add insult to injury
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idiom

add insult to injury

Meaning
to make a bad situation even worse
Example
First, they lost the game, and then, to **add insult to injury**, their bus broke down.
phrasal-verb

zero in on goals

Meaning
to focus all attention and effort on achieving something
Example
The team needs to **zero in on goals** to stay efficient.
phrasal-verb

make amends for

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry for hurting someone
Example
She tried to **make amends for** her mistake.
phrasal-verb

lash with anger

Meaning
to express anger strongly
Example
The coach **lashed with anger** after the team lost again.
idiom

download the idea

Meaning
to absorb or understand information quickly
Example
It took me a while to **download the idea**, but now I get it.
idiom

Cook up a story

Meaning
To invent a false story.
Example
He **cooked up a story** to explain why he was late.
idiom

put two and two together

Meaning
to figure out something by reasoning
Example
He **put two and two together** and realized she was lying.
phrasal-verb

drive up with

Meaning
to increase results by using a particular lever
Example
They **drive up with** targeted ads during festival weeks.
idiom

a work in progress

Meaning
something that is still being developed or improved
Example
The project is still **a work in progress**, but it's going well.
idiom

to make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a big impact
Example
Her new book **made a splash** in the literary world.
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

sub in for

Meaning
to replace someone temporarily in a role
Example
Can you **sub in for** me at the networking event tonight?
phrasal-verb

throw yourself into

Meaning
to do something with great enthusiasm and energy
Example
He **threw himself into** the new training program.
phrasal-verb

spread over

Meaning
to distribute across a certain time or area
Example
The costs will be **spread over** the next three months.
phrasal-verb

balance out inflation

Meaning
to offset or stabilize inflationary pressure
Example
Raising interest rates can help **balance out inflation**.
idiom

get a foot in the door

Meaning
to take the first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
He took an internship to **get a foot in the door** of the company.
idiom

take the time to listen

Meaning
to make an effort to understand or care about someone else's feelings
Example
Sometimes, all we need is to **take the time to listen** to others' problems.
idiom

make your own luck

Meaning
to create opportunities for yourself through effort
Example
Don’t wait for miracles — **make your own luck**.
idiom

get hooked on

Meaning
to become addicted or very interested in something
Example
He **got hooked on** playing chess after just one game.
idiom

on all fours

Meaning
crawling on hands and knees
Example
The baby moved **on all fours** across the floor.
phrasal-verb

hold out an apology

Meaning
to offer or extend an apology to someone
Example
He **held out an apology** for his earlier comments.
idiom

win-win situation

Meaning
a situation where all parties benefit
Example
The new deal was a **win-win situation** for both companies.
idiom

dump someone

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship suddenly or unkindly
Example
She **dumped** him by text message.
phrasal-verb

set things straight with

Meaning
to clarify or resolve a misunderstanding
Example
He met her to **set things straight with** her after the confusion.
idiom

off script

Meaning
to deviate from a prepared plan or speech
Example
During the meeting, he went **off script** and made some bold statements.
idiom

to cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it arises, rather than worrying about it beforehand
Example
Don't worry about the meeting next week, we'll **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

add on

Meaning
to include something extra
Example
You can **add on** dessert for a small fee.
phrasal-verb

take over responsibilities

Meaning
to start having control or responsibility for something
Example
After the manager resigned, she **took over responsibilities** temporarily.
phrasal-verb

let yourself heal

Meaning
to allow yourself time and space to recover emotionally
Example
It’s okay to rest and **let yourself heal** after a painful breakup.
idiom

To break ground

Meaning
To begin a new project or initiative.
Example
The company is excited to **break ground** on their new office next month.
phrasal-verb

move forward with joy

Meaning
to continue with a happy and positive attitude
Example
Let’s **move forward with joy** and not dwell on the past.
phrasal-verb

push aside emotions

Meaning
to ignore emotions temporarily to focus on something else
Example
He had to **push aside his sadness** to finish the job.
idiom

stick to your guns

Meaning
to remain firm in your beliefs or decisions even under pressure
Example
He **stuck to his guns** even when others doubted him.
phrasal-verb

come in

Meaning
to enter a room or building
Example
Please **come in** and have a seat.
phrasal-verb

dance to

Meaning
to move your body in rhythm with the music
Example
We couldn’t resist **dancing to** that catchy song.
idiom

in over one’s head

Meaning
to be involved in something too difficult to handle
Example
He’s **in over his head** with this complex project.
idiom

push the algorithm

Meaning
to test the limits or performance of an AI system
Example
The engineers wanted to **push the algorithm** further to improve accuracy.
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**.
idiom

fingers crossed

Meaning
hoping for good luck or a good result
Example
I have my **fingers crossed** for your exam results.
idiom

mix in

Meaning
to combine one thing with others
Example
Now **mix in** the chopped herbs.
idiom

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

Meaning
It's important to maintain good relationships with your friends, but it's equally important to understand your enemies.
Example
He always watches his competitors carefully because he believes in **keeping your friends close and your enemies closer**.
phrasal-verb

open oneself to

Meaning
to allow oneself to experience or understand new ideas or cultures
Example
Living abroad helped him **open himself to** diverse ways of life.
idiom

kick up a fuss

Meaning
to make a big complaint or protest about something
Example
They **kicked up a fuss** when the restaurant ran out of food.
idiom

There's strength in numbers

Meaning
A larger group is stronger than an individual.
Example
Together we can achieve more because **there's strength in numbers**.
idiom

life of the party

Meaning
the most lively and entertaining person at a party
Example
Jake is always the **life of the party**.
idiom

Keep fighting

Meaning
Continue striving; don’t give up.
Example
No matter what happens, just **keep fighting**.
idiom

carbon neutral

Meaning
achieving a net-zero carbon footprint, where the amount of carbon dioxide released is equal to the amount removed from the atmosphere
Example
By planting trees and reducing emissions, the company is aiming to become **carbon neutral**.
phrasal-verb

hop on

Meaning
to get on a vehicle quickly or easily
Example
You can **hop on** the next bus if you miss this one.
phrasal-verb

tune down

Meaning
to lower the intensity or energy; to calm things
Example
Let’s **tune down** the tension and talk calmly about it.
idiom

deep learning

Meaning
A class of machine learning algorithms that uses multiple layers to progressively extract higher-level features from raw input.
Example
The AI system improved through **deep learning**, making it smarter over time.
phrasal-verb

pack up for travel

Meaning
to gather and prepare belongings before a trip
Example
We **pack up for travel** the night before an early flight.
phrasal-verb

follow your passion

Meaning
to pursue what you love doing as a career or goal
Example
He decided to **follow his passion** for photography.
phrasal-verb

turn pain into strength

Meaning
to use your emotional pain as a source of motivation or growth
Example
She learned to **turn pain into strength** after losing her job.
idiom

Speak from the heart

Meaning
To speak honestly and sincerely.
Example
When he apologized, he really **spoke from the heart**.
idiom

backroom deal

Meaning
a secret agreement made by powerful people
Example
The media exposed the **backroom deal** between the two parties.
idiom

back off

Meaning
to move away or stop pressuring someone
Example
Let’s **back off** and give them space to decide.
phrasal-verb

step out

Meaning
to leave a place for a short time; to go outside
Example
I’m going to **step out** for a moment to get some fresh air.
phrasal-verb

reach out with kindness

Meaning
to offer compassion or help to someone in need
Example
We should **reach out with kindness** to those who are struggling.
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**.
phrasal-verb

keep up with changes

Meaning
to stay informed or updated about new developments
Example
Employees must **keep up with changes** in company policies.
idiom

have mixed feelings

Meaning
to be uncertain or have both positive and negative emotions
Example
I **have mixed feelings** about moving to another city.
idiom

sketchy details

Meaning
information that is incomplete or unclear
Example
The witness gave only **sketchy details** about the incident.
phrasal-verb

take initiative

Meaning
to be the first to take action or make a decision
Example
Employees who **take initiative** often grow faster in their careers.
phrasal-verb

clear your mind

Meaning
to remove distracting thoughts and relax mentally
Example
Go for a walk to **clear your mind** after a long day.
phrasal-verb

ramp up to

Meaning
to increase or intensify effort or production to recover or meet demand
Example
Factories **ramped up to** meet the rising post-crisis demand.
phrasal-verb

pour into

Meaning
to invest large amounts of money into something
Example
Investors are **pouring into** renewable energy projects.
idiom

high-risk, high-reward

Meaning
situations or decisions that involve a lot of risks but also offer the potential for great rewards
Example
Investing in emerging markets can be **high-risk, high-reward**, but the returns are worth it.
idiom

buy into

Meaning
to accept or support an idea or plan
Example
The team quickly **bought into** the new workflow.
phrasal-verb

adapt to

Meaning
to change your behavior to fit a new situation or culture
Example
It takes patience to **adapt to** a completely different lifestyle.
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.
idiom

artificial empathy

Meaning
AI's ability to simulate or mimic human emotions
Example
The robot therapist shows **artificial empathy** during sessions.
idiom

live the dream

Meaning
to be living the life you always wanted
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
phrasal-verb

sit down

Meaning
to take a seat; to lower your body to a sitting position
Example
Please **sit down** and relax for a moment.
idiom

beat down

Meaning
to strike repeatedly with force, such as intense sun or rain
Example
The afternoon sun **beat down** on the field all day.
phrasal-verb

ring off

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

see about

Meaning
to deal with something; to arrange for something
Example
I’ll **see about** getting us some tickets for the concert.
idiom

sleep tight

Meaning
to have a good and peaceful sleep
Example
Good night! **Sleep tight** and sweet dreams.
idiom

talk over someone's head

Meaning
to speak in a way that someone cannot understand
Example
The professor was **talking over our heads** during the lecture.
idiom

go off the rails

Meaning
to start behaving in an unusual or uncontrolled way
Example
After losing his job, his life seemed to **go off the rails**.
idiom

pass along

Meaning
to share information or items with someone else
Example
Could you **pass along** the agenda to the interns?
idiom

step change

Meaning
a significant improvement or shift
Example
This marks a **step change** in how we approach innovation.
idiom

blow off steam

Meaning
to express anger or frustration so that you feel better
Example
He went for a run to **blow off steam** after the argument.
phrasal-verb

bring along

Meaning
to take someone or something with you when you go somewhere
Example
You can **bring along** your sister to the party if you like.
idiom

asleep on your feet

Meaning
extremely tired and almost falling asleep
Example
You look **asleep on your feet** after working all day.
idiom

green with envy

Meaning
very jealous
Example
She was **green with envy** when she saw my new phone.
phrasal-verb

log in

Meaning
to enter a website or app by typing your username and password
Example
You need to **log in** to access your account.
phrasal-verb

back up investment

Meaning
to support financial or business initiatives with funding
Example
Private investors **backed up investment** in green energy projects.
idiom

a rolling stone gathers no moss

Meaning
a person who keeps moving and exploring avoids boredom or stagnation
Example
**A rolling stone gathers no moss**, and he’s always on the move.
phrasal-verb

zone within

Meaning
to turn your focus inward for calm and peace
Example
Meditation helps you **zone within** and find balance.
idiom

talk someone into

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
He **talked me into** joining the event.
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

to screw up

Meaning
to make a serious mistake or spoil something
Example
I really **screwed up** the presentation.
idiom

Money talks

Meaning
Money has great influence and power.
Example
He got the deal because **money talks**.
phrasal-verb

loosen out

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

steal someone’s thunder

Meaning
to take credit for someone else’s idea or success
Example
She **stole my thunder** by announcing the news first.
phrasal-verb

come forward to help

Meaning
to volunteer or offer assistance when needed
Example
Many citizens **came forward to help** the victims of the earthquake.
phrasal-verb

be skeptical of

Meaning
to have doubts about the truth or value of something
Example
Many people are **skeptical of** online reviews.
idiom

take the long view

Meaning
to plan or think about the future rather than short-term gains
Example
Successful leaders always **take the long view** when making decisions.
idiom

keep on track

Meaning
to continue doing something as planned
Example
We need to **keep on track** to meet our deadlines.
phrasal-verb

lean upon

Meaning
to rely on someone for emotional or physical support
Example
You can **lean upon** me whenever you feel down.
phrasal-verb

allow time for

Meaning
to make sure you have enough time to do something in the future
Example
Always **allow time for** unexpected delays.
idiom

at the back of one's mind

Meaning
something that one is not actively thinking about but is still aware of
Example
The fear of failure was always **at the back of his mind**.
idiom

sleep it off

Meaning
to sleep in order to recover from tiredness or sickness
Example
He drank too much and needed to **sleep it off**.
idiom

take the rap

Meaning
to be punished or blamed for something, often unfairly.
Example
He **took the rap** for the team’s poor performance.
idiom

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Meaning
Always stay optimistic, but be ready for any outcome.
Example
She was nervous about the exam but decided to **hope for the best, prepare for the worst**.
idiom

blur the lines

Meaning
to make the difference between two things less clear or distinct
Example
AI-generated art often **blurs the lines** between human creativity and machine output.
idiom

reach for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious or difficult to achieve
Example
She always tells her students to **reach for the stars** and never give up.
idiom

fly by the seat of your pants

Meaning
to do something without planning, using only instinct and experience
Example
We didn't have a map, so we **flew by the seat of our pants**.
phrasal-verb

reach sustainability goals

Meaning
to achieve targets related to environmental and social balance
Example
Nations are collaborating to **reach sustainability goals** by 2030.
idiom

friends in high places

Meaning
people with power or influence who can help you
Example
He got the job because he has **friends in high places**.
idiom

pan out

Meaning
to turn out well or produce a good result
Example
Luckily, our backup plan **panned out**.
idiom

lay into

Meaning
to criticize someone harshly
Example
Instead of **laying into** the intern, offer some guidance.
idiom

toss out

Meaning
to throw something away
Example
We had to **toss out** the expired snacks.
idiom

fear the unknown

Meaning
to be afraid of things you don’t understand or haven’t experienced
Example
Many people **fear the unknown** when starting something new.
idiom

give someone the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to trust someone even when you are not sure they are honest
Example
I will **give him the benefit of the doubt** this time.
idiom

a slippery slope

Meaning
a course of action that seems to lead to undesirable or dangerous consequences
Example
Starting to ignore small violations can lead to **a slippery slope** of bigger legal issues.
idiom

latch onto

Meaning
to quickly embrace an idea or connect with someone
Example
The students quickly **latched onto** the new study app.
idiom

carry the can

Meaning
to accept responsibility or blame, often unfairly.
Example
She was left to **carry the can** after her manager left.
idiom

grow into

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

set reminders for

Meaning
to schedule alerts so tasks are not forgotten
Example
I **set reminders for** every invoice deadline in my calendar.
phrasal-verb

check in with yourself

Meaning
to pause and reflect on your current emotional state
Example
Take a moment to **check in with yourself** during stressful days.