keep your cards close to your chest
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idiom

keep your cards close to your chest

Meaning
to keep your plans or intentions secret
Example
She always **keeps her cards close to her chest** during negotiations.
idiom

push your luck

Meaning
take a risk hoping for more success
Example
You already got a discount, don’t **push your luck**.
phrasal-verb

refer back to

Meaning
to mention or direct attention to something mentioned earlier
Example
In this section, we **refer back to** the previous findings.
phrasal-verb

pay down

Meaning
to reduce a debt gradually by making regular payments
Example
She’s trying to **pay down** her credit card debt.
idiom

Pour your heart out

Meaning
To express all your feelings honestly.
Example
She **poured her heart out** to her best friend.
phrasal-verb

carry out negotiations

Meaning
to conduct formal discussions to reach an agreement
Example
Our team will **carry out negotiations** with foreign investors next week.
phrasal-verb

back up initiatives

Meaning
to provide support or resources for new projects
Example
Global organizations **back up initiatives** that promote equality.
phrasal-verb

hold in

Meaning
to control your emotions or not express them
Example
She tried to **hold in** her laughter during the meeting.
idiom

Nosey parker

Meaning
Someone who is too interested in other people's business.
Example
Stop being a **nosey parker** and mind your own business!
phrasal-verb

speak around

Meaning
to discuss a topic without addressing it directly
Example
He tends to **speak around** the real issue instead of confronting it.
phrasal-verb

find along

Meaning
to discover or encounter something while moving or traveling
Example
We **found along** a beautiful lake on our way to the hills.
phrasal-verb

talk straight with

Meaning
to speak honestly and directly to someone
Example
I need to **talk straight with** the team about the missed deadline.
idiom

pull out all the stops

Meaning
to make every possible effort to achieve something
Example
The team **pulled out all the stops** to win the championship.
idiom

hold down

Meaning
to keep something at a low level
Example
It’s tough to **hold down** rent costs in this city.
phrasal-verb

push forward with

Meaning
to continue making progress despite challenges
Example
The team decided to **push forward with** the new project.
phrasal-verb

rise through emotions

Meaning
to grow stronger by learning from emotional experiences
Example
We can **rise through emotions** and become wiser each time.
phrasal-verb

find over to

Meaning
to move or transfer attention or focus to something new
Example
She quickly **found over to** another topic when things got awkward.
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.
phrasal-verb

stick with your goals

Meaning
to stay committed to your plans and not give up
Example
If you **stick with your goals**, you’ll see results soon.
idiom

call to action

Meaning
a prompt that encourages an immediate response from an audience
Example
Your ad must include a strong **call to action**.
idiom

step on the gas

Meaning
to move faster; to hurry up
Example
We need to **step on the gas** if we want to reach on time.
phrasal-verb

acknowledge with thanks

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

see to

Meaning
to make sure something is done; to take care of something
Example
I’ll **see to** it that the documents are ready on time.
phrasal-verb

read up about

Meaning
to study or get information about something by reading
Example
Before visiting Japan, I **read up about** its culture and traditions.
idiom

the green-eyed monster

Meaning
jealousy personified or described as a destructive force
Example
Don't let **the green-eyed monster** ruin your friendship.
idiom

grey matter

Meaning
intelligence; the ability to think
Example
Use your **grey matter** to solve the puzzle.
idiom

gain the upper ground

Meaning
to achieve a position of advantage or superiority
Example
The opposition **gained the upper ground** after the scandal.
idiom

face up to

Meaning
to accept and confront a difficult situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to** the staffing gaps.
idiom

behind the times

Meaning
old-fashioned or not keeping up with modern ideas
Example
My uncle still uses a typewriter—he’s **behind the times**.
phrasal-verb

hand in through

Meaning
to submit work using an online platform
Example
All assignments must be **handed in through** the company portal.
phrasal-verb

speak out for peace

Meaning
to publicly express support for harmony and understanding
Example
Global organizations **speak out for peace** during world summits.
phrasal-verb

connect with

Meaning
to understand or share similar feelings with someone
Example
I immediately **connected with** her because we had similar life experiences.
idiom

have words with someone

Meaning
to argue with someone verbally
Example
I **had words with** my boss about the new policy.
idiom

take a dim view of

Meaning
to disapprove of something; to have a negative opinion
Example
The manager **takes a dim view of** employees arriving late.
idiom

Open book

Meaning
Someone who is easy to understand or transparent.
Example
She’s an **open book**; you always know what she’s thinking.
phrasal-verb

bring around

Meaning
to persuade someone to accept your opinion
Example
I finally **brought her around** to my point of view.
phrasal-verb

add in

Meaning
to include a small polite comment or detail
Example
If I may, I’d like to **add in** one more observation.
phrasal-verb

pin down

Meaning
to identify or determine something exactly
Example
We finally **pinned down** the project’s main objectives.
phrasal-verb

fit around

Meaning
to organize work or tasks to accommodate other activities or people
Example
She managed to **fit her schedule around** her team’s needs to ensure smooth collaboration.
phrasal-verb

search for

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

cut someone some slack

Meaning
to be less critical or give someone a break
Example
You should **cut him some slack**—he’s having a tough day.
phrasal-verb

bridge across languages

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

talk out of

Meaning
to persuade someone not to do something
Example
I tried to **talk him out of** quitting his job.
idiom

crunch the data

Meaning
to process and analyze large amounts of data
Example
The AI can **crunch the data** in seconds and give insights.
idiom

under investigation

Meaning
being examined or looked into by authorities for possible wrongdoing
Example
The suspect is currently **under investigation** for his involvement in the crime.
idiom

beat down

Meaning
to strike repeatedly with force, such as intense sun or rain
Example
The afternoon sun **beat down** on the field all day.
idiom

patience is a virtue

Meaning
being patient is a good quality
Example
Remember, **patience is a virtue**, so take your time.
idiom

a dream come true

Meaning
something that happens which you always wished for
Example
Getting that scholarship was **a dream come true** for her.
idiom

take the initiative

Meaning
to act first and show leadership
Example
Effective leaders often **take the initiative** to improve things.
idiom

let sleeping dogs lie

Meaning
to avoid bringing up a problem that will cause trouble
Example
It is better to **let sleeping dogs lie**.
phrasal-verb

start over

Meaning
to begin again after a failure
Example
If something doesn’t work, just **start over** and try a new way.
phrasal-verb

get over

Meaning
to recover from something upsetting or difficult
Example
It took him a long time to **get over** his fears.
phrasal-verb

wind up about

Meaning
to become agitated or upset because of something
Example
Try not to **wind up about** the traffic; we'll still make it on time.
idiom

Put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to risk everything on a single opportunity
Example
Don’t **put all your eggs in one basket**; invest in different sectors.
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

move beyond

Meaning
to progress further than a previous level or limitation
Example
He tried to **move beyond** his earlier academic failures.
idiom

slippery slope

Meaning
a situation that can lead to serious problems if not controlled
Example
Allowing AI to make moral decisions is a **slippery slope**.
phrasal-verb

glitch out

Meaning
to malfunction briefly or behave strangely due to an error
Example
My phone screen **glitched out** for a few seconds.
idiom

bail someone out

Meaning
to help someone out of a difficult situation
Example
His friend **bailed him out** when he ran out of money.
idiom

synergy

Meaning
the combined power of a group that is greater than the sum of individual efforts
Example
The **synergy** between the teams resulted in a groundbreaking product.
phrasal-verb

log back in

Meaning
to enter your account again after logging out
Example
I had to **log back in** after my session expired.
phrasal-verb

bring about change

Meaning
to cause something to happen; to make change occur
Example
A good leader can bring about change in any organization.
idiom

train of thought

Meaning
a connected series of thoughts
Example
I lost my **train of thought** during the presentation.
idiom

blur the lines

Meaning
to make the difference between two things less clear or distinct
Example
AI-generated art often **blurs the lines** between human creativity and machine output.
phrasal-verb

come clean with

Meaning
to be completely honest with someone about something
Example
You should **come clean with** the team about the project delay.
idiom

zoom in

Meaning
to focus closely on something
Example
Use the report to **zoom in** on customer trends.
idiom

climb the corporate ladder

Meaning
to advance in one’s career or position in a company
Example
He worked hard to **climb the corporate ladder**.
phrasal-verb

carry forward your progress

Meaning
to continue developing based on what you have already achieved
Example
Always try to **carry forward your progress** to the next level.
phrasal-verb

wrap around

Meaning
to summarize or conclude by revisiting main ideas
Example
Let’s **wrap around** our discussion by revisiting the key points.
idiom

in the footsteps of

Meaning
to follow someone’s example or career path
Example
She followed **in the footsteps of** her father, becoming a successful entrepreneur.
idiom

Miracles happen

Meaning
Unexpected good things can occur.
Example
Don’t lose faith—**miracles happen** every day.
idiom

zero gravity

Meaning
a state of complete freedom or lack of pressure
Example
After quitting his stressful job, he felt like he was in **zero gravity**.
idiom

go places

Meaning
to be likely to become successful in the future
Example
Everyone says he’s going to **go places** with his skills.
idiom

back away from

Meaning
to retreat or withdraw from a situation
Example
He chose to **back away from** the argument before it escalated.
idiom

spill your guts

Meaning
to tell someone all your private feelings or secrets
Example
After a few drinks, he started to **spill his guts** about his failed marriage.
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

hit the same wavelength

Meaning
to share similar thoughts and feelings
Example
We **hit the same wavelength** from the first conversation.
idiom

own up to your mistakes

Meaning
to admit that you have done something wrong
Example
It takes courage to **own up to your mistakes**.
phrasal-verb

comment on

Meaning
to express an opinion about something
Example
Please **comment on** the professor’s recent publication.
phrasal-verb

grow closer

Meaning
to gradually become more emotionally connected
Example
Over the years, we’ve **grown closer** as a family.
idiom

the political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to handle
Example
Corruption has become **a political hot potato** in the country.
phrasal-verb

embrace good vibes

Meaning
to accept and enjoy positive energy and feelings around you
Example
Let’s **embrace good vibes** and enjoy the moment.
phrasal-verb

switch off mentally

Meaning
to stop thinking about work or problems for a while
Example
On weekends, I try to **switch off mentally** and enjoy time with my family.
phrasal-verb

wait your turn

Meaning
to be patient and not interrupt others
Example
Children should learn to **wait their turn** while playing.
phrasal-verb

set about

Meaning
to begin doing something with determination
Example
He **set about** cleaning the entire house after breakfast.
idiom

ahead of the game

Meaning
to have an advantage or be well prepared
Example
She’s always **ahead of the game** with her planning.
phrasal-verb

bungle up

Meaning
to spoil or ruin something through clumsiness
Example
The workers **bungled up** the whole paint job.
idiom

bring to life

Meaning
to make something more interesting or realistic
Example
The artist’s use of color really **brought the painting to life**.
phrasal-verb

step up to challenges

Meaning
to face difficult situations with courage and effort
Example
Good leaders always **step up to challenges**.
phrasal-verb

warm up to someone

Meaning
to begin to like or trust someone
Example
She slowly **warmed up to** her new classmates.
phrasal-verb

join across

Meaning
to connect or unite with people or organizations from different countries or sectors
Example
Businesses **join across** industries to promote sustainability.
phrasal-verb

live within your means

Meaning
to spend less money than you earn
Example
It's important to **live within your means** to avoid debt.
idiom

put one's foot in one's mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate
Example
He really **put his foot in his mouth** when he mentioned her ex-boyfriend.
phrasal-verb

set back

Meaning
to delay progress or cause a problem
Example
The heavy rain **set back** the construction work by two weeks.
phrasal-verb

speak on behalf of

Meaning
to represent someone else's opinion politely
Example
I’d like to **speak on behalf of** my team regarding this issue.
phrasal-verb

learn from others

Meaning
to gain knowledge or understanding from people of different cultures
Example
We can **learn from others** by observing their traditions and values.
idiom

phase back in

Meaning
to reintroduce something gradually
Example
We’ll **phase back in** office days next quarter.
phrasal-verb

embrace your journey

Meaning
to accept and appreciate your personal process of growth and healing
Example
It’s important to **embrace your journey**, even when it’s difficult.
idiom

call to mind

Meaning
to remember or recall something
Example
This song **calls to mind** my childhood days.
idiom

all in good time

Meaning
something will happen eventually; be patient
Example
**All in good time**, you’ll see the results soon.
idiom

out of sorts

Meaning
feeling slightly unwell or upset
Example
He’s been **out of sorts** since he caught that cold.
idiom

Put one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
To focus on hard work and continuous effort.
Example
She really had to **put her nose to the grindstone** to get the promotion.
phrasal-verb

tear up

Meaning
to start crying a little
Example
She **teared up** during the emotional movie scene.
idiom

hit the gas

Meaning
to accelerate; to move faster
Example
He **hit the gas** to catch the green light.
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.
phrasal-verb

split profits with

Meaning
to share earnings or gains equally or based on agreement
Example
They decided to **split profits with** their local partners.
idiom

keep a stiff upper lip

Meaning
to not show your emotions in difficult situations
Example
Even after losing the match, the team **kept a stiff upper lip**.
phrasal-verb

bring out

Meaning
to reveal or emphasize a quality or idea
Example
Her words **brought out** the importance of teamwork.
phrasal-verb

sit down with

Meaning
to meet and discuss something seriously or formally
Example
Government officials will **sit down with** community leaders to resolve the conflict.
phrasal-verb

close a deal

Meaning
to successfully reach an agreement or finalize a business transaction
Example
Our company managed to **close a deal** with a top European distributor.
idiom

by the skin of your teeth

Meaning
to just barely manage to do something
Example
He passed the exam **by the skin of his teeth**.
phrasal-verb

ease inflation

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

Zoom in on

Meaning
To focus closely on something
Example
Let’s **zoom in on** the key issues first.
idiom

train a model

Meaning
to teach an AI model using data to make predictions or decisions
Example
We need to **train a model** on the new dataset before running predictions.
idiom

stand one’s ground

Meaning
to refuse to change your opinion or position
Example
She **stood her ground** during the heated debate.
idiom

take the rap

Meaning
to be punished or blamed for something, often unfairly.
Example
He **took the rap** for the team’s poor performance.
phrasal-verb

live up to promises

Meaning
to act according to what one has promised or expected
Example
Great leaders always **live up to** their promises.
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.
phrasal-verb

comfort with words

Meaning
to make someone feel better by speaking kindly
Example
He tried to **comfort her with words** after the loss.
idiom

pull oneself up by the bootstraps

Meaning
to improve one's situation through hard work and determination
Example
Despite all the challenges, he **pulled himself up by the bootstraps** and succeeded.
phrasal-verb

drop in

Meaning
to visit someone casually without prior arrangement
Example
My neighbors often **drop in** for coffee in the evening.