playing the long game
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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.
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

let down walls

Meaning
to stop being emotionally guarded
Example
It took time for her to **let down walls** and trust again.
idiom

take a step back

Meaning
to pause and reassess a situation
Example
Sometimes you need to **take a step back** to see the bigger picture.
idiom

cross one's heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise, often used by children
Example
I’ll never lie to you again, **cross my heart**.
phrasal-verb

cut back

Meaning
to reduce the amount of time or effort spent on work
Example
She decided to **cut back** her working hours to spend more time with family.
idiom

think big

Meaning
to set ambitious and visionary goals
Example
Entrepreneurs must **think big** to make a real impact.
idiom

tee up

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

the long arm of the law

Meaning
the power and reach of the law to catch criminals
Example
**The long arm of the law** finally caught the escaped prisoner.
phrasal-verb

count down

Meaning
to count backward to mark the start of an event
Example
Everyone **counted down** to midnight on New Year’s Eve.
phrasal-verb

sign in

Meaning
to enter your username and password to access an account
Example
You must **sign in** before commenting on this post.
idiom

a happy camper

Meaning
a person who is content and satisfied with life
Example
After getting the job, he’s been **a happy camper**.
idiom

stand the test of time

Meaning
to remain valuable or successful for a long period of time
Example
His leadership principles have **stood the test of time** and are still relevant today.
idiom

break the glass ceiling

Meaning
to overcome a barrier or limitation, particularly in career or personal advancement
Example
She was the first woman in the company to **break the glass ceiling** and become a senior manager.
idiom

run on empty

Meaning
to continue working even when you are tired or out of energy
Example
He’s been **running on empty** for weeks without a break.
phrasal-verb

cool your nerves

Meaning
to calm yourself when feeling nervous or tense
Example
He took a short walk to **cool his nerves** before the interview.
idiom

to get bent out of shape

Meaning
to become angry or upset
Example
Don't **get bent out of shape** over a small mistake.
phrasal-verb

keep striving for

Meaning
to continue making great efforts toward achieving something
Example
He always tells his students to **keep striving for** excellence.
phrasal-verb

let feelings pass

Meaning
to allow emotions to come and go without fighting them
Example
Instead of holding on to anger, I try to **let feelings pass** naturally.
phrasal-verb

draft in for

Meaning
to bring someone in to help with a task
Example
We **drafted Sam in for** the client presentation at the last minute.
phrasal-verb

come up in

Meaning
to be mentioned or discussed in a conversation
Example
Your name **came up in** our meeting yesterday.
idiom

to fall head over heels

Meaning
to fall deeply in love
Example
He **fell head over heels** for her the moment they met.
phrasal-verb

stay curious

Meaning
to keep being interested and eager to learn
Example
The best learners always **stay curious** about the world.
idiom

blow someone away

Meaning
to impress or surprise someone greatly
Example
Her performance really **blew me away**.
idiom

black and white

Meaning
clearly defined; without confusion or ambiguity
Example
The contract terms are **black and white**.
idiom

bare your soul

Meaning
to share your deepest feelings or secrets honestly
Example
She **bared her soul** to her best friend.
idiom

scene-stealer

Meaning
someone who attracts attention and stands out
Example
That child actor was a real **scene-stealer**.
phrasal-verb

take over as

Meaning
to assume a new position or responsibility previously held by someone else
Example
She will **take over as** the new HR manager next month.
phrasal-verb

bring down expenses

Meaning
to lower the amount of money spent
Example
They managed to **bring down** expenses through better budgeting.
phrasal-verb

get away to

Meaning
to go somewhere for a short vacation or break
Example
We’re planning to **get away to** the mountains this weekend.
idiom

a miscarriage of justice

Meaning
a wrong or unfair decision by a court
Example
The innocent man’s imprisonment was **a miscarriage of justice**.
phrasal-verb

check out for the day

Meaning
to finish work and mentally leave for the rest of the day
Example
Once my reports are sent, I **check out for the day** and rest.
idiom

on the beat

Meaning
a police officer's regular patrol route
Example
The officer was **on the beat** when he spotted the suspect.
idiom

Money talks

Meaning
Money has great influence and power.
Example
He got the deal because **money talks**.
phrasal-verb

cut expenses

Meaning
to lower the total amount of money spent
Example
He managed to **cut expenses** by cooking at home instead of eating out.
phrasal-verb

grow apart

Meaning
to become distant from someone emotionally over time
Example
After years, they **grew apart** because of different interests.
idiom

filter out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from something
Example
Use this tool to **filter out** spam messages.
phrasal-verb

look into research

Meaning
to study or investigate something deeply
Example
You need to **look into research** materials before writing your paper.
idiom

crossing the ethical boundary

Meaning
to act in a way that goes beyond moral acceptability
Example
Using AI to manipulate emotions may be **crossing the ethical boundary**.
phrasal-verb

go by

Meaning
to pass (about time); to follow or be guided by something
Example
As the years **go by**, we learn more about ourselves.
idiom

rein in

Meaning
to control or limit something
Example
We must **rein in** our spending this quarter.
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

apologize for

Meaning
to say sorry for something you did
Example
She **apologized for** forgetting his birthday.
idiom

get the wrong end of the stick

Meaning
to misunderstand a situation or statement completely
Example
I think you’ve **got the wrong end of the stick**—I wasn’t blaming you.
phrasal-verb

let positivity in

Meaning
to allow optimistic thoughts and feelings into your mind
Example
Take a deep breath and **let positivity in**.
idiom

face up to

Meaning
to accept and confront a difficult situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to** the staffing gaps.
idiom

a rip-off

Meaning
something that is too expensive or not worth its price
Example
That restaurant is **a rip-off**; the food is not worth the money.
phrasal-verb

soak away stress

Meaning
to relax and release stress gradually
Example
A warm bath can help you **soak away stress** after a busy day.
idiom

A watched pot never boils

Meaning
Time feels longer when you are waiting for something.
Example
Don't keep looking at the clock; **a watched pot never boils**.
idiom

bounce back

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback or failure
Example
She **bounced back** after losing the competition.
phrasal-verb

follow along in chat

Meaning
to keep up with messages during an online meeting
Example
Participants **follow along in chat** while the speaker demos the tool.
phrasal-verb

set yourself apart

Meaning
to make yourself different or outstanding from others
Example
Hard work and creativity will **set you apart** from the rest.
phrasal-verb

speak from

Meaning
to express an opinion based on personal experience
Example
She **speaks from** experience when she warns about that company.
idiom

canary in the coal mine

Meaning
an early warning of potential danger
Example
Melting glaciers are the **canary in the coal mine** for climate change.
idiom

a bug in the system

Meaning
a problem or error in a program or system
Example
There seems to be **a bug in the system** causing slow performance.
idiom

draw attention

Meaning
to make people notice something
Example
The bright colors **draw attention** to the poster.
idiom

Go exploring

Meaning
To travel or look around to discover new things.
Example
Let's **go exploring** around the city this weekend.
idiom

to make a name for oneself

Meaning
to become famous or well known for something
Example
He worked hard to **make a name for himself** in the tech industry.
phrasal-verb

carry on smiling

Meaning
to keep smiling even during difficult times
Example
She always **carries on smiling** no matter what happens.
idiom

market forces

Meaning
the economic factors affecting the supply and demand of goods and services in a market
Example
The price increase is driven by **market forces**, as demand for the product rises.
idiom

weigh in

Meaning
to give an opinion in a discussion
Example
Experts will **weigh in** on the proposal tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

get together on

Meaning
to meet and discuss something as a group
Example
We should **get together on** this proposal before sending it to the client.
idiom

speak of the devil

Meaning
said when someone appears just as you mention them
Example
**Speak of the devil**, here comes John now!
idiom

second to none

Meaning
the best; better than everyone else
Example
Her cooking is **second to none**.
idiom

carry through

Meaning
to complete something despite difficulties
Example
She promised to **carry through** with the training program.
phrasal-verb

stick up for

Meaning
to defend or support someone’s opinion or right
Example
He always **sticks up for** his friends when they are criticized.
idiom

tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small part of a much bigger problem
Example
The data error we found is just the **tip of the iceberg**.
phrasal-verb

warm to

Meaning
to start feeling affection or liking toward someone
Example
She slowly **warmed to** the idea of sharing her story publicly.
phrasal-verb

step back from

Meaning
to distance yourself to view a situation more clearly
Example
It helps to **step back from** the situation before making a decision.
idiom

Keep it real

Meaning
To stay honest and genuine.
Example
She always tries to **keep it real** in her relationships.
phrasal-verb

roll back on

Meaning
to reduce or reverse a policy or program
Example
The ministry **rolls back on** subsidies after the audit.
phrasal-verb

light up with excitement

Meaning
to show happiness or enthusiasm suddenly on the face
Example
Her face **lit up with excitement** when she saw her friends.
phrasal-verb

pick up for

Meaning
to improve or recover for something
Example
Sales usually **pick up for** the holidays.
phrasal-verb

shuffle ideas around

Meaning
to rearrange different thoughts to find a new approach
Example
Designers **shuffle ideas around** until a better concept appears.
phrasal-verb

storm in

Meaning
to enter suddenly and angrily, like a storm
Example
The teacher **stormed in** as the students were shouting loudly.
phrasal-verb

ring off

Meaning
to end a phone call
Example
He suddenly **rang off** without saying goodbye.
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.
idiom

over the moon

Meaning
extremely pleased or happy
Example
She was **over the moon** when she won the prize.
phrasal-verb

look up information on

Meaning
to search for specific details or data about something
Example
You can **look up information on** the topic online.
idiom

feel at ease

Meaning
to feel relaxed and confident
Example
He finally **felt at ease** speaking in public.
phrasal-verb

hand over responsibility

Meaning
to give control or authority to another person
Example
The CEO **handed over responsibility** to the next generation of leaders.
phrasal-verb

listen openly

Meaning
to pay attention without judgment or interruption
Example
A good friend will **listen openly** when you share your emotions.
phrasal-verb

cry out for

Meaning
to need something urgently
Example
This area **cries out for** better healthcare facilities.
idiom

off the top of your head

Meaning
to say something without deep thinking or preparation
Example
I can’t remember the exact number **off the top of my head**.
phrasal-verb

cut down on sugar

Meaning
to reduce the amount of sugar you consume
Example
I decided to **cut down on sugar** to improve my health.
phrasal-verb

take pride in progress

Meaning
to feel good about the improvements or growth you’ve made
Example
You should **take pride in progress**, no matter how small it is.
idiom

on the cutting block

Meaning
being considered for elimination or discontinuation
Example
Due to budget cuts, several research projects are now **on the cutting block**.
idiom

battle of wills

Meaning
a conflict where both sides refuse to give up
Example
It became a **battle of wills** between the manager and the team leader.
phrasal-verb

cut off pollution

Meaning
to stop or reduce pollution sources
Example
Factories must **cut off pollution** to meet environmental standards.
idiom

keep something under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
They managed to **keep the project under wraps** until the launch day.
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

live and learn

Meaning
to accept a mistake as a lesson for the future
Example
I lost my wallet again — well, **live and learn**.
phrasal-verb

snap at

Meaning
to speak angrily and quickly to someone
Example
He **snapped at** me when I asked him a simple question.
idiom

take shape

Meaning
to begin to develop or become clear
Example
Our business plan is finally **taking shape**.
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

put up

Meaning
to provide accommodation; to raise something; to display
Example
They will **put up** a tent for the night.
idiom

Money doesn't grow on trees

Meaning
Money is limited and must be earned; not easy to get.
Example
You should save more—**money doesn’t grow on trees**.
idiom

boil over

Meaning
when anger becomes too much to control
Example
The argument finally **boiled over** into a shouting match.
idiom

time will tell

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

gray matter

Meaning
intelligence or brainpower
Example
It takes a lot of **gray matter** to solve such a complex problem.
idiom

Culture shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when encountering a different culture
Example
Moving to Japan gave her a bit of **culture shock** at first.
phrasal-verb

reach across

Meaning
to connect or communicate with people from different backgrounds or beliefs
Example
Art has the power to **reach across** cultures and unite people.
phrasal-verb

geek out over

Meaning
to get very excited discussing a favorite topic
Example
We **geek out over** new space missions every Friday livestream.
phrasal-verb

rise under

Meaning
to perform well despite facing great pressure or challenges
Example
He always **rises under** pressure and delivers his best work.
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?
idiom

crunch the numbers

Meaning
to process data or analyze statistics
Example
AI can **crunch the numbers** faster than any human.
idiom

drop a comment

Meaning
to leave a message or opinion on a social media post
Example
Don’t forget to **drop a comment** below if you liked the video.
idiom

play fair

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

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
phrasal-verb

break into tears

Meaning
to start crying suddenly
Example
He **broke into tears** when he saw his old friend after many years.
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

reach out to allies

Meaning
to make contact or offer cooperation to friendly nations
Example
The new leader tried to **reach out to allies** to rebuild trust.
idiom

get used to it

Meaning
to become familiar with something new
Example
It took a while, but I finally **got used to it**.
idiom

stand by someone

Meaning
to remain loyal or supportive
Example
True friends **stand by** each other in hard times.
idiom

content is king

Meaning
high-quality content is the most important factor for success online
Example
Never forget that **content is king** in digital marketing.
idiom

guide the way

Meaning
to lead someone through a process or path
Example
A good leader knows how to **guide the way** for their team to succeed.
idiom

On the breadline

Meaning
Living in poverty or with very little money.
Example
After losing his job, he was almost **on the breadline**.
idiom

at a crossroads

Meaning
at a point where a decision must be made
Example
After years of travel, she found herself **at a crossroads** in life.
idiom

spitting image

Meaning
someone who looks exactly like another person
Example
She is the **spitting image** of her mother.
phrasal-verb

burst into song

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

hold out for

Meaning
to wait to get exactly what you want
Example
She’ll **hold out for** a better offer before signing.