play to the gallery
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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.
phrasal-verb

grow attached to

Meaning
to develop strong emotional feelings for someone or something
Example
She quickly **grew attached to** the little dog she rescued.
idiom

tie the knot of friendship

Meaning
to start a friendship
Example
They **tied the knot of friendship** during college.
phrasal-verb

call out energy waste

Meaning
to point out when energy is being used carelessly
Example
Teammates **call out energy waste** whenever lights stay on overnight.
idiom

to play fair

Meaning
To act honestly and follow the rules.
Example
In every competition, we must **play fair**.
idiom

in the loop

Meaning
to be informed about something
Example
Please keep me **in the loop** about the project updates.
idiom

batten down

Meaning
to secure something tightly in preparation for trouble
Example
Residents will **batten down** their windows before the storm.
idiom

learn the ropes

Meaning
to learn how to do a particular job or activity
Example
It took me a month to **learn the ropes** at my new job.
phrasal-verb

spread over

Meaning
to distribute across a certain time or area
Example
The costs will be **spread over** the next three months.
phrasal-verb

show back up

Meaning
to return after being away or absent
Example
He suddenly **showed back up** after months of silence.
phrasal-verb

pay respect to

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

penny wise and pound foolish

Meaning
careful with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Example
He’s **penny wise and pound foolish** when it comes to investments.
phrasal-verb

trade off between

Meaning
to balance two opposing things or priorities
Example
Nations often **trade off between** protecting local industries and promoting free trade.
phrasal-verb

doll up

Meaning
to make oneself look more attractive by wearing nice clothes or makeup
Example
She **dolled up** for the evening party.
phrasal-verb

build upon research

Meaning
to use previous studies as a base for innovation
Example
Scientists often **build upon research** to create groundbreaking solutions.
idiom

feel ten feet tall

Meaning
to feel very proud and confident
Example
He **felt ten feet tall** after completing the challenge.
phrasal-verb

stick to a plan

Meaning
to follow a plan strictly without giving up
Example
If you **stick to a plan**, you’ll achieve your goals faster.
phrasal-verb

work towards improvement

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve progress or better results
Example
We must continuously **work towards improvement** in our processes.
phrasal-verb

see about

Meaning
to deal with something; to arrange for something
Example
I’ll **see about** getting us some tickets for the concert.
idiom

change of guard

Meaning
a change in leadership or authority
Example
There has been a **change of guard** in the ruling party.
phrasal-verb

eat in

Meaning
to have a meal at home or at the hotel instead of going out
Example
We were too tired to go out, so we decided to **eat in**.
idiom

carry the can

Meaning
to accept responsibility or blame, often unfairly.
Example
She was left to **carry the can** after her manager left.
phrasal-verb

come forward

Meaning
to offer to help or take part in something
Example
Several team members **came forward** to volunteer for the new task.
idiom

know something by heart

Meaning
to memorize something perfectly
Example
She **knows all the poems by heart**.
phrasal-verb

keep calm

Meaning
to stay relaxed and not get angry or upset
Example
He tried to **keep calm** when everyone else was panicking.
phrasal-verb

set up a subsidiary

Meaning
to establish a smaller company controlled by a larger one
Example
They decided to **set up a subsidiary** in Singapore to handle regional operations.
phrasal-verb

bring about change

Meaning
to cause something to happen; to make change occur
Example
A good leader can bring about change in any organization.
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

take over for

Meaning
to temporarily handle someone’s virtual responsibilities
Example
Can you **take over for** me while I’m offline?
idiom

the early bird catches the worm

Meaning
people who start early are more likely to succeed
Example
**The early bird catches the worm**, so start your day early.
phrasal-verb

focus forward

Meaning
to concentrate on future goals instead of past mistakes
Example
You should **focus forward** instead of worrying about what went wrong.
idiom

buckle under the strain

Meaning
to give in to stress or pressure
Example
She refused to **buckle under the strain** and kept going.
phrasal-verb

show through on

Meaning
to be visible or noticeable on something
Example
The stain **shows through on** the white fabric.
idiom

sick as a dog

Meaning
very ill
Example
I was **sick as a dog** after eating that street food.
idiom

in the driver's seat

Meaning
to be in control of a situation
Example
After the merger, she was **in the driver’s seat** of the company.
idiom

jump on the bandwagon

Meaning
to join something that is already popular or successful
Example
Many people **jumped on the bandwagon** of budget travel.
phrasal-verb

cut someone short

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
She tried to explain her point, but he **cut her short** halfway through.
phrasal-verb

bounce back after

Meaning
to recover from failure or setback quickly
Example
He managed to **bounce back after** losing his job.
idiom

pick yourself up

Meaning
to recover from a failure or setback
Example
She failed the first time, but she **picked herself up** and tried again.
idiom

parcel out

Meaning
to divide and distribute something
Example
Let’s **parcel out** the tasks for the festival.
idiom

take the fifth

Meaning
to refuse to answer a question on the grounds that it may incriminate oneself
Example
When asked about his involvement, he chose to **take the fifth**.
phrasal-verb

look down on

Meaning
to think that you are better than someone
Example
You should never **look down on** your relatives for their financial situation.
idiom

turn back the clock

Meaning
to return to an earlier time; to undo progress or change
Example
Many people wish they could **turn back the clock** to their childhood.
idiom

state of mind

Meaning
a person's emotional condition
Example
Your **state of mind** affects how you make decisions.
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.
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

weakest link

Meaning
the most vulnerable part of a system or group
Example
Human error is often the **weakest link** in cybersecurity.
idiom

cover your tracks

Meaning
to hide evidence of one’s actions
Example
Hackers often **cover their tracks** after breaking into systems.
idiom

own up to something

Meaning
to admit or confess responsibility for something
Example
You should **own up to your mistakes** instead of blaming others.
idiom

to frame the issue

Meaning
to present a situation in a particular way
Example
The journalist cleverly **framed the issue** to highlight social inequality.
idiom

out of the picture

Meaning
no longer involved or relevant
Example
After the gallery closed, the curator was **out of the picture**.
idiom

grin from ear to ear

Meaning
to smile broadly because of happiness
Example
She was **grinning from ear to ear** after the compliment.
phrasal-verb

rope in for

Meaning
to persuade someone to join an activity
Example
They **roped me in for** the weekend volunteer drive.
idiom

groundbreaking discovery

Meaning
a discovery that changes understanding in a field
Example
The new vaccine was a **groundbreaking discovery** in medicine.
idiom

call around

Meaning
to contact several people or places by phone
Example
I’ll **call around** to find a venue with parking.
idiom

have a one-track mind

Meaning
to think about only one thing all the time
Example
He **has a one-track mind** when it comes to his business.
idiom

Flash in the pan

Meaning
Something that shows potential but fails quickly
Example
His first success was just a **flash in the pan**.
idiom

a tough decision to make

Meaning
a decision that is difficult to make because of the potential consequences
Example
Choosing between two job offers was **a tough decision to make**.
idiom

tighten the screws

Meaning
to put pressure on someone to make them behave or act a certain way
Example
The government **tightened the screws** on tax evaders.
idiom

brand awareness

Meaning
the extent to which consumers are familiar with a brand
Example
Our main goal is to increase **brand awareness** through social media.
idiom

gather up

Meaning
to collect things together
Example
Let’s **gather up** the supplies before the workshop.
idiom

hair-raising experience

Meaning
something very frightening or terrifying
Example
Driving through that storm was a **hair-raising experience**.
idiom

spill the tea

Meaning
to share gossip or secrets
Example
Come on, **spill the tea** - what happened at the party?
idiom

by the way

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

sell off

Meaning
to sell assets or shares quickly, often at a low price
Example
Investors began to **sell off** their shares during the market downturn.
idiom

lean on

Meaning
to depend on someone for support
Example
You can always **lean on** me when things get tough.
phrasal-verb

stand in

Meaning
to replace an actor temporarily in a scene
Example
A stunt double **stood in** for the actor during the dangerous scene.
phrasal-verb

feed on

Meaning
to gain support or energy from something, often negative; to be sustained by
Example
The tabloids **feed on** celebrity scandals to boost their sales.
phrasal-verb

learn to appreciate

Meaning
to develop admiration or respect for other traditions and beliefs
Example
Through travel, you can **learn to appreciate** cultural diversity.
phrasal-verb

scale up with

Meaning
to expand by adding extra resources
Example
They **scaled up with** extra analysts during the busy quarter.
phrasal-verb

build confidence

Meaning
to strengthen belief in your own abilities
Example
Every small success helps you **build confidence** for bigger goals.
idiom

make the tough calls

Meaning
to make difficult decisions in challenging situations
Example
Being a leader means sometimes having to **make the tough calls**.
phrasal-verb

build credibility with

Meaning
to earn trust and respect from others
Example
It takes time to **build credibility with** your colleagues.
phrasal-verb

soak up the moment

Meaning
to fully enjoy and appreciate a happy situation
Example
She stood on the beach, **soaking up the moment**.
phrasal-verb

back up data

Meaning
to make a copy of data to prevent loss
Example
It’s important to regularly **back up data** on your computer.
phrasal-verb

expand your network

Meaning
to build new professional relationships and connections
Example
Attending industry events can help you **expand your network**.
idiom

lay all your cards on the table

Meaning
to be open and honest about your intentions or plans
Example
Let’s **lay all our cards on the table** and discuss the issue.
phrasal-verb

open up space for joy

Meaning
to make emotional room for happiness after pain
Example
After forgiving herself, she began to **open up space for joy**.
phrasal-verb

stand resilient

Meaning
to remain strong and recover quickly from difficulties
Example
Communities must **stand resilient** in the face of tragedy.
idiom

over the hill

Meaning
past one's prime; no longer young or at peak performance
Example
Some people think turning forty means you’re **over the hill**, but that’s not true.
B1 idiom

all ears

Listening very attentively
Meaning
Listening very attentively
Example
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
idiom

There’s always hope

Meaning
No matter how bad things look, you can still hope.
Example
Don’t lose heart — **there’s always hope**.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself into

Meaning
to persuade yourself to do something
Example
She finally **talked herself into** applying for the scholarship.
phrasal-verb

pass through

Meaning
to go through an official process or approval in parliament or committee
Example
The bill **passed through** both houses before becoming law.
phrasal-verb

look kindly upon

Meaning
to regard someone or something with appreciation or favor
Example
She **looked kindly upon** the people who helped her career.
phrasal-verb

cut back on expenses

Meaning
to spend less money; to reduce costs
Example
During tough times, companies often **cut back on expenses**.
idiom

out of the woods

Meaning
no longer in danger or difficulty
Example
She’s recovering now, so she’s **out of the woods**.
phrasal-verb

go through with

Meaning
to continue and complete something despite fear or emotion
Example
She was nervous, but she **went through with** her speech.
idiom

sleep on it

Meaning
to delay making a decision until the next day
Example
This is an important decision, why don't you **sleep on it**?
phrasal-verb

settle within

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

Blue ocean strategy

Meaning
Creating a new market space with little or no competition.
Example
Their **blue ocean strategy** helped them dominate a new market.
phrasal-verb

speak down to

Meaning
to talk to someone as if they are less intelligent
Example
Don’t **speak down to** your colleagues; treat them equally.
phrasal-verb

walk away

Meaning
to leave a situation or place calmly; to move away by walking
Example
She **walked away** without saying a word.
phrasal-verb

go over lessons

Meaning
to review or check lessons again for better understanding
Example
I always **go over lessons** before an exam.
phrasal-verb

run low on

Meaning
to have very little of something left
Example
They are **running low on** popular shoe sizes.
phrasal-verb

thrill at

Meaning
to feel excited and happy about something
Example
Fans **thrilled at** the sight of their favorite singer.
phrasal-verb

build alliances

Meaning
to form cooperative relationships between groups or nations
Example
Countries must **build alliances** to face economic crises together.
phrasal-verb

slow down spending

Meaning
to reduce the speed of financial expenditure
Example
During inflation, people tend to **slow down spending**.
idiom

in the footsteps of

Meaning
to follow someone’s example or career path
Example
She followed **in the footsteps of** her father, becoming a successful entrepreneur.
phrasal-verb

fall into place

Meaning
to start to happen in a satisfactory way
Example
After months of hard work, everything finally **fell into place**.
idiom

go head to head

Meaning
to directly compete or confront each other
Example
The two negotiators went **head to head** over the contract terms.
phrasal-verb

cut through

Meaning
to move quickly through something; to make something easier to understand
Example
The boat **cut through** the calm water easily.
phrasal-verb

dip into

Meaning
to use part of your savings for something
Example
I had to **dip into** my savings to cover the repair costs.
idiom

reach your full potential

Meaning
to achieve the maximum ability or success that you are capable of
Example
By working hard, she was able to **reach her full potential**.
phrasal-verb

bring together ideas

Meaning
to combine different thoughts or approaches for a shared goal
Example
The summit aims to **bring together ideas** from across nations for sustainable progress.
phrasal-verb

map onto

Meaning
to match or connect with a particular plan or idea
Example
Your skills **map onto** the company’s long-term vision perfectly.
phrasal-verb

fill with

Meaning
to make someone experience a strong emotion
Example
The kind gesture **filled her with** gratitude.
idiom

hush-hush

Meaning
kept secret or very confidential
Example
The project is still **hush-hush**, so don’t mention it.
idiom

hold the vision

Meaning
to maintain a clear sense of direction or goal
Example
Leaders who **hold the vision** can guide their teams through difficult times.
idiom

Pour your heart out

Meaning
To express all your feelings honestly.
Example
She **poured her heart out** to her best friend.
phrasal-verb

drop in on

Meaning
to visit someone casually and without an appointment
Example
We decided to **drop in on** our cousins while passing through their town.
idiom

a closed book

Meaning
something or someone that is difficult to understand
Example
He’s **a closed book** when it comes to his personal life.
phrasal-verb

take note of

Meaning
to pay attention to and remember something important
Example
He carefully **took note of** all the suggestions during the review meeting.
phrasal-verb

work through emotions

Meaning
to process and deal with emotions over time
Example
It took her months to **work through** her grief.
phrasal-verb

go against

Meaning
to oppose or disagree with someone or something
Example
It takes courage to **go against** popular opinion.
idiom

pull strings

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

bring out leadership qualities

Meaning
to help someone display or develop leadership traits
Example
Training sessions are designed to **bring out leadership qualities** in employees.
phrasal-verb

touch on

Meaning
to briefly mention or discuss a subject
Example
She only **touched on** the topic during her speech.
phrasal-verb

run through

Meaning
to review or explain something quickly
Example
Let’s **run through** the presentation once before the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

take over responsibilities

Meaning
to start having control or responsibility for something
Example
After the manager resigned, she **took over responsibilities** temporarily.
idiom

The light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
A sign of hope after a long period of difficulty.
Example
After months of hard work, we finally saw **the light at the end of the tunnel**.