a glimmer of hope
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idiom

a glimmer of hope

Meaning
a small sign of improvement or success in a difficult situation
Example
Even in the hardest times, he never gave up because there was always **a glimmer of hope**.
idiom

be at the helm

Meaning
to be in charge of or control something
Example
He was **at the helm** of the company when it became successful.
idiom

make a fuss

Meaning
to complain or get angry about something small or unimportant
Example
She always **makes a fuss** about her food being cold.
phrasal-verb

lay off workers

Meaning
to dismiss employees due to economic downturn
Example
Several companies had to **lay off workers** during the recession.
idiom

the ball is rolling

Meaning
a process has started and is making progress
Example
Now that **the ball is rolling**, we need to keep working.
idiom

blow your mind

Meaning
to impress or amaze someone greatly
Example
The new AI technology will **blow your mind**.
phrasal-verb

lie back

Meaning
to recline or rest in a relaxed position
Example
Just **lie back** and take a deep breath.
idiom

break free

Meaning
to escape from control or restriction
Example
She wanted to **break free** from her routine life.
phrasal-verb

post up

Meaning
to upload or share something online
Example
She **posted up** her vacation photos on Facebook.
phrasal-verb

hand off responsibility

Meaning
to transfer duties to another person
Example
Supervisors **hand off responsibility** when they rotate night shifts.
idiom

trust someone with your life

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
I’d **trust her with my life**.
idiom

Help each other out

Meaning
To assist one another, especially in difficult situations.
Example
During the project, we all had to **help each other out** to finish on time.
phrasal-verb

connect across

Meaning
to form relationships or communication across different regions or cultures
Example
The platform helps users **connect across** languages and borders.
phrasal-verb

catch at a chance

Meaning
to take an opportunity eagerly
Example
She **caught at the chance** to study abroad.
idiom

behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly without their knowledge
Example
She was talking about me **behind my back**.
idiom

as thick as two short planks

Meaning
very stupid or slow-witted
Example
He’s **as thick as two short planks**, bless him.
phrasal-verb

touch base

Meaning
to make contact with someone to update or confirm details
Example
Let’s **touch base** later this week to discuss the marketing plan.
phrasal-verb

bring into

Meaning
to include someone or something in an activity or situation
Example
We should **bring into** the discussion more experts on the subject.
idiom

beat oneself up

Meaning
to blame yourself too much for something
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up** over one mistake.
idiom

a man of vision

Meaning
a person who has foresight and imagination
Example
He is **a man of vision** who transformed the company.
phrasal-verb

give in to

Meaning
to yield or surrender to pressure or temptation
Example
The country refused to **give in to** international pressure.
idiom

the big picture

Meaning
the overall view or perspective of a situation
Example
It’s important to look at **the big picture** before making decisions.
phrasal-verb

stand out

Meaning
to be very noticeable; to be better than others
Example
Her bright dress really **stood out** at the party.
idiom

have words with someone

Meaning
to argue with someone verbally
Example
I **had words with** my boss about the new policy.
idiom

blow off steam

Meaning
to express anger or frustration so that you feel better
Example
He went for a run to **blow off steam** after the argument.
idiom

in deep water

Meaning
to be in serious trouble or difficulty
Example
He’s **in deep water** after missing the deadline again.
idiom

off the beaten path

Meaning
doing something unusual or original
Example
Her ideas are always **off the beaten path**.
idiom

feel on top of things

Meaning
feeling positive and in control of your life
Example
After organizing her tasks, she felt **on top of things**.
phrasal-verb

feel torn about

Meaning
to feel conflicted or regretful about a choice or decision
Example
I **feel torn about** leaving my hometown for work.
phrasal-verb

translate into action

Meaning
to turn ideas or words into practical steps or results
Example
We must **translate into action** the promises made in meetings.
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.
phrasal-verb

break down into

Meaning
to divide something into smaller parts
Example
Let's **break down** the project **into** smaller tasks.
idiom

machine learning to the rescue

Meaning
using machine learning algorithms to solve complex problems that humans can't easily handle
Example
When the data was too large for traditional methods, **machine learning to the rescue** helped us find patterns.
idiom

have a chip on your shoulder

Meaning
to be angry or resentful about something from the past
Example
He **has a chip on his shoulder** about being rejected.
idiom

a thing of the past

Meaning
something that no longer exists or happens
Example
With smartphones, landline phones are **a thing of the past**.
phrasal-verb

stand for yourself

Meaning
to defend your beliefs or actions confidently
Example
Always **stand for yourself** even when others disagree.
phrasal-verb

trade down for

Meaning
to swap for a simpler or cheaper alternative
Example
Some shoppers **trade down for** savings during slow months.
idiom

cloud computing

Meaning
the practice of using remote servers to store, manage, and process data over the internet
Example
Many businesses rely on **cloud computing** for data storage and security.
phrasal-verb

drive up inflation

Meaning
to cause prices to increase rapidly
Example
Rising fuel costs have **driven up inflation** in many countries.
idiom

fail fast, learn faster

Meaning
to quickly identify mistakes and use them as learning opportunities
Example
In startup culture, it’s encouraged to **fail fast, learn faster**.
idiom

Exactly!

Meaning
Used to strongly show agreement
Example
‘It’s time to move on.’ ‘**Exactly!**’
idiom

Flying blind

Meaning
To act without sufficient information or guidance.
Example
Without proper data, we're **flying blind** on this project.
idiom

a pain in the neck

Meaning
someone or something that is very annoying
Example
That constant noise from the construction site is **a pain in the neck**.
idiom

the grass is always greener on the other side

Meaning
other situations always seem better than your own
Example
**The grass is always greener on the other side**, but be grateful.
phrasal-verb

look on the bright side of things

Meaning
to focus on the positive aspects of a situation
Example
Try to **look on the bright side of things** when things go wrong.
idiom

earn your stripes

Meaning
to gain respect or recognition through hard work
Example
She really **earned her stripes** after managing that crisis.
phrasal-verb

fight back tears

Meaning
to try not to cry
Example
She **fought back tears** while saying goodbye.
phrasal-verb

branch out professionally

Meaning
to start doing something new or expand into a new area professionally
Example
After years in sales, he decided to **branch out professionally** into marketing.
phrasal-verb

raise consciousness about

Meaning
to make people more aware of an issue or cause
Example
The campaign aims to **raise consciousness about** climate change.
idiom

slip one's mind

Meaning
to forget something accidentally
Example
Sorry, it completely **slipped my mind** to call you.
idiom

lost in space

Meaning
confused or not paying attention
Example
He looked completely **lost in space** during the lecture.
phrasal-verb

play back

Meaning
to listen to or watch something that was previously recorded
Example
Let’s **play back** the scene to check if the sound was clear.
phrasal-verb

join in on

Meaning
to participate in a conversation or activity where experiences are being shared
Example
Feel free to **join in on** the discussion about travel memories.
phrasal-verb

sing along

Meaning
to sing together with a recording or performer
Example
Everyone **sang along** when the band played their favorite song.
idiom

to take the bull by the horns

Meaning
to confront a problem or challenge directly and with determination
Example
We need to **take the bull by the horns** and start making decisions now.
idiom

cliffhanger

Meaning
an ending that leaves the audience in suspense
Example
The episode ended on a **cliffhanger**, so we can’t wait for the next one.
phrasal-verb

shut out

Meaning
to prevent someone from being included in a conversation or activity
Example
She felt **shut out** of the team discussions.
idiom

The best things in life are worth waiting for

Meaning
The most valuable things take time and effort to achieve.
Example
Remember, **the best things in life are worth waiting for**.
phrasal-verb

crack down on corruption

Meaning
to take strong measures to stop corruption
Example
The new government promised to **crack down on corruption**.
phrasal-verb

lash out with frustration

Meaning
to suddenly express anger or frustration
Example
He **lashed out with frustration** after failing the exam.
phrasal-verb

ramp up production

Meaning
to increase the amount or level of production
Example
Factories are trying to **ramp up production** to meet growing demand.
idiom

blow someone's mind

Meaning
to amaze or astonish someone
Example
The magic show really **blew my mind**.
idiom

opt out

Meaning
to choose not to participate
Example
Employees can **opt out** of the program if they want.
phrasal-verb

start out

Meaning
to begin one’s career or business journey
Example
He **started out** as a small investor before becoming a venture capitalist.
phrasal-verb

be crazy about

Meaning
to love something or someone very much
Example
She’s **crazy about** Korean dramas.
idiom

it’s raining cats and dogs

Meaning
raining very heavily
Example
We can’t go out now; **it’s raining cats and dogs**.
phrasal-verb

step onto

Meaning
to move onto a surface by walking or climbing
Example
He **stepped onto** the stage confidently to deliver his speech.
idiom

Keep someone posted

Meaning
To keep someone informed about something.
Example
Please **keep me posted** about any updates.
idiom

feel like a new person

Meaning
to feel refreshed and healthy again
Example
After a good night’s sleep, I **feel like a new person**.
idiom

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
phrasal-verb

dig around

Meaning
to search or investigate something to find more information
Example
He started to **dig around** to find out the truth about the old house.
idiom

hit the panic button

Meaning
to react too quickly or nervously to a problem
Example
Don’t **hit the panic button** just because the server is down.
idiom

silver lining

Meaning
a positive aspect in a bad situation
Example
Every dark cloud has a **silver lining**.
phrasal-verb

find in

Meaning
to see or recognize a quality or feature in someone or something
Example
She **finds in** him a true friend she can trust.
phrasal-verb

give into

Meaning
to yield to temptation or pressure
Example
She finally **gave into** the temptation to eat chocolate.
phrasal-verb

link economies through

Meaning
to connect different economies via trade or investment
Example
The new corridor will **link economies through** improved infrastructure.
idiom

the way I see it

Meaning
used to express how one understands or interprets something
Example
**The way I see it**, we should try again.
phrasal-verb

feed your soul with joy

Meaning
to engage in activities that make you genuinely happy
Example
Spend time in nature to **feed your soul with joy**.
phrasal-verb

branch off into

Meaning
to start doing something different from your main work or area of expertise
Example
After several years in finance, he decided to **branch off into** consulting.
idiom

Keep fighting

Meaning
Continue striving; don’t give up.
Example
No matter what happens, just **keep fighting**.
idiom

rough patch

Meaning
a period of difficulty or trouble
Example
Their marriage went through a **rough patch** last year.
idiom

in the same boat

Meaning
to be in the same difficult situation as others
Example
We are all **in the same boat** with these challenges.
phrasal-verb

lay down guidelines

Meaning
to establish official rules or principles
Example
The economic council will **lay down guidelines** for fiscal discipline.
idiom

once in a while

Meaning
sometimes, but not very often
Example
I enjoy eating out **once in a while**, but I prefer home-cooked meals.
idiom

cut your teeth

Meaning
to gain initial experience in a particular area or job
Example
He **cut his teeth** in the banking industry before starting his own firm.
phrasal-verb

touch upon

Meaning
to mention a topic briefly and politely
Example
Let’s **touch upon** the topic of customer feedback before we end the meeting.
phrasal-verb

revise for

Meaning
to study something again before an exam
Example
I need to **revise for** my chemistry exam this weekend.
idiom

a blank page

Meaning
a new beginning; an opportunity to start fresh
Example
After graduation, she saw her life as **a blank page** waiting to be written.
phrasal-verb

stick around for

Meaning
to stay nearby or remain present, usually to spend more time together
Example
Why don’t you **stick around for** a while and have coffee with us?
phrasal-verb

reach milestones

Meaning
to achieve significant points of progress toward a goal
Example
By the end of the year, they had **reached all their milestones**.
idiom

playing the long game

Meaning
making decisions or taking actions with long-term objectives in mind
Example
The president is **playing the long game** by focusing on long-term foreign policy.
idiom

a quantum leap

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

think back

Meaning
to remember or reflect on something from the past
Example
When I **think back** to my first job, I realize how much I’ve grown.
idiom

call it a day

Meaning
to stop working for the day
Example
Let’s **call it a day** and go home.
idiom

as fresh as a daisy

Meaning
full of energy and not tired
Example
Even after the hike, she looked **as fresh as a daisy**.
idiom

go live

Meaning
to start broadcasting in real time on social media
Example
She plans to **go live** tonight to talk with her followers.
phrasal-verb

tune inward

Meaning
to focus attention on your inner feelings or thoughts
Example
She took a few minutes each day to **tune inward** and reflect on her emotions.
phrasal-verb

blow up at

Meaning
to lose your temper and shout at someone
Example
She **blew up at** her brother for being late again.
idiom

on one’s last legs

Meaning
to be near the end of one’s strength or life
Example
After the long hike, we were all **on our last legs**.
idiom

zero in

Meaning
to focus closely on something
Example
Our analysis should **zero in** on customer pain points.
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.
idiom

time will tell

Meaning
the future will reveal the outcome
Example
**Time will tell** whether this was the right decision.
idiom

off script

Meaning
to deviate from a prepared plan or speech
Example
During the meeting, he went **off script** and made some bold statements.
phrasal-verb

get away from

Meaning
to avoid unethical practices or situations
Example
We need to **get away from** these unfair business tactics.
idiom

face the consequences

Meaning
to accept the results of your actions, whether good or bad
Example
You will have to **face the consequences** of your actions.
idiom

bargain for

Meaning
to expect or plan for something
Example
The workload was more than we **bargained for**.
idiom

canary in the coal mine

Meaning
an early warning of potential danger
Example
Melting glaciers are the **canary in the coal mine** for climate change.
idiom

on the gravy train

Meaning
to be in a situation where one makes a lot of money with little effort
Example
He’s been riding **on the gravy train** since he took over the family business.
phrasal-verb

chase after dreams

Meaning
to actively pursue one's ambitions or desires
Example
He left his hometown to **chase after** his dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.
idiom

picture perfect

Meaning
completely flawless or ideal
Example
Their wedding day was **picture perfect**.
phrasal-verb

warm to

Meaning
to start feeling affection or liking toward someone
Example
She slowly **warmed to** the idea of sharing her story publicly.
phrasal-verb

live within

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

clear away

Meaning
to remove things to tidy a space
Example
Please **clear away** the dishes after lunch.
idiom

for what it’s worth

Meaning
used to introduce an opinion that may or may not be useful
Example
**For what it’s worth**, I think you did the right thing.
phrasal-verb

load up on

Meaning
to eat a lot of something, usually before an activity or event
Example
Athletes **load up on** carbs before a big game.
phrasal-verb

take over from

Meaning
to assume responsibility from someone else
Example
After my father retired, I **took over from** him in managing family affairs.
phrasal-verb

carry back to

Meaning
to take someone or something to a previous state or time
Example
This smell **carries me back to** my grandmother’s kitchen.
idiom

the teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone knows he’s **the teacher’s pet** in our class.
idiom

on one's shoulders

Meaning
having the responsibility or burden of something
Example
The success of the project is **on his shoulders**.
phrasal-verb

smooth over conflicts

Meaning
to reduce tension after a disagreement
Example
Leads **smooth over conflicts** by reminding everyone of the goal.
phrasal-verb

tie together

Meaning
to connect or combine different ideas or organizations into a single effort
Example
Their vision helps to **tie together** efforts from multiple NGOs.