Out of one’s depth
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idiom

Out of one’s depth

Meaning
To be in a situation that is too difficult to understand or deal with.
Example
I felt **out of my depth** in that technical discussion.
phrasal-verb

keep off

Meaning
to avoid touching or stepping on something; to avoid talking about something
Example
Please **keep off** the grass.
idiom

cut loose

Meaning
to behave freely and enjoy oneself
Example
It’s the weekend—time to **cut loose**!
phrasal-verb

get down to it

Meaning
to start doing something seriously and with focus
Example
We’ve wasted enough time—let’s **get down to it** and start working.
phrasal-verb

brace yourself for

Meaning
to mentally prepare for something challenging or frightening
Example
Take a breath and **brace yourself for** the tough conversation.
idiom

feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel extremely good or happy
Example
After a great workout, I always **feel like a million bucks**.
idiom

lay into

Meaning
to criticize someone harshly
Example
Instead of **laying into** the intern, offer some guidance.
idiom

speaking for myself

Meaning
stating one’s personal opinion only, not others’
Example
**Speaking for myself**, I think we should wait.
idiom

bend someone’s ear

Meaning
to talk to someone for a long time, usually to complain
Example
He **bent my ear** about his terrible day at work.
phrasal-verb

carry on through

Meaning
to continue despite difficulties or emotional pain
Example
He managed to **carry on through** the tough times.
idiom

A clear conscience is a soft pillow

Meaning
When you live honestly, you sleep peacefully without guilt.
Example
After telling the truth, he had a peaceful night’s sleep because **a clear conscience is a soft pillow**.
phrasal-verb

talk on

Meaning
to continue talking for a long time, often unnecessarily
Example
She **talked on** for hours about her vacation.
phrasal-verb

break away from

Meaning
to stop being part of something or someone’s influence
Example
He wants to **break away from** his parents’ control.
idiom

go in one ear and out the other

Meaning
to hear something but quickly forget it
Example
Whatever I tell him **goes in one ear and out the other**.
phrasal-verb

roll back

Meaning
to reverse or reduce the effect of something
Example
The government decided to **roll back** the new data policy after criticism.
phrasal-verb

work through stress

Meaning
to deal with and gradually overcome stress
Example
Meditation helps me **work through stress** effectively.
idiom

throw oneself at someone's mercy

Meaning
to ask for forgiveness and hope for kindness
Example
She **threw herself at the teacher’s mercy** after missing the deadline.
phrasal-verb

stand alongside

Meaning
to support or defend someone as part of a group
Example
True teammates **stand alongside** each other in difficult times.
idiom

slip up

Meaning
to make a small mistake
Example
Everyone **slips up** sometimes — don’t worry about it.
phrasal-verb

think up

Meaning
to invent or imagine a new idea or plan
Example
She **thought up** a brilliant way to reduce energy consumption.
idiom

To meet one’s Waterloo

Meaning
To encounter one’s ultimate defeat or failure.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo**.
phrasal-verb

step down from power

Meaning
to resign or give up a position of authority
Example
The president agreed to **step down from power** after the election results.
phrasal-verb

refer back to

Meaning
to mention or direct attention to something mentioned earlier
Example
In this section, we **refer back to** the previous findings.
idiom

extend an olive branch

Meaning
to offer peace or reconciliation
Example
After years of conflict, the president decided to **extend an olive branch**.
phrasal-verb

build optimism around you

Meaning
to create a positive environment with hopeful energy
Example
Try to **build optimism around you** through your words and actions.
idiom

team player

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

a fish out of water

Meaning
feeling uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation
Example
She felt like **a fish out of water** at the new school.
phrasal-verb

go for

Meaning
to like or choose something
Example
Most kids **go for** ice cream over fruit.
idiom

win hands down

Meaning
to win easily or convincingly
Example
Our team **won hands down** in the final match.
idiom

the whole truth

Meaning
the complete truth without leaving anything out
Example
She promised to tell **the whole truth** in court.
phrasal-verb

point down

Meaning
to direct something downward
Example
He **pointed down** to show where the leak was.
phrasal-verb

mute yourself

Meaning
to turn off your microphone so others can’t hear you
Example
Don’t forget to **mute yourself** when you’re not speaking.
idiom

pay it forward

Meaning
to do something kind for someone else after receiving kindness
Example
After receiving help from a stranger, he decided to **pay it forward** by helping someone in need.
phrasal-verb

open up emotionally

Meaning
to allow others to see your feelings or emotional state
Example
He started to **open up emotionally** after therapy.
phrasal-verb

call upon

Meaning
to formally ask someone to do something
Example
The president **called upon** all citizens to work for peace.
phrasal-verb

settle into peace

Meaning
to reach a state of inner calm and balance
Example
After journaling, I finally **settled into peace**.
idiom

keep your eyes on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal despite difficulties
Example
Even during tough times, she **kept her eyes on the prize**.
idiom

burst with energy

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

aim high

Meaning
to set challenging and ambitious goals
Example
Always **aim high** if you want to achieve greatness.
phrasal-verb

shift around

Meaning
to rearrange tasks, people, or resources to suit new situations
Example
We had to **shift around** responsibilities when two team members left.
phrasal-verb

climb back

Meaning
to recover a previous position after losing it
Example
Stock prices have started to **climb back** after the market crash.
phrasal-verb

ease yourself into

Meaning
to gradually start doing something stressful to reduce anxiety
Example
Try to **ease yourself into** the new routine instead of rushing it.
phrasal-verb

cut down public spending

Meaning
to reduce government expenses to stabilize the economy
Example
The finance minister decided to **cut down public spending** to reduce debt.
phrasal-verb

deal around

Meaning
to share something among people informally
Example
He **dealt around** the snacks during the meeting.
idiom

count on

Meaning
to rely on or trust someone to do something
Example
You can always **count on** me.
idiom

green light

Meaning
permission to start or go ahead with something
Example
The manager gave us the **green light** to launch the project.
phrasal-verb

follow on from

Meaning
to happen or result from something that was done earlier
Example
This report **follows on from** our last quarter’s findings.
phrasal-verb

reach down to

Meaning
to connect emotionally with someone suffering or sad
Example
He **reached down to** her when she was crying alone.
idiom

close the book on something

Meaning
to stop dealing with or thinking about something
Example
After years of conflict, they finally **closed the book on** their rivalry.
phrasal-verb

check against

Meaning
to verify information or behavior to ensure it meets standards
Example
All reports must be **checked against** the company’s ethical policy.
phrasal-verb

feed up

Meaning
to give food to someone or something
Example
Don’t forget to **feed up** the cat before going out.
phrasal-verb

toast to

Meaning
to raise a glass to honor or celebrate someone or something
Example
Let's **toast to** our hard work and success!
phrasal-verb

ring off

Meaning
to end a phone call
Example
He suddenly **rang off** without saying goodbye.
phrasal-verb

chime in

Meaning
to join a conversation by adding your opinion or comment
Example
Feel free to **chime in** if you have anything to add.
idiom

full of beans

Meaning
very energetic and lively
Example
The kids are **full of beans** this morning.
phrasal-verb

come through for

Meaning
to do what is needed or expected, especially in difficult times
Example
Our teammates always **come through for** each other when deadlines are tight.
phrasal-verb

lock up

Meaning
to become completely unresponsive or stuck
Example
The app **locked up** and I had to restart my phone.
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.
idiom

playing the field

Meaning
competing with many other companies or individuals in the same market
Example
The company is **playing the field** by expanding into new markets worldwide.
idiom

hang in there

Meaning
to remain persistent and determined in difficult circumstances
Example
I know you're tired, but **hang in there** because you're almost finished.
idiom

plow ahead

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
Even with setbacks, they decided to **plow ahead** with the project.
phrasal-verb

fire someone up

Meaning
to inspire or energize someone
Example
The coach’s words **fired up** the team before the final game.
phrasal-verb

close the loop today

Meaning
to finish outstanding follow-ups before the day ends
Example
Let's **close the loop today** so clients get answers before evening.
phrasal-verb

boost investor confidence

Meaning
to make investors feel more positive about investing
Example
Strong GDP growth can **boost investor confidence** in the market.
idiom

can of worms

Meaning
a complex problem that may cause more trouble once started
Example
AI bias is a **can of worms** that’s hard to fix.
phrasal-verb

track down errors

Meaning
to find the source of mistakes or problems
Example
Our developers worked late to **track down errors** in the system.
idiom

Tech-savvy

Meaning
Having good knowledge of modern technology.
Example
Our **tech-savvy** team built the prototype in just a week.
phrasal-verb

stand strong with

Meaning
to remain supportive and united with someone in difficulty
Example
Families should **stand strong with** each other during hard times.
idiom

play on someone's emotions

Meaning
to influence someone by appealing to their feelings
Example
The ad tries to **play on people's emotions** to sell products.
phrasal-verb

dial back notifications

Meaning
to reduce the frequency of alerts or messages
Example
I had to **dial back notifications** because my phone kept buzzing all day.
idiom

tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small part of a much bigger problem
Example
The data error we found is just the **tip of the iceberg**.
idiom

make a long story short

Meaning
to tell something briefly
Example
To **make a long story short**, I missed my flight.
phrasal-verb

be thankful for

Meaning
to feel or express gratitude for something
Example
I’ll always **be thankful for** your kindness.
idiom

crack the code

Meaning
to solve a complex problem or mystery
Example
It took hours, but we finally **cracked the code** of the system error.
idiom

feel it in your bones

Meaning
to sense something strongly without evidence
Example
I **feel it in my bones** that something bad will happen.
phrasal-verb

motivate through

Meaning
to inspire people by using something as a motivator
Example
She tried to **motivate through** positive feedback and encouragement.
phrasal-verb

draw confidence from experience

Meaning
to gain self-assurance by learning from past events
Example
You can **draw confidence from experience** and handle new challenges better.
idiom

Take your chances

Meaning
To try something despite uncertainty.
Example
He decided to **take his chances** and apply for the international scholarship.
phrasal-verb

step beyond

Meaning
to go further than expected or allowed
Example
Her creativity always **steps beyond** traditional boundaries.
phrasal-verb

reach beyond borders

Meaning
to connect or act across national or cultural boundaries
Example
Global initiatives aim to **reach beyond borders** to solve shared problems.
idiom

Push yourself

Meaning
Try to do better or go beyond your limits.
Example
You won’t improve unless you **push yourself**.
idiom

hang back

Meaning
to remain behind or hesitate to act
Example
If you **hang back**, you might miss the opportunity.
phrasal-verb

bounce within

Meaning
to manage emotions internally without expressing them outwardly
Example
He tends to **bounce within** instead of sharing his struggles.
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

I’m with you

Meaning
I agree with your idea or opinion
Example
**I’m with you** on that plan — it’s a good one.
idiom

cool off

Meaning
to become less hot or less angry
Example
Let the soup **cool off** before serving.
idiom

behind enemy lines

Meaning
in a hostile or dangerous situation
Example
Journalists were working **behind enemy lines** to report the truth.
phrasal-verb

pencil in

Meaning
to arrange something temporarily
Example
Can we **pencil in** the meeting for Friday morning?
phrasal-verb

boot into

Meaning
to start a computer or device and load its operating system
Example
When I **boot into** Linux, the system loads all my development tools automatically.
idiom

grind away

Meaning
to work hard on something for a long period
Example
She **grinded away** at her studies to pass the exam.
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.
phrasal-verb

sign out of

Meaning
to exit or log off from an online account or platform
Example
Don’t forget to **sign out of** your account after using the computer lab.
phrasal-verb

start up

Meaning
to begin a new business or project
Example
They decided to **start up** a food delivery service in their city.
idiom

in two minds

Meaning
undecided about something
Example
I'm **in two minds** about accepting the new job offer.
phrasal-verb

follow through with

Meaning
to continue with a plan or commitment until it is completed
Example
You must **follow through with** your study schedule to see improvement.
idiom

get acquainted

Meaning
to become familiar or friendly with someone
Example
We had a short chat to **get acquainted**.
idiom

try and try again

Meaning
to keep trying until you succeed
Example
He didn’t give up and decided to **try and try again**.
phrasal-verb

detach from chaos

Meaning
to mentally separate yourself from stressful situations
Example
Sometimes you just need to **detach from chaos** to think clearly.
idiom

gear toward

Meaning
to design or aim something for a particular group
Example
The course is **geared toward** new managers.
idiom

glass half full

Meaning
to see things positively rather than negatively
Example
He always sees the **glass half full**, no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

comfort someone with

Meaning
to console someone by offering kind words or support
Example
He **comforted his friend with** kind words after the loss.
idiom

speak out

Meaning
to express an opinion openly and boldly
Example
Employees are encouraged to **speak out** about improvements.
idiom

A stitch in time saves nine

Meaning
Solving a small problem early prevents a bigger problem later.
Example
Fix that leak now — a stitch in time saves nine.
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.
idiom

make your dreams come true

Meaning
to achieve what you have always wanted
Example
She worked hard to **make her dreams come true**.
phrasal-verb

type up

Meaning
to write or prepare something using a computer
Example
He quickly **typed up** the message and sent it.
idiom

come to terms

Meaning
to reach an agreement after discussion or conflict
Example
After weeks of negotiation, both sides finally **came to terms**.
idiom

heart of stone

Meaning
to be unkind or without compassion
Example
She must have a **heart of stone** to ignore that crying child.
idiom

malware

Meaning
software designed to damage or disrupt computers or networks
Example
The antivirus software successfully removed the **malware** from the system.
idiom

True friends stab you in the front

Meaning
A true friend tells you harsh truths to your face.
Example
She’s not afraid to tell me the truth, because **true friends stab you in the front**.
idiom

Pick up the tab

Meaning
To pay the bill for something.
Example
John offered to **pick up the tab** for everyone.
phrasal-verb

capitalize on opportunities

Meaning
to take advantage of favorable situations to gain profit
Example
Smart investors always **capitalize on** opportunities in the market.
phrasal-verb

switch over to

Meaning
to change from one job or career path to another
Example
He **switched over to** software development after studying economics.
idiom

jot down quickly

Meaning
to write something fast so you don’t forget
Example
**Jot down quickly** the ideas that come up in the meeting.
idiom

step in

Meaning
to become involved in order to help or stop something
Example
The manager will **step in** if the discussion gets heated.
phrasal-verb

light up for

Meaning
to become visibly happy or excited when seeing someone or something
Example
Her eyes **lit up for** her little son as he ran to her.
phrasal-verb

exchange views with

Meaning
to share opinions or ideas with someone from another culture
Example
Students **exchange views with** their international peers to broaden their perspectives.
phrasal-verb

follow up on

Meaning
to check or continue working on something previously started
Example
He promised to **follow up on** his health goals regularly.
phrasal-verb

cut off negativity

Meaning
to remove negative influences or thoughts
Example
He learned to **cut off negativity** to stay mentally strong.
idiom

play hardball

Meaning
to be firm and tough in negotiation
Example
He decided to **play hardball** during the contract talks.