my bad
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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idiom

my bad

Meaning
a casual way to admit a small mistake
Example
Oh, I forgot to bring your book — **my bad**!
phrasal-verb

pay tribute to

Meaning
to show respect and admiration for someone
Example
The team **paid tribute to** their coach after the victory.
phrasal-verb

feel torn about

Meaning
to feel conflicted or regretful about a choice or decision
Example
I **feel torn about** leaving my hometown for work.
phrasal-verb

stay true to

Meaning
to remain loyal to your values or beliefs
Example
Always **stay true to** your principles no matter what.
idiom

get a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared completely healthy by a doctor
Example
After his check-up, he **got a clean bill of health**.
idiom

work up

Meaning
to gradually build courage, energy, or an appetite
Example
It took me a while to **work up** the courage to ask.
idiom

branch out

Meaning
to expand into new activities or areas
Example
The bakery plans to **branch out** into catering services next year.
idiom

mad as a hornet

Meaning
very angry
Example
She was **mad as a hornet** when she found her phone broken.
idiom

it’s raining cats and dogs

Meaning
raining very heavily
Example
We can’t go out now; **it’s raining cats and dogs**.
phrasal-verb

blow off work

Meaning
to skip work or avoid responsibilities, often to reduce stress
Example
He decided to **blow off work** and spend the day at the beach.
idiom

a lawyer's brief

Meaning
a summary or concise statement of an argument or case
Example
The **lawyer's brief** was submitted to the judge before the trial began.
idiom

music to my ears

Meaning
something that makes you feel happy or pleased
Example
Hearing that the concert was extended was **music to my ears**.
phrasal-verb

burst out crying

Meaning
to suddenly start crying loudly
Example
The child **burst out crying** when his toy broke.
idiom

the real McCoy

Meaning
the genuine or original thing
Example
This painting is **the real McCoy**, not a copy.
idiom

circle of friends

Meaning
a group of people you are friendly with
Example
She has a large **circle of friends** from college.
idiom

hold all the cards

Meaning
to be in a strong position to control or influence a situation
Example
In the negotiations, the buyer **held all the cards**.
phrasal-verb

get past differences

Meaning
to overcome disagreements and move forward positively
Example
The team managed to **get past differences** and focus on the project.
phrasal-verb

double down on learning

Meaning
to increase your effort toward gaining knowledge
Example
After the promotion, I **double down on learning** new leadership skills.
idiom

break the silence

Meaning
to start talking after a period of silence
Example
He was the one to **break the silence** after the awkward pause.
phrasal-verb

push beyond

Meaning
to go further than one’s limits or fears
Example
You need to **push beyond** your comfort zone to grow.
idiom

a loose cannon

Meaning
A person who behaves unpredictably and may cause problems.
Example
Be careful with him — he’s **a loose cannon**.
phrasal-verb

run up

Meaning
to cause yourself to owe a large amount of money
Example
He **ran up** a huge credit card bill last month.
idiom

Blue skies thinking

Meaning
Creative or open-minded thinking without limits.
Example
Our brainstorming session encouraged **blue skies thinking**.
phrasal-verb

opt against

Meaning
to decide not to choose a particular option
Example
After considering the risks, the company **opted against** the merger.
idiom

grow out of something

Meaning
to stop liking or doing something as you become older or more mature
Example
He eventually **grew out of** his bad habits.
phrasal-verb

dig into data

Meaning
to analyze information in detail
Example
Analysts **dig into data** to understand the social shifts.
idiom

Failure is the mother of success

Meaning
Success often comes after learning from failures.
Example
Don’t worry about failing; **failure is the mother of success**.
phrasal-verb

live on

Meaning
to eat mainly a particular type of food
Example
He **lives on** fast food, which is not healthy.
phrasal-verb

save up

Meaning
to keep money so you can buy something in the future
Example
I’m trying to **save up** for a new laptop.
idiom

put your faith in someone

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
She decided to **put her faith in him** and let him handle the project.
idiom

get it right

Meaning
to do something correctly after making a mistake
Example
It took a few tries, but she finally **got it right**.
idiom

out of left field

Meaning
something unexpected or surprising
Example
His question came **out of left field** and shocked everyone.
idiom

clash of wills

Meaning
a conflict between two determined people
Example
It was a **clash of wills** between the manager and the employee.
idiom

bring forward

Meaning
to move something to an earlier time
Example
We had to **bring forward** the meeting due to travel.
idiom

hold sway

Meaning
to have great influence or power over others
Example
The leader **held sway** over the entire organization.
idiom

mark down

Meaning
to reduce the price of something
Example
The store **marked down** winter coats in March.
phrasal-verb

hop on

Meaning
to get on a vehicle quickly or easily
Example
You can **hop on** the next bus if you miss this one.
phrasal-verb

build inner strength

Meaning
to develop mental and emotional toughness
Example
Meditation helps you **build inner strength** and calmness.
idiom

to be on cloud nine

Meaning
to be extremely happy
Example
She was **on cloud nine** after hearing the good news about her promotion.
idiom

plan ahead

Meaning
to prepare for the future
Example
You should **plan ahead** to avoid problems later.
phrasal-verb

keep improving

Meaning
to continue making things better or more effective
Example
Our company culture encourages everyone to **keep improving**.
idiom

team player

Meaning
someone who works well with others
Example
Every company values a good **team player**.
idiom

in hot water

Meaning
in trouble or difficulty
Example
He’s **in hot water** for missing the meeting.
phrasal-verb

budget for

Meaning
to plan how much money will be needed for something
Example
We need to **budget for** our new marketing campaign.
idiom

make oneself clear

Meaning
to express oneself in a way that is easy to understand
Example
Could you **make yourself clear**, please?
phrasal-verb

speak kindly of

Meaning
to say positive things about someone as a form of appreciation
Example
Everyone **speaks kindly of** her because she’s always generous.
idiom

work like a dog

Meaning
to work very hard without rest
Example
She **works like a dog** to provide for her kids.
phrasal-verb

slip by

Meaning
to miss or overlook something accidentally
Example
A few errors **slipped by** during the proofreading.
idiom

spend money like water

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

thank warmly

Meaning
to express gratitude in a sincere way
Example
She **thanked everyone warmly** for attending the event.
idiom

offline mode

Meaning
a state of being disconnected from the internet or unavailable
Example
He’s been in **offline mode** all weekend, not answering any messages.
phrasal-verb

snack on

Meaning
to eat small amounts of food between meals
Example
I like to **snack on** fruits in the afternoon.
phrasal-verb

write to

Meaning
to send a letter or message to express gratitude or appreciation
Example
I plan to **write to** my old professor to thank him for his support.
idiom

mums the word

Meaning
keep silent about a secret
Example
**Mum’s the word** about the new project.
idiom

make hay while the sun shines

Meaning
take advantage of a good situation while it lasts
Example
You should **make hay while the sun shines** and finish your work early.
phrasal-verb

step out

Meaning
to leave a place for a short time; to go outside
Example
I’m going to **step out** for a moment to get some fresh air.
idiom

to take the bull by the horns

Meaning
to confront a problem or challenge directly and with determination
Example
We need to **take the bull by the horns** and start making decisions now.
phrasal-verb

stay with

Meaning
to continue supporting or believing in something or someone
Example
The employees decided to **stay with** the company during tough times.
idiom

ease off on

Meaning
to reduce the amount or pressure of something
Example
They decided to **ease off on** overtime this month.
idiom

move the goalposts

Meaning
to change the rules or conditions to make success harder
Example
They **moved the goalposts** after we had agreed on the terms.
phrasal-verb

come down

Meaning
when rain or snow falls heavily
Example
The rain is really **coming down** now.
phrasal-verb

let go

Meaning
to stop holding onto negative emotions or memories
Example
You have to **let go** of the past to heal emotionally.
idiom

footloose and fancy-free

Meaning
free to do whatever you want; without commitments
Example
He loves being **footloose and fancy-free** after retirement.
idiom

A bright idea

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

Straight shooter

Meaning
A person who is honest and direct.
Example
You can trust him; he’s a **straight shooter**.
idiom

cross your fingers

Meaning
to hope that things will happen the way you want
Example
I'm **crossing my fingers** that I get the job.
phrasal-verb

apply for

Meaning
to make a formal request for a job or position
Example
She decided to **apply for** the marketing manager position at the new company.
idiom

put one's foot down

Meaning
to make a firm decision or take a strong stand on something
Example
She had to **put her foot down** and say no to the proposal.
idiom

old friends are gold

Meaning
old friends are precious and valuable
Example
I always say, **old friends are gold**.
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

steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to look or feel extremely angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** after the argument.
phrasal-verb

plan ahead for

Meaning
to prepare for something in advance
Example
We must **plan ahead for** deadlines to avoid last-minute stress.
phrasal-verb

make after

Meaning
to chase or pursue someone
Example
The police **made after** the suspect immediately.
idiom

cover all the bases

Meaning
to prepare for every possible situation
Example
We need to **cover all the bases** before the meeting.
idiom

Faith can move mountains

Meaning
Strong belief can achieve the impossible.
Example
He believes that **faith can move mountains** when you truly believe.
phrasal-verb

show love to

Meaning
to demonstrate affection or gratitude toward someone
Example
He **shows love to** his mentors for guiding him through tough times.
phrasal-verb

stand up after failure

Meaning
to recover and try again after failing
Example
Winners are those who **stand up after failure** and keep trying.
idiom

grin from ear to ear

Meaning
to smile broadly because of happiness
Example
She was **grinning from ear to ear** after the compliment.
idiom

play it by ear

Meaning
to decide or act as the situation develops
Example
We’ll **play it by ear** and see what happens.
idiom

come back to earth

Meaning
to return to reality after being excited or daydreaming
Example
After the vacation, it’s time to **come back to earth**.
phrasal-verb

partner across

Meaning
to work with organizations across different regions or sectors
Example
We **partner across** industries to deliver innovative solutions.
phrasal-verb

pour down

Meaning
to rain very heavily
Example
It started to **pour down**, and everyone ran for shelter.
phrasal-verb

drop dead

Meaning
to die suddenly; used informally to express shock or anger
Example
He almost **dropped dead** when he heard the news.
idiom

learn your lesson

Meaning
to learn from an unpleasant experience so as not to repeat it
Example
After being late several times, he finally **learned his lesson**.
idiom

bad luck

Meaning
unfortunate or unlucky situation
Example
It’s just **bad luck** that it rained on our picnic day.
phrasal-verb

carry over to

Meaning
to apply something learned or used in one situation to another
Example
You can **carry over** those skills **to** your new job.
phrasal-verb

run along

Meaning
to leave or go away, usually said to children
Example
It’s time to **run along** now, kids.
idiom

put a spin on

Meaning
to present information in a way that influences people's perception
Example
The media often **puts a spin on** stories to attract viewers.
idiom

clear away

Meaning
to remove things to tidy a space
Example
Please **clear away** the dishes after lunch.
phrasal-verb

stand by your word

Meaning
to keep a promise or commitment even when it is difficult
Example
He’s the kind of person who always **stands by his word**.
phrasal-verb

look over

Meaning
to examine or review something quickly
Example
Can you **look over** this proposal before submitting it?
idiom

At the end of one’s rope

Meaning
To be so tired or frustrated that you can’t deal with anything more.
Example
After working nonstop for weeks, I was **at the end of my rope**.
phrasal-verb

rally spirits around goals

Meaning
to encourage people to stay motivated about shared targets
Example
Captains **rally spirits around goals** when fatigue sets in late in the quarter.
phrasal-verb

show in

Meaning
to lead someone into a room or building
Example
Please **show in** the guests to the living room.
idiom

put your money where your mouth is

Meaning
to support your words with actions or financial commitment
Example
If you believe in the project, **put your money where your mouth is**.
phrasal-verb

open up to challenges

Meaning
to be willing to face or accept difficult situations with confidence
Example
If you want to grow, you must **open up to challenges** instead of avoiding them.
idiom

tie the knot of friendship

Meaning
to start a friendship
Example
They **tied the knot of friendship** during college.
idiom

give it time

Meaning
to wait for something to improve or happen
Example
**Give it time**, you’ll see results soon.
phrasal-verb

open out your heart

Meaning
to share your deep emotions honestly with someone
Example
He finally **opened out his heart** to his best friend.
idiom

keep on track

Meaning
to continue doing something as planned
Example
We need to **keep on track** to meet our deadlines.
phrasal-verb

chart out for

Meaning
to map a path or schedule for something
Example
We **chart out for** peak-season shipping routes in advance.
idiom

a dark horse

Meaning
a person who keeps their skills or plans secret until an important moment
Example
Nobody expected her to win; she was **a dark horse**.
idiom

raise the stakes

Meaning
to increase the level of risk or difficulty
Example
We need to **raise the stakes** if we want to make a bigger impact.
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

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

off the hook

Meaning
to be free from blame or responsibility for something
Example
He was **off the hook** after his friend confessed.
phrasal-verb

drive inclusive growth

Meaning
to promote economic growth that benefits all segments of society
Example
Governments are working to **drive inclusive growth** for all citizens.
phrasal-verb

grow up

Meaning
to become an adult; to mature
Example
Children **grow up** so fast these days.
idiom

growth hacking

Meaning
using creative and low-cost strategies to rapidly grow a business or product
Example
Startups rely heavily on **growth hacking** to gain users quickly.
idiom

black sheep of the family

Meaning
a family member who is considered a disgrace
Example
He became the **black sheep of the family** after his bad decisions.
idiom

push someone's buttons

Meaning
to deliberately annoy or upset someone
Example
He knows how to **push her buttons** when they argue.
phrasal-verb

throw out

Meaning
to get rid of something you no longer need; to discard
Example
We should **throw out** all the old newspapers.
phrasal-verb

grow out of

Meaning
to stop repeating mistakes as you gain experience
Example
Most people **grow out of** their early mistakes with time.
phrasal-verb

play back

Meaning
to listen to or watch something that was previously recorded
Example
Let’s **play back** the scene to check if the sound was clear.
phrasal-verb

jump back

Meaning
to move suddenly backward in fear or surprise
Example
She **jumped back** when the cat suddenly hissed.
idiom

wave off

Meaning
to dismiss or refuse something with a gesture or comment
Example
She **waved off** the compliments with a smile.
phrasal-verb

build out

Meaning
to expand or develop infrastructure or capacity
Example
They are working hard to **build out** their cloud platform.
phrasal-verb

bring back

Meaning
to reintroduce or restore something that was removed
Example
The city plans to **bring back** tree-planting programs this year.
phrasal-verb

grow emotionally

Meaning
to become more mature in handling emotions and relationships
Example
You can **grow emotionally** by being honest about your feelings.
idiom

honor one's promise

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

open up new horizons

Meaning
to create new opportunities for learning or understanding different cultures
Example
Studying abroad can **open up new horizons** for personal and cultural growth.