High stakes
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idiom

High stakes

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

have faith in yourself

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

fall out

Meaning
to have an argument; to stop being friends
Example
They **fell out** over a small misunderstanding.
idiom

trust your gut

Meaning
to follow your intuition or instincts
Example
When making big decisions, it’s often best to **trust your gut**.
phrasal-verb

build up strength

Meaning
to increase physical power through exercise
Example
She started lifting weights to **build up strength**.
phrasal-verb

find oneself

Meaning
to realize one’s identity, purpose, or situation
Example
After years of traveling, he finally **found himself**.
phrasal-verb

open yourself up to feedback

Meaning
to be willing to receive and accept constructive criticism
Example
To grow, you need to **open yourself up to feedback** from others.
phrasal-verb

depend on

Meaning
to rely on someone or something for help or support
Example
You can always **depend on** me when you need advice.
phrasal-verb

rest up

Meaning
to rest completely to regain energy
Example
You should **rest up** before your long trip tomorrow.
idiom

mix up

Meaning
to confuse two or more things
Example
I always **mix up** their names during meetings.
idiom

Carry the torch

Meaning
To continue supporting a cause or idea passed from the past.
Example
Young activists are **carrying the torch** of civil rights today.
idiom

the right thing to do

Meaning
the most ethical or moral action to take
Example
Apologizing was **the right thing to do**.
phrasal-verb

drive forward

Meaning
to make progress with determination and energy
Example
Strong leadership is needed to **drive forward** innovation goals.
idiom

cutting corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often sacrificing quality
Example
They finished early by **cutting corners**, but the result was poor.
idiom

reach the top

Meaning
to achieve the highest position or level in something
Example
After years of hard work, she finally **reached the top** of her profession.
idiom

on good terms with

Meaning
having a friendly and positive relationship with someone
Example
She’s **on good terms with** her ex-husband for the kids’ sake.
idiom

give the cold shoulder

Meaning
to intentionally ignore someone
Example
She **gave me the cold shoulder** at the party.
phrasal-verb

come down to

Meaning
to be influenced or decided by a particular factor
Example
The decision will **come down to** how much money we have left.
phrasal-verb

comment back

Meaning
to reply to someone’s comment online
Example
She always **comments back** to her followers.
idiom

roll the credits

Meaning
to finish something officially
Example
After the final announcement, they **rolled the credits** on the project.
idiom

the balance of power

Meaning
a situation in which power is distributed among nations to prevent dominance by one
Example
The UN aims to maintain **the balance of power** among major nations.
idiom

back on track

Meaning
to return to the right path or plan
Example
After some delays, our trip is **back on track**.
idiom

trade off

Meaning
to balance between two opposing things; to compromise
Example
Globalization involves a **trade off** between efficiency and equality.
idiom

make the grade

Meaning
to reach the desired standard or level
Example
Only a few students **made the grade** in the final test.
idiom

wired for success

Meaning
naturally inclined or designed to succeed
Example
The new AI model seems **wired for success** in every test.
idiom

move up the ladder

Meaning
to be promoted or advance in one’s job
Example
She hopes to **move up the ladder** by the end of the year.
idiom

hold your horses

Meaning
to be patient; to wait
Example
**Hold your horses**! The show hasn’t started yet.
phrasal-verb

turn negativity into strength

Meaning
to use negative experiences as motivation for improvement
Example
She learned to **turn negativity into strength** after many failures.
phrasal-verb

speak with

Meaning
to have a conversation with someone
Example
I need to **speak with** you about tomorrow’s presentation.
idiom

get cold feet

Meaning
to suddenly become afraid to do something
Example
He **got cold feet** before proposing to her.
idiom

Put our heads together

Meaning
To discuss and find a solution collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** and come up with a plan.
phrasal-verb

step in for

Meaning
to take someone’s place to handle a situation
Example
The manager had to **step in for** the team leader during the crisis.
idiom

in a nutshell

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
To put it **in a nutshell**, we need more funding.
phrasal-verb

branch out internationally

Meaning
to expand your business activities into new countries
Example
Many local firms are trying to **branch out internationally** to increase their profits.
phrasal-verb

motivate toward

Meaning
to inspire someone to move or act toward a goal
Example
Effective leaders **motivate toward** shared goals.
idiom

thank you kindly

Meaning
a polite way to say thank you warmly
Example
**Thank you kindly** for your time and patience.
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

boost consumer confidence

Meaning
to increase public trust in the economy
Example
Lower interest rates can **boost consumer confidence** and spending.
phrasal-verb

deal with conflict

Meaning
to manage or resolve disagreements or disputes
Example
Managers often need to **deal with conflict** among team members.
phrasal-verb

level with someone

Meaning
to be completely honest with a person
Example
I'll **level with you** about the team's chances.
idiom

crash and burn

Meaning
to fail completely or suddenly
Example
The new software update **crashed and burned** after launch.
phrasal-verb

talk over calmly

Meaning
to discuss an issue in a relaxed way without anger
Example
They sat down to **talk over calmly** what had gone wrong.
phrasal-verb

set off protests

Meaning
to cause protests or demonstrations to begin
Example
The new law **set off protests** across the country.
idiom

square away

Meaning
to organize or finish something neatly
Example
We need to **square away** the paperwork before the audit.
idiom

canary in the coal mine

Meaning
an early warning of potential danger
Example
Melting glaciers are the **canary in the coal mine** for climate change.
phrasal-verb

work past

Meaning
to overcome an emotional obstacle or memory
Example
He’s still trying to **work past** his anxiety.
idiom

debug the situation

Meaning
to analyze and solve a problem carefully; borrowed from programming
Example
We need to **debug the situation** before it gets worse.
phrasal-verb

shine on

Meaning
to continue to be cheerful and positive despite difficulties
Example
Even in tough times, she continues to **shine on**.
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

break even

Meaning
to have equal income and expenses, neither profit nor loss
Example
The company finally **broke even** after three years.
idiom

lay into

Meaning
to criticize someone harshly
Example
Instead of **laying into** the intern, offer some guidance.
idiom

hand over

Meaning
to give control or possession to someone else
Example
She will **hand over** the keys when the lease is signed.
phrasal-verb

bring attention to

Meaning
to make people notice or be aware of something important
Example
The campaign **brought attention to** climate inequality.
idiom

hit rock bottom

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

carve your path

Meaning
to create your own way or direction in life or career
Example
He decided to **carve his path** instead of following others.
idiom

better late than never

Meaning
it’s better to do something late than not do it at all
Example
**Better late than never** – he finally apologized.
idiom

sift out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from a mix
Example
We need to **sift out** duplicate entries in the list.
idiom

spread the word

Meaning
to tell many people about something
Example
Please **spread the word** about our new course.
phrasal-verb

open up opportunities

Meaning
to create new chances or possibilities for learning or connection
Example
Understanding other cultures can **open up opportunities** for collaboration.
idiom

freshen up

Meaning
to wash or tidy oneself to feel renewed
Example
Guests can **freshen up** in the lounge before dinner.
phrasal-verb

check around for

Meaning
to look in different places in search of something
Example
We **check around for** scholarships before settling on a program.
phrasal-verb

pass down

Meaning
to give something from one generation to the next
Example
The recipe was **passed down** from my grandmother to my mother.
phrasal-verb

hear out

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

stay true to goals

Meaning
to remain faithful and consistent toward your objectives
Example
He always **stays true to goals** no matter the challenges.
phrasal-verb

step beyond fear

Meaning
to act courageously despite being afraid
Example
To succeed, you must **step beyond fear** and take bold action.
idiom

take stock of

Meaning
to review a situation carefully before making decisions
Example
Let’s **take stock of** our priorities this quarter.
phrasal-verb

aim for excellence

Meaning
to try to achieve the best possible results
Example
Always **aim for excellence** instead of settling for average results.
idiom

get the show on the road

Meaning
to begin an activity or journey
Example
Let’s **get the show on the road** and start our trip.
idiom

count your blessings

Meaning
be grateful for the good things in your life
Example
Instead of complaining, **count your blessings**.
phrasal-verb

green up

Meaning
to make something more environmentally friendly
Example
Our building **greens up** by switching to solar lighting.
idiom

tag along

Meaning
to join someone’s online activity or conversation uninvited
Example
He just **tagged along** in our group chat without asking.
phrasal-verb

roll out to

Meaning
to release something to a group of people
Example
The update will **roll out to** all users overnight.
idiom

open to abuse

Meaning
liable to be misused or exploited
Example
Facial recognition technology is **open to abuse** if not regulated.
phrasal-verb

cut in with

Meaning
to interrupt someone politely during an online conversation
Example
I didn’t mean to **cut in with** your point, please continue.
idiom

move with the times

Meaning
to change and adapt as things in society or technology change
Example
Businesses must **move with the times** to stay relevant.
idiom

helping hand

Meaning
assistance or support
Example
He offered a **helping hand** when I was struggling.
idiom

fear the unknown

Meaning
to be afraid of things you don’t understand or haven’t experienced
Example
Many people **fear the unknown** when starting something new.
idiom

run a tight ship

Meaning
to manage an organization or group efficiently and strictly
Example
The manager **runs a tight ship**, and everyone follows the rules.
phrasal-verb

doze off

Meaning
to fall asleep, especially unintentionally
Example
I often **doze off** while watching TV at night.
phrasal-verb

take on challenges

Meaning
to accept and deal with difficult tasks confidently
Example
Employees who **take on challenges** tend to grow faster in their careers.
phrasal-verb

ring out

Meaning
to make a loud sound, especially of bells or alarms
Example
Church bells **rang out** across the city.
idiom

Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Meaning
The simplest version of a product used to test an idea.
Example
We launched an **MVP** to get feedback before the full version.
phrasal-verb

pick out of

Meaning
to choose from a group
Example
She was **picked out of** hundreds of applicants.
idiom

to see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
We finally **saw eye to eye** on the decision.
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

build relations with

Meaning
to develop a friendly or cooperative connection with others
Example
We aim to **build relations with** investors from different regions.
phrasal-verb

throw in

Meaning
to add something extra for free; to include casually
Example
The seller **threw in** a free cover with the phone.
idiom

hold the upper hand

Meaning
to have more power or advantage over others
Example
Negotiations continued, but the buyer **held the upper hand**.
idiom

Run the risk

Meaning
To do something that may result in loss or danger.
Example
You’ll **run the risk** of losing everything if you lie.
idiom

on your shoulders

Meaning
used when someone has responsibility for something
Example
The success of this plan rests **on your shoulders**.
idiom

refresh one's memory

Meaning
to help someone remember something
Example
Let me **refresh your memory** about what happened last week.
phrasal-verb

pick up on traditions

Meaning
to notice and learn about customs and habits of other cultures
Example
During his stay in Japan, he quickly **picked up on** local traditions.
phrasal-verb

click away

Meaning
to leave a dangerous or suspicious webpage quickly
Example
If you see something strange, just **click away** immediately.
idiom

bear with

Meaning
to be patient with someone or something
Example
Please **bear with** us while we resolve the issue.
idiom

To toe the line

Meaning
To follow rules or policies strictly, often without questioning
Example
The senator was expected to **toe the line** and support the party’s stance.
phrasal-verb

push on with

Meaning
to continue doing something with energy and effort
Example
Even when tired, he **pushed on with** his training.
idiom

A truth universally acknowledged

Meaning
A widely accepted truth or belief.
Example
**A truth universally acknowledged** is that honesty is important.
phrasal-verb

stand out professionally

Meaning
to be noticed or recognized for one’s professional excellence
Example
Her creativity helped her **stand out professionally** in a competitive field.
idiom

stay ahead of the game

Meaning
to be more successful or prepared than others
Example
To **stay ahead of the game**, you must always keep learning.
idiom

to take the cake

Meaning
to be the best or most impressive thing in a situation
Example
Out of all the new projects, his idea **took the cake**.
phrasal-verb

bond deeply with

Meaning
to form a very close emotional relationship with someone
Example
Parents **bond deeply with** their newborns through love and care.
phrasal-verb

keep fit

Meaning
to stay healthy and physically active
Example
I go jogging every morning to **keep fit**.
phrasal-verb

tap into new markets

Meaning
to start selling in new regions or countries
Example
The company is trying to **tap into new markets** in Asia and Africa.
idiom

As green as grass

Meaning
Very inexperienced or new at something.
Example
He’s **as green as grass** in his new job.
idiom

go belly up

Meaning
to fail completely; to go bankrupt
Example
Many small businesses **went belly up** during the pandemic.
idiom

move up the ranks

Meaning
to be promoted to higher positions over time
Example
He started as an assistant but quickly **moved up the ranks**.
phrasal-verb

look after

Meaning
to take care of someone or something
Example
I have to **look after** my grandparents at the weekend.
idiom

to have a thirst for knowledge

Meaning
to have a strong desire to learn or gain more knowledge
Example
She always **has a thirst for knowledge** and keeps reading books.
phrasal-verb

brush off negativity

Meaning
to ignore or dismiss negative emotions or comments
Example
He just **brushed off** the negativity and stayed focused.
phrasal-verb

put back

Meaning
to return something to its place; to delay an event
Example
Please **put back** the book when you’re done reading.
idiom

get away with murder

Meaning
to do something very bad without being punished for it
Example
He’s so spoiled that he can **get away with murder** at home.
idiom

under the table

Meaning
done secretly or dishonestly, often involving money
Example
He was paid **under the table** to avoid taxes.
phrasal-verb

budget time blocks

Meaning
to plan specific chunks of time for tasks
Example
I **budget time blocks** on Monday for deep work and catch-up slots.
idiom

fail better

Meaning
to improve by learning from past failures
Example
Even if you fail, try to **fail better** next time.
idiom

fed up with

Meaning
tired or annoyed with something
Example
I'm **fed up with** doing the same thing every day.
phrasal-verb

deal back

Meaning
to return a favor or repay someone
Example
She promised to **deal back** the help someday.
phrasal-verb

benefit from

Meaning
to gain an advantage or profit through something
Example
Many developing nations **benefit from** global trade agreements.
idiom

grinning from ear to ear

Meaning
smiling broadly due to happiness
Example
He was **grinning from ear to ear** after receiving the gift.
idiom

take a load off

Meaning
to sit down and relax, especially after working hard
Example
Come in and **take a load off**.
idiom

Money doesn't grow on trees

Meaning
Money is limited and must be earned; not easy to get.
Example
You should save more—**money doesn’t grow on trees**.
idiom

A Sherlock Holmes

Meaning
A person who is extremely good at solving mysteries or finding out information.
Example
He’s such **a Sherlock Holmes** when it comes to finding lost things.