a brainwave
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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idiom

a brainwave

Meaning
a sudden clever idea or solution
Example
I had **a brainwave** and realized how to fix the issue.
idiom

gain ground

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
The company has been **gaining ground** in the tech industry.
phrasal-verb

pass on to

Meaning
to give information or a message to someone else
Example
Could you **pass this on to** the manager before lunch?
phrasal-verb

carry forward into

Meaning
to move progress or funds into a future period
Example
We **carry forward into** next quarter any unused training budget.
phrasal-verb

point behind

Meaning
to indicate something located at the back
Example
He **pointed behind** to show the exit door.
phrasal-verb

run into trouble

Meaning
to experience problems or difficulties
Example
We **ran into trouble** when the car suddenly stopped working.
phrasal-verb

grow beyond

Meaning
to develop emotionally past a previous limitation or belief
Example
She’s trying to **grow beyond** her old fears and doubts.
phrasal-verb

draw lessons from

Meaning
to learn something valuable from a situation or experience
Example
We should **draw lessons from** our past failures.
phrasal-verb

blow off work

Meaning
to skip work or avoid responsibilities, often to reduce stress
Example
He decided to **blow off work** and spend the day at the beach.
phrasal-verb

fall to

Meaning
to begin doing something eagerly; to become responsible for something
Example
Everyone **fell to** cleaning after the party ended.
idiom

find common ground

Meaning
to find shared interests or agreement
Example
We must **find common ground** to resolve this conflict.
phrasal-verb

smooth out

Meaning
to make emotions or problems less rough or intense
Example
Time will **smooth out** the pain you’re feeling now.
idiom

forever grateful

Meaning
thankful for something for a long time
Example
I’ll be **forever grateful** for what you’ve done.
phrasal-verb

take a break

Meaning
to stop working for a short time to rest
Example
I usually **take a break** around noon.
idiom

Culture shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when encountering a different culture
Example
Moving to Japan gave her a bit of **culture shock** at first.
idiom

down to earth

Meaning
practical and realistic
Example
Despite her fame, she’s very **down to earth**.
phrasal-verb

die off

Meaning
to become extinct gradually; to disappear slowly
Example
Many animal species may **die off** if global warming continues.
phrasal-verb

boost up foreign reserves

Meaning
to increase a country's foreign currency holdings
Example
The central bank is working to **boost up foreign reserves** through remittances.
idiom

on the radar

Meaning
something that is being monitored or considered
Example
The new scientific theory is now **on the radar** of researchers across the world.
idiom

make the grade

Meaning
to reach the desired standard or level
Example
Only a few students **made the grade** in the final test.
idiom

pull the plug

Meaning
to stop something; to end support for a project or activity
Example
The company decided to **pull the plug** on the outdated app.
phrasal-verb

read over

Meaning
to check something by reading it again
Example
Can you **read over** my essay and tell me what you think?
phrasal-verb

burst out smiling

Meaning
to suddenly start smiling widely
Example
When she saw the surprise gift, she **burst out smiling**.
phrasal-verb

pull in

Meaning
to attract or earn money, profit, or investment
Example
The new app quickly **pulled in** thousands of subscribers and investors.
phrasal-verb

live on

Meaning
to eat mainly a particular type of food
Example
He **lives on** fast food, which is not healthy.
phrasal-verb

build emotional strength

Meaning
to develop the ability to handle emotional challenges better
Example
Through meditation, you can **build emotional strength** and resilience.
idiom

have a green thumb

Meaning
to be good at gardening
Example
My mother **has a green thumb** and grows beautiful flowers.
idiom

reach out

Meaning
to contact someone for help or communication
Example
Feel free to **reach out** if you have more questions.
idiom

hear something straight from the horse's mouth

Meaning
to hear something directly from the original or most reliable source
Example
I heard it **straight from the horse's mouth** that the event is canceled.
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**.
phrasal-verb

bottle emotions

Meaning
to keep emotions hidden instead of expressing them
Example
She tends to **bottle emotions** instead of talking about them.
phrasal-verb

spark creativity

Meaning
to inspire creative thinking or ideas
Example
Team discussions often **spark creativity** and innovation.
idiom

fake it till you make it

Meaning
to act confidently until you actually feel confident
Example
**Fake it till you make it**—confidence will follow.
idiom

To be thick as thieves

Meaning
To be very close friends
Example
They've been **thick as thieves** ever since childhood.
idiom

patch over

Meaning
to cover up a problem without truly fixing it
Example
We can’t just **patch over** the security flaws.
phrasal-verb

hand in through

Meaning
to submit work using an online platform
Example
All assignments must be **handed in through** the company portal.
phrasal-verb

close development gaps

Meaning
to reduce inequalities between developed and developing regions
Example
Efforts are underway to **close development gaps** between nations.
phrasal-verb

work through stress

Meaning
to deal with and gradually overcome stress
Example
Meditation helps me **work through stress** effectively.
idiom

Golden handshake

Meaning
A large payment given to someone when they leave a job, especially early retirement.
Example
The CEO received a **golden handshake** when he retired early.
phrasal-verb

regret over

Meaning
to feel sad or disappointed about something that happened
Example
She **regrets over** not spending enough time with her parents.
idiom

glide over

Meaning
to deal with something briefly without detail
Example
He tends to **glide over** the technical issues.
idiom

a glimpse into the future

Meaning
a small indication of what the future might be like
Example
This technology gives us **a glimpse into the future**.
phrasal-verb

come around to

Meaning
to change your opinion and agree with something eventually
Example
After some debate, the board **came around to** supporting the new idea.
phrasal-verb

turn up growth

Meaning
to increase or accelerate the rate of growth
Example
The central bank aims to **turn up growth** by reducing interest rates.
phrasal-verb

upload to

Meaning
to transfer data or files from a local device to a server or the internet
Example
You can **upload to** Google Drive for easy sharing.
phrasal-verb

catch fire

Meaning
to start burning; to become very exciting or popular
Example
The dry leaves quickly **caught fire** in the heat.
phrasal-verb

break limits

Meaning
to go beyond what is normally possible or expected
Example
He **broke limits** by achieving what no one else dared to try.
phrasal-verb

look out for others

Meaning
to watch over or protect other people
Example
It’s important to **look out for others** in difficult situations.
phrasal-verb

melt into tears

Meaning
to start crying softly because of emotion
Example
She **melted into tears** after hearing the touching story.
idiom

a slip of the tongue

Meaning
a spoken mistake; saying something unintentionally
Example
It was just **a slip of the tongue**, I didn’t mean to offend you.
idiom

break the mold

Meaning
to do something differently from tradition
Example
She **broke the mold** by becoming the first female CEO.
idiom

call it quits

Meaning
to stop or end something
Example
After working for hours, they decided to **call it quits** for the day.
phrasal-verb

wait on

Meaning
to wait for something to happen before acting; to depend on
Example
We’re **waiting on** the results before making a decision.
idiom

a roof over your head

Meaning
a place to live; a shelter
Example
At least we have **a roof over our heads**.
phrasal-verb

open doors for

Meaning
to create opportunities or possibilities for connection or collaboration
Example
Joining community events can **open doors for** meaningful relationships.
idiom

kindness goes a long way

Meaning
a small act of kindness can have a big positive impact
Example
Remember, **kindness goes a long way** in building good relationships.
phrasal-verb

grow along with others

Meaning
to develop together through teamwork and shared experience
Example
We **grow along with others** when we learn and support each other.
phrasal-verb

open up trade

Meaning
to make international trade easier by removing barriers
Example
The new agreement will **open up trade** between the two nations.
phrasal-verb

move over to

Meaning
to switch from one system or platform to another
Example
The organization will **move over to** cloud-based storage soon.
idiom

wave the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After a long debate, he finally **waved the white flag**.
phrasal-verb

be thrilled about

Meaning
to feel very excited or pleased about something
Example
She was **thrilled about** her upcoming vacation.
idiom

piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a part of the complete solution or understanding
Example
This information is just **a piece of the puzzle**.
idiom

take charge

Meaning
to take control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge** of the project herself.
idiom

to have a lot on one's plate

Meaning
to have a lot of tasks or responsibilities to deal with
Example
She can't take on any more projects; she already has **a lot on her plate**.
idiom

at the eleventh hour

Meaning
at the very last moment
Example
He submitted his assignment **at the eleventh hour**.
phrasal-verb

think back on

Meaning
to remember or recall something from the past
Example
When I **think back on** that day, I realize how careless I was.
phrasal-verb

coordinate across borders

Meaning
to organize efforts with people in different countries
Example
We **coordinate across borders** to keep the partnership moving smoothly.
phrasal-verb

tighten up

Meaning
to make rules or policies stricter
Example
The government decided to **tighten up** regulations on foreign investments.
idiom

Lady Luck

Meaning
personification of luck as a woman who brings good fortune
Example
**Lady Luck** was on our side when we won the match.
idiom

The devil is in the details

Meaning
Small details are often the most important or problematic.
Example
The overall concept was great, but **the devil is in the details**.
idiom

to go viral

Meaning
to spread rapidly, especially online
Example
The new research paper **went viral** on social media.
phrasal-verb

hold on

Meaning
to wait for a short time on the phone
Example
Please **hold on** while I transfer your call.
phrasal-verb

turn towards

Meaning
to start focusing on a new direction or field
Example
After years in law, he decided to **turn towards** teaching.
phrasal-verb

adapt around

Meaning
to modify plans or behavior to fit changing circumstances
Example
We need to **adapt around** the new market trends quickly.
phrasal-verb

snap at

Meaning
to speak angrily and quickly to someone
Example
He **snapped at** me when I asked him a simple question.
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.
phrasal-verb

build upon strengths

Meaning
to use existing advantages or abilities to achieve more success
Example
Great leaders **build upon strengths** instead of focusing on weaknesses.
idiom

take it with a grain of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He tends to exaggerate, so **take his stories with a grain of salt**.
phrasal-verb

carry on through

Meaning
to continue despite difficulties or emotional pain
Example
He managed to **carry on through** the tough times.
phrasal-verb

belong to

Meaning
to be a member of or connected to a group or place
Example
I feel I **belong to** both my home country and the culture I live in now.
idiom

broken-hearted

Meaning
extremely sad about something or someone
Example
He was **broken-hearted** after the breakup.
idiom

a run for one’s money

Meaning
to compete strongly with someone; to challenge effectively
Example
The new company is giving the old giants **a run for their money**.
phrasal-verb

clean up after

Meaning
to remove waste or mess left behind by people or animals
Example
Volunteers came to **clean up after** the beach festival.
phrasal-verb

honor with

Meaning
to give respect or recognition to someone for their contribution
Example
The company **honored him with** an award for his years of service.
idiom

Building castles in the air

Meaning
To have unrealistic or impractical plans or dreams.
Example
She’s always **building castles in the air**, dreaming of a perfect world.
idiom

thinking outside the box

Meaning
to think in an unconventional or creative way
Example
In the tech world, **thinking outside the box** is crucial to developing innovative solutions.
phrasal-verb

open out to

Meaning
to become more receptive or welcoming toward new cultures or experiences
Example
Traveling helped her **open out to** different perspectives.
phrasal-verb

hand over money

Meaning
to give money, usually unwillingly
Example
He had to **hand over** a large sum in taxes last month.
idiom

Move heaven and earth

Meaning
To do everything possible to achieve something.
Example
They **moved heaven and earth** to save the project.
phrasal-verb

touch up

Meaning
to improve the appearance of something slightly, like makeup or paint
Example
She went to the mirror to **touch up** her makeup.
phrasal-verb

break through to

Meaning
to make someone understand your emotions or point of view
Example
It took hours to finally **break through to** him and make him understand how I felt.
idiom

A rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
When the economy improves, everyone benefits to some extent.
Example
When the new policies boosted trade, people said that **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
idiom

school of hard knocks

Meaning
learning through difficult life experiences
Example
He didn’t go to college; he learned from the **school of hard knocks**.
idiom

Jump ship

Meaning
To leave a job or organization suddenly.
Example
Several employees **jumped ship** when the new policy was announced.
phrasal-verb

draw courage from experience

Meaning
to gain strength and confidence through past experiences
Example
She learned to **draw courage from experience** instead of fearing failure.
phrasal-verb

set off

Meaning
to start a journey
Example
We **set off** early in the morning to avoid traffic.
idiom

black box problem

Meaning
a situation where the internal workings of an AI system are not transparent or understood
Example
The biggest challenge in deep learning is the **black box problem**.
phrasal-verb

work out to

Meaning
to calculate or come to a certain amount
Example
The total cost **works out to** about $200.
phrasal-verb

wake up politically

Meaning
to become aware of political issues and start caring about them
Example
Many young people are beginning to **wake up politically**.
idiom

team up

Meaning
to join with others for a shared goal
Example
Let’s **team up** with finance for the workshop.
idiom

new lease of life

Meaning
to give someone or something a fresh start or new energy
Example
The renovation of the old building has given it a **new lease of life**.
idiom

Playing with house money

Meaning
Taking risks with money that was gained easily or unexpectedly.
Example
After their early profits, the traders were **playing with house money**.
idiom

to learn the ropes

Meaning
to learn how to do something, especially a job
Example
She is new here, but she is quickly **learning the ropes**.
idiom

fill in for

Meaning
to do someone’s job temporarily
Example
Can you **fill in for** Rosa while she’s on leave?
idiom

burning desire

Meaning
a strong motivation to achieve something
Example
He has a **burning desire** to succeed in life.
idiom

put something on the back burner

Meaning
to delay dealing with something until later
Example
The government decided to **put the issue on the back burner** for now.
idiom

practice what you preach

Meaning
to act according to the advice you give to others
Example
If you want others to be kind, you need to **practice what you preach**.
phrasal-verb

wait your turn

Meaning
to be patient and not interrupt others
Example
Children should learn to **wait their turn** while playing.
idiom

the fourth estate

Meaning
the press or news media, considered as an influential societal force
Example
Many believe **the fourth estate** plays a vital role in democracy.
phrasal-verb

let down your guard

Meaning
to stop being defensive and allow yourself to feel or connect
Example
When you **let down your guard**, you allow others to truly know you.
idiom

Lay down arms

Meaning
to stop fighting and surrender
Example
After the long conflict, both sides decided to **lay down arms** and negotiate.
idiom

keep your mind on

Meaning
to stay focused on a task or goal
Example
If you **keep your mind on** your studies, you’ll do well.
idiom

Bring peace to

Meaning
To restore calm or tranquility in a situation.
Example
Her kind words helped **bring peace to** the argument.
phrasal-verb

break through barriers

Meaning
to overcome difficulties or obstacles
Example
She **broke through barriers** to become a successful engineer.
idiom

justice is blind

Meaning
justice should be impartial and not influenced by wealth or power
Example
**Justice is blind**, and everyone should be treated equally under the law.
idiom

hold someone accountable

Meaning
to make someone take responsibility for their actions
Example
It’s important to **hold people accountable** for their mistakes.
idiom

follow through on

Meaning
to complete a task or promise as planned
Example
She always **follows through on** what she says she will do.
phrasal-verb

stand together for unity

Meaning
to join forces in promoting peace and mutual respect
Example
The nations **stood together for unity** during the summit.
idiom

better late than never

Meaning
it’s better to do something late than not do it at all
Example
**Better late than never** – he finally apologized.
idiom

work-life harmony

Meaning
a balanced and peaceful relationship between work and personal life
Example
She believes in maintaining **work-life harmony**.
phrasal-verb

mix with locals

Meaning
to socialize or interact with local people
Example
Students are encouraged to **mix with locals** to practice the language.