at each other’s throats
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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.
idiom

a thorn in one's side

Meaning
a constant source of annoyance or trouble
Example
The trade dispute has become **a thorn in our side**.
phrasal-verb

push aside doubts

Meaning
to ignore fears or uncertainties and keep moving
Example
She **pushed aside doubts** and followed her instincts.
idiom

the internet of things (IoT)

Meaning
the connection of everyday objects to the internet to send and receive data
Example
Smart homes are part of the **internet of things (IoT)**, where devices are interconnected.
phrasal-verb

keep up with studies

Meaning
to stay at the same level as others in your academic progress
Example
It's important to **keep up with studies** to avoid falling behind in class.
idiom

grab a bite

Meaning
to eat something quickly
Example
Let’s **grab a bite** before the meeting.
idiom

mix up

Meaning
to confuse two or more things
Example
I always **mix up** their names during meetings.
idiom

nod in agreement

Meaning
to show agreement by nodding
Example
Everyone **nodded in agreement** when the plan was explained.
idiom

meet halfway

Meaning
to compromise by agreeing to part of what each person wants
Example
We decided to **meet halfway** and agree on a fair price.
idiom

light bulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or new idea
Example
She had a **light bulb moment** while brainstorming for the campaign.
phrasal-verb

check in on morale

Meaning
to ask people how they are feeling about work
Example
Leads **check in on morale** during stressful weeks.
idiom

cut both ways

Meaning
to have both positive and negative effects
Example
Working from home **cuts both ways** – you save time but lose social interaction.
idiom

between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
facing two difficult choices
Example
She’s **between a rock and a hard place** — neither option is good.
phrasal-verb

tag in

Meaning
to include someone’s username in a post or photo
Example
Don’t forget to **tag in** your friends when you upload the group photo.
idiom

split the difference

Meaning
to agree on a compromise between two opinions or prices
Example
Let’s **split the difference** and meet halfway.
idiom

ease onto

Meaning
to move gently onto something
Example
Please **ease onto** the ramp to avoid jolts.
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

beat oneself up over

Meaning
to blame or criticize oneself harshly for something that happened
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up over** something you can’t change.
idiom

earn your stripes

Meaning
to gain respect or recognition through hard work
Example
She really **earned her stripes** after managing that crisis.
phrasal-verb

lace up for

Meaning
to tie your shoes or gear in preparation for something
Example
I **lace up for** my morning run as soon as the sun comes up.
idiom

go for broke

Meaning
to risk everything to achieve success
Example
They decided to **go for broke** and launch their new product.
idiom

make a comeback

Meaning
to return to success after a period of failure
Example
After a year of struggle, the team managed to **make a comeback** and won the championship.
phrasal-verb

toughen up

Meaning
to become stronger and more resilient, especially emotionally
Example
You need to **toughen up** if you want to handle criticism at work.
phrasal-verb

build up wealth

Meaning
to gradually increase the amount of money or assets you own
Example
It takes years of discipline to **build up wealth** and achieve financial freedom.
idiom

at loggerheads

Meaning
in strong disagreement or conflict
Example
The two departments have been **at loggerheads** over the new policy.
idiom

hold off

Meaning
to delay doing something
Example
Let’s **hold off** on finalizing the order until we confirm the budget.
idiom

throw money down the drain

Meaning
to waste money on something useless
Example
Buying that fake brand bag was like **throwing money down the drain**.
phrasal-verb

point back to

Meaning
to refer to something in the past as a cause or source
Example
Her symptoms **point back to** a previous illness.
idiom

a quantum leap

Meaning
a big and sudden improvement
Example
This discovery is **a quantum leap** in medical research.
phrasal-verb

take out

Meaning
to borrow or get money from a bank or institution
Example
They decided to **take out** a loan to buy a new house.
phrasal-verb

grow stronger

Meaning
to become emotionally tougher after hardship
Example
Every challenge helps you **grow stronger** emotionally.
idiom

a snowball's chance in hell

Meaning
no chance at all
Example
He has **a snowball's chance in hell** of winning the lottery.
idiom

Cultural shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when exposed to a different culture or way of life
Example
Moving from a small village to a big city gave me **cultural shock**.
phrasal-verb

get over setbacks

Meaning
to recover from difficulties and continue trying
Example
It’s not easy, but you must **get over setbacks** and move on.
phrasal-verb

cloud over

Meaning
when the sky becomes covered with clouds
Example
The sky **clouded over**, and we knew it was going to rain soon.
phrasal-verb

transform into

Meaning
to change completely into something new
Example
Over the years, the firm has **transformed into** a fully digital enterprise.
phrasal-verb

guard against

Meaning
to take precautions to prevent something bad from happening
Example
We must **guard against** potential fraud in online transactions.
phrasal-verb

shut yourself off

Meaning
to isolate yourself emotionally or socially due to stress
Example
She tends to **shut herself off** from everyone when she’s anxious.
idiom

throw under the bus

Meaning
to blame someone else to save yourself.
Example
He **threw his colleague under the bus** to avoid punishment.
phrasal-verb

feel bad about

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

point ahead

Meaning
to indicate a direction in front; to suggest future possibilities
Example
The results **point ahead** to major improvements.
phrasal-verb

adjust to

Meaning
to gradually become comfortable with a new situation
Example
It can be hard to **adjust to** a new country's social norms.
idiom

keep someone's secret

Meaning
to not tell others what someone has told you in confidence
Example
You can trust me—I’ll **keep your secret**.
idiom

self-assured

Meaning
confident and sure of oneself
Example
She walked into the room looking calm and **self-assured**.
idiom

take stock of

Meaning
to review a situation carefully before making decisions
Example
Let’s **take stock of** our priorities this quarter.
idiom

fall behind

Meaning
to fail to keep up with a schedule or progress
Example
If we miss another deadline, we’ll **fall behind** on the project.
phrasal-verb

break into exports

Meaning
to start selling goods or services to foreign markets
Example
Many local companies are trying to **break into exports** to expand growth.
phrasal-verb

open onto

Meaning
to lead to a place or opportunity for connection
Example
This conversation could **open onto** a deeper understanding between us.
B2 idiom

wrap your head around it

to understand or accept something
Meaning
to understand or accept something
Example
It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.
It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.
phrasal-verb

build confidence in

Meaning
to create or increase trust in something
Example
The new reforms helped **build confidence in** the financial market.
idiom

happy as a clam

Meaning
very content and comfortable
Example
She looked **happy as a clam** on her vacation.
idiom

more luck than sense

Meaning
successful because of luck, not intelligence
Example
He survived the accident—he’s got **more luck than sense**.
idiom

the tide has turned

Meaning
a situation has started to change in your favor
Example
After months of bad luck, **the tide has turned** for our team.
idiom

bright future ahead

Meaning
having positive prospects or possibilities
Example
With your hard work, you have a **bright future ahead**.
phrasal-verb

rise above negativity

Meaning
to not let negative emotions or situations affect you
Example
She tried to **rise above negativity** and stay positive.
idiom

knock your socks off

Meaning
to impress or surprise someone greatly
Example
The concert will **knock your socks off**!
phrasal-verb

cut down on debts

Meaning
to reduce the amount of debt owed
Example
The company must **cut down on debts** to improve its financial stability.
idiom

patch over

Meaning
to cover up a problem without truly fixing it
Example
We can’t just **patch over** the security flaws.
phrasal-verb

lighten off

Meaning
to feel or make something less serious or stressful
Example
Talking to friends helped me **lighten off** the pressure.
idiom

throw one’s hat into the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s intention to compete or take part, especially in politics
Example
He finally **threw his hat into the ring** for the mayoral election.
idiom

on shaky ground

Meaning
in an uncertain or unstable situation
Example
His business is **on shaky ground** after the market crash.
idiom

to rise to the occasion

Meaning
to show the necessary ability when faced with a challenge
Example
When the team needed him most, he **rose to the occasion** and led them to victory.
idiom

The more you know, the less you know

Meaning
The more you learn, the more you realize how little you actually know.
Example
After years of study, he said, '**The more you know, the less you know**.'
idiom

at your breaking point

Meaning
to be very close to losing control due to stress
Example
After months of overwork, she was **at her breaking point**.
phrasal-verb

drain away pressure

Meaning
to slowly release mental or emotional pressure
Example
Talking to a friend helps me **drain away pressure** after a long day.
idiom

make the grade

Meaning
to reach the desired standard or level
Example
Only a few students **made the grade** in the final test.
idiom

peace of mind

Meaning
a feeling of being calm and free from worry
Example
Insurance gives you **peace of mind** in uncertain times.
idiom

so far so good

Meaning
used to say that an activity has been successful up to this point
Example
We've finished the first part of the project, and **so far so good**.
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

to sketch out

Meaning
to make a rough plan or outline of something
Example
The director **sketched out** the concept before filming began.
idiom

paint yourself into a corner

Meaning
to put yourself in a difficult situation with no easy way out
Example
By making so many promises, he **painted himself into a corner**.
idiom

call the shots

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

cut across

Meaning
to affect multiple areas or groups at once
Example
Climate change **cuts across** every sector of society.
phrasal-verb

bring down debt

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money a government or company owes
Example
The government is trying to **bring down debt** by increasing exports.
phrasal-verb

bottle out of

Meaning
to lose courage and avoid doing something because of fear
Example
He was going to confess his feelings but **bottled out of** it at the last moment.
idiom

blast off

Meaning
to take off or start with great energy or enthusiasm
Example
The project is ready to **blast off** next week.
phrasal-verb

carry off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
She managed to **carry off** the project despite all the challenges.
phrasal-verb

run over budget

Meaning
to spend more money than was planned
Example
The construction project **ran over budget** by nearly 20%.
idiom

to break the ice

Meaning
to start a friendly conversation in an awkward situation
Example
To **break the ice**, I told a joke.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
idiom

Born in the barn

Meaning
To have bad manners or lack social etiquette.
Example
Close the door! Were you **born in the barn**?
idiom

don't sweat the small stuff

Meaning
don’t worry about minor or unimportant things
Example
It’s just a little mistake, **don’t sweat the small stuff**.
idiom

bookend something

Meaning
to mark the beginning and end of something
Example
Her career was **bookended** by two great performances.
idiom

get to the bottom of

Meaning
to find the real cause of a problem
Example
The manager promised to **get to the bottom of** the issue.
phrasal-verb

ask over

Meaning
to invite someone to your place, often to talk or apologize
Example
He **asked her over** to say sorry for what happened.
idiom

on fire

Meaning
performing very well; full of energy and success
Example
The sales team is **on fire** this month!
phrasal-verb

bring off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
He **brought off** a surprise victory in the competition.
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.
phrasal-verb

catch hold of

Meaning
to grab something or someone firmly
Example
She **caught hold of** his hand to stop him from leaving.
phrasal-verb

build discipline

Meaning
to develop good habits and control over one’s actions
Example
Meditation helps you **build discipline** over your thoughts.
phrasal-verb

help out with

Meaning
to assist someone in completing a task or responsibility
Example
Many volunteers **helped out with** the food distribution program.
idiom

learn from your mistakes

Meaning
to use the experience of past errors to improve future behavior
Example
Everyone makes errors, but wise people **learn from their mistakes**.
idiom

market forces

Meaning
the economic factors affecting the supply and demand of goods and services in a market
Example
The price increase is driven by **market forces**, as demand for the product rises.
idiom

Throw money at the problem

Meaning
To try to solve a problem by spending a lot of money instead of finding the real solution.
Example
You can’t just **throw money at the problem**; we need a proper plan.
idiom

Make up one's mind

Meaning
To decide or come to a conclusion about something.
Example
After much deliberation, he finally **made up his mind** and chose the first option.
idiom

put on the map

Meaning
to make something or someone famous or well-known
Example
The viral campaign **put the brand on the map**.
phrasal-verb

side with

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument or conflict
Example
She always **sides with** her best friend in arguments.
idiom

hammer out

Meaning
to reach an agreement after thorough discussion
Example
They stayed late to **hammer out** the final details of the contract.
idiom

a law unto oneself

Meaning
someone who acts independently and ignores rules
Example
He’s **a law unto himself**, never following company policies.
phrasal-verb

back away from power

Meaning
to choose not to hold an influential position
Example
Some activists **back away from power** to stay independent.
phrasal-verb

relate to

Meaning
to understand and identify with someone’s experiences or emotions
Example
I can really **relate to** your situation because I went through something similar.
phrasal-verb

scroll back through

Meaning
to go backward through a feed or list of posts
Example
I **scrolled back through** my messages to find our first conversation.
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

set your sights on

Meaning
to decide to achieve something; to aim for a specific goal
Example
She has **set her sights on** becoming a doctor.
idiom

open one's heart

Meaning
to express feelings or emotions honestly
Example
She finally decided to **open her heart** and share her feelings.
idiom

cold call

Meaning
to contact a potential customer without prior introduction
Example
He spent all morning making **cold calls** to new clients.
phrasal-verb

enter into

Meaning
to begin or participate in an agreement or discussion
Example
The two countries agreed to **enter into** a new trade deal.
idiom

Speaking personally

Meaning
Expressing one’s personal view or opinion
Example
Speaking personally, I wouldn’t take that risk.
phrasal-verb

get off

Meaning
to leave a bus, train, or plane
Example
We **got off** the train at the wrong station.
phrasal-verb

lift your spirits

Meaning
to make yourself or someone feel happier or more positive
Example
A walk in the park can really **lift your spirits**.
idiom

to pull strings

Meaning
to use one's influence or connections to get things done
Example
She managed to **pull strings** to get the bill passed in Congress.
phrasal-verb

hit it off with

Meaning
to immediately have a good relationship with someone
Example
We **hit it off with** each other from the very first meeting.
phrasal-verb

set up for shipping

Meaning
to prepare goods so they are ready to be sent
Example
The warehouse **sets up for shipping** as soon as orders close.
phrasal-verb

draw energy from positivity

Meaning
to gain motivation and enthusiasm from positive thoughts or people
Example
You can **draw energy from positivity** around you.
phrasal-verb

shine through challenges

Meaning
to maintain positivity and confidence during difficulties
Example
She always manages to **shine through challenges** with a smile.
idiom

Dust yourself off

Meaning
Recover after a setback and continue with confidence.
Example
He fell short this time, but he’ll **dust himself off** and try again.
idiom

to see the silver lining

Meaning
to find something positive in a negative situation
Example
She always tries to **see the silver lining** even in the most challenging situations.
phrasal-verb

bring people along

Meaning
to inspire others to share and follow your vision; to include others in your progress
Example
A good leader knows how to **bring people along** when introducing new ideas.
idiom

a close call

Meaning
A situation where a disaster or accident was narrowly avoided.
Example
That was **a close call** — the car almost hit us!
phrasal-verb

glow up

Meaning
to become more confident, attractive, or happy over time
Example
She really **glowed up** after starting her new job.
idiom

sift out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from a mix
Example
We need to **sift out** duplicate entries in the list.