English Idioms and Expressions 

Idioms: Intelligence, Smartness and Comprehension-5
from:  'sharp cookie'  to: 'tunnel vision'

• (a) sharp cookie
  • Someone who is not easily fooled or deceived is a sharp cookie.
    "You can't fool my grandmother. She's a sharp cookie!"
    
    
• (as) sharp as a tack
  • A person who is as sharp as a tack is able to think quickly and learn very fast.
    "You won't have to explain it to him twice. He's as sharp as a tack"
    
    
• shed light
  • If you shed light on something, you help to explain it or make it easier to understand.
    "It was hoped that the testimony of the witnesses would shed light on the causes of the accident."
    
    
• (a) smart alec
  • A smart alec is an annoying self-assertive person who tries to show off how clever they are.
    "Some smart alec interrupted the game claiming that the answers were incorrect!"
    
    
• spoon-feed someone
  • If a person is spoon-fed, they are helped too much when trying to understand something or solve a problem rather than encouraged to think by themselves or use their own initiative.
    "Some teachers tend to spoon-feed their pupils."
    
    
• get the wrong end of the stick
  • If someone gets the wrong end of the stick, they misunderstand something or get the wrong idea about it.
    "Tony saw Alex and Tracy arriving at the party together and got the wrong end of the stick."
    
    
• street smart/street wise
  • A person who is street-smart or streetwise has enough experience and knowledge about life in the city to be able to deal with difficult or dangerous situations.
    "The kids living in this area are all street-smart - they're in less danger than us."
    
    
• strike home
  • When somebody's comments or remarks strike home, they make you fully understand the situation.
    "The seriousness of his injuries struck home as he listened to the surgeon."
    
    
• suss out
  • If you suss out something, such as a problem or a situation, you examine it and manage to understand it.
    "Ask Jack to explain - he's got it all sussed out!"
    
    
• tech savvy
  • People who are tech savvy have sufficient technical knowledge and skills to be comfortable using computers and other electronic devices.
    "Many students are more tech-savvy than their teachers."
    
    
• there is one born every minute
  • This expression means that there are many people in the world who are stupid or easily fooled.
    "He really believed the boy found the money on the street? There's one born every minute!"
    
    
• think on your feet
  • A person who thinks on their feet is capable of understanding information quickly, adjusting rapidly to new developments and making quick decisions.
    "Good lawyers need to be able to think on their feet when pleading a case."
    
    
• think outside the box
  • People who think outside the box try to find innovative ideas or solutions, or new ways of doing things.
    "Our competitors are more creative than us - they really think outside the box!"
    
    
• tie yourself up in knots
  • If you tie yourself up in knots, you become totally confused or confuse others when trying to explain something.
    "Sandy tied herself up in knots trying to explain the rules of the game."
    
    
• tunnel vision
  • If a person has tunnel vision, they focus on only one aspect of something, or they are unable to see more than one way of doing things.
    "Our manager has tunnel vision. He sees no reason to change anything."