Have something up your sleeve
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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

blend into

Meaning
to mix harmoniously with a group or culture; to become part of the surroundings
Example
She quickly **blended into** the local community by learning their customs.
idiom

Move heaven and earth

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

get over hurt

Meaning
to recover emotionally from pain or sadness
Example
It took him months to **get over** the hurt from the breakup.
idiom

fall back on

Meaning
to rely on something when the first option fails
Example
If the deal falls through, we’ll **fall back on** our backup plan.
phrasal-verb

walk along

Meaning
to move on foot beside something for some distance
Example
**Walk along** the river until you reach the bridge.
idiom

make yourself clear

Meaning
to express yourself so that others understand you easily
Example
Could you **make yourself clear**, please?
idiom

make a mark

Meaning
to have a noticeable impact or influence
Example
Her speech at the conference really **made a mark** on the audience.
phrasal-verb

stay curious about

Meaning
to remain interested in learning new things
Example
Good learners always **stay curious about** how things work.
idiom

a house divided against itself cannot stand

Meaning
a group or organization that is divided in opinion or direction cannot succeed
Example
In a team, **a house divided against itself cannot stand**; everyone needs to agree on the same goal.
phrasal-verb

breathe through stress

Meaning
to manage tension or anxiety using breathing techniques
Example
When you feel pressure, **breathe through stress** slowly and deeply.
idiom

carry the load

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult
Example
She had to **carry the load** after her manager resigned.
idiom

put two and two together

Meaning
to figure out something by reasoning
Example
He **put two and two together** and realized she was lying.
idiom

to see the silver lining

Meaning
to find something positive in a negative situation
Example
She always tries to **see the silver lining** even in the most challenging situations.
idiom

to push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate
Example
In the world of AI, companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
idiom

blackout

Meaning
to lose consciousness temporarily
Example
He suddenly **blacked out** during the match.
idiom

the light dawned on someone

Meaning
someone suddenly understands something
Example
The **light dawned on her** that she had made a mistake.
idiom

put the plan into action

Meaning
to start implementing a plan or idea
Example
After weeks of preparation, it's time to **put the plan into action**.
idiom

to the letter

Meaning
exactly as instructed
Example
She followed her teacher’s advice **to the letter**.
phrasal-verb

beat yourself up

Meaning
to blame or criticize yourself too much for something
Example
Don't **beat yourself up** over one mistake.
phrasal-verb

read up on

Meaning
to study or get information about something by reading
Example
You should **read up on** this topic before writing your paper.
phrasal-verb

shift to

Meaning
to move or change focus, method, or responsibility
Example
Our company plans to **shift to** a hybrid work model.
phrasal-verb

think over

Meaning
to consider something carefully before making a decision
Example
I need to **think over** your proposal before giving you an answer.
phrasal-verb

bridge over differences

Meaning
to overcome disagreements and create unity
Example
The summit aimed to **bridge over differences** among member states.
idiom

cat nap

Meaning
a short sleep during the day
Example
I took a **cat nap** before the meeting.
phrasal-verb

spread out investment

Meaning
to diversify investments to reduce risk
Example
It's wise to **spread out investment** across different sectors.
idiom

draw inspiration from

Meaning
to be motivated or influenced by something
Example
He **drew inspiration from** nature for his latest painting.
idiom

Hear something on the grapevine

Meaning
To hear gossip or unofficial news.
Example
I **heard on the grapevine** that she’s leaving the company.
idiom

get your point across

Meaning
to express an idea clearly so that others understand it
Example
It’s important to **get your point across** during discussions.
phrasal-verb

go for

Meaning
to like or choose something
Example
Most kids **go for** ice cream over fruit.
phrasal-verb

look around for

Meaning
to search or explore for something nearby
Example
Let’s **look around for** a good restaurant before we leave the city.
idiom

set the example

Meaning
to model the behavior you expect from others
Example
The manager always tries to **set the example** by being punctual and hardworking.
phrasal-verb

swot up on

Meaning
to study something intensively before an event
Example
I **swot up on** statistics before every data review.
phrasal-verb

get out

Meaning
to leave or exit a place or vehicle
Example
He quickly **got out** of the taxi and ran inside.
idiom

pull it off

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

brainchild of

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

translate into action

Meaning
to turn ideas or words into practical steps or results
Example
We must **translate into action** the promises made in meetings.
idiom

A stitch in time saves nine

Meaning
Solving a small problem early prevents a bigger problem later.
Example
Fix that leak now — a stitch in time saves nine.
phrasal-verb

open out

Meaning
to become more confident, relaxed, and expressive emotionally
Example
He started to **open out** after making new friends at work.
phrasal-verb

let yourself heal

Meaning
to allow yourself time and space to recover emotionally
Example
It’s okay to rest and **let yourself heal** after a painful breakup.
idiom

dodged a bullet

Meaning
To narrowly escape a dangerous or unlucky situation.
Example
We really **dodged a bullet** when that deal fell through.
idiom

break into a cold sweat

Meaning
to start sweating due to fear or anxiety
Example
He **broke into a cold sweat** before giving his speech.
idiom

gears in motion

Meaning
the process has started and is progressing
Example
Once the plan was approved, the **gears were in motion**.
phrasal-verb

draw upon

Meaning
to use information or experience from the past for a new purpose
Example
Innovators often **draw upon** their previous failures to find success.
idiom

Give and take

Meaning
Mutual compromise or cooperation.
Example
Good teamwork is all about **give and take**.
idiom

cross the floor

Meaning
to change political allegiance or party
Example
The MP shocked everyone when he decided to **cross the floor** and join the opposition.
idiom

Don’t give up hope

Meaning
Keep believing that things will get better.
Example
**Don’t give up hope**, miracles can happen any time.
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

bottle emotions

Meaning
to keep emotions hidden instead of expressing them
Example
She tends to **bottle emotions** instead of talking about them.
idiom

stand out from the crowd

Meaning
to be noticeably different or better than others
Example
Her talent helps her **stand out from the crowd**.
idiom

track down

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

cool off with

Meaning
to refresh oneself using something
Example
We’ll **cool off with** iced tea after the run.
phrasal-verb

speak out against

Meaning
to publicly express opposition to something
Example
Many citizens **spoke out against** the unfair law.
idiom

make it big

Meaning
to become very successful or famous
Example
He moved to Hollywood to **make it big**.
phrasal-verb

talk down worries

Meaning
to reduce anxious thoughts by speaking calmly
Example
We **talk down worries** together when a decision feels risky.
idiom

seeing is believing

Meaning
only what one sees can be believed; things must be experienced to be believed.
Example
I was skeptical at first, but when I saw the results, I realized **seeing is believing**.
idiom

turn a corner

Meaning
to begin to improve after a difficult period
Example
Things started to **turn a corner** after the new management took over.
phrasal-verb

recover lost ground

Meaning
to regain previous progress or position after a decline
Example
The stock market quickly **recovered lost ground** after the policy announcement.
idiom

Things will get better

Meaning
difficult situations will improve over time
Example
I know you're stressed, but remember, **things will get better**.
idiom

phishing expedition

Meaning
an attempt to obtain sensitive information by deceit
Example
The suspicious email was part of a **phishing expedition**.
phrasal-verb

seek out

Meaning
to look for and find something or someone with effort
Example
She loves to **seek out** new experiences when she travels.
idiom

the life of the party

Meaning
a person who is lively, entertaining, and the center of attention at social gatherings
Example
Everyone loves Tom because he’s always **the life of the party**.
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**.
idiom

at sixes and sevens

Meaning
in a state of confusion or disorder
Example
After the renovation, the office was **at sixes and sevens** for weeks.
idiom

block off

Meaning
to close an area so people cannot enter
Example
Police **blocked off** the street after the accident.
phrasal-verb

break down walls

Meaning
to remove divisions or barriers between people
Example
The new leadership aims to **break down walls** between departments.
phrasal-verb

lean in to

Meaning
to embrace or face emotional challenges with courage
Example
Instead of avoiding conflict, she decided to **lean in to** the discussion.
idiom

Seed funding

Meaning
Initial capital used to start a business.
Example
They received **seed funding** from angel investors.
phrasal-verb

pull at

Meaning
to tug or hold onto something repeatedly
Example
The child kept **pulling at** his mother’s hand.
idiom

free as a bird

Meaning
completely free; without restrictions
Example
After leaving his job, he felt **free as a bird**.
idiom

all work and no play

Meaning
a person who only works becomes dull and boring
Example
**All work and no play** makes Jack a dull boy.
phrasal-verb

move away from

Meaning
to stop focusing on or using something
Example
The economy is **moving away from** dependency on foreign aid.
idiom

Play it safe

Meaning
to avoid taking risks
Example
He always **plays it safe** and never tries new things.
idiom

circle around

Meaning
to move repeatedly around something
Example
The hawk kept **circling around** above the trees.
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

look down on oneself

Meaning
to think poorly of oneself because of guilt or regret
Example
After the mistake, she began to **look down on herself** constantly.
idiom

touch gold

Meaning
to be very successful or lucky in something
Example
Every project he takes on seems to **touch gold**.
phrasal-verb

open your heart to

Meaning
to express love, trust, or care freely
Example
It’s important to **open your heart to** those who care about you.
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

tiger mom

Meaning
a strict mother who pushes her children to achieve high standards
Example
Her friends call her a **tiger mom** because she’s very demanding.
idiom

back away from

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

know someone inside out

Meaning
to know someone very well
Example
I **know her inside out**; we’ve been friends for years.
phrasal-verb

make amends with

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry and to fix a problem
Example
She tried to **make amends with** her colleague after the heated argument.
idiom

A snapshot of

Meaning
A brief look or summary of something
Example
The report gives **a snapshot of** our company's performance.
phrasal-verb

tighten up

Meaning
to make rules or policies stricter
Example
The government decided to **tighten up** regulations on foreign investments.
phrasal-verb

stand together with

Meaning
to support and stay united with partners during challenges
Example
True business partners **stand together with** each other in hard times.
idiom

have a soft spot for someone

Meaning
to feel affection or fondness for someone
Example
He has always **had a soft spot for** his childhood friend.
idiom

easy does it

Meaning
used to tell someone to be careful and patient
Example
**Easy does it**, don’t rush the process.
phrasal-verb

cut off funding

Meaning
to stop providing financial support
Example
The government **cut off funding** for several development projects.
idiom

get into the habit

Meaning
to begin to do something regularly
Example
I’ve **got into the habit** of reading before bed.
phrasal-verb

move forward with confidence

Meaning
to progress in life without fear or doubt
Example
After learning from mistakes, **move forward with confidence**.
phrasal-verb

rise above fear

Meaning
to act bravely despite being afraid
Example
True courage means learning to **rise above fear**.
idiom

from the ground up

Meaning
to build or start something completely from the beginning
Example
The software was built **from the ground up** using new code.
idiom

follow your gut

Meaning
to trust your instincts when making a decision
Example
Sometimes it's best to **follow your gut**.
idiom

Go Dutch

Meaning
To share the cost of something equally.
Example
Let’s **go Dutch** on the dinner tonight.
idiom

bring down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad or to reduce something
Example
Don’t let one rude comment **bring down** your confidence.
phrasal-verb

breathe away tension

Meaning
to use breathing techniques to release stress
Example
Take a few deep breaths to **breathe away tension**.
phrasal-verb

choke back

Meaning
to try hard not to show or express an emotion, especially sadness or tears
Example
He **choked back** his tears during the farewell speech.
phrasal-verb

side with

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument or conflict
Example
She always **sides with** her best friend in arguments.
phrasal-verb

rally around

Meaning
to come together to support someone or something
Example
The whole team **rallied around** their captain during tough times.
phrasal-verb

see to

Meaning
to make sure something is done; to take care of something
Example
I’ll **see to** it that the documents are ready on time.
idiom

circle of friends

Meaning
a group of people you are friendly with
Example
She has a large **circle of friends** from college.
phrasal-verb

sing along

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

back off from

Meaning
to stop being involved in a situation; to retreat from confrontation
Example
He decided to **back off from** the argument before it got worse.
phrasal-verb

see about

Meaning
to deal with something; to arrange for something
Example
I’ll **see about** getting us some tickets for the concert.
idiom

plug into

Meaning
to connect or become involved in something, usually a system or network
Example
You need to **plug into** the right social media channels to reach a wider audience.
idiom

better safe than sorry

Meaning
It’s wiser to be cautious than to take risks and regret later.
Example
I always double-check the locks — **better safe than sorry**.
idiom

Left no stone unturned

Meaning
To try every possible way to achieve something.
Example
The detective **left no stone unturned** to find the truth.
idiom

feeling on top of the world

Meaning
feeling extremely happy or successful
Example
After getting the job, I was **on top of the world**.
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.
idiom

make a fortune

Meaning
to earn a lot of money
Example
She **made a fortune** selling handmade jewelry online.
idiom

to be on cloud nine

Meaning
to be extremely happy
Example
She was **on cloud nine** after hearing the good news about her promotion.
phrasal-verb

step back from

Meaning
to distance yourself to view a situation more clearly
Example
It helps to **step back from** the situation before making a decision.
phrasal-verb

come up

Meaning
to be mentioned or occur unexpectedly
Example
Your name **came up** during the meeting.
idiom

To have a heart of gold

Meaning
To be very kind and generous
Example
She has a heart of gold, always helping those in need.
phrasal-verb

vote through

Meaning
to officially approve a law or proposal by voting
Example
Parliament **voted through** the education reform bill yesterday.
phrasal-verb

limit yourself to

Meaning
to restrict your actions or choices for a specific goal
Example
Try to **limit yourself to** one hour of social media per day.
phrasal-verb

wrap up the project

Meaning
to finish or complete something
Example
We need to **wrap up the project** by the end of this week.
idiom

groundbreaking discovery

Meaning
a discovery that changes understanding in a field
Example
The new vaccine was a **groundbreaking discovery** in medicine.
phrasal-verb

perk up

Meaning
to become more lively, cheerful, or interested
Example
She **perked up** when she heard the good news.