burning the candle at both ends
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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.
phrasal-verb

cut off pollution

Meaning
to stop or reduce pollution sources
Example
Factories must **cut off pollution** to meet environmental standards.
phrasal-verb

hash out with

Meaning
to resolve details through thorough discussion
Example
We **hash out with** the partners before signing the merger paperwork.
idiom

Risk it for the biscuit

Meaning
To take a risk to achieve something worthwhile.
Example
He knew it was risky, but he decided to **risk it for the biscuit**.
idiom

burst with happiness

Meaning
to be full of great joy or excitement
Example
The parents **burst with happiness** when they saw their newborn baby.
idiom

gear down

Meaning
to slow the pace of activity
Example
We can **gear down** after the product launch is stable.
idiom

Bursting at the seams

Meaning
To be very full or crowded.
Example
The store was **bursting at the seams** during the sale.
idiom

jump on the bandwagon

Meaning
to join something that is already popular or successful
Example
Many people **jumped on the bandwagon** of budget travel.
idiom

The longest journey begins with a single step

Meaning
Any big task starts with a small action.
Example
Don't worry about the entire project, **the longest journey begins with a single step**.
phrasal-verb

break language barriers

Meaning
to overcome difficulties in communication due to language differences
Example
Translation apps help travelers **break language barriers** easily.
idiom

Rise from the ashes

Meaning
To recover and become strong again after failure or destruction.
Example
The company **rose from the ashes** after going bankrupt.
idiom

Give the shirt off your back

Meaning
to give everything you can to help someone
Example
She would **give the shirt off her back** if it meant helping her friends.
idiom

debug the problem

Meaning
to identify and fix issues or errors
Example
Let’s **debug the problem** before we push the update.
idiom

boil over

Meaning
when anger becomes too much to control
Example
The argument finally **boiled over** into a shouting match.
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

see the light

Meaning
to finally understand or accept the truth or a new idea
Example
After years of denial, he finally **saw the light**.
phrasal-verb

keep faith with

Meaning
to stay loyal to someone or something
Example
Grassroots leaders **keep faith with** their communities.
idiom

behind bars

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

head for

Meaning
to go in the direction of a place
Example
After breakfast, we **headed for** the mountains.
idiom

hand down

Meaning
to pass something to someone of a later generation
Example
My grandmother **handed down** this recipe to me.
idiom

green light

Meaning
permission to start or go ahead with something
Example
The manager gave us the **green light** to launch the project.
idiom

seat of power

Meaning
a place where authority or control is exercised
Example
The prime minister returned to the **seat of power** after a long illness.
idiom

A bundle of nerves

Meaning
To be extremely anxious or tense.
Example
Before the presentation, she was **a bundle of nerves**.
phrasal-verb

drop down

Meaning
to fall or descend to a lower level
Example
The temperature will **drop down** to five degrees tonight.
idiom

blank mind

Meaning
unable to think clearly or remember something
Example
During the exam, my **mind went blank**.
phrasal-verb

pay back

Meaning
to return money that you borrowed
Example
I will **pay back** the money I borrowed from you next week.
idiom

give the green light

Meaning
to give permission or approval to proceed
Example
The board finally **gave the green light** for the new project.
phrasal-verb

map against

Meaning
to compare something with a standard or benchmark
Example
Finance **maps against** last year's numbers before approving raises.
phrasal-verb

light up at

Meaning
to show sudden happiness or excitement on your face
Example
His face **lit up at** the news of his promotion.
phrasal-verb

look up to mentors

Meaning
to admire and respect experienced people
Example
Young managers often look up to their senior mentors for advice.
idiom

jump for joy

Meaning
to be extremely happy and excited
Example
The kids **jumped for joy** when they saw the gifts.
phrasal-verb

cheer oneself up

Meaning
to make yourself feel happier
Example
She watched her favorite movie to **cheer herself up** after a rough day.
idiom

run for office

Meaning
to campaign for a political position
Example
She decided to **run for office** next year.
phrasal-verb

catch up in

Meaning
to become involved in something, often unwillingly
Example
He got **caught up in** a legal issue he didn’t understand.
phrasal-verb

break through barriers

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

step up productivity

Meaning
to increase the level of output or performance
Example
The company is taking steps to **step up productivity** across departments.
idiom

give the cold shoulder

Meaning
to intentionally ignore someone
Example
She **gave me the cold shoulder** at the party.
phrasal-verb

park ideas for later

Meaning
to set suggestions aside for future review
Example
We **park ideas for later** when the sprint board is already full.
idiom

live up to expectations

Meaning
to fulfill what is expected of you
Example
He worked hard to **live up to expectations**.
phrasal-verb

bridge over

Meaning
to reduce differences or connect people from different cultures
Example
Cultural exchange programs help **bridge over** misunderstandings between nations.
idiom

let nature take its course

Meaning
to allow natural processes to happen without interference
Example
Sometimes the best solution is to **let nature take its course**.
phrasal-verb

link up with

Meaning
to connect or cooperate with another group or country
Example
Our company plans to **link up with** partners in Asia for expansion.
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

An arm and a leg

Meaning
Something that is very expensive.
Example
That new phone costs **an arm and a leg**, but it’s worth it.
idiom

laugh your head off

Meaning
to laugh very loudly or uncontrollably
Example
The movie was so funny that we **laughed our heads off**.
phrasal-verb

be in two minds about

Meaning
to be uncertain or indecisive about something
Example
I’m **in two minds about** going to the party tonight.
phrasal-verb

shine through

Meaning
to show your confidence or talent clearly despite challenges
Example
Her true confidence **shone through** during the interview.
phrasal-verb

firm up decisions

Meaning
to confirm choices after considering options
Example
Let's **firm up decisions** now so vendors can start work tomorrow.
idiom

see both sides

Meaning
to understand both perspectives in an argument
Example
I can **see both sides** of the issue, so it’s hard to choose.
idiom

to pull strings

Meaning
to use one's influence or connections to get things done
Example
She managed to **pull strings** to get the bill passed in Congress.
idiom

jog someone's memory

Meaning
to make someone remember something
Example
That smell **jogged my memory** of our school canteen.
idiom

give the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to trust someone even though you may not have all the facts
Example
Even though she was late, I decided to **give her the benefit of the doubt** and not get upset.
idiom

without a care in the world

Meaning
free from worries or problems
Example
The kids were playing **without a care in the world**.
phrasal-verb

work on weaknesses

Meaning
to make efforts to improve the areas where you are lacking
Example
He is trying to **work on his weaknesses** to become more confident.
phrasal-verb

face up to the truth

Meaning
to accept or confront the reality of a situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to the truth** about your mistakes.
idiom

ramp up

Meaning
to increase the intensity or amount of something
Example
We need to **ramp up** production before the holidays.
phrasal-verb

look up

Meaning
to visit someone after a long time
Example
When you are in town, **look me up**.
idiom

team player

Meaning
someone who works well with others
Example
Every company values a good **team player**.
phrasal-verb

deal away

Meaning
to give up something through a trade or compromise
Example
He **dealt away** his shares for quick cash.
phrasal-verb

tighten up on

Meaning
to become stricter with spending or policy
Example
The central bank decided to **tighten up on** lending to reduce inflation.
idiom

take the law into your own hands

Meaning
to punish someone without legal authority
Example
Citizens should not **take the law into their own hands**.
phrasal-verb

roll out reforms

Meaning
to officially launch or implement new changes or improvements
Example
The government plans to **roll out reforms** in the tax system next month.
phrasal-verb

open up to peace

Meaning
to allow yourself to feel inner calmness
Example
Through meditation, I’ve learned to **open up to peace**.
phrasal-verb

give thanks to

Meaning
to express gratitude or appreciation toward someone
Example
We should always **give thanks to** those who help us in tough times.
idiom

iron out the bugs

Meaning
to fix small problems or errors
Example
We spent the whole night **ironing out the bugs** in the AI chatbot.
idiom

vote with one’s feet

Meaning
to show disapproval by leaving or not participating
Example
Many citizens **voted with their feet** by not attending the rally.
phrasal-verb

log out of

Meaning
to exit a website or online account safely
Example
Don’t forget to **log out of** your account when you finish your class.
idiom

Speaking personally

Meaning
Expressing one’s personal view or opinion
Example
Speaking personally, I wouldn’t take that risk.
idiom

law and order

Meaning
a state of peace maintained by following laws
Example
The police are responsible for maintaining **law and order**.
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.
phrasal-verb

log onto platform

Meaning
to access a website or system by entering credentials
Example
You need to **log onto the platform** to join the webinar.
phrasal-verb

laugh together

Meaning
to share laughter and joy with others
Example
We all **laughed together** remembering funny college stories.
phrasal-verb

root for

Meaning
to support someone in a competition or difficult situation
Example
We’re all **rooting for** you to succeed in your exam.
idiom

level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
The new rules create a **level playing field** for all teams.
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

stay true to

Meaning
to remain loyal to your values or beliefs
Example
Always **stay true to** your principles no matter what.
idiom

feel the heat

Meaning
to experience pressure or criticism
Example
The manager began to **feel the heat** after the sales dropped.
idiom

stick your neck out

Meaning
to take a risk by doing or saying something that others may disagree with
Example
He **stuck his neck out** to defend his colleague.
phrasal-verb

listen in on

Meaning
to secretly hear someone’s conversation
Example
He was caught **listening in on** their private discussion.
idiom

sugarcoat the truth

Meaning
to make something seem more pleasant or acceptable than it is
Example
Don’t try to **sugarcoat the truth**; we need to be honest about the situation.
phrasal-verb

stand firm on beliefs

Meaning
to stay confident in your values or opinions even when others disagree
Example
Leaders must **stand firm on beliefs** to earn respect.
idiom

sweep someone off their feet

Meaning
to make someone fall in love with you suddenly
Example
His charm and confidence really **swept her off her feet**.
idiom

A Romeo

Meaning
A passionate lover or a romantic man.
Example
He acts like **a Romeo** around her.
phrasal-verb

turn setbacks into strength

Meaning
to learn and grow from difficulties or failures
Example
He managed to **turn setbacks into strength** through positive thinking.
idiom

out of the box thinking

Meaning
thinking in a new, innovative, or creative way
Example
The solution requires **out of the box thinking** from all team members.
idiom

give thanks

Meaning
to express gratitude
Example
We should always **give thanks** for what we have.
idiom

Carry the torch

Meaning
To continue supporting a cause or idea passed from the past.
Example
Young activists are **carrying the torch** of civil rights today.
phrasal-verb

push back on

Meaning
to resist or challenge a proposal or action
Example
Citizens **push back on** the policy until leaders revise it.
idiom

get to the root of the problem

Meaning
to discover the main cause of a problem
Example
We need to **get to the root of the problem** before we can fix it.
idiom

Burst with gratitude

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

go public

Meaning
to sell shares of a company to the public for the first time
Example
The startup plans to **go public** next year.
phrasal-verb

motivate toward

Meaning
to inspire someone to move or act toward a goal
Example
Effective leaders **motivate toward** shared goals.
phrasal-verb

rise above failure

Meaning
to overcome failure and continue striving towards goals
Example
True leaders **rise above failure** and inspire others to do the same.
phrasal-verb

let out

Meaning
to express or release emotions openly
Example
He finally **let out** his anger after holding it in for weeks.
phrasal-verb

blow out

Meaning
to extinguish flames, especially candles
Example
She **blew out** the candles and made a wish on her birthday.
idiom

slip one's mind

Meaning
to forget something accidentally
Example
Sorry, it completely **slipped my mind** to call you.
idiom

malware

Meaning
software designed to damage or disrupt computers or networks
Example
The antivirus software successfully removed the **malware** from the system.
phrasal-verb

trade up for

Meaning
to exchange something for a better option
Example
We **trade up for** faster equipment when budgets allow.
phrasal-verb

draw nations into

Meaning
to attract or involve countries into joint activities
Example
The summit **drew nations into** a pact on fair trade.
idiom

burning with envy

Meaning
feeling intense jealousy
Example
She was **burning with envy** when she heard about his promotion.
idiom

tip of the hat

Meaning
a gesture of appreciation or respect
Example
A **tip of the hat** to everyone who made this event possible.
idiom

meet someone halfway

Meaning
to agree to compromise with someone
Example
We finally **met each other halfway** and agreed on a solution.
phrasal-verb

catch somebody out

Meaning
to show that someone has made a mistake or is lying
Example
The teacher tried to **catch the student out** during the test.
phrasal-verb

soothe out

Meaning
to reduce emotional tension; to make feelings smoother or calmer
Example
Meditation helps to **soothe out** the stress in my mind.
phrasal-verb

step up production

Meaning
to increase the manufacturing output to meet export demand
Example
Factories **stepped up production** to fulfill international orders.
phrasal-verb

break off from

Meaning
to pause or stop doing something temporarily
Example
She had to **break off from** studying to answer a call.
phrasal-verb

get behind

Meaning
to fall late in doing something
Example
I’ve **got behind** on my assignments this week.
phrasal-verb

set against

Meaning
to compare one thing with another; to make someone oppose something
Example
Her parents are **set against** her studying abroad.
idiom

ease onto

Meaning
to move gently onto something
Example
Please **ease onto** the ramp to avoid jolts.
idiom

out like a light

Meaning
to fall asleep very quickly
Example
He was **out like a light** as soon as his head hit the pillow.
phrasal-verb

be honest with yourself

Meaning
to admit your true feelings or reality to yourself
Example
You have to **be honest with yourself** about how you feel.
phrasal-verb

work for

Meaning
to be employed by someone or an organization
Example
I **work for** a multinational company in Dhaka.
phrasal-verb

boil up

Meaning
to start feeling very angry
Example
Anger began to **boil up** inside him during the argument.
idiom

Straight shooter

Meaning
A person who is honest and direct.
Example
You can trust him; he’s a **straight shooter**.
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

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.
idiom

strike a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement or arrangement, especially in business
Example
After long discussions, the companies finally **struck a deal**.
idiom

brainchild of

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

throw off

Meaning
to get rid of something; to free oneself from control or illness
Example
It took him weeks to **throw off** the flu.
idiom

case closed

Meaning
the matter is settled or finished
Example
The evidence was clear, so it’s **case closed**.
idiom

pay attention to

Meaning
to listen carefully or give thought to something
Example
You should **pay attention to** the details of the project.