Break a sweat
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idiom

Break a sweat

Meaning
To exert effort or work hard at something.
Example
She didn't even **break a sweat** while finishing the entire project in one day.
idiom

blaze a trail

Meaning
to be the first to do something innovative
Example
She **blazed a trail** in renewable energy research.
phrasal-verb

bring up negotiations

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

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

build self-discipline

Meaning
to develop control over one’s actions and emotions
Example
He started to **build self-discipline** by waking up early every day.
idiom

bridge the gap

Meaning
to reduce differences or improve relations
Example
The treaty aims to **bridge the gap** between the two sides.
idiom

blow off steam

Meaning
to express anger or frustration so that you feel better
Example
He went for a run to **blow off steam** after the argument.
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.
phrasal-verb

bottle emotions up

Meaning
to keep your emotions hidden inside instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle his emotions up** instead of talking about them.
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

backtrack on

Meaning
to reverse or withdraw from an earlier statement or promise
Example
The spokesperson **backtracked on** the claim once the data was checked.
idiom

back to square one

Meaning
to start over again
Example
After the computer crashed, I had to go **back to square one** with my report.
phrasal-verb

balance out trade

Meaning
to make exports and imports more equal in value
Example
The government aims to **balance out trade** by promoting local industries.
idiom

Balance the scales

Meaning
to make sure everything is fair or equal
Example
We need to **balance the scales** before making a final decision.
idiom

back on one’s feet

Meaning
to recover and be healthy again
Example
After a few days of rest, he’s finally **back on his feet**.
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.
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

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.
idiom

bottle up feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions inside without expressing them
Example
It's not healthy to **bottle up your feelings** for too long.
phrasal-verb

blend into

Meaning
to mix harmoniously with a group or culture; to become part of the surroundings
Example
She quickly **blended into** the local community by learning their customs.
idiom

branch out

Meaning
to expand into new activities or areas
Example
The bakery plans to **branch out** into catering services next year.
idiom

black and blue

Meaning
bruised; having marks from injury
Example
He was **black and blue** after falling off his bike.
idiom

bravery in the face of danger

Meaning
showing courage even when facing danger
Example
The firefighter showed **bravery in the face of danger**.
idiom

blind justice

Meaning
justice that is impartial and not influenced by external factors
Example
**Blind justice** treats everyone the same, regardless of wealth or status.
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

blow up over

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

bounce around

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

boost consumer confidence

Meaning
to increase public trust in the economy
Example
Lower interest rates can **boost consumer confidence** and spending.
idiom

Building castles in the air

Meaning
To have unrealistic or impractical plans or dreams.
Example
She’s always **building castles in the air**, dreaming of a perfect world.
phrasal-verb

blend across cultures

Meaning
to combine or mix aspects from different cultural backgrounds
Example
Modern cuisine often **blends across cultures** to create new flavors.
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.
phrasal-verb

brace yourself for

Meaning
to mentally prepare for something challenging or frightening
Example
Take a breath and **brace yourself for** the tough conversation.
phrasal-verb

back up initiatives

Meaning
to provide support or resources for new projects
Example
Global organizations **back up initiatives** that promote equality.
phrasal-verb

break through pain

Meaning
to overcome emotional suffering or struggle
Example
She managed to **break through pain** and start a new chapter in life.
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.
idiom

butterflies in my stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I had **butterflies in my stomach** before the interview.
phrasal-verb

build emotional strength

Meaning
to develop the ability to handle emotional challenges better
Example
Through meditation, you can **build emotional strength** and resilience.
idiom

balance of trade

Meaning
the difference between a country's exports and imports
Example
A negative **balance of trade** can weaken a nation's currency.
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

boil down

Meaning
to simplify something to its essential points
Example
The report **boils down** to one key recommendation: cut costs.
idiom

bottom out

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

build upon achievements

Meaning
to use previous successes as a foundation for further progress
Example
He decided to **build upon achievements** from last year to reach new goals.
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**.
phrasal-verb

bring up old issues

Meaning
to mention past problems during a new argument
Example
He always **brings up old issues** whenever they argue.
idiom

Best foot forward

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

by the skin of your teeth

Meaning
to just barely manage to do something
Example
He passed the exam **by the skin of his teeth**.
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.
idiom

brainstorm an idea

Meaning
to discuss and think creatively to generate new ideas
Example
The teacher asked the class to **brainstorm ideas** for the project.
idiom

book someone

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

Burst with gratitude

Meaning
To feel extremely thankful.
Example
She was **bursting with gratitude** after receiving help.
phrasal-verb

brag about

Meaning
to talk proudly about one’s or someone’s achievements
Example
He loves to **brag about** his team’s success.
idiom

beam me up

Meaning
to leave a place quickly or escape an unpleasant situation
Example
This meeting is so boring—someone please **beam me up**!
idiom

brick by brick

Meaning
to achieve something gradually and steadily
Example
He built his business **brick by brick**.
idiom

balance out

Meaning
to counteract or cancel the effect of something
Example
The extra volunteers should **balance out** the workload.
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.
idiom

burst of inspiration

Meaning
a sudden feeling of creativity or motivation
Example
He wrote the poem in a **burst of inspiration**.
phrasal-verb

build yourself up

Meaning
to increase your confidence or strength gradually
Example
She **built herself up** by practicing every day.
idiom

bide your time

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

be a good sport

Meaning
to be fair and positive in difficult situations
Example
Even when she lost the game, she was **a good sport** and congratulated the winner.
idiom

beyond the rainbow

Meaning
to hope for something wonderful or dreamlike
Example
She believes her dreams lie **beyond the rainbow**.
phrasal-verb

burn down

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

bootstrapping

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

backroom deal

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

build inner strength

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

burned out

Meaning
completely exhausted or tired due to overwork
Example
After months of overtime, she felt **burned out**.
idiom

bust someone

Meaning
to arrest or catch someone doing something illegal
Example
The officer was able to **bust someone** for selling drugs.
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?
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

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

build peace within

Meaning
to create a sense of calm and balance in your mind
Example
Meditation helps you **build peace within** and stay centered.
idiom

brain like a sieve

Meaning
having a very bad memory
Example
I keep forgetting things—I’ve got a **brain like a sieve**!
phrasal-verb

build relations with

Meaning
to develop a friendly or cooperative connection with others
Example
We aim to **build relations with** investors from different regions.
phrasal-verb

bond deeply with

Meaning
to form a very close emotional relationship with someone
Example
Parents **bond deeply with** their newborns through love and care.
phrasal-verb

bring out confidence

Meaning
to help someone feel or show confidence
Example
A mentor’s guidance can **bring out confidence** in young professionals.
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.
idiom

bare your soul

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

brand ambassador

Meaning
a person who promotes a brand through personal influence
Example
They hired a celebrity as their **brand ambassador**.
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.
phrasal-verb

break out

Meaning
to start suddenly (for war, fire, disease, etc.)
Example
A fire **broke out** in the kitchen last night.
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

byte the bullet

Meaning
to face a difficult situation bravely
Example
We have to **byte the bullet** and fix the system bugs now.
phrasal-verb

bond through

Meaning
to form a close relationship by sharing experiences or emotions
Example
We **bonded through** our shared struggles in college.
phrasal-verb

bond over

Meaning
to develop a close relationship through shared interests or experiences
Example
We **bonded over** our love for traveling.
idiom

bookend something

Meaning
to mark the beginning and end of something
Example
Her career was **bookended** by two great performances.
idiom

bloom where you are planted

Meaning
to make the best of the situation you are in
Example
Even in a small town, she managed to **bloom where she was planted**.
idiom

busy as a bee

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

blow the whistle

Meaning
to expose wrongdoing or reveal secret information
Example
He **blew the whistle** on the company’s illegal activities.
idiom

breathe in

Meaning
to inhale air deeply
Example
Take a moment to **breathe in** before you speak.
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**.
idiom

bent over backwards

Meaning
to try very hard to help or please someone
Example
She **bent over backwards** to make sure everyone was happy.
phrasal-verb

blow apart emotionally

Meaning
to lose control because of overwhelming emotion
Example
After the breakup, she **blew apart emotionally** for weeks.
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

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

bounce ahead of

Meaning
to recover or progress faster than others after a downturn
Example
Some tech firms managed to **bounce ahead of** their competitors after the crisis.
idiom

blow one’s own trumpet

Meaning
to praise oneself; to boast about one's achievements
Example
He loves to **blow his own trumpet** whenever he achieves something.
phrasal-verb

bring along

Meaning
to take someone or something with you when you go somewhere
Example
You can **bring along** your sister to the party if you like.
phrasal-verb

boil up

Meaning
to start feeling very angry
Example
Anger began to **boil up** inside him during the argument.
phrasal-verb

break off thoughts

Meaning
to stop negative or anxious thoughts abruptly
Example
Whenever you start overthinking, **break off thoughts** and focus on something present.
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

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

burst apart

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

boost productivity

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

bow to

Meaning
to accept the authority or influence of someone or something unwillingly
Example
The government finally **bowed to** public pressure.
phrasal-verb

back one another up

Meaning
to support or defend each other in a group
Example
In our team, we always **back one another up** during challenges.
phrasal-verb

bring off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
He **brought off** a surprise victory in the competition.
phrasal-verb

boost investor confidence

Meaning
to make investors feel more positive about investing
Example
Strong GDP growth can **boost investor confidence** in the market.
phrasal-verb

break down into

Meaning
to divide something into smaller parts
Example
Let's **break down** the project **into** smaller tasks.
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.
idiom

Be all ears

Meaning
To listen very attentively.
Example
I’m **all ears**, tell me what happened!
idiom

branch off

Meaning
to separate from a main route or line of development
Example
The hiking path will **branch off** near the lake.
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

blunder into

Meaning
to enter or do something by mistake
Example
He **blundered into** the wrong meeting room.
phrasal-verb

bottle up

Meaning
to hide or control your emotions instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle up** his anger instead of talking about it.
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.
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

buckle up

Meaning
to fasten your seatbelt for safety
Example
Don’t forget to **buckle up** before the car moves.
idiom

be sure of yourself

Meaning
to have confidence in your abilities or opinions
Example
To be a leader, you must **be sure of yourself**.