get ahead of the game
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idiom

get ahead of the game

Meaning
to be more successful or advanced than others
Example
He’s always looking for new ideas to **get ahead of the game**.
phrasal-verb

build on trust

Meaning
to strengthen relationships by developing mutual confidence
Example
Successful partnerships **build on trust** and transparency.
idiom

mad as a hornet

Meaning
very angry
Example
She was **mad as a hornet** when she found her phone broken.
idiom

green around the gills

Meaning
looking sick or nauseated
Example
He looked **green around the gills** after the boat ride.
phrasal-verb

save up

Meaning
to keep money so you can buy something in the future
Example
I’m trying to **save up** for a new laptop.
idiom

apology accepted

Meaning
used to say that you forgive someone
Example
Don’t worry, **apology accepted**.
phrasal-verb

come up against

Meaning
to face a problem or difficulty
Example
We **came up against** several obstacles during the project.
phrasal-verb

give away to

Meaning
to yield to; to be replaced by something
Example
The old traditions **gave away to** modern practices.
idiom

rule of thumb

Meaning
a general practical principle based on experience
Example
As a **rule of thumb**, I double-check every document.
phrasal-verb

carry forward into

Meaning
to move progress or funds into a future period
Example
We **carry forward into** next quarter any unused training budget.
idiom

cry a river

Meaning
to cry a lot or show extreme sadness
Example
He **cried a river** after hearing the news.
idiom

fan out

Meaning
to spread out over an area
Example
Volunteers will **fan out** across the park.
phrasal-verb

cut down public spending

Meaning
to reduce government expenses to stabilize the economy
Example
The finance minister decided to **cut down public spending** to reduce debt.
phrasal-verb

accept yourself as

Meaning
to recognize and be at peace with who you are
Example
You grow emotionally when you **accept yourself as** you truly are.
idiom

cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility and tension between countries without actual warfare
Example
During the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a **cold war**.
idiom

written in the stars

Meaning
destined to happen; fated
Example
They believe their meeting was **written in the stars**.
phrasal-verb

put on weight

Meaning
to gain weight
Example
I’ve **put on weight** since I stopped exercising.
idiom

have the gift of the gab

Meaning
to be good at talking or persuading people
Example
He’s a great salesman because he **has the gift of the gab**.
phrasal-verb

trip over

Meaning
to make a careless mistake while doing something
Example
I **tripped over** my words during the speech.
phrasal-verb

check back through

Meaning
to review something again for confirmation
Example
Journalists **check back through** notes to avoid quoting errors.
idiom

play the field

Meaning
to date or have romantic relationships with many people without commitment
Example
He’s still **playing the field** and not looking for a serious relationship.
idiom

on the gravy train

Meaning
to be in a situation where one makes a lot of money with little effort
Example
He’s been riding **on the gravy train** since he took over the family business.
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

calm the mind

Meaning
to relax and bring mental peace
Example
Meditation helps her **calm the mind** after a stressful day.
idiom

out of bandwidth

Meaning
too busy or overwhelmed to handle more tasks
Example
I’m **out of bandwidth** today, can we talk tomorrow?
phrasal-verb

touch base

Meaning
to make contact with someone to update or confirm details
Example
Let’s **touch base** later this week to discuss the marketing plan.
idiom

clean conscience

Meaning
feeling that you have done nothing wrong
Example
He can sleep well because he has a **clean conscience**.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
idiom

mark down

Meaning
to reduce the price of something
Example
The store **marked down** winter coats in March.
idiom

bite the bullet

Meaning
to decide to do something difficult or unpleasant that one has been putting off or hesitating about
Example
I decided to **bite the bullet** and finish my homework.
idiom

a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or understanding
Example
When I saw the results, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
idiom

take your life in your hands

Meaning
To do something very risky or dangerous.
Example
You’re **taking your life in your hands** by driving in that storm.
phrasal-verb

take a break

Meaning
to stop working for a short time to rest
Example
I usually **take a break** around noon.
phrasal-verb

deal with setbacks

Meaning
to handle emotional or personal failures calmly and positively
Example
Learning to **deal with setbacks** is key to emotional growth.
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

set up a coalition

Meaning
to form an alliance between parties or groups for political purposes
Example
Opposition leaders worked together to **set up a coalition** government.
idiom

a blast from the past

Meaning
something that reminds you of an earlier time
Example
Seeing that old photo album was **a blast from the past**.
idiom

hot under the collar

Meaning
feeling angry or embarrassed
Example
He got **hot under the collar** when his mistake was pointed out.
idiom

All hands on deck

Meaning
Everyone must work together or help with a task.
Example
We need **all hands on deck** to finish this project by tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

stay beside

Meaning
to remain physically or emotionally close to someone in need
Example
She **stayed beside** her mother through her illness.
idiom

pep up

Meaning
to make someone or something more lively or energetic
Example
A quick walk outside always **peps me up** in the afternoon.
idiom

a game changer

Meaning
something that completely changes the way things are done
Example
The new technology is a **game changer** for the healthcare industry.
idiom

Frankenstein’s monster

Meaning
A creation that turns against its creator.
Example
Social media became a **Frankenstein’s monster** for its inventors.
idiom

mix up

Meaning
to confuse two or more things
Example
I always **mix up** their names during meetings.
idiom

tough luck

Meaning
expression of sympathy for someone’s misfortune
Example
Didn’t get the job? **Tough luck**!
idiom

in a nutshell

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
To put it **in a nutshell**, we need more funding.
idiom

set the bar high

Meaning
to establish high standards or expectations
Example
Her achievements have **set the bar high** for future leaders.
phrasal-verb

save up for

Meaning
to collect money over time for a goal or purchase
Example
She’s **saving up for** a new laptop.
phrasal-verb

rip off

Meaning
to charge someone too much money
Example
Tourists often get **ripped off** in that market.
idiom

carry over

Meaning
to transfer something to a later time or place
Example
We’ll **carry over** the unused vacation days to next year.
phrasal-verb

follow through on vision

Meaning
to continue efforts until a goal or plan is fully achieved
Example
Great leaders **follow through on vision** with persistence and dedication.
idiom

in my book

Meaning
according to one’s own opinion or standards
Example
**In my book**, honesty comes first.
phrasal-verb

boil with anger

Meaning
to be extremely angry
Example
She was **boiling with anger** when she found out about the unfair decision.
phrasal-verb

clean up after

Meaning
to remove waste or mess left behind by people or animals
Example
Volunteers came to **clean up after** the beach festival.
phrasal-verb

exchange ideas with

Meaning
to share thoughts or opinions with others from different backgrounds
Example
During the workshop, participants **exchanged ideas with** people from many countries.
idiom

dance the night away

Meaning
to dance for a long time, especially during a celebration
Example
Everyone **danced the night away** at the wedding reception.
idiom

internet troll

Meaning
a person who deliberately posts offensive or provocative comments online
Example
Don’t feed the **internet trolls** by replying to their comments.
phrasal-verb

stand back

Meaning
to move away from something; to distance yourself from involvement
Example
Please **stand back** from the edge of the platform.
idiom

do your own thing

Meaning
to do what you want without worrying about what others think
Example
He prefers to **do his own thing** and not depend on anyone.
idiom

turn a corner

Meaning
to begin to improve after a difficult period
Example
Things started to **turn a corner** after the new management took over.
phrasal-verb

bounce forward

Meaning
to recover from difficulties and move ahead with improvement
Example
After the recession, the nation aims to **bounce forward** with stronger growth.
idiom

empty nest

Meaning
a home where the children have grown up and left
Example
After her kids moved out, she felt the **empty nest** syndrome.
idiom

Fuel the economy

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

get back on track

Meaning
to return to the right path after a mistake or setback
Example
After a few mistakes, she managed to **get back on track**.
phrasal-verb

set out for

Meaning
to begin a journey or an endeavor with a goal in mind
Example
She **set out for** success with a clear vision and determination.
phrasal-verb

follow back

Meaning
to follow someone who has followed you
Example
She didn’t **follow back** even though I followed her first.
idiom

A bright idea

Meaning
a clever or innovative idea
Example
She came up with a **bright idea** for the new marketing campaign.
idiom

breakthrough

Meaning
a significant or sudden development or discovery; an important achievement
Example
The scientist made a major **breakthrough** in his research on cancer treatment.
phrasal-verb

bond deeply with

Meaning
to form a very close emotional relationship with someone
Example
Parents **bond deeply with** their newborns through love and care.
idiom

cut and paste

Meaning
to copy something with little change
Example
You can't just **cut and paste** ideas from others.
idiom

double down on

Meaning
to increase effort or commitment toward something
Example
After the setback, they **doubled down on** their training routine.
idiom

blow out of the water

Meaning
to surprise or defeat completely
Example
Their performance **blew us out of the water**.
idiom

make ends meet

Meaning
to earn enough money to live on
Example
He works two jobs to **make ends meet**.
phrasal-verb

shift toward

Meaning
to change focus, attitude, or direction toward something new
Example
There has been a global **shift toward** sustainable lifestyles.
idiom

cry one’s heart out

Meaning
to cry very hard due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after the breakup.
idiom

in for a shock

Meaning
about to be very surprised or shocked
Example
You’re **in for a shock** when you see the bill.
phrasal-verb

run after

Meaning
to chase someone or something
Example
The kids **ran after** their dog in the backyard.
phrasal-verb

ask over

Meaning
to invite someone to your place, often to talk or apologize
Example
He **asked her over** to say sorry for what happened.
idiom

get one's act together

Meaning
to organize oneself or one's actions effectively
Example
We need to **get our act together** before the deadline.
idiom

long in the tooth

Meaning
getting old
Example
He’s a bit **long in the tooth** for this kind of work.
phrasal-verb

deal against

Meaning
to act or compete against someone in a transaction
Example
He **dealt against** his rival in the stock market.
phrasal-verb

pay respect to

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

race against time

Meaning
to rush to complete something before a deadline
Example
We’re in a **race against time** to meet the client’s demand.
phrasal-verb

deal with conflict

Meaning
to manage or resolve disagreements or disputes
Example
Managers often need to **deal with conflict** among team members.
phrasal-verb

come down on

Meaning
to criticize or punish someone strongly for a decision or action
Example
The board will **come down on** any department that exceeds the budget.
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.
idiom

get the word out

Meaning
to spread information or make something widely known
Example
We need to **get the word out** about our new service.
phrasal-verb

speak out for peace

Meaning
to publicly express support for harmony and understanding
Example
Global organizations **speak out for peace** during world summits.
idiom

ground control

Meaning
authority or people managing a situation
Example
In this project, Sarah is **ground control**.
idiom

draw a blank

Meaning
to be unable to remember or think of something
Example
When asked about the date, she **drew a blank**.
idiom

break into

Meaning
to enter a new field or profession successfully
Example
She managed to **break into** the film industry last year.
idiom

target audience

Meaning
a specific group of people a campaign is aimed at
Example
You need to know your **target audience** before launching a campaign.
idiom

clear the decks

Meaning
Prepare for action by removing unnecessary things.
Example
We need to **clear the decks** before the new project begins.
phrasal-verb

put away

Meaning
to store or tidy something in its proper place
Example
Please **put away** your toys after playing.
idiom

early bird

Meaning
a person who wakes up or arrives early
Example
She’s always the **early bird** at the office.
idiom

weigh the pros and cons

Meaning
to consider the advantages and disadvantages before making a choice
Example
You should **weigh the pros and cons** before quitting your job.
phrasal-verb

shake off fear

Meaning
to get rid of fear or anxiety
Example
He tried to **shake off fear** before entering the stage.
phrasal-verb

pay back

Meaning
to return money that you borrowed
Example
I will **pay back** the money I borrowed from you next week.
phrasal-verb

lift your spirits

Meaning
to make yourself or someone feel happier or more positive
Example
A walk in the park can really **lift your spirits**.
phrasal-verb

catch someone’s eye

Meaning
to attract someone's attention
Example
The bright red car **caught my eye** as it drove past.
idiom

from the bottom of my heart

Meaning
with sincere gratitude
Example
I thank you **from the bottom of my heart** for everything.
idiom

Break a sweat

Meaning
To exert effort or work hard at something.
Example
She didn't even **break a sweat** while finishing the entire project in one day.
idiom

to lay down the law

Meaning
to assert authority and dictate how things should be done
Example
The new judge quickly **laid down the law** in the courtroom.
idiom

Seed funding

Meaning
Initial capital used to start a business.
Example
They received **seed funding** from angel investors.
idiom

android-like

Meaning
acting emotionless or mechanical like a robot
Example
He works in an **android-like** manner, without any emotion.
idiom

march to the beat of your own drum

Meaning
to act independently and follow your own ideas
Example
She doesn’t care about trends; she **marches to the beat of her own drum**.
idiom

strong password

Meaning
a password that is difficult for others to guess, typically combining letters, numbers, and symbols
Example
For better security, always use a **strong password** with at least eight characters.
idiom

fend off

Meaning
to defend against something or someone
Example
They installed lights to **fend off** raccoons in the yard.
phrasal-verb

call up

Meaning
to phone someone
Example
I’ll **call up** my friend to invite him to dinner.
phrasal-verb

speak out against

Meaning
to publicly express opposition to something
Example
Many citizens **spoke out against** the unfair law.
idiom

hold your ground

Meaning
to refuse to change your position or opinion
Example
She **held her ground** even when others disagreed.
phrasal-verb

come down to

Meaning
to be influenced or decided by a particular factor
Example
The decision will **come down to** how much money we have left.
idiom

miss the boat

Meaning
to miss an opportunity
Example
If you don’t book early, you’ll **miss the boat**.
phrasal-verb

break out crying

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **broke out crying** when she heard the sad news.
idiom

as easy as ABC

Meaning
very easy to do or understand
Example
For him, solving math problems is **as easy as ABC**.
phrasal-verb

check back on

Meaning
to review or look again at online updates or messages
Example
You should **check back on** the thread later for new replies.
phrasal-verb

step aside for

Meaning
to let someone else take your position or role
Example
The senior manager decided to **step aside for** a younger leader.
idiom

peace treaty

Meaning
an agreement between two or more parties to stop a war or conflict
Example
The two countries signed a **peace treaty** after years of conflict.
idiom

relieve stress

Meaning
to reduce or eliminate feelings of anxiety or pressure
Example
Yoga can really help to **relieve stress** and improve your mood.
phrasal-verb

tie up in

Meaning
to have money invested in something and not easily available
Example
Most of their capital is **tied up in** real estate.