break the bank
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

break the bank

Meaning
to cost too much; to use up all your money
Example
Buying that car will **break the bank**.
phrasal-verb

fill someone in

Meaning
to give someone the details or latest information about something
Example
Can you **fill me in** on what happened at the client meeting?
idiom

lovey-dovey

Meaning
showing a lot of affection publicly
Example
The couple was being **lovey-dovey** at the restaurant.
idiom

put your shoulder to the wheel

Meaning
to start working hard on something
Example
Everyone needs to **put their shoulder to the wheel** to finish the project.
phrasal-verb

pull at

Meaning
to tug or hold onto something repeatedly
Example
The child kept **pulling at** his mother’s hand.
phrasal-verb

dip down

Meaning
to fall slightly before rising again
Example
Stock prices **dipped down** briefly before rebounding.
phrasal-verb

turn failure into

Meaning
to transform a failure into a learning or success opportunity
Example
He tried to **turn failure into** motivation for his next project.
phrasal-verb

press on with

Meaning
to continue doing something in a determined way despite difficulties
Example
She decided to **press on with** her studies even after failing once.
phrasal-verb

look out over

Meaning
to have a view of something from above or a distance
Example
Our room **looks out over** the beautiful lake.
idiom

feather in one’s cap

Meaning
an achievement to be proud of
Example
Winning the national award was a real **feather in his cap**.
phrasal-verb

hold steady at

Meaning
to remain stable at a certain level or value
Example
The country's inflation rate has **held steady at** 5% for the past six months.
phrasal-verb

stay curious about

Meaning
to remain interested in learning new things
Example
Good learners always **stay curious about** how things work.
idiom

follow your gut

Meaning
to trust your instincts when making a decision
Example
Sometimes it's best to **follow your gut**.
idiom

factor in

Meaning
to include something as part of a calculation or plan
Example
Remember to **factor in** travel time when planning.
idiom

smell a rat

Meaning
to suspect something wrong or dishonest
Example
I **smelled a rat** when he offered me free tickets.
phrasal-verb

stand by allies

Meaning
to support friendly nations during difficult times
Example
The country promised to **stand by allies** during the crisis.
idiom

take your time

Meaning
don’t rush; use as much time as needed
Example
**Take your time** and finish the job carefully.
phrasal-verb

carry on bravely

Meaning
to continue with courage despite emotional hardship
Example
He chose to **carry on bravely** after losing his loved one.
phrasal-verb

speak truth to power

Meaning
to tell honest truths to those in authority
Example
Journalists **speak truth to power** when they expose corruption.
phrasal-verb

blend together

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

build up strength

Meaning
to increase physical power through exercise
Example
She started lifting weights to **build up strength**.
idiom

spread the word

Meaning
to tell many people about something
Example
Please **spread the word** about our new course.
phrasal-verb

draw up a treaty

Meaning
to prepare an official document or agreement
Example
Diplomats worked late into the night to **draw up a treaty** between the two nations.
idiom

take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become more ill
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
phrasal-verb

step into

Meaning
to begin a new role or position
Example
He confidently **stepped into** his position as project leader.
phrasal-verb

stay motivated

Meaning
to keep one’s enthusiasm and energy high
Example
Regular feedback helps employees **stay motivated**.
phrasal-verb

finish off

Meaning
to complete the last part of something
Example
We just need to **finish off** the presentation slides before submitting the report.
idiom

come to mind

Meaning
to suddenly remember something
Example
Her name didn’t **come to mind** at first.
idiom

clear away

Meaning
to remove things to tidy a space
Example
Please **clear away** the dishes after lunch.
phrasal-verb

speak well of

Meaning
to praise someone or talk positively about them
Example
Everyone **speaks well of** the teacher who inspired them.
idiom

chart your own course

Meaning
to plan your own path or future independently
Example
He decided to **chart his own course** and become an entrepreneur.
phrasal-verb

cut out excuses

Meaning
to stop making excuses and take responsibility
Example
If you want to improve, you need to **cut out excuses**.
phrasal-verb

cry out for

Meaning
to need something urgently
Example
This area **cries out for** better healthcare facilities.
idiom

forbidden fruit

Meaning
something attractive but not allowed or morally wrong
Example
For teenagers, breaking rules often feels like **forbidden fruit**.
idiom

get it right

Meaning
to do something correctly after making a mistake
Example
It took a few tries, but she finally **got it right**.
phrasal-verb

die off

Meaning
to become extinct gradually; to disappear slowly
Example
Many animal species may **die off** if global warming continues.
phrasal-verb

delegate to

Meaning
to assign responsibility or tasks to someone else
Example
A good manager knows how to **delegate to** their team members effectively.
idiom

a front-page story

Meaning
a news story that is important enough to be placed on the front page of a newspaper
Example
The fire in the city center was **a front-page story** for the national newspapers.
idiom

narrow down

Meaning
to reduce a list of options to a smaller number
Example
We’ve **narrowed down** the candidates to the final three.
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

grow attached to

Meaning
to develop strong emotional feelings for someone or something
Example
She quickly **grew attached to** the little dog she rescued.
idiom

fend off

Meaning
to defend against something or someone
Example
They installed lights to **fend off** raccoons in the yard.
phrasal-verb

switch over for

Meaning
to change to a different option because of a need
Example
We **switch over for** winter hours to match customer demand.
idiom

good Samaritan

Meaning
a person who helps others selflessly
Example
A **good Samaritan** helped the old man cross the street.
phrasal-verb

go to bed

Meaning
to lie down to sleep at night
Example
I try to **go to bed** before 11 p.m. every night.
phrasal-verb

drop back

Meaning
to move to a position further behind
Example
The runner **dropped back** after the first lap due to exhaustion.
idiom

train your brain

Meaning
to practice and improve one’s cognitive abilities
Example
Use puzzles to **train your brain** like an AI model.
idiom

live up to one's promise

Meaning
to fulfill what was promised or expected
Example
He **lived up to his promise** and completed the project.
idiom

a cog in the machine

Meaning
a small but essential part of a large system
Example
Every engineer is **a cog in the machine** that keeps the factory running.
phrasal-verb

hold on

Meaning
to wait for a short time on the phone
Example
Please **hold on** while I transfer your call.
phrasal-verb

rise above fear

Meaning
to act bravely despite being afraid
Example
True courage means learning to **rise above fear**.
idiom

behind the scenes

Meaning
secretly or without public knowledge
Example
A lot of work happens **behind the scenes** to make a movie.
phrasal-verb

come out in favor of

Meaning
to publicly support or agree with something
Example
The committee **came out in favor of** the new proposal.
idiom

tear-jerker

Meaning
something that makes you cry, especially a movie or story
Example
That movie was such a **tear-jerker**.
idiom

faith moves mountains

Meaning
strong belief can achieve great things
Example
Keep believing in yourself—**faith moves mountains**.
idiom

Go down the rabbit hole

Meaning
To get deeply involved in something, often unintentionally.
Example
I started reading about AI and **went down the rabbit hole** for hours.
idiom

back out

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
They can’t **back out** after signing the contract.
phrasal-verb

tally costs up

Meaning
to add expenses together to get a total
Example
We **tally costs up** every Friday to stay under budget.
idiom

wield power

Meaning
to have and use power or influence effectively
Example
He’s not the president, but he still **wields a lot of power**.
phrasal-verb

foster mutual respect

Meaning
to encourage understanding and appreciation between groups or countries
Example
Cultural exchanges help **foster mutual respect** among nations.
phrasal-verb

lay out a vision

Meaning
to clearly explain plans or goals for the future
Example
The CEO **laid out a vision** for the company’s next five years.
phrasal-verb

count down

Meaning
to count backward to mark the start of an event
Example
Everyone **counted down** to midnight on New Year’s Eve.
phrasal-verb

call out for

Meaning
to ask loudly for something or someone
Example
He **called out for** his mother when he got hurt.
phrasal-verb

do over

Meaning
to do something again; to decorate or renovate a place
Example
You’ll have to **do over** the report because it’s full of errors.
idiom

tack on

Meaning
to add something extra, especially at the end
Example
They **tacked on** a brief Q&A after the session.
idiom

grasp at straws

Meaning
to try any method to succeed, even if unlikely
Example
He was **grasping at straws** when he suggested that idea.
phrasal-verb

tune into positivity

Meaning
to focus your attention on positive thoughts or feelings
Example
Each morning, **tune into positivity** before starting your work.
phrasal-verb

back away

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

Don't rush things

Meaning
Take your time and don't hurry.
Example
You don't need to finish everything today, **don't rush things**.
idiom

Frankenstein’s monster

Meaning
A creation that turns against its creator.
Example
Social media became a **Frankenstein’s monster** for its inventors.
idiom

a double-edged sword

Meaning
something that has both positive and negative consequences
Example
The internet is **a double-edged sword**; it provides vast information but also exposes us to privacy risks.
phrasal-verb

tear up at

Meaning
to get tears in your eyes due to emotion
Example
He **teared up at** the touching moment in the movie.
phrasal-verb

come forward with

Meaning
to volunteer information or truth about something important
Example
She **came forward with** the truth about what really happened.
idiom

to put one's finger on

Meaning
to identify or recognize something with precision
Example
The journalist was able to **put her finger on** the exact cause of the political unrest.
idiom

a gift from the heavens

Meaning
a blessing or something very special
Example
Her support during the tough times was **a gift from the heavens**.
idiom

hope for the best

Meaning
expect a positive outcome even in uncertainty
Example
We did everything we could, now let’s **hope for the best**.
idiom

train a model

Meaning
to teach an AI model using data to make predictions or decisions
Example
We need to **train a model** on the new dataset before running predictions.
idiom

as wise as an owl

Meaning
very wise or knowledgeable
Example
My grandfather is **as wise as an owl**.
idiom

rise through the ranks

Meaning
to gradually move up to higher positions in an organization
Example
He **rose through the ranks** to become the CEO.
phrasal-verb

lean upon

Meaning
to rely on someone for emotional or physical support
Example
You can **lean upon** me whenever you feel down.
idiom

reinforcement learning

Meaning
a type of machine learning where an agent learns to make decisions by performing actions and receiving feedback
Example
In **reinforcement learning**, the model improves over time as it learns from trial and error.
idiom

neural network

Meaning
A series of algorithms that attempt to recognize underlying relationships in a set of data.
Example
The AI system was built using a **neural network** to recognize patterns.
idiom

fall through

Meaning
to fail to happen
Example
Our travel plans might **fall through** if the storm hits.
idiom

Keep the team on track

Meaning
to make sure the team remains focused and organized
Example
As the project manager, it's important to **keep the team on track**.
phrasal-verb

toy with concepts

Meaning
to play with or experiment with creative ideas before finalizing them
Example
We’re still **toying with concepts** for the new campaign slogan.
idiom

Keep hope alive

Meaning
To continue believing in a positive outcome.
Example
Even in hard times, we must **keep hope alive**.
phrasal-verb

point inside

Meaning
to indicate something within an area or container
Example
He **pointed inside** the box to show the contents.
idiom

pay through the nose

Meaning
to pay a very high price for something
Example
We **paid through the nose** for that concert ticket.
idiom

Down the rabbit hole

Meaning
Entering into a strange, complicated, or bizarre situation.
Example
I went **down the rabbit hole** researching ancient myths.
idiom

family comes first

Meaning
family is the most important priority in life
Example
No matter how busy I get, **family comes first** for me.
phrasal-verb

hold up under pressure

Meaning
to remain strong and calm when under stress or pressure
Example
She always **holds up under pressure** and performs her best.
phrasal-verb

pull in together

Meaning
to combine efforts to achieve a goal
Example
If we all **pull in together**, we can finish the project on time.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself through

Meaning
to calmly guide yourself with inner talk during anxiety
Example
When your heart races, **talk yourself through** it with reassuring words.
phrasal-verb

save up for

Meaning
to collect money over time for a goal or purchase
Example
She’s **saving up for** a new laptop.
phrasal-verb

get along across cultures

Meaning
to have a friendly and positive relationship with people from other cultures
Example
To work abroad successfully, you need to **get along across cultures**.
idiom

fight your demons

Meaning
to deal with your fears or bad memories courageously
Example
He’s learning to **fight his demons** from the past.
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

set a good example

Meaning
to behave in a way that shows others how they should act
Example
Parents should **set a good example** for their children.
idiom

the ivory tower

Meaning
a place or situation where one is disconnected from practical concerns or the real world
Example
Academics are often accused of living in **the ivory tower**.
idiom

blaze a trail

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

get acquainted

Meaning
to become familiar or friendly with someone
Example
We had a short chat to **get acquainted**.
phrasal-verb

break through to

Meaning
to make someone understand your emotions or point of view
Example
It took hours to finally **break through to** him and make him understand how I felt.
idiom

painting the town red

Meaning
to go out and enjoy oneself in a lively and extravagant way
Example
After the big win, we went out and started **painting the town red**.
phrasal-verb

speak for others

Meaning
to voice concerns on behalf of people who are absent
Example
Leaders should **speak for others** who aren't in the room.
idiom

key in

Meaning
to enter data using a keyboard or keypad
Example
Please **key in** your code before the door locks.
idiom

one in a million

Meaning
very special or rare
Example
Her kindness makes her **one in a million**.
phrasal-verb

pick up on traditions

Meaning
to notice and learn about customs and habits of other cultures
Example
During his stay in Japan, he quickly **picked up on** local traditions.
idiom

to hit the books

Meaning
to study intensely
Example
I need to **hit the books** if I want to pass the exam.
idiom

get a taste of your own medicine

Meaning
to be treated in the same unpleasant way that you have treated others
Example
He's always rude to people, so I'm glad he finally **got a taste of his own medicine**.
phrasal-verb

be there through

Meaning
to stay with someone and support them through difficulties
Example
He **was there through** her hardest times.
idiom

spitting image

Meaning
someone who looks exactly like another person
Example
She is the **spitting image** of her mother.
phrasal-verb

taste out

Meaning
to test the flavor of food while cooking
Example
Always **taste out** your dish before serving it.
phrasal-verb

step into leadership

Meaning
to begin taking on a leadership role or responsibility
Example
He was encouraged to **step into leadership** after his promotion.
phrasal-verb

upgrade to

Meaning
to change to a newer or better version of something
Example
Users are encouraged to **upgrade to** the latest version of the software.
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

draw everyone in

Meaning
to involve all members actively in a discussion or activity
Example
The facilitator tried to **draw everyone in** during the brainstorming session.
idiom

when pigs fly

Meaning
something that will never happen
Example
He'll clean his room **when pigs fly**.
phrasal-verb

keep on

Meaning
to continue doing something repeatedly
Example
She **kept on** talking even though nobody was listening.
phrasal-verb

clamp down on corruption

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something harmful or illegal
Example
The new government promised to **clamp down on corruption** across all departments.
phrasal-verb

bounce into the next chance

Meaning
to dive enthusiastically into a new opportunity
Example
She **bounces into the next chance** as soon as a new project appears.
idiom

out of orbit

Meaning
beyond control; off the usual path
Example
The project went **out of orbit** after the manager left.