hold your nerve
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idiom

hold your nerve

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

Take something with a grain of salt

Meaning
To not take something too seriously or literally
Example
You should **take his stories with a grain of salt**; he often exaggerates.
phrasal-verb

soak away stress

Meaning
to relax and release stress gradually
Example
A warm bath can help you **soak away stress** after a busy day.
idiom

fill out

Meaning
to complete a form by providing information
Example
Please **fill out** this survey after the workshop.
idiom

cornerstone of success

Meaning
the most important foundation or element for achieving success
Example
Hard work is the **cornerstone of success**.
idiom

the cream of the crop

Meaning
the best among a group of people or things
Example
Only **the cream of the crop** get into that university.
phrasal-verb

keep down

Meaning
to prevent from increasing or growing
Example
We need to **keep down** our expenses this month.
idiom

cold feet

Meaning
to feel nervous or hesitant about something
Example
He got **cold feet** before proposing to her.
idiom

political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
Immigration reform has become a **political hot potato** for the government.
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

carry around

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

steal the show

Meaning
to be the most outstanding performer
Example
Her performance **stole the show** last night.
B1 idiom

fish out of water

Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Meaning
Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Example
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
idiom

social engineering

Meaning
manipulating people into divulging confidential information through psychological tactics
Example
The attacker used **social engineering** to gain access to the company’s secure database.
phrasal-verb

set out code

Meaning
to organize or structure code clearly
Example
Make sure you **set out your code** neatly before pushing it.
idiom

between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
facing two difficult choices
Example
She’s **between a rock and a hard place** — neither option is good.
phrasal-verb

brace for

Meaning
to prepare for something unpleasant or difficult
Example
The company is **bracing for** possible losses after the policy change.
phrasal-verb

get rid of

Meaning
to remove or eliminate something unwanted
Example
I need to **get rid of** these old clothes.
phrasal-verb

carry out

Meaning
to perform or execute a plan or task
Example
The consultants will **carry out** a market feasibility study.
phrasal-verb

bring everyone on board

Meaning
to include everyone in a decision or project
Example
Before starting the campaign, let's **bring everyone on board**.
phrasal-verb

pull at

Meaning
to tug or hold onto something repeatedly
Example
The child kept **pulling at** his mother’s hand.
idiom

on the warpath

Meaning
very angry and likely to argue or fight
Example
She was **on the warpath** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

hash out

Meaning
to work through the details of something by discussion
Example
They stayed late to **hash out** the final budget cuts.
phrasal-verb

come into balance

Meaning
to regain emotional stability and harmony
Example
Meditation helps her **come into balance** after stressful days.
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

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.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself through anxiety

Meaning
to calmly reason with yourself to reduce anxiety
Example
I **talk myself through anxiety** by reminding myself that everything will pass.
idiom

Old school

Meaning
Having traditional ideas or values; not modern
Example
My father still prefers handwritten letters; he’s really **old school**.
phrasal-verb

bring down costs

Meaning
to reduce the expenses involved in trading or production
Example
New technologies help companies **bring down costs** of international logistics.
idiom

At the drop of a hat

Meaning
Immediately; without hesitation.
Example
He’s ready to help **at the drop of a hat**.
idiom

tack on

Meaning
to add something extra, especially at the end
Example
They **tacked on** a brief Q&A after the session.
phrasal-verb

reach out to partners

Meaning
to contact or make connections with others for cooperation
Example
The NGO is **reaching out to partners** to expand its global projects.
phrasal-verb

read over

Meaning
to check something by reading it again
Example
Can you **read over** my essay and tell me what you think?
phrasal-verb

push through reforms

Meaning
to make changes happen despite opposition
Example
The ruling party managed to **push through reforms** in parliament.
idiom

join at the hip

Meaning
to be very close and spend a lot of time together
Example
Since childhood, they’ve been **joined at the hip**.
phrasal-verb

melt into tears

Meaning
to start crying softly because of emotion
Example
She **melted into tears** after hearing the touching story.
idiom

Unicorn company

Meaning
A startup valued at over one billion dollars.
Example
Becoming a **unicorn company** is every founder’s dream.
phrasal-verb

cut off excuses

Meaning
to stop giving reasons for not doing something
Example
It’s time to **cut off excuses** and take real action.
phrasal-verb

finish up

Meaning
to complete or end something
Example
Let’s **finish up** this report before the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

rise under

Meaning
to perform well despite facing great pressure or challenges
Example
He always **rises under** pressure and delivers his best work.
idiom

the honest truth

Meaning
the absolute and complete truth
Example
To tell you **the honest truth**, I didn’t enjoy the trip.
phrasal-verb

work around challenges

Meaning
to find a way to deal with or bypass difficulties during change
Example
We had to **work around challenges** to complete the migration.
phrasal-verb

get turned on by

Meaning
to be excited or attracted by something
Example
He **gets turned on by** good music.
phrasal-verb

keep in

Meaning
to not allow someone to go out; to hold inside
Example
The teacher **kept in** the students after class for talking too much.
phrasal-verb

listen in on

Meaning
to secretly hear someone’s conversation
Example
He was caught **listening in on** their private discussion.
idiom

take the initiative

Meaning
to act first and show leadership
Example
Effective leaders often **take the initiative** to improve things.
idiom

flash back to

Meaning
to suddenly remember a past event
Example
The photo made her **flash back to** her first day at work.
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**.
phrasal-verb

bottle out of

Meaning
to lose courage and avoid doing something because of fear
Example
He was going to confess his feelings but **bottled out of** it at the last moment.
phrasal-verb

look up

Meaning
to visit someone after a long time
Example
When you are in town, **look me up**.
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

to frame the issue

Meaning
to present a situation in a particular way
Example
The journalist cleverly **framed the issue** to highlight social inequality.
phrasal-verb

open up to feedback

Meaning
to be willing to listen and accept constructive criticism
Example
A good leader must **open up to feedback** from the team.
idiom

take apart

Meaning
to disassemble something into pieces
Example
We had to **take apart** the desk to move it upstairs.
idiom

kingmaker

Meaning
a person who has great influence in deciding who will hold power
Example
The media mogul became a **kingmaker** in national politics.
idiom

malware

Meaning
software designed to damage or disrupt computers or networks
Example
The antivirus software successfully removed the **malware** from the system.
idiom

for what it’s worth

Meaning
used to introduce an opinion that may or may not be useful
Example
**For what it’s worth**, I think you did the right thing.
phrasal-verb

build on achievements

Meaning
to use past successes as a foundation for further progress
Example
He aims to **build on achievements** and reach new goals this year.
idiom

code your way out

Meaning
to solve a problem through programming skills
Example
When the system crashed, she managed to **code her way out**.
idiom

clamp down

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something
Example
The manager decided to **clamp down** on late arrivals.
phrasal-verb

lean back on

Meaning
to rely on someone or something for support
Example
When work gets stressful, I **lean back on** my team for help.
phrasal-verb

dance along to

Meaning
to dance while music is playing
Example
Everyone **danced along to** the DJ’s beats.
idiom

add fuel to the fire

Meaning
to make a bad situation worse
Example
Your comments **added fuel to the fire**.
phrasal-verb

look up for

Meaning
to admire or respect someone
Example
Many people **look up for** those who stand for honesty.
idiom

lose your temper

Meaning
to become angry suddenly
Example
He **lost his temper** when the kids broke the vase.
idiom

light years ahead

Meaning
far more advanced than others
Example
This new smartphone is **light years ahead** of its competitors.
phrasal-verb

shrug off

Meaning
to ignore or dismiss an emotion or problem
Example
He tried to **shrug off** his disappointment.
phrasal-verb

tear into

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

reflect kindness on

Meaning
to show gratitude by being kind to others in return
Example
She **reflected kindness on** others after being helped herself.
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.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself through

Meaning
to calmly guide yourself with inner talk during anxiety
Example
When your heart races, **talk yourself through** it with reassuring words.
phrasal-verb

wake up

Meaning
to stop sleeping and become awake
Example
I usually **wake up** at 6 a.m. to start my day.
phrasal-verb

rule over

Meaning
to have control or authority over a country or people
Example
The king **ruled over** the entire region for decades.
phrasal-verb

lean into uncertainty

Meaning
to accept and embrace the unknown aspects of change
Example
Successful leaders **lean into uncertainty** rather than fear it.
phrasal-verb

show admiration for

Meaning
to express approval and respect
Example
He openly **showed admiration for** her courage.
phrasal-verb

shop around for

Meaning
to compare prices or products before buying
Example
Many customers **shop around for** the best deals online.
phrasal-verb

bond through

Meaning
to form a close relationship by sharing experiences or emotions
Example
We **bonded through** our shared struggles in college.
phrasal-verb

step up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods sold abroad
Example
The country aims to **step up exports** to reduce the trade deficit.
phrasal-verb

kick tricky issues up

Meaning
to escalate complicated problems to a higher level
Example
Service reps **kick tricky issues up** when policy decisions are needed.
idiom

runs in the family

Meaning
a trait or quality common among family members
Example
Musical talent **runs in the family**.
idiom

break faith

Meaning
to stop being loyal or trustworthy
Example
He **broke faith** with his team when he left suddenly.
phrasal-verb

blow through

Meaning
when wind or storm moves quickly across an area
Example
A strong wind **blew through** the town last night.
idiom

dial into

Meaning
to connect to a call or meeting
Example
We’ll **dial into** the client briefing at noon.
idiom

work like a dog

Meaning
to work very hard without rest
Example
She **works like a dog** to provide for her kids.
idiom

a silver bullet

Meaning
a simple solution to a complex problem
Example
There is no **silver bullet** for solving climate change, but we need to take action.
idiom

get a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared completely healthy by a doctor
Example
After his check-up, he **got a clean bill of health**.
phrasal-verb

climb toward success

Meaning
to make steady progress toward achieving success
Example
Through hard work and persistence, she continues to **climb toward success**.
phrasal-verb

lay off workers

Meaning
to dismiss employees due to economic downturn
Example
Several companies had to **lay off workers** during the recession.
phrasal-verb

cut down expenses

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money spent
Example
To stay profitable, companies must **cut down expenses**.
idiom

off the top of one's head

Meaning
to say something without thinking carefully or checking
Example
**Off the top of my head**, I think there are five options.
phrasal-verb

take notes

Meaning
to write down important information during a lesson or meeting
Example
He always **takes notes** when the teacher explains a new topic.
phrasal-verb

talk down

Meaning
to speak in a way that shows you think someone is less intelligent
Example
Don’t **talk down** to your colleagues; it’s disrespectful.
idiom

living the dream

Meaning
living a life that one always desired
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
idiom

create buzz

Meaning
to generate excitement and talk about a product or event
Example
The teaser video helped **create buzz** before the product launch.
idiom

brand loyalty

Meaning
the tendency of consumers to keep buying the same brand
Example
**Brand loyalty** often depends on consistent quality.
idiom

to get the ball rolling

Meaning
to start something, especially a project or task
Example
Let's **get the ball rolling** and start the meeting.
phrasal-verb

bring off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
He **brought off** a surprise victory in the competition.
phrasal-verb

chill down

Meaning
to relax and become calm after being upset or stressed
Example
After a tough day, I usually take a walk to **chill down**.
phrasal-verb

get back into

Meaning
to return to doing something after a break
Example
I’m trying to **get back into** running after the holidays.
B1 proverb

easier said than done

Something is more difficult to do than it sounds
Meaning
Something is more difficult to do than it sounds
Example
Getting a job is easier said than done in this competitive market.
Getting a job is easier said than done in this competitive market.
phrasal-verb

crack down on corruption

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

whip up

Meaning
to quickly prepare a meal
Example
She can **whip up** a healthy salad in minutes.
idiom

plow ahead

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
Even with setbacks, they decided to **plow ahead** with the project.
phrasal-verb

switch off mentally

Meaning
to stop thinking about work or problems for a while
Example
On weekends, I try to **switch off mentally** and enjoy time with my family.
idiom

strong password

Meaning
a password that is difficult for others to guess, typically combining letters, numbers, and symbols
Example
For better security, always use a **strong password** with at least eight characters.
idiom

think on your feet

Meaning
to make quick decisions or ideas under pressure
Example
Good leaders can **think on their feet**.
idiom

artificial neural network

Meaning
an AI system designed to mimic the human brain's ability to recognize patterns and solve problems.
Example
The **artificial neural network** is capable of processing data in a way similar to the human brain.
idiom

face your fears

Meaning
to confront something that scares you
Example
You need to **face your fears** if you want to grow as a person.
phrasal-verb

air issues out

Meaning
to talk openly about problems to resolve them
Example
Teams **air issues out** during retros so nothing lingers.
idiom

carry the world on your shoulders

Meaning
to feel responsible for everything; to take on too much stress
Example
You can’t **carry the world on your shoulders**; learn to share the load.
phrasal-verb

put together

Meaning
to assemble or create something by organizing parts
Example
She helped **put together** the entire presentation.
idiom

cut someone down to size

Meaning
to criticize someone to make them feel less important
Example
The manager **cut him down to size** after he bragged too much.
idiom

kill time

Meaning
to do something while waiting
Example
We played cards to **kill time** before the show started.
phrasal-verb

bubble over

Meaning
to show excitement or happiness in an obvious way
Example
The children were **bubbling over** with joy on the last day of school.
idiom

jump out of your skin

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or frightened
Example
I nearly **jumped out of my skin** when I saw the snake.
phrasal-verb

waver between

Meaning
to go back and forth between two opinions or choices
Example
She **wavered between** hope and fear before making her decision.
idiom

A golden opportunity

Meaning
a very good chance to do something
Example
Getting this scholarship is **a golden opportunity** for you.
phrasal-verb

find back

Meaning
to regain something lost; to recover
Example
After a long search, she finally **found back** her missing cat.
idiom

have a stake in

Meaning
to have an interest or investment in something
Example
She has a **stake in** the company's success.
phrasal-verb

dress for

Meaning
to wear clothes suitable for a particular situation
Example
You should **dress for** success when going to a job interview.
phrasal-verb

stick it out

Meaning
to continue doing something difficult until the end
Example
Even though the job was hard, he decided to **stick it out**.