live up to expectations
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idiom

live up to expectations

Meaning
to fulfill what is expected of you
Example
He worked hard to **live up to expectations**.
phrasal-verb

sleep off

Meaning
to sleep in order to recover from something like fatigue or hangover
Example
He’s trying to **sleep off** the tiredness from last night’s work.
phrasal-verb

depend upon exports

Meaning
to rely on exports for income or growth
Example
Many developing countries **depend upon exports** to boost their economy.
idiom

alien concept

Meaning
something unfamiliar or strange
Example
Honesty seems like an **alien concept** to him.
idiom

the nuts and bolts

Meaning
the basic practical details of something
Example
We discussed **the nuts and bolts** of the new software project.
phrasal-verb

smooth out fluctuations

Meaning
to reduce ups and downs and make something more stable
Example
Fiscal policies aim to **smooth out fluctuations** in the economy.
idiom

ramp up

Meaning
to increase the intensity or amount of something
Example
We need to **ramp up** production before the holidays.
idiom

change your tune

Meaning
to change your opinion or attitude
Example
He criticized the plan at first but later **changed his tune**.
phrasal-verb

grow close to

Meaning
to develop a stronger emotional bond or friendship with someone
Example
Over the years, they **grew close to** each other through shared experiences.
phrasal-verb

reach out for dialogue

Meaning
to try to start communication or discussion with others
Example
Countries need to **reach out for dialogue** to solve conflicts peacefully.
idiom

toe the line

Meaning
to obey rules or follow the official policy
Example
All members are expected to **toe the line** with party policy.
phrasal-verb

lean on for

Meaning
to depend on someone for help or advice
Example
My mentor is who I **lean on for** guidance before big negotiations.
idiom

a silver lining

Meaning
a positive aspect in a difficult situation
Example
Losing my job was tough, but the **silver lining** was that I found a better one.
idiom

let on

Meaning
to reveal something secret unintentionally
Example
Don’t **let on** that you know about the plan.
idiom

pull at heartstrings

Meaning
to evoke strong emotions, usually sympathy or sadness, in an audience
Example
The charity’s commercial really **pulls at the heartstrings**.
phrasal-verb

pack up for travel

Meaning
to gather and prepare belongings before a trip
Example
We **pack up for travel** the night before an early flight.
idiom

not my cup of tea

Meaning
not something one likes or enjoys
Example
Watching cricket is **not my cup of tea**.
B1 idiom

fish out of water

Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Meaning
Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Example
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
idiom

Cross one’s mind

Meaning
To suddenly think of something.
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could be lying.
phrasal-verb

build upon innovation

Meaning
to use existing innovations as a foundation for further progress
Example
Nations must **build upon innovation** to drive sustainable development.
idiom

Don’t be discouraged

Meaning
Stay motivated even after setbacks.
Example
**Don’t be discouraged**—success takes time.
phrasal-verb

take over as

Meaning
to assume a new position or responsibility previously held by someone else
Example
She will **take over as** the new HR manager next month.
idiom

full of yourself

Meaning
to be too proud or self-centered
Example
He’s so **full of himself** after getting that promotion.
phrasal-verb

fall apart

Meaning
to break into pieces; to fail completely
Example
Their marriage **fell apart** after years of arguments.
idiom

dream big

Meaning
to have ambitious goals and aspirations
Example
If you want to achieve greatness, you must **dream big**.
phrasal-verb

bring on board

Meaning
to include or involve someone in a team or project
Example
We want to **bring on board** a partner who shares our vision.
idiom

lose your train of thought

Meaning
to forget what you were thinking or saying
Example
I **lost my train of thought** when the phone rang.
idiom

artificial instinct

Meaning
a machine’s ability to make decisions that seem natural or human-like
Example
The new model shows a kind of **artificial instinct** while driving.
idiom

at the back of one's mind

Meaning
something that one is not actively thinking about but is still aware of
Example
The fear of failure was always **at the back of his mind**.
phrasal-verb

stay away

Meaning
to avoid going near a person or place for safety
Example
Please **stay away** from the construction site.
idiom

when life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Meaning
make the best out of a bad situation
Example
She lost her job but decided to **make lemonade** by starting her own business.
idiom

come to light

Meaning
to become known or revealed
Example
The truth finally **came to light** after many years.
phrasal-verb

reach for higher goals

Meaning
to aim or strive for greater success or achievements
Example
She’s always encouraged her team to **reach for higher goals**.
phrasal-verb

ramp up to

Meaning
to increase or intensify effort or production to recover or meet demand
Example
Factories **ramped up to** meet the rising post-crisis demand.
idiom

tell tales

Meaning
to gossip or reveal secrets, often to get someone in trouble
Example
Stop **telling tales** about your coworkers.
idiom

Seize the day

Meaning
to take advantage of the present moment
Example
She believes in living life to the fullest and always tries to **seize the day**.
idiom

A Trojan horse

Meaning
Something intended to secretly undermine or bring harm from within.
Example
The malware acted as **a Trojan horse**, allowing hackers access to private data.
phrasal-verb

tune into cravings

Meaning
to pay attention to what your body is asking for
Example
I **tune into cravings** so I notice when stress makes me want extra sweets.
idiom

leave no stone unturned

Meaning
to do everything possible to achieve a goal
Example
The police **left no stone unturned** in their search for the missing child.
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 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.
phrasal-verb

show back up

Meaning
to return after being away or absent
Example
He suddenly **showed back up** after months of silence.
phrasal-verb

cover for

Meaning
to protect someone by hiding their mistake or wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **cover for** his colleague who submitted false data.
phrasal-verb

reach within yourself

Meaning
to look inside yourself to find strength or courage
Example
You must **reach within yourself** to overcome fear.
phrasal-verb

light up with joy

Meaning
to look suddenly happy or excited
Example
Her face **lit up with joy** when she saw her parents.
idiom

zoom in

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

drive up inflation

Meaning
to cause prices to increase rapidly
Example
Rising fuel costs have **driven up inflation** in many countries.
idiom

zero-day exploit

Meaning
a cyberattack that occurs before a vulnerability is patched
Example
Hackers launched a **zero-day exploit** targeting the system’s core files.
idiom

honor one's promise

Meaning
to keep a promise or commitment
Example
She **honored her promise** to visit the orphanage.
idiom

manna from heaven

Meaning
an unexpected gift or blessing
Example
The bonus was **manna from heaven** during the tough month.
idiom

chicken out

Meaning
to decide not to do something because of fear
Example
He was going to ask her out but **chickened out** at the last minute.
phrasal-verb

lift your spirit up

Meaning
to make yourself feel more cheerful and hopeful
Example
Helping others can really **lift your spirit up**.
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!
idiom

pivot to success

Meaning
to change direction strategically to achieve success
Example
The company had to **pivot to success** after its first product failed.
phrasal-verb

work for

Meaning
to be employed by someone or an organization
Example
I **work for** a multinational company in Dhaka.
idiom

light bulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or new idea
Example
She had a **light bulb moment** while brainstorming for the campaign.
phrasal-verb

freeze with fear

Meaning
to be unable to move because of fear
Example
The child **froze with fear** when he saw the big dog.
idiom

born in the purple

Meaning
born into a wealthy or royal family
Example
He was **born in the purple**, so wealth was never an issue.
phrasal-verb

speak kindly to

Meaning
to use gentle and respectful words when talking to someone
Example
Always **speak kindly to** others even when you disagree.
phrasal-verb

drop a message

Meaning
to send someone a short message online
Example
Just **drop me a message** if you need any help.
phrasal-verb

look down at

Meaning
to direct your eyes downward; to check notes
Example
He occasionally **looked down at** his notes to stay on track.
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

drift apart

Meaning
to slowly become less close or connected over time
Example
After college, they gradually **drifted apart**.
idiom

a fine line

Meaning
a very small difference between two things
Example
There’s **a fine line** between genius and madness in art.
idiom

Cook the books

Meaning
To falsify financial records to hide losses or theft.
Example
The accountant was fired for trying to **cook the books**.
phrasal-verb

hold yourself back

Meaning
to restrain oneself from reacting emotionally
Example
He had to **hold himself back** from yelling at the meeting.
idiom

get over someone

Meaning
to recover from the pain of a breakup or loss
Example
It took her months to **get over** him.
phrasal-verb

let emotions settle

Meaning
to allow emotions to calm down naturally over time
Example
Take a break and **let your emotions settle** before reacting.
phrasal-verb

rise beyond

Meaning
to overcome limitations or challenges
Example
True leaders **rise beyond** their fears and inspire others.
phrasal-verb

catch up with

Meaning
to reach the same level or standard as others
Example
Many companies are trying to **catch up with** global tech giants.
phrasal-verb

watch over

Meaning
to protect or guard someone carefully
Example
Grandparents lovingly **watch over** their grandchildren.
idiom

go bankrupt

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

a slap on the wrist

Meaning
a very mild punishment
Example
He got **a slap on the wrist** for such a serious offense.
idiom

dog days

Meaning
the hottest days of summer
Example
During the **dog days** of summer, everyone stays indoors.
idiom

a blessing in disguise

Meaning
something that seems bad but results in something good
Example
Losing that job was **a blessing in disguise**.
idiom

try and try again

Meaning
to keep trying until you succeed
Example
He didn’t give up and decided to **try and try again**.
phrasal-verb

spark off unrest

Meaning
to cause anger or protest to start suddenly
Example
The new tax policy **sparked off unrest** among the citizens.
idiom

going viral

Meaning
to become very popular very quickly on the internet or social media
Example
The video of the cat dancing has **gone viral** and everyone is talking about it.
idiom

peace of mind

Meaning
a feeling of being calm and free from worry
Example
Insurance gives you **peace of mind** in uncertain times.
idiom

on your plate

Meaning
something that is your responsibility or job to handle
Example
I have too much **on my plate** right now with all the projects.
phrasal-verb

stick around for

Meaning
to stay nearby or remain present, usually to spend more time together
Example
Why don’t you **stick around for** a while and have coffee with us?
phrasal-verb

wrap up the project

Meaning
to finish or complete something
Example
We need to **wrap up the project** by the end of this week.
idiom

shoulder the burden

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
She had to **shoulder the burden** of caring for her family.
idiom

fall in love

Meaning
to develop romantic feelings for someone
Example
I didn't expect to **fall in love** with her so quickly.
idiom

turn over a new leaf

Meaning
to start behaving better after doing something wrong
Example
After the accident, he decided to **turn over a new leaf**.
phrasal-verb

choke on emotions

Meaning
to find it hard to speak because of strong emotions
Example
She **choked on emotions** while giving her farewell speech.
idiom

have a way with words

Meaning
to be very good at persuading or charming people with speech
Example
He **has a way with words** that makes everyone listen.
phrasal-verb

follow self-imposed rules

Meaning
to obey the rules you set for yourself
Example
Self-disciplined people **follow self-imposed rules** without complaint.
phrasal-verb

finish up

Meaning
to complete or end something
Example
Let’s **finish up** this report before the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

show up as

Meaning
to appear in a particular way or form
Example
Your mistake **shows up as** a red mark on the report.
phrasal-verb

toast to

Meaning
to raise a glass to honor or celebrate someone or something
Example
Let's **toast to** our hard work and success!
idiom

birds of a feather

Meaning
people with similar interests or characteristics
Example
Tom and Jerry are always together—**birds of a feather**.
phrasal-verb

connect to

Meaning
to feel a sense of belonging with one’s culture or roots
Example
I **connect to** my culture through music and food.
idiom

internet troll

Meaning
a person who deliberately posts offensive or provocative comments online
Example
Don’t feed the **internet trolls** by replying to their comments.
phrasal-verb

adapt within new environments

Meaning
to adjust yourself to new cultural surroundings or customs
Example
It takes time to **adapt within new environments**, but it’s worth it.
phrasal-verb

connect through language

Meaning
to communicate and bond using the local or common language
Example
People can **connect through language** even if they come from different cultures.
phrasal-verb

bubble with

Meaning
to be full of excitement, happiness, or energy
Example
The kids were **bubbling with** excitement at the party.
phrasal-verb

point down

Meaning
to direct something downward
Example
He **pointed down** to show where the leak was.
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

Stay on track

Meaning
To continue doing the right thing to reach your goal.
Example
We need to **stay on track** to meet our deadline.
idiom

sit back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing
Example
Just **sit back** and enjoy the show.
idiom

weigh your options

Meaning
to consider different possibilities before deciding
Example
You should **weigh your options** before buying the car.
idiom

get acquainted

Meaning
to become familiar or friendly with someone
Example
We had a short chat to **get acquainted**.
idiom

bear with

Meaning
to be patient with someone or something
Example
Please **bear with** us while we resolve the issue.
phrasal-verb

heal over time

Meaning
to recover emotionally as time passes
Example
She knew she would **heal over time** if she stayed patient.
idiom

lean on

Meaning
to depend on someone for support
Example
You can always **lean on** me when things get tough.
idiom

Wear many hats

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

attach to

Meaning
to include a file or document with an email
Example
I've **attached** the report **to** this email.
idiom

bust someone

Meaning
to arrest or catch someone doing something illegal
Example
The officer was able to **bust someone** for selling drugs.
phrasal-verb

come under

Meaning
to experience pressure or attack, especially politically
Example
The government **came under** pressure to increase public spending.
phrasal-verb

step around

Meaning
to move to avoid something; to bypass a problem or rule
Example
He tried to **step around** the issue instead of facing it directly.
phrasal-verb

breathe through emotions

Meaning
to calm yourself by controlling your breathing during emotional moments
Example
She tried to **breathe through** her emotions before responding.
idiom

check in on

Meaning
to monitor or see how someone or something is doing
Example
Could you **check in on** the kids while I'm out?
idiom

data-driven

Meaning
based on or influenced by data
Example
We make **data-driven** decisions to ensure the best outcome.
phrasal-verb

brush off negativity

Meaning
to ignore or dismiss negative emotions or comments
Example
He just **brushed off** the negativity and stayed focused.
phrasal-verb

grow through

Meaning
to become stronger or wiser because of difficult experiences
Example
We often **grow through** the pain we experience.
phrasal-verb

let off your emotions

Meaning
to release stress or anger by expressing feelings
Example
It’s better to **let off your emotions** than to keep them inside.
idiom

social proof

Meaning
the influence that other people’s actions have on one’s own behavior
Example
Positive reviews serve as **social proof** for new customers.
idiom

follow your gut

Meaning
to trust your instincts when making a decision
Example
Sometimes it's best to **follow your gut**.
idiom

Handed down

Meaning
To give or leave something to someone younger or from a previous generation
Example
This antique watch was **handed down** to me from my grandfather.