

"See the back of him."

"The teacher was happy to see the back of the troublesome student who had caused so many problems in her class."

to have no right to be in a certain place or do a certain thing

"You have no business."

"You have no business telling me how to live my life because you do not know anything about me."

to have no desire to get involved in something

"He fights shy of it."

"Despite the potential benefits, many investors fight shy of investing in volatile emerging markets."

(of a person or thing) no longer involved or present in a situation or activity

"He is out of picture."

"Once the scandal broke, the disgraced politician was completely out of the picture."

a situation that is not to be ignored or understimated

"This is a matter of life and death."

"The doctor explained that the patient's condition was a matter of life and death."

an urgent need or desire that one feels for something

"There's a crying need."

"In the disaster-stricken region, there is a crying need for food and shelter."

***if something unpleasant or difficult looms large, it seems certain to happen

"Problems loom large now."

"As the final exam approaches, feelings of anxiety and doubt loom large in the minds of many students."

to play a crucial role in causing other things in life to work the way they are supposed to

"Money makes world go around."

"Many people believe that money is the primary force that makes the world go around."

extra details that are added to a plan, idea, etc. that make it more complete or much better

"Add meat to plan."

"The initial proposal was good, but it needed more meat on the bone to be truly compelling."

(of a person) behaving in a manner that is very exciting and attracts others' attention

"He's larger than life."

"The charismatic actor was known for his flamboyant personality and larger than life stage presence."

something that is very common and therefore, not very high on price and value

"Those ideas are a dime a dozen."

"In this city talented singers are a dime a dozen but few become famous stars."

used to refer to something that does not deserve one's attention due to not being important or interesting enough

"This boring movie is for the birds."

"This boring television show is for the birds so let us turn it off and go outside instead."

something that is completely worthless in terms of importance, value, or use

"It's a hill of beans."

"Compared to the global economic crisis, his personal financial troubles seemed like a hill of beans."

a person who is less qualified or important when compared to others in a company or organization

"I'm a little frog."

"Starting his new job at the multinational corporation, he felt like a little frog in a big pond."

various small things that have no importance or value

"I have some odds and ends."

"My drawer is full of odds and ends like old buttons rubber bands and broken pencils that I never use."

someone who is considered as an extra or unwanted person in a situation, especially in presence of a couple

"He felt like a third wheel."

"She always felt like a third wheel when her friends went on dates without inviting her."

something very important and serious that cannot be joked about or underestimated

"This is no laughing matter."

"Climate change is no laughing matter because it threatens the future of our planet and all living things."

anything that is intended to take people's focus away from what is important

"Red herring misleads or distracts."

"The red herring was a suspect introduced late in the story who seemed guilty but was completely innocent."

a person or thing of small importance

"That fine is small potatoes for a big company."

"Compared to our huge company debt the cost of new office chairs is small potatoes for us really."

a very insignificant individual or thing

"She feels like chopped liver when everyone ignores her."

"Why was everyone ignoring her as if she was chopped liver at the meeting?"

something of high priority or special importance

"This is a big deal."

"Winning the championship is a big deal for the entire team and the city."

to be of significant influence or importance and often a cause of worry

"It will loom large."

"The looming threat of global conflict continues to loom large in the minds of international leaders."

a state of low priority where something is set aside to be dealt with later

"He puts his hobbies on the back burner while he works."

"He put his travel plans on the back burner while he focused on completing his degree."

to have more interesting or important matters to deal with

"I have bigger fish to fry."

"While this small issue is annoying, I have bigger fish to fry right now."

to begin talking about basic or important facts of a situation

"Let us get down to brass tacks."

"We have wasted enough time chatting so let us get down to brass tacks and discuss the budget."

used when one has to focus on the simplest and most important facts of a situation, particularly those that one was ignoring, in order to get the intended result

"Let's go back to basics."

"After the project failed, the team decided to go back to the basics of their strategy."

an individual who is not as important or influential as someone else in an organization

"He is tired of being the second banana to his boss."

"He was tired of being the second banana and wanted to lead his own project."

a person who does not receive as much attention or is not as influential as someone else in a group or organization

"He plays second fiddle."

"Despite his talent, he often played second fiddle to his more charismatic bandmate."

to accept a less important, less visible, or secondary role compared to someone else

"He decided to take a back seat and let me lead."

"After running the company for thirty years he decided to take a back seat and let others lead."

used to state that there are more important things that one must do or consider before trying to deal with other things

"First things first, call your mom."

"First things first we need to clean the kitchen before we can even think about cooking anything for dinner tonight."

in the position of utmost importance or high priority

"Safety is top of the list."

"Climate change is at the top of the agenda for many world leaders this year."

something that is not being thought about or considered, often due to more pressing or immediate concerns

"Money is the last thing on my mind."

"Getting married was the last thing on his mind because he was completely focused on building his career."

an alternative that is not as fulfilling or desirable as other options that one has

"She refuses to accept second best."

"She refuses to accept second best and will keep trying until she wins the championship."

to fail to keep on doing something

"Do not let dreams fall by the wayside."

"Many of his ambitious plans for the company eventually fell by the wayside due to lack of funding."

to see something as extremely necessary or important

"She sets great store by honesty."

"My grandmother sets great store by good manners and always criticises children who do not say please and thank you."

a state of high priority where something is dealt with immediately or given the most attention

"The urgent project is on the front burner until it is done."

"The manager put the customer complaint on the front burner until it was fully resolved."

to not have the same importance or urgency as something else

"It will fall by the wayside."

"With the overwhelming urgency of the current crisis, many less critical projects are unfortunately bound to fall by the wayside."

the most important parts or features of something

"Patience is the alpha and omega of teaching."

"For the dedicated athlete winning the championship was the alpha and omega of his entire existence."

the most important or basic facts about something

"The budget covers only the bare bones."

"The budget covers only the bare bones and there is no money for extras or luxuries."

things that are considered the most basic or necessary

"He packed only the bare essentials."

"He packed only the bare essentials for the trip and left his heavy suitcase at home."

small parts that once joined can make a whole

"Trust is the building block of relationships."

"Trust is the building block of relationships and without it nothing else can stand."

the most important aspects or principles of something such as an experience or idea

"Let us get to the nitty-gritty."

"Let us skip the small talk and get down to the nitty gritty of the business deal."

a part of something that is considered its most integral or essential component

"Stress is part and parcel of this job."

"Making mistakes is part and parcel of learning a new language so do not be afraid to try."

the most basic or essential aspects of something

"Learn the nuts and bolts of the job first."

"The training course covers the nuts and bolts of running a small business from budgeting to marketing."

a movement that originates from ordinary people or the general public, rather than from the leaders or officials of an organization or political party

"This is grass roots."

"The environmental movement gained significant momentum through powerful grass roots activism and community engagement."