book someone
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idiom

book someone

Meaning
to officially charge someone with a crime
Example
The police **booked** him for theft.
phrasal-verb

break out crying

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **broke out crying** when she heard the sad news.
idiom

break up

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship
Example
They decided to **break up** after five years together.
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.
idiom

beyond words

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

build immunity to

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

boil down to

Meaning
to have something as the main point or reason
Example
The argument **boiled down to** a simple misunderstanding.
idiom

backdoor entry

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

beat someone to the punch

Meaning
to do something before someone else does
Example
He **beat me to the punch** by applying for the job first.
phrasal-verb

bounce back stronger

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

bottle under

Meaning
to collapse mentally or emotionally due to pressure
Example
He finally **bottled under** the pressure of constant deadlines.
phrasal-verb

build toward

Meaning
to make progress in a way that helps achieve a goal
Example
Every small project helped her **build toward** becoming a team leader.
phrasal-verb

break into a smile

Meaning
to suddenly start smiling
Example
He **broke into a smile** when he heard the good news.
phrasal-verb

bounce ideas around

Meaning
to share and discuss ideas with others
Example
We often **bounce ideas around** during our weekly meetings.
idiom

behind enemy lines

Meaning
in a hostile or dangerous situation
Example
Journalists were working **behind enemy lines** to report the truth.
idiom

boot up

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

burn the midnight oil

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

bring around to

Meaning
to change someone’s opinion to match yours
Example
It took me hours to **bring him around to** my way of thinking.
phrasal-verb

balance workloads across

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

bear the brunt

Meaning
to take the main responsibility or suffering of something unpleasant
Example
The junior staff had to **bear the brunt** of the manager’s anger.
phrasal-verb

build flexibility into

Meaning
to include adaptability as a part of a system or plan
Example
We need to **build flexibility into** our workflow to handle changes easily.
phrasal-verb

build on achievements

Meaning
to use past successes as a foundation for further progress
Example
He aims to **build on achievements** and reach new goals this year.
idiom

burst with happiness

Meaning
to be full of great joy or excitement
Example
The parents **burst with happiness** when they saw their newborn baby.
idiom

blow hot and cold

Meaning
to keep changing your attitude or mood
Example
He’s **blowing hot and cold** about the new project.
phrasal-verb

bring about

Meaning
to cause something to happen or make a change
Example
Educational reforms can **bring about** long-term social change.
idiom

Bailout package

Meaning
Financial support given to prevent a company or economy from collapsing.
Example
The government announced a **bailout package** for struggling airlines.
phrasal-verb

build upon strengths

Meaning
to use existing advantages or abilities to achieve more success
Example
Great leaders **build upon strengths** instead of focusing on weaknesses.
idiom

Blue skies thinking

Meaning
Creative or open-minded thinking without limits.
Example
Our brainstorming session encouraged **blue skies thinking**.
phrasal-verb

botch up

Meaning
to do a job badly or carelessly
Example
He completely **botched up** the report.
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

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.
phrasal-verb

bring down barriers

Meaning
to remove obstacles between people or groups
Example
Education can **bring down barriers** between communities.
idiom

break into a cold sweat

Meaning
to start sweating due to fear or anxiety
Example
He **broke into a cold sweat** before giving his speech.
phrasal-verb

blow in

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly, usually with wind
Example
A cold wind suddenly **blew in** from the north.
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 off into

Meaning
to start doing something different from your main work or area of expertise
Example
After several years in finance, he decided to **branch off into** consulting.
phrasal-verb

boil with rage

Meaning
to feel extremely angry
Example
She **boiled with rage** after hearing the insult.
phrasal-verb

brush back

Meaning
to push hair away from the face using the hand or brush
Example
She **brushed back** her hair to see more clearly.
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.
idiom

by the book

Meaning
to follow the rules exactly
Example
Our manager does everything **by the book**.
phrasal-verb

break into markets

Meaning
to start to sell goods or services in a new market
Example
Many startups aim to **break into markets** in Africa to support sustainable growth.
idiom

blow up in your face

Meaning
a plan or situation that suddenly goes wrong and causes trouble
Example
His plan to impress the boss **blew up in his face**.
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

back up with evidence

Meaning
to support a claim or statement using proof or facts
Example
You should always **back up** your accusations **with evidence**.
idiom

break new ground

Meaning
to do something innovative or pioneering
Example
Their research **broke new ground** in medical science.
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

break down emotionally

Meaning
to lose control over your emotions and start crying
Example
She **broke down emotionally** after hearing the bad news.
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**.
idiom

beat the clock

Meaning
to finish something before the deadline
Example
We managed to **beat the clock** and submit the report early.
phrasal-verb

bring in capital

Meaning
to attract or generate investment money
Example
The government is trying to **bring in capital** from foreign investors.
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

bottle emotions

Meaning
to keep emotions hidden instead of expressing them
Example
She tends to **bottle emotions** instead of talking about them.
phrasal-verb

bring up negotiations

Meaning
to start discussing trade terms formally
Example
The minister plans to **bring up negotiations** during the next summit.
idiom

Break the news

Meaning
To tell someone important or bad news.
Example
He didn’t know how to **break the news** to his parents.
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

bide your time

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

build up patience

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

black and white

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

Burn the bridges

Meaning
to destroy the possibility of returning to a previous situation
Example
Once he left the company, he decided to **burn the bridges** and not look back.
phrasal-verb

bug out

Meaning
to malfunction or behave unexpectedly because of a bug
Example
The new update made the camera app **bug out** constantly.
phrasal-verb

bring closer

Meaning
to strengthen the emotional connection between people
Example
Sharing personal stories can **bring** friends **closer**.
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

Blue ocean strategy

Meaning
Creating a new market space with little or no competition.
Example
Their **blue ocean strategy** helped them dominate a new market.
phrasal-verb

bridge over

Meaning
to reduce differences or connect people from different cultures
Example
Cultural exchange programs help **bridge over** misunderstandings between nations.
phrasal-verb

build out

Meaning
to expand or develop infrastructure or capacity
Example
They are working hard to **build out** their cloud platform.
phrasal-verb

be thankful for

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

back to the drawing board

Meaning
to start over again after a failure
Example
Our proposal was rejected, so it's **back to the drawing board**.
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

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

Meaning
alert and full of energy, especially in the morning
Example
He came to work **bright-eyed and bushy-tailed** after the weekend.
phrasal-verb

bungle up

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

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

Big fish in a small pond

Meaning
An important person in a small organization or area.
Example
He prefers being a **big fish in a small pond** rather than competing globally.
idiom

bury the differences

Meaning
to forget disagreements and be friendly again
Example
They decided to **bury their differences** and work together.
phrasal-verb

bring out differences

Meaning
to recognize and appreciate distinct qualities
Example
Workshops help **bring out differences** as strengths rather than weaknesses.
phrasal-verb

back away

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

break through

Meaning
to overcome a barrier or limitation; to achieve personal progress
Example
He managed to **break through** his emotional walls and trust people again.
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

bring out clarity

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

by trial and error

Meaning
learning by experimenting and correcting mistakes
Example
We developed the best method **by trial and error**.
phrasal-verb

bring in money

Meaning
to generate income or revenue
Example
The new policy helped the government **bring in money** from foreign investors.
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.
idiom

brush past

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

Build bridges, not walls

Meaning
Make connections and friendships rather than creating barriers
Example
Instead of fighting, let's **build bridges, not walls**.
phrasal-verb

blend across

Meaning
to mix or merge cultures or systems from different areas
Example
Global cuisines often **blend across** traditions and tastes.
phrasal-verb

back up data

Meaning
to make a copy of data to prevent loss
Example
It’s important to regularly **back up data** on your computer.
idiom

breathe easy

Meaning
to relax after a stressful or dangerous situation
Example
After the pollution control laws were enforced, people could finally **breathe easy**.
idiom

blur the lines

Meaning
to make the difference between two things less clear or distinct
Example
AI-generated art often **blurs the lines** between human creativity and machine output.
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.
phrasal-verb

branch out into

Meaning
to expand into a new area of business or activity
Example
They decided to **branch out into** renewable energy solutions.
idiom

blind faith

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

Burning question

Meaning
An important or urgent question that people are eager to know.
Example
The **burning question** is whether the plan will actually work.
phrasal-verb

boom out

Meaning
to grow or expand rapidly
Example
The tech sector has **boomed out** in the last few years.
idiom

bail out

Meaning
to release someone from jail after paying bail money
Example
His family managed to **bail him out** after two days.
phrasal-verb

build inner strength

Meaning
to develop mental and emotional toughness
Example
Meditation helps you **build inner strength** and calmness.
idiom

burst into tears

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **burst into tears** after hearing the bad news.
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.
phrasal-verb

budget out for

Meaning
to allocate money for a future need
Example
Finance **budgets out for** new laptops in the annual plan.
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

bend the law

Meaning
to use the law in a dishonest way to achieve something
Example
Some lawyers know how to **bend the law** to help their clients.
phrasal-verb

build back

Meaning
to restore emotional strength after hardship
Example
It’s never easy to **build back** after heartbreak.
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

be kind to

Meaning
to treat someone with care and compassion
Example
Always **be kind to** people who are struggling silently.
phrasal-verb

bring down debt

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money a government or company owes
Example
The government is trying to **bring down debt** by increasing exports.
phrasal-verb

break into innovation

Meaning
to start innovating in a new field or market
Example
The company is trying to **break into innovation** by investing in AI research.
phrasal-verb

blast out

Meaning
to play music very loudly
Example
The neighbors were **blasting out** heavy metal all night.
phrasal-verb

blow up over

Meaning
to suddenly become angry because of something
Example
They **blew up over** a silly comment on social media.
phrasal-verb

break out of

Meaning
to free yourself from a negative emotional state
Example
He finally **broke out of** his depression after therapy.
phrasal-verb

blend in with

Meaning
to mix naturally with people or surroundings
Example
Tourists often try to **blend in with** the locals to experience the culture better.
idiom

bold as brass

Meaning
to be very confident and not shy at all
Example
She walked into the meeting **bold as brass**.
idiom

backroom deal

Meaning
a secret agreement made by powerful people
Example
The media exposed the **backroom deal** between the two parties.
phrasal-verb

build around

Meaning
to base something on a central idea or feature
Example
The company plans to **build around** AI as its main technology.
idiom

Band together

Meaning
To unite for a common purpose.
Example
The workers **banded together** to demand better wages.
phrasal-verb

bring in tariffs

Meaning
to introduce taxes on imported goods
Example
The government plans to **bring in tariffs** to protect domestic manufacturers.
phrasal-verb

branch into tech

Meaning
to expand into the technology sector
Example
Traditional companies are now trying to **branch into tech** to stay relevant.