answer the call of duty
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idiom

answer the call of duty

Meaning
to fulfill one's obligation, especially in a difficult situation
Example
Firefighters **answered the call of duty** during the massive fire.
phrasal-verb

shine on

Meaning
to continue to be cheerful and positive despite difficulties
Example
Even in tough times, she continues to **shine on**.
phrasal-verb

restore balance

Meaning
to bring back mental or emotional stability
Example
Taking a break can help you **restore balance** in life.
idiom

go off the deep end

Meaning
to become very angry or emotional suddenly
Example
She **went off the deep end** when she heard the bad news.
idiom

take the road less traveled

Meaning
to do something different or unconventional
Example
He **took the road less traveled** by choosing a career in adventure sports.
idiom

cross the line

Meaning
to do something that is considered unacceptable
Example
He **crossed the line** when he insulted her in front of everyone.
idiom

at war with oneself

Meaning
to be conflicted or struggling internally
Example
She is **at war with herself** about the decision to move abroad.
phrasal-verb

come over

Meaning
to visit someone's house
Example
Why don’t you **come over** for lunch tomorrow?
phrasal-verb

get together with

Meaning
to meet and spend time with family or friends
Example
We try to **get together with** the whole family every Eid.
idiom

strike a balance

Meaning
to find a satisfactory compromise between two things
Example
It’s hard to **strike a balance** between career and family.
phrasal-verb

pull apart

Meaning
to separate or tear something into pieces
Example
She tried to **pull apart** the stuck pages of the book.
phrasal-verb

wear off

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

out of balance

Meaning
to feel mentally or emotionally unstable
Example
Lack of rest can make you feel **out of balance**.
idiom

break the clutter

Meaning
to stand out in a crowded or competitive market
Example
A good tagline can help a brand **break the clutter**.
phrasal-verb

close down

Meaning
to stop operating a business or company
Example
Due to losses, the branch had to **close down**.
idiom

flat broke

Meaning
having no money at all
Example
I was **flat broke** after paying all my bills this month.
idiom

back and forth

Meaning
to change opinions or decisions repeatedly
Example
We’ve been going **back and forth** about this issue for weeks.
idiom

mums the word

Meaning
keep silent about a secret
Example
**Mum’s the word** about the new project.
idiom

find your balance

Meaning
to maintain a healthy work-life equilibrium
Example
It’s important to **find your balance** between work and rest.
phrasal-verb

ring off

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

carry the world on your shoulders

Meaning
to feel responsible for everything; to take on too much stress
Example
You can’t **carry the world on your shoulders**; learn to share the load.
phrasal-verb

catch a cold

Meaning
to become ill with a cold
Example
You’ll **catch a cold** if you go out in this rain.
idiom

Rite of passage

Meaning
A ceremony or event marking an important stage in someone's life
Example
Graduation is a **rite of passage** for many students.
idiom

keep on keeping on

Meaning
to continue doing something despite challenges
Example
It’s tough, but you have to **keep on keeping on**.
idiom

get acquainted

Meaning
to become familiar or friendly with someone
Example
We had a short chat to **get acquainted**.
phrasal-verb

thank politely

Meaning
to express gratitude in a respectful way
Example
You should always **thank politely** when someone helps you.
phrasal-verb

snow under

Meaning
to be overwhelmed by too much work or snow
Example
We were completely **snowed under** during the winter storm.
phrasal-verb

play down

Meaning
to make something seem less important or serious than it is
Example
The minister tried to **play down** the controversy in the media.
idiom

get a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared completely healthy by a doctor
Example
After his check-up, he **got a clean bill of health**.
idiom

cross that bridge when we come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem only when it arises
Example
Don't worry about the challenges now, we will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

burning desire

Meaning
a strong motivation to achieve something
Example
He has a **burning desire** to succeed in life.
phrasal-verb

spread out

Meaning
to extend over a large area; to reach many people
Example
The news **spread out** quickly across social media.
phrasal-verb

think back on

Meaning
to remember or recall something from the past
Example
When I **think back on** that day, I realize how careless I was.
idiom

a gift from the heavens

Meaning
a blessing or something very special
Example
Her support during the tough times was **a gift from the heavens**.
phrasal-verb

goof off

Meaning
to waste time instead of working or studying
Example
If you **goof off** all semester, you’ll regret it during finals.
phrasal-verb

grow inward

Meaning
to develop understanding and wisdom from personal experiences
Example
She began to **grow inward** as she faced her fears and doubts.
idiom

a match made in heaven

Meaning
a perfect couple, very well suited for each other
Example
They are truly **a match made in heaven**.
phrasal-verb

open the lines of communication

Meaning
to start talking again after a period of silence
Example
She wanted to **open the lines of communication** with her best friend again.
idiom

yellow-bellied

Meaning
very cowardly
Example
He’s too **yellow-bellied** to stand up for himself.
idiom

talk over

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

run across

Meaning
to find or meet something or someone by chance
Example
I **ran across** an interesting article online.
phrasal-verb

stay focused on

Meaning
to continue giving attention to something important without getting distracted
Example
To achieve good grades, you must **stay focused on** your studies.
idiom

cry wolf

Meaning
to raise a false alarm
Example
Do not **cry wolf** or no one will believe you later.
phrasal-verb

go up

Meaning
to increase; to rise
Example
The price of oil has **gone up** recently.
phrasal-verb

look in on

Meaning
to visit briefly to see if someone is fine
Example
I’ll **look in on** Grandma after work to make sure she’s okay.
idiom

Make up for lost time

Meaning
To do something faster to compensate for wasted time.
Example
We worked overtime to make up for lost time.
idiom

Cross the Rubicon

Meaning
To make an irreversible decision or take a step from which there is no turning back.
Example
By quitting his job, he **crossed the Rubicon** and committed to his startup dream.
phrasal-verb

level up professionally

Meaning
to improve your professional skills or position
Example
He took online courses to **level up professionally**.
phrasal-verb

tune your mind to calmness

Meaning
to train your thoughts to stay peaceful and relaxed
Example
Try to **tune your mind to calmness** every morning through breathing exercises.
idiom

be at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or upset that you don't know what to do
Example
I'm **at my wits' end** trying to calm the kids down.
idiom

pluck up the courage

Meaning
to make yourself feel brave enough to do something
Example
He finally **plucked up the courage** to speak in public.
phrasal-verb

cut back on imports

Meaning
to reduce the amount of goods bought from abroad
Example
The country decided to **cut back on imports** to improve its trade balance.
idiom

the letter of the law

Meaning
following the exact wording of the law
Example
He follows **the letter of the law**, not its spirit.
idiom

bear with

Meaning
to be patient with someone or something
Example
Please **bear with** us while we resolve the issue.
idiom

A hard row to hoe

Meaning
A difficult task or challenge.
Example
Getting this project done on time is going to be **a hard row to hoe**.
phrasal-verb

draw attention to issues

Meaning
to make people notice or focus on important problems
Example
The activist group aims to **draw attention to issues** of global inequality.
idiom

sandboxing

Meaning
A security mechanism used to run applications in an isolated environment to prevent potential damage to the system.
Example
By using **sandboxing**, the malware was contained and couldn't affect the rest of the system.
idiom

smooth over

Meaning
to make a problem seem less serious
Example
We need to **smooth over** the miscommunication with a quick call.
idiom

an out of this world experience

Meaning
an extraordinary or exceptional experience
Example
The view from the space station was truly **an out of this world experience**.
phrasal-verb

protect against downturns

Meaning
to take measures to avoid negative effects during economic decline
Example
Diversifying investments can **protect against downturns** in the economy.
idiom

keep a straight face

Meaning
to avoid laughing in a funny situation
Example
It was hard to **keep a straight face** during his silly speech.
phrasal-verb

get over with

Meaning
to finish something unpleasant
Example
Let’s **get this injection over with** quickly.
phrasal-verb

break off talks

Meaning
to stop discussions or negotiations suddenly
Example
The two countries decided to **break off talks** after repeated disagreements.
phrasal-verb

blow out

Meaning
to extinguish flames, especially candles
Example
She **blew out** the candles and made a wish on her birthday.
idiom

A Faustian bargain

Meaning
A deal where one sacrifices moral integrity for power or success.
Example
Signing that contract was **a Faustian bargain** for him.
phrasal-verb

cut back on spending

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money spent on something
Example
To control inflation, the government decided to **cut back on spending**.
phrasal-verb

falter on

Meaning
to hesitate or make mistakes while doing something
Example
She **faltered on** a few words during her speech.
idiom

eat your words

Meaning
to take back what you said
Example
He had to **eat his words** after the result was announced.
phrasal-verb

wish for

Meaning
to hope or desire for something to happen
Example
I always **wish for** peace and happiness in my life.
phrasal-verb

run behind schedule

Meaning
to be late or delayed in finishing something
Example
The construction team is **running behind schedule** because of heavy rain.
phrasal-verb

root out

Meaning
to eliminate or get rid of something completely
Example
The government vowed to **root out** corruption at every level.
phrasal-verb

report on

Meaning
to give a detailed account of an event or situation
Example
The journalist will **report on** the latest developments from the scene.
idiom

beyond the scope

Meaning
outside the planned or expected area of focus
Example
The new feature was beyond the scope of the original project but added great value.
phrasal-verb

draw aside

Meaning
to move something to one side; to separate from a group
Example
He **drew aside** the curtain to see who was outside.
phrasal-verb

shoot up

Meaning
to rise suddenly and quickly
Example
Gold prices **shot up** after the geopolitical tensions increased.
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.
idiom

call the shots

Meaning
to be in charge and make decisions
Example
In this company, the manager **calls the shots**.
idiom

debug the mind

Meaning
to clear one’s thoughts or fix mental confusion
Example
Before making big design decisions, it’s good to **debug your mind**.
idiom

bring home the bacon

Meaning
to earn money to support the family
Example
He works hard every day to **bring home the bacon**.
phrasal-verb

bring up negotiations

Meaning
to start discussing trade terms formally
Example
The minister plans to **bring up negotiations** during the next summit.
phrasal-verb

pull together for

Meaning
to work jointly to achieve something
Example
Nations must **pull together for** a stable global economy.
idiom

cut back on

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

check back

Meaning
to return at a later time for an update
Example
Please **check back** next week for the final list.
idiom

Don’t be discouraged

Meaning
Stay motivated even after setbacks.
Example
**Don’t be discouraged**—success takes time.
phrasal-verb

value differences

Meaning
to respect and appreciate what makes people unique
Example
We should **value differences** as they make our workplace stronger.
idiom

out of this world

Meaning
extremely good or impressive
Example
The food at that restaurant is **out of this world**.
idiom

dream on

Meaning
used to say that something is unlikely to happen
Example
You think you’ll win the lottery? **Dream on!**
idiom

Burning question

Meaning
An important or urgent question that people are eager to know.
Example
The **burning question** is whether the plan will actually work.
phrasal-verb

recover from

Meaning
to return to a normal state after a setback or loss
Example
The global economy is gradually **recovering from** the financial crisis.
phrasal-verb

slip by

Meaning
to miss or overlook something accidentally
Example
A few errors **slipped by** during the proofreading.
phrasal-verb

stay away from

Meaning
to avoid something or someone for a good reason
Example
I told him to **stay away from** negative people.
idiom

pivot to success

Meaning
to change direction strategically to achieve success
Example
The company had to **pivot to success** after its first product failed.
idiom

Go out on a limb

Meaning
to take a risk by supporting something or someone
Example
He **went out on a limb** by recommending her for the job.
idiom

an apple a day keeps the doctor away

Meaning
eating healthy food helps you stay well
Example
My mom always says, '**An apple a day keeps the doctor away**.'
phrasal-verb

go all in

Meaning
to put all your effort, energy, or enthusiasm into something
Example
He **went all in** to make the event successful.
idiom

Put your trust in God

Meaning
To rely on faith in God to guide or help you.
Example
In difficult times, she chooses to **put her trust in God**.
phrasal-verb

reach out emotionally

Meaning
to make an emotional effort to connect or support someone
Example
She tried to **reach out emotionally** when her friend was feeling down.
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

through thick and thin

Meaning
in good times and bad times
Example
She stood by me **through thick and thin**.
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

look on the bright side of things

Meaning
to focus on the positive aspects of a situation
Example
Try to **look on the bright side of things** when things go wrong.
phrasal-verb

ease your nerves

Meaning
to make yourself feel less anxious or nervous
Example
Drinking herbal tea helps me **ease my nerves** before a big presentation.
idiom

blueprint for success

Meaning
a detailed plan for achieving success
Example
Strong teamwork is the **blueprint for success** in this project.
idiom

as strong as an ox

Meaning
very strong and powerful
Example
He’s **as strong as an ox** after years of training.
idiom

hacktivism

Meaning
the use of hacking to promote political or social causes
Example
The group used **hacktivism** to expose corruption within the government.
idiom

Hear something on the grapevine

Meaning
To hear gossip or unofficial news.
Example
I **heard on the grapevine** that she’s leaving the company.
idiom

a Eureka moment

Meaning
a moment of sudden discovery or realization
Example
He had **a Eureka moment** when he solved the equation.
idiom

have a change of heart

Meaning
to change your opinion or the way you feel about something
Example
She was going to move abroad, but she had **a change of heart**.
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.
idiom

burn rubber

Meaning
to drive very fast
Example
They **burned rubber** as they raced to the hospital.
idiom

Out of focus

Meaning
Not clear or not paying attention
Example
He looked tired and completely **out of focus** during the meeting.
idiom

A bundle of nerves

Meaning
To be extremely anxious or tense.
Example
Before the presentation, she was **a bundle of nerves**.
phrasal-verb

lay out trade policies

Meaning
to explain or present trade strategies clearly
Example
The finance minister will **lay out trade policies** for the upcoming fiscal year.
phrasal-verb

phase in recovery

Meaning
to introduce recovery measures gradually over time
Example
The government decided to **phase in recovery** policies to avoid economic shocks.
phrasal-verb

ease your mind

Meaning
to make yourself feel less worried or anxious
Example
Talking to a friend can really **ease your mind**.
idiom

toe the party line

Meaning
to follow the official policies or opinions of one’s political party
Example
Members of parliament are expected to **toe the party line** during the vote.
idiom

break the fourth wall

Meaning
to address the audience directly in a play or film
Example
The actor **broke the fourth wall** to make the scene funnier.
idiom

thick as thieves

Meaning
very close friends who share everything
Example
Those two are **thick as thieves**.
phrasal-verb

tire yourself out

Meaning
to make yourself very tired, often due to stress or overwork
Example
He **tired himself out** trying to finish all his tasks in one day.
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

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.