idiom

feel the pinch

Meaning

to have financial difficulties; to feel short of money

Example

With rising prices, many families are starting to **feel the pinch**.

idiom

feel off-color

Meaning

to feel slightly ill

Example

I’m feeling a bit **off-color** today.

phrasal-verb

freeze up

Meaning

to become frozen or stop working due to cold

Example

The pipes might **freeze up** if the temperature drops too low.

idiom

face time

Meaning

direct personal interaction rather than virtual communication

Example

We need more **face time** to build trust among team members.

idiom

forgive and forget

Meaning

to stop being angry and not remember someone’s mistake

Example

Let’s **forgive and forget** and move on.

idiom

fit for a king

Meaning

something of very high quality or luxurious

Example

The dinner was **fit for a king**.

idiom

fail to deliver

Meaning

to not meet expectations or complete a task successfully

Example

The company promised improvements but failed to **deliver** on its promises.

phrasal-verb

filter out negativity

Meaning

to remove negative thoughts or influences from your mind

Example

Try to **filter out negativity** and focus on what’s good.

phrasal-verb

freak with fear

Meaning

to become extremely scared or panicked

Example

She **freaked with fear** when she saw the snake.

phrasal-verb

find on

Meaning

to discover something physically on someone or something

Example

The police **found on** him a stolen phone.

idiom

fall short

Meaning

to fail to meet expectations or standards

Example

His efforts **fell short** of what was needed to win the competition.

phrasal-verb

follow through on goals

Meaning

to complete tasks or commitments that one starts

Example

To grow professionally, you must **follow through on goals**.

idiom

fan out

Meaning

to spread out over an area

Example

Volunteers will **fan out** across the park.

idiom

fear of the unknown

Meaning

anxiety about things that are unfamiliar or uncertain

Example

Many people avoid change because of their **fear of the unknown**.

idiom

find fault

Meaning

to criticize someone or something unfairly

Example

He always **finds fault** with everything I do.

phrasal-verb

fight toward success

Meaning

to struggle and keep working hard to achieve success

Example

They **fought toward success** despite all the challenges.

idiom

family ties

Meaning

Strong connections among family members.

Example

**Family ties** kept her close to her hometown.

phrasal-verb

find after

Meaning

to pursue or try to locate something or someone

Example

The detective is still **finding after** the missing document.

idiom

feeling low

Meaning

feeling depressed or unhappy

Example

I’ve been **feeling low** lately due to stress.

phrasal-verb

find with

Meaning

to discover something by examining or associating with someone

Example

They **found with** her a bag full of letters.

phrasal-verb

fight back tears

Meaning

to try not to cry

Example

She **fought back tears** while saying goodbye.

phrasal-verb

fill up on

Meaning

to eat a lot of one type of food so you are not hungry for other food

Example

Don’t **fill up on** snacks before dinner.

phrasal-verb

follow through on decisions

Meaning

to continue with an action until it is completed

Example

Leaders must always follow through on their promises.

phrasal-verb

fall out over

Meaning

to argue and stop being friendly with someone because of something

Example

They **fell out over** money matters last year.

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

foster mutual respect

Meaning

to encourage understanding and appreciation between groups or countries

Example

Cultural exchanges help **foster mutual respect** among nations.

phrasal-verb

finish up

Meaning

to complete or end something

Example

Let’s **finish up** this report before the meeting starts.

idiom

flash of genius

Meaning

a sudden brilliant idea or solution

Example

Her idea for the new logo was a real **flash of genius**.

idiom

feel on top of the world

Meaning

to feel very happy and healthy

Example

After recovering from the flu, I **felt on top of the world**.

idiom

feel blue

Meaning

to feel sad or depressed

Example

I always **feel blue** on rainy days.

idiom

Fair enough

Meaning

Used to show you understand or accept someone’s point

Example

‘We can’t afford it now.’ ‘**Fair enough**, maybe later.’

idiom

follow your dreams

Meaning

to pursue what you truly want in life

Example

He quit his job to **follow his dreams** of becoming a musician.

idiom

faith moves mountains

Meaning

strong belief can achieve great things

Example

Keep believing in yourself—**faith moves mountains**.

idiom

fall back on

Meaning

to rely on something when the first option fails

Example

If the deal falls through, we’ll **fall back on** our backup plan.

idiom

fall head over heels for someone

Meaning

to fall deeply in love with someone

Example

He **fell head over heels for her** the moment they met.

idiom

follow your heart

Meaning

to make a decision based on your feelings

Example

When choosing a career, it’s best to **follow your heart**.

phrasal-verb

figure lessons out

Meaning

to discover what can be learned from failure

Example

It took him some time to **figure lessons out** from his failed business.

idiom

Fall down seven times, stand up eight

Meaning

Keep trying no matter how many times you fail.

Example

**Fall down seven times, stand up eight** — that’s the spirit of success.

idiom

fair-weather friend

Meaning

a person who is only your friend when things are good

Example

A **fair-weather friend** will leave you when things get tough.

phrasal-verb

fuel up on

Meaning

to eat or drink something to gain energy

Example

We **fuel up on** oatmeal before the morning hike.

idiom

flag down

Meaning

to signal someone to stop, especially a vehicle

Example

We finally **flagged down** a taxi after ten minutes.

phrasal-verb

follow through on commitments

Meaning

to complete promises or obligations made to others

Example

The government must **follow through on commitments** made at the summit.

phrasal-verb

factor in for

Meaning

to include a consideration when planning for something

Example

Analysts **factor in for** currency swings when forecasting prices.

phrasal-verb

fall back

Meaning

to move backward; to retreat

Example

The soldiers had to **fall back** after losing ground.

phrasal-verb

follow your passion

Meaning

to pursue what you love doing as a career or goal

Example

He decided to **follow his passion** for photography.

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

fall in line

Meaning

to follow the rules or decisions of a group

Example

New members quickly **fall in line** with the team’s culture.

phrasal-verb

fall for

Meaning

to fall in love with someone; to be strongly attracted to something

Example

He **fell for** her the moment they met.

idiom

freshen up

Meaning

to wash or tidy oneself to feel renewed

Example

Guests can **freshen up** in the lounge before dinner.

phrasal-verb

fill up

Meaning

to eat enough food so that you are full

Example

That soup really **filled me up**.

phrasal-verb

follow up right away

Meaning

to respond immediately after receiving a message

Example

I **follow up right away** when a client shares new requirements.

idiom

friends in high places

Meaning

people with power or influence who can help you

Example

He got the job because he has **friends in high places**.

phrasal-verb

feel sorry for

Meaning

to pity or sympathize with someone or yourself

Example

I **feel sorry for** what I did to you.

idiom

fire up

Meaning

to excite or motivate someone

Example

The coach’s speech really **fired up** the players.

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

fill up with gratitude

Meaning

to feel full of thankfulness and appreciation

Example

Every morning, I **fill up with gratitude** for the life I have.

phrasal-verb

flag for review

Meaning

to mark something so it will be checked carefully

Example

Moderators **flag for review** any suspicious training data.

phrasal-verb

figure on

Meaning

to plan or expect something to happen

Example

They **figured on** launching the product by next quarter.

phrasal-verb

fall behind on

Meaning

to fail to do something on time or as planned

Example

He **fell behind on** his rent payments last month.

idiom

forever grateful

Meaning

thankful for something for a long time

Example

I’ll be **forever grateful** for what you’ve done.

idiom

fill out

Meaning

to complete a form by providing information

Example

Please **fill out** this survey after the workshop.

phrasal-verb

fire someone up

Meaning

to inspire or energize someone

Example

The coach’s words **fired up** the team before the final game.

phrasal-verb

feed up

Meaning

to give food to someone or something

Example

Don’t forget to **feed up** the cat before going out.

phrasal-verb

finish off

Meaning

to complete the last part of something

Example

We just need to **finish off** the presentation slides before submitting the report.

phrasal-verb

fade out

Meaning

to gradually disappear from view or sound

Example

The music **faded out** as the credits rolled.

phrasal-verb

file under pressure

Meaning

to deliver reports quickly despite stress

Example

She can **file under pressure** while live updates keep coming.

phrasal-verb

foster cooperation

Meaning

to encourage and develop mutual assistance or teamwork between nations

Example

The UN's goal is to **foster cooperation** among its members.

phrasal-verb

fight back

Meaning

to try to control or resist strong emotions

Example

He **fought back** his tears during the farewell speech.

phrasal-verb

firm up decisions

Meaning

to confirm choices after considering options

Example

Let's **firm up decisions** now so vendors can start work tomorrow.

idiom

fail better

Meaning

to improve by learning from past failures

Example

Even if you fail, try to **fail better** next time.

idiom

fail at something

Meaning

to not succeed in doing something

Example

He tried to fix the car, but he **failed at something**.

idiom

fit as a fiddle

Meaning

in very good health

Example

My grandfather is 80 but he’s **fit as a fiddle**.

idiom

fly high

Meaning

to be very successful or happy

Example

After winning the award, she’s been **flying high**.

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**.

phrasal-verb

forward to

Meaning

to send a received message to another person

Example

Can you **forward** this message **to** the manager?

phrasal-verb

forgive from within

Meaning

to truly forgive someone deep in your heart

Example

To heal completely, you need to **forgive from within**.

phrasal-verb

forgive for

Meaning

to stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for something

Example

She **forgave him for** lying to her.

phrasal-verb

freshen up before

Meaning

to wash or tidy yourself just before an event

Example

Let me **freshen up before** the guests arrive.

phrasal-verb

find through

Meaning

to understand or see something clearly after effort

Example

It took me some time to **find through** his lies.

idiom

food for thought

Meaning

something that makes you think seriously

Example

His comment gave me **food for thought**.

phrasal-verb

fire yourself up

Meaning

to make yourself feel excited or motivated about something

Example

He **fired himself up** before the race by listening to his favorite music.

phrasal-verb

follow up with clients

Meaning

to contact someone again after an initial meeting or communication

Example

Don’t forget to **follow up with clients** after sending the proposal.

phrasal-verb

find in

Meaning

to see or recognize a quality or feature in someone or something

Example

She **finds in** him a true friend she can trust.

idiom

fend off

Meaning

to defend against something or someone

Example

They installed lights to **fend off** raccoons in the yard.

idiom

fall through

Meaning

to fail to happen

Example

Our travel plans might **fall through** if the storm hits.

phrasal-verb

focus ahead

Meaning

to concentrate on the future and what lies ahead instead of the past

Example

Let’s **focus ahead** instead of worrying about past mistakes.

idiom

face up to

Meaning

to accept and confront a difficult situation

Example

It’s time to **face up to** the staffing gaps.

idiom

Face the truth

Meaning

To accept the reality of a situation, even if it’s unpleasant.

Example

You have to **face the truth** about your finances.

idiom

face the music

Meaning

to accept criticism or punishment for something you have done

Example

You made a mistake, and now you have to **face the music**.

phrasal-verb

follow through with receipts

Meaning

to complete expense reports by attaching proof

Example

Please **follow through with receipts** within two business days.

idiom

faint-hearted

Meaning

lacking courage or determination

Example

Climbing this mountain is not for the **faint-hearted**.

idiom

Faith can move mountains

Meaning

Strong belief can achieve the impossible.

Example

He believes that **faith can move mountains** when you truly believe.

phrasal-verb

follow through on promises

Meaning

to do what one has committed to do

Example

A reliable leader always **follows through on promises** made to the team.

idiom

flash back to

Meaning

to suddenly remember a past event

Example

The photo made her **flash back to** her first day at work.

idiom

face your fears

Meaning

to confront something that scares you

Example

You need to **face your fears** if you want to grow as a person.

phrasal-verb

filter through for

Meaning

to sift carefully to find specific items

Example

Editors **filter through for** reliable sources before running a story.

phrasal-verb

fight on

Meaning

to continue trying to achieve something despite difficulties

Example

Even when life gets hard, true champions **fight on**.

phrasal-verb

find back

Meaning

to regain something lost; to recover

Example

After a long search, she finally **found back** her missing cat.

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

fill with

Meaning

to make someone experience a strong emotion

Example

The kind gesture **filled her with** gratitude.

phrasal-verb

fit in

Meaning

to feel comfortable and accepted within a group or environment

Example

New employees often struggle to **fit in** at first.

phrasal-verb

follow along in chat

Meaning

to keep up with messages during an online meeting

Example

Participants **follow along in chat** while the speaker demos the tool.

idiom

fingers crossed

Meaning

hoping for good luck or a good result

Example

I have my **fingers crossed** for your exam results.

phrasal-verb

face up to the truth

Meaning

to accept or confront the reality of a situation

Example

It’s time to **face up to the truth** about your mistakes.

phrasal-verb

follow self-imposed rules

Meaning

to obey the rules you set for yourself

Example

Self-disciplined people **follow self-imposed rules** without complaint.

idiom

Frankenstein’s monster

Meaning

A creation that turns against its creator.

Example

Social media became a **Frankenstein’s monster** for its inventors.

idiom

full steam ahead

Meaning

to move forward with great energy or speed

Example

The team is going **full steam ahead** with the new logistics plan.

phrasal-verb

forgive yourself for

Meaning

to stop blaming yourself for past mistakes

Example

You must **forgive yourself for** what happened and move forward.

idiom

for what it’s worth

Meaning

used to introduce an opinion that may or may not be useful

Example

**For what it’s worth**, I think you did the right thing.

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.

phrasal-verb

fork out

Meaning

to spend money unwillingly

Example

We had to **fork out** a lot of money for the car repairs.

idiom

feel for

Meaning

to have sympathy for someone

Example

We really **feel for** anyone stuck in that traffic.

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

fight against

Meaning

to oppose or resist something harmful or unjust

Example

We must **fight against** discrimination in every form.

idiom

forty winks

Meaning

a short nap or brief sleep

Example

He likes to take **forty winks** after work.

phrasal-verb

foster in

Meaning

to promote the development of a quality or idea within someone or a group

Example

The program aims to **foster in** participants a sense of responsibility.

phrasal-verb

float above chaos

Meaning

to stay mentally detached from stressful surroundings

Example

Even in chaos, she manages to **float above chaos** and stay calm.

phrasal-verb

follow up

Meaning

to check progress or take further action on something previously discussed

Example

I’ll **follow up** with the client about the new proposal.

phrasal-verb

focus on the bright side

Meaning

to see the positive aspects of a situation

Example

No matter what happens, always **focus on the bright side**.

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

feather in one’s cap

Meaning

an achievement to be proud of

Example

Winning the national award was a real **feather in his cap**.