keep a straight face
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idiom

keep a straight face

Meaning
to avoid laughing in a funny situation
Example
It was hard to **keep a straight face** during his silly speech.
phrasal-verb

keep learning forward

Meaning
to continue gaining lessons even after failing
Example
No matter how many times you fail, just **keep learning forward**.
idiom

keep in mind

Meaning
to remember something important
Example
**Keep in mind** that deadlines are strict.
idiom

kick around

Meaning
to discuss ideas informally
Example
We can **kick around** some concepts after lunch.
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

Keep an even keel

Meaning
To stay calm and steady, especially during difficulties.
Example
Despite the pressure, she **kept an even keel** throughout the project.
phrasal-verb

kick oneself for

Meaning
to feel angry or regretful for doing or not doing something
Example
I could **kick myself for** not taking that job opportunity.
idiom

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

Meaning
It's important to maintain good relationships with your friends, but it's equally important to understand your enemies.
Example
He always watches his competitors carefully because he believes in **keeping your friends close and your enemies closer**.
phrasal-verb

keep up with changes

Meaning
to stay informed or updated about new developments
Example
Employees must **keep up with changes** in company policies.
idiom

knock your socks off

Meaning
to impress or surprise someone greatly
Example
The concert will **knock your socks off**!
phrasal-verb

kick start

Meaning
to start something quickly and effectively
Example
The new project aims to **kick start** rural economic growth.
phrasal-verb

keep fit

Meaning
to stay healthy and physically active
Example
I go jogging every morning to **keep fit**.
idiom

keep your dreams alive

Meaning
to continue believing in your goals even when it's hard
Example
No matter how tough life gets, **keep your dreams alive**.
idiom

kick in

Meaning
to begin to take effect
Example
The backup generator should **kick in** within seconds.
phrasal-verb

keep faith in yourself

Meaning
to continue believing in your own abilities
Example
No matter how tough it gets, **keep faith in yourself**.
idiom

Keep your head above water

Meaning
Manage to survive or cope with difficulties.
Example
It’s hard, but I’m trying to **keep my head above water**.
idiom

keep faith

Meaning
to continue believing in something or someone
Example
Even in tough times, you must **keep faith**.
idiom

kill time

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

keep a low profile

Meaning
to avoid attracting attention; to stay calm and unnoticed
Example
After the controversy, he decided to **keep a low profile**.
phrasal-verb

keep back

Meaning
to withhold something; to stay at a distance
Example
The police told the crowd to **keep back** from the scene.
idiom

Keep fighting

Meaning
Continue striving; don’t give up.
Example
No matter what happens, just **keep fighting**.
idiom

Keep at it

Meaning
Continue trying even when it’s hard.
Example
Don’t give up—just **keep at it**.
phrasal-verb

keep up

Meaning
to maintain or continue a custom or tradition
Example
Our family still **keeps up** the tradition of making homemade sweets on Eid.
idiom

keep on track

Meaning
to continue doing something as planned
Example
We need to **keep on track** to meet our deadlines.
phrasal-verb

keep inflation in check

Meaning
to control inflation and prevent it from rising too much
Example
The government is trying to **keep inflation in check** through monetary policies.
idiom

keep your word

Meaning
to honor a promise or commitment
Example
You must always **keep your word** if you want to gain trust.
idiom

keep the momentum

Meaning
to continue progressing without slowing down
Example
We need to **keep the momentum** to reach our target.
idiom

keep someone at arm’s length

Meaning
to avoid getting too close to someone
Example
After the argument, I **kept him at arm’s length**.
idiom

keep your cool

Meaning
to stay calm under stress or provocation
Example
Even in emergencies, he always **keeps his cool**.
phrasal-verb

kick goals around

Meaning
to discuss possible objectives informally
Example
We **kick goals around** during lunch before locking the roadmap.
idiom

Keep a cool head

Meaning
to remain calm and not get too emotional
Example
In a crisis, it's important to **keep a cool head**.
idiom

keep smiling

Meaning
to stay cheerful even when facing difficulties
Example
Whatever happens, just **keep smiling**.
phrasal-verb

kick off with

Meaning
to begin an event or activity with something specific
Example
The festival will **kick off with** a traditional dance performance.
idiom

kind words cost nothing

Meaning
being kind doesn’t take effort or money
Example
Remember, **kind words cost nothing**.
phrasal-verb

keep projects on track

Meaning
to ensure work stays within schedule and scope
Example
Daily standups help us **keep projects on track** despite surprises.
idiom

keep all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to rely on a single plan or source of success
Example
Don’t **keep all your eggs in one basket** when investing.
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.
idiom

know something by heart

Meaning
to memorize something perfectly
Example
She **knows all the poems by heart**.
phrasal-verb

keep at

Meaning
to continue doing something with determination
Example
If you **keep at** your practice, you’ll master it soon.
phrasal-verb

knock down

Meaning
to hit someone or something and cause them to fall to the ground
Example
The car **knocked down** a cyclist on the busy road.
idiom

kindness goes a long way

Meaning
a small act of kindness can have a big positive impact
Example
Remember, **kindness goes a long way** in building good relationships.
phrasal-verb

keep reserves for

Meaning
to save or hold funds for future use or emergencies
Example
The central bank decided to **keep reserves for** potential market shocks.
phrasal-verb

keep your head high

Meaning
to stay confident and proud even after facing criticism or failure
Example
No matter what happens, always **keep your head high**.
idiom

keep on keeping on

Meaning
to continue doing something despite challenges
Example
It’s tough, but you have to **keep on keeping on**.
idiom

keep out

Meaning
to prevent someone or something from entering
Example
Close the windows to **keep out** the dust during the renovation.
phrasal-verb

keep in touch with

Meaning
to maintain contact or communication with someone over time
Example
Even after graduation, they promised to **keep in touch with** each other.
phrasal-verb

keep down

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

keep your chin up

Meaning
to stay positive and not lose hope in difficult situations
Example
**Keep your chin up**; things will get better soon.
idiom

keep one's head above water

Meaning
to survive financially in difficult times
Example
Many small businesses struggle to **keep their heads above water**.
idiom

kick back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing for a while
Example
After finishing the project, we just **kicked back** and watched a movie.
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

keep dreaming

Meaning
to continue having hopes and ambitions even when things are difficult
Example
No matter what happens, **keep dreaming** big.
idiom

Keep someone posted

Meaning
To keep someone informed about something.
Example
Please **keep me posted** about any updates.
idiom

keep the peace

Meaning
to maintain order and avoid conflict
Example
The police were called to **keep the peace** during the protest.
phrasal-verb

keep to

Meaning
to stick to something such as a rule or plan
Example
Please **keep to** the schedule.
idiom

keep up with

Meaning
to stay informed or at the same level as something or someone
Example
It's hard to **keep up with** the latest tech trends.
phrasal-verb

keep striving

Meaning
to continue trying hard to achieve something
Example
Even after success, a true professional keeps **striving** for excellence.
idiom

knock someone for six

Meaning
to shock or upset someone greatly
Example
The sudden loss **knocked him for six**.
idiom

keyboard warrior

Meaning
someone who posts aggressive or angry comments online
Example
He acts tough online, but he’s just a **keyboard warrior**.
idiom

Keep fighting the good fight

Meaning
Continue your efforts even when facing challenges.
Example
You may not see results yet, but **keep fighting the good fight**.
phrasal-verb

keep ahead

Meaning
to remain in a leading or advantageous position
Example
The company invests in innovation to **keep ahead** of competitors.
idiom

knuckle down

Meaning
to start working hard, especially after delaying
Example
It’s time to **knuckle down** and finish this report.
phrasal-verb

keep alive

Meaning
to make sure cultural traditions continue to exist
Example
Artists work hard to **keep alive** the spirit of folk art.
phrasal-verb

keep moving

Meaning
to continue progressing without giving up
Example
Even when life gets tough, you must **keep moving**.
phrasal-verb

keep pushing forward

Meaning
to continue moving toward your goals despite challenges
Example
Even when it’s tough, always **keep pushing forward**.
phrasal-verb

keep improving

Meaning
to continue making things better or more effective
Example
Our company culture encourages everyone to **keep improving**.
idiom

keep your nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and continuously
Example
If you **keep your nose to the grindstone**, you’ll achieve your goals.
phrasal-verb

keep faith with

Meaning
to stay loyal to someone or something
Example
Grassroots leaders **keep faith with** their communities.
idiom

keep body and soul together

Meaning
to manage to stay alive or survive
Example
He worked day and night just to **keep body and soul together**.
phrasal-verb

keep calm

Meaning
to stay relaxed and not get angry or upset
Example
He tried to **keep calm** when everyone else was panicking.
idiom

keep in touch

Meaning
to maintain communication with someone
Example
Even after moving away, we **keep in touch** regularly.
idiom

kick the bucket

Meaning
to die (informal)
Example
He finally **kicked the bucket** after a long illness.
idiom

kiss and make up

Meaning
to become friends again after an argument
Example
They always **kiss and make up** after every fight.
idiom

Know it all

Meaning
Someone who acts as if they know everything.
Example
He’s such a **know it all**, it’s annoying.
idiom

keep your fingers crossed

Meaning
to hope for good luck
Example
I am **keeping my fingers crossed** for the exam results.
phrasal-verb

keep your spirits up

Meaning
to stay cheerful and hopeful in tough times
Example
Even during stress, try to **keep your spirits up**.
idiom

keep your options open

Meaning
to delay making a final decision so you have choices
Example
I’ll **keep my options open** until I hear back from all the universities.
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.
phrasal-verb

keep up with studies

Meaning
to stay at the same level as others in your academic progress
Example
It's important to **keep up with studies** to avoid falling behind in class.
phrasal-verb

keep up your hopes

Meaning
to stay confident that things will turn out well
Example
Even in difficult times, she managed to **keep up her hopes**.
idiom

keep away from

Meaning
to avoid someone or something
Example
You should **keep away from** sugary drinks right now.
idiom

Know the drill

Meaning
To be familiar with a routine or procedure.
Example
Everyone here **knows the drill** during an emergency.
idiom

keep faith with someone

Meaning
to remain loyal to someone or something
Example
Even in hard times, she **kept faith with** her friends.
phrasal-verb

keep from

Meaning
to prevent oneself or someone from doing something
Example
I couldn’t **keep from** laughing when he told the joke.
phrasal-verb

keep ahead of

Meaning
to stay in front or make progress faster than others
Example
We need to **keep ahead of** the schedule to avoid stress later.
idiom

keep the home fires burning

Meaning
to maintain a happy home while others are away
Example
While her husband was abroad, she **kept the home fires burning**.
idiom

keep someone’s word

Meaning
to do what you promise to do
Example
You can trust him; he always **keeps his word**.
idiom

Keep the faith

Meaning
Continue to believe that things will work out.
Example
Even in hard times, **keep the faith**.
idiom

keep one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and continuously
Example
If you **keep your nose to the grindstone**, you'll achieve your goals.
idiom

keep tabs on

Meaning
to monitor someone or something closely
Example
I try to **keep tabs on** industry trends.
idiom

keep one's word

Meaning
to do what one has promised to do
Example
He always **keeps his word**, no matter what.
idiom

keep your mind on

Meaning
to stay focused on a task or goal
Example
If you **keep your mind on** your studies, you’ll do well.
idiom

knock around

Meaning
to spend time doing casual activities
Example
We’ll **knock around** the city after the workshop.
idiom

keep things in perspective

Meaning
to stay calm by seeing things realistically
Example
When stressed, try to **keep things in perspective**.
phrasal-verb

keep moving with purpose

Meaning
to continue progressing with clear goals and motivation
Example
Stay focused and **keep moving with purpose** every day.
idiom

kindred spirit

Meaning
someone who has similar interests or feelings
Example
We became friends because we’re **kindred spirits**.
phrasal-verb

keep in the loop

Meaning
to inform someone about all updates or developments
Example
Please **keep me in the loop** about any new client communication.
idiom

keep moving forward

Meaning
to continue progressing despite obstacles or setbacks
Example
No matter what happens, always **keep moving forward**.
phrasal-verb

keep the market afloat

Meaning
to prevent the market from collapsing or declining
Example
The stimulus package helped **keep the market afloat** during the crisis.
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

kill someone with kindness

Meaning
to be extra kind to someone unpleasant to neutralize their negativity
Example
The best way to deal with her is to **kill her with kindness**.
idiom

Keep the tradition alive

Meaning
To continue practicing a custom so that it is not forgotten
Example
Every year we celebrate this festival to **keep the tradition alive**.
idiom

kick the habit

Meaning
to stop doing something bad or addictive
Example
After ten years of smoking, he finally **kicked the habit**.
idiom

Keep it real

Meaning
To stay honest and genuine.
Example
She always tries to **keep it real** in her relationships.
phrasal-verb

knock off

Meaning
to stop working at the end of the day
Example
Let’s **knock off** early today and grab dinner together.
idiom

key in on

Meaning
to give focused attention to something specific
Example
The coach asked the team to **key in on** their defensive mistakes.
idiom

Keep going strong

Meaning
to keep persevering and not give up
Example
Even when times are tough, remember to **keep going strong**.
idiom

kick up a fuss

Meaning
to make a big complaint or protest about something
Example
They **kicked up a fuss** when the restaurant ran out of food.
phrasal-verb

keep under

Meaning
to control or suppress something or someone
Example
The manager tried to **keep under** control the rising tension.
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

keep an eye on

Meaning
to watch or monitor something or someone carefully
Example
Can you **keep an eye on** the kids while I'm cooking?
phrasal-verb

keep emotions in check

Meaning
to control your emotions and not let them take over
Example
During negotiations, she managed to **keep her emotions in check**.
idiom

keep your eyes peeled

Meaning
to stay alert and watch carefully
Example
Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of trouble.
idiom

key in

Meaning
to enter data using a keyboard or keypad
Example
Please **key in** your code before the door locks.
idiom

Keep an open mind

Meaning
To be willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
Try to **keep an open mind** when learning about different cultures.
idiom

knock it out of the park

Meaning
to do something extremely well or successfully
Example
Her presentation **knocked it out of the park**.
idiom

kick out

Meaning
to force someone to leave
Example
Security **kicked out** the rowdy fans before the end.
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

keep something to yourself

Meaning
not tell anyone about something
Example
Please **keep it to yourself** until we’re ready to announce.
idiom

keep the ball rolling

Meaning
to keep an activity or process going
Example
Let’s **keep the ball rolling** on this project.
phrasal-verb

keep cool

Meaning
to remain calm in a stressful situation
Example
It’s important to **keep cool** even when things go wrong.