by trial and error
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

by trial and error

Meaning
learning by experimenting and correcting mistakes
Example
We developed the best method **by trial and error**.
phrasal-verb

dig up on

Meaning
to investigate and discover information about someone or something
Example
Reporters **dig up on** candidates before the debate night.
phrasal-verb

catch up on

Meaning
to do something that one has missed or delayed doing before a deadline
Example
I stayed late to **catch up on** my unfinished reports.
phrasal-verb

stay open to

Meaning
to be willing to consider or accept new ideas or experiences
Example
Always **stay open to** new perspectives while learning.
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.
idiom

clamp down

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something
Example
The manager decided to **clamp down** on late arrivals.
idiom

let on

Meaning
to reveal something secret unintentionally
Example
Don’t **let on** that you know about the plan.
phrasal-verb

let in positivity

Meaning
to allow positive thoughts and emotions to enter your mind
Example
She tries to **let in positivity** every morning.
phrasal-verb

say sorry for

Meaning
to express regret or apology for something
Example
He **said sorry for** his rude behavior.
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

work out with

Meaning
to find a solution or come to an agreement with others
Example
We need to **work out with** the marketing team to align our plans.
idiom

a work of art

Meaning
something very beautiful or skillfully made
Example
Her wedding dress was truly **a work of art**.
idiom

scare the life out of someone

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

jump out of your chair

Meaning
to react suddenly from shock or surprise
Example
He **jumped out of his chair** when he heard the news.
phrasal-verb

snap out

Meaning
to suddenly stop being sad or depressed
Example
He needs to **snap out** of that bad mood.
phrasal-verb

settle in for

Meaning
to get comfortable because something will take a while
Example
We **settled in for** a long night of studying at the library.
idiom

conversion rate

Meaning
The percentage of visitors to a website who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up.
Example
Our **conversion rate** has significantly improved after the redesign of the website.
phrasal-verb

sit through

Meaning
to stay until the end of something that is long or boring
Example
We had to **sit through** a three-hour seminar on research methods.
idiom

cut someone some slack

Meaning
to be less critical or give someone a break
Example
You should **cut him some slack**—he’s having a tough day.
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

grow close to

Meaning
to develop a stronger emotional bond or friendship with someone
Example
Over the years, they **grew close to** each other through shared experiences.
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.
phrasal-verb

stabilize currency

Meaning
to prevent large fluctuations in the value of a currency
Example
Central banks intervene to **stabilize currency** during financial crises.
idiom

from the horse’s mouth

Meaning
directly from the original or reliable source
Example
I heard the news **from the horse’s mouth**.
idiom

phishing for information

Meaning
attempting to obtain sensitive information by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity
Example
He was **phishing for information** by pretending to be from the bank.
idiom

gain the upper ground

Meaning
to achieve a position of advantage or superiority
Example
The opposition **gained the upper ground** after the scandal.
phrasal-verb

relate to

Meaning
to understand and identify with someone’s experiences or emotions
Example
I can really **relate to** your situation because I went through something similar.
phrasal-verb

turn up

Meaning
to arrive or appear at an event or place, often unexpectedly
Example
He didn’t **turn up** for the dinner even though he promised.
phrasal-verb

turn within

Meaning
to focus on your inner world to find peace or answers
Example
He chose to **turn within** instead of blaming others.
phrasal-verb

break off thoughts

Meaning
to stop negative or anxious thoughts abruptly
Example
Whenever you start overthinking, **break off thoughts** and focus on something present.
phrasal-verb

pick up steam

Meaning
to start becoming more active or successful
Example
The manufacturing sector began to **pick up steam** after months of stagnation.
idiom

to go down in history

Meaning
to be remembered for something important or significant
Example
He **went down in history** as one of the greatest inventors of all time.
idiom

hear something straight from the horse's mouth

Meaning
to hear something directly from the original or most reliable source
Example
I heard it **straight from the horse's mouth** that the event is canceled.
idiom

bear with

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

keep under

Meaning
to control or suppress something or someone
Example
The manager tried to **keep under** control the rising tension.
idiom

blur the lines

Meaning
to make the difference between two things less clear or distinct
Example
AI-generated art often **blurs the lines** between human creativity and machine output.
phrasal-verb

set to

Meaning
to begin doing something energetically
Example
After the meeting, everyone **set to** work immediately.
phrasal-verb

cut down on distractions

Meaning
to reduce things that take your attention away
Example
He’s trying to **cut down on distractions** to stay focused.
phrasal-verb

tear up with joy

Meaning
to start crying because of happiness
Example
She **tore up with joy** when she heard the good news.
idiom

A red herring

Meaning
A misleading clue or distraction intended to divert attention from the real issue.
Example
The new law was just a **red herring** to distract from the corruption scandal.
idiom

get a grip

Meaning
to control your emotions and behave sensibly
Example
Stop panicking and **get a grip** on yourself!
idiom

the fourth estate

Meaning
the press or news media, considered as an influential societal force
Example
Many believe **the fourth estate** plays a vital role in democracy.
idiom

check up on

Meaning
to verify that someone or something is doing well
Example
I’ll **check up on** the interns after the training session.
idiom

big picture

Meaning
the overall perspective or situation
Example
Producers always try to see the **big picture** before making changes.
idiom

clickbait

Meaning
a headline or content designed to attract attention and encourage clicks
Example
That article title is pure **clickbait**.
idiom

out of the frying pan into the fire

Meaning
to go from a bad situation to a worse one
Example
Leaving that job was like jumping **out of the frying pan into the fire**.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself through

Meaning
to calmly guide yourself with inner talk during anxiety
Example
When your heart races, **talk yourself through** it with reassuring words.
idiom

dance to one's own tune

Meaning
to behave independently; not influenced by others
Example
He always **dances to his own tune** and never follows the crowd.
idiom

mud-slinging

Meaning
the act of criticizing someone, especially in politics, to harm their reputation
Example
The debate turned into **mud-slinging** very quickly.
idiom

create buzz

Meaning
to generate excitement and talk about a product or event
Example
The teaser video helped **create buzz** before the product launch.
phrasal-verb

show out

Meaning
to accompany someone to the door when they are leaving
Example
The manager **showed out** the clients after the meeting.
phrasal-verb

make amends with

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry and to fix a problem
Example
She tried to **make amends with** her colleague after the heated argument.
idiom

turn a blind eye

Meaning
to deliberately ignore something wrong or unpleasant
Example
The manager **turned a blind eye** to employees leaving early on Fridays.
phrasal-verb

move toward

Meaning
to progress or advance in the direction of change or improvement
Example
Societies are slowly **moving toward** greater gender equality.
idiom

raise a toast

Meaning
to honor someone or something with a drink
Example
We **raised a toast** to the newlyweds.
idiom

have a heart of gold

Meaning
to be very kind and generous
Example
Everyone loves her because she **has a heart of gold**.
phrasal-verb

flip over

Meaning
to turn upside down accidentally
Example
The car **flipped over** after hitting a pothole.
phrasal-verb

build up stamina

Meaning
to increase strength or endurance gradually
Example
Running regularly helps to **build up stamina**.
phrasal-verb

dig beneath

Meaning
to search for the real emotions or motivations hidden under the surface
Example
He tried to **dig beneath** his frustration to understand his true fears.
idiom

paint oneself into a corner

Meaning
to create a situation where one has limited options
Example
He **painted himself into a corner** by promising too much.
phrasal-verb

partner up

Meaning
to form a partnership for a specific goal or project
Example
Our firm decided to **partner up** with a local distributor in Africa.
idiom

work-life harmony

Meaning
a balanced and peaceful relationship between work and personal life
Example
She believes in maintaining **work-life harmony**.
phrasal-verb

find against

Meaning
to decide that someone is wrong or guilty
Example
The judge **found against** the company for breaking the contract.
idiom

fall on one's shoulders

Meaning
to be responsible for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
The task of organizing the event **fell on her shoulders**.
idiom

head to head

Meaning
to be in direct competition or disagreement
Example
The two leaders went **head to head** in the debate.
phrasal-verb

cut out

Meaning
to stop using or doing something completely; to eliminate
Example
We need to **cut out** fossil fuels to slow down global warming.
idiom

out of sorts

Meaning
feeling slightly unwell or upset
Example
He’s been **out of sorts** since he caught that cold.
idiom

lose your cool

Meaning
to become angry or impatient
Example
Don’t **lose your cool**; the situation will get better.
phrasal-verb

make do with

Meaning
to manage with something less than ideal
Example
We didn’t have enough chairs, so we had to **make do with** stools.
idiom

bury the lead

Meaning
to hide the most important part of the story
Example
Don’t **bury the lead**—mention the main point first.
idiom

a mind like a sieve

Meaning
to have a very bad memory
Example
He forgets everything; he has **a mind like a sieve**.
idiom

spread sunshine

Meaning
to make others happy with your positivity
Example
Her smile always **spreads sunshine** wherever she goes.
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.
idiom

penny stock

Meaning
a very low-priced, high-risk stock
Example
He made a fortune trading **penny stocks**.
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

keep your nose clean

Meaning
to stay out of trouble; to behave properly
Example
He’s been **keeping his nose clean** since he got that new job.
idiom

blossom into something

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

hedge against

Meaning
to protect oneself against potential loss or risk
Example
Many investors **hedge against** market volatility by diversifying their portfolios.
idiom

eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on achieving your goal
Example
She always keeps her **eye on the prize** no matter what.
phrasal-verb

check against

Meaning
to verify information or behavior to ensure it meets standards
Example
All reports must be **checked against** the company’s ethical policy.
idiom

Lay bricks for the future

Meaning
To build a strong foundation for future success.
Example
Education helps children **lay bricks for the future**.
idiom

a weight on your shoulders

Meaning
a heavy burden or responsibility causing stress
Example
Running the company alone is **a weight on his shoulders**.
idiom

put your trust in

Meaning
to have confidence in someone or something
Example
We should **put our trust in** good leaders.
idiom

mad scientist

Meaning
a person who is dangerously or foolishly creative or obsessed with experiments
Example
He looks like a **mad scientist** when he’s working in his lab all night.
idiom

learn by heart

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

scroll through

Meaning
to move down or up a page to look at content
Example
I spent an hour **scrolling through** Instagram last night.
idiom

a kind heart

Meaning
a person who is generous and caring
Example
Her **kind heart** is what makes her loved by everyone.
phrasal-verb

pull out of the deal

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or contract
Example
Several companies **pulled out of the deal** due to political instability.
idiom

pick yourself up

Meaning
to recover from a failure or setback
Example
She failed the first time, but she **picked herself up** and tried again.
idiom

brainstorm ideas

Meaning
to think of new and creative ideas
Example
The class gathered to **brainstorm ideas** for the science project.
phrasal-verb

bring optimism into life

Meaning
to include hopeful and positive thinking in your lifestyle
Example
Try to **bring optimism into life** through daily habits.
phrasal-verb

help up

Meaning
to assist someone in standing after a fall
Example
He quickly **helped up** the old man who had tripped.
idiom

hot under the collar

Meaning
feeling angry or embarrassed
Example
He got **hot under the collar** when his mistake was pointed out.
phrasal-verb

draw aside

Meaning
to move something to one side; to separate from a group
Example
He **drew aside** the curtain to see who was outside.
idiom

a snowball's chance in hell

Meaning
no chance at all
Example
He has **a snowball's chance in hell** of winning the lottery.
idiom

a game changer

Meaning
something that completely changes the way things are done
Example
The new technology is a **game changer** for the healthcare industry.
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

sleep like a log

Meaning
to sleep very deeply and soundly
Example
After the long journey, I **slept like a log** all night.
idiom

a spark of genius

Meaning
a sudden and brilliant idea
Example
Her **spark of genius** helped us solve the problem quickly.
phrasal-verb

write up

Meaning
to prepare a detailed written report
Example
Please **write up** the feedback summary for the manager.
phrasal-verb

ease tensions between

Meaning
to reduce conflict or hostility between countries
Example
Efforts were made to **ease tensions between** the rival nations.
idiom

to screw up

Meaning
to make a serious mistake or spoil something
Example
I really **screwed up** the presentation.
idiom

leave a legacy

Meaning
to create something that lasts and benefits others after you are gone
Example
He worked hard all his life to **leave a legacy** for his children.
idiom

The waiting game

Meaning
A situation in which you must wait for something to happen.
Example
It’s all about **the waiting game** when you’re looking for a job.
idiom

off the cuff

Meaning
to speak or perform without preparation
Example
He gave an **off the cuff** remark that impressed everyone.
idiom

envy eats the heart

Meaning
jealousy destroys one’s peace of mind
Example
**Envy eats the heart**, so stop comparing yourself to others.
phrasal-verb

start off with

Meaning
to begin a creative process or project using a certain idea or material
Example
The artist **started off with** a simple sketch before adding color.
idiom

get your wires crossed

Meaning
to misunderstand someone or something
Example
We must have **got our wires crossed**, because I thought the meeting was tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

keep reserves for

Meaning
to save or hold funds for future use or emergencies
Example
The central bank decided to **keep reserves for** potential market shocks.
phrasal-verb

grow past pain

Meaning
to develop emotionally by overcoming past suffering
Example
It’s never easy to **grow past pain**, but it’s worth it.
phrasal-verb

play with

Meaning
to spend time enjoying a game or toy with someone
Example
We used to **play with** marbles and paper boats in the rain.
phrasal-verb

plan ahead for

Meaning
to prepare for something in advance
Example
We must **plan ahead for** deadlines to avoid last-minute stress.
phrasal-verb

drive up demand

Meaning
to increase the desire or need for something
Example
The marketing efforts **drove up** demand for the company’s products.
idiom

blow away the cobwebs

Meaning
to refresh one’s mind or body after inactivity
Example
A short walk helped me **blow away the cobwebs**.
idiom

wake up to

Meaning
to become aware of something important
Example
Communities are **waking up to** the impact of noise pollution.
phrasal-verb

respect for

Meaning
to show regard or consideration for someone or something
Example
We should always **show respect for** other people’s traditions.
phrasal-verb

move beyond

Meaning
to progress further than a previous level or limitation
Example
He tried to **move beyond** his earlier academic failures.
idiom

blast off

Meaning
to take off or start with great energy or enthusiasm
Example
The project is ready to **blast off** next week.
phrasal-verb

reach alignment on

Meaning
to reach an agreement where all parties share the same position
Example
The leaders **reached alignment on** climate goals.
idiom

learn the hard way

Meaning
to learn something through experience, especially through making mistakes
Example
He **learned the hard way** that honesty is the best policy.
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.