have the guts
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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.
phrasal-verb

get through to

Meaning
to make someone understand what you are trying to say
Example
Sometimes it’s hard to **get through to** my teenage son.
idiom

battle of wills

Meaning
a conflict where both sides refuse to give up
Example
It became a **battle of wills** between the manager and the team leader.
idiom

to shoot for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious or difficult to achieve
Example
He decided to **shoot for the stars** by applying to the most prestigious universities.
idiom

No man is an island

Meaning
People need others for support and connection.
Example
We all need help sometimes because **no man is an island**.
idiom

make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a strong impression
Example
The new product launch really **made a splash** in the market.
idiom

olive branch

Meaning
a gesture of peace or reconciliation
Example
The president extended an **olive branch** by inviting his rival to the summit.
phrasal-verb

set priorities

Meaning
to decide which tasks or goals are most important
Example
You must **set priorities** to reach your long-term goals.
idiom

let bygones be bygones

Meaning
to forget past disagreements and forgive each other
Example
They decided to **let bygones be bygones** and move forward.
phrasal-verb

burst into laughter

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing loudly
Example
They **burst into laughter** after hearing the funny story.
idiom

In the picture

Meaning
Involved or informed about a situation
Example
I want to stay **in the picture** about the new project.
idiom

cover story

Meaning
the main story on the front of a magazine or newspaper
Example
Her interview became the **cover story** of the week.
idiom

take by surprise

Meaning
to catch someone off guard; to surprise unexpectedly
Example
The sudden rain **took us by surprise**.
phrasal-verb

ramp up to

Meaning
to increase or intensify effort or production to recover or meet demand
Example
Factories **ramped up to** meet the rising post-crisis demand.
idiom

blow off steam

Meaning
to express anger or frustration so that you feel better
Example
He went for a run to **blow off steam** after the argument.
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

count down to deadlines

Meaning
to track remaining time closely before work is due
Example
I **count down to deadlines** with reminders so nothing slips.
phrasal-verb

deal off with

Meaning
to end a relationship or partnership
Example
They decided to **deal off with** each other after the argument.
phrasal-verb

glitch out

Meaning
to malfunction briefly or behave strangely due to an error
Example
My phone screen **glitched out** for a few seconds.
idiom

a front-page story

Meaning
a news story that is important enough to be placed on the front page of a newspaper
Example
The fire in the city center was **a front-page story** for the national newspapers.
idiom

swear on one’s life

Meaning
to make a very serious promise that something is true
Example
I **swear on my life**, I didn’t do it!
phrasal-verb

cheer forward

Meaning
to encourage someone to continue with confidence or hope
Example
Let’s **cheer forward** our team even if they’re losing!
phrasal-verb

reach out for mediation

Meaning
to seek help from a third party to resolve conflict
Example
Both sides **reached out for mediation** to end the war peacefully.
idiom

Go bust

Meaning
To go bankrupt or out of business.
Example
Many small banks **went bust** during the financial crisis.
phrasal-verb

come down

Meaning
when rain or snow falls heavily
Example
The rain is really **coming down** now.
idiom

cast in stone

Meaning
fixed and unchangeable
Example
The script isn’t **cast in stone**; we can make changes.
idiom

Light a fire under someone

Meaning
To motivate someone to take action or work harder.
Example
The coach’s speech really **lit a fire under** the players.
idiom

head off for

Meaning
to depart for a destination
Example
We’ll **head off for** the airport at 5 a.m.
idiom

take it with a pinch of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He exaggerates a lot, so **take it with a pinch of salt**.
idiom

eat humble pie

Meaning
to admit your mistake and apologize
Example
After blaming her friend, she had to **eat humble pie** when she realized she was wrong.
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.
phrasal-verb

bring down barriers

Meaning
to remove obstacles between people or groups
Example
Education can **bring down barriers** between communities.
idiom

split hairs

Meaning
to argue about small or unimportant details
Example
Stop **splitting hairs** and focus on the main issue.
idiom

cast the first stone

Meaning
to be the first to criticize or condemn someone
Example
Before you **cast the first stone**, remember that nobody is perfect.
idiom

teach by example

Meaning
to show others how to do something by demonstrating it yourself
Example
Good mentors always **teach by example**, showing the way with their actions.
phrasal-verb

work out regularly

Meaning
to exercise frequently to stay fit and healthy
Example
She **works out regularly** to keep her body strong and mind fresh.
phrasal-verb

catch on quickly

Meaning
to understand new concepts or ideas fast
Example
She **catches on quickly** when it comes to math problems.
phrasal-verb

look down upon

Meaning
to regard someone or something as inferior or less worthy
Example
No one should **look down upon** others based on their position.
idiom

take the reins

Meaning
to take control or responsibility
Example
After the director retired, she **took the reins** of the company.
phrasal-verb

pool resources for

Meaning
to combine money, labor, or materials for a joint project
Example
The governments **pooled resources for** regional development projects.
phrasal-verb

pay homage to

Meaning
to show deep respect or tribute to someone or something
Example
Citizens **pay homage to** national heroes on Independence Day.
idiom

Put your heart into it

Meaning
To do something with full effort and enthusiasm.
Example
If you **put your heart into it**, you’ll achieve great results.
idiom

mix in

Meaning
to combine one thing with others
Example
Now **mix in** the chopped herbs.
phrasal-verb

carry along

Meaning
to inspire or persuade someone to agree or follow
Example
Her speech **carried along** the entire audience.
phrasal-verb

touch base

Meaning
to make contact with someone to update or confirm details
Example
Let’s **touch base** later this week to discuss the marketing plan.
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

show who's boss

Meaning
to make people recognize your authority
Example
Sometimes a leader must **show who's boss**.
phrasal-verb

pull back on

Meaning
to reduce or stop doing something, especially spending or investment; to withdraw effort or commitment
Example
During the economic crisis, many companies **pull back on** new projects to save money.
idiom

Go to pieces

Meaning
To lose control of your emotions; to break down.
Example
She **went to pieces** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

slippery slope

Meaning
a situation that can lead to serious problems if not controlled
Example
Allowing AI to make moral decisions is a **slippery slope**.
phrasal-verb

rely upon stability

Meaning
to depend on consistent conditions or predictable systems
Example
Foreign investors **rely upon stability** before entering a new market.
phrasal-verb

get a grip on

Meaning
to gain control of one’s emotions
Example
You need to **get a grip on** your emotions before reacting.
idiom

nest egg

Meaning
money saved for the future
Example
They’ve built a small **nest egg** for their retirement.
phrasal-verb

open up with

Meaning
to start a conversation by being honest or expressive about feelings
Example
He chose to **open up with** a personal story to make others feel comfortable.
phrasal-verb

step forward for opportunities

Meaning
to volunteer or take initiative when opportunities arise
Example
Ambitious employees often **step forward for opportunities** to learn and grow.
idiom

a steep learning curve

Meaning
when something is difficult to learn, usually quickly
Example
The new software had a **steep learning curve**, but I managed to understand it.
phrasal-verb

wash away

Meaning
to remove or carry something away with water
Example
The flood **washed away** several houses near the river.
phrasal-verb

stand over

Meaning
to watch someone closely to ensure they do something correctly
Example
The teacher **stood over** the students during the exam.
phrasal-verb

balance between

Meaning
to maintain stability between different emotions or responsibilities
Example
She tries to **balance between** her work and personal life.
idiom

rolling in money

Meaning
having a lot of money
Example
After his business took off, he’s been **rolling in money**.
idiom

a whole new ball game

Meaning
a completely new or different situation; something that changes the way things are done.
Example
Starting a business from scratch is **a whole new ball game**.
idiom

bond of friendship

Meaning
A strong connection of trust and affection between friends.
Example
Their **bond of friendship** grew stronger over the years.
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.
idiom

build brand loyalty

Meaning
to create long-term trust and attachment to a brand
Example
Consistent quality helps **build brand loyalty** among customers.
phrasal-verb

break through bias

Meaning
to overcome prejudices and unfair judgments
Example
Training programs help employees **break through bias** in hiring decisions.
phrasal-verb

pay something off

Meaning
to completely repay a debt or loan
Example
We finally **paid off** our mortgage last month.
phrasal-verb

laugh together

Meaning
to share laughter and joy with others
Example
We all **laughed together** remembering funny college stories.
idiom

kick the habit

Meaning
to stop doing something bad or addictive
Example
After ten years of smoking, he finally **kicked the habit**.
phrasal-verb

set out

Meaning
to begin an action with a clear purpose or plan
Example
The leader **set out** to build a more collaborative culture.
phrasal-verb

cross out

Meaning
to draw a line through something written to show it is wrong
Example
He **crossed out** the wrong answer and wrote the correct one.
idiom

break one's word

Meaning
to fail to keep a promise
Example
Don’t **break your word**; people rely on you.
phrasal-verb

win over voters

Meaning
to persuade people to support you or your ideas
Example
The candidate tried to **win over voters** with promises of reform.
phrasal-verb

drive up prices

Meaning
to cause prices to increase
Example
High demand for oil has **driven up prices** around the world.
phrasal-verb

link together

Meaning
to connect or unite people or organizations
Example
The new initiative aims to **link together** researchers from across the globe.
phrasal-verb

bridge gaps between

Meaning
to reduce differences and improve understanding among people or groups
Example
Global forums aim to **bridge gaps between** developed and developing nations.
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

castles in the air

Meaning
dreams or plans that are impossible or unrealistic
Example
He’s always building **castles in the air** about his future.
idiom

go steady

Meaning
to date someone regularly and exclusively
Example
They've been **going steady** for over two years now.
idiom

extend an olive branch

Meaning
to offer peace or reconciliation
Example
After years of conflict, the president decided to **extend an olive branch**.
idiom

Above reproach

Meaning
Completely honest and without fault.
Example
Her integrity is **above reproach**.
idiom

full of confidence

Meaning
feeling very sure of yourself
Example
He walked into the interview room **full of confidence**.
idiom

jump out of your chair

Meaning
to react suddenly from shock or surprise
Example
He **jumped out of his chair** when he heard the news.
idiom

life in the fast lane

Meaning
a lifestyle full of excitement, activity, and sometimes risk
Example
He enjoys **life in the fast lane** with parties and travel.
idiom

to play fair

Meaning
To act honestly and follow the rules.
Example
In every competition, we must **play fair**.
phrasal-verb

roll out infrastructure

Meaning
to implement or expand physical and digital infrastructure projects
Example
The government plans to **roll out infrastructure** projects across the country.
idiom

keep one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and continuously
Example
If you **keep your nose to the grindstone**, you'll achieve your goals.
idiom

Never give up

Meaning
Always continue trying despite difficulties.
Example
No matter how hard it is, **never give up**.
phrasal-verb

get up

Meaning
to rise from bed after sleeping
Example
She **gets up** right after the alarm goes off.
idiom

smell a rat

Meaning
to suspect something wrong or dishonest
Example
I **smelled a rat** when he offered me free tickets.
idiom

a law unto oneself

Meaning
someone who acts independently and ignores rules
Example
He’s **a law unto himself**, never following company policies.
phrasal-verb

throw down

Meaning
to drop something forcefully; to challenge someone
Example
He **threw down** his gloves and walked out angrily.
phrasal-verb

catch up with trends

Meaning
to stay updated with the latest developments or innovations
Example
Founders must **catch up with trends** to stay competitive.
phrasal-verb

calm down after

Meaning
to relax or become less angry after being upset
Example
It took him a while to **calm down after** the argument.
idiom

hammer out

Meaning
to reach an agreement after thorough discussion
Example
They stayed late to **hammer out** the final details of the contract.
phrasal-verb

look for

Meaning
to search for something you need
Example
I’m **looking for** a new job because I need more stability.
phrasal-verb

say sorry to

Meaning
to express regret or apologize to someone
Example
You should **say sorry to** her for yelling.
phrasal-verb

break down into

Meaning
to divide something into smaller parts
Example
Let's **break down** the project **into** smaller tasks.
phrasal-verb

hold back from

Meaning
to resist forgetting or losing traditional values
Example
The villagers **held back from** abandoning their rituals.
idiom

The sun will shine again

Meaning
Better times will come after bad ones.
Example
Don’t worry too much — **the sun will shine again**.
phrasal-verb

tune into positivity

Meaning
to focus your attention on positive thoughts or feelings
Example
Each morning, **tune into positivity** before starting your work.
phrasal-verb

come up empty

Meaning
to fail to achieve or find something
Example
We searched everywhere but **came up empty**.
idiom

Risk it all

Meaning
To take a huge risk that could lead to loss.
Example
She decided to **risk it all** for her dream project.
idiom

keep something to yourself

Meaning
not tell anyone about something
Example
Please **keep it to yourself** until we’re ready to announce.
idiom

think tank

Meaning
a group of experts developing new ideas or policies
Example
The **think tank** proposed innovative educational reforms.
phrasal-verb

stick it out

Meaning
to continue doing something difficult until the end
Example
Even though the job was hard, he decided to **stick it out**.
phrasal-verb

blow through

Meaning
when wind or storm moves quickly across an area
Example
A strong wind **blew through** the town last night.
phrasal-verb

hang out

Meaning
to spend time with someone socially
Example
Let’s **hang out** after work and grab some coffee.
phrasal-verb

fall behind schedule

Meaning
to not be progressing as quickly as planned
Example
Construction has **fallen behind schedule** due to bad weather.
phrasal-verb

bring forward a resolution

Meaning
to formally present a proposal or resolution for discussion
Example
The delegate **brought forward a resolution** on global peace and cooperation.
phrasal-verb

tag along with

Meaning
to join someone, especially without an invitation, in an online or real-life activity
Example
He loves to **tag along with** influencers during live sessions.
phrasal-verb

work hand in hand with

Meaning
to cooperate closely with someone
Example
The design and development teams **work hand in hand with** each other to deliver quality results.
idiom

acid test

Meaning
a crucial test that proves the value or success of something
Example
The product launch will be the **acid test** of our new design.
idiom

At the drop of a hat

Meaning
Immediately; without hesitation.
Example
He’s ready to help **at the drop of a hat**.
idiom

nose for news

Meaning
an instinct for finding interesting stories
Example
Good reporters have a natural **nose for news**.
idiom

deep learning

Meaning
A class of machine learning algorithms that uses multiple layers to progressively extract higher-level features from raw input.
Example
The AI system improved through **deep learning**, making it smarter over time.
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.
idiom

an open book

Meaning
someone who is easy to understand or very honest
Example
He’s **an open book**; you can always tell what he’s thinking.
phrasal-verb

come forward

Meaning
to offer to help or take part in something
Example
Several team members **came forward** to volunteer for the new task.
phrasal-verb

check in with yourself

Meaning
to pause and reflect on your current emotional state
Example
Take a moment to **check in with yourself** during stressful days.
phrasal-verb

throw back

Meaning
to return something; to remind someone of the past
Example
The smell of the ocean **threw him back** to his childhood memories.
phrasal-verb

back out of an agreement

Meaning
to withdraw from a deal or commitment that was previously made
Example
The country decided to **back out of an agreement** citing national interest.