bring up old issues
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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.
idiom

bridge the gap

Meaning
to reduce differences or improve relations
Example
The treaty aims to **bridge the gap** between the two sides.
idiom

beat the clock

Meaning
to finish something before the deadline
Example
We managed to **beat the clock** and submit the report early.
phrasal-verb

bring about change

Meaning
to cause something to happen; to make change occur
Example
A good leader can bring about change in any organization.
phrasal-verb

bring back confidence

Meaning
to restore people's trust or optimism
Example
New trade policies are designed to **bring back confidence** in investors.
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

bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too big to handle
Example
I think I **bit off more than I can chew** by agreeing to manage three projects at once.
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

build castles in the air

Meaning
to make unrealistic plans or dreams
Example
He’s always **building castles in the air** instead of acting.
idiom

backroom deal

Meaning
a secret agreement made by powerful people
Example
The media exposed the **backroom deal** between the two parties.
phrasal-verb

bottle out of

Meaning
to lose courage and avoid doing something because of fear
Example
He was going to confess his feelings but **bottled out of** it at the last moment.
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.
idiom

beat the rap

Meaning
to escape punishment or avoid being convicted
Example
He managed to **beat the rap** thanks to a clever lawyer.
phrasal-verb

build around

Meaning
to base something on a central idea or feature
Example
The company plans to **build around** AI as its main technology.
phrasal-verb

buddy up with

Meaning
to become partners or friends with someone
Example
New hires **buddy up with** mentors during orientation week.
idiom

beyond one’s comprehension

Meaning
too difficult to understand
Example
Quantum physics is **beyond my comprehension**.
phrasal-verb

buckle up

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

bend over backwards

Meaning
to make a great effort to help or please someone
Example
She **bent over backwards** to make the event successful.
phrasal-verb

budget for

Meaning
to plan how much money will be needed for something
Example
We need to **budget for** our new marketing campaign.
phrasal-verb

bring up interest rates

Meaning
to increase the rate charged on loans
Example
Central banks often **bring up interest rates** to control inflation.
idiom

burning desire

Meaning
a strong motivation to achieve something
Example
He has a **burning desire** to succeed in life.
idiom

bounce back from

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback
Example
The team needs to **bounce back from** last week's loss.
idiom

behind bars

Meaning
in prison
Example
The murderer will spend the rest of his life **behind bars**.
idiom

be thick as thieves

Meaning
to be very close friends
Example
Those two have been **thick as thieves** since childhood.
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.
idiom

back each other up

Meaning
to support and help one another
Example
In a good team, members always **back each other up**.
idiom

backseat driver

Meaning
a person who gives unwanted advice or direction
Example
Don't be a **backseat driver**, let me handle it.
idiom

Best foot forward

Meaning
To try to make the best possible impression
Example
She always puts her **best foot forward** on important occasions.
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

Bet the farm

Meaning
To risk everything on one big decision.
Example
He **bet the farm** on that business deal.
idiom

build up your confidence

Meaning
to gradually become more confident
Example
Public speaking can help you **build up your confidence**.
phrasal-verb

break away into laughter

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

be over the moon

Meaning
to be extremely happy or delighted
Example
He was **over the moon** when he got his dream job.
phrasal-verb

build trust with

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

blossom into something

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

bring down inequality

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

Blue skies thinking

Meaning
Creative or open-minded thinking without limits.
Example
Our brainstorming session encouraged **blue skies thinking**.
phrasal-verb

believe in

Meaning
to have confidence in someone or something
Example
You need to **believe in** yourself if you want to succeed.
phrasal-verb

build inner strength

Meaning
to develop mental and emotional toughness
Example
Meditation helps you **build inner strength** and calmness.
phrasal-verb

bring in investment

Meaning
to attract money from investors
Example
Tax incentives are designed to **bring in investment** from abroad.
idiom

blow someone's cover

Meaning
to reveal someone's secret identity or hidden purpose
Example
The journalist accidentally **blew the cover** of the undercover agent.
idiom

bring down the house

Meaning
to get an enthusiastic applause from the audience
Example
Her solo performance **brought down the house**.
idiom

black box thinking

Meaning
analyzing unknown processes by studying their inputs and outputs
Example
In AI research, **black box thinking** helps improve transparency.
idiom

be in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in control of a situation
Example
After the merger, our company is **in the driver’s seat**.
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.
phrasal-verb

blow up with anger

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry
Example
He **blew up with anger** when he heard the news.
phrasal-verb

be torn between

Meaning
to have difficulty choosing between two options
Example
I’m **torn between** taking the job and staying at home.
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

bottle emotions up

Meaning
to keep your emotions hidden inside instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle his emotions up** instead of talking about them.
idiom

bloom where you’re planted

Meaning
make the best of your current situation
Example
Even in tough times, she **blooms where she’s planted**.
idiom

bear with

Meaning
to be patient with someone or something
Example
Please **bear with** us while we resolve the issue.
phrasal-verb

bottle down

Meaning
to suppress or hide emotions deeply inside
Example
He tends to **bottle down** his anger instead of talking about it.
idiom

by leaps and bounds

Meaning
to progress or improve very quickly
Example
Her English has improved **by leaps and bounds**.
idiom

blow a fuse

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry or lose control
Example
He **blew a fuse** when he saw the mess.
phrasal-verb

break out crying

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **broke out crying** when she heard the sad news.
idiom

brighten up

Meaning
to become happier or more cheerful
Example
Her face **brightened up** when she saw her friends.
idiom

brainstorm

Meaning
to generate many creative ideas in a group discussion
Example
Let’s **brainstorm** some ideas for our next campaign.
idiom

Burst with gratitude

Meaning
To feel extremely thankful.
Example
She was **bursting with gratitude** after receiving help.
phrasal-verb

break out of

Meaning
to free yourself from a negative emotional state
Example
He finally **broke out of** his depression after therapy.
idiom

bolt from the blue

Meaning
a sudden and unexpected event
Example
The project cancellation came as a **bolt from the blue**.
idiom

beyond the rainbow

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

by and large

Meaning
generally speaking; on the whole
Example
**By and large**, we agree with your proposal.
phrasal-verb

burst out

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing or crying due to surprise or emotion
Example
She **burst out** laughing when she saw his funny costume.
phrasal-verb

budget out for

Meaning
to allocate money for a future need
Example
Finance **budgets out for** new laptops in the annual plan.
phrasal-verb

bump into

Meaning
to meet someone unexpectedly
Example
I **bumped into** an old friend at the mall.
idiom

big data

Meaning
Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.
Example
The company uses **big data** to improve customer experience.
idiom

balance out

Meaning
to counteract or cancel the effect of something
Example
The extra volunteers should **balance out** the workload.
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

backdoor access

Meaning
a secret or unauthorized way to access a system or information
Example
Hackers found a **backdoor access** to the company’s database.
phrasal-verb

beat yourself up

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

blow off work

Meaning
to skip work or avoid responsibilities, often to reduce stress
Example
He decided to **blow off work** and spend the day at the beach.
phrasal-verb

build insight from

Meaning
to develop understanding by analyzing past experiences
Example
We can **build insight from** our past projects to improve future ones.
phrasal-verb

brush through

Meaning
to quickly review or go through something
Example
I’ll **brush through** my notes one more time before the exam.
idiom

burn the midnight oil

Meaning
to work late into the night
Example
She **burned the midnight oil** to finish her project.
idiom

burst of creativity

Meaning
a sudden outpouring of creative ideas
Example
She had a **burst of creativity** and finished the design in one go.
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

blow the whistle

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

burning the candle at both ends

Meaning
working very hard without enough rest
Example
He is **burning the candle at both ends** with two jobs.
idiom

bring luck

Meaning
to cause good fortune
Example
This bracelet is said to **bring luck** to whoever wears it.
idiom

bosom friends

Meaning
very close and intimate friends
Example
They have been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

by the book

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

build towards

Meaning
to develop something gradually to reach a goal
Example
He is slowly **building towards** his dream project.
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

brace for

Meaning
to prepare for something unpleasant or difficult
Example
The company is **bracing for** possible losses after the policy change.
phrasal-verb

build peace within

Meaning
to create a sense of calm and balance in your mind
Example
Meditation helps you **build peace within** and stay centered.
idiom

blow your top

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

build up wealth

Meaning
to gradually increase the amount of money or assets you own
Example
It takes years of discipline to **build up wealth** and achieve financial freedom.
idiom

buckle down

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

big-hearted

Meaning
very kind and generous
Example
He is known as a **big-hearted** man.
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

bail on

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

break a promise

Meaning
to fail to do what one promised
Example
She **broke her promise** and didn’t call him.
idiom

bold as brass

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

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.
idiom

block out

Meaning
to ignore distractions or unpleasant thoughts
Example
She tried to **block out** the noise and continue working.
phrasal-verb

brush up

Meaning
to clean or improve something; to review or practice
Example
He **brushed up** his teeth quickly before leaving for work.
idiom

brush past

Meaning
to move quickly by someone or something with slight contact
Example
He **brushed past** the reporters without stopping.
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.
phrasal-verb

break down walls

Meaning
to remove divisions or barriers between people
Example
The new leadership aims to **break down walls** between departments.
phrasal-verb

build confidence within

Meaning
to strengthen your belief in yourself from the inside
Example
Through practice and reflection, you can **build confidence within**.
idiom

be on the same page

Meaning
to agree with someone or have the same understanding
Example
Before getting married, they made sure they were **on the same page** about their future.
phrasal-verb

break out

Meaning
to start suddenly (for war, fire, disease, etc.)
Example
A fire **broke out** in the kitchen last night.
phrasal-verb

blow through

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

break new ground

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

brag about

Meaning
to talk proudly about one’s or someone’s achievements
Example
He loves to **brag about** his team’s success.
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

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

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

bring attention to

Meaning
to make people notice or be aware of something important
Example
The campaign **brought attention to** climate inequality.
phrasal-verb

bounce off

Meaning
to discuss an idea with someone to get their opinion
Example
I’d like to **bounce off** a few ideas with you before the presentation.
idiom

build from the ground up

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built their business from the ground up** with no investors.
idiom

be a person of your word

Meaning
to be someone who keeps their promises
Example
She is truly **a person of her word**, always doing what she says.
phrasal-verb

build optimism around you

Meaning
to create a positive environment with hopeful energy
Example
Try to **build optimism around you** through your words and actions.
idiom

bubbling with joy

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