Break with tradition
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idiom

Break with tradition

Meaning
To do something in a different way from what is usually done
Example
The couple decided to **break with tradition** and have a small wedding on the beach.
idiom

justice will prevail

Meaning
in the end, right will triumph over wrong
Example
Even though the case was difficult, I believe that **justice will prevail**.
phrasal-verb

speak around

Meaning
to discuss a topic without addressing it directly
Example
He tends to **speak around** the real issue instead of confronting it.
phrasal-verb

add in

Meaning
to include a small polite comment or detail
Example
If I may, I’d like to **add in** one more observation.
phrasal-verb

take over as

Meaning
to assume a new position or responsibility previously held by someone else
Example
She will **take over as** the new HR manager next month.
idiom

lay the foundation

Meaning
to create the base or starting point for something
Example
They worked hard to **lay the foundation** for future growth.
phrasal-verb

grow past pain

Meaning
to develop emotionally by overcoming past suffering
Example
It’s never easy to **grow past pain**, but it’s worth it.
idiom

blood, sweat, and tears

Meaning
great effort and hard work
Example
Building this company took a lot of **blood, sweat, and tears**.
phrasal-verb

hold up

Meaning
to cause delay or slow down progress
Example
The server issue **held up** the entire team's work for hours.
phrasal-verb

calm things down

Meaning
to make a tense or angry situation more peaceful
Example
He tried to **calm things down** before it got worse.
idiom

have big plans

Meaning
to have important or ambitious goals for the future
Example
He **has big plans** to expand his business overseas.
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.
idiom

Seize the day

Meaning
to take advantage of the present moment
Example
She believes in living life to the fullest and always tries to **seize the day**.
phrasal-verb

mentor others in

Meaning
to guide and support less experienced people
Example
Senior employees are encouraged to **mentor others in** their department.
idiom

reach your full potential

Meaning
to achieve the maximum ability or success that you are capable of
Example
By working hard, she was able to **reach her full potential**.
phrasal-verb

pay out

Meaning
to spend or distribute money, especially large amounts
Example
The company had to **pay out** millions in compensation.
phrasal-verb

come into

Meaning
to receive money or property, usually by inheritance
Example
He **came into** a large sum of money after his uncle passed away.
idiom

overnight success

Meaning
a person or thing that becomes successful very quickly
Example
Her first song made her an **overnight success**.
idiom

in so many words

Meaning
to say something clearly and directly
Example
He didn’t say it **in so many words**, but I knew what he meant.
phrasal-verb

step aside for

Meaning
to let someone else take your position or role
Example
The senior manager decided to **step aside for** a younger leader.
phrasal-verb

run out

Meaning
to have no remaining phone balance or battery
Example
My phone **ran out** of battery during the call.
phrasal-verb

go ahead

Meaning
to start or continue doing something
Example
If you’re ready, you can **go ahead** with your presentation.
idiom

dead tired

Meaning
extremely tired or exhausted
Example
After the long trip, we were **dead tired**.
idiom

in a world of your own

Meaning
to be lost in thought or imagination
Example
He didn’t hear me because he was **in a world of his own**.
phrasal-verb

step around

Meaning
to move to avoid something; to bypass a problem or rule
Example
He tried to **step around** the issue instead of facing it directly.
idiom

drop your jaw

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or shocked
Example
Everyone’s jaws **dropped** when they saw the price.
phrasal-verb

draw up a trade agreement

Meaning
to prepare the terms of a trade deal
Example
Officials met to **draw up a trade agreement** that benefits both nations.
idiom

Tell the truth

Meaning
To say what is true instead of lying.
Example
Please **tell the truth**, even if it hurts.
idiom

machine learning fairness

Meaning
the concept of ensuring that machine learning models make unbiased, equitable decisions.
Example
The research team focused on improving **machine learning fairness** to eliminate discrimination.
idiom

Put one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
To focus on hard work and continuous effort.
Example
She really had to **put her nose to the grindstone** to get the promotion.
phrasal-verb

clean up

Meaning
to remove dirt or pollution from a place; to make something cleaner
Example
Volunteers came together to **clean up** the beach after the storm.
phrasal-verb

act up

Meaning
to behave badly or cause trouble
Example
The kids started to **act up** during the long car ride.
phrasal-verb

fuel up on

Meaning
to eat or drink something to gain energy
Example
We **fuel up on** oatmeal before the morning hike.
phrasal-verb

see off guests

Meaning
to say goodbye to people as they leave
Example
The host **saw off the guests** at the gate after midnight.
idiom

Frankenstein’s monster

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

money burns a hole in your pocket

Meaning
to be eager to spend money quickly
Example
He just got paid, and already **money burns a hole in his pocket**.
idiom

act the part

Meaning
to behave in a way that fits a particular role or situation
Example
If you want to be treated like a leader, you need to **act the part**.
phrasal-verb

stem from

Meaning
to originate or come from something
Example
The misunderstanding **stems from** a lack of clear communication.
idiom

open up about

Meaning
to share personal thoughts or feelings
Example
He finally **opened up about** the project stress.
idiom

sound out

Meaning
to quietly discover what people think
Example
She will **sound out** the team before making changes.
idiom

how’s it going

Meaning
a casual way of asking how someone is doing
Example
**How’s it going?** You look great today!
phrasal-verb

trip up on

Meaning
to make a mistake when dealing with something difficult
Example
She **tripped up on** the hardest part of the puzzle.
phrasal-verb

build trust with

Meaning
to strengthen confidence between people
Example
Leaders **build trust with** teams by sharing progress early.
phrasal-verb

push through fear

Meaning
to take action despite being afraid
Example
He learned to **push through fear** and speak with confidence.
phrasal-verb

move into

Meaning
to start working in a new role or area
Example
She recently **moved into** a senior management position.
idiom

riding the wave

Meaning
taking advantage of a current trend or success
Example
The company is **riding the wave** of its recent success in the international market.
phrasal-verb

check out

Meaning
to stop being involved or attentive; to mentally disengage
Example
Many employees **check out** mentally before the weekend starts.
phrasal-verb

build upon experience

Meaning
to use past experiences to improve future actions or performance
Example
We can **build upon our experience** to avoid making the same mistakes again.
phrasal-verb

shop around for

Meaning
to compare prices or products before buying
Example
Many customers **shop around for** the best deals online.
phrasal-verb

stay curious about

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

build over

Meaning
to move past a negative feeling or fear by developing confidence
Example
He managed to **build over** his fear of speaking in public.
idiom

break even

Meaning
to have equal income and expenses, neither profit nor loss
Example
The company finally **broke even** after three years.
idiom

take the fifth

Meaning
to refuse to answer a question on the grounds that it may incriminate oneself
Example
When asked about his involvement, he chose to **take the fifth**.
idiom

clean conscience

Meaning
feeling that you have done nothing wrong
Example
He can sleep well because he has a **clean conscience**.
phrasal-verb

show up for

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

plan for

Meaning
to prepare in advance for possible events or risks
Example
Businesses should **plan for** economic downturns.
idiom

scared out of one's wits

Meaning
to be very frightened
Example
The loud thunder **scared me out of my wits**.
idiom

from the horse’s mouth

Meaning
directly from the original or reliable source
Example
I heard the news **from the horse’s mouth**.
idiom

a storybook ending

Meaning
a perfect or happy ending, like in a fairy tale
Example
Their wedding was a true **storybook ending**.
idiom

justice is blind

Meaning
justice should be impartial and not influenced by wealth or power
Example
**Justice is blind**, and everyone should be treated equally under the law.
phrasal-verb

say thanks to

Meaning
to verbally express gratitude to someone
Example
Don’t forget to **say thanks to** your teacher before leaving.
phrasal-verb

fall into place

Meaning
to start to happen in a satisfactory way
Example
After months of hard work, everything finally **fell into place**.
phrasal-verb

take in stride

Meaning
to accept and deal with something difficult calmly
Example
He learned to **take challenges in stride** instead of stressing out.
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.
phrasal-verb

depend on exports

Meaning
to rely on selling goods to other countries
Example
Many developing nations **depend on exports** for economic growth.
idiom

to take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become worse or decline in health
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
idiom

do the right thing by someone

Meaning
to treat someone fairly and with respect
Example
It's important to always **do the right thing by your colleagues**.
phrasal-verb

act up to

Meaning
to behave according to what is expected or suitable
Example
She tries to **act up to** her reputation as a hardworking student.
phrasal-verb

go by

Meaning
to pass (about time); to follow or be guided by something
Example
As the years **go by**, we learn more about ourselves.
idiom

Failure is the mother of success

Meaning
Success often comes after learning from failures.
Example
Don’t worry about failing; **failure is the mother of success**.
phrasal-verb

protect against downturns

Meaning
to take measures to avoid negative effects during economic decline
Example
Diversifying investments can **protect against downturns** in the economy.
idiom

go places

Meaning
to be likely to become successful in the future
Example
Everyone says he’s going to **go places** with his skills.
phrasal-verb

fizzle out

Meaning
to gradually end or fail after starting strongly
Example
The hype around that new brand **fizzled out** after a few months.
idiom

on the tip of one's tongue

Meaning
when you can almost remember something but not quite
Example
His name is **on the tip of my tongue**, but I can’t recall it.
idiom

dig deep

Meaning
to use all your strength and determination to achieve something
Example
You’ll have to **dig deep** to finish this marathon.
phrasal-verb

show back up

Meaning
to return after being away or absent
Example
He suddenly **showed back up** after months of silence.
phrasal-verb

listen to feedback

Meaning
to pay attention to and consider others’ opinions or advice
Example
A wise leader always **listens to feedback** before making changes.
phrasal-verb

blend in with

Meaning
to mix naturally with people or surroundings
Example
Tourists often try to **blend in with** the locals to experience the culture better.
idiom

make it to the top

Meaning
to reach the highest point of success
Example
After years of hard work, he finally **made it to the top** of his career.
phrasal-verb

lean on for support

Meaning
to rely on someone for help or encouragement
Example
We can always **lean on** our teammates **for support** during tough times.
idiom

run with it

Meaning
to take an idea and develop it further or act on it
Example
They liked the concept and told us to **run with it**.
phrasal-verb

talk things over with

Meaning
to discuss a matter thoroughly with someone
Example
I need to **talk things over with** you before we make a decision.
idiom

faithful to the end

Meaning
staying loyal and supportive for a long time
Example
She was **faithful to the end** in her relationship.
phrasal-verb

back down

Meaning
to admit you were wrong and stop arguing
Example
She refused to **back down** even after realizing her mistake.
idiom

can of worms

Meaning
a complex problem that may cause more trouble once started
Example
AI bias is a **can of worms** that’s hard to fix.
phrasal-verb

stand together for inclusion

Meaning
to unite in support of equality and inclusion
Example
Employees decided to **stand together for inclusion** during the diversity week.
phrasal-verb

hunt for

Meaning
to look carefully for something, especially a good deal
Example
She loves to **hunt for** discounts during sales.
phrasal-verb

burst into laughter

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing loudly
Example
They **burst into laughter** after hearing the funny story.
idiom

have a one-track mind

Meaning
to think about only one thing all the time
Example
He **has a one-track mind** when it comes to his business.
idiom

clash of civilizations

Meaning
the conflict between different cultural, religious, or civilizational groups
Example
The debate about cultural differences is often seen as a **clash of civilizations**.
idiom

blow the whistle

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

a win-win situation

Meaning
a situation where everyone benefits
Example
Merging the two companies created **a win-win situation** for both parties.
phrasal-verb

fall behind schedule

Meaning
to not be progressing as quickly as planned
Example
Construction has **fallen behind schedule** due to bad weather.
phrasal-verb

branch globally

Meaning
to expand or operate in multiple countries or regions
Example
The company hopes to **branch globally** within the next five years.
idiom

age before beauty

Meaning
used humorously to let an older person go first
Example
He opened the door and said, '**Age before beauty**,' letting his grandmother enter first.
phrasal-verb

motivate through

Meaning
to inspire people by using something as a motivator
Example
She tried to **motivate through** positive feedback and encouragement.
phrasal-verb

look back upon

Meaning
to think about something that happened in the past, often with mixed feelings
Example
When I **look back upon** my decisions, I wish I had chosen differently.
phrasal-verb

draw courage from experience

Meaning
to gain strength and confidence through past experiences
Example
She learned to **draw courage from experience** instead of fearing failure.
idiom

talk behind someone's back

Meaning
to say bad things about someone when they are not present
Example
I don’t like people who **talk behind my back**.
idiom

Front page news

Meaning
Extremely important or widely discussed news
Example
His heroic act became **front page news** the next morning.
idiom

Wishful thinking

Meaning
Believing something because you want it to be true, not because it is realistic.
Example
Believing you'll win the lottery is just **wishful thinking**.
idiom

to be honest

Meaning
used when expressing a sincere or frank opinion
Example
**To be honest**, I didn’t like the food.
idiom

black box

Meaning
a system or process whose workings are not understood or transparent
Example
The neural network is often described as a **black box** because its decision-making process is not fully transparent.
phrasal-verb

reflect upon

Meaning
to think carefully about something
Example
Take time to **reflect upon** your achievements and mistakes.
phrasal-verb

push for promotion

Meaning
to actively try to get a higher position at work
Example
She decided to **push for promotion** after completing the leadership training.
idiom

a taste of your own medicine

Meaning
to experience the same unpleasantness you caused to others
Example
He was rude to everyone, but now he’s getting **a taste of his own medicine**.
phrasal-verb

press ahead with confidence

Meaning
to move forward positively despite difficulties
Example
We must **press ahead with confidence** even if challenges arise.
idiom

keep it up

Meaning
to continue doing something well
Example
You’re doing great with your studies—**keep it up**!
idiom

strike it rich

Meaning
to suddenly make a lot of money
Example
They **struck it rich** after investing in that startup.
phrasal-verb

team around

Meaning
to organize or gather a group of people for a common purpose
Example
We should **team around** this project to deliver the best results.
idiom

slip into

Meaning
to gradually enter a state or start wearing something
Example
She quickly **slipped into** a more comfortable outfit.
idiom

justice delayed is justice denied

Meaning
if legal redress is available but not delivered in time, it is as good as having none
Example
Many believe that **justice delayed is justice denied** in this country.
idiom

a breakthrough

Meaning
a significant discovery or achievement in science or research
Example
The team made **a breakthrough** in cancer research.
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.
phrasal-verb

go after

Meaning
to pursue or try to get something; to chase someone
Example
He decided to **go after** his dream of becoming a doctor.
idiom

truth will out

Meaning
the truth will eventually be revealed
Example
You can’t hide it forever; **truth will out**.
idiom

let it go

Meaning
to stop worrying about something; to forgive or forget
Example
She finally decided to **let it go** and move on.
idiom

grab attention

Meaning
to make people notice something immediately
Example
Bright colors and bold fonts are used to **grab attention**.
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.
idiom

a dark horse

Meaning
a person who keeps their skills or plans secret until an important moment
Example
Nobody expected her to win; she was **a dark horse**.