born in the purple
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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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.
idiom

give someone the creeps

Meaning
to make someone feel uncomfortable or afraid
Example
Old abandoned houses **give me the creeps**.
idiom

nail down

Meaning
to make something definite or certain
Example
We need to **nail down** the details before signing the contract.
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.
idiom

draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We have to **draw the line** when it comes to unethical behavior.
idiom

sit tight

Meaning
to stay calm and wait patiently
Example
Just **sit tight** and wait for the results.
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**.
phrasal-verb

grow emotionally

Meaning
to become more mature in handling emotions and relationships
Example
You can **grow emotionally** by being honest about your feelings.
idiom

Face the truth

Meaning
To accept the reality of a situation, even if it’s unpleasant.
Example
You have to **face the truth** about your finances.
idiom

a step in the right direction

Meaning
a small action that leads to progress towards a goal
Example
Completing the first phase of the project is definitely **a step in the right direction**.
phrasal-verb

lie down

Meaning
to rest or sleep in a flat position
Example
I’m so tired; I think I’ll **lie down** for a bit.
idiom

a ray of hope

Meaning
a small sign of possible success or improvement
Example
The new treatment gave patients **a ray of hope**.
idiom

take a toll

Meaning
to cause harm or damage over time due to stress or overwork
Example
Long working hours can **take a toll** on your health.
idiom

step in

Meaning
to become involved in order to help or stop something
Example
The manager will **step in** if the discussion gets heated.
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**!
idiom

Pyrrhic victory

Meaning
A victory won at too great a cost to be worthwhile.
Example
Winning the lawsuit was a **Pyrrhic victory** since it drained all their finances.
idiom

go public

Meaning
to sell shares of a company to the public for the first time
Example
The startup plans to **go public** next year.
idiom

blow out of the water

Meaning
to surprise or defeat completely
Example
Their performance **blew us out of the water**.
phrasal-verb

come down with

Meaning
to become ill with a disease
Example
I think I'm **coming down with** a cold.
idiom

faint-hearted

Meaning
lacking courage or determination
Example
Climbing this mountain is not for the **faint-hearted**.
idiom

bosom friends

Meaning
very close and intimate friends
Example
They have been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

fall in love

Meaning
to develop romantic feelings for someone
Example
I didn't expect to **fall in love** with her so quickly.
idiom

under the microscope

Meaning
being examined very closely
Example
The new policy is **under the microscope** by analysts.
idiom

sweep something under the rug

Meaning
to ignore or hide a problem or mistake
Example
Don't just **sweep the issue under the rug**. We need to address it.
phrasal-verb

rise above pain

Meaning
to overcome emotional hurt and continue to grow
Example
He managed to **rise above pain** and start a new life.
idiom

Take your chances

Meaning
To try something despite uncertainty.
Example
He decided to **take his chances** and apply for the international scholarship.
phrasal-verb

loop stakeholders back

Meaning
to update decision makers after changes are made
Example
Please **loop stakeholders back** once the revised deck is ready.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
phrasal-verb

come clean about

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you’ve been hiding
Example
She finally **came clean about** her past.
phrasal-verb

break into production

Meaning
to start producing something new; to begin manufacturing on a large scale
Example
The country plans to **break into production** of electric vehicles next year.
idiom

Put your heads together

Meaning
To discuss and solve a problem collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** to find a solution.
idiom

cover story

Meaning
the main story on the front of a magazine or newspaper
Example
Her interview became the **cover story** of the week.
phrasal-verb

drift apart from

Meaning
to slowly become less close to someone
Example
Over the years, we **drifted apart from** each other and lost touch.
phrasal-verb

draw benefits from

Meaning
to gain advantages or profits through collaboration
Example
Both sides expect to **draw benefits from** this partnership.
phrasal-verb

shut oneself off

Meaning
to isolate yourself emotionally from others
Example
After the breakup, he completely **shut himself off** from his friends.
phrasal-verb

dwell upon

Meaning
to think or talk too much about something unpleasant that happened in the past
Example
She tends to **dwell upon** her past mistakes instead of moving on.
idiom

against the odds

Meaning
to succeed despite many difficulties or challenges
Example
They won the game **against all odds**, proving their hard work paid off.
idiom

beyond your wildest dreams

Meaning
better or more amazing than imagined
Example
Her success was **beyond her wildest dreams**.
phrasal-verb

run through

Meaning
to review or explain something quickly
Example
Let’s **run through** the presentation once before the meeting starts.
idiom

Keep it under your hat

Meaning
To keep something secret.
Example
I’ll tell you a secret, but **keep it under your hat**.
phrasal-verb

light up with excitement

Meaning
to show happiness or enthusiasm suddenly on the face
Example
Her face **lit up with excitement** when she saw her friends.
idiom

pulling the strings

Meaning
to control something or someone secretly
Example
Everyone knows he’s **pulling the strings** behind the scenes.
phrasal-verb

ground within

Meaning
to stabilize your emotions by connecting to your inner calm
Example
She practiced breathing exercises to **ground within** during stress.
idiom

build up your confidence

Meaning
to gradually become more confident
Example
Public speaking can help you **build up your confidence**.
idiom

judge a book by its cover

Meaning
to form an opinion based on appearance only
Example
Don’t **judge a book by its cover**; she’s actually very kind.
idiom

a cold fish

Meaning
someone who is unemotional or not friendly
Example
He seemed **a cold fish** when I first met him.
idiom

Keep a cool head

Meaning
to remain calm and not get too emotional
Example
In a crisis, it's important to **keep a cool head**.
phrasal-verb

pave the way for

Meaning
to create conditions that make something possible
Example
Her strong performance **paved the way for** her promotion.
phrasal-verb

follow around

Meaning
to accompany someone closely, often to observe or learn
Example
New employees **follow around** seniors to learn how things work.
idiom

A truth universally acknowledged

Meaning
A widely accepted truth or belief.
Example
**A truth universally acknowledged** is that honesty is important.
idiom

make the same mistake twice

Meaning
to repeat a mistake despite knowing it’s wrong
Example
She promised never to **make the same mistake twice**.
idiom

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
phrasal-verb

break off with

Meaning
to end a relationship or stop communicating with someone
Example
After the big fight, she decided to **break off with** him for good.
phrasal-verb

speak out on

Meaning
to publicly express an opinion about something important
Example
The candidate decided to **speak out on** corruption during the debate.
phrasal-verb

delve in

Meaning
to explore or investigate deeply
Example
The scientist decided to **delve in** to the mysteries of the deep sea.
phrasal-verb

sing the praises of

Meaning
to praise enthusiastically
Example
The director **sang the praises of** the team after the event.
idiom

answer the call of duty

Meaning
to fulfill one's obligation, especially in a difficult situation
Example
Firefighters **answered the call of duty** during the massive fire.
idiom

down on your luck

Meaning
experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s been **down on his luck** since losing his job.
phrasal-verb

follow one’s passion

Meaning
to pursue what you truly love or are interested in
Example
He chose to **follow his passion** for music instead of money.
phrasal-verb

guard against

Meaning
to take precautions to prevent something bad from happening
Example
We must **guard against** potential fraud in online transactions.
idiom

rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
economic growth benefits everyone; a general improvement in the economy helps all participants
Example
The government's new policies are helping the economy, and as a result, **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
idiom

by and large

Meaning
generally speaking; on the whole
Example
**By and large**, we agree with your proposal.
idiom

wise beyond his years

Meaning
showing maturity or wisdom greater than expected for one’s age
Example
Even as a child, he was **wise beyond his years**.
phrasal-verb

book up

Meaning
to reserve all available places or tickets
Example
All the hotels were **booked up** weeks before the holiday.
idiom

pull yourself together

Meaning
to regain control of your emotions or behavior
Example
Stop crying and **pull yourself together** – we need to find a solution.
phrasal-verb

take on

Meaning
to accept or start dealing with a challenge or responsibility
Example
Developed nations should **take on** more responsibility for climate aid.
idiom

sustainable development

Meaning
development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
Example
The company is committed to **sustainable development** by investing in green technologies.
phrasal-verb

show thanks for

Meaning
to display appreciation through words or actions
Example
She baked cookies to **show thanks for** her neighbor’s kindness.
phrasal-verb

follow a routine

Meaning
to do the same set of activities regularly
Example
If you **follow a routine**, you’ll build good habits over time.
phrasal-verb

rise with confidence

Meaning
to regain self-assurance after a setback
Example
After every failure, try to **rise with confidence**.
idiom

A scoop

Meaning
An exclusive piece of news
Example
The journalist got **a scoop** about the minister’s resignation.
idiom

keep someone at arm’s length

Meaning
to avoid getting too close to someone
Example
After the argument, I **kept him at arm’s length**.
phrasal-verb

move out of

Meaning
to leave a specific place or situation
Example
They decided to **move out of** the city and live in the countryside.
phrasal-verb

heal from

Meaning
to emotionally recover from pain, trauma, or loss
Example
It takes time to **heal from** emotional wounds.
phrasal-verb

show up at

Meaning
to arrive or appear at an event or place
Example
Many guests didn't **show up at** the party until midnight.
phrasal-verb

speak out about

Meaning
to publicly express one’s opinion or concern
Example
The whistleblower **spoke out about** corruption in the department.
idiom

lose one's temper

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **lost his temper** when he saw the mess.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
idiom

bring down the house

Meaning
to get an enthusiastic applause from the audience
Example
Her solo performance **brought down the house**.
idiom

break up

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

deal over

Meaning
to repeat the distribution of cards or tasks
Example
Let’s **deal over**; someone missed a card.
phrasal-verb

let off tension

Meaning
to release built-up stress or frustration
Example
Going for a run helps me **let off tension** after a busy day.
idiom

keep your eyes on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal despite difficulties
Example
Even during tough times, she **kept her eyes on the prize**.
idiom

look before you leap

Meaning
to think carefully about possible risks before doing something
Example
Before starting your own business, remember to **look before you leap**.
idiom

adapt to new surroundings

Meaning
to adjust to a new environment or situation
Example
After moving to a new city, it took her some time to **adapt to new surroundings**.
phrasal-verb

cheer yourself on

Meaning
to motivate and encourage yourself to keep going
Example
Sometimes you just need to **cheer yourself on** when no one else does.
phrasal-verb

cloud over

Meaning
when the sky becomes covered with clouds
Example
The sky **clouded over**, and we knew it was going to rain soon.
idiom

in your face advertising

Meaning
aggressive or very direct form of advertising
Example
Some brands use **in your face advertising** to stay memorable.
idiom

rules are made to be broken

Meaning
sometimes it's okay to ignore rules
Example
He believes **rules are made to be broken**.
phrasal-verb

tune out distractions

Meaning
to ignore things that disturb your focus or peace
Example
You must **tune out distractions** to stay calm under pressure.
phrasal-verb

carry over to

Meaning
to apply something learned or used in one situation to another
Example
You can **carry over** those skills **to** your new job.
idiom

move mountains

Meaning
to achieve something very difficult
Example
With determination, you can **move mountains**.
idiom

fun and games

Meaning
enjoyable activities; playful behavior
Example
It’s not all **fun and games** when organizing a big event.
phrasal-verb

open up about kindness

Meaning
to speak honestly about acts of kindness or gratitude
Example
He finally **opened up about kindness** he received from strangers.
idiom

Airhead

Meaning
A silly or foolish person.
Example
Don't be such an **airhead**, pay attention!
idiom

time is money

Meaning
time is valuable and should not be wasted
Example
In business, every minute counts because **time is money**.
phrasal-verb

ring in

Meaning
to call by phone to report information
Example
Listeners were asked to **ring in** with their opinions.
idiom

post something

Meaning
to share content on a social media platform
Example
She **posted** a beautiful picture on Instagram.
phrasal-verb

bring back confidence

Meaning
to restore people's trust or optimism
Example
New trade policies are designed to **bring back confidence** in investors.
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

fulfill one's obligations

Meaning
to complete or carry out one's duties
Example
He always tries to **fulfill his obligations** to his clients.
idiom

Fail fast

Meaning
To quickly identify and learn from failures.
Example
In startups, it’s better to **fail fast** and learn than to waste time.
idiom

a breath of fresh air

Meaning
something new and refreshing
Example
Her positive attitude is **a breath of fresh air** in the office.
idiom

hush-hush

Meaning
kept secret or very confidential
Example
The project is still **hush-hush**, so don’t mention it.
idiom

tie in with

Meaning
to connect or coordinate with something else
Example
The workshop topics **tie in with** our current curriculum.
phrasal-verb

turn setbacks around

Meaning
to transform failures into opportunities or success
Example
She managed to **turn setbacks around** by learning from her mistakes.
phrasal-verb

boost foreign reserves

Meaning
to increase a country's holdings of foreign currencies
Example
The rise in exports helped **boost foreign reserves** significantly.
phrasal-verb

shake off fear

Meaning
to get rid of fear or anxiety
Example
He tried to **shake off fear** before entering the stage.
idiom

Bear with me

Meaning
Be patient with me.
Example
**Bear with me** while I fix this problem.
phrasal-verb

slow your pace

Meaning
to move or work more slowly to reduce stress
Example
When I feel tense, I remind myself to **slow my pace** and take it easy.
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.
phrasal-verb

open yourself emotionally

Meaning
to allow yourself to feel and express emotions freely
Example
It's not easy to **open yourself emotionally** after being hurt.
phrasal-verb

rise for

Meaning
to take a stand in favor of a cause or right
Example
People across the nation **rose for** equality.
idiom

line up for

Meaning
to queue in anticipation of something
Example
Fans will **line up for** tickets at dawn.
idiom

paint yourself into a corner

Meaning
to put yourself in a difficult situation with no easy way out
Example
By making so many promises, he **painted himself into a corner**.
idiom

under pressure

Meaning
to be in a stressful situation with a lot of demands
Example
She performs well even when she’s **under pressure**.
phrasal-verb

bubble over

Meaning
to show excitement or happiness in an obvious way
Example
The children were **bubbling over** with joy on the last day of school.
idiom

brush aside

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant
Example
Management **brushed aside** the rumors during the briefing.
phrasal-verb

pull into

Meaning
to drive into a place, such as a parking lot or station
Example
The bus **pulled into** the terminal right on time.
idiom

a whole new ball game

Meaning
a completely new or different situation; something that changes the way things are done.
Example
Starting a business from scratch is **a whole new ball game**.
phrasal-verb

chat up

Meaning
to talk to someone in a friendly or romantic way
Example
He tried to **chat up** the girl at the party.