🗓️ Idiom: Burn (your) Bridges (v)
💬 Meaning
- To destroy a relationship or connection, making it impossible to return or repair it in the future.
- It often refers to leaving a job or ending a relationship in a way that prevents future collaboration or contact.
🧠 Example Sentences
- He quit his job by yelling at his boss, he really burned his bridges.
- You don’t want to burn bridges with that client; we might need them later.
- She left without notice and blocked everyone, completely burning her bridges.
🏛️ Origin
This idiom comes from military history, where armies would burn bridges after crossing them to prevent retreat or pursuit. Metaphorically, it now refers to taking actions that permanently close off previous paths or relationships.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
She didn’t want to __________, so she gave two weeks’ notice and thanked everyone.
Answer
burn her bridges
2. Choose the correct meaning of “burn bridges”:
A) To improve communication
B) To end a relationship with no way to return
C) To take a break from work
Answer
B) To end a relationship with no way to return
3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:
“He left the company in such a bad way that they’ll never hire him again.” → Change the sentence using: burn bridges
Answer
He burned his bridges with the company.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
👉 Relationship and Networking Idioms
👉 Business English Idioms List
👉 Student Space
👉 Tutor Toolkit
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