pat yourself on the back
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idiom

pat yourself on the back

Meaning
to praise yourself for doing something well
Example
You should **pat yourself on the back** for finishing that project.
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

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

place trust in

Meaning
to rely on someone or something
Example
I **place my trust in** you to handle this task.
idiom

pay through the nose

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

pull at

Meaning
to tug or hold onto something repeatedly
Example
The child kept **pulling at** his mother’s hand.
phrasal-verb

pick over

Meaning
to examine things carefully to choose the best
Example
She **picked over** the apples to find the freshest ones.
idiom

peace talks

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

pay off someone

Meaning
to give someone money so they stop bothering you; to bribe
Example
He tried to **pay off** the guard to let him in.
idiom

political circus

Meaning
a situation where politics becomes chaotic and theatrical
Example
The election debates turned into a **political circus**.
phrasal-verb

pay someone off

Meaning
to give someone money to make them leave or stop working for you
Example
They **paid him off** after ten years of service.
phrasal-verb

pick up signal

Meaning
to detect or receive a wireless signal
Example
My phone couldn’t **pick up signal** in the basement.
idiom

pumped up

Meaning
full of energy and excitement
Example
He was **pumped up** before the big presentation.
phrasal-verb

pin down answers

Meaning
to get clear responses to specific questions
Example
We **pin down answers** during the call so nothing stays vague.
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

pull out of the deal

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or contract
Example
Several companies **pulled out of the deal** due to political instability.
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.
phrasal-verb

put aside funds

Meaning
to save money for a specific purpose
Example
The company decided to **put aside funds** for future emergencies.
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.
phrasal-verb

power through

Meaning
to complete something difficult with strong effort and confidence
Example
She managed to **power through** the challenge with determination.
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

play a cameo

Meaning
to make a brief appearance in a film
Example
The director himself **played a cameo** in the movie.
phrasal-verb

pay for

Meaning
to give money in exchange for something; to suffer the consequences
Example
You will **pay for** your mistakes one day.
phrasal-verb

pig out on

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

play God

Meaning
to make decisions that have extreme control over life or morality
Example
Some people fear AI researchers are trying to **play God**.
phrasal-verb

pace yourself

Meaning
to control the speed at which you work to avoid exhaustion
Example
You need to **pace yourself** during busy weeks.
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.
phrasal-verb

pivot into

Meaning
to shift your focus or strategy toward something new
Example
The startup **pivots into** digital services after losing retail clients.
phrasal-verb

power up

Meaning
to turn on or start an electronic device
Example
You should **power up** the computer before connecting peripherals.
idiom

Photo finish

Meaning
A very close competition
Example
The race ended in a **photo finish**.
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.
phrasal-verb

point over

Meaning
to gesture or indicate something across a space
Example
She **pointed over** to the next building.
idiom

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet

Meaning
Although waiting is hard, it results in good outcomes.
Example
It might be tough, but **patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet**.
phrasal-verb

put back

Meaning
to return something to its place; to delay an event
Example
Please **put back** the book when you’re done reading.
phrasal-verb

pin down

Meaning
to identify or determine something exactly
Example
We finally **pinned down** the project’s main objectives.
idiom

put first things first

Meaning
to focus on the most important things before others
Example
When managing time, always **put first things first**.
phrasal-verb

push back

Meaning
to delay something to a later time or date
Example
We had to **push back** the deadline due to unexpected issues.
idiom

play to the gallery

Meaning
to try to gain approval from the general public rather than experts
Example
The politician was clearly **playing to the gallery** with his speech.
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.
phrasal-verb

pay up

Meaning
to give all the money you owe, especially unwillingly
Example
He refused to **pay up** until the work was completed.
idiom

play fair

Meaning
to act honestly and treat others equally
Example
We expect everyone to **play fair** during the competition.
idiom

pair off

Meaning
to form groups of two
Example
Students will **pair off** for the lab experiment.
idiom

pass along

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

park ideas for later

Meaning
to set suggestions aside for future review
Example
We **park ideas for later** when the sprint board is already full.
phrasal-verb

press for

Meaning
to insistently demand something
Example
Opposition parties continue to **press for** fair elections.
phrasal-verb

post about

Meaning
to publish content on social media related to a topic
Example
He often **posts about** his travel experiences on Instagram.
idiom

peel off

Meaning
to remove something, especially a layer, from a surface
Example
**Peel off** the label before recycling the jar.
phrasal-verb

pull up

Meaning
to stop a vehicle
Example
The taxi **pulled up** outside the hotel.
phrasal-verb

press ahead with confidence

Meaning
to move forward positively despite difficulties
Example
We must **press ahead with confidence** even if challenges arise.
phrasal-verb

pace meetings well

Meaning
to manage the speed of a meeting appropriately
Example
Hosts **pace meetings well** by sticking to the agenda timing.
phrasal-verb

point ahead

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

Play your cards right

Meaning
To make the right moves to achieve success.
Example
If you **play your cards right**, you might get the promotion.
idiom

patch over

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

plan around

Meaning
to make arrangements considering a specific factor or event
Example
We had to **plan around** the weather when scheduling our trip.
idiom

pulling strings

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

pivot to

Meaning
to change direction or strategy in response to challenges or new opportunities
Example
When their initial product failed, the startup decided to **pivot to** a new market.
idiom

party animal

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

partner up

Meaning
to form a partnership for a specific goal or project
Example
Our firm decided to **partner up** with a local distributor in Africa.
phrasal-verb

push beyond comfort

Meaning
to do more than what feels easy or safe
Example
Success begins when you **push beyond comfort** and take risks.
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.
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.
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 for change

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

push aside emotions

Meaning
to ignore emotions temporarily to focus on something else
Example
He had to **push aside his sadness** to finish the job.
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.
phrasal-verb

pass out

Meaning
to lose consciousness
Example
He **passed out** from exhaustion after the marathon.
phrasal-verb

prepare against

Meaning
to take precautions to avoid future risks
Example
The city is **preparing against** possible flooding.
phrasal-verb

patch up bugs

Meaning
to fix small errors or issues in software
Example
Developers are working to **patch up bugs** found in the latest release.
phrasal-verb

plough back

Meaning
to reinvest profits into the same business
Example
The firm **ploughed back** its profits into expanding operations.
phrasal-verb

pull into

Meaning
to drive into a place, such as a parking lot or station
Example
The bus **pulled into** the terminal right on time.
idiom

plant the seeds

Meaning
to begin a process that will develop in the future
Example
The training program **planted the seeds** for long-term success.
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**.
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

peer into

Meaning
to look closely or carefully at something difficult to see
Example
She **peered into** the darkness, trying to see who was there.
phrasal-verb

put in

Meaning
to invest time or money into something
Example
She **put in** a lot of money to start her business.
idiom

put one on the map

Meaning
to make someone or something famous or well-known
Example
His groundbreaking research **put him on the map** in the scientific community.
phrasal-verb

pay respect to

Meaning
to show honor or appreciation to someone
Example
They **paid respect to** their teachers during the ceremony.
phrasal-verb

push past

Meaning
to move beyond obstacles or limitations
Example
You have to **push past** your fears to achieve success.
idiom

pave the way

Meaning
to make progress easier for others to follow
Example
Her research **paved the way** for future discoveries.
phrasal-verb

pour out feelings

Meaning
to express your emotions freely and openly
Example
She **poured out her feelings** to her therapist.
phrasal-verb

pull back on

Meaning
to reduce or stop doing something, especially spending or investment; to withdraw effort or commitment
Example
During the economic crisis, many companies **pull back on** new projects to save money.
idiom

pop the question

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

push through fear

Meaning
to take action despite being afraid
Example
He learned to **push through fear** and speak with confidence.
phrasal-verb

pour down

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

pay out

Meaning
to spend or distribute money, especially large amounts
Example
The company had to **pay out** millions in compensation.
phrasal-verb

pour into

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

put away your phone

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

pull yourself back

Meaning
to stop overthinking or panicking and return to calmness
Example
Whenever your mind runs away, **pull yourself back** to the present.
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

piece together

Meaning
to understand something by combining small details
Example
The detective tried to **piece together** what had happened that night.
idiom

put your foot in your mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate
Example
He really **put his foot in his mouth** when he mentioned her age.
phrasal-verb

patch things up with

Meaning
to repair a relationship after an argument or conflict
Example
They finally **patched things up with** each other after weeks of silence.
idiom

Play with fire

Meaning
To do something dangerous or risky.
Example
You’re **playing with fire** if you invest without research.
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 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.
phrasal-verb

pick up steam

Meaning
to start becoming more active or successful
Example
The manufacturing sector began to **pick up steam** after months of stagnation.
idiom

pick up the pace

Meaning
to increase speed
Example
We need to **pick up the pace** if we want to finish the project on time.
phrasal-verb

point inside

Meaning
to indicate something within an area or container
Example
He **pointed inside** the box to show the contents.
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

patch over differences

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

pot luck

Meaning
whatever is available or happens by chance
Example
Let’s take **pot luck** and eat at that new café.
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**.
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

pick out

Meaning
to choose something you like
Example
She **picked out** a dress she really liked.
idiom

pack up

Meaning
to gather belongings and prepare to leave
Example
We should **pack up** and head home before the storm starts.
idiom

peace of mind

Meaning
a feeling of being calm and free from worry
Example
Insurance gives you **peace of mind** in uncertain times.
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**.
idiom

pass with flying colors

Meaning
to succeed brilliantly or achieve something with excellence
Example
She **passed the exam with flying colors**.
phrasal-verb

pay tribute to

Meaning
to show respect and admiration for someone
Example
The team **paid tribute to** their coach after the victory.
idiom

play it by ear

Meaning
to decide or act as the situation develops
Example
We’ll **play it by ear** and see what happens.
idiom

pass the torch

Meaning
to hand over a duty or responsibility to someone else
Example
After many years of teaching, the professor decided to **pass the torch** to a younger teacher.
phrasal-verb

put on weight

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

push on

Meaning
to continue despite difficulties or fatigue
Example
Even when she felt exhausted, she decided to **push on** with her goals.
phrasal-verb

pick on

Meaning
to treat someone unfairly or criticize repeatedly
Example
Don’t **pick on** your brother; he didn’t do anything wrong.
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

pioneer new ideas

Meaning
to introduce or create new concepts or methods
Example
He is always looking to **pioneer new ideas** in his field.
idiom

put your heart and soul into something

Meaning
to do something with great effort and passion
Example
She **put her heart and soul into** her new business.