hang on
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idiom

hang on

Meaning
to wait for a short time
Example
**Hang on** a minute, I’ll be right back.
idiom

to bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too difficult
Example
He **bit off more than he could chew** by promising to finish the work alone.
phrasal-verb

touch up photo

Meaning
to make small edits or improvements to a photo
Example
You can **touch up the photo** using any editing app.
phrasal-verb

pull apart

Meaning
to separate or tear something into pieces
Example
She tried to **pull apart** the stuck pages of the book.
phrasal-verb

come clean with

Meaning
to be completely honest with someone about something
Example
You should **come clean with** the team about the project delay.
phrasal-verb

deal over

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

adapt to

Meaning
to change your behavior to fit a new situation or culture
Example
It takes patience to **adapt to** a completely different lifestyle.
phrasal-verb

pay off someone

Meaning
to give someone money so they stop bothering you; to bribe
Example
He tried to **pay off** the guard to let him in.
phrasal-verb

stand alongside

Meaning
to support or defend someone as part of a group
Example
True teammates **stand alongside** each other in difficult times.
idiom

cover all the angles

Meaning
to examine a story or issue from every perspective
Example
The journalist tried to **cover all the angles** before publishing the article.
idiom

a universe of possibilities

Meaning
endless opportunities or options
Example
Technology has opened **a universe of possibilities**.
phrasal-verb

blow up at

Meaning
to lose your temper and shout at someone
Example
She **blew up at** her brother for being late again.
idiom

a double-edged sword

Meaning
something that has both positive and negative consequences
Example
The internet is **a double-edged sword**; it provides vast information but also exposes us to privacy risks.
idiom

time flies

Meaning
time passes very quickly
Example
**Time flies** when you’re having fun.
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

show leadership

Meaning
to demonstrate leadership qualities or skills
Example
She was able to **show leadership** during the crisis and guide the team through tough times.
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

ahead of its time

Meaning
to be unusually advanced or innovative for its era
Example
That invention was **ahead of its time**.
idiom

lose one’s cool

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

hold up under pressure

Meaning
to remain strong and calm when under stress or pressure
Example
She always **holds up under pressure** and performs her best.
phrasal-verb

point over

Meaning
to gesture or indicate something across a space
Example
She **pointed over** to the next building.
phrasal-verb

follow through on plans

Meaning
to complete actions that were promised or scheduled
Example
She **follows through on plans** even when the workload spikes.
idiom

to have someone's back

Meaning
To support or defend someone.
Example
Don’t worry, I **have your back** if things go wrong.
idiom

act the part

Meaning
to behave in a way that fits a particular role or situation
Example
If you want to be treated like a leader, you need to **act the part**.
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.
phrasal-verb

learn by

Meaning
to gain knowledge or skill through a specific way or method
Example
Many people **learn by** making mistakes and correcting them.
phrasal-verb

go far

Meaning
to be very successful in life or career
Example
With her talent and dedication, she will definitely **go far**.
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

work-life harmony

Meaning
a balanced and peaceful relationship between work and personal life
Example
She believes in maintaining **work-life harmony**.
idiom

hangover cure

Meaning
a remedy for the aftereffects of drinking too much alcohol
Example
He swears by coffee as the best **hangover cure**.
idiom

There's no 'I' in team

Meaning
Emphasizing that teamwork is important, and it is not about individual glory.
Example
Remember, in a project, **there's no 'I' in team**.
idiom

all in good time

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

grey matter

Meaning
intelligence; the ability to think
Example
Use your **grey matter** to solve the puzzle.
idiom

carry weight

Meaning
to have influence or importance
Example
His opinion **carries a lot of weight** in this organization.
idiom

call it quits

Meaning
to stop or end something
Example
After working for hours, they decided to **call it quits** for the day.
phrasal-verb

work under

Meaning
to operate or perform duties while facing stress or conditions
Example
She can **work under** extreme pressure and still deliver quality results.
idiom

knock it out of the park

Meaning
to do something extremely well or successfully
Example
Her presentation **knocked it out of the park**.
idiom

peace of mind

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

step into someone's shoes

Meaning
to take on someone's role or responsibility
Example
She was able to **step into her boss's shoes** when he was on vacation.
phrasal-verb

stand behind

Meaning
to support or defend someone or something publicly
Example
Many nations **stand behind** the new global peace initiative.
idiom

back away from

Meaning
to retreat or withdraw from a situation
Example
He chose to **back away from** the argument before it escalated.
phrasal-verb

make up to

Meaning
to do something nice for someone to show regret for something wrong
Example
He bought her flowers to **make up to** her after their argument.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself through anxiety

Meaning
to calmly reason with yourself to reduce anxiety
Example
I **talk myself through anxiety** by reminding myself that everything will pass.
idiom

jack up on

Meaning
to increase something sharply on a specific item
Example
Vendors **jacked up on** bottled water during the festival.
idiom

pull it off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
No one thought she could do it, but she **pulled it off**.
phrasal-verb

follow a routine

Meaning
to do the same set of activities regularly
Example
If you **follow a routine**, you’ll build good habits over time.
idiom

visionary leader

Meaning
a leader with a clear vision for the future
Example
Steve Jobs was considered a **visionary leader** for his innovative ideas.
idiom

say hello

Meaning
to greet someone
Example
Please **say hello** to your parents for me.
phrasal-verb

expose to

Meaning
to introduce someone to new experiences or ideas
Example
The program **exposes students to** global cultures and traditions.
idiom

the winds of change

Meaning
an influence that promotes change
Example
**The winds of change** are blowing through the organization.
phrasal-verb

fall out over

Meaning
to argue and stop being friendly with someone because of something
Example
They **fell out over** money matters last year.
phrasal-verb

doodle around with

Meaning
to experiment playfully with sketches or ideas
Example
I **doodle around with** color palettes when inspiration drops.
phrasal-verb

collaborate on

Meaning
to work jointly on a specific project or task
Example
Both companies agreed to **collaborate on** the new software product.
idiom

justice will prevail

Meaning
in the end, right will triumph over wrong
Example
Even though the case was difficult, I believe that **justice will prevail**.
phrasal-verb

grow beyond

Meaning
to develop emotionally past a previous limitation or belief
Example
She’s trying to **grow beyond** her old fears and doubts.
idiom

put down roots

Meaning
to settle and become established somewhere
Example
After moving to Canada, they finally **put down roots** there.
phrasal-verb

freeze up

Meaning
to become frozen or stop working due to cold
Example
The pipes might **freeze up** if the temperature drops too low.
idiom

break the fourth wall

Meaning
to address the audience directly in a play or film
Example
The actor **broke the fourth wall** to make the scene funnier.
idiom

An ear to the ground

Meaning
To be aware of what is happening around you.
Example
If you want to succeed in business, always keep **an ear to the ground**.
idiom

Spread too thin

Meaning
To try to do too many things at once, leaving no energy for any.
Example
She’s **spread too thin** between her job, family, and studies.
idiom

Burst with gratitude

Meaning
To feel extremely thankful.
Example
She was **bursting with gratitude** after receiving help.
idiom

Fall into the same trap

Meaning
to make the same mistake again, often due to not learning from previous experiences
Example
She **fell into the same trap** by trusting him again.
phrasal-verb

stand together for

Meaning
to unite in support of a common cause
Example
Nations **stand together for** climate action.
idiom

drop a line

Meaning
to send someone a short message or note
Example
Please **drop me a line** when you arrive safely.
phrasal-verb

lean on friends

Meaning
to depend on friends for emotional support
Example
When life gets tough, don’t be afraid to **lean on friends**.
phrasal-verb

rise for

Meaning
to take a stand in favor of a cause or right
Example
People across the nation **rose for** equality.
idiom

down in the dumps

Meaning
feeling sad or depressed
Example
He’s been **down in the dumps** since he lost his job.
phrasal-verb

blow in

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly, usually with wind
Example
A cold wind suddenly **blew in** from the north.
phrasal-verb

stay in shape

Meaning
to keep the body healthy and fit
Example
He exercises every day to **stay in shape**.
idiom

have someone's back

Meaning
to support or defend someone
Example
Don’t worry—I **have your back**.
phrasal-verb

point inside

Meaning
to indicate something within an area or container
Example
He **pointed inside** the box to show the contents.
idiom

a snowball effect

Meaning
a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate
Example
The more followers she got, the more famous she became, creating **a snowball effect**.
idiom

ease up on

Meaning
to reduce how much you use or pressure someone
Example
Let’s **ease up on** the reminders now that the report is done.
idiom

throw your weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** in meetings.
phrasal-verb

get through

Meaning
to successfully complete or pass something; to finish
Example
I finally **got through** my math exam.
idiom

work up

Meaning
to gradually build courage, energy, or an appetite
Example
It took me a while to **work up** the courage to ask.
phrasal-verb

show off to

Meaning
to boast in front of someone to impress them
Example
He was **showing off to** his classmates about his new phone.
phrasal-verb

rise above failure

Meaning
to overcome failure and continue striving towards goals
Example
True leaders **rise above failure** and inspire others to do the same.
phrasal-verb

bring down expenses

Meaning
to lower the amount of money spent
Example
They managed to **bring down** expenses through better budgeting.
idiom

hang by a thread

Meaning
to be in a very dangerous or uncertain situation
Example
After the accident, his life was **hanging by a thread**.
phrasal-verb

break into markets

Meaning
to start to sell goods or services in a new market
Example
Many startups aim to **break into markets** in Africa to support sustainable growth.
phrasal-verb

go down with

Meaning
to catch an illness, especially one that is not serious
Example
Several students **went down with** food poisoning.
idiom

run down

Meaning
to feel tired or exhausted due to overwork or illness
Example
You look a bit **run down**; you should get some rest.
idiom

ring up

Meaning
to calculate and record a sale
Example
The cashier will **ring up** your items at the counter.
phrasal-verb

depend on exports

Meaning
to rely on selling goods to other countries
Example
Many developing nations **depend on exports** for economic growth.
idiom

form follows function

Meaning
the shape of a building or object should primarily relate to its intended function or purpose
Example
In modern architecture, **form follows function** is a principle that's widely accepted.
idiom

Make a clean break

Meaning
To completely separate from something or someone, often for a fresh start.
Example
He decided to **make a clean break** from his old habits.
idiom

love at first sight

Meaning
to fall in love immediately after meeting someone for the first time
Example
It was **love at first sight** when they met in college.
idiom

Put our heads together

Meaning
To discuss and find a solution collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** and come up with a plan.
phrasal-verb

show appreciation for

Meaning
to demonstrate that you value something
Example
We should **show appreciation for** the team’s hard work.
phrasal-verb

check on

Meaning
to make sure someone is safe or doing well
Example
He **checked on** his grandparents after hearing about the storm.
idiom

digital detox

Meaning
a period when a person avoids using digital devices or social media
Example
I’m going on a **digital detox** this weekend.
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.
phrasal-verb

learn to trust again

Meaning
to regain faith in others after being betrayed or hurt
Example
It takes time to **learn to trust again** after being let down.
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.
phrasal-verb

tune out from

Meaning
to stop paying attention to stressful things; to mentally disconnect
Example
I sometimes **tune out from** work emails on weekends to recharge.
idiom

Bet your bottom dollar

Meaning
To be very sure or confident about something.
Example
You can **bet your bottom dollar** that he’ll show up late again.
phrasal-verb

set in

Meaning
when something unpleasant like rain or cold begins and seems likely to continue
Example
The cold season has **set in**, and we need to wear warm clothes.
phrasal-verb

come around to

Meaning
to change your opinion and agree with something eventually
Example
After some debate, the board **came around to** supporting the new idea.
phrasal-verb

hold on for

Meaning
to wait briefly, usually during a call or service
Example
Please **hold on for** a moment while I transfer your call to the billing department.
idiom

lovebirds

Meaning
a couple who are very affectionate with each other
Example
Look at those **lovebirds** holding hands in the park!
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.
phrasal-verb

reach consensus on

Meaning
to agree collectively on an issue after discussion
Example
Delegates finally **reached consensus on** the new global trade policy.
phrasal-verb

mitigate against

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

scare someone half to death

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That spider **scared me half to death**!
idiom

in the dark web

Meaning
in a hidden or secret part of the internet used for illegal activities
Example
Stolen credentials often end up **in the dark web**.
idiom

Inquisitive mind

Meaning
A curious and eager-to-learn mindset.
Example
Children have an **inquisitive mind** that loves to explore.
phrasal-verb

go straight

Meaning
to continue moving forward without turning
Example
Just **go straight** for two blocks and you’ll see the park on your right.
idiom

under someone's nose

Meaning
in an obvious place or situation where someone should have noticed
Example
The keys were **under my nose** the whole time on the kitchen table.
idiom

to go viral

Meaning
to spread rapidly, especially online
Example
The new research paper **went viral** on social media.
idiom

black box thinking

Meaning
analyzing unknown processes by studying their inputs and outputs
Example
In AI research, **black box thinking** helps improve transparency.
idiom

red tape

Meaning
excessive bureaucracy or rules
Example
The project was delayed because of **red tape**.
idiom

a blank canvas

Meaning
a person or situation that can be developed freely
Example
Starting a new project is like working with **a blank canvas**.
idiom

act your age

Meaning
behave in a manner appropriate to your age
Example
Stop being so childish and **act your age**!
phrasal-verb

integrate into

Meaning
to combine one thing with another to make a whole
Example
We will **integrate into** the global digital ecosystem.
idiom

Lay down arms

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

boost confidence

Meaning
to increase optimism or trust in the economy
Example
Positive trade data helped **boost confidence** among entrepreneurs.
idiom

have stars in one’s eyes

Meaning
to be full of excitement and dreams about the future
Example
Young artists **have stars in their eyes** when they start their careers.
phrasal-verb

open up to

Meaning
to become more willing to accept or consider new ideas, cultures, or people
Example
As globalization spread, many countries began to **open up to** cultural exchange.
idiom

keep an eye on someone

Meaning
to watch someone carefully because you don’t trust them completely
Example
I’ll **keep an eye on him** while you’re away.
phrasal-verb

cut back

Meaning
to reduce the amount of time or effort spent on work
Example
She decided to **cut back** her working hours to spend more time with family.