a political hot potato
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idiom

a political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial or sensitive political issue
Example
Immigration has become **a political hot potato** in the country.
phrasal-verb

set aside differences

Meaning
to ignore disagreements so cooperation can continue
Example
Partners **set aside differences** to finish the joint project.
idiom

rant and rave

Meaning
to shout and complain loudly
Example
He was **ranting and raving** about the bad service.
idiom

artificial genius

Meaning
an exceptionally smart system created by humans
Example
Chatbots have become the face of **artificial genius**.
phrasal-verb

add up to

Meaning
to result in a total amount; to make sense financially
Example
All these small expenses **add up to** a large amount by the end of the month.
phrasal-verb

bring on

Meaning
to cause something bad to happen; to make something start
Example
Lack of sleep can **bring on** headaches.
idiom

curtain call

Meaning
when performers return to the stage to receive applause
Example
After their amazing act, the team received a standing ovation during the **curtain call**.
idiom

shift gears

Meaning
to change one’s approach or activity
Example
We need to **shift gears** if we want to meet the deadline.
phrasal-verb

boost productivity

Meaning
to increase efficiency and output of workers or industries
Example
New technologies are helping factories **boost productivity**.
idiom

cross the ethical line

Meaning
to do something that is considered morally wrong in ethics
Example
Selling user data without permission **crosses the ethical line**.
phrasal-verb

make out to be

Meaning
to claim or pretend something about someone or something
Example
He’s not as rich as he **makes out to be**.
idiom

bury the lead

Meaning
to hide the most important part of the story
Example
Don’t **bury the lead**—mention the main point first.
idiom

A bright future lies ahead

Meaning
there is hope for success in the future
Example
With his talent and hard work, **a bright future lies ahead** for him.
phrasal-verb

check inside

Meaning
to examine your thoughts or motives before reacting
Example
Always **check inside** before you respond in anger.
phrasal-verb

set your mind on

Meaning
to decide to achieve something and focus on it
Example
Once she **set her mind on** becoming a doctor, nothing could stop her.
idiom

in harmony

Meaning
living or working together in peace and agreement
Example
They work **in harmony** to create a peaceful community.
idiom

down on one’s luck

Meaning
to be experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s **down on his luck** and can’t find a job.
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

off the wall

Meaning
unusual or unconventional
Example
His ideas are often **off the wall**, but they sometimes work.
idiom

data breach

Meaning
unauthorized access to confidential information
Example
The company suffered a major **data breach** last year.
idiom

have words with someone

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

hang up

Meaning
to end a phone call
Example
He suddenly **hung up** without saying goodbye.
phrasal-verb

mix with

Meaning
to socialize and talk with different people
Example
At the party, he tried to **mix with** everyone.
idiom

A goal without a plan is just a wish

Meaning
Having a goal without a clear plan makes it unlikely to succeed.
Example
Don’t just dream, remember **a goal without a plan is just a wish**.
idiom

To be thick as thieves

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

go back to the drawing board

Meaning
to start over again because the previous plan failed
Example
Our experiment failed, so we have to **go back to the drawing board**.
idiom

put one's foot in one's mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate
Example
He really **put his foot in his mouth** when he mentioned her ex-boyfriend.
idiom

big-hearted

Meaning
very kind and generous
Example
He is known as a **big-hearted** man.
phrasal-verb

set up for

Meaning
to prepare or arrange something for an event
Example
They started to **set up for** the cultural fair early in the morning.
phrasal-verb

phase in greener tech

Meaning
to introduce environmentally friendly technology gradually
Example
Factories **phase in greener tech** so upgrades don’t disrupt output.
phrasal-verb

team up across departments

Meaning
to collaborate with people from different teams
Example
We **team up across departments** to deliver the sustainability report.
phrasal-verb

let emotions show

Meaning
to express one’s true feelings openly
Example
He rarely **lets his emotions show**, even when he’s upset.
idiom

have a heavy heart

Meaning
to feel deep sadness or sorrow
Example
He left the city **with a heavy heart**.
idiom

note down

Meaning
to write something so you remember it
Example
Please **note down** the action items before we leave.
idiom

brush aside

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant
Example
Management **brushed aside** the rumors during the briefing.
phrasal-verb

coordinate efforts toward

Meaning
to organize actions to reach a common goal
Example
The organizations **coordinate efforts toward** sustainable economic growth.
idiom

thanks a million

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

space out

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

speak softly

Meaning
to talk in a gentle and quiet tone
Example
In public places, it’s polite to **speak softly**.
idiom

A Catch-22

Meaning
A dilemma or difficult situation from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting conditions.
Example
It’s a **Catch-22**—you can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job.
phrasal-verb

branch out internationally

Meaning
to expand your business activities into new countries
Example
Many local firms are trying to **branch out internationally** to increase their profits.
phrasal-verb

draw benefits from

Meaning
to gain advantages or profits through collaboration
Example
Both sides expect to **draw benefits from** this partnership.
phrasal-verb

log out of

Meaning
to exit a website or online account safely
Example
Don’t forget to **log out of** your account when you finish your class.
phrasal-verb

open up opportunities

Meaning
to create new chances or possibilities for learning or connection
Example
Understanding other cultures can **open up opportunities** for collaboration.
idiom

pull out all the stops

Meaning
to make every possible effort to achieve something
Example
The team **pulled out all the stops** to win the championship.
phrasal-verb

drop down

Meaning
to fall or descend to a lower level
Example
The temperature will **drop down** to five degrees tonight.
phrasal-verb

come up in

Meaning
to be mentioned or discussed in a conversation
Example
Your name **came up in** our meeting yesterday.
idiom

Plain sailing

Meaning
Something that is easy and without difficulty.
Example
Once we solved the main issue, the rest was **plain sailing**.
phrasal-verb

warm to someone

Meaning
to begin to like someone or feel friendly towards them
Example
She didn’t like him at first but slowly **warmed to him**.
idiom

blow your mind

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

hear something through the grapevine

Meaning
to hear news or rumors indirectly
Example
I **heard through the grapevine** that they are getting married.
idiom

on the warpath

Meaning
very angry and likely to argue or fight
Example
She was **on the warpath** after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

open up space for joy

Meaning
to make emotional room for happiness after pain
Example
After forgiving herself, she began to **open up space for joy**.
phrasal-verb

shop around for

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

light up at

Meaning
to show sudden happiness or excitement on your face
Example
His face **lit up at** the news of his promotion.
phrasal-verb

freeze up

Meaning
to become frozen or stop working due to cold
Example
The pipes might **freeze up** if the temperature drops too low.
idiom

mad as a hornet

Meaning
very angry
Example
She was **mad as a hornet** when she found her phone broken.
phrasal-verb

shine a light on

Meaning
to reveal information so people notice it
Example
Podcasts **shine a light on** local heroes balancing community work and study.
idiom

sow the seeds of something

Meaning
to begin a process that leads to a result
Example
His actions **sowed the seeds of** mistrust among the team.
phrasal-verb

die off

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

scare the life out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That horror movie **scared the life out of me**.
idiom

hit rock bottom

Meaning
to reach the lowest point of failure or depression
Example
After losing his job, he **hit rock bottom**.
phrasal-verb

glow with happiness

Meaning
to look very happy and healthy
Example
She **glowed with happiness** on her wedding day.
idiom

art for art’s sake

Meaning
art should be valued for its beauty and not for any moral or political purpose
Example
He believes in **art for art’s sake**, not propaganda.
idiom

Give it your best shot

Meaning
Try as hard as you can.
Example
Even if you fail, **give it your best shot**.
phrasal-verb

scroll through

Meaning
to move down or up a page to look at content
Example
I spent an hour **scrolling through** Instagram last night.
idiom

switch over

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

brag about

Meaning
to talk proudly about one’s or someone’s achievements
Example
He loves to **brag about** his team’s success.
idiom

head out

Meaning
to leave for a destination
Example
Let’s **head out** before the traffic gets heavy.
idiom

white hat

Meaning
a hacker who uses skills ethically to improve security
Example
**White hats** help companies identify and fix security flaws.
phrasal-verb

go without

Meaning
to not have or eat something, often because you choose to
Example
I can **go without** dessert tonight.
idiom

to firewall something

Meaning
to block or prevent access to something, typically used in the context of protecting a network or system
Example
We need **to firewall something** to protect our database from hackers.
idiom

off the rails

Meaning
to become uncontrolled or chaotic
Example
After his friend moved away, his life went **off the rails**.
idiom

set the example

Meaning
to model the behavior you expect from others
Example
The manager always tries to **set the example** by being punctual and hardworking.
idiom

call it a night

Meaning
to stop what you are doing and go home, especially after a party
Example
It’s getting late, let’s **call it a night**.
idiom

the life of the party

Meaning
a person who is lively, entertaining, and the center of attention at social gatherings
Example
Everyone loves Tom because he’s always **the life of the party**.
phrasal-verb

set against

Meaning
to compare one thing with another; to make someone oppose something
Example
Her parents are **set against** her studying abroad.
phrasal-verb

bring out the best in

Meaning
to help someone perform to their highest potential
Example
A great leader can **bring out the best in** their team members.
idiom

gear up for

Meaning
to prepare for something
Example
The engineers are **gearing up for** the final test run.
idiom

chip in for

Meaning
to contribute money toward a shared cost
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in for** a farewell cake.
phrasal-verb

step up to

Meaning
to take responsibility or initiative; to rise to a challenge
Example
When the manager resigned, she **stepped up to** take his place.
phrasal-verb

clean up

Meaning
to remove dirt or pollution from a place; to make something cleaner
Example
Volunteers came together to **clean up** the beach after the storm.
phrasal-verb

pump into

Meaning
to invest a large amount of money in something
Example
They **pumped into** the real estate sector during the boom years.
phrasal-verb

rise above fear

Meaning
to act bravely despite being afraid
Example
True courage means learning to **rise above fear**.
idiom

Sow the seeds

Meaning
To begin a process that will develop in the future.
Example
Her small donations **sowed the seeds** of a larger charity movement.
idiom

tell it like it is

Meaning
to speak honestly without sugarcoating
Example
She’s known for **telling it like it is**, even when the truth hurts.
idiom

The Scarlet Letter

Meaning
A symbol of shame or social stigma.
Example
In that conservative town, being divorced was like wearing **a Scarlet Letter**.
idiom

earn someone's trust

Meaning
to gain someone's confidence through actions
Example
You need to **earn their trust** before they open up.
phrasal-verb

reach out for balance

Meaning
to make an effort to create harmony in life
Example
He’s learning to **reach out for balance** between work and rest.
phrasal-verb

build upon feedback

Meaning
to use team feedback to improve or develop something
Example
We should **build upon feedback** from our colleagues.
idiom

every cloud has a silver lining

Meaning
every difficult situation has a hopeful aspect
Example
I was sad when I lost my job, but then I found a better one. **Every cloud has a silver lining**.
idiom

a whole new ball game

Meaning
a completely new or different situation; something that changes the way things are done.
Example
Starting a business from scratch is **a whole new ball game**.
idiom

jump down someone's throat

Meaning
to react angrily and criticize someone suddenly
Example
She **jumped down my throat** when I suggested a different approach.
phrasal-verb

reach back to

Meaning
to reconnect with someone from the past
Example
She decided to **reach back to** her old mentor for advice.
phrasal-verb

think back to

Meaning
to recall or remember something from the past
Example
I often **think back to** the lessons my parents taught me.
idiom

drive a hard bargain

Meaning
to be tough in making a deal or negotiation
Example
She always **drives a hard bargain** when negotiating contracts.
idiom

sit on the fence

Meaning
to avoid making a decision or choice
Example
You can't **sit on the fence** any longer, you need to choose a side.
phrasal-verb

clam up with

Meaning
to suddenly stop talking because of shyness or fear
Example
He **clammed up with** embarrassment when everyone stared at him.
idiom

make someone's day

Meaning
to make someone very happy
Example
Your message really **made my day**!
phrasal-verb

build alliances with

Meaning
to form partnerships or agreements with other groups or parties
Example
The party aims to **build alliances with** smaller political movements to strengthen its position.
phrasal-verb

slow your pace

Meaning
to move or work more slowly to reduce stress
Example
When I feel tense, I remind myself to **slow my pace** and take it easy.
idiom

a dark horse

Meaning
a person who keeps their skills or plans secret until an important moment
Example
Nobody expected her to win; she was **a dark horse**.
phrasal-verb

point out issues

Meaning
to identify or highlight problems or mistakes
Example
He was quick to **point out issues** in the project proposal.
idiom

Sail through something

Meaning
To do something easily or successfully.
Example
She **sailed through** her exams with top marks.
idiom

above board

Meaning
honest and legal; without deceit
Example
Their business deal was completely **above board**.
idiom

Get the message

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

to break out in a cold sweat

Meaning
to suddenly become very nervous or afraid
Example
I **broke out in a cold sweat** before giving my first public speech.
idiom

win hands down

Meaning
to win easily or convincingly
Example
Our team **won hands down** in the final match.
idiom

a political football

Meaning
an issue used by politicians for their own advantage
Example
Healthcare has become **a political football** in the country.
phrasal-verb

cool your nerves

Meaning
to calm yourself when feeling nervous or tense
Example
He took a short walk to **cool his nerves** before the interview.
idiom

lose sleep over something

Meaning
to worry a lot about something
Example
Don’t **lose sleep over** minor issues.
phrasal-verb

mark out

Meaning
to distinguish or define a special cultural space or event
Example
They **marked out** an area in the village square for the cultural exhibition.
idiom

bright future ahead

Meaning
having positive prospects or possibilities
Example
With your hard work, you have a **bright future ahead**.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
idiom

carry on about

Meaning
to speak at length in an excited or annoyed way
Example
He kept **carrying on about** the missed deadline all morning.
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.
phrasal-verb

transition through

Meaning
to pass through different phases of change smoothly
Example
The company managed to **transition through** restructuring with minimal disruption.
phrasal-verb

look within

Meaning
to examine your own feelings and motives
Example
To grow emotionally, you must **look within** yourself.
idiom

be lost for words

Meaning
to be so surprised that you cannot speak
Example
I was **lost for words** when I won the prize.
phrasal-verb

give in to

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

factor into

Meaning
to include something in your calculations or predictions about the future
Example
We must **factor into** our plans the possible rise in inflation.