a cut above
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

a cut above

Meaning
better than others; superior in quality or ability
Example
Her work is **a cut above** the rest.
idiom

under the knife

Meaning
to have surgery
Example
She has to go **under the knife** for her knee problem.
phrasal-verb

find against

Meaning
to decide that someone is wrong or guilty
Example
The judge **found against** the company for breaking the contract.
phrasal-verb

go wild

Meaning
to behave in an extremely excited or enthusiastic way
Example
The crowd **went wild** when the team scored the goal.
phrasal-verb

go back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
I have to **go back** to the office now.
idiom

speaking for myself

Meaning
stating one’s personal opinion only, not others’
Example
**Speaking for myself**, I think we should wait.
phrasal-verb

hold up under pressure

Meaning
to remain strong and calm when under stress or pressure
Example
She always **holds up under pressure** and performs her best.
idiom

point the finger

Meaning
to accuse or blame someone
Example
Don’t **point the finger** until you have all the facts.
phrasal-verb

plant out

Meaning
to put young plants into the ground to grow
Example
The students **planted out** hundreds of trees on Earth Day.
idiom

cut through the noise

Meaning
to stand out from the competition; to be noticed despite distractions
Example
Our campaign needs to **cut through the noise** and grab people’s attention.
idiom

pumped up

Meaning
full of energy and excitement
Example
He was **pumped up** before the big presentation.
idiom

Don’t give up hope

Meaning
Keep believing that things will get better.
Example
**Don’t give up hope**, miracles can happen any time.
idiom

I couldn’t agree more

Meaning
To completely agree with someone
Example
That’s exactly what I was thinking — **I couldn’t agree more**.
idiom

one in a million

Meaning
very special or rare
Example
Her kindness makes her **one in a million**.
idiom

keep the fire burning

Meaning
to stay motivated and passionate about something
Example
Even after failure, he managed to **keep the fire burning**.
phrasal-verb

hold steady at

Meaning
to remain stable at a certain level or value
Example
The country's inflation rate has **held steady at** 5% for the past six months.
phrasal-verb

bond through

Meaning
to form a close relationship by sharing experiences or emotions
Example
We **bonded through** our shared struggles in college.
phrasal-verb

ramp up to

Meaning
to increase or intensify effort or production to recover or meet demand
Example
Factories **ramped up to** meet the rising post-crisis demand.
phrasal-verb

work toward equality

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve fairness and equal opportunities
Example
International organizations continue to **work toward equality** for all genders.
phrasal-verb

mentor others in

Meaning
to guide and support less experienced people
Example
Senior employees are encouraged to **mentor others in** their department.
idiom

chart a new course

Meaning
to plan a new direction or strategy
Example
After the crisis, the CEO decided to **chart a new course**.
idiom

get a pat on the back

Meaning
to receive praise or recognition for something good
Example
He **got a pat on the back** for completing the project early.
idiom

Make a clean break

Meaning
To completely separate from something or someone, often for a fresh start.
Example
He decided to **make a clean break** from his old habits.
phrasal-verb

cut in line

Meaning
to move ahead of others waiting in a queue
Example
It’s considered rude to **cut in line** at the counter.
idiom

a bone of contention

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

early bird

Meaning
a person who wakes up or arrives early
Example
She’s always the **early bird** at the office.
phrasal-verb

fall into routine

Meaning
to become accustomed to a regular way of working
Example
After a few weeks, the new hires **fell into routine** easily.
idiom

lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden moment of realization or inspiration
Example
He had a **lightbulb moment** when he figured out how to fix the code.
phrasal-verb

disagree with

Meaning
to have a different opinion from someone else
Example
I respectfully **disagree with** your conclusion.
idiom

hand in

Meaning
to submit something to someone in authority
Example
Please **hand in** your assignment by Friday morning.
phrasal-verb

zone back in

Meaning
to regain focus after being distracted
Example
After taking a short walk, I **zoned back in** and finished the report.
phrasal-verb

roll feedback into

Meaning
to incorporate comments into the next version
Example
Designers **roll feedback into** the doc before sharing again.
phrasal-verb

look into research

Meaning
to study or investigate something deeply
Example
You need to **look into research** materials before writing your paper.
idiom

Take my word for it

Meaning
Trust what I am saying; believe me.
Example
**Take my word for it**, this method really works.
phrasal-verb

phase in recovery

Meaning
to introduce recovery measures gradually over time
Example
The government decided to **phase in recovery** policies to avoid economic shocks.
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.
phrasal-verb

give way

Meaning
to collapse; to yield under pressure
Example
The old bridge **gave way** during the heavy storm.
phrasal-verb

wind down from

Meaning
to relax after finishing something intense
Example
We **wind down from** deadlines with a quick walk outside.
idiom

turn the tables

Meaning
to reverse a situation and gain the upper hand
Example
They were losing, but managed to **turn the tables** in the final round.
phrasal-verb

come off medication

Meaning
to stop taking medicine
Example
He **came off** his medication after feeling better.
phrasal-verb

get along across

Meaning
to have a friendly relationship across different backgrounds
Example
He can easily **get along across** cultures because he is open-minded.
idiom

Catch on

Meaning
To begin to understand something.
Example
It took him a while to **catch on** to the new rules.
idiom

keep a stiff upper lip

Meaning
to not show your emotions in difficult situations
Example
Even after losing the match, the team **kept a stiff upper lip**.
phrasal-verb

sell out

Meaning
to have no more of something to sell
Example
The new iPhones **sold out** in just two hours.
phrasal-verb

step back from tension

Meaning
to distance yourself from a stressful situation to regain perspective
Example
Sometimes it's best to **step back from tension** and reassess things calmly.
phrasal-verb

blow apart emotionally

Meaning
to lose control because of overwhelming emotion
Example
After the breakup, she **blew apart emotionally** for weeks.
idiom

jump out of one’s skin

Meaning
to be extremely excited or surprised
Example
I almost **jumped out of my skin** when I saw my old friend after years.
phrasal-verb

work around challenges

Meaning
to find a way to deal with or bypass difficulties during change
Example
We had to **work around challenges** to complete the migration.
phrasal-verb

eat in

Meaning
to have a meal at home or at the hotel instead of going out
Example
We were too tired to go out, so we decided to **eat in**.
phrasal-verb

press ahead with confidence

Meaning
to move forward positively despite difficulties
Example
We must **press ahead with confidence** even if challenges arise.
phrasal-verb

stabilize currency

Meaning
to prevent large fluctuations in the value of a currency
Example
Central banks intervene to **stabilize currency** during financial crises.
idiom

drill down

Meaning
to examine something in greater detail
Example
We need to **drill down** into the survey responses.
idiom

sift out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from a mix
Example
We need to **sift out** duplicate entries in the list.
idiom

truth will out

Meaning
the truth will eventually be revealed
Example
You can’t hide it forever; **truth will out**.
idiom

keep your nose clean

Meaning
to stay out of trouble; to behave properly
Example
He’s been **keeping his nose clean** since he got that new job.
phrasal-verb

center yourself

Meaning
to find balance and emotional calm within yourself
Example
Meditation helps her **center herself** when she feels stressed.
idiom

fall back on

Meaning
to rely on something when the first option fails
Example
If the deal falls through, we’ll **fall back on** our backup plan.
phrasal-verb

let yourself go

Meaning
to relax and enjoy without worrying
Example
Sometimes you need to **let yourself go** and stop overthinking.
idiom

a figure of speech

Meaning
a phrase used in a non-literal way for effect or emphasis
Example
When he said he could eat a horse, it was just **a figure of speech**.
idiom

cream of the crop

Meaning
the best of a group; the finest selection
Example
These students are the **cream of the crop**.
idiom

Get the message

Meaning
To understand what someone is trying to say.
Example
After his silence, she finally **got the message**.
phrasal-verb

learn by

Meaning
to gain knowledge or skill through a specific way or method
Example
Many people **learn by** making mistakes and correcting them.
idiom

in my book

Meaning
according to one’s own opinion or standards
Example
**In my book**, honesty comes first.
idiom

a mind is a terrible thing to waste

Meaning
it is a waste not to use your mental abilities
Example
You should keep learning, **a mind is a terrible thing to waste**.
idiom

wise beyond his years

Meaning
showing maturity or wisdom greater than expected for one’s age
Example
Even as a child, he was **wise beyond his years**.
idiom

free as a bird

Meaning
completely free; without restrictions
Example
After leaving his job, he felt **free as a bird**.
phrasal-verb

soak up

Meaning
to absorb and enjoy an experience fully
Example
We sat by the sea to **soak up** the peaceful atmosphere.
idiom

gloss over

Meaning
to avoid mentioning unpleasant details
Example
The report tries to **gloss over** the budget cuts.
idiom

Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Meaning
The simplest version of a product used to test an idea.
Example
We launched an **MVP** to get feedback before the full version.
idiom

draw attention

Meaning
to make people notice something
Example
The bright colors **draw attention** to the poster.
idiom

roll with

Meaning
to adapt to changes or challenges easily
Example
The team had to **roll with** several last-minute changes to the schedule.
idiom

bite the bullet

Meaning
to decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating about
Example
I decided to **bite the bullet** and finish my homework.
phrasal-verb

prep for

Meaning
to get yourself ready for something
Example
I like to **prep for** big presentations the night before.
idiom

breaking the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation where no progress is being made
Example
The negotiation team succeeded in **breaking the deadlock**.
idiom

Caught on camera

Meaning
Recorded on video; captured visually
Example
The accident was **caught on camera** by a passerby.
idiom

a quantum leap

Meaning
a big and sudden improvement
Example
This discovery is **a quantum leap** in medical research.
phrasal-verb

do someone in

Meaning
to kill or exhaust someone
Example
The long hike really **did me in**.
phrasal-verb

log back on

Meaning
to reconnect to a website or system after logging off
Example
If your session expires, just **log back on** to continue.
idiom

call a spade a spade

Meaning
to speak honestly and directly, even if it’s unpleasant
Example
She always **calls a spade a spade**, no matter who gets offended.
idiom

blood, sweat, and tears

Meaning
great effort and hard work
Example
Building this company took a lot of **blood, sweat, and tears**.
idiom

drop your guard

Meaning
to relax your vigilance or become less careful
Example
Never **drop your guard** when dealing with competitors.
idiom

steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to look or feel extremely angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** after the argument.
idiom

hit the gas

Meaning
to accelerate; to move faster
Example
He **hit the gas** to catch the green light.
phrasal-verb

carry on through

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

empty promise

Meaning
a promise made without the intention to keep it
Example
Politicians often make **empty promises** during elections.
idiom

space out

Meaning
to stop paying attention
Example
He tends to **space out** during long meetings.
idiom

A nest egg

Meaning
A sum of money saved for the future or retirement.
Example
He built up a **nest egg** for his children's education.
phrasal-verb

motivate toward

Meaning
to inspire someone to move or act toward a goal
Example
Effective leaders **motivate toward** shared goals.
phrasal-verb

let down

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

thrill to

Meaning
to feel great excitement or pleasure from something
Example
The audience **thrilled to** the singer’s performance.
idiom

Fall into the same trap

Meaning
to make the same mistake again, often due to not learning from previous experiences
Example
She **fell into the same trap** by trusting him again.
idiom

food for thought

Meaning
something that makes you think seriously
Example
His comment gave me **food for thought**.
phrasal-verb

run over budget

Meaning
to spend more money than was planned
Example
The construction project **ran over budget** by nearly 20%.
phrasal-verb

talk it through

Meaning
to discuss your worries or feelings with someone to find relief
Example
It often helps to **talk it through** with someone who listens without judging.
phrasal-verb

beam at

Meaning
to give a big, happy smile to someone
Example
He **beamed at** his friends during the celebration.
phrasal-verb

throw in

Meaning
to add something extra for free; to include casually
Example
The seller **threw in** a free cover with the phone.
phrasal-verb

drive up with

Meaning
to increase results by using a particular lever
Example
They **drive up with** targeted ads during festival weeks.
idiom

Nero fiddled while Rome burned

Meaning
To ignore a crisis or serious situation while doing something trivial.
Example
The leader was accused of **fiddling while Rome burned** during the economic collapse.
idiom

back each other up

Meaning
to support and help one another
Example
In a good team, members always **back each other up**.
idiom

think tank

Meaning
a group of experts developing new ideas or policies
Example
The **think tank** proposed innovative educational reforms.
phrasal-verb

live within

Meaning
to spend only as much money as you earn
Example
It's important to **live within** your means.
phrasal-verb

share in wins

Meaning
to celebrate successes together with others
Example
We **share in wins** with a quick shout-out during standups.
phrasal-verb

freak out about

Meaning
to become very anxious or upset about something
Example
People often **freak out about** deadlines and performance reviews.
idiom

take it to the next level

Meaning
to improve something significantly; to advance to a higher stage
Example
We plan to **take our business to the next level** this year.
phrasal-verb

bridge over

Meaning
to reduce differences or connect people from different cultures
Example
Cultural exchange programs help **bridge over** misunderstandings between nations.
idiom

back up

Meaning
to support or to make a copy of important data
Example
Can you **back up** my explanation during the meeting?
phrasal-verb

move towards

Meaning
to make progress in the direction of something
Example
The company is **moving towards** a more sustainable model.
idiom

ease off

Meaning
to gradually become less strong or intense
Example
The rain should **ease off** by evening.
phrasal-verb

meet up

Meaning
to get together with someone for an arranged meeting
Example
Let’s **meet up** at the cafe before heading to the concert.
idiom

climb the corporate ladder

Meaning
to advance in one’s career or position in a company
Example
He worked hard to **climb the corporate ladder**.
idiom

Move fast and break things

Meaning
To innovate quickly, even if mistakes happen along the way.
Example
Our CEO encourages us to **move fast and break things** to stay ahead of competitors.
idiom

make up for

Meaning
to compensate for something
Example
We’ll **make up for** the delay with extra support.
idiom

Frankenstein’s monster

Meaning
A creation that turns against its creator.
Example
Social media became a **Frankenstein’s monster** for its inventors.
phrasal-verb

put on

Meaning
to organize or present an event or show
Example
The community decided to **put on** a music festival to celebrate their culture.
phrasal-verb

branch into innovation

Meaning
to expand into creative or innovative areas
Example
The company plans to **branch into innovation** through new tech solutions.
phrasal-verb

set out for success

Meaning
to begin a journey or plan with the goal of achieving success
Example
She **set out for success** by creating a clear vision and staying disciplined.
phrasal-verb

let tension out

Meaning
to release built-up stress or pressure
Example
Exercise helps you **let tension out** after a tough day.
idiom

stretch the truth

Meaning
to exaggerate or make something seem more important than it is
Example
He sometimes **stretches the truth** to impress people.
phrasal-verb

turn pain into purpose

Meaning
to use one’s suffering as motivation for positive action
Example
She managed to **turn her pain into purpose** by helping others heal.
idiom

show one's true colors

Meaning
to reveal one's true character or feelings, often after a period of hiding them
Example
He finally **showed his true colors** when he volunteered at the charity event.
phrasal-verb

buckle up

Meaning
to fasten your seatbelt for safety
Example
Don’t forget to **buckle up** before the car moves.