plug away
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

plug away

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

take the scenic route

Meaning
to choose a longer or more beautiful way to travel
Example
Let’s **take the scenic route** through the mountains.
phrasal-verb

trust with

Meaning
to give someone responsibility or confidence to handle something
Example
I **trust you with** my deepest secrets.
phrasal-verb

journal through sadness

Meaning
to write in a journal while processing sad feelings
Example
She **journals through sadness** to understand what the day is teaching her.
phrasal-verb

slow yourself down

Meaning
to reduce your pace to avoid stress or exhaustion
Example
If you feel tired, try to **slow yourself down** and rest a little.
phrasal-verb

set apart

Meaning
to make something or someone distinctive or unique
Example
Innovative design can **set apart** a brand from its competitors.
idiom

get off scot-free

Meaning
to escape punishment or consequences without facing any penalty
Example
He was caught stealing but managed to **get off scot-free**.
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

blend with

Meaning
to mix harmoniously with something; to integrate smoothly
Example
Immigrants often try to **blend with** the local culture while keeping their traditions alive.
idiom

motivate the team

Meaning
to encourage and inspire your team to work harder and achieve goals
Example
As a manager, one of my primary goals is to **motivate the team** to reach their highest potential.
idiom

hold out for

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

carry yourself with pride

Meaning
to behave in a confident and dignified way
Example
Always **carry yourself with pride**, even when things get tough.
phrasal-verb

lean upon

Meaning
to rely on someone for emotional or physical support
Example
You can **lean upon** me whenever you feel down.
phrasal-verb

run over budget

Meaning
to spend more money than was planned
Example
The construction project **ran over budget** by nearly 20%.
phrasal-verb

lash out

Meaning
to suddenly express anger or criticize someone strongly
Example
He **lashed out** at his colleague during the argument.
idiom

take the wind out of someone’s sails

Meaning
To make someone lose confidence or enthusiasm.
Example
Her harsh criticism **took the wind out of his sails**.
phrasal-verb

get down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad; to move to a lower position
Example
Don’t let failure **get you down**.
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

Wear your heart on your sleeve

Meaning
To openly show your emotions or feelings.
Example
He **wears his heart on his sleeve**, so you always know how he feels.
phrasal-verb

grow beyond mistakes

Meaning
to develop personally by learning from one’s errors
Example
He chose to **grow beyond mistakes** instead of regretting them.
phrasal-verb

break off talks

Meaning
to stop discussions or negotiations suddenly
Example
The two countries decided to **break off talks** after repeated disagreements.
phrasal-verb

roll cargo out

Meaning
to move freight out for delivery
Example
Crews **roll cargo out** to the loading docks by dawn.
phrasal-verb

lean into uncertainty

Meaning
to accept and embrace the unknown aspects of change
Example
Successful leaders **lean into uncertainty** rather than fear it.
phrasal-verb

pick out of

Meaning
to choose from a group
Example
She was **picked out of** hundreds of applicants.
idiom

fingers crossed

Meaning
hoping for good luck or a good result
Example
I have my **fingers crossed** for your exam results.
phrasal-verb

look up

Meaning
to visit someone after a long time
Example
When you are in town, **look me up**.
idiom

pass with flying colors

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

stabilize at

Meaning
to reach a point where something becomes steady
Example
The unemployment rate has **stabilized at** 5% after years of fluctuation.
idiom

stay composed

Meaning
to remain calm and not show emotion
Example
He **stayed composed** even when things went wrong.
idiom

A Sherlock Holmes

Meaning
A person who is extremely good at solving mysteries or finding out information.
Example
He’s such **a Sherlock Holmes** when it comes to finding lost things.
phrasal-verb

tune in to

Meaning
to become aware of or responsive to something or someone
Example
Good leaders **tune in to** their team’s needs and emotions.
idiom

red-eye flight

Meaning
a flight that leaves late at night and arrives early in the morning
Example
I took a **red-eye flight** to save a day on my trip.
idiom

self-assured

Meaning
confident and sure of oneself
Example
She walked into the room looking calm and **self-assured**.
phrasal-verb

give credit for

Meaning
to acknowledge someone’s effort or contribution positively
Example
He always **gives credit for** others’ good ideas.
idiom

have the upper hand

Meaning
to have control or advantage over someone
Example
After the merger, the larger company **had the upper hand**.
phrasal-verb

pace yourself through

Meaning
to move steadily through a task without rushing
Example
I **pace myself through** long study guides to stay focused.
idiom

get a degree

Meaning
to complete a formal education program
Example
She worked hard to **get a degree** in engineering.
idiom

off the rails

Meaning
to become uncontrolled or chaotic
Example
After his friend moved away, his life went **off the rails**.
idiom

go behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly or deceitfully against someone
Example
She **went behind my back** and told the manager everything.
idiom

pair off

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

plug into

Meaning
to connect or become involved in something, usually a system or network
Example
You need to **plug into** the right social media channels to reach a wider audience.
phrasal-verb

hold down inflation

Meaning
to control or keep inflation at a manageable level
Example
The central bank took measures to **hold down inflation**.
idiom

android-like

Meaning
acting emotionless or mechanical like a robot
Example
He works in an **android-like** manner, without any emotion.
idiom

hardwired to do something

Meaning
to be naturally inclined or programmed to behave a certain way
Example
Humans are **hardwired to** seek connection and belonging.
idiom

neural spark

Meaning
a sudden moment of insight or creativity in AI innovation
Example
Her idea was a true **neural spark** that changed the whole project.
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

move around

Meaning
to go from place to place; to change locations often
Example
He loves to **move around** and explore new cities every year.
phrasal-verb

check around for

Meaning
to look in different places in search of something
Example
We **check around for** scholarships before settling on a program.
phrasal-verb

push beyond

Meaning
to go further than one’s limits or fears
Example
You need to **push beyond** your comfort zone to grow.
idiom

burn the candle at both ends

Meaning
to work too hard without enough rest
Example
If you **burn the candle at both ends**, you’ll get exhausted soon.
idiom

get off on the right foot

Meaning
to start a relationship or activity in a positive way
Example
We **got off on the right foot** during our first meeting.
idiom

hair stands on end

Meaning
to feel intense fear or horror
Example
The ghost story made my **hair stand on end**.
phrasal-verb

reach back out

Meaning
to reply or contact someone again after a while
Example
He finally **reached back out** to his followers after a month.
idiom

take things to the next level

Meaning
to improve or develop something beyond its current state
Example
We plan to **take our innovation to the next level** this year.
idiom

Family is everything

Meaning
The family holds the most important place in one's life and provides support and love.
Example
After all that happened, **family is everything**, and they helped him get through the tough time.
phrasal-verb

sleep through

Meaning
to continue sleeping despite noise or other disturbances
Example
I **slept through** the thunderstorm last night.
phrasal-verb

write out

Meaning
to write something in full form
Example
Please **write out** your answers clearly in the exam sheet.
phrasal-verb

shore up the economy

Meaning
to support or strengthen the economy during difficult times
Example
The stimulus package was introduced to **shore up the economy** after the crisis.
idiom

silver lining

Meaning
a positive aspect in a bad situation
Example
Every dark cloud has a **silver lining**.
phrasal-verb

tie up with

Meaning
to form a partnership or collaboration
Example
The fintech company will **tie up with** a global payment network.
phrasal-verb

speak truth to power

Meaning
to tell honest truths to those in authority
Example
Journalists **speak truth to power** when they expose corruption.
idiom

take the reins

Meaning
to take control or responsibility
Example
After the director retired, she **took the reins** of the company.
phrasal-verb

follow up on

Meaning
to check or continue working on something previously started
Example
He promised to **follow up on** his health goals regularly.
phrasal-verb

clean up

Meaning
to remove dirt or pollution from a place; to make something cleaner
Example
Volunteers came together to **clean up** the beach after the storm.
phrasal-verb

try out

Meaning
to test a new recipe or food for the first time
Example
I want to **try out** that new smoothie recipe.
idiom

a breath of fresh air

Meaning
something new and refreshing
Example
Her positive attitude is **a breath of fresh air** in the office.
phrasal-verb

hit on

Meaning
to show romantic or sexual interest in someone
Example
He tried to **hit on** her at the party, but she ignored him.
idiom

a vision for the future

Meaning
a clear idea or plan about what should happen in the future
Example
The CEO has **a vision for the future** of the company that will guide its growth.
idiom

smoke and mirrors

Meaning
something that is intended to deceive or confuse
Example
The company’s promises were just **smoke and mirrors**.
idiom

a long shot

Meaning
something that has a very small chance of success
Example
Winning the competition is **a long shot**, but we’ll try.
phrasal-verb

firm up decisions

Meaning
to confirm choices after considering options
Example
Let's **firm up decisions** now so vendors can start work tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

bring in money

Meaning
to generate income or revenue
Example
The new policy helped the government **bring in money** from foreign investors.
phrasal-verb

hang around with

Meaning
to spend time relaxing or socializing with someone
Example
I usually **hang around with** my old school friends at reunions.
idiom

take a chill pill

Meaning
to calm down or relax; to not overreact
Example
Hey, **take a chill pill**! It’s not that serious.
idiom

Put the pedal to the metal

Meaning
To push harder and make a greater effort.
Example
We need to **put the pedal to the metal** if we want to meet the deadline.
phrasal-verb

reach out internationally

Meaning
to establish contact or relationships with people or organizations in other countries
Example
The company plans to **reach out internationally** to expand its client base.
idiom

down time

Meaning
time when one relaxes and does not work
Example
I need some **down time** after this hectic week.
idiom

show one's true colors

Meaning
to reveal one's true character or feelings, often after a period of hiding them
Example
He finally **showed his true colors** when he volunteered at the charity event.
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

reach into

Meaning
to access or connect with inner feelings; to explore emotions deeply
Example
She tried to **reach into** her own pain to understand his suffering.
phrasal-verb

step outside comfort zones

Meaning
to try tasks that feel challenging so you can grow
Example
We **step outside comfort zones** by volunteering for bold projects.
idiom

pan out

Meaning
to turn out well or produce a good result
Example
Luckily, our backup plan **panned out**.
idiom

spread the word

Meaning
to tell many people about something
Example
Please **spread the word** about our new course.
idiom

keep the fire burning

Meaning
to stay motivated and passionate about something
Example
Even after failure, he managed to **keep the fire burning**.
idiom

to be above board

Meaning
to be open and honest in your actions
Example
His dealings were always **above board**, and everyone trusted him.
phrasal-verb

pause within

Meaning
to take a mental break and observe your feelings before reacting
Example
He learned to **pause within** before saying something hurtful.
idiom

behind closed doors

Meaning
in private; secretly
Example
The deal was made **behind closed doors**.
phrasal-verb

tune up

Meaning
to prepare or adjust an instrument for better performance
Example
The guitarist **tuned up** his instrument before the show.
idiom

to tell you the truth

Meaning
used to introduce an honest or surprising opinion
Example
**To tell you the truth**, I didn’t enjoy the party.
idiom

artificial genius

Meaning
an exceptionally smart system created by humans
Example
Chatbots have become the face of **artificial genius**.
idiom

tear-jerker

Meaning
something that makes you cry, especially a movie or story
Example
That movie was such a **tear-jerker**.
phrasal-verb

collaborate on

Meaning
to work jointly on a specific project or task
Example
Both companies agreed to **collaborate on** the new software product.
phrasal-verb

overflow with

Meaning
to have a large amount of positive feeling or emotion
Example
The parents were **overflowing with** pride at their son’s success.
idiom

blow your mind

Meaning
to impress or amaze someone greatly
Example
The new AI technology will **blow your mind**.
idiom

backdoor

Meaning
An undocumented way of accessing a system or software, usually used by hackers to bypass security.
Example
The attacker installed a **backdoor** to access the system at any time without being detected.
phrasal-verb

reach over to

Meaning
to extend a gesture of comfort or support
Example
She **reached over to** hold his hand when he started crying.
phrasal-verb

cut down electricity use

Meaning
to lower the consumption of electrical power
Example
Installing solar panels helps to **cut down electricity use**.
idiom

the tide has turned

Meaning
a situation has started to change in your favor
Example
After months of bad luck, **the tide has turned** for our team.
idiom

double check with

Meaning
to confirm information with someone
Example
Could you **double check with** finance about the budget?
idiom

in black and white

Meaning
in written form; clearly stated
Example
The rules are clearly written **in black and white**.
phrasal-verb

wake up politically

Meaning
to become aware of political issues and start caring about them
Example
Many young people are beginning to **wake up politically**.
phrasal-verb

shut yourself away

Meaning
to isolate yourself from others to calm down
Example
He **shut himself away** for a while to clear his mind.
phrasal-verb

pass on to

Meaning
to give information or a message to someone else
Example
Could you **pass this on to** the manager before lunch?
phrasal-verb

build around ideas

Meaning
to develop something centered on particular ideas or concepts
Example
The campaign was **built around ideas** of innovation and sustainability.
idiom

at the end of the rope

Meaning
to have no more patience or strength left to deal with a problem
Example
She’s **at the end of her rope** trying to manage her work and family together.
phrasal-verb

open minds through dialogue

Meaning
to encourage understanding between cultures by communicating openly
Example
The conference aimed to **open minds through dialogue** between communities.
phrasal-verb

make it up to

Meaning
to do something good to make someone forgive you
Example
I’ll **make it up to** you for missing your party.
idiom

get cold feet

Meaning
to suddenly become afraid to do something
Example
He **got cold feet** before proposing to her.
phrasal-verb

hear about

Meaning
to receive information and respond with appreciation or gratitude
Example
I was happy to **hear about** your help with the project—thank you!
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**.
phrasal-verb

prepare for

Meaning
to make ready for something likely to happen
Example
We should **prepare for** possible cyber attacks.
phrasal-verb

ground yourself

Meaning
to stay connected with reality and remain calm
Example
When stress builds up, I try to **ground myself** by breathing deeply.
phrasal-verb

carve out success

Meaning
to achieve success through effort and persistence
Example
She **carved out success** through years of dedication and learning.
idiom

Eureka moment

Meaning
a sudden moment of discovery or realization
Example
She had a **Eureka moment** when she found the solution to the problem.
idiom

in the mood

Meaning
feeling like doing something or having a particular attitude
Example
I'm **in the mood** for some chocolate cake today.
phrasal-verb

branch into tech

Meaning
to expand into the technology sector
Example
Traditional companies are now trying to **branch into tech** to stay relevant.
idiom

hang back

Meaning
to remain behind or hesitate to act
Example
If you **hang back**, you might miss the opportunity.
phrasal-verb

zone yourself out

Meaning
to deliberately disconnect from stressful surroundings
Example
Sometimes you just need to **zone yourself out** and take a break.
idiom

bounce around

Meaning
to discuss or move between ideas casually
Example
Let’s **bounce around** concepts before we pick one.
idiom

a flash in the pan

Meaning
something that seems promising at first but fails to deliver
Example
The peace talks were just **a flash in the pan**.
phrasal-verb

phase out debts

Meaning
to gradually reduce or eliminate debts
Example
The government plans to **phase out debts** over the next decade.