freeze with fear
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
phrasal-verb

freeze with fear

Meaning
to be unable to move because of fear
Example
The child **froze with fear** when he saw the big dog.
idiom

gather up

Meaning
to collect things together
Example
Let’s **gather up** the supplies before the workshop.
phrasal-verb

close the loop today

Meaning
to finish outstanding follow-ups before the day ends
Example
Let's **close the loop today** so clients get answers before evening.
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.
idiom

trust someone as far as you can throw them

Meaning
to not trust someone much
Example
I wouldn’t **trust him as far as I can throw him**.
phrasal-verb

adapt within communities

Meaning
to adjust behavior and habits to fit in with a local community
Example
Immigrants often need to **adapt within communities** to feel at home.
idiom

a cut above

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

dress down

Meaning
to scold someone severely
Example
The coach **dressed down** the team for sloppy defense.
idiom

play dirty

Meaning
to use unfair or dishonest methods to win
Example
Politicians often **play dirty** during elections.
phrasal-verb

join in on

Meaning
to participate in a conversation or activity where experiences are being shared
Example
Feel free to **join in on** the discussion about travel memories.
phrasal-verb

brace yourself for

Meaning
to mentally prepare for something challenging or frightening
Example
Take a breath and **brace yourself for** the tough conversation.
idiom

pass along

Meaning
to share information or items with someone else
Example
Could you **pass along** the agenda to the interns?
idiom

lend a helping hand

Meaning
to offer assistance or support
Example
She always tries to **lend a helping hand** to those in need.
idiom

in the heat of the moment

Meaning
acting impulsively or emotionally, without thinking
Example
I said some things I regret **in the heat of the moment**.
idiom

bored to death

Meaning
extremely bored
Example
I was **bored to death** during the long lecture.
phrasal-verb

cut it out

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

block off time

Meaning
to reserve a period in your schedule for something important
Example
I **block off time** every Friday to review the next week's deadlines.
phrasal-verb

rise through self-doubt

Meaning
to overcome feelings of insecurity and believe in your ability
Example
He managed to **rise through self-doubt** and achieve great success.
idiom

take sides

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument
Example
It’s hard not to **take sides** when your friends are arguing.
phrasal-verb

target at

Meaning
to aim a product or message toward a specific group
Example
This advertisement is **targeted at** young professionals.
phrasal-verb

fill in gaps

Meaning
to complete missing parts of understanding or knowledge
Example
Teachers help students **fill in gaps** in their learning.
phrasal-verb

reach into

Meaning
to access or connect with inner feelings; to explore emotions deeply
Example
She tried to **reach into** her own pain to understand his suffering.
idiom

byte the bullet

Meaning
to face a difficult situation bravely
Example
We have to **byte the bullet** and fix the system bugs now.
idiom

blow up in your face

Meaning
a plan or situation that suddenly goes wrong and causes trouble
Example
His plan to impress the boss **blew up in his face**.
phrasal-verb

hold together

Meaning
to stay emotionally strong during difficulties
Example
She managed to **hold together** even when everything was falling apart.
phrasal-verb

stand up to

Meaning
to confront someone or something bravely in defense of someone
Example
He **stood up to** the bully to protect his little brother.
idiom

go back on one's word

Meaning
to not do what one said one would do
Example
He **went back on his word** about helping me.
idiom

steal the show

Meaning
to be the most outstanding performer
Example
Her performance **stole the show** last night.
idiom

The more, the merrier

Meaning
Things are more fun or effective with more people involved.
Example
Bring your friends along — **the more, the merrier**!
phrasal-verb

rise for

Meaning
to take a stand in favor of a cause or right
Example
People across the nation **rose for** equality.
idiom

a labor of love

Meaning
something done out of passion, not for money
Example
Building that model train was **a labor of love** for him.
B1 idiom

all ears

Listening very attentively
Meaning
Listening very attentively
Example
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
idiom

wanderlust

Meaning
a strong desire to travel and explore the world
Example
His **wanderlust** took him to every continent on Earth.
idiom

a snowball's chance in hell

Meaning
no chance at all
Example
He has **a snowball's chance in hell** of winning the lottery.
idiom

a law unto oneself

Meaning
someone who acts independently and ignores rules
Example
He’s **a law unto himself**, never following company policies.
idiom

a kingmaker

Meaning
someone who has influence in the selection or appointment of a leader
Example
The senator has become **a kingmaker** in the current presidential race.
idiom

Things will get better

Meaning
difficult situations will improve over time
Example
I know you're stressed, but remember, **things will get better**.
phrasal-verb

benefit from

Meaning
to gain an advantage or profit through something
Example
Many developing nations **benefit from** global trade agreements.
phrasal-verb

go straight

Meaning
to continue moving forward without turning
Example
Just **go straight** for two blocks and you’ll see the park on your right.
phrasal-verb

bottle up

Meaning
to hide or control your emotions instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle up** his anger instead of talking about it.
phrasal-verb

let pressure off

Meaning
to release built-up stress or tension
Example
He plays football on weekends to **let pressure off**.
idiom

Economic downturn

Meaning
A period when the economy declines or slows down.
Example
Many people lost their jobs during the **economic downturn**.
idiom

bear the brunt

Meaning
to take the main responsibility or suffering of something unpleasant
Example
The junior staff had to **bear the brunt** of the manager’s anger.
idiom

brush past

Meaning
to move quickly by someone or something with slight contact
Example
He **brushed past** the reporters without stopping.
phrasal-verb

shut off emotions

Meaning
to stop feeling or expressing emotions
Example
He learned to **shut off his emotions** to protect himself.
phrasal-verb

fly into a rage

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry
Example
The manager **flew into a rage** when the report was submitted late.
idiom

snowed under

Meaning
to have too much work to do
Example
I'm **snowed under** with assignments this week.
idiom

team player

Meaning
someone who works well with others
Example
Every company values a good **team player**.
idiom

on the level

Meaning
honest and sincere; not trying to deceive
Example
You can trust her—she’s **on the level**.
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.
idiom

step change

Meaning
a significant improvement or shift
Example
This marks a **step change** in how we approach innovation.
idiom

bag of bones

Meaning
a very thin person
Example
After his illness, he turned into a **bag of bones**.
phrasal-verb

flow with

Meaning
to move along naturally with emotions or situations instead of resisting them
Example
She learned to **flow with** her emotions rather than fight them.
phrasal-verb

reach understanding with

Meaning
to achieve a friendly or cooperative agreement with another party
Example
The two countries finally **reached understanding with** each other after months of talks.
idiom

hammer home

Meaning
to emphasize something forcefully
Example
The trainer **hammered home** the importance of rest.
phrasal-verb

gear yourself up

Meaning
to prepare mentally or physically for something challenging or important
Example
You need to **gear yourself up** for the big presentation tomorrow.
idiom

ray of sunshine

Meaning
someone or something that brings happiness
Example
Her smile is like a **ray of sunshine** on a cloudy day.
idiom

have a high opinion of yourself

Meaning
to think you are very good or important
Example
He **has a high opinion of himself** after getting the award.
phrasal-verb

look down at

Meaning
to direct your eyes downward; to check notes
Example
He occasionally **looked down at** his notes to stay on track.
idiom

beat the rap

Meaning
to escape punishment or avoid being convicted
Example
He managed to **beat the rap** thanks to a clever lawyer.
idiom

green light

Meaning
permission to start or go ahead with something
Example
The manager gave us the **green light** to launch the project.

you can’t judge a book by its cover

phrasal-verb

cherish forever

Meaning
to hold memories or kindness in your heart with gratitude
Example
I’ll **cherish forever** the help you gave me during tough times.
idiom

under the weather

Meaning
feeling ill or unwell
Example
I didn’t go to work because I felt **under the weather**.
idiom

time will tell

Meaning
the future will reveal the outcome
Example
**Time will tell** whether this was the right decision.
idiom

patch up

Meaning
to repair something or improve a damaged relationship
Example
They managed to **patch up** their friendship after the argument.
idiom

drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small or insignificant amount compared to what is needed
Example
Our recycling efforts are just a **drop in the ocean** compared to the global pollution problem.
phrasal-verb

cast doubt on

Meaning
to make something seem uncertain or less believable
Example
His inconsistent story **casts doubt on** his credibility.
idiom

push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate boldly
Example
Tech companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
idiom

to have a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared healthy by a doctor
Example
After the checkup, she got **a clean bill of health**.
phrasal-verb

dig into data

Meaning
to analyze information in detail
Example
Analysts **dig into data** to understand the social shifts.
phrasal-verb

catch up with trends

Meaning
to stay updated with the latest developments or innovations
Example
Founders must **catch up with trends** to stay competitive.
phrasal-verb

bring back

Meaning
to reintroduce or restore something that was removed
Example
The city plans to **bring back** tree-planting programs this year.
idiom

take someone to task

Meaning
to strongly criticize someone for something they did wrong
Example
The teacher **took him to task** for cheating on the exam.
phrasal-verb

be grateful for

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

work against

Meaning
to act in opposition to someone or something
Example
The new policy may **work against** small businesses.
idiom

under the microscope

Meaning
being examined very closely
Example
The new policy is **under the microscope** by analysts.
idiom

straight from the horse’s mouth

Meaning
from the most reliable source; directly from the person involved
Example
I heard the news **straight from the horse’s mouth**.
idiom

A truth universally acknowledged

Meaning
A widely accepted truth or belief.
Example
**A truth universally acknowledged** is that honesty is important.
phrasal-verb

push into

Meaning
to drive adoption or expansion of something
Example
They are trying to **push into** the digital payment market quickly.
phrasal-verb

fade out

Meaning
to gradually disappear from view or sound
Example
The music **faded out** as the credits rolled.
phrasal-verb

back down from demands

Meaning
to withdraw from a position or demand in a conflict
Example
The union refused to **back down from demands** for higher wages.
phrasal-verb

transform over time

Meaning
to gradually change form or nature
Example
The organization will **transform over time** with consistent innovation.
idiom

a lawyer's brief

Meaning
a summary or concise statement of an argument or case
Example
The **lawyer's brief** was submitted to the judge before the trial began.
idiom

nip in the bud

Meaning
to stop something before it becomes a bigger problem
Example
We should **nip the problem in the bud** before it spreads.
phrasal-verb

talk it over

Meaning
to discuss something to solve a problem or misunderstanding
Example
Let’s **talk it over** and clear things up.
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**.
phrasal-verb

take effect

Meaning
to start being used or enforced
Example
The new tax regulations will **take effect** from January.
idiom

Sow the seeds

Meaning
To begin a process that will develop in the future.
Example
Her small donations **sowed the seeds** of a larger charity movement.
idiom

take a detour

Meaning
to take an indirect route
Example
We had to **take a detour** because of road construction.
phrasal-verb

speak up for yourself

Meaning
to express your opinions or defend your feelings confidently
Example
You need to **speak up for yourself** if something feels unfair.
idiom

opt in

Meaning
to choose to participate
Example
Employees can **opt in** to the wellness program.
phrasal-verb

move beyond boundaries

Meaning
to work or cooperate across national or traditional limits
Example
Global collaboration helps us **move beyond boundaries** to solve shared challenges.
idiom

Fuel the economy

Meaning
To stimulate economic growth.
Example
Government spending can **fuel the economy** during a recession.
phrasal-verb

come on board

Meaning
to join a team or project
Example
We’re excited for you to **come on board** our project.
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.
idiom

behind the eight ball

Meaning
to be in a difficult position or disadvantage
Example
Without proper funding, the project is **behind the eight ball**.
idiom

jack up

Meaning
to raise something suddenly and sharply
Example
They might **jack up** ticket prices before the holidays.
idiom

a political football

Meaning
an issue used by politicians for their own advantage
Example
Healthcare has become **a political football** in the country.
idiom

growth hacking

Meaning
using creative and low-cost strategies to rapidly grow a business or product
Example
Startups rely heavily on **growth hacking** to gain users quickly.
phrasal-verb

lay the groundwork for

Meaning
to prepare the basic foundation for something important in the future
Example
She’s **laying the groundwork for** her next career move.
idiom

too big to fail

Meaning
a company or institution that is so important that it is unlikely to fail
Example
Many financial institutions were considered **too big to fail** during the 2008 financial crisis.
phrasal-verb

take away from

Meaning
to learn or gain something valuable from an experience
Example
What did you **take away from** that experience?
phrasal-verb

find for

Meaning
to support or rule in favor of someone (usually in a legal case)
Example
The court **found for** the defendant after reviewing the evidence.
phrasal-verb

keep on

Meaning
to continue doing something repeatedly
Example
She **kept on** talking even though nobody was listening.
phrasal-verb

blow up

Meaning
to fill something with air; to explode or become angry
Example
The kids **blew up** balloons for the birthday celebration.
idiom

plant the seeds

Meaning
to begin a process that will develop in the future
Example
The training program **planted the seeds** for long-term success.
idiom

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Meaning
you can’t achieve anything if you don’t take risks
Example
He decided to invest because **nothing ventured, nothing gained**.
idiom

corner the market

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

build credibility

Meaning
to earn trust and respect through consistent performance
Example
Delivering results regularly helps professionals **build credibility**.
phrasal-verb

get along in

Meaning
to manage or function well in a particular situation or culture
Example
She has learned to **get along in** a multicultural environment.
idiom

to drop the ball

Meaning
to make a mistake; to fail at something important
Example
He really **dropped the ball** by forgetting the meeting.
phrasal-verb

drain away pressure

Meaning
to slowly release mental or emotional pressure
Example
Talking to a friend helps me **drain away pressure** after a long day.
idiom

go nuclear

Meaning
to react very strongly or angrily
Example
When the data got deleted, the manager **went nuclear**.
idiom

hang onto

Meaning
to keep something and not give it away
Example
I’ll **hang onto** the receipts in case we need a refund.
idiom

the dream team

Meaning
a group of people who work extremely well together
Example
With these members, we’ve built **the dream team**.
idiom

At the drop of a hat

Meaning
Immediately; without hesitation.
Example
He’s ready to help **at the drop of a hat**.
idiom

when life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Meaning
make the best out of a bad situation
Example
She lost her job but decided to **make lemonade** by starting her own business.
idiom

a dark horse

Meaning
a person who keeps their skills or plans secret until an important moment
Example
Nobody expected her to win; she was **a dark horse**.
idiom

make up with someone

Meaning
to become friends again after a disagreement
Example
After their argument, they decided to **make up with each other**.
idiom

play to the gallery

Meaning
to try to gain approval from the general public rather than experts
Example
The politician was clearly **playing to the gallery** with his speech.