bend the truth
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idiom

bend the truth

Meaning
to slightly change the truth to make something sound better
Example
He tends to **bend the truth** when telling stories.
idiom

fall head over heels for someone

Meaning
to fall deeply in love with someone
Example
He **fell head over heels for her** the moment they met.
phrasal-verb

come up with solutions

Meaning
to think of or create new ideas or solutions
Example
She always manages to **come up with solutions** to complex problems.
idiom

dodged a bullet

Meaning
To narrowly escape a dangerous or unlucky situation.
Example
We really **dodged a bullet** when that deal fell through.
phrasal-verb

stand together

Meaning
to unite and act as one in support of a cause
Example
Communities must **stand together** to fight social injustice.
idiom

get a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared completely healthy by a doctor
Example
After his check-up, he **got a clean bill of health**.
phrasal-verb

be moved by

Meaning
to be emotionally affected by someone’s good act
Example
She was deeply **moved by** the support she received.
idiom

butterflies in one's stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I had **butterflies in my stomach** before the interview.
idiom

make oneself clear

Meaning
to express oneself in a way that is easy to understand
Example
Could you **make yourself clear**, please?
idiom

play it straight

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

work through hardship

Meaning
to continue working even during difficult times
Example
She managed to **work through hardship** without losing hope.
phrasal-verb

bring in

Meaning
to introduce something new, such as a law, idea, or practice; to implement
Example
The organization decided to **bring in** new policies to promote inclusivity.
idiom

a stroke of genius

Meaning
a brilliant and creative idea
Example
Her design was **a stroke of genius**.
idiom

family ties

Meaning
Strong connections among family members.
Example
**Family ties** kept her close to her hometown.
phrasal-verb

learn to let go

Meaning
to accept something and move on emotionally
Example
You must **learn to let go** of your past regrets.
idiom

settle the score

Meaning
to take revenge or resolve a conflict from the past
Example
He wanted to **settle the score** after last year's argument.
phrasal-verb

believe in

Meaning
to have confidence in someone or something
Example
You need to **believe in** yourself if you want to succeed.
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

circle the wagons

Meaning
to come together to protect the group from criticism
Example
Fans **circle the wagons** when the coach faces unfair blame.
idiom

get through to someone

Meaning
to make someone understand what you mean
Example
I tried to **get through to him**, but he just wouldn’t listen.
idiom

Pull through

Meaning
To survive or recover from a difficult situation.
Example
He was very sick, but he **pulled through** in the end.
idiom

ethical AI

Meaning
artificial intelligence that is developed and used in ways that are morally and ethically sound.
Example
The company prides itself on creating **ethical AI** systems that respect user privacy.
idiom

to have second thoughts

Meaning
to reconsider a decision
Example
I’m **having second thoughts** about moving abroad.
idiom

Hold it together with duct tape

Meaning
To keep something functioning despite poor condition or limited resources.
Example
The old car is barely running—we’re **holding it together with duct tape**.
idiom

the jury is still out

Meaning
a decision has not yet been made
Example
**The jury is still out** on whether the new policy will work.
phrasal-verb

depend on exports

Meaning
to rely on selling goods to other countries
Example
Many developing nations **depend on exports** for economic growth.
phrasal-verb

even up

Meaning
to make things equal or fair
Example
The central bank took measures to **even up** the trade imbalance.
phrasal-verb

take off financially

Meaning
to start growing or succeeding quickly in terms of money
Example
Their online business really **took off financially** after the pandemic.
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.
idiom

heart of stone

Meaning
to be unkind or without compassion
Example
She must have a **heart of stone** to ignore that crying child.
phrasal-verb

crash into

Meaning
to hit something, especially another vehicle, violently
Example
The bus **crashed into** a truck in the early morning fog.
phrasal-verb

cut across inequalities

Meaning
to affect or involve people of all social and economic levels
Example
Climate change issues **cut across inequalities** and impact everyone.
idiom

As old as the hills

Meaning
Very old or ancient
Example
That legend is **as old as the hills**.
phrasal-verb

skid off

Meaning
to slide uncontrollably off a surface or road
Example
The bus **skidded off** the icy road.
idiom

data-driven decision

Meaning
a decision based on data analysis rather than intuition
Example
Modern companies rely on **data-driven decisions** to stay competitive.
idiom

find the right balance

Meaning
to achieve a healthy or effective equilibrium between work and personal life
Example
It took me a while, but I finally **found the right balance** between work and family.
phrasal-verb

deal in

Meaning
to buy and sell a particular product or type of goods
Example
He **deals in** antique furniture.
phrasal-verb

phase out late nights

Meaning
to gradually stop staying up very late
Example
I'm **phasing out late nights** so morning workouts feel better.
idiom

on your own shoulders

Meaning
to be responsible for something yourself
Example
The success of this event rests **on your own shoulders**.
phrasal-verb

reach across borders

Meaning
to cooperate internationally; to form connections beyond national boundaries
Example
Organizations are striving to **reach across borders** to solve global problems.
phrasal-verb

live with

Meaning
to accept and endure something unpleasant or regrettable
Example
He’ll have to **live with** his decision for the rest of his life.
idiom

sound out

Meaning
to quietly discover what people think
Example
She will **sound out** the team before making changes.
phrasal-verb

deal out

Meaning
to distribute something to several people
Example
The teacher **dealt out** the exam papers.
idiom

have stars in one’s eyes

Meaning
to be full of excitement and dreams about the future
Example
Young artists **have stars in their eyes** when they start their careers.
idiom

par for the course

Meaning
what is normal or expected in a given situation
Example
Delays are **par for the course** in big projects.
idiom

trending topic

Meaning
a subject that is currently popular on social media
Example
Her post became a **trending topic** on Twitter.
phrasal-verb

die down

Meaning
when wind, rain, or storm becomes weaker
Example
The rain finally **died down** after several hours.
phrasal-verb

power down

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

sow the seeds of something

Meaning
to begin a process that leads to a result
Example
His actions **sowed the seeds of** mistrust among the team.
phrasal-verb

back off from

Meaning
to stop being involved in a situation; to retreat from confrontation
Example
He decided to **back off from** the argument before it got worse.
idiom

leave a carbon footprint

Meaning
to cause pollution or environmental impact through daily activities
Example
Flying frequently can **leave a large carbon footprint**.
phrasal-verb

cheer others on

Meaning
to encourage people to keep going
Example
Managers **cheer others on** when the team hits tough weather calls.
phrasal-verb

carry forward your progress

Meaning
to continue developing based on what you have already achieved
Example
Always try to **carry forward your progress** to the next level.
phrasal-verb

clear the air with

Meaning
to resolve tension by having an honest talk with someone
Example
I want to **clear the air with** you before the next meetup.
idiom

aim high

Meaning
to set challenging and ambitious goals
Example
Always **aim high** if you want to achieve greatness.
phrasal-verb

work along with

Meaning
to cooperate or coordinate efforts with others
Example
Researchers **work along with** NGOs to reduce ocean pollution.
phrasal-verb

carry yourself with

Meaning
to present yourself in a confident and dignified way
Example
He always **carries himself with** confidence and calmness.
phrasal-verb

go back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
I have to **go back** to the office now.
idiom

play to the gallery

Meaning
to try to gain approval from the general public rather than experts
Example
The politician was clearly **playing to the gallery** with his speech.
idiom

black and white

Meaning
clearly defined; without confusion or ambiguity
Example
The contract terms are **black and white**.
idiom

read between the lines

Meaning
to understand the hidden meaning behind something
Example
She said everything was fine, but if you **read between the lines**, you could tell she was upset.
idiom

second to none

Meaning
the best; better than everyone else
Example
Her cooking is **second to none**.
idiom

throw a wrench into the works

Meaning
to disrupt or complicate something
Example
The sudden resignation of the minister threw a **wrench into the works** of the peace negotiations.
idiom

beat around the bush

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

breathe away tension

Meaning
to use breathing techniques to release stress
Example
Take a few deep breaths to **breathe away tension**.
phrasal-verb

bring together ideas

Meaning
to combine different thoughts or approaches for a shared goal
Example
The summit aims to **bring together ideas** from across nations for sustainable progress.
phrasal-verb

burn through

Meaning
to use up energy or resources very quickly
Example
We’ve **burned through** our energy trying to meet the deadline.
idiom

have it made

Meaning
to be in a very good position for success
Example
With a stable job and a happy family, he really **has it made**.
idiom

honor your commitments

Meaning
to fulfill promises and obligations
Example
You must always **honor your commitments**, no matter how difficult they are.
phrasal-verb

move up in

Meaning
to advance or get promoted within an organization
Example
She worked hard to **move up in** her company.
idiom

playing the field

Meaning
competing with many other companies or individuals in the same market
Example
The company is **playing the field** by expanding into new markets worldwide.
idiom

pass with flying colors

Meaning
to succeed brilliantly or achieve something with excellence
Example
She **passed the exam with flying colors**.
idiom

get a taste of your own medicine

Meaning
to be treated in the same unpleasant way that you have treated others
Example
He's always rude to people, so I'm glad he finally **got a taste of his own medicine**.
idiom

butterflies in my stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I had **butterflies in my stomach** before the interview.
idiom

Shoulder to shoulder

Meaning
Working together closely and equally.
Example
The soldiers stood **shoulder to shoulder** in battle.
phrasal-verb

grow up with

Meaning
to spend your childhood with someone
Example
I **grew up with** my cousins in the same house.
phrasal-verb

coach up

Meaning
to train someone thoroughly to improve their skills
Example
My mentor **coaches me up** before every major presentation.
phrasal-verb

end up

Meaning
to finally do or be in a particular situation
Example
If you don’t plan well, you might **end up** wasting time.
idiom

make strides

Meaning
to make noticeable progress
Example
The company has really **made strides** in product development.
phrasal-verb

run behind

Meaning
to be late or delayed
Example
The project is **running behind** schedule.
phrasal-verb

step up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods sold abroad
Example
The country aims to **step up exports** to reduce the trade deficit.
phrasal-verb

think back

Meaning
to remember or reflect on something from the past
Example
When I **think back** to my first job, I realize how much I’ve grown.
idiom

call it a night

Meaning
to stop what you are doing and go home, especially after a party
Example
It’s getting late, let’s **call it a night**.
idiom

expand one's horizons

Meaning
to increase one’s knowledge or experience
Example
Traveling abroad can really help you **expand your horizons**.
idiom

put one's trust in

Meaning
to place reliance or faith in someone or something
Example
He decided to **put his trust in** the new system.
idiom

tear one’s hair out

Meaning
to be extremely worried or upset
Example
She was **tearing her hair out** trying to find her lost keys.
phrasal-verb

relate across

Meaning
to connect with people from other backgrounds through shared understanding
Example
Learning languages helps you **relate across** cultures more easily.
phrasal-verb

laugh off trouble

Meaning
to stay positive by joking about problems
Example
She **laughs off trouble** when flight delays throw off plans.
phrasal-verb

back up with

Meaning
to support with evidence or examples
Example
You should **back up** your claims **with** reliable data.
idiom

word of mouth

Meaning
information spread by people talking to each other
Example
The news spread quickly by **word of mouth**.
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

get a move on

Meaning
to hurry up or move faster
Example
**Get a move on**, or we’ll miss the train!
idiom

hit the headlines

Meaning
to be reported widely in the news
Example
The company's scandal **hit the headlines** immediately.
idiom

knock around

Meaning
to spend time doing casual activities
Example
We’ll **knock around** the city after the workshop.
phrasal-verb

work towards

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve a particular goal
Example
He is **working towards** his dream of becoming a pilot.
phrasal-verb

give away to

Meaning
to yield to; to be replaced by something
Example
The old traditions **gave away to** modern practices.
idiom

the tipping point

Meaning
the moment when a change becomes unstoppable
Example
Climate change has reached **the tipping point** for action.
phrasal-verb

hand around

Meaning
to give something to each person in a group
Example
She **handed around** snacks to all the guests.
idiom

hot under the collar

Meaning
feeling angry or embarrassed
Example
He got **hot under the collar** when his mistake was pointed out.
idiom

Buy low, sell high

Meaning
The strategy of buying goods or assets cheaply and selling them for a profit.
Example
Every investor dreams to **buy low, sell high**.
phrasal-verb

stay focused on

Meaning
to continue giving attention to something important without getting distracted
Example
To achieve good grades, you must **stay focused on** your studies.
phrasal-verb

get into

Meaning
to start enjoying or developing an interest in something
Example
He recently **got into** yoga to improve his flexibility.
phrasal-verb

throw up one's hands

Meaning
to give up in despair or frustration
Example
The manager **threw up his hands** when the plan failed.
idiom

Fall down seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying no matter how many times you fail.
Example
**Fall down seven times, stand up eight** — that’s the spirit of success.
phrasal-verb

make things right with

Meaning
to restore harmony or fix a mistake with someone
Example
He wanted to **make things right with** his parents after disappointing them.
phrasal-verb

snap out

Meaning
to suddenly stop being sad or depressed
Example
He needs to **snap out** of that bad mood.
phrasal-verb

cut in on

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
He rudely **cut in on** his opponent during the discussion.
idiom

lose interest

Meaning
to stop being interested in something
Example
He quickly **lost interest** in the project.
idiom

set a precedent

Meaning
to establish a standard or example for future actions
Example
Banning unethical AI systems will **set a precedent** for accountability.
idiom

kind words cost nothing

Meaning
being kind doesn’t take effort or money
Example
Remember, **kind words cost nothing**.
idiom

True blue

Meaning
Loyal and trustworthy.
Example
You can count on her; she’s **true blue**.
idiom

go bananas

Meaning
to become very excited or angry
Example
The crowd **went bananas** when their team scored.
phrasal-verb

rise through challenges

Meaning
to overcome difficulties and grow stronger
Example
She **rose through challenges** and became a respected leader.
idiom

a window of opportunity

Meaning
a short period when one has a chance to act effectively
Example
We have **a window of opportunity** to finalize the deal this week.
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

ease onto

Meaning
to move gently onto something
Example
Please **ease onto** the ramp to avoid jolts.
phrasal-verb

drop off at

Meaning
to leave someone or something at a specific place
Example
The taxi **dropped us off at** the airport gate.
phrasal-verb

live off

Meaning
to depend on a particular kind of food for living
Example
During college, I mostly **lived off** instant noodles.
phrasal-verb

shake off pressure

Meaning
to get rid of tension or stress and regain focus
Example
He took a deep breath to **shake off pressure** before starting his speech.
idiom

wipe the slate clean

Meaning
to forget past mistakes and start fresh
Example
Let’s **wipe the slate clean** and begin again.
phrasal-verb

make up with

Meaning
to become friends again after an argument
Example
After a heated argument, the sisters finally **made up with** each other.