hack the system
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idiom

hack the system

Meaning
to break into a system or network to gain unauthorized access
Example
He was caught trying to **hack the system** for personal gain.
idiom

have a spark of creativity

Meaning
to show signs of being creative or imaginative
Example
Even as a child, she **had a spark of creativity**.
idiom

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link

Meaning
the strength of a group depends on the weakest member
Example
In any team, **a chain is only as strong as its weakest link**.
phrasal-verb

lift yourself above doubt

Meaning
to overcome self-doubt and trust your own potential
Example
You need to **lift yourself above doubt** to achieve your dreams.
idiom

A watched pot never boils

Meaning
Time feels longer when you are waiting for something.
Example
Don't keep looking at the clock; **a watched pot never boils**.
phrasal-verb

reach understanding with

Meaning
to achieve a friendly or cooperative agreement with another party
Example
The two countries finally **reached understanding with** each other after months of talks.
idiom

kick up your heels

Meaning
to enjoy yourself by dancing or celebrating
Example
Everyone was ready to **kick up their heels** at the reunion.
phrasal-verb

come clean about

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you’ve been hiding
Example
She finally **came clean about** her past.
idiom

breaking the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation where no progress is being made
Example
The negotiation team succeeded in **breaking the deadlock**.
idiom

smooth sailing

Meaning
a situation without problems or difficulties
Example
Once we crossed the border, it was **smooth sailing**.
phrasal-verb

dream about

Meaning
to think about something you wish for while sleeping or awake
Example
She often **dreams about** becoming a successful singer one day.
phrasal-verb

hold in check

Meaning
to control strong emotions before reacting
Example
He tried to **hold in check** his frustration during the meeting.
idiom

brand ambassador

Meaning
a person who promotes a brand through personal influence
Example
They hired a celebrity as their **brand ambassador**.
phrasal-verb

move past failure

Meaning
to stop dwelling on mistakes and continue forward
Example
Successful people learn to **move past failure** quickly.
idiom

have a one-track mind

Meaning
to think about only one thing all the time
Example
He **has a one-track mind** when it comes to his business.
B2 idiom

up in the air

Uncertain or undecided
Meaning
Uncertain or undecided
Example
The plans for the project are still up in the air.
The plans for the project are still up in the air.
phrasal-verb

call upon

Meaning
to formally ask someone to do something
Example
The president **called upon** all citizens to work for peace.
idiom

climbing the ladder

Meaning
to improve one's position, typically in a career or personal growth
Example
He started at the bottom of the company and has been **climbing the ladder** ever since.
idiom

beginner’s luck

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

hand over responsibilities

Meaning
to transfer duties or control to someone else
Example
He will **hand over responsibilities** to his deputy next month.
idiom

get the picture

Meaning
to understand the situation
Example
After a few minutes, I started to **get the picture**.
idiom

feel ten feet tall

Meaning
to feel very proud and confident
Example
He **felt ten feet tall** after completing the challenge.
idiom

hold all the cards

Meaning
to be in a strong position to control or influence a situation
Example
In the negotiations, the buyer **held all the cards**.
idiom

live and learn

Meaning
to accept a mistake as a lesson for the future
Example
I lost my wallet again — well, **live and learn**.
phrasal-verb

build yourself up

Meaning
to increase your confidence or strength gradually
Example
She **built herself up** by practicing every day.
idiom

see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
They finally **saw eye to eye** on the business deal.
idiom

keep your eyes on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal despite difficulties
Example
Even during tough times, she **kept her eyes on the prize**.
idiom

bad luck

Meaning
unfortunate or unlucky situation
Example
It’s just **bad luck** that it rained on our picnic day.
idiom

bored to death

Meaning
extremely bored
Example
I was **bored to death** during the long lecture.
idiom

read someone the riot act

Meaning
to warn or scold someone severely for bad behavior
Example
The teacher **read the students the riot act** after the chaos in class.
idiom

a smart cookie

Meaning
a very clever or intelligent person
Example
Don’t underestimate her; she’s **a smart cookie**.
idiom

Put your heads together

Meaning
To discuss and solve a problem collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** to find a solution.
idiom

green around the gills

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

stack small wins

Meaning
to build momentum by completing quick successes
Example
We **stack small wins** early in the day to feel accomplished.
idiom

Bring peace to

Meaning
To restore calm or tranquility in a situation.
Example
Her kind words helped **bring peace to** the argument.
phrasal-verb

get carried away

Meaning
to become so excited that you lose control of your feelings or actions
Example
I **got carried away** and bought more than I planned.
idiom

fair-weather friend

Meaning
a person who is only your friend when things are good
Example
A **fair-weather friend** will leave you when things get tough.
phrasal-verb

draw benefits from

Meaning
to gain advantages or profits through collaboration
Example
Both sides expect to **draw benefits from** this partnership.
idiom

loose lips sink ships

Meaning
talking too much can cause trouble
Example
Remember, **loose lips sink ships**—don’t share sensitive information.
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.
idiom

backroom deal

Meaning
a secret agreement made by powerful people
Example
The media exposed the **backroom deal** between the two parties.
idiom

take a dim view of

Meaning
to disapprove of something; to have a negative opinion
Example
The manager **takes a dim view of** employees arriving late.
idiom

throw a wrench in the works

Meaning
to cause a problem that stops progress
Example
The last-minute design change **threw a wrench in the works**.
phrasal-verb

call together

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

show up as

Meaning
to appear in a particular way or form
Example
Your mistake **shows up as** a red mark on the report.
idiom

hope against hope

Meaning
to continue hoping even when it seems impossible
Example
They **hoped against hope** that their team would win.
idiom

birds of a feather

Meaning
people with similar interests or characteristics
Example
Tom and Jerry are always together—**birds of a feather**.
idiom

to see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
We finally **saw eye to eye** on the decision.
idiom

have mixed feelings

Meaning
to be uncertain or have both positive and negative emotions
Example
I **have mixed feelings** about moving to another city.
idiom

Pyrrhic victory

Meaning
A victory won at too great a cost to be worthwhile.
Example
Winning the lawsuit was a **Pyrrhic victory** since it drained all their finances.
idiom

bite the byte

Meaning
to deal with a difficult technological challenge
Example
Developers had to **bite the byte** to fix the software issue.
phrasal-verb

revel in

Meaning
to get great pleasure from something
Example
He **revelled in** the joy of being with his family again.
idiom

The sun is shining

Meaning
A metaphor for happiness or positivity, often used when things are going well.
Example
After all the hard work, things finally seemed to be **shining**.
phrasal-verb

work over

Meaning
to review or revise something carefully
Example
We need to **work over** the report before submission.
phrasal-verb

zone yourself out

Meaning
to deliberately disconnect from stressful surroundings
Example
Sometimes you just need to **zone yourself out** and take a break.
phrasal-verb

make off with

Meaning
to steal something and run away
Example
A thief **made off with** her handbag in the market.
phrasal-verb

settle down

Meaning
to get married or begin a stable relationship
Example
He’s ready to **settle down** and start a family.
idiom

ghost someone

Meaning
to suddenly stop communicating with someone online
Example
He used to text me daily but then he **ghosted** me.
phrasal-verb

help along

Meaning
to make progress easier for someone
Example
The mentor **helped along** the new employees during training.
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**.
phrasal-verb

give on to

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

draw attention to

Meaning
to make people notice or focus on an issue
Example
Activists **drew attention to** flaws in the legal system.
phrasal-verb

set up a meeting

Meaning
to arrange a meeting or appointment
Example
Can you **set up a meeting** with the marketing team tomorrow?
phrasal-verb

set out plans

Meaning
to explain or describe plans in detail
Example
The finance minister **set out plans** to boost national growth.
idiom

take stock of

Meaning
to review a situation carefully before making decisions
Example
Let’s **take stock of** our priorities this quarter.
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.
phrasal-verb

scroll back

Meaning
to move up to view older posts or messages
Example
I **scrolled back** to see our old conversation.
phrasal-verb

drop below

Meaning
to decrease to less than a specific amount or level
Example
Investment growth **dropped below** expectations this quarter.
idiom

build castles in the air

Meaning
to make unrealistic plans or dreams
Example
He’s always **building castles in the air** instead of acting.
phrasal-verb

speak kindly to

Meaning
to use gentle and respectful words when talking to someone
Example
Always **speak kindly to** others even when you disagree.
phrasal-verb

keep reserves for

Meaning
to save or hold funds for future use or emergencies
Example
The central bank decided to **keep reserves for** potential market shocks.
phrasal-verb

blow up with anger

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

ramp up exports

Meaning
to increase the volume or rate of exports
Example
The manufacturing sector aims to **ramp up exports** in the next fiscal year.
phrasal-verb

show up at

Meaning
to arrive or appear at an event or place
Example
Many guests didn't **show up at** the party until midnight.
phrasal-verb

forgive someone for

Meaning
to stop being angry with someone for what they did
Example
She finally **forgave him for** lying.
phrasal-verb

choke on

Meaning
to have difficulty speaking or breathing because of strong emotions
Example
She **choked on** her words as she tried to explain how she felt.
idiom

build up your confidence

Meaning
to gradually become more confident
Example
Public speaking can help you **build up your confidence**.
phrasal-verb

pass through

Meaning
to go through an official process or approval in parliament or committee
Example
The bill **passed through** both houses before becoming law.
idiom

work hand in hand

Meaning
to work closely and effectively with someone
Example
The designers and developers **work hand in hand** on the project.
phrasal-verb

turn away

Meaning
to refuse entry or acceptance; to move away from something
Example
The guard **turned away** people without tickets.
idiom

ring a bell

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can't remember where I heard it.
idiom

bootstrapping

Meaning
building a business without external funding
Example
He started his company through **bootstrapping**, using only his savings.
idiom

pull someone's leg

Meaning
to tease or joke with someone in a playful way
Example
Don't worry, I was just **pulling your leg** about the test results.
phrasal-verb

send over

Meaning
to transmit or deliver something digitally to another person or group
Example
I’ll **send over** the final document once it’s approved.
idiom

take the bull by the horns

Meaning
to face a difficult situation directly and with courage
Example
She decided to **take the bull by the horns** and confront her manager.
phrasal-verb

filter through for

Meaning
to sift carefully to find specific items
Example
Editors **filter through for** reliable sources before running a story.
idiom

take the rap

Meaning
to be punished or blamed for something, often unfairly.
Example
He **took the rap** for the team’s poor performance.
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.
idiom

pay through the nose

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

boost up

Meaning
to increase or enhance something such as production or growth
Example
The new incentives will **boost up** industrial productivity.
phrasal-verb

give credit for

Meaning
to acknowledge someone’s effort or contribution positively
Example
He always **gives credit for** others’ good ideas.
idiom

pan out

Meaning
to turn out well or produce a good result
Example
Luckily, our backup plan **panned out**.
phrasal-verb

reflect upon failures

Meaning
to think deeply about one’s failures to gain insight
Example
She often **reflects upon failures** to improve her approach.
idiom

under the weather

Meaning
feeling ill or unwell
Example
I didn’t go to work because I felt **under the weather**.
idiom

the teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone knows he’s **the teacher’s pet** in our class.
phrasal-verb

spring up

Meaning
to appear or grow suddenly, like plants in spring
Example
New flowers **sprang up** after the first rain of spring.
idiom

check back

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

in the zone

Meaning
to be fully focused and performing at your best
Example
When she’s **in the zone**, she can write for hours without stopping.
phrasal-verb

show love to

Meaning
to demonstrate affection or gratitude toward someone
Example
He **shows love to** his mentors for guiding him through tough times.
idiom

To meet one’s Waterloo

Meaning
To encounter one’s ultimate defeat or failure.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo**.
idiom

rule of law

Meaning
the principle that everyone is subject to the law
Example
Democracy depends on the **rule of law**.
idiom

Go for it

Meaning
To try to achieve something with confidence.
Example
If you really want that job, **go for it**!
idiom

couldn't believe my eyes

Meaning
to be so surprised that you doubt what you see
Example
I **couldn’t believe my eyes** when I saw the results.
phrasal-verb

take up a new habit

Meaning
to start doing something regularly as a habit or routine
Example
She decided to **take up a new habit** of reading before bed.
phrasal-verb

bug out

Meaning
to malfunction or behave unexpectedly because of a bug
Example
The new update made the camera app **bug out** constantly.
idiom

to put one's finger on

Meaning
to identify or recognize something with precision
Example
The journalist was able to **put her finger on** the exact cause of the political unrest.
idiom

take someone's word for it

Meaning
to trust that what someone says is true
Example
I’ll **take your word for it** since you were there.
phrasal-verb

catch on to

Meaning
to understand or learn something new, especially after some time
Example
It took him a few weeks to **catch on to** the new reporting system.
idiom

heart in one’s mouth

Meaning
to feel extreme fear or anxiety
Example
My **heart was in my mouth** as I waited for the results.
phrasal-verb

cut off from reality

Meaning
to be disconnected from what is real or practical
Example
He lives in his own world, completely **cut off from reality**.
idiom

keep faith with someone

Meaning
to remain loyal to someone or something
Example
Even in hard times, she **kept faith with** her friends.
phrasal-verb

sing along

Meaning
to sing together with a recording or performer
Example
Everyone **sang along** when the band played their favorite song.
idiom

a gray area

Meaning
a situation or topic that is not clear or that can be understood in more than one way
Example
The question of intellectual property rights in the digital age is still **a gray area**.
phrasal-verb

protest against

Meaning
to show opposition to something through public action
Example
Thousands of people **protested against** unfair laws.
idiom

burst with joy

Meaning
to be so happy that it’s hard to contain emotions
Example
The parents **burst with joy** when their child won the prize.
phrasal-verb

finish up

Meaning
to complete or end something
Example
Let’s **finish up** this report before the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

dial back notifications

Meaning
to reduce the frequency of alerts or messages
Example
I had to **dial back notifications** because my phone kept buzzing all day.
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

deal back

Meaning
to return a favor or repay someone
Example
She promised to **deal back** the help someday.
phrasal-verb

deal over

Meaning
to repeat the distribution of cards or tasks
Example
Let’s **deal over**; someone missed a card.
phrasal-verb

stay true to goals

Meaning
to remain faithful and consistent toward your objectives
Example
He always **stays true to goals** no matter the challenges.