brick by brick
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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idiom

brick by brick

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

bail on

Meaning
to abandon someone or something suddenly
Example
He wouldn’t **bail on** his friends at the last minute.
idiom

Bet your bottom dollar

Meaning
To be very sure or confident about something.
Example
You can **bet your bottom dollar** that he’ll show up late again.
idiom

Bide one’s time

Meaning
To wait patiently for the right opportunity.
Example
She decided to **bide her time** before making a move.
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**.
phrasal-verb

build up resilience

Meaning
to develop the ability to recover from challenges or stress
Example
Therapy can help you **build up resilience** against anxiety.
phrasal-verb

bounce ahead with optimism

Meaning
to continue progressing with a positive attitude after difficulties
Example
After every failure, she chooses to **bounce ahead with optimism**.
phrasal-verb

back something up to

Meaning
to make a copy of data and store it in another place
Example
You should **back your files up to** an external hard drive regularly.
phrasal-verb

branch into tech

Meaning
to expand into the technology sector
Example
Traditional companies are now trying to **branch into tech** to stay relevant.
phrasal-verb

burn down

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

Boom and bust

Meaning
A period of great prosperity followed by a sharp decline.
Example
The real estate market often experiences **boom and bust** cycles.
idiom

bottle up your feelings

Meaning
to hide or suppress your emotions
Example
Don't **bottle up your feelings**; talk about them.
phrasal-verb

be crazy about

Meaning
to love something or someone very much
Example
She’s **crazy about** Korean dramas.
idiom

brush off

Meaning
to dismiss something or someone as unimportant
Example
He tried to **brush off** the criticism during the meeting.
idiom

break the ice

Meaning
to start a friendly conversation in an awkward situation
Example
To **break the ice**, I told a funny story.
idiom

break up

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

build up strength

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

butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth

Meaning
someone who looks innocent but might not be
Example
She looks so sweet—**butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth**.
phrasal-verb

breathe through emotions

Meaning
to calm yourself by controlling your breathing during emotional moments
Example
She tried to **breathe through** her emotions before responding.
idiom

be on duty

Meaning
to be working or responsible for something at a certain time
Example
The guard was **on duty** all night.
idiom

Baptism of fire

Meaning
A person’s first difficult experience in a new job or role.
Example
Her first week as manager was a real **baptism of fire**.
idiom

bold as brass

Meaning
to be very confident and not shy at all
Example
She walked into the meeting **bold as brass**.
idiom

beyond belief

Meaning
too surprising or shocking to believe
Example
His recovery was **beyond belief**.
idiom

blue sky thinking

Meaning
creative and visionary thinking that ignores practical limitations
Example
Let's engage in some **blue sky thinking** to come up with innovative solutions.
idiom

beat the algorithm

Meaning
to find a way to outsmart or bypass a system's logic
Example
Marketers always try to **beat the algorithm** for better reach.
idiom

barefaced lie

Meaning
a bold and shameless lie
Example
His excuse was a **barefaced lie**.
idiom

brain like a sieve

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

boot up

Meaning
to start a computer or system
Example
My laptop takes forever to **boot up**.
phrasal-verb

break out of insecurity

Meaning
to free yourself from self-doubt and lack of confidence
Example
She finally **broke out of insecurity** and started speaking publicly.
phrasal-verb

bottle out

Meaning
to decide not to express your feelings because of fear or shyness
Example
He wanted to tell her how he felt but **bottled out** at the last moment.
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

bridge over traditions

Meaning
to find common ground between different traditional beliefs or practices
Example
The event aimed to **bridge over traditions** and promote harmony.
idiom

Born and bred

Meaning
Having lived all one’s life in a particular place and influenced by its culture
Example
She’s a Dhaka **born and bred** woman.
phrasal-verb

break into profits

Meaning
to start making profits after a period of losses or investment
Example
After three years, the startup finally **broke into profits**.
phrasal-verb

burst apart

Meaning
to explode with emotion such as laughter or tears
Example
The whole group **burst apart** laughing at his joke.
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.
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 out leadership qualities

Meaning
to help someone display or develop leadership traits
Example
Training sessions are designed to **bring out leadership qualities** in employees.
phrasal-verb

be carried away

Meaning
to become so excited that you lose control of your feelings
Example
They got **carried away** during the celebration.
idiom

blossom into something

Meaning
to develop or become successful over time
Example
She **blossomed into** a confident and skilled leader.
idiom

build a better mousetrap

Meaning
to improve an existing product or idea
Example
Every tech company tries to **build a better mousetrap** in its field.
idiom

buy a lemon

Meaning
to buy something that is defective or worthless
Example
He **bought a lemon** when he got that used car.
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 down inequality

Meaning
to reduce economic or social inequality
Example
Effective tax policies can help **bring down inequality** in society.
phrasal-verb

bring up for debate

Meaning
to introduce a topic or proposal for official discussion
Example
The minister decided to **bring up for debate** a new tax reform policy.
idiom

blackout

Meaning
to lose consciousness temporarily
Example
He suddenly **blacked out** during the match.
idiom

bring forward

Meaning
to move something to an earlier time
Example
We had to **bring forward** the meeting due to travel.
idiom

bond of friendship

Meaning
A strong connection of trust and affection between friends.
Example
Their **bond of friendship** grew stronger over the years.
phrasal-verb

build upon agreements

Meaning
to develop or improve international agreements that already exist
Example
The summit aimed to **build upon agreements** made in previous meetings.
phrasal-verb

balance against

Meaning
to compare one factor with another to maintain equilibrium
Example
The government must **balance** public spending **against** revenue collection.
phrasal-verb

back off emotionally

Meaning
to stop being overly aggressive or involved in an argument
Example
He decided to **back off emotionally** to avoid further conflict.
idiom

balance the books

Meaning
to make sure income and expenses are equal
Example
The accountant worked late to **balance the books**.
phrasal-verb

build on trust

Meaning
to strengthen relationships by developing mutual confidence
Example
Successful partnerships **build on trust** and transparency.
idiom

beyond reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical uncertainty
Example
The jury found him guilty **beyond reasonable doubt**.
phrasal-verb

bring down trade barriers

Meaning
to reduce or remove obstacles that limit international trade
Example
Efforts are being made to **bring down trade barriers** between neighboring countries.
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 away the cobwebs

Meaning
to refresh one’s mind or body after inactivity
Example
A short walk helped me **blow away the cobwebs**.
idiom

better luck next time

Meaning
used to encourage someone who has failed
Example
**Better luck next time**! You almost won.
phrasal-verb

break down in

Meaning
to lose control of emotions due to fear or stress
Example
He **broke down in** tears after hearing the scary news.
phrasal-verb

breathe out worries

Meaning
to exhale and mentally release your stress and fears
Example
I take a deep breath and **breathe out worries** before bedtime.
phrasal-verb

brainstorm our way out

Meaning
to think of ideas together until a problem is solved
Example
The team **brainstorms our way out** whenever a project gets stuck.
phrasal-verb

build discipline

Meaning
to develop good habits and control over one’s actions
Example
Meditation helps you **build discipline** over your thoughts.
idiom

brave the storm

Meaning
to face great difficulties with courage
Example
They **braved the storm** to rescue the stranded people.
phrasal-verb

break into exports

Meaning
to start selling goods or services to foreign markets
Example
Many local companies are trying to **break into exports** to expand growth.
phrasal-verb

bring up to speed

Meaning
to make someone or something fully informed or updated
Example
The new employees were **brought up to speed** on the company’s financial goals.
idiom

bring to life

Meaning
to make something more interesting or realistic
Example
The artist’s use of color really **brought the painting to life**.
phrasal-verb

build confidence through practice

Meaning
to become more self-assured by repeated practice
Example
You can **build confidence through practice** in public speaking.
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.
phrasal-verb

build upon innovation

Meaning
to use existing innovations as a foundation for further progress
Example
Nations must **build upon innovation** to drive sustainable development.
idiom

black hole

Meaning
a situation where things disappear or are lost without explanation
Example
All the research data went into a **black hole** after the server crash.
phrasal-verb

build wealth

Meaning
to accumulate money and assets over time
Example
She plans to **build wealth** through smart investments and saving strategies.
phrasal-verb

blow up at

Meaning
to lose your temper and shout at someone
Example
She **blew up at** her brother for being late again.
phrasal-verb

bloom into

Meaning
to develop into something beautiful or full of life
Example
She **bloomed into** a confident young woman.
phrasal-verb

boot loop

Meaning
to restart continuously due to a system error
Example
After the update, my phone got stuck in a **boot loop**.
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.
idiom

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning
To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example
If you think I'm guilty, you're **barking up the wrong tree**.
phrasal-verb

build on

Meaning
to use your past success or experience to improve or achieve more
Example
We should **build on** our previous success to reach higher goals.
phrasal-verb

bounce forward

Meaning
to recover from difficulties and move ahead with improvement
Example
After the recession, the nation aims to **bounce forward** with stronger growth.
idiom

be lost for words

Meaning
to be so surprised that you cannot speak
Example
I was **lost for words** when I won the prize.
idiom

beat down

Meaning
to strike repeatedly with force, such as intense sun or rain
Example
The afternoon sun **beat down** on the field all day.
idiom

bury the lead

Meaning
to hide the most important part of the story
Example
Don’t **bury the lead**—mention the main point first.
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.
phrasal-verb

buckle down on

Meaning
to start working seriously on something important
Example
I have to **buckle down on** my thesis this weekend.
phrasal-verb

beat oneself up over

Meaning
to blame or criticize oneself harshly for something that happened
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up over** something you can’t change.
phrasal-verb

breathe through tension

Meaning
to use calm breathing to release tension or anxiety
Example
The best way to handle stress is to **breathe through tension** slowly.
idiom

behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly without their knowledge
Example
She was talking about me **behind my back**.
idiom

Build bridges, not walls

Meaning
Make connections and friendships rather than creating barriers
Example
Instead of fighting, let's **build bridges, not walls**.
phrasal-verb

boil with anger

Meaning
to be extremely angry
Example
She was **boiling with anger** when she found out about the unfair decision.
phrasal-verb

beat yourself up

Meaning
to blame or criticize yourself too much for something
Example
Don't **beat yourself up** over one mistake.
idiom

bend someone’s ear

Meaning
to talk to someone for a long time, usually to complain
Example
He **bent my ear** about his terrible day at work.
phrasal-verb

brief the crew on

Meaning
to give a group the essential information about something
Example
Leads **brief the crew on** new safety rules before shifts start.
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

by the skin of one’s teeth

Meaning
To narrowly escape or achieve something by a very small margin.
Example
I passed the exam **by the skin of my teeth**.
idiom

break out in a cold sweat

Meaning
to suddenly start sweating due to fear or anxiety
Example
He **broke out in a cold sweat** before his job interview.
phrasal-verb

back someone up

Meaning
to support or defend someone in a team or argument
Example
During the debate, my teammates **backed me up** when I presented my point.
idiom

bubbling with joy

Meaning
very happy and excited
Example
The children were **bubbling with joy** after receiving their gifts.
idiom

build bridges

Meaning
to improve relationships between people
Example
We need to **build bridges** between our two departments.
idiom

bite the dust

Meaning
to fail or be defeated
Example
Several small startups **bit the dust** last year.
phrasal-verb

be thrilled about

Meaning
to feel very excited or pleased about something
Example
She was **thrilled about** her upcoming vacation.
idiom

behind schedule

Meaning
later than planned or expected
Example
The flight is **behind schedule** because of the storm.
idiom

beta test

Meaning
to test a product before official release
Example
We are going to **beta test** our app next week.
idiom

bring down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad or to reduce something
Example
Don’t let one rude comment **bring down** your confidence.
idiom

buy into

Meaning
to accept or support an idea or plan
Example
The team quickly **bought into** the new workflow.
phrasal-verb

branch into

Meaning
to expand a company into new areas or markets
Example
The company plans to **branch into** Southeast Asian markets next year.
idiom

break the glass ceiling

Meaning
to overcome a barrier or limitation, particularly in career or personal advancement
Example
She was the first woman in the company to **break the glass ceiling** and become a senior manager.
idiom

bear the responsibility

Meaning
to take on the duty of something
Example
She was willing to **bear the responsibility** for the new project.
idiom

break down in tears

Meaning
to start crying suddenly
Example
She **broke down in tears** after hearing the sad story.
phrasal-verb

build upon strengths

Meaning
to use existing advantages or abilities to achieve more success
Example
Great leaders **build upon strengths** instead of focusing on weaknesses.
idiom

burst into tears

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **burst into tears** after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

build yourself up

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

botnet

Meaning
a network of computers infected with malware that are controlled remotely by a hacker
Example
The hacker used the **botnet** to launch a massive DDoS attack on the server.
idiom

be in the limelight

Meaning
to be the center of attention
Example
The actor was **in the limelight** after his award win.
idiom

be all smiles

Meaning
to look very happy and cheerful
Example
She was **all smiles** after hearing the good news.
phrasal-verb

blow over

Meaning
to become less serious and eventually end without major harm
Example
Most small arguments **blow over** with time.
idiom

be at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or upset that you don't know what to do
Example
I'm **at my wits' end** trying to calm the kids down.
idiom

believe you can

Meaning
to have the mindset that you are capable of doing something
Example
If you **believe you can**, you’re halfway there.
idiom

bookworm

Meaning
a person who loves reading
Example
He’s such a **bookworm**; he spends all his free time in the library.
idiom

break the mold

Meaning
to do something differently from tradition
Example
She **broke the mold** by becoming the first female CEO.
phrasal-verb

blow through

Meaning
when wind or storm moves quickly across an area
Example
A strong wind **blew through** the town last night.
phrasal-verb

bring together

Meaning
to unite people for a purpose
Example
Family events **bring together** everyone and strengthen bonds.
phrasal-verb

burn off

Meaning
to use up energy or fat by exercising
Example
I go jogging every morning to **burn off** extra calories.