cross the aisle
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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

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

Plow the field

Meaning
To prepare for future work or success.
Example
Before launching the product, we need to **plow the field** with proper research.
phrasal-verb

carry off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
She managed to **carry off** the project despite all the challenges.
phrasal-verb

fall into

Meaning
to begin doing something; to be caught in a situation
Example
She **fell into** bad habits during the lockdown.
phrasal-verb

spread awareness about

Meaning
to share information to make people more conscious about something
Example
The NGO works hard to **spread awareness about** climate change.
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

troll someone

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

comfort with

Meaning
to make someone feel better by offering kind words or actions
Example
He **comforted her with** gentle words when she was crying.
idiom

Dressed to kill

Meaning
Wearing very fashionable or attractive clothes
Example
She was **dressed to kill** at the party last night.
idiom

fall in with

Meaning
to join or agree with a group or plan
Example
She decided to **fall in with** the volunteer crew for the weekend.
idiom

rant and rave

Meaning
to shout and complain loudly
Example
He was **ranting and raving** about the bad service.
B1 idiom

fish out of water

Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Meaning
Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Example
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
idiom

show someone the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a task
Example
She took the time to **show me the ropes** on my first day at work.
phrasal-verb

fall into place

Meaning
to start to happen in a satisfactory way
Example
After months of hard work, everything finally **fell into place**.
idiom

to hit the nail on the head

Meaning
to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem
Example
When she pointed out the lack of communication, she really **hit the nail on the head**.
phrasal-verb

soak in positivity

Meaning
to absorb good energy and positive thoughts
Example
Surround yourself with good people and **soak in positivity**.
idiom

bring luck

Meaning
to cause good fortune
Example
This bracelet is said to **bring luck** to whoever wears it.
phrasal-verb

burst apart

Meaning
to explode with emotion such as laughter or tears
Example
The whole group **burst apart** laughing at his joke.
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.
phrasal-verb

break language barriers

Meaning
to overcome difficulties in communication due to language differences
Example
Translation apps help travelers **break language barriers** easily.
phrasal-verb

sink into

Meaning
to gradually become deeply involved in a negative emotion
Example
She **sank into** depression after losing her job.
phrasal-verb

build up energy

Meaning
to increase your strength or motivation over time
Example
Regular rest helps you **build up energy** for the next day.
idiom

out of orbit

Meaning
beyond control; off the usual path
Example
The project went **out of orbit** after the manager left.
phrasal-verb

bubble over

Meaning
to show excitement or happiness in an obvious way
Example
The children were **bubbling over** with joy on the last day of school.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
idiom

down the road

Meaning
in the future
Example
We may expand to other countries **down the road**.
phrasal-verb

top off with

Meaning
to finish something by adding a final touch
Example
We always **top off with** fresh herbs before serving the soup.
idiom

toe the party line

Meaning
to follow the official policies or opinions of one’s political party
Example
Members of parliament are expected to **toe the party line** during the vote.
phrasal-verb

dress up for

Meaning
to wear fancy or formal clothes for an occasion
Example
Everyone **dressed up for** the annual gala dinner.
idiom

a heart of steel

Meaning
someone who is emotionally strong and unyielding
Example
Despite all the challenges, he handled everything with **a heart of steel**.
idiom

fine-tune

Meaning
to make small adjustments to improve performance
Example
The team **fine-tuned** the design before the final launch.
idiom

step on the gas

Meaning
to move faster; to hurry up
Example
We need to **step on the gas** if we want to reach on time.
idiom

get your foot in the door

Meaning
to make a first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
She finally **got her foot in the door** at a top firm.
phrasal-verb

map against

Meaning
to compare something with a standard or benchmark
Example
Finance **maps against** last year's numbers before approving raises.
phrasal-verb

dip down

Meaning
to fall slightly before rising again
Example
Stock prices **dipped down** briefly before rebounding.
phrasal-verb

fall into recession

Meaning
to enter a period of economic decline
Example
The global economy may **fall into recession** if inflation continues to rise.
phrasal-verb

brief the crew on

Meaning
to give a group the essential information about something
Example
Leads **brief the crew on** new safety rules before shifts start.
phrasal-verb

center on

Meaning
to focus attention or thoughts on something; to make something the main point
Example
Try to **center on** the positive aspects of your life instead of the negatives.
idiom

keep it under wraps

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

sketchy details

Meaning
information that is incomplete or unclear
Example
The witness gave only **sketchy details** about the incident.
idiom

set your sights high

Meaning
to aim for something ambitious
Example
Always **set your sights high** if you want to grow.
idiom

stand by someone

Meaning
to remain loyal or supportive
Example
True friends **stand by** each other in hard times.
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

lay your cards on the table

Meaning
to be open and honest about your intentions or plans
Example
Let’s **lay our cards on the table** and discuss this honestly.
idiom

to have hope in one's heart

Meaning
to remain hopeful and optimistic about the future
Example
Despite all the challenges, he always **has hope in his heart**.
phrasal-verb

thank for

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

let go of regret

Meaning
to release feelings of guilt or regret about the past
Example
He finally learned to **let go of regret** and focus on the future.
phrasal-verb

speak for unity

Meaning
to express opinions promoting global harmony and understanding
Example
Leaders often **speak for unity** at international forums.
idiom

lay down

Meaning
to establish a rule or principle
Example
The manager **laid down** clear guidelines for remote work.
phrasal-verb

capitalize on opportunities

Meaning
to take advantage of favorable situations to gain profit
Example
Smart investors always **capitalize on** opportunities in the market.
phrasal-verb

filter in calmness

Meaning
to gradually bring peace or calm into your mind
Example
Meditation helps **filter in calmness** during stress.
idiom

a global village

Meaning
the world considered as a single community due to technology and communication
Example
The internet has turned the world into **a global village**.
idiom

trade off

Meaning
to balance between two opposing things; to compromise
Example
Globalization involves a **trade off** between efficiency and equality.
phrasal-verb

draw upon

Meaning
to use information or experience from the past for a new purpose
Example
Innovators often **draw upon** their previous failures to find success.
phrasal-verb

get across to

Meaning
to make someone understand something clearly
Example
It’s hard to **get across to** customer service that the product is faulty.
phrasal-verb

soak in

Meaning
to fully enjoy or appreciate a positive feeling or moment
Example
She closed her eyes to **soak in** the beauty of the sunset.
phrasal-verb

smooth out

Meaning
to make emotions or problems less rough or intense
Example
Time will **smooth out** the pain you’re feeling now.
idiom

A Romeo

Meaning
A passionate lover or a romantic man.
Example
He acts like **a Romeo** around her.
idiom

a chip off the old block

Meaning
someone who is very similar to their parent
Example
Your daughter is so smart — she’s **a chip off the old block**.
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.
phrasal-verb

follow on from

Meaning
to happen or result from something that was done earlier
Example
This report **follows on from** our last quarter’s findings.
phrasal-verb

shape up

Meaning
to improve physical condition; to get fit
Example
He’s been going to the gym regularly to **shape up** before summer.
phrasal-verb

file on deadline

Meaning
to submit a story right at the required time
Example
Reporters **file on deadline** even when storms slow travel.
idiom

old friend

Meaning
a friend you have known for a long time
Example
I met an **old friend** from college yesterday.
idiom

training the model

Meaning
to teach an AI system how to make predictions by feeding it data
Example
We spent weeks **training the model** before deployment.
phrasal-verb

scale up operations

Meaning
to expand the size or capacity of business or production
Example
To meet global demand, the company decided to **scale up operations**.
idiom

get a second wind

Meaning
to have a burst of energy after feeling tired
Example
After a short break, she **got a second wind** and finished the race.
idiom

break down the problem

Meaning
to analyze a problem step by step
Example
Let’s **break down the problem** to understand it better.
phrasal-verb

own up to mistakes

Meaning
to admit errors openly so they can be fixed
Example
Good leaders **own up to mistakes** before they snowball.
idiom

lay into

Meaning
to criticize someone harshly
Example
Instead of **laying into** the intern, offer some guidance.
idiom

well-oiled machine

Meaning
something that operates smoothly and efficiently
Example
Our engineering team runs like a **well-oiled machine**.
idiom

full of the joys of spring

Meaning
very happy and energetic
Example
She’s **full of the joys of spring** after her vacation.
phrasal-verb

take away

Meaning
to remove something; to make someone learn or remember something
Example
What did you **take away** from the meeting?
idiom

Speaking personally

Meaning
Expressing one’s personal view or opinion
Example
Speaking personally, I wouldn’t take that risk.
phrasal-verb

hold it in

Meaning
to stop yourself from showing emotion
Example
He tried to **hold it in**, but the tears came anyway.
phrasal-verb

go by

Meaning
to pass (about time); to follow or be guided by something
Example
As the years **go by**, we learn more about ourselves.
phrasal-verb

push on

Meaning
to continue despite difficulties or fatigue
Example
Even when she felt exhausted, she decided to **push on** with her goals.
phrasal-verb

hear about

Meaning
to receive information and respond with appreciation or gratitude
Example
I was happy to **hear about** your help with the project—thank you!
phrasal-verb

carry on through

Meaning
to continue despite difficulties or emotional pain
Example
He managed to **carry on through** the tough times.
phrasal-verb

draw on experience

Meaning
to use one’s past knowledge or experience as a resource
Example
She **drew on her experience** to guide the brainstorming session.
idiom

in the red

Meaning
to be in debt; losing money
Example
After the pandemic, many small businesses were **in the red**.
phrasal-verb

look after

Meaning
to take care of someone or something
Example
I have to **look after** my grandparents at the weekend.
phrasal-verb

stick around for

Meaning
to stay nearby or remain present, usually to spend more time together
Example
Why don’t you **stick around for** a while and have coffee with us?
idiom

sell someone out

Meaning
to betray someone for personal gain
Example
He **sold me out** to save himself.
idiom

time warp

Meaning
a situation where time seems to stop or move differently
Example
That old town feels like it’s stuck in a **time warp**.
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.
idiom

shoulder to cry on

Meaning
Someone who listens and comforts you when you’re upset.
Example
After her breakup, Emma needed a **shoulder to cry on**.
phrasal-verb

open up to

Meaning
to become more willing to accept or consider new ideas, cultures, or people
Example
As globalization spread, many countries began to **open up to** cultural exchange.
phrasal-verb

pour into

Meaning
to invest large amounts of money into something
Example
Investors are **pouring into** renewable energy projects.
phrasal-verb

flatten out

Meaning
to stop increasing or decreasing and stay at the same level
Example
After years of fluctuation, growth has **flattened out**.
phrasal-verb

keep at

Meaning
to continue doing something with determination
Example
If you **keep at** your practice, you’ll master it soon.
phrasal-verb

set out on

Meaning
to begin a journey or activity with a particular goal
Example
She **set out on** her dream to start a handmade jewelry business.
idiom

There's no 'I' in team

Meaning
Emphasizing that teamwork is important, and it is not about individual glory.
Example
Remember, in a project, **there's no 'I' in team**.
idiom

steer someone in the right direction

Meaning
to guide someone towards the correct path or decision
Example
The senior manager helped **steer me in the right direction** when I was unsure about the project.
phrasal-verb

build confidence within

Meaning
to strengthen your belief in yourself from the inside
Example
Through practice and reflection, you can **build confidence within**.
idiom

put on a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be confident or happy when you are not
Example
She **put on a brave face** even after hearing the bad news.
idiom

Out of curiosity

Meaning
Because of a desire to know or learn something.
Example
I asked him **out of curiosity**, not to interfere.
idiom

corner the market

Meaning
to dominate a particular market
Example
They’ve managed to **corner the market** in organic products.
idiom

a peaceful resolution

Meaning
a solution that resolves a conflict calmly
Example
They reached **a peaceful resolution** after several discussions.
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.
phrasal-verb

ground yourself before speaking

Meaning
to center your emotions so you can communicate steadily
Example
I **ground myself before speaking** in tense meetings by noting three positives.
phrasal-verb

carry down

Meaning
to bring something from a higher place to a lower place
Example
Could you **carry down** that box from the shelf?
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

give someone a shot in the arm

Meaning
to boost someone’s confidence or enthusiasm
Example
The victory **gave the team a shot in the arm** before the final.
idiom

hand down

Meaning
to pass something to someone of a later generation
Example
My grandmother **handed down** this recipe to me.
idiom

run down

Meaning
to feel tired or exhausted due to overwork or illness
Example
You look a bit **run down**; you should get some rest.
idiom

to teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something they are set in their ways about
Example
It’s hard to **teach an old dog new tricks** when it comes to new technology.
phrasal-verb

catch on quickly

Meaning
to understand new concepts or ideas fast
Example
She **catches on quickly** when it comes to math problems.
idiom

political mileage

Meaning
advantage gained from a political situation
Example
Opposition leaders tried to gain **political mileage** from the crisis.
idiom

down to earth

Meaning
practical and realistic
Example
Despite her fame, she’s very **down to earth**.
idiom

mend a broken heart

Meaning
to heal from emotional pain after a breakup
Example
It takes time to **mend a broken heart**.
idiom

draw down

Meaning
to reduce the level or amount of something
Example
We plan to **draw down** inventory over the summer.
phrasal-verb

let in

Meaning
to allow someone to know your true thoughts or feelings
Example
She rarely **lets anyone in** because she fears getting hurt.
phrasal-verb

turn setbacks into opportunities

Meaning
to use failure as a chance for growth
Example
True leaders **turn setbacks into opportunities** to learn and improve.
idiom

Economic bubble

Meaning
A situation where asset prices rise far above their real value.
Example
The housing **economic bubble** burst in 2008, causing a global crisis.
idiom

on the fast track

Meaning
advancing quickly in a career or project
Example
He is **on the fast track** to becoming a manager.
phrasal-verb

cheer forward

Meaning
to encourage someone to continue with confidence or hope
Example
Let’s **cheer forward** our team even if they’re losing!
phrasal-verb

throw to

Meaning
to pass something to someone by throwing; to hand over responsibility
Example
The host **threw to** the reporter at the scene.
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.
idiom

get worked up

Meaning
to become upset or angry about something
Example
Don’t **get worked up** over minor mistakes.