Cultural shock
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idiom

Cultural shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when exposed to a different culture or way of life
Example
Moving from a small village to a big city gave me **cultural shock**.
idiom

see red

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **saw red** when his computer crashed again.
idiom

by the skin of your teeth

Meaning
to just barely manage to do something
Example
He passed the exam **by the skin of his teeth**.
phrasal-verb

be indebted to

Meaning
to feel deeply thankful or obliged to someone
Example
I’ll always **be indebted to** my mentor for his guidance.
phrasal-verb

stay consistent

Meaning
to maintain steady effort and habits toward success
Example
If you **stay consistent**, your hard work will pay off.
idiom

start from scratch

Meaning
to begin again without any advantage or preparation
Example
They lost everything and had to **start from scratch**.
phrasal-verb

expose to

Meaning
to introduce someone to new experiences or ideas
Example
The program **exposes students to** global cultures and traditions.
phrasal-verb

smile at

Meaning
to express warmth or gratitude through a smile
Example
She **smiled at** me when I handed her the gift.
phrasal-verb

fall behind in exports

Meaning
to lag in selling goods to foreign countries
Example
The nation has **fallen behind in exports** due to weak demand abroad.
idiom

take a leaf out of someone’s book

Meaning
to imitate or follow someone’s good example
Example
Other cities should **take a leaf out of Copenhagen’s book** on eco-friendly transport.
phrasal-verb

break off talks

Meaning
to stop discussions or negotiations suddenly
Example
The two countries decided to **break off talks** after repeated disagreements.
idiom

the tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small visible part of a much larger problem
Example
The few complaints we received are just **the tip of the iceberg**.
idiom

follow through on

Meaning
to complete a task or promise as planned
Example
She always **follows through on** what she says she will do.
idiom

beat around the bush

Meaning
to avoid talking about the main topic
Example
Stop **beating around the bush** and tell me what happened.
idiom

mark up

Meaning
to increase the price of something
Example
Vendors plan to **mark up** prices during the festival.
phrasal-verb

keep calm

Meaning
to stay relaxed and not get angry or upset
Example
He tried to **keep calm** when everyone else was panicking.
idiom

street smart

Meaning
having practical intelligence and experience, not just book knowledge
Example
He may not have a degree, but he’s very **street smart**.
idiom

a happy camper

Meaning
a person who is content and satisfied with life
Example
After getting the job, he’s been **a happy camper**.
idiom

Go down the rabbit hole

Meaning
To get deeply involved in something, often unintentionally.
Example
I started reading about AI and **went down the rabbit hole** for hours.
idiom

cry your heart out

Meaning
to cry a lot due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

tune into cultures

Meaning
to understand and adapt to the ways people from different cultures communicate
Example
To work globally, you must **tune into cultures** beyond your own.
phrasal-verb

scale ideas globally

Meaning
to grow a concept so it works in many countries
Example
Innovators **scale ideas globally** once prototypes prove reliable.
idiom

go into orbit

Meaning
to become very excited or angry
Example
Mom **went into orbit** when she saw the mess in my room.
idiom

fan through

Meaning
to flip through pages quickly
Example
She **fanned through** the report to find the chart.
phrasal-verb

roll out infrastructure

Meaning
to implement or expand physical and digital infrastructure projects
Example
The government plans to **roll out infrastructure** projects across the country.
phrasal-verb

cut it out

Meaning
to stop doing something annoying or bad
Example
**Cut it out**! You’re being too noisy.
phrasal-verb

heap praise on

Meaning
to give a lot of praise to someone
Example
Critics **heaped praise on** the actor for his performance.
idiom

grab a bite

Meaning
to eat something quickly
Example
Let’s **grab a bite** before the meeting.
idiom

throw a wrench in the works

Meaning
to cause a problem that stops progress
Example
The last-minute design change **threw a wrench in the works**.
phrasal-verb

staff up for

Meaning
to hire additional people in preparation for something
Example
We need to **staff up for** the remote support launch.
idiom

live and learn

Meaning
to accept a mistake as a lesson for the future
Example
I lost my wallet again — well, **live and learn**.
idiom

machine minds

Meaning
refers to artificial intelligence systems capable of learning or thinking
Example
The rise of **machine minds** is reshaping industries worldwide.
idiom

a full plate

Meaning
to be very busy or have many things to do
Example
I can’t join the trip now; I’ve got **a full plate**.
idiom

draw a line

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

walk tall

Meaning
to behave confidently and proudly
Example
You have every reason to **walk tall** after your success.
idiom

black hat

Meaning
a hacker with malicious intent
Example
**Black hats** often exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain.
idiom

talk the same language

Meaning
to have similar ideas and understanding
Example
We get along because we **talk the same language**.
phrasal-verb

break into new markets

Meaning
to successfully enter a new market or industry
Example
The startup managed to **break into new markets** with its AI-powered tools.
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

be above board

Meaning
to act in an honest and open manner
Example
She is always **above board** in all her dealings.
idiom

on cloud nine

Meaning
extremely happy; overjoyed
Example
She was **on cloud nine** after getting the job.
idiom

add fuel to the fire

Meaning
to make a bad situation worse
Example
Your comments **added fuel to the fire**.
idiom

on your own shoulders

Meaning
to be responsible for something yourself
Example
The success of this event rests **on your own shoulders**.
idiom

have a whale of a time

Meaning
to have an extremely enjoyable time
Example
We **had a whale of a time** at the beach party.
idiom

keep your options open

Meaning
to delay making a final decision so you have choices
Example
I’ll **keep my options open** until I hear back from all the universities.
idiom

wear down

Meaning
to gradually weaken someone or something
Example
Constant delays can **wear down** even the calmest client.
phrasal-verb

believe in better days

Meaning
to stay positive that life will improve
Example
He always **believes in better days**, no matter how tough life gets.
idiom

draw attention

Meaning
to make people notice something
Example
The bright colors **draw attention** to the poster.
idiom

in full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or progress
Example
The dance rehearsal is **in full swing** before the big day.
phrasal-verb

detach from chaos

Meaning
to mentally separate yourself from stressful situations
Example
Sometimes you just need to **detach from chaos** to think clearly.
phrasal-verb

stay grounded

Meaning
to remain humble and emotionally balanced
Example
No matter how successful you become, always **stay grounded**.
phrasal-verb

quote from

Meaning
to repeat words from a person or source in speech or writing
Example
The news anchor **quoted from** the Prime Minister’s statement.
idiom

get over someone

Meaning
to recover from the pain of a breakup or loss
Example
It took her months to **get over** him.
phrasal-verb

call in

Meaning
to phone a place, especially work; to ask for help from someone
Example
I had to **call in** sick this morning.
idiom

justice is blind

Meaning
justice should be impartial and not influenced by wealth or power
Example
**Justice is blind**, and everyone should be treated equally under the law.
idiom

Break bread with someone

Meaning
To share a meal; to bond over food
Example
They decided to **break bread** to celebrate their new partnership.
idiom

it's not rocket science

Meaning
it's not difficult to understand
Example
You can learn to cook, **it's not rocket science**.
idiom

the best of both worlds

Meaning
a situation in which you can enjoy the advantages of two very different things at the same time
Example
She works in the city and lives in the country, so she gets **the best of both worlds**.
phrasal-verb

ease your nerves

Meaning
to make yourself feel less anxious or nervous
Example
Drinking herbal tea helps me **ease my nerves** before a big presentation.
idiom

dial in

Meaning
to connect to a meeting or call remotely
Example
I’ll **dial in** from the airport lounge.
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

burn your boats

Meaning
to commit yourself to a course of action without a way back
Example
He **burned his boats** when he quit his job to start a business.
phrasal-verb

drive up inflation

Meaning
to cause prices to increase rapidly
Example
Rising fuel costs have **driven up inflation** in many countries.
idiom

make small talk

Meaning
to have a casual conversation about unimportant topics
Example
We started to **make small talk** while waiting for the meeting to begin.
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.
phrasal-verb

lean into healing

Meaning
to actively engage in the process of emotional recovery
Example
It's okay to cry—**lean into healing** and allow yourself to grow.
idiom

online presence

Meaning
the existence and activity of a person or business on the internet
Example
A strong **online presence** is essential for digital marketing.
phrasal-verb

cut across

Meaning
to affect multiple areas or groups at once
Example
Climate change **cuts across** every sector of society.
idiom

back out of

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
He **backed out of** the trip at the last minute.
phrasal-verb

win over

Meaning
to persuade someone to support you or your ideas
Example
The candidate tried to **win over** the undecided voters.
idiom

out of one’s mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
He must be **out of his mind** to drive so fast in the rain.
phrasal-verb

put in

Meaning
to invest time or money into something
Example
She **put in** a lot of money to start her business.
phrasal-verb

turn right

Meaning
to change direction to the right
Example
**Turn right** after the traffic light and go past the gas station.
idiom

a cut above

Meaning
better than others; superior in quality or ability
Example
Her work is **a cut above** the rest.
phrasal-verb

come back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
When will you **come back** from London?
phrasal-verb

acknowledge someone for

Meaning
to recognize and thank someone for their help or contribution
Example
The company **acknowledged her for** her dedication and teamwork.
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

deal off

Meaning
to finish or complete a business transaction
Example
They finally **dealt off** the property last week.
idiom

hit the trail

Meaning
to start traveling or begin an adventure
Example
We’ll **hit the trail** early in the morning.
phrasal-verb

cut off from reality

Meaning
to be disconnected from what is real or practical
Example
He lives in his own world, completely **cut off from reality**.
idiom

get a good deal

Meaning
to buy something at a low price; to make a bargain
Example
I **got a good deal** on this phone online.
idiom

heart sinks

Meaning
to feel disappointed or sad suddenly
Example
My **heart sank** when I saw the exam result.
idiom

new kid on the block

Meaning
someone new to a place or situation
Example
He’s the **new kid on the block** in the company.
phrasal-verb

come together for

Meaning
to unite for a common purpose; to join efforts toward a shared goal
Example
Communities from all over the world **come together for** humanitarian causes.
phrasal-verb

write out

Meaning
to write something in full form
Example
Please **write out** your answers clearly in the exam sheet.
idiom

set down

Meaning
to place something or write something down
Example
**Set down** your ideas so we can review them.
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.
phrasal-verb

fill with

Meaning
to make someone experience a strong emotion
Example
The kind gesture **filled her with** gratitude.
idiom

hands are tied

Meaning
to be unable to act freely because of rules or restrictions
Example
The government’s **hands are tied** due to international trade laws.
phrasal-verb

wait for

Meaning
to expect or anticipate the delivery of an order
Example
I can’t **wait for** my new shoes to arrive.
phrasal-verb

lean on each other

Meaning
to rely on teammates for help or support
Example
In challenging projects, we often **lean on each other** for motivation.
phrasal-verb

get stuck in

Meaning
to become unable to move because of traffic or crowding
Example
We **got stuck in** traffic for over an hour.
phrasal-verb

phase in innovation

Meaning
to introduce innovation gradually
Example
They decided to **phase in innovation** to minimize disruption.
idiom

sing someone’s praises

Meaning
to speak highly of someone
Example
Everyone **sang her praises** after the performance.
phrasal-verb

climb up to

Meaning
to achieve a higher position or level of success
Example
He worked hard to **climb up to** the top position in the company.
idiom

chew someone out

Meaning
to angrily scold or criticize someone
Example
The coach **chewed out** the team for their poor performance.
idiom

a slippery slope

Meaning
a course of action that seems to lead to undesirable or dangerous consequences
Example
Starting to ignore small violations can lead to **a slippery slope** of bigger legal issues.
idiom

sworn enemies turned friends

Meaning
two people who used to dislike each other but became friends
Example
They were **sworn enemies turned friends** after college.
phrasal-verb

let go of fear

Meaning
to release or stop holding onto negative emotions like fear or anger
Example
He learned to **let go of fear** and move forward with hope.
idiom

ride out

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
We managed to **ride out** the storm without damage.
idiom

a penny saved is a penny earned

Meaning
saving money is just as valuable as earning it
Example
My grandfather always said, '**a penny saved is a penny earned**.'
idiom

key into

Meaning
to pay close attention to or understand something important
Example
Leaders must **key into** what customers value most.
idiom

save for a rainy day

Meaning
to save money for future emergencies
Example
You should **save for a rainy day**.
idiom

to have faith in yourself

Meaning
to trust your own abilities and potential
Example
If you want to succeed, you need to **have faith in yourself**.
phrasal-verb

scale into

Meaning
to invest gradually over time instead of all at once
Example
It's wise to **scale into** the market rather than investing everything at once.
idiom

lay off

Meaning
to dismiss someone from a job due to lack of work or money
Example
The company hopes to avoid having to **lay off** employees.
idiom

leave no stone unturned

Meaning
to do everything possible to achieve a goal
Example
The police **left no stone unturned** in their search for the missing child.
idiom

to boot up

Meaning
to start something; to begin working or functioning
Example
Let’s **boot up** the new project today and see how it goes.
phrasal-verb

go over again

Meaning
to review or repeat material for better understanding
Example
Let’s **go over again** the main points before the quiz.
idiom

Make a clean break

Meaning
To completely separate from something or someone, often for a fresh start.
Example
He decided to **make a clean break** from his old habits.
phrasal-verb

thank warmly

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

to weigh the pros and cons

Meaning
to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of something
Example
Before making a final decision, it's important to **weigh the pros and cons**.
phrasal-verb

cope under pressure

Meaning
to manage to function well even in stressful or difficult situations
Example
He learned to **cope under pressure** during tight deadlines.
phrasal-verb

merge into

Meaning
to combine or integrate into a single unit or system
Example
Regional economies are beginning to **merge into** a global network.
idiom

balance out

Meaning
to counteract or cancel the effect of something
Example
The extra volunteers should **balance out** the workload.
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

drop in on

Meaning
to visit someone casually and without an appointment
Example
We decided to **drop in on** our cousins while passing through their town.
idiom

piece of cake

Meaning
something very easy to do
Example
The exam was a **piece of cake** for her.
idiom

go along with

Meaning
to agree to something or support an idea
Example
I’ll **go along with** your plan since it sounds reasonable.
idiom

to pick someone's brain

Meaning
to ask someone questions in order to get information or advice
Example
I need to **pick your brain** about your experience with this software.
phrasal-verb

find peace with

Meaning
to accept something painful and stop being upset about it
Example
In time, she **found peace with** her past mistakes.