bootstrapping
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

bootstrapping

Meaning
building a business without external funding
Example
He started his company through **bootstrapping**, using only his savings.
idiom

break your back

Meaning
to work very hard to achieve something
Example
He’s been **breaking his back** to support his family.
phrasal-verb

bottle out of

Meaning
to lose courage and avoid doing something because of fear
Example
He was going to confess his feelings but **bottled out of** it at the last moment.
idiom

blueprint for success

Meaning
a detailed plan for achieving success
Example
Strong teamwork is the **blueprint for success** in this project.
phrasal-verb

bring down tariffs

Meaning
to reduce taxes on imports or exports
Example
The new agreement aims to **bring down tariffs** between the two nations.
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.
phrasal-verb

bring in on

Meaning
to include someone in a discussion or project
Example
Let’s **bring John in on** this design review meeting.
phrasal-verb

bring out leadership qualities

Meaning
to help someone display or develop leadership traits
Example
Training sessions are designed to **bring out leadership qualities** in employees.
idiom

beyond one’s comprehension

Meaning
too difficult to understand
Example
Quantum physics is **beyond my comprehension**.
idiom

be in high spirits

Meaning
to feel very happy and positive
Example
Everyone was **in high spirits** after the successful event.
phrasal-verb

build upon knowledge

Meaning
to use previously learned information as a foundation for new learning
Example
Students should **build upon knowledge** from earlier lessons to understand complex topics.
phrasal-verb

branch out creatively

Meaning
to expand one’s work into more creative fields or approaches
Example
Our agency has started to **branch out creatively** with digital storytelling.
phrasal-verb

break into conversation

Meaning
to join an ongoing conversation
Example
He politely **broke into the conversation** to share his opinion.
idiom

bang for your buck

Meaning
value for the money spent; a good deal
Example
This insurance plan gives you the best **bang for your buck**.
phrasal-verb

break down barriers

Meaning
to remove misunderstandings or divisions between people or cultures
Example
Art and music can **break down barriers** between different cultures.
idiom

bare your soul

Meaning
to share your deepest feelings or secrets honestly
Example
She **bared her soul** to her best friend.
phrasal-verb

bring forward a resolution

Meaning
to formally present a proposal or resolution for discussion
Example
The delegate **brought forward a resolution** on global peace and cooperation.
idiom

butterflies in your stomach

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

branch upward

Meaning
to move toward higher levels or bigger markets
Example
The business is **branching upward** into more profitable sectors.
idiom

bite the dust

Meaning
to fail or be defeated
Example
Several small startups **bit the dust** last year.
idiom

buckle down

Meaning
to start working seriously
Example
If you want to pass the exam, you’d better **buckle down** and study.
idiom

burning desire

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

boost productivity

Meaning
to increase efficiency and output of workers or industries
Example
New technologies are helping factories **boost productivity**.
phrasal-verb

build towards

Meaning
to develop something gradually to reach a goal
Example
He is slowly **building towards** his dream project.
idiom

Batten down the hatches

Meaning
To prepare for a difficult or dangerous situation.
Example
We’d better **batten down the hatches**; a storm is coming.
phrasal-verb

burst apart

Meaning
to explode with emotion such as laughter or tears
Example
The whole group **burst apart** laughing at his joke.
phrasal-verb

build up economic ties

Meaning
to strengthen trade relationships between nations
Example
Asian countries are trying to **build up economic ties** through regional cooperation.
phrasal-verb

balance out inflation

Meaning
to offset or stabilize inflationary pressure
Example
Raising interest rates can help **balance out inflation**.
phrasal-verb

bubble with

Meaning
to be full of excitement, happiness, or energy
Example
The kids were **bubbling with** excitement at the party.
phrasal-verb

back off emotionally

Meaning
to stop being overly aggressive or involved in an argument
Example
He decided to **back off emotionally** to avoid further conflict.
phrasal-verb

bridge cultural gaps

Meaning
to reduce misunderstanding or distance between cultures
Example
Education can **bridge cultural gaps** and promote mutual respect.
idiom

blue chip

Meaning
a well-established and financially sound company
Example
He prefers to invest in **blue chip** stocks for stability.
idiom

build character

Meaning
to develop positive qualities or strength through challenges
Example
Going through this process will **build character** in the team.
phrasal-verb

burst out crying

Meaning
to suddenly start crying loudly
Example
The child **burst out crying** when his toy broke.
idiom

by the book

Meaning
to follow the rules exactly
Example
Our manager does everything **by the book**.
idiom

bounce around

Meaning
to discuss or move between ideas casually
Example
Let’s **bounce around** concepts before we pick one.
idiom

blue chip company

Meaning
a large, reliable, and financially stable company
Example
Investors prefer to put their money into **blue chip companies**.
idiom

butter someone up

Meaning
to flatter someone to gain favor
Example
He’s trying to **butter up** the boss for a promotion.
phrasal-verb

be skeptical of

Meaning
to have doubts about the truth or value of something
Example
Many people are **skeptical of** online reviews.
idiom

Breaking news

Meaning
New and important information being reported immediately
Example
We have **breaking news** about the election results.
idiom

bottom out

Meaning
to reach the lowest point before improving
Example
Experts believe the market has **bottomed out**.
phrasal-verb

build on

Meaning
to use your past success or experience to improve or achieve more
Example
We should **build on** our previous success to reach higher goals.
phrasal-verb

bounce off

Meaning
to discuss an idea with someone to get their opinion
Example
I’d like to **bounce off** a few ideas with you before the presentation.
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.
phrasal-verb

benefit from

Meaning
to gain an advantage or profit through something
Example
Many developing nations **benefit from** global trade agreements.
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.
phrasal-verb

break out of

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

Best foot forward

Meaning
To try to make the best possible impression
Example
She always puts her **best foot forward** on important occasions.
phrasal-verb

bridge over differences

Meaning
to overcome disagreements and create unity
Example
The summit aimed to **bridge over differences** among member states.
phrasal-verb

bring down costs

Meaning
to reduce the expenses involved in trading or production
Example
New technologies help companies **bring down costs** of international logistics.
idiom

butterflies in the stomach

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

backroom deal

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

beyond the pale

Meaning
outside acceptable rules or standards
Example
His behavior was **beyond the pale**.
idiom

behind the eight ball

Meaning
to be in a difficult position or disadvantage
Example
Without proper funding, the project is **behind the eight ball**.
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

break off from

Meaning
to pause or stop doing something temporarily
Example
She had to **break off from** studying to answer a call.
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

breathe away tension

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

burn down

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

Build bridges, not walls

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

beam with joy

Meaning
to smile very happily because of joy
Example
She **beamed with joy** when she heard the good news.
phrasal-verb

brief the crew on

Meaning
to give a group the essential information about something
Example
Leads **brief the crew on** new safety rules before shifts start.
phrasal-verb

beam with

Meaning
to smile widely because of happiness or pride
Example
He **beamed with** pride when his daughter won the competition.
idiom

bite someone’s head off

Meaning
to speak angrily to someone without reason
Example
I just asked a question, no need to **bite my head off**!
phrasal-verb

bring up to date

Meaning
to give someone the latest information about something
Example
Can you **bring me up to date** on the latest news?
phrasal-verb

bounce back stronger

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

bail on

Meaning
to abandon someone or something suddenly
Example
He wouldn’t **bail on** his friends at the last minute.
phrasal-verb

build up stamina

Meaning
to increase strength or endurance gradually
Example
Running regularly helps to **build up stamina**.
idiom

black box problem

Meaning
a situation where the internal workings of an AI system are not transparent or understood
Example
The biggest challenge in deep learning is the **black box problem**.
phrasal-verb

bring in sustainability goals

Meaning
to introduce new environmental or social targets
Example
The firm plans to **bring in sustainability goals** for all departments.
phrasal-verb

build understanding between

Meaning
to create mutual respect and knowledge among groups or nations
Example
Cultural exchange programs help **build understanding between** countries.
phrasal-verb

bridge over traditions

Meaning
to find common ground between different traditional beliefs or practices
Example
The event aimed to **bridge over traditions** and promote harmony.
idiom

bounce back from

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

brush off negativity

Meaning
to ignore or dismiss negative emotions or comments
Example
He just **brushed off** the negativity and stayed focused.
idiom

bank on

Meaning
to rely on or depend on something happening
Example
You can **bank on** her support during tough times.
idiom

break down in tears

Meaning
to start crying suddenly
Example
She **broke down in tears** after hearing the sad story.
phrasal-verb

break out crying

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

back up ideas

Meaning
to support or defend someone’s ideas or opinions
Example
During the discussion, teammates **backed up** each other's ideas confidently.
phrasal-verb

build immunity to

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

budget time blocks

Meaning
to plan specific chunks of time for tasks
Example
I **budget time blocks** on Monday for deep work and catch-up slots.
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.
phrasal-verb

back down from

Meaning
to withdraw from a position or opinion due to pressure
Example
He never **backs down from** what he believes in.
phrasal-verb

build confidence

Meaning
to strengthen belief in your own abilities
Example
Every small success helps you **build confidence** for bigger goals.
idiom

Bootstrap the business

Meaning
To build a company using only personal finances.
Example
They decided to **bootstrap the business** instead of seeking investors.
phrasal-verb

build up pressure

Meaning
to increase influence or demand for action
Example
Opposition parties **built up pressure** for early elections.
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

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

bring stability to

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

beyond a reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical reason to doubt; with full certainty
Example
The evidence proved his guilt **beyond a reasonable doubt**.
idiom

balance of power

Meaning
the distribution of power between nations to prevent any one nation from becoming too powerful
Example
The United Nations aims to maintain the **balance of power** among its member states.
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

bring out potential

Meaning
to help others show their best abilities
Example
A true leader **brings out potential** in every team member.
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.
idiom

bad luck

Meaning
unfortunate or unlucky situation
Example
It’s just **bad luck** that it rained on our picnic day.
phrasal-verb

break into new markets

Meaning
to successfully enter a new market or industry
Example
The startup managed to **break into new markets** with its AI-powered tools.
phrasal-verb

boot loop

Meaning
to restart continuously due to a system error
Example
After the update, my phone got stuck in a **boot loop**.
idiom

black sheep

Meaning
a person who is considered a disgrace to a group or family
Example
He is the **black sheep** of the family.
idiom

burning with envy

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

bite the byte

Meaning
to deal with a difficult technological challenge
Example
Developers had to **bite the byte** to fix the software issue.
idiom

break the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation in which progress is not possible
Example
They finally managed to **break the deadlock** through discussion.
phrasal-verb

buckle under

Meaning
to give in or collapse under pressure
Example
He refused to **buckle under** the stress of his new responsibilities.
phrasal-verb

blow out

Meaning
to extinguish flames, especially candles
Example
She **blew out** the candles and made a wish on her birthday.
idiom

build bridges

Meaning
to improve relationships between people
Example
We need to **build bridges** between our two departments.
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.
idiom

brush off

Meaning
to dismiss something or someone as unimportant
Example
He tried to **brush off** the criticism during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

bounce back emotionally

Meaning
to recover emotionally from a difficult experience
Example
She took time to **bounce back emotionally** after losing her job.
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.
phrasal-verb

bring attention to

Meaning
to make people notice or be aware of something important
Example
The campaign **brought attention to** climate inequality.
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

break through fear

Meaning
to overcome strong emotional barriers like fear or anxiety
Example
He finally **broke through his fear** and spoke in public.
idiom

be in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in control of a situation
Example
After the merger, our company is **in the driver’s seat**.
idiom

bottle up emotions

Meaning
to keep feelings inside and not express them
Example
He tends to **bottle up his emotions**, which isn't healthy in the long run.
phrasal-verb

breathe out negativity

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

burst with ideas

Meaning
to have many creative ideas at once
Example
After watching the film, he was **bursting with ideas** for his next project.
phrasal-verb

boil with anger

Meaning
to be extremely angry
Example
She was **boiling with anger** when she found out about the unfair decision.
idiom

Bring peace to

Meaning
To restore calm or tranquility in a situation.
Example
Her kind words helped **bring peace to** the argument.
phrasal-verb

break into tech

Meaning
to start working in the technology industry
Example
She worked hard to **break into tech** after finishing her degree.
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

be all smiles

Meaning
to look very happy and cheerful
Example
She was **all smiles** after hearing the good news.