connect through art
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
phrasal-verb

connect through art

Meaning
to build understanding or friendships using creative expression
Example
People can **connect through art** even if they speak different languages.
idiom

all work and no play

Meaning
a person who only works becomes dull and boring
Example
**All work and no play** makes Jack a dull boy.
idiom

beat oneself up

Meaning
to blame yourself too much for something
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up** over one mistake.
idiom

answer the call

Meaning
to respond to a responsibility or opportunity
Example
He was ready to **answer the call** and take charge of the project.
idiom

a dream come true

Meaning
something that happens which you always wished for
Example
Getting that scholarship was **a dream come true** for her.
phrasal-verb

run for

Meaning
to compete in an election for a political position
Example
He plans to **run for** president next year.
idiom

train your brain

Meaning
to practice and improve one’s cognitive abilities
Example
Use puzzles to **train your brain** like an AI model.
phrasal-verb

cut across inequalities

Meaning
to affect or involve people of all social and economic levels
Example
Climate change issues **cut across inequalities** and impact everyone.
idiom

get your point across

Meaning
to express an idea clearly so that others understand it
Example
It’s important to **get your point across** during discussions.
idiom

feeling on top of the world

Meaning
feeling extremely happy or successful
Example
After getting the job, I was **on top of the world**.
idiom

political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
Immigration reform has become a **political hot potato** for the government.
idiom

true to one's word

Meaning
To do what one has promised.
Example
She was **true to her word** and helped me finish the project.
phrasal-verb

cool down after

Meaning
to gently relax following exercise or effort
Example
Always **cool down after** intense matches to avoid injury.
idiom

be at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or upset that you don't know what to do
Example
I'm **at my wits' end** trying to calm the kids down.
phrasal-verb

recover confidence

Meaning
to regain belief in oneself after failure
Example
It took months for him to **recover confidence** after the rejection.
phrasal-verb

speak against

Meaning
to criticize or express opposition to something or someone
Example
He **spoke against** the policy in the meeting.
idiom

patience is a virtue

Meaning
being patient is a good quality
Example
Remember, **patience is a virtue**, so take your time.
idiom

data-driven decision

Meaning
a decision based on data analysis rather than intuition
Example
Modern companies rely on **data-driven decisions** to stay competitive.
idiom

turn back the clock

Meaning
to return to an earlier time; to undo progress or change
Example
Many people wish they could **turn back the clock** to their childhood.
phrasal-verb

gear the crew up

Meaning
to prepare a team with the tools or mindset they need
Example
Heads **gear the crew up** with clear roles before the sprint begins.
phrasal-verb

balance against

Meaning
to compare one factor with another to maintain equilibrium
Example
The government must **balance** public spending **against** revenue collection.
phrasal-verb

join in the fun

Meaning
to participate in an enjoyable activity
Example
Even the shy guests **joined in the fun** after a while.
idiom

a quick learner

Meaning
someone who learns things fast
Example
She’s a **quick learner** and easily understands new topics.
idiom

Open-minded

Meaning
Willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
A good therapist must be **open-minded**.
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

shift toward innovation

Meaning
to focus more on creating new ideas or technologies
Example
Many industries are trying to **shift toward innovation** to stay competitive.
idiom

dance the night away

Meaning
to dance for a long time, especially during a celebration
Example
Everyone **danced the night away** at the wedding reception.
idiom

come of age

Meaning
to reach maturity; to become fully developed
Example
The company has **come of age** in the last few years.
idiom

mentor someone

Meaning
to guide or advise someone, typically in a professional context
Example
She has been asked to **mentor** the new recruits in the company.
idiom

caught off guard

Meaning
surprised or shocked by something unexpected
Example
She was **caught off guard** by the sudden question.
phrasal-verb

touch up

Meaning
to improve the appearance of something slightly, like makeup or paint
Example
She went to the mirror to **touch up** her makeup.
phrasal-verb

hold on for

Meaning
to wait briefly, usually during a call or service
Example
Please **hold on for** a moment while I transfer your call to the billing department.
idiom

tighten the screws

Meaning
to put pressure on someone to make them behave or act a certain way
Example
The government **tightened the screws** on tax evaders.
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

behind closed doors

Meaning
in private; secretly
Example
The deal was made **behind closed doors**.
phrasal-verb

find in

Meaning
to see or recognize a quality or feature in someone or something
Example
She **finds in** him a true friend she can trust.
phrasal-verb

set off for

Meaning
to start a journey to a specific place
Example
We **set off for** Cox’s Bazar early in the morning.
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

every cloud has a silver lining

Meaning
every difficult situation has a hopeful aspect
Example
I was sad when I lost my job, but then I found a better one. **Every cloud has a silver lining**.
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

expand one's horizons

Meaning
to increase one’s knowledge or experience
Example
Traveling abroad can really help you **expand your horizons**.
idiom

dream big

Meaning
to have ambitious goals and aspirations
Example
If you want to achieve greatness, you must **dream big**.
idiom

hold your ground

Meaning
to refuse to change your position or opinion
Example
She **held her ground** even when others disagreed.
phrasal-verb

point off

Meaning
to direct attention away intentionally; to mislead
Example
He tried to **point off** the reporters by changing the topic.
phrasal-verb

find against

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

cut back on spending

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money spent on something
Example
To control inflation, the government decided to **cut back on spending**.
phrasal-verb

set out

Meaning
to begin an action with a clear purpose or plan
Example
The leader **set out** to build a more collaborative culture.
idiom

go for broke

Meaning
to risk everything to achieve success
Example
They decided to **go for broke** and launch their new product.
idiom

Born and bred

Meaning
Having lived all one’s life in a particular place and influenced by its culture
Example
She’s a Dhaka **born and bred** woman.
phrasal-verb

look beyond yourself

Meaning
to consider others’ feelings or needs instead of focusing only on yourself
Example
Real emotional growth comes when you **look beyond yourself**.
idiom

hit the airwaves

Meaning
to start being broadcast on television or radio
Example
The new talk show will **hit the airwaves** next week.
idiom

keep it under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
We’re trying to **keep it under wraps** until the official announcement.
idiom

a picture is worth a thousand words

Meaning
a visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
That photo truly proves that **a picture is worth a thousand words**.
phrasal-verb

pass around

Meaning
to distribute or share something among people
Example
They **passed around** the trophy for everyone to see.
idiom

fair-weather friend

Meaning
a person who is only your friend when things are good
Example
A **fair-weather friend** will leave you when things get tough.
idiom

let someone off the hook

Meaning
to release someone from blame or punishment
Example
The judge decided to **let him off the hook** with a warning.
idiom

put in a nutshell

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
To **put it in a nutshell**, we need more time to finish.
idiom

cool off

Meaning
to become less hot or less angry
Example
Let the soup **cool off** before serving.
idiom

offstage

Meaning
outside of public attention or in private life
Example
He is very different **offstage** than he appears in his shows.
idiom

a lump in your throat

Meaning
feeling emotional or about to cry
Example
He felt **a lump in his throat** when he said goodbye.
idiom

take the heat

Meaning
to accept criticism or blame.
Example
The manager **took the heat** for the failed project.
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

cornerstone of success

Meaning
the most important foundation or element for achieving success
Example
Hard work is the **cornerstone of success**.
idiom

behind schedule

Meaning
later than planned or expected
Example
The flight is **behind schedule** because of the storm.
phrasal-verb

trade down for

Meaning
to swap for a simpler or cheaper alternative
Example
Some shoppers **trade down for** savings during slow months.
phrasal-verb

reach deep

Meaning
to dig into one’s emotions or empathy to connect with others
Example
He had to **reach deep** to find the compassion to forgive.
idiom

road to success

Meaning
the path or actions that lead to achievement
Example
Hard work is the **road to success**.
idiom

Take it easy

Meaning
To relax and not worry too much.
Example
**Take it easy**, everything will be fine.
idiom

catch lightning in a bottle

Meaning
to achieve something amazing and rare through creativity or luck
Example
Their new design **caught lightning in a bottle**.
phrasal-verb

hold down costs

Meaning
to keep expenses under control
Example
The company managed to **hold down costs** despite rising raw material prices.
idiom

grease the wheels

Meaning
to make a process run more smoothly by helping it along or making it easier
Example
Bribing officials is a common way to grease the wheels in international trade negotiations.
idiom

break the glass ceiling

Meaning
to overcome a barrier or limitation, particularly in career or personal advancement
Example
She was the first woman in the company to **break the glass ceiling** and become a senior manager.
idiom

faith moves mountains

Meaning
strong belief can achieve great things
Example
Keep believing in yourself—**faith moves mountains**.
phrasal-verb

wait your turn

Meaning
to be patient and not interrupt others
Example
Children should learn to **wait their turn** while playing.
idiom

take ownership

Meaning
to take full responsibility for something
Example
Leaders should **take ownership** of both successes and failures.
phrasal-verb

light upon

Meaning
to discover or notice something that brings appreciation or gratitude
Example
I **lighted upon** an old letter that reminded me of your kindness.
idiom

hit the nail on the head

Meaning
to be exactly right about something
Example
You **hit the nail on the head** with that analysis.
idiom

find common ground

Meaning
to find shared interests or agreement
Example
We must **find common ground** to resolve this conflict.
idiom

a fish out of water

Meaning
feeling uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation
Example
She felt like **a fish out of water** at the new school.
idiom

breathe easy

Meaning
to relax after a stressful or dangerous situation
Example
After the pollution control laws were enforced, people could finally **breathe easy**.
phrasal-verb

mix in with

Meaning
to participate socially and integrate with others in a group
Example
He tried to **mix in with** the team by joining their weekend activities.
idiom

Sail through something

Meaning
To do something easily or successfully.
Example
She **sailed through** her exams with top marks.
phrasal-verb

fall behind schedule

Meaning
to not be progressing as quickly as planned
Example
Construction has **fallen behind schedule** due to bad weather.
idiom

get used to it

Meaning
to become familiar with something new
Example
It took a while, but I finally **got used to it**.
phrasal-verb

get through with

Meaning
to successfully communicate or be understood by someone
Example
It’s hard to **get through with** people when there’s a language barrier.
phrasal-verb

reach across barriers

Meaning
to make an effort to connect despite differences
Example
Artists often **reach across barriers** through their creative work.
idiom

blue chip

Meaning
a well-established and financially sound company
Example
He prefers to invest in **blue chip** stocks for stability.
idiom

live the dream

Meaning
to be living the life you always wanted
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
phrasal-verb

draw up a budget

Meaning
to prepare or plan a financial outline for a period
Example
The finance team will **draw up a budget** for the next fiscal year.
idiom

Truth hurts

Meaning
The truth can be painful to hear.
Example
**Truth hurts**, but it’s better than a lie.
idiom

ray of hope

Meaning
a small sign that something good might happen
Example
The new treatment offers a **ray of hope** for patients.
idiom

As old as the hills

Meaning
Very old or ancient
Example
That legend is **as old as the hills**.
idiom

wild goose chase

Meaning
a useless or hopeless pursuit
Example
Looking for that document was a **wild goose chase**.
phrasal-verb

bring down trade barriers

Meaning
to reduce or remove obstacles that limit international trade
Example
Efforts are being made to **bring down trade barriers** between neighboring countries.
phrasal-verb

drop in

Meaning
to visit someone casually without prior arrangement
Example
My neighbors often **drop in** for coffee in the evening.
idiom

let bygones be bygones

Meaning
to forget past disagreements and forgive each other
Example
They decided to **let bygones be bygones** and move forward.
idiom

school of thought

Meaning
a particular way of thinking or set of ideas
Example
There’s a **school of thought** that believes learning by doing is best.
idiom

make an example of someone

Meaning
to punish someone to warn others
Example
The boss **made an example of** the dishonest employee.
idiom

To lend a helping hand

Meaning
to assist someone in a time of need
Example
She always knows when to **lend a helping hand** and never hesitates.
phrasal-verb

loop in

Meaning
to include someone in communication or discussion
Example
Please **loop in** the designer when making changes.
idiom

Handle with kid gloves

Meaning
To treat someone very gently or carefully.
Example
They **handled** the new client **with kid gloves**.
phrasal-verb

speak for others

Meaning
to voice concerns on behalf of people who are absent
Example
Leaders should **speak for others** who aren't in the room.
phrasal-verb

stand alongside

Meaning
to support or defend someone as part of a group
Example
True teammates **stand alongside** each other in difficult times.
idiom

give someone a hard time

Meaning
to criticize or treat someone harshly
Example
The boss **gave me a hard time** for being late.
phrasal-verb

lighten off

Meaning
to feel or make something less serious or stressful
Example
Talking to friends helped me **lighten off** the pressure.
idiom

break out in a cold sweat

Meaning
to suddenly start sweating due to fear or anxiety
Example
He **broke out in a cold sweat** before his job interview.
phrasal-verb

shift to

Meaning
to move or change focus, method, or responsibility
Example
Our company plans to **shift to** a hybrid work model.
phrasal-verb

break off

Meaning
to end suddenly; to stop speaking or negotiating
Example
They **broke off** the engagement last month.
phrasal-verb

take on responsibility

Meaning
to accept a duty or task
Example
He decided to **take on responsibility** for the new client.
phrasal-verb

break out in a rash

Meaning
to suddenly develop a skin condition
Example
She **broke out in a rash** after eating seafood.
phrasal-verb

listen openly

Meaning
to pay attention without judgment or interruption
Example
A good friend will **listen openly** when you share your emotions.
phrasal-verb

rise under

Meaning
to perform well despite facing great pressure or challenges
Example
He always **rises under** pressure and delivers his best work.
phrasal-verb

keep down

Meaning
to prevent from increasing or growing
Example
We need to **keep down** our expenses this month.
idiom

out of your mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
You must be **out of your mind** to drive that fast!
idiom

steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to look or feel extremely angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** after the argument.
phrasal-verb

hand action items out

Meaning
to assign follow-up tasks to specific people
Example
Facilitators **hand action items out** before closing the meeting.
phrasal-verb

come through for

Meaning
to do what is needed or expected, especially in difficult times
Example
Our teammates always **come through for** each other when deadlines are tight.
phrasal-verb

kick tricky issues up

Meaning
to escalate complicated problems to a higher level
Example
Service reps **kick tricky issues up** when policy decisions are needed.
idiom

Rewriting history

Meaning
To change the way past events are interpreted or remembered.
Example
Some politicians try **rewriting history** to suit their narrative.
idiom

the right thing to do

Meaning
the most ethical or moral action to take
Example
Apologizing was **the right thing to do**.
idiom

hear something through the grapevine

Meaning
to hear news or rumors indirectly
Example
I **heard through the grapevine** that they are getting married.