pipe dream
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idiom

pipe dream

Meaning
an unrealistic or impossible hope
Example
Becoming a billionaire overnight is just a **pipe dream**.
phrasal-verb

stand out as a leader

Meaning
to be recognized for leadership qualities or achievements
Example
She **stood out as a leader** because of her integrity and vision.
phrasal-verb

bond with

Meaning
to develop a close emotional connection with someone
Example
Parents should spend time to **bond with** their children.
phrasal-verb

cut down on delays

Meaning
to reduce the amount of time wasted or delays in work
Example
The team is working to **cut down on delays** in project delivery.
phrasal-verb

speak up on

Meaning
to express one's opinion openly about a topic
Example
Experts **speak up on** the importance of cross-cultural dialogue.
phrasal-verb

stock up on

Meaning
to buy or collect a large amount of food for future use
Example
We **stocked up on** vegetables for the week.
idiom

An ear to the ground

Meaning
To be aware of what is happening around you.
Example
If you want to succeed in business, always keep **an ear to the ground**.
phrasal-verb

burst into song

Meaning
to start singing suddenly out of happiness
Example
He **burst into song** when he got the good news.
phrasal-verb

come up short

Meaning
to fail to meet a goal or expectation
Example
The team **came up short** in the final minutes of the game.
phrasal-verb

flow with

Meaning
to move along naturally with emotions or situations instead of resisting them
Example
She learned to **flow with** her emotions rather than fight them.
idiom

ease back

Meaning
to relax or slow down the pace of something
Example
After the deadline, we can **ease back** a little.
phrasal-verb

let yourself go

Meaning
to relax and enjoy without worrying
Example
Sometimes you need to **let yourself go** and stop overthinking.
idiom

data-driven decision

Meaning
a decision based on data analysis rather than intuition
Example
Modern companies rely on **data-driven decisions** to stay competitive.
phrasal-verb

stick by

Meaning
to continue to support someone even when it is difficult
Example
Good friends **stick by** each other during hard times.
phrasal-verb

get out of

Meaning
to leave a car or vehicle
Example
He quickly **got out of** the taxi and ran inside.
phrasal-verb

grow up in

Meaning
to spend your childhood in a particular place or culture
Example
I **grew up in** a small village where traditions are still strong.
phrasal-verb

hook up

Meaning
to connect electronic devices together
Example
I need to **hook up** my printer to the laptop.
idiom

nose for news

Meaning
an instinct for finding interesting stories
Example
Good reporters have a natural **nose for news**.
idiom

burst of inspiration

Meaning
a sudden feeling of creativity or motivation
Example
He wrote the poem in a **burst of inspiration**.
idiom

make up with someone

Meaning
to become friends again after a disagreement
Example
After their argument, they decided to **make up with each other**.
phrasal-verb

build rapport with

Meaning
to create a friendly and understanding relationship with someone
Example
Teachers need to **build rapport with** their students.
phrasal-verb

find out

Meaning
to discover information
Example
I need to **find out** what time the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

blow off work

Meaning
to skip work or avoid responsibilities, often to reduce stress
Example
He decided to **blow off work** and spend the day at the beach.
idiom

Don’t throw in the towel

Meaning
Don’t give up or quit.
Example
**Don’t throw in the towel** even if it’s hard.
idiom

set the stage

Meaning
to prepare everything for something to happen
Example
The manager's speech helped **set the stage** for the upcoming conference.
phrasal-verb

look beyond yourself

Meaning
to consider others’ feelings or needs instead of focusing only on yourself
Example
Real emotional growth comes when you **look beyond yourself**.
phrasal-verb

mentor others in

Meaning
to guide and support less experienced people
Example
Senior employees are encouraged to **mentor others in** their department.
phrasal-verb

talk down to

Meaning
to speak to someone as if they are less intelligent or inferior
Example
He always **talks down to** his employees.
idiom

touch and go

Meaning
a risky or uncertain situation where the outcome is doubtful
Example
It was **touch and go** whether he would survive the surgery.
idiom

take the helm

Meaning
to assume control or leadership of an organization
Example
She **took the helm** of the company after her father's retirement.
idiom

wired to learn

Meaning
naturally designed to acquire knowledge or skills
Example
Humans are **wired to learn**, just like AI systems.
phrasal-verb

go through

Meaning
to study or read something carefully
Example
You should **go through** the textbook before the quiz.
phrasal-verb

open up with

Meaning
to start a conversation by being honest or expressive about feelings
Example
He chose to **open up with** a personal story to make others feel comfortable.
phrasal-verb

settle on

Meaning
to choose something after considering other options
Example
After hours of discussion, they **settled on** a final plan.
phrasal-verb

bring up for discussion

Meaning
to introduce a topic for polite debate or talk
Example
I’d like to **bring up for discussion** the new proposal everyone received.
phrasal-verb

touch up photo

Meaning
to make small edits or improvements to a photo
Example
You can **touch up the photo** using any editing app.
idiom

in my opinion

Meaning
used to express what one thinks or believes
Example
**In my opinion**, this movie is too long.
phrasal-verb

set off protests

Meaning
to cause protests or demonstrations to begin
Example
The new law **set off protests** across the country.
phrasal-verb

gear yourself up

Meaning
to prepare mentally or physically for something challenging or important
Example
You need to **gear yourself up** for the big presentation tomorrow.
idiom

a cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility without open warfare
Example
The two nations seem to be entering **a cold war** again.
phrasal-verb

set up trade ties with

Meaning
to establish trading relationships with another country
Example
The nation plans to **set up trade ties with** African economies.
phrasal-verb

pull in investment

Meaning
to attract investors or funds
Example
The government hopes to **pull in investment** through new policies.
phrasal-verb

keep faith in yourself

Meaning
to continue believing in your own abilities
Example
No matter how tough it gets, **keep faith in yourself**.
phrasal-verb

slide into bed

Meaning
to get into bed smoothly and get ready to sleep
Example
After the long shift he just wants to **slide into bed** and rest.
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

Pull through

Meaning
To survive or recover from a difficult situation.
Example
He was very sick, but he **pulled through** in the end.
idiom

weed out

Meaning
to remove unwanted people or things
Example
The editor **weeded out** the mistakes before publishing.
idiom

Hold it together with duct tape

Meaning
To keep something functioning despite poor condition or limited resources.
Example
The old car is barely running—we’re **holding it together with duct tape**.
idiom

time will tell

Meaning
the future will reveal the outcome
Example
**Time will tell** whether this was the right decision.
phrasal-verb

botch up

Meaning
to do a job badly or carelessly
Example
He completely **botched up** the report.
idiom

a work in progress

Meaning
something that is still being developed or improved
Example
The project is still **a work in progress**, but it's going well.
idiom

a lump in your throat

Meaning
feeling emotional or about to cry
Example
He felt **a lump in his throat** when he said goodbye.
idiom

stick together

Meaning
to stay close and support each other
Example
In tough times, good friends **stick together**.
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.
idiom

have the time of your life

Meaning
to have an extremely enjoyable experience
Example
We **had the time of our lives** at the amusement park.
phrasal-verb

get back on good terms with

Meaning
to rebuild a friendly relationship after conflict
Example
She worked hard to **get back on good terms with** her team.
phrasal-verb

join forces with

Meaning
to combine efforts or resources with others to achieve something
Example
Governments **join forces with** NGOs to fight global hunger.
phrasal-verb

top off with

Meaning
to finish something by adding a final touch
Example
We always **top off with** fresh herbs before serving the soup.
idiom

on the gravy train

Meaning
to be in a situation where one makes a lot of money with little effort
Example
He’s been riding **on the gravy train** since he took over the family business.
idiom

You can say that again

Meaning
Used to strongly agree with someone
Example
‘It’s been a long day.’ ‘**You can say that again!**’
idiom

under oath

Meaning
having sworn to tell the truth in court
Example
He lied **under oath** and was charged with perjury.
idiom

come out with it

Meaning
to say something openly or honestly that you’ve been hiding
Example
Stop hesitating and just **come out with it**!
phrasal-verb

fess up

Meaning
to confess or admit something embarrassing or wrong
Example
It’s time to **fess up** and tell the truth about what happened.
idiom

fight tooth and nail

Meaning
to fight very fiercely or with great determination
Example
They **fought tooth and nail** to protect their rights.
phrasal-verb

reach out for support

Meaning
to ask for help or comfort from others
Example
Don't be afraid to **reach out for support** when you feel alone.
phrasal-verb

cut across

Meaning
to affect multiple areas or groups at once
Example
Climate change **cuts across** every sector of society.
idiom

be on the same page

Meaning
to agree with someone or have the same understanding
Example
Before getting married, they made sure they were **on the same page** about their future.
idiom

have a crush on someone

Meaning
to have romantic feelings for someone, often secretly
Example
I’ve **had a crush on** her for months.
phrasal-verb

get behind

Meaning
to fall late in doing something
Example
I’ve **got behind** on my assignments this week.
phrasal-verb

check on

Meaning
to make sure someone is safe or doing well
Example
He **checked on** his grandparents after hearing about the storm.
idiom

have a heart

Meaning
to show compassion or kindness
Example
**Have a heart**, he didn’t mean to hurt you.
idiom

by the way

Meaning
used to introduce a new topic or add extra information
Example
**By the way**, did you finish your project?
idiom

wash one’s hands of something

Meaning
to stop being responsible for something
Example
He **washed his hands of** the project after it failed.
idiom

a figure of speech

Meaning
a phrase used in a non-literal way for effect or emphasis
Example
When he said he could eat a horse, it was just **a figure of speech**.
idiom

even out

Meaning
to make something level or balanced
Example
Stir the batter to **even out** the lumps.
idiom

Take something with a grain of salt

Meaning
To not take something too seriously or literally
Example
You should **take his stories with a grain of salt**; he often exaggerates.
idiom

over it

Meaning
no longer interested or affected by something
Example
I'm totally **over it** now.
idiom

caught between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
in a difficult situation where any choice you make will have negative consequences
Example
I'm **caught between a rock and a hard place** - both options are terrible.
idiom

rocket science

Meaning
something very complicated or difficult to understand
Example
Coding isn’t **rocket science** if you practice regularly.
phrasal-verb

follow up on leads

Meaning
to contact potential clients after an initial meeting or inquiry
Example
The sales team will **follow up on leads** from the international trade fair.
phrasal-verb

hold down costs

Meaning
to keep expenses under control
Example
The company managed to **hold down costs** despite rising raw material prices.
phrasal-verb

hand out

Meaning
to distribute items to people
Example
Volunteers **handed out** flyers to promote the cultural exhibition.
idiom

show appreciation

Meaning
to express gratitude or recognition
Example
We should **show appreciation** for our teachers more often.
phrasal-verb

pay down

Meaning
to reduce a debt gradually by making regular payments
Example
She’s trying to **pay down** her credit card debt.
idiom

once in a while

Meaning
sometimes, but not very often
Example
I enjoy eating out **once in a while**, but I prefer home-cooked meals.
idiom

a ray of sunshine

Meaning
someone or something that brings happiness
Example
Her smile is **a ray of sunshine** on a gloomy day.
idiom

iron out the kinks

Meaning
to resolve small problems or imperfections
Example
We’ll **iron out the kinks** before launch day.
phrasal-verb

pick at

Meaning
to eat only small amounts of food without interest
Example
He just **picked at** his dinner and left most of it.
idiom

travel light

Meaning
to travel with very little luggage
Example
When I travel for business, I like to **travel light**.
idiom

open to abuse

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

strike up

Meaning
to start a conversation or friendship
Example
He easily **strikes up** conversations with strangers.
phrasal-verb

fight off

Meaning
to resist or defend against illness or attack
Example
She’s trying to **fight off** a cold before her trip.
idiom

train a model

Meaning
to teach an AI model using data to make predictions or decisions
Example
We need to **train a model** on the new dataset before running predictions.
idiom

carry a torch for someone

Meaning
to continue loving someone who doesn’t love you back
Example
He’s still **carrying a torch for** his ex-girlfriend.
phrasal-verb

run off with

Meaning
to leave someone in order to start a romantic relationship with another person
Example
He **ran off with** his colleague and shocked everyone.
idiom

butterflies in one's stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I had **butterflies in my stomach** before the interview.
idiom

tee up

Meaning
to prepare something for easy execution
Example
I’ll **tee up** the slides so you can start on time.
idiom

crack the whip

Meaning
to use authority to make people work harder or obey rules
Example
The new manager is **cracking the whip** to improve productivity.
idiom

betray someone's trust

Meaning
to break someone's confidence in you
Example
She would never **betray your trust**.
phrasal-verb

break up with

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship with someone
Example
He **broke up with** his girlfriend after three years of dating.
phrasal-verb

tighten up regulations

Meaning
to make rules or laws stricter
Example
The central authority decided to **tighten up regulations** on foreign trade.
idiom

backseat driver

Meaning
a person who gives unwanted advice or direction
Example
Don't be a **backseat driver**, let me handle it.
phrasal-verb

channel emotions

Meaning
to direct emotions into positive actions
Example
She learned to **channel her emotions** into creative work.
idiom

kingmaker

Meaning
a person who has great influence in deciding who will hold power
Example
The media mogul became a **kingmaker** in national politics.
idiom

a dark horse

Meaning
a person who keeps their skills or plans secret until an important moment
Example
Nobody expected her to win; she was **a dark horse**.
phrasal-verb

set aside for

Meaning
to reserve a specific time for virtual meetings or work
Example
I’ve **set aside for** an hour every morning to check emails.
phrasal-verb

go wild

Meaning
to behave in an extremely excited or enthusiastic way
Example
The crowd **went wild** when the team scored the goal.
idiom

as wise as an owl

Meaning
very wise or knowledgeable
Example
My grandfather is **as wise as an owl**.
idiom

dream on

Meaning
used to say that something is unlikely to happen
Example
You think you’ll win the lottery? **Dream on!**
phrasal-verb

freak out about

Meaning
to become very anxious or upset about something
Example
People often **freak out about** deadlines and performance reviews.
phrasal-verb

forgive for

Meaning
to stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for something
Example
She **forgave him for** lying to her.
phrasal-verb

pass on

Meaning
to convey information to someone else
Example
Please **pass on** the message to the entire team.
idiom

lay into

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

A Trojan horse

Meaning
Something intended to secretly undermine or bring harm from within.
Example
The malware acted as **a Trojan horse**, allowing hackers access to private data.
phrasal-verb

ping back to

Meaning
to send a quick reply to someone electronically
Example
I'll **ping back to** you once the security patch finishes installing.
phrasal-verb

stand aside

Meaning
to step to one side; to withdraw and let others take charge
Example
He **stood aside** to let her pass.
idiom

tip of the hat

Meaning
a gesture of appreciation or respect
Example
A **tip of the hat** to everyone who made this event possible.
phrasal-verb

carry out

Meaning
to perform or execute a plan or task
Example
The consultants will **carry out** a market feasibility study.
phrasal-verb

hold back

Meaning
to stop yourself from expressing something
Example
He wanted to tell her everything but **held back** his words.
idiom

honor one's promise

Meaning
to keep a promise or commitment
Example
She **honored her promise** to visit the orphanage.
idiom

from the bottom of my heart

Meaning
with sincere gratitude
Example
I thank you **from the bottom of my heart** for everything.