blue sky thinking
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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.
idiom

chase rainbows

Meaning
to try to achieve something impossible
Example
Stop chasing rainbows and focus on reality.
idiom

get something off your chest

Meaning
to talk about something that has been worrying you
Example
I needed to get it off my chest, so I finally told her the truth.
idiom

success is within reach

Meaning
success is almost attainable
Example
With just a little more effort, success is within reach.
idiom

a full plate

Meaning
to be very busy or have many things to do
Example
I can’t join the trip now; I’ve got a full plate.
phrasal-verb

break through bias

Meaning
to overcome prejudices and unfair judgments
Example
Training programs help employees break through bias in hiring decisions.
phrasal-verb

start up

Meaning
to begin a new business or project
Example
They decided to start up a food delivery service in their city.
idiom

a bridge too far

Meaning
an attempt or goal that is too ambitious or impossible to achieve
Example
The proposal to negotiate with all the countries at once was a bridge too far.
idiom

break the fourth wall

Meaning
to address the audience directly in a play or film
Example
The actor broke the fourth wall to make the scene funnier.
phrasal-verb

show through on

Meaning
to be visible or noticeable on something
Example
The stain shows through on the white fabric.
phrasal-verb

settle into

Meaning
to become comfortable in a new place or routine
Example
After a few months, she finally settled into her new role as manager.
idiom

beat the algorithm

Meaning
to find a way to outsmart or bypass a system's logic
Example
Marketers always try to beat the algorithm for better reach.
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

fair-weather friend

Meaning
a person who is only your friend when things are good
Example
A fair-weather friend will leave you when things get tough.
idiom

roll with

Meaning
to adapt to changes or challenges easily
Example
The team had to roll with several last-minute changes to the schedule.
idiom

full of oneself

Meaning
to be overly proud or self-confident
Example
He’s so full of himself after getting that promotion.
idiom

Front page news

Meaning
Extremely important or widely discussed news
Example
His heroic act became front page news the next morning.
idiom

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

Meaning
Knowing a small amount about something can lead to mistakes.
Example
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing — don’t try to fix it if you’re not an expert.
idiom

virus of doubt

Meaning
a feeling of uncertainty that spreads quickly
Example
A virus of doubt spread after the project delay.
idiom

in a word

Meaning
used to give a brief and clear summary
Example
The movie was, in a word, amazing.
idiom

open the floodgates

Meaning
to allow something to happen on a large scale; to trigger a chain reaction
Example
When the security flaw was leaked, it opened the floodgates for hackers worldwide.
phrasal-verb

go far

Meaning
to be very successful in life or career
Example
With her talent and dedication, she will definitely go far.
idiom

ballpark figure

Meaning
an approximate estimate or number
Example
Can you give me a ballpark figure for the project cost?
phrasal-verb

look back on

Meaning
to reflect on something that happened in the past
Example
Students often look back on their school days with pride.
idiom

honesty is the best policy

Meaning
being honest is always the best way to behave
Example
My parents always taught me that honesty is the best policy.
phrasal-verb

tune back in

Meaning
to reconnect with your emotions or awareness after being distracted
Example
He took a short walk to tune back in to his feelings.
phrasal-verb

speak about

Meaning
to talk about a particular topic or issue
Example
He will speak about effective communication at the seminar.
phrasal-verb

team across

Meaning
to collaborate with people from other departments or areas
Example
Marketing and sales departments should team across to improve communication.
idiom

hammer home

Meaning
to emphasize something forcefully
Example
The trainer hammered home the importance of rest.
phrasal-verb

stand up for oneself

Meaning
to defend your rights or express your opinions confidently
Example
You should stand up for yourself when someone disrespects you.
idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to get their hands dirty when necessary.
phrasal-verb

be carried away

Meaning
to become so excited that you lose control of your feelings
Example
They got carried away during the celebration.
phrasal-verb

shell out

Meaning
to pay money, especially when you don’t want to
Example
We had to shell out $200 for the concert tickets.
idiom

be responsible for

Meaning
to be in charge of or accountable for something
Example
She is responsible for managing the entire department.
phrasal-verb

reach out to communities

Meaning
to make contact with or offer help to groups of people
Example
Volunteers reach out to communities affected by natural disasters.
idiom

in one piece

Meaning
safe and unharmed after a difficult situation
Example
Luckily, everyone came out in one piece after the accident.
idiom

draw inspiration from

Meaning
to be motivated or influenced by something
Example
He drew inspiration from nature for his latest painting.
idiom

architectural eye candy

Meaning
something that is visually appealing but may lack substance or functionality
Example
The new skyscraper in the city is just architectural eye candy.
idiom

to goof up

Meaning
to make a silly or careless mistake
Example
She goofed up the numbers in the report.
phrasal-verb

break up with

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship with someone
Example
He broke up with his girlfriend after three years of dating.
idiom

full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or excitement
Example
The party was in full swing when we arrived.
idiom

Inquisitive mind

Meaning
A curious and eager-to-learn mindset.
Example
Children have an inquisitive mind that loves to explore.
idiom

to put it bluntly

Meaning
to express an opinion in a direct and straightforward way
Example
To put it bluntly, you were wrong.
idiom

good to see you

Meaning
a friendly way to greet someone you know
Example
Good to see you again after so long!
idiom

a fine line

Meaning
a very small difference between two things
Example
There’s a fine line between genius and madness in art.
idiom

break the internet

Meaning
to cause an enormous amount of attention and discussion online
Example
The celebrity's new photo broke the internet.
phrasal-verb

cut out on

Meaning
to eliminate something from your diet or routine
Example
My doctor told me to cut out on sugar to lose weight.
idiom

the best is yet to come

Meaning
better things are coming in the future
Example
Don’t worry about the past; the best is yet to come.
idiom

lose one’s cool

Meaning
to suddenly become angry
Example
Try not to lose your cool during the argument.
idiom

get the picture

Meaning
to understand the situation
Example
After a few minutes, I started to get the picture.
phrasal-verb

learn local customs

Meaning
to study and follow the traditions of the local culture
Example
Expats often try to learn local customs to show respect to the host country.
idiom

under construction

Meaning
in the process of being developed or built
Example
Our new website is still under construction.
phrasal-verb

push back against

Meaning
to resist pressure or negativity with determination
Example
He decided to push back against the unfair criticism.
phrasal-verb

move upward in mindset

Meaning
to develop a more positive and confident way of thinking
Example
With the right attitude, you can move upward in mindset easily.
idiom

in layman's terms

Meaning
to explain something in simple, non-technical language
Example
Can you explain the theory in layman's terms?
phrasal-verb

build upon success

Meaning
to use existing success as a foundation for future growth
Example
The bank aims to build upon success from last year’s performance.
idiom

conversion rate

Meaning
The percentage of visitors to a website who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up.
Example
Our conversion rate has significantly improved after the redesign of the website.
phrasal-verb

keep your head high

Meaning
to stay confident and proud even after facing criticism or failure
Example
No matter what happens, always keep your head high.
idiom

take the stage

Meaning
to begin performing or speaking publicly
Example
The new actor will take the stage for the first time tonight.
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

on the right side of the law

Meaning
acting legally; not breaking any laws
Example
He wants to stay on the right side of the law.
idiom

go live

Meaning
to start broadcasting in real time on social media
Example
She plans to go live tonight to talk with her followers.
idiom

help someone out

Meaning
to assist someone in a difficult situation
Example
Whenever I am in trouble, she always helps me out.
idiom

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
Don’t risk everything on a single plan.
Example
You should invest in different areas; don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
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

take away

Meaning
to remove something; to make someone learn or remember something
Example
What did you take away from the meeting?
idiom

hit a home run

Meaning
to achieve great success
Example
The new marketing campaign really hit a home run with its audience.
idiom

make a name for yourself

Meaning
to become well-known or successful in a particular field
Example
She made a name for herself in the world of fashion design.
phrasal-verb

brainstorm for

Meaning
to generate ideas or solutions through discussion; to think creatively about something
Example
Our team will brainstorm for new product ideas this afternoon.
idiom

pair up with

Meaning
to join someone to work or participate together
Example
Please pair up with a partner for the lab experiment.
phrasal-verb

log in to

Meaning
to enter your username and password to access an account
Example
I can’t log in to my Instagram account right now.
phrasal-verb

throw out

Meaning
to get rid of something you no longer need; to discard
Example
We should throw out all the old newspapers.
idiom

ease up

Meaning
to become less intense or to relax
Example
The rain should ease up by the evening commute.
phrasal-verb

run late

Meaning
to be behind schedule
Example
I was running late for my morning meeting today.
idiom

scale back

Meaning
to reduce the size or amount of something
Example
They had to scale back the festival because of the budget.
idiom

throw money at

Meaning
to spend large amounts of money in a hasty or unwise way
Example
The company tried to throw money at the problem instead of addressing the root cause.
idiom

to get bent out of shape

Meaning
to become angry or upset
Example
Don't get bent out of shape over a small mistake.
phrasal-verb

work against the clock

Meaning
to try to finish something before a deadline
Example
We’re working against the clock to submit the proposal today.
phrasal-verb

shake with laughter

Meaning
to laugh so much that your body moves
Example
They shook with laughter at the comedian’s jokes.
idiom

lock and key

Meaning
completely secured or protected
Example
All confidential data is kept under lock and key.
idiom

glide through

Meaning
to complete something smoothly and easily
Example
She managed to glide through the presentation.
idiom

iron out the kinks

Meaning
to resolve small problems or imperfections
Example
We’ll iron out the kinks before launch day.
phrasal-verb

be honest with yourself

Meaning
to admit your true feelings or reality to yourself
Example
You have to be honest with yourself about how you feel.
phrasal-verb

stand in for

Meaning
to take someone’s place temporarily
Example
Lisa will stand in for me during the client meeting tomorrow.
idiom

nod in agreement

Meaning
to show agreement by nodding
Example
Everyone nodded in agreement when the plan was explained.
idiom

raining cats and dogs

Meaning
raining very heavily
Example
It's raining cats and dogs outside!
idiom

buckle under the strain

Meaning
to give in to stress or pressure
Example
She refused to buckle under the strain and kept going.
phrasal-verb

hack into

Meaning
to secretly enter a computer system or account
Example
Someone tried to hack into my account last night.
idiom

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed tears of joy when her son returned home.
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.
idiom

cloud computing

Meaning
the practice of using remote servers to store, manage, and process data over the internet
Example
Many businesses rely on cloud computing for data storage and security.
phrasal-verb

act up

Meaning
to behave badly or cause trouble
Example
The kids started to act up during the long car ride.
idiom

change your tune

Meaning
to change your opinion or attitude
Example
He criticized the plan at first but later changed his tune.
phrasal-verb

learn to trust again

Meaning
to regain faith in others after being betrayed or hurt
Example
It takes time to learn to trust again after being let down.
phrasal-verb

break out in

Meaning
to suddenly develop something on the skin (like a rash)
Example
He broke out in a rash after eating seafood.
idiom

Out to pasture

Meaning
To retire someone or something from active use.
Example
The old manager was finally put out to pasture last year.
idiom

open channels of communication

Meaning
to establish dialogue or discussion
Example
They tried to open channels of communication with the neighboring country.
phrasal-verb

grow out

Meaning
to allow hair or nails to become longer naturally
Example
She's growing out her hair for a new style.
idiom

runway for growth

Meaning
the time or resources a startup has before it needs more funding
Example
The startup has enough runway for growth for the next 12 months.
idiom

dance to one's own tune

Meaning
to behave independently; not influenced by others
Example
He always dances to his own tune and never follows the crowd.
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

level with someone

Meaning
to be completely honest with a person
Example
I'll level with you about the team's chances.
phrasal-verb

find with

Meaning
to discover something by examining or associating with someone
Example
They found with her a bag full of letters.
phrasal-verb

keep in the loop

Meaning
to inform someone about all updates or developments
Example
Please keep me in the loop about any new client communication.
phrasal-verb

apply for

Meaning
to make a formal request for a job or position
Example
She decided to apply for the marketing manager position at the new company.
idiom

take on board

Meaning
to accept or take responsibility for something
Example
The manager had to take on board the new task for the team.
phrasal-verb

break in on

Meaning
to interrupt a conversation or online discussion
Example
Sorry to break in on your chat, but I have an update.
idiom

have itchy feet

Meaning
to feel a strong desire to travel or move
Example
After a few months at home, I started to have itchy feet again.
phrasal-verb

take off with

Meaning
to become successful quickly
Example
Their new app took off with millions of downloads in the first week.
idiom

find your balance

Meaning
to maintain a healthy work-life equilibrium
Example
It’s important to find your balance between work and rest.
phrasal-verb

copy out

Meaning
to write something again exactly as it is
Example
The students were asked to copy out the paragraph neatly.
phrasal-verb

move up professionally

Meaning
to advance to a higher position or level in one’s career
Example
He worked hard to move up professionally within the company.
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

couch potato

Meaning
a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV
Example
He’s such a couch potato, he never goes out or exercises.
idiom

window shopping

Meaning
looking at things in shops without buying them
Example
We went window shopping at the mall yesterday.
idiom

In the picture

Meaning
Involved or informed about a situation
Example
I want to stay in the picture about the new project.
idiom

shake off

Meaning
to get rid of something unpleasant
Example
She took a walk to shake off the stress.
idiom

keep one's head above water

Meaning
to survive financially in difficult times
Example
Many small businesses struggle to keep their heads above water.
idiom

Cut from the same cloth

Meaning
To be very similar in character or behavior.
Example
Those two brothers are cut from the same cloth.
idiom

spur on

Meaning
to encourage someone to continue or try harder
Example
Her mentor’s feedback spurred her on to apply for the grant.
phrasal-verb

grow through challenges

Meaning
to develop strength and wisdom by facing difficulties
Example
We can grow through challenges if we stay positive.