a tough act to follow
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idiom

a tough act to follow

Meaning
something so impressive that others find it hard to match or surpass
Example
His last performance was **a tough act to follow**.
phrasal-verb

collaborate on

Meaning
to work jointly on a specific project or task
Example
Both companies agreed to **collaborate on** the new software product.
phrasal-verb

boost foreign reserves

Meaning
to increase a country's holdings of foreign currencies
Example
The rise in exports helped **boost foreign reserves** significantly.
phrasal-verb

fry up

Meaning
to cook something quickly in hot oil or fat
Example
She **fried up** some eggs for breakfast.
idiom

blow someone away

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

living the dream

Meaning
living a life that one always desired
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
idiom

the elephant in the room

Meaning
an obvious problem that no one wants to discuss
Example
Nobody wants to address **the elephant in the room**.
idiom

house of cards

Meaning
a plan or structure that is weak and likely to fail
Example
Their business model turned out to be a **house of cards**.
phrasal-verb

drop back

Meaning
to move to a position further behind
Example
The runner **dropped back** after the first lap due to exhaustion.
phrasal-verb

hand off responsibility

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

political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
Immigration reform has become a **political hot potato** for the government.
phrasal-verb

filter in calmness

Meaning
to gradually bring peace or calm into your mind
Example
Meditation helps **filter in calmness** during stress.
idiom

a clean slate

Meaning
a fresh start; an opportunity to begin again without past mistakes
Example
He moved to a new city for **a clean slate**.
phrasal-verb

rise up against

Meaning
to rebel or protest against authority or oppression
Example
Citizens **rose up against** the unfair government policies.
phrasal-verb

stand together for unity

Meaning
to join forces in promoting peace and mutual respect
Example
The nations **stood together for unity** during the summit.
phrasal-verb

look into problems

Meaning
to investigate or examine a situation or issue
Example
The HR manager is looking into the complaints from employees.
idiom

in the wrong

Meaning
to be responsible for a mistake or bad situation.
Example
He knew he was **in the wrong** for shouting at her.
phrasal-verb

build back

Meaning
to restore emotional strength after hardship
Example
It’s never easy to **build back** after heartbreak.
idiom

wash one’s hands of something

Meaning
to stop being responsible for something
Example
He **washed his hands of** the project after it failed.
idiom

on the level

Meaning
honest and sincere; not trying to deceive
Example
You can trust her—she’s **on the level**.
idiom

back each other up

Meaning
to support and help one another
Example
In a good team, members always **back each other up**.
idiom

get a new lease on life

Meaning
to gain new energy or enthusiasm for something
Example
After the surgery, she felt like she had **got a new lease on life**.
phrasal-verb

talk on

Meaning
to continue talking for a long time, often unnecessarily
Example
She **talked on** for hours about her vacation.
phrasal-verb

look after yourself

Meaning
to take care of your own health or well-being
Example
Take some rest and **look after yourself** properly.
phrasal-verb

reach beyond words

Meaning
to connect with others emotionally or through nonverbal communication
Example
Art and music often **reach beyond words** to touch hearts.
idiom

Frankenstein’s monster

Meaning
A creation that turns against its creator.
Example
Social media became a **Frankenstein’s monster** for its inventors.
phrasal-verb

work across

Meaning
to collaborate or operate jointly across multiple regions or teams
Example
The NGO **works across** 20 countries to promote global education.
phrasal-verb

hold the door

Meaning
to keep the door open for someone as a polite gesture
Example
He always **holds the door** for others when entering a building.
idiom

make peace with

Meaning
to end conflict and become friendly again
Example
She finally **made peace with** her sister after years of misunderstanding.
idiom

rein in

Meaning
to control or limit something
Example
We must **rein in** our spending this quarter.
idiom

hair stands on end

Meaning
to feel intense fear or horror
Example
The ghost story made my **hair stand on end**.
idiom

know the ropes

Meaning
to be very familiar with something; to have a thorough understanding of something
Example
He really **knows the ropes** in this field of work.
phrasal-verb

pace yourself through

Meaning
to move steadily through a task without rushing
Example
I **pace myself through** long study guides to stay focused.
phrasal-verb

rise for

Meaning
to take a stand in favor of a cause or right
Example
People across the nation **rose for** equality.
idiom

second thoughts

Meaning
doubts or reconsideration about a decision
Example
I’m having **second thoughts** about moving abroad.
idiom

change the game

Meaning
to introduce something that significantly alters an industry or field
Example
5G technology will **change the game** for mobile communication.
idiom

jump to conclusions

Meaning
to make a decision without enough information
Example
Don’t **jump to conclusions** before hearing the whole story.
idiom

keep your eyes peeled

Meaning
to stay alert and watch carefully
Example
Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of trouble.
phrasal-verb

take off financially

Meaning
to start growing or succeeding quickly in terms of money
Example
Their online business really **took off financially** after the pandemic.
idiom

nose for news

Meaning
an instinct for finding interesting stories
Example
Good reporters have a natural **nose for news**.
idiom

have an axe to grind

Meaning
to have a personal reason to complain or criticize
Example
She **has an axe to grind** with her former employer.
phrasal-verb

build endurance

Meaning
to gradually develop the ability to keep going for a long time
Example
Athletes **build endurance** through consistent training.
idiom

burn a hole in one's pocket

Meaning
to spend money quickly or irresponsibly
Example
After receiving his bonus, he couldn't resist and **burned a hole in his pocket** by buying a new car.
phrasal-verb

shine through

Meaning
to show your confidence or talent clearly despite challenges
Example
Her true confidence **shone through** during the interview.
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.
phrasal-verb

show up

Meaning
to appear or arrive at an event
Example
Even though it was raining, most guests **showed up** on time.
phrasal-verb

freak about

Meaning
to become very anxious or upset about something
Example
She **freaked about** the upcoming interview.
idiom

bootstrap a startup

Meaning
to build a business using limited resources without external funding
Example
Many successful founders **bootstrapped their startups** in the early days.
idiom

Play it safe

Meaning
to avoid taking risks
Example
He always **plays it safe** and never tries new things.
phrasal-verb

argue over

Meaning
to have a disagreement or fight about something
Example
They often **argue over** project deadlines in the office.
idiom

square peg in a round hole

Meaning
someone or something that doesn't fit or belong in a particular place or situation
Example
Putting a modern building in a historical district is like trying to fit a **square peg in a round hole**.
phrasal-verb

reach back

Meaning
to respond to someone who contacted you earlier
Example
Don’t forget to **reach back** to the recruiter after your interview.
idiom

extend an olive branch

Meaning
to offer peace or reconciliation
Example
After years of conflict, the president decided to **extend an olive branch**.
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.
phrasal-verb

work through stress

Meaning
to deal with and gradually overcome stress
Example
Meditation helps me **work through stress** effectively.
phrasal-verb

jump back

Meaning
to move suddenly backward in fear or surprise
Example
She **jumped back** when the cat suddenly hissed.
phrasal-verb

earn out

Meaning
to achieve something through effort or performance
Example
He **earned out** his promotion by working tirelessly.
idiom

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning
To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example
If you think I'm guilty, you're **barking up the wrong tree**.
idiom

Pop quiz

Meaning
a surprise test given without warning
Example
Our teacher gave us a **pop quiz** today.
idiom

prodigal son

Meaning
a person who leaves home and returns repentant after wasting wealth or opportunities
Example
After years abroad, he returned home like **the prodigal son**.
phrasal-verb

go over again

Meaning
to review or repeat material for better understanding
Example
Let’s **go over again** the main points before the quiz.
idiom

Running on empty

Meaning
To continue working or functioning when you have no energy left.
Example
After pulling an all-nighter, he’s **running on empty** today.
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

click with

Meaning
to immediately feel a connection or understanding with someone
Example
We instantly **clicked with** each other at the party.
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

go out for

Meaning
to leave home to do a particular activity like shopping or eating
Example
We usually **go out for** groceries on weekends.
idiom

out of the blue

Meaning
unexpectedly or without warning
Example
My old friend called me **out of the blue** after ten years.
phrasal-verb

reflect on mistakes

Meaning
to think carefully about what went wrong and learn from it
Example
It’s healthy to **reflect on mistakes** and grow from them.
phrasal-verb

stir up

Meaning
to cause activity or energy to increase
Example
New infrastructure projects have **stirred up** economic growth in rural areas.
idiom

beat oneself up

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

go bananas

Meaning
to become very excited or angry
Example
The crowd **went bananas** when their team scored.
phrasal-verb

drop through

Meaning
to fail or not happen as planned
Example
Our plan to travel abroad this year has **dropped through** due to budget issues.
phrasal-verb

stand out as

Meaning
to be noticeable or recognized as having a particular quality
Example
She really **stood out as** a confident and fair leader.
phrasal-verb

reach agreement on

Meaning
to come to a mutual understanding or consensus about something
Example
After long discussions, both sides **reached agreement on** the trade terms.
idiom

scared stiff

Meaning
to be extremely frightened
Example
I was **scared stiff** when I heard strange noises at night.
phrasal-verb

run late

Meaning
to be behind schedule
Example
I was **running late** for my morning meeting today.
idiom

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet

Meaning
Although waiting is hard, it results in good outcomes.
Example
It might be tough, but **patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet**.
phrasal-verb

drive on

Meaning
to continue working hard to achieve success
Example
Even after failures, he kept **driving on** to reach his dreams.
phrasal-verb

make it right

Meaning
to correct a mistake or repair the damage caused by one’s actions
Example
He promised to **make it right** after hurting her feelings.
idiom

roll credits

Meaning
to finish or conclude something
Example
Once the project is done, we can **roll credits**.
idiom

back on your feet

Meaning
recovered and healthy again
Example
It’s good to see you **back on your feet** after the flu.
idiom

in the pink of health

Meaning
in very good health
Example
After months of rest, he’s now **in the pink of health**.
idiom

by the skin of one’s teeth

Meaning
To narrowly escape or achieve something by a very small margin.
Example
I passed the exam **by the skin of my teeth**.
phrasal-verb

build up stamina

Meaning
to increase strength or endurance gradually
Example
Running regularly helps to **build up stamina**.
phrasal-verb

deal with

Meaning
to manage or handle a problem, situation, or customer
Example
Our export team will **deal with** all customs and shipping issues.
idiom

play by ear

Meaning
to improvise or decide as you go rather than following a fixed plan
Example
We don't have a fixed schedule, so let's just **play it by ear**.
phrasal-verb

back yourself up

Meaning
to have faith in your own ability or decision
Example
You have to **back yourself up** if you want others to trust you.
phrasal-verb

slow down

Meaning
to do things more calmly or at a relaxed pace
Example
You should **slow down** and take time to rest when you feel stressed.
idiom

keep your nose clean

Meaning
to stay out of trouble; to behave properly
Example
He’s been **keeping his nose clean** since he got that new job.
idiom

hear someone out

Meaning
to listen to someone until they have finished speaking
Example
Please **hear me out** before you make a decision.
idiom

own up to your mistakes

Meaning
to admit that you have done something wrong
Example
It takes courage to **own up to your mistakes**.
idiom

spread your wings

Meaning
to start doing new and independent things
Example
After graduation, she wanted to **spread her wings**.
phrasal-verb

fill your heart with gratitude

Meaning
to focus on the things you are thankful for
Example
Every morning, **fill your heart with gratitude** to start the day right.
idiom

put your faith in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone or something
Example
She decided to **put her faith in** her friends to help her.
idiom

dial in

Meaning
to connect to a meeting or call remotely
Example
I’ll **dial in** from the airport lounge.
phrasal-verb

dig for facts

Meaning
to search carefully to discover true information
Example
Investigators **dig for facts** when a report seems unclear.
phrasal-verb

go over the report

Meaning
to review or examine something carefully
Example
Let's **go over the report** before the meeting starts.
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

guard against volatility

Meaning
to take action to protect from sudden changes or risks
Example
Investors should **guard against volatility** in global markets.
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

spark an idea

Meaning
to cause someone to have a new thought or idea
Example
That movie **sparked an idea** for my next project.
idiom

doubt creeps in

Meaning
to begin to feel uncertain or unsure
Example
After a few failures, **doubt began to creep in**.
phrasal-verb

snap back

Meaning
to reply sharply when angry or irritated
Example
He **snapped back** when his boss blamed him unfairly.
idiom

Born and bred

Meaning
Having lived all one’s life in a particular place and influenced by its culture
Example
She’s a Dhaka **born and bred** woman.
phrasal-verb

join across

Meaning
to connect or unite with people or organizations from different countries or sectors
Example
Businesses **join across** industries to promote sustainability.
idiom

A watched pot never boils

Meaning
Time feels longer when you are waiting for something.
Example
Don't keep looking at the clock; **a watched pot never boils**.
idiom

color outside the lines

Meaning
to think or act creatively and unconventionally
Example
Good designers always **color outside the lines**.
phrasal-verb

participate in festivals

Meaning
to join cultural celebrations and events of a community
Example
Foreigners love to **participate in festivals** that show the local culture.
phrasal-verb

care deeply for

Meaning
to have strong affection or concern for someone
Example
He truly **cares deeply for** his grandparents.
idiom

piece together

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

give oneself up

Meaning
to surrender to the police or authorities
Example
The thief **gave himself up** to the police after two days.
idiom

have the gift of the gab

Meaning
to be good at talking or persuading people
Example
He’s a great salesman because he **has the gift of the gab**.
idiom

Cross my heart

Meaning
I swear or promise sincerely.
Example
I will help you, **cross my heart**.
phrasal-verb

radiate happiness

Meaning
to clearly show happiness or joy through your appearance or behavior
Example
The bride **radiated happiness** throughout the ceremony.
phrasal-verb

put through

Meaning
to connect someone on the phone
Example
Could you **put me through** to the manager, please?
idiom

lend a listening ear

Meaning
to listen attentively and sympathetically
Example
Whenever I feel down, she always knows how to **lend a listening ear**.
phrasal-verb

tap into new markets

Meaning
to start selling in new regions or countries
Example
The company is trying to **tap into new markets** in Asia and Africa.
phrasal-verb

open up to joy

Meaning
to allow yourself to feel happiness and positivity
Example
When you **open up to joy**, life becomes brighter.
phrasal-verb

follow on from

Meaning
to happen or result from something that was done earlier
Example
This report **follows on from** our last quarter’s findings.
phrasal-verb

lean on friends

Meaning
to depend on friends for emotional support
Example
When life gets tough, don’t be afraid to **lean on friends**.
idiom

to take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become worse or decline in health
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.