kill two birds with one stone
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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.
idiom

come down hard on

Meaning
to punish or criticize someone severely
Example
The company **came down hard on** employees who broke the rules.
idiom

bury your head in the sand

Meaning
to ignore a problem hoping it will go away
Example
We can’t **bury our heads in the sand** about climate change any longer.
idiom

the sky's the limit

Meaning
there is no limit to what you can achieve
Example
With talent and hard work, **the sky’s the limit** for you.
phrasal-verb

burst into laughter

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing loudly
Example
They **burst into laughter** after hearing the funny story.
idiom

the end of the road

Meaning
the point where progress stops; the end of something
Example
For us, this is **the end of the road**.
phrasal-verb

hype up

Meaning
to promote or exaggerate something to create excitement
Example
The media **hyped up** the movie before its release.
phrasal-verb

get through with

Meaning
to successfully communicate or be understood by someone
Example
It’s hard to **get through with** people when there’s a language barrier.
idiom

Bootstrap the business

Meaning
To build a company using only personal finances.
Example
They decided to **bootstrap the business** instead of seeking investors.
idiom

fed up with

Meaning
tired or annoyed with something
Example
I'm **fed up with** doing the same thing every day.
phrasal-verb

clarify up

Meaning
to make something easier to understand
Example
Can you **clarify up** what you meant in your email?
idiom

opt in

Meaning
to choose to participate
Example
Employees can **opt in** to the wellness program.
idiom

motivate the team

Meaning
to encourage and inspire your team to work harder and achieve goals
Example
As a manager, one of my primary goals is to **motivate the team** to reach their highest potential.
idiom

As old as the hills

Meaning
Very old or ancient
Example
That legend is **as old as the hills**.
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

Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion

Meaning
A person in a position of trust must be beyond any hint of wrongdoing.
Example
A judge should remember that **Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion**.
phrasal-verb

stand tall with courage

Meaning
to stay brave and optimistic in difficult situations
Example
He always **stands tall with courage** when facing failures.
idiom

surf the net

Meaning
to browse or explore websites on the internet
Example
I usually **surf the net** before going to bed.
phrasal-verb

carry out

Meaning
to perform or execute a plan or task
Example
The consultants will **carry out** a market feasibility study.
idiom

ask around

Meaning
to inquire with several people
Example
I’ll **ask around** to see who can cover the shift.
phrasal-verb

finish off

Meaning
to complete the last part of something
Example
We just need to **finish off** the presentation slides before submitting the report.
idiom

take one for the team

Meaning
to sacrifice for the benefit of others
Example
He **took one for the team** and stayed late to finish the report.
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

battle of wills

Meaning
a conflict where both sides refuse to give up
Example
It became a **battle of wills** between the manager and the team leader.
phrasal-verb

bring down tariffs

Meaning
to reduce taxes on imports or exports
Example
The new agreement aims to **bring down tariffs** between the two nations.
idiom

come into the spotlight

Meaning
to receive public attention or recognition
Example
She **came into the spotlight** after winning the award.
phrasal-verb

grow into confidence

Meaning
to gradually develop self-assurance and ability
Example
Over time, she **grew into confidence** in her managerial role.
idiom

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Meaning
The process of improving the visibility of a website or web page in a search engine's unpaid results.
Example
To improve our search rankings, we need to focus on **SEO** strategies.
idiom

bravery in the face of danger

Meaning
showing courage even when facing danger
Example
The firefighter showed **bravery in the face of danger**.
idiom

The waiting game

Meaning
A situation in which you must wait for something to happen.
Example
It’s all about **the waiting game** when you’re looking for a job.
idiom

smear campaign

Meaning
an attempt to damage someone's reputation through false accusations or gossip
Example
The opposition launched a **smear campaign** against the minister.
idiom

on the run

Meaning
trying to avoid being caught by the police
Example
The suspect has been **on the run** for three days.
idiom

Never give up

Meaning
Always continue trying despite difficulties.
Example
No matter how hard it is, **never give up**.
idiom

a peaceful resolution

Meaning
a solution that resolves a conflict calmly
Example
They reached **a peaceful resolution** after several discussions.
phrasal-verb

pick apart

Meaning
to criticize something in detail
Example
The reviewer **picked apart** the movie for its weak plot.
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.
phrasal-verb

be unsure of

Meaning
to not feel confident or certain about something
Example
I’m **unsure of** what to say in that situation.
idiom

in the lab

Meaning
working in a laboratory environment on experiments or research
Example
The new vaccine is currently being tested **in the lab** before it’s released to the public.
phrasal-verb

look beyond stereotypes

Meaning
to avoid judging others based on general assumptions
Example
To understand people better, we must **look beyond stereotypes**.
phrasal-verb

go out

Meaning
to leave home; to go outside for leisure or work
Example
We **went out** for dinner last night.
idiom

Pay the piper

Meaning
To face the consequences of one’s actions or decisions.
Example
After years of overspending, the country had to **pay the piper**.
phrasal-verb

look up to mentors

Meaning
to admire and respect experienced people
Example
Young managers often look up to their senior mentors for advice.
idiom

phishing expedition

Meaning
an attempt to obtain sensitive information by deceit
Example
The suspicious email was part of a **phishing expedition**.
idiom

the bots are taking over

Meaning
referring to the increasing use of AI systems in various industries; the automation of tasks traditionally performed by humans
Example
It feels like **the bots are taking over** every sector of business these days.
phrasal-verb

open up opportunities

Meaning
to create new chances or possibilities for learning or connection
Example
Understanding other cultures can **open up opportunities** for collaboration.
idiom

trust someone with your life

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
I’d **trust her with my life**.
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

family comes first

Meaning
family is the most important priority in life
Example
No matter how busy I get, **family comes first** for me.
phrasal-verb

find peace with

Meaning
to accept something painful and stop being upset about it
Example
In time, she **found peace with** her past mistakes.
idiom

adapt to new circumstances

Meaning
to adjust oneself to new situations or changes
Example
In order to survive in the changing world, we need to **adapt to new circumstances**.
idiom

cover all the angles

Meaning
to examine a story or issue from every perspective
Example
The journalist tried to **cover all the angles** before publishing the article.
phrasal-verb

boost productivity

Meaning
to increase efficiency and output of workers or industries
Example
New technologies are helping factories **boost productivity**.
phrasal-verb

delve into

Meaning
to explore something deeply and thoroughly
Example
The paper **delves into** the social implications of the policy.
phrasal-verb

lift yourself out of

Meaning
to recover or rise from a negative emotional state
Example
She worked hard to **lift herself out of** depression.
idiom

As far as I can tell

Meaning
As I understand; based on what I know
Example
As far as I can tell, everything is fine.
idiom

The darkest hour is just before the dawn

Meaning
Things often seem worst just before they improve.
Example
Things are rough right now, but remember, **the darkest hour is just before the dawn**.
phrasal-verb

think back on

Meaning
to remember or recall something from the past
Example
When I **think back on** that day, I realize how careless I was.
idiom

come up with

Meaning
to think of a plan, idea, or solution
Example
She managed to **come up with** a clever workaround overnight.
phrasal-verb

rise through adversity

Meaning
to become stronger or succeed despite difficult conditions
Example
True leaders **rise through adversity** and inspire others.
idiom

full of years

Meaning
having lived a long and fulfilling life
Example
He passed away **full of years** and surrounded by family.
phrasal-verb

reach across traditions

Meaning
to connect or communicate across different cultural or traditional boundaries
Example
The festival helps people **reach across traditions** and share their heritage.
phrasal-verb

take time out

Meaning
to spend time resting away from work or pressure
Example
You should **take time out** to recharge and relax.
phrasal-verb

expand upon

Meaning
to provide more details or develop an idea further
Example
The CEO will **expand upon** the company’s future expansion plans.
idiom

download the idea

Meaning
to absorb or understand information quickly
Example
It took me a while to **download the idea**, but now I get it.
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.
phrasal-verb

overflow with

Meaning
to have a large amount of positive feeling or emotion
Example
The parents were **overflowing with** pride at their son’s success.
idiom

dead tired

Meaning
extremely tired or exhausted
Example
After the long trip, we were **dead tired**.
idiom

chip away at

Meaning
to gradually work on something to achieve a result
Example
She **chipped away at** her thesis every evening until it was finished.
idiom

outsmart the algorithm

Meaning
to beat or trick a system that uses AI or automation
Example
People try to **outsmart the algorithm** to boost their posts.
idiom

clue in

Meaning
to give someone the necessary information
Example
Can you **clue me in** on the schedule changes?
idiom

Wear many hats

Meaning
To have many roles or responsibilities.
Example
As a small business owner, she **wears many hats**.
idiom

to draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We need to **draw the line** between inspiration and plagiarism.
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.
idiom

burst with happiness

Meaning
to be full of great joy or excitement
Example
The parents **burst with happiness** when they saw their newborn baby.
phrasal-verb

let through

Meaning
to allow emotions to pass naturally without resisting them
Example
It’s okay to **let through** your sadness and then move on.
idiom

gears in motion

Meaning
the process has started and is progressing
Example
Once the plan was approved, the **gears were in motion**.
idiom

ease up

Meaning
to become less intense or to relax
Example
The rain should **ease up** by the evening commute.
idiom

split hairs

Meaning
to argue about small or unimportant details
Example
Stop **splitting hairs** and focus on the main issue.
idiom

foot the bill

Meaning
to pay for something, especially something expensive
Example
His father will **foot the bill** for the wedding.
idiom

drag on

Meaning
to continue for too long and become boring
Example
The meeting **dragged on** for hours.
phrasal-verb

move back

Meaning
to return to a place where you lived before
Example
After years abroad, he decided to **move back** to his hometown.
idiom

sick to death of something

Meaning
extremely tired or annoyed by something
Example
I’m **sick to death of** listening to his complaints.
phrasal-verb

forgive yourself for

Meaning
to stop blaming yourself for past mistakes
Example
You must **forgive yourself for** what happened and move forward.
phrasal-verb

learn from

Meaning
to gain knowledge or understanding through experience or observation
Example
We can **learn from** other cultures to make our society more inclusive.
idiom

take a leaf out of someone’s book

Meaning
to imitate or follow someone’s good example
Example
Other cities should **take a leaf out of Copenhagen’s book** on eco-friendly transport.
idiom

life of the party

Meaning
the most lively and entertaining person at a party
Example
Jake is always the **life of the party**.
idiom

A pretty picture

Meaning
A pleasant or ideal situation; often used ironically
Example
This isn’t **a pretty picture** – we need to fix these problems.
phrasal-verb

laugh with

Meaning
to share laughter and happiness with someone
Example
We **laughed with** our colleagues after the meeting.
idiom

kick the bucket

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

make into

Meaning
to change something into something else
Example
She **made** the old warehouse **into** a beautiful café.
phrasal-verb

roll out

Meaning
to launch or introduce a new product or service
Example
The government plans to **roll out** new incentives for exporters.
phrasal-verb

open hearts to

Meaning
to show kindness and acceptance toward people of other cultures
Example
We should **open our hearts to** people who are different from us.
idiom

fake it till you make it

Meaning
to act confidently until you actually feel confident
Example
**Fake it till you make it**—confidence will follow.
idiom

the big bang

Meaning
a sudden and powerful beginning; often used metaphorically
Example
The startup launched with **a big bang** in the tech world.
idiom

paint a rosy picture

Meaning
to describe something in an overly optimistic way
Example
The guide **painted a rosy picture** of the museum's future.
phrasal-verb

get back

Meaning
to return to a place; to recover something lost
Example
I hope you **get back** safely from your trip.
phrasal-verb

scroll down

Meaning
to move the page downward to see more content
Example
Just **scroll down** to read the full post.
idiom

well-oiled machine

Meaning
something that operates smoothly and efficiently
Example
Our engineering team runs like a **well-oiled machine**.
idiom

run someone down

Meaning
to criticize someone unfairly; to speak badly about someone
Example
He always **runs his coworkers down** behind their backs.
phrasal-verb

patch over differences

Meaning
to try to ignore disagreements and restore peace
Example
They decided to **patch over differences** and move on.
phrasal-verb

slip out

Meaning
to say something unintentionally
Example
The secret just **slipped out** during the chat.
phrasal-verb

code around

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

take it upon oneself

Meaning
to decide to do something without being asked or required
Example
She decided to **take it upon herself** to organize the event.
phrasal-verb

project confidence

Meaning
to appear or make others feel that you are confident
Example
The speaker **projected confidence** throughout the session.
idiom

throw under the bus

Meaning
to blame someone else to save yourself.
Example
He **threw his colleague under the bus** to avoid punishment.
idiom

dwell on

Meaning
to think or speak about something repeatedly
Example
Try not to **dwell on** the minor mistake.
idiom

A bright idea

Meaning
a clever or innovative idea
Example
She came up with a **bright idea** for the new marketing campaign.
phrasal-verb

flare with joy

Meaning
to suddenly feel or show great happiness
Example
His face **flared with joy** when he saw his family again.
phrasal-verb

protest against

Meaning
to show opposition to something through public action
Example
Thousands of people **protested against** unfair laws.
phrasal-verb

grow inward

Meaning
to develop understanding and wisdom from personal experiences
Example
She began to **grow inward** as she faced her fears and doubts.
phrasal-verb

hold emotions in check

Meaning
to keep your emotions under control
Example
He tried to **hold his emotions in check** during the speech.
phrasal-verb

lock up

Meaning
to become completely unresponsive or stuck
Example
The app **locked up** and I had to restart my phone.
idiom

back into

Meaning
to move backwards into something unintentionally
Example
I nearly **backed into** the recycling bin while parking.
idiom

To be there for someone

Meaning
To offer emotional support when someone is in need
Example
No matter what happens, I’ll always **be there for you**.
idiom

square peg in a round hole

Meaning
someone or something that doesn't fit or belong in a particular place or situation
Example
Putting a modern building in a historical district is like trying to fit a **square peg in a round hole**.
idiom

keep one's word

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

beyond a shadow of a doubt

Meaning
without any doubt; completely certain
Example
He is **beyond a shadow of a doubt** the best candidate for the job.
phrasal-verb

shut off

Meaning
to block or stop feeling emotions
Example
He learned to **shut off** his emotions to stay strong.
idiom

keep your eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal or objective despite obstacles
Example
Even though the road was tough, he always **kept his eye on the prize** and succeeded.
phrasal-verb

save up for

Meaning
to collect money over time for a goal or purchase
Example
She’s **saving up for** a new laptop.
phrasal-verb

read aloud

Meaning
to read something so that other people can hear it
Example
She **read aloud** the story to the whole class.