at a crossroads
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

at a crossroads

Meaning
at a point where a decision must be made
Example
After years of travel, she found herself **at a crossroads** in life.
idiom

come out clean

Meaning
To be proven innocent or free from blame.
Example
After investigation, he **came out clean**.
phrasal-verb

talk over calmly

Meaning
to discuss an issue in a relaxed way without anger
Example
They sat down to **talk over calmly** what had gone wrong.
phrasal-verb

step beyond fear

Meaning
to act courageously despite being afraid
Example
To succeed, you must **step beyond fear** and take bold action.
idiom

social proof

Meaning
the influence that other people’s actions have on one’s own behavior
Example
Positive reviews serve as **social proof** for new customers.
idiom

lose your temper

Meaning
to become angry suddenly
Example
He **lost his temper** when the kids broke the vase.
idiom

weigh in

Meaning
to give an opinion in a discussion
Example
Experts will **weigh in** on the proposal tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

dig in for

Meaning
to prepare yourself for sustained effort
Example
The team **digs in for** late nights ahead of launch week.
idiom

raining cats and dogs

Meaning
raining very heavily
Example
It's **raining cats and dogs** outside!
phrasal-verb

lock out

Meaning
to be unable to access a system due to password or error
Example
I got **locked out** of my account after entering the wrong password.
phrasal-verb

take back

Meaning
to admit that what you said was wrong; to retract something
Example
I **take back** what I said earlier.
idiom

bottle up emotions

Meaning
to keep feelings inside and not express them
Example
He tends to **bottle up his emotions**, which isn't healthy in the long run.
phrasal-verb

face up to challenges

Meaning
to confront difficulties with courage and confidence
Example
You’ll grow stronger when you **face up to challenges** instead of avoiding them.
idiom

throw a wrench in the works

Meaning
to cause a problem that stops progress
Example
The last-minute design change **threw a wrench in the works**.
idiom

tee up

Meaning
to prepare something for easy execution
Example
I’ll **tee up** the slides so you can start on time.
phrasal-verb

pay someone out

Meaning
to compensate someone for loss or damage
Example
The insurer **paid her out** after the accident.
idiom

cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative
Example
Our company is working on **cutting edge** AI technology.
idiom

against all odds

Meaning
despite great difficulties or challenges
Example
She succeeded **against all odds** and became a doctor.
phrasal-verb

step inside

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

boost investor confidence

Meaning
to make investors feel more positive about investing
Example
Strong GDP growth can **boost investor confidence** in the market.
idiom

reach your full potential

Meaning
to achieve the maximum ability or success that you are capable of
Example
By working hard, she was able to **reach her full potential**.
phrasal-verb

burst into flames

Meaning
to suddenly start burning
Example
The car **burst into flames** after the collision.
phrasal-verb

pick at

Meaning
to eat only small amounts of food without interest
Example
He just **picked at** his dinner and left most of it.
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

come under

Meaning
to experience pressure or attack, especially politically
Example
The government **came under** pressure to increase public spending.
phrasal-verb

listen within

Meaning
to pay attention to your inner voice or emotions
Example
When confused, take a moment to **listen within**.
phrasal-verb

log into

Meaning
to access a system or website by entering credentials
Example
You need to **log into** your account to view your dashboard.
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.
phrasal-verb

build up strength

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

help someone out

Meaning
to assist someone in a difficult situation
Example
Whenever I am in trouble, she always **helps me out**.
phrasal-verb

get behind

Meaning
to fall late in doing something
Example
I’ve **got behind** on my assignments this week.
phrasal-verb

feel bad about

Meaning
to feel sorry or regretful about something
Example
I really **feel bad about** what happened.
idiom

betray someone's trust

Meaning
to break someone's confidence in you
Example
She would never **betray your trust**.
phrasal-verb

stay curious

Meaning
to keep being interested and eager to learn
Example
The best learners always **stay curious** about the world.
idiom

cry wolf

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

step around

Meaning
to move to avoid something; to bypass a problem or rule
Example
He tried to **step around** the issue instead of facing it directly.
phrasal-verb

back someone up

Meaning
to support or defend someone in a team or argument
Example
During the debate, my teammates **backed me up** when I presented my point.
phrasal-verb

catch off guard

Meaning
to surprise someone unexpectedly
Example
Her sudden question **caught me off guard**.
idiom

get the jitters

Meaning
to feel extremely nervous or anxious
Example
I always **get the jitters** before a big meeting.
phrasal-verb

lead with

Meaning
to begin with a polite or positive statement before criticism
Example
It’s always better to **lead with** appreciation before giving feedback.
phrasal-verb

hand back praise

Meaning
to redirect compliments to the people who earned them
Example
Great mentors **hand back praise** to the colleagues who did the work.
idiom

throw in the towel

Meaning
to give up or quit
Example
After many failures, he **threw in the towel**.
phrasal-verb

go over lessons

Meaning
to review or check lessons again for better understanding
Example
I always **go over lessons** before an exam.
phrasal-verb

say sorry to

Meaning
to express regret or apologize to someone
Example
You should **say sorry to** her for yelling.
phrasal-verb

bond deeply with

Meaning
to form a very close emotional relationship with someone
Example
Parents **bond deeply with** their newborns through love and care.
phrasal-verb

try out

Meaning
to test a new recipe or food for the first time
Example
I want to **try out** that new smoothie recipe.
idiom

Front page news

Meaning
Extremely important or widely discussed news
Example
His heroic act became **front page news** the next morning.
phrasal-verb

turn against

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

backtrack on

Meaning
to reverse or withdraw from an earlier statement or promise
Example
The spokesperson **backtracked on** the claim once the data was checked.
idiom

long in the tooth

Meaning
getting old
Example
He’s a bit **long in the tooth** for this kind of work.
idiom

judge a book by its cover

Meaning
to form an opinion based on appearance only
Example
Don’t **judge a book by its cover**; she’s actually very kind.
idiom

hit the same wavelength

Meaning
to share similar thoughts and feelings
Example
We **hit the same wavelength** from the first conversation.
phrasal-verb

come into

Meaning
to receive money or property, usually by inheritance
Example
He **came into** a large sum of money after his uncle passed away.
idiom

refresh one's memory

Meaning
to help someone remember something
Example
Let me **refresh your memory** about what happened last week.
phrasal-verb

plan ahead for

Meaning
to prepare for something in advance
Example
We must **plan ahead for** deadlines to avoid last-minute stress.
idiom

in full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or progress
Example
The dance rehearsal is **in full swing** before the big day.
idiom

in the zone

Meaning
to be fully focused and performing at your best
Example
When she’s **in the zone**, she can write for hours without stopping.
idiom

don't judge a book by its cover

Meaning
you shouldn't form an opinion on someone or something based purely on what you see on the outside
Example
She may look serious, but **don't judge a book by its cover**.
idiom

crime doesn't pay

Meaning
doing wrong or illegal things will never bring true success
Example
He learned the hard way that **crime doesn't pay**.
idiom

bring the curtain down

Meaning
to end something; to finish a performance or event
Example
The concert **brought the curtain down** on the music festival.
idiom

table the discussion

Meaning
to postpone discussing something until later
Example
They decided to **table the discussion** until next week.
idiom

burst of inspiration

Meaning
a sudden feeling of creativity or motivation
Example
He wrote the poem in a **burst of inspiration**.
phrasal-verb

build rapport with

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

in your face advertising

Meaning
aggressive or very direct form of advertising
Example
Some brands use **in your face advertising** to stay memorable.
idiom

Put your heads together

Meaning
To discuss and solve a problem collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** to find a solution.
idiom

serve time

Meaning
to spend time in prison as punishment
Example
He had to **serve time** for his involvement in the fraud case.
idiom

the jury is still out

Meaning
a decision has not yet been made
Example
**The jury is still out** on whether the new policy will work.
phrasal-verb

hear from

Meaning
to receive communication from someone
Example
I haven’t **heard from** Sarah in weeks.
idiom

flat broke

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

give in to

Meaning
to yield or surrender to pressure or temptation
Example
The country refused to **give in to** international pressure.
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

hold back criticism

Meaning
to avoid saying negative things unnecessarily
Example
In polite conversation, it’s wise to **hold back criticism**.
idiom

behind the scenes

Meaning
secretly or without public knowledge
Example
A lot of work happens **behind the scenes** to make a movie.
idiom

Pyrrhic victory

Meaning
A victory won at too great a cost to be worthwhile.
Example
Winning the lawsuit was a **Pyrrhic victory** since it drained all their finances.
phrasal-verb

follow up with

Meaning
to contact or check again after an initial meeting or message
Example
Please **follow up with** the client after sending the proposal.
idiom

fan out

Meaning
to spread out over an area
Example
Volunteers will **fan out** across the park.
idiom

forever grateful

Meaning
thankful for something for a long time
Example
I’ll be **forever grateful** for what you’ve done.
phrasal-verb

open out to

Meaning
to become more receptive or welcoming toward new cultures or experiences
Example
Traveling helped her **open out to** different perspectives.
phrasal-verb

shut out

Meaning
to prevent someone from being included in a conversation or activity
Example
She felt **shut out** of the team discussions.
idiom

trickle-down economics

Meaning
an economic theory that suggests that policies benefiting the wealthy will eventually benefit everyone by creating jobs and growth
Example
Critics argue that **trickle-down economics** has failed to provide substantial benefits for the poor.
idiom

under a cloud

Meaning
being suspected or in trouble
Example
He left the company **under a cloud** after the scandal.
idiom

the green-eyed monster

Meaning
jealousy personified or described as a destructive force
Example
Don't let **the green-eyed monster** ruin your friendship.
idiom

move forward

Meaning
to continue with progress after a delay or challenge
Example
After reviewing the feedback, we can **move forward** with the design.
phrasal-verb

blow up over

Meaning
to suddenly become angry because of something
Example
They **blew up over** a silly comment on social media.
phrasal-verb

adapt for

Meaning
to modify or adjust something to make it suitable for a new culture or purpose
Example
The book was **adapted for** a film that appealed to global audiences.
phrasal-verb

reach out for peace

Meaning
to try to restore friendship or harmony
Example
After the argument, she **reached out for peace** with her friend.
phrasal-verb

draw up plans

Meaning
to prepare detailed strategies or documents
Example
Experts **drew up plans** for cross-border trade cooperation.
idiom

be thick as thieves

Meaning
to be very close friends
Example
Those two have been **thick as thieves** since childhood.
idiom

a tough call

Meaning
a difficult decision to make
Example
Choosing between the two offers was **a tough call**.
phrasal-verb

grow emotionally

Meaning
to become more mature in handling emotions and relationships
Example
You can **grow emotionally** by being honest about your feelings.
phrasal-verb

roll back

Meaning
to reverse or reduce the effect of something
Example
The government decided to **roll back** the new data policy after criticism.
phrasal-verb

coordinate across

Meaning
to organize activities jointly across different areas or teams
Example
Agencies **coordinate across** regions for disaster management.
phrasal-verb

storm in

Meaning
to enter suddenly and angrily, like a storm
Example
The teacher **stormed in** as the students were shouting loudly.
idiom

new blood

Meaning
new people who bring fresh ideas
Example
The company needs **new blood** to stay competitive.
idiom

on the house

Meaning
free of charge; paid for by the establishment
Example
The drinks were **on the house** tonight.
idiom

ease around

Meaning
to move carefully to avoid disturbance
Example
Please **ease around** the cords near the podium.
idiom

wipe out

Meaning
to eliminate something completely
Example
One bug can **wipe out** hours of unsaved work.
phrasal-verb

run short of

Meaning
to have less of something than needed
Example
We are **running short of** office supplies this week.
phrasal-verb

lift up

Meaning
to improve someone's mood or spirit
Example
Her kind words really **lifted up** my mood today.
phrasal-verb

soak up

Meaning
to absorb and enjoy an experience fully
Example
We sat by the sea to **soak up** the peaceful atmosphere.
idiom

have a soft spot for someone

Meaning
to feel affection or fondness for someone
Example
He has always **had a soft spot for** his childhood friend.
phrasal-verb

work alongside

Meaning
to cooperate or collaborate with someone on the same task or project
Example
We need to **work alongside** our colleagues to complete the project efficiently.
idiom

down on your luck

Meaning
experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s been **down on his luck** since losing his job.
phrasal-verb

build up pressure

Meaning
to increase influence or demand for action
Example
Opposition parties **built up pressure** for early elections.
idiom

crack the books

Meaning
to open your books and begin studying
Example
It's time to **crack the books** and prepare for finals.
idiom

artificial genius

Meaning
an exceptionally smart system created by humans
Example
Chatbots have become the face of **artificial genius**.
phrasal-verb

calm nerves before

Meaning
to reduce anxiety ahead of an event
Example
I **calm nerves before** presentations by rehearsing with a friend.
phrasal-verb

tear up

Meaning
to start crying a little
Example
She **teared up** during the emotional movie scene.
idiom

take the helm

Meaning
to assume control or leadership of an organization
Example
She **took the helm** of the company after her father's retirement.
phrasal-verb

come down

Meaning
when rain or snow falls heavily
Example
The rain is really **coming down** now.
idiom

reboot your mindset

Meaning
to change your way of thinking completely
Example
To adapt to AI, we need to **reboot our mindset**.
idiom

get acquainted

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

clamp down on corruption

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something harmful or illegal
Example
The new government promised to **clamp down on corruption** across all departments.
phrasal-verb

merge into

Meaning
to combine or integrate into a single unit or system
Example
Regional economies are beginning to **merge into** a global network.
idiom

on cue

Meaning
exactly at the right moment
Example
The dog barked **on cue** when the actor opened the door.
phrasal-verb

stand up to

Meaning
to confront someone or something bravely in defense of someone
Example
He **stood up to** the bully to protect his little brother.
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.
phrasal-verb

flip over

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

win someone over

Meaning
to persuade someone to support you or agree with you
Example
The candidate’s speech **won the crowd over**.
phrasal-verb

team around

Meaning
to organize or gather a group of people for a common purpose
Example
We should **team around** this project to deliver the best results.
phrasal-verb

live beyond one’s means

Meaning
to spend more money than one can afford
Example
Many people **live beyond their means** by using credit cards carelessly.