bookworm
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idiom

bookworm

Meaning
a person who loves reading
Example
He’s such a **bookworm**; he spends all his free time in the library.
idiom

Bide one’s time

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

between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
facing two difficult choices
Example
She’s **between a rock and a hard place** — neither option is good.
phrasal-verb

build inner peace

Meaning
to create a state of calm and balance inside yourself
Example
Meditation helps you **build inner peace** and clarity.
phrasal-verb

blend together

Meaning
to combine or mix different elements harmoniously
Example
The festival helps different cultures **blend together** beautifully.
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**.
phrasal-verb

build around customer needs

Meaning
to develop products or services based on user demands
Example
Successful startups **build around customer needs** to ensure satisfaction.
idiom

blackout

Meaning
to lose consciousness temporarily
Example
He suddenly **blacked out** during the match.
idiom

butterflies in your stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I always get **butterflies in my stomach** before a big presentation.
idiom

bend someone’s ear

Meaning
to talk to someone for a long time, usually to complain
Example
He **bent my ear** about his terrible day at work.
idiom

butterflies in the stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or excited
Example
I always get **butterflies in my stomach** before a date.
idiom

button up

Meaning
to finish preparations or close something securely
Example
Let’s **button up** the proposal by Friday.
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.
idiom

by the way

Meaning
used to introduce a new topic or add extra information
Example
**By the way**, did you finish your project?
phrasal-verb

bungle up

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

bring forward ideas

Meaning
to propose or suggest ideas for discussion or action
Example
Global leaders **bring forward ideas** to tackle poverty and inequality.
phrasal-verb

beam at

Meaning
to give a big, happy smile to someone
Example
He **beamed at** his friends during the celebration.
phrasal-verb

bring in investors

Meaning
to attract people who will invest money
Example
The startup managed to **bring in** several new investors this year.
phrasal-verb

bring up prices

Meaning
to cause prices to increase; to make costs rise
Example
High demand for oil can **bring up prices** across many industries.
idiom

burning ambition

Meaning
a very strong desire to achieve something
Example
He had a **burning ambition** to become a successful entrepreneur.
phrasal-verb

bring up against

Meaning
to confront someone with a problem or difficulty
Example
He was suddenly **brought up against** a serious obstacle.
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.
idiom

bargain for

Meaning
to expect or plan for something
Example
The workload was more than we **bargained for**.
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.
phrasal-verb

break into exports

Meaning
to start selling goods or services to foreign markets
Example
Many local companies are trying to **break into exports** to expand growth.
idiom

bring forward

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

busy bee

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

belong to

Meaning
to be a member of or connected to a group or place
Example
I feel I **belong to** both my home country and the culture I live in now.
idiom

beyond a shadow of a doubt

Meaning
without any doubt; completely certain
Example
He is **beyond a shadow of a doubt** the best candidate for the job.
idiom

big picture

Meaning
the overall perspective or situation
Example
Producers always try to see the **big picture** before making changes.
phrasal-verb

build upon trust

Meaning
to strengthen relationships by relying on mutual trust
Example
A successful team must **build upon trust** to work efficiently.
phrasal-verb

breathe out negativity

Meaning
to release negative feelings or thoughts through relaxation
Example
Take a deep breath and **breathe out negativity**.
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

big brother

Meaning
an older brother or someone who behaves protectively
Example
Mark acts like a **big brother** to everyone in the neighborhood.
idiom

break the internet

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

build from scratch

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built the company from scratch** with no outside funding.
idiom

broken-hearted

Meaning
extremely sad about something or someone
Example
He was **broken-hearted** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

break away into laughter

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing
Example
Everyone **broke away into laughter** after his funny comment.
phrasal-verb

bring up for debate

Meaning
to introduce a topic or proposal for official discussion
Example
The minister decided to **bring up for debate** a new tax reform policy.
idiom

buy a lemon

Meaning
to buy something that is defective or worthless
Example
He **bought a lemon** when he got that used car.
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

bounce back from

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback
Example
The team needs to **bounce back from** last week's loss.
idiom

build one's confidence

Meaning
to increase one's self-assurance or belief in one's abilities
Example
Public speaking classes helped him **build his confidence**.
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.
phrasal-verb

burst out

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing or crying due to surprise or emotion
Example
She **burst out** laughing when she saw his funny costume.
phrasal-verb

back down on

Meaning
to withdraw or concede a position after opposition
Example
The government refused to **back down on** its stance regarding foreign aid.
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**.
idiom

beg to differ

Meaning
to politely disagree with someone
Example
I **beg to differ**, but I think your conclusion is incorrect.
phrasal-verb

bring before

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

bring partners on board

Meaning
to involve or include other organizations or stakeholders
Example
The initiative **brought partners on board** to strengthen cooperation.
phrasal-verb

be touched by

Meaning
to feel emotional because of someone’s kindness
Example
I was really **touched by** your kind words.
phrasal-verb

back away from power

Meaning
to choose not to hold an influential position
Example
Some activists **back away from power** to stay independent.
phrasal-verb

bring home

Meaning
to win or achieve something valuable or important
Example
The team worked hard and finally **brought home** the championship trophy.
idiom

build trust

Meaning
to create or develop trust in a relationship
Example
It takes time to **build trust** with new people.
phrasal-verb

branch out internationally

Meaning
to expand your business activities into new countries
Example
Many local firms are trying to **branch out internationally** to increase their profits.
idiom

beat a dead horse

Meaning
to waste time on a topic that has already been resolved
Example
Stop **beating a dead horse**; the decision is final.
phrasal-verb

back down

Meaning
to admit you were wrong and stop arguing
Example
She refused to **back down** even after realizing her mistake.
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.
idiom

burning desire

Meaning
a strong motivation to achieve something
Example
He has a **burning desire** to succeed in life.
idiom

busy as a bee

Meaning
very active or hardworking
Example
She’s **as busy as a bee** preparing for the wedding.
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

be comfortable in your own skin

Meaning
to be confident and happy with who you are
Example
It took years for her to **be comfortable in her own skin**.
idiom

be lost for words

Meaning
to be so surprised that you cannot speak
Example
I was **lost for words** when I won the prize.
phrasal-verb

break into laughter

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing
Example
They **broke into laughter** when the teacher made a joke.
idiom

break into a market

Meaning
to successfully enter a new market or industry
Example
The company is trying to **break into the Asian market**.
idiom

big-hearted

Meaning
very kind and generous
Example
He is known as a **big-hearted** man.
idiom

born in the purple

Meaning
born into a wealthy or royal family
Example
He was **born in the purple**, so wealth was never an issue.
phrasal-verb

back away from blame

Meaning
to avoid putting blame on others or oneself during a disagreement
Example
It’s wise to **back away from blame** and focus on solutions.
idiom

build brand loyalty

Meaning
to create long-term trust and attachment to a brand
Example
Consistent quality helps **build brand loyalty** among customers.
phrasal-verb

burn down

Meaning
to be destroyed by fire
Example
The forest **burned down** after the wildfire.
phrasal-verb

blast out

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

breathe through tension

Meaning
to use calm breathing to release tension or anxiety
Example
The best way to handle stress is to **breathe through tension** slowly.
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.
idiom

burning with envy

Meaning
feeling intense jealousy
Example
She was **burning with envy** when she heard about his promotion.
idiom

bounce back

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

back up investment

Meaning
to support financial or business initiatives with funding
Example
Private investors **backed up investment** in green energy projects.
idiom

black and white

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

bask in

Meaning
to enjoy something greatly, especially praise or attention
Example
She **basked in** the applause after her performance.
phrasal-verb

beat oneself up over

Meaning
to blame or criticize oneself harshly for something that happened
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up over** something you can’t change.
phrasal-verb

build up reserves

Meaning
to increase saved or stored resources for future use
Example
The central bank is working to **build up reserves** of foreign currency.
phrasal-verb

break barriers

Meaning
to overcome obstacles that divide people or cultures
Example
Education helps **break barriers** between communities.
phrasal-verb

bounce ahead with optimism

Meaning
to continue progressing with a positive attitude after difficulties
Example
After every failure, she chooses to **bounce ahead with optimism**.
idiom

break the law

Meaning
to commit an illegal act
Example
Anyone who **breaks the law** should be punished.
idiom

better luck next time

Meaning
used to encourage someone who has failed
Example
**Better luck next time**! You almost won.
idiom

bury your head in the sand

Meaning
to ignore a problem hoping it will go away
Example
We can’t **bury our heads in the sand** about climate change any longer.
idiom

back on your feet

Meaning
recovered and healthy again
Example
It’s good to see you **back on your feet** after the flu.
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

back each other up

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

burst into

Meaning
to suddenly begin to express a strong emotion such as laughter or crying
Example
The children **burst into** laughter at the funny story.
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.
phrasal-verb

botch up

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

born poor, die rich

Meaning
to start life poor but become rich through hard work
Example
He’s the kind of man who wants to **born poor, die rich**.
phrasal-verb

bring into play

Meaning
to use or introduce something to influence a situation
Example
The president **brought into play** his connections to win the election.
idiom

behind closed doors

Meaning
in private; secretly
Example
The deal was made **behind closed doors**.
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

brave the storm

Meaning
to face great difficulties with courage
Example
They **braved the storm** to rescue the stranded people.
phrasal-verb

break news to

Meaning
to share important or upsetting information with someone
Example
He had to **break news to** his editor about the source backing out.
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.
phrasal-verb

burn up

Meaning
to destroy something completely by fire
Example
Burning trash **burns up** oxygen and releases harmful gases.
phrasal-verb

be thankful for

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

blow out of proportion

Meaning
to exaggerate or overstate something
Example
The media **blew the story out of proportion**.
idiom

back away from

Meaning
to retreat or withdraw from a situation
Example
He chose to **back away from** the argument before it escalated.
phrasal-verb

build upon research

Meaning
to use previous studies as a base for innovation
Example
Scientists often **build upon research** to create groundbreaking solutions.
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.
phrasal-verb

break off talks

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

build up patience

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

bright future ahead

Meaning
having positive prospects or possibilities
Example
With your hard work, you have a **bright future ahead**.
phrasal-verb

bring around

Meaning
to persuade someone to accept your opinion
Example
I finally **brought her around** to my point of view.
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

branch into opportunities

Meaning
to expand into new areas or chances for growth
Example
He decided to **branch into opportunities** beyond his comfort zone.
phrasal-verb

bring in revenue

Meaning
to generate income or money for a company or government
Example
The new industrial zone is expected to **bring in revenue** for the region.
idiom

bury the hatchet

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

behind bars

Meaning
in prison
Example
The murderer will spend the rest of his life **behind bars**.
phrasal-verb

buddy up with

Meaning
to become partners or friends with someone
Example
New hires **buddy up with** mentors during orientation week.
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

bloom into

Meaning
to develop into something beautiful or full of life
Example
She **bloomed into** a confident young woman.
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

black sheep of the family

Meaning
a family member who is considered a disgrace
Example
He became the **black sheep of the family** after his bad decisions.