a long shot
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idiom

a long shot

Meaning
something that has a very small chance of success
Example
Winning the competition is **a long shot**, but we’ll try.
idiom

cross the bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to not worry about something until it happens
Example
We’ll **cross the bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

a heart-to-heart

Meaning
a sincere and open conversation
Example
We had **a heart-to-heart** about our future plans.
idiom

piece together

Meaning
to understand something by combining small details
Example
The detective tried to **piece together** what had happened that night.
idiom

nod off

Meaning
to fall asleep suddenly, especially when sitting
Example
He **nodded off** during the boring lecture.
idiom

a closed book

Meaning
something or someone that is difficult to understand
Example
He’s **a closed book** when it comes to his personal life.
idiom

throw a party

Meaning
to organize and host a celebration
Example
We’re going to **throw a party** for her birthday.
phrasal-verb

cry over

Meaning
to feel sad or complain about something that has already happened
Example
There's no point **crying over** spilled milk.
idiom

a light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
a sign that a situation will improve soon; hope in a difficult situation
Example
After months of hard work, she finally saw **a light at the end of the tunnel**.
idiom

eat humble pie

Meaning
to admit your mistake and apologize
Example
After blaming her friend, she had to **eat humble pie** when she realized she was wrong.
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

put into practice

Meaning
to use knowledge or skills in a real situation
Example
You should **put into practice** what you’ve learned in the course.
phrasal-verb

tap into potential

Meaning
to make use of your hidden strengths or abilities
Example
She finally learned how to **tap into potential** and succeed.
phrasal-verb

settle into peace

Meaning
to reach a state of inner calm and balance
Example
After journaling, I finally **settled into peace**.
phrasal-verb

bring in new ideas

Meaning
to introduce creative thoughts or plans
Example
Leaders should **bring in new ideas** to improve team performance.
idiom

Open a can of worms

Meaning
To start something that creates many new problems.
Example
By questioning the policy, he **opened a can of worms**.
idiom

sick to death of something

Meaning
extremely tired or annoyed by something
Example
I’m **sick to death of** listening to his complaints.
idiom

in full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or progress
Example
The dance rehearsal is **in full swing** before the big day.
idiom

open up about

Meaning
to share personal thoughts or feelings
Example
He finally **opened up about** the project stress.
idiom

debug the situation

Meaning
to analyze and solve a problem carefully; borrowed from programming
Example
We need to **debug the situation** before it gets worse.
idiom

rope off

Meaning
to block an area by using a rope or barrier
Example
Staff will **rope off** the wet floor for safety.
idiom

trial and error

Meaning
learning through experimenting and correcting mistakes
Example
We developed the product through **trial and error**.
idiom

True blue

Meaning
Loyal and trustworthy.
Example
You can count on her; she’s **true blue**.
idiom

on the spot

Meaning
to make a decision immediately
Example
He was asked to decide **on the spot**.
idiom

ring a bell

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can't remember where I heard it.
phrasal-verb

take off economically

Meaning
to start growing or improving rapidly
Example
After years of reform, the country's economy finally **took off economically**.
phrasal-verb

get back

Meaning
to return to a place; to recover something lost
Example
I hope you **get back** safely from your trip.
phrasal-verb

open up to courage

Meaning
to allow bravery and confidence to enter one’s mind
Example
She slowly **opened up to courage** after years of doubt.
phrasal-verb

knock down

Meaning
to hit someone or something and cause them to fall to the ground
Example
The car **knocked down** a cyclist on the busy road.
idiom

at peace with oneself

Meaning
feeling calm and accepting of oneself
Example
She felt **at peace with herself** after making the decision.
idiom

the smoking gun

Meaning
a piece of evidence that clearly proves guilt
Example
The email was **the smoking gun** in the corruption case.
idiom

run a tight ship

Meaning
to manage an organization or group efficiently and strictly
Example
The manager **runs a tight ship**, and everyone follows the rules.
idiom

to break the ice

Meaning
to start a friendly conversation in an awkward situation
Example
To **break the ice**, I told a joke.
idiom

a penny for your thoughts

Meaning
a way of asking someone what they are thinking about
Example
You look lost in thought — **a penny for your thoughts**?
phrasal-verb

bottle up

Meaning
to hide or control your emotions instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle up** his anger instead of talking about it.
phrasal-verb

listen with empathy

Meaning
to listen carefully and understand someone’s feelings
Example
You should **listen with empathy** when someone shares their pain.
idiom

a labor of love

Meaning
something done out of passion, not for money
Example
Building that model train was **a labor of love** for him.
phrasal-verb

carry forward your progress

Meaning
to continue developing based on what you have already achieved
Example
Always try to **carry forward your progress** to the next level.
phrasal-verb

talk past

Meaning
to fail to understand each other during a discussion
Example
We kept **talking past** each other instead of solving the issue.
idiom

have faith in someone

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
You should **have faith in** your team.
idiom

make a vow

Meaning
to make a serious promise or pledge
Example
They **made a vow** to stay together forever.
idiom

a flash in the pan

Meaning
something that seems promising at first but fails to deliver
Example
The peace talks were just **a flash in the pan**.
idiom

blow someone away

Meaning
to impress or surprise someone greatly
Example
Her performance really **blew me away**.
idiom

hang by a thread

Meaning
to be in a very dangerous or uncertain situation
Example
After the accident, his life was **hanging by a thread**.
idiom

weather the storm

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
Our company managed to **weather the storm** during the crisis.
phrasal-verb

throw together

Meaning
to assemble or prepare something quickly and without care
Example
They **threw together** a quick dinner before the guests arrived.
phrasal-verb

cut it out

Meaning
to stop doing something annoying or bad
Example
**Cut it out**! You’re being too noisy.
idiom

a game plan

Meaning
a strategy or plan of action
Example
We need a clear **game plan** before we start the meeting.
idiom

Make headlines

Meaning
To become an important news story
Example
Her sudden resignation **made headlines** across the country.
phrasal-verb

level emotions

Meaning
to stabilize one's emotional state; to avoid highs and lows
Example
He practices meditation daily to **level emotions**.
phrasal-verb

stand tall with courage

Meaning
to stay brave and optimistic in difficult situations
Example
He always **stands tall with courage** when facing failures.
phrasal-verb

knock off

Meaning
to stop working at the end of the day
Example
Let’s **knock off** early today and grab dinner together.
phrasal-verb

cut out on

Meaning
to eliminate something from your diet or routine
Example
My doctor told me to **cut out on** sugar to lose weight.
idiom

play both sides

Meaning
to support opposing parties to gain advantage
Example
Some lobbyists are known to **play both sides** of the issue.
idiom

take the fall

Meaning
to accept blame for something, often to protect others.
Example
He agreed to **take the fall** for the team’s mistake.
phrasal-verb

break up with

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship with someone
Example
He **broke up with** his girlfriend after three years of dating.
phrasal-verb

hand off context

Meaning
to give background information with a task
Example
Please **hand off context** when you reassign the ticket.
idiom

bat around

Meaning
to discuss ideas casually
Example
We spent the afternoon **batting around** marketing themes.
idiom

go up in smoke

Meaning
to fail completely; to come to nothing
Example
All his dreams **went up in smoke** after the deal collapsed.
idiom

Eager beaver

Meaning
A person who is very enthusiastic and eager to do something.
Example
She's an **eager beaver** who always volunteers for extra tasks.
idiom

ray of sunshine

Meaning
someone or something that brings happiness
Example
Her smile is like a **ray of sunshine** on a cloudy day.
phrasal-verb

bring down costs

Meaning
to reduce the expenses involved in trading or production
Example
New technologies help companies **bring down costs** of international logistics.
phrasal-verb

ask for

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

switch over

Meaning
to change from one system or option to another
Example
The team will **switch over** to the new software tonight.
idiom

get something off your chest

Meaning
to talk about something that has been worrying you
Example
I needed to **get it off my chest**, so I finally told her the truth.
idiom

As far as I can tell

Meaning
As I understand; based on what I know
Example
As far as I can tell, everything is fine.
idiom

break one's word

Meaning
to fail to keep a promise
Example
Don’t **break your word**; people rely on you.
phrasal-verb

brush up

Meaning
to clean or improve something; to review or practice
Example
He **brushed up** his teeth quickly before leaving for work.
phrasal-verb

refer to

Meaning
to mention or speak about something
Example
As I **referred to** earlier, this data comes from our annual survey.
phrasal-verb

get by in

Meaning
to manage to communicate in a language, though not perfectly
Example
She can **get by in** Italian, but she’s not fluent.
phrasal-verb

open out emotionally

Meaning
to start expressing feelings freely
Example
It took her months to **open out emotionally** after the breakup.
idiom

go nuclear

Meaning
to react very strongly or angrily
Example
When the data got deleted, the manager **went nuclear**.
phrasal-verb

wait your turn

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

viral content

Meaning
Content that spreads rapidly across the internet, usually through social media.
Example
The video went **viral** after being shared on Facebook.
idiom

see off

Meaning
to go with someone to say goodbye when they leave
Example
We’ll **see off** the guests at the station.
idiom

All for one and one for all

Meaning
Everyone in the group works together for the common good.
Example
In our company, we believe in the motto, **all for one and one for all**.
phrasal-verb

agree upon

Meaning
to reach a shared understanding or decision on something
Example
Both nations **agreed upon** a trade policy that benefits their people.
idiom

in so many words

Meaning
to say something clearly and directly
Example
He didn’t say it **in so many words**, but I knew what he meant.
idiom

AI arms race

Meaning
competition among companies or nations to lead in AI development
Example
Big tech companies are engaged in an **AI arms race**.
idiom

catch the train

Meaning
to be on time for a train or event
Example
Hurry up or you’ll not **catch the train**!
phrasal-verb

stay logged in

Meaning
to remain connected to an online account or platform
Example
You can **stay logged in** to avoid entering your password every time.
phrasal-verb

foster cooperation

Meaning
to encourage and develop mutual assistance or teamwork between nations
Example
The UN's goal is to **foster cooperation** among its members.
idiom

laugh your head off

Meaning
to laugh very loudly or uncontrollably
Example
The movie was so funny that we **laughed our heads off**.
phrasal-verb

move aside

Meaning
to step to the side to let someone or something pass
Example
Please **move aside** so the ambulance can go through.
idiom

a Eureka moment

Meaning
a moment of sudden discovery or realization
Example
He had **a Eureka moment** when he solved the equation.
idiom

A friend to all is a friend to none

Meaning
Someone who tries to please everyone may end up pleasing no one
Example
He is friendly to everyone, but he has no real close friends because **a friend to all is a friend to none**.
phrasal-verb

snap at

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

Carry the torch

Meaning
To continue supporting a cause or idea passed from the past.
Example
Young activists are **carrying the torch** of civil rights today.
phrasal-verb

rope in for

Meaning
to persuade someone to join an activity
Example
They **roped me in for** the weekend volunteer drive.
idiom

rise and shine

Meaning
wake up and start your day energetically
Example
**Rise and shine**, it’s a brand new day!
phrasal-verb

loosen out

Meaning
to relax muscles or body after strain
Example
Stretching helps you **loosen out** your body.
idiom

branch off

Meaning
to separate from a main route or line of development
Example
The hiking path will **branch off** near the lake.
idiom

Word on the street

Meaning
Common rumor or gossip
Example
The **word on the street** is that the CEO might resign soon.
phrasal-verb

adjust for change

Meaning
to make modifications to deal with new circumstances
Example
The manager asked everyone to **adjust for change** during the transition.
idiom

take it or leave it

Meaning
showing indifference about accepting or rejecting something
Example
That’s my final offer — **take it or leave it**.
phrasal-verb

drive innovation

Meaning
to lead or motivate creative progress
Example
The CEO’s vision helps **drive innovation** across all departments.
idiom

even out

Meaning
to make something level or balanced
Example
Stir the batter to **even out** the lumps.
idiom

word of honor

Meaning
a promise made with sincerity and integrity
Example
I give you my **word of honor** that I’ll be there.
idiom

step into someone's shoes

Meaning
to take on someone's role or responsibility
Example
She was able to **step into her boss's shoes** when he was on vacation.
idiom

jumpy as a cat

Meaning
easily frightened or nervous
Example
He’s been **jumpy as a cat** since the robbery.
idiom

trust your gut

Meaning
to follow your intuition or instincts
Example
When making big decisions, it’s often best to **trust your gut**.
idiom

taste of success

Meaning
to experience success for the first time
Example
After years of struggle, he finally got a **taste of success**.
phrasal-verb

hang out

Meaning
to spend time with someone socially
Example
Let’s **hang out** after work and grab some coffee.
phrasal-verb

stand aside

Meaning
to step to one side; to withdraw and let others take charge
Example
He **stood aside** to let her pass.
idiom

parcel out

Meaning
to divide and distribute something
Example
Let’s **parcel out** the tasks for the festival.
phrasal-verb

sink money into

Meaning
to invest a large amount of money in something that may not be profitable
Example
They **sank money into** a risky cryptocurrency venture.
idiom

rule with an iron fist

Meaning
to control people very strictly and harshly
Example
The dictator **ruled with an iron fist** for twenty years.
phrasal-verb

light up with joy

Meaning
to look suddenly happy or excited
Example
Her face **lit up with joy** when she saw her parents.
idiom

mind-blowing

Meaning
extremely surprising or amazing
Example
The view from the mountain was **mind-blowing**.
phrasal-verb

hand over money

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

fall back into

Meaning
to return to a previous state or habit
Example
He **fell back into** his old routine after the vacation.
phrasal-verb

go away

Meaning
to leave or disappear
Example
The pain will **go away** after a few hours.
idiom

cold shoulder

Meaning
to ignore someone deliberately
Example
After the argument, she gave him the **cold shoulder** for days.
idiom

to drop the ball

Meaning
to make a mistake; to fail at something important
Example
He really **dropped the ball** by forgetting the meeting.
idiom

Break a sweat

Meaning
To exert effort or work hard at something.
Example
She didn't even **break a sweat** while finishing the entire project in one day.
phrasal-verb

speak kindly to

Meaning
to use gentle and respectful words when talking to someone
Example
Always **speak kindly to** others even when you disagree.
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.
idiom

An arm and a leg

Meaning
Something that is very expensive.
Example
That new phone costs **an arm and a leg**, but it’s worth it.
phrasal-verb

show thanks for

Meaning
to display appreciation through words or actions
Example
She baked cookies to **show thanks for** her neighbor’s kindness.
idiom

spread kindness like wildfire

Meaning
to spread kindness rapidly and uncontrollably
Example
Her acts of kindness **spread like wildfire** in the community.
idiom

the letter of the law

Meaning
following the exact wording of the law
Example
He follows **the letter of the law**, not its spirit.