go back to square one
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idiom

go back to square one

Meaning
to start again from the beginning
Example
If this doesn’t work, we’ll have to **go back to square one**.
idiom

put your nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and focus on something
Example
If you want to succeed, you have to **put your nose to the grindstone**.
phrasal-verb

gear the crew up

Meaning
to prepare a team with the tools or mindset they need
Example
Heads **gear the crew up** with clear roles before the sprint begins.
phrasal-verb

show admiration for

Meaning
to express approval and respect
Example
He openly **showed admiration for** her courage.
idiom

carve your own path

Meaning
to create your own way of achieving success or independence
Example
She decided to **carve her own path** instead of joining her family business.
idiom

burn your fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of a bad decision or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by trusting the wrong person.
idiom

a dead-end job

Meaning
a job with no opportunity for advancement or improvement
Example
He quit his **dead-end job** to start his own business.
phrasal-verb

breathe through

Meaning
to manage stress or pain by breathing calmly
Example
When anxious, try to **breathe through** the feeling slowly.
phrasal-verb

calm oneself down

Meaning
to relax and regain emotional control after being upset or angry
Example
He took a deep breath to **calm himself down** before speaking.
idiom

a slippery slope

Meaning
a course of action that seems to lead to undesirable or dangerous consequences
Example
Starting to ignore small violations can lead to **a slippery slope** of bigger legal issues.
phrasal-verb

bring up for debate

Meaning
to introduce a topic or proposal for official discussion
Example
The minister decided to **bring up for debate** a new tax reform policy.
idiom

have a Eureka moment

Meaning
to suddenly realize the solution to a problem
Example
I had a **Eureka moment** while fixing the code last night.
idiom

put someone in their place

Meaning
to show someone that they are not as important as they think
Example
She **put him in his place** when he tried to act superior.
phrasal-verb

work into

Meaning
to include something into a plan or discussion
Example
I’ll try to **work** your idea **into** the proposal.
idiom

get a kick out of

Meaning
to enjoy something very much
Example
He really **gets a kick out of** playing video games with his kids.
idiom

moral compass

Meaning
a person’s ability to judge what is right and wrong
Example
Developers must keep their **moral compass** while designing AI tools.
phrasal-verb

go back over

Meaning
to review or check something again carefully
Example
Before submitting your work, **go back over** it once more.
phrasal-verb

throw in

Meaning
to add something extra for free; to include casually
Example
The seller **threw in** a free cover with the phone.
idiom

A picture paints a thousand words

Meaning
A visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
Cultural symbols remind us that **a picture paints a thousand words**.
phrasal-verb

join across

Meaning
to connect or unite with people or organizations from different countries or sectors
Example
Businesses **join across** industries to promote sustainability.
phrasal-verb

cut off pollution

Meaning
to stop or reduce pollution sources
Example
Factories must **cut off pollution** to meet environmental standards.
phrasal-verb

move through

Meaning
to pass through or experience something from start to end
Example
We had to **move through** many challenges to succeed.
idiom

Airhead

Meaning
A silly or foolish person.
Example
Don't be such an **airhead**, pay attention!
phrasal-verb

journal through sadness

Meaning
to write in a journal while processing sad feelings
Example
She **journals through sadness** to understand what the day is teaching her.
idiom

glue together

Meaning
to attach pieces firmly using adhesive
Example
Let the students **glue together** the collage pieces.
phrasal-verb

slow up

Meaning
to move or act more slowly to reduce pressure or stress
Example
You should **slow up** before you burn out.
phrasal-verb

light the way

Meaning
to inspire hope or positivity for others
Example
Her success will **light the way** for many others.
idiom

check back

Meaning
to return at a later time for an update
Example
Please **check back** next week for the final list.
idiom

think big

Meaning
to set ambitious and visionary goals
Example
Entrepreneurs must **think big** to make a real impact.
phrasal-verb

deal in

Meaning
to buy and sell a particular product or type of goods
Example
He **deals in** antique furniture.
idiom

a roller coaster of emotions

Meaning
experiencing intense and fluctuating emotions
Example
Her life has been **a roller coaster of emotions** since the accident.
idiom

vote down

Meaning
to reject something by voting against it
Example
The board may **vote down** the new proposal.
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

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

reach out emotionally

Meaning
to make an emotional effort to connect or support someone
Example
She tried to **reach out emotionally** when her friend was feeling down.
idiom

bridge the gap

Meaning
to reduce differences or improve relations
Example
The treaty aims to **bridge the gap** between the two sides.
phrasal-verb

push ahead with

Meaning
to continue with a task or plan despite opposition or difficulties
Example
They decided to **push ahead with** the project despite the challenges.
phrasal-verb

loop in

Meaning
to include someone in communication or discussion
Example
Please **loop in** the designer when making changes.
phrasal-verb

park ideas for later

Meaning
to set suggestions aside for future review
Example
We **park ideas for later** when the sprint board is already full.
phrasal-verb

set priorities

Meaning
to decide which tasks or goals are most important
Example
You must **set priorities** to reach your long-term goals.
idiom

crash and burn

Meaning
to fail completely or suddenly
Example
The new software update **crashed and burned** after launch.
idiom

to make a name for oneself

Meaning
to become famous or well known for something
Example
He worked hard to **make a name for himself** in the tech industry.
phrasal-verb

flare with anger

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry
Example
She **flared with anger** when she heard the unfair decision.
idiom

get acquainted

Meaning
to become familiar or friendly with someone
Example
We had a short chat to **get acquainted**.
phrasal-verb

tie together

Meaning
to connect or combine different ideas or organizations into a single effort
Example
Their vision helps to **tie together** efforts from multiple NGOs.
idiom

back up

Meaning
to support or to make a copy of important data
Example
Can you **back up** my explanation during the meeting?
idiom

apology accepted

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

cut back on costs

Meaning
to reduce spending or expenses
Example
We need to **cut back on costs** to improve our profit margins.
phrasal-verb

run along

Meaning
to leave or go away, usually said to children
Example
It’s time to **run along** now, kids.
idiom

swing vote

Meaning
a vote that is not yet decided and could go either way
Example
The **swing vote** will determine the outcome of the election.
idiom

have a splitting headache

Meaning
to have a very bad headache
Example
I can’t focus right now; I **have a splitting headache**.
idiom

stick with

Meaning
to continue doing or supporting something despite challenges
Example
If you **stick with** the routine, you’ll see results soon.
phrasal-verb

zone within

Meaning
to turn your focus inward for calm and peace
Example
Meditation helps you **zone within** and find balance.
idiom

to blow it

Meaning
to ruin a chance or opportunity by mistake
Example
He **blew it** by arriving late to the interview.
phrasal-verb

reach across borders

Meaning
to cooperate internationally; to form connections beyond national boundaries
Example
Organizations are striving to **reach across borders** to solve global problems.
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

Take something with a grain of salt

Meaning
To not take something too seriously or literally
Example
You should **take his stories with a grain of salt**; he often exaggerates.
idiom

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet

Meaning
Although waiting is hard, it results in good outcomes.
Example
It might be tough, but **patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet**.
idiom

throw a wrench into the works

Meaning
to disrupt or complicate something
Example
The sudden resignation of the minister threw a **wrench into the works** of the peace negotiations.
idiom

Share a smile

Meaning
to smile and bring happiness to others
Example
It's easy to **share a smile** and brighten someone's day.
idiom

the art of something

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

warm the cockles of one's heart

Meaning
to make someone feel happy or grateful
Example
Her thoughtful gift really **warmed the cockles of my heart**.
idiom

school of hard knocks

Meaning
learning through difficult life experiences
Example
He didn’t go to college; he learned from the **school of hard knocks**.
idiom

cut above the rest

Meaning
to be better than others
Example
His presentation was **a cut above the rest**.
idiom

peace and quiet

Meaning
a time of calmness and tranquility
Example
I just need some **peace and quiet** to finish my work.
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

run out of bandwidth

Meaning
to have no time or energy left; to be overwhelmed
Example
Sorry, I can’t take another task — I’ve **run out of bandwidth**.
idiom

Rite of passage

Meaning
A ceremony or event marking an important stage in someone's life
Example
Graduation is a **rite of passage** for many students.
idiom

sign off on

Meaning
to formally approve something
Example
The director needs to **sign off on** the final budget.
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

jam out

Meaning
to play music with great enthusiasm or energy
Example
The band **jammed out** for hours during rehearsal.
idiom

hit the right note

Meaning
to do or say something perfectly suitable
Example
Her performance really **hit the right note** with the audience.
idiom

the scales of justice

Meaning
the system or symbol representing fairness and equality in law
Example
The judge ensures that **the scales of justice** remain balanced.
idiom

to see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
We finally **saw eye to eye** on the decision.
phrasal-verb

reach out for help

Meaning
to contact someone when you need assistance
Example
If the workload feels heavy, **reach out for help** early.
phrasal-verb

lie in wait

Meaning
to hide and wait for someone or something
Example
The police **lay in wait** for the suspect all night.
idiom

media circus

Meaning
an excessive or sensationalized media coverage
Example
The trial turned into a **media circus**.
idiom

lose one’s cool

Meaning
to suddenly become angry
Example
Try not to **lose your cool** during the argument.
phrasal-verb

pool together

Meaning
to combine resources or efforts for a shared goal
Example
The organizations decided to **pool together** their expertise for a larger impact.
idiom

sit tight

Meaning
to stay calm and wait patiently
Example
Just **sit tight** and wait for the results.
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.
phrasal-verb

depend upon

Meaning
to rely on someone for support or help
Example
Children **depend upon** their parents for love and care.
idiom

cross your mind

Meaning
to think of something briefly
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could lie.
phrasal-verb

cut off excuses

Meaning
to stop giving reasons for not doing something
Example
It’s time to **cut off excuses** and take real action.
phrasal-verb

pull into

Meaning
to drive into a place, such as a parking lot or station
Example
The bus **pulled into** the terminal right on time.
phrasal-verb

break out crying

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

scroll through

Meaning
to move down or up a page to look at content
Example
I spent an hour **scrolling through** Instagram last night.
idiom

open to abuse

Meaning
liable to be misused or exploited
Example
Facial recognition technology is **open to abuse** if not regulated.
idiom

kindness goes a long way

Meaning
a small act of kindness can have a big positive impact
Example
Remember, **kindness goes a long way** in building good relationships.
idiom

to pull strings

Meaning
to use one's influence or connections to get things done
Example
She managed to **pull strings** to get the bill passed in Congress.
phrasal-verb

think back to

Meaning
to recall or remember something from the past
Example
I often **think back to** the lessons my parents taught me.
idiom

get to the root of the problem

Meaning
to discover the main cause of a problem
Example
We need to **get to the root of the problem** before we can fix it.
idiom

on the house

Meaning
free of charge; paid for by the establishment
Example
The drinks were **on the house** tonight.
phrasal-verb

jump on a call

Meaning
to quickly join an online voice or video call
Example
Let’s **jump on a call** to discuss the issue in detail.
idiom

on the tip of one's tongue

Meaning
when you can almost remember something but not quite
Example
His name is **on the tip of my tongue**, but I can’t recall it.
phrasal-verb

break off thoughts

Meaning
to stop negative or anxious thoughts abruptly
Example
Whenever you start overthinking, **break off thoughts** and focus on something present.
phrasal-verb

lean on for

Meaning
to depend on someone for help or advice
Example
My mentor is who I **lean on for** guidance before big negotiations.
idiom

give someone a run for their money

Meaning
to compete strongly against someone
Example
The new player **gave the champion a run for his money**.
phrasal-verb

grow up with

Meaning
to spend your childhood with someone
Example
I **grew up with** my cousins in the same house.
idiom

self-assured

Meaning
confident and sure of oneself
Example
She walked into the room looking calm and **self-assured**.
idiom

wrap your head around something

Meaning
to succeed in understanding something difficult or strange
Example
I'm still trying to **wrap my head around** this new software.
phrasal-verb

build upon experience

Meaning
to use past experiences to improve future actions or performance
Example
We can **build upon our experience** to avoid making the same mistakes again.
idiom

At the end of one’s rope

Meaning
To be so tired or frustrated that you can’t deal with anything more.
Example
After working nonstop for weeks, I was **at the end of my rope**.
idiom

out for blood

Meaning
to be extremely determined to defeat or punish someone
Example
After losing last time, the team is **out for blood** this season.
idiom

party line

Meaning
the official policy or position of a political party
Example
Members were warned not to speak against the **party line**.
idiom

in full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or progress
Example
The dance rehearsal is **in full swing** before the big day.
idiom

hook the customer

Meaning
to attract and keep a customer’s interest
Example
A good slogan can easily **hook the customer**.
idiom

come through

Meaning
to do what is expected or promised, especially in difficult situations
Example
She always **comes through** when we need her most.
idiom

follow through on

Meaning
to complete a task or promise as planned
Example
She always **follows through on** what she says she will do.
phrasal-verb

hold grudges against

Meaning
to continue feeling angry or resentful toward someone
Example
It’s not healthy to **hold grudges against** your friends.
idiom

in harm’s way

Meaning
In a position to be injured or in danger.
Example
Firefighters often put themselves **in harm’s way** to save others.
idiom

beyond a reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical reason to doubt; with full certainty
Example
The evidence proved his guilt **beyond a reasonable doubt**.
phrasal-verb

back up initiatives

Meaning
to provide support or resources for new projects
Example
Global organizations **back up initiatives** that promote equality.
phrasal-verb

cross out

Meaning
to draw a line through something written to show it is wrong
Example
He **crossed out** the wrong answer and wrote the correct one.
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

mitigate against

Meaning
to make something less severe or harmful
Example
Effective controls can **mitigate against** financial losses.
idiom

slow as a snail

Meaning
very slow or lazy in movement or action
Example
He walks **slow as a snail** in the morning.
idiom

clamp down

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something
Example
The manager decided to **clamp down** on late arrivals.
phrasal-verb

read aloud

Meaning
to read something so that other people can hear it
Example
She **read aloud** the story to the whole class.
phrasal-verb

pull out of markets

Meaning
to withdraw investments or operations from a market
Example
Some multinational companies decided to **pull out of markets** facing instability.
idiom

every cloud has a silver lining

Meaning
every difficult situation has a hopeful aspect
Example
I was sad when I lost my job, but then I found a better one. **Every cloud has a silver lining**.