economic sanctions
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idiom

economic sanctions

Meaning
penalties imposed by one country on another to influence behavior
Example
The EU imposed **economic sanctions** to pressure the regime to reform.
idiom

the world is your oyster

Meaning
you can achieve anything you want in life
Example
With your talent, **the world is your oyster**.
phrasal-verb

stand firm

Meaning
to remain strong and not give up under pressure or doubt
Example
He decided to **stand firm** in his beliefs despite opposition.
idiom

run a tight ship

Meaning
to manage an organization or group efficiently and strictly
Example
The manager **runs a tight ship**, and everyone follows the rules.
idiom

bend the truth

Meaning
to slightly change the truth to make something sound better
Example
He tends to **bend the truth** when telling stories.
idiom

a piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a small part of a larger situation or problem
Example
Finding the right team is just **a piece of the puzzle** in creating a successful business.
phrasal-verb

take out on

Meaning
to use money for paying a loan or insurance
Example
He decided to **take out** life insurance after having a baby.
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.
phrasal-verb

roll out subsidies

Meaning
to introduce financial support programs for industries
Example
The government plans to **roll out subsidies** for renewable energy projects.
phrasal-verb

stand together for

Meaning
to unite in support of a common cause
Example
Nations **stand together for** climate action.
phrasal-verb

let emotions in

Meaning
to allow yourself to feel and process emotions
Example
Don’t block your feelings—**let emotions in** and deal with them.
phrasal-verb

build across

Meaning
to develop cooperation or structures that connect different entities globally
Example
They aim to **build across** regions to support innovation networks.
idiom

a bright spark

Meaning
a clever and intelligent person; someone with original ideas
Example
He's such **a bright spark**; he always finds innovative solutions.
phrasal-verb

vet out

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

minimum viable product

Meaning
the simplest version of a product that can be released to test an idea
Example
The team launched an **MVP (minimum viable product)** to gather user feedback.
idiom

give someone the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to trust someone even when you are not sure they are honest
Example
I will **give him the benefit of the doubt** this time.
phrasal-verb

die away

Meaning
to become weaker or quieter and finally stop
Example
The sound of thunder slowly **died away** in the distance.
phrasal-verb

dig around for

Meaning
to search through different places to find something
Example
I **dig around for** spare change when the vending machine only takes coins.
idiom

On a shoestring budget

Meaning
To live or do something with very little money.
Example
They traveled across Asia **on a shoestring budget**.
idiom

have nerves of steel

Meaning
to be very brave and calm under pressure
Example
A firefighter must **have nerves of steel** to face danger every day.
idiom

to hit it off

Meaning
to quickly become good friends
Example
We **hit it off** the moment we met.
idiom

crossing the ethical boundary

Meaning
to act in a way that goes beyond moral acceptability
Example
Using AI to manipulate emotions may be **crossing the ethical boundary**.
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.
idiom

black sheep

Meaning
a person who is considered a disgrace to a group or family
Example
He is the **black sheep** of the family.
phrasal-verb

tear up over

Meaning
to start crying because of strong emotions or memories
Example
He **tears up over** the things he didn’t say to his parents.
phrasal-verb

focus on strengths

Meaning
to concentrate on your positive qualities and abilities
Example
Try to **focus on strengths** instead of weaknesses.
idiom

go to seed

Meaning
to decline in quality or condition
Example
The old factory has really **gone to seed** over the years.
idiom

have a bone to pick

Meaning
to have a complaint or disagreement with someone
Example
I **have a bone to pick** with you about yesterday’s meeting.
phrasal-verb

move away from

Meaning
to stop focusing on or using something
Example
The economy is **moving away from** dependency on foreign aid.
phrasal-verb

pick apart from

Meaning
to separate or distinguish from others
Example
It’s hard to **pick her apart from** her twin sister.
idiom

hold the vision

Meaning
to maintain a clear sense of direction or goal
Example
Leaders who **hold the vision** can guide their teams through difficult times.
phrasal-verb

cut out for

Meaning
to be naturally suited for something
Example
She isn’t really **cut out for** long-distance running.
idiom

open a Pandora’s box

Meaning
to start something that causes many unexpected problems
Example
Unregulated AI development may **open a Pandora’s box** of ethical issues.
phrasal-verb

spark off

Meaning
to cause someone to feel excited or emotional
Example
The movie trailer **sparked off** huge excitement among fans.
idiom

head out

Meaning
to leave for a destination
Example
Let’s **head out** before the traffic gets heavy.
idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to **get their hands dirty** when necessary.
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.
phrasal-verb

hype up

Meaning
to promote or exaggerate something to create excitement
Example
The media **hyped up** the movie before its release.
phrasal-verb

back up initiatives

Meaning
to provide support or resources for new projects
Example
Global organizations **back up initiatives** that promote equality.
idiom

brighten up

Meaning
to become happier or more cheerful
Example
Her face **brightened up** when she saw her friends.
idiom

spring for

Meaning
to pay for something, especially as a treat for others
Example
I'll **spring for** dessert since it's your birthday.
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.
phrasal-verb

play around with

Meaning
to experiment with ideas, materials, or techniques
Example
She loves to **play around with** different colors to find new combinations.
idiom

tickled pink

Meaning
very pleased or delighted
Example
She was **tickled pink** by the surprise gift.
idiom

make a fortune

Meaning
to earn a lot of money
Example
She **made a fortune** selling handmade jewelry online.
phrasal-verb

celebrate with others

Meaning
to join in the cultural festivities of people from other backgrounds
Example
We should **celebrate with others** to appreciate their culture and values.
idiom

nurture talent

Meaning
to help someone's skills and abilities grow and develop
Example
A great mentor knows how to **nurture talent** and help their mentees grow.
phrasal-verb

clear out

Meaning
to get rid of unnecessary things to feel mentally refreshed
Example
I like to **clear out** my desk when I'm feeling stressed.
phrasal-verb

get started on

Meaning
to begin working on something
Example
It's time to **get started on** your morning routine.
idiom

In the know

Meaning
Having information that most people do not have.
Example
She’s always **in the know** about company secrets.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
idiom

in the red

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

judge, jury, and executioner

Meaning
to control all parts of judging and punishing someone
Example
He acted as **judge, jury, and executioner** in the matter.
idiom

get to the bottom of it

Meaning
to find the real reason or cause of something
Example
Let’s **get to the bottom of it** before making any decision.
idiom

stab someone in the back

Meaning
to betray someone who trusts you
Example
I can’t believe he **stabbed me in the back** after all I did for him.
idiom

take the law into one's own hands

Meaning
to seek justice personally rather than through legal authorities
Example
The villagers decided to **take the law into their own hands** and punished the thief.
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.
phrasal-verb

share experiences with

Meaning
to tell or exchange stories and traditions with others
Example
He loves to **share experiences with** people from different backgrounds.
idiom

a walking encyclopedia

Meaning
a person who knows a lot about many subjects
Example
Ask him anything about history—he’s **a walking encyclopedia**.
phrasal-verb

step into your power

Meaning
to embrace your strength, potential, and confidence fully
Example
She finally decided to **step into her power** and take charge of her life.
idiom

green thumb

Meaning
a natural talent for gardening or growing plants
Example
My mother has a **green thumb**; everything she plants grows beautifully.
phrasal-verb

dig in for

Meaning
to prepare yourself for sustained effort
Example
The team **digs in for** late nights ahead of launch week.
phrasal-verb

call for change

Meaning
to demand reforms or modifications in policy or system
Example
The activists **called for change** in the voting system.
phrasal-verb

bring out differences

Meaning
to recognize and appreciate distinct qualities
Example
Workshops help **bring out differences** as strengths rather than weaknesses.
phrasal-verb

hold out hope

Meaning
to continue to believe that something good will happen
Example
We still **hold out hope** that she’ll recover soon.
phrasal-verb

take in

Meaning
to provide shelter or care to someone; to allow someone to stay in your home
Example
After the storm, they decided to **take in** their neighbors who lost their house.
idiom

Hear something on the grapevine

Meaning
To hear gossip or unofficial news.
Example
I **heard on the grapevine** that she’s leaving the company.
phrasal-verb

grow through

Meaning
to become stronger or wiser because of difficult experiences
Example
We often **grow through** the pain we experience.
idiom

a little bird told me

Meaning
someone told me something secretly
Example
A **little bird told me** that you got a new job.
phrasal-verb

call for

Meaning
to demand or request something publicly
Example
The citizens **called for** fair elections and transparency.
phrasal-verb

be grateful for

Meaning
to feel thankful for something
Example
I’m really **grateful for** all your support.
idiom

Break with tradition

Meaning
To do something in a different way from what is usually done
Example
The couple decided to **break with tradition** and have a small wedding on the beach.
idiom

hand in glove

Meaning
working closely and harmoniously together
Example
The two partners work **hand in glove** to achieve their goals.
idiom

fall flat

Meaning
to fail completely
Example
His idea **fell flat** because nobody liked it.
phrasal-verb

tune into positivity

Meaning
to focus your attention on positive thoughts or feelings
Example
Each morning, **tune into positivity** before starting your work.
idiom

silver surfer

Meaning
an older person who uses the internet regularly
Example
My grandmother is a **silver surfer** who loves social media.
idiom

make someone green

Meaning
to make someone jealous
Example
Her success **made her colleagues green**.
phrasal-verb

branch globally

Meaning
to expand or operate in multiple countries or regions
Example
The company hopes to **branch globally** within the next five years.
phrasal-verb

deal off

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

be like family

Meaning
to be as close as family members
Example
My best friend is **like family** to me.
phrasal-verb

warm up emotionally

Meaning
to start feeling comfortable enough to share your emotions
Example
It took a while for him to **warm up emotionally** after the breakup.
idiom

write one’s own story

Meaning
to shape one’s own destiny or path in life
Example
She chose to **write her own story** instead of following tradition.
idiom

back out

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or commitment
Example
They can’t **back out** after signing the contract.
idiom

move forward

Meaning
to continue with progress after a delay or challenge
Example
After reviewing the feedback, we can **move forward** with the design.
phrasal-verb

work toward harmony

Meaning
to make efforts to maintain peace and understanding among nations
Example
The regional alliance continues to **work toward harmony** in the area.
phrasal-verb

open up emotionally

Meaning
to allow others to see your feelings or emotional state
Example
He started to **open up emotionally** after therapy.
idiom

pull oneself up by the bootstraps

Meaning
to improve one's situation through hard work and determination
Example
Despite all the challenges, he **pulled himself up by the bootstraps** and succeeded.
phrasal-verb

work around challenges

Meaning
to find a way to deal with or bypass difficulties during change
Example
We had to **work around challenges** to complete the migration.
phrasal-verb

keep away

Meaning
to stay at a distance; to avoid something or someone
Example
You should **keep away** from junk food if you want to stay healthy.
idiom

be a good sport

Meaning
to be fair and positive in difficult situations
Example
Even when she lost the game, she was **a good sport** and congratulated the winner.
phrasal-verb

swap in healthier sides

Meaning
to replace part of a meal with a healthier option
Example
We **swap in healthier sides** like roasted veggies instead of fries.
phrasal-verb

fight for

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

beat oneself up

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

open-hearted

Meaning
kind and honest in expressing feelings
Example
She is an **open-hearted** person who always listens.
idiom

old friends are gold

Meaning
old friends are precious and valuable
Example
I always say, **old friends are gold**.
idiom

bloom where you’re planted

Meaning
make the best of your current situation
Example
Even in tough times, she **blooms where she’s planted**.
idiom

pull out all the stops

Meaning
to make every possible effort to achieve something
Example
The team **pulled out all the stops** to win the championship.
phrasal-verb

focus inward

Meaning
to concentrate on your inner thoughts and emotions
Example
When I feel overwhelmed, I try to **focus inward**.
idiom

stretch the truth

Meaning
to exaggerate or make something seem more important than it is
Example
He sometimes **stretches the truth** to impress people.
phrasal-verb

dig for facts

Meaning
to search carefully to discover true information
Example
Investigators **dig for facts** when a report seems unclear.
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

parcel out

Meaning
to divide and distribute something
Example
Let’s **parcel out** the tasks for the festival.
idiom

reach for the moon

Meaning
to set very high goals
Example
Don’t be afraid to **reach for the moon**.
phrasal-verb

take up meditation

Meaning
to start practicing meditation
Example
I recently **took up meditation** to reduce stress and feel more peaceful.
idiom

a smoke-filled room

Meaning
a place where powerful people make secret political decisions
Example
The policy was decided in **a smoke-filled room**, not in public.
phrasal-verb

shift focus away from

Meaning
to direct your attention away from something that causes anxiety
Example
When you feel nervous, **shift focus away from** your fears and onto your breathing.
idiom

Masterpiece

Meaning
A work of outstanding artistry or craftsmanship.
Example
The sculpture he created is truly a **masterpiece**.
phrasal-verb

copy out

Meaning
to write something again exactly as it is
Example
The students were asked to **copy out** the paragraph neatly.
idiom

I’d say

Meaning
used to express a considered opinion
Example
**I’d say** this is the best option we have.
phrasal-verb

tie to

Meaning
to connect closely with something
Example
Many local festivals are **tied to** historical events.
phrasal-verb

channel energy into

Meaning
to direct your effort toward a specific goal
Example
He **channels energy into** creative hobbies to relieve stress.
phrasal-verb

open doors to

Meaning
to create opportunities for cultural connection or understanding
Example
Cultural exchange programs **open doors to** meaningful friendships worldwide.
phrasal-verb

sync expectations up

Meaning
to make sure everyone understands the same plan
Example
Let's **sync expectations up** before we send the proposal.
idiom

feel like a new person

Meaning
to feel refreshed and healthy again
Example
After a good night’s sleep, I **feel like a new person**.
idiom

nitpick

Meaning
to find small, unimportant faults in something
Example
Stop **nitpicking** every little mistake I make!
phrasal-verb

fall under

Meaning
to be included in a category; to be controlled by someone
Example
This issue **falls under** the HR department’s responsibility.
idiom

jumpy as a cat

Meaning
easily frightened or nervous
Example
He’s been **jumpy as a cat** since the robbery.
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

sound out about

Meaning
to ask people for their opinions on something
Example
Let's **sound out about** the new comment policy before we publish it.
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

think back on

Meaning
to remember or recall something from the past
Example
When I **think back on** that day, I realize how careless I was.