on cue
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idiom

on cue

Meaning
exactly at the right moment
Example
The dog barked **on cue** when the actor opened the door.
phrasal-verb

push aside doubts

Meaning
to ignore fears or uncertainties and keep moving
Example
She **pushed aside doubts** and followed her instincts.
phrasal-verb

focus on gratitude

Meaning
to concentrate on things you are thankful for
Example
Each morning, **focus on gratitude** to start your day positively.
idiom

A goal without a plan is just a wish

Meaning
Having a goal without a clear plan makes it unlikely to succeed.
Example
Don’t just dream, remember **a goal without a plan is just a wish**.
idiom

sail through

Meaning
to succeed at something easily
Example
With all that practice, you’ll **sail through** the interview.
phrasal-verb

carry through on

Meaning
to complete or fulfill a promise, plan, or commitment
Example
A person with strong ethics will always **carry through on** their promises.
phrasal-verb

lie in wait

Meaning
to hide and wait for someone or something
Example
The police **lay in wait** for the suspect all night.
idiom

hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
The refugee crisis has become a **hot potato** in the government.
idiom

no worries

Meaning
used to say that everything is fine or there is no problem
Example
**No worries**, I’ll take care of it.
phrasal-verb

ease out tension

Meaning
to reduce or remove feelings of stress
Example
A warm bath helps to **ease out tension** from muscles.
idiom

to spill the beans

Meaning
to reveal a secret by mistake
Example
Tom accidentally **spilled the beans** about the surprise party.
phrasal-verb

link up with

Meaning
to connect or cooperate with another group or country
Example
Our company plans to **link up with** partners in Asia for expansion.
phrasal-verb

sit down to

Meaning
to gather together to share a meal or celebration
Example
Every Friday, our family **sits down to** dinner together.
phrasal-verb

come clean with

Meaning
to be completely honest with someone about something
Example
You should **come clean with** the team about the project delay.
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

Exactly!

Meaning
Used to strongly show agreement
Example
‘It’s time to move on.’ ‘**Exactly!**’
idiom

second to none

Meaning
the best; better than everyone else
Example
Her cooking is **second to none**.
phrasal-verb

cut off from

Meaning
to separate or isolate from something
Example
Deforestation can **cut off** animals from their habitats.
idiom

take it to the next level

Meaning
to improve something significantly; to advance to a higher stage
Example
We plan to **take our business to the next level** this year.
phrasal-verb

apologize for

Meaning
to say sorry for something you did
Example
She **apologized for** forgetting his birthday.
phrasal-verb

phase over to

Meaning
to switch operations gradually to another system
Example
They plan to **phase over to** a paperless office within six months.
phrasal-verb

run out of

Meaning
to finish or exhaust a supply of something
Example
We might **run out of** clean water if we don’t conserve it.
idiom

bat around

Meaning
to discuss ideas casually
Example
We spent the afternoon **batting around** marketing themes.
idiom

beat a dead horse

Meaning
to waste time on a topic that has already been resolved
Example
Stop **beating a dead horse**; the decision is final.
phrasal-verb

lash back

Meaning
to respond angrily to criticism or attack
Example
When criticized unfairly, she immediately **lashed back** with strong words.
idiom

Patience pays off

Meaning
Being patient will eventually lead to positive results.
Example
I know you’ve been waiting for a long time, but trust me, **patience pays off**.
idiom

apology accepted

Meaning
used to say that you forgive someone
Example
Don’t worry, **apology accepted**.
idiom

make someone green

Meaning
to make someone jealous
Example
Her success **made her colleagues green**.
idiom

feel for

Meaning
to have sympathy for someone
Example
We really **feel for** anyone stuck in that traffic.
idiom

draw up

Meaning
to prepare an official document or plan
Example
The lawyer will **draw up** the agreement this afternoon.
phrasal-verb

rise through challenges

Meaning
to overcome difficulties and grow stronger
Example
She **rose through challenges** and became a respected leader.
idiom

touch wood

Meaning
to say something positive and hope it continues to be good
Example
We haven’t lost a game yet, **touch wood**.
phrasal-verb

bump into

Meaning
to meet someone unexpectedly
Example
I **bumped into** an old friend at the mall.
idiom

take down

Meaning
to record information in writing
Example
Can you **take down** the meeting notes?
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.
phrasal-verb

help along

Meaning
to make progress easier for someone
Example
The mentor **helped along** the new employees during training.
idiom

Don Quixote

Meaning
A person who is overly idealistic, unrealistic, or impractical.
Example
He’s being **a Don Quixote**, chasing impossible dreams.
phrasal-verb

learn by

Meaning
to gain knowledge or skill through a specific way or method
Example
Many people **learn by** making mistakes and correcting them.
phrasal-verb

let someone off

Meaning
to forgive someone and not punish them
Example
The teacher **let him off** with a warning.
idiom

a smart cookie

Meaning
a very clever or intelligent person
Example
Don’t underestimate her; she’s **a smart cookie**.
idiom

a pipe dream

Meaning
an unrealistic or impossible dream
Example
Owning a private island is just **a pipe dream** for most people.
phrasal-verb

cloud over

Meaning
when the sky becomes covered with clouds
Example
The sky **clouded over**, and we knew it was going to rain soon.
phrasal-verb

hold back

Meaning
to stop yourself from expressing something
Example
He wanted to tell her everything but **held back** his words.
phrasal-verb

shut down emotionally

Meaning
to stop expressing or feeling emotions, especially after being hurt
Example
After the argument, he completely **shut down emotionally**.
idiom

make oneself clear

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

laugh off

Meaning
to dismiss something by treating it as a joke
Example
She tried to **laugh off** the mistake during the presentation.
idiom

a vision for the future

Meaning
a clear idea or plan about what should happen in the future
Example
The CEO has **a vision for the future** of the company that will guide its growth.
phrasal-verb

streamline into

Meaning
to simplify a process to make it more efficient
Example
The company aims to **streamline into** a faster workflow this quarter.
phrasal-verb

reply to

Meaning
to respond to a message or email
Example
I’ll **reply to** your email by the end of the day.
phrasal-verb

move on from

Meaning
to recover emotionally and continue life after a painful experience
Example
It took him a while to **move on from** the heartbreak.
idiom

stand trial

Meaning
to appear in court to answer criminal charges
Example
He will **stand trial** for fraud next month.
idiom

deep learning

Meaning
A class of machine learning algorithms that uses multiple layers to progressively extract higher-level features from raw input.
Example
The AI system improved through **deep learning**, making it smarter over time.
idiom

party animal

Meaning
someone who loves going to parties
Example
She’s such a **party animal**, always out on weekends.
phrasal-verb

stand up for oneself

Meaning
to defend your rights or express your opinions confidently
Example
You should **stand up for yourself** when someone disrespects you.
idiom

a fool and his money are soon parted

Meaning
people who are careless with their money will lose it quickly
Example
He spent all his money on useless gadgets; **a fool and his money are soon parted**.
phrasal-verb

cast a vote for

Meaning
to choose a candidate or option in an election
Example
Remember to **cast a vote for** the issues you believe in.
phrasal-verb

take issue with

Meaning
to disagree strongly with someone or something
Example
I **take issue with** your interpretation of the results.
idiom

bookworm

Meaning
a person who loves reading
Example
He’s such a **bookworm**; he spends all his free time in the library.
idiom

a ray of sunshine

Meaning
someone or something that brings happiness
Example
Her smile is **a ray of sunshine** on a gloomy day.
idiom

short circuit

Meaning
to cause a sudden failure; to interrupt a process abruptly
Example
A small mistake **short-circuited** the entire project.
idiom

plan ahead

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

That ship has sailed

Meaning
That opportunity is gone and cannot be used anymore.
Example
I wanted to apply for that job, but **that ship has sailed**.
phrasal-verb

set meeting notes live

Meaning
to publish the latest minutes for everyone to view
Example
Please **set meeting notes live** right after the session ends.
idiom

cutting corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often sacrificing quality
Example
They finished early by **cutting corners**, but the result was poor.
phrasal-verb

lead by

Meaning
to guide others through your own example or actions
Example
Great leaders **lead by** example rather than words.
idiom

check back

Meaning
to return at a later time for an update
Example
Please **check back** next week for the final list.
idiom

busy bee

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

burn the midnight oil

Meaning
to work late into the night
Example
She **burned the midnight oil** to finish her project.
idiom

tough as nails

Meaning
very strong and resilient
Example
She is **tough as nails**, nothing can break her spirit.
phrasal-verb

value differences

Meaning
to respect and appreciate what makes people unique
Example
We should **value differences** as they make our workplace stronger.
phrasal-verb

go down

Meaning
to decrease; to be remembered or recorded
Example
This event will **go down** in history.
phrasal-verb

run on

Meaning
to be powered by a particular source of energy
Example
Electric cars **run on** renewable energy instead of gasoline.
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

meet halfway

Meaning
to compromise by agreeing to part of what each person wants
Example
We decided to **meet halfway** and agree on a fair price.
idiom

pull your weight

Meaning
to do your fair share of work
Example
Everyone needs to **pull their weight** if we want to finish this project on time.
idiom

meet and greet

Meaning
an event where people meet and introduce themselves
Example
The company organized a **meet and greet** for new employees.
idiom

on the front line

Meaning
directly involved in the most active or dangerous part of something
Example
Doctors were **on the front line** during the pandemic.
phrasal-verb

back one another up

Meaning
to support or defend each other in a group
Example
In our team, we always **back one another up** during challenges.
phrasal-verb

come forward

Meaning
to offer to help or take part in something
Example
Several team members **came forward** to volunteer for the new task.
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

zero gravity

Meaning
a state of complete freedom or lack of pressure
Example
After quitting his stressful job, he felt like he was in **zero gravity**.
idiom

A Jekyll and Hyde

Meaning
A person with two very different sides to their personality.
Example
He’s like **a Jekyll and Hyde**—nice one moment and cruel the next.
phrasal-verb

set up

Meaning
to establish or create an organization, system, or structure
Example
They **set up** a new political party to challenge the ruling government.
idiom

patience is a virtue

Meaning
being patient is a good quality
Example
Remember, **patience is a virtue**, so take your time.
idiom

tell a tall tale

Meaning
to tell an exaggerated or false story
Example
He loves to **tell tall tales** about his adventures.
idiom

draw inspiration from

Meaning
to be motivated or influenced by something
Example
He **drew inspiration from** nature for his latest painting.
phrasal-verb

come in

Meaning
to enter a room or building
Example
Please **come in** and have a seat.
phrasal-verb

space yourself out

Meaning
to take mental breaks to avoid stress
Example
You should **space yourself out** during long study sessions.
phrasal-verb

get away

Meaning
to go somewhere for a short vacation; to escape from daily routine
Example
We’re planning to **get away** for the weekend to relax.
phrasal-verb

count towards

Meaning
to contribute to an overall result or future achievement
Example
This internship will **count towards** your graduation credits.
phrasal-verb

break through bias

Meaning
to overcome prejudices and unfair judgments
Example
Training programs help employees **break through bias** in hiring decisions.
idiom

bring down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad or to reduce something
Example
Don’t let one rude comment **bring down** your confidence.
idiom

school of thought

Meaning
a particular way of thinking or set of ideas
Example
There’s a **school of thought** that believes learning by doing is best.
idiom

a penny for your thoughts

Meaning
a way of asking someone what they are thinking about
Example
You look lost in thought — **a penny for your thoughts**?
idiom

Media frenzy

Meaning
Excessive media attention or excitement over a story.
Example
The celebrity’s arrest created a **media frenzy**.
idiom

In a peaceful state of mind

Meaning
feeling relaxed and at ease without stress or worry
Example
After yoga, she felt **in a peaceful state of mind** all day.
idiom

blur the lines

Meaning
to make the difference between two things less clear or distinct
Example
AI-generated art often **blurs the lines** between human creativity and machine output.
idiom

a close call

Meaning
A situation where a disaster or accident was narrowly avoided.
Example
That was **a close call** — the car almost hit us!
idiom

read between the lines

Meaning
to understand the hidden meaning behind something
Example
She said everything was fine, but if you **read between the lines**, you could tell she was upset.
phrasal-verb

zone within

Meaning
to turn your focus inward for calm and peace
Example
Meditation helps you **zone within** and find balance.
idiom

chill out

Meaning
to relax and stop being angry or nervous
Example
You need to **chill out** and enjoy the weekend.
phrasal-verb

shift focus away from

Meaning
to direct your attention away from something that causes anxiety
Example
When you feel nervous, **shift focus away from** your fears and onto your breathing.
phrasal-verb

put into practice

Meaning
to use knowledge or skills in a real situation
Example
You should **put into practice** what you’ve learned in the course.
idiom

step up to the plate

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something important
Example
When the leader resigned, she **stepped up to the plate** and took charge.
phrasal-verb

go with

Meaning
to match well or be suitable; to choose something
Example
I’ll **go with** the blue shirt—it looks better on me.
idiom

on the rebound

Meaning
starting a new relationship soon after a breakup
Example
He started dating again **on the rebound**.
phrasal-verb

go over again

Meaning
to review or repeat material for better understanding
Example
Let’s **go over again** the main points before the quiz.
phrasal-verb

tear up

Meaning
to start crying a little
Example
She **teared up** during the emotional movie scene.
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

get organized

Meaning
to arrange your work and time in an efficient way
Example
It’s easier to manage your day if you **get organized** early.
phrasal-verb

send back

Meaning
to return a purchased item for a refund or replacement
Example
I had to **send back** the shirt because it didn’t fit.
phrasal-verb

work toward goals

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve objectives
Example
Everyone in the company is working toward the same vision.
idiom

When the going gets tough, the tough get going

Meaning
Strong people keep working hard even in difficulties.
Example
**When the going gets tough, the tough get going** — never lose hope.
idiom

back off

Meaning
to move away or stop pressuring someone
Example
Let’s **back off** and give them space to decide.
phrasal-verb

go wild

Meaning
to behave in an extremely excited or enthusiastic way
Example
The crowd **went wild** when the team scored the goal.
phrasal-verb

hand off

Meaning
to transfer a task or responsibility to another person
Example
I’ll **hand off** this report to the marketing team for review.
phrasal-verb

pace yourself through

Meaning
to move steadily through a task without rushing
Example
I **pace myself through** long study guides to stay focused.
phrasal-verb

clear your mind

Meaning
to remove distracting thoughts and relax mentally
Example
Go for a walk to **clear your mind** after a long day.
idiom

teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone teases her for being the **teacher’s pet**.
idiom

put someone in their place

Meaning
to show someone that they are not as important as they think
Example
She **put him in his place** when he tried to act superior.