Be all ears
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idiom

Be all ears

Meaning
To listen very attentively.
Example
I’m **all ears**, tell me what happened!
phrasal-verb

bungle up

Meaning
to spoil or ruin something through clumsiness
Example
The workers **bungled up** the whole paint job.
phrasal-verb

build around customer needs

Meaning
to develop products or services based on user demands
Example
Successful startups **build around customer needs** to ensure satisfaction.
phrasal-verb

break limits

Meaning
to go beyond what is normally possible or expected
Example
He **broke limits** by achieving what no one else dared to try.
idiom

brush off

Meaning
to dismiss something or someone as unimportant
Example
He tried to **brush off** the criticism during the meeting.
idiom

barefaced lie

Meaning
a bold and shameless lie
Example
His excuse was a **barefaced lie**.
phrasal-verb

break out in a rash

Meaning
to suddenly develop a skin condition
Example
She **broke out in a rash** after eating seafood.
phrasal-verb

bring optimism into life

Meaning
to include hopeful and positive thinking in your lifestyle
Example
Try to **bring optimism into life** through daily habits.
idiom

black sheep of the family

Meaning
a family member who is considered a disgrace
Example
He became the **black sheep of the family** after his bad decisions.
phrasal-verb

be thankful for

Meaning
to feel or express gratitude for something
Example
I’ll always **be thankful for** your kindness.
phrasal-verb

build credibility

Meaning
to earn trust and respect through consistent performance
Example
Delivering results regularly helps professionals **build credibility**.
idiom

behind the times

Meaning
old-fashioned or not keeping up with modern ideas
Example
My uncle still uses a typewriter—he’s **behind the times**.
idiom

brush past

Meaning
to move quickly by someone or something with slight contact
Example
He **brushed past** the reporters without stopping.
idiom

back on track

Meaning
to return to the right path or plan
Example
After some delays, our trip is **back on track**.
phrasal-verb

burn up

Meaning
to destroy something completely by fire
Example
Burning trash **burns up** oxygen and releases harmful gases.
idiom

blind experiment

Meaning
a test conducted without participants knowing certain information to prevent bias
Example
The scientists conducted a **blind experiment** to ensure accuracy.
phrasal-verb

build connections with

Meaning
to form positive relationships with people from other cultures
Example
He tried to **build connections with** his colleagues from various countries.
phrasal-verb

break down walls

Meaning
to remove divisions or barriers between people
Example
The new leadership aims to **break down walls** between departments.
idiom

better late than never

Meaning
it’s better to do something late than not do it at all
Example
**Better late than never** – he finally apologized.
phrasal-verb

brainstorm our way out

Meaning
to think of ideas together until a problem is solved
Example
The team **brainstorms our way out** whenever a project gets stuck.
idiom

break your back

Meaning
to work very hard to achieve something
Example
He’s been **breaking his back** to support his family.
idiom

Best foot forward

Meaning
To try to make the best possible impression
Example
She always puts her **best foot forward** on important occasions.
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

be over the moon

Meaning
to be extremely happy or delighted
Example
He was **over the moon** when he got his dream job.
phrasal-verb

bring up to speed

Meaning
to make someone or something fully informed or updated
Example
The new employees were **brought up to speed** on the company’s financial goals.
phrasal-verb

bond through

Meaning
to form a close relationship by sharing experiences or emotions
Example
We **bonded through** our shared struggles in college.
phrasal-verb

bridge over traditions

Meaning
to find common ground between different traditional beliefs or practices
Example
The event aimed to **bridge over traditions** and promote harmony.
idiom

big picture

Meaning
the overall perspective or situation
Example
Producers always try to see the **big picture** before making changes.
phrasal-verb

beat yourself up

Meaning
to blame or criticize yourself too much for something
Example
Don't **beat yourself up** over one mistake.
idiom

born in the purple

Meaning
born into a wealthy or royal family
Example
He was **born in the purple**, so wealth was never an issue.
phrasal-verb

bring in reforms

Meaning
to introduce changes to improve a system or policy
Example
The new government promised to **bring in reforms** to strengthen the economy.
phrasal-verb

brush off doubt

Meaning
to ignore self-doubt and continue with confidence
Example
He **brushed off doubt** and delivered a great speech.
idiom

be accountable for

Meaning
to be responsible for something and able to explain it
Example
As the team leader, he is **accountable for the project's outcome**.
phrasal-verb

brace for

Meaning
to prepare for something unpleasant or difficult
Example
The company is **bracing for** possible losses after the policy change.
phrasal-verb

build back up

Meaning
to regain emotional or mental strength after a setback
Example
He slowly began to **build back up** after his depression.
idiom

blind faith

Meaning
trusting without questioning
Example
Having **blind faith** can sometimes lead to disappointment.
idiom

boil over

Meaning
when anger becomes too much to control
Example
The argument finally **boiled over** into a shouting match.
phrasal-verb

breathe through fear

Meaning
to calm yourself by breathing slowly during fear or anxiety
Example
When panic hits, **breathe through fear** to steady your nerves.
idiom

by the skin of one’s teeth

Meaning
To narrowly escape or achieve something by a very small margin.
Example
I passed the exam **by the skin of my teeth**.
phrasal-verb

breathe into peace

Meaning
to inhale deeply while focusing on peace and calmness
Example
Close your eyes and **breathe into peace** to relax your mind.
idiom

blue chip company

Meaning
a large, reliable, and financially stable company
Example
Investors prefer to put their money into **blue chip companies**.
phrasal-verb

bring on

Meaning
to cause something bad to happen; to make something start
Example
Lack of sleep can **bring on** headaches.
phrasal-verb

break out

Meaning
to start suddenly (for war, fire, disease, etc.)
Example
A fire **broke out** in the kitchen last night.
phrasal-verb

branch upward

Meaning
to move toward higher levels or bigger markets
Example
The business is **branching upward** into more profitable sectors.
idiom

battle-tested

Meaning
proven effective through experience or hardship
Example
She’s a **battle-tested** leader who knows how to stay calm under pressure.
idiom

behind bars

Meaning
in prison
Example
The murderer will spend the rest of his life **behind bars**.
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.
idiom

Breaking news

Meaning
New and important information being reported immediately
Example
We have **breaking news** about the election results.
idiom

blow out of the water

Meaning
to surprise or defeat completely
Example
Their performance **blew us out of the water**.
phrasal-verb

breathe through

Meaning
to manage stress or pain by breathing calmly
Example
When anxious, try to **breathe through** the feeling slowly.
phrasal-verb

build immunity to

Meaning
to develop resistance to a disease
Example
Vaccines help your body **build immunity to** dangerous viruses.
idiom

beyond words

Meaning
too great or extreme to be described in words
Example
Her kindness was **beyond words**.
idiom

bring down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad or to reduce something
Example
Don’t let one rude comment **bring down** your confidence.
phrasal-verb

boost up foreign reserves

Meaning
to increase a country's foreign currency holdings
Example
The central bank is working to **boost up foreign reserves** through remittances.
idiom

burn the candle at both ends

Meaning
to work too hard without enough rest
Example
If you **burn the candle at both ends**, you’ll get exhausted soon.
phrasal-verb

build alliances

Meaning
to form cooperative relationships between groups or nations
Example
Countries must **build alliances** to face economic crises together.
phrasal-verb

bring in investors

Meaning
to attract people who will invest money
Example
The startup managed to **bring in** several new investors this year.
phrasal-verb

break out of comfort zone

Meaning
to do something that is new or challenging for personal growth
Example
To grow as a person, you must **break out of your comfort zone**.
idiom

brute force attack

Meaning
a method of hacking that tries all possible combinations of passwords until the correct one is found
Example
The attacker launched a **brute force attack** on the system’s login page.
phrasal-verb

build up resilience

Meaning
to develop the ability to recover from challenges or stress
Example
Therapy can help you **build up resilience** against anxiety.
phrasal-verb

bring back

Meaning
to reintroduce or restore something that was removed
Example
The city plans to **bring back** tree-planting programs this year.
phrasal-verb

budget time blocks

Meaning
to plan specific chunks of time for tasks
Example
I **budget time blocks** on Monday for deep work and catch-up slots.
phrasal-verb

build up stamina

Meaning
to increase strength or endurance gradually
Example
Running regularly helps to **build up stamina**.
phrasal-verb

bring about change

Meaning
to cause something to happen; to make change occur
Example
A good leader can bring about change in any organization.
idiom

break one's word

Meaning
to fail to keep a promise
Example
Don’t **break your word**; people rely on you.
idiom

bang for your buck

Meaning
value for the money spent; a good deal
Example
This insurance plan gives you the best **bang for your buck**.
phrasal-verb

bond with

Meaning
to develop a close emotional connection with someone
Example
Parents should spend time to **bond with** their children.
idiom

boot up

Meaning
to start a computer or system
Example
My laptop takes forever to **boot up**.
idiom

blow your mind

Meaning
to impress or amaze someone greatly
Example
The new AI technology will **blow your mind**.
phrasal-verb

bounce back stronger

Meaning
to recover from setbacks with renewed energy
Example
Teams **bounce back stronger** after honest feedback sessions.
phrasal-verb

bring in foreign investment

Meaning
to attract money from other countries for business or development
Example
The government is trying to **bring in foreign investment** to boost economic growth.
phrasal-verb

blow through

Meaning
when wind or storm moves quickly across an area
Example
A strong wind **blew through** the town last night.
idiom

backdoor entry

Meaning
a secret or unofficial way to access something
Example
Hackers found a **backdoor entry** into the company’s database.
idiom

break a promise

Meaning
to fail to do what one promised
Example
She **broke her promise** and didn’t call him.
idiom

be above board

Meaning
to act in an honest and open manner
Example
She is always **above board** in all her dealings.
phrasal-verb

bottle emotions up

Meaning
to keep your emotions hidden inside instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle his emotions up** instead of talking about them.
idiom

bite your tongue

Meaning
to stop yourself from saying something you want to say
Example
I had to **bite my tongue** when my boss took credit for my work.
idiom

build up your confidence

Meaning
to gradually become more confident
Example
Public speaking can help you **build up your confidence**.
idiom

burn your bridges

Meaning
to make a decision that cannot be reversed
Example
Be careful not to **burn your bridges** with your old employer.
idiom

beyond the rainbow

Meaning
to hope for something wonderful or dreamlike
Example
She believes her dreams lie **beyond the rainbow**.
phrasal-verb

bring up against

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

back up

Meaning
to support or to make a copy of important data
Example
Can you **back up** my explanation during the meeting?
phrasal-verb

blend across cultures

Meaning
to combine or mix aspects from different cultural backgrounds
Example
Modern cuisine often **blends across cultures** to create new flavors.
idiom

bird’s eye view

Meaning
a view from a high position; an overview
Example
We got a **bird’s eye view** of the city from the tower.
idiom

bat around

Meaning
to discuss ideas casually
Example
We spent the afternoon **batting around** marketing themes.
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

bring across

Meaning
to communicate an idea effectively
Example
He used visuals to **bring across** his main idea clearly.
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.
phrasal-verb

bump into

Meaning
to meet someone unexpectedly
Example
I **bumped into** an old friend at the mall.
phrasal-verb

bridge across

Meaning
to overcome divisions between groups or nations
Example
Diplomats **bridge across** cultural and political gaps.
phrasal-verb

build up patience

Meaning
to gradually increase emotional endurance
Example
Meditation helps you **build up patience** in stressful times.
idiom

be sure of yourself

Meaning
to have confidence in your abilities or opinions
Example
To be a leader, you must **be sure of yourself**.
phrasal-verb

brace yourself for

Meaning
to mentally prepare for something challenging or frightening
Example
Take a breath and **brace yourself for** the tough conversation.
phrasal-verb

break into conversation

Meaning
to join an ongoing conversation
Example
He politely **broke into the conversation** to share his opinion.
phrasal-verb

build up economic ties

Meaning
to strengthen trade relationships between nations
Example
Asian countries are trying to **build up economic ties** through regional cooperation.
phrasal-verb

back others up

Meaning
to support or defend other people’s actions or opinions
Example
A responsible leader always **backs others up** when they take initiative.
phrasal-verb

break down for

Meaning
to explain something in simpler parts for someone
Example
Could you **break this down for** the new volunteers?
idiom

bottle up feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions inside without expressing them
Example
It's not healthy to **bottle up your feelings** for too long.
idiom

bury the hatchet

Meaning
to stop fighting and become friends again
Example
After years of argument, they decided to **bury the hatchet**.
idiom

butterflies in the stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or excited
Example
I always get **butterflies in my stomach** before a date.
idiom

betray someone's trust

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

bosom friends

Meaning
very close and intimate friends
Example
They have been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

beyond one’s comprehension

Meaning
too difficult to understand
Example
Quantum physics is **beyond my comprehension**.
idiom

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
idiom

bring forward

Meaning
to move something to an earlier time
Example
We had to **bring forward** the meeting due to travel.
idiom

big data

Meaning
Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.
Example
The company uses **big data** to improve customer experience.
phrasal-verb

build upon knowledge

Meaning
to use previously learned information as a foundation for new learning
Example
Students should **build upon knowledge** from earlier lessons to understand complex topics.
phrasal-verb

bring up interest rates

Meaning
to increase the rate charged on loans
Example
Central banks often **bring up interest rates** to control inflation.
phrasal-verb

build upon yourself

Meaning
to improve or develop your skills, knowledge, or character based on what you already have
Example
You should always try to **build upon yourself** and become a better version of who you were yesterday.
idiom

build brand loyalty

Meaning
to create long-term trust and attachment to a brand
Example
Consistent quality helps **build brand loyalty** among customers.
phrasal-verb

break off diplomatic ties

Meaning
to end official relations between countries
Example
The two nations decided to **break off diplomatic ties** after the border conflict.
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.
idiom

bite the bullet

Meaning
to decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating about
Example
I decided to **bite the bullet** and finish my homework.
idiom

bear in mind

Meaning
to remember or consider something
Example
**Bear in mind** that traffic will be heavy at that time.
idiom

be a role model

Meaning
to be an example that others should imitate
Example
She is always a **role model** for younger employees in the company.
idiom

Burst with gratitude

Meaning
To feel extremely thankful.
Example
She was **bursting with gratitude** after receiving help.
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

build yourself up

Meaning
to increase your confidence or strength gradually
Example
She **built herself up** by practicing every day.
phrasal-verb

build across

Meaning
to develop cooperation or structures that connect different entities globally
Example
They aim to **build across** regions to support innovation networks.
idiom

Bring peace to

Meaning
To restore calm or tranquility in a situation.
Example
Her kind words helped **bring peace to** the argument.
phrasal-verb

butt in

Meaning
to interrupt or give an opinion when not invited
Example
I wish you wouldn’t **butt in** when we are discussing something serious.