battle of wills
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

battle of wills

Meaning
a conflict where both sides refuse to give up
Example
It became a **battle of wills** between the manager and the team leader.
phrasal-verb

build wealth

Meaning
to accumulate money and assets over time
Example
She plans to **build wealth** through smart investments and saving strategies.
phrasal-verb

power down

Meaning
to turn off or shut down a device completely
Example
You should **power down** your computer before cleaning it.
phrasal-verb

look someone in the eye

Meaning
to make direct eye contact as a sign of honesty or respect
Example
When greeting someone, try to **look them in the eye** to show respect.
idiom

Put our heads together

Meaning
To discuss and find a solution collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** and come up with a plan.
idiom

go through the roof

Meaning
to increase rapidly; to become very high
Example
The prices of housing have **gone through the roof** recently.
phrasal-verb

sync across

Meaning
to make sure data or actions are consistent across devices or platforms
Example
All files automatically **sync across** your devices.
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

Don’t throw in the towel

Meaning
Don’t give up or quit.
Example
**Don’t throw in the towel** even if it’s hard.
phrasal-verb

translate into action

Meaning
to turn ideas or words into practical steps or results
Example
We must **translate into action** the promises made in meetings.
idiom

stay strong

Meaning
to remain courageous and confident despite difficulties
Example
Whatever happens, **stay strong** and keep moving forward.
phrasal-verb

team up for

Meaning
to join others in doing something together for a common goal
Example
Countries **team up for** global vaccination programs.
idiom

to shoot for the moon

Meaning
to aim for a difficult or ambitious goal
Example
He’s always **shooting for the moon**, trying to achieve impossible goals.
phrasal-verb

vote for

Meaning
to choose someone or something in an election
Example
Everyone should **vote for** candidates who value honesty.
idiom

build castles in the air

Meaning
to make unrealistic plans or dreams
Example
He’s always **building castles in the air** instead of acting.
phrasal-verb

hold appreciation for

Meaning
to keep a feeling of thankfulness towards someone
Example
I still **hold appreciation for** my teachers who guided me.
phrasal-verb

hook up to

Meaning
to connect a device to another system or network
Example
The printer is **hooked up to** the office Wi-Fi network.
idiom

High stakes

Meaning
Involving serious risk or significant consequences.
Example
Negotiating with investors is a **high-stakes** game.
idiom

fail forward

Meaning
to learn and grow from failure
Example
Don’t be afraid to **fail forward** and learn from your mistakes.
idiom

beyond the pale

Meaning
outside acceptable rules or standards
Example
His behavior was **beyond the pale**.
idiom

pull an all-nighter

Meaning
to stay awake all night to study or work
Example
I had to **pull an all-nighter** to finish my assignment.
phrasal-verb

beam with pride

Meaning
to smile happily because of feeling proud
Example
His mother **beamed with pride** at his graduation ceremony.
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**.
phrasal-verb

step up production

Meaning
to increase the manufacturing output to meet export demand
Example
Factories **stepped up production** to fulfill international orders.
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

long in the tooth

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

give someone the cold shoulder

Meaning
to deliberately ignore or show disapproval toward someone
Example
After the argument, she **gave him the cold shoulder**.
idiom

In the know

Meaning
Having information that most people do not have.
Example
She’s always **in the know** about company secrets.
phrasal-verb

introduce yourself

Meaning
to tell someone your name and details when meeting for the first time
Example
It’s courteous to **introduce yourself** before joining a group.
idiom

have a Eureka moment

Meaning
to suddenly realize the solution to a problem
Example
I had a **Eureka moment** while fixing the code last night.
idiom

trust one's judgment

Meaning
to believe in someone's decision or ability to make good choices
Example
I always **trust her judgment** when it comes to hiring decisions.
idiom

parcel out

Meaning
to divide and distribute something
Example
Let’s **parcel out** the tasks for the festival.
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

lash out

Meaning
to suddenly express anger or criticize someone strongly
Example
He **lashed out** at his colleague during the argument.
idiom

tap into

Meaning
to make use of a resource or ability
Example
The startup hopes to **tap into** a new audience through social media.
phrasal-verb

go wild

Meaning
to behave in an extremely excited or enthusiastic way
Example
The crowd **went wild** when the team scored the goal.
phrasal-verb

hone in on

Meaning
to focus attention or effort on something specific
Example
You need to **hone in on** your weaknesses to improve faster.
idiom

hold down

Meaning
to keep something at a low level
Example
It’s tough to **hold down** rent costs in this city.
phrasal-verb

project out

Meaning
to estimate or predict future results based on current data
Example
Economists **project out** the country's GDP growth for the next decade.
idiom

That’s exactly right

Meaning
Used to completely agree with a statement
Example
**That’s exactly right**, we should focus on quality first.
idiom

key into

Meaning
to pay close attention to or understand something important
Example
Leaders must **key into** what customers value most.
idiom

to draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We need to **draw the line** between inspiration and plagiarism.
phrasal-verb

speak with

Meaning
to have a conversation with someone
Example
I need to **speak with** you about tomorrow’s presentation.
idiom

sorry sight

Meaning
something or someone that looks pitiful or regrettable
Example
After the storm, the park was a **sorry sight**.
idiom

a lump in your throat

Meaning
feeling emotional or about to cry
Example
He felt **a lump in his throat** when he said goodbye.
phrasal-verb

say sorry for

Meaning
to express regret or apology for something
Example
He **said sorry for** his rude behavior.
idiom

to have a clean conscience

Meaning
to feel good about oneself because one has done nothing wrong
Example
After telling the truth, she had **a clean conscience**.
phrasal-verb

step back from tension

Meaning
to distance yourself from a stressful situation to regain perspective
Example
Sometimes it's best to **step back from tension** and reassess things calmly.
phrasal-verb

guard against volatility

Meaning
to take action to protect from sudden changes or risks
Example
Investors should **guard against volatility** in global markets.
phrasal-verb

target at

Meaning
to aim a product or message toward a specific group
Example
This advertisement is **targeted at** young professionals.
idiom

feel the heat

Meaning
to experience pressure or criticism
Example
The manager began to **feel the heat** after the sales dropped.
phrasal-verb

rise above hurt

Meaning
to move past emotional pain and not let it control you
Example
She learned to **rise above hurt** and forgive others.
idiom

take the blame

Meaning
to accept responsibility for something wrong
Example
He decided to **take the blame** for the team's failure.
phrasal-verb

patch over differences

Meaning
to try to ignore disagreements and restore peace
Example
They decided to **patch over differences** and move on.
idiom

draw a blank

Meaning
to be unable to remember or think of something
Example
When asked about the date, she **drew a blank**.
phrasal-verb

wind off

Meaning
to relax after a period of work or tension
Example
After a busy week, I like to **wind off** by reading a good book.
phrasal-verb

fix up

Meaning
to arrange or plan something; to repair or prepare something
Example
She offered to **fix up** a lunch meeting for next week.
idiom

play by ear

Meaning
to improvise or decide as you go rather than following a fixed plan
Example
We don't have a fixed schedule, so let's just **play it by ear**.
idiom

The melting pot

Meaning
A place where many different cultures blend together
Example
New York is often called **the melting pot** of cultures.
idiom

phishing attempt

Meaning
an attempt to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity
Example
The email you received looks like a **phishing attempt**, so don't click any links.
idiom

behind the scenes

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

fall for someone

Meaning
to start loving someone; to develop romantic feelings
Example
He **fell for** her the moment he saw her smile.
phrasal-verb

pick off

Meaning
to shoot or remove one by one
Example
The sniper **picked off** the enemies from a distance.
idiom

keep out

Meaning
to prevent someone or something from entering
Example
Close the windows to **keep out** the dust during the renovation.
idiom

sick and tired of

Meaning
completely bored or annoyed by something
Example
I'm **sick and tired of** listening to his excuses.
phrasal-verb

bridge across languages

Meaning
to overcome language differences while communicating
Example
Technology helps us **bridge across languages** through translation tools.
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

come a long way

Meaning
to make a lot of progress or improvement
Example
She has **come a long way** since she started her career.
phrasal-verb

build inner strength

Meaning
to develop mental and emotional toughness
Example
Meditation helps you **build inner strength** and calmness.
idiom

mother hen

Meaning
a person who is very protective or caring, especially within a family
Example
Aunt Mary is a real **mother hen**, always looking after everyone.
phrasal-verb

cut back on exports

Meaning
to reduce the amount of goods sold to other countries
Example
Due to rising costs, the company decided to **cut back on exports** this year.
idiom

hang back

Meaning
to remain behind or hesitate to act
Example
If you **hang back**, you might miss the opportunity.
idiom

tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small part of a much bigger problem
Example
The data error we found is just the **tip of the iceberg**.
phrasal-verb

expand into

Meaning
to grow a business into new territories or sectors
Example
They are planning to **expand into** renewable energy markets.
phrasal-verb

send back

Meaning
to return a purchased item for a refund or replacement
Example
I had to **send back** the shirt because it didn’t fit.
idiom

split hairs

Meaning
to argue about small or unimportant details
Example
Stop **splitting hairs** and focus on the main issue.
phrasal-verb

carry over data

Meaning
to transfer unused data or balance from one period to another
Example
Most mobile plans now let you **carry over data** to the next month.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
phrasal-verb

drop a message

Meaning
to send someone a short message online
Example
Just **drop me a message** if you need any help.
phrasal-verb

cut short

Meaning
to end something earlier than planned
Example
We had to **cut short** the meeting due to a technical issue.
phrasal-verb

bring up against

Meaning
to confront someone with a problem or difficulty
Example
He was suddenly **brought up against** a serious obstacle.
phrasal-verb

honor with

Meaning
to give respect or recognition to someone for their contribution
Example
The company **honored him with** an award for his years of service.
phrasal-verb

bring out potential

Meaning
to help others show their best abilities
Example
A true leader **brings out potential** in every team member.
idiom

Put your heart into it

Meaning
To do something with full effort and enthusiasm.
Example
If you **put your heart into it**, you’ll achieve great results.
phrasal-verb

stumble over

Meaning
to make an error while speaking or reading
Example
He **stumbled over** several words in the script.
phrasal-verb

lift out of poverty

Meaning
to help people or nations escape from poverty
Example
International aid has helped **lift millions out of poverty** worldwide.
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

soak up

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

to play fair

Meaning
To act honestly and follow the rules.
Example
In every competition, we must **play fair**.
phrasal-verb

expand expertise in

Meaning
to increase knowledge or skills in a specific area
Example
He attended workshops to **expand his expertise in** management.
idiom

have a stake in

Meaning
to have an interest or investment in something
Example
She has a **stake in** the company's success.
phrasal-verb

open around

Meaning
to act friendly and emotionally available with people nearby
Example
She always **opens around** people she trusts.
phrasal-verb

hash out with

Meaning
to resolve details through thorough discussion
Example
We **hash out with** the partners before signing the merger paperwork.
idiom

get your act together

Meaning
start working efficiently or properly
Example
You need to **get your act together** if you want to meet the deadline.
phrasal-verb

pitch ideas to

Meaning
to present ideas to others for consideration
Example
We’ll **pitch ideas to** the management team tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

call someone out on

Meaning
to point out a person’s mistake or bad behavior
Example
Coworkers **call someone out on** gossip that hurts the team.
idiom

old friend

Meaning
a friend you have known for a long time
Example
I met an **old friend** from college yesterday.
phrasal-verb

hear about

Meaning
to receive information and respond with appreciation or gratitude
Example
I was happy to **hear about** your help with the project—thank you!
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.
phrasal-verb

expand on

Meaning
to add more details or information about something
Example
Could you **expand on** your last point a bit more?
idiom

a dime a dozen

Meaning
very common and not valuable
Example
Those toys are **a dime a dozen** at the market.
idiom

head off to

Meaning
to leave for a particular place
Example
We should **head off to** the venue by noon.
idiom

puppy love

Meaning
a young or innocent kind of love
Example
Their relationship in school was just **puppy love**.
idiom

a man of faith

Meaning
a person who strongly believes in a particular religion or principle
Example
He is known as **a man of faith** in his community.
idiom

a go-getter

Meaning
someone who is very energetic and determined to succeed
Example
He’s **a go-getter** who never gives up on his goals.
phrasal-verb

make amends through action

Meaning
to repair harm by doing something helpful
Example
He **makes amends through action** by redoing the report correctly.
phrasal-verb

click on

Meaning
to press a button on the mouse to select something
Example
Just **click on** the link to open the website.
idiom

to come clean

Meaning
to admit the truth, especially when it is difficult or embarrassing
Example
He decided it was time to **come clean** about his mistake.
idiom

too big to fail

Meaning
a company or institution that is so important that it is unlikely to fail
Example
Many financial institutions were considered **too big to fail** during the 2008 financial crisis.
idiom

fit for a king

Meaning
something of very high quality or luxurious
Example
The dinner was **fit for a king**.
phrasal-verb

lift people out of poverty

Meaning
to help people escape from poverty through economic growth or support
Example
The new policy is designed to **lift people out of poverty** sustainably.
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

at the crossroads

Meaning
facing a decision or choice
Example
I’m **at the crossroads** in my career right now.
idiom

learn by heart

Meaning
to memorize something perfectly
Example
He **learned the poem by heart** for the recital.
idiom

A thirst for knowledge

Meaning
A strong desire to learn new things.
Example
He has **a thirst for knowledge** and reads constantly.
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

switch on

Meaning
to turn something on so it operates
Example
Please **switch on** the lights before the clients arrive.
phrasal-verb

get on

Meaning
to board a bus, train, or plane
Example
We **got on** the bus just before it left the station.
idiom

I’m with you

Meaning
I agree with your idea or opinion
Example
**I’m with you** on that plan — it’s a good one.
phrasal-verb

cut down on costs

Meaning
to reduce expenses or spending
Example
The government is trying to **cut down on costs** to stabilize the economy.
idiom

play devil's advocate

Meaning
to argue against an idea to test how strong it is
Example
I don't necessarily disagree, but let me **play devil's advocate** for a moment.