A Jekyll and Hyde
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idiom

A Jekyll and Hyde

Meaning
A person with two very different sides to their personality.
Example
He’s like **a Jekyll and Hyde**—nice one moment and cruel the next.
phrasal-verb

side with

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument or conflict
Example
She always **sides with** her best friend in arguments.
idiom

pull at heartstrings

Meaning
to evoke strong emotions, usually sympathy or sadness, in an audience
Example
The charity’s commercial really **pulls at the heartstrings**.
phrasal-verb

ease into workouts

Meaning
to start exercise gently before increasing intensity
Example
I **ease into workouts** with stretching so my body feels ready.
idiom

A giant leap

Meaning
A significant advancement or achievement.
Example
Landing on the moon was **a giant leap** for mankind.
phrasal-verb

bridge over

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

turn in

Meaning
to submit something like an assignment or report
Example
Don’t forget to **turn in** your project by Friday.
phrasal-verb

step up investment

Meaning
to increase the amount of money put into projects or businesses
Example
Foreign companies are expected to **step up investment** in renewable energy.
idiom

key in

Meaning
to enter data using a keyboard or keypad
Example
Please **key in** your code before the door locks.
phrasal-verb

cut up

Meaning
to chop something into small pieces; to upset someone emotionally
Example
He **cut up** the vegetables before cooking.
idiom

hit a bump in the road

Meaning
to face a temporary problem or setback
Example
Our project **hit a bump in the road**, but we'll recover soon.
phrasal-verb

shop around for

Meaning
to compare prices or products before buying
Example
Many customers **shop around for** the best deals online.
idiom

keep your word

Meaning
to honor a promise or commitment
Example
You must always **keep your word** if you want to gain trust.
idiom

key in on

Meaning
to give focused attention to something specific
Example
The coach asked the team to **key in on** their defensive mistakes.
phrasal-verb

bring down barriers

Meaning
to remove obstacles between people or groups
Example
Education can **bring down barriers** between communities.
idiom

bring home the bacon

Meaning
to earn money to support the family
Example
He works hard every day to **bring home the bacon**.
idiom

throw your weight behind

Meaning
to support someone or something strongly
Example
The manager **threw his weight behind** the new proposal.
idiom

blow a fuse

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry or lose control
Example
He **blew a fuse** when he saw the mess.
phrasal-verb

keep your spirits up

Meaning
to stay cheerful and hopeful in tough times
Example
Even during stress, try to **keep your spirits up**.
phrasal-verb

hold steady

Meaning
to remain stable; to avoid fluctuation
Example
The national currency managed to **hold steady** despite market pressure.
phrasal-verb

work out a plan

Meaning
to develop or create a strategy through discussion
Example
The managers **worked out a plan** to improve productivity.
phrasal-verb

draw strength from

Meaning
to get courage or motivation from something or someone
Example
She **draws strength from** her past struggles.
phrasal-verb

cool down emotions

Meaning
to let intense feelings settle before responding
Example
We **cool down emotions** before tackling tough feedback.
phrasal-verb

work hand in hand with

Meaning
to cooperate closely with someone
Example
The design and development teams **work hand in hand with** each other to deliver quality results.
idiom

build one's confidence

Meaning
to increase one's self-assurance or belief in one's abilities
Example
Public speaking classes helped him **build his confidence**.
phrasal-verb

draw from

Meaning
to take or get something from a source
Example
Artists often **draw from** real life experiences.
phrasal-verb

hire on

Meaning
to employ or bring someone into a company
Example
They **hired on** two new developers to expand their product team.
idiom

power play

Meaning
a strategic move to gain or maintain control
Example
The alliance between the two countries is seen as a **power play**.
idiom

digital brainchild

Meaning
a product or idea created using digital or AI technology
Example
ChatGPT is the **digital brainchild** of OpenAI.
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.
phrasal-verb

merge into

Meaning
to combine or integrate into a single unit or system
Example
Regional economies are beginning to **merge into** a global network.
idiom

throw money down the drain

Meaning
to waste money on something useless
Example
Buying that fake brand bag was like **throwing money down the drain**.
idiom

key into

Meaning
to pay close attention to or understand something important
Example
Leaders must **key into** what customers value most.
idiom

upload your brain

Meaning
to transfer or store one’s thoughts, knowledge, or consciousness digitally
Example
One day we might be able to **upload our brain** into the cloud.
phrasal-verb

log in to

Meaning
to enter your username and password to access an account
Example
I can’t **log in to** my Instagram account right now.
phrasal-verb

hint at

Meaning
to suggest or imply something indirectly about the future
Example
The CEO’s comments **hint at** a possible expansion next year.
idiom

out of the box

Meaning
creative and different from usual ideas
Example
Her **out of the box** marketing strategy increased sales rapidly.
idiom

gray area

Meaning
a situation that is not clearly defined or falls between two categories
Example
AI surveillance laws still fall into a **gray area**.
idiom

stay composed

Meaning
to remain calm and not show emotion
Example
He **stayed composed** even when things went wrong.
idiom

bring down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad or to reduce something
Example
Don’t let one rude comment **bring down** your confidence.
idiom

warm up

Meaning
to prepare the body or mind for activity
Example
Let’s **warm up** before we dive into the rehearsal.
idiom

shoulder the burden

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
She had to **shoulder the burden** of caring for her family.
phrasal-verb

let down walls

Meaning
to stop being emotionally guarded
Example
It took time for her to **let down walls** and trust again.
idiom

space out

Meaning
to stop paying attention
Example
He tends to **space out** during long meetings.
phrasal-verb

move through

Meaning
to pass through or experience something from start to end
Example
We had to **move through** many challenges to succeed.
idiom

Economic engine

Meaning
A sector that drives overall economic growth.
Example
Manufacturing remains the **economic engine** of the nation.
idiom

behind bars

Meaning
in prison
Example
The murderer will spend the rest of his life **behind bars**.
phrasal-verb

tell off

Meaning
to scold someone angrily
Example
She **told off** her son for breaking the vase.
idiom

break down

Meaning
to start crying due to strong emotions
Example
She **broke down** when she heard the sad news.
B2 idiom

up in the air

Uncertain or undecided
Meaning
Uncertain or undecided
Example
The plans for the project are still up in the air.
The plans for the project are still up in the air.
phrasal-verb

put by

Meaning
to save money for the future
Example
She tries to **put by** a small amount every month.
phrasal-verb

follow along

Meaning
to keep up with or understand what is being said or shown
Example
The audience **followed along** as the journalist described the events.
phrasal-verb

benefit from

Meaning
to gain an advantage or profit through something
Example
Many developing nations **benefit from** global trade agreements.
phrasal-verb

step into your power

Meaning
to embrace your strength, potential, and confidence fully
Example
She finally decided to **step into her power** and take charge of her life.
idiom

thanks a million

Meaning
a very strong expression of gratitude
Example
You really helped me out, **thanks a million**!
phrasal-verb

bring in foreign investment

Meaning
to attract money from other countries for business or development
Example
The government is trying to **bring in foreign investment** to boost economic growth.
idiom

make your own luck

Meaning
to create opportunities for yourself through effort
Example
Don’t wait for miracles — **make your own luck**.
idiom

work up

Meaning
to gradually build courage, energy, or an appetite
Example
It took me a while to **work up** the courage to ask.
phrasal-verb

hand updates over

Meaning
to give the latest information to the next person responsible
Example
Shift leads **hand updates over** at the end of every afternoon.
phrasal-verb

target at

Meaning
to aim a product or message toward a specific group
Example
This advertisement is **targeted at** young professionals.
idiom

thick as thieves

Meaning
very close friends who share everything
Example
Those two are **thick as thieves**.
idiom

get to the bottom of something

Meaning
to understand or solve the real cause of something
Example
We need to **get to the bottom of this issue** to prevent it from happening again.
idiom

turn up the heat

Meaning
to increase pressure or intensity
Example
The scientists decided to **turn up the heat** on the experiment.
idiom

a few bricks short of a load

Meaning
a little stupid or crazy
Example
He tries hard, but he’s **a few bricks short of a load**.
phrasal-verb

focus forward

Meaning
to concentrate on future goals instead of past mistakes
Example
You should **focus forward** instead of worrying about what went wrong.
phrasal-verb

hold in check

Meaning
to control strong emotions before reacting
Example
He tried to **hold in check** his frustration during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

build ties with

Meaning
to establish or strengthen relationships with another country or group
Example
The new government aims to **build ties with** neighboring countries.
idiom

cut somebody some slack

Meaning
to not judge someone as severely as you usually would because they are having problems at the present time
Example
He's been under a lot of stress lately, so let's **cut him some slack**.
idiom

make someone's jaw drop

Meaning
to surprise or amaze someone greatly
Example
Her stunning dress **made everyone's jaw drop**.
phrasal-verb

cut someone off emotionally

Meaning
to stop communicating or showing feelings to someone
Example
After their argument, she **cut him off emotionally**.
idiom

war of words

Meaning
an argument or verbal conflict
Example
The two politicians engaged in a **war of words** on TV.
idiom

burning with envy

Meaning
feeling intense jealousy
Example
She was **burning with envy** when she heard about his promotion.
idiom

cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative
Example
Our company is working on **cutting edge** AI technology.
idiom

hold down

Meaning
to keep something at a low level
Example
It’s tough to **hold down** rent costs in this city.
phrasal-verb

get away from

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

put your shoulder to the wheel

Meaning
to start working hard on something
Example
Everyone needs to **put their shoulder to the wheel** to finish the project.
idiom

build from the ground up

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built their business from the ground up** with no investors.
phrasal-verb

go ahead

Meaning
to start or continue doing something
Example
If you’re ready, you can **go ahead** with your presentation.
idiom

big data

Meaning
Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.
Example
The company uses **big data** to improve customer experience.
phrasal-verb

speak for others

Meaning
to voice concerns on behalf of people who are absent
Example
Leaders should **speak for others** who aren't in the room.
idiom

At the drop of a hat

Meaning
Immediately; without hesitation.
Example
He’s ready to help **at the drop of a hat**.
phrasal-verb

mingle with

Meaning
to move around and talk to different people at a social event
Example
Try to **mingle with** new people at the party.
idiom

in over one’s head

Meaning
to be involved in something too difficult to handle
Example
He’s **in over his head** with this complex project.
idiom

shocked to the core

Meaning
deeply shocked or disturbed
Example
Everyone was **shocked to the core** by the tragedy.
phrasal-verb

keep after

Meaning
to remind or encourage someone to do something continuously
Example
Parents often **keep after** their children to do homework.
phrasal-verb

settle over

Meaning
to relax and let go of tension or emotional stress
Example
After a long day, I like to sit quietly and **settle over** my thoughts.
phrasal-verb

fact check against

Meaning
to verify information by comparing it with reliable sources
Example
Journalists **fact check against** official records to avoid errors.
phrasal-verb

get off

Meaning
to leave a bus, train, or plane
Example
We **got off** the train at the wrong station.
phrasal-verb

put aside funds

Meaning
to save money for a specific purpose
Example
The company decided to **put aside funds** for future emergencies.
phrasal-verb

get into

Meaning
to start enjoying or developing an interest in something
Example
He recently **got into** yoga to improve his flexibility.
phrasal-verb

give thanks to

Meaning
to express gratitude or appreciation toward someone
Example
We should always **give thanks to** those who help us in tough times.
idiom

love at first sight

Meaning
to fall in love immediately after meeting someone for the first time
Example
It was **love at first sight** when they met in college.
phrasal-verb

project out

Meaning
to estimate or predict future results based on current data
Example
Economists **project out** the country's GDP growth for the next decade.
idiom

zoom in

Meaning
to focus closely on something
Example
Use the report to **zoom in** on customer trends.
idiom

at the end of the day

Meaning
when everything is considered; ultimately
Example
**At the end of the day**, teamwork solved the problem.
idiom

Speak the truth

Meaning
To tell the truth without lying.
Example
She decided to **speak the truth** no matter what the consequences were.
idiom

kindred spirit

Meaning
someone who has similar interests or feelings
Example
We became friends because we’re **kindred spirits**.
phrasal-verb

pour into

Meaning
to invest large amounts of money into something
Example
Investors are **pouring into** renewable energy projects.
phrasal-verb

bring off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
He **brought off** a surprise victory in the competition.
idiom

answer the call

Meaning
to respond to a responsibility or opportunity
Example
He was ready to **answer the call** and take charge of the project.
phrasal-verb

hype up

Meaning
to promote or exaggerate something to create excitement
Example
The media **hyped up** the movie before its release.
phrasal-verb

hold emotions in

Meaning
to avoid expressing what you really feel
Example
He **holds his emotions in** because he fears being judged.
idiom

Keep one’s eye on the ball

Meaning
To stay focused on achieving a goal.
Example
If you **keep your eye on the ball**, you’ll surely succeed.
phrasal-verb

comment back

Meaning
to reply to someone’s comment online
Example
She always **comments back** to her followers.
idiom

once in a blue moon

Meaning
very rarely
Example
I only see him **once in a blue moon**.
idiom

feel the pinch

Meaning
to have financial difficulties; to feel short of money
Example
With rising prices, many families are starting to **feel the pinch**.
phrasal-verb

ask for

Meaning
to request something
Example
You should **ask for** help if you can’t finish the task.
idiom

cash in on

Meaning
to profit from a situation, often quickly
Example
Several startups tried to **cash in on** the sudden trend.
idiom

run out of steam

Meaning
to lose energy or enthusiasm
Example
After working all day, I completely **ran out of steam**.
idiom

cry your heart out

Meaning
to cry a lot due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

move up the ranks

Meaning
to be promoted to higher positions over time
Example
He started as an assistant but quickly **moved up the ranks**.
idiom

A team player

Meaning
Someone who works well with others in a group.
Example
John is **a team player** who always supports his colleagues.
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

stay balanced

Meaning
to maintain emotional stability and not overreact
Example
Try to **stay balanced** no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

band up for

Meaning
to unite as a group to achieve a common economic goal
Example
Several small countries **banded up for** regional cooperation.
phrasal-verb

bring down trade barriers

Meaning
to reduce or remove obstacles that limit international trade
Example
Efforts are being made to **bring down trade barriers** between neighboring countries.
idiom

Ask a million questions

Meaning
To be extremely curious and ask many questions.
Example
Kids often **ask a million questions** about everything.
phrasal-verb

move back

Meaning
to return to a place where you lived before
Example
After years abroad, he decided to **move back** to his hometown.
idiom

bring down the house

Meaning
to get an enthusiastic applause from the audience
Example
Her solo performance **brought down the house**.
phrasal-verb

key up

Meaning
to make someone feel nervous or excited
Example
She was **keyed up** before her first performance.
idiom

word gets around

Meaning
news or gossip spreads among people
Example
Be careful—**word gets around** quickly in this office.