at the cutting edge
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idiom

at the cutting edge

Meaning
at the most advanced position in a field
Example
The lab is at the cutting edge of medical research.
idiom

make ends meet

Meaning
to earn enough money to live on
Example
He works two jobs to make ends meet.
idiom

On the breadline

Meaning
Living in poverty or with very little money.
Example
After losing his job, he was almost on the breadline.
phrasal-verb

deal down

Meaning
to negotiate a lower price
Example
She managed to deal down the price of the car.
phrasal-verb

count upon

Meaning
to depend or rely on someone for help or support
Example
You can always count upon me when you need assistance.
idiom

Change is the only constant

Meaning
Everything in life keeps changing; nothing stays the same.
Example
Don’t resist — change is the only constant.
phrasal-verb

level up skills

Meaning
to improve or upgrade your abilities or qualifications
Example
Professionals often need to level up skills to stay competitive.
idiom

chip away at

Meaning
to gradually work on something to achieve a result
Example
She chipped away at her thesis every evening until it was finished.
phrasal-verb

shift away from negativity

Meaning
to move your attention away from negative thoughts or people
Example
I’ve learned to shift away from negativity and focus on gratitude.
phrasal-verb

tie nations together through

Meaning
to link countries through shared economic activities
Example
Free trade agreements tie nations together through common benefits.
idiom

rise through the ranks

Meaning
to gradually move up to higher positions in an organization
Example
He rose through the ranks to become the CEO.
idiom

have a bone to pick

Meaning
to have a complaint or disagreement with someone
Example
I have a bone to pick with you about yesterday’s meeting.
idiom

put the finishing touches

Meaning
to complete something perfectly by adding the final details
Example
She’s putting the finishing touches on her painting.
idiom

bargain for

Meaning
to expect or plan for something
Example
The workload was more than we bargained for.
idiom

Bursting at the seams

Meaning
To be very full or crowded.
Example
The store was bursting at the seams during the sale.
idiom

get your point across

Meaning
to express an idea clearly so that others understand it
Example
It’s important to get your point across during discussions.
idiom

pay through the nose

Meaning
to pay a very high price for something
Example
We paid through the nose for that concert ticket.
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.
idiom

take the high road

Meaning
to act morally or kindly even when others don't
Example
She decided to take the high road and forgive him.
phrasal-verb

work within

Meaning
to operate while staying under specific limits or constraints
Example
The team must work within the given budget.
phrasal-verb

act up

Meaning
to behave badly or cause trouble
Example
The kids started to act up during the long car ride.
idiom

good Samaritan

Meaning
a person who helps others selflessly
Example
A good Samaritan helped the old man cross the street.
idiom

to tip the scales

Meaning
to influence the outcome of a situation
Example
One witness’s statement tipped the scales in favor of the defendant.
phrasal-verb

follow up on

Meaning
to check or continue working on something previously started
Example
He promised to follow up on his health goals regularly.
phrasal-verb

help up

Meaning
to assist someone in standing after a fall
Example
He quickly helped up the old man who had tripped.
idiom

Roll up your sleeves

Meaning
To prepare to work hard.
Example
Let’s roll up our sleeves and get started.
phrasal-verb

reach deep within

Meaning
to connect with your inner emotions or true feelings
Example
Meditation helps you reach deep within and find peace.
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

have steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to be visibly very angry
Example
He had steam coming out of his ears when he saw the damage.
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

get going

Meaning
to begin taking action toward a goal
Example
If you want success, stop waiting and get going now!
idiom

school of thought

Meaning
a particular way of thinking or set of ideas
Example
There’s a school of thought that believes learning by doing is best.
idiom

get away with murder

Meaning
to do something very bad without being punished for it
Example
He’s so spoiled that he can get away with murder at home.
phrasal-verb

drop into

Meaning
to enter or visit a place casually
Example
I’ll drop into the café for a quick coffee before work.
phrasal-verb

turn plans into action

Meaning
to implement or execute planned initiatives
Example
It's time for nations to turn plans into action for climate resilience.
idiom

have faith in yourself

Meaning
to trust your own abilities and decisions
Example
Have faith in yourself, you can do this!
idiom

birds of a feather flock together

Meaning
People who have similar interests or personalities tend to be friends.
Example
John and Mike are always together; well, birds of a feather flock together.
phrasal-verb

get turned on by

Meaning
to be excited or attracted by something
Example
He gets turned on by good music.
idiom

your guess is as good as mine

Meaning
I do not know the answer to a question
Example
I don't know what time the movie starts. Your guess is as good as mine.
phrasal-verb

look at

Meaning
to examine or consider something
Example
Now, let’s look at the data from last year.
idiom

line up

Meaning
to arrange people or things in order or to schedule something
Example
We’ve lined up three guest speakers for the conference.
idiom

mutton dressed as lamb

Meaning
an older person trying to look younger
Example
People laughed when she wore teenage clothes — they said she was mutton dressed as lamb.
idiom

A picture paints a thousand words

Meaning
A visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
Cultural symbols remind us that a picture paints a thousand words.
phrasal-verb

see over

Meaning
to inspect a place, especially a house or building
Example
We went to see over the new apartment before signing the contract.
idiom

slip one's mind

Meaning
to forget something accidentally
Example
Sorry, it completely slipped my mind to call you.
idiom

A goal without a plan is just a wish

Meaning
Having a goal without a clear plan makes it unlikely to succeed.
Example
Don’t just dream, remember a goal without a plan is just a wish.
idiom

do the right thing

Meaning
to act in a morally or socially responsible way
Example
Even when it’s hard, always do the right thing.
idiom

An ear to the ground

Meaning
To be aware of what is happening around you.
Example
If you want to succeed in business, always keep an ear to the ground.
idiom

bring down the house

Meaning
to get an enthusiastic applause from the audience
Example
Her solo performance brought down the house.
idiom

kick up your heels

Meaning
to enjoy yourself by dancing or celebrating
Example
Everyone was ready to kick up their heels at the reunion.
idiom

own it

Meaning
to take pride in who you are or what you do
Example
Don’t be shy about your success—own it!
idiom

out of left field

Meaning
something unexpected or surprising
Example
His question came out of left field and shocked everyone.
phrasal-verb

rise from within

Meaning
to recover emotionally using one’s inner power or resilience
Example
After every setback, she found a way to rise from within.
phrasal-verb

back away from blame

Meaning
to avoid putting blame on others or oneself during a disagreement
Example
It’s wise to back away from blame and focus on solutions.
idiom

head back to

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
Let’s head back to the office after lunch.
phrasal-verb

make do with

Meaning
to manage with something less than ideal
Example
We didn’t have enough chairs, so we had to make do with stools.
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

get used to it

Meaning
to become familiar with something new
Example
It took a while, but I finally got used to it.
phrasal-verb

blow up into violence

Meaning
to suddenly become violent or intense
Example
The argument blew up into violence before police arrived.
idiom

lay off

Meaning
to dismiss someone from a job due to lack of work or money
Example
The company hopes to avoid having to lay off employees.
phrasal-verb

scrub off

Meaning
to remove dirt or stains by rubbing hard
Example
You need to scrub off that grease from the pan.
idiom

trendsetter

Meaning
someone who leads the way in fashion, technology, or other popular areas, setting trends for others to follow
Example
The company became a trendsetter in the tech world with its innovative new app.
phrasal-verb

prioritize over

Meaning
to give more importance to one thing than another
Example
You should prioritize over urgent tasks before anything else.
idiom

To lend a helping hand

Meaning
to assist someone in a time of need
Example
She always knows when to lend a helping hand and never hesitates.
phrasal-verb

come together on

Meaning
to unite in agreement on a common issue
Example
World leaders came together on climate change goals.
idiom

the picture of health

Meaning
a person who looks very healthy
Example
Despite his age, he’s still the picture of health.
phrasal-verb

burst out smiling

Meaning
to suddenly start smiling widely
Example
When she saw the surprise gift, she burst out smiling.
idiom

black box problem

Meaning
a situation where the internal workings of an AI system are not transparent or understood
Example
The biggest challenge in deep learning is the black box problem.
idiom

run in the family

Meaning
a characteristic that many members of a family share
Example
Good looks run in the family — all of them are beautiful!
idiom

catch up

Meaning
to meet and talk after a long time; to reach the same level as someone
Example
Let’s catch up over coffee this weekend.
phrasal-verb

see off guests

Meaning
to say goodbye to people as they leave
Example
The host saw off the guests at the gate after midnight.
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

blow in

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly, usually with wind
Example
A cold wind suddenly blew in from the north.
phrasal-verb

be there for

Meaning
to be available to help or comfort someone in need
Example
She promised to always be there for her sister no matter what.
phrasal-verb

disagree with

Meaning
to have a different opinion from someone else
Example
I respectfully disagree with your conclusion.
phrasal-verb

cool yourself off

Meaning
to calm down after being angry or excited
Example
He went for a walk to cool himself off after the argument.
idiom

march to the beat of your own drum

Meaning
to act independently and follow your own ideas
Example
She doesn’t care about trends; she marches to the beat of her own drum.
idiom

grab a bite

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

blow someone away

Meaning
to impress or surprise someone greatly
Example
Her performance really blew me away.
phrasal-verb

press on

Meaning
to continue doing something in a determined way despite difficulties
Example
Although he was tired, he decided to press on until he finished the task.
phrasal-verb

bring in income

Meaning
to earn money from work or investment
Example
She started freelancing to bring in income alongside her full-time job.
idiom

to make a blunder

Meaning
to make a very big or stupid mistake
Example
The company made a blunder by ignoring customer feedback.
phrasal-verb

close in on

Meaning
to get nearer to achieving something
Example
After several meetings, we are finally closing in on an agreement.
idiom

Open book

Meaning
Someone who is easy to understand or transparent.
Example
She’s an open book; you always know what she’s thinking.
phrasal-verb

break barriers

Meaning
to overcome obstacles that divide people or cultures
Example
Education helps break barriers between communities.
phrasal-verb

pig out on

Meaning
to eat too much of something
Example
We pigged out on pizza last night.
phrasal-verb

bring in on

Meaning
to include someone in a discussion or project
Example
Let’s bring John in on this design review meeting.
idiom

at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or stressed that you don’t know what to do
Example
I’m at my wits’ end trying to finish all this work.
phrasal-verb

reflect kindness on

Meaning
to show gratitude by being kind to others in return
Example
She reflected kindness on others after being helped herself.
idiom

keep your head in the game

Meaning
to stay mentally focused and motivated
Example
Even when things get tough, keep your head in the game.
idiom

play both sides

Meaning
to support opposing parties to gain advantage
Example
Some lobbyists are known to play both sides of the issue.
phrasal-verb

call in for

Meaning
to join a remote session for a specific purpose
Example
Drivers call in for updates when weather turns rough.
phrasal-verb

pull back up

Meaning
to improve or recover after falling or dropping
Example
The national currency has started to pull back up against the dollar.
phrasal-verb

set off protests

Meaning
to cause protests or demonstrations to begin
Example
The new law set off protests across the country.
idiom

piece together

Meaning
to understand something by combining small details
Example
The detective tried to piece together what had happened that night.
idiom

Money doesn't grow on trees

Meaning
Money is limited and must be earned; not easy to get.
Example
You should save more—money doesn’t grow on trees.
phrasal-verb

warm down

Meaning
to perform gentle exercises after intense physical activity
Example
The coach told the players to warm down after the match.
phrasal-verb

point toward

Meaning
to indicate or suggest a future possibility
Example
Recent studies point toward a rise in electric mobility.
phrasal-verb

reach out to investors

Meaning
to contact people who might be interested in funding your business
Example
Startups often reach out to investors when they need capital.
phrasal-verb

break past fear

Meaning
to overcome fear and take courageous action
Example
You can only grow when you break past fear and take risks.
phrasal-verb

listen across cultures

Meaning
to pay attention and understand people from different cultural backgrounds
Example
To be a global leader, you must listen across cultures with empathy.
phrasal-verb

draw up a budget

Meaning
to prepare or plan a financial outline for a period
Example
The finance team will draw up a budget for the next fiscal year.
phrasal-verb

pay someone out

Meaning
to compensate someone for loss or damage
Example
The insurer paid her out after the accident.
phrasal-verb

balance out inflation

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

iron fist in a velvet glove

Meaning
a gentle outward appearance hiding strong control
Example
Her leadership style is an iron fist in a velvet glove.
phrasal-verb

build up reserves

Meaning
to increase saved or stored resources for future use
Example
The central bank is working to build up reserves of foreign currency.
idiom

dig out

Meaning
to retrieve something that has been stored or buried
Example
Could you dig out last year’s budget notes?
phrasal-verb

lay out expectations

Meaning
to clearly explain what you expect from others
Example
At the beginning of the project, the manager laid out expectations for the entire team.
phrasal-verb

commend on

Meaning
to praise someone for something
Example
The manager commended her on her excellent presentation.
phrasal-verb

stand up for peace

Meaning
to defend or support the idea of peace in conflicts
Example
She always stands up for peace during political debates.
idiom

pack up

Meaning
to gather belongings and prepare to leave
Example
We should pack up and head home before the storm starts.
phrasal-verb

work on yourself

Meaning
to make conscious efforts to improve your personality, habits, or mindset
Example
He spent years trying to work on himself after his breakup.
phrasal-verb

invest in infrastructure

Meaning
to spend money on buildings, systems, or services for long-term development
Example
Developing nations are trying to invest in infrastructure to support economic growth.
phrasal-verb

call up on

Meaning
to ask someone formally to do something
Example
The chairman called up on all members to vote.
phrasal-verb

fall off

Meaning
to drop from a higher place; to decrease
Example
Sales have fallen off since last month.
phrasal-verb

let emotions show

Meaning
to express one’s true feelings openly
Example
He rarely lets his emotions show, even when he’s upset.
phrasal-verb

meet up to

Meaning
to reach or satisfy a particular standard or expectation
Example
Our design must meet up to the client’s expectations before the deadline.
idiom

warm the cockles of one's heart

Meaning
to make someone feel happy or grateful
Example
Her thoughtful gift really warmed the cockles of my heart.
idiom

dawn on

Meaning
to become clear to someone after not realizing
Example
It suddenly dawned on me that I’d left my wallet.
idiom

climb to the top

Meaning
to achieve the highest position in a company or field
Example
He’s determined to climb to the top of his profession.
phrasal-verb

make up after

Meaning
to become friends again after an argument
Example
They finally made up after not speaking for weeks.