Hold out
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idiom

Hold out

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

heart-to-heart

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

heart of gold

Meaning
a very kind and generous person
Example
My grandmother has a **heart of gold**.
idiom

hair-raising experience

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

hold space for

Meaning
to be emotionally present for someone without judgment
Example
Sometimes the best support is just to **hold space for** a friend in pain.
idiom

hold forth

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

hit the streets

Meaning
to go out on patrol or begin a search for a suspect
Example
The officers decided to **hit the streets** after the robbery was reported.
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

hold back criticism

Meaning
to avoid saying negative things unnecessarily
Example
In polite conversation, it’s wise to **hold back criticism**.
idiom

hit a bump in the road

Meaning
to face a temporary problem or setback
Example
Our project **hit a bump in the road**, but we'll recover soon.
idiom

hit like a ton of bricks

Meaning
to cause a sudden and strong shock or surprise
Example
The news of his death **hit me like a ton of bricks**.
phrasal-verb

hype up

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

have a good character

Meaning
to be honest, moral, and respectable
Example
He has always **had a good character**, and that’s why people trust him.
idiom

hit the reset button

Meaning
to start fresh or make a new beginning
Example
After the failure, the team decided to **hit the reset button**.
phrasal-verb

hang in

Meaning
to stay strong and not give up despite difficulties
Example
When life gets hard, you just have to **hang in** and stay positive.
idiom

have a blast

Meaning
to have a really good time
Example
We **had a blast** at the concert last night!
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.
phrasal-verb

hang on to

Meaning
to keep something; not to lose hope or belief
Example
You must **hang on to** your vision even in hard times.
idiom

hockey stick growth

Meaning
a sharp increase in growth after a period of slow progress
Example
The startup saw **hockey stick growth** after launching their new feature.
idiom

have words with

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

hook up to

Meaning
to connect a device to another system or network
Example
The printer is **hooked up to** the office Wi-Fi network.
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

honor one's promise

Meaning
to keep a promise or commitment
Example
She **honored her promise** to visit the orphanage.
idiom

hit the airwaves

Meaning
to start being broadcast on television or radio
Example
The new talk show will **hit the airwaves** next week.
idiom

hope for the best

Meaning
expect a positive outcome even in uncertainty
Example
We did everything we could, now let’s **hope for the best**.
idiom

have confidence in

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

hang loose

Meaning
to relax and take things easy
Example
We’re on vacation, so just **hang loose** and enjoy.
phrasal-verb

hold to

Meaning
to keep following a promise, rule, or plan
Example
She always **holds to** her daily routine, no matter what.
phrasal-verb

hear about

Meaning
to receive information and respond with appreciation or gratitude
Example
I was happy to **hear about** your help with the project—thank you!
idiom

hit the dance floor

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

head up

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

hand in assignments

Meaning
to submit school or college work to the teacher
Example
You must **hand in assignments** before the deadline.
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

hit the ceiling

Meaning
to reach the highest possible level or price
Example
The stock prices **hit the ceiling** after the merger news.
phrasal-verb

hand over responsibilities

Meaning
to transfer duties or control to someone else
Example
He will **hand over responsibilities** to his deputy next month.
phrasal-verb

honor where you come from

Meaning
to show respect for your cultural roots
Example
Artists **honor where they come from** by weaving family stories into their work.
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 it together with duct tape

Meaning
To keep something functioning despite poor condition or limited resources.
Example
The old car is barely running—we’re **holding it together with duct tape**.
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.
phrasal-verb

hold on through struggle

Meaning
to stay strong and persistent during hard times
Example
You just have to **hold on through struggle** until things get better.
idiom

hit the right note

Meaning
to do or say something perfectly suitable
Example
Her performance really **hit the right note** with the audience.
phrasal-verb

hold off on

Meaning
to delay doing something, especially spending or launching new projects
Example
Investors decided to **hold off on** new ventures until the market improved.
idiom

hold back on

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

hard as nails

Meaning
very tough and determined
Example
She’s **hard as nails** when it comes to achieving her goals.
phrasal-verb

heal over time

Meaning
to recover emotionally as time passes
Example
She knew she would **heal over time** if she stayed patient.
phrasal-verb

hold in check

Meaning
to control strong emotions before reacting
Example
He tried to **hold in check** his frustration during the meeting.
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

hit the brakes

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

head off to

Meaning
to leave for a particular place
Example
We should **head off to** the venue by noon.
idiom

have a good head on one's shoulders

Meaning
to be sensible and intelligent
Example
She’s only 20, but she **has a good head on her shoulders**.
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**.
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.
idiom

how do you do

Meaning
a formal greeting used when meeting someone for the first time
Example
**How do you do?** It’s a pleasure to meet you.
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

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

hold your fire

Meaning
to delay taking action or making a response
Example
He told his team to **hold their fire** until he gave the signal.
phrasal-verb

hurry up

Meaning
to do something faster
Example
You need to **hurry up** if you want to catch the train.
idiom

have a sense of self-worth

Meaning
to believe that you are valuable and deserve respect
Example
It's important to **have a sense of self-worth** to succeed in life.
idiom

have your jaw drop

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or shocked
Example
My **jaw dropped** when I saw the price.
idiom

hack the system

Meaning
to break into a system or network to gain unauthorized access
Example
He was caught trying to **hack the system** for personal gain.
idiom

hear something straight from the horse's mouth

Meaning
to hear something directly from the original or most reliable source
Example
I heard it **straight from the horse's mouth** that the event is canceled.
idiom

have an axe to grind

Meaning
to have a personal reason to complain or criticize
Example
She **has an axe to grind** with her former employer.
phrasal-verb

hold back

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

hold your ground

Meaning
to refuse to change your position or opinion
Example
She **held her ground** even when others disagreed.
phrasal-verb

hold in emotions

Meaning
to stop yourself from showing what you feel
Example
He tried to **hold in his emotions** during the meeting.
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

hammer out

Meaning
to reach an agreement after thorough discussion
Example
They stayed late to **hammer out** the final details of the contract.
idiom

have steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to be visibly very angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** when he saw the damage.
phrasal-verb

hold on

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

hold sway

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

hold emotions in

Meaning
to avoid expressing what you really feel
Example
He **holds his emotions in** because he fears being judged.
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 with

Meaning
to agree with or approve of something
Example
I don’t **hold with** lying under any circumstances.
idiom

hardwired to do something

Meaning
to be naturally inclined or programmed to behave a certain way
Example
Humans are **hardwired to** seek connection and belonging.
phrasal-verb

hang about

Meaning
to wait or spend time somewhere without doing much
Example
We **hung about** outside the hall until the doors opened.
idiom

honor your commitments

Meaning
to fulfill promises and obligations
Example
You must always **honor your commitments**, no matter how difficult they are.
idiom

hold onto

Meaning
to keep possession of something
Example
Hold onto your receipts until the refund clears.
phrasal-verb

hold out hope

Meaning
to continue to believe that something good will happen
Example
We still **hold out hope** that she’ll recover soon.
phrasal-verb

head back

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

home sweet home

Meaning
used to express happiness upon returning home
Example
After a long trip, it feels so good to be **home sweet home**.
idiom

have a crush on

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

Meaning
to feel extremely anxious or scared
Example
My **heart was in my mouth** when the plane started shaking.
idiom

hang in there

Meaning
to remain persistent and determined in difficult circumstances
Example
I know you're tired, but **hang in there** because you're almost finished.
idiom

hit the road running

Meaning
to start something quickly and energetically
Example
We **hit the road running** as soon as the bus arrived.
idiom

have a short fuse

Meaning
to get angry easily
Example
Be careful what you say; he **has a short fuse**.
phrasal-verb

hold yourself back

Meaning
to restrain oneself from reacting emotionally
Example
He had to **hold himself back** from yelling at the meeting.
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 the gift of the gab

Meaning
to be good at talking or persuading people
Example
He’s a great salesman because he **has the gift of the gab**.
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 your horses

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

hand in

Meaning
to submit something to someone in authority
Example
Please **hand in** your assignment by Friday morning.
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

hand back

Meaning
to return something to its owner, especially after checking it
Example
The professor **handed back** the graded assignments on Monday.
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

hold your nerve

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

hand off responsibility

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

hang over

Meaning
to remain as a feeling of worry, sadness, or fear
Example
A sense of sorrow still **hangs over** the family.
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

hang onto

Meaning
to keep something and not give it away
Example
I’ll **hang onto** the receipts in case we need a refund.
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**.
idiom

hold the vision

Meaning
to maintain a clear sense of direction or goal
Example
Leaders who **hold the vision** can guide their teams through difficult times.
idiom

have a heart

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

hit it off

Meaning
to become friends quickly and easily
Example
They **hit it off** right after being introduced.
idiom

Handle with kid gloves

Meaning
To treat someone very gently or carefully.
Example
They **handled** the new client **with kid gloves**.
idiom

have a lump in your throat

Meaning
to feel like you are about to cry because of strong emotions
Example
I had **a lump in my throat** when I said goodbye.
phrasal-verb

hold onto values

Meaning
to keep and protect one’s principles despite pressure
Example
A leader should **hold onto values** even when it's not easy.
idiom

hit the same wavelength

Meaning
to share similar thoughts and feelings
Example
We **hit the same wavelength** from the first conversation.
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

hold up under

Meaning
to remain strong despite pressure or stress
Example
She managed to **hold up under** all the pressure at work.
idiom

have a falling out

Meaning
to have a disagreement or fight with someone
Example
They **had a falling out** over money issues.
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

heart skips a beat

Meaning
to feel excited or nervous because of love
Example
Every time he smiles, her **heart skips a beat**.
idiom

Hold your head high

Meaning
To be proud and confident even after failure or hardship.
Example
Even after losing, she **held her head high**.
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

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.