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phrasal-verb

open around

Meaning
to act friendly and emotionally available with people nearby
Example
She always **opens around** people she trusts.
idiom

on the line

Meaning
at risk; in danger of being lost
Example
The company’s reputation is **on the line** after the failed shipment.
idiom

One step at a time

Meaning
Handle tasks gradually and not all at once.
Example
Don't stress, just take **one step at a time**.
phrasal-verb

own your progress

Meaning
to take pride in and acknowledge your personal growth
Example
You should **own your progress** and celebrate every small win.
phrasal-verb

open up to feedback

Meaning
to be willing to listen and accept constructive criticism
Example
A good leader must **open up to feedback** from the team.
idiom

on cloud nine

Meaning
extremely happy; overjoyed
Example
She was **on cloud nine** after getting the job.
idiom

Out of curiosity

Meaning
Because of a desire to know or learn something.
Example
I asked him **out of curiosity**, not to interfere.
phrasal-verb

open out

Meaning
to become more confident, relaxed, and expressive emotionally
Example
He started to **open out** after making new friends at work.
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.
idiom

old flame

Meaning
a person one had a romantic relationship with in the past
Example
He met his **old flame** at the reunion.
idiom

own up to something

Meaning
to admit or confess responsibility for something
Example
You should **own up to your mistakes** instead of blaming others.
idiom

On the clock

Meaning
Working, often with a strict time limit or deadline.
Example
I’m **on the clock** today, so I can’t waste any time.
idiom

off the rails

Meaning
to become uncontrolled or chaotic
Example
After his friend moved away, his life went **off the rails**.
idiom

on the bench

Meaning
serving as a judge in a court
Example
She spent 20 years **on the bench** before retiring.
idiom

open to abuse

Meaning
liable to be misused or exploited
Example
Facial recognition technology is **open to abuse** if not regulated.
idiom

one in a million

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

on your last legs

Meaning
completely exhausted or near collapse
Example
After working 18 hours straight, I was **on my last legs**.
idiom

open Pandora’s box

Meaning
to start something that causes many unforeseen problems
Example
Creating sentient AI could **open Pandora’s box** of ethical challenges.
phrasal-verb

open up about kindness

Meaning
to speak honestly about acts of kindness or gratitude
Example
He finally **opened up about kindness** he received from strangers.
idiom

once bitten, twice shy

Meaning
after an unpleasant experience, you are careful to avoid it happening again
Example
After losing money in the stock market, he became **once bitten, twice shy**.
idiom

on solid ground

Meaning
in a safe or stable situation
Example
After months of hard work, the company is now **on solid ground**.
phrasal-verb

open up over

Meaning
to share personal thoughts because of a particular topic
Example
She finally **opened up over** her anxiety during group coaching.
idiom

out like a light

Meaning
to fall asleep very quickly
Example
He was **out like a light** as soon as his head hit the pillow.
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.
phrasal-verb

own responsibility for

Meaning
to accept that you are accountable for something that happened
Example
He chose to **own responsibility for** the team’s delay.
phrasal-verb

open with

Meaning
to begin something by doing or saying something specific
Example
He **opened with** a personal story to connect with the audience.
idiom

on background

Meaning
information given to a journalist that cannot be attributed to the source
Example
The official spoke **on background** about the new policy.
idiom

out of one’s mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
He must be **out of his mind** to drive so fast in the rain.
idiom

out with the old, in with the new

Meaning
to replace old things or ideas with new ones
Example
It's time for **out with the old, in with the new**.
idiom

on the stand

Meaning
testifying as a witness in court
Example
She was nervous when she was **on the stand**.
idiom

on the dot

Meaning
exactly on time; punctual
Example
The meeting started **on the dot** at 10 a.m.
idiom

on the cutting edge

Meaning
at the forefront of innovation or technology
Example
The laboratory is **on the cutting edge** of artificial intelligence research.
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.
idiom

own your mistakes

Meaning
to take responsibility for what you did wrong.
Example
It’s important to **own your mistakes** and learn from them.
idiom

Opportunity knocks but once

Meaning
Good opportunities are rare and should be seized when they appear.
Example
Don't miss the chance, **opportunity knocks but once**.
idiom

out of sorts

Meaning
feeling slightly unwell or upset
Example
He’s been **out of sorts** since he caught that cold.
idiom

Open book

Meaning
Someone who is easy to understand or transparent.
Example
She’s an **open book**; you always know what she’s thinking.
idiom

off the cuff

Meaning
to speak or perform without preparation
Example
He gave an **off the cuff** remark that impressed everyone.
phrasal-verb

open up opportunities

Meaning
to create new chances or possibilities for learning or connection
Example
Understanding other cultures can **open up opportunities** for collaboration.
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

open up trade

Meaning
to make international trade easier by removing barriers
Example
The new agreement will **open up trade** between the two nations.
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.
idiom

offbeat

Meaning
unusual; different from the norm
Example
His **offbeat** sense of humor makes everyone laugh.
phrasal-verb

open yourself to

Meaning
to allow yourself to experience emotions or connections
Example
He finally decided to **open himself to** love again.
phrasal-verb

open oneself to

Meaning
to allow oneself to experience or understand new ideas or cultures
Example
Living abroad helped him **open himself to** diverse ways of life.
idiom

Open-minded

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

on good terms

Meaning
to have a friendly and peaceful relationship
Example
They are still **on good terms** even after the breakup.
idiom

on the beat

Meaning
a police officer's regular patrol route
Example
The officer was **on the beat** when he spotted the suspect.
idiom

Old hat

Meaning
Something that is outdated or no longer interesting
Example
That style is **old hat** now—no one wears it anymore.
phrasal-verb

open yourself to experiences

Meaning
to be willing to try new cultural activities or perspectives
Example
When you **open yourself to experiences**, you grow beyond your comfort zone.
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.
idiom

on the go

Meaning
always busy or active; traveling a lot
Example
She's always **on the go** with her work trips.
phrasal-verb

open up to courage

Meaning
to allow bravery and confidence to enter one’s mind
Example
She slowly **opened up to courage** after years of doubt.
idiom

outsmart the algorithm

Meaning
to beat or trick a system that uses AI or automation
Example
People try to **outsmart the algorithm** to boost their posts.
idiom

Out of focus

Meaning
Not clear or not paying attention
Example
He looked tired and completely **out of focus** during the meeting.
idiom

overnight success

Meaning
a person or thing that becomes successful very quickly
Example
Her first song made her an **overnight success**.
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

open yourself emotionally

Meaning
to allow yourself to feel and express emotions freely
Example
It's not easy to **open yourself emotionally** after being hurt.
idiom

out of the woods

Meaning
no longer in danger or difficulty
Example
She’s recovering now, so she’s **out of the woods**.
idiom

offstage

Meaning
outside of public attention or in private life
Example
He is very different **offstage** than he appears in his shows.
phrasal-verb

opt against

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

open up new perspectives

Meaning
to help someone see things in a new or different way
Example
Traveling to different countries can **open up new perspectives** on life.
idiom

own up to your mistakes

Meaning
to admit that you have done something wrong
Example
It takes courage to **own up to your mistakes**.
idiom

On the drawing board

Meaning
In the planning or design stage
Example
The new product is still **on the drawing board**, but it will be launched next year.
idiom

out of one’s comfort zone

Meaning
doing something unfamiliar or challenging
Example
She stepped **out of her comfort zone** to take a new job.
idiom

Out of fashion

Meaning
No longer trendy or popular
Example
Those jeans went **out of fashion** years ago.
phrasal-verb

open channels with

Meaning
to start communication with an individual or group
Example
The company **opened channels with** its overseas partners to share updates.
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

out of harm’s way

Meaning
To be safe from danger or difficulty.
Example
Make sure the children are **out of harm’s way** before lighting the fire.
idiom

on the sly

Meaning
secretly; in a sneaky way
Example
He met her **on the sly** without telling anyone.
idiom

Open a can of worms

Meaning
To start something that creates many new problems.
Example
By questioning the policy, he **opened a can of worms**.
idiom

on the ball

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

On the record

Meaning
Officially stated and reportable
Example
She made her statement **on the record** during the interview.
phrasal-verb

open access to opportunities

Meaning
to make education, jobs, or services available to more people
Example
Digital transformation helps **open access to opportunities** globally.
idiom

out of the box

Meaning
creative and different from usual ideas
Example
Her **out of the box** marketing strategy increased sales rapidly.
phrasal-verb

open up to peace

Meaning
to allow yourself to feel inner calmness
Example
Through meditation, I’ve learned to **open up to peace**.
idiom

on the rebound

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

open up about

Meaning
to share personal thoughts or feelings
Example
He finally **opened up about** the project stress.
idiom

olive branch

Meaning
a gesture of peace or reconciliation
Example
The president extended an **olive branch** by inviting his rival to the summit.
idiom

old friends are gold

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

off the beaten path

Meaning
doing something unusual or original
Example
Her ideas are always **off the beaten path**.
phrasal-verb

open doors for

Meaning
to create opportunities or possibilities for connection or collaboration
Example
Joining community events can **open doors for** meaningful relationships.
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

on the house

Meaning
free of charge; paid for by the establishment
Example
The drinks were **on the house** tonight.
idiom

overfitting

Meaning
when a model performs well on training data but poorly on unseen data
Example
The model seems to be **overfitting** because it performs well on the training data but poorly on the test set.
idiom

opt out of

Meaning
to choose not to participate in something
Example
You can **opt out of** the newsletter at any time.
phrasal-verb

open doors to

Meaning
to create opportunities for cultural connection or understanding
Example
Cultural exchange programs **open doors to** meaningful friendships worldwide.
phrasal-verb

open out emotionally

Meaning
to start expressing feelings freely
Example
It took her months to **open out emotionally** after the breakup.
idiom

on air

Meaning
broadcasting live; being aired on television or radio
Example
The radio show will be **on air** from 7 to 9 PM.
idiom

open a Pandora’s box

Meaning
to start something that causes many unexpected problems
Example
Unregulated AI development may **open a Pandora’s box** of ethical issues.
phrasal-verb

open minds through dialogue

Meaning
to encourage understanding between cultures by communicating openly
Example
The conference aimed to **open minds through dialogue** between communities.
phrasal-verb

open up to change

Meaning
to become willing to accept new ideas or practices
Example
Societies progress when people **open up to change**.
idiom

on the money

Meaning
exactly correct or accurate
Example
His prediction about the stock was **on the money**.
idiom

on the stump

Meaning
to campaign for political office, especially by giving speeches in public
Example
The candidate has been **on the stump** for weeks, rallying support across the country.
idiom

on the spot

Meaning
to make a decision immediately
Example
He was asked to decide **on the spot**.
phrasal-verb

open relations with

Meaning
to start official or friendly relations with another country
Example
After years of tension, the two countries agreed to **open relations with** each other.
phrasal-verb

open hearts to

Meaning
to show kindness and acceptance toward people of other cultures
Example
We should **open our hearts to** people who are different from us.
idiom

on the level

Meaning
honest and sincere; not trying to deceive
Example
You can trust her—she’s **on the level**.
idiom

open and shut case

Meaning
a case that is easily decided or obvious
Example
It was an **open and shut case** with clear evidence.
idiom

off the beaten track

Meaning
in a place not visited by many people; remote or unusual
Example
We found a lovely beach **off the beaten track**.
idiom

On the breadline

Meaning
Living in poverty or with very little money.
Example
After losing his job, he was almost **on the breadline**.
phrasal-verb

open up communication

Meaning
to start or improve honest and clear communication
Example
They tried to **open up communication** to solve their issues.
phrasal-verb

open yourself up

Meaning
to make yourself emotionally vulnerable or honest
Example
It’s hard to **open yourself up** after being hurt.
idiom

on good terms with

Meaning
having a friendly and positive relationship with someone
Example
She’s **on good terms with** her ex-husband for the kids’ sake.
phrasal-verb

overflow with

Meaning
to have a large amount of positive feeling or emotion
Example
The parents were **overflowing with** pride at their son’s success.
phrasal-verb

open dialogue with

Meaning
to start conversations or discussions with another culture or group
Example
The organization aims to **open dialogue with** minority communities.
idiom

over the hill

Meaning
past one's prime; no longer young or at peak performance
Example
Some people think turning forty means you’re **over the hill**, but that’s not true.
idiom

on the same page

Meaning
to agree or have the same understanding about something
Example
Before we continue, let’s make sure we’re **on the same page**.
idiom

old friend

Meaning
a friend you have known for a long time
Example
I met an **old friend** from college yesterday.
phrasal-verb

open up to

Meaning
to become more willing to accept or consider new ideas, cultures, or people
Example
As globalization spread, many countries began to **open up to** cultural exchange.
idiom

on fire

Meaning
performing very well; full of energy and success
Example
The sales team is **on fire** this month!
idiom

on the grapevine

Meaning
to hear gossip or rumor indirectly
Example
I heard **on the grapevine** that they’re getting divorced.
idiom

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

Meaning
Going from a bad situation to an even worse one.
Example
Quitting that job put him **out of the frying pan and into the fire**.
idiom

open up

Meaning
to become willing to share thoughts or to start operating
Example
He finally **opened up** about the challenges he’s facing.
idiom

off the hook

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

off the top of your head

Meaning
to say something without deep thinking or preparation
Example
I can’t remember the exact number **off the top of my head**.
phrasal-verb

open your heart

Meaning
to become more emotionally available or loving
Example
She decided to **open her heart** to love again.
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

out of the picture

Meaning
no longer involved or relevant
Example
After the gallery closed, the curator was **out of the picture**.
phrasal-verb

open out with

Meaning
to start being honest and expressive with someone about emotions
Example
She **opened out with** her husband about her anxiety.