a bone of contention
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idiom

a bone of contention

Meaning
a subject of disagreement or dispute
Example
Money has always been **a bone of contention** between them.
idiom

take sides

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument
Example
It’s hard not to **take sides** when your friends are arguing.
phrasal-verb

take on challenges

Meaning
to accept and deal with difficult tasks confidently
Example
Employees who **take on challenges** tend to grow faster in their careers.
idiom

penny for your thoughts

Meaning
a way of asking what someone is thinking.
Example
You've been quiet for a while. A **penny for your thoughts**?
idiom

fed up with

Meaning
tired or annoyed with something
Example
I'm **fed up with** doing the same thing every day.
phrasal-verb

turn away from

Meaning
to stop doing or being involved in something
Example
He decided to **turn away from** politics.
idiom

good to see you

Meaning
a friendly way to greet someone you know
Example
**Good to see you** again after so long!
phrasal-verb

build endurance

Meaning
to gradually develop the ability to keep going for a long time
Example
Athletes **build endurance** through consistent training.
idiom

digital twin

Meaning
a virtual representation of a physical object or system used for simulation and analysis
Example
Using **digital twin** technology, we can simulate the performance of machinery before production.
idiom

blur the lines

Meaning
to make the difference between two things less clear or distinct
Example
AI-generated art often **blurs the lines** between human creativity and machine output.
phrasal-verb

set goals

Meaning
to decide what you or your team want to achieve
Example
Our team should **set goals** for the next quarter to stay focused.
idiom

corner the market

Meaning
to dominate a particular market
Example
They’ve managed to **corner the market** in organic products.
idiom

split decision

Meaning
a decision where people are divided in opinion
Example
The committee made a **split decision** on the proposal.
idiom

Spin a story

Meaning
To present a story in a way that is intended to influence people's opinions or beliefs.
Example
The journalist managed to **spin a story** that made the politician look like a hero.
idiom

take the stage

Meaning
to begin performing or speaking publicly
Example
The new actor will **take the stage** for the first time tonight.
idiom

music to one’s ears

Meaning
something that makes someone feel very happy or pleased
Example
The news of his promotion was **music to his ears**.
phrasal-verb

throw at

Meaning
to aim something at someone or something with force
Example
He **threw** the ball **at** his friend playfully.
phrasal-verb

let down

Meaning
to disappoint someone
Example
I felt really **let down** when my friend didn’t show up.
phrasal-verb

come apart

Meaning
to break into pieces; to fall apart emotionally
Example
The old book **came apart** in my hands.
phrasal-verb

be indebted to

Meaning
to feel deeply thankful or obliged to someone
Example
I’ll always **be indebted to** my mentor for his guidance.
idiom

The Midas touch

Meaning
The ability to make money or succeed in everything one does.
Example
She seems to have **the Midas touch**—every project she starts becomes a success.
phrasal-verb

take note of

Meaning
to pay attention to and remember something important
Example
He carefully **took note of** all the suggestions during the review meeting.
idiom

in two minds

Meaning
undecided about something
Example
I'm **in two minds** about accepting the new job offer.
idiom

keep the ball rolling

Meaning
to keep an activity or process going
Example
Let’s **keep the ball rolling** on this project.
phrasal-verb

shoot up

Meaning
to rise suddenly and quickly
Example
Gold prices **shot up** after the geopolitical tensions increased.
idiom

learn the hard way

Meaning
to learn something through experience, especially through making mistakes
Example
He **learned the hard way** that honesty is the best policy.
idiom

soft power

Meaning
a country's ability to influence others through culture or values rather than force
Example
Japan uses **soft power** to promote its culture worldwide.
idiom

thinking outside the algorithm

Meaning
to think creatively beyond structured systems or programmed logic
Example
Our best innovation came when we started **thinking outside the algorithm**.
idiom

take someone to task

Meaning
to strongly criticize someone for something they did wrong
Example
The teacher **took him to task** for cheating on the exam.
idiom

the lesser of two evils

Meaning
the less harmful of two bad options
Example
Voters often choose **the lesser of two evils** during elections.
idiom

Be as good as your word

Meaning
To do what you promised to do.
Example
He said he’d help and he’s **as good as his word**.
idiom

clear the decks

Meaning
Prepare for action by removing unnecessary things.
Example
We need to **clear the decks** before the new project begins.
idiom

talk someone into

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
He **talked me into** joining the event.
idiom

against the odds

Meaning
to succeed despite many difficulties or challenges
Example
They won the game **against all odds**, proving their hard work paid off.
idiom

cut and paste

Meaning
to copy something with little change
Example
You can't just **cut and paste** ideas from others.
phrasal-verb

log lessons from

Meaning
to record what you learned from an experience
Example
We **log lessons from** each sprint in a shared wiki page.
phrasal-verb

stay disciplined

Meaning
to maintain self-control and consistent study habits
Example
To achieve great results, students must **stay disciplined** throughout the semester.
phrasal-verb

step into strength

Meaning
to embrace one’s confidence and power despite fear
Example
She decided to **step into strength** and face her fears.
phrasal-verb

run behind

Meaning
to be late or delayed
Example
The project is **running behind** schedule.
idiom

Bet the farm

Meaning
To risk everything on one big decision.
Example
He **bet the farm** on that business deal.
phrasal-verb

bond deeply with

Meaning
to form a very close emotional relationship with someone
Example
Parents **bond deeply with** their newborns through love and care.
phrasal-verb

cut back on imports

Meaning
to reduce the amount of goods bought from abroad
Example
The country decided to **cut back on imports** to improve its trade balance.
idiom

Through the lens

Meaning
From a particular perspective or point of view
Example
We need to see this issue **through the lens** of equality.
phrasal-verb

break free from

Meaning
to escape from something that controls or limits you
Example
She wanted to **break free from** negative thoughts and focus on her goals.
idiom

hit the jackpot

Meaning
to achieve great success or win something valuable
Example
He **hit the jackpot** when his startup got acquired for millions.
phrasal-verb

live beyond one’s means

Meaning
to spend more money than one can afford
Example
Many people **live beyond their means** by using credit cards carelessly.
idiom

mix together

Meaning
to combine different things into one
Example
**Mix together** the spices before adding them to the stew.
phrasal-verb

look inside

Meaning
to reflect on your own emotions and motivations
Example
You need to **look inside** yourself to understand your anger.
idiom

throw under the bus

Meaning
to blame someone else to save yourself.
Example
He **threw his colleague under the bus** to avoid punishment.
idiom

battle of wills

Meaning
a conflict where both sides refuse to give up
Example
It became a **battle of wills** between the manager and the team leader.
phrasal-verb

revive through

Meaning
to bring back to life or strength by specific efforts
Example
The stimulus package helped **revive through** major industrial investment.
idiom

give someone the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to trust someone even when you are not sure they are honest
Example
I will **give him the benefit of the doubt** this time.
phrasal-verb

hit on

Meaning
to show romantic or sexual interest in someone
Example
He tried to **hit on** her at the party, but she ignored him.
phrasal-verb

phase through

Meaning
to move gradually through stages of change
Example
The company plans to **phase through** several steps to modernize its operations.
idiom

wanderlust

Meaning
a strong desire to travel and explore the world
Example
His **wanderlust** took him to every continent on Earth.
idiom

doubting Thomas

Meaning
a person who refuses to believe without proof
Example
He’s a **doubting Thomas**; he won’t believe it until he sees it himself.
idiom

time warp

Meaning
a situation where time seems to stop or move differently
Example
That old town feels like it’s stuck in a **time warp**.
idiom

a slow learner

Meaning
someone who takes time to understand or learn things
Example
Don’t worry if you need more time—you’re just **a slow learner**.
idiom

a cold fish

Meaning
someone who is unemotional or not friendly
Example
He seemed **a cold fish** when I first met him.
phrasal-verb

fit into society

Meaning
to become accepted or comfortable within a new social environment
Example
Newcomers often struggle to **fit into society** when they move abroad.
phrasal-verb

plan around

Meaning
to make arrangements considering a specific factor or event
Example
We had to **plan around** the weather when scheduling our trip.
phrasal-verb

mop up

Meaning
to clean liquid or dirt from a surface using a mop or cloth
Example
Use a towel to **mop up** the water you spilled.
phrasal-verb

come up

Meaning
to be mentioned or occur unexpectedly
Example
Your name **came up** during the meeting.
idiom

thank you kindly

Meaning
a polite way to say thank you warmly
Example
**Thank you kindly** for your time and patience.
idiom

give the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to trust someone even though you may not have all the facts
Example
Even though she was late, I decided to **give her the benefit of the doubt** and not get upset.
phrasal-verb

sign in

Meaning
to enter your username and password to access an account
Example
You must **sign in** before commenting on this post.
idiom

get a taste of your own medicine

Meaning
to be treated in the same unpleasant way that you have treated others
Example
He's always rude to people, so I'm glad he finally **got a taste of his own medicine**.
idiom

have second thoughts

Meaning
to start having doubts about a decision you have made
Example
I'm having **second thoughts** about buying such an expensive car.
phrasal-verb

reach deep

Meaning
to dig into one’s emotions or empathy to connect with others
Example
He had to **reach deep** to find the compassion to forgive.
idiom

talk the talk

Meaning
to speak confidently about something
Example
He can **talk the talk**, but can he walk the walk?
idiom

scale back

Meaning
to reduce the size or amount of something
Example
They had to **scale back** the festival because of the budget.
idiom

pave the way

Meaning
to make progress easier for others to follow
Example
Her research **paved the way** for future discoveries.
phrasal-verb

balance workloads across

Meaning
to distribute tasks evenly among people
Example
Managers **balance workloads across** the team before busy quarters.
phrasal-verb

cut down on tariffs

Meaning
to reduce import or export taxes
Example
The WTO encourages members to **cut down on tariffs** to enhance global trade.
phrasal-verb

grow inward

Meaning
to develop understanding and wisdom from personal experiences
Example
She began to **grow inward** as she faced her fears and doubts.
idiom

team up with

Meaning
to collaborate with someone for a common goal
Example
The nonprofits **teamed up with** local schools for the project.
phrasal-verb

exchange views with

Meaning
to share opinions or ideas with someone from another culture
Example
Students **exchange views with** their international peers to broaden their perspectives.
phrasal-verb

protest against

Meaning
to show opposition to something through public action
Example
Thousands of people **protested against** unfair laws.
idiom

on the rise

Meaning
increasing or growing in value or number
Example
Tech stocks are **on the rise** this quarter.
idiom

show who's boss

Meaning
to make people recognize your authority
Example
Sometimes a leader must **show who's boss**.
phrasal-verb

build confidence

Meaning
to strengthen belief in your own abilities
Example
Every small success helps you **build confidence** for bigger goals.
idiom

To be in someone's corner

Meaning
To support or defend someone.
Example
Even though they were having disagreements, she was always **in his corner**.
phrasal-verb

build up economic ties

Meaning
to strengthen trade relationships between nations
Example
Asian countries are trying to **build up economic ties** through regional cooperation.
phrasal-verb

rise above failure

Meaning
to overcome failure and continue striving towards goals
Example
True leaders **rise above failure** and inspire others to do the same.
phrasal-verb

power up

Meaning
to turn on or start an electronic device
Example
You should **power up** the computer before connecting peripherals.
idiom

put first things first

Meaning
to focus on the most important things before others
Example
When managing time, always **put first things first**.
phrasal-verb

bounce back stronger

Meaning
to recover from setbacks with renewed energy
Example
Teams **bounce back stronger** after honest feedback sessions.
idiom

Dressed to kill

Meaning
Wearing very fashionable or attractive clothes
Example
She was **dressed to kill** at the party last night.
idiom

get to the bottom of it

Meaning
to find the real reason or cause of something
Example
Let’s **get to the bottom of it** before making any decision.
phrasal-verb

tear up

Meaning
to start crying a little
Example
She **teared up** during the emotional movie scene.
phrasal-verb

touch on

Meaning
to briefly mention or discuss a subject
Example
She only **touched on** the topic during her speech.
idiom

cross that bridge when we come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem only when it arises
Example
Don't worry about the challenges now, we will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
phrasal-verb

come down

Meaning
when rain or snow falls heavily
Example
The rain is really **coming down** now.
phrasal-verb

cut off pollution

Meaning
to stop or reduce pollution sources
Example
Factories must **cut off pollution** to meet environmental standards.
phrasal-verb

pivot around

Meaning
to reorganize or refocus strategy around a central idea or goal
Example
The company decided to **pivot around** customer satisfaction as its new priority.
idiom

Out of one’s depth

Meaning
To be in a situation that is too difficult to understand or deal with.
Example
I felt **out of my depth** in that technical discussion.
phrasal-verb

push yourself forward

Meaning
to take initiative or move ahead despite obstacles
Example
You have to **push yourself forward** if you want to succeed.
idiom

brighten someone's day

Meaning
to make someone feel happier
Example
Her kindness really **brightened my day**.
idiom

Light a fire under someone

Meaning
To motivate someone to take action or work harder.
Example
The coach’s speech really **lit a fire under** the players.
phrasal-verb

back down on

Meaning
to withdraw or concede a position after opposition
Example
The government refused to **back down on** its stance regarding foreign aid.
phrasal-verb

wolf down

Meaning
to eat something very quickly and greedily
Example
He **wolfed down** his lunch in five minutes.
phrasal-verb

keep on

Meaning
to continue doing something repeatedly
Example
She **kept on** talking even though nobody was listening.
idiom

adapt to new circumstances

Meaning
to adjust oneself to new situations or changes
Example
In order to survive in the changing world, we need to **adapt to new circumstances**.
idiom

a turning point

Meaning
a moment when an important change happens
Example
Graduating from college was a **turning point** in his life.
idiom

take a hit

Meaning
to suffer a financial loss
Example
The company **took a hit** after the stock market crash.
idiom

Game of thrones

Meaning
A struggle for power or control, often involving manipulation and rivalry
Example
The election turned into a **game of thrones** with leaders fighting for dominance.
idiom

weigh your options

Meaning
to consider different possibilities before deciding
Example
You should **weigh your options** before buying the car.
idiom

a steep learning curve

Meaning
when something is difficult to learn, usually quickly
Example
The new software had a **steep learning curve**, but I managed to understand it.
idiom

Blue ocean strategy

Meaning
Creating a new market space with little or no competition.
Example
Their **blue ocean strategy** helped them dominate a new market.
phrasal-verb

keep faith with

Meaning
to stay loyal to someone or something
Example
Grassroots leaders **keep faith with** their communities.
phrasal-verb

slim down

Meaning
to become thinner; to lose weight
Example
She has been exercising to **slim down** for her wedding.
phrasal-verb

opt for

Meaning
to choose one thing instead of another
Example
We decided to **opt for** the smaller but cheaper apartment.
phrasal-verb

soak up knowledge

Meaning
to absorb and retain new information or skills quickly
Example
Young minds can easily **soak up knowledge** from their surroundings.
idiom

in for a shock

Meaning
about to be very surprised or shocked
Example
You’re **in for a shock** when you see the bill.
phrasal-verb

cut down workforce

Meaning
to reduce the number of employees
Example
Due to reduced demand, the factory **cut down workforce** by 20 percent.
idiom

cost an arm and a leg

Meaning
to be very expensive
Example
That designer bag **cost an arm and a leg**.
phrasal-verb

get a grip on

Meaning
to gain control of one’s emotions
Example
You need to **get a grip on** your emotions before reacting.
phrasal-verb

drop someone off

Meaning
to take someone by vehicle to a place and leave them there
Example
The driver **dropped me off** at the airport.
idiom

weigh the pros and cons

Meaning
to consider the advantages and disadvantages before making a choice
Example
You should **weigh the pros and cons** before quitting your job.
phrasal-verb

learn to cope with

Meaning
to learn how to manage or handle failure
Example
You have to **learn to cope with** setbacks if you want to grow.
phrasal-verb

turn around

Meaning
to improve a situation or make something successful again
Example
The new leader helped **turn around** the company’s declining performance.