break one's duck
To do something for the first time.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the sport of cricket, in which a score of zero is termed a duck—a shortening of the phrase duck's egg, chosen for its visual similarity to the numeral. To break one's duck is to score the first run of an innings, thereby moving the total beyond that initial, oval vacancy.
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abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026