go through the motions
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idiom

go through the motions

Meaning
to do something without enthusiasm
Example
He’s just **going through the motions** at work.
idiom

architectural eye candy

Meaning
something that is visually appealing but may lack substance or functionality
Example
The new skyscraper in the city is just **architectural eye candy**.
phrasal-verb

move out of

Meaning
to leave a specific place or situation
Example
They decided to **move out of** the city and live in the countryside.
phrasal-verb

question over

Meaning
to express doubt or uncertainty about something
Example
There’s been a lot of **questions over** the accuracy of that report.
idiom

feeling blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
She’s been **feeling blue** all day.
idiom

earn your stripes

Meaning
to gain respect or recognition through hard work
Example
She really **earned her stripes** after managing that crisis.
idiom

heart of stone

Meaning
to be unkind or without compassion
Example
She must have a **heart of stone** to ignore that crying child.
idiom

fall flat

Meaning
to fail completely
Example
His idea **fell flat** because nobody liked it.
phrasal-verb

scale up with

Meaning
to expand by adding extra resources
Example
They **scaled up with** extra analysts during the busy quarter.
idiom

the elephant in the room

Meaning
an obvious problem that no one wants to discuss
Example
Nobody wants to address **the elephant in the room**.
idiom

call the bluff

Meaning
to challenge someone to prove their authority or claim
Example
She **called his bluff** when he threatened to quit.
phrasal-verb

load up on

Meaning
to eat a lot of something, usually before an activity or event
Example
Athletes **load up on** carbs before a big game.
phrasal-verb

spread awareness about

Meaning
to share information to make people more conscious about something
Example
The NGO works hard to **spread awareness about** climate change.
idiom

live up to one's promise

Meaning
to fulfill what was promised or expected
Example
He **lived up to his promise** and completed the project.
phrasal-verb

throw down

Meaning
to drop something forcefully; to challenge someone
Example
He **threw down** his gloves and walked out angrily.
idiom

on good terms with

Meaning
having a friendly and positive relationship with someone
Example
She’s **on good terms with** her ex-husband for the kids’ sake.
phrasal-verb

work on

Meaning
to spend time improving or developing something
Example
Our team is **working on** an advanced AI model.
phrasal-verb

reach across traditions

Meaning
to connect or communicate across different cultural or traditional boundaries
Example
The festival helps people **reach across traditions** and share their heritage.
phrasal-verb

pay out of

Meaning
to give money from a specific source
Example
The damages were **paid out of** the company’s funds.
idiom

An arm and a leg

Meaning
Something that is very expensive.
Example
That new phone costs **an arm and a leg**, but it’s worth it.
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

carve your path

Meaning
to create your own way or direction in life or career
Example
He decided to **carve his path** instead of following others.
idiom

take ownership

Meaning
to take full responsibility for something
Example
Leaders should **take ownership** of both successes and failures.
idiom

split personality

Meaning
having two very different sides to one's character
Example
He’s got a **split personality**—sometimes kind, sometimes cruel.
phrasal-verb

wind down spending

Meaning
to gradually reduce or stop expenditure
Example
The finance department aims to **wind down spending** as the fiscal year ends.
idiom

I feel that

Meaning
Used to express a personal belief or feeling
Example
I feel that we could do better next time.
phrasal-verb

carry across meaning

Meaning
to make someone understand your message clearly
Example
Good translators know how to **carry across meaning** accurately.
phrasal-verb

stand out as a leader

Meaning
to be recognized for leadership qualities or achievements
Example
She **stood out as a leader** because of her integrity and vision.
phrasal-verb

take over as

Meaning
to assume a new position or responsibility previously held by someone else
Example
She will **take over as** the new HR manager next month.
idiom

a splash of color

Meaning
a small amount of bright color added for effect
Example
Add **a splash of color** to make the room lively.
idiom

iron out the wrinkles

Meaning
to solve small problems or differences
Example
We need to **iron out the wrinkles** before launching the project.
idiom

long time no see

Meaning
used when you meet someone after a long time
Example
**Long time no see!** How have you been?
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.
phrasal-verb

deal away

Meaning
to give up something through a trade or compromise
Example
He **dealt away** his shares for quick cash.
idiom

Don’t bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
Don’t take on more responsibility than you can handle.
Example
**Don’t bite off more than you can chew**, start small.
idiom

fall behind

Meaning
to fail to keep up with a schedule or progress
Example
If we miss another deadline, we’ll **fall behind** on the project.
phrasal-verb

ramp up to

Meaning
to increase or intensify effort or production to recover or meet demand
Example
Factories **ramped up to** meet the rising post-crisis demand.
idiom

go back and forth

Meaning
to keep changing your mind about something
Example
He’s been **going back and forth** about buying a new car.
phrasal-verb

dream ahead

Meaning
to imagine a positive future or goal
Example
You should always **dream ahead** and plan your next steps.
phrasal-verb

focus forward

Meaning
to concentrate on future goals instead of past mistakes
Example
You should **focus forward** instead of worrying about what went wrong.
idiom

cutting-edge technology

Meaning
the most advanced and innovative technology available
Example
Our startup uses **cutting-edge technology** to solve complex problems.
idiom

lose your temper

Meaning
to become angry suddenly
Example
He **lost his temper** when the kids broke the vase.
idiom

come into the spotlight

Meaning
to receive public attention or recognition
Example
She **came into the spotlight** after winning the award.
idiom

blow one’s own trumpet

Meaning
to praise oneself; to boast about one's achievements
Example
He loves to **blow his own trumpet** whenever he achieves something.
phrasal-verb

march on

Meaning
to continue advancing toward a goal despite difficulties
Example
The demonstrators **marched on** the capital demanding justice.
idiom

bosom friends

Meaning
very close and intimate friends
Example
They have been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

pluck up the courage

Meaning
to make yourself feel brave enough to do something
Example
He finally **plucked up the courage** to speak in public.
idiom

draw on

Meaning
to use something as a resource
Example
We’ll **draw on** last year’s data for the report.
idiom

see off

Meaning
to go with someone to say goodbye when they leave
Example
We’ll **see off** the guests at the station.
idiom

on the stump

Meaning
to campaign for political office, especially by giving speeches in public
Example
The candidate has been **on the stump** for weeks, rallying support across the country.
idiom

against the odds

Meaning
to succeed despite many difficulties or challenges
Example
They won the game **against all odds**, proving their hard work paid off.
idiom

cross your heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise
Example
I’ll never tell anyone, **cross my heart**.
idiom

mend a broken heart

Meaning
to heal from emotional pain after a breakup
Example
It takes time to **mend a broken heart**.
idiom

full of oneself

Meaning
to be overly proud or self-confident
Example
He’s so **full of himself** after getting that promotion.
phrasal-verb

rise from

Meaning
to recover or improve after a setback or loss
Example
She **rose from** her failures stronger than before.
phrasal-verb

opt against

Meaning
to decide not to choose a particular option
Example
After considering the risks, the company **opted against** the merger.
idiom

Tear down barriers

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

bubble over

Meaning
to show excitement or happiness in an obvious way
Example
The children were **bubbling over** with joy on the last day of school.
phrasal-verb

open doors to

Meaning
to create opportunities for cultural connection or understanding
Example
Cultural exchange programs **open doors to** meaningful friendships worldwide.
idiom

a feather in one’s cap

Meaning
an achievement to be proud of
Example
Winning the national award was **a feather in his cap**.
phrasal-verb

hand out

Meaning
to distribute items to people
Example
Volunteers **handed out** flyers to promote the cultural exhibition.
phrasal-verb

balance between

Meaning
to maintain stability between different emotions or responsibilities
Example
She tries to **balance between** her work and personal life.
phrasal-verb

fog up

Meaning
when glass or lenses become covered with mist or condensation
Example
My glasses always **fog up** when it rains.
idiom

a whole new ball game

Meaning
a completely new or different situation; something that changes the way things are done.
Example
Starting a business from scratch is **a whole new ball game**.
idiom

have confidence in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone’s ability
Example
I **have confidence in** your judgment.
phrasal-verb

be carried away

Meaning
to become so excited that you lose control of your feelings
Example
They got **carried away** during the celebration.
phrasal-verb

reach out jointly

Meaning
to make joint efforts to communicate or engage with others
Example
The two companies decided to **reach out jointly** to potential clients.
idiom

measure out

Meaning
to calculate and separate a specific amount
Example
Please **measure out** two cups of flour.
idiom

blind experiment

Meaning
a test conducted without participants knowing certain information to prevent bias
Example
The scientists conducted a **blind experiment** to ensure accuracy.
phrasal-verb

rise above challenges

Meaning
to overcome difficulties and remain positive
Example
He learned to **rise above challenges** and stay optimistic.
phrasal-verb

hold back tears

Meaning
to stop yourself from crying
Example
He tried to **hold back tears** during the speech.
phrasal-verb

pour into

Meaning
to invest large amounts of money into something
Example
Investors are **pouring into** renewable energy projects.
idiom

peace of mind

Meaning
a feeling of being calm and free from worry
Example
Insurance gives you **peace of mind** in uncertain times.
phrasal-verb

fade away

Meaning
to gradually disappear
Example
His anger slowly **faded away** after the apology.
idiom

set the tone

Meaning
to establish the mood or style for something
Example
The manager's speech **set the tone** for the meeting.
idiom

jog someone's memory

Meaning
to make someone remember something
Example
That smell **jogged my memory** of our school canteen.
idiom

don't count your chickens before they hatch

Meaning
don't make plans for something that might not happen
Example
You should wait until you get the job offer before you start celebrating. **Don't count your chickens before they hatch**.
phrasal-verb

be crazy about

Meaning
to love something or someone very much
Example
She’s **crazy about** Korean dramas.
idiom

rule of thumb

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

Cross the Rubicon

Meaning
To make an irreversible decision or take a step from which there is no turning back.
Example
By quitting his job, he **crossed the Rubicon** and committed to his startup dream.
phrasal-verb

branch out creatively

Meaning
to expand one’s work into more creative fields or approaches
Example
Our agency has started to **branch out creatively** with digital storytelling.
idiom

under the stars

Meaning
in the open air, outside, especially at night
Example
We slept **under the stars** by the lake.
idiom

point the finger

Meaning
to accuse or blame someone
Example
Don’t **point the finger** until you have all the facts.
phrasal-verb

sign in to

Meaning
to enter a username and password to access an account
Example
Please **sign in to** your account before starting the quiz.
idiom

Keep it under your hat

Meaning
To keep something secret.
Example
I’ll tell you a secret, but **keep it under your hat**.
phrasal-verb

touch upon

Meaning
to mention a topic briefly and politely
Example
Let’s **touch upon** the topic of customer feedback before we end the meeting.
phrasal-verb

look through

Meaning
to read something quickly
Example
She **looked through** her notes before class.
idiom

Keep it real

Meaning
To stay honest and genuine.
Example
She always tries to **keep it real** in her relationships.
phrasal-verb

snap at

Meaning
to speak angrily and quickly to someone
Example
He **snapped at** me when I asked him a simple question.
idiom

jump in

Meaning
to join an activity quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in** if you have suggestions.
phrasal-verb

stand over against

Meaning
to contrast or compare one thing with another
Example
This idea **stands over against** the traditional belief.
phrasal-verb

dance along to

Meaning
to dance while music is playing
Example
Everyone **danced along to** the DJ’s beats.
idiom

come up with

Meaning
to think of a plan, idea, or solution
Example
She managed to **come up with** a clever workaround overnight.
idiom

itching to do something

Meaning
to be eager or impatient to do something
Example
He’s **itching to start** his new project.
idiom

see both sides

Meaning
to understand both perspectives in an argument
Example
I can **see both sides** of the issue, so it’s hard to choose.
idiom

to learn the hard way

Meaning
to learn by making mistakes or through difficult experiences
Example
He **learned the hard way** that honesty is the best policy.
phrasal-verb

migrate to

Meaning
to move data or systems from one environment to another
Example
The IT team is working hard to **migrate all databases to** the cloud.
phrasal-verb

find with

Meaning
to discover something by examining or associating with someone
Example
They **found with** her a bag full of letters.
idiom

step up to the plate

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something important
Example
When the leader resigned, she **stepped up to the plate** and took charge.
idiom

in the doldrums

Meaning
feeling sad or bored for a long time
Example
He’s been **in the doldrums** since his team lost.
phrasal-verb

look out toward

Meaning
to show attention or awareness toward someone’s needs
Example
We should always **look out toward** those who are struggling.
phrasal-verb

dream up

Meaning
to imagine or invent something new or creative
Example
They **dreamed up** a new way to achieve their business goals.
idiom

Flash in the pan

Meaning
Something that shows potential but fails quickly
Example
His first success was just a **flash in the pan**.
phrasal-verb

talk things through

Meaning
to discuss a problem thoroughly to reach understanding
Example
They decided to **talk things through** before making any decision.
phrasal-verb

work out

Meaning
to find a solution or agreement through discussion or effort
Example
They managed to **work out** their differences after the meeting.
phrasal-verb

fill up

Meaning
to eat enough food so that you are full
Example
That soup really **filled me up**.
idiom

Keep your head above water

Meaning
Manage to survive or cope with difficulties.
Example
It’s hard, but I’m trying to **keep my head above water**.
idiom

let someone off the hook

Meaning
to release someone from blame or punishment
Example
The judge decided to **let him off the hook** with a warning.
idiom

be lost for words

Meaning
to be so surprised that you cannot speak
Example
I was **lost for words** when I won the prize.
idiom

roll the credits

Meaning
to finish something officially
Example
After the final announcement, they **rolled the credits** on the project.
phrasal-verb

bring yourself to

Meaning
to force yourself to do something that is emotionally difficult
Example
He couldn't **bring himself to** tell her the truth.
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

open doors for

Meaning
to create opportunities or possibilities for connection or collaboration
Example
Joining community events can **open doors for** meaningful relationships.
phrasal-verb

hand back praise

Meaning
to redirect compliments to the people who earned them
Example
Great mentors **hand back praise** to the colleagues who did the work.
idiom

talk up

Meaning
to praise or promote something enthusiastically
Example
The host will **talk up** the new menu tonight.
idiom

upgrade your mindset

Meaning
to adapt one’s thinking for modern changes or innovation
Example
In the age of AI, it’s vital to **upgrade your mindset**.
idiom

clash of civilizations

Meaning
the conflict between different cultural, religious, or civilizational groups
Example
The debate about cultural differences is often seen as a **clash of civilizations**.
idiom

grasp at straws

Meaning
to try any method to succeed, even if unlikely
Example
He was **grasping at straws** when he suggested that idea.
phrasal-verb

wind down with

Meaning
to relax by doing something calming
Example
She likes to **wind down with** a book before bed.
phrasal-verb

build up confidence

Meaning
to increase self-belief among team members
Example
A leader’s words can **build up confidence** in the team.
idiom

off the wall

Meaning
unusual or unconventional
Example
His ideas are often **off the wall**, but they sometimes work.