give someone a leg up
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idiom

give someone a leg up

Meaning
to help someone improve their situation or get an advantage
Example
Her mentor **gave her a leg up** in her career.
phrasal-verb

manage with

Meaning
to cope using what is available
Example
We’ll have to **manage with** what we have for now.
phrasal-verb

listen within

Meaning
to pay attention to your inner voice or emotions
Example
When confused, take a moment to **listen within**.
idiom

go according to plan

Meaning
to happen as expected
Example
Everything went **according to plan** during the event.
idiom

Fine tuning

Meaning
small adjustments to improve something
Example
The plan just needs some **fine tuning** before we present it.
idiom

bat around

Meaning
to discuss ideas casually
Example
We spent the afternoon **batting around** marketing themes.
phrasal-verb

use sparingly

Meaning
to use something in small or limited amounts
Example
Please **use** the office supplies **sparingly** until the next order arrives.
phrasal-verb

make over

Meaning
to change the appearance or style of something; to transfer ownership
Example
They completely **made over** the kitchen last month.
idiom

all smiles

Meaning
very happy and cheerful
Example
He was **all smiles** after hearing the compliment.
phrasal-verb

get sick of

Meaning
to become bored or annoyed with something or someone
Example
I **got sick of** hearing the same song over and over.
idiom

swept off your feet

Meaning
to be suddenly and strongly attracted to someone
Example
She was **swept off her feet** by his charm.
idiom

the art of something

Meaning
the skill of doing something well
Example
She has mastered **the art of** storytelling.
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

reach out with thanks

Meaning
to contact someone to express appreciation
Example
She always **reaches out with thanks** after receiving any help.
idiom

The Midas touch

Meaning
The ability to make money or succeed in everything one does.
Example
She seems to have **the Midas touch**—every project she starts becomes a success.
idiom

clean up one’s act

Meaning
to improve behavior or performance; to become more responsible
Example
The factory had to **clean up its act** to avoid heavy fines.
idiom

throw money down the drain

Meaning
to waste money on something useless
Example
Buying that fake brand bag was like **throwing money down the drain**.
idiom

team up with

Meaning
to collaborate with someone for a common goal
Example
The nonprofits **teamed up with** local schools for the project.
idiom

Tell the truth and shame the devil

Meaning
Always speak the truth, even when it’s hard or risky.
Example
Just **tell the truth and shame the devil**, even if it hurts.
idiom

gear up

Meaning
to prepare energetically for something
Example
The team is **gearing up** for the product launch next week.
idiom

take it to the bank

Meaning
to be certain that something is true or will happen
Example
You can **take it to the bank** that he’ll deliver on his promise.
idiom

put it in a nutshell

Meaning
to explain something in a very clear and concise way
Example
To **put it in a nutshell**, the project was a success.
phrasal-verb

work for

Meaning
to be employed by someone or an organization
Example
I **work for** a multinational company in Dhaka.
idiom

off the rails

Meaning
to become uncontrolled or chaotic
Example
After his friend moved away, his life went **off the rails**.
phrasal-verb

sub in for

Meaning
to replace someone temporarily in a role
Example
Can you **sub in for** me at the networking event tonight?
phrasal-verb

fill with

Meaning
to make someone experience a strong emotion
Example
The kind gesture **filled her with** gratitude.
idiom

put on your thinking cap

Meaning
to start thinking seriously about solving a problem
Example
Let’s **put on our thinking caps** and find a solution.
phrasal-verb

draw nations into

Meaning
to attract or involve countries into joint activities
Example
The summit **drew nations into** a pact on fair trade.
idiom

more luck than sense

Meaning
successful because of luck, not intelligence
Example
He survived the accident—he’s got **more luck than sense**.
phrasal-verb

turn against

Meaning
to stop supporting someone and start opposing them
Example
The public **turned against** the government after the scandal.
idiom

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

Meaning
Going from a bad situation to an even worse one.
Example
Quitting that job put him **out of the frying pan and into the fire**.
idiom

twist someone's arm

Meaning
to persuade someone forcefully
Example
I had to **twist his arm** to get him to come.
phrasal-verb

run into trouble

Meaning
to experience problems or difficulties
Example
We **ran into trouble** when the car suddenly stopped working.
phrasal-verb

clam down from

Meaning
to gradually relax after being very stressed or angry
Example
It took him an hour to **clam down from** the argument.
idiom

adapt to new surroundings

Meaning
to adjust to a new environment or situation
Example
After moving to a new city, it took her some time to **adapt to new surroundings**.
idiom

be in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in control of a situation
Example
After the merger, our company is **in the driver’s seat**.
phrasal-verb

rise through challenges

Meaning
to overcome difficulties and grow stronger
Example
She **rose through challenges** and became a respected leader.
phrasal-verb

follow up on

Meaning
to check or continue working on something previously started
Example
He promised to **follow up on** his health goals regularly.
idiom

penny wise, pound foolish

Meaning
being careful with small amounts of money but careless with large amounts
Example
She refuses to buy a $10 book, but spends $100 on clothes; she's **penny wise, pound foolish**.
idiom

the end of the road

Meaning
the point where progress stops; the end of something
Example
For us, this is **the end of the road**.
idiom

by the book

Meaning
to follow the rules exactly
Example
Our manager does everything **by the book**.
idiom

cut through the red tape

Meaning
to remove bureaucratic obstacles or delays
Example
The new policy helps **cut through the red tape** and speed up approvals.
idiom

carry the load

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult
Example
She had to **carry the load** after her manager resigned.
idiom

all in good time

Meaning
something will happen eventually; be patient
Example
**All in good time**, you’ll see the results soon.
phrasal-verb

commend on

Meaning
to praise someone for something
Example
The manager **commended** her **on** her excellent presentation.
phrasal-verb

keep up the momentum

Meaning
to continue working with the same energy and enthusiasm
Example
After achieving success, the team must **keep up the momentum**.
phrasal-verb

get down to it

Meaning
to start doing something seriously and with focus
Example
We’ve wasted enough time—let’s **get down to it** and start working.
phrasal-verb

key up

Meaning
to make someone feel nervous or excited
Example
She was **keyed up** before her first performance.
idiom

a crash course

Meaning
a short and intensive course of study
Example
I had to take a **crash course** in programming before starting the job.
idiom

In the blink of an eye

Meaning
Very quickly, almost instantaneously.
Example
The discovery of the new planet happened **in the blink of an eye**.
idiom

phase out

Meaning
to gradually stop using or providing something
Example
The company plans to **phase out** plastic packaging by next year.
phrasal-verb

turn off

Meaning
to stop the flow of something; to switch off
Example
Please **turn off** the lights when you leave the room to save energy.
idiom

head off for

Meaning
to depart for a destination
Example
We’ll **head off for** the airport at 5 a.m.
phrasal-verb

live within

Meaning
to spend only as much money as you earn
Example
It's important to **live within** your means.
idiom

Tear down barriers

Meaning
To remove obstacles or prejudices between people.
Example
Education helps to **tear down barriers** between communities.
phrasal-verb

time out

Meaning
to stop a connection after taking too long to respond
Example
The website **timed out** because the server was too slow.
idiom

fulfill one's obligations

Meaning
to complete or carry out one's duties
Example
He always tries to **fulfill his obligations** to his clients.
idiom

Economic bubble

Meaning
A situation where asset prices rise far above their real value.
Example
The housing **economic bubble** burst in 2008, causing a global crisis.
phrasal-verb

evolve from

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

roll with

Meaning
to adapt to changes or challenges easily
Example
The team had to **roll with** several last-minute changes to the schedule.
idiom

heart of gold

Meaning
a very kind and generous person
Example
My grandmother has a **heart of gold**.
idiom

have a falling out

Meaning
to have a disagreement or fight with someone
Example
They **had a falling out** over money issues.
phrasal-verb

click on

Meaning
to press a button on the mouse to select something
Example
Just **click on** the link to open the website.
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

What’s done is done

Meaning
There is no point in worrying about past mistakes.
Example
We can’t change the past, so **what’s done is done**.
phrasal-verb

let in positivity

Meaning
to allow positive thoughts and emotions to enter your mind
Example
She tries to **let in positivity** every morning.
idiom

patch things up

Meaning
to repair a relationship after a disagreement
Example
They finally **patched things up** after their fight.
idiom

on the run

Meaning
trying to avoid being caught by the police
Example
The suspect has been **on the run** for three days.
idiom

Never give up

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

a mind like a sieve

Meaning
to have a very bad memory
Example
He forgets everything; he has **a mind like a sieve**.
idiom

raise the stakes

Meaning
to increase the level of risk or difficulty
Example
We need to **raise the stakes** if we want to make a bigger impact.
idiom

Lay down arms

Meaning
to stop fighting and surrender
Example
After the long conflict, both sides decided to **lay down arms** and negotiate.
idiom

strike a balance

Meaning
to find a satisfactory compromise between two things
Example
It’s hard to **strike a balance** between career and family.
idiom

Play your cards right

Meaning
To make the right moves to achieve success.
Example
If you **play your cards right**, you might get the promotion.
phrasal-verb

gain insight into

Meaning
to understand something deeply or clearly through experience
Example
Traveling helped me **gain insight into** different cultures.
phrasal-verb

cash in

Meaning
to make money from an investment or situation
Example
Investors **cashed in** when the stock prices soared.
idiom

bring home the bacon

Meaning
to earn money to support the family
Example
He works hard every day to **bring home the bacon**.
phrasal-verb

embrace your journey

Meaning
to accept and appreciate your personal process of growth and healing
Example
It’s important to **embrace your journey**, even when it’s difficult.
phrasal-verb

keep to oneself

Meaning
to not share thoughts or feelings with others
Example
He usually **keeps to himself** and doesn’t talk much.
idiom

go on a spending spree

Meaning
to spend a lot of money in a short period of time
Example
She **went on a spending spree** after getting her bonus.
phrasal-verb

stand resilient

Meaning
to remain strong and recover quickly from difficulties
Example
Communities must **stand resilient** in the face of tragedy.
phrasal-verb

lead to

Meaning
to cause a particular result or outcome
Example
Improved visuals can **lead to** better audience engagement.
phrasal-verb

learn to accept

Meaning
to come to terms with failure as part of life
Example
You must **learn to accept** failure if you want to succeed.
phrasal-verb

take over for

Meaning
to temporarily handle someone’s virtual responsibilities
Example
Can you **take over for** me while I’m offline?
idiom

synergy

Meaning
the combined power of a group that is greater than the sum of individual efforts
Example
The **synergy** between the teams resulted in a groundbreaking product.
phrasal-verb

connect to

Meaning
to feel a sense of belonging with one’s culture or roots
Example
I **connect to** my culture through music and food.
idiom

A seat at the table

Meaning
To have an opportunity to be part of decision-making or important discussions.
Example
She fought for years to earn **a seat at the table** in the boardroom.
idiom

plug and play

Meaning
easy to use without complex setup
Example
The new printer is **plug and play** – no installation needed.
idiom

bring to life

Meaning
to make something more interesting or realistic
Example
The artist’s use of color really **brought the painting to life**.
phrasal-verb

light up with happiness

Meaning
to look very happy
Example
Her face **lit up with happiness** when she saw the gift.
phrasal-verb

chat up

Meaning
to talk to someone in a friendly or romantic way
Example
He tried to **chat up** the girl at the party.
phrasal-verb

drive up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods or services sold abroad
Example
The new trade policies are designed to **drive up exports**.
idiom

to turn the tide

Meaning
to reverse the direction of events, especially to improve a difficult situation
Example
The new leadership has really **turned the tide** for the company’s performance.
phrasal-verb

get over

Meaning
to recover from something upsetting or difficult
Example
It took him a long time to **get over** his fears.
phrasal-verb

leak out

Meaning
to become known accidentally; to escape from secrecy
Example
Sensitive information **leaked out** before the official announcement.
phrasal-verb

stop over

Meaning
to stay somewhere for a short time during a long journey
Example
We’ll **stop over** in Dubai for one night before heading to Paris.
idiom

keep something to yourself

Meaning
not tell anyone about something
Example
Please **keep it to yourself** until we’re ready to announce.
phrasal-verb

drive up prices

Meaning
to cause prices to increase
Example
High demand for oil has **driven up prices** around the world.
idiom

a quantum leap

Meaning
a big and sudden improvement
Example
This discovery is **a quantum leap** in medical research.
idiom

make up your mind

Meaning
to decide something
Example
You need to **make up your mind** about which job to take.
idiom

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning
To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example
If you think I'm guilty, you're **barking up the wrong tree**.
idiom

green-eyed jealousy

Meaning
strong feeling of envy
Example
**Green-eyed jealousy** can ruin even the best relationships.
idiom

second to none

Meaning
the best; better than everyone else
Example
Her cooking is **second to none**.
idiom

feel for

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

live the dream

Meaning
to be living the life you always wanted
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
idiom

chatterbox

Meaning
a person who talks a lot
Example
My little sister is a real **chatterbox**.
idiom

quick on the uptake

Meaning
able to understand things quickly
Example
You don’t need to explain it twice—he’s **quick on the uptake**.
phrasal-verb

scale forward

Meaning
to expand operations or activities progressively toward growth
Example
The organization plans to **scale forward** its social impact programs.
idiom

Don’t give up

Meaning
Continue trying and don’t quit.
Example
You’ve come so far—**don’t give up** now!
phrasal-verb

run into

Meaning
to meet someone unexpectedly
Example
I **ran into** my cousin at the shopping mall yesterday.
phrasal-verb

mess up

Meaning
to make a mistake; to spoil something
Example
I really **messed up** my presentation yesterday.
idiom

hit home

Meaning
to be fully understood or have a strong impact
Example
The reality of the housing crisis really **hit home** for them.
idiom

lock it down

Meaning
to secure something completely
Example
Before launching the website, make sure to **lock it down**.
idiom

second childhood

Meaning
the time in old age when a person starts behaving like a child again
Example
After retirement, he entered his **second childhood**.
idiom

catch the train

Meaning
to be on time for a train or event
Example
Hurry up or you’ll not **catch the train**!
idiom

play devil's advocate

Meaning
to argue against an idea to test how strong it is
Example
I don't necessarily disagree, but let me **play devil's advocate** for a moment.
idiom

back on your feet

Meaning
recovered and healthy again
Example
It’s good to see you **back on your feet** after the flu.
idiom

go off on a tangent

Meaning
to suddenly start talking about something unrelated
Example
He tends to **go off on a tangent** when discussing politics.
idiom

foot the bill

Meaning
to pay for something, especially something expensive
Example
His father will **foot the bill** for the wedding.
idiom

cost an arm and a leg

Meaning
to be very expensive
Example
That designer bag **cost an arm and a leg**.
idiom

stay calm

Meaning
to remain composed and not panic
Example
No need to worry, just **stay calm** and think it through.