hold back on
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

hold back on

Meaning
to delay or reduce doing something
Example
Let’s **hold back on** hiring until sales improve.
idiom

set the bar high

Meaning
to establish high standards or expectations
Example
Her achievements have **set the bar high** for future leaders.
phrasal-verb

crash out

Meaning
to fall asleep suddenly from exhaustion
Example
After a long day, I just **crashed out** on the sofa.
phrasal-verb

cut someone off

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
She kept **cutting me off** whenever I tried to explain.
idiom

can of worms

Meaning
a complex problem that may cause more trouble once started
Example
AI bias is a **can of worms** that’s hard to fix.
idiom

talk over

Meaning
to discuss something thoroughly
Example
Let’s **talk over** the proposal before we send it.
phrasal-verb

smooth over conflicts

Meaning
to reduce tension after a disagreement
Example
Leads **smooth over conflicts** by reminding everyone of the goal.
phrasal-verb

focus inward

Meaning
to concentrate on your inner thoughts and emotions
Example
When I feel overwhelmed, I try to **focus inward**.
phrasal-verb

look out

Meaning
to be careful; to pay attention to avoid danger
Example
You should **look out** when crossing the street.
phrasal-verb

move beyond boundaries

Meaning
to work or cooperate across national or traditional limits
Example
Global collaboration helps us **move beyond boundaries** to solve shared challenges.
phrasal-verb

blend into

Meaning
to mix harmoniously with a group or culture; to become part of the surroundings
Example
She quickly **blended into** the local community by learning their customs.
idiom

on the fence

Meaning
undecided or unsure about something
Example
She’s still **on the fence** about moving abroad.
idiom

ease off

Meaning
to gradually become less strong or intense
Example
The rain should **ease off** by evening.
phrasal-verb

tune in for

Meaning
to watch or listen to something at a scheduled time
Example
Millions **tune in for** the morning science segment online.
phrasal-verb

stay ahead of

Meaning
to be more advanced or prepared than others
Example
Students who review regularly **stay ahead of** the class.
phrasal-verb

bubble with

Meaning
to be full of excitement, happiness, or energy
Example
The kids were **bubbling with** excitement at the party.
idiom

True friends stab you in the front

Meaning
A true friend tells you harsh truths to your face.
Example
She’s not afraid to tell me the truth, because **true friends stab you in the front**.
phrasal-verb

shrink back

Meaning
to move away from something because of fear
Example
The child **shrank back** when the dog barked loudly.
idiom

the show must go on

Meaning
to continue despite difficulties
Example
Even after the power went out, the actors knew **the show must go on**.
phrasal-verb

blow up

Meaning
to fill something with air; to explode or become angry
Example
The kids **blew up** balloons for the birthday celebration.
idiom

machine learning to the rescue

Meaning
using machine learning algorithms to solve complex problems that humans can't easily handle
Example
When the data was too large for traditional methods, **machine learning to the rescue** helped us find patterns.
idiom

to learn the hard way

Meaning
to learn by making mistakes or through difficult experiences
Example
He **learned the hard way** that honesty is the best policy.
phrasal-verb

forgive for

Meaning
to stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for something
Example
She **forgave him for** lying to her.
idiom

Pivot the business

Meaning
To change direction or strategy to adapt to the market.
Example
After poor sales, they decided to **pivot the business** toward software solutions.
phrasal-verb

draw confidence from experience

Meaning
to gain self-assurance by learning from past events
Example
You can **draw confidence from experience** and handle new challenges better.
phrasal-verb

bring up ideas

Meaning
to introduce or suggest new ideas for discussion
Example
He encouraged everyone to **bring up ideas** during the workshop.
phrasal-verb

tune inward

Meaning
to focus attention on your inner feelings or thoughts
Example
She took a few minutes each day to **tune inward** and reflect on her emotions.
idiom

a splash of color

Meaning
a small amount of bright color added for effect
Example
Add **a splash of color** to make the room lively.
idiom

the vision thing

Meaning
the ability to imagine and plan the future clearly
Example
Many politicians lack **the vision thing**.
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

reach beyond words

Meaning
to connect with others emotionally or through nonverbal communication
Example
Art and music often **reach beyond words** to touch hearts.
phrasal-verb

die away

Meaning
to become weaker or quieter and finally stop
Example
The sound of thunder slowly **died away** in the distance.
idiom

walking on eggshells

Meaning
being very careful not to upset someone
Example
I feel like I am **walking on eggshells** around my boss.
phrasal-verb

cast a vote for

Meaning
to choose a candidate or option in an election
Example
Remember to **cast a vote for** the issues you believe in.
idiom

zone out

Meaning
to stop paying attention and mentally drift away
Example
I completely **zoned out** during the long presentation.
phrasal-verb

carry yourself with

Meaning
to present yourself in a confident and dignified way
Example
He always **carries himself with** confidence and calmness.
idiom

talk over someone's head

Meaning
to speak in a way that someone cannot understand
Example
The professor was **talking over our heads** during the lecture.
phrasal-verb

stick with your goals

Meaning
to stay committed to your plans and not give up
Example
If you **stick with your goals**, you’ll see results soon.
phrasal-verb

rise back up

Meaning
to increase again after falling
Example
Employment rates began to **rise back up** as new businesses opened.
phrasal-verb

run out of

Meaning
to finish or exhaust a supply of something
Example
We might **run out of** clean water if we don’t conserve it.
phrasal-verb

chase after

Meaning
to try hard to achieve something you want
Example
Many people **chase after** success without enjoying the process.
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

point down

Meaning
to direct something downward
Example
He **pointed down** to show where the leak was.
phrasal-verb

keep after

Meaning
to remind or encourage someone to do something continuously
Example
Parents often **keep after** their children to do homework.
phrasal-verb

thrill to

Meaning
to feel great excitement or pleasure from something
Example
The audience **thrilled to** the singer’s performance.
idiom

be a good sport

Meaning
to be fair and positive in difficult situations
Example
Even when she lost the game, she was **a good sport** and congratulated the winner.
phrasal-verb

hand off

Meaning
to transfer a task or responsibility to another person
Example
I’ll **hand off** this report to the marketing team for review.
phrasal-verb

hang out

Meaning
to spend time with someone socially
Example
Let’s **hang out** after work and grab some coffee.
phrasal-verb

run away with

Meaning
to win easily; to take something without permission
Example
Their team **ran away with** the championship.
idiom

Crooked as a snake

Meaning
Dishonest or untrustworthy.
Example
Everyone knows that politician is **crooked as a snake**.
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

let nature take its course

Meaning
to allow natural processes to happen without interference
Example
Sometimes the best solution is to **let nature take its course**.
idiom

take a load off

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

roll with the punches

Meaning
to adapt to difficulties and keep going
Example
Life throws challenges, so we must **roll with the punches**.
idiom

sweep someone off their feet

Meaning
to make someone fall in love with you suddenly
Example
His charm and confidence really **swept her off her feet**.
idiom

Move fast and break things

Meaning
To innovate quickly, even if mistakes happen along the way.
Example
Our CEO encourages us to **move fast and break things** to stay ahead of competitors.
idiom

written in the stars

Meaning
destined to happen; fated
Example
They believe their meeting was **written in the stars**.
phrasal-verb

look beyond differences

Meaning
to focus on common goals instead of conflicts or disagreements
Example
Effective leaders **look beyond differences** to achieve unity.
idiom

a dark horse

Meaning
a person who keeps their skills or plans secret until an important moment
Example
Nobody expected her to win; she was **a dark horse**.
idiom

data-driven decision making

Meaning
making decisions based on data analysis rather than intuition or personal experience
Example
In the world of business, **data-driven decision making** is crucial for success.
phrasal-verb

speak for yourself

Meaning
to politely clarify that your opinion differs from someone else's
Example
You may think it’s boring, but please **speak for yourself**.
idiom

walking on air

Meaning
to feel very happy and excited
Example
After winning the match, he was **walking on air**.
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

a catnap

Meaning
a short, light sleep
Example
I took **a catnap** after lunch.
idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to **get their hands dirty** when necessary.
phrasal-verb

tear into

Meaning
to attack or criticize someone fiercely
Example
The coach **tore into** the players after their poor performance.
idiom

a rock in a hard place

Meaning
to be in a very difficult or challenging situation
Example
He found himself **a rock in a hard place** when he had to choose between two difficult options.
idiom

chew someone out

Meaning
to angrily scold or criticize someone
Example
The coach **chewed out** the team for their poor performance.
phrasal-verb

reach out with kindness

Meaning
to offer compassion or help to someone in need
Example
We should **reach out with kindness** to those who are struggling.
idiom

go bananas over something

Meaning
to become extremely excited or enthusiastic about something
Example
Kids **go bananas over** the new video game console.
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.
idiom

To question everything

Meaning
To critically examine and not blindly accept the status quo or accepted beliefs.
Example
In philosophy, one is encouraged **to question everything** in order to arrive at the truth.
idiom

the art of something

Meaning
the skill of doing something well
Example
She has mastered **the art of** storytelling.
phrasal-verb

get along in

Meaning
to manage or function well in a particular situation or culture
Example
She has learned to **get along in** a multicultural environment.
phrasal-verb

snow over

Meaning
to be covered completely with snow
Example
The roads were **snowed over** by morning.
idiom

fall through the cracks

Meaning
to be overlooked or neglected
Example
I forgot to follow up on his application and it **fell through the cracks**.
phrasal-verb

check into

Meaning
to enter and get accommodation at a hotel or lodge
Example
We **checked into** a cozy mountain resort for our vacation.
phrasal-verb

grow close

Meaning
to become more emotionally connected with someone
Example
They **grew close** after spending so much time together.
idiom

to my mind

Meaning
in my personal opinion or belief
Example
**To my mind**, this plan will work perfectly.
idiom

pumped up

Meaning
full of energy and excitement
Example
He was **pumped up** before the big presentation.
idiom

step up to the plate

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something important
Example
When the leader resigned, she **stepped up to the plate** and took charge.
idiom

out of bandwidth

Meaning
too busy or overwhelmed to handle more tasks
Example
I’m **out of bandwidth** today, can we talk tomorrow?
idiom

put it in a nutshell

Meaning
to explain something in a very clear and concise way
Example
To **put it in a nutshell**, the project was a success.
idiom

in good hands

Meaning
to be cared for or managed by someone trustworthy
Example
Don’t worry, your child is **in good hands**.
idiom

spread the love

Meaning
to show kindness and affection to others
Example
She always tries to **spread the love** by helping others.
phrasal-verb

introduce yourself

Meaning
to tell someone your name and details when meeting for the first time
Example
It’s courteous to **introduce yourself** before joining a group.
idiom

pan out

Meaning
to turn out well or produce a good result
Example
Luckily, our backup plan **panned out**.
idiom

A flash of inspiration

Meaning
A sudden creative idea
Example
He had **a flash of inspiration** while working late at night.
idiom

hit the trail

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

Follow your nose

Meaning
Trust your instincts and go in the direction that feels right.
Example
If you're lost, just **follow your nose** and you'll find the way.
idiom

behind the firewall

Meaning
protected or isolated from external threats
Example
Sensitive company data should always stay **behind the firewall**.
idiom

stab someone in the back

Meaning
to betray someone who trusts you
Example
I can’t believe he **stabbed me in the back** after all I did for him.
idiom

push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate boldly
Example
Tech companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
phrasal-verb

call forth

Meaning
to bring about a reaction or response
Example
Her speech **called forth** a lot of emotions from the audience.
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.
idiom

Don Quixote

Meaning
A person who is overly idealistic, unrealistic, or impractical.
Example
He’s being **a Don Quixote**, chasing impossible dreams.
phrasal-verb

cut down

Meaning
to eat or use less of something
Example
He’s trying to **cut down** his sugar intake.
phrasal-verb

drive up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods or services sold abroad
Example
The new trade policies are designed to **drive up exports**.
idiom

own up to something

Meaning
to admit or confess responsibility for something
Example
You should **own up to your mistakes** instead of blaming others.
phrasal-verb

zip up

Meaning
to close something with a zipper
Example
Don’t forget to **zip up** your jacket, it’s cold outside.
phrasal-verb

hold against

Meaning
to blame someone for something
Example
Don’t **hold it against** her; she made an honest mistake.
idiom

wanderlust

Meaning
a strong desire to travel and explore the world
Example
His **wanderlust** took him to every continent on Earth.
idiom

have nerves of steel

Meaning
to be very brave and calm under pressure
Example
A firefighter must **have nerves of steel** to face danger every day.
phrasal-verb

chill yourself out

Meaning
to make yourself calm and relaxed
Example
You need to **chill yourself out** instead of worrying about everything.
phrasal-verb

lighten off

Meaning
to feel or make something less serious or stressful
Example
Talking to friends helped me **lighten off** the pressure.
idiom

take sides

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument
Example
It’s hard not to **take sides** when your friends are arguing.
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

fall behind in

Meaning
to not make as much progress as others in something
Example
If you skip classes, you might **fall behind in** your studies.
phrasal-verb

branch upward

Meaning
to move toward higher levels or bigger markets
Example
The business is **branching upward** into more profitable sectors.
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

bear in mind

Meaning
to remember or consider something
Example
**Bear in mind** that traffic will be heavy at that time.
idiom

kindred spirit

Meaning
someone who has similar interests or feelings
Example
We became friends because we’re **kindred spirits**.
idiom

navigate uncharted waters

Meaning
Deal with a situation that is new and unknown.
Example
Starting this business means **navigating uncharted waters**.
phrasal-verb

open up over

Meaning
to share personal thoughts because of a particular topic
Example
She finally **opened up over** her anxiety during group coaching.
idiom

chip away at

Meaning
to gradually work on something to achieve a result
Example
She **chipped away at** her thesis every evening until it was finished.
idiom

caught between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
in a difficult situation where any choice you make will have negative consequences
Example
I'm **caught between a rock and a hard place** - both options are terrible.
phrasal-verb

line out

Meaning
to sketch or outline the main points of something
Example
We **lined out** the science project steps on the whiteboard.
idiom

twist someone's arm

Meaning
to persuade someone forcefully
Example
I had to **twist his arm** to get him to come.
phrasal-verb

thank politely

Meaning
to express gratitude in a respectful way
Example
You should always **thank politely** when someone helps you.
phrasal-verb

blow in

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly, usually with wind
Example
A cold wind suddenly **blew in** from the north.
phrasal-verb

copy from

Meaning
to take someone else’s work or answers dishonestly
Example
He got caught trying to **copy from** his friend during the test.