judge, jury, and executioner
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idiom

judge, jury, and executioner

Meaning
to control all parts of judging and punishing someone
Example
He acted as **judge, jury, and executioner** in the matter.
idiom

All hands on deck

Meaning
Everyone must work together or help with a task.
Example
We need **all hands on deck** to finish this project by tomorrow.
idiom

Rite of passage

Meaning
A ceremony or event marking an important stage in someone's life
Example
Graduation is a **rite of passage** for many students.
idiom

a foot in the door

Meaning
to have a small opportunity to start working in a company or industry
Example
An internship is a great way to get **a foot in the door**.
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**.
phrasal-verb

run for

Meaning
to compete in an election for a political position
Example
He plans to **run for** president next year.
idiom

A truth universally acknowledged

Meaning
A widely accepted truth or belief.
Example
**A truth universally acknowledged** is that honesty is important.
idiom

A bright future lies ahead

Meaning
there is hope for success in the future
Example
With his talent and hard work, **a bright future lies ahead** for him.
phrasal-verb

look out over

Meaning
to have a view of something from above or a distance
Example
Our room **looks out over** the beautiful lake.
phrasal-verb

roll in profits

Meaning
to start earning a large amount of money
Example
After launching the new app, profits began to **roll in** quickly.
idiom

to think outside the box

Meaning
to think creatively or unconventionally
Example
In solving AI problems, it is essential to **think outside the box**.
phrasal-verb

allocate to

Meaning
to assign or distribute resources to a specific task or person
Example
The manager decided to **allocate** more funds **to** the marketing team.
idiom

fly off the handle

Meaning
to react in a very angry way without thinking
Example
He **flew off the handle** when someone scratched his new car.
idiom

break even

Meaning
to have equal income and expenses, neither profit nor loss
Example
The company finally **broke even** after three years.
idiom

A solid foundation

Meaning
A strong and reliable base or starting point.
Example
The success of this company is built on a **solid foundation** of hard work and dedication.
idiom

face time

Meaning
direct personal interaction rather than virtual communication
Example
We need more **face time** to build trust among team members.
idiom

speak of the devil

Meaning
said when someone appears just as you mention them
Example
**Speak of the devil**, here comes John now!
idiom

rise through the ranks

Meaning
to gradually move up to higher positions in an organization
Example
He **rose through the ranks** to become the CEO.
phrasal-verb

tinker around with

Meaning
to make small adjustments in an experimental way
Example
We **tinker around with** the app design after each user interview.
phrasal-verb

cut out of

Meaning
to remove something unwanted from a situation or process
Example
We need to **cut carbon out of** our energy systems.
idiom

the going gets tough

Meaning
when the situation becomes very difficult or challenging
Example
When **the going gets tough**, the tough get going.
idiom

pick yourself up

Meaning
to recover from a failure or setback
Example
She failed the first time, but she **picked herself up** and tried again.
phrasal-verb

settle in for

Meaning
to get comfortable because something will take a while
Example
We **settled in for** a long night of studying at the library.
phrasal-verb

get in

Meaning
to enter a car or vehicle
Example
Please **get in** the car, it’s raining outside.
phrasal-verb

stick at

Meaning
to continue doing something with determination even when it is difficult
Example
If you **stick at** it, you will eventually see the results of your effort.
phrasal-verb

bridge across languages

Meaning
to overcome language differences while communicating
Example
Technology helps us **bridge across languages** through translation tools.
idiom

mama’s boy

Meaning
a man who is excessively attached to his mother
Example
He’s such a **mama’s boy**, always listening to her advice.
phrasal-verb

look to

Meaning
to expect help or advice from someone
Example
The team **looked to** their leader for guidance.
phrasal-verb

open up about kindness

Meaning
to speak honestly about acts of kindness or gratitude
Example
He finally **opened up about kindness** he received from strangers.
phrasal-verb

push into

Meaning
to drive adoption or expansion of something
Example
They are trying to **push into** the digital payment market quickly.
idiom

give someone a piece of one’s mind

Meaning
to tell someone angrily what you think
Example
She **gave him a piece of her mind** for being rude.
phrasal-verb

believe in

Meaning
to have confidence in someone or something
Example
You need to **believe in** yourself if you want to succeed.
idiom

frame of mind

Meaning
a person's mood or mental state
Example
He’s not in the right **frame of mind** to make decisions.
idiom

carry forward

Meaning
to move something to a later period
Example
We’ll **carry forward** the unused budget to next quarter.
idiom

on the up and up

Meaning
honest; truthful; not involved in any wrongdoing
Example
She’s always been **on the up and up** with me.
phrasal-verb

back away from blame

Meaning
to avoid putting blame on others or oneself during a disagreement
Example
It’s wise to **back away from blame** and focus on solutions.
phrasal-verb

call for change

Meaning
to demand reforms or modifications in policy or system
Example
The activists **called for change** in the voting system.
idiom

clash of wills

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

step around

Meaning
to move to avoid something; to bypass a problem or rule
Example
He tried to **step around** the issue instead of facing it directly.
idiom

crystal ball

Meaning
the ability to predict the future
Example
I don’t have a **crystal ball**, so I can’t tell what will happen.
idiom

a slippery slope

Meaning
a course of action that seems to lead to undesirable or dangerous consequences
Example
Starting to ignore small violations can lead to **a slippery slope** of bigger legal issues.
idiom

reach your full potential

Meaning
to achieve the maximum ability or success that you are capable of
Example
By working hard, she was able to **reach her full potential**.
idiom

sweeten the deal

Meaning
to make an offer more attractive
Example
They decided to **sweeten the deal** by offering free shipping.
idiom

get a second wind

Meaning
to have a burst of energy after feeling tired
Example
After a short break, she **got a second wind** and finished the race.
phrasal-verb

boost up

Meaning
to increase or enhance something such as production or growth
Example
The new incentives will **boost up** industrial productivity.
idiom

the whole truth

Meaning
the complete truth without leaving anything out
Example
She promised to tell **the whole truth** in court.
phrasal-verb

sign out of

Meaning
to exit or log off from an online account or platform
Example
Don’t forget to **sign out of** your account after using the computer lab.
phrasal-verb

stabilize currency

Meaning
to prevent large fluctuations in the value of a currency
Example
Central banks intervene to **stabilize currency** during financial crises.
idiom

cool off

Meaning
to become less hot or less angry
Example
Let the soup **cool off** before serving.
phrasal-verb

reach agreement on

Meaning
to come to a mutual understanding or consensus about something
Example
After long discussions, both sides **reached agreement on** the trade terms.
idiom

like father, like son

Meaning
a son behaves like his father
Example
Tom loves cars just like his dad — **like father, like son**!
idiom

family ties

Meaning
Strong connections among family members.
Example
**Family ties** kept her close to her hometown.
phrasal-verb

break into new markets

Meaning
to successfully enter a new market or industry
Example
The startup managed to **break into new markets** with its AI-powered tools.
idiom

give someone a leg up

Meaning
to help someone improve their situation or get an advantage
Example
Her mentor **gave her a leg up** in her career.
phrasal-verb

reach out to investors

Meaning
to contact people who might be interested in funding your business
Example
Startups often **reach out to investors** when they need capital.
phrasal-verb

bounce forward

Meaning
to recover from difficulties and move ahead with improvement
Example
After the recession, the nation aims to **bounce forward** with stronger growth.
idiom

success is within reach

Meaning
success is almost attainable
Example
With just a little more effort, **success is within reach**.
idiom

To break ground

Meaning
To begin a new project or initiative.
Example
The company is excited to **break ground** on their new office next month.
idiom

keep the fire burning

Meaning
to stay motivated and passionate about something
Example
Even after failure, he managed to **keep the fire burning**.
idiom

be responsible for

Meaning
to be in charge of or accountable for something
Example
She is **responsible for** managing the entire department.
phrasal-verb

let yourself breathe

Meaning
to allow yourself time to relax and calm down
Example
You should **let yourself breathe** when things get overwhelming.
phrasal-verb

deal off with

Meaning
to end a relationship or partnership
Example
They decided to **deal off with** each other after the argument.
idiom

a power play

Meaning
a strategic move to gain control or influence over a situation
Example
His decision to challenge the leader was a clear **power play**.
phrasal-verb

trust with

Meaning
to give someone responsibility or confidence to handle something
Example
I **trust you with** my deepest secrets.
idiom

slip up

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

align across

Meaning
to bring strategies or actions in agreement across regions or teams
Example
Global managers **align across** departments to ensure consistent performance.
phrasal-verb

grow beyond limits

Meaning
to improve yourself beyond what you thought possible
Example
You will **grow beyond limits** once you believe in your abilities.
idiom

caught between two stools

Meaning
to fail because of trying to do two things at once
Example
He was **caught between two stools**—trying to please both his boss and his team.
idiom

branch off

Meaning
to separate from a main route or line of development
Example
The hiking path will **branch off** near the lake.
phrasal-verb

come across as polite

Meaning
to appear polite when expressing an opinion
Example
Even when disagreeing, she always **comes across as polite**.
phrasal-verb

zero out

Meaning
to reduce an amount to nothing
Example
We **zero out** the balance every month to avoid interest.
idiom

nod in agreement

Meaning
to show agreement by nodding
Example
Everyone **nodded in agreement** when the plan was explained.
idiom

bury the lead

Meaning
to hide the most important part of the story
Example
Don’t **bury the lead**—mention the main point first.
idiom

friends in high places

Meaning
people with power or influence who can help you
Example
He got the job because he has **friends in high places**.
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.
idiom

at the end of the day

Meaning
when everything is considered; ultimately
Example
**At the end of the day**, teamwork solved the problem.
idiom

take responsibility

Meaning
to be accountable for something you did or are in charge of.
Example
You need to **take responsibility** for your actions.
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**.
phrasal-verb

search for

Meaning
to look for specific items or products online
Example
He **searched for** a discount on wireless headphones.
idiom

off the rails

Meaning
to become uncontrolled or chaotic
Example
After his friend moved away, his life went **off the rails**.
idiom

The Midas touch

Meaning
The ability to make money or succeed in everything one does.
Example
She seems to have **the Midas touch**—every project she starts becomes a success.
idiom

change the game

Meaning
to introduce something that significantly alters an industry or field
Example
5G technology will **change the game** for mobile communication.
idiom

hammer out a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement after long discussion
Example
They spent hours to **hammer out a deal** that satisfied both sides.
idiom

give someone a hard time

Meaning
to criticize or treat someone harshly
Example
The boss **gave me a hard time** for being late.
idiom

chart a new course

Meaning
to plan a new direction or strategy
Example
After the crisis, the CEO decided to **chart a new course**.
phrasal-verb

level out

Meaning
to stop rising or falling and become stable
Example
Inflation rates are expected to **level out** by the end of the year.
phrasal-verb

listen with respect

Meaning
to pay attention and value other people’s perspectives during communication
Example
To understand others, we must **listen with respect** to their stories.
idiom

Spread like wildfire

Meaning
To become widely known very quickly.
Example
The news of their engagement **spread like wildfire**.
idiom

team player

Meaning
someone who works well with others
Example
Every company values a good **team player**.
phrasal-verb

sync with

Meaning
to coordinate tasks or schedules with others online
Example
Let’s **sync with** the marketing team tomorrow morning.
idiom

do good to others

Meaning
to act in a way that helps other people
Example
It is always a good idea to **do good to others**.
idiom

blue chip

Meaning
a well-established and financially sound company
Example
He prefers to invest in **blue chip** stocks for stability.
phrasal-verb

balance out trade deficits

Meaning
to equalize imports and exports to avoid economic imbalance
Example
The country is working to **balance out trade deficits** by boosting exports.
phrasal-verb

heal from

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

hold over feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions or resentment from the past and let them affect the present
Example
She tends to **hold over feelings** from old arguments.
idiom

a steep learning curve

Meaning
when something is difficult to learn, usually quickly
Example
The new software had a **steep learning curve**, but I managed to understand it.
idiom

debug the situation

Meaning
to analyze and solve a problem carefully; borrowed from programming
Example
We need to **debug the situation** before it gets worse.
idiom

the picture of health

Meaning
a person who looks very healthy
Example
Despite his age, he’s still **the picture of health**.
idiom

rally the troops

Meaning
to motivate or encourage a group to take action
Example
The manager **rallied the troops** before the big presentation.
idiom

have a brainwave

Meaning
to suddenly have a clever idea
Example
I **had a brainwave** and solved the puzzle.
idiom

Light a fire under someone

Meaning
To motivate someone to take action or work harder.
Example
The coach’s speech really **lit a fire under** the players.
idiom

off the top of your head

Meaning
to say something without deep thinking or preparation
Example
I can’t remember the exact number **off the top of my head**.
idiom

play it straight

Meaning
to be honest and direct
Example
Just **play it straight** and tell them what happened.
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

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

code around

Meaning
to find a software workaround for a problem
Example
Engineers **code around** the bug until an official patch ships.
phrasal-verb

cheer on

Meaning
to encourage someone to keep going; to show support
Example
My friends always **cheer on** me when I feel down.
phrasal-verb

hold it together

Meaning
to stay calm and not show your emotions when under stress
Example
Even under pressure, she managed to **hold it together**.
phrasal-verb

stand together for inclusion

Meaning
to unite in support of equality and inclusion
Example
Employees decided to **stand together for inclusion** during the diversity week.
idiom

clash of civilizations

Meaning
the conflict between different cultural, religious, or civilizational groups
Example
The debate about cultural differences is often seen as a **clash of civilizations**.
idiom

fall on one's shoulders

Meaning
to be responsible for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
The task of organizing the event **fell on her shoulders**.
idiom

burn one’s fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of one’s own mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by investing in a risky business.
idiom

leave a legacy

Meaning
to create something that lasts and benefits others after you are gone
Example
He worked hard all his life to **leave a legacy** for his children.
phrasal-verb

hand action items out

Meaning
to assign follow-up tasks to specific people
Example
Facilitators **hand action items out** before closing the meeting.
phrasal-verb

scroll back

Meaning
to move up to view older posts or messages
Example
I **scrolled back** to see our old conversation.
phrasal-verb

team together

Meaning
to form or join a group to work on something
Example
Let's **team together** to organize the upcoming workshop.
idiom

head over heels

Meaning
deeply in love
Example
He fell **head over heels** for her the moment they met.
phrasal-verb

click away

Meaning
to leave a dangerous or suspicious webpage quickly
Example
If you see something strange, just **click away** immediately.
phrasal-verb

draw strength from failure

Meaning
to learn and grow stronger after failure
Example
Winners **draw strength from failure** instead of giving up.
idiom

the bottom line

Meaning
the most important fact or result
Example
The **bottom line** is that we need to increase our profits.
phrasal-verb

set things straight with

Meaning
to clarify or resolve a misunderstanding
Example
He met her to **set things straight with** her after the confusion.