in the works
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 the works

Meaning
something that is being developed or planned
Example
A new product is **in the works** and should be released soon.
idiom

split decision

Meaning
a decision where people are divided in opinion
Example
The committee made a **split decision** on the proposal.
phrasal-verb

step into

Meaning
to begin a new role or position
Example
He confidently **stepped into** his position as project leader.
phrasal-verb

show around

Meaning
to give someone a guided tour of a place
Example
I will **show around** our office to the new interns.
idiom

to pass with flying colors

Meaning
to succeed with a very high score
Example
He studied hard and passed the exam with **flying colors**.
phrasal-verb

come into balance

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

tap into

Meaning
to make use of a resource or ability
Example
The startup hopes to **tap into** a new audience through social media.
idiom

pillar of strength

Meaning
a person who provides strong support or comfort
Example
She was a **pillar of strength** during difficult times.
phrasal-verb

put up

Meaning
to provide accommodation; to raise something; to display
Example
They will **put up** a tent for the night.
phrasal-verb

run behind

Meaning
to be late or delayed
Example
The project is **running behind** schedule.
phrasal-verb

swot up on

Meaning
to study something intensively before an event
Example
I **swot up on** statistics before every data review.
idiom

jump in on

Meaning
to join an activity or discussion quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in on** the brainstorming if you have ideas.
phrasal-verb

talk someone through

Meaning
to explain something step by step so the person feels confident
Example
Coaches **talk players through** calming breaths before big matches.
phrasal-verb

fight against

Meaning
to oppose or resist something harmful or unjust
Example
We must **fight against** discrimination in every form.
phrasal-verb

bubble with

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

branch into opportunities

Meaning
to expand into new areas or chances for growth
Example
He decided to **branch into opportunities** beyond his comfort zone.
phrasal-verb

commend on

Meaning
to praise someone for something
Example
The manager **commended** her **on** her excellent presentation.
idiom

hit the target market

Meaning
to reach the intended audience effectively
Example
Our ads finally **hit the target market** this quarter.
phrasal-verb

dig in

Meaning
to begin doing something with determination and effort
Example
He decided to **dig in** and work through the challenges.
phrasal-verb

turn up the music

Meaning
to increase the volume of music
Example
They **turned up the music** when everyone started dancing.
phrasal-verb

poke around

Meaning
to look for something in a place, often in a casual or curious way
Example
She likes to **poke around** antique shops on weekends.
idiom

lose one's temper

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **lost his temper** when he saw the mess.
phrasal-verb

campaign for

Meaning
to work in an organized way for a political or social goal
Example
They are **campaigning for** better education policies.
phrasal-verb

confide in

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them personal feelings or secrets
Example
I can always **confide in** my sister when I feel upset.
idiom

a thing of the past

Meaning
something that no longer exists or happens
Example
With smartphones, landline phones are **a thing of the past**.
idiom

lose track of

Meaning
to forget or stop being aware of something
Example
I completely **lost track of time** while watching the movie.
idiom

under the gun

Meaning
under pressure to perform or complete something
Example
We were **under the gun** to meet the deadline for the report.
phrasal-verb

stumble upon

Meaning
to find something by accident
Example
We **stumbled upon** a hidden waterfall in the forest.
phrasal-verb

buckle under

Meaning
to give in or collapse under pressure
Example
He refused to **buckle under** the stress of his new responsibilities.
idiom

live out of a suitcase

Meaning
to travel frequently; to not stay in one place for long
Example
He’s been **living out of a suitcase** for months.
idiom

asleep on your feet

Meaning
extremely tired and almost falling asleep
Example
You look **asleep on your feet** after working all day.
idiom

strike it lucky

Meaning
to have unexpected good fortune
Example
We **struck it lucky** and found the last two tickets.
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.
phrasal-verb

build across

Meaning
to develop cooperation or structures that connect different entities globally
Example
They aim to **build across** regions to support innovation networks.
phrasal-verb

summarize takeaways for

Meaning
to recap key lessons for a person or group
Example
I **summarize takeaways for** the team in a two-minute voice note.
idiom

lie through one’s teeth

Meaning
to tell an obvious and bold lie
Example
He **lied through his teeth** when he said he was sick.
phrasal-verb

point up to

Meaning
to highlight or bring attention to a higher idea or reason
Example
The teacher **pointed up to** the main reason for the conflict.
idiom

better safe than sorry

Meaning
It’s wiser to be cautious than to take risks and regret later.
Example
I always double-check the locks — **better safe than sorry**.
phrasal-verb

find over

Meaning
to review or check something carefully
Example
Let’s **find over** the details before submitting the report.
idiom

roll with the punches

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

push ahead

Meaning
to continue working hard towards a goal despite difficulties
Example
Even after many failures, she decided to **push ahead** with her startup idea.
idiom

set the standard

Meaning
to establish an example of excellence that others strive to reach
Example
Her work ethic has **set the standard** for the entire team.
idiom

speaking for myself

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

drop out of the race

Meaning
to quit or withdraw from a competition or activity
Example
The cyclist **dropped out of the race** due to an injury.
phrasal-verb

vote out

Meaning
to remove someone from office by voting against them
Example
Citizens **voted out** the corrupt officials in the last election.
phrasal-verb

work out regularly

Meaning
to exercise frequently to stay fit and healthy
Example
She **works out regularly** to keep her body strong and mind fresh.
idiom

blind experiment

Meaning
a test conducted without participants knowing certain information to prevent bias
Example
The scientists conducted a **blind experiment** to ensure accuracy.
phrasal-verb

step aside

Meaning
to move to one side to let someone pass; to withdraw from a position
Example
He **stepped aside** to let the woman pass.
phrasal-verb

build ties with

Meaning
to establish or strengthen relationships with another country or group
Example
The new government aims to **build ties with** neighboring countries.
idiom

As cool as a cucumber

Meaning
Very calm and relaxed.
Example
Even in stressful situations, she stays **as cool as a cucumber**.
idiom

practice what you preach

Meaning
to act according to the advice you give to others
Example
If you want others to be kind, you need to **practice what you preach**.
phrasal-verb

keep up on

Meaning
to stay updated with online work or communication
Example
She always **keeps up on** company news through Slack.
idiom

touch wood

Meaning
to say something positive and hope it continues to be good
Example
We haven’t lost a game yet, **touch wood**.
phrasal-verb

run away with

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

open eyes to

Meaning
to make someone realize or become aware of something important
Example
The film **opened people’s eyes to** the struggles of the poor.
phrasal-verb

keep up morale

Meaning
to maintain team spirit and positive energy
Example
The coach worked hard to **keep up morale** after the team’s loss.
phrasal-verb

dig around

Meaning
to search or investigate something to find more information
Example
He started to **dig around** to find out the truth about the old house.
idiom

luck of the Irish

Meaning
good fortune associated with Irish people
Example
He found gold! Must be the **luck of the Irish**.
idiom

look before you leap

Meaning
to think carefully about possible risks before doing something
Example
Before starting your own business, remember to **look before you leap**.
idiom

get on the same page

Meaning
to agree on something or understand something in the same way
Example
Before starting the project, we need to **get on the same page** about the goals.
phrasal-verb

head for

Meaning
to go in the direction of a place
Example
After breakfast, we **headed for** the mountains.
idiom

take the helm

Meaning
to assume control or leadership of an organization
Example
She **took the helm** of the company after her father's retirement.
idiom

get to the root of the problem

Meaning
to discover the main cause of a problem
Example
We need to **get to the root of the problem** before we can fix it.
phrasal-verb

carry on bravely

Meaning
to continue with courage despite emotional hardship
Example
He chose to **carry on bravely** after losing his loved one.
phrasal-verb

gear up for adventure

Meaning
to prepare equipment and mindset for something exciting
Example
We **gear up for adventure** by checking safety kits before the hike.
idiom

stress out

Meaning
to become very anxious or nervous due to pressure
Example
She tends to **stress out** before exams.
phrasal-verb

lie in wait

Meaning
to hide and wait for someone or something
Example
The police **lay in wait** for the suspect all night.
idiom

all in the same boat

Meaning
in the same situation or facing the same challenges
Example
We're all **in the same boat**, so let's work together to solve this problem.
phrasal-verb

blow out

Meaning
to extinguish flames, especially candles
Example
She **blew out** the candles and made a wish on her birthday.
phrasal-verb

drop off

Meaning
to take someone or something to a place by car
Example
Can you **drop off** the kids at school?
idiom

crack down on

Meaning
to take strict action to stop something
Example
The city plans to **crack down on** illegal parking downtown.
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

a silver lining

Meaning
a positive aspect in a difficult situation
Example
Losing my job was tough, but the **silver lining** was that I found a better one.
idiom

crack the whip

Meaning
to use authority to make people work harder or obey rules
Example
The new manager is **cracking the whip** to improve productivity.
idiom

The melting pot

Meaning
A place where many different cultures blend together
Example
New York is often called **the melting pot** of cultures.
idiom

lovey-dovey

Meaning
showing a lot of affection publicly
Example
The couple was being **lovey-dovey** at the restaurant.
phrasal-verb

break out crying

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

face up to challenges

Meaning
to confront difficulties with courage and confidence
Example
You’ll grow stronger when you **face up to challenges** instead of avoiding them.
phrasal-verb

drop off at

Meaning
to leave someone or something at a specific place
Example
The taxi **dropped us off at** the airport gate.
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

go behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly or deceitfully against someone
Example
She **went behind my back** and told the manager everything.
idiom

Clean hands

Meaning
To be innocent or free from guilt.
Example
He claims to have **clean hands** in the scandal.
phrasal-verb

pull in revenue

Meaning
to earn or generate income, especially on a large scale
Example
The new export policy helped the country **pull in revenue** from foreign markets.
idiom

peel off

Meaning
to remove something, especially a layer, from a surface
Example
**Peel off** the label before recycling the jar.
phrasal-verb

catch at a chance

Meaning
to take an opportunity eagerly
Example
She **caught at the chance** to study abroad.
phrasal-verb

take breaks

Meaning
to pause from work for rest; to stop temporarily for relaxation
Example
You should **take breaks** regularly to stay focused throughout the day.
idiom

drop your jaw

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or shocked
Example
Everyone’s jaws **dropped** when they saw the price.
idiom

give someone a hand

Meaning
to help someone with a task
Example
Could you **give me a hand** with dinner?
phrasal-verb

build bridges with

Meaning
to improve relationships and promote understanding between people or countries
Example
The summit aimed to **build bridges with** neighboring countries.
phrasal-verb

journal through sadness

Meaning
to write in a journal while processing sad feelings
Example
She **journals through sadness** to understand what the day is teaching her.
idiom

Power behind the throne

Meaning
A person or group who has a hidden or indirect influence over the leadership
Example
The chief advisor is often considered the **power behind the throne**.
idiom

fall in love

Meaning
to develop romantic feelings for someone
Example
I didn't expect to **fall in love** with her so quickly.
phrasal-verb

get away with

Meaning
to do something wrong without being punished
Example
He thought he could **get away with** cheating on the test.
phrasal-verb

trade down for

Meaning
to swap for a simpler or cheaper alternative
Example
Some shoppers **trade down for** savings during slow months.
phrasal-verb

keep perspective

Meaning
to stay calm and rational during emotional situations
Example
During conflicts, it’s important to **keep perspective** instead of overreacting.
idiom

justice is blind

Meaning
justice should be impartial and not influenced by wealth or power
Example
**Justice is blind**, and everyone should be treated equally under the law.
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.
phrasal-verb

keep up the momentum

Meaning
to continue working with the same energy and enthusiasm
Example
After achieving success, the team must **keep up the momentum**.
phrasal-verb

bounce back after

Meaning
to recover from failure or setback quickly
Example
He managed to **bounce back after** losing his job.
phrasal-verb

join forces for

Meaning
to combine efforts with others for a purpose
Example
Companies **join forces for** developing sustainable packaging.
phrasal-verb

step up against

Meaning
to take action to oppose something unfair
Example
Neighbors **step up against** bullying when they see it online.
idiom

level the playing field

Meaning
to make a situation fair for everyone
Example
The new regulations are designed to **level the playing field** for all companies.
idiom

see stars

Meaning
to feel dizzy or stunned, often after being hit
Example
He bumped his head and started to **see stars**.
idiom

in orbit

Meaning
in a state of great excitement or activity
Example
The team was **in orbit** after the big win.
phrasal-verb

ease your mind

Meaning
to make yourself feel less worried or anxious
Example
Talking to a friend can really **ease your mind**.
phrasal-verb

stand by

Meaning
to support or remain loyal to someone, especially in difficult times
Example
She always **stands by** her brother no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

push through difficulties

Meaning
to keep going and overcome challenges with determination
Example
Great leaders **push through difficulties** instead of giving up.
phrasal-verb

lie down

Meaning
to rest or sleep in a flat position
Example
I’m so tired; I think I’ll **lie down** for a bit.
phrasal-verb

bring home

Meaning
to win or achieve something valuable or important
Example
The team worked hard and finally **brought home** the championship trophy.
phrasal-verb

build upon experience

Meaning
to use past experiences to improve future actions or performance
Example
We can **build upon our experience** to avoid making the same mistakes again.
phrasal-verb

get ahead of

Meaning
to move in front of someone or gain an advantage
Example
We need to **get ahead of** the other team early in the match.
idiom

bright future ahead

Meaning
having positive prospects or possibilities
Example
With your hard work, you have a **bright future ahead**.
phrasal-verb

set out for success

Meaning
to begin a journey or plan with the goal of achieving success
Example
She **set out for success** by creating a clear vision and staying disciplined.
phrasal-verb

open out of yourself

Meaning
to express your true feelings freely; to become emotionally available
Example
It's healthy to **open out of yourself** when you're feeling overwhelmed.
phrasal-verb

switch between

Meaning
to alternate between different tasks or modes of work and rest
Example
I try to **switch between** intense work and short breaks to stay efficient.
idiom

big picture

Meaning
the overall perspective or situation
Example
Producers always try to see the **big picture** before making changes.
idiom

blow out of proportion

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

keep up with the times

Meaning
to stay updated or adapt to modern trends
Example
In the fast-moving tech industry, companies must **keep up with the times**.