come out of one's shell
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idiom

come out of one's shell

Meaning
to become more outgoing or confident
Example
She used to be shy, but now she has finally **come out of her shell**.
phrasal-verb

meet up with

Meaning
to successfully reach or fulfill something like a goal or deadline
Example
We worked all night to **meet up with** the project deadline.
idiom

Golden handshake

Meaning
A large payment given to someone when they leave a job, especially early retirement.
Example
The CEO received a **golden handshake** when he retired early.
phrasal-verb

fall out over

Meaning
to argue and stop being friendly with someone because of something
Example
They **fell out over** money matters last 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.
idiom

rant and rave

Meaning
to shout and complain loudly
Example
He was **ranting and raving** about the bad service.
idiom

visionary leader

Meaning
a leader with a clear vision for the future
Example
Steve Jobs was considered a **visionary leader** for his innovative ideas.
idiom

pull ahead

Meaning
to take the lead in a race or competition
Example
She **pulled ahead** in the last minute of the race.
idiom

show appreciation

Meaning
to express gratitude or recognition
Example
We should **show appreciation** for our teachers more often.
idiom

bring home the bacon

Meaning
to earn money to support the family
Example
He works hard every day to **bring home the bacon**.
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

to reach for the moon

Meaning
to aim for something that is difficult or seemingly impossible to achieve
Example
He decided to **reach for the moon** and apply for the most competitive university.
idiom

die of envy

Meaning
to be extremely jealous
Example
He’ll **die of envy** when he sees your new car.
idiom

data mining

Meaning
the process of discovering patterns and relationships in large datasets
Example
Data mining helps businesses understand customer behavior and predict trends.
phrasal-verb

lock down on

Meaning
to impose strict security controls on something
Example
After the warning, we **locked down on** remote access rules.
phrasal-verb

grow attached to

Meaning
to develop strong emotional feelings for someone or something
Example
She quickly **grew attached to** the little dog she rescued.
phrasal-verb

walk away from

Meaning
to leave a relationship or situation instead of confronting it
Example
Sometimes it’s better to **walk away from** toxic friendships.
phrasal-verb

set up for

Meaning
to prepare or arrange something for an event
Example
They started to **set up for** the cultural fair early in the morning.
idiom

make up with someone

Meaning
to become friends again after a disagreement
Example
After their argument, they decided to **make up with each other**.
idiom

put the team on your back

Meaning
to take responsibility for leading and carrying the burden for a group
Example
In the final moments of the game, he **put the team on his back** and led them to victory.
idiom

draw a line

Meaning
to set a limit or boundary
Example
You have to **draw a line** between work and personal life.
idiom

spill the tea

Meaning
to share gossip or secrets
Example
Come on, **spill the tea** - what happened at the party?
idiom

put one's cards on the table

Meaning
to be honest and open about one’s intentions
Example
The negotiator decided to **put his cards on the table** to speed up talks.
idiom

Air time

Meaning
The amount of time something is broadcast on TV or radio
Example
The charity event got a lot of **air time** on local stations.
phrasal-verb

follow up with

Meaning
to contact or check again after an initial meeting or message
Example
Please **follow up with** the client after sending the proposal.
idiom

have a crush on someone

Meaning
to have romantic feelings for someone, often secretly
Example
I’ve **had a crush on** her for months.
phrasal-verb

lock up

Meaning
to become completely unresponsive or stuck
Example
The app **locked up** and I had to restart my phone.
idiom

take it to the bank

Meaning
to be certain that something is true or will happen
Example
You can **take it to the bank** that he’ll deliver on his promise.
phrasal-verb

lock horns with

Meaning
to get into a serious conflict with someone
Example
Two parties **lock horns with** each other over reform details.
idiom

black and blue

Meaning
bruised; having marks from injury
Example
He was **black and blue** after falling off his bike.
phrasal-verb

fight for

Meaning
to struggle or take action to achieve something
Example
Many activists **fight for** freedom and equality.
idiom

fight fire with fire

Meaning
to use the same tactics as one’s opponent
Example
When negotiations failed, they decided to **fight fire with fire**.
phrasal-verb

tune your mind to positivity

Meaning
to intentionally think positive thoughts to reduce tension
Example
Each morning, I **tune my mind to positivity** before starting work.
idiom

a gift from the heavens

Meaning
a blessing or something very special
Example
Her support during the tough times was **a gift from the heavens**.
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.
idiom

catch some z’s

Meaning
to get some sleep
Example
I need to **catch some z’s** before the meeting.
idiom

bubbling with joy

Meaning
very happy and excited
Example
The children were **bubbling with joy** after receiving their gifts.
phrasal-verb

tune out negativity

Meaning
to ignore or block negative thoughts or emotions
Example
He tries to **tune out negativity** to stay mentally strong.
idiom

cream of the crop

Meaning
the best of a group; the finest selection
Example
These students are the **cream of the crop**.
phrasal-verb

step over

Meaning
to cross something by lifting your foot; to ignore someone or something
Example
She carefully **stepped over** the puddle to avoid getting her shoes wet.
idiom

through thick and thin

Meaning
in good times and bad times
Example
She stood by me **through thick and thin**.
phrasal-verb

climb up the ladder

Meaning
to move to a higher position in a company or organization
Example
She worked hard for years to **climb up the ladder** in her company.
phrasal-verb

chalk up improvements

Meaning
to credit progress achieved over time
Example
We **chalk up improvements** to consistent practice and rest.
idiom

team spirit

Meaning
a feeling of pride and loyalty shared by members of a group
Example
Their **team spirit** helped them win the championship.
idiom

Cover a lot of ground

Meaning
to deal with a lot of information or material
Example
The lecture **covered a lot of ground** in just one hour.
idiom

keep the ball rolling

Meaning
to keep an activity or process going
Example
Let’s **keep the ball rolling** on this project.
phrasal-verb

bottle emotions up

Meaning
to keep your emotions hidden inside instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle his emotions up** instead of talking about them.
idiom

put your nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and focus on something
Example
If you want to succeed, you have to **put your nose to the grindstone**.
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

flash of genius

Meaning
a sudden brilliant idea or solution
Example
Her idea for the new logo was a real **flash of genius**.
phrasal-verb

build rapport with

Meaning
to create a friendly and understanding relationship with someone
Example
Teachers need to **build rapport with** their students.
phrasal-verb

summarize takeaways for

Meaning
to recap key lessons for a person or group
Example
I **summarize takeaways for** the team in a two-minute voice note.
phrasal-verb

get together

Meaning
to meet with family or friends socially
Example
Our whole family **gets together** every New Year’s Eve.
phrasal-verb

step in for

Meaning
to take someone’s place to handle a situation
Example
The manager had to **step in for** the team leader during the crisis.
idiom

take the credit

Meaning
to accept praise for something one did
Example
She was the one who solved the issue, but he tried to **take the credit**.
idiom

run out of time

Meaning
to have no more time available to complete something
Example
We **ran out of time** before finishing the project.
phrasal-verb

fight off

Meaning
to resist or defend against illness or attack
Example
She’s trying to **fight off** a cold before her trip.
idiom

blind experiment

Meaning
a test conducted without participants knowing certain information to prevent bias
Example
The scientists conducted a **blind experiment** to ensure accuracy.
idiom

Roll up your sleeves

Meaning
To prepare to work hard.
Example
Let’s **roll up our sleeves** and get started.
idiom

apple of someone’s eye

Meaning
someone very precious or loved
Example
Her son is the **apple of her eye**.
phrasal-verb

sign in to

Meaning
to enter a username and password to access an account
Example
Please **sign in to** your account before starting the quiz.
phrasal-verb

pick back up

Meaning
to resume something after a break
Example
Let’s **pick back up** where we left off yesterday.
phrasal-verb

reach out with kindness

Meaning
to offer compassion or help to someone in need
Example
We should **reach out with kindness** to those who are struggling.
phrasal-verb

pass gratitude on

Meaning
to share or extend appreciation to others
Example
She always **passes gratitude on** to everyone who helps her.
phrasal-verb

speak over

Meaning
to talk while someone else is talking
Example
Try not to **speak over** others during the discussion.
idiom

get a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared completely healthy by a doctor
Example
After his check-up, he **got a clean bill of health**.
phrasal-verb

dry out

Meaning
to become completely dry after being wet
Example
The ground will **dry out** once the sun comes up.
phrasal-verb

tidy up after

Meaning
to clean and organize a space after someone else has used it
Example
After dinner I always **tidy up after** the kids before sitting down.
phrasal-verb

fall into routine

Meaning
to become accustomed to a regular way of working
Example
After a few weeks, the new hires **fell into routine** easily.
idiom

follow your gut

Meaning
to trust your instincts when making a decision
Example
Sometimes it's best to **follow your gut**.
idiom

under oath

Meaning
having sworn to tell the truth in court
Example
He lied **under oath** and was charged with perjury.
idiom

news travels fast

Meaning
information spreads quickly
Example
In small towns, **news travels fast**.
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.
idiom

talk someone's ear off

Meaning
to talk too much and for a long time
Example
She **talked my ear off** about her new job.
idiom

switch off

Meaning
to stop thinking about work or problems
Example
It’s important to **switch off** after a long day.
phrasal-verb

let pressure off

Meaning
to release built-up stress or tension
Example
He plays football on weekends to **let pressure off**.
idiom

the ball is in your court

Meaning
it is your turn to make a decision or take action
Example
I've made my offer, now **the ball is in your court**.
idiom

natural language processing

Meaning
a field of AI that focuses on the interaction between computers and human language
Example
Natural language processing enables AI systems to understand and respond to human speech.
phrasal-verb

go back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
I have to **go back** to the office now.
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.
phrasal-verb

cut down on debts

Meaning
to reduce the amount of debt owed
Example
The company must **cut down on debts** to improve its financial stability.
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

a few bricks short of a load

Meaning
a little stupid or crazy
Example
He tries hard, but he’s **a few bricks short of a load**.
idiom

Get down to brass tacks

Meaning
To start discussing the essential or most important aspects of a matter.
Example
Let’s **get down to brass tacks** and talk about the real issues.
idiom

Down the rabbit hole

Meaning
Entering into a strange, complicated, or bizarre situation.
Example
I went **down the rabbit hole** researching ancient myths.
idiom

Spread joy

Meaning
to make others happy by being kind or cheerful
Example
It's important to **spread joy** wherever you go.
phrasal-verb

reach out for balance

Meaning
to make an effort to create harmony in life
Example
He’s learning to **reach out for balance** between work and rest.
phrasal-verb

bond deeply with

Meaning
to form a very close emotional relationship with someone
Example
Parents **bond deeply with** their newborns through love and care.
phrasal-verb

build on achievements

Meaning
to use past successes as a foundation for further progress
Example
He aims to **build on achievements** and reach new goals this year.
phrasal-verb

build up strength

Meaning
to increase physical power through exercise
Example
She started lifting weights to **build up strength**.
phrasal-verb

translate into action

Meaning
to turn ideas or words into practical steps or results
Example
We must **translate into action** the promises made in meetings.
phrasal-verb

set forth

Meaning
to present or explain an idea or proposal clearly
Example
The president **set forth** his vision for the nation’s economic future.
phrasal-verb

point toward

Meaning
to indicate or suggest a future possibility
Example
Recent studies **point toward** a rise in electric mobility.
phrasal-verb

shuffle ideas around

Meaning
to rearrange different thoughts to find a new approach
Example
Designers **shuffle ideas around** until a better concept appears.
idiom

take the fall

Meaning
to accept blame for something, often to protect others.
Example
He agreed to **take the fall** for the team’s mistake.
idiom

breaking the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation where no progress is being made
Example
The negotiation team succeeded in **breaking the deadlock**.
phrasal-verb

turn around a business

Meaning
to make a failing business successful again
Example
The new CEO managed to **turn around the business** within a year.
phrasal-verb

build alliances with

Meaning
to form partnerships or agreements with other groups or parties
Example
The party aims to **build alliances with** smaller political movements to strengthen its position.
idiom

penny stock

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

nod off

Meaning
to fall asleep suddenly, especially when sitting
Example
He **nodded off** during the boring lecture.
phrasal-verb

waver between

Meaning
to go back and forth between two opinions or choices
Example
She **wavered between** hope and fear before making her decision.
idiom

live and let live

Meaning
to allow others to live as they choose without interference
Example
I believe in the principle of **live and let live**.
phrasal-verb

move forward with joy

Meaning
to continue with a happy and positive attitude
Example
Let’s **move forward with joy** and not dwell on the past.
phrasal-verb

read up about

Meaning
to study or get information about something by reading
Example
Before visiting Japan, I **read up about** its culture and traditions.
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.
idiom

Dress to impress

Meaning
Wear clothes that will make others admire you
Example
You should **dress to impress** for your job interview.
idiom

Exactly!

Meaning
Used to strongly show agreement
Example
‘It’s time to move on.’ ‘**Exactly!**’
phrasal-verb

scale out

Meaning
to expand or grow the size or capacity of something
Example
The company plans to **scale out** its operations to new markets.
idiom

a man of vision

Meaning
a person who has foresight and imagination
Example
He is **a man of vision** who transformed the company.
idiom

the bottom has fallen out

Meaning
a situation in which something has suddenly failed or collapsed
Example
The market for tech stocks has crashed; the **bottom has fallen out**.
idiom

strike a chord

Meaning
to cause someone to feel sympathy or emotion
Example
Her story **struck a chord** with the audience.
phrasal-verb

die out

Meaning
to become extinct or disappear completely
Example
Many ancient traditions have **died out** over the centuries.
phrasal-verb

turn back

Meaning
to go back in the direction you came from
Example
We had to **turn back** because of the heavy rain.
idiom

cry over spilt milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There’s no use **crying over spilt milk**.
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.
idiom

have a change of heart

Meaning
to change your opinion or the way you feel about something
Example
She was going to move abroad, but she had **a change of heart**.
phrasal-verb

call by

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

push beyond

Meaning
to go further than one’s limits or fears
Example
You need to **push beyond** your comfort zone to grow.
phrasal-verb

look inward

Meaning
to reflect on your own thoughts, feelings, and motivations
Example
During hard times, it helps to **look inward** and understand your emotions.
phrasal-verb

pencil in

Meaning
to arrange something temporarily
Example
Can we **pencil in** the meeting for Friday morning?
idiom

pass sentence

Meaning
to announce a punishment in court
Example
The judge will **pass sentence** next week.