kick up your heels
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idiom

kick up your heels

Meaning
to enjoy yourself by dancing or celebrating
Example
Everyone was ready to **kick up their heels** at the reunion.
phrasal-verb

knuckle under

Meaning
to accept someone’s authority or give in to pressure
Example
He refused to **knuckle under** to his boss’s unfair demands.
idiom

keep your head up

Meaning
to remain confident and strong during hardships
Example
**Keep your head up**, better days are coming.
idiom

Keep going

Meaning
Continue with determination despite difficulties.
Example
You're doing great—just **keep going**!
phrasal-verb

keep to oneself

Meaning
to not share thoughts or feelings with others
Example
He usually **keeps to himself** and doesn’t talk much.
idiom

keep your eyes peeled

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

Keep fighting

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

keep things bottled up

Meaning
to not express your emotions or worries
Example
He tends to **keep things bottled up** instead of talking about them.
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 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**.
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.
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

keep the peace

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

keep moving forward

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

Meaning
to maintain economic progress over time
Example
The government is focusing on policies to **keep up growth** while maintaining stability.
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 ahead

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

keep faith in

Meaning
to continue believing in something or someone despite difficulties
Example
Always **keep faith in** yourself, even when no one else does.
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.
idiom

keep your fingers crossed

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

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

Keep the faith

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

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

kick off

Meaning
to start an event or activity
Example
The workshop will **kick off** at 9 a.m. sharp.
idiom

keep one's cards close to the chest

Meaning
to keep one's plans or intentions secret
Example
During the negotiations, she **kept her cards close to the chest**.
idiom

keep on track

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

Meaning
to continue making an effort despite obstacles
Example
Even when life gets tough, keep **pushing** forward.
idiom

know someone inside out

Meaning
to know someone very well
Example
I **know her inside out**; we’ve been friends for years.
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.
phrasal-verb

keep after

Meaning
to remind or encourage someone to do something continuously
Example
Parents often **keep after** their children to do homework.
idiom

keep the dream alive

Meaning
to continue to hope or work toward a goal even after setbacks
Example
Even after the failure, they **kept the dream alive**.
idiom

keep faith with someone

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

know something by heart

Meaning
to memorize something perfectly
Example
She **knows all the poems by heart**.
idiom

Keep someone posted

Meaning
To keep someone informed about something.
Example
Please **keep me posted** about any updates.
phrasal-verb

keep pushing forward

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

Know it all

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

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

Keep hope alive

Meaning
To continue believing in a positive outcome.
Example
Even in hard times, we must **keep hope alive**.
idiom

Keep one’s eye on the ball

Meaning
To stay focused on achieving a goal.
Example
If you **keep your eye on the ball**, you’ll surely succeed.
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 it under your hat

Meaning
To keep something secret.
Example
I’ll tell you a secret, but **keep it under your hat**.
idiom

keep something under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
They managed to **keep the project under wraps** until the launch day.
idiom

kick in

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

keep striving for

Meaning
to continue making great efforts toward achieving something
Example
He always tells his students to **keep striving for** excellence.
idiom

kindred spirit

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

knock out

Meaning
to defeat someone so they can no longer compete
Example
They **knocked out** the defending champions in the semi-final.
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 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 improving

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

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

keep someone’s word

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

keep in touch

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

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 faith

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

kill two birds with one stone

Meaning
to succeed in achieving two things in a single action
Example
I can **kill two birds with one stone** by listening to a podcast while I exercise.
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 an eye out

Meaning
to watch for something or someone carefully
Example
Can you **keep an eye out** for my package while I'm away?
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

Know your stuff

Meaning
to be knowledgeable or skilled about something
Example
You can tell she really **knows her stuff** about physics.
idiom

keep your shirt on

Meaning
stay calm; don’t get angry or impatient
Example
**Keep your shirt on**, we’ll solve it soon.
phrasal-verb

keep on

Meaning
to continue doing something repeatedly
Example
She **kept on** talking even though nobody was listening.
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.
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 away

Meaning
to stay at a distance; to avoid something or someone
Example
You should **keep away** from junk food if you want to stay healthy.
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 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**.
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.
idiom

keyboard warrior

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

keep moving

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

key into

Meaning
to pay close attention to or understand something important
Example
Leaders must **key into** what customers value most.
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**.
idiom

kick out

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

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

Know something inside out

Meaning
To know something very well
Example
She **knows the syllabus inside out**.
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 fit

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

keep smiling

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

Keep it real

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

knock it out of the park

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

key up

Meaning
to make someone feel nervous or excited
Example
She was **keyed up** before her first performance.
idiom

keep tabs on

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

kick around

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

keep your word

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

key in

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

keep away from

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

keep striving

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

keep your emotions in check

Meaning
to control your emotions
Example
It's important to **keep your emotions in check** during a meeting.
phrasal-verb

keep inside

Meaning
to not show or tell others about your emotions
Example
He tends to **keep** his feelings **inside** instead of talking about them.
phrasal-verb

keep at

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

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

kill time

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

knock your socks off

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

keep faith with

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

knock someone for six

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