be at your wits' end
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idiom

be at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or upset that you don't know what to do
Example
I'm **at my wits' end** trying to calm the kids down.
idiom

balance the books

Meaning
to make sure income and expenses are equal
Example
The accountant worked late to **balance the books**.
idiom

Break a sweat

Meaning
To exert effort or work hard at something.
Example
She didn't even **break a sweat** while finishing the entire project in one day.
phrasal-verb

branch into innovation

Meaning
to expand into creative or innovative areas
Example
The company plans to **branch into innovation** through new tech solutions.
phrasal-verb

build up to

Meaning
to prepare for something gradually
Example
You should **build up to** running long distances slowly.
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

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

Bursting at the seams

Meaning
To be very full or crowded.
Example
The store was **bursting at the seams** during the sale.
phrasal-verb

build endurance

Meaning
to gradually develop the ability to keep going for a long time
Example
Athletes **build endurance** through consistent training.
idiom

blank mind

Meaning
unable to think clearly or remember something
Example
During the exam, my **mind went blank**.
idiom

blow away the cobwebs

Meaning
to refresh one’s mind or body after inactivity
Example
A short walk helped me **blow away the cobwebs**.
phrasal-verb

build optimism around you

Meaning
to create a positive environment with hopeful energy
Example
Try to **build optimism around you** through your words and actions.
phrasal-verb

bring before

Meaning
to present someone or something for judgment or discussion
Example
The case was **brought before** the court yesterday.
idiom

Balance the scales

Meaning
to make sure everything is fair or equal
Example
We need to **balance the scales** before making a final decision.
idiom

blow a fuse

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry or lose control
Example
He **blew a fuse** when he saw the mess.
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

back each other up

Meaning
to support and help one another
Example
In a good team, members always **back each other up**.
phrasal-verb

breathe out worries

Meaning
to exhale and mentally release your stress and fears
Example
I take a deep breath and **breathe out worries** before bedtime.
phrasal-verb

build immunity to

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

believe you’re good enough

Meaning
to accept that you are capable and worthy
Example
To overcome fear, you must **believe you’re good enough**.
idiom

blue sky thinking

Meaning
creative and visionary thinking that ignores practical limitations
Example
Let's engage in some **blue sky thinking** to come up with innovative solutions.
phrasal-verb

brush through

Meaning
to quickly review or go through something
Example
I’ll **brush through** my notes one more time before the exam.
idiom

behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly without their knowledge
Example
She was talking about me **behind my back**.
idiom

beat the rap

Meaning
to escape punishment or avoid being convicted
Example
He managed to **beat the rap** thanks to a clever lawyer.
idiom

bounce around

Meaning
to discuss or move between ideas casually
Example
Let’s **bounce around** concepts before we pick one.
idiom

batten down

Meaning
to secure something tightly in preparation for trouble
Example
Residents will **batten down** their windows before the storm.
phrasal-verb

break down in

Meaning
to lose control of emotions due to fear or stress
Example
He **broke down in** tears after hearing the scary news.
idiom

boil over

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

backdoor entry

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

bungle up

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

Break with tradition

Meaning
To do something in a different way from what is usually done
Example
The couple decided to **break with tradition** and have a small wedding on the beach.
idiom

Burst with gratitude

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

blow out of the water

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

busy bee

Meaning
a person who is always busy and active
Example
She’s a **busy bee**, always working on something.
idiom

burn the midnight oil

Meaning
to work late into the night
Example
She **burned the midnight oil** to finish her project.
phrasal-verb

break language barriers

Meaning
to overcome difficulties in communication due to language differences
Example
Translation apps help travelers **break language barriers** easily.
phrasal-verb

back away

Meaning
to move backward from something frightening
Example
They **backed away** from the angry dog.
idiom

black hole

Meaning
a situation where things disappear or are lost without explanation
Example
All the research data went into a **black hole** after the server crash.
idiom

bear the responsibility

Meaning
to take on the duty of something
Example
She was willing to **bear the responsibility** for the new project.
phrasal-verb

bring into

Meaning
to include someone or something in an activity or situation
Example
We should **bring into** the discussion more experts on the subject.
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

break the chains

Meaning
to free oneself from restrictions or limitations
Example
She wanted to **break the chains** of social expectations.
phrasal-verb

bring nations together

Meaning
to unite countries for a common purpose or cause
Example
International sports events help **bring nations together** in harmony.
idiom

breakthrough

Meaning
a significant or sudden development or discovery; an important achievement
Example
The scientist made a major **breakthrough** in his research on cancer treatment.
phrasal-verb

burst out crying

Meaning
to suddenly start crying loudly
Example
The child **burst out crying** when his toy broke.
idiom

backseat driver

Meaning
a person who gives unwanted advice or direction
Example
Don't be a **backseat driver**, let me handle it.
phrasal-verb

be grateful for

Meaning
to feel thankful for something
Example
I’m really **grateful for** all your support.
phrasal-verb

break in

Meaning
to interrupt; to force entry into a place
Example
Sorry to **break in**, but can I add something?
idiom

bite the dust

Meaning
to fail or be defeated
Example
Several small startups **bit the dust** last year.
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

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

build from the ground up

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built their business from the ground up** with no investors.
phrasal-verb

branch up into management

Meaning
to progress into a higher level of management or leadership
Example
After years of experience, he finally **branched up into management**.
idiom

break down the problem

Meaning
to analyze a problem step by step
Example
Let’s **break down the problem** to understand it better.
idiom

blow one’s own trumpet

Meaning
to praise oneself; to boast about one's achievements
Example
He loves to **blow his own trumpet** whenever he achieves something.
phrasal-verb

blow up at

Meaning
to lose your temper and shout at someone
Example
She **blew up at** her brother for being late again.
phrasal-verb

bring out clarity

Meaning
to make thoughts or feelings clearer
Example
Writing in a journal can **bring out clarity** about what you truly feel.
idiom

Bet your bottom dollar

Meaning
To be very sure or confident about something.
Example
You can **bet your bottom dollar** that he’ll show up late again.
phrasal-verb

build upon experience

Meaning
to use past experiences to improve future actions or performance
Example
We can **build upon our experience** to avoid making the same mistakes again.
idiom

blow someone's mind

Meaning
to amaze or astonish someone
Example
The magic show really **blew my mind**.
idiom

bare your soul

Meaning
to share your deepest feelings or secrets honestly
Example
She **bared her soul** to her best friend.
phrasal-verb

break through to

Meaning
to make someone understand your emotions or point of view
Example
It took hours to finally **break through to** him and make him understand how I felt.
phrasal-verb

balance workloads across

Meaning
to distribute tasks evenly among people
Example
Managers **balance workloads across** the team before busy quarters.
idiom

big thanks

Meaning
an informal way to say thank you very much
Example
**Big thanks** to everyone who supported the project.
phrasal-verb

bounce forward

Meaning
to recover from difficulties and move ahead with improvement
Example
After the recession, the nation aims to **bounce forward** with stronger growth.
idiom

bank on

Meaning
to rely on or depend on something happening
Example
You can **bank on** her support during tough times.
idiom

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning
To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example
If you think I'm guilty, you're **barking up the wrong tree**.
idiom

backdoor

Meaning
An undocumented way of accessing a system or software, usually used by hackers to bypass security.
Example
The attacker installed a **backdoor** to access the system at any time without being detected.
idiom

bounce back

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback or failure
Example
She **bounced back** after losing the competition.
phrasal-verb

beam with joy

Meaning
to smile very happily because of joy
Example
She **beamed with joy** when she heard the good news.
idiom

bury the hatchet

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

bond through

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

bosom friend

Meaning
a very close and trusted friend
Example
We’ve been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

behind the scenes

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

break away from

Meaning
to stop being part of something or someone’s influence
Example
He wants to **break away from** his parents’ control.
idiom

Behind the curve

Meaning
To be less advanced or slow compared to competitors.
Example
Our company is **behind the curve** in adopting AI technologies.
idiom

beat around the bush

Meaning
to avoid talking about the main topic
Example
Stop **beating around the bush** and tell me what happened.
idiom

beyond a reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical reason to doubt; with full certainty
Example
The evidence proved his guilt **beyond a reasonable doubt**.
idiom

bounce rate

Meaning
the percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page
Example
We need to lower our **bounce rate** to keep visitors engaged.
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

bring forward

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

break into profits

Meaning
to start making profits after a period of losses or investment
Example
After three years, the startup finally **broke into profits**.
phrasal-verb

build up confidence

Meaning
to increase self-belief among team members
Example
A leader’s words can **build up confidence** in the team.
phrasal-verb

bounce within

Meaning
to manage emotions internally without expressing them outwardly
Example
He tends to **bounce within** instead of sharing his struggles.
phrasal-verb

blow over

Meaning
to become less serious and eventually end without major harm
Example
Most small arguments **blow over** with 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.
phrasal-verb

build peace within

Meaning
to create a sense of calm and balance in your mind
Example
Meditation helps you **build peace within** and stay centered.
phrasal-verb

buckle under

Meaning
to give in or collapse under pressure
Example
He refused to **buckle under** the stress of his new responsibilities.
phrasal-verb

bring down tariffs

Meaning
to reduce taxes on imports or exports
Example
The new agreement aims to **bring down tariffs** between the two nations.
phrasal-verb

boost up

Meaning
to increase or enhance something such as production or growth
Example
The new incentives will **boost up** industrial productivity.
phrasal-verb

build on success

Meaning
to use past achievements as a foundation for more success
Example
We should **build on success** and keep improving our results.
phrasal-verb

benefit from

Meaning
to gain an advantage or profit through something
Example
Many developing nations **benefit from** global trade agreements.
idiom

break into

Meaning
to enter a new field or profession successfully
Example
She managed to **break into** the film industry last year.
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

budget for

Meaning
to plan how much money will be needed for something
Example
We need to **budget for** our new marketing campaign.
idiom

back out of

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
He **backed out of** the trip at the last minute.
phrasal-verb

bring online

Meaning
to make a system or machine operational or connected to a network
Example
The new data center was **brought online** last week.
phrasal-verb

build over

Meaning
to move past a negative feeling or fear by developing confidence
Example
He managed to **build over** his fear of speaking in public.
phrasal-verb

be in two minds about

Meaning
to be uncertain or indecisive about something
Example
I’m **in two minds about** going to the party tonight.
idiom

be in the limelight

Meaning
to be the center of attention
Example
The actor was **in the limelight** after his award win.
phrasal-verb

brush up

Meaning
to clean or improve something; to review or practice
Example
He **brushed up** his teeth quickly before leaving for work.
phrasal-verb

bridge through education

Meaning
to connect cultures by learning and teaching from each other
Example
Schools help **bridge through education** by hosting cultural exchange programs.
idiom

blind faith

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

breaking the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation where no progress is being made
Example
The negotiation team succeeded in **breaking the deadlock**.
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

believe in better days

Meaning
to stay positive that life will improve
Example
He always **believes in better days**, no matter how tough life gets.
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**.
idiom

blow your own trumpet

Meaning
to boast or brag about your achievements
Example
He never stops **blowing his own trumpet** about his success.
idiom

beat oneself up

Meaning
to blame yourself too much for something
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up** over one mistake.
phrasal-verb

blow out

Meaning
to extinguish flames, especially candles
Example
She **blew out** the candles and made a wish on her birthday.
idiom

blood, sweat, and tears

Meaning
great effort and hard work
Example
Building this company took a lot of **blood, sweat, and tears**.
phrasal-verb

bounce off

Meaning
to discuss an idea with someone to get their opinion
Example
I’d like to **bounce off** a few ideas with you before the presentation.
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

break down over

Meaning
to become very emotional because of regret or sadness
Example
He **broke down over** losing his best friend.
phrasal-verb

back out of an agreement

Meaning
to withdraw from a deal or commitment that was previously made
Example
The country decided to **back out of an agreement** citing national interest.
phrasal-verb

burst with excitement

Meaning
to be very excited or happy
Example
The children **burst with excitement** before the trip.
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.
idiom

breach of security

Meaning
a violation or failure to adhere to security protocols
Example
The company faced a significant **breach of security** last year.
phrasal-verb

break off talks

Meaning
to stop discussions or negotiations suddenly
Example
The two countries decided to **break off talks** after repeated disagreements.
idiom

balance of power

Meaning
the distribution of power between nations to prevent any one nation from becoming too powerful
Example
The United Nations aims to maintain the **balance of power** among its member states.
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.