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A long shot
The idiom a long shot means something that is unlikely to succeed. There is a small chance it might work, but most people do not expect it to.The phrase is from the earlier days of firearms, where targets far away were hard to hit as older guns did not have as long a range as modern ones.
Winning the competition was a long shot, but she entered anyway.
Another string to your bow
To add another string to your bow means having an extra skill, talent, or resource to use as a backup, which increases your options or chances of success.This idiom originated centuries ago from the practise of medieval archers carrying a spare bowstring in case the first one broke.
I decided to do a short course at college, to add another string to my bow.
Bite the bullet
To bite the bullet means to face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage, even if you don't want to. People often use this phrase when there is no easy way to avoid a problem.It originated from war time medicine, where an injured soldier would bite on a bullet to help deal with the pain while they were being treated.
He decided to bite the bullet and pay the fine.
Bury the hatchet
To bury the hatchet means to stop arguing and make peace after a disagreement. This idiom is used when people decide to forgive each other and end a conflict.The expression comes from a tradition among some Native American groups, where weapons such as hatchets were buried to show that a conflict had ended and peace had been made.
After years of not speaking, the two brothers finally buried the hatchet.
Divide and conquer
To divide and conquer means to break a large problem or task into smaller parts so each one can be handled more easily. It can also describe a strategy of separating opponents so they cannot work together effectively.The phrase comes from ancient military strategy, where leaders tried to weaken enemies by splitting them into smaller groups. The idea has also been used in politics, management, and problem solving.
We divided and conquered by splitting the chores up between us.
Dodged a bullet
The idiom to dodge a bullet means to narrowly avoid something that could have very bad results. It is often used to describe avoiding bad outcome such as a bad relationship, a bad job or a financial loss.Good thing you didn't buy that stock, it crashed overnight - you dodged a bullet!
Don't shoot the messenger
The idiom don't shoot the messenger means that a person should not be blamed or punished for delivering bad news. The messenger is only passing along information, and isn't responsible for the problem.The expression comes from ancient times when messengers carried news between rulers or armies. Sometimes the news was so unwelcome that the messenger was punished, even though they were not at fault.
I am just telling you what the teacher said, so don't shoot the messenger.
Double-edged sword
A double-edged sword is something that has both good and bad effects. It can help you, but it can also cause problems. The origin is the literal image of a sword that is sharp on both edges.Being famous can be a double-edged sword.
Down in flames
The idiom to go down in flames means to fail completely in a very dramatic or embarrassing way.The phrase comes from aviation, where an aircraft that catches fire may fall from the sky in flames. The striking image led to the expression being used for failures that happen suddenly and publicly.
His ambitious business idea went down in flames after the investors pulled out.
Draw the line
To draw a line in the sand or to draw the line marks a clear limit that someone refuses to cross.The idiom comes from the idea of drawing a line across the ground to show where one side ends and the other begins.
The manager said cutting staff was a line in the sand for the team.