paint oneself into a corner
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idiom

paint oneself into a corner

Meaning
to create a situation where one has limited options
Example
He **painted himself into a corner** by promising too much.
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

put your shoulder to the wheel

Meaning
to start working hard on something
Example
Everyone needs to **put their shoulder to the wheel** to finish the project.
idiom

puppy love

Meaning
a young or innocent kind of love
Example
Their relationship in school was just **puppy love**.
phrasal-verb

plan for

Meaning
to prepare in advance for possible events or risks
Example
Businesses should **plan for** economic downturns.
idiom

pull your socks up

Meaning
to make an effort to improve your performance
Example
You need to **pull your socks up** if you want that promotion.
idiom

post something

Meaning
to share content on a social media platform
Example
She **posted** a beautiful picture on Instagram.
idiom

put the plan into action

Meaning
to start implementing a plan or idea
Example
After weeks of preparation, it's time to **put the plan into action**.
phrasal-verb

push through setbacks

Meaning
to continue trying and not give up even when facing difficulties or failures
Example
True confidence comes when you **push through setbacks** with determination.
idiom

political football

Meaning
an issue that is constantly debated and used for political gain
Example
The issue of immigration has become a **political football**, with both parties using it to score points.
phrasal-verb

pull down

Meaning
to demolish a building; to reduce someone’s confidence
Example
They decided to **pull down** the old factory and build a new one.
idiom

play the political card

Meaning
to use a political issue to one’s advantage
Example
The minister tried to **play the political card** to gain public sympathy.
idiom

put one's trust in

Meaning
to place reliance or faith in someone or something
Example
He decided to **put his trust in** the new system.
idiom

Push yourself

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

plug in

Meaning
to connect an electrical device to a power source or network
Example
Make sure to **plug in** the router before configuring the settings.
idiom

predictive analytics

Meaning
using data and statistical algorithms to forecast future outcomes
Example
With **predictive analytics**, we can forecast market trends with high accuracy.
phrasal-verb

project confidence

Meaning
to appear or make others feel that you are confident
Example
The speaker **projected confidence** throughout the session.
idiom

pull rank

Meaning
to use one's authority to gain an advantage
Example
He **pulled rank** to get the last seat on the plane.
idiom

pharming

Meaning
a cyber attack that redirects a website’s traffic to a fraudulent site to steal information
Example
The victim's bank details were stolen due to a **pharming** attack.
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

push beyond

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

par for the course

Meaning
what is normal or expected in a given situation
Example
Delays are **par for the course** in big projects.
phrasal-verb

pull in together

Meaning
to combine efforts to achieve a goal
Example
If we all **pull in together**, we can finish the project on time.
phrasal-verb

pick up speed

Meaning
to gain momentum or progress faster
Example
Sales have **picked up speed** since the new campaign launched.
phrasal-verb

phase in

Meaning
to introduce or implement something gradually over a period of time
Example
The school plans to **phase in** bilingual education over the next few years.
phrasal-verb

pick apart from

Meaning
to separate or distinguish from others
Example
It’s hard to **pick her apart from** her twin sister.
idiom

phishing

Meaning
A method of trying to gather personal information using deceptive emails, websites, or other communications.
Example
He received an email that looked legitimate, but it was actually a **phishing** attempt.
phrasal-verb

pour down

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

pitch ideas to

Meaning
to present ideas to others for consideration
Example
We’ll **pitch ideas to** the management team tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

pop up

Meaning
to appear suddenly on the screen
Example
A message just **popped up** on my screen.
phrasal-verb

point down

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

plans are up in the air

Meaning
plans are uncertain or not decided yet
Example
Our travel plans are still **up in the air**.
idiom

put your faith in the hands of

Meaning
to trust someone with something important
Example
She decided to **put her faith in the hands of** her lawyer for the case.
phrasal-verb

play around with

Meaning
to experiment with ideas, materials, or techniques
Example
She loves to **play around with** different colors to find new combinations.
idiom

pop the question

Meaning
to ask someone to marry you
Example
He finally **popped the question** during dinner.
idiom

pull strings

Meaning
to use influence or connections to get what you want
Example
She **pulled strings** to get him the job.
idiom

put your faith in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone or something
Example
She decided to **put her faith in** her friends to help her.
phrasal-verb

portion out snacks

Meaning
to divide snacks into measured servings
Example
We **portion out snacks** on Sundays so weekday meals stay balanced.
phrasal-verb

put down to

Meaning
to attribute something to a cause
Example
She **put** her success **down to** hard work and determination.
idiom

pay through the nose

Meaning
to pay a very high price for something
Example
We **paid through the nose** for that concert ticket.
idiom

paint a new picture

Meaning
to create a new vision or concept
Example
The designer managed to **paint a new picture** for the brand.
phrasal-verb

preserve up

Meaning
to maintain or keep something in its original condition for the future
Example
We must **preserve up** our traditional dance forms.
idiom

pull at heartstrings

Meaning
to evoke strong emotions, usually sympathy or sadness, in an audience
Example
The charity’s commercial really **pulls at the heartstrings**.
idiom

play a part

Meaning
to have a role or influence in something
Example
She **played a part** in making the project successful.
idiom

play through the pain

Meaning
to keep working or performing despite pain or hardship
Example
Athletes often **play through the pain** to win.
idiom

peace talks

Meaning
negotiations aimed at ending a conflict
Example
The **peace talks** between the two countries lasted for weeks.
idiom

penny wise, pound foolish

Meaning
being careful with small amounts of money but careless with large amounts
Example
She refuses to buy a $10 book, but spends $100 on clothes; she's **penny wise, pound foolish**.
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

pass around

Meaning
to distribute or share something among people
Example
They **passed around** the trophy for everyone to see.
idiom

play politics

Meaning
to act in a manipulative or strategic way to gain advantage
Example
He was accused of trying to **play politics** instead of focusing on the nation’s welfare.
phrasal-verb

pig out on

Meaning
to eat too much of something
Example
We **pigged out on** pizza last night.
idiom

pay a compliment

Meaning
to give praise or admiration to someone
Example
He always knows how to **pay a compliment** to make someone feel better.
phrasal-verb

pull through together

Meaning
to survive a hard time by supporting one another
Example
Communities **pull through together** after harsh weather hits.
idiom

put in a nutshell

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
To **put it in a nutshell**, we need more time to finish.
idiom

Plow the field

Meaning
To prepare for future work or success.
Example
Before launching the product, we need to **plow the field** with proper research.
idiom

patch together

Meaning
to assemble something quickly and roughly
Example
We managed to **patch together** a plan before the call.
phrasal-verb

push through

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
He managed to **push through** the hard times and achieve his dream.
idiom

play devil's advocate

Meaning
to argue against an idea to test how strong it is
Example
I don't necessarily disagree, but let me **play devil's advocate** for a moment.
idiom

Put yourself in someone’s shoes

Meaning
To imagine yourself in another person's situation
Example
Try to **put yourself in her shoes** before judging her actions.
idiom

prodigal son

Meaning
a person who leaves home and returns repentant after wasting wealth or opportunities
Example
After years abroad, he returned home like **the prodigal son**.
idiom

Pull together

Meaning
To work as a group to achieve something.
Example
If we all **pull together**, we can finish the project on time.
idiom

Pay dividends

Meaning
To bring benefits or rewards later.
Example
Investing in education always **pays dividends** in the long run.
idiom

put the finishing touches

Meaning
to complete something perfectly by adding the final details
Example
She’s **putting the finishing touches** on her painting.
phrasal-verb

point ahead

Meaning
to indicate a direction in front; to suggest future possibilities
Example
The results **point ahead** to major improvements.
phrasal-verb

push through difficulties

Meaning
to keep going and overcome challenges with determination
Example
Great leaders **push through difficulties** instead of giving up.
phrasal-verb

patch over differences

Meaning
to try to ignore disagreements and restore peace
Example
They decided to **patch over differences** and move on.
phrasal-verb

put in for

Meaning
to make a formal request for something
Example
I decided to **put in for** a few days of leave.
idiom

phishing attempt

Meaning
an attempt to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity
Example
The email you received looks like a **phishing attempt**, so don't click any links.
idiom

pick someone’s brain

Meaning
to ask someone knowledgeable for advice or ideas
Example
I’d like to **pick your brain** about this project idea.
phrasal-verb

push on through

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
Even when tired, she decided to **push on through** the pain.
idiom

paint the town red

Meaning
to go out and celebrate wildly
Example
After the exam, we decided to **paint the town red**.
idiom

patch things up

Meaning
to repair a relationship after a disagreement
Example
They finally **patched things up** after their fight.
idiom

push the right buttons

Meaning
to do exactly what is needed to get a desired result
Example
She knows how to **push the right buttons** to impress her boss.
phrasal-verb

pivot around

Meaning
to reorganize or refocus strategy around a central idea or goal
Example
The company decided to **pivot around** customer satisfaction as its new priority.
idiom

playing the long game

Meaning
making decisions or taking actions with long-term objectives in mind
Example
The president is **playing the long game** by focusing on long-term foreign policy.
idiom

pull someone’s weight

Meaning
to do one's fair share of work in a group
Example
Everyone in the team **pulls their weight** to succeed.
idiom

Playing both sides

Meaning
To secretly support or manipulate both sides of a conflict for personal gain.
Example
The ambassador was accused of **playing both sides** in the negotiations.
phrasal-verb

phase out late nights

Meaning
to gradually stop staying up very late
Example
I'm **phasing out late nights** so morning workouts feel better.
phrasal-verb

pour into

Meaning
to invest large amounts of money into something
Example
Investors are **pouring into** renewable energy projects.
idiom

Put up walls

Meaning
To create emotional barriers or distance from others.
Example
After the breakup, she **put up walls** and stopped trusting people.
idiom

pull over

Meaning
to stop a vehicle at the side of the road
Example
Please **pull over** so we can check the map.
phrasal-verb

put away your phone

Meaning
to stop using your phone and keep it aside
Example
Please **put away your phone** during dinner.
idiom

pull yourself together

Meaning
to regain control of your emotions or behavior
Example
Stop crying and **pull yourself together** – we need to find a solution.
phrasal-verb

pair program through

Meaning
to work on code together until a problem is solved
Example
We **pair program through** tricky bugs to keep velocity steady.
phrasal-verb

push forward

Meaning
to continue working hard despite obstacles; to persist toward goals
Example
Even after rejection, the team decided to **push forward** with their plan.
phrasal-verb

poke around

Meaning
to look for something in a place, often in a casual or curious way
Example
She likes to **poke around** antique shops on weekends.
phrasal-verb

push for change

Meaning
to strongly demand or advocate for transformation
Example
Many organizations **push for change** in government policy.
phrasal-verb

pack up for travel

Meaning
to gather and prepare belongings before a trip
Example
We **pack up for travel** the night before an early flight.
idiom

pass along

Meaning
to share information or items with someone else
Example
Could you **pass along** the agenda to the interns?
phrasal-verb

pull together for

Meaning
to work jointly to achieve something
Example
Nations must **pull together for** a stable global economy.
idiom

painting the town red

Meaning
to go out and enjoy oneself in a lively and extravagant way
Example
After the big win, we went out and started **painting the town red**.
idiom

penny for your thoughts

Meaning
a way of asking what someone is thinking.
Example
You've been quiet for a while. A **penny for your thoughts**?
idiom

patch over

Meaning
to cover up a problem without truly fixing it
Example
We can’t just **patch over** the security flaws.
idiom

put on your thinking cap

Meaning
to start thinking seriously about solving a problem
Example
Let’s **put on our thinking caps** and find a solution.
phrasal-verb

put on weight

Meaning
to gain weight
Example
I’ve **put on weight** since I stopped exercising.
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

protect against downturns

Meaning
to take measures to avoid negative effects during economic decline
Example
Diversifying investments can **protect against downturns** in the economy.
idiom

Put your thinking cap on

Meaning
To start thinking carefully about something
Example
It’s time to **put your thinking cap on** for the quiz.
idiom

piece of cake

Meaning
something very easy to do
Example
The exam was a **piece of cake** for her.
idiom

predictive modeling

Meaning
a technique used in AI to predict future trends based on historical data
Example
The use of **predictive modeling** helps companies plan better for the future.
idiom

Pilot project

Meaning
A small-scale experiment to test a concept.
Example
We launched a **pilot project** before going nationwide.
phrasal-verb

prioritize over

Meaning
to give more importance to one thing than another
Example
You should **prioritize over** urgent tasks before anything else.
phrasal-verb

pause within

Meaning
to take a mental break and observe your feelings before reacting
Example
He learned to **pause within** before saying something hurtful.
phrasal-verb

press on with

Meaning
to continue doing something in a determined way despite difficulties
Example
She decided to **press on with** her studies even after failing once.
phrasal-verb

prepare for

Meaning
to make ready for something likely to happen
Example
We should **prepare for** possible cyber attacks.
idiom

party animal

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

pay someone out

Meaning
to compensate someone for loss or damage
Example
The insurer **paid her out** after the accident.
phrasal-verb

price in

Meaning
to include expected future events in the current price of an investment
Example
Traders have already **priced in** the expected interest rate hike.
idiom

pulling strings

Meaning
using influence to get something done
Example
He got the engineering contract by **pulling strings**.
phrasal-verb

power through with

Meaning
to continue strongly by relying on a tool or support
Example
He **powers through with** upbeat playlists on long runs.
phrasal-verb

plan out

Meaning
to carefully think about and arrange the details of something
Example
Let’s **plan out** the schedule so that everything runs smoothly.
idiom

pull oneself up by the bootstraps

Meaning
to improve one's situation through hard work and determination
Example
Despite all the challenges, he **pulled himself up by the bootstraps** and succeeded.
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

pull someone's leg

Meaning
to tease or joke with someone in a playful way
Example
Don't worry, I was just **pulling your leg** about the test results.
phrasal-verb

pencil in

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

press on

Meaning
to continue doing something in a determined way despite difficulties
Example
Although he was tired, he decided to **press on** until he finished the task.
phrasal-verb

pull in revenue

Meaning
to earn or generate income, especially on a large scale
Example
The new export policy helped the country **pull in revenue** from foreign markets.
phrasal-verb

push boundaries

Meaning
to go beyond limits or expectations
Example
Innovators constantly **push boundaries** to discover new possibilities.
idiom

pass sentence

Meaning
to announce a punishment in court
Example
The judge will **pass sentence** next week.
phrasal-verb

plug into system

Meaning
to connect a device to a power source or system
Example
Just **plug the printer into the system** to start using it.