keep one's nose to the grindstone
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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

feel off-color

Meaning
to feel slightly ill
Example
I’m feeling a bit **off-color** today.
idiom

bend over backwards

Meaning
to make a great effort to help or please someone
Example
She **bent over backwards** to make the event successful.
idiom

bend the truth

Meaning
to slightly change the truth to make something sound better
Example
He tends to **bend the truth** when telling stories.
idiom

wake up to

Meaning
to become aware of something important
Example
Communities are **waking up to** the impact of noise pollution.
idiom

the art of persuasion

Meaning
the ability to convince someone to do something or believe something
Example
He mastered **the art of persuasion** and convinced them to support his cause.
idiom

to feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel very good or confident
Example
After the spa treatment, I **felt like a million bucks**.
idiom

strength in numbers

Meaning
greater power comes from a larger group
Example
We can win this battle if we stick together, there's **strength in numbers**.
phrasal-verb

acknowledge someone for

Meaning
to recognize and thank someone for their help or contribution
Example
The company **acknowledged her for** her dedication and teamwork.
idiom

burst into tears

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **burst into tears** after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

fact check against

Meaning
to verify information by comparing it with reliable sources
Example
Journalists **fact check against** official records to avoid errors.
idiom

bite your tongue

Meaning
to stop yourself from saying something you want to say
Example
I had to **bite my tongue** when my boss took credit for my work.
phrasal-verb

pass on

Meaning
to convey information to someone else
Example
Please **pass on** the message to the entire team.
phrasal-verb

turn down for

Meaning
to reject an offer or opportunity
Example
He was **turned down for** the job because he lacked experience.
phrasal-verb

map out choices

Meaning
to list different options with their details
Example
We **map out choices** before deciding which project to take on.
idiom

a shot in the arm

Meaning
something that gives encouragement or energy
Example
The new funding was **a real shot in the arm** for the project.
phrasal-verb

step ahead

Meaning
to be more advanced or prepared than others
Example
With her skills, she’s always **one step ahead** of her competitors.
phrasal-verb

bounce ahead of

Meaning
to recover or progress faster than others after a downturn
Example
Some tech firms managed to **bounce ahead of** their competitors after the crisis.
idiom

Let the dust settle

Meaning
Wait until a situation becomes calm and clear.
Example
Before making any decisions, let's **let the dust settle** and see what happens.
idiom

A shot in the dark

Meaning
a guess or attempt made without knowing much or anything about the result
Example
His idea about solving the problem was just **a shot in the dark**.
idiom

seat of power

Meaning
a place where authority or control is exercised
Example
The prime minister returned to the **seat of power** after a long illness.
idiom

to be ahead of the curve

Meaning
to be more advanced than others
Example
Her research was **ahead of the curve** in the field of artificial intelligence.
idiom

Make a mountain out of a molehill

Meaning
To exaggerate a small problem and make it seem much bigger than it really is.
Example
She made such a big deal out of forgetting her phone; she really **made a mountain out of a molehill**.
phrasal-verb

look out for each other

Meaning
to take care of and support one another
Example
In a strong team, members always **look out for each other**.
phrasal-verb

come back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
When will you **come back** from London?
phrasal-verb

stand for equality

Meaning
to represent or support the idea of equal rights for all
Example
We must **stand for equality** in every part of the world.
phrasal-verb

listen without

Meaning
to listen attentively without interrupting or judging
Example
It helps when someone just **listens without** giving advice.
idiom

fingers crossed

Meaning
hoping for good luck or a good result
Example
I have my **fingers crossed** for your exam results.
phrasal-verb

clamp down on corruption

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something harmful or illegal
Example
The new government promised to **clamp down on corruption** across all departments.
idiom

pay it forward

Meaning
to do something kind for someone else after receiving kindness
Example
After receiving help from a stranger, he decided to **pay it forward** by helping someone in need.
idiom

on edge

Meaning
to be nervous, tense, or irritable
Example
She’s been **on edge** since the exam started.
idiom

Pick up the tab

Meaning
To pay the bill for something.
Example
John offered to **pick up the tab** for everyone.
idiom

hand over to

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

down to the wire

Meaning
until the very last moment; close to the deadline
Example
The game went **down to the wire**, but they won in the end.
idiom

to have second thoughts

Meaning
to reconsider a decision
Example
I’m **having second thoughts** about moving abroad.
phrasal-verb

result in

Meaning
to cause something to happen
Example
The lack of data **resulted in** an incomplete analysis.
idiom

Shoulder to shoulder

Meaning
Working together closely and equally.
Example
The soldiers stood **shoulder to shoulder** in battle.
idiom

in the limelight

Meaning
to be the focus of public attention
Example
After winning the award, he was **in the limelight** for months.
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

ease inflation

Meaning
to make inflation less severe or reduce price pressure
Example
Rising interest rates can help **ease inflation** over time.
phrasal-verb

shrink back

Meaning
to move away from something because of fear
Example
The child **shrank back** when the dog barked loudly.
phrasal-verb

throw over

Meaning
to end a relationship with someone; to abandon
Example
She **threw him over** for another guy.
idiom

fall through the cracks

Meaning
to be overlooked or neglected
Example
I forgot to follow up on his application and it **fell through the cracks**.
idiom

gray area

Meaning
a situation that is not clearly defined or falls between two categories
Example
AI surveillance laws still fall into a **gray area**.
idiom

out of the picture

Meaning
no longer involved or relevant
Example
After the gallery closed, the curator was **out of the picture**.
phrasal-verb

think over

Meaning
to consider something carefully before making a decision
Example
I need to **think over** your proposal before giving you an answer.
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.
phrasal-verb

come out stronger

Meaning
to recover from difficulties with more strength or wisdom
Example
After failing the exam, she managed to **come out stronger** and more determined.
idiom

a shoulder to cry on

Meaning
someone who listens and supports you when you are sad
Example
She has always been **a shoulder to cry on** when I needed help.
idiom

Climb the ranks

Meaning
To move up to higher positions through hard work and experience.
Example
He **climbed the ranks** from an intern to a manager in five years.
idiom

chip in for

Meaning
to contribute money toward a shared cost
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in for** a farewell cake.
phrasal-verb

boil with anger

Meaning
to be extremely angry
Example
She was **boiling with anger** when she found out about the unfair decision.
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

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

be responsible for

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

bear the brunt

Meaning
to take the main responsibility or suffering of something unpleasant
Example
The junior staff had to **bear the brunt** of the manager’s anger.
idiom

going viral

Meaning
to become very popular very quickly on the internet or social media
Example
The video of the cat dancing has **gone viral** and everyone is talking about it.
idiom

go belly up

Meaning
to fail completely; to go bankrupt
Example
Many small businesses **went belly up** during the pandemic.
phrasal-verb

acknowledge with thanks

Meaning
to formally accept something and thank the giver
Example
We **acknowledge with thanks** the donation from our partners.
idiom

go by the book

Meaning
to follow rules or procedures strictly
Example
The officer always **goes by the book** during inspections.
idiom

the naked truth

Meaning
the complete and unvarnished truth
Example
She told me **the naked truth** about what happened.
idiom

give someone a break

Meaning
to give someone a chance or show them mercy
Example
He’s new here, so **give him a break**.
phrasal-verb

write in

Meaning
to send a written complaint or opinion
Example
Many viewers **wrote in** to complain about the poor sound quality.
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

take the stand

Meaning
to testify in court
Example
The witness will **take the stand** tomorrow morning.
idiom

keep in mind

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

smooth over

Meaning
to make a problem seem less serious
Example
We need to **smooth over** the miscommunication with a quick call.
idiom

on the stump

Meaning
to campaign for political office, especially by giving speeches in public
Example
The candidate has been **on the stump** for weeks, rallying support across the country.
idiom

spaced out

Meaning
not paying attention; lost in thought
Example
He looked completely **spaced out** during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

break limits

Meaning
to go beyond what is normally possible or expected
Example
He **broke limits** by achieving what no one else dared to try.
phrasal-verb

set out objectives

Meaning
to clearly define goals or intentions
Example
The UN has **set out objectives** for sustainable development.
phrasal-verb

vote through reform

Meaning
to officially approve a change by voting
Example
Parliament successfully **voted through reform** aimed at transparency.
idiom

mind over matter

Meaning
the use of willpower to overcome physical problems
Example
Running that marathon was pure **mind over matter**.
phrasal-verb

hold on to

Meaning
to keep believing or trying despite difficulties
Example
You must **hold on to** your dreams no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

lace up for

Meaning
to tie your shoes or gear in preparation for something
Example
I **lace up for** my morning run as soon as the sun comes up.
idiom

green light

Meaning
permission to start or go ahead with something
Example
The manager gave us the **green light** to launch the project.
idiom

bosom friend

Meaning
a very close and trusted friend
Example
We’ve been **bosom friends** since childhood.
idiom

a political football

Meaning
an issue used by politicians for their own advantage
Example
Healthcare has become **a political football** in the country.
phrasal-verb

grow into self-belief

Meaning
to gradually develop confidence in yourself
Example
Over time, he **grew into self-belief** and stopped comparing himself to others.
idiom

When the going gets tough, the tough get going

Meaning
Strong people keep working hard even in difficulties.
Example
**When the going gets tough, the tough get going** — never lose hope.
idiom

brain like a sieve

Meaning
having a very bad memory
Example
I keep forgetting things—I’ve got a **brain like a sieve**!
phrasal-verb

work for

Meaning
to be employed by someone or an organization
Example
I **work for** a multinational company in Dhaka.
idiom

bright spark

Meaning
a very clever or talented person
Example
The new intern is a real **bright spark** with great ideas.
phrasal-verb

draw apart

Meaning
to separate or move away from each other
Example
Over the years, the two friends slowly **drew apart**.
phrasal-verb

reach out for mediation

Meaning
to seek help from a third party to resolve conflict
Example
Both sides **reached out for mediation** to end the war peacefully.
phrasal-verb

crash down

Meaning
to suddenly stop working or fail completely
Example
The software **crashed down** in the middle of my presentation.
idiom

Risk it for the biscuit

Meaning
To take a risk to achieve something worthwhile.
Example
He knew it was risky, but he decided to **risk it for the biscuit**.
idiom

Move heaven and earth

Meaning
To do everything possible to achieve something.
Example
They **moved heaven and earth** to save the project.
idiom

Keep at it

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

work toward equality

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve fairness and equal opportunities
Example
International organizations continue to **work toward equality** for all genders.
phrasal-verb

shout out to

Meaning
to publicly acknowledge or compliment someone
Example
Let’s **shout out to** everyone who helped organize the event.
idiom

go over

Meaning
to review or discuss something thoroughly
Example
Can we **go over** the agenda together?
idiom

bite someone’s head off

Meaning
to speak angrily to someone without reason
Example
I just asked a question, no need to **bite my head off**!
idiom

pay a compliment

Meaning
to give praise or admiration to someone
Example
He always knows how to **pay a compliment** to make someone feel better.
idiom

get straight to the point

Meaning
to talk directly about the main topic
Example
Let's **get straight to the point** and discuss the issue.
phrasal-verb

recover from

Meaning
to return to a normal state after a setback or loss
Example
The global economy is gradually **recovering from** the financial crisis.
phrasal-verb

map against

Meaning
to compare something with a standard or benchmark
Example
Finance **maps against** last year's numbers before approving raises.
idiom

cool as a cucumber

Meaning
very calm and composed
Example
He stayed **cool as a cucumber** during the meeting.
idiom

glue together

Meaning
to attach pieces firmly using adhesive
Example
Let the students **glue together** the collage pieces.
idiom

I’m here for you

Meaning
You can count on my support.
Example
Whenever you need me, **I’m here for you**.
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

to hit it off

Meaning
to quickly become good friends
Example
We **hit it off** the moment we met.
phrasal-verb

map forward

Meaning
to plan the direction or steps for future progress
Example
The manager helped the team **map forward** their long-term strategy.
idiom

kingmaker

Meaning
a person who has great influence in deciding who will hold power
Example
The media mogul became a **kingmaker** in national politics.
idiom

take no prisoners

Meaning
to be ruthless or extremely determined in achieving something
Example
Our sales team **takes no prisoners** when it comes to competition.
phrasal-verb

burst with

Meaning
to be full of a strong emotion like happiness or excitement
Example
The children were **bursting with** excitement on their birthday.
phrasal-verb

rise back up

Meaning
to increase again after falling
Example
Employment rates began to **rise back up** as new businesses opened.
phrasal-verb

aim higher

Meaning
to set more ambitious goals
Example
If you want to succeed, you must **aim higher**.
phrasal-verb

look beyond

Meaning
to think about the future or consider wider possibilities
Example
Good leaders **look beyond** short-term results to long-term growth.
idiom

A Trojan horse

Meaning
Something intended to secretly undermine or bring harm from within.
Example
The malware acted as **a Trojan horse**, allowing hackers access to private data.
phrasal-verb

step beyond fear

Meaning
to act courageously despite being afraid
Example
To succeed, you must **step beyond fear** and take bold action.
phrasal-verb

open up to others

Meaning
to share thoughts and feelings with people from other cultures
Example
When you **open up to others**, you start to understand their perspectives better.
phrasal-verb

build over

Meaning
to move past a negative feeling or fear by developing confidence
Example
He managed to **build over** his fear of speaking in public.
phrasal-verb

listen actively

Meaning
to focus completely on what someone is saying and respond thoughtfully
Example
Try to **listen actively** instead of just waiting to reply.
idiom

masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something developing into something great
Example
Her latest project looks like **a masterpiece in the making**.
idiom

artificial neural network

Meaning
an AI system designed to mimic the human brain's ability to recognize patterns and solve problems.
Example
The **artificial neural network** is capable of processing data in a way similar to the human brain.
phrasal-verb

take on new challenges

Meaning
to accept new or difficult tasks
Example
To grow professionally, you should **take on new challenges** regularly.
idiom

heart in one’s mouth

Meaning
to feel extreme fear or anxiety
Example
My **heart was in my mouth** as I waited for the results.
idiom

turn up the heat

Meaning
to increase pressure or intensity
Example
The scientists decided to **turn up the heat** on the experiment.
idiom

dirty politics

Meaning
political activities that are considered dishonest or unethical
Example
His campaign was full of **dirty politics**, using false information to attack his opponent.
idiom

seeing is believing

Meaning
only what one sees can be believed; things must be experienced to be believed.
Example
I was skeptical at first, but when I saw the results, I realized **seeing is believing**.