lighten up
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idiom

lighten up

Meaning
to stop being so serious or stressed
Example
Come on, **lighten up**! It’s just a joke.
idiom

speak of the devil

Meaning
said when someone appears just as you mention them
Example
**Speak of the devil**, here comes John now!
phrasal-verb

pull ahead emotionally

Meaning
to progress emotionally faster than before
Example
After therapy, she began to **pull ahead emotionally**.
phrasal-verb

hear about

Meaning
to receive information and respond with appreciation or gratitude
Example
I was happy to **hear about** your help with the project—thank you!
idiom

have the guts

Meaning
to have courage or bravery to do something difficult
Example
She didn’t **have the guts** to tell him the truth.
idiom

Don't rush things

Meaning
Take your time and don't hurry.
Example
You don't need to finish everything today, **don't rush things**.
phrasal-verb

pin down answers

Meaning
to get clear responses to specific questions
Example
We **pin down answers** during the call so nothing stays vague.
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.
idiom

a wake-up call

Meaning
an event that makes someone realize they need to change
Example
Losing his job was a **wake-up call** for him.
phrasal-verb

cut back emissions

Meaning
to reduce the amount of pollution produced
Example
Our office **cuts back emissions** by switching to public transport incentives.
idiom

cancel culture

Meaning
the practice of withdrawing support from someone after they do something offensive
Example
Many celebrities fear **cancel culture** online.
phrasal-verb

join forces with

Meaning
to combine efforts or resources with others to achieve something
Example
Governments **join forces with** NGOs to fight global hunger.
phrasal-verb

listen to

Meaning
to pay attention to what someone feels or says with empathy
Example
Sometimes all a person needs is someone to **listen to** them.
idiom

sandboxing

Meaning
A security mechanism used to run applications in an isolated environment to prevent potential damage to the system.
Example
By using **sandboxing**, the malware was contained and couldn't affect the rest of the system.
phrasal-verb

soak up knowledge

Meaning
to absorb and retain new information or skills quickly
Example
Young minds can easily **soak up knowledge** from their surroundings.
idiom

tomorrow is another day

Meaning
you can start fresh again tomorrow
Example
Don’t worry about your mistakes, **tomorrow is another day**.
idiom

gloss over

Meaning
to avoid mentioning unpleasant details
Example
The report tries to **gloss over** the budget cuts.
idiom

have a heart of gold

Meaning
to be very kind and generous
Example
Everyone loves her because she **has a heart of gold**.
phrasal-verb

open up to differences

Meaning
to accept and appreciate diversity
Example
Children should learn to **open up to differences** from an early age.
idiom

keep one's word

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

don't judge a book by its cover

Meaning
you shouldn't form an opinion on someone or something based purely on what you see on the outside
Example
She may look serious, but **don't judge a book by its cover**.
idiom

canary in the coal mine

Meaning
an early warning of potential danger
Example
Melting glaciers are the **canary in the coal mine** for climate change.
phrasal-verb

stand up for values

Meaning
to defend important beliefs or principles even when it's hard
Example
A respected leader always **stands up for values** under pressure.
phrasal-verb

deal with customs

Meaning
to handle procedures for importing or exporting goods
Example
Exporters must **deal with customs** regulations carefully.
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.
idiom

low-hanging fruit

Meaning
something easy to achieve or target
Example
We should focus on the **low-hanging fruit** before tackling bigger goals.
idiom

Go all out

Meaning
To use all your energy and resources to achieve something.
Example
They **went all out** to make the event a success.
idiom

in the long run

Meaning
after a long time; in the end
Example
Saving money now will help you **in the long run**.
idiom

to cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it arises, rather than worrying about it beforehand
Example
Don't worry about the meeting next week, we'll **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
phrasal-verb

tighten up regulations

Meaning
to make rules or laws stricter
Example
The central authority decided to **tighten up regulations** on foreign trade.
idiom

come out on top

Meaning
to be the best or most successful in a situation
Example
Despite the competition, she **came out on top**.
idiom

dig deep

Meaning
to use all your strength and determination to achieve something
Example
You’ll have to **dig deep** to finish this marathon.
phrasal-verb

warm to

Meaning
to start feeling affection or liking toward someone
Example
She slowly **warmed to** the idea of sharing her story publicly.
phrasal-verb

get down to it

Meaning
to start doing something seriously and with focus
Example
We’ve wasted enough time—let’s **get down to it** and start working.
idiom

Truth hurts

Meaning
The truth can be painful to hear.
Example
**Truth hurts**, but it’s better than a lie.
phrasal-verb

mess around

Meaning
to spend time doing unimportant or fun things
Example
We just **messed around** in the park all afternoon.
phrasal-verb

choke up

Meaning
to become emotional and unable to speak
Example
He **choked up** while giving his farewell speech.
phrasal-verb

push forward with

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

no strings attached

Meaning
with no special conditions or restrictions
Example
They offered me a free trial with **no strings attached**.
phrasal-verb

give in to pressure

Meaning
to finally agree to something after refusing for some time
Example
The government refused to **give in to pressure** from opposition parties.
phrasal-verb

get behind

Meaning
to fall late in doing something
Example
I’ve **got behind** on my assignments this week.
phrasal-verb

lay off workers

Meaning
to dismiss employees due to economic downturn
Example
Several companies had to **lay off workers** during the recession.
phrasal-verb

find peace within

Meaning
to achieve a state of inner calm and acceptance
Example
Meditation helps many people **find peace within** themselves.
phrasal-verb

reach toward

Meaning
to try to connect emotionally with someone’s pain or experience
Example
He tried to **reach toward** her feelings without judgment.
phrasal-verb

reach into

Meaning
to access or connect with inner feelings; to explore emotions deeply
Example
She tried to **reach into** her own pain to understand his suffering.
phrasal-verb

work toward excellence

Meaning
to make consistent efforts to achieve high standards
Example
Our teachers motivate us to **work toward excellence** in every subject.
phrasal-verb

give up on

Meaning
to stop believing in someone or something
Example
Don’t **give up on** your dreams, no matter how hard it gets.
idiom

pull the wool over someone’s eyes

Meaning
to deceive or trick someone
Example
He tried to **pull the wool over my eyes**, but I knew the truth.
idiom

Wisdom comes with age

Meaning
The older you get, the wiser you become, due to experience.
Example
You should listen to him; after all, **wisdom comes with age**.
phrasal-verb

set up a meeting

Meaning
to arrange a meeting or appointment
Example
Can you **set up a meeting** with the marketing team tomorrow?
idiom

sit in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in a position of control or leadership
Example
After the promotion, she now **sits in the driver’s seat**.
idiom

busy bee

Meaning
a person who is always busy and active
Example
She’s a **busy bee**, always working on something.
idiom

cutting-edge marketing

Meaning
using the latest and most advanced marketing techniques
Example
Our company invests in **cutting-edge marketing** strategies.
phrasal-verb

team across

Meaning
to collaborate with people from other departments or areas
Example
Marketing and sales departments should **team across** to improve communication.
idiom

mark up

Meaning
to increase the price of something
Example
Vendors plan to **mark up** prices during the festival.
phrasal-verb

turn pain into strength

Meaning
to use your emotional pain as a source of motivation or growth
Example
She learned to **turn pain into strength** after losing her job.
idiom

caught between two stools

Meaning
to fail because of trying to do two things at once
Example
He was **caught between two stools**—trying to please both his boss and his team.
idiom

Runway

Meaning
The time a startup has before running out of cash.
Example
We only have six months of **runway** left.
idiom

A rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
When the economy improves, everyone benefits to some extent.
Example
When the new policies boosted trade, people said that **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
idiom

split decision

Meaning
a decision where people are divided in opinion
Example
The committee made a **split decision** on the proposal.
phrasal-verb

chill down

Meaning
to relax and become calm after being upset or stressed
Example
After a tough day, I usually take a walk to **chill down**.
phrasal-verb

lead into

Meaning
to introduce or prepare the way for something
Example
She used a joke to **lead into** her main topic.
phrasal-verb

build back

Meaning
to restore emotional strength after hardship
Example
It’s never easy to **build back** after heartbreak.
idiom

stage fright

Meaning
nervousness before performing in front of an audience
Example
Even experienced actors sometimes get **stage fright**.
idiom

think ahead

Meaning
to plan for the future; to anticipate future needs or events
Example
Good managers always **think ahead** before making big decisions.
phrasal-verb

choke down

Meaning
to suppress or hide emotions like anger or sadness
Example
He tried to **choke down** his tears during the farewell speech.
idiom

Meet your Waterloo

Meaning
To face a final and decisive defeat.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo** when sales plummeted.
phrasal-verb

feel down

Meaning
to feel sad or unhappy
Example
She’s been **feeling down** since her pet passed away.
idiom

talk over someone's head

Meaning
to speak in a way that someone cannot understand
Example
The professor was **talking over our heads** during the lecture.
phrasal-verb

decide on

Meaning
to choose something after thinking carefully
Example
We finally **decided on** the blue design.
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.
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.
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.
idiom

jump in on

Meaning
to join an activity or discussion quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in on** the brainstorming if you have ideas.
idiom

bargain for

Meaning
to expect or plan for something
Example
The workload was more than we **bargained for**.
phrasal-verb

load up on

Meaning
to eat a lot of something, usually before an activity or event
Example
Athletes **load up on** carbs before a big game.
idiom

double down on

Meaning
to increase effort or commitment toward something
Example
After the setback, they **doubled down on** their training routine.
phrasal-verb

speak for

Meaning
to represent someone’s opinion or view
Example
I can’t **speak for** everyone, but I think this idea is worth trying.
phrasal-verb

call over

Meaning
to invite someone to come to your place
Example
We should **call over** some friends this weekend for a movie night.
idiom

patch together

Meaning
to assemble something quickly and roughly
Example
We managed to **patch together** a plan before the call.
idiom

throw shade

Meaning
to subtly insult or criticize someone
Example
She was **throwing shade** at her ex during the conversation.
idiom

faint-hearted

Meaning
lacking courage or determination
Example
Climbing this mountain is not for the **faint-hearted**.
idiom

sharp as a tack

Meaning
very intelligent or quick-thinking
Example
She's **sharp as a tack** and always has the best answers in class.
idiom

blood is thicker than water

Meaning
family relationships are stronger than others
Example
He helped his brother because **blood is thicker than water**.
phrasal-verb

reach consensus on

Meaning
to agree collectively on an issue after discussion
Example
Delegates finally **reached consensus on** the new global trade policy.
idiom

the letter of the law

Meaning
following the exact wording of the law
Example
He follows **the letter of the law**, not its spirit.
phrasal-verb

listen across cultures

Meaning
to pay attention and understand people from different cultural backgrounds
Example
To be a global leader, you must **listen across cultures** with empathy.
phrasal-verb

join hands for

Meaning
to unite and cooperate for a common cause
Example
People from different backgrounds **joined hands for** peace.
phrasal-verb

reflect on feedback

Meaning
to think carefully about comments or evaluations to improve
Example
Good learners always **reflect on feedback** to do better next time.
phrasal-verb

act up

Meaning
to behave badly or cause trouble
Example
The kids started to **act up** during the long car ride.
idiom

Like two peas in a pod

Meaning
Two people who are very similar or close.
Example
John and Mike are **like two peas in a pod**. They think alike and do everything together.
phrasal-verb

speak truth to power

Meaning
to tell honest truths to those in authority
Example
Journalists **speak truth to power** when they expose corruption.
idiom

Family is everything

Meaning
The family holds the most important place in one's life and provides support and love.
Example
After all that happened, **family is everything**, and they helped him get through the tough time.
idiom

rock the boat

Meaning
to cause problems or upset a stable situation
Example
Everything is going well, so let's not **rock the boat** with unnecessary changes.
phrasal-verb

carry back to

Meaning
to take someone or something to a previous state or time
Example
This smell **carries me back to** my grandmother’s kitchen.
phrasal-verb

coordinate across

Meaning
to organize activities jointly across different areas or teams
Example
Agencies **coordinate across** regions for disaster management.
idiom

keep on keeping on

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

reach out about anxiety

Meaning
to contact someone to talk about feeling anxious
Example
Whenever worry builds, I **reach out about anxiety** to a close friend.
phrasal-verb

pick apart from

Meaning
to separate or distinguish from others
Example
It’s hard to **pick her apart from** her twin sister.
idiom

pulling strings

Meaning
using influence to get something done
Example
He got the engineering contract by **pulling strings**.
phrasal-verb

give up

Meaning
to stop doing something, often a bad habit
Example
He finally **gave up** smoking after ten years.
idiom

in the pink of health

Meaning
in very good health
Example
After months of rest, he’s now **in the pink of health**.
idiom

Fortune favors the bold

Meaning
Those who take risks are more likely to be successful.
Example
Remember, **fortune favors the bold**, so don’t be afraid to invest in new opportunities.
idiom

go bankrupt

Meaning
to lose all money and be unable to pay debts
Example
Many start-ups **go bankrupt** within their first year.
phrasal-verb

take responsibility for

Meaning
to accept that you are to blame for something
Example
He finally **took responsibility for** the mistake.
phrasal-verb

build confidence through practice

Meaning
to become more self-assured by repeated practice
Example
You can **build confidence through practice** in public speaking.
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.
idiom

Inquisitive mind

Meaning
A curious and eager-to-learn mindset.
Example
Children have an **inquisitive mind** that loves to explore.
idiom

have a Eureka moment

Meaning
to suddenly realize the solution to a problem
Example
I had a **Eureka moment** while fixing the code last night.
idiom

give over to

Meaning
to devote time or space to something
Example
They **gave the evening over to** brainstorming.
idiom

fall head over heels for someone

Meaning
to fall deeply in love with someone
Example
He **fell head over heels for her** the moment they met.
idiom

so far so good

Meaning
used to say that an activity has been successful up to this point
Example
We've finished the first part of the project, and **so far so good**.
phrasal-verb

bottle under

Meaning
to collapse mentally or emotionally due to pressure
Example
He finally **bottled under** the pressure of constant deadlines.
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

factor in

Meaning
to include something as part of a calculation or plan
Example
Remember to **factor in** travel time when planning.
phrasal-verb

hang up

Meaning
to end a phone call
Example
He suddenly **hung up** without saying goodbye.
phrasal-verb

put through

Meaning
to connect someone on the phone
Example
Could you **put me through** to the manager, please?
idiom

grinning from ear to ear

Meaning
smiling broadly due to happiness
Example
He was **grinning from ear to ear** after receiving the gift.
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

draw a line in the sand

Meaning
to set a firm boundary or make a limit clear
Example
The prime minister **drew a line in the sand** regarding national security.
idiom

at loggerheads

Meaning
in strong disagreement or conflict
Example
The two departments have been **at loggerheads** over the new policy.