have a lot on one’s plate
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idiom

have a lot on one’s plate

Meaning
to have many responsibilities or tasks
Example
She can’t join us tonight; she **has a lot on her plate**.
idiom

hair stands on end

Meaning
to feel intense fear or horror
Example
The ghost story made my **hair stand on end**.
phrasal-verb

hand off responsibility

Meaning
to transfer duties to another person
Example
Supervisors **hand off responsibility** when they rotate night shifts.
idiom

hold someone accountable

Meaning
to make someone take responsibility for their actions
Example
It’s important to **hold people accountable** for their mistakes.
idiom

head off

Meaning
to prevent something from happening
Example
Early communication can **head off** most misunderstandings.
idiom

hand in

Meaning
to submit something to someone in authority
Example
Please **hand in** your assignment by Friday morning.
idiom

have steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to be visibly very angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** when he saw the damage.
idiom

Hold your head high

Meaning
To be proud and confident even after failure or hardship.
Example
Even after losing, she **held her head high**.
phrasal-verb

hit it off with

Meaning
to immediately have a good relationship with someone
Example
We **hit it off with** each other from the very first meeting.
idiom

hangover cure

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

hold up under

Meaning
to remain strong despite pressure or stress
Example
She managed to **hold up under** all the pressure at work.
phrasal-verb

hold together

Meaning
to stay emotionally strong during difficulties
Example
She managed to **hold together** even when everything was falling apart.
idiom

head back to

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
Let’s **head back to** the office after lunch.
phrasal-verb

hedge against

Meaning
to protect oneself against potential loss or risk
Example
Many investors **hedge against** market volatility by diversifying their portfolios.
idiom

hot under the collar

Meaning
feeling angry or embarrassed
Example
He got **hot under the collar** when his mistake was pointed out.
phrasal-verb

hand out

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

Hold out

Meaning
Continue to survive or resist for a long time.
Example
They managed to **hold out** until help arrived.
idiom

human in the loop

Meaning
a person actively involved in monitoring or controlling an automated process
Example
Even in AI systems, a **human in the loop** ensures ethical decisions.
idiom

hope springs eternal

Meaning
people will always have hope, no matter the situation
Example
Even in the darkest times, he believed things would get better because **hope springs eternal**.
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.
phrasal-verb

hear out

Meaning
to listen to someone until they have finished speaking
Example
Please **hear me out** before making a decision.
idiom

have confidence in

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

hold on to

Meaning
to keep believing or trying despite difficulties
Example
You must **hold on to** your dreams no matter what happens.
idiom

hit upon an idea

Meaning
to suddenly think of a good idea
Example
I **hit upon an idea** for improving the app.
idiom

Hit the wall

Meaning
to reach a point where one is physically or mentally exhausted and cannot continue
Example
I’ve been working all day, and now I’ve finally **hit the wall**.
idiom

Help each other out

Meaning
To assist one another, especially in difficult situations.
Example
During the project, we all had to **help each other out** to finish on time.
phrasal-verb

help up

Meaning
to assist someone in standing after a fall
Example
He quickly **helped up** the old man who had tripped.
idiom

home is where the heart is

Meaning
your true home is with the people you love
Example
I may live far away, but **home is where the heart is**.
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

head to head

Meaning
to be in direct competition or disagreement
Example
The two leaders went **head to head** in the debate.
idiom

have words with

Meaning
to argue or disagree with someone
Example
She **had words with** her boss about the new schedule.
idiom

hook the audience

Meaning
to capture and maintain the interest of the audience
Example
You need a strong headline to **hook the audience** immediately.
phrasal-verb

hit out at

Meaning
to criticize someone or something angrily
Example
The politician **hit out at** the media for spreading lies.
idiom

have second thoughts

Meaning
to start having doubts about a decision you have made
Example
I'm having **second thoughts** about buying such an expensive car.
phrasal-verb

hand action items out

Meaning
to assign follow-up tasks to specific people
Example
Facilitators **hand action items out** before closing the meeting.
idiom

hold over

Meaning
to postpone something to a later time
Example
They had to **hold over** the vote until next week.
idiom

have an axe to grind

Meaning
to have a personal reason to complain or criticize
Example
She **has an axe to grind** with her former employer.
idiom

hear it through the grapevine

Meaning
to hear a rumor or unofficial news
Example
I **heard it through the grapevine** that they broke up.
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.
idiom

have big plans

Meaning
to have important or ambitious goals for the future
Example
He **has big plans** to expand his business overseas.
idiom

have it made

Meaning
to be in a very good position for success
Example
With a stable job and a happy family, he really **has it made**.
idiom

hear something straight from the horse's mouth

Meaning
to hear something directly from the original or most reliable source
Example
I heard it **straight from the horse's mouth** that the event is canceled.
idiom

hold up your end

Meaning
to fulfill your part of an agreement or duty
Example
If you **hold up your end**, the project will succeed.
phrasal-verb

hold onto values

Meaning
to keep and protect one’s principles despite pressure
Example
A leader should **hold onto values** even when it's not easy.
idiom

hush-hush

Meaning
kept secret or very confidential
Example
The project is still **hush-hush**, so don’t mention it.
idiom

have faith in yourself

Meaning
to trust your own abilities and decisions
Example
**Have faith in yourself**, you can do this!
phrasal-verb

hire on

Meaning
to employ or bring someone into a company
Example
They **hired on** two new developers to expand their product team.
idiom

hockey stick growth

Meaning
a sharp increase in growth after a period of slow progress
Example
The startup saw **hockey stick growth** after launching their new feature.
idiom

hit the target market

Meaning
to reach the intended audience effectively
Example
Our ads finally **hit the target market** this quarter.
idiom

have a bone to pick

Meaning
to have a complaint or disagreement with someone
Example
I **have a bone to pick** with you about yesterday’s meeting.
idiom

hands are tied

Meaning
to be unable to act freely because of rules or restrictions
Example
The government’s **hands are tied** due to international trade laws.
phrasal-verb

hand over responsibility

Meaning
to give control or authority to another person
Example
The CEO **handed over responsibility** to the next generation of leaders.
idiom

have itchy feet

Meaning
to feel a strong desire to travel or move
Example
After a few months at home, I started to **have itchy feet** again.
idiom

have the guts

Meaning
to have courage or bravery to do something difficult
Example
She didn’t **have the guts** to tell him the truth.
idiom

hold off

Meaning
to delay doing something
Example
Let’s **hold off** on finalizing the order until we confirm the budget.
idiom

have the floor

Meaning
to have the right to speak in a discussion
Example
You **have the floor** now; please share your thoughts.
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**.
phrasal-verb

hear from

Meaning
to receive communication from someone
Example
I haven’t **heard from** Sarah in weeks.
phrasal-verb

hunt for

Meaning
to look carefully for something, especially a good deal
Example
She loves to **hunt for** discounts during sales.
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

hold your fire

Meaning
to delay taking action or making a response
Example
He told his team to **hold their fire** until he gave the signal.
idiom

hash it out

Meaning
to discuss a problem thoroughly to find a solution
Example
Let’s sit down and **hash it out** instead of fighting.
idiom

hard as nails

Meaning
very tough and determined
Example
She’s **hard as nails** when it comes to achieving her goals.
phrasal-verb

hold steady

Meaning
to remain stable; to avoid fluctuation
Example
The national currency managed to **hold steady** despite market pressure.
idiom

hang out with

Meaning
to spend time with friends
Example
We usually **hang out with** our classmates after school.
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.
phrasal-verb

hang on to

Meaning
to keep something; not to lose hope or belief
Example
You must **hang on to** your vision even in hard times.
phrasal-verb

hold onto hope

Meaning
to keep believing that good things will happen
Example
No matter how hard life gets, always **hold onto hope**.
idiom

how’s it going

Meaning
a casual way of asking how someone is doing
Example
**How’s it going?** You look great today!
idiom

hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
The refugee crisis has become a **hot potato** in the government.
phrasal-verb

heal over

Meaning
to gradually recover from emotional wounds
Example
Time helps old wounds to **heal over** naturally.
phrasal-verb

hold out negotiations

Meaning
to continue discussions or resist giving in during talks
Example
The rebels **held out negotiations** until their demands were met.
phrasal-verb

heap praise on

Meaning
to give a lot of praise to someone
Example
Critics **heaped praise on** the actor for his performance.
idiom

hashtag activism

Meaning
using hashtags to support social or political causes online
Example
**Hashtag activism** can raise awareness but may not lead to real change.
phrasal-verb

hang over

Meaning
to remain as a feeling of worry, sadness, or fear
Example
A sense of sorrow still **hangs over** the family.
idiom

hand over to

Meaning
to transfer control or responsibility to someone
Example
I’ll **hand this over to** the legal team for review.
idiom

head out

Meaning
to leave for a destination
Example
Let’s **head out** before the traffic gets heavy.
phrasal-verb

hold back

Meaning
to stop yourself from expressing something
Example
He wanted to tell her everything but **held back** his words.
idiom

hammer home

Meaning
to emphasize something forcefully
Example
The trainer **hammered home** the importance of rest.
phrasal-verb

hold back criticism

Meaning
to avoid saying negative things unnecessarily
Example
In polite conversation, it’s wise to **hold back criticism**.
idiom

hang onto

Meaning
to keep something and not give it away
Example
I’ll **hang onto** the receipts in case we need a refund.
idiom

hard sell

Meaning
an aggressive or forceful sales approach
Example
Customers today dislike the **hard sell** approach.
phrasal-verb

hold appreciation for

Meaning
to keep a feeling of thankfulness towards someone
Example
I still **hold appreciation for** my teachers who guided me.
idiom

hold the vision

Meaning
to maintain a clear sense of direction or goal
Example
Leaders who **hold the vision** can guide their teams through difficult times.
phrasal-verb

honor with

Meaning
to give respect or recognition to someone for their contribution
Example
The company **honored him with** an award for his years of service.
idiom

having a whale of a time

Meaning
enjoying yourself greatly
Example
We had **a whale of a time** at the beach yesterday.
idiom

have butterflies in your stomach

Meaning
to feel very nervous about something
Example
She always **has butterflies in her stomach** before exams.
phrasal-verb

hold on through struggle

Meaning
to stay strong and persistent during hard times
Example
You just have to **hold on through struggle** until things get better.
idiom

have a soft spot for

Meaning
to have a fondness or affection for something or someone
Example
I **have a soft spot for** old classic movies.
idiom

have a falling out

Meaning
to have a disagreement or fight with someone
Example
They **had a falling out** over money issues.
idiom

hit the brakes

Meaning
to slow down or stop something
Example
The company had to **hit the brakes** on its expansion plans.
phrasal-verb

hesitate over

Meaning
to pause before doing or saying something because of uncertainty
Example
She **hesitated over** whether to tell him the truth.
idiom

hit the ground running

Meaning
to start something energetically and successfully
Example
She joined the team and **hit the ground running** on her first day.
idiom

hit the headlines

Meaning
to be reported widely in the news
Example
The company's scandal **hit the headlines** immediately.
phrasal-verb

hold yourself back

Meaning
to restrain oneself from reacting emotionally
Example
He had to **hold himself back** from yelling at the meeting.
idiom

hold sway

Meaning
to have great influence or power over others
Example
The leader **held sway** over the entire organization.
idiom

have a way with words

Meaning
to be very good at persuading or charming people with speech
Example
He **has a way with words** that makes everyone listen.
idiom

help someone out

Meaning
to assist someone in a difficult situation
Example
Whenever I am in trouble, she always **helps me out**.
idiom

have a chip on your shoulder

Meaning
to be angry or resentful about something from the past
Example
He **has a chip on his shoulder** about being rejected.
idiom

hammer out a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement after long discussion
Example
They spent hours to **hammer out a deal** that satisfied both sides.
idiom

hold back on

Meaning
to delay or reduce doing something
Example
Let’s **hold back on** hiring until sales improve.
idiom

hit the airwaves

Meaning
to start being broadcast on television or radio
Example
The new talk show will **hit the airwaves** next week.
phrasal-verb

hold firm

Meaning
to stay confident and not let fear or doubt take over
Example
In the face of criticism, she continued to **hold firm** to her beliefs.
phrasal-verb

hang around

Meaning
to stay in a place without a clear purpose; to wait aimlessly
Example
There’s no point **hanging around** here, let’s go inside.
idiom

hit home

Meaning
to be fully understood or have a strong impact
Example
The reality of the housing crisis really **hit home** for them.
phrasal-verb

hand out recognition

Meaning
to give praise or rewards for good work
Example
The manager regularly **hands out recognition** to motivate the staff.
idiom

hit the right note

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

hum along

Meaning
to make a sound with your lips closed while listening to a tune
Example
He **hummed along** to the melody playing in the background.
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

happy as a clam

Meaning
very content and comfortable
Example
She looked **happy as a clam** on her vacation.
phrasal-verb

help out

Meaning
to assist someone with a task or problem
Example
My father always **helps out** when I have too much work to do.
idiom

heartbroken

Meaning
very sad and emotionally hurt
Example
He was **heartbroken** when his pet died.
phrasal-verb

help along

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

hit the tourist trail

Meaning
to visit popular tourist destinations
Example
We decided to **hit the tourist trail** after exploring the local villages.
idiom

hit the town

Meaning
to go out and enjoy with friends
Example
Let’s **hit the town** tonight and celebrate!
idiom

head over heels

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

have the upper hand

Meaning
to have control or advantage over someone
Example
After the merger, the larger company **had the upper hand**.
idiom

hold the fort

Meaning
to be in charge while someone is away
Example
Can you **hold the fort** while I'm at the meeting?
idiom

hand down

Meaning
to pass something to someone of a later generation
Example
My grandmother **handed down** this recipe to me.
idiom

have faith in

Meaning
to believe or trust in someone or something
Example
You should **have faith in** your abilities.