Idioms — Set 43

Set 43 of Idioms covers 5 idioms: pull no punches, rock the boat, keep someone in the loop, play second fiddle, turn over a new leaf. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. pull no punches · idiom/pʊl noʊ ˈpʌntʃɪz/

   to be brutally honest without softening criticism

   The coach pulled no punches when criticizing the team’s poor performance.

   Origin: From boxing — fighters sometimes 'pulled their punches' to soften hits, so 'no punches' meant fighting hard.

2. rock the boat · idiom/rɑk ðə boʊt/

   to cause trouble or disrupt a situation

   I don’t want to rock the boat, so I’ll just agree with whatever the group decides.

   Origin: From the 1800s — rocking a boat too much could tip everyone into the water, threatening group safety.

3. keep someone in the loop · idiom/kip ɪn ðə lup/

   to keep someone informed about updates and developments

   Make sure to keep me in the loop about any changes in the project.

   Origin: An American 20th-century expression — refers to staying inside a closed loop of internal communication.

4. play second fiddle · idiom/pleɪ ˈsɛkənd ˈfɪɾəl/

   to take a less important role in something

   I hate playing second fiddle, I’d rather be the leader of the team.

   Origin: From classical orchestras — the second violin part is essential but always less prominent than the first.

5. turn over a new leaf · idiom/tɜrn ˈoʊvɚ ə nu lif/

   to make a positive change in one’s behavior or attitude

   After getting fired, he decided to turn over a new leaf and start his own business.

   Origin: From the 1500s — 'leaf' originally referred to a page in a book, so turning one began a fresh chapter.