grease the wheels
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idiom

grease the wheels

Meaning
to make a process run more smoothly by helping it along or making it easier
Example
Bribing officials is a common way to grease the wheels in international trade negotiations.
idiom

fade to black

Meaning
to end something dramatically
Example
The director chose to **fade to black** at the emotional climax.
phrasal-verb

mingle with

Meaning
to move around and talk to different people at a social event
Example
Try to **mingle with** new people at the party.
phrasal-verb

come off as

Meaning
to seem to be a particular type of person
Example
He can **come off as** rude, but he’s actually very kind.
phrasal-verb

learn to appreciate

Meaning
to develop admiration or respect for other traditions and beliefs
Example
Through travel, you can **learn to appreciate** cultural diversity.
idiom

the apple of one's eye

Meaning
someone or something that is cherished or loved deeply
Example
Her son is truly **the apple of her eye**.
idiom

sorry sight

Meaning
something or someone that looks pitiful or regrettable
Example
After the storm, the park was a **sorry sight**.
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

withdraw into

Meaning
to retreat emotionally and avoid social or emotional contact
Example
He **withdrew into** himself after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

turn around a business

Meaning
to make a failing business successful again
Example
The new CEO managed to **turn around the business** within a year.
idiom

Move heaven and earth

Meaning
To do everything possible to achieve something.
Example
They **moved heaven and earth** to save the project.
idiom

take ownership

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

bond over

Meaning
to develop a close relationship through shared interests or experiences
Example
We **bonded over** our love for traveling.
phrasal-verb

zone away

Meaning
to mentally escape from worries or stress
Example
I like to **zone away** by listening to soft music.
idiom

write down

Meaning
to record information on paper
Example
Please **write down** the maintenance request number.
idiom

bend over backwards

Meaning
to make a great effort to help or please someone
Example
She **bent over backwards** to make the event successful.
idiom

aim high

Meaning
to set challenging and ambitious goals
Example
Always **aim high** if you want to achieve greatness.
idiom

head over heels

Meaning
deeply in love
Example
He fell **head over heels** for her the moment they met.
phrasal-verb

pay out

Meaning
to spend or distribute money, especially large amounts
Example
The company had to **pay out** millions in compensation.
phrasal-verb

keep perspective

Meaning
to stay calm and rational during emotional situations
Example
During conflicts, it’s important to **keep perspective** instead of overreacting.
phrasal-verb

carry forward your progress

Meaning
to continue developing based on what you have already achieved
Example
Always try to **carry forward your progress** to the next level.
phrasal-verb

work toward equality

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve fairness and equal opportunities
Example
International organizations continue to **work toward equality** for all genders.
phrasal-verb

bond with

Meaning
to develop a close emotional connection with someone
Example
Parents should spend time to **bond with** their children.
phrasal-verb

check against

Meaning
to verify information or behavior to ensure it meets standards
Example
All reports must be **checked against** the company’s ethical policy.
idiom

bottle up your feelings

Meaning
to hide or suppress your emotions
Example
Don't **bottle up your feelings**; talk about them.
phrasal-verb

shout out to

Meaning
to publicly acknowledge or compliment someone
Example
Let’s **shout out to** everyone who helped organize the event.
idiom

in the footsteps of

Meaning
to follow someone’s example or career path
Example
She followed **in the footsteps of** her father, becoming a successful entrepreneur.
phrasal-verb

go after your dreams

Meaning
to pursue your goals or ambitions actively
Example
He decided to **go after his dreams** no matter what.
phrasal-verb

be into

Meaning
to like or be interested in something
Example
I’m really **into** classical music these days.
phrasal-verb

ring out

Meaning
to make a loud sound, especially of bells or alarms
Example
Church bells **rang out** across the city.
idiom

phishing for information

Meaning
attempting to obtain sensitive information by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity
Example
He was **phishing for information** by pretending to be from the bank.
idiom

on the horizon

Meaning
likely to happen soon
Example
A new product launch is **on the horizon**.
phrasal-verb

stand out professionally

Meaning
to be noticed or recognized for one’s professional excellence
Example
Her creativity helped her **stand out professionally** in a competitive field.
idiom

on the bench

Meaning
serving as a judge in a court
Example
She spent 20 years **on the bench** before retiring.
idiom

under the hood

Meaning
behind the surface; the underlying mechanism or system
Example
Developers love to see what’s **under the hood** of a new app.
phrasal-verb

blow up with anger

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry
Example
He **blew up with anger** when he heard the news.
idiom

zero gravity

Meaning
a state of complete freedom or lack of pressure
Example
After quitting his stressful job, he felt like he was in **zero gravity**.
idiom

Pay the piper

Meaning
To face the consequences of one’s actions or decisions.
Example
After years of overspending, the country had to **pay the piper**.
idiom

behind the scenes

Meaning
secretly or without public knowledge
Example
A lot of work happens **behind the scenes** to make a movie.
idiom

mind-blowing

Meaning
extremely surprising or amazing
Example
The view from the mountain was **mind-blowing**.
phrasal-verb

chill off

Meaning
to calm down or relax when feeling tense or angry
Example
I went for a walk to **chill off** after the argument.
phrasal-verb

pause within

Meaning
to take a mental break and observe your feelings before reacting
Example
He learned to **pause within** before saying something hurtful.
idiom

smoke-filled room

Meaning
a place where powerful people make decisions secretly
Example
The new policy was decided in a **smoke-filled room** by senior officials.
idiom

bird’s eye view

Meaning
a view from a high position; an overview
Example
We got a **bird’s eye view** of the city from the tower.
idiom

behind schedule

Meaning
later than planned or expected
Example
The flight is **behind schedule** because of the storm.
phrasal-verb

fill in as

Meaning
to temporarily take over someone’s job or position
Example
He will **fill in as** project manager while the current one is on leave.
idiom

out of bounds

Meaning
not allowed or beyond acceptable limits
Example
His rude comment was **out of bounds**.
idiom

Have something up your sleeve

Meaning
To have a secret plan or idea.
Example
Don’t worry, he **has something up his sleeve** for the project.
idiom

the power behind the throne

Meaning
a person who secretly controls or influences the leader
Example
Though he's not the CEO, he's **the power behind the throne**.
phrasal-verb

catch up to

Meaning
to reach the same level or position as someone ahead
Example
He ran faster to **catch up to** the leading runner.
phrasal-verb

climb up to

Meaning
to achieve a higher position or level of success
Example
He worked hard to **climb up to** the top position in the company.
idiom

off the cuff

Meaning
to speak or perform without preparation
Example
He gave an **off the cuff** remark that impressed everyone.
idiom

get down to business

Meaning
to start working seriously
Example
Let’s stop chatting and **get down to business**.
idiom

track down

Meaning
to find something or someone after a search
Example
We finally **tracked down** the missing invoice.
idiom

crystal ball

Meaning
the ability to predict the future
Example
I don’t have a **crystal ball**, so I can’t tell what will happen.
idiom

Media frenzy

Meaning
Excessive media attention or excitement over a story.
Example
The celebrity’s arrest created a **media frenzy**.
idiom

brainchild of

Meaning
an idea or invention created by someone
Example
ChatGPT is the **brainchild of** OpenAI researchers.
phrasal-verb

project confidence

Meaning
to appear or make others feel that you are confident
Example
The speaker **projected confidence** throughout the session.
idiom

work toward

Meaning
to make progress in order to achieve something
Example
We’re **working toward** a more flexible schedule for everyone.
phrasal-verb

grow from

Meaning
to develop as a result of something
Example
We **grow from** every mistake we make.
phrasal-verb

express thanks to

Meaning
to say thank you to someone
Example
He **expressed his thanks to** the organizers of the conference.
idiom

over the horizon

Meaning
something that is expected to happen soon
Example
A big change in the market may be **over the horizon**.
idiom

beta test

Meaning
to test a product before official release
Example
We are going to **beta test** our app next week.
phrasal-verb

call together

Meaning
to bring people together for a meeting
Example
The director **called together** the team for an urgent discussion.
idiom

Sail close to the wind

Meaning
To take risks or act dangerously.
Example
He’s **sailing close to the wind** by lying to his boss.
phrasal-verb

lead up to

Meaning
to result in or cause something to happen later
Example
The decisions we make now could **lead up to** major outcomes in the future.
idiom

keep your eyes peeled

Meaning
to stay alert and watch carefully
Example
Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of trouble.
idiom

at the back of one's mind

Meaning
something that one is not actively thinking about but is still aware of
Example
The fear of failure was always **at the back of his mind**.
phrasal-verb

back off emotionally

Meaning
to stop being overly aggressive or involved in an argument
Example
He decided to **back off emotionally** to avoid further conflict.
phrasal-verb

cut back on spending

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money spent on something
Example
To control inflation, the government decided to **cut back on spending**.
idiom

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings

Meaning
A true friend is the most valuable gift one can have
Example
I consider myself lucky to have you as my friend. **A true friend is the greatest of all blessings**.
idiom

twist someone's ear

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something by being persistent
Example
I had to **twist someone's ear** to get him to help me move.
phrasal-verb

rise under

Meaning
to perform well despite facing great pressure or challenges
Example
He always **rises under** pressure and delivers his best work.
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

drop in

Meaning
to visit someone casually without prior arrangement
Example
My neighbors often **drop in** for coffee in the evening.
idiom

be there for someone

Meaning
to support or help someone when they need it
Example
True friends **are there for you** when you need them.
phrasal-verb

light up

Meaning
to illuminate or brighten with lights or joy
Example
The entire hall **lit up** as the cultural show began.
phrasal-verb

reflect upon

Meaning
to think carefully about something
Example
Take time to **reflect upon** your achievements and mistakes.
idiom

Nero fiddled while Rome burned

Meaning
To ignore a crisis or serious situation while doing something trivial.
Example
The leader was accused of **fiddling while Rome burned** during the economic collapse.
idiom

let sleeping dogs lie

Meaning
to avoid bringing up a problem that will cause trouble
Example
It is better to **let sleeping dogs lie**.
idiom

time warp

Meaning
a situation where time seems to stop or move differently
Example
That old town feels like it’s stuck in a **time warp**.
idiom

Carry the torch

Meaning
To continue supporting a cause or idea passed from the past.
Example
Young activists are **carrying the torch** of civil rights today.
phrasal-verb

green up

Meaning
to make something more environmentally friendly
Example
Our building **greens up** by switching to solar lighting.
phrasal-verb

train through setbacks

Meaning
to keep practicing even after difficulties
Example
Athletes **train through setbacks** by adjusting their routines.
idiom

pay through the nose

Meaning
to pay a very high price for something
Example
We **paid through the nose** for that concert ticket.
idiom

set the stage for

Meaning
to make something possible or likely to happen later
Example
This meeting will **set the stage for** future cooperation.
phrasal-verb

work together

Meaning
to cooperate with others to achieve a goal
Example
If we **work together**, we can finish this project faster.
idiom

living the dream

Meaning
living a life that one always desired
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
phrasal-verb

listen with empathy

Meaning
to listen carefully and understand someone’s feelings
Example
You should **listen with empathy** when someone shares their pain.
idiom

party line

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

find peace within

Meaning
to achieve a state of inner calm and acceptance
Example
Meditation helps many people **find peace within** themselves.
idiom

Put one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
To focus on hard work and continuous effort.
Example
She really had to **put her nose to the grindstone** to get the promotion.
idiom

pivot on a dime

Meaning
to change direction or strategy quickly
Example
Startups often have to **pivot on a dime** when market trends shift.
idiom

jump out of one’s skin

Meaning
to be extremely excited or surprised
Example
I almost **jumped out of my skin** when I saw my old friend after years.
phrasal-verb

keep projects on track

Meaning
to ensure work stays within schedule and scope
Example
Daily standups help us **keep projects on track** despite surprises.
idiom

keep it up

Meaning
to continue doing something well
Example
You’re doing great with your studies—**keep it up**!
idiom

out of this world

Meaning
extremely good or impressive
Example
The food at that restaurant is **out of this world**.
phrasal-verb

scale back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something you use or do
Example
We've **scaled back on** paper prints to cut waste.
phrasal-verb

listen with respect

Meaning
to pay attention and value other people’s perspectives during communication
Example
To understand others, we must **listen with respect** to their stories.
idiom

chase your dreams

Meaning
to actively try to achieve your ambitions
Example
You should always **chase your dreams** no matter how hard it seems.
idiom

in high spirits

Meaning
feeling cheerful and happy
Example
Everyone was **in high spirits** during the festival.
phrasal-verb

jam out

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

crunch the numbers

Meaning
to process data or analyze statistics
Example
AI can **crunch the numbers** faster than any human.
idiom

follow in someone’s footsteps

Meaning
to do the same work or live the same way as someone else, usually a family member
Example
He decided to **follow in his father’s footsteps** and become a lawyer.
idiom

in the driver's seat

Meaning
to be in control of a situation
Example
After the merger, she was **in the driver’s seat** of the company.
idiom

a blank slate

Meaning
a person with no prior knowledge or experience
Example
He came to the school like a **blank slate**.
idiom

the art of something

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

hand in through

Meaning
to submit work using an online platform
Example
All assignments must be **handed in through** the company portal.
idiom

beginner’s luck

Meaning
success for someone inexperienced
Example
He won his first game — must be **beginner’s luck**.
phrasal-verb

give on to

Meaning
to face or open onto a place
Example
Their balcony **gives on to** a beautiful garden.
idiom

Balance the scales

Meaning
to make sure everything is fair or equal
Example
We need to **balance the scales** before making a final decision.
phrasal-verb

step around

Meaning
to move to avoid something; to bypass a problem or rule
Example
He tried to **step around** the issue instead of facing it directly.
phrasal-verb

build across

Meaning
to develop cooperation or structures that connect different entities globally
Example
They aim to **build across** regions to support innovation networks.
idiom

third time lucky

Meaning
succeeding after two failures
Example
He failed twice, but maybe he’ll be **third time lucky**.
phrasal-verb

get around to

Meaning
to finally do something after delaying it
Example
I finally **got around to** cleaning my desk.
idiom

come down hard on

Meaning
to punish or criticize someone severely
Example
The company **came down hard on** employees who broke the rules.
phrasal-verb

inquire about

Meaning
to ask for information about something
Example
She called to **inquire about** the new course schedule.
phrasal-verb

break into production

Meaning
to start producing something new; to begin manufacturing on a large scale
Example
The country plans to **break into production** of electric vehicles next year.
idiom

scratch someone's back

Meaning
to do something for someone in exchange for a favor or help later
Example
We agreed to **scratch each other's backs** in this business deal.
idiom

data privacy

Meaning
the protection of personal information from unauthorized access or disclosure.
Example
The company implemented strong **data privacy** measures to protect customer information.
idiom

at your breaking point

Meaning
to be very close to losing control due to stress
Example
After months of overwork, she was **at her breaking point**.