bring the curtain down
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idiom

bring the curtain down

Meaning
to end something; to finish a performance or event
Example
The concert **brought the curtain down** on the music festival.
phrasal-verb

bring on

Meaning
to cause something bad to happen; to make something start
Example
Lack of sleep can **bring on** headaches.
idiom

Born in the barn

Meaning
To have bad manners or lack social etiquette.
Example
Close the door! Were you **born in the barn**?
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

bring to the table

Meaning
to contribute something useful or valuable
Example
Each team member **brings something unique to the table**.
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.
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.
idiom

burn one's bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or opportunities that cannot be restored
Example
He **burned his bridges** when he insulted his boss.
phrasal-verb

beam at

Meaning
to give a big, happy smile to someone
Example
He **beamed at** his friends during the celebration.
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.
idiom

blood is thicker than water

Meaning
family relationships are stronger than others
Example
He helped his brother because **blood is thicker than water**.
phrasal-verb

blast out

Meaning
to play music very loudly
Example
The neighbors were **blasting out** heavy metal all night.
phrasal-verb

back up with evidence

Meaning
to support a claim or statement using proof or facts
Example
You should always **back up** your accusations **with evidence**.
phrasal-verb

bounce around ideas

Meaning
to discuss and share different ideas informally with others
Example
We **bounced around ideas** during the brainstorming session.
idiom

blow your top

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **blew his top** when he found out about the mistake.
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**.
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

bull market

Meaning
a period when prices of stocks are rising
Example
Investors are optimistic during a **bull market**.
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.
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

Burn the bridges

Meaning
to destroy the possibility of returning to a previous situation
Example
Once he left the company, he decided to **burn the bridges** and not look back.
phrasal-verb

butt in

Meaning
to interrupt or give an opinion when not invited
Example
I wish you wouldn’t **butt in** when we are discussing something serious.
idiom

beyond the rainbow

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

by the book

Meaning
to follow the rules exactly
Example
Our manager does everything **by the book**.
phrasal-verb

build out

Meaning
to expand or develop infrastructure or capacity
Example
They are working hard to **build out** their cloud platform.
idiom

build one's confidence

Meaning
to increase one's self-assurance or belief in one's abilities
Example
Public speaking classes helped him **build his confidence**.
phrasal-verb

build across

Meaning
to develop cooperation or structures that connect different entities globally
Example
They aim to **build across** regions to support innovation networks.
phrasal-verb

build upon success

Meaning
to use existing success as a foundation for future growth
Example
The bank aims to **build upon success** from last year’s performance.
phrasal-verb

blow in

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly, usually with wind
Example
A cold wind suddenly **blew in** from the north.
idiom

blow out of the water

Meaning
to surprise or defeat completely
Example
Their performance **blew us out of the water**.
phrasal-verb

branch out into

Meaning
to expand into a new area of business or activity
Example
They decided to **branch out into** renewable energy solutions.
phrasal-verb

believe in better days

Meaning
to stay positive that life will improve
Example
He always **believes in better days**, no matter how tough life gets.
phrasal-verb

build flexibility into

Meaning
to include adaptability as a part of a system or plan
Example
We need to **build flexibility into** our workflow to handle changes easily.
phrasal-verb

build inner peace

Meaning
to create a state of calm and balance inside yourself
Example
Meditation helps you **build inner peace** and clarity.
phrasal-verb

bring about

Meaning
to cause something to happen or make a change
Example
Educational reforms can **bring about** long-term social change.
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.
phrasal-verb

bring into play

Meaning
to use or introduce something to influence a situation
Example
The president **brought into play** his connections to win the election.
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.
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

Break the news

Meaning
To tell someone important or bad news.
Example
He didn’t know how to **break the news** to his parents.
phrasal-verb

build up reserves

Meaning
to increase saved or stored resources for future use
Example
The central bank is working to **build up reserves** of foreign currency.
idiom

bite your tongue

Meaning
to stop yourself from saying something you want to say
Example
I had to **bite my tongue** when my boss took credit for my work.
phrasal-verb

blow off

Meaning
to release stress or anger by doing something
Example
He went jogging to **blow off** some steam after the argument.
phrasal-verb

back down from demands

Meaning
to withdraw from a position or demand in a conflict
Example
The union refused to **back down from demands** for higher wages.
phrasal-verb

bring out differences

Meaning
to recognize and appreciate distinct qualities
Example
Workshops help **bring out differences** as strengths rather than weaknesses.
phrasal-verb

build bridges between

Meaning
to improve relationships or understanding between groups
Example
The project aims to **build bridges between** rural and urban youth.
phrasal-verb

be unsure of

Meaning
to not feel confident or certain about something
Example
I’m **unsure of** what to say in that situation.
idiom

buckle down

Meaning
to start working seriously
Example
If you want to pass the exam, you’d better **buckle down** and study.
idiom

burning the midnight oil

Meaning
working late into the night
Example
She’s been **burning the midnight oil** to finish the report.
phrasal-verb

back down from

Meaning
to withdraw from a position or opinion due to pressure
Example
He never **backs down from** what he believes in.
phrasal-verb

be there for

Meaning
to be available to help or comfort someone in need
Example
She promised to always **be there for** her sister no matter what.
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

block off time

Meaning
to reserve a period in your schedule for something important
Example
I **block off time** every Friday to review the next week's deadlines.
idiom

be all smiles

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

bring home

Meaning
to win or achieve something valuable or important
Example
The team worked hard and finally **brought home** the championship trophy.
phrasal-verb

build on achievements

Meaning
to use past successes as a foundation for further progress
Example
He aims to **build on achievements** and reach new goals this year.
phrasal-verb

botch up

Meaning
to do a job badly or carelessly
Example
He completely **botched up** the report.
idiom

Bootstrap the business

Meaning
To build a company using only personal finances.
Example
They decided to **bootstrap the business** instead of seeking investors.
idiom

breathe easy

Meaning
to relax after a stressful or dangerous situation
Example
After the pollution control laws were enforced, people could finally **breathe easy**.
idiom

brainchild of

Meaning
an idea or invention created by someone
Example
ChatGPT is the **brainchild of** OpenAI researchers.
idiom

be at someone’s beck and call

Meaning
to always be ready to help or obey someone
Example
The assistant is **at his boss’s beck and call**.
phrasal-verb

bring down inflation

Meaning
to reduce the rate at which prices are rising
Example
Central banks are working to **bring down inflation** through interest rate hikes.
phrasal-verb

breathe through

Meaning
to manage stress or pain by breathing calmly
Example
When anxious, try to **breathe through** the feeling slowly.
phrasal-verb

bring nations together

Meaning
to unite countries for a common purpose or cause
Example
International sports events help **bring nations together** in harmony.
idiom

bad blood

Meaning
anger or resentment between family members
Example
There’s still **bad blood** between the cousins after the inheritance issue.
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

back down on

Meaning
to withdraw or concede a position after opposition
Example
The government refused to **back down on** its stance regarding foreign aid.
phrasal-verb

be kind to

Meaning
to treat someone with care and compassion
Example
Always **be kind to** people who are struggling silently.
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

break into conversation

Meaning
to join an ongoing conversation
Example
He politely **broke into the conversation** to share his opinion.
idiom

break the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation in which progress is not possible
Example
They finally managed to **break the deadlock** through discussion.
idiom

brave the storm

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

bring in sustainability goals

Meaning
to introduce new environmental or social targets
Example
The firm plans to **bring in sustainability goals** for all departments.
idiom

break your back

Meaning
to work very hard to achieve something
Example
He’s been **breaking his back** to support his family.
phrasal-verb

burst into laughter

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

break down into

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

bounce around

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

break new ground

Meaning
to do something innovative or pioneering
Example
Their research **broke new ground** in medical science.
idiom

Big fish in a small pond

Meaning
An important person in a small organization or area.
Example
He prefers being a **big fish in a small pond** rather than competing globally.
phrasal-verb

build alliances

Meaning
to form cooperative relationships between groups or nations
Example
Countries must **build alliances** to face economic crises together.
idiom

bright spark

Meaning
a very clever or talented person
Example
The new intern is a real **bright spark** with great ideas.
idiom

bide your time

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

burst with

Meaning
to be full of a strong emotion like happiness or excitement
Example
The children were **bursting with** excitement on their birthday.
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.
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**.
phrasal-verb

boom out

Meaning
to grow or expand rapidly
Example
The tech sector has **boomed out** in the last few years.
idiom

beat around the bush

Meaning
to avoid talking about the main topic
Example
Stop **beating around the bush** and tell me what happened.
phrasal-verb

brush off doubt

Meaning
to ignore self-doubt and continue with confidence
Example
He **brushed off doubt** and delivered a great speech.
idiom

burst out laughing

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing loudly
Example
Everyone **burst out laughing** at his joke.
phrasal-verb

build upon

Meaning
to use your past achievements as a base for further progress
Example
We can **build upon** our previous success to reach new goals.
phrasal-verb

break through barriers

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

bargain chip

Meaning
something of value used in negotiations to get a better deal
Example
His offer of a longer contract was a strong **bargain chip**.
phrasal-verb

burn through

Meaning
to use up energy or resources very quickly
Example
We’ve **burned through** our energy trying to meet the deadline.
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.
phrasal-verb

back yourself up

Meaning
to have faith in your own ability or decision
Example
You have to **back yourself up** if you want others to trust you.
phrasal-verb

buckle up

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

boost consumer confidence

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

back up initiatives

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

Behind the curve

Meaning
To be less advanced or slow compared to competitors.
Example
Our company is **behind the curve** in adopting AI technologies.
phrasal-verb

balance workloads across

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

big thanks

Meaning
an informal way to say thank you very much
Example
**Big thanks** to everyone who supported the project.
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

bring around

Meaning
to persuade someone to accept your opinion
Example
I finally **brought her around** to my point of view.
phrasal-verb

break off relations

Meaning
to end diplomatic or political connections between countries
Example
The two nations decided to **break off relations** after the border dispute escalated.
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

burn your boats

Meaning
to commit yourself to a course of action without a way back
Example
He **burned his boats** when he quit his job to start a business.
phrasal-verb

build trust with

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

be comfortable in your own skin

Meaning
to be confident and happy with who you are
Example
It took years for her to **be comfortable in her own skin**.
idiom

build character

Meaning
to develop positive qualities or strength through challenges
Example
Going through this process will **build character** in the team.
phrasal-verb

build up pressure

Meaning
to increase influence or demand for action
Example
Opposition parties **built up pressure** for early elections.
phrasal-verb

boost foreign reserves

Meaning
to increase a country's holdings of foreign currencies
Example
The rise in exports helped **boost foreign reserves** significantly.
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.
phrasal-verb

bring down tariffs

Meaning
to reduce taxes on imports or exports
Example
The new agreement aims to **bring down tariffs** between the two nations.
phrasal-verb

bring together ideas

Meaning
to combine different thoughts or approaches for a shared goal
Example
The summit aims to **bring together ideas** from across nations for sustainable progress.
idiom

blind experiment

Meaning
a test conducted without participants knowing certain information to prevent bias
Example
The scientists conducted a **blind experiment** to ensure accuracy.
phrasal-verb

bring yourself to

Meaning
to force yourself to do something that is emotionally difficult
Example
He couldn't **bring himself to** tell her the truth.
phrasal-verb

be touched by

Meaning
to feel emotional because of someone’s kindness
Example
I was really **touched by** your kind words.
phrasal-verb

boost up

Meaning
to increase or enhance something such as production or growth
Example
The new incentives will **boost up** industrial productivity.