hit a snag
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

hit a snag

Meaning
to face an unexpected problem or obstacle
Example
The project **hit a snag** when the server went down.
idiom

a burning desire

Meaning
a strong and intense wish to achieve something
Example
She has **a burning desire** to become the best in her field.
phrasal-verb

scale into

Meaning
to invest gradually over time instead of all at once
Example
It's wise to **scale into** the market rather than investing everything at once.
phrasal-verb

crack down on corruption

Meaning
to take strong measures to stop corruption
Example
The new government promised to **crack down on corruption**.
idiom

to tip the scales

Meaning
to influence the outcome of a situation
Example
One witness’s statement **tipped the scales** in favor of the defendant.
phrasal-verb

stand over against

Meaning
to contrast or compare one thing with another
Example
This idea **stands over against** the traditional belief.
phrasal-verb

cut down emissions

Meaning
to reduce harmful gases released into the air
Example
Businesses are investing to **cut down emissions** from transport.
phrasal-verb

drop a line to

Meaning
to send a short message to someone
Example
Don’t forget to **drop a line to** me when you arrive.
phrasal-verb

switch off from

Meaning
to disconnect mentally from work or stress
Example
She **switches off from** emails after yoga class.
idiom

long time no see

Meaning
used when you meet someone after a long time
Example
**Long time no see!** How have you been?
idiom

to put one's foot in one's mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate by mistake
Example
I really **put my foot in my mouth** when I mentioned her ex-boyfriend.
phrasal-verb

acknowledge with

Meaning
to show recognition or appreciation through something
Example
They **acknowledged with** a small gift for all his hard work.
phrasal-verb

open minds through dialogue

Meaning
to encourage understanding between cultures by communicating openly
Example
The conference aimed to **open minds through dialogue** between communities.
idiom

step up

Meaning
to take responsibility or action when needed
Example
When the manager was away, she **stepped up** to lead the team.
idiom

small potatoes

Meaning
something insignificant or of little value
Example
Compared to oil exports, textile trade is **small potatoes**.
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.
idiom

climb the ladder

Meaning
to move up in position or success, especially in a career
Example
He worked hard to **climb the ladder** in his company.
phrasal-verb

pass stories down

Meaning
to share traditions or memories with the next generation
Example
Grandparents **pass stories down** during long festival evenings.
phrasal-verb

toy with concepts

Meaning
to play with or experiment with creative ideas before finalizing them
Example
We’re still **toying with concepts** for the new campaign slogan.
idiom

drum up

Meaning
to increase interest or support for something
Example
The volunteers are visiting schools to **drum up** excitement for the festival.
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

pool together

Meaning
to combine resources or efforts for a shared goal
Example
The organizations decided to **pool together** their expertise for a larger impact.
phrasal-verb

shift mindset

Meaning
to change the way one thinks about something
Example
Leaders must **shift mindset** to embrace innovation.
phrasal-verb

loosen up

Meaning
to relax your body or mind; to become less tense
Example
You need to **loosen up** and stop being so serious.
phrasal-verb

adapt within

Meaning
to adjust oneself while keeping personal identity
Example
Immigrants often **adapt within** new societies while keeping their traditions alive.
idiom

the buck stops here

Meaning
I am the one responsible; I will take responsibility.
Example
**The buck stops here**, and I will handle the mistake personally.
idiom

bear the responsibility

Meaning
to take on the duty of something
Example
She was willing to **bear the responsibility** for the new project.
phrasal-verb

hash through

Meaning
to discuss something thoroughly to reach clarity
Example
Let's **hash through** the ethics policy before we publish.
phrasal-verb

set about

Meaning
to begin doing something with determination
Example
He **set about** cleaning the entire house after breakfast.
idiom

go steady

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

put down roots

Meaning
to settle and become established somewhere
Example
After moving to Canada, they finally **put down roots** there.
phrasal-verb

stay ahead in class

Meaning
to perform better or be more advanced than others in the class
Example
He studies extra hours to **stay ahead in class**.
idiom

a big mouth

Meaning
a person who talks too much or reveals secrets
Example
Don’t tell Jake, he’s **a big mouth**!
phrasal-verb

break out

Meaning
to start suddenly (for war, fire, disease, etc.)
Example
A fire **broke out** in the kitchen last night.
idiom

let your imagination run wild

Meaning
to allow yourself to think freely and creatively
Example
When writing stories, I always **let my imagination run wild**.
idiom

show someone the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a task
Example
She took the time to **show me the ropes** on my first day at work.
phrasal-verb

connect with

Meaning
to understand or share similar feelings with someone
Example
I immediately **connected with** her because we had similar life experiences.
idiom

back to the drawing board

Meaning
to start over again after a failure
Example
Our proposal was rejected, so it's **back to the drawing board**.
idiom

at the crossroads

Meaning
facing a decision or choice
Example
I’m **at the crossroads** in my career right now.
idiom

note down

Meaning
to write something so you remember it
Example
Please **note down** the action items before we leave.
phrasal-verb

radiate happiness

Meaning
to clearly show happiness or joy through your appearance or behavior
Example
The bride **radiated happiness** throughout the ceremony.
idiom

clean up one’s act

Meaning
to improve behavior or performance; to become more responsible
Example
The factory had to **clean up its act** to avoid heavy fines.
phrasal-verb

rally around for

Meaning
to gather support for a person or cause
Example
Volunteers **rallied around for** the community cleanup in record time.
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.
phrasal-verb

sit down to

Meaning
to gather together to share a meal or celebration
Example
Every Friday, our family **sits down to** dinner together.
idiom

build character

Meaning
to develop positive qualities or strength through challenges
Example
Going through this process will **build character** in the team.
idiom

shoulder the burden

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
She had to **shoulder the burden** of caring for her family.
phrasal-verb

keep moving

Meaning
to continue progressing without giving up
Example
Even when life gets tough, you must **keep moving**.
idiom

Face the truth

Meaning
To accept the reality of a situation, even if it’s unpleasant.
Example
You have to **face the truth** about your finances.
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.
phrasal-verb

iterate through drafts

Meaning
to review and adjust multiple versions in sequence
Example
We **iterate through drafts** until the collaboration guide reads clearly.
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.
phrasal-verb

blow up over

Meaning
to suddenly become angry because of something
Example
They **blew up over** a silly comment on social media.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
phrasal-verb

walk away from

Meaning
to leave a relationship or situation instead of confronting it
Example
Sometimes it’s better to **walk away from** toxic friendships.
idiom

climbing the ladder

Meaning
to improve one's position, typically in a career or personal growth
Example
He started at the bottom of the company and has been **climbing the ladder** ever since.
phrasal-verb

bring before

Meaning
to present someone or something for judgment or discussion
Example
The case was **brought before** the court yesterday.
idiom

Straight shooter

Meaning
A person who is honest and direct.
Example
You can trust him; he’s a **straight shooter**.
idiom

do your own thing

Meaning
to do what you want without worrying about what others think
Example
He prefers to **do his own thing** and not depend on anyone.
idiom

my bad

Meaning
a casual way to admit a small mistake
Example
Oh, I forgot to bring your book — **my bad**!
phrasal-verb

analyze what went wrong

Meaning
to carefully examine reasons behind failure
Example
Before trying again, let’s **analyze what went wrong** last time.
phrasal-verb

revive through

Meaning
to bring back to life or strength by specific efforts
Example
The stimulus package helped **revive through** major industrial investment.
idiom

a ray of hope

Meaning
a small sign of possible success or improvement
Example
The new treatment gave patients **a ray of hope**.
phrasal-verb

shake off fear

Meaning
to get rid of fear or anxiety
Example
He tried to **shake off fear** before entering the stage.
phrasal-verb

fit into

Meaning
to become part of a group or situation easily; to adjust to a new environment
Example
It took me a few weeks to **fit into** the new office culture.
phrasal-verb

price in

Meaning
to include expected future events in the current price of an investment
Example
Traders have already **priced in** the expected interest rate hike.
idiom

Supply and demand

Meaning
The relationship between how much of something is available and how much people want it.
Example
The price of oil depends largely on **supply and demand**.
phrasal-verb

spotlight progress

Meaning
to highlight positive steps that have been made
Example
We **spotlight progress** in standups so hope stays alive.
idiom

laugh off

Meaning
to dismiss something by treating it as a joke
Example
She tried to **laugh off** the mistake during the presentation.
idiom

map out

Meaning
to plan something in detail
Example
We should **map out** our marketing strategy for the next quarter.
phrasal-verb

bounce back emotionally

Meaning
to recover emotionally from a difficult experience
Example
She took time to **bounce back emotionally** after losing her job.
phrasal-verb

stand firm on beliefs

Meaning
to stay confident in your values or opinions even when others disagree
Example
Leaders must **stand firm on beliefs** to earn respect.
phrasal-verb

take off after

Meaning
to chase someone or something quickly
Example
The police **took off after** the thief.
phrasal-verb

reach alignment on

Meaning
to reach an agreement where all parties share the same position
Example
The leaders **reached alignment on** climate goals.
idiom

off the top of your head

Meaning
to say something without deep thinking or preparation
Example
I can’t remember the exact number **off the top of my head**.
phrasal-verb

strive for

Meaning
to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something
Example
She always **strives for** excellence in her work.
phrasal-verb

burst into flames

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

bootstrapping

Meaning
building a business without external funding
Example
He started his company through **bootstrapping**, using only his savings.
idiom

shoulder to cry on

Meaning
Someone who listens and comforts you when you’re upset.
Example
After her breakup, Emma needed a **shoulder to cry on**.
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.
phrasal-verb

step out of

Meaning
to move beyond your usual limits or comfort zone
Example
To grow, you need to **step out of** your comfort zone.
phrasal-verb

catch somebody out

Meaning
to show that someone has made a mistake or is lying
Example
The teacher tried to **catch the student out** during the test.
phrasal-verb

roll with it

Meaning
to accept a situation as it comes and deal with it calmly
Example
When unexpected challenges arise, she knows how to **roll with it**.
idiom

a kind heart

Meaning
a person who is generous and caring
Example
Her **kind heart** is what makes her loved by everyone.
idiom

jack up on

Meaning
to increase something sharply on a specific item
Example
Vendors **jacked up on** bottled water during the festival.
idiom

check back in

Meaning
to reconnect later to get an update
Example
Let’s **check back in** next week on the prototype.
phrasal-verb

lead the way for

Meaning
to create an example that others can follow
Example
Community leaders **lead the way for** safer streets by volunteering weekends.
phrasal-verb

give away to

Meaning
to yield to; to be replaced by something
Example
The old traditions **gave away to** modern practices.
idiom

mind-blowing

Meaning
extremely surprising or amazing
Example
The view from the mountain was **mind-blowing**.
phrasal-verb

reflect upon failures

Meaning
to think deeply about one’s failures to gain insight
Example
She often **reflects upon failures** to improve her approach.
phrasal-verb

blow it

Meaning
to fail at something important; to lose an opportunity
Example
I really **blew it** in the interview by arriving late.
idiom

cut the cord

Meaning
to become independent from someone or something
Example
It’s time for you to **cut the cord** and live on your own.
phrasal-verb

park ideas for later

Meaning
to set suggestions aside for future review
Example
We **park ideas for later** when the sprint board is already full.
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

rally the troops

Meaning
to motivate or encourage a group to take action
Example
The manager **rallied the troops** before the big presentation.
idiom

Rewriting history

Meaning
To change the way past events are interpreted or remembered.
Example
Some politicians try **rewriting history** to suit their narrative.
idiom

face the consequences

Meaning
to accept the results of your actions, whether good or bad
Example
You will have to **face the consequences** of your actions.
phrasal-verb

build around ideas

Meaning
to develop something centered on particular ideas or concepts
Example
The campaign was **built around ideas** of innovation and sustainability.
phrasal-verb

bring up to date

Meaning
to give someone the latest information about something
Example
Can you **bring me up to date** on the latest news?
idiom

groundbreaking discovery

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

a barrel of laughs

Meaning
someone or something very funny or entertaining
Example
The new comedy show is **a barrel of laughs**.
idiom

bad blood

Meaning
anger or resentment between family members
Example
There’s still **bad blood** between the cousins after the inheritance issue.
idiom

turn the corner

Meaning
to pass a difficult stage and begin to improve
Example
After months of losses, the company finally **turned the corner**.
idiom

go easy on someone

Meaning
to be gentle or patient with someone
Example
Go easy on him; he’s been through a lot lately.
phrasal-verb

tie up in

Meaning
to have money invested in something and not easily available
Example
Most of their capital is **tied up in** real estate.
phrasal-verb

take on responsibility

Meaning
to accept a duty or task
Example
He decided to **take on responsibility** for the new client.
idiom

Out of one’s depth

Meaning
To be in a situation that is too difficult to understand or deal with.
Example
I felt **out of my depth** in that technical discussion.
phrasal-verb

open up to peace

Meaning
to allow yourself to feel inner calmness
Example
Through meditation, I’ve learned to **open up to peace**.
idiom

ahead of the pack

Meaning
to be more successful than competitors
Example
Her innovative ideas always keep her **ahead of the pack**.
phrasal-verb

chime in

Meaning
to join a conversation by adding your opinion or comment
Example
Feel free to **chime in** if you have anything to add.
phrasal-verb

back up ideas

Meaning
to support or defend someone’s ideas or opinions
Example
During the discussion, teammates **backed up** each other's ideas confidently.
idiom

steer someone in the right direction

Meaning
to guide someone towards the correct path or decision
Example
The senior manager helped **steer me in the right direction** when I was unsure about the project.
idiom

out of your league

Meaning
too good or powerful to compete with
Example
That company is **out of our league** in terms of resources.
idiom

get to the bottom of

Meaning
to find the real cause of a problem
Example
The manager promised to **get to the bottom of** the issue.
idiom

at the helm

Meaning
in a position of leadership or control
Example
With her **at the helm**, the company has grown rapidly.
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.
idiom

a helping hand

Meaning
someone who helps or assists others
Example
She offered **a helping hand** to the new student in class.
idiom

A peaceful mind is a happy mind

Meaning
Mental calmness leads to happiness and contentment.
Example
She believes that **a peaceful mind is a happy mind**.
idiom

code of ethics

Meaning
a set of moral principles guiding AI development or usage
Example
Developers must follow a strict **code of ethics** in AI research.
phrasal-verb

gain from

Meaning
to get a benefit, advantage, or knowledge from something
Example
You can **gain from** every experience, even the difficult ones.
idiom

glance over

Meaning
to read something quickly
Example
Can you **glance over** the memo before we send it?