crack under pressure
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

crack under pressure

Meaning
to lose control or fail when under stress
Example
Some people **crack under pressure**, while others thrive.
idiom

nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to focus and work hard for a long time
Example
He kept his **nose to the grindstone** and got promoted.
idiom

the tide has turned

Meaning
a situation has started to change in your favor
Example
After months of bad luck, **the tide has turned** for our team.
idiom

brainstorm an idea

Meaning
to discuss and think creatively to generate new ideas
Example
The teacher asked the class to **brainstorm ideas** for the project.
idiom

a front-page story

Meaning
a news story that is important enough to be placed on the front page of a newspaper
Example
The fire in the city center was **a front-page story** for the national newspapers.
idiom

A rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
When the economy improves, everyone benefits to some extent.
Example
When the new policies boosted trade, people said that **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
phrasal-verb

balance out trade deficits

Meaning
to equalize imports and exports to avoid economic imbalance
Example
The country is working to **balance out trade deficits** by boosting exports.
phrasal-verb

run around

Meaning
to play or move actively, especially as a child
Example
We used to **run around** the fields all day long.
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

bring up to speed

Meaning
to make someone or something fully informed or updated
Example
The new employees were **brought up to speed** on the company’s financial goals.
idiom

third time lucky

Meaning
succeeding after two failures
Example
He failed twice, but maybe he’ll be **third time lucky**.
idiom

pledge one's word

Meaning
to make a serious or formal promise
Example
He **pledged his word** to support the cause.
idiom

spin up

Meaning
to start something quickly, especially a system
Example
The IT team can **spin up** a test server in minutes.
idiom

jump to conclusions

Meaning
to make a decision without enough information
Example
Don’t **jump to conclusions** before hearing the whole story.
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

measure twice, cut once

Meaning
to plan carefully before taking action
Example
Before starting the project, he always says **measure twice, cut once**.
idiom

shoot from the hip

Meaning
to speak or act without thinking carefully
Example
He tends to **shoot from the hip** during meetings.
idiom

bottom line

Meaning
the most important point; the final result or profit
Example
The **bottom line** is that trade deficits are increasing.
phrasal-verb

lean forward

Meaning
to show interest and emotional engagement in a conversation
Example
She **leaned forward** and listened carefully to her friend’s worries.
phrasal-verb

stand against

Meaning
to oppose or resist something strongly
Example
He decided to **stand against** the unfair law.
idiom

a silver bullet

Meaning
a simple solution to a complex problem
Example
There is no **silver bullet** for solving climate change, but we need to take action.
idiom

show leadership

Meaning
to demonstrate leadership qualities or skills
Example
She was able to **show leadership** during the crisis and guide the team through tough times.
idiom

lose interest

Meaning
to stop being interested in something
Example
He quickly **lost interest** in the project.
phrasal-verb

choke up

Meaning
to become emotional and unable to speak
Example
He **choked up** while giving his farewell speech.
phrasal-verb

come up short

Meaning
to fail to meet a goal or expectation
Example
The team **came up short** in the final minutes of the game.
idiom

bail on

Meaning
to abandon someone or something suddenly
Example
He wouldn’t **bail on** his friends at the last minute.
phrasal-verb

draw energy from positivity

Meaning
to gain motivation and enthusiasm from positive thoughts or people
Example
You can **draw energy from positivity** around you.
idiom

out of bandwidth

Meaning
too busy or overwhelmed to handle more tasks
Example
I’m **out of bandwidth** today, can we talk tomorrow?
phrasal-verb

breathe in calmness

Meaning
to take deep breaths to feel relaxed and peaceful
Example
Take a moment to **breathe in calmness** and release your worries.
idiom

don't count your chickens before they hatch

Meaning
don't make plans for something that might not happen
Example
You should wait until you get the job offer before you start celebrating. **Don't count your chickens before they hatch**.
phrasal-verb

set off

Meaning
to start a journey
Example
We **set off** early in the morning to avoid traffic.
idiom

daydream about

Meaning
to imagine pleasant things while awake
Example
He often **daydreams about** living on a tropical island.
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

keep one's cards close to the chest

Meaning
to keep one's plans or intentions secret
Example
During the negotiations, she **kept her cards close to the chest**.
phrasal-verb

turn failure into

Meaning
to transform a failure into a learning or success opportunity
Example
He tried to **turn failure into** motivation for his next project.
phrasal-verb

bring up to date

Meaning
to give someone the latest information about something
Example
Can you **bring me up to date** on the latest news?
phrasal-verb

talk down worries

Meaning
to reduce anxious thoughts by speaking calmly
Example
We **talk down worries** together when a decision feels risky.
phrasal-verb

argue with

Meaning
to disagree or fight verbally with someone
Example
My brother often **argues with** me about household chores.
phrasal-verb

figure through

Meaning
to understand something by thinking about it carefully
Example
It took me a while to **figure through** what went wrong in the project.
phrasal-verb

keep offices aligned

Meaning
to ensure different branches follow the same plan
Example
We **keep offices aligned** with a daily global standup call.
phrasal-verb

lend support to

Meaning
to give help or approval to something
Example
Many celebrities **lend support to** environmental causes.
phrasal-verb

bring out confidence

Meaning
to help someone feel or show confidence
Example
A mentor’s guidance can **bring out confidence** in young professionals.
idiom

drive someone up the wall

Meaning
to make someone very annoyed or angry
Example
Her constant complaints **drive me up the wall**.
phrasal-verb

phase in innovation

Meaning
to introduce innovation gradually
Example
They decided to **phase in innovation** to minimize disruption.
phrasal-verb

allow for

Meaning
to consider possible factors when planning something
Example
When assessing risk, always **allow for** human error.
phrasal-verb

reply to

Meaning
to respond to a message or email
Example
I’ll **reply to** your email by the end of the day.
phrasal-verb

zone into calmness

Meaning
to focus your mind completely on peace and relaxation
Example
Meditation helps me **zone into calmness** after stressful meetings.
idiom

play a role

Meaning
to have a part in something
Example
Everyone **played a role** in making the show successful.
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

whip up

Meaning
to quickly prepare a meal
Example
She can **whip up** a healthy salad in minutes.
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**.
phrasal-verb

pass on to

Meaning
to give information or a message to someone else
Example
Could you **pass this on to** the manager before lunch?
idiom

leap forward

Meaning
a sudden and significant progress
Example
This innovation represents a **leap forward** in technology.
phrasal-verb

work towards

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve a particular goal
Example
He is **working towards** his dream of becoming a pilot.
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.
idiom

slow as a snail

Meaning
very slow or lazy in movement or action
Example
He walks **slow as a snail** in the morning.
phrasal-verb

talk over drinks

Meaning
to have a conversation while drinking together
Example
They **talked over drinks** about old memories.
idiom

sing the same tune

Meaning
to have the same opinion as someone else
Example
Both managers **sing the same tune** about company policy.
idiom

the life of the party

Meaning
a person who is lively, entertaining, and the center of attention at social gatherings
Example
Everyone loves Tom because he’s always **the life of the party**.
phrasal-verb

work across

Meaning
to collaborate or operate jointly across multiple regions or teams
Example
The NGO **works across** 20 countries to promote global education.
phrasal-verb

keep to

Meaning
to stick to something such as a rule or plan
Example
Please **keep to** the schedule.
phrasal-verb

lift off

Meaning
to start with great energy or enthusiasm
Example
Her confidence helped the project **lift off** successfully.
idiom

Change is the only constant

Meaning
Everything in life keeps changing; nothing stays the same.
Example
Don’t resist — change is the only constant.
phrasal-verb

run across

Meaning
to find or meet something or someone by chance
Example
I **ran across** an interesting article online.
idiom

the naked truth

Meaning
the complete and unvarnished truth
Example
She told me **the naked truth** about what happened.
idiom

a golden goose

Meaning
a source of continuous wealth or profit
Example
Their subscription service has become **a golden goose** for the company.
phrasal-verb

zero in on goals

Meaning
to focus all attention and effort on achieving something
Example
The team needs to **zero in on goals** to stay efficient.
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.
idiom

ring up

Meaning
to calculate and record a sale
Example
The cashier will **ring up** your items at the counter.
idiom

Keep a cool head

Meaning
to remain calm and not get too emotional
Example
In a crisis, it's important to **keep a cool head**.
idiom

sleep on

Meaning
to delay making a decision until the next day
Example
I'll **sleep on** it and let you know my answer tomorrow.
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.
idiom

carry the load

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult
Example
She had to **carry the load** after her manager resigned.
idiom

carry out one's duties

Meaning
to perform one's assigned tasks or responsibilities
Example
He always **carries out his duties** with honesty and dedication.
idiom

doubting Thomas

Meaning
a person who refuses to believe without proof
Example
He’s a **doubting Thomas**; he won’t believe it until he sees it himself.
phrasal-verb

be carried away

Meaning
to become so excited that you lose control of your feelings
Example
They got **carried away** during the celebration.
idiom

carry the weight of responsibility

Meaning
to bear the burden of an important duty or obligation
Example
As a team leader, he has to **carry the weight of responsibility**.
idiom

painting the town red

Meaning
to go out and enjoy oneself in a lively and extravagant way
Example
After the big win, we went out and started **painting the town red**.
idiom

helping hand

Meaning
assistance or support
Example
He offered a **helping hand** when I was struggling.
phrasal-verb

pray for

Meaning
to express hope or desire for something by praying
Example
We all **pray for** a better future.
phrasal-verb

fall over

Meaning
to lose balance and drop to the ground
Example
The baby **fell over** while trying to walk.
phrasal-verb

build towards

Meaning
to develop something gradually to reach a goal
Example
He is slowly **building towards** his dream project.
idiom

take heart

Meaning
to feel encouraged or more confident
Example
You should **take heart**; things will get better soon.
phrasal-verb

get down to

Meaning
to start doing something seriously
Example
It's time to **get down to** work and finish this report.
idiom

lie through one’s teeth

Meaning
to tell an obvious and bold lie
Example
He **lied through his teeth** when he said he was sick.
idiom

take it with a pinch of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He exaggerates a lot, so **take it with a pinch of salt**.
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

on the house

Meaning
free of charge; paid for by the establishment
Example
The drinks were **on the house** tonight.
idiom

beat oneself up

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

stand tall after failure

Meaning
to regain confidence and dignity after experiencing defeat
Example
Real growth happens when you **stand tall after failure**.
phrasal-verb

hang up

Meaning
to end a phone call
Example
He suddenly **hung up** without saying goodbye.
idiom

to be above board

Meaning
to be open and honest in your actions
Example
His dealings were always **above board**, and everyone trusted him.
phrasal-verb

think outside boundaries

Meaning
to think creatively without restrictions or limitations
Example
Designers must **think outside boundaries** to stay innovative.
phrasal-verb

work against

Meaning
to act in opposition to someone or something
Example
The new policy may **work against** small businesses.
idiom

hit the town

Meaning
to go out and enjoy with friends
Example
Let’s **hit the town** tonight and celebrate!
idiom

let your hair down

Meaning
to relax and enjoy yourself freely
Example
At the party, everyone **let their hair down**.
phrasal-verb

tear up

Meaning
to start crying a little
Example
She **teared up** during the emotional movie scene.
phrasal-verb

dress for

Meaning
to wear clothes suitable for a particular situation
Example
You should **dress for** success when going to a job interview.
idiom

second thoughts

Meaning
doubts or reconsideration about a decision
Example
I’m having **second thoughts** about moving abroad.
phrasal-verb

speak well of

Meaning
to praise someone or talk positively about them
Example
Everyone **speaks well of** the teacher who inspired them.
phrasal-verb

build credibility with

Meaning
to earn trust and respect from others
Example
It takes time to **build credibility with** your colleagues.
phrasal-verb

break off diplomatic ties

Meaning
to end official relations between countries
Example
The two nations decided to **break off diplomatic ties** after the border conflict.
phrasal-verb

work through pain

Meaning
to deal with emotional pain step by step until you heal
Example
He is still trying to **work through pain** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

take over from

Meaning
to assume responsibility from someone else
Example
After my father retired, I **took over from** him in managing family affairs.
phrasal-verb

draw back

Meaning
to move away; to hesitate or retreat from a situation
Example
She **drew back** when she realized how dangerous it was.
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

under the hood

Meaning
behind the surface; the underlying mechanism or system
Example
Developers love to see what’s **under the hood** of a new app.
phrasal-verb

track down errors

Meaning
to find the source of mistakes or problems
Example
Our developers worked late to **track down errors** in the system.
idiom

to put two and two together

Meaning
to figure something out from the facts
Example
She didn’t tell me directly, but I **put two and two together**.
idiom

The melting pot

Meaning
A place where many different cultures blend together
Example
New York is often called **the melting pot** of cultures.
phrasal-verb

bring down tariffs

Meaning
to reduce taxes on imports or exports
Example
The new agreement aims to **bring down tariffs** between the two nations.
idiom

Fortune favors the bold

Meaning
Those who take risks are more likely to be successful.
Example
Remember, **fortune favors the bold**, so don’t be afraid to invest in new opportunities.
phrasal-verb

vet out

Meaning
to examine something thoroughly to remove weak options
Example
We **vet out** risky proposals before they reach the board.
phrasal-verb

put forward

Meaning
to suggest an idea; to propose
Example
He **put forward** a new plan during the meeting.
idiom

beyond the pale

Meaning
outside acceptable rules or standards
Example
His behavior was **beyond the pale**.
idiom

When there’s a will, there’s a way

Meaning
If you are determined, you can find a way to achieve your goal.
Example
**When there’s a will, there’s a way**, and he proved it by finishing the race.
phrasal-verb

lay down guidelines

Meaning
to establish official rules or principles
Example
The economic council will **lay down guidelines** for fiscal discipline.
phrasal-verb

vote in

Meaning
to elect someone to a position through voting
Example
The people **voted in** a new government last year.
phrasal-verb

cut back on imports

Meaning
to reduce the amount of goods bought from abroad
Example
The country decided to **cut back on imports** to improve its trade balance.
phrasal-verb

float away stress

Meaning
to imagine your stress disappearing like something drifting away
Example
Visualize your worries and let them **float away** like clouds.
idiom

make a good impression

Meaning
to create a positive image of yourself in someone's mind
Example
You should dress well to **make a good impression**.