live the dream
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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idiom

live the dream

Meaning
to be living the life you always wanted
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
idiom

vote down

Meaning
to reject something by voting against it
Example
The board may **vote down** the new proposal.
idiom

turn up the heat

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

believe in yourself

Meaning
to have confidence in your own abilities
Example
**Believe in yourself** and you can achieve anything.
idiom

A hit piece

Meaning
A story or article intended to damage someone's reputation, often in a biased or unfair way.
Example
The editor criticized the paper for publishing such a **hit piece** on the politician.
idiom

table the issue

Meaning
to postpone discussion of a topic for later
Example
They decided to **table the issue** until next week.
idiom

gain ground

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
The company has been **gaining ground** in the tech industry.
idiom

knock someone for six

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

stay calm

Meaning
to remain composed and not panic
Example
No need to worry, just **stay calm** and think it through.
idiom

fall flat on your face

Meaning
to fail completely in an embarrassing way
Example
He **fell flat on his face** during his first business attempt.
idiom

Down the rabbit hole

Meaning
Entering into a strange, complicated, or bizarre situation.
Example
I went **down the rabbit hole** researching ancient myths.
idiom

blow your mind

Meaning
to impress or amaze someone greatly
Example
The new AI technology will **blow your mind**.
idiom

Know the drill

Meaning
To be familiar with a routine or procedure.
Example
Everyone here **knows the drill** during an emergency.
idiom

live out of a suitcase

Meaning
to travel frequently; to not stay in one place for long
Example
He’s been **living out of a suitcase** for months.
idiom

the bottom line

Meaning
the most important fact or result
Example
The **bottom line** is that we need to increase our profits.
idiom

Keep fighting

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

make sense of

Meaning
to understand something that is complicated or unclear
Example
I finally **made sense of** the instructions after reading them twice.
idiom

in my book

Meaning
according to one’s own opinion or standards
Example
**In my book**, honesty comes first.
idiom

one in a million

Meaning
very special or rare
Example
Her kindness makes her **one in a million**.
idiom

Bring peace to

Meaning
To restore calm or tranquility in a situation.
Example
Her kind words helped **bring peace to** the argument.
idiom

to make matters worse

Meaning
to make a bad situation even more difficult or unpleasant
Example
I was already late, and **to make matters worse**, I couldn't find my keys.
idiom

digital brainchild

Meaning
a product or idea created using digital or AI technology
Example
ChatGPT is the **digital brainchild** of OpenAI.
idiom

forty winks

Meaning
a short nap or brief sleep
Example
He likes to take **forty winks** after work.
idiom

show leadership

Meaning
to demonstrate leadership qualities or skills
Example
She was able to **show leadership** during the crisis and guide the team through tough times.
idiom

crack down on

Meaning
to take strict action to stop something
Example
The city plans to **crack down on** illegal parking downtown.
idiom

a thorn in one's side

Meaning
a constant source of annoyance or trouble
Example
The trade dispute has become **a thorn in our side**.
idiom

spin up

Meaning
to start something quickly, especially a system
Example
The IT team can **spin up** a test server in minutes.
idiom

in a state of shock

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or upset
Example
She was **in a state of shock** after hearing the news.
idiom

to hack into

Meaning
to gain unauthorized access to a system or network
Example
The attackers managed **to hack into** the company's internal servers.
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.
idiom

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed **tears of joy** when her son returned home.
idiom

have a green thumb

Meaning
to be good at gardening
Example
My mother **has a green thumb** and grows beautiful flowers.
idiom

a trusted ally

Meaning
a person or group that is trusted and reliable
Example
She has always been **a trusted ally** in our business ventures.
idiom

piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a part of the complete solution or understanding
Example
This information is just **a piece of the puzzle**.
idiom

to see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
We finally **saw eye to eye** on the decision.
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.
idiom

personally speaking

Meaning
expressing one’s own personal view
Example
**Personally speaking**, I prefer quiet places.
idiom

A thirst for knowledge

Meaning
A strong desire to learn new things.
Example
He has **a thirst for knowledge** and reads constantly.
idiom

come out clean

Meaning
To be proven innocent or free from blame.
Example
After investigation, he **came out clean**.
idiom

out of your league

Meaning
too good or powerful to compete with
Example
That company is **out of our league** in terms of resources.
idiom

bottom line

Meaning
the most important point; the final result or profit
Example
The **bottom line** is that trade deficits are increasing.
idiom

a man of integrity

Meaning
someone who is honest and morally upright
Example
He is known as **a man of integrity** in the business world.
idiom

cut somebody some slack

Meaning
to not judge someone as severely as you usually would because they are having problems at the present time
Example
He's been under a lot of stress lately, so let's **cut him some slack**.
idiom

the ball is rolling

Meaning
a process has started and is making progress
Example
Now that **the ball is rolling**, we need to keep working.
idiom

Break like the wind

Meaning
To move or pass quickly; sometimes used humorously.
Example
He ran **like the wind** to catch the bus.
idiom

There's no 'I' in team

Meaning
Emphasizing that teamwork is important, and it is not about individual glory.
Example
Remember, in a project, **there's no 'I' in team**.
idiom

algorithm

Meaning
a set of rules or instructions for solving a problem or performing a task
Example
The **algorithm** sorts the data into categories.
idiom

help someone out

Meaning
to assist someone in a difficult situation
Example
Whenever I am in trouble, she always **helps me out**.
idiom

snap out of it

Meaning
to stop being upset and start feeling better
Example
You need to **snap out of it** and start thinking positively.
idiom

Golden handshake

Meaning
A large payment given to someone when they leave a job, especially early retirement.
Example
The CEO received a **golden handshake** when he retired early.
idiom

a turning point

Meaning
a moment when an important change happens
Example
Graduating from college was a **turning point** in his life.
idiom

take things to the next level

Meaning
to improve or develop something beyond its current state
Example
We plan to **take our innovation to the next level** this year.
idiom

Scale up

Meaning
To expand a company’s operations or reach.
Example
The startup is ready to **scale up** after its first funding round.
idiom

keep up with the times

Meaning
to stay updated or adapt to modern trends
Example
In the fast-moving tech industry, companies must **keep up with the times**.
idiom

a thing of the past

Meaning
something that no longer exists or happens
Example
With smartphones, landline phones are **a thing of the past**.
idiom

still waters run deep

Meaning
quiet or calm people often have deep thoughts or emotions
Example
He may seem quiet, but remember, **still waters run deep**.
idiom

Jump in at the deep end

Meaning
to take on a difficult task without preparation
Example
I had to **jump in at the deep end** when I started my new job.
idiom

drag on

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

hit the streets

Meaning
to go out on patrol or begin a search for a suspect
Example
The officers decided to **hit the streets** after the robbery was reported.
idiom

Make a move

Meaning
to take action or start doing something
Example
If you want success, it’s time to **make a move**.
idiom

Running on empty

Meaning
To continue working or functioning when you have no energy left.
Example
After pulling an all-nighter, he’s **running on empty** today.
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

change of guard

Meaning
a change in leadership or authority
Example
There has been a **change of guard** in the ruling party.
idiom

hang loose

Meaning
to relax and take things easy
Example
We’re on vacation, so just **hang loose** and enjoy.
B2 idiom

wrap your head around it

to understand or accept something
Meaning
to understand or accept something
Example
It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.
It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.
idiom

drive a hard bargain

Meaning
to be tough in making a deal or negotiation
Example
She always **drives a hard bargain** when negotiating contracts.
idiom

inside job

Meaning
a crime committed by someone within the organization affected
Example
The robbery turned out to be an **inside job**.
idiom

sweep under the rug

Meaning
to hide or ignore problems instead of solving them
Example
You can’t just **sweep problems under the rug** forever.
idiom

Economic backbone

Meaning
The most important part of the economy.
Example
Small businesses are the **economic backbone** of the nation.
idiom

gear up

Meaning
to prepare energetically for something
Example
The team is **gearing up** for the product launch next week.
idiom

streamline the process

Meaning
to make a process more efficient and effective by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary steps
Example
We need to **streamline the process** of content creation to save time.
idiom

to goof up

Meaning
to make a silly or careless mistake
Example
She **goofed up** the numbers in the report.
idiom

a go-getter

Meaning
someone who is very energetic and determined to succeed
Example
He’s **a go-getter** who never gives up on his goals.
idiom

Go broke

Meaning
To lose all your money; to become bankrupt.
Example
Many small investors **went broke** after the market crash.
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**.
idiom

speak of the devil

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

face the world

Meaning
to deal with life and its challenges confidently
Example
After recovering, she was ready to **face the world** again.
idiom

give someone a piece of one’s mind

Meaning
to tell someone angrily what you think
Example
She **gave him a piece of her mind** for being rude.
idiom

hit the big time

Meaning
to achieve great fame or success
Example
The band **hit the big time** after their first album went viral.
idiom

rein in

Meaning
to control or limit something
Example
We must **rein in** our spending this quarter.
idiom

go steady

Meaning
to date someone regularly and exclusively
Example
They've been **going steady** for over two years now.
idiom

to tip the scales

Meaning
to influence the outcome of a situation
Example
One witness’s statement **tipped the scales** in favor of the defendant.
idiom

beyond your wildest dreams

Meaning
better or more amazing than imagined
Example
Her success was **beyond her wildest dreams**.
idiom

chip in

Meaning
to contribute money or effort to a shared goal
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in** for Maya’s farewell gift.
idiom

bounce rate

Meaning
the percentage of visitors who leave a website after viewing only one page
Example
We need to lower our **bounce rate** to keep visitors engaged.
idiom

hit the sack

Meaning
to go to bed
Example
I'm exhausted, so I'm going to **hit the sack** early tonight.
idiom

Cook up a story

Meaning
To invent a false story.
Example
He **cooked up a story** to explain why he was late.
idiom

trust issues

Meaning
difficulty trusting others due to past experiences
Example
He has **trust issues** after being betrayed once.
idiom

on the radar

Meaning
something that is being monitored or considered
Example
The new scientific theory is now **on the radar** of researchers across the world.
idiom

runway left

Meaning
the amount of time before a startup runs out of money
Example
We only have six months of **runway left** to make this work.
idiom

take ownership

Meaning
to take full responsibility for something
Example
Leaders should **take ownership** of both successes and failures.
idiom

turn a blind eye

Meaning
to deliberately ignore something wrong or unpleasant
Example
The manager **turned a blind eye** to employees leaving early on Fridays.
idiom

put the finishing touches

Meaning
to complete something perfectly by adding the final details
Example
She’s **putting the finishing touches** on her painting.
idiom

spend money like water

Meaning
to spend money freely or wastefully
Example
She **spends money like water** on clothes.
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.
idiom

get your act together

Meaning
start working efficiently or properly
Example
You need to **get your act together** if you want to meet the deadline.
idiom

acid test

Meaning
a crucial test that proves the value or success of something
Example
The product launch will be the **acid test** of our new design.
idiom

bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too big to handle
Example
I think I **bit off more than I can chew** by agreeing to manage three projects at once.
idiom

have a blast

Meaning
to have a really good time
Example
We **had a blast** at the concert last night!
idiom

fend off

Meaning
to defend against something or someone
Example
They installed lights to **fend off** raccoons in the yard.
idiom

shake things up

Meaning
to cause change in a situation to make it better
Example
The manager decided to **shake things up** in the team.
idiom

put the pieces together

Meaning
to understand or solve something by combining information
Example
After examining the data, the engineer **put the pieces together**.
idiom

a fresh start

Meaning
a new beginning after difficulties or mistakes
Example
After the breakup, she wanted **a fresh start**.
idiom

show someone the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a task
Example
She took the time to **show me the ropes** on my first day at work.
idiom

a cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility without open warfare
Example
The two nations seem to be entering **a cold war** again.
idiom

show who's boss

Meaning
to make people recognize your authority
Example
Sometimes a leader must **show who's boss**.
idiom

on the same wavelength

Meaning
to think in a similar way as someone else
Example
My best friend and I are always **on the same wavelength**.
idiom

draw down

Meaning
to reduce the level or amount of something
Example
We plan to **draw down** inventory over the summer.
idiom

political football

Meaning
an issue that is constantly debated and used for political gain
Example
The issue of immigration has become a **political football**, with both parties using it to score points.
idiom

over the horizon

Meaning
something that is expected to happen soon
Example
A big change in the market may be **over the horizon**.
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

jump down someone's throat

Meaning
to react angrily and criticize someone suddenly
Example
She **jumped down my throat** when I suggested a different approach.
idiom

go in one ear and out the other

Meaning
to hear something but quickly forget it
Example
Whatever I tell him **goes in one ear and out the other**.
idiom

cool off with

Meaning
to refresh oneself using something
Example
We’ll **cool off with** iced tea after the run.
idiom

wield power

Meaning
to have and use power or influence effectively
Example
He’s not the president, but he still **wields a lot of power**.
idiom

play a cameo

Meaning
to make a brief appearance in a film
Example
The director himself **played a cameo** in the movie.
idiom

a bumper crop

Meaning
an unusually large harvest
Example
Farmers are happy this year because of **a bumper crop** of rice.
idiom

as far as I'm concerned

Meaning
used to express one’s personal opinion or feeling about something
Example
**As far as I'm concerned**, he did a great job.
idiom

Open-minded

Meaning
Willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
A good therapist must be **open-minded**.
idiom

a weak link

Meaning
the least reliable or secure part of a system or group
Example
One careless employee can be **a weak link** in the security chain.
idiom

chapter and verse

Meaning
to provide full and exact details about something
Example
She can quote **chapter and verse** to support her argument.