bend the rules
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idiom

bend the rules

Meaning
to make exceptions; to modify rules slightly
Example
The teacher **bent the rules** to help the new student.
phrasal-verb

blow off work

Meaning
to skip work or avoid responsibilities, often to reduce stress
Example
He decided to **blow off work** and spend the day at the beach.
phrasal-verb

open out to

Meaning
to become more receptive or welcoming toward new cultures or experiences
Example
Traveling helped her **open out to** different perspectives.
phrasal-verb

stack small wins

Meaning
to build momentum by completing quick successes
Example
We **stack small wins** early in the day to feel accomplished.
phrasal-verb

breathe in calmness

Meaning
to take deep breaths to feel relaxed and peaceful
Example
Take a moment to **breathe in calmness** and release your worries.
idiom

To break ground

Meaning
To begin a new project or initiative.
Example
The company is excited to **break ground** on their new office next month.
phrasal-verb

draw strength from

Meaning
to get courage or motivation from something or someone
Example
She **draws strength from** her past struggles.
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.
idiom

hand in glove

Meaning
working closely and harmoniously together
Example
The two partners work **hand in glove** to achieve their goals.
phrasal-verb

set things straight with

Meaning
to clarify or resolve a misunderstanding
Example
He met her to **set things straight with** her after the confusion.
idiom

beam me up

Meaning
to leave a place quickly or escape an unpleasant situation
Example
This meeting is so boring—someone please **beam me up**!
idiom

wield power

Meaning
to have and use power or influence effectively
Example
He’s not the president, but he still **wields a lot of power**.
phrasal-verb

tune into

Meaning
to become aware of or connected with your feelings or environment
Example
You should **tune into** positive energy around you.
phrasal-verb

lift your spirit up

Meaning
to make yourself feel more cheerful and hopeful
Example
Helping others can really **lift your spirit up**.
idiom

stress out

Meaning
to become very anxious or nervous due to pressure
Example
She tends to **stress out** before exams.
idiom

butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth

Meaning
someone who looks innocent but might not be
Example
She looks so sweet—**butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth**.
idiom

show the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a job or task
Example
It took me a while to **show the ropes** to the new employee, but now they’re doing well.
phrasal-verb

take charge of

Meaning
to assume control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge of** the new department.
phrasal-verb

bring stability to

Meaning
to make a situation or system more stable
Example
The reforms helped to **bring stability to** the banking sector.
phrasal-verb

take over as

Meaning
to assume a new position or responsibility previously held by someone else
Example
She will **take over as** the new HR manager next month.
phrasal-verb

figure through

Meaning
to understand something by thinking about it carefully
Example
It took me a while to **figure through** what went wrong in the project.
idiom

Risk it for the biscuit

Meaning
To take a risk to achieve something worthwhile.
Example
He knew it was risky, but he decided to **risk it for the biscuit**.
phrasal-verb

deal off with

Meaning
to end a relationship or partnership
Example
They decided to **deal off with** each other after the argument.
phrasal-verb

search for

Meaning
to look for specific items or products online
Example
He **searched for** a discount on wireless headphones.
idiom

brush aside

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant
Example
Management **brushed aside** the rumors during the briefing.
idiom

make friends

Meaning
to form new friendships
Example
It’s easy to **make friends** when you’re kind to others.
phrasal-verb

take off in

Meaning
to start succeeding rapidly in a field
Example
His career really **took off in** the last two years.
idiom

truth be told

Meaning
to admit something honestly
Example
**Truth be told**, I don’t really like this movie.
idiom

burn out

Meaning
to become very tired and lose motivation due to overwork
Example
If you don’t rest, you’ll **burn out** soon.
phrasal-verb

wish away

Meaning
to hope something unpleasant would disappear or never happen
Example
You can't just **wish away** your mistakes.
idiom

smile from ear to ear

Meaning
to have a big, broad smile showing happiness
Example
He was **smiling from ear to ear** after the interview.
idiom

get a foot in the door

Meaning
to take the first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
He took an internship to **get a foot in the door** of the company.
idiom

green thumb

Meaning
a natural talent for gardening or growing plants
Example
My mother has a **green thumb**; everything she plants grows beautifully.
phrasal-verb

speak for others

Meaning
to voice concerns on behalf of people who are absent
Example
Leaders should **speak for others** who aren't in the room.
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

win over

Meaning
to persuade someone to support you or your ideas
Example
The candidate tried to **win over** the undecided voters.
idiom

be like family

Meaning
to be as close as family members
Example
My best friend is **like family** to me.
phrasal-verb

fill up with gratitude

Meaning
to feel full of thankfulness and appreciation
Example
Every morning, I **fill up with gratitude** for the life I have.
idiom

a run on the bank

Meaning
a situation where many people withdraw their money from a bank due to fear of collapse
Example
Rumors of insolvency caused **a run on the bank**.
idiom

act out

Meaning
to perform or express emotions through actions
Example
Children often **act out** their frustrations.
phrasal-verb

pay back

Meaning
to return money that you borrowed
Example
I will **pay back** the money I borrowed from you next week.
idiom

tempt fate

Meaning
to take a foolish risk that may bring bad luck
Example
You’re **tempting fate** by driving without insurance.
idiom

break the bank

Meaning
to cost too much; to use up all your money
Example
Buying that car will **break the bank**.
phrasal-verb

get along in

Meaning
to manage or function well in a particular situation or culture
Example
She has learned to **get along in** a multicultural environment.
phrasal-verb

push into

Meaning
to drive adoption or expansion of something
Example
They are trying to **push into** the digital payment market quickly.
idiom

by and large

Meaning
generally speaking; on the whole
Example
**By and large**, we agree with your proposal.
idiom

keep body and soul together

Meaning
to manage to stay alive or survive
Example
He worked day and night just to **keep body and soul together**.
phrasal-verb

shake up

Meaning
to make major changes in an organization to improve it
Example
The new CEO plans to **shake up** the company’s culture to encourage innovation.
idiom

in the loop

Meaning
to be informed about something
Example
Please keep me **in the loop** about the project updates.
idiom

upgrade your thinking

Meaning
to improve your thought process or mindset
Example
To adapt to AI trends, you must **upgrade your thinking**.
phrasal-verb

slide into bed

Meaning
to get into bed smoothly and get ready to sleep
Example
After the long shift he just wants to **slide into bed** and rest.
phrasal-verb

quote from

Meaning
to repeat words from a person or source in speech or writing
Example
The news anchor **quoted from** the Prime Minister’s statement.
phrasal-verb

learn from differences

Meaning
to gain understanding or wisdom by observing cultural contrasts
Example
We can **learn from differences** instead of judging them.
phrasal-verb

stay ahead

Meaning
to continue to be more successful or advanced than others
Example
You have to work hard to **stay ahead** in this competitive program.
idiom

get a degree

Meaning
to complete a formal education program
Example
She worked hard to **get a degree** in engineering.
phrasal-verb

hand off

Meaning
to transfer a task or responsibility to another person
Example
I’ll **hand off** this report to the marketing team for review.
phrasal-verb

set aside time

Meaning
to reserve a specific amount of time for something important
Example
You should **set aside time** for personal reflection every day.
idiom

an apple a day keeps the doctor away

Meaning
eating healthy food helps you stay well
Example
My mom always says, '**An apple a day keeps the doctor away**.'
idiom

ahead of its time

Meaning
to be unusually advanced or innovative for its era
Example
That invention was **ahead of its time**.
idiom

have a vision

Meaning
to have a clear idea or dream for the future
Example
A good leader must **have a vision** for their team.
phrasal-verb

set aside differences

Meaning
to ignore disagreements so cooperation can continue
Example
Partners **set aside differences** to finish the joint project.
idiom

day in court

Meaning
a fair opportunity to defend oneself or be heard
Example
Everyone deserves their **day in court**.
idiom

The sun is shining

Meaning
A metaphor for happiness or positivity, often used when things are going well.
Example
After all the hard work, things finally seemed to be **shining**.
phrasal-verb

find in

Meaning
to see or recognize a quality or feature in someone or something
Example
She **finds in** him a true friend she can trust.
phrasal-verb

sort things out with

Meaning
to resolve an issue directly with someone
Example
I need to **sort things out with** Jenna before the meeting.
phrasal-verb

show thanks for

Meaning
to display appreciation through words or actions
Example
She baked cookies to **show thanks for** her neighbor’s kindness.
idiom

pat on the back

Meaning
to praise or congratulate someone for doing something well
Example
You deserve a **pat on the back** for your effort.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself through anxiety

Meaning
to calmly reason with yourself to reduce anxiety
Example
I **talk myself through anxiety** by reminding myself that everything will pass.
idiom

a quick learner

Meaning
someone who learns things fast
Example
She’s a **quick learner** and easily understands new topics.
idiom

spill your guts

Meaning
to tell someone all your private feelings or secrets
Example
After a few drinks, he started to **spill his guts** about his failed marriage.
phrasal-verb

run away

Meaning
to escape from danger or a threatening situation
Example
The children **ran away** when they saw the wild dog.
phrasal-verb

end up with

Meaning
to finally receive or experience something undesirable
Example
After all that effort, we **ended up with** nothing.
phrasal-verb

rise to

Meaning
to deal successfully with a difficult situation or challenge
Example
She always **rises to** the occasion when facing tough challenges.
phrasal-verb

drive yourself forward

Meaning
to motivate yourself to keep progressing
Example
She constantly **drives herself forward** to reach her goals.
phrasal-verb

break off

Meaning
to end suddenly; to stop speaking or negotiating
Example
They **broke off** the engagement last month.
phrasal-verb

set upon

Meaning
to attack someone suddenly
Example
The thief was **set upon** by the angry crowd.
idiom

the moral compass

Meaning
a person's or society’s sense of right and wrong
Example
We must ensure AI doesn’t lose its **moral compass**.
phrasal-verb

take it out on

Meaning
to express anger or frustration by being unpleasant to someone not responsible
Example
Don’t **take it out on** your colleagues when you’re stressed.
phrasal-verb

open relations with

Meaning
to start official or friendly relations with another country
Example
After years of tension, the two countries agreed to **open relations with** each other.
idiom

take apart

Meaning
to disassemble something into pieces
Example
We had to **take apart** the desk to move it upstairs.
idiom

groundbreaking discovery

Meaning
a discovery that changes understanding in a field
Example
The new vaccine was a **groundbreaking discovery** in medicine.
idiom

narrow down to

Meaning
to reduce choices to a smaller number
Example
We’ve **narrowed it down to** three finalists.
phrasal-verb

put out

Meaning
to extinguish a fire or light
Example
Firefighters worked hard to **put out** the forest fire.
idiom

justice delayed is justice denied

Meaning
if legal redress is available but not delivered in time, it is as good as having none
Example
Many believe that **justice delayed is justice denied** in this country.
idiom

the end of the road

Meaning
the point where progress stops; the end of something
Example
For us, this is **the end of the road**.
idiom

play it straight

Meaning
to be honest and direct
Example
Just **play it straight** and tell them what happened.
idiom

bide your time

Meaning
to wait patiently for the right moment
Example
She decided to **bide her time** before making a move.
idiom

Know it all

Meaning
Someone who acts as if they know everything.
Example
He’s such a **know it all**, it’s annoying.
idiom

Fuel the economy

Meaning
To stimulate economic growth.
Example
Government spending can **fuel the economy** during a recession.
phrasal-verb

cut down emissions

Meaning
to reduce harmful gases released into the air
Example
Businesses are investing to **cut down emissions** from transport.
idiom

a tough decision to make

Meaning
a decision that is difficult to make because of the potential consequences
Example
Choosing between two job offers was **a tough decision to make**.
phrasal-verb

prep for

Meaning
to get yourself ready for something
Example
I like to **prep for** big presentations the night before.
phrasal-verb

rise through emotions

Meaning
to grow stronger by learning from emotional experiences
Example
We can **rise through emotions** and become wiser each time.
phrasal-verb

speak warmly of

Meaning
to talk kindly or appreciatively about someone
Example
Everyone **speaks warmly of** her generosity and kindness.
idiom

at odds with

Meaning
to disagree or be in conflict with someone or something
Example
His views are **at odds with** the company policy.
phrasal-verb

stand in

Meaning
to replace an actor temporarily in a scene
Example
A stunt double **stood in** for the actor during the dangerous scene.
phrasal-verb

kick start

Meaning
to start something quickly and effectively
Example
The new project aims to **kick start** rural economic growth.
idiom

clash of wills

Meaning
a conflict between two determined people
Example
It was a **clash of wills** between the manager and the employee.
idiom

take the road less traveled

Meaning
to do something different or unconventional
Example
He **took the road less traveled** by choosing a career in adventure sports.
phrasal-verb

go out with

Meaning
to date someone; to spend time with someone romantically
Example
Sarah is **going out with** a guy she met at the concert.
phrasal-verb

tie nations together through

Meaning
to link countries through shared economic activities
Example
Free trade agreements **tie nations together through** common benefits.
phrasal-verb

fall behind in exports

Meaning
to lag in selling goods to foreign countries
Example
The nation has **fallen behind in exports** due to weak demand abroad.
idiom

footloose and fancy-free

Meaning
free to do whatever you want; without commitments
Example
He loves being **footloose and fancy-free** after retirement.
phrasal-verb

speak up for yourself

Meaning
to express your opinions or defend your feelings confidently
Example
You need to **speak up for yourself** if something feels unfair.
idiom

pivot on a dime

Meaning
to change direction or strategy quickly
Example
Startups often have to **pivot on a dime** when market trends shift.
phrasal-verb

blow it

Meaning
to fail at something important; to lose an opportunity
Example
I really **blew it** in the interview by arriving late.
idiom

give someone a break

Meaning
to give someone a chance or show them mercy
Example
He’s new here, so **give him a break**.
idiom

throw your hat in the ring

Meaning
to show interest in something, especially a competition or challenge
Example
I decided to **throw my hat in the ring** and apply for the leadership role.
phrasal-verb

pull in

Meaning
to attract or earn money, profit, or investment
Example
The new app quickly **pulled in** thousands of subscribers and investors.
phrasal-verb

mute yourself

Meaning
to turn off your microphone so others can’t hear you
Example
Don’t forget to **mute yourself** when you’re not speaking.
phrasal-verb

deal across

Meaning
to trade or exchange across parties
Example
The companies **dealt across** several industries.
idiom

drum up

Meaning
to increase interest or support for something
Example
The volunteers are visiting schools to **drum up** excitement for the festival.
phrasal-verb

back yourself up

Meaning
to have faith in your own ability or decision
Example
You have to **back yourself up** if you want others to trust you.
phrasal-verb

hold it in

Meaning
to stop yourself from showing emotion
Example
He tried to **hold it in**, but the tears came anyway.
phrasal-verb

talk on

Meaning
to continue talking for a long time, often unnecessarily
Example
She **talked on** for hours about her vacation.
phrasal-verb

touch base

Meaning
to make contact with someone to update or confirm details
Example
Let’s **touch base** later this week to discuss the marketing plan.
idiom

A battle of wits

Meaning
A contest or situation where people use intelligence or cleverness to outsmart each other.
Example
The negotiations were a true **battle of wits** between the two leaders.
idiom

steer the ship

Meaning
to be in charge or control of a situation or organization
Example
The manager was able to **steer the ship** through the difficult times.
idiom

mind over matter

Meaning
the use of willpower to overcome physical problems
Example
Running that marathon was pure **mind over matter**.
phrasal-verb

lean within

Meaning
to rely on your inner strength or wisdom
Example
During tough times, she chose to **lean within** for guidance.
phrasal-verb

fall behind in

Meaning
to not make as much progress as others in something
Example
If you skip classes, you might **fall behind in** your studies.