in so many words
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
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idiom

in so many words

Meaning
to say something clearly and directly
Example
He didn’t say it **in so many words**, but I knew what he meant.
idiom

bad blood

Meaning
anger or resentment between family members
Example
There’s still **bad blood** between the cousins after the inheritance issue.
idiom

not lose heart

Meaning
to not lose confidence or courage
Example
**Don’t lose heart**; success takes time.
phrasal-verb

find oneself

Meaning
to realize one’s identity, purpose, or situation
Example
After years of traveling, he finally **found himself**.
phrasal-verb

build up

Meaning
to gradually increase emotional strength or confidence
Example
She’s been trying to **build up** her self-esteem after the breakup.
idiom

cool off with

Meaning
to refresh oneself using something
Example
We’ll **cool off with** iced tea after the run.
idiom

know the ropes

Meaning
to be very familiar with something; to have a thorough understanding of something
Example
He really **knows the ropes** in this field of work.
idiom

break into a cold sweat

Meaning
to start sweating due to fear or anxiety
Example
He **broke into a cold sweat** before giving his speech.
idiom

fail better

Meaning
to improve by learning from past failures
Example
Even if you fail, try to **fail better** next time.
phrasal-verb

stand back

Meaning
to move away from something; to distance yourself from involvement
Example
Please **stand back** from the edge of the platform.
idiom

sworn enemy turned friend

Meaning
someone who was once your enemy but is now a friend
Example
After years of rivalry, they became **sworn enemies turned friends**.
phrasal-verb

break past fear

Meaning
to overcome fear and take courageous action
Example
You can only grow when you **break past fear** and take risks.
idiom

behind the eight ball

Meaning
to be in a difficult position or disadvantage
Example
Without proper funding, the project is **behind the eight ball**.
phrasal-verb

factor into

Meaning
to include something in your calculations or predictions about the future
Example
We must **factor into** our plans the possible rise in inflation.
phrasal-verb

blow up at

Meaning
to lose your temper and shout at someone
Example
She **blew up at** her brother for being late again.
phrasal-verb

team together for

Meaning
to unite or collaborate with others for a common purpose
Example
Countries decided to **team together for** regional growth.
idiom

grassroots movement

Meaning
a political movement started and driven by ordinary people
Example
The campaign grew into a powerful **grassroots movement** for change.
idiom

face the world

Meaning
to deal with life and its challenges confidently
Example
After recovering, she was ready to **face the world** again.
phrasal-verb

build connections with

Meaning
to form positive relationships with people from other cultures
Example
He tried to **build connections with** his colleagues from various countries.
phrasal-verb

scale up production

Meaning
to increase production capacity significantly
Example
Factories are trying to **scale up production** to meet the growing global demand.
idiom

take down

Meaning
to record information in writing
Example
Can you **take down** the meeting notes?
idiom

Above reproach

Meaning
Completely honest and without fault.
Example
Her integrity is **above reproach**.
phrasal-verb

get through to

Meaning
to make someone understand what you are trying to say
Example
Sometimes it’s hard to **get through to** my teenage son.
phrasal-verb

die off

Meaning
to become extinct gradually; to disappear slowly
Example
Many animal species may **die off** if global warming continues.
idiom

under the stars

Meaning
in the open air, outside, especially at night
Example
We slept **under the stars** by the lake.
phrasal-verb

warm to someone

Meaning
to begin to like someone or feel friendly towards them
Example
She didn’t like him at first but slowly **warmed to him**.
idiom

trade off

Meaning
to balance between two opposing things; to compromise
Example
Globalization involves a **trade off** between efficiency and equality.
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.
phrasal-verb

level off at

Meaning
to stop increasing or decreasing and stay at a steady level
Example
After a sharp rise, GDP growth **leveled off at** around 6%.
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.
idiom

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Meaning
Adapt to the customs of the place you are visiting
Example
When traveling abroad, it's wise to **do as the Romans do**.
idiom

news travels fast

Meaning
information spreads quickly
Example
In small towns, **news travels fast**.
idiom

clamp down

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

speak up

Meaning
to express an opinion openly and clearly
Example
If you disagree, please **speak up** during the meeting.
idiom

blow out of proportion

Meaning
to exaggerate or overstate something
Example
The media **blew the story out of proportion**.
phrasal-verb

build upon trust

Meaning
to strengthen relationships by relying on mutual trust
Example
A successful team must **build upon trust** to work efficiently.
phrasal-verb

push through reforms

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

set aside time

Meaning
to reserve a specific amount of time for something important
Example
You should **set aside time** for personal reflection every day.
phrasal-verb

forgive from within

Meaning
to truly forgive someone deep in your heart
Example
To heal completely, you need to **forgive from within**.
idiom

true to one's word

Meaning
To do what one has promised.
Example
She was **true to her word** and helped me finish the project.
phrasal-verb

share with

Meaning
to exchange ideas, beliefs, or customs with others
Example
Teachers encourage students to **share with** their peers about their heritage.
idiom

A snapshot of

Meaning
A brief look or summary of something
Example
The report gives **a snapshot of** our company's performance.
idiom

win the battle but lose the war

Meaning
to achieve a small success but fail in the larger goal
Example
By focusing on minor issues, they **won the battle but lost the war**.
phrasal-verb

sync up

Meaning
to make systems or devices work together in harmony
Example
Please **sync up** your devices before starting the meeting.
idiom

Go Dutch

Meaning
To share the cost of something equally.
Example
Let’s **go Dutch** on the dinner tonight.
idiom

faint-hearted

Meaning
lacking courage or determination
Example
Climbing this mountain is not for the **faint-hearted**.
phrasal-verb

learn from differences

Meaning
to gain understanding or wisdom by observing cultural contrasts
Example
We can **learn from differences** instead of judging them.
idiom

get ahead in life

Meaning
to succeed or progress in one's life or career
Example
He worked hard to **get ahead in life** and build a successful career.
phrasal-verb

let pressure off

Meaning
to release built-up stress or tension
Example
He plays football on weekends to **let pressure off**.
idiom

black box thinking

Meaning
analyzing unknown processes by studying their inputs and outputs
Example
In AI research, **black box thinking** helps improve transparency.
idiom

streamline the process

Meaning
to make a process more efficient and effective by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary steps
Example
We need to **streamline the process** of content creation to save time.
phrasal-verb

count down to deadlines

Meaning
to track remaining time closely before work is due
Example
I **count down to deadlines** with reminders so nothing slips.
idiom

weakest link

Meaning
the most vulnerable part of a system or group
Example
Human error is often the **weakest link** in cybersecurity.
idiom

power play

Meaning
a strategic move to gain or maintain control
Example
The alliance between the two countries is seen as a **power play**.
idiom

slip up

Meaning
to make a small mistake
Example
Everyone **slips up** sometimes — don’t worry about it.
phrasal-verb

heal from

Meaning
to emotionally recover from pain, trauma, or loss
Example
It takes time to **heal from** emotional wounds.
idiom

to backfire

Meaning
to have the opposite result of what was intended
Example
His plan **backfired** and made things worse.
phrasal-verb

build confidence

Meaning
to strengthen belief in your own abilities
Example
Every small success helps you **build confidence** for bigger goals.
phrasal-verb

push past

Meaning
to move beyond obstacles or limitations
Example
You have to **push past** your fears to achieve success.
phrasal-verb

make things right with

Meaning
to restore harmony or fix a mistake with someone
Example
He wanted to **make things right with** his parents after disappointing them.
phrasal-verb

read up on

Meaning
to study or get information about something by reading
Example
You should **read up on** this topic before writing your paper.
phrasal-verb

shout at

Meaning
to raise your voice in anger at someone
Example
Don’t **shout at** me, I didn’t do anything wrong!
phrasal-verb

sit in on

Meaning
to attend a meeting or class without participating actively
Example
He was allowed to **sit in on** the meeting as an observer.
idiom

to strike it rich

Meaning
to suddenly become very wealthy
Example
He **struck it rich** by investing in early-stage tech companies.
phrasal-verb

draw up a plan

Meaning
to prepare a detailed plan or document
Example
The management team drew up a plan for the next quarter.
idiom

Hit the wall

Meaning
to reach a point where one is physically or mentally exhausted and cannot continue
Example
I’ve been working all day, and now I’ve finally **hit the wall**.
idiom

Economic backbone

Meaning
The most important part of the economy.
Example
Small businesses are the **economic backbone** of the nation.
idiom

Go where no man has gone before

Meaning
To explore or attempt something that has never been done before.
Example
The mission to Mars aims to **go where no man has gone before**.
idiom

vote with one’s feet

Meaning
to show disapproval by leaving or not participating
Example
Many citizens **voted with their feet** by not attending the rally.
phrasal-verb

stock up on

Meaning
to buy or collect a large amount of food for future use
Example
We **stocked up on** vegetables for the week.
idiom

fly by the seat of your pants

Meaning
to do something without planning, using only instinct and experience
Example
We didn't have a map, so we **flew by the seat of our pants**.
phrasal-verb

win out

Meaning
to finally succeed after difficulties or opposition
Example
Despite strong resistance, the reformers **won out** in the end.
phrasal-verb

stand tall with courage

Meaning
to stay brave and optimistic in difficult situations
Example
He always **stands tall with courage** when facing failures.
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

Take one’s breath away

Meaning
To amaze or impress someone greatly.
Example
Her beauty **takes my breath away**.
phrasal-verb

clear things up with

Meaning
to resolve confusion or disagreement with someone
Example
I need to **clear things up with** my manager about the schedule.
phrasal-verb

reach deep

Meaning
to dig into one’s emotions or empathy to connect with others
Example
He had to **reach deep** to find the compassion to forgive.
phrasal-verb

play with

Meaning
to spend time enjoying a game or toy with someone
Example
We used to **play with** marbles and paper boats in the rain.
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**.
idiom

The shot heard around the world

Meaning
An event with worldwide significance or impact.
Example
The invention of the internet was **the shot heard around the world** in communication.
idiom

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
idiom

speaking for myself

Meaning
stating one’s personal opinion only, not others’
Example
**Speaking for myself**, I think we should wait.
phrasal-verb

collaborate on

Meaning
to work jointly on a specific project or task
Example
Both companies agreed to **collaborate on** the new software product.
idiom

to see the big picture

Meaning
to understand the larger or more important issue
Example
You need to **see the big picture** when making strategic decisions.
idiom

throw the book at someone

Meaning
to punish someone severely
Example
The judge decided to **throw the book at** the criminal.
idiom

trust goes both ways

Meaning
both sides must trust each other
Example
**Trust goes both ways** in any relationship.
idiom

black sheep of the family

Meaning
a family member who is considered a disgrace
Example
He became the **black sheep of the family** after his bad decisions.
idiom

take the high road

Meaning
to act morally or kindly even when others don't
Example
She decided to **take the high road** and forgive him.
idiom

beta test

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

so far so good

Meaning
used to say that an activity has been successful up to this point
Example
We've finished the first part of the project, and **so far so good**.
idiom

in the red

Meaning
to be in debt; losing money
Example
After the pandemic, many small businesses were **in the red**.
phrasal-verb

sniff around

Meaning
to try to find out information secretly or out of curiosity
Example
Reporters have been **sniffing around** for details about the case.
idiom

to get bent out of shape

Meaning
to become angry or upset
Example
Don't **get bent out of shape** over a small mistake.
phrasal-verb

step on

Meaning
to press down with your foot; to offend or hurt someone's feelings
Example
Be careful not to **step on** anyone’s toes during the meeting.
idiom

catch the travel bug

Meaning
to become very interested in traveling
Example
After visiting Thailand, she really **caught the travel bug**.
idiom

fulfill one's obligations

Meaning
to complete or carry out one's duties
Example
He always tries to **fulfill his obligations** to his clients.
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.
idiom

feather in one’s cap

Meaning
an achievement to be proud of
Example
Winning the national award was a real **feather in his cap**.
idiom

a breath of fresh air

Meaning
something new and refreshing
Example
Her positive attitude is **a breath of fresh air** in the office.
phrasal-verb

adapt from experience

Meaning
to change behavior or methods based on what one has learned
Example
Good leaders **adapt from experience** to face new challenges.
idiom

play on someone's emotions

Meaning
to influence someone by appealing to their feelings
Example
The ad tries to **play on people's emotions** to sell products.
idiom

nose for news

Meaning
an instinct for finding interesting stories
Example
Good reporters have a natural **nose for news**.
idiom

burn bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or connections permanently
Example
Be careful not to **burn bridges** when leaving your job.
idiom

put on a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be confident or happy when you are not
Example
She **put on a brave face** even after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

scale up exports

Meaning
to expand the amount of goods sold abroad
Example
The company plans to **scale up exports** to reach new markets.
phrasal-verb

give credit for

Meaning
to acknowledge someone’s effort or contribution positively
Example
He always **gives credit for** others’ good ideas.
idiom

A bright idea

Meaning
a clever or innovative idea
Example
She came up with a **bright idea** for the new marketing campaign.
phrasal-verb

draw up a bill

Meaning
to prepare a draft of a proposed law
Example
Lawmakers **drew up a bill** to regulate campaign funding.
idiom

Take it one step at a time

Meaning
Deal with tasks gradually instead of rushing.
Example
**Take it one step at a time**, and you’ll succeed.
idiom

come to the rescue

Meaning
to help someone in trouble
Example
A firefighter **came to the rescue** of the trapped cat.
phrasal-verb

jam out

Meaning
to play music with great enthusiasm or energy
Example
The band **jammed out** for hours during rehearsal.
phrasal-verb

open up to diversity

Meaning
to become accepting and appreciative of different backgrounds or perspectives
Example
Education helps people **open up to diversity** and reduce prejudice.
idiom

back off

Meaning
to move away or stop pressuring someone
Example
Let’s **back off** and give them space to decide.
idiom

live the dream

Meaning
to be living the life you always wanted
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
idiom

mark down

Meaning
to reduce the price of something
Example
The store **marked down** winter coats in March.
idiom

jump on the bandwagon

Meaning
to join something that is already popular or successful
Example
Many people **jumped on the bandwagon** of budget travel.
idiom

put in the hours

Meaning
to spend a lot of time working
Example
If you **put in the hours**, you’ll see progress soon.
idiom

split second

Meaning
a very short amount of time
Example
The decision was made in a **split second**.
phrasal-verb

fire back at

Meaning
to respond angrily or defensively to criticism
Example
The minister **fired back at** the accusations with strong evidence.
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

be at the helm

Meaning
to be in charge of or control something
Example
He was **at the helm** of the company when it became successful.