a slip of the tongue
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idiom

a slip of the tongue

Meaning
a spoken mistake; saying something unintentionally
Example
It was just **a slip of the tongue**, I didn’t mean to offend you.
idiom

grow into

Meaning
to gradually become more capable or skilled at something
Example
He will eventually **grow into** the role of manager.
idiom

bust someone

Meaning
to arrest or catch someone doing something illegal
Example
The officer was able to **bust someone** for selling drugs.
phrasal-verb

reach consensus on

Meaning
to agree collectively on an issue after discussion
Example
Delegates finally **reached consensus on** the new global trade policy.
idiom

move with the times

Meaning
to change and adapt as things in society or technology change
Example
Businesses must **move with the times** to stay relevant.
phrasal-verb

cut down public spending

Meaning
to reduce government expenses to stabilize the economy
Example
The finance minister decided to **cut down public spending** to reduce debt.
idiom

set the stage for

Meaning
to make something possible or likely to happen later
Example
This meeting will **set the stage for** future cooperation.
phrasal-verb

learn to accept

Meaning
to come to terms with failure as part of life
Example
You must **learn to accept** failure if you want to succeed.
idiom

hit the roof

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
Dad will **hit the roof** when he sees the broken window.
idiom

boot up

Meaning
to start a computer or system
Example
My laptop takes forever to **boot up**.
idiom

a weight on your shoulders

Meaning
a heavy burden or responsibility causing stress
Example
Running the company alone is **a weight on his shoulders**.
idiom

Meet your Waterloo

Meaning
To face a final and decisive defeat.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo** when sales plummeted.
phrasal-verb

coordinate across borders

Meaning
to organize efforts with people in different countries
Example
We **coordinate across borders** to keep the partnership moving smoothly.
idiom

follow through on

Meaning
to complete a task or promise as planned
Example
She always **follows through on** what she says she will do.
idiom

split personality

Meaning
having two very different sides to one's character
Example
He’s got a **split personality**—sometimes kind, sometimes cruel.
idiom

rock the boat

Meaning
to cause problems or upset a stable situation
Example
Everything is going well, so let's not **rock the boat** with unnecessary changes.
idiom

a stepping stone

Meaning
an event or experience that helps one to progress
Example
This internship was **a stepping stone** to my career.
idiom

a walking encyclopedia

Meaning
a person who knows a lot about many subjects
Example
Ask him anything about history—he’s **a walking encyclopedia**.
idiom

ground control

Meaning
authority or people managing a situation
Example
In this project, Sarah is **ground control**.
idiom

lighten up

Meaning
to stop being so serious or stressed
Example
Come on, **lighten up**! It’s just a joke.
phrasal-verb

care for

Meaning
to look after someone who is sick or in need
Example
He **cares for** his elderly parents every day.
idiom

cut back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something
Example
We’re trying to **cut back on** eating out during the week.
phrasal-verb

scroll back

Meaning
to move up to view older posts or messages
Example
I **scrolled back** to see our old conversation.
idiom

change your tune

Meaning
to change your opinion or attitude
Example
He criticized the plan at first but later **changed his tune**.
phrasal-verb

follow through on goals

Meaning
to complete tasks or commitments that one starts
Example
To grow professionally, you must **follow through on goals**.
phrasal-verb

bring up with

Meaning
to mention a topic or issue to someone for discussion
Example
I decided to **bring up** the issue **with** my manager during our weekly meeting.
phrasal-verb

drift off

Meaning
to gradually fall asleep
Example
She **drifted off** while reading a book.
phrasal-verb

ground yourself before speaking

Meaning
to center your emotions so you can communicate steadily
Example
I **ground myself before speaking** in tense meetings by noting three positives.
phrasal-verb

grow up with

Meaning
to spend your childhood with someone
Example
I **grew up with** my cousins in the same house.
phrasal-verb

blast out

Meaning
to play music very loudly
Example
The neighbors were **blasting out** heavy metal all night.
phrasal-verb

cool down from

Meaning
to relax and recover from emotional or physical stress
Example
She needed time to **cool down from** the heated discussion.
idiom

give the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to trust someone even though you may not have all the facts
Example
Even though she was late, I decided to **give her the benefit of the doubt** and not get upset.
idiom

Burn the bridges

Meaning
to destroy the possibility of returning to a previous situation
Example
Once he left the company, he decided to **burn the bridges** and not look back.
idiom

surf the net

Meaning
to browse or explore websites on the internet
Example
I usually **surf the net** before going to bed.
idiom

talk over

Meaning
to discuss something thoroughly
Example
Let’s **talk over** the proposal before we send it.
phrasal-verb

move along

Meaning
to continue going; to tell someone to keep moving
Example
The police asked the crowd to **move along** and not block the road.
idiom

keep your eyes on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal despite difficulties
Example
Even during tough times, she **kept her eyes on the prize**.
idiom

iron out the kinks

Meaning
to resolve small problems or imperfections
Example
We’ll **iron out the kinks** before launch day.
idiom

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
phrasal-verb

cut expenses

Meaning
to lower the total amount of money spent
Example
He managed to **cut expenses** by cooking at home instead of eating out.
phrasal-verb

carry back

Meaning
to remind someone of something from the past
Example
That song **carried me back** to my childhood days.
idiom

get a degree

Meaning
to complete a formal education program
Example
She worked hard to **get a degree** in engineering.
idiom

tear-jerker

Meaning
something that makes you cry, especially a movie or story
Example
That movie was such a **tear-jerker**.
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

Jump in at the deep end

Meaning
to take on a difficult task without preparation
Example
I had to **jump in at the deep end** when I started my new job.
idiom

Go for it

Meaning
To try to achieve something with confidence.
Example
If you really want that job, **go for it**!
idiom

bored to death

Meaning
extremely bored
Example
I was **bored to death** during the long lecture.
phrasal-verb

hold onto hope

Meaning
to keep believing that good things will happen
Example
No matter how hard life gets, always **hold onto hope**.
idiom

at the end of your rope

Meaning
to be extremely frustrated and have no patience left
Example
After dealing with delays all day, she was **at the end of her rope**.
phrasal-verb

take interest in

Meaning
to show curiosity or enthusiasm about something
Example
He started to **take interest in** local traditions after moving abroad.
phrasal-verb

base on

Meaning
to use something as a foundation or starting point
Example
The conclusion is **based on** reliable evidence.
phrasal-verb

act out over stress

Meaning
to behave badly because pressure feels overwhelming
Example
Kids sometimes **act out over stress** when parents pack for long trips.
phrasal-verb

rise above negativity

Meaning
to not let negative emotions or situations affect you
Example
She tried to **rise above negativity** and stay positive.
idiom

trust someone as far as you can throw them

Meaning
to not trust someone much
Example
I wouldn’t **trust him as far as I can throw him**.
phrasal-verb

fill the gap

Meaning
to make up for something that is missing or lacking
Example
International aid aims to **fill the gap** in education and healthcare.
phrasal-verb

carve your path

Meaning
to create your own way or direction in life or career
Example
He decided to **carve his path** instead of following others.
phrasal-verb

talk through emotions

Meaning
to discuss your feelings in order to understand or manage them
Example
It helps to **talk through** your emotions with someone you trust.
idiom

hold up your end

Meaning
to fulfill your part of an agreement or duty
Example
If you **hold up your end**, the project will succeed.
idiom

get a grip on yourself

Meaning
to control your emotions and behave calmly
Example
You need to **get a grip on yourself** before talking to your boss.
phrasal-verb

go on about

Meaning
to talk repeatedly about someone’s good qualities
Example
He always **goes on about** how talented his daughter is.
idiom

full of oneself

Meaning
to be overly proud or self-confident
Example
He’s so **full of himself** after getting that promotion.
phrasal-verb

speak out for

Meaning
to publicly support or defend someone or something
Example
He **spoke out for** the victims of political violence.
idiom

runway for growth

Meaning
the time or resources a startup has before it needs more funding
Example
The startup has enough **runway for growth** for the next 12 months.
idiom

take the stage

Meaning
to begin performing or speaking publicly
Example
The new actor will **take the stage** for the first time tonight.
idiom

hit home

Meaning
to be fully understood or have a strong impact
Example
The reality of the housing crisis really **hit home** for them.
idiom

To offer the olive branch

Meaning
To make peace with someone after a conflict
Example
After their argument, he decided to **offer the olive branch** and apologize.
phrasal-verb

take on too much

Meaning
to accept more work or responsibility than one can handle
Example
You’re stressing yourself out because you **take on too much** work.
idiom

code of ethics

Meaning
a set of moral principles guiding AI development or usage
Example
Developers must follow a strict **code of ethics** in AI research.
phrasal-verb

switch between

Meaning
to alternate between different tasks or modes of work and rest
Example
I try to **switch between** intense work and short breaks to stay efficient.
phrasal-verb

root in

Meaning
to be based on or connected to something deeply
Example
Our customs are **rooted in** ancient beliefs.
idiom

head up

Meaning
to lead a team or project
Example
Priya will **head up** the new outreach campaign.
phrasal-verb

root for

Meaning
to support someone in a competition or difficult situation
Example
We’re all **rooting for** you to succeed in your exam.
idiom

measure out

Meaning
to calculate and separate a specific amount
Example
Please **measure out** two cups of flour.
idiom

To have a heart of gold

Meaning
To be very kind and generous
Example
She has a heart of gold, always helping those in need.
phrasal-verb

rise up

Meaning
to stand and act against challenges or difficulties
Example
We must **rise up** and face the challenges together.
phrasal-verb

turn against

Meaning
to stop supporting someone and start opposing them
Example
The public **turned against** the government after the scandal.
idiom

hit the streets

Meaning
to go out on patrol or begin a search for a suspect
Example
The officers decided to **hit the streets** after the robbery was reported.
idiom

quote chapter and verse

Meaning
to cite something exactly or in great detail
Example
She can **quote chapter and verse** from Shakespeare.
idiom

sort through

Meaning
to organize by separating what is needed from what is not
Example
Let’s **sort through** the survey responses this afternoon.
idiom

sitting on the fence

Meaning
to avoid taking sides or making a decision
Example
He is **sitting on the fence** about the new policy.
idiom

Get off the ground

Meaning
To start successfully; to begin operating.
Example
Our startup finally **got off the ground** after months of planning.
idiom

earn someone's trust

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

a kingmaker

Meaning
someone who has influence in the selection or appointment of a leader
Example
The senator has become **a kingmaker** in the current presidential race.
idiom

give someone a piece of one’s mind

Meaning
to tell someone angrily what you think
Example
She **gave him a piece of her mind** for being rude.
phrasal-verb

bring out confidence

Meaning
to help someone feel or show confidence
Example
A mentor’s guidance can **bring out confidence** in young professionals.
idiom

Put your heart into it

Meaning
To do something with full effort and enthusiasm.
Example
If you **put your heart into it**, you’ll achieve great results.
phrasal-verb

march on

Meaning
to continue advancing toward a goal despite difficulties
Example
The demonstrators **marched on** the capital demanding justice.
idiom

state of mind

Meaning
a person's emotional condition
Example
Your **state of mind** affects how you make decisions.
idiom

feel under pressure

Meaning
to feel stressed or anxious due to responsibilities or expectations
Example
She's **feeling under pressure** to meet the deadline.
phrasal-verb

pull ahead emotionally

Meaning
to progress emotionally faster than before
Example
After therapy, she began to **pull ahead emotionally**.
phrasal-verb

move towards

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

zone out during

Meaning
to lose focus or stop paying attention
Example
I often **zone out during** long meetings when I'm exhausted.
phrasal-verb

wind meetings down

Meaning
to wrap up discussions and close a meeting
Example
Chairs **wind meetings down** by recapping wins and next steps.
idiom

put one on the map

Meaning
to make someone or something famous or well-known
Example
His groundbreaking research **put him on the map** in the scientific community.
phrasal-verb

depend upon exports

Meaning
to rely on exports for income or growth
Example
Many developing countries **depend upon exports** to boost their economy.
idiom

join at the hip

Meaning
to be very close and spend a lot of time together
Example
Since childhood, they’ve been **joined at the hip**.
phrasal-verb

connect to

Meaning
to feel a sense of belonging with one’s culture or roots
Example
I **connect to** my culture through music and food.
phrasal-verb

choke back tears

Meaning
to try hard not to cry
Example
She **choked back tears** during her farewell speech.
phrasal-verb

shift focus toward growth

Meaning
to redirect attention and efforts toward improvement
Example
The manager encouraged everyone to **shift focus toward growth** after the changes.
phrasal-verb

cut back on exports

Meaning
to reduce the amount of goods sold to other countries
Example
Due to rising costs, the company decided to **cut back on exports** this year.
phrasal-verb

bring in income

Meaning
to earn money from work or investment
Example
She started freelancing to **bring in income** alongside her full-time job.
phrasal-verb

move away from

Meaning
to stop focusing on or using something
Example
The economy is **moving away from** dependency on foreign aid.
phrasal-verb

scale down

Meaning
to reduce the size, cost, or extent of something
Example
Due to rising costs, the company had to **scale down** its expansion plans.
phrasal-verb

heap praise on

Meaning
to give a lot of praise to someone
Example
Critics **heaped praise on** the actor for his performance.
phrasal-verb

stand together for inclusion

Meaning
to unite in support of equality and inclusion
Example
Employees decided to **stand together for inclusion** during the diversity week.
idiom

Cut from the same cloth

Meaning
To be very similar in character or behavior.
Example
Those two brothers are **cut from the same cloth**.
idiom

Rome wasn’t built in a day

Meaning
Important things take time to accomplish.
Example
**Rome wasn’t built in a day**, be patient with your progress.
phrasal-verb

sniff around

Meaning
to try to find out information secretly or out of curiosity
Example
Reporters have been **sniffing around** for details about the case.
idiom

sweat blood

Meaning
to make an enormous effort
Example
He **sweat blood** to get that promotion.
idiom

play fair

Meaning
to act honestly and treat others equally
Example
We expect everyone to **play fair** during the competition.
phrasal-verb

show over

Meaning
to take someone on a short tour of a place
Example
The agent **showed over** the apartment to the potential buyers.
idiom

tickled pink

Meaning
very pleased or delighted
Example
She was **tickled pink** by the surprise gift.
phrasal-verb

let in positivity

Meaning
to allow positive thoughts and emotions to enter your mind
Example
She tries to **let in positivity** every morning.
idiom

turn the corner

Meaning
to pass a difficult stage and begin to improve
Example
After months of losses, the company finally **turned the corner**.
idiom

move the goalposts

Meaning
to change the rules or conditions to make success harder
Example
They **moved the goalposts** after we had agreed on the terms.
idiom

hammer out a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement after long discussion
Example
They spent hours to **hammer out a deal** that satisfied both sides.
phrasal-verb

count upon

Meaning
to depend or rely on someone for help or support
Example
You can always **count upon** me when you need assistance.
idiom

have your jaw drop

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or shocked
Example
My **jaw dropped** when I saw the price.
idiom

put your faith in the hands of

Meaning
to trust someone with something important
Example
She decided to **put her faith in the hands of** her lawyer for the case.
phrasal-verb

lay down guidelines

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

get ahead

Meaning
to be successful in life or career
Example
She worked hard to **get ahead** in her company.