opt against
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
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

between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
facing two difficult choices
Example
She’s **between a rock and a hard place** — neither option is good.
idiom

go back to square one

Meaning
to start again from the beginning
Example
If this doesn’t work, we’ll have to **go back to square one**.
idiom

Best foot forward

Meaning
To try to make the best possible impression
Example
She always puts her **best foot forward** on important occasions.
phrasal-verb

stay focused on

Meaning
to continue giving attention to something important without getting distracted
Example
To achieve good grades, you must **stay focused on** your studies.
idiom

make up your mind

Meaning
to decide something
Example
You need to **make up your mind** about which job to take.
phrasal-verb

turn away

Meaning
to refuse entry or acceptance; to move away from something
Example
The guard **turned away** people without tickets.
idiom

asleep on your feet

Meaning
extremely tired and almost falling asleep
Example
You look **asleep on your feet** after working all day.
phrasal-verb

open the heart to

Meaning
to express your honest emotions to someone
Example
He finally **opened his heart to** his parents.
idiom

smoke and mirrors

Meaning
something that is intended to deceive or confuse
Example
The company’s promises were just **smoke and mirrors**.
idiom

show who's boss

Meaning
to make people recognize your authority
Example
Sometimes a leader must **show who's boss**.
phrasal-verb

foster cooperation

Meaning
to encourage and develop mutual assistance or teamwork between nations
Example
The UN's goal is to **foster cooperation** among its members.
idiom

get a pat on the back

Meaning
to receive praise or recognition for something good
Example
He **got a pat on the back** for completing the project early.
phrasal-verb

cut down electricity use

Meaning
to lower the consumption of electrical power
Example
Installing solar panels helps to **cut down electricity use**.
idiom

algorithm

Meaning
a set of rules or instructions for solving a problem or performing a task
Example
The **algorithm** sorts the data into categories.
phrasal-verb

scale back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something you use or do
Example
We've **scaled back on** paper prints to cut waste.
idiom

see the silver lining

Meaning
to find hope or something positive in a bad situation
Example
She tries to **see the silver lining** even in tough times.
idiom

stand by your principles

Meaning
to remain loyal to your values, even in difficult situations
Example
She always **stands by her principles** in tough times.
phrasal-verb

learn to accept

Meaning
to come to terms with failure as part of life
Example
You must **learn to accept** failure if you want to succeed.
phrasal-verb

head toward victory

Meaning
to move or progress in the direction of winning or success
Example
Our team is **heading toward victory** after months of training.
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

get across feelings

Meaning
to successfully communicate how you feel
Example
He couldn’t **get across** his feelings properly in the letter.
idiom

the black sheep

Meaning
a person who is a disgrace to their family or group
Example
He’s **the black sheep** of the family.
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

sleep like a baby

Meaning
to sleep very peacefully and comfortably
Example
After a warm bath, she **slept like a baby**.
phrasal-verb

wake up politically

Meaning
to become aware of political issues and start caring about them
Example
Many young people are beginning to **wake up politically**.
phrasal-verb

sit with

Meaning
to accept and experience emotions without rushing to fix them
Example
When you’re sad, just **sit with** your feelings for a while.
idiom

bookend something

Meaning
to mark the beginning and end of something
Example
Her career was **bookended** by two great performances.
idiom

A true friend is the greatest of all blessings

Meaning
A true friend is the most valuable gift one can have
Example
I consider myself lucky to have you as my friend. **A true friend is the greatest of all blessings**.
phrasal-verb

build over

Meaning
to move past a negative feeling or fear by developing confidence
Example
He managed to **build over** his fear of speaking in public.
phrasal-verb

deal back

Meaning
to return a favor or repay someone
Example
She promised to **deal back** the help someday.
idiom

fall flat

Meaning
to fail completely
Example
His idea **fell flat** because nobody liked it.
phrasal-verb

scale out

Meaning
to expand or grow the size or capacity of something
Example
The company plans to **scale out** its operations to new markets.
idiom

Frankenstein’s monster

Meaning
A creation that turns against its creator.
Example
Social media became a **Frankenstein’s monster** for its inventors.
phrasal-verb

adhere to principles

Meaning
to continue to obey or follow moral rules or beliefs
Example
A true professional should **adhere to principles** even under pressure.
phrasal-verb

check back on

Meaning
to review or look again at online updates or messages
Example
You should **check back on** the thread later for new replies.
phrasal-verb

team around

Meaning
to organize or gather a group of people for a common purpose
Example
We should **team around** this project to deliver the best results.
idiom

feel blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
I always **feel blue** on rainy days.
phrasal-verb

open your heart

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

call to arms

Meaning
a call to take action, especially to defend a cause
Example
The leader’s speech was a **call to arms** for all citizens to fight corruption.
idiom

swear an oath

Meaning
to promise solemnly, often in a formal way
Example
He **swore an oath** to serve his country faithfully.
idiom

back off

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

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
idiom

tear into someone

Meaning
to criticize someone angrily
Example
The coach **tore into** the players after they lost the game.
idiom

a gift from the heavens

Meaning
a blessing or something very special
Example
Her support during the tough times was **a gift from the heavens**.
phrasal-verb

work past

Meaning
to overcome an emotional obstacle or memory
Example
He’s still trying to **work past** his anxiety.
phrasal-verb

rise under

Meaning
to perform well despite facing great pressure or challenges
Example
He always **rises under** pressure and delivers his best work.
phrasal-verb

light up with emotion

Meaning
to show a strong positive emotion on your face suddenly
Example
Her face **lit up with emotion** when she saw her mother.
phrasal-verb

roll over

Meaning
to reinvest money from a matured investment into a new one
Example
He decided to **roll over** his fixed deposit for another year.
idiom

under a cloud

Meaning
being suspected or in trouble
Example
He left the company **under a cloud** after the scandal.
idiom

sick to death of something

Meaning
extremely tired or annoyed by something
Example
I’m **sick to death of** listening to his complaints.
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

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**.
phrasal-verb

go ahead

Meaning
to start or continue doing something
Example
If you’re ready, you can **go ahead** with your presentation.
phrasal-verb

spin out

Meaning
to lose control and start spinning around
Example
The car **spun out** on the wet highway.
phrasal-verb

sit down

Meaning
to take a seat; to lower your body to a sitting position
Example
Please **sit down** and relax for a moment.
phrasal-verb

contribute to

Meaning
to help bring about or support the achievement of something
Example
Global cooperation can **contribute to** sustainable development.
idiom

born poor, die rich

Meaning
to start life poor but become rich through hard work
Example
He’s the kind of man who wants to **born poor, die rich**.
phrasal-verb

listen to

Meaning
to pay attention to what someone feels or says with empathy
Example
Sometimes all a person needs is someone to **listen to** them.
phrasal-verb

stand up after

Meaning
to regain confidence or strength after failing
Example
True leaders **stand up after** every fall.
phrasal-verb

sit through

Meaning
to stay until the end of something that is long or boring
Example
We had to **sit through** a three-hour seminar on research methods.
phrasal-verb

let down

Meaning
to disappoint someone
Example
I felt really **let down** when my friend didn’t show up.
idiom

hold back on

Meaning
to delay or reduce doing something
Example
Let’s **hold back on** hiring until sales improve.
phrasal-verb

warm down

Meaning
to perform gentle exercises after intense physical activity
Example
The coach told the players to **warm down** after the match.
idiom

star-crossed lovers

Meaning
lovers whose relationship is doomed or unlucky
Example
Romeo and Juliet were **star-crossed lovers**.
phrasal-verb

lay aside savings

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

Put the pedal to the metal

Meaning
To push harder and make a greater effort.
Example
We need to **put the pedal to the metal** if we want to meet the deadline.
idiom

At the forefront

Meaning
being in a leading or important position in a field
Example
The research center is **at the forefront** of renewable energy studies.
phrasal-verb

drop out of the race

Meaning
to quit or withdraw from a competition or activity
Example
The cyclist **dropped out of the race** due to an injury.
idiom

get your ducks in a row

Meaning
to organize things properly before taking action
Example
Before launching the business, we need to **get our ducks in a row**.
idiom

push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate boldly
Example
Tech companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
phrasal-verb

let stress fade out

Meaning
to gradually allow stress to disappear or lessen
Example
After meditation, I could feel my worries **fade out** slowly.
idiom

Break with tradition

Meaning
To do something in a different way from what is usually done
Example
The couple decided to **break with tradition** and have a small wedding on the beach.
idiom

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
Don’t risk everything on a single plan.
Example
You should invest in different areas; **don’t put all your eggs in one basket**.
idiom

take charge

Meaning
to take control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge** of the project herself.
phrasal-verb

go in for

Meaning
to support or approve of something
Example
He doesn’t really **go in for** small talk.
phrasal-verb

wait on

Meaning
to wait for something to happen before acting; to depend on
Example
We’re **waiting on** the results before making a decision.
idiom

three sheets to the wind

Meaning
Very drunk or intoxicated.
Example
After the party, he was **three sheets to the wind**.
idiom

clear away

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

tie innovation to strategy

Meaning
to connect innovation plans with business strategy
Example
The manager wants to **tie innovation to strategy** for better results.
phrasal-verb

bring forward ideas

Meaning
to propose or suggest ideas for discussion or action
Example
Global leaders **bring forward ideas** to tackle poverty and inequality.
idiom

a snake in the grass

Meaning
a secret enemy
Example
Be careful; there’s **a snake in the grass**.
idiom

burst with energy

Meaning
to have a lot of energy and enthusiasm
Example
The children were **bursting with energy** during the game.
idiom

keep it up

Meaning
to continue doing something well
Example
You’re doing great with your studies—**keep it up**!
phrasal-verb

see off guests

Meaning
to say goodbye to people as they leave
Example
The host **saw off the guests** at the gate after midnight.
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

check out for the day

Meaning
to finish work and mentally leave for the rest of the day
Example
Once my reports are sent, I **check out for the day** and rest.
idiom

scene-stealer

Meaning
someone who attracts attention and stands out
Example
That child actor was a real **scene-stealer**.
idiom

debug the situation

Meaning
to analyze and solve a problem carefully; borrowed from programming
Example
We need to **debug the situation** before it gets worse.
idiom

own the mistake

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something wrong
Example
A good leader knows how to **own the mistake** and learn from it.
phrasal-verb

break off with

Meaning
to end a relationship or stop communicating with someone
Example
After the big fight, she decided to **break off with** him for good.
phrasal-verb

step into

Meaning
to begin a new role or position
Example
He confidently **stepped into** his position as project leader.
idiom

stretch the truth

Meaning
to exaggerate or make something seem more important than it is
Example
He sometimes **stretches the truth** to impress people.
idiom

check up on

Meaning
to verify that someone or something is doing well
Example
I’ll **check up on** the interns after the training session.
phrasal-verb

sweep up

Meaning
to clean the floor by brushing dirt together
Example
She grabbed the broom to **sweep up** the dirt on the floor.
phrasal-verb

result in

Meaning
to cause something to happen
Example
The lack of data **resulted in** an incomplete analysis.
phrasal-verb

face up to challenges

Meaning
to confront difficulties with courage and confidence
Example
You’ll grow stronger when you **face up to challenges** instead of avoiding them.
phrasal-verb

let in peace

Meaning
to allow yourself a quiet moment away from distractions
Example
Give yourself time to **let in peace** after a stressful day.
phrasal-verb

glow up

Meaning
to become more confident, attractive, or happy over time
Example
She really **glowed up** after starting her new job.
idiom

roll up one's sleeves

Meaning
to prepare to work hard or take on a challenge
Example
We need to **roll up our sleeves** if we want to finish this task on time.
phrasal-verb

carry about

Meaning
to move or take something from place to place
Example
Vendors **carry about** their goods in baskets.
phrasal-verb

catch out

Meaning
to trick someone into making a mistake; to discover someone doing something wrong
Example
The reporter tried to **catch out** the politician with a tricky question.
idiom

life in the fast lane

Meaning
a lifestyle full of excitement, activity, and sometimes risk
Example
He enjoys **life in the fast lane** with parties and travel.
idiom

win the peace

Meaning
to succeed in maintaining peace after a conflict
Example
The treaty was a success, but they still had to **win the peace**.
idiom

Freudian slip

Meaning
An unintentional mistake that reveals one's true thoughts or feelings.
Example
He made a **Freudian slip** when he called his boss ‘mom’.
idiom

save the day

Meaning
to prevent failure or disaster by taking timely action
Example
His quick thinking **saved the day**.
idiom

under investigation

Meaning
being examined or looked into by authorities for possible wrongdoing
Example
The suspect is currently **under investigation** for his involvement in the crime.
phrasal-verb

build immunity to

Meaning
to develop resistance to a disease
Example
Vaccines help your body **build immunity to** dangerous viruses.
phrasal-verb

charge up with

Meaning
to power a device or yourself using something available
Example
I **charge up with** a portable battery before long trips.
phrasal-verb

blow off

Meaning
to release stress or anger by doing something
Example
He went jogging to **blow off** some steam after the argument.
idiom

a cold fish

Meaning
someone who is unemotional or not friendly
Example
He seemed **a cold fish** when I first met him.
idiom

hold down

Meaning
to keep something at a low level
Example
It’s tough to **hold down** rent costs in this city.
idiom

There's strength in numbers

Meaning
A larger group is stronger than an individual.
Example
Together we can achieve more because **there's strength in numbers**.
idiom

play the field

Meaning
to date or have romantic relationships with many people without commitment
Example
He’s still **playing the field** and not looking for a serious relationship.
idiom

get your foot in the door

Meaning
to make a first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
She finally **got her foot in the door** at a top firm.
idiom

get through to someone

Meaning
to make someone understand what you mean
Example
I tried to **get through to him**, but he just wouldn’t listen.
B2 idiom

up in the air

Uncertain or undecided
Meaning
Uncertain or undecided
Example
The plans for the project are still up in the air.
The plans for the project are still up in the air.
idiom

make a decision

Meaning
to choose something after thinking about it
Example
I need some time to **make a decision** about my career path.
phrasal-verb

phase in new strategies

Meaning
to introduce new methods gradually
Example
The firm will **phase in** new financial strategies over the next year.
idiom

lay all your cards on the table

Meaning
to be open and honest about your intentions or plans
Example
Let’s **lay all our cards on the table** and discuss the issue.
idiom

trailblaze

Meaning
to be the first to do something or lead the way
Example
She is a **trailblazer** in the tech industry.