build from scratch
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

build from scratch

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built the company from scratch** with no outside funding.
phrasal-verb

fire yourself up

Meaning
to make yourself feel excited or motivated about something
Example
He **fired himself up** before the race by listening to his favorite music.
phrasal-verb

chat with

Meaning
to talk informally with someone
Example
She loves to **chat with** new people at social events.
phrasal-verb

weigh in with

Meaning
to contribute an opinion or advice
Example
Directors **weigh in with** fresh perspectives near the end of the meeting.
phrasal-verb

drop behind

Meaning
to fall behind others in progress or development
Example
She started to **drop behind** in her studies after missing several classes.
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.
idiom

run a tight ship

Meaning
to manage an organization or group efficiently and strictly
Example
The manager **runs a tight ship**, and everyone follows the rules.
idiom

quick on the uptake

Meaning
able to understand things quickly
Example
You don’t need to explain it twice—he’s **quick on the uptake**.
phrasal-verb

grow up

Meaning
to become an adult; to mature
Example
Children **grow up** so fast these days.
idiom

hang on

Meaning
to wait for a short time
Example
**Hang on** a minute, I’ll be right back.
idiom

run someone down

Meaning
to criticize someone unfairly; to speak badly about someone
Example
He always **runs his coworkers down** behind their backs.
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

step beyond fear

Meaning
to act courageously despite being afraid
Example
To succeed, you must **step beyond fear** and take bold action.
phrasal-verb

fill the gap

Meaning
to make up for something that is missing or lacking
Example
International aid aims to **fill the gap** in education and healthcare.
idiom

to bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too difficult
Example
He **bit off more than he could chew** by promising to finish the work alone.
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

keep faith with someone

Meaning
to remain loyal to someone or something
Example
Even in hard times, she **kept faith with** her friends.
idiom

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed **tears of joy** when her son returned home.
idiom

push the right buttons

Meaning
to do exactly what is needed to get a desired result
Example
She knows how to **push the right buttons** to impress her boss.
phrasal-verb

cut across borders

Meaning
to go beyond national boundaries or differences
Example
Cultural exchange programs **cut across borders** and bring people together.
idiom

doubt creeps in

Meaning
to begin to feel uncertain or unsure
Example
After a few failures, **doubt began to creep in**.
phrasal-verb

draw everyone in

Meaning
to involve all members actively in a discussion or activity
Example
The facilitator tried to **draw everyone in** during the brainstorming session.
idiom

shoulder the burden

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
She had to **shoulder the burden** of caring for her family.
idiom

go along with

Meaning
to agree to something or support an idea
Example
I’ll **go along with** your plan since it sounds reasonable.
phrasal-verb

open out with

Meaning
to start being honest and expressive with someone about emotions
Example
She **opened out with** her husband about her anxiety.
phrasal-verb

look back over

Meaning
to review or analyze past events or actions
Example
When you **look back over** your choices, you’ll see where things went wrong.
phrasal-verb

check in on morale

Meaning
to ask people how they are feeling about work
Example
Leads **check in on morale** during stressful weeks.
phrasal-verb

get up

Meaning
to rise from bed after sleeping
Example
She **gets up** right after the alarm goes off.
phrasal-verb

chart out for

Meaning
to map a path or schedule for something
Example
We **chart out for** peak-season shipping routes in advance.
phrasal-verb

reach sustainability goals

Meaning
to achieve targets related to environmental and social balance
Example
Nations are collaborating to **reach sustainability goals** by 2030.
phrasal-verb

reach agreement

Meaning
to successfully come to a shared decision or understanding
Example
The diplomats finally **reached agreement** after long discussions.
idiom

a wake-up call

Meaning
an event that makes someone realize they need to change
Example
Losing his job was a **wake-up call** for him.
idiom

thank you kindly

Meaning
a polite way to say thank you warmly
Example
**Thank you kindly** for your time and patience.
idiom

foot the bill

Meaning
to pay for something, especially something expensive
Example
His father will **foot the bill** for the wedding.
idiom

feel comfortable in your own skin

Meaning
to be confident and relaxed about who you are
Example
She finally **feels comfortable in her own skin**.
idiom

paint yourself into a corner

Meaning
to put yourself in a difficult situation with no easy way out
Example
By making so many promises, he **painted himself into a corner**.
idiom

take shape

Meaning
to begin to develop or become clear
Example
Our business plan is finally **taking shape**.
idiom

in the wrong

Meaning
to be responsible for a mistake or bad situation.
Example
He knew he was **in the wrong** for shouting at her.
phrasal-verb

look someone in the eye

Meaning
to make direct eye contact as a sign of honesty or respect
Example
When greeting someone, try to **look them in the eye** to show respect.
idiom

dial in

Meaning
to connect to a meeting or call remotely
Example
I’ll **dial in** from the airport lounge.
idiom

in all honesty

Meaning
To be completely truthful or sincere.
Example
**In all honesty**, I think he deserves the job.
idiom

cover all bases

Meaning
to prepare for all possible situations
Example
Before the presentation, we need to **cover all bases**.
phrasal-verb

crash out

Meaning
to fall asleep suddenly from exhaustion
Example
After a long day, I just **crashed out** on the sofa.
idiom

let the cat out of the bag

Meaning
to reveal a secret accidentally
Example
She **let the cat out of the bag** about the surprise party.
phrasal-verb

carry on through

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

soft sell

Meaning
a subtle and persuasive way of selling without pressure
Example
They used a **soft sell** strategy to gain customer trust.
phrasal-verb

lift someone’s spirits

Meaning
to make someone feel happier or more hopeful
Example
His words really **lifted my spirits** after the bad news.
idiom

to take the cake

Meaning
to be the best or most impressive thing in a situation
Example
Out of all the new projects, his idea **took the cake**.
phrasal-verb

get rid of

Meaning
to remove or eliminate something unwanted
Example
I need to **get rid of** these old clothes.
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

a rising tide of opportunity

Meaning
an increase in opportunities for growth or success that benefits many people
Example
The new technology sector is creating **a rising tide of opportunity** for young entrepreneurs.
idiom

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings

Meaning
A true friend is the most valuable gift one can have
Example
I consider myself lucky to have you as my friend. **A true friend is the greatest of all blessings**.
idiom

Put yourself in someone’s shoes

Meaning
To imagine yourself in another person's situation
Example
Try to **put yourself in her shoes** before judging her actions.
idiom

burn your fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of a bad decision or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by trusting the wrong person.
idiom

make up

Meaning
to reconcile after an argument or fight
Example
They always **make up** after small arguments.
phrasal-verb

live within your means

Meaning
to spend less money than you earn
Example
It's important to **live within your means** to avoid debt.
phrasal-verb

deal over

Meaning
to repeat the distribution of cards or tasks
Example
Let’s **deal over**; someone missed a card.
idiom

a glimmer of hope

Meaning
a small sign of improvement or success in a difficult situation
Example
Even in the hardest times, he never gave up because there was always **a glimmer of hope**.
idiom

loose cannon

Meaning
an unpredictable person who may cause problems
Example
He’s a **loose cannon** who often says things without thinking.
idiom

set the example

Meaning
to model the behavior you expect from others
Example
The manager always tries to **set the example** by being punctual and hardworking.
idiom

grow into

Meaning
to gradually become more capable or skilled at something
Example
He will eventually **grow into** the role of manager.
phrasal-verb

scale up with

Meaning
to expand by adding extra resources
Example
They **scaled up with** extra analysts during the busy quarter.
phrasal-verb

filter through for

Meaning
to sift carefully to find specific items
Example
Editors **filter through for** reliable sources before running a story.
idiom

nothing to write home about

Meaning
not special or interesting
Example
The movie was **nothing to write home about**.
idiom

scare the life out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That horror movie **scared the life out of me**.
idiom

on the stand

Meaning
testifying as a witness in court
Example
She was nervous when she was **on the stand**.
phrasal-verb

filter through emails

Meaning
to go through many emails and find the relevant ones
Example
I spent an hour **filtering through emails** this morning.
phrasal-verb

speak on behalf of

Meaning
to represent someone else's opinion politely
Example
I’d like to **speak on behalf of** my team regarding this issue.
idiom

burn a hole in one's pocket

Meaning
to spend money quickly or irresponsibly
Example
After receiving his bonus, he couldn't resist and **burned a hole in his pocket** by buying a new car.
idiom

get a second wind

Meaning
to have a burst of energy after feeling tired
Example
After a short break, she **got a second wind** and finished the race.
idiom

drive a hard bargain

Meaning
to be tough in making a deal or negotiation
Example
She always **drives a hard bargain** when negotiating contracts.
idiom

heart sinks

Meaning
to feel disappointed or sad suddenly
Example
My **heart sank** when I saw the exam result.
phrasal-verb

set upon

Meaning
to attack someone suddenly
Example
The thief was **set upon** by the angry crowd.
idiom

sing the same tune

Meaning
to have the same opinion as someone else
Example
Both managers **sing the same tune** about company policy.
idiom

steer the ship

Meaning
to be in charge or control of a situation or organization
Example
The manager was able to **steer the ship** through the difficult times.
idiom

a brainwave

Meaning
a sudden clever idea or solution
Example
I had **a brainwave** and realized how to fix the issue.
idiom

the picture of health

Meaning
a person who looks very healthy
Example
Despite his age, he’s still **the picture of health**.
idiom

go to seed

Meaning
to decline in quality or condition
Example
The old factory has really **gone to seed** over the years.
phrasal-verb

join across

Meaning
to connect or unite with people or organizations from different countries or sectors
Example
Businesses **join across** industries to promote sustainability.
phrasal-verb

work out for

Meaning
to end successfully for someone
Example
I hope everything **works out for** you in your new job.
idiom

out for blood

Meaning
to be extremely determined to defeat or punish someone
Example
After losing last time, the team is **out for blood** this season.
phrasal-verb

radiate happiness

Meaning
to clearly show happiness or joy through your appearance or behavior
Example
The bride **radiated happiness** throughout the ceremony.
phrasal-verb

look kindly upon

Meaning
to regard someone or something with appreciation or favor
Example
She **looked kindly upon** the people who helped her career.
phrasal-verb

pay someone back

Meaning
to take revenge; to return money owed
Example
I’ll **pay you back** for what you did to me.
idiom

Inquisitive mind

Meaning
A curious and eager-to-learn mindset.
Example
Children have an **inquisitive mind** that loves to explore.
phrasal-verb

fill in gaps

Meaning
to complete missing parts of understanding or knowledge
Example
Teachers help students **fill in gaps** in their learning.
idiom

a dime a dozen

Meaning
very common and not valuable
Example
Those toys are **a dime a dozen** at the market.
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.
idiom

get the picture

Meaning
to understand the situation
Example
After a few minutes, I started to **get the picture**.
phrasal-verb

be curious about

Meaning
to have a desire to know or learn about something
Example
Children are naturally **curious about** how things work.
phrasal-verb

get organized

Meaning
to arrange your work and time in an efficient way
Example
It’s easier to manage your day if you **get organized** early.
idiom

sift out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from a mix
Example
We need to **sift out** duplicate entries in the list.
idiom

Keep an open mind

Meaning
To be willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
Try to **keep an open mind** when learning about different cultures.
idiom

virus of doubt

Meaning
a feeling of uncertainty that spreads quickly
Example
A **virus of doubt** spread after the project delay.
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.
idiom

A hard row to hoe

Meaning
A difficult task or challenge.
Example
Getting this project done on time is going to be **a hard row to hoe**.
idiom

on the house

Meaning
free of charge; paid for by the establishment
Example
The drinks were **on the house** tonight.
phrasal-verb

ramp up to

Meaning
to increase or intensify effort or production to recover or meet demand
Example
Factories **ramped up to** meet the rising post-crisis demand.
phrasal-verb

shrink back

Meaning
to move away from something because of fear
Example
The child **shrank back** when the dog barked loudly.
phrasal-verb

tie to

Meaning
to connect closely with something
Example
Many local festivals are **tied to** historical events.
idiom

filter through

Meaning
to spread gradually among people
Example
News of the promotion quickly **filtered through** the office.
phrasal-verb

depend upon imports

Meaning
to rely on goods brought from other countries
Example
Many developing countries **depend upon imports** for essential commodities.
phrasal-verb

work around obstacles

Meaning
to find alternative ways to complete a task despite difficulties
Example
The team managed to **work around obstacles** to meet the deadline.
idiom

dog days

Meaning
the hottest days of summer
Example
During the **dog days** of summer, everyone stays indoors.
phrasal-verb

cooperate across

Meaning
to collaborate or work jointly across different boundaries or fields
Example
Universities **cooperate across** continents to exchange research ideas.
idiom

lovebirds

Meaning
a couple who are very affectionate with each other
Example
Look at those **lovebirds** holding hands in the park!
idiom

go the extra mile

Meaning
to make a special effort to achieve something
Example
She always **goes the extra mile** to help her team succeed.
idiom

daydream about

Meaning
to imagine pleasant things while awake
Example
He often **daydreams about** living on a tropical island.
phrasal-verb

open onto

Meaning
to lead to a place or opportunity for connection
Example
This conversation could **open onto** a deeper understanding between us.
idiom

a golden goose

Meaning
a source of continuous wealth or profit
Example
Their subscription service has become **a golden goose** for the company.
phrasal-verb

stay in touch with

Meaning
to keep communicating regularly with someone
Example
I **stay in touch with** my college friends through video calls.
idiom

ease off

Meaning
to gradually become less strong or intense
Example
The rain should **ease off** by evening.
idiom

learn by heart

Meaning
to memorize something perfectly
Example
He **learned the poem by heart** for the recital.
phrasal-verb

keep pushing forward

Meaning
to continue moving toward your goals despite challenges
Example
Even when it’s tough, always **keep pushing forward**.
phrasal-verb

scale up production

Meaning
to increase production capacity significantly
Example
Factories are trying to **scale up production** to meet the growing global demand.
idiom

pave the way

Meaning
to make progress easier for others to follow
Example
Her research **paved the way** for future discoveries.
phrasal-verb

build connections with

Meaning
to form positive relationships with people from other cultures
Example
He tried to **build connections with** his colleagues from various countries.
idiom

Play it safe

Meaning
to avoid taking risks
Example
He always **plays it safe** and never tries new things.
phrasal-verb

open around

Meaning
to act friendly and emotionally available with people nearby
Example
She always **opens around** people she trusts.
idiom

hope springs eternal

Meaning
people will always have hope, no matter the situation
Example
Even in the darkest times, he believed things would get better because **hope springs eternal**.
idiom

blackout

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