have the upper hand
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
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

a peace of mind

Meaning
a state of mental and emotional calmness
Example
After the long vacation, she finally got **a peace of mind**.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
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.
phrasal-verb

open with gratitude

Meaning
to start a conversation or message by expressing thanks
Example
She **opened with gratitude** before discussing the main issue.
idiom

the wisdom of age

Meaning
knowledge and understanding gained through life experience
Example
He gave me advice that showed **the wisdom of age**.
phrasal-verb

bring out potential

Meaning
to help others show their best abilities
Example
A true leader **brings out potential** in every team member.
idiom

out of balance

Meaning
to feel mentally or emotionally unstable
Example
Lack of rest can make you feel **out of balance**.
phrasal-verb

save on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money you spend on something
Example
You can **save on** electricity by turning off lights.
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

work across

Meaning
to collaborate or operate jointly across multiple regions or teams
Example
The NGO **works across** 20 countries to promote global education.
idiom

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

Meaning
It's important to maintain good relationships with your friends, but it's equally important to understand your enemies.
Example
He always watches his competitors carefully because he believes in **keeping your friends close and your enemies closer**.
phrasal-verb

delegate tasks

Meaning
to assign responsibilities to others
Example
An effective leader knows how to **delegate tasks** efficiently.
phrasal-verb

tune up

Meaning
to prepare or adjust an instrument for better performance
Example
The guitarist **tuned up** his instrument before the show.
idiom

hit the road again

Meaning
to resume a journey after a stop
Example
After lunch, we **hit the road again**.
phrasal-verb

run through

Meaning
to review or explain something quickly
Example
Let’s **run through** the presentation once before the meeting starts.
idiom

play devil's advocate

Meaning
to argue against an idea to test how strong it is
Example
I don't necessarily disagree, but let me **play devil's advocate** for a moment.
phrasal-verb

branch into

Meaning
to expand a company into new areas or markets
Example
The company plans to **branch into** Southeast Asian markets next year.
idiom

drop your guard

Meaning
to relax your vigilance or become less careful
Example
Never **drop your guard** when dealing with competitors.
idiom

The waiting game

Meaning
A situation in which you must wait for something to happen.
Example
It’s all about **the waiting game** when you’re looking for a job.
phrasal-verb

talk through feelings

Meaning
to discuss emotions openly to process them better
Example
It helps to **talk through feelings** with someone you trust.
idiom

raise the roof

Meaning
to make a lot of noise; to celebrate loudly
Example
The crowd **raised the roof** when the team won.
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

bounce ideas around

Meaning
to share and discuss ideas with others
Example
We often **bounce ideas around** during our weekly meetings.
phrasal-verb

build on

Meaning
to use your past success or experience to improve or achieve more
Example
We should **build on** our previous success to reach higher goals.
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

slip out

Meaning
to say something unintentionally
Example
The secret just **slipped out** during the chat.
phrasal-verb

grow into confidence

Meaning
to gradually develop self-assurance and ability
Example
Over time, she **grew into confidence** in her managerial role.
idiom

Sow the seeds

Meaning
To begin a process that will develop in the future.
Example
Her small donations **sowed the seeds** of a larger charity movement.
idiom

sleep on

Meaning
to delay making a decision until the next day
Example
I'll **sleep on** it and let you know my answer tomorrow.
idiom

turn the tide

Meaning
to cause a significant change in a situation or trend
Example
The new strategy helped us **turn the tide** in our favor.
phrasal-verb

take over for

Meaning
to temporarily handle someone’s virtual responsibilities
Example
Can you **take over for** me while I’m offline?
idiom

heart in your mouth

Meaning
to feel extremely anxious or scared
Example
My **heart was in my mouth** when the plane started shaking.
idiom

light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
sign of hope after a difficult period
Example
After months of struggle, she finally saw the **light at the end of the tunnel**.
idiom

in my opinion

Meaning
used to express what one thinks or believes
Example
**In my opinion**, this movie is too long.
phrasal-verb

shine through

Meaning
to show your confidence or talent clearly despite challenges
Example
Her true confidence **shone through** during the interview.
phrasal-verb

question over

Meaning
to express doubt or uncertainty about something
Example
There’s been a lot of **questions over** the accuracy of that report.
phrasal-verb

delight in

Meaning
to take great pleasure in something
Example
She **delights in** making people laugh.
idiom

tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small part of a much bigger problem
Example
The data error we found is just the **tip of the iceberg**.
idiom

pat on the back

Meaning
to praise or congratulate someone for doing something well
Example
You deserve a **pat on the back** for your effort.
phrasal-verb

turn up growth

Meaning
to increase or accelerate the rate of growth
Example
The central bank aims to **turn up growth** by reducing interest rates.
idiom

set a precedent

Meaning
to establish a standard or example for future actions
Example
Banning unethical AI systems will **set a precedent** for accountability.
idiom

open one's heart

Meaning
to express feelings or emotions honestly
Example
She finally decided to **open her heart** and share her feelings.
idiom

Air time

Meaning
The amount of time something is broadcast on TV or radio
Example
The charity event got a lot of **air time** on local stations.
phrasal-verb

look over

Meaning
to examine or review something quickly
Example
Can you **look over** this proposal before submitting it?
phrasal-verb

meet up

Meaning
to get together with someone for an arranged meeting
Example
Let’s **meet up** at the cafe before heading to the concert.
phrasal-verb

show around

Meaning
to give someone a guided tour of a place
Example
I will **show around** our office to the new interns.
idiom

brainchild of

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

get on board

Meaning
to enter or climb onto a vehicle like a bus, train, or plane
Example
We quickly **got on board** before the train left the station.
phrasal-verb

hold on to hope

Meaning
to not give up believing that things will get better
Example
No matter how dark it seems, **hold on to hope**.
idiom

hear someone out

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

diplomatic immunity

Meaning
legal protection given to diplomats from prosecution
Example
He could not be arrested because he had **diplomatic immunity**.
phrasal-verb

set meeting notes live

Meaning
to publish the latest minutes for everyone to view
Example
Please **set meeting notes live** right after the session ends.
phrasal-verb

power up

Meaning
to turn on or start an electronic device
Example
You should **power up** the computer before connecting peripherals.
idiom

high-risk, high-reward

Meaning
situations or decisions that involve a lot of risks but also offer the potential for great rewards
Example
Investing in emerging markets can be **high-risk, high-reward**, but the returns are worth it.
idiom

enter stage left

Meaning
to appear or arrive dramatically in a situation
Example
Just when things got complicated, **enter stage left**—our new competitor!
idiom

a bolt from the blue

Meaning
a sudden and unexpected event or news
Example
His resignation came **like a bolt from the blue**.
phrasal-verb

lean forward

Meaning
to show interest and emotional engagement in a conversation
Example
She **leaned forward** and listened carefully to her friend’s worries.
phrasal-verb

take over a company

Meaning
to gain control of another company by buying it
Example
A major corporation plans to **take over a company** in the European market.
phrasal-verb

carry off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
She managed to **carry off** the project despite all the challenges.
idiom

block out

Meaning
to ignore distractions or unpleasant thoughts
Example
She tried to **block out** the noise and continue working.
idiom

burst of inspiration

Meaning
a sudden feeling of creativity or motivation
Example
He wrote the poem in a **burst of inspiration**.
idiom

on the up and up

Meaning
honest; truthful; not involved in any wrongdoing
Example
She’s always been **on the up and up** with me.
phrasal-verb

talk out of

Meaning
to persuade someone not to do something
Example
I tried to **talk him out of** quitting his job.
idiom

Put up walls

Meaning
To create emotional barriers or distance from others.
Example
After the breakup, she **put up walls** and stopped trusting people.
phrasal-verb

find out

Meaning
to discover information
Example
I need to **find out** what time the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

tick off

Meaning
to mark completed items on a list
Example
I **ticked off** each task as I finished to track the progress before the deadline.
idiom

all in good time

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

move beyond

Meaning
to progress further than a previous level or limitation
Example
He tried to **move beyond** his earlier academic failures.
idiom

make up

Meaning
to reconcile after an argument or fight
Example
They always **make up** after small arguments.
idiom

living the dream

Meaning
living a life that one always desired
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
B1 idiom

all ears

Listening very attentively
Meaning
Listening very attentively
Example
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
phrasal-verb

lift trade barriers

Meaning
to remove restrictions on international trade
Example
Nations agreed to **lift trade barriers** to encourage investment.
phrasal-verb

warm to someone

Meaning
to begin to like someone or feel friendly towards them
Example
She didn’t like him at first but slowly **warmed to him**.
phrasal-verb

catch out

Meaning
to trick someone into making a mistake; to discover someone doing something wrong
Example
The reporter tried to **catch out** the politician with a tricky question.
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.
idiom

download the idea

Meaning
to absorb or understand information quickly
Example
It took me a while to **download the idea**, but now I get it.
idiom

get a handle on something

Meaning
to understand or gain control of something
Example
I'm trying to **get a handle on** the new software.
phrasal-verb

let tension out

Meaning
to release built-up stress or pressure
Example
Exercise helps you **let tension out** after a tough day.
idiom

bond of friendship

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

bloom where you’re planted

Meaning
make the best of your current situation
Example
Even in tough times, she **blooms where she’s planted**.
idiom

log off

Meaning
to disconnect from a computer system
Example
Don’t forget to **log off** before you leave the office.
idiom

All hands on deck

Meaning
Everyone must work together or help with a task.
Example
We need **all hands on deck** to finish this project by tomorrow.
idiom

break the internet

Meaning
to cause an enormous amount of attention and discussion online
Example
The celebrity's new photo **broke the internet**.
idiom

no worries

Meaning
used to say that everything is fine or there is no problem
Example
**No worries**, I’ll take care of it.
idiom

light up someone’s day

Meaning
to make someone happy
Example
Your kind words **lighted up my day**.
idiom

in a good mood

Meaning
feeling happy or cheerful
Example
She's always **in a good mood** when the sun is shining.
phrasal-verb

bring in reforms

Meaning
to introduce changes to improve a system or policy
Example
The new government promised to **bring in reforms** to strengthen the economy.
phrasal-verb

ship out to

Meaning
to send goods to a destination
Example
The factory **ships out to** regional stores every Thursday.
phrasal-verb

reach out for support

Meaning
to ask for help or comfort from others
Example
Don't be afraid to **reach out for support** when you feel alone.
phrasal-verb

embrace with

Meaning
to accept something enthusiastically and willingly
Example
He quickly **embraced with** the new culture and made many friends.
phrasal-verb

stand up against

Meaning
to resist or oppose injustice; to defend principles
Example
People **stand up against** censorship to protect freedom of speech.
idiom

trust one's judgment

Meaning
to believe in someone's decision or ability to make good choices
Example
I always **trust her judgment** when it comes to hiring decisions.
idiom

Heart full of gratitude

Meaning
Deeply thankful and appreciative.
Example
She spoke with a **heart full of gratitude** for her teachers.
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

take inspiration from

Meaning
to get creative ideas or motivation from something
Example
Many fashion designers **take inspiration from** nature.
phrasal-verb

keep inside

Meaning
to not show or tell others about your emotions
Example
He tends to **keep** his feelings **inside** instead of talking about them.
idiom

a man of integrity

Meaning
someone who is honest and morally upright
Example
He is known as **a man of integrity** in the business world.
phrasal-verb

reach higher goals

Meaning
to achieve more ambitious objectives or aims
Example
The company’s vision encourages employees to **reach higher goals**.
phrasal-verb

heal over time

Meaning
to recover emotionally as time passes
Example
She knew she would **heal over time** if she stayed patient.
idiom

go under the knife

Meaning
to have a surgical operation
Example
He had to **go under the knife** to fix his knee injury.
phrasal-verb

brainstorm around impact

Meaning
to discuss ideas that focus on potential outcomes
Example
We **brainstorm around impact** to see how policies help the planet.
idiom

all in the same boat

Meaning
in the same situation or facing the same challenges
Example
We're all **in the same boat**, so let's work together to solve this problem.
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

root in

Meaning
to be based on or connected to something deeply
Example
Our customs are **rooted in** ancient beliefs.
phrasal-verb

look back on

Meaning
to reflect on something that happened in the past
Example
Students often **look back on** their school days with pride.
phrasal-verb

carry off with

Meaning
to remove or take away forcefully
Example
The thief **carried off** the jewels **with** surprising speed.
idiom

A rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
When the economy improves, everyone benefits to some extent.
Example
When the new policies boosted trade, people said that **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
idiom

teamwork makes the dream work

Meaning
working together leads to success
Example
We can accomplish so much if we cooperate, because **teamwork makes the dream work**.
phrasal-verb

hold fast to

Meaning
to remain firmly committed to a belief or value
Example
She **holds fast to** transparency even under pressure.
idiom

the ivory tower

Meaning
a place or situation where one is disconnected from practical concerns or the real world
Example
Academics are often accused of living in **the ivory tower**.
phrasal-verb

comment on

Meaning
to express an opinion about something
Example
Please **comment on** the professor’s recent publication.
phrasal-verb

burst into flames

Meaning
to suddenly start burning
Example
The car **burst into flames** after the collision.
idiom

a thorn in one's side

Meaning
a constant source of annoyance or trouble
Example
The trade dispute has become **a thorn in our side**.
phrasal-verb

lay down guidelines

Meaning
to establish official rules or principles
Example
The economic council will **lay down guidelines** for fiscal discipline.
phrasal-verb

hold it in

Meaning
to stop yourself from showing emotion
Example
He tried to **hold it in**, but the tears came anyway.
idiom

crack the code

Meaning
to solve a complex problem or mystery
Example
It took hours, but we finally **cracked the code** of the system error.
phrasal-verb

buzz with

Meaning
to be full of excitement or activity
Example
The hall was **buzzing with** excitement before the show.
phrasal-verb

give oneself up

Meaning
to surrender to the police or authorities
Example
The thief **gave himself up** to the police after two days.
phrasal-verb

touch base after work

Meaning
to connect with someone later in the day for updates
Example
We **touch base after work** to confirm travel details for tomorrow.