in high spirits
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

in high spirits

Meaning
feeling cheerful and happy
Example
Everyone was **in high spirits** during the festival.
idiom

The greater good

Meaning
The idea that actions should be judged based on how much they contribute to the overall well-being of society, rather than individual interests.
Example
In times of crisis, leaders must always think about **the greater good** before making decisions.
idiom

In uncharted waters

Meaning
In a situation that is unknown or unfamiliar.
Example
The astronauts are heading into **uncharted waters** as they explore the unknown galaxy.
phrasal-verb

build toward

Meaning
to make progress in a way that helps achieve a goal
Example
Every small project helped her **build toward** becoming a team leader.
phrasal-verb

build confidence in

Meaning
to create or increase trust in something
Example
The new reforms helped **build confidence in** the financial market.
idiom

spitting image

Meaning
someone who looks exactly like another person
Example
She is the **spitting image** of her mother.
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.
idiom

corner office

Meaning
a symbol of success or high position in a company
Example
Everyone dreams of getting the **corner office** one day.
phrasal-verb

walk away

Meaning
to leave a situation or place calmly; to move away by walking
Example
She **walked away** without saying a word.
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

show through on

Meaning
to be visible or noticeable on something
Example
The stain **shows through on** the white fabric.
phrasal-verb

light the way

Meaning
to inspire hope or positivity for others
Example
Her success will **light the way** for many others.
phrasal-verb

strike up

Meaning
to start a conversation or friendship
Example
He easily **strikes up** conversations with strangers.
idiom

Front page news

Meaning
Extremely important or widely discussed news
Example
His heroic act became **front page news** the next morning.
idiom

filter through

Meaning
to spread gradually among people
Example
News of the promotion quickly **filtered through** the office.
idiom

tempt fate

Meaning
to take a foolish risk that may bring bad luck
Example
You’re **tempting fate** by driving without insurance.
idiom

make friends with

Meaning
To become friendly with someone.
Example
It’s easy to **make friends with** kind people.
phrasal-verb

take part in

Meaning
to join or participate actively in something
Example
Students should **take part in** group discussions to learn better.
idiom

shake like a leaf

Meaning
to tremble with fear or nervousness
Example
She was **shaking like a leaf** before her first flight.
idiom

pick a fight

Meaning
to start an argument intentionally
Example
Don’t **pick a fight** with him; he’s already angry.
idiom

beyond one’s comprehension

Meaning
too difficult to understand
Example
Quantum physics is **beyond my comprehension**.
idiom

keep your cards close to your chest

Meaning
to keep your plans or intentions secret
Example
She always **keeps her cards close to her chest** during negotiations.
idiom

hand over to

Meaning
to transfer control or responsibility to someone
Example
I’ll **hand this over to** the legal team for review.
phrasal-verb

break out crying

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **broke out crying** when she heard the sad news.
phrasal-verb

hold steady at

Meaning
to remain stable at a certain level or value
Example
The country's inflation rate has **held steady at** 5% for the past six months.
phrasal-verb

lean on for support

Meaning
to rely on someone for help or encouragement
Example
We can always **lean on** our teammates **for support** during tough times.
phrasal-verb

make over

Meaning
to change the appearance or style of something; to transfer ownership
Example
They completely **made over** the kitchen last month.
idiom

bottom out

Meaning
to reach the lowest point before improving
Example
Experts believe the market has **bottomed out**.
idiom

Bide one’s time

Meaning
To wait patiently for the right opportunity.
Example
She decided to **bide her time** before making a move.
idiom

in the hot seat

Meaning
to be in a difficult or uncomfortable position, often with public scrutiny
Example
After the controversy, the mayor was **in the hot seat** for several days.
idiom

blow off steam

Meaning
to express anger or frustration so that you feel better
Example
He went for a run to **blow off steam** after the argument.
idiom

do someone a favor

Meaning
to help someone out of kindness
Example
Could you **do me a favor** and close the window?
idiom

Take your chances

Meaning
To try something despite uncertainty.
Example
He decided to **take his chances** and apply for the international scholarship.
idiom

Fair enough

Meaning
Used to show you understand or accept someone’s point
Example
‘We can’t afford it now.’ ‘**Fair enough**, maybe later.’
idiom

to be honest

Meaning
used when expressing a sincere or frank opinion
Example
**To be honest**, I didn’t like the food.
idiom

A Pandora’s box

Meaning
A source of endless complications or trouble.
Example
Discussing that topic will open a **Pandora’s box** of complaints.
phrasal-verb

pass gratitude on

Meaning
to share or extend appreciation to others
Example
She always **passes gratitude on** to everyone who helps her.
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

a breakthrough

Meaning
a significant discovery or achievement in science or research
Example
The team made **a breakthrough** in cancer research.
idiom

fill in for

Meaning
to do someone’s job temporarily
Example
Can you **fill in for** Rosa while she’s on leave?
phrasal-verb

follow through on goals

Meaning
to complete tasks or commitments that one starts
Example
To grow professionally, you must **follow through on goals**.
phrasal-verb

dial back on

Meaning
to reduce the intensity or amount of something
Example
We're **dialing back on** late-night emails to protect balance.
phrasal-verb

trickle down

Meaning
to spread gradually from the wealthy to the less wealthy; to benefit lower classes indirectly
Example
Many economists argue that wealth doesn’t always **trickle down** to the poor.
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.
idiom

hand in glove

Meaning
working closely and harmoniously together
Example
The two partners work **hand in glove** to achieve their goals.
idiom

window shopping

Meaning
looking at things in shops without buying them
Example
We went **window shopping** at the mall yesterday.
phrasal-verb

fess up

Meaning
to confess or admit something embarrassing or wrong
Example
It’s time to **fess up** and tell the truth about what happened.
idiom

reduce carbon footprint

Meaning
to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere
Example
Many companies are working to **reduce their carbon footprint** by using renewable energy.
idiom

cast in stone

Meaning
fixed and unchangeable
Example
The script isn’t **cast in stone**; we can make changes.
phrasal-verb

adhere to principles

Meaning
to continue to obey or follow moral rules or beliefs
Example
A true professional should **adhere to principles** even under pressure.
idiom

data is the new oil

Meaning
information has become a valuable resource in the modern world
Example
Every company knows that **data is the new oil**.
phrasal-verb

load up on

Meaning
to eat a lot of something, usually before an activity or event
Example
Athletes **load up on** carbs before a big game.
phrasal-verb

build rapport with

Meaning
to create a friendly and understanding relationship with someone
Example
Teachers need to **build rapport with** their students.
idiom

ride out

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
We managed to **ride out** the storm without damage.
phrasal-verb

fume at

Meaning
to feel or show anger towards someone or something
Example
She was **fuming at** her friends for breaking her trust.
idiom

clash of wills

Meaning
a conflict between two determined people
Example
It was a **clash of wills** between the manager and the employee.
idiom

full steam ahead

Meaning
to move forward with great energy or speed
Example
The team is going **full steam ahead** with the new logistics plan.
idiom

push someone's buttons

Meaning
to deliberately annoy or upset someone
Example
He knows how to **push her buttons** when they argue.
idiom

to make a blunder

Meaning
to make a very big or stupid mistake
Example
The company **made a blunder** by ignoring customer feedback.
phrasal-verb

zone into calmness

Meaning
to focus your mind completely on peace and relaxation
Example
Meditation helps me **zone into calmness** after stressful meetings.
phrasal-verb

filter through for

Meaning
to sift carefully to find specific items
Example
Editors **filter through for** reliable sources before running a story.
phrasal-verb

draft in for

Meaning
to bring someone in to help with a task
Example
We **drafted Sam in for** the client presentation at the last minute.
idiom

At the forefront

Meaning
being in a leading or important position in a field
Example
The research center is **at the forefront** of renewable energy studies.
phrasal-verb

boost innovation

Meaning
to encourage new ideas and technologies
Example
Investing in education can **boost innovation** and productivity.
phrasal-verb

speak fondly of

Meaning
to talk warmly or affectionately about someone
Example
She always **speaks fondly of** her first teacher.
idiom

off the beaten track

Meaning
in a place not visited by many people; remote or unusual
Example
We found a lovely beach **off the beaten track**.
phrasal-verb

center yourself

Meaning
to find balance and emotional calm within yourself
Example
Meditation helps her **center herself** when she feels stressed.
idiom

keep up with the Joneses

Meaning
to try to match your neighbors or peers in wealth or possessions
Example
Many people go into debt trying to **keep up with the Joneses**.
phrasal-verb

fall to

Meaning
to begin doing something eagerly; to become responsible for something
Example
Everyone **fell to** cleaning after the party ended.
phrasal-verb

move on to

Meaning
to go to another place after finishing one
Example
After visiting Paris, we’ll **move on to** Rome.
idiom

beta test

Meaning
to test a product before official release
Example
We are going to **beta test** our app next week.
idiom

learn the hard way

Meaning
to learn something through experience, especially through making mistakes
Example
He **learned the hard way** that honesty is the best policy.
phrasal-verb

sort through for

Meaning
to examine items one by one to find something specific
Example
I **sort through for** the receipts every month at budget time.
idiom

bring luck

Meaning
to cause good fortune
Example
This bracelet is said to **bring luck** to whoever wears it.
phrasal-verb

come forward to help

Meaning
to volunteer or offer assistance when needed
Example
Many citizens **came forward to help** the victims of the earthquake.
idiom

beat someone to the punch

Meaning
to do something before someone else does
Example
He **beat me to the punch** by applying for the job first.
idiom

learning on the fly

Meaning
to adapt and learn quickly without prior preparation
Example
AI systems are **learning on the fly** from user data.
idiom

Jump in with both feet

Meaning
To start something enthusiastically without hesitation.
Example
She **jumped in with both feet** when offered the startup role.
idiom

in stitches

Meaning
laughing uncontrollably
Example
His joke had everyone **in stitches**.
idiom

lay it on the line

Meaning
to be very clear or direct about something
Example
I'll **lay it on the line**—if we don't improve, we'll lose investors.
idiom

move up the ladder

Meaning
to be promoted or advance in one’s job
Example
She hopes to **move up the ladder** by the end of the year.
idiom

make a name for yourself

Meaning
to become well-known or successful in a particular field
Example
She **made a name for herself** in the world of fashion design.
idiom

nitpick

Meaning
to find small, unimportant faults in something
Example
Stop **nitpicking** every little mistake I make!
phrasal-verb

zone within

Meaning
to turn your focus inward for calm and peace
Example
Meditation helps you **zone within** and find balance.
idiom

to weigh the pros and cons

Meaning
to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of something
Example
Before making a final decision, it's important to **weigh the pros and cons**.
phrasal-verb

rise from

Meaning
to recover or improve after a setback or loss
Example
She **rose from** her failures stronger than before.
idiom

put on the map

Meaning
to make something or someone famous or well-known
Example
The viral campaign **put the brand on the map**.
idiom

give it a shot

Meaning
to try something, even if you are not sure of success
Example
You should **give it a shot**; you might surprise yourself.
idiom

break down in tears

Meaning
to start crying suddenly
Example
She **broke down in tears** after hearing the sad story.
phrasal-verb

wind off from

Meaning
to relax or detach yourself from stress; to calm down after work or tension
Example
After a long day, I like to **wind off from** all the pressure by listening to soft music.
idiom

Open a can of worms

Meaning
To start something that creates many new problems.
Example
By questioning the policy, he **opened a can of worms**.
phrasal-verb

look set to

Meaning
to seem likely to happen soon
Example
The company **looks set to** dominate the market in the coming years.
phrasal-verb

lift out of recession

Meaning
to help the economy move away from a downturn
Example
New export policies helped **lift the economy out of recession**.
idiom

fair and square

Meaning
honest and straightforward; without cheating
Example
She won the competition **fair and square**.
idiom

back each other up

Meaning
to support and help one another
Example
In a good team, members always **back each other up**.
idiom

bring forward

Meaning
to move something to an earlier time
Example
We had to **bring forward** the meeting due to travel.
phrasal-verb

ask over

Meaning
to invite someone to your place, often to talk or apologize
Example
He **asked her over** to say sorry for what happened.
idiom

get fired up

Meaning
to become very excited or enthusiastic about something
Example
The team got **fired up** before the final match.
phrasal-verb

give rise to

Meaning
to cause or inspire the creation of new cultural customs
Example
The migration of people **gave rise to** a blend of new cultural practices.
phrasal-verb

reach beyond borders

Meaning
to connect or act across national or cultural boundaries
Example
Global initiatives aim to **reach beyond borders** to solve shared problems.
idiom

cross the floor

Meaning
to change political allegiance or party
Example
The MP shocked everyone when he decided to **cross the floor** and join the opposition.
phrasal-verb

pep up with

Meaning
to boost your energy or mood by using something uplifting
Example
I **pep up with** an upbeat playlist before presentations.
idiom

train of thought

Meaning
a connected series of thoughts
Example
I lost my **train of thought** during the presentation.

you can’t judge a book by its cover

idiom

take the spotlight

Meaning
to be the center of attention or admiration
Example
The young actress **took the spotlight** at the award ceremony.
phrasal-verb

receive from

Meaning
to get something that someone gives you
Example
I **received** a letter **from** my best friend yesterday.
idiom

to be in the spotlight

Meaning
to receive a lot of public attention
Example
The artist has been **in the spotlight** since her latest exhibition.
idiom

lost for words

Meaning
unable to speak because of surprise or shock
Example
I was **lost for words** when I saw the results.
idiom

bargain for

Meaning
to expect or plan for something
Example
The workload was more than we **bargained for**.
phrasal-verb

break off

Meaning
to end suddenly; to stop speaking or negotiating
Example
They **broke off** the engagement last month.
phrasal-verb

splash out on

Meaning
to spend a lot of money on something special
Example
She **splashed out on** a designer handbag for her birthday.
phrasal-verb

work out at

Meaning
to exercise at a gym or place regularly
Example
I **work out at** the gym every morning before work.
idiom

In the picture

Meaning
Involved or informed about a situation
Example
I want to stay **in the picture** about the new project.
phrasal-verb

team up for

Meaning
to join others in doing something together for a common goal
Example
Countries **team up for** global vaccination programs.
phrasal-verb

count upon

Meaning
to depend or rely on someone for help or support
Example
You can always **count upon** me when you need assistance.
phrasal-verb

connect through language

Meaning
to communicate and bond using the local or common language
Example
People can **connect through language** even if they come from different cultures.
idiom

No comment

Meaning
Refusing to answer a question
Example
The spokesperson simply said **no comment** to all questions.
phrasal-verb

adapt around

Meaning
to modify plans or behavior to fit changing circumstances
Example
We need to **adapt around** the new market trends quickly.
idiom

golden opportunity

Meaning
a very good chance; rare opportunity
Example
This is a **golden opportunity** to show your talent.
idiom

lay one’s cards on the table

Meaning
to be open and honest about one’s intentions or feelings
Example
It’s time to **lay our cards on the table** and discuss the issue.
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**.