hit the ground running
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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

talk yourself into

Meaning
to persuade yourself to do something
Example
She finally **talked herself into** applying for the scholarship.
idiom

Pilot project

Meaning
A small-scale experiment to test a concept.
Example
We launched a **pilot project** before going nationwide.
idiom

hold the reins

Meaning
to be in control of something or in charge of a situation
Example
She’s the one who **holds the reins** of the team, making sure everything runs smoothly.
idiom

be on duty

Meaning
to be working or responsible for something at a certain time
Example
The guard was **on duty** all night.
phrasal-verb

stop by

Meaning
to visit a place briefly on your way somewhere else
Example
Let’s **stop by** the souvenir shop before heading home.
phrasal-verb

work toward excellence

Meaning
to make consistent efforts to achieve high standards
Example
Our teachers motivate us to **work toward excellence** in every subject.
phrasal-verb

look up information on

Meaning
to search for specific details or data about something
Example
You can **look up information on** the topic online.
idiom

Dust yourself off

Meaning
Recover after a setback and continue with confidence.
Example
He fell short this time, but he’ll **dust himself off** and try again.
idiom

open up

Meaning
to become willing to share thoughts or to start operating
Example
He finally **opened up** about the challenges he’s facing.
idiom

to push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate
Example
In the world of AI, companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
phrasal-verb

lead into

Meaning
to introduce or prepare the way for something
Example
She used a joke to **lead into** her main topic.
phrasal-verb

get in

Meaning
to enter a car or vehicle
Example
Please **get in** the car, it’s raining outside.
idiom

hair-raising experience

Meaning
something very frightening or terrifying
Example
Driving through that storm was a **hair-raising experience**.
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

Put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to risk everything on a single opportunity
Example
Don’t **put all your eggs in one basket**; invest in different sectors.
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

thank your lucky stars

Meaning
to feel grateful for good fortune
Example
You should **thank your lucky stars** for having such good friends.
phrasal-verb

break into markets

Meaning
to start to sell goods or services in a new market
Example
Many startups aim to **break into markets** in Africa to support sustainable growth.
idiom

under the weather

Meaning
feeling ill or unwell
Example
I didn’t go to work because I felt **under the weather**.
idiom

chatterbox

Meaning
a person who talks a lot
Example
My little sister is a real **chatterbox**.
phrasal-verb

let down your guard

Meaning
to stop being defensive and allow yourself to feel or connect
Example
When you **let down your guard**, you allow others to truly know you.
phrasal-verb

move over

Meaning
to change position to make space for someone or something
Example
Can you **move over** a bit so I can sit down?
idiom

Too many cooks spoil the broth

Meaning
When too many people try to manage something, it can fail.
Example
If everyone keeps giving their opinion, remember that **too many cooks spoil the broth**.
idiom

under the gun

Meaning
under pressure to perform or complete something
Example
We were **under the gun** to meet the deadline for the report.
idiom

bull market

Meaning
a period when prices of stocks are rising
Example
Investors are optimistic during a **bull market**.
idiom

on the spot

Meaning
to make a decision immediately
Example
He was asked to decide **on the spot**.
phrasal-verb

lift yourself above doubt

Meaning
to overcome self-doubt and trust your own potential
Example
You need to **lift yourself above doubt** to achieve your dreams.
idiom

fall back on

Meaning
to rely on something when the first option fails
Example
If the deal falls through, we’ll **fall back on** our backup plan.
phrasal-verb

get at

Meaning
to imply or suggest something indirectly
Example
What exactly are you **getting at** with that question?
idiom

go places

Meaning
to be likely to become successful in the future
Example
Everyone says he’s going to **go places** with his skills.
phrasal-verb

drop out of sight

Meaning
to disappear or become unnoticed
Example
After the scandal, the actor **dropped out of sight** for several months.
idiom

can't believe your eyes

Meaning
to be so surprised that you doubt what you are seeing
Example
I **couldn’t believe my eyes** when I saw the snowfall.
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.
idiom

To lend a helping hand

Meaning
to assist someone in a time of need
Example
She always knows when to **lend a helping hand** and never hesitates.
idiom

cry over spilled milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There's no use **crying over spilled milk**.
idiom

do one's duty

Meaning
to fulfill one's responsibilities or obligations
Example
Every citizen should **do their duty** to help their country.
idiom

take the cake

Meaning
to be the best or most outstanding
Example
Among all the entries, your design really **takes the cake**.
idiom

up against the wall

Meaning
to be in a very difficult or desperate situation
Example
The company is **up against the wall** financially after the recent losses.
idiom

dare to dream

Meaning
to be brave enough to have big ambitions
Example
Only those who **dare to dream** achieve great things.
idiom

The more you know, the less you know

Meaning
The more you learn, the more you realize how little you actually know.
Example
After years of study, he said, '**The more you know, the less you know**.'
phrasal-verb

sum up ideas

Meaning
to briefly express or summarize main thoughts
Example
At the end of the class, the teacher asked students to **sum up ideas** from the discussion.
phrasal-verb

run around with

Meaning
to spend a lot of time with a particular group of people
Example
He **runs around with** a fun crowd from college.
phrasal-verb

move down

Meaning
to go to a lower position, level, or rank
Example
He had to **move down** to a smaller apartment to save money.
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

couch potato

Meaning
a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV
Example
He’s such a **couch potato**, he never goes out or exercises.
idiom

just what the doctor ordered

Meaning
exactly what is needed or wanted
Example
A cup of tea was **just what the doctor ordered**.
phrasal-verb

speak glowingly about

Meaning
to talk with great enthusiasm and praise
Example
The boss **spoke glowingly about** your performance.
phrasal-verb

pull through together

Meaning
to survive a hard time by supporting one another
Example
Communities **pull through together** after harsh weather hits.
idiom

butter someone up

Meaning
to flatter someone to gain favor
Example
He’s trying to **butter up** the boss for a promotion.
idiom

take someone at their word

Meaning
to trust that someone is telling the truth
Example
You can **take her at her word**; she never lies.
phrasal-verb

set to

Meaning
to begin doing something energetically
Example
After the meeting, everyone **set to** work immediately.
idiom

the driving force

Meaning
the person or thing that motivates or leads progress
Example
She was **the driving force** behind the project.
phrasal-verb

turn away from

Meaning
to stop doing or being involved in something
Example
He decided to **turn away from** politics.
phrasal-verb

bring out ideas

Meaning
to encourage others to share creative thoughts
Example
Good leaders know how to **bring out ideas** from their team.
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.
idiom

sharp as a tack

Meaning
very intelligent or quick-thinking
Example
She's **sharp as a tack** and always has the best answers in class.
phrasal-verb

cut down on imports

Meaning
to reduce the quantity of goods brought from other countries
Example
The country aims to **cut down on imports** to strengthen local industries.
phrasal-verb

turn setbacks into strengths

Meaning
to use failures or difficulties as a source of learning and confidence
Example
She learned to **turn setbacks into strengths** through self-belief.
phrasal-verb

stick at

Meaning
to continue doing something with determination even when it is difficult
Example
If you **stick at** it, you will eventually see the results of your effort.
phrasal-verb

meet up to

Meaning
to reach or satisfy a particular standard or expectation
Example
Our design must **meet up to** the client’s expectations before the deadline.
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.
idiom

cut the mustard

Meaning
to perform well or meet expectations
Example
She didn’t **cut the mustard** in her new role.
phrasal-verb

pull down

Meaning
to demolish a building; to reduce someone’s confidence
Example
They decided to **pull down** the old factory and build a new one.
idiom

hot under the collar

Meaning
feeling angry or embarrassed
Example
He got **hot under the collar** when his mistake was pointed out.
phrasal-verb

clam down from

Meaning
to gradually relax after being very stressed or angry
Example
It took him an hour to **clam down from** the argument.
idiom

feel at ease

Meaning
to feel relaxed and confident
Example
He finally **felt at ease** speaking in public.
idiom

the luck of the draw

Meaning
something decided by chance
Example
You can’t choose your team; it’s **the luck of the draw**.
phrasal-verb

rise to challenges

Meaning
to face difficulties with courage and determination
Example
True growth happens when you **rise to challenges** instead of avoiding them.
idiom

on the tip of one's tongue

Meaning
when you can almost remember something but not quite
Example
His name is **on the tip of my tongue**, but I can’t recall it.
phrasal-verb

carry around

Meaning
to have something with you all the time
Example
He always **carries around** a notebook to jot down ideas.
phrasal-verb

hold firm

Meaning
to stay confident and not let fear or doubt take over
Example
In the face of criticism, she continued to **hold firm** to her beliefs.
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.
phrasal-verb

think ahead to

Meaning
to consider what will happen in the future and make plans for it
Example
You should **think ahead to** where you want to be in five years.
idiom

grateful as can be

Meaning
extremely thankful
Example
I’m **grateful as can be** for your guidance.
idiom

motivate the team

Meaning
to encourage and inspire your team to work harder and achieve goals
Example
As a manager, one of my primary goals is to **motivate the team** to reach their highest potential.
idiom

keep faith with someone

Meaning
to remain loyal to someone or something
Example
Even in hard times, she **kept faith with** her friends.
phrasal-verb

draw up a treaty

Meaning
to prepare an official document or agreement
Example
Diplomats worked late into the night to **draw up a treaty** between the two nations.
phrasal-verb

bring up prices

Meaning
to cause prices to increase; to make costs rise
Example
High demand for oil can **bring up prices** across many industries.
phrasal-verb

come into

Meaning
to receive money or property, usually by inheritance
Example
He **came into** a large sum of money after his uncle passed away.
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.
phrasal-verb

come clean with

Meaning
to be completely honest with someone about something
Example
You should **come clean with** the team about the project delay.
idiom

push yourself to the limit

Meaning
to make maximum effort even when it’s tough
Example
Athletes **push themselves to the limit** to achieve their dreams.
phrasal-verb

build upon research

Meaning
to use previous studies as a base for innovation
Example
Scientists often **build upon research** to create groundbreaking solutions.
phrasal-verb

breathe away tension

Meaning
to use breathing techniques to release stress
Example
Take a few deep breaths to **breathe away tension**.
idiom

make amends

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry
Example
He tried to **make amends** by helping her with her work.
phrasal-verb

look to

Meaning
to expect help or advice from someone
Example
The team **looked to** their leader for guidance.
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.
phrasal-verb

run off with

Meaning
to leave someone in order to start a romantic relationship with another person
Example
He **ran off with** his colleague and shocked everyone.
phrasal-verb

talk straight with

Meaning
to speak honestly and directly to someone
Example
I need to **talk straight with** the team about the missed deadline.
phrasal-verb

drop by

Meaning
to visit someone informally or without prior notice
Example
Feel free to **drop by** anytime for a cup of tea.
phrasal-verb

hear out

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

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
phrasal-verb

check over yourself

Meaning
to review your own actions and attitudes carefully
Example
Before judging others, **check over yourself** first.
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.
idiom

full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or excitement
Example
The party was in **full swing** when we arrived.
idiom

go for broke

Meaning
to risk everything to achieve success
Example
They decided to **go for broke** and launch their new product.
idiom

see stars

Meaning
to feel dizzy or stunned, often after being hit
Example
He bumped his head and started to **see stars**.
idiom

kind words cost nothing

Meaning
being kind doesn’t take effort or money
Example
Remember, **kind words cost nothing**.
idiom

throw a party

Meaning
to organize and host a celebration
Example
We’re going to **throw a party** for her birthday.
phrasal-verb

prioritize over

Meaning
to give more importance to one thing than another
Example
You should **prioritize over** urgent tasks before anything else.
phrasal-verb

decide on

Meaning
to choose something after thinking carefully
Example
We finally **decided on** the blue design.
idiom

a window of opportunity

Meaning
a short period when one has a chance to act effectively
Example
We have **a window of opportunity** to finalize the deal this week.
phrasal-verb

show respect

Meaning
to behave politely and honor others’ feelings or opinions
Example
We should always **show respect** to teachers and elders.
idiom

bear the brunt

Meaning
to take the main responsibility or suffering of something unpleasant
Example
The junior staff had to **bear the brunt** of the manager’s anger.
idiom

check in on

Meaning
to monitor or see how someone or something is doing
Example
Could you **check in on** the kids while I'm out?
phrasal-verb

point out issues

Meaning
to identify or highlight problems or mistakes
Example
He was quick to **point out issues** in the project proposal.
idiom

open and shut case

Meaning
a case that is easily decided or obvious
Example
It was an **open and shut case** with clear evidence.
phrasal-verb

bring up interest rates

Meaning
to increase the rate charged on loans
Example
Central banks often **bring up interest rates** to control inflation.
phrasal-verb

settle within

Meaning
to find peace or calm inside yourself
Example
She practices mindfulness to **settle within** after a busy day.
phrasal-verb

look after yourself

Meaning
to take care of your own health or well-being
Example
Take some rest and **look after yourself** properly.
phrasal-verb

work out on paper

Meaning
to plan or calculate something in detail before action
Example
They **worked out on paper** the logistics of the export plan.
idiom

diplomatic immunity

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

burst into song

Meaning
to start singing suddenly out of happiness
Example
He **burst into song** when he got the good news.
idiom

war of words

Meaning
an argument or verbal conflict
Example
The two politicians engaged in a **war of words** on TV.
idiom

low-hanging fruit

Meaning
something easy to achieve or target
Example
We should focus on the **low-hanging fruit** before tackling bigger goals.
phrasal-verb

poke around

Meaning
to look for something in a place, often in a casual or curious way
Example
She likes to **poke around** antique shops on weekends.
idiom

confide in someone

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them secrets
Example
She only **confides in** her best friend.
phrasal-verb

adapt through

Meaning
to change behavior or habits because of exposure to new experiences
Example
She managed to **adapt through** constant interaction with locals.
phrasal-verb

soak up the moment

Meaning
to fully enjoy and appreciate a happy situation
Example
She stood on the beach, **soaking up the moment**.