fall on one's shoulders
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idiom

fall on one's shoulders

Meaning
to be responsible for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
The task of organizing the event **fell on her shoulders**.
idiom

a rollercoaster of emotions

Meaning
to experience very high and very low emotional states in a short time
Example
The week was **a rollercoaster of emotions**, with moments of joy and sadness.
idiom

Burning question

Meaning
An important or urgent question that people are eager to know.
Example
The **burning question** is whether the plan will actually work.
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

pull the strings

Meaning
to control or influence someone or something secretly
Example
He got the job because his uncle **pulled the strings**.
idiom

Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth

Meaning
To be born into a wealthy family.
Example
He never had to struggle; he was **born with a silver spoon in his mouth**.
phrasal-verb

back up investment

Meaning
to support financial or business initiatives with funding
Example
Private investors **backed up investment** in green energy projects.
phrasal-verb

do up

Meaning
to fasten something such as buttons or laces; to decorate or renovate
Example
Can you help me **do up** the back of my dress?
idiom

bottom line

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

make history

Meaning
to do something very important that will be remembered
Example
The young scientist **made history** by discovering a new planet.
idiom

ahead of time

Meaning
before the expected or planned time
Example
She finished her work **ahead of time**.
idiom

make a comeback

Meaning
to return to success after a period of failure
Example
After a year of struggle, the team managed to **make a comeback** and won the championship.
idiom

save time

Meaning
to reduce the time needed for something
Example
Using shortcuts can **save time** when typing.
idiom

Building castles in the air

Meaning
To have unrealistic or impractical plans or dreams.
Example
She’s always **building castles in the air**, dreaming of a perfect world.
idiom

green-eyed with envy

Meaning
showing strong jealousy
Example
They were **green-eyed with envy** at her luxurious lifestyle.
idiom

a miscarriage of justice

Meaning
a wrong or unfair decision by a court
Example
The innocent man’s imprisonment was **a miscarriage of justice**.
idiom

addiction to something

Meaning
a strong and harmful need to do or use something
Example
He is struggling with his **addiction to smoking**.
idiom

come a long way

Meaning
to make a lot of progress or improvement
Example
She has **come a long way** since she started her career.
idiom

come clean

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you have been hiding
Example
He finally **came clean** about what happened.
phrasal-verb

look down on oneself

Meaning
to think poorly of oneself because of guilt or regret
Example
After the mistake, she began to **look down on herself** constantly.
idiom

Know it all

Meaning
Someone who acts as if they know everything.
Example
He’s such a **know it all**, it’s annoying.
phrasal-verb

choke up

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

back up ideas

Meaning
to support or defend someone’s ideas or opinions
Example
During the discussion, teammates **backed up** each other's ideas confidently.
idiom

cutting-edge marketing

Meaning
using the latest and most advanced marketing techniques
Example
Our company invests in **cutting-edge marketing** strategies.
idiom

cross the line

Meaning
to do something that is considered unacceptable
Example
He **crossed the line** when he insulted her in front of everyone.
phrasal-verb

shout at

Meaning
to raise your voice in anger at someone
Example
Don’t **shout at** me, I didn’t do anything wrong!
idiom

firewall

Meaning
A security system designed to protect a network from unauthorized access.
Example
The company installed a **firewall** to protect sensitive data from cyber attacks.
phrasal-verb

step beyond

Meaning
to go further than expected or allowed
Example
Her creativity always **steps beyond** traditional boundaries.
phrasal-verb

light up with emotion

Meaning
to show a strong positive emotion on your face suddenly
Example
Her face **lit up with emotion** when she saw her mother.
idiom

Know something inside out

Meaning
To know something very well
Example
She **knows the syllabus inside out**.
idiom

pull yourself together

Meaning
to regain control of your emotions or behavior
Example
Stop crying and **pull yourself together** – we need to find a solution.
phrasal-verb

fill in

Meaning
to provide missing information; to substitute for someone temporarily
Example
Can you **fill in** for me at the meeting tomorrow?
phrasal-verb

stand by

Meaning
to support or remain loyal to someone, especially in difficult times
Example
She always **stands by** her brother no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

evolve from

Meaning
to develop or change gradually from a previous form or condition
Example
Modern customs often **evolve from** ancient traditions.
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**.
phrasal-verb

pin down answers

Meaning
to get clear responses to specific questions
Example
We **pin down answers** during the call so nothing stays vague.
phrasal-verb

embrace vulnerability

Meaning
to accept and express your weaknesses or emotions openly
Example
Emotional growth starts when you **embrace vulnerability**.
phrasal-verb

reach out within

Meaning
to connect with people inside an organization for collaboration
Example
Leaders need to **reach out within** to build trust among teams.
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

do time

Meaning
to spend time in prison
Example
He had to **do time** for his crimes.
idiom

in the clear

Meaning
not guilty or free from suspicion
Example
After the investigation, he was found to be **in the clear**.
idiom

in the back of one's mind

Meaning
thinking about something without giving it full attention
Example
I've always had this idea **in the back of my mind**, but never really acted on it.
phrasal-verb

work with

Meaning
to cooperate or collaborate with someone
Example
I really enjoy **working with** this creative team.
idiom

To offer the olive branch

Meaning
To make peace with someone after a conflict
Example
After their argument, he decided to **offer the olive branch** and apologize.
idiom

upgrade your mindset

Meaning
to adapt one’s thinking for modern changes or innovation
Example
In the age of AI, it’s vital to **upgrade your mindset**.
phrasal-verb

rise from

Meaning
to recover or improve after a setback or loss
Example
She **rose from** her failures stronger than before.
idiom

narrow down

Meaning
to reduce a list of options to a smaller number
Example
We’ve **narrowed down** the candidates to the final three.
phrasal-verb

bring closer

Meaning
to strengthen the emotional connection between people
Example
Sharing personal stories can **bring** friends **closer**.
idiom

keep your eyes on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal despite difficulties
Example
Even during tough times, she **kept her eyes on the prize**.
phrasal-verb

weigh against

Meaning
to compare different opinions before expressing your own
Example
Before responding, I’d like to **weigh against** all the arguments made.
idiom

enter stage left

Meaning
to appear or arrive dramatically in a situation
Example
Just when things got complicated, **enter stage left**—our new competitor!
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.
phrasal-verb

shift mindset

Meaning
to change the way one thinks about something
Example
Leaders must **shift mindset** to embrace innovation.
idiom

Never give up

Meaning
Always continue trying despite difficulties.
Example
No matter how hard it is, **never give up**.
idiom

take the cake

Meaning
to be the best or most outstanding
Example
Among all the entries, your design really **takes the cake**.
idiom

give someone a warm welcome

Meaning
to greet someone very kindly and enthusiastically
Example
They **gave us a warm welcome** when we arrived.
phrasal-verb

zone yourself in

Meaning
to focus deeply on something to forget stress
Example
I **zone myself in** on painting to relax my mind.
phrasal-verb

rise early

Meaning
to get up early in the morning regularly
Example
He tries to **rise early** to make the most of his day.
idiom

a flash in the pan

Meaning
something that seems promising at first but fails to deliver
Example
The peace talks were just **a flash in the pan**.
phrasal-verb

warn against

Meaning
to advise someone not to do something risky or harmful
Example
Experts **warn against** sharing passwords online.
idiom

Pay dividends

Meaning
To bring benefits or rewards later.
Example
Investing in education always **pays dividends** in the long run.
phrasal-verb

warm up to gratitude

Meaning
to gradually become more appreciative or thankful
Example
He **warmed up to gratitude** after realizing how much support he had.
idiom

in the money

Meaning
to suddenly have a lot of money
Example
After winning the lottery, they were **in the money**.
idiom

hold the reins

Meaning
to be in control of something or in charge of a situation
Example
She’s the one who **holds the reins** of the team, making sure everything runs smoothly.
phrasal-verb

stand together

Meaning
to unite and act as one in support of a cause
Example
Communities must **stand together** to fight social injustice.
idiom

do the right thing by someone

Meaning
to treat someone fairly and with respect
Example
It's important to always **do the right thing by your colleagues**.
idiom

art imitates life

Meaning
art reflects real-life experiences or truths
Example
**Art imitates life**, and great artists capture that essence.
idiom

opt in

Meaning
to choose to participate
Example
Employees can **opt in** to the wellness program.
idiom

to my mind

Meaning
in my personal opinion or belief
Example
**To my mind**, this plan will work perfectly.
idiom

reinvent the wheel

Meaning
to waste time creating something that already exists
Example
Don’t **reinvent the wheel**; use the existing design.
idiom

lost in translation

Meaning
when the meaning is lost or changed in translation or communication
Example
The humor was **lost in translation** when the movie was dubbed.
phrasal-verb

post up

Meaning
to upload or share something online
Example
She **posted up** her vacation photos on Facebook.
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.
idiom

model evaluation

Meaning
the process of assessing the accuracy and performance of a trained model
Example
Before deploying the system, we need to perform **model evaluation** to ensure accuracy.
phrasal-verb

bring into

Meaning
to include someone or something in an activity or situation
Example
We should **bring into** the discussion more experts on the subject.
phrasal-verb

live for

Meaning
to find hope or meaning in something or someone
Example
She **lives for** her children and their happiness.
phrasal-verb

cut down on

Meaning
to reduce the amount or frequency of something harmful
Example
We must **cut down on** carbon emissions to fight climate change.
phrasal-verb

limit yourself to

Meaning
to restrict your actions or choices for a specific goal
Example
Try to **limit yourself to** one hour of social media per day.
phrasal-verb

get on with

Meaning
to continue doing something; to have a good relationship
Example
Despite their differences, they **get on with** each other quite well.
idiom

raise the roof

Meaning
to make a lot of noise; to celebrate loudly
Example
The crowd **raised the roof** when the team won.
idiom

sit back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing
Example
Just **sit back** and enjoy the show.
phrasal-verb

look beyond bias

Meaning
to see past personal prejudices and focus on fairness
Example
We must **look beyond bias** to make objective hiring decisions.
phrasal-verb

take up a new habit

Meaning
to start doing something regularly as a habit or routine
Example
She decided to **take up a new habit** of reading before bed.
idiom

Media frenzy

Meaning
Excessive media attention or excitement over a story.
Example
The celebrity’s arrest created a **media frenzy**.
phrasal-verb

touch base after work

Meaning
to connect with someone later in the day for updates
Example
We **touch base after work** to confirm travel details for tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

layer on

Meaning
to add layers or levels to a piece of art or design
Example
He **layered on** different textures to make the painting richer.
idiom

be responsible for

Meaning
to be in charge of or accountable for something
Example
She is **responsible for** managing the entire department.
idiom

Pick up the tab

Meaning
To pay the bill for something.
Example
John offered to **pick up the tab** for everyone.
idiom

tomorrow is another day

Meaning
you can start fresh again tomorrow
Example
Don’t worry about your mistakes, **tomorrow is another day**.
idiom

feel for

Meaning
to have sympathy for someone
Example
We really **feel for** anyone stuck in that traffic.
idiom

take pride in

Meaning
to feel good about something you have done
Example
You should **take pride in** your achievements.
idiom

nothing to write home about

Meaning
not special or interesting
Example
The movie was **nothing to write home about**.
phrasal-verb

coordinate across

Meaning
to organize activities jointly across different areas or teams
Example
Agencies **coordinate across** regions for disaster management.
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.
phrasal-verb

lead up to

Meaning
to result in or cause something to happen later
Example
The decisions we make now could **lead up to** major outcomes in the future.
idiom

social media blackout

Meaning
a period when social media services are unavailable or intentionally avoided
Example
During the **social media blackout**, everyone started reading books again.
phrasal-verb

deal upon

Meaning
to act or decide based on something
Example
They **dealt upon** the information they received.
idiom

believe in yourself

Meaning
to have confidence in your own abilities
Example
**Believe in yourself** and you can achieve anything.
phrasal-verb

draw apart

Meaning
to separate or move away from each other
Example
Over the years, the two friends slowly **drew apart**.
phrasal-verb

face down

Meaning
to confront someone or something bravely
Example
He **faced down** his fears and took the exam again.
phrasal-verb

thrill at

Meaning
to feel excited and happy about something
Example
Fans **thrilled at** the sight of their favorite singer.
idiom

a catnap

Meaning
a short, light sleep
Example
I took **a catnap** after lunch.
phrasal-verb

reach back to

Meaning
to reconnect with someone from the past
Example
She decided to **reach back to** her old mentor for advice.
phrasal-verb

reach down for

Meaning
to extend one’s hand to help someone get up or reach something
Example
He **reached down for** the child who had fallen.
idiom

do good to others

Meaning
to act in a way that helps other people
Example
It is always a good idea to **do good to others**.
idiom

It's always darkest before the dawn

Meaning
Things are usually worst just before they improve.
Example
Keep going, **it's always darkest before the dawn**.
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.
phrasal-verb

go with

Meaning
to match well or be suitable; to choose something
Example
I’ll **go with** the blue shirt—it looks better on me.
phrasal-verb

motivate through

Meaning
to inspire people by using something as a motivator
Example
She tried to **motivate through** positive feedback and encouragement.
idiom

the naked truth

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

bridge cultural gaps

Meaning
to reduce misunderstanding or distance between cultures
Example
Education can **bridge cultural gaps** and promote mutual respect.
idiom

from the ground up

Meaning
to build or start something completely from the beginning
Example
The software was built **from the ground up** using new code.
phrasal-verb

stand in for

Meaning
to take someone’s place temporarily
Example
Lisa will **stand in for** me during the client meeting tomorrow.
idiom

Calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.
Example
The office is quiet now, but it’s just **the calm before the storm**.
phrasal-verb

count down

Meaning
to count backward to mark the start of an event
Example
Everyone **counted down** to midnight on New Year’s Eve.
phrasal-verb

pay respect to

Meaning
to show honor or appreciation to someone
Example
They **paid respect to** their teachers during the ceremony.
phrasal-verb

take issue with

Meaning
to disagree strongly with someone or something
Example
I **take issue with** your interpretation of the results.
idiom

nest egg

Meaning
money saved for the future
Example
They’ve built a small **nest egg** for their retirement.
idiom

bark up the wrong tree

Meaning
to make a wrong assumption
Example
If you think I took your wallet, you’re **barking up the wrong tree**.
phrasal-verb

end up with

Meaning
to finally receive or experience something undesirable
Example
After all that effort, we **ended up with** nothing.
phrasal-verb

keep up on

Meaning
to stay updated with online work or communication
Example
She always **keeps up on** company news through Slack.