make an example of someone
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idiom

make an example of someone

Meaning
to punish someone to warn others
Example
The boss **made an example of** the dishonest employee.
idiom

let off some steam

Meaning
to relieve stress or anger by expressing feelings or doing something physical
Example
After that argument, he needed to **let off some steam** by hitting the gym.
phrasal-verb

bring closer

Meaning
to strengthen the emotional connection between people
Example
Sharing personal stories can **bring** friends **closer**.
idiom

take the high road

Meaning
to act morally or kindly even when others don't
Example
She decided to **take the high road** and forgive him.
idiom

Go to pieces

Meaning
To lose control of your emotions; to break down.
Example
She **went to pieces** after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

look into problems

Meaning
to investigate or examine a situation or issue
Example
The HR manager is looking into the complaints from employees.
phrasal-verb

play down

Meaning
to make something seem less important or serious than it is
Example
The minister tried to **play down** the controversy in the media.
phrasal-verb

work under

Meaning
to operate or perform duties while facing stress or conditions
Example
She can **work under** extreme pressure and still deliver quality results.
phrasal-verb

tune into positivity

Meaning
to focus your attention on positive thoughts or feelings
Example
Each morning, **tune into positivity** before starting your work.
idiom

have a brainwave

Meaning
to suddenly have a clever idea
Example
I **had a brainwave** and solved the puzzle.
phrasal-verb

pull yourself back

Meaning
to stop overthinking or panicking and return to calmness
Example
Whenever your mind runs away, **pull yourself back** to the present.
phrasal-verb

get wound up

Meaning
to become very tense or angry
Example
He gets **wound up** easily when people interrupt him.
idiom

cat nap

Meaning
a short sleep during the day
Example
I took a **cat nap** before the meeting.
phrasal-verb

hold up

Meaning
to cause delay or slow down progress
Example
The server issue **held up** the entire team's work for hours.
phrasal-verb

soak up

Meaning
to absorb and enjoy an experience fully
Example
We sat by the sea to **soak up** the peaceful atmosphere.
idiom

A Catch-22

Meaning
A dilemma or difficult situation from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting conditions.
Example
It’s a **Catch-22**—you can’t get a job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a job.
phrasal-verb

lay aside savings

Meaning
to save money for future use
Example
Families are advised to **lay aside savings** during good times.
phrasal-verb

push for change

Meaning
to strongly demand or advocate for transformation
Example
Many organizations **push for change** in government policy.
idiom

get a handle on something

Meaning
to understand or gain control of something
Example
I'm trying to **get a handle on** the new software.
phrasal-verb

grow back

Meaning
to regrow after being cut or destroyed
Example
The forest will take years to **grow back** after the fire.
idiom

A picture paints a thousand words

Meaning
A visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
Cultural symbols remind us that **a picture paints a thousand words**.
phrasal-verb

go by

Meaning
to pass (about time); to follow or be guided by something
Example
As the years **go by**, we learn more about ourselves.
phrasal-verb

tear up with joy

Meaning
to start crying because of happiness
Example
She **tore up with joy** when she heard the good news.
idiom

brighten up

Meaning
to become happier or more cheerful
Example
Her face **brightened up** when she saw her friends.
phrasal-verb

firm up decisions

Meaning
to confirm choices after considering options
Example
Let's **firm up decisions** now so vendors can start work tomorrow.
idiom

par for the course

Meaning
what is normal or expected in a given situation
Example
Delays are **par for the course** in big projects.
idiom

a cog in the machine

Meaning
a small but essential part of a large system
Example
Every engineer is **a cog in the machine** that keeps the factory running.
idiom

in the same league

Meaning
comparable in quality or ability
Example
Those two companies aren’t **in the same league**.
idiom

out of the blue

Meaning
unexpectedly or without warning
Example
My old friend called me **out of the blue** after ten years.
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.
idiom

on one’s last legs

Meaning
to be near the end of one’s strength or life
Example
After the long hike, we were all **on our last legs**.
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.
idiom

in one’s element

Meaning
doing something one is good at or enjoys
Example
He’s **in his element** when he’s cooking for friends.
idiom

the cream of the crop

Meaning
the best among a group of people or things
Example
Only **the cream of the crop** get into that university.
idiom

take someone to task

Meaning
to strongly criticize someone for something they did wrong
Example
The teacher **took him to task** for cheating on the exam.
phrasal-verb

look on the bright side of things

Meaning
to focus on the positive aspects of a situation
Example
Try to **look on the bright side of things** when things go wrong.
idiom

throw good money after bad

Meaning
to waste more money on something that has already failed
Example
Don’t **throw good money after bad** on that failing project.
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

look in on

Meaning
to visit briefly to see if someone is fine
Example
I’ll **look in on** Grandma after work to make sure she’s okay.
idiom

nudge into

Meaning
to gently encourage someone toward something
Example
They **nudged her into** presenting at the meetup.
idiom

justice will prevail

Meaning
in the end, right will triumph over wrong
Example
Even though the case was difficult, I believe that **justice will prevail**.
idiom

kick out

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

on the ball

Meaning
alert, smart, and quick to react
Example
You need to be **on the ball** to handle this job.
idiom

chip in for

Meaning
to contribute money toward a shared cost
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in for** a farewell cake.
idiom

cool as a cucumber

Meaning
very calm and composed
Example
He stayed **cool as a cucumber** during the meeting.
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.
idiom

reach your full potential

Meaning
to achieve the maximum ability or success that you are capable of
Example
By working hard, she was able to **reach her full potential**.
phrasal-verb

refresh talking points

Meaning
to update the main ideas you plan to discuss
Example
Hosts **refresh talking points** before each community webinar.
idiom

to be in the same boat

Meaning
to be in the same difficult situation
Example
We are all **in the same boat** when it comes to the upcoming project deadline.
idiom

nest egg

Meaning
money saved for the future
Example
They’ve built a small **nest egg** for their retirement.
idiom

big mouth

Meaning
someone who talks too much or reveals secrets
Example
Don’t tell him anything — he’s got a **big mouth**.
phrasal-verb

bridge over differences

Meaning
to overcome disagreements and create unity
Example
The summit aimed to **bridge over differences** among member states.
idiom

We’re of one mind

Meaning
To share the same opinion
Example
**We’re of one mind** about this decision.
idiom

break the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation in which progress is not possible
Example
They finally managed to **break the deadlock** through discussion.
idiom

political circus

Meaning
a situation where politics becomes chaotic and theatrical
Example
The election debates turned into a **political circus**.
phrasal-verb

live through

Meaning
to experience or survive an important period of history
Example
Our grandparents **lived through** times of great cultural change.
idiom

break down the problem

Meaning
to analyze a problem step by step
Example
Let’s **break down the problem** to understand it better.
idiom

under oath

Meaning
having sworn to tell the truth in court
Example
He lied **under oath** and was charged with perjury.
idiom

beta test

Meaning
to test a product before official release
Example
We are going to **beta test** our app next week.
phrasal-verb

expand on ideas

Meaning
to explain or develop ideas in more detail
Example
The professor asked me to **expand on ideas** in my essay.
phrasal-verb

read into behavior

Meaning
to interpret meaning from how someone acts
Example
Managers **read into behavior** to spot burnout early.
idiom

at breaking point

Meaning
so stressed or tired that one can hardly cope
Example
After working 80 hours this week, she’s **at breaking point**.
phrasal-verb

cut off by

Meaning
to be blocked or separated by something
Example
The road was **cut off by** the landslide.
idiom

lose your mind

Meaning
to become mentally unstable or extremely upset
Example
He nearly **lost his mind** after the breakup.
idiom

true colors

Meaning
someone’s real character or intentions
Example
He showed his **true colors** when he lied to me.
idiom

cross your heart and hope to die

Meaning
to swear that something is true, often said with sincerity
Example
I **cross my heart and hope to die** that I will never lie to you.
phrasal-verb

cash out

Meaning
to sell an investment for money
Example
He decided to **cash out** his stocks when the prices were high.
idiom

a blank page

Meaning
a new beginning; an opportunity to start fresh
Example
After graduation, she saw her life as **a blank page** waiting to be written.
phrasal-verb

take notes

Meaning
to write down important information during a lesson or meeting
Example
He always **takes notes** when the teacher explains a new topic.
idiom

shoot for the moon

Meaning
to aim for something very high or ambitious
Example
He decided to **shoot for the moon** and apply to Harvard.
idiom

piece of cake

Meaning
something very easy to do
Example
The exam was a **piece of cake** for her.
phrasal-verb

ship out goods

Meaning
to send goods to another place, especially abroad
Example
They will **ship out goods** to Europe by the end of this month.
phrasal-verb

doubt about

Meaning
to have uncertainty regarding something
Example
I have serious **doubts about** his honesty.
idiom

have faith in

Meaning
to believe or trust in someone or something
Example
You should **have faith in** your abilities.
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

justice is blind

Meaning
justice should be impartial and not influenced by wealth or power
Example
**Justice is blind**, and everyone should be treated equally under the law.
phrasal-verb

lay down guidelines

Meaning
to establish official rules or principles
Example
The economic council will **lay down guidelines** for fiscal discipline.
phrasal-verb

toughen up

Meaning
to become stronger and more resilient, especially emotionally
Example
You need to **toughen up** if you want to handle criticism at work.
phrasal-verb

tip over

Meaning
to fall onto one side accidentally
Example
The truck **tipped over** while taking a sharp turn.
phrasal-verb

rise through emotion

Meaning
to grow stronger by understanding and processing emotions
Example
He learned to **rise through emotion** instead of being controlled by it.
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

bask in

Meaning
to enjoy something greatly, especially praise or attention
Example
She **basked in** the applause after her performance.
phrasal-verb

fall out over

Meaning
to argue and stop being friendly with someone because of something
Example
They **fell out over** money matters last year.
idiom

hit rock bottom

Meaning
to reach the lowest point of failure or depression
Example
After losing his job, he **hit rock bottom**.
phrasal-verb

report on

Meaning
to give a detailed account of an event or situation
Example
The journalist will **report on** the latest developments from the scene.
phrasal-verb

get along across

Meaning
to have a friendly relationship across different backgrounds
Example
He can easily **get along across** cultures because he is open-minded.
idiom

get down to the wire

Meaning
to approach the last possible moment before a deadline
Example
The project went **down to the wire**, but we finished on time.
idiom

on the same playing field

Meaning
in the same conditions or with equal chances
Example
We’re now **on the same playing field** as our competitors.
phrasal-verb

cut back

Meaning
to reduce the amount of time or effort spent on work
Example
She decided to **cut back** her working hours to spend more time with family.
idiom

on the big screen

Meaning
appearing in a cinema film
Example
Her novel was adapted **on the big screen** last year.
phrasal-verb

bring up negotiations

Meaning
to start discussing trade terms formally
Example
The minister plans to **bring up negotiations** during the next summit.
phrasal-verb

stand aside

Meaning
to step to one side; to withdraw and let others take charge
Example
He **stood aside** to let her pass.
idiom

an open book

Meaning
someone who is easy to understand or very honest
Example
He’s **an open book**; you can always tell what he’s thinking.
idiom

long in the tooth

Meaning
getting old
Example
He’s a bit **long in the tooth** for this kind of work.
idiom

sort out

Meaning
to organize or resolve a confusing situation
Example
We need to **sort out** this billing error today.
phrasal-verb

wait around

Meaning
to stay somewhere doing nothing while waiting for something
Example
I had to **wait around** for hours before the meeting started.
idiom

Pull one’s weight

Meaning
To do your fair share of work.
Example
If everyone **pulls their weight**, the job will be done quickly.
phrasal-verb

lay the groundwork for

Meaning
to prepare the basic foundation for something important in the future
Example
She’s **laying the groundwork for** her next career move.
phrasal-verb

step forward for opportunities

Meaning
to volunteer or take initiative when opportunities arise
Example
Ambitious employees often **step forward for opportunities** to learn and grow.
idiom

wash your hands of something

Meaning
to stop being involved in or responsible for something
Example
After the scandal, the manager **washed his hands of** the project.
phrasal-verb

say sorry for

Meaning
to express regret or apology for something
Example
He **said sorry for** his rude behavior.
idiom

on the market

Meaning
available for sale
Example
Their house has been **on the market** for over six months.
idiom

keep it under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
We’re trying to **keep it under wraps** until the official announcement.
phrasal-verb

project confidence

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

hit the pause button

Meaning
to take a break or stop what you are doing temporarily
Example
After weeks of hard work, I decided to **hit the pause button** and relax for a while.
phrasal-verb

blow up with anger

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry
Example
He **blew up with anger** when he heard the news.
idiom

make amends

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry
Example
He tried to **make amends** by helping her with her work.
phrasal-verb

cheer about

Meaning
to express happiness or approval loudly about something
Example
Fans **cheered about** the team’s victory.
phrasal-verb

catch hold of

Meaning
to grab something or someone firmly
Example
She **caught hold of** his hand to stop him from leaving.
idiom

Go broke

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

rise with kindness

Meaning
to overcome negativity with compassion and empathy
Example
Always try to **rise with kindness** even when people hurt you.
phrasal-verb

make out to be

Meaning
to claim or pretend something about someone or something
Example
He’s not as rich as he **makes out to be**.
idiom

Make a mountain out of a molehill

Meaning
To exaggerate a small problem and make it seem much bigger than it really is.
Example
She made such a big deal out of forgetting her phone; she really **made a mountain out of a molehill**.
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.
idiom

call a truce

Meaning
to agree to stop fighting or arguing for a while
Example
They decided to **call a truce** until the boss arrived.
idiom

on the right side of the law

Meaning
acting legally; not breaking any laws
Example
He wants to stay **on the right side of the law**.
idiom

check in with

Meaning
to contact someone to exchange updates
Example
I’ll **check in with** the vendor later today.
phrasal-verb

work towards improvement

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve progress or better results
Example
We must continuously **work towards improvement** in our processes.
idiom

A peaceful mind is a happy mind

Meaning
Mental calmness leads to happiness and contentment.
Example
She believes that **a peaceful mind is a happy mind**.
phrasal-verb

follow your passion

Meaning
to pursue what you love doing as a career or goal
Example
He decided to **follow his passion** for photography.
phrasal-verb

embrace emotions

Meaning
to accept and welcome feelings fully
Example
He learned to **embrace his emotions** rather than suppress them.