Phrases & Expressions

A day when your hair looks untidy and will not go the way you want.

• I'm having a bad hair day today.
• Even celebrities have bad hair days.

To keep talking about or working on something that is already settled or hopeless.

• We're just beating a dead horse by arguing about this.
• Stop talking about it; you're beating a dead horse.

Available online only to people who pay or subscribe.

• I wanted to read the report, but it's behind a paywall.
• Many news sites now put their best stories behind a paywall.

Using two ways to prevent a problem when one would probably be enough.

• Saving the file in two places is a belt-and-suspenders approach.
• The company's policy is belt and suspenders regarding data security.

To take on a task that is too big or difficult to handle.

• Hosting 50 people alone is biting off more than she can chew.
• You agreed to lead the project? Haven't you bitten off more than you can chew?

To stop yourself from saying something or showing a strong emotion.

• I wanted to argue, but I bit my lip and said nothing.
• She bit her lip to stop herself from crying.

To do or say something to release strong emotions like anger or stress.

• I need to blow off some steam.
• Let's go for a run to blow off steam.

To exaggerate the seriousness or importance of something.

• Sending him to jail for that is blowing things out of proportion.
• Don't blow things out of proportion; it was just a small mistake.

To start digging the ground to begin building something.

• They broke ground on the new library.
• Construction crews broke ground on the stadium yesterday.

To do something completely new or innovative.

• Her research broke new ground in medicine.
• This technology breaks new ground in solar energy.