having a whale of a time
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

having a whale of a time

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

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Meaning
Always stay optimistic, but be ready for any outcome.
Example
She was nervous about the exam but decided to **hope for the best, prepare for the worst**.
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.
phrasal-verb

heal from

Meaning
to emotionally recover from pain, trauma, or loss
Example
It takes time to **heal from** emotional wounds.
idiom

hope against hope

Meaning
to continue hoping even when it seems impossible
Example
They **hoped against hope** that their team would win.
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

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

honesty is the best policy

Meaning
being honest is always the best way to behave
Example
My parents always taught me that **honesty is the best policy**.
idiom

hold your nerve

Meaning
to remain calm and confident under pressure
Example
She **held her nerve** and finished the speech perfectly.
idiom

hand off to

Meaning
to transfer responsibility or control to someone else
Example
I’ll **hand this off to** the design team tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

hold out on

Meaning
to refuse to give information or something to someone
Example
He’s **holding out on** me about the project details.
idiom

hit the gas

Meaning
to accelerate; to move faster
Example
He **hit the gas** to catch the green light.
idiom

hit the firewall

Meaning
to face a restriction or security block while trying to access something online
Example
I tried to visit the site but **hit the firewall** at work.
idiom

have butterflies in your stomach

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

have a heart

Meaning
to show compassion or kindness
Example
**Have a heart**, he didn’t mean to hurt you.
idiom

hit the road

Meaning
to start a journey; to leave a place
Example
We should **hit the road** before sunset to avoid traffic.
idiom

hold oneself accountable

Meaning
to take responsibility for one's actions or decisions
Example
A true leader **holds himself accountable** for the team’s failures.
idiom

house of cards

Meaning
a plan or structure that is weak and likely to fail
Example
Their business model turned out to be a **house of cards**.
phrasal-verb

hone in on

Meaning
to focus attention or effort on something specific
Example
You need to **hone in on** your weaknesses to improve faster.
idiom

hit the dirt

Meaning
to go to ground; to take cover or hide
Example
Wild animals often **hit the dirt** when humans approach.
idiom

Hold out

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

hold emotions in check

Meaning
to keep your emotions under control
Example
He tried to **hold his emotions in check** during the speech.
idiom

hold forth

Meaning
to speak at length about a topic
Example
He loved to **hold forth** on travel stories.
idiom

have words with

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

High stakes

Meaning
Involving serious risk or significant consequences.
Example
Negotiating with investors is a **high-stakes** game.
idiom

hit below the belt

Meaning
to act unfairly or say something hurtful
Example
That comment about her family was really **hitting below the belt**.
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.
phrasal-verb

hold up

Meaning
to cause delay or slow down progress
Example
The server issue **held up** the entire team's work for hours.
phrasal-verb

head back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
It’s getting late, we should **head back** to the hotel.
phrasal-verb

hype up

Meaning
to promote or exaggerate something to create excitement
Example
The media **hyped up** the movie before its release.
phrasal-verb

hand back praise

Meaning
to redirect compliments to the people who earned them
Example
Great mentors **hand back praise** to the colleagues who did the work.
phrasal-verb

hold out an apology

Meaning
to offer or extend an apology to someone
Example
He **held out an apology** for his earlier comments.
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

have your head in the clouds

Meaning
to be daydreaming or not paying attention to reality
Example
He was **having his head in the clouds** during the lecture.
idiom

hit the dance floor

Meaning
to start dancing, especially at a party
Example
Let’s **hit the dance floor** and show our moves!
phrasal-verb

hold feelings in

Meaning
to not express emotions; to suppress feelings
Example
He tends to **hold his feelings in** rather than show them.
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.
idiom

hit the jackpot

Meaning
to achieve great success or win something valuable
Example
He **hit the jackpot** when his startup got acquired for millions.
idiom

head to head

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

hit rock bottom

Meaning
to reach the lowest point of failure or depression
Example
After losing his job, he **hit rock bottom**.
idiom

have a crush on

Meaning
to be attracted to someone
Example
I **had a crush on** my classmate in college.
idiom

hit the target audience

Meaning
to reach the intended group of people with a message or product
Example
The new campaign failed to **hit the target audience** effectively.
idiom

have a one-track mind

Meaning
to think about only one thing all the time
Example
He **has a one-track mind** when it comes to his business.
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

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

how’s it going

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

hit the trail

Meaning
to start traveling or begin an adventure
Example
We’ll **hit the trail** early in the morning.
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

heart-to-heart

Meaning
an honest and open conversation between friends
Example
We had a **heart-to-heart** last night about everything.
phrasal-verb

hold together

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

have faith in someone

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
You should **have faith in** your team.
phrasal-verb

hand updates over

Meaning
to give the latest information to the next person responsible
Example
Shift leads **hand updates over** at the end of every afternoon.
idiom

head up

Meaning
to lead a team or project
Example
Priya will **head up** the new outreach campaign.
phrasal-verb

hold back from

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

hang someone out to dry

Meaning
to abandon someone to face blame or trouble alone.
Example
His friends **hung him out to dry** when the teacher asked who cheated.
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

heartbroken

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

hold yourself accountable

Meaning
to take personal responsibility for your actions
Example
You must always **hold yourself accountable** for your actions.
phrasal-verb

hand off responsibility

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

hit back

Meaning
to reply to criticism or attack with force
Example
The team plans to **hit back** with a stronger strategy.
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

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

head off for

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

hold office

Meaning
to have an official position of authority or power
Example
He has **held office** as the foreign minister for more than five years.
idiom

hold out for

Meaning
to wait to get exactly what you want
Example
She’ll **hold out for** a better offer before signing.
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

head off

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

have a vivid imagination

Meaning
to be able to think of interesting and unusual ideas
Example
Children often **have a vivid imagination**.
phrasal-verb

hold over feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions or resentment from the past and let them affect the present
Example
She tends to **hold over feelings** from old arguments.
idiom

hold sway

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

hard luck story

Meaning
a story about someone's misfortune
Example
He’s always telling a **hard luck story** to get sympathy.
phrasal-verb

hash out with

Meaning
to resolve details through thorough discussion
Example
We **hash out with** the partners before signing the merger paperwork.
idiom

hit the hay

Meaning
to go to bed; to sleep
Example
I'm really tired, so I'm going to **hit the hay** early tonight.
phrasal-verb

hand it to

Meaning
to admit that someone deserves praise
Example
You have to **hand it to** him; he did an amazing job.
idiom

have confidence in

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

have a smile on your face

Meaning
to appear happy and cheerful
Example
She always has a smile on her face, no matter the situation.
idiom

have a brainwave

Meaning
to suddenly have a clever idea
Example
I **had a brainwave** and solved the puzzle.
phrasal-verb

hold back

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

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**.
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

happy as a clam

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

have a vision

Meaning
to have a clear idea or dream for the future
Example
A good leader must **have a vision** for their team.
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

have it out

Meaning
to talk openly about a disagreement to resolve it
Example
They decided to **have it out** instead of staying angry.
phrasal-verb

heal up

Meaning
to recover or become healthy again after injury
Example
Her wound has started to **heal up** nicely.
phrasal-verb

hand over control

Meaning
to transfer authority or management to another party
Example
The firm will **hand over control** of its Asian operations to a local partner.
idiom

have a heavy heart

Meaning
to feel deep sadness or sorrow
Example
He left the city **with a heavy heart**.
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.
idiom

hit the brakes

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

hold the door

Meaning
to keep the door open for someone as a polite gesture
Example
He always **holds the door** for others when entering a building.
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

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

have your hands full

Meaning
to be very busy with work or responsibilities
Example
She can’t take on another task right now—she already **has her hands full**.
idiom

hard act to follow

Meaning
someone or something so good that it’s difficult to replace
Example
The previous manager was a **hard act to follow**.
idiom

hit the town

Meaning
to go out and enjoy with friends
Example
Let’s **hit the town** tonight and celebrate!
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.
phrasal-verb

hold back tears

Meaning
to stop yourself from crying
Example
He tried to **hold back tears** during the speech.
phrasal-verb

hold steady

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

Meaning
to continue feeling angry or resentful toward someone
Example
It’s not healthy to **hold grudges against** your friends.
idiom

hold all the cards

Meaning
to be in a strong position to control or influence a situation
Example
In the negotiations, the buyer **held all the cards**.
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

help out with

Meaning
to assist someone in completing a task or responsibility
Example
Many volunteers **helped out with** the food distribution program.
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

Meaning
to wait for a short time on the phone
Example
Please **hold on** while I transfer your call.
idiom

helicopter parent

Meaning
a parent who is overly involved in their child’s life
Example
She’s a bit of a **helicopter parent**, always watching over her kids.
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

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.
idiom

hit the roof

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
Dad will **hit the roof** when he sees the broken window.
idiom

hit the sack

Meaning
to go to bed
Example
I'm exhausted, so I'm going to **hit the sack** early tonight.
idiom

hit the big time

Meaning
to achieve great fame or success
Example
The band **hit the big time** after their first album went viral.
idiom

have faith in yourself

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

hold it together

Meaning
to stay calm and not show your emotions when under stress
Example
Even under pressure, she managed to **hold it together**.
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.