chicken out
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idiom

chicken out

Meaning
to decide not to do something because of fear
Example
He was going to ask her out but **chickened out** at the last minute.
idiom

set the trend

Meaning
to start something new that others begin to follow
Example
The company’s campaign **set the trend** for eco-friendly marketing.
idiom

troll someone

Meaning
to deliberately provoke or upset someone online
Example
Some users love to **troll** others just for fun.
phrasal-verb

play around with

Meaning
to experiment with ideas, materials, or techniques
Example
She loves to **play around with** different colors to find new combinations.
idiom

In due time

Meaning
At the right or appropriate time.
Example
Everything will be alright **in due time**, just be patient.
idiom

Keep one’s eye on the ball

Meaning
To stay focused on achieving a goal.
Example
If you **keep your eye on the ball**, you’ll surely succeed.
phrasal-verb

deal with conflict

Meaning
to manage or resolve disagreements or disputes
Example
Managers often need to **deal with conflict** among team members.
phrasal-verb

ask for forgiveness

Meaning
to request someone to forgive you
Example
I will **ask for forgiveness** for what I did.
phrasal-verb

come down with

Meaning
to become ill with a disease
Example
I think I'm **coming down with** a cold.
phrasal-verb

drive up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods or services sold abroad
Example
The new trade policies are designed to **drive up exports**.
phrasal-verb

dwell upon

Meaning
to think or talk too much about something unpleasant that happened in the past
Example
She tends to **dwell upon** her past mistakes instead of moving on.
idiom

rope in

Meaning
to persuade someone to join an activity
Example
They **roped me in** to help with the charity event.
idiom

itchy feet

Meaning
a strong desire to travel or move around
Example
After a few months at home, I started to get **itchy feet** again.
phrasal-verb

grow out of

Meaning
to stop repeating mistakes as you gain experience
Example
Most people **grow out of** their early mistakes with time.
phrasal-verb

dream about

Meaning
to think about something you wish for while sleeping or awake
Example
She often **dreams about** becoming a successful singer one day.
idiom

low-hanging fruit

Meaning
something easy to achieve or target
Example
We should focus on the **low-hanging fruit** before tackling bigger goals.
idiom

lose touch

Meaning
to stop communicating with someone
Example
We **lost touch** after college.
idiom

the moral compass

Meaning
a person's or society’s sense of right and wrong
Example
We must ensure AI doesn’t lose its **moral compass**.
phrasal-verb

back down on

Meaning
to withdraw or concede a position after opposition
Example
The government refused to **back down on** its stance regarding foreign aid.
phrasal-verb

rinse off after

Meaning
to quickly wash yourself following an activity
Example
I always **rinse off after** my evening workout.
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.
phrasal-verb

thank for

Meaning
to express gratitude for something
Example
I want to **thank you for** your help with the project.
phrasal-verb

bring out clarity

Meaning
to make thoughts or feelings clearer
Example
Writing in a journal can **bring out clarity** about what you truly feel.
phrasal-verb

focus ahead

Meaning
to concentrate on the future and what lies ahead instead of the past
Example
Let’s **focus ahead** instead of worrying about past mistakes.
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

Blue ocean strategy

Meaning
Creating a new market space with little or no competition.
Example
Their **blue ocean strategy** helped them dominate a new market.
phrasal-verb

migrate to

Meaning
to move data or systems from one environment to another
Example
The IT team is working hard to **migrate all databases to** the cloud.
idiom

put the pieces together

Meaning
to understand or solve something by combining information
Example
After examining the data, the engineer **put the pieces together**.
idiom

step up

Meaning
to take responsibility or action when needed
Example
When the manager was away, she **stepped up** to lead the team.
idiom

turn a corner

Meaning
to begin to improve after a difficult period
Example
Things started to **turn a corner** after the new management took over.
phrasal-verb

set up a subsidiary

Meaning
to establish a smaller company controlled by a larger one
Example
They decided to **set up a subsidiary** in Singapore to handle regional operations.
idiom

under someone's thumb

Meaning
completely under someone's control
Example
He's **under his boss's thumb** and can't make his own decisions.
idiom

anchors aweigh

Meaning
Ready to depart or begin a journey.
Example
With our bags packed, it’s **anchors aweigh** for the road trip!
idiom

in the same league

Meaning
comparable in quality or ability
Example
Those two companies aren’t **in the same league**.
idiom

mutton dressed as lamb

Meaning
an older person trying to look younger
Example
People laughed when she wore teenage clothes — they said she was **mutton dressed as lamb**.
idiom

out of the blue

Meaning
unexpectedly or without warning
Example
My old friend called me **out of the blue** after ten years.
idiom

carve your own path

Meaning
to create your own way of achieving success or independence
Example
She decided to **carve her own path** instead of joining her family business.
idiom

have a high opinion of yourself

Meaning
to think you are very good or important
Example
He **has a high opinion of himself** after getting the award.
phrasal-verb

turn plans into action

Meaning
to implement or execute planned initiatives
Example
It's time for nations to **turn plans into action** for climate resilience.
phrasal-verb

pick up speed

Meaning
to gain momentum or progress faster
Example
Sales have **picked up speed** since the new campaign launched.
phrasal-verb

team up for

Meaning
to join others in doing something together for a common goal
Example
Countries **team up for** global vaccination programs.
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.
idiom

zero-day exploit

Meaning
a cyberattack that occurs before a vulnerability is patched
Example
Hackers launched a **zero-day exploit** targeting the system’s core files.
idiom

a breath of fresh air

Meaning
something new and refreshing
Example
Her positive attitude is **a breath of fresh air** in the office.
idiom

a political football

Meaning
an issue used by politicians for their own advantage
Example
Healthcare has become **a political football** in the country.
phrasal-verb

stay on top of

Meaning
to remain in control or keep updated with something
Example
It’s important to **stay on top of** your emails to stay productive.
idiom

trade blows

Meaning
to argue or fight with someone
Example
The two rival companies have been **trading blows** over market share for years.
idiom

break the problem down

Meaning
to divide a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts
Example
Let's **break the problem down** into smaller steps.
idiom

a window of opportunity

Meaning
a short period when one has a chance to act effectively
Example
We have **a window of opportunity** to finalize the deal this week.
idiom

cross the aisle

Meaning
to cooperate with members of the opposing political party
Example
He often **crosses the aisle** to work on bipartisan issues.
idiom

when life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Meaning
make the best out of a bad situation
Example
She lost her job but decided to **make lemonade** by starting her own business.
idiom

fly off the handle

Meaning
to react in a very angry way without thinking
Example
He **flew off the handle** when someone scratched his new car.
phrasal-verb

crack down on corruption

Meaning
to take strong measures to stop corruption
Example
The new government promised to **crack down on corruption**.
phrasal-verb

fill in as

Meaning
to temporarily take over someone’s job or position
Example
He will **fill in as** project manager while the current one is on leave.
idiom

in the limelight

Meaning
to be the focus of public attention
Example
After winning the award, he was **in the limelight** for months.
idiom

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
Don’t risk everything on a single plan.
Example
You should invest in different areas; **don’t put all your eggs in one basket**.
idiom

Know the drill

Meaning
To be familiar with a routine or procedure.
Example
Everyone here **knows the drill** during an emergency.
idiom

figure out

Meaning
to understand or solve something
Example
We need to **figure out** why the emails bounced.
idiom

blow out of the water

Meaning
to surprise or defeat completely
Example
Their performance **blew us out of the water**.
idiom

have the guts

Meaning
to have courage or bravery to do something difficult
Example
She didn’t **have the guts** to tell him the truth.
phrasal-verb

run low on

Meaning
to have very little of something left
Example
They are **running low on** popular shoe sizes.
phrasal-verb

let down your guard

Meaning
to stop being defensive and allow yourself to feel or connect
Example
When you **let down your guard**, you allow others to truly know you.
phrasal-verb

clam down from

Meaning
to gradually relax after being very stressed or angry
Example
It took him an hour to **clam down from** the argument.
phrasal-verb

breathe through emotions

Meaning
to calm yourself by controlling your breathing during emotional moments
Example
She tried to **breathe through** her emotions before responding.
idiom

Cross the Rubicon

Meaning
To make an irreversible decision or take a step from which there is no turning back.
Example
By quitting his job, he **crossed the Rubicon** and committed to his startup dream.
phrasal-verb

turn out for

Meaning
to attend or participate in an event
Example
Thousands of people **turned out for** the annual cultural parade.
phrasal-verb

pull yourself back

Meaning
to stop overthinking or panicking and return to calmness
Example
Whenever your mind runs away, **pull yourself back** to the present.
idiom

act the part

Meaning
to behave in a way that fits a particular role or situation
Example
If you want to be treated like a leader, you need to **act the part**.
phrasal-verb

cut off funding

Meaning
to stop providing financial support
Example
The government **cut off funding** for several development projects.
idiom

iron fist in a velvet glove

Meaning
a gentle outward appearance hiding strong control
Example
Her leadership style is an **iron fist in a velvet glove**.
idiom

keep your dreams alive

Meaning
to continue believing in your goals even when it's hard
Example
No matter how tough life gets, **keep your dreams alive**.
idiom

Curiosity killed the cat

Meaning
Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble.
Example
Don't ask too many questions about his past — **curiosity killed the cat**.
phrasal-verb

clean up shared docs

Meaning
to tidy common files so everyone can use them easily
Example
I **clean up shared docs** every Friday to remove outdated drafts.
idiom

in my opinion

Meaning
used to express what one thinks or believes
Example
**In my opinion**, this movie is too long.
phrasal-verb

step aside for

Meaning
to let someone else take your position or role
Example
The senior manager decided to **step aside for** a younger leader.
phrasal-verb

adapt over time

Meaning
to gradually adjust to changes or new circumstances
Example
Teams often **adapt over time** as they face different challenges.
idiom

to get bent out of shape

Meaning
to become angry or upset
Example
Don't **get bent out of shape** over a small mistake.
phrasal-verb

thank warmly

Meaning
to express gratitude in a sincere way
Example
She **thanked everyone warmly** for attending the event.
idiom

make your dreams come true

Meaning
to achieve what you have always wanted
Example
She worked hard to **make her dreams come true**.
idiom

couch potato

Meaning
a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV
Example
He’s such a **couch potato**, he never goes out or exercises.
phrasal-verb

wake up politically

Meaning
to become aware of political issues and start caring about them
Example
Many young people are beginning to **wake up politically**.
idiom

a rip-off

Meaning
something that is too expensive or not worth its price
Example
That restaurant is **a rip-off**; the food is not worth the money.
idiom

the final frontier

Meaning
the last or most difficult challenge or area of exploration
Example
For many scientists, space remains **the final frontier**.
phrasal-verb

back something up to

Meaning
to make a copy of data and store it in another place
Example
You should **back your files up to** an external hard drive regularly.
phrasal-verb

work toward peace

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve harmony and stability among nations
Example
International leaders continue to **work toward peace** in conflict zones.
idiom

once bitten, twice shy

Meaning
after an unpleasant experience, you are careful to avoid it happening again
Example
After losing money in the stock market, he became **once bitten, twice shy**.
phrasal-verb

carry on with

Meaning
to continue doing something even when it is difficult
Example
He decided to **carry on with** his studies despite financial struggles.
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

carry guilt over

Meaning
to continue feeling guilty about something for a long time
Example
He still **carries guilt over** how he treated his friend.
idiom

hang in there

Meaning
to remain persistent and determined in difficult circumstances
Example
I know you're tired, but **hang in there** because you're almost finished.
phrasal-verb

wind yourself up

Meaning
to make yourself nervous or upset; to become tense or worried
Example
Try not to **wind yourself up** before the meeting; everything will be fine.
idiom

back on your feet

Meaning
recovered and healthy again
Example
It’s good to see you **back on your feet** after the flu.
phrasal-verb

show around

Meaning
to give someone a guided tour of a place
Example
I will **show around** our office to the new interns.
idiom

throw your weight behind

Meaning
to support someone or something strongly
Example
The manager **threw his weight behind** the new proposal.
phrasal-verb

shore up with

Meaning
to strengthen something by adding support
Example
We **shore up with** extra data before presenting the forecast.
idiom

give off

Meaning
to emit a smell, light, or feeling
Example
The candles **give off** a calming scent in the room.
phrasal-verb

take off in

Meaning
to start succeeding rapidly in a field
Example
His career really **took off in** the last two years.
phrasal-verb

churn out

Meaning
to produce something quickly and in large amounts, often without much quality
Example
The company has been **churning out** reports all week.
phrasal-verb

sum up ideas

Meaning
to briefly express or summarize main thoughts
Example
At the end of the class, the teacher asked students to **sum up ideas** from the discussion.
phrasal-verb

climb back

Meaning
to recover a previous position after losing it
Example
Stock prices have started to **climb back** after the market crash.
idiom

time flies

Meaning
time passes very quickly
Example
**Time flies** when you’re having fun.
phrasal-verb

build in

Meaning
to include something as a part of a system or process
Example
Our company has **built in** flexibility to adapt to market changes.
phrasal-verb

curl up

Meaning
to bend your body and bring your knees close because of fear
Example
She **curled up** on the sofa when the horror movie got intense.
idiom

Economic backbone

Meaning
The most important part of the economy.
Example
Small businesses are the **economic backbone** of the nation.
phrasal-verb

step up for

Meaning
to take responsibility or show leadership in a group situation
Example
When the manager was away, Sara **stepped up for** the team.
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

shop around

Meaning
to compare prices before buying something
Example
Always **shop around** before making a big purchase.
idiom

The darkest hour is just before the dawn

Meaning
Things often seem worst just before they improve.
Example
Things are rough right now, but remember, **the darkest hour is just before the dawn**.
phrasal-verb

delight in

Meaning
to take great pleasure in something
Example
She **delights in** making people laugh.
idiom

to make a boo-boo

Meaning
to make a small or funny mistake
Example
Oops, I **made a boo-boo** and sent the wrong file!
idiom

to think outside the box

Meaning
to think creatively or unconventionally
Example
In solving AI problems, it is essential to **think outside the box**.
idiom

on the world stage

Meaning
in the international arena or community
Example
The country's economy is now strong **on the world stage**.
idiom

honesty is the best policy

Meaning
being honest is always the best way to behave
Example
My parents always taught me that **honesty is the best policy**.
idiom

chase your dreams

Meaning
to actively try to achieve your ambitions
Example
You should always **chase your dreams** no matter how hard it seems.
idiom

talk behind someone's back

Meaning
to say bad things about someone when they are not present
Example
I don’t like people who **talk behind my back**.
idiom

get ahead in life

Meaning
to succeed or progress in one's life or career
Example
He worked hard to **get ahead in life** and build a successful career.
idiom

Burst with gratitude

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

clamor for

Meaning
to demand something loudly and emotionally
Example
Fans **clamored for** an encore performance.
phrasal-verb

pull together for

Meaning
to work jointly to achieve something
Example
Nations must **pull together for** a stable global economy.
phrasal-verb

blow apart emotionally

Meaning
to lose control because of overwhelming emotion
Example
After the breakup, she **blew apart emotionally** for weeks.
phrasal-verb

line questions up

Meaning
to prepare queries in an organized list
Example
I **line questions up** before our weekly check-in with leadership.