a wake-up call
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idiom

a wake-up call

Meaning
an event that makes someone realize they need to change
Example
Losing his job was a **wake-up call** for him.
phrasal-verb

work through stress

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

hit the jackpot

Meaning
to achieve great success or win something valuable
Example
He **hit the jackpot** when his startup got acquired for millions.
idiom

stormy relationship

Meaning
a relationship full of arguments and conflicts
Example
They had a **stormy relationship** for many years.
phrasal-verb

call for backup

Meaning
to request extra help in a challenging situation
Example
Editors **call for backup** when breaking news floods in overnight.
idiom

step up your game

Meaning
to improve your performance or effort
Example
You need to **step up your game** if you want to win.
idiom

Keep hope alive

Meaning
To continue believing in a positive outcome.
Example
Even in hard times, we must **keep hope alive**.
idiom

freshen up

Meaning
to wash or tidy oneself to feel renewed
Example
Guests can **freshen up** in the lounge before dinner.
idiom

get down to the wire

Meaning
to approach the last possible moment before a deadline
Example
The project went **down to the wire**, but we finished on time.
phrasal-verb

choke back

Meaning
to try hard not to show or express an emotion, especially sadness or tears
Example
He **choked back** his tears during the farewell speech.
idiom

In the eye of the beholder

Meaning
Beauty or value is subjective and dependent on the viewer.
Example
Art is truly **in the eye of the beholder**, as different people have different tastes.
phrasal-verb

draw over

Meaning
to move something or someone to another side
Example
He **drew over** the curtain to let the sunlight in.
idiom

put all your cards on the table

Meaning
to be honest and reveal all the facts in a discussion
Example
It’s time to **put all your cards on the table** and be transparent.
phrasal-verb

slip out

Meaning
to say something unintentionally
Example
The secret just **slipped out** during the chat.
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

run over

Meaning
to repeat or review something you said to clarify or apologize
Example
Let me **run over** what I said to make sure you understand my apology.
idiom

lay it on the line

Meaning
to be very clear or direct about something
Example
I'll **lay it on the line**—if we don't improve, we'll lose investors.
phrasal-verb

shop around

Meaning
to compare prices before buying something
Example
Always **shop around** before making a big purchase.
idiom

beat a dead horse

Meaning
to waste time on a topic that has already been resolved
Example
Stop **beating a dead horse**; the decision is final.
phrasal-verb

zone back

Meaning
to return mental focus after distraction or stress
Example
After a short break, I managed to **zone back** into my work.
idiom

light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
sign of hope after a difficult period
Example
After months of struggle, she finally saw the **light at the end of the tunnel**.
phrasal-verb

be touched by

Meaning
to feel emotional because of someone’s kindness
Example
I was really **touched by** your kind words.
idiom

red tape

Meaning
excessive bureaucracy or rules
Example
The project was delayed because of **red tape**.
idiom

throw your weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** in meetings.
idiom

second to none

Meaning
the best; better than everyone else
Example
Her cooking is **second to none**.
phrasal-verb

phase in

Meaning
to introduce or implement something gradually over a period of time
Example
The school plans to **phase in** bilingual education over the next few years.
idiom

reach new heights

Meaning
to achieve more than before, to improve
Example
Their business is now **reaching new heights** in terms of revenue.
idiom

Tear down barriers

Meaning
To remove obstacles or prejudices between people.
Example
Education helps to **tear down barriers** between communities.
phrasal-verb

carry forward into

Meaning
to move progress or funds into a future period
Example
We **carry forward into** next quarter any unused training budget.
phrasal-verb

build upon strengths

Meaning
to use existing advantages or abilities to achieve more success
Example
Great leaders **build upon strengths** instead of focusing on weaknesses.
phrasal-verb

get stuck in

Meaning
to become unable to move because of traffic or crowding
Example
We **got stuck in** traffic for over an hour.
idiom

as honest as the day is long

Meaning
completely honest and trustworthy
Example
Everyone knows that Tom is **as honest as the day is long**.
phrasal-verb

build rapport with

Meaning
to create a friendly and understanding relationship with someone
Example
Teachers need to **build rapport with** their students.
phrasal-verb

map out for

Meaning
to plan each step carefully for a specific purpose
Example
We **mapped out for** the fundraiser so nothing would be missed.
idiom

cash cow

Meaning
a product or service that consistently generates a lot of money
Example
Their mobile app has become a **cash cow** for the company.
idiom

at each other’s throats

Meaning
to be in constant conflict or fighting
Example
The two brothers were **at each other’s throats** all day.
phrasal-verb

keep learning forward

Meaning
to continue gaining lessons even after failing
Example
No matter how many times you fail, just **keep learning forward**.
phrasal-verb

break through to

Meaning
to make someone understand your emotions or point of view
Example
It took hours to finally **break through to** him and make him understand how I felt.
idiom

glue together

Meaning
to attach pieces firmly using adhesive
Example
Let the students **glue together** the collage pieces.
phrasal-verb

come out stronger

Meaning
to recover from difficulties with more strength or wisdom
Example
After failing the exam, she managed to **come out stronger** and more determined.
phrasal-verb

keep cool

Meaning
to remain calm in a stressful situation
Example
It’s important to **keep cool** even when things go wrong.
phrasal-verb

reach understanding with

Meaning
to achieve a friendly or cooperative agreement with another party
Example
The two countries finally **reached understanding with** each other after months of talks.
phrasal-verb

keep moving

Meaning
to continue progressing without giving up
Example
Even when life gets tough, you must **keep moving**.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
idiom

without a care in the world

Meaning
free from worries or problems
Example
The kids were playing **without a care in the world**.
idiom

open heart

Meaning
to be honest and kind in feelings and actions
Example
He welcomed everyone with an **open heart**.
phrasal-verb

win over voters

Meaning
to persuade people to support you or your ideas
Example
The candidate tried to **win over voters** with promises of reform.
phrasal-verb

pour down

Meaning
to rain very heavily
Example
It started to **pour down**, and everyone ran for shelter.
phrasal-verb

catch one’s breath

Meaning
to stop and rest for a moment after physical activity
Example
After running upstairs, I stopped to **catch my breath**.
idiom

poetic justice

Meaning
a situation in which virtue is rewarded and vice is punished, often ironically
Example
It was **poetic justice** when the dishonest lawyer lost his case due to his own lies.
phrasal-verb

pull at

Meaning
to tug or hold onto something repeatedly
Example
The child kept **pulling at** his mother’s hand.
idiom

keep it up

Meaning
to continue doing something well
Example
You’re doing great with your studies—**keep it up**!
idiom

pay a compliment

Meaning
to give praise or admiration to someone
Example
He always knows how to **pay a compliment** to make someone feel better.
idiom

as happy as a clam

Meaning
feeling completely happy and content
Example
After a long vacation, he was **as happy as a clam**.
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

live out of a suitcase

Meaning
to travel frequently; to not stay in one place for long
Example
He’s been **living out of a suitcase** for months.
idiom

corner the market

Meaning
to dominate a particular market
Example
They’ve managed to **corner the market** in organic products.
idiom

a light bulb moment

Meaning
a moment of sudden inspiration or realization
Example
She had **a light bulb moment** during the meeting.
idiom

catch a bug

Meaning
to find a problem or defect in a system
Example
The developer was able to **catch a bug** in the system before it went live.
idiom

A scoop

Meaning
An exclusive piece of news
Example
The journalist got **a scoop** about the minister’s resignation.
idiom

change of guard

Meaning
a change in leadership or authority
Example
There has been a **change of guard** in the ruling party.
phrasal-verb

step inside

Meaning
to enter a place, especially a building or room
Example
Please **step inside** and have a seat.
idiom

breaking the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation where no progress is being made
Example
The negotiation team succeeded in **breaking the deadlock**.
idiom

under pressure

Meaning
to be in a stressful situation with a lot of demands
Example
She performs well even when she’s **under pressure**.
idiom

actions speak louder than words

Meaning
what people do is more important than what they say
Example
**Actions speak louder than words**, so prove it with effort.
phrasal-verb

put down to

Meaning
to attribute something to a cause
Example
She **put** her success **down to** hard work and determination.
phrasal-verb

carry on

Meaning
to continue doing something even after interruptions or difficulties
Example
Despite the challenges, she managed to **carry on** with her work calmly.
idiom

have cold feet

Meaning
to suddenly become nervous before doing something important
Example
He was ready to get married but **got cold feet** at the last minute.
idiom

upgrade your thinking

Meaning
to improve your thought process or mindset
Example
To adapt to AI trends, you must **upgrade your thinking**.
idiom

steal the show

Meaning
to be the most outstanding performer
Example
Her performance **stole the show** last night.
phrasal-verb

call by

Meaning
to visit briefly
Example
I’ll **call by** your office tomorrow morning.
phrasal-verb

check over yourself

Meaning
to review your own actions and attitudes carefully
Example
Before judging others, **check over yourself** first.
phrasal-verb

wear off

Meaning
to gradually disappear or lose effect
Example
The excitement of the trip soon **wore off** after returning home.
phrasal-verb

cope under pressure

Meaning
to manage to function well even in stressful or difficult situations
Example
He learned to **cope under pressure** during tight deadlines.
phrasal-verb

settle down

Meaning
to get married or begin a stable relationship
Example
He’s ready to **settle down** and start a family.
phrasal-verb

calm the mind

Meaning
to relax and bring mental peace
Example
Meditation helps her **calm the mind** after a stressful day.
phrasal-verb

fall in line

Meaning
to follow the rules or decisions of a group
Example
New members quickly **fall in line** with the team’s culture.
phrasal-verb

focus inward

Meaning
to concentrate on your inner thoughts and emotions
Example
When I feel overwhelmed, I try to **focus inward**.
idiom

jump out of your chair

Meaning
to react suddenly from shock or surprise
Example
He **jumped out of his chair** when he heard the news.
idiom

As green as grass

Meaning
Very inexperienced or new at something.
Example
He’s **as green as grass** in his new job.
idiom

set down

Meaning
to place something or write something down
Example
**Set down** your ideas so we can review them.
idiom

blood is thicker than water

Meaning
family relationships are stronger than others
Example
He helped his brother because **blood is thicker than water**.
phrasal-verb

stay in

Meaning
to remain at home instead of going out
Example
We decided to **stay in** and watch a movie.
phrasal-verb

speak up on

Meaning
to express one's opinion openly about a topic
Example
Experts **speak up on** the importance of cross-cultural dialogue.
phrasal-verb

rise above fear

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

model evaluation

Meaning
the process of assessing the accuracy and performance of a trained model
Example
Before deploying the system, we need to perform **model evaluation** to ensure accuracy.
idiom

pillar of strength

Meaning
a person who provides strong support or comfort
Example
She was a **pillar of strength** during difficult times.
idiom

change of scene

Meaning
a new environment or situation
Example
After months of work, I needed a **change of scene**.
phrasal-verb

trip over

Meaning
to make a careless mistake while doing something
Example
I **tripped over** my words during the speech.
phrasal-verb

fill in

Meaning
to provide missing information; to substitute for someone temporarily
Example
Can you **fill in** for me at the meeting tomorrow?
phrasal-verb

shake off fear

Meaning
to get rid of fear or anxiety
Example
He tried to **shake off fear** before entering the stage.
idiom

the scoop

Meaning
exclusive or sensational news
Example
The journalist got **the scoop** on the celebrity wedding.
idiom

bag of bones

Meaning
a very thin person
Example
After his illness, he turned into a **bag of bones**.
phrasal-verb

focus on gratitude

Meaning
to concentrate on things you are thankful for
Example
Each morning, **focus on gratitude** to start your day positively.
phrasal-verb

show around

Meaning
to give someone a guided tour of a place
Example
I will **show around** our office to the new interns.
idiom

across the board

Meaning
affecting everyone or everything equally
Example
The new tariffs apply **across the board** to all imported goods.
phrasal-verb

aim toward excellence

Meaning
to focus effort on achieving the highest quality or standard
Example
Our company always **aims toward excellence** in every project.
idiom

time's up

Meaning
the time for something or someone has ended
Example
You have to finish the test now. **Time's up**!
phrasal-verb

trip up on

Meaning
to make a mistake when dealing with something difficult
Example
She **tripped up on** the hardest part of the puzzle.
phrasal-verb

flip over

Meaning
to turn upside down accidentally
Example
The car **flipped over** after hitting a pothole.
phrasal-verb

shift perspective

Meaning
to change the way you think about failure
Example
Try to **shift perspective** and see failure as a learning step.
phrasal-verb

turn out to be

Meaning
to prove to be something in the end
Example
The rumor **turned out to be** false.
idiom

Plow the field

Meaning
To prepare for future work or success.
Example
Before launching the product, we need to **plow the field** with proper research.
phrasal-verb

build up strength

Meaning
to increase physical power through exercise
Example
She started lifting weights to **build up strength**.
phrasal-verb

hold over feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions or resentment from the past and let them affect the present
Example
She tends to **hold over feelings** from old arguments.
idiom

a trusted ally

Meaning
a person or group that is trusted and reliable
Example
She has always been **a trusted ally** in our business ventures.
phrasal-verb

grow into self-belief

Meaning
to gradually develop confidence in yourself
Example
Over time, he **grew into self-belief** and stopped comparing himself to others.
idiom

stand up for something

Meaning
to support or defend something you believe in
Example
She always **stands up for what she believes in**, even when it's difficult.
idiom

make your dreams come true

Meaning
to achieve what you have always wanted
Example
She worked hard to **make her dreams come true**.
idiom

couch potato

Meaning
a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV
Example
He’s such a **couch potato**, he never goes out or exercises.
phrasal-verb

bring up against

Meaning
to confront someone with a problem or difficulty
Example
He was suddenly **brought up against** a serious obstacle.
phrasal-verb

work toward understanding

Meaning
to make an effort to empathize and see another person’s perspective
Example
Both sides should **work toward understanding** rather than arguing.
phrasal-verb

keep back

Meaning
to withhold something; to stay at a distance
Example
The police told the crowd to **keep back** from the scene.
idiom

win by a landslide

Meaning
to win by a very large margin
Example
The candidate **won by a landslide** with 80% of the votes.
phrasal-verb

follow through on commitments

Meaning
to complete promises or obligations made to others
Example
The government must **follow through on commitments** made at the summit.
idiom

filter through

Meaning
to spread gradually among people
Example
News of the promotion quickly **filtered through** the office.
phrasal-verb

stand together with

Meaning
to support and stay united with partners during challenges
Example
True business partners **stand together with** each other in hard times.
idiom

keep your chin up

Meaning
to stay positive and not lose hope in difficult situations
Example
**Keep your chin up**; things will get better soon.
idiom

down time

Meaning
time when one relaxes and does not work
Example
I need some **down time** after this hectic week.
phrasal-verb

project confidence

Meaning
to appear or make others feel that you are confident
Example
The speaker **projected confidence** throughout the session.
idiom

ride out

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
We managed to **ride out** the storm without damage.