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Stay on track
To stay on track means to continue working toward a goal without getting distracted or delayed. It means to follow a planned path and making steady progress so that something is finished on time or done the right way.The phrase comes from the idea of trains traveling on railway tracks. As long as a train stays on the rails, it continues toward its destination.
If we stay on track with the schedule, the whole project should be finished by the end of the month.
Steal your thunder
Someone steals your thunder if they take attention or praise away from you, usually by doing what you were about to do first. It could mean taking someone's idea as your own, by doing something big at another event like proposing at someone else's wedding, or by announcing big news just before someone else announces theirs.I was going to announce my pregnancy at Thanksgiving, but my sister announced hers first and stole my thunder!
Step on someone's toes
To step on someone's toes means to upset someone by interfering with their work or responsibilities. It usually happens when a person does something that another person feels is their job or area of control.The phrase comes from dancing or crowded spaces where people can accidentally step on each other's toes. Just like the physical action can hurt or annoy someone, the idiom describes causing irritation by crossing boundaries.
I don't want to step on your toes, but I had a few ideas about how the project could be improved.
Stick out like a sore thumb
Something sticks out like a sore thumb if it is very obviously different from the things around it. This idiom came from how you would hold out an injured thumb so you don't hurt it even more.She wore a bright shirt to work, and stuck out like a sore thumb in the office.
Stick to your guns
To stick to your guns means to refuse to change your decision, even when other people disagree or pressure you.The phrase comes from military imagery, where soldiers remain at their weapons and hold their position instead of retreating. Over time it became a metaphor for standing by your beliefs.
She stuck to her guns despite the criticism.
Straight as an arrow
The idiom straight as an arrow means perfectly straight or direct, with no curves or bends.The expression comes from the way arrows fly when they are shot from a bow. A well shot arrow travels quickly and directly toward its target in a straight line, which made it a natural comparison for anything very straight.
The long country road ran straight as an arrow across the flat fields.
Straight from the horse's mouth
Straight from the horse's mouth means information that comes directly from the person who knows it best or from the original source. Because it comes from the source itself, people believe it is accurate and trustworthy. The expression is thought to come from horse racing. Experienced buyers could tell a horse's real age by looking at its teeth, so learning the truth directly from the horse was the most reliable way to know.I heard straight from the horse's mouth that the shop will reopen next week.
Straw that broke the camel's back
The straw that broke the camel's back refers to a small problem that causes a situation to collapse after many earlier problems or frustrations. On its own the "straw" is trivial, but it arrives after a long buildup of stress, inconvenience, or annoyance.The expression comes from the idea of loading a camel with cargo: eventually the animal reaches its limit, and one last single straw is enough to make it fail.
I didn't mind the messy room or the dirty dishes, but when he left the door open again, that was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Strike a chord
If something strikes a chord it means that it causes a strong emotional reaction or feels meaningful to someone. This idiom often describes an idea, comment, or story that people connect with deeply.The phrase comes from music, where striking a chord means playing several notes together on an instrument. The image later became a metaphor for something that resonates emotionally with a listener.
Her speech about helping the community struck a chord with many people in the audience.
Strike while the iron is hot
To strike while the iron is hot means to act quickly at the right moment, before an opportunity disappears.The expression comes from blacksmithing. A blacksmith must hammer iron while it is hot and soft, because once it cools the metal becomes hard and difficult to shape.
When the weather cleared, they decided to strike while the iron is hot and finish painting the fence.