break through barriers
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phrasal-verb

break through barriers

Meaning
to overcome difficulties or obstacles
Example
She **broke through barriers** to become a successful engineer.
idiom

lead by example

Meaning
to show others how to behave by doing it yourself
Example
A true leader always **leads by example**.
idiom

doomscrolling

Meaning
endlessly scrolling through bad news or negative content online
Example
I stayed up late **doomscrolling** last night.
phrasal-verb

own responsibility for

Meaning
to accept that you are accountable for something that happened
Example
He chose to **own responsibility for** the team’s delay.
idiom

wallflower

Meaning
a shy person who avoids social activities
Example
She used to be a **wallflower**, but now she’s more confident.
idiom

bide your time

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

a weight off one's shoulders

Meaning
a feeling of relief after a problem or burden is resolved
Example
When she finished the project, it felt like a **weight off her shoulders**.
phrasal-verb

go ahead with

Meaning
to start or continue doing something planned
Example
The teacher told us to **go ahead with** the project.
phrasal-verb

read into behavior

Meaning
to interpret meaning from how someone acts
Example
Managers **read into behavior** to spot burnout early.
idiom

plow ahead

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
Even with setbacks, they decided to **plow ahead** with the project.
idiom

cross your heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise
Example
I’ll never tell anyone, **cross my heart**.
idiom

take center stage

Meaning
to be the main focus of attention
Example
The issue of climate change **took center stage** at the conference.
idiom

No doubt about it

Meaning
Used to express complete agreement
Example
**No doubt about it**, she deserves the award.
idiom

all in good time

Meaning
something will happen eventually; be patient
Example
**All in good time**, you’ll see the results soon.
phrasal-verb

get down to it

Meaning
to start doing something seriously and with focus
Example
We’ve wasted enough time—let’s **get down to it** and start working.
idiom

a pain in the neck

Meaning
someone or something that is very annoying
Example
That constant noise from the construction site is **a pain in the neck**.
idiom

grease the wheels

Meaning
to make a process run more smoothly by helping it along or making it easier
Example
Bribing officials is a common way to grease the wheels in international trade negotiations.
idiom

hook the customer

Meaning
to attract and keep a customer’s interest
Example
A good slogan can easily **hook the customer**.
phrasal-verb

break away into laughter

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

comfort with

Meaning
to make someone feel better by offering kind words or actions
Example
He **comforted her with** gentle words when she was crying.
idiom

sift through

Meaning
to examine a large amount of information or items carefully
Example
I spent the afternoon **sifting through** old emails for the missing file.
phrasal-verb

identify as

Meaning
to define oneself as belonging to a particular cultural or ethnic group
Example
He **identifies as** both Bangladeshi and global citizen.
phrasal-verb

get over

Meaning
to recover from something upsetting or difficult
Example
It took him a long time to **get over** his fears.
phrasal-verb

reach understanding with

Meaning
to achieve a friendly or cooperative agreement with another party
Example
The two countries finally **reached understanding with** each other after months of talks.
idiom

cut and paste

Meaning
to copy something with little change
Example
You can't just **cut and paste** ideas from others.
idiom

run the show

Meaning
to be in charge of an activity or organization
Example
Ever since the director left, Emma has been **running the show**.
idiom

to make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a big impact
Example
Her new book **made a splash** in the literary world.
idiom

to err is human

Meaning
everyone makes mistakes; it’s natural to be imperfect
Example
**To err is human**, but to learn from errors is wisdom.
idiom

a snowball effect

Meaning
a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate
Example
The more followers she got, the more famous she became, creating **a snowball effect**.
idiom

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Meaning
you can’t achieve anything if you don’t take risks
Example
He decided to invest because **nothing ventured, nothing gained**.
idiom

fall flat on one’s face

Meaning
to fail completely or embarrass oneself
Example
He **fell flat on his face** trying to start a new business.
idiom

When there’s life, there’s hope

Meaning
As long as you are alive, there is a chance for improvement.
Example
Don’t give up—**when there’s life, there’s hope**.
phrasal-verb

drop out of the race

Meaning
to quit or withdraw from a competition or activity
Example
The cyclist **dropped out of the race** due to an injury.
phrasal-verb

push back

Meaning
to delay something to a later time or date
Example
We had to **push back** the deadline due to unexpected issues.
idiom

Rome wasn’t built in a day

Meaning
Important things take time to accomplish.
Example
**Rome wasn’t built in a day**, be patient with your progress.
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

ace a test

Meaning
to do extremely well on a test
Example
He studied hard and managed to **ace the test**.
phrasal-verb

patch over differences

Meaning
to try to ignore disagreements and restore peace
Example
They decided to **patch over differences** and move on.
idiom

strength in numbers

Meaning
greater power comes from a larger group
Example
We can win this battle if we stick together, there's **strength in numbers**.
idiom

step up a gear

Meaning
to increase your effort or speed
Example
The team needs to **step up a gear** to meet the deadline.
phrasal-verb

stand by your word

Meaning
to keep a promise or commitment even when it is difficult
Example
He’s the kind of person who always **stands by his word**.
phrasal-verb

wolf down

Meaning
to eat something very quickly and greedily
Example
He **wolfed down** his lunch in five minutes.
idiom

Economic downturn

Meaning
A period when the economy declines or slows down.
Example
Many people lost their jobs during the **economic downturn**.
idiom

bottom line

Meaning
the most important point; the final result or profit
Example
The **bottom line** is that trade deficits are increasing.
phrasal-verb

head toward victory

Meaning
to move or progress in the direction of winning or success
Example
Our team is **heading toward victory** after months of training.
phrasal-verb

capitalize on

Meaning
to take advantage of something to gain success
Example
She knew how to **capitalize on** every opportunity that came her way.
idiom

set the pace

Meaning
to establish a standard of performance or progress for others to follow
Example
Our CEO always **sets the pace** for the entire company.
idiom

Old hat

Meaning
Something that is outdated or no longer interesting
Example
That style is **old hat** now—no one wears it anymore.
idiom

adapt to new circumstances

Meaning
to adjust oneself to new situations or changes
Example
In order to survive in the changing world, we need to **adapt to new circumstances**.
idiom

out like a light

Meaning
to fall asleep very quickly
Example
He was **out like a light** as soon as his head hit the pillow.
phrasal-verb

shake out

Meaning
to relieve stress or tension by moving or stretching
Example
Before continuing your work, take a moment to **shake out** your hands and shoulders.
idiom

The Midas touch

Meaning
The ability to make money or succeed in everything one does.
Example
She seems to have **the Midas touch**—every project she starts becomes a success.
phrasal-verb

balance workloads across

Meaning
to distribute tasks evenly among people
Example
Managers **balance workloads across** the team before busy quarters.
idiom

carry the weight of the world

Meaning
to take on a lot of responsibility
Example
John felt like he had to **carry the weight of the world** on his shoulders at work.
idiom

steal the show

Meaning
to be the most outstanding performer
Example
Her performance **stole the show** last night.
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.
phrasal-verb

build back up

Meaning
to regain emotional or mental strength after a setback
Example
He slowly began to **build back up** after his depression.
phrasal-verb

keep at

Meaning
to continue doing something with determination
Example
If you **keep at** your practice, you’ll master it soon.
phrasal-verb

hold back tears

Meaning
to stop yourself from crying
Example
He tried to **hold back tears** during the speech.
phrasal-verb

delight in

Meaning
to take great pleasure in something
Example
She **delights in** making people laugh.
phrasal-verb

rise back up

Meaning
to increase again after falling
Example
Employment rates began to **rise back up** as new businesses opened.
phrasal-verb

come over to

Meaning
to visit someone at their place
Example
Why don’t you **come over to** my house this weekend?
idiom

school of thought

Meaning
a particular way of thinking or set of ideas
Example
There’s a **school of thought** that believes learning by doing is best.
phrasal-verb

get down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad; to move to a lower position
Example
Don’t let failure **get you down**.
phrasal-verb

get by with

Meaning
to manage or survive with limited resources or help
Example
We **got by with** little money when my dad lost his job.
idiom

get fired up

Meaning
to become very excited or enthusiastic about something
Example
The team got **fired up** before the final match.
idiom

Pay dividends

Meaning
To bring benefits or rewards later.
Example
Investing in education always **pays dividends** in the long run.
idiom

in a nutshell

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
To put it **in a nutshell**, we need more funding.
phrasal-verb

push boundaries

Meaning
to go beyond limits or expectations
Example
Innovators constantly **push boundaries** to discover new possibilities.
idiom

Game of thrones

Meaning
A struggle for power or control, often involving manipulation and rivalry
Example
The election turned into a **game of thrones** with leaders fighting for dominance.
idiom

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
Don’t risk everything on a single plan.
Example
You should invest in different areas; **don’t put all your eggs in one basket**.
idiom

Don’t give up

Meaning
Continue trying and don’t quit.
Example
You’ve come so far—**don’t give up** now!
idiom

a man with a mission

Meaning
a person with strong purpose and determination to achieve something
Example
He’s **a man with a mission** to change the way we think about education.
idiom

Cheer up

Meaning
Become happier; don’t be sad.
Example
It’s not the end of the world—**cheer up**!
idiom

I couldn’t agree more

Meaning
To completely agree with someone
Example
That’s exactly what I was thinking — **I couldn’t agree more**.
phrasal-verb

cope under pressure

Meaning
to manage to function well even in stressful or difficult situations
Example
He learned to **cope under pressure** during tight deadlines.
idiom

The unexamined life is not worth living

Meaning
A life lived without introspection or self-reflection is not truly fulfilling or meaningful.
Example
Socrates' belief that **the unexamined life is not worth living** continues to inspire those seeking a deeper understanding of existence.
idiom

A tough row to hoe

Meaning
A difficult task or situation to handle.
Example
Starting a new business is **a tough row to hoe**.
phrasal-verb

pick through

Meaning
to look through things to find what you want
Example
He **picked through** the old books looking for his favorite one.
phrasal-verb

aim toward excellence

Meaning
to focus effort on achieving the highest quality or standard
Example
Our company always **aims toward excellence** in every project.
phrasal-verb

step outside comfort zones

Meaning
to try tasks that feel challenging so you can grow
Example
We **step outside comfort zones** by volunteering for bold projects.
phrasal-verb

let in peace

Meaning
to allow yourself a quiet moment away from distractions
Example
Give yourself time to **let in peace** after a stressful day.
phrasal-verb

warm down

Meaning
to perform gentle exercises after intense physical activity
Example
The coach told the players to **warm down** after the match.
idiom

take the wheel

Meaning
to take control or responsibility
Example
It's time for the new manager to **take the wheel**.
phrasal-verb

branch up into management

Meaning
to progress into a higher level of management or leadership
Example
After years of experience, he finally **branched up into management**.
idiom

meet someone halfway

Meaning
to agree to compromise with someone
Example
We finally **met each other halfway** and agreed on a solution.
phrasal-verb

ease out tension

Meaning
to reduce or remove feelings of stress
Example
A warm bath helps to **ease out tension** from muscles.
idiom

leaf through

Meaning
to turn the pages of a book or magazine casually
Example
He likes to **leaf through** catalogs during lunch.
phrasal-verb

rise under

Meaning
to perform well despite facing great pressure or challenges
Example
He always **rises under** pressure and delivers his best work.
phrasal-verb

slip out

Meaning
to say something unintentionally
Example
The secret just **slipped out** during the chat.
idiom

Airhead

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

alien invasion

Meaning
a sudden arrival or overwhelming presence of something unfamiliar
Example
The mall felt like an **alien invasion** during the sale.
idiom

chill out

Meaning
to relax and stop being angry or nervous
Example
You need to **chill out** and enjoy the weekend.
idiom

a Eureka moment

Meaning
a moment of sudden discovery or realization
Example
He had **a Eureka moment** when he solved the equation.
idiom

data-driven

Meaning
based on or influenced by data
Example
We make **data-driven** decisions to ensure the best outcome.
phrasal-verb

fall behind in exports

Meaning
to lag in selling goods to foreign countries
Example
The nation has **fallen behind in exports** due to weak demand abroad.
phrasal-verb

settle in for

Meaning
to get comfortable because something will take a while
Example
We **settled in for** a long night of studying at the library.
phrasal-verb

break into laughter

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

break limits

Meaning
to go beyond what is normally possible or expected
Example
He **broke limits** by achieving what no one else dared to try.
idiom

from the bottom of my heart

Meaning
with sincere gratitude
Example
I thank you **from the bottom of my heart** for everything.
phrasal-verb

lock out

Meaning
to be unable to access a system due to password or error
Example
I got **locked out** of my account after entering the wrong password.
idiom

pledge one's word

Meaning
to make a serious or formal promise
Example
He **pledged his word** to support the cause.
phrasal-verb

push through

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
He managed to **push through** the hard times and achieve his dream.
idiom

out of harm’s way

Meaning
To be safe from danger or difficulty.
Example
Make sure the children are **out of harm’s way** before lighting the fire.
phrasal-verb

grow through challenges

Meaning
to develop strength and wisdom by facing difficulties
Example
We can **grow through challenges** if we stay positive.
idiom

see off

Meaning
to go with someone to say goodbye when they leave
Example
We’ll **see off** the guests at the station.
idiom

one in a million

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

green around the gills

Meaning
looking sick or nauseated
Example
He looked **green around the gills** after the boat ride.
idiom

rough patch

Meaning
a period of difficulty or trouble
Example
Their marriage went through a **rough patch** last year.
idiom

give in

Meaning
to stop resisting or to agree after initial refusal
Example
After a long debate, the committee finally **gave in**.
idiom

neural spark

Meaning
a sudden moment of insight or creativity in AI innovation
Example
Her idea was a true **neural spark** that changed the whole project.
idiom

grow into

Meaning
to gradually become more capable or skilled at something
Example
He will eventually **grow into** the role of manager.
phrasal-verb

bask in

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

sink into

Meaning
to gradually become deeply involved in a negative emotion
Example
She **sank into** depression after losing her job.
phrasal-verb

show up for

Meaning
to be present for someone when they need you
Example
Real friends always **show up for** each other.
idiom

a bug in the system

Meaning
a problem or error in a program or system
Example
There seems to be **a bug in the system** causing slow performance.
idiom

wrap your head around

Meaning
to understand or comprehend something difficult
Example
It took me a while to **wrap my head around** the new software.
phrasal-verb

clamp down on

Meaning
to take strict action to stop or control something
Example
Authorities are **clamping down on** tax evasion this year.
phrasal-verb

patch up bugs

Meaning
to fix small errors or issues in software
Example
Developers are working to **patch up bugs** found in the latest release.
idiom

move up the ladder

Meaning
to be promoted or advance in one’s job
Example
She hopes to **move up the ladder** by the end of the year.