This lesson trains 50 C2 idioms on Success. Idioms signal fluency when used naturally — forcing them into every sentence hurts your score. Practise in the runner first, then revisit every expression in the glossary. Review mode after completion shows how each idiom fits its context.
Throw a lifeline
To provide help that saves someone from a difficult situation.
The emergency grant saved the struggling charity from closing.
Go the extra mile
To make an extra effort to help or achieve something.
The customer service representative stayed late to solve the problem completely.
In leaps and bounds
Very quickly and with big improvements.
The startup's user numbers increased dramatically after the new app update.
Have a good head for sth
To have a natural ability or talent for something.
She was excellent at remembering names and faces.
It does exactly what it says on the tin
It does exactly what it claims to do.
The new cleaner worked perfectly and removed all the stains as promised.
Be half the battle
To be the most important or difficult part of achieving something.
Convincing the investors was the hardest step; the rest was straightforward.
The cat's whiskers
Something or someone considered excellent or superior.
The new smartphone model had all the latest features and was very popular.
Lose your touch
To lose the skill or ability you once had.
The chef's latest dishes were not as good as before.
Be head and shoulders above sb
To be clearly superior to someone else in ability or quality.
The new marketing director demonstrated exceptional strategic thinking compared to previous candidates.
Live a charmed life
To be very lucky and avoid harm or failure.
Despite several risky investments, everything always worked out well for him.
No strings attached
Completely free with no hidden conditions or obligations.
The university offered a full scholarship that required no repayment or future service.
Two heads are better than one
Working together produces better results than working alone.
The complex problem was solved quickly once the two engineers collaborated.
Go up a gear
To increase effort or activity.
The team needed to work harder in the second half of the project.
Win by a landslide
To win an election or competition by a very large margin.
The candidate received far more votes than any opponent.
Hard going
Difficult and tiring.
The long climb up the mountain was exhausting.
Ride high
To be very successful or popular.
The band was at the top of the charts after their new album.
Be back to square one
To be back in the starting position after making no progress.
The negotiations failed completely and they had to begin the entire process again.
Leave no stone unturned
To try every possible way to achieve something.
The detectives searched everywhere for clues.
Be flying high
To be very successful or happy.
After the promotion and the big bonus she was in excellent spirits.
Hit the jackpot
To have a great success or win a lot of money.
The new product became an instant bestseller.
More by luck than judgement
Achieving something more by chance than by skill.
He passed the exam even though he had not studied much.
Knock into shape
To make something or someone better organized or more effective.
The new coach trained the disorganized team until they became competitive.
Make good headway
To make significant progress.
The researchers were advancing quickly with the new experiment.
Raise your game
To improve your performance or effort.
The team needed to work harder if they wanted to win the championship.
Girl Friday
A female assistant who is very efficient and does many different tasks.
The busy executive relied heavily on his capable secretary.
Go up in the world
To improve one's social or financial position.
After the promotion and the move to a larger house she felt she had succeeded.
Play your ace
To use your strongest advantage or argument at the right moment.
During the final negotiation round, the lawyer revealed crucial evidence that turned the case.
As bright as a button
Very intelligent and lively.
The young student solved complex math problems with ease.
A whizz kid
A young person who is very clever and successful.
The new programmer solved the difficult problem in minutes.
Hit the mark
To be exactly right or successful.
The advertising campaign perfectly reached the target audience.
An all-time high
The highest level ever reached.
Sales figures for the new product surpassed every previous record in the company's history.
Get-up and go
Energy and enthusiasm for doing things.
The young entrepreneur was full of energy and ideas.
Take to the next level
To improve something to a higher standard.
The company wanted to make the product even better than before.
Win hands down
To win easily and without doubt.
The champion runner finished the race far ahead of all the others.
On the hoof
While doing something else or without proper preparation.
The decision was made quickly during a short break between meetings.
Be going great guns
To be doing something very successfully or energetically.
The new product was selling extremely well in the first month.
Put your money where your mouth is
To support your words with actions or money.
He kept saying the project would succeed, so the investors asked him to invest his own money.
At the top of the ladder
In the highest position in a company or organization.
After years of hard work he had reached the highest level of management.
The frosting on the cake
An additional benefit that makes something already good even better.
The free training course was offered on top of the generous salary package.
Give sb the hard sell
To try very aggressively to persuade someone to buy something.
The salesman kept calling and pressuring her to sign the contract immediately.
Slog your guts out
To work extremely hard.
The team worked long hours for weeks to meet the deadline.
Rest on your laurels
To rely on past successes and stop making new efforts.
After winning the championship he stopped training hard.
Blood, sweat and tears
Very hard work and great effort.
The team had invested enormous time and energy to meet the impossible deadline.
Ahead of the game
In a position of advantage because of good preparation.
By completing the market research early, the team was ready for any sudden changes in consumer trends.
Have plenty of strings to your bow
To have many skills or options available.
The versatile engineer could program, design, and manage projects equally well.
Be batting a thousand
To be completely successful; to achieve a perfect record.
Every proposal she made was accepted by the board.
Harder than you'd bargained for
More difficult or demanding than expected.
The training course turned out to be extremely intense and exhausting.
Big time
The highest level of success or fame.
After years of small gigs, the band finally signed with a major record label.
If you put your mind to it
If you decide to concentrate on something.
The task was difficult but possible if he focused.
Stand out from the crowd
To be noticeably different or better than others.
Her innovative design clearly distinguished her from all the other competitors.