buckle down
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idiom

buckle down

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

raise consciousness about

Meaning
to make people more aware of an issue or cause
Example
The campaign aims to **raise consciousness about** climate change.
idiom

dwell on

Meaning
to think or speak about something repeatedly
Example
Try not to **dwell on** the minor mistake.
phrasal-verb

move with

Meaning
to adjust according to changing trends or environments
Example
Companies that **move with** the market survive longer.
phrasal-verb

revise for

Meaning
to study something again before an exam
Example
I need to **revise for** my chemistry exam this weekend.
idiom

school of hard knocks

Meaning
learning through difficult life experiences
Example
He didn’t go to college; he learned from the **school of hard knocks**.
idiom

good egg

Meaning
a kind and reliable person
Example
Everyone likes John because he’s a **good egg**.
phrasal-verb

listen across cultures

Meaning
to pay attention and understand people from different cultural backgrounds
Example
To be a global leader, you must **listen across cultures** with empathy.
idiom

think on one's feet

Meaning
to be able to make quick decisions and act quickly, especially in an emergency
Example
During the meeting, she had to **think on her feet** and come up with a solution.
idiom

crossing the ethical boundary

Meaning
to act in a way that goes beyond moral acceptability
Example
Using AI to manipulate emotions may be **crossing the ethical boundary**.
idiom

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
idiom

full of praise

Meaning
to speak very positively about someone or something
Example
Everyone was **full of praise** for her presentation.
phrasal-verb

stick to a plan

Meaning
to follow a plan strictly without giving up
Example
If you **stick to a plan**, you’ll achieve your goals faster.
phrasal-verb

draw back from

Meaning
to hesitate or decide not to do something due to fear or doubt
Example
He **drew back from** investing after the market showed instability.
phrasal-verb

copy from

Meaning
to take someone else’s work or answers dishonestly
Example
He got caught trying to **copy from** his friend during the test.
idiom

chip in for

Meaning
to contribute money toward a shared cost
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in for** a farewell cake.
idiom

nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to focus and work hard for a long time
Example
He kept his **nose to the grindstone** and got promoted.
idiom

bounce around

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

on the stump

Meaning
to campaign for political office, especially by giving speeches in public
Example
The candidate has been **on the stump** for weeks, rallying support across the country.
idiom

Masterpiece

Meaning
A work of outstanding artistry or craftsmanship.
Example
The sculpture he created is truly a **masterpiece**.
phrasal-verb

cry over

Meaning
to feel sad or complain about something that has already happened
Example
There's no point **crying over** spilled milk.
phrasal-verb

stand out professionally

Meaning
to be noticed or recognized for one’s professional excellence
Example
Her creativity helped her **stand out professionally** in a competitive field.
phrasal-verb

back up with

Meaning
to support with evidence or examples
Example
You should **back up** your claims **with** reliable data.
idiom

set the stage for

Meaning
to make something possible or likely to happen later
Example
This meeting will **set the stage for** future cooperation.
phrasal-verb

get back on good terms with

Meaning
to rebuild a friendly relationship after conflict
Example
She worked hard to **get back on good terms with** her team.
phrasal-verb

step up against

Meaning
to take action to oppose something unfair
Example
Neighbors **step up against** bullying when they see it online.
phrasal-verb

speak highly of

Meaning
to praise someone or something
Example
Everyone **speaks highly of** her work ethic.
idiom

come into one's own

Meaning
to reach a stage of maturity or full potential
Example
She really **came into her own** after starting her own business.
idiom

home sweet home

Meaning
used to express happiness upon returning home
Example
After a long trip, it feels so good to be **home sweet home**.
idiom

reach the top

Meaning
to achieve the highest position or level in something
Example
After years of hard work, she finally **reached the top** of her profession.
idiom

bend the rules

Meaning
to make exceptions; to modify rules slightly
Example
The teacher **bent the rules** to help the new student.
phrasal-verb

take notes on

Meaning
to write down important information while studying
Example
You should **take notes on** every lecture.
idiom

go to battle

Meaning
to prepare to fight or compete strongly
Example
Our team is ready to **go to battle** in the finals.
idiom

keep on track

Meaning
to continue doing something as planned
Example
We need to **keep on track** to meet our deadlines.
idiom

cover all the bases

Meaning
to prepare for every possible situation
Example
We need to **cover all the bases** before the meeting.
idiom

let off some steam

Meaning
to relieve stress or anger by expressing feelings or doing something physical
Example
After that argument, he needed to **let off some steam** by hitting the gym.
idiom

keep it under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
We’re trying to **keep it under wraps** until the official announcement.
phrasal-verb

mix in with

Meaning
to participate socially and integrate with others in a group
Example
He tried to **mix in with** the team by joining their weekend activities.
idiom

sorry sight

Meaning
something or someone that looks pitiful or regrettable
Example
After the storm, the park was a **sorry sight**.
phrasal-verb

roll over

Meaning
to reinvest money from a matured investment into a new one
Example
He decided to **roll over** his fixed deposit for another year.
phrasal-verb

keep up your hopes

Meaning
to stay confident that things will turn out well
Example
Even in difficult times, she managed to **keep up her hopes**.
phrasal-verb

drive on

Meaning
to continue working hard to achieve success
Example
Even after failures, he kept **driving on** to reach his dreams.
idiom

take the heat

Meaning
to accept criticism or blame.
Example
The manager **took the heat** for the failed project.
idiom

a storm in a teacup

Meaning
a small problem that is exaggerated
Example
Their argument was just **a storm in a teacup**.
phrasal-verb

keep learning forward

Meaning
to continue gaining lessons even after failing
Example
No matter how many times you fail, just **keep learning forward**.
phrasal-verb

work toward understanding

Meaning
to make an effort to empathize and see another person’s perspective
Example
Both sides should **work toward understanding** rather than arguing.
phrasal-verb

choke on emotions

Meaning
to find it hard to speak because of strong emotions
Example
She **choked on emotions** while giving her farewell speech.
phrasal-verb

bottle emotions

Meaning
to keep emotions hidden instead of expressing them
Example
She tends to **bottle emotions** instead of talking about them.
phrasal-verb

stand resilient

Meaning
to remain strong and recover quickly from difficulties
Example
Communities must **stand resilient** in the face of tragedy.
phrasal-verb

move on to

Meaning
to go to another place after finishing one
Example
After visiting Paris, we’ll **move on to** Rome.
phrasal-verb

stick to the point

Meaning
to stay focused on the main topic during a discussion
Example
The moderator asked everyone to **stick to the point** during the debate.
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

let sleeping dogs lie

Meaning
to avoid bringing up a problem that will cause trouble
Example
It is better to **let sleeping dogs lie**.
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.
idiom

a silver lining

Meaning
a positive aspect in a difficult situation
Example
Losing my job was tough, but the **silver lining** was that I found a better one.
idiom

out of your mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
You must be **out of your mind** to drive that fast!
idiom

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
phrasal-verb

overflow with

Meaning
to have a large amount of positive feeling or emotion
Example
The parents were **overflowing with** pride at their son’s success.
phrasal-verb

look out for one another

Meaning
to care for and protect others in the team
Example
Good teams always **look out for one another**.
idiom

To toe the line

Meaning
To follow rules or policies strictly, often without questioning
Example
The senator was expected to **toe the line** and support the party’s stance.
idiom

check back

Meaning
to return at a later time for an update
Example
Please **check back** next week for the final list.
idiom

data is the new oil

Meaning
information has become a valuable resource in the modern world
Example
Every company knows that **data is the new oil**.
phrasal-verb

put aside funds

Meaning
to save money for a specific purpose
Example
The company decided to **put aside funds** for future emergencies.
phrasal-verb

pack up for travel

Meaning
to gather and prepare belongings before a trip
Example
We **pack up for travel** the night before an early flight.
phrasal-verb

stand together for unity

Meaning
to join forces in promoting peace and mutual respect
Example
The nations **stood together for unity** during the summit.
phrasal-verb

set up dialogue

Meaning
to establish formal or informal communication between nations
Example
The leaders agreed to **set up dialogue** to discuss trade issues.
idiom

spin the truth

Meaning
to present a situation in a way that benefits a particular perspective
Example
The politician tried to **spin the truth** about the scandal to protect his reputation.
idiom

Take my word for it

Meaning
Trust what I am saying; believe me.
Example
**Take my word for it**, this method really works.
idiom

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

Meaning
Knowing a small amount about something can lead to mistakes.
Example
**A little knowledge is a dangerous thing** — don’t try to fix it if you’re not an expert.
phrasal-verb

kick off with

Meaning
to begin an event or activity with something specific
Example
The festival will **kick off with** a traditional dance performance.
phrasal-verb

keep projects on track

Meaning
to ensure work stays within schedule and scope
Example
Daily standups help us **keep projects on track** despite surprises.
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

lean on courage

Meaning
to rely on one’s inner strength during fear
Example
He learned to **lean on courage** instead of fear.
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

stir up demand

Meaning
to increase or stimulate consumer demand
Example
Lower interest rates can **stir up demand** for housing and cars.
idiom

blue chip company

Meaning
a large, reliable, and financially stable company
Example
Investors prefer to put their money into **blue chip companies**.
idiom

join up with

Meaning
to become part of a group or team
Example
She’ll **join up with** the outreach crew tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

build bridges with

Meaning
to improve relationships and promote understanding between people or countries
Example
The summit aimed to **build bridges with** neighboring countries.
idiom

minimum viable product

Meaning
the simplest version of a product that can be released to test an idea
Example
The team launched an **MVP (minimum viable product)** to gather user feedback.
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.
idiom

in a pickle

Meaning
in a difficult or tricky situation
Example
I'm **in a pickle** because I double-booked my meetings.
idiom

hit the dance floor

Meaning
to start dancing, especially at a party
Example
Let’s **hit the dance floor** and show our moves!
idiom

mend a broken heart

Meaning
to heal from emotional pain after a breakup
Example
It takes time to **mend a broken heart**.
idiom

neural network of ideas

Meaning
a complex and interconnected web of thoughts or concepts
Example
Her brain works like a **neural network of ideas**.
idiom

Play your cards right

Meaning
To make the right moves to achieve success.
Example
If you **play your cards right**, you might get the promotion.
phrasal-verb

call by

Meaning
to visit briefly
Example
I’ll **call by** your office tomorrow morning.
idiom

shake like a leaf

Meaning
to tremble with fear or nervousness
Example
She was **shaking like a leaf** before her first flight.
phrasal-verb

walk along

Meaning
to move on foot beside something for some distance
Example
**Walk along** the river until you reach the bridge.
idiom

On the drawing board

Meaning
In the planning or design stage
Example
The new product is still **on the drawing board**, but it will be launched next year.
phrasal-verb

carve your path

Meaning
to create your own way or direction in life or career
Example
He decided to **carve his path** instead of following others.
idiom

the dream team

Meaning
a group of people who work extremely well together
Example
With these members, we’ve built **the dream team**.
phrasal-verb

carry back

Meaning
to remind someone of something from the past
Example
That song **carried me back** to my childhood days.
phrasal-verb

light up with joy

Meaning
to look suddenly happy or excited
Example
Her face **lit up with joy** when she saw her parents.
B1 idiom

fish out of water

Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Meaning
Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Example
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
idiom

cut someone down to size

Meaning
to criticize someone to make them feel less important
Example
The manager **cut him down to size** after he bragged too much.
idiom

to be in someone’s good books

Meaning
to be in favor with someone
Example
If you want to get promoted, you need to be **in the boss’s good books**.
idiom

sitting on a gold mine

Meaning
to have something very valuable that is not yet realized
Example
That old property is worth millions — you're **sitting on a gold mine**.
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

carry on through

Meaning
to continue despite difficulties or emotional pain
Example
He managed to **carry on through** the tough times.
idiom

show compassion

Meaning
to express care or sympathy toward others
Example
We should **show compassion** to those in need.
phrasal-verb

push aside

Meaning
to ignore negative feelings and focus on moving forward
Example
She tried to **push aside** her fears and keep going.
phrasal-verb

open the lines of communication

Meaning
to start talking again after a period of silence
Example
She wanted to **open the lines of communication** with her best friend again.
phrasal-verb

bottle in

Meaning
to keep emotions inside instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle in** his sadness rather than share it.
phrasal-verb

wind down spending

Meaning
to gradually reduce or stop expenditure
Example
The finance department aims to **wind down spending** as the fiscal year ends.
phrasal-verb

hit out at

Meaning
to criticize someone or something angrily
Example
The politician **hit out at** the media for spreading lies.
phrasal-verb

team across

Meaning
to collaborate with people from other departments or areas
Example
Marketing and sales departments should **team across** to improve communication.
phrasal-verb

sit down

Meaning
to take a seat; to lower your body to a sitting position
Example
Please **sit down** and relax for a moment.
idiom

window shopping

Meaning
looking at things in shops without buying them
Example
We went **window shopping** at the mall yesterday.
phrasal-verb

work through pain

Meaning
to deal with emotional pain step by step until you heal
Example
He is still trying to **work through pain** after the breakup.
idiom

be at the helm

Meaning
to be in charge of or control something
Example
He was **at the helm** of the company when it became successful.
idiom

chalk up

Meaning
to attribute something to a particular cause
Example
Let’s **chalk up** the delay to bad weather.
idiom

at loggerheads

Meaning
in strong disagreement or conflict
Example
The two departments have been **at loggerheads** over the new policy.
idiom

burn the midnight oil

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

talk the same language

Meaning
to have similar ideas and understanding
Example
We get along because we **talk the same language**.
idiom

poetic justice

Meaning
a situation in which virtue is rewarded and vice is punished, often ironically
Example
It was **poetic justice** when the dishonest lawyer lost his case due to his own lies.
phrasal-verb

break off diplomatic ties

Meaning
to end official relations between countries
Example
The two nations decided to **break off diplomatic ties** after the border conflict.
idiom

find your balance

Meaning
to maintain a healthy work-life equilibrium
Example
It’s important to **find your balance** between work and rest.
phrasal-verb

smooth things over with

Meaning
to restore peace with someone after a disagreement
Example
She brought cookies to **smooth things over with** her neighbor.
idiom

let one's hair down

Meaning
to relax and enjoy oneself freely
Example
After the project ended, we all went out to **let our hair down**.
idiom

cool off

Meaning
to become less hot or less angry
Example
Let the soup **cool off** before serving.
idiom

bad luck

Meaning
unfortunate or unlucky situation
Example
It’s just **bad luck** that it rained on our picnic day.