Play it safe
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idiom

Play it safe

Meaning
to avoid taking risks
Example
He always **plays it safe** and never tries new things.
phrasal-verb

leak out

Meaning
to become known accidentally; to escape from secrecy
Example
Sensitive information **leaked out** before the official announcement.
idiom

off the beaten track

Meaning
in a place not visited by many people; remote or unusual
Example
We found a lovely beach **off the beaten track**.
phrasal-verb

hang up

Meaning
to end a phone call
Example
He suddenly **hung up** without saying goodbye.
idiom

Go where no man has gone before

Meaning
To explore or attempt something that has never been done before.
Example
The mission to Mars aims to **go where no man has gone before**.
idiom

to put one's finger on

Meaning
to identify or recognize something with precision
Example
The journalist was able to **put her finger on** the exact cause of the political unrest.
phrasal-verb

rise with

Meaning
to grow stronger together with something or someone
Example
We can all **rise with** positivity and mutual respect.
phrasal-verb

pack for

Meaning
to prepare luggage for a particular destination or purpose
Example
She’s **packing for** her summer vacation in Thailand.
phrasal-verb

hand updates over

Meaning
to give the latest information to the next person responsible
Example
Shift leads **hand updates over** at the end of every afternoon.
idiom

set the record straight

Meaning
to clarify the truth after a misunderstanding
Example
He wanted to **set the record straight** about what really happened.
idiom

serve time

Meaning
to spend time in prison as punishment
Example
He had to **serve time** for his involvement in the fraud case.
phrasal-verb

mitigate against

Meaning
to make something less severe or harmful
Example
Effective controls can **mitigate against** financial losses.
idiom

keep one's head above water

Meaning
to survive financially in difficult times
Example
Many small businesses struggle to **keep their heads above water**.
phrasal-verb

blend in with

Meaning
to mix naturally with people or surroundings
Example
Tourists often try to **blend in with** the locals to experience the culture better.
idiom

take the time to listen

Meaning
to make an effort to understand or care about someone else's feelings
Example
Sometimes, all we need is to **take the time to listen** to others' problems.
idiom

there’s always tomorrow

Meaning
you’ll have another chance in the future
Example
Don’t be sad about today’s failure — **there’s always tomorrow**.
phrasal-verb

build rapport with

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

Old school

Meaning
Having traditional ideas or values; not modern
Example
My father still prefers handwritten letters; he’s really **old school**.
phrasal-verb

catch someone’s eye

Meaning
to attract someone's attention
Example
The bright red car **caught my eye** as it drove past.
phrasal-verb

learn to let go

Meaning
to accept something and move on emotionally
Example
You must **learn to let go** of your past regrets.
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

a ray of sunshine

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

in the line of fire

Meaning
to be in a situation where one is likely to be blamed or criticized
Example
The manager found himself **in the line of fire** after the project failed.
phrasal-verb

snow in

Meaning
to be trapped somewhere because of heavy snow
Example
We were **snowed in** for two days after the blizzard.
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

couch potato

Meaning
a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV
Example
He’s such a **couch potato**, he never goes out or exercises.
phrasal-verb

map out for

Meaning
to plan each step carefully for a specific purpose
Example
We **mapped out for** the fundraiser so nothing would be missed.
phrasal-verb

jump out at

Meaning
to be immediately noticeable or surprising
Example
The bright colors really **jump out at** you.
phrasal-verb

prioritize over

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

break away

Meaning
to separate from a group or routine
Example
She plans to **break away** from the commute by working remotely twice a week.
idiom

patch things up

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

start off with

Meaning
to begin a creative process or project using a certain idea or material
Example
The artist **started off with** a simple sketch before adding color.
idiom

hold forth

Meaning
to speak at length about a topic
Example
He loved to **hold forth** on travel stories.
idiom

outside the box

Meaning
thinking or acting in an unusual or unconventional way
Example
To solve this problem, we need to think **outside the box**.
idiom

gather around

Meaning
to come together around someone or something
Example
Kids **gathered around** to watch the science demo.
phrasal-verb

shut yourself off

Meaning
to isolate yourself emotionally or socially due to stress
Example
She tends to **shut herself off** from everyone when she’s anxious.
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

swot up on

Meaning
to study something intensively before an event
Example
I **swot up on** statistics before every data review.
idiom

spin up

Meaning
to start something quickly, especially a system
Example
The IT team can **spin up** a test server in minutes.
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.
phrasal-verb

zone out with

Meaning
to relax or mentally drift while using something like music or a show
Example
I sometimes **zone out with** a podcast on the bus ride home.
phrasal-verb

hold office

Meaning
to have an official position of authority or power
Example
He has **held office** as the foreign minister for more than five years.
phrasal-verb

let go of fear

Meaning
to release or stop holding onto negative emotions like fear or anger
Example
He learned to **let go of fear** and move forward with hope.
idiom

hit back

Meaning
to reply to criticism or attack with force
Example
The team plans to **hit back** with a stronger strategy.
idiom

fall through the cracks

Meaning
to be overlooked or neglected
Example
I forgot to follow up on his application and it **fell through the cracks**.
phrasal-verb

identify with

Meaning
to feel connected to or understand the feelings of a group or culture
Example
I deeply **identify with** my ancestors’ struggles and values.
idiom

justice delayed is justice denied

Meaning
if legal redress is available but not delivered in time, it is as good as having none
Example
Many believe that **justice delayed is justice denied** in this country.
idiom

to go down in history

Meaning
to be remembered for something important or significant
Example
He **went down in history** as one of the greatest inventors of all time.
phrasal-verb

think ahead to

Meaning
to consider what will happen in the future and make plans for it
Example
You should **think ahead to** where you want to be in five years.
idiom

iron out

Meaning
to resolve small problems or differences
Example
We need to **iron out** the payment details before signing.
phrasal-verb

fall over

Meaning
to lose balance and drop to the ground
Example
The baby **fell over** while trying to walk.
idiom

build one's confidence

Meaning
to increase one's self-assurance or belief in one's abilities
Example
Public speaking classes helped him **build his confidence**.
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.
idiom

boil down to

Meaning
to have something as the main point or reason
Example
The argument **boiled down to** a simple misunderstanding.
idiom

in full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or progress
Example
The dance rehearsal is **in full swing** before the big day.
phrasal-verb

branch globally

Meaning
to expand or operate in multiple countries or regions
Example
The company hopes to **branch globally** within the next five years.
phrasal-verb

receive from

Meaning
to get something that someone gives you
Example
I **received** a letter **from** my best friend yesterday.
idiom

have a whale of a time

Meaning
to have an extremely enjoyable time
Example
We **had a whale of a time** at the beach party.
idiom

knock it out of the park

Meaning
to do something extremely well or successfully
Example
Her presentation **knocked it out of the park**.
phrasal-verb

move over

Meaning
to change position to make space for someone or something
Example
Can you **move over** a bit so I can sit down?
B2 idiom

wrap your head around it

to understand or accept something
Meaning
to understand or accept something
Example
It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.
It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.
phrasal-verb

work through challenges

Meaning
to deal with and overcome problems while continuing progress
Example
The creative team managed to **work through challenges** and meet the deadline.
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

online presence

Meaning
the existence and activity of a person or business on the internet
Example
A strong **online presence** is essential for digital marketing.
phrasal-verb

open up to feedback

Meaning
to be willing to listen and accept constructive criticism
Example
A good leader must **open up to feedback** from the team.
phrasal-verb

level off at

Meaning
to stop increasing or decreasing and stay at a steady level
Example
After a sharp rise, GDP growth **leveled off at** around 6%.
phrasal-verb

tune in to others

Meaning
to pay attention to and understand others’ emotions
Example
Emotionally intelligent people **tune in to others** naturally.
idiom

To toe the line

Meaning
To follow rules or policies strictly, often without questioning
Example
The senator was expected to **toe the line** and support the party’s stance.
phrasal-verb

light up with joy

Meaning
to look suddenly happy or excited
Example
Her face **lit up with joy** when she saw her parents.
idiom

Go overboard

Meaning
To do something to an excessive degree.
Example
He **went overboard** decorating his office for the holidays.
idiom

blow one’s top

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry
Example
He **blew his top** when he saw the mistake.
idiom

take it with a grain of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He tends to exaggerate, so **take his stories with a grain of salt**.
phrasal-verb

key up

Meaning
to make someone feel nervous or excited
Example
She was **keyed up** before her first performance.
idiom

have your jaw drop

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or shocked
Example
My **jaw dropped** when I saw the price.
idiom

stay ahead of the game

Meaning
to be more successful or prepared than others
Example
To **stay ahead of the game**, you must always keep learning.
phrasal-verb

rise above hurt

Meaning
to move past emotional pain and not let it control you
Example
She learned to **rise above hurt** and forgive others.
phrasal-verb

come up against

Meaning
to face a problem or difficulty
Example
We **came up against** several obstacles during the project.
idiom

burst with ideas

Meaning
to have many creative ideas at once
Example
After watching the film, he was **bursting with ideas** for his next project.
phrasal-verb

go overboard with

Meaning
to do something too much or excessively
Example
He **went overboard with** his preparation and didn’t sleep for two days.
idiom

go into orbit

Meaning
to become very excited or angry
Example
Mom **went into orbit** when she saw the mess in my room.
idiom

sound out

Meaning
to quietly discover what people think
Example
She will **sound out** the team before making changes.
idiom

make amends

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry
Example
He tried to **make amends** by helping her with her work.
phrasal-verb

write up

Meaning
to prepare a detailed written report
Example
Please **write up** the feedback summary for the manager.
phrasal-verb

build confidence in

Meaning
to create or increase trust in something
Example
The new reforms helped **build confidence in** the financial market.
idiom

blueprint for success

Meaning
a detailed plan for achieving success
Example
Strong teamwork is the **blueprint for success** in this project.
phrasal-verb

network with

Meaning
to make professional or social connections with others
Example
She actively **networks with** leaders from different countries.
phrasal-verb

draw attention to

Meaning
to make people notice or focus on an issue
Example
Activists **drew attention to** flaws in the legal system.
idiom

On the clock

Meaning
Working, often with a strict time limit or deadline.
Example
I’m **on the clock** today, so I can’t waste any time.
idiom

go for broke

Meaning
to risk everything to achieve success
Example
They decided to **go for broke** and launch their new product.
idiom

that's the last straw

Meaning
my patience has run out
Example
He's been late all week, but this is **the last straw**.
phrasal-verb

set about

Meaning
to begin doing something with determination
Example
He **set about** cleaning the entire house after breakfast.
idiom

create buzz

Meaning
to generate excitement and talk about a product or event
Example
The teaser video helped **create buzz** before the product launch.
phrasal-verb

ground yourself in reality

Meaning
to focus your mind on what is real to reduce panic or anxiety
Example
If you feel lost in thoughts, **ground yourself in reality** by naming what you see.
idiom

long in the tooth

Meaning
getting old
Example
He’s a bit **long in the tooth** for this kind of work.
idiom

keep your cards close to your chest

Meaning
to keep your plans or intentions secret
Example
She always **keeps her cards close to her chest** during negotiations.
phrasal-verb

step through

Meaning
to pass through something carefully or one stage at a time
Example
Let’s **step through** the process so everyone understands it clearly.
idiom

Ask a million questions

Meaning
To be extremely curious and ask many questions.
Example
Kids often **ask a million questions** about everything.
idiom

a blank page

Meaning
a new beginning; an opportunity to start fresh
Example
After graduation, she saw her life as **a blank page** waiting to be written.
phrasal-verb

let rip

Meaning
to express anger or frustration loudly
Example
He **let rip** at the meeting when no one listened to him.
idiom

burst into tears

Meaning
to suddenly start crying
Example
She **burst into tears** after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

introduce yourself

Meaning
to tell someone your name and details when meeting for the first time
Example
It’s courteous to **introduce yourself** before joining a group.
idiom

better safe than sorry

Meaning
It’s wiser to be cautious than to take risks and regret later.
Example
I always double-check the locks — **better safe than sorry**.
idiom

Let the dust settle

Meaning
Wait until a situation becomes calm and clear.
Example
Before making any decisions, let's **let the dust settle** and see what happens.
idiom

rule out

Meaning
to decide that something is not possible
Example
We can’t **rule out** another delay yet.
idiom

steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to look or feel extremely angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** after the argument.
phrasal-verb

lean towards

Meaning
to tend to support or prefer one suggestion over another
Example
I **lean towards** your idea because it’s more practical.
idiom

reduce carbon footprint

Meaning
to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere
Example
Many companies are working to **reduce their carbon footprint** by using renewable energy.
phrasal-verb

hold talks with

Meaning
to have formal discussions or negotiations with someone
Example
The foreign ministers agreed to **hold talks with** neighboring countries.
phrasal-verb

depend upon imports

Meaning
to rely on goods brought from other countries
Example
Many developing countries **depend upon imports** for essential commodities.
phrasal-verb

copy down

Meaning
to write something exactly as it is
Example
Make sure to **copy down** the correct formula from the board.
phrasal-verb

hold in emotions

Meaning
to stop yourself from showing what you feel
Example
He tried to **hold in his emotions** during the meeting.
idiom

full of beans

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

play along with

Meaning
to pretend to agree or cooperate with something
Example
Many people **play along with** trending topics just to stay relevant online.
phrasal-verb

bridge gaps between

Meaning
to reduce differences and improve understanding among people or groups
Example
Global forums aim to **bridge gaps between** developed and developing nations.
idiom

to fall flat on one's face

Meaning
to fail completely or embarrass oneself
Example
The comedian **fell flat on his face** when no one laughed.
phrasal-verb

stay open to

Meaning
to be willing to consider or accept new ideas or experiences
Example
Always **stay open to** new perspectives while learning.
idiom

wash your hands of something

Meaning
to stop being involved in or responsible for something
Example
After the scandal, the manager **washed his hands of** the project.
idiom

trust someone with something

Meaning
to give someone responsibility for something important
Example
I trust you to **take care of the project**.
phrasal-verb

settle within

Meaning
to find peace or calm inside yourself
Example
She practices mindfulness to **settle within** after a busy day.
phrasal-verb

expand on ideas

Meaning
to explain or develop ideas in more detail
Example
The professor asked me to **expand on ideas** in my essay.
phrasal-verb

band up for

Meaning
to unite as a group to achieve a common economic goal
Example
Several small countries **banded up for** regional cooperation.