put on a brave face
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idiom

put on a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be confident or happy when you are not
Example
She **put on a brave face** even after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

deal around

Meaning
to share something among people informally
Example
He **dealt around** the snacks during the meeting.
idiom

find fault

Meaning
to criticize someone or something unfairly
Example
He always **finds fault** with everything I do.
phrasal-verb

make it right

Meaning
to correct a mistake or repair the damage caused by one’s actions
Example
He promised to **make it right** after hurting her feelings.
idiom

take the initiative

Meaning
to act first and show leadership
Example
Effective leaders often **take the initiative** to improve things.
phrasal-verb

build resilience

Meaning
to develop the ability to recover from challenges or stress
Example
Facing hardships helps you **build resilience** for the future.
idiom

divide and conquer

Meaning
to gain control by causing disagreement among others
Example
The dictator used a **divide and conquer** strategy to maintain power.
idiom

crash and burn

Meaning
to fail completely or suddenly
Example
The new software update **crashed and burned** after launch.
idiom

the rest is history

Meaning
used to say that everyone knows what happened next
Example
They met in college, fell in love, and **the rest is history**.
idiom

lock someone up

Meaning
to imprison or jail someone
Example
They managed to **lock him up** for his crimes.
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

express thanks to

Meaning
to say thank you to someone
Example
He **expressed his thanks to** the organizers of the conference.
idiom

spam someone

Meaning
to send too many messages or unnecessary information
Example
Don’t **spam me** with notifications every minute!
phrasal-verb

cut off negativity

Meaning
to remove negative influences or thoughts
Example
He learned to **cut off negativity** to stay mentally strong.
idiom

put it in a nutshell

Meaning
to explain something in a very clear and concise way
Example
To **put it in a nutshell**, the project was a success.
phrasal-verb

break off from

Meaning
to pause or stop doing something temporarily
Example
She had to **break off from** studying to answer a call.
idiom

Cut class

Meaning
To skip a class without permission
Example
He **cut class** to watch a movie.
idiom

hold onto

Meaning
to keep possession of something
Example
Hold onto your receipts until the refund clears.
idiom

artificial brainpower

Meaning
intelligence or decision-making provided by AI systems
Example
The car relies on **artificial brainpower** to navigate through traffic.
idiom

sow the seeds of something

Meaning
to begin a process that leads to a result
Example
His actions **sowed the seeds of** mistrust among the team.
phrasal-verb

cash out

Meaning
to sell an investment for money
Example
He decided to **cash out** his stocks when the prices were high.
phrasal-verb

pour out

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

check in about

Meaning
to discuss or confirm the status of something
Example
Let’s **check in about** the deliverables before Friday.
idiom

rags to riches

Meaning
to go from being poor to becoming rich and successful
Example
His life story is a real **rags to riches** tale.
idiom

offline mode

Meaning
a state of being disconnected from the internet or unavailable
Example
He’s been in **offline mode** all weekend, not answering any messages.
phrasal-verb

do someone in

Meaning
to kill or exhaust someone
Example
The long hike really **did me in**.
idiom

join at the hip

Meaning
to be very close and spend a lot of time together
Example
Since childhood, they’ve been **joined at the hip**.
phrasal-verb

reflect on

Meaning
to think deeply about your emotions, actions, or experiences
Example
He often **reflects on** how much he has changed over the years.
idiom

a shoulder to lean on

Meaning
someone to give you support and comfort
Example
She’s always been **a shoulder to lean on** for me.
idiom

catch up

Meaning
to meet and talk after a long time; to reach the same level as someone
Example
Let’s **catch up** over coffee this weekend.
idiom

on the sly

Meaning
secretly; in a sneaky way
Example
He met her **on the sly** without telling anyone.
phrasal-verb

work around challenges

Meaning
to find a way to deal with or bypass difficulties during change
Example
We had to **work around challenges** to complete the migration.
idiom

keep faith

Meaning
to continue believing in something or someone
Example
Even in tough times, you must **keep faith**.
phrasal-verb

stop over

Meaning
to stay somewhere for a short time during a long journey
Example
We’ll **stop over** in Dubai for one night before heading to Paris.
idiom

clean up one’s act

Meaning
to improve behavior or performance; to become more responsible
Example
The factory had to **clean up its act** to avoid heavy fines.
phrasal-verb

give on to

Meaning
to face or open onto a place
Example
Their balcony **gives on to** a beautiful garden.
idiom

Go exploring

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

chip in for

Meaning
to contribute money toward a shared cost
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in for** a farewell cake.
idiom

grit your teeth

Meaning
to accept something unpleasant and continue
Example
He had to **grit his teeth** and finish the job.
phrasal-verb

falter on

Meaning
to hesitate or make mistakes while doing something
Example
She **faltered on** a few words during her speech.
idiom

scene-stealer

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

run low on

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

stand up against

Meaning
to resist or oppose injustice; to defend principles
Example
People **stand up against** censorship to protect freedom of speech.
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

the political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to handle
Example
Corruption has become **a political hot potato** in the country.
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

get down to it

Meaning
to start doing something seriously and with focus
Example
We’ve wasted enough time—let’s **get down to it** and start working.
phrasal-verb

take over the government

Meaning
to assume control of the government, often by force
Example
The military attempted to **take over the government** after months of unrest.
phrasal-verb

reach out emotionally

Meaning
to make an emotional effort to connect or support someone
Example
She tried to **reach out emotionally** when her friend was feeling down.
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.
phrasal-verb

take notes on

Meaning
to write down important information while studying
Example
You should **take notes on** every lecture.
phrasal-verb

cut down on emissions

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something harmful, especially pollution
Example
Nations are taking measures to **cut down on emissions** from industries.
idiom

a fine line

Meaning
a very small difference between two things
Example
There’s **a fine line** between genius and madness in art.
idiom

bold as brass

Meaning
to be very confident and not shy at all
Example
She walked into the meeting **bold as brass**.
idiom

fire up

Meaning
to excite or motivate someone
Example
The coach’s speech really **fired up** the players.
idiom

play a role

Meaning
to have a part in something
Example
Everyone **played a role** in making the show successful.
phrasal-verb

get ahead in

Meaning
to make progress or succeed in a particular area
Example
She worked hard to **get ahead in** her studies.
phrasal-verb

glow with joy

Meaning
to show happiness or satisfaction through facial expression or behavior
Example
She **glowed with joy** when she saw her family at the airport.
phrasal-verb

warm up to gratitude

Meaning
to gradually become more appreciative or thankful
Example
He **warmed up to gratitude** after realizing how much support he had.
phrasal-verb

pick up

Meaning
to improve or increase after a slowdown
Example
The economy is expected to **pick up** after the policy reforms.
idiom

predictive analytics

Meaning
using data and statistical algorithms to forecast future outcomes
Example
With **predictive analytics**, we can forecast market trends with high accuracy.
idiom

pull someone's leg

Meaning
to tease or joke with someone in a playful way
Example
Don't worry, I was just **pulling your leg** about the test results.
idiom

A friend is a treasure

Meaning
A true friend is invaluable and precious.
Example
I've known her for years, and she's always been there for me; **a friend is a treasure**.
phrasal-verb

build inner peace

Meaning
to create a state of calm and balance inside yourself
Example
Meditation helps you **build inner peace** and clarity.
idiom

to kick the bucket

Meaning
to die (humorous or informal)
Example
He used to joke that he’d travel the world before he **kicked the bucket**.
idiom

to be on cloud nine

Meaning
to be extremely happy
Example
She was **on cloud nine** after hearing the good news about her promotion.
idiom

mums the word

Meaning
keep silent about a secret
Example
**Mum’s the word** about the new project.
phrasal-verb

look to

Meaning
to expect help or advice from someone
Example
The team **looked to** their leader for guidance.
phrasal-verb

build in

Meaning
to include something as a part of a system or process
Example
Our company has **built in** flexibility to adapt to market changes.
idiom

wrap up

Meaning
to finish something completely
Example
We need to **wrap up** the report before lunch.
idiom

have stars in one’s eyes

Meaning
to be full of excitement and dreams about the future
Example
Young artists **have stars in their eyes** when they start their careers.
phrasal-verb

hand out recognition

Meaning
to give praise or rewards for good work
Example
The manager regularly **hands out recognition** to motivate the staff.
idiom

go back to the drawing board

Meaning
to start over again because the previous plan failed
Example
Our experiment failed, so we have to **go back to the drawing board**.
idiom

patch up

Meaning
to repair something or improve a damaged relationship
Example
They managed to **patch up** their friendship after the argument.
phrasal-verb

stick to

Meaning
to continue following or supporting a particular position or argument
Example
She **stuck to** her point despite the criticism.
idiom

make it to the top

Meaning
to reach the highest point of success
Example
After years of hard work, he finally **made it to the top** of his career.
phrasal-verb

work toward goals

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve objectives
Example
Everyone in the company is working toward the same vision.
phrasal-verb

blow up

Meaning
to fill something with air; to explode or become angry
Example
The kids **blew up** balloons for the birthday celebration.
idiom

In due time

Meaning
At the right or appropriate time.
Example
Everything will be alright **in due time**, just be patient.
idiom

sweep something under the rug

Meaning
to ignore or hide a problem or mistake
Example
Don't just **sweep the issue under the rug**. We need to address it.
phrasal-verb

come out stronger

Meaning
to recover from difficulties with more strength or wisdom
Example
After failing the exam, she managed to **come out stronger** and more determined.
idiom

nitpick

Meaning
to find small, unimportant faults in something
Example
Stop **nitpicking** every little mistake I make!
phrasal-verb

boost productivity

Meaning
to increase efficiency and output of workers or industries
Example
New technologies are helping factories **boost productivity**.
idiom

wrap your head around something

Meaning
to succeed in understanding something difficult or strange
Example
I'm still trying to **wrap my head around** this new software.
idiom

run down

Meaning
to feel tired or exhausted due to overwork or illness
Example
You look a bit **run down**; you should get some rest.
phrasal-verb

catch up in

Meaning
to become involved in something, often unwillingly
Example
He got **caught up in** a legal issue he didn’t understand.
phrasal-verb

get feelings across

Meaning
to make someone understand your emotions clearly
Example
It's hard to **get your feelings across** in an email.
idiom

Out of curiosity

Meaning
Because of a desire to know or learn something.
Example
I asked him **out of curiosity**, not to interfere.
phrasal-verb

leak out

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

cover your bases

Meaning
to prepare for all possible outcomes; to be cautious
Example
Make sure you **cover your bases** before presenting the report.
phrasal-verb

lean on for support

Meaning
to rely on someone for help or encouragement
Example
We can always **lean on** our teammates **for support** during tough times.
idiom

bored to death

Meaning
extremely bored
Example
I was **bored to death** during the long lecture.
phrasal-verb

sync up

Meaning
to make systems or devices work together in harmony
Example
Please **sync up** your devices before starting the meeting.
phrasal-verb

lift someone’s spirits

Meaning
to make someone feel happier or more hopeful
Example
His words really **lifted my spirits** after the bad news.
idiom

dial back

Meaning
to reduce the strength or amount of something
Example
We may need to **dial back** the advertising spend.
idiom

off the wall

Meaning
unusual or unconventional
Example
His ideas are often **off the wall**, but they sometimes work.
idiom

give the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to trust someone even though you may not have all the facts
Example
Even though she was late, I decided to **give her the benefit of the doubt** and not get upset.
idiom

dwell on

Meaning
to think or speak about something repeatedly
Example
Try not to **dwell on** the minor mistake.
idiom

blind justice

Meaning
justice that is impartial and not influenced by external factors
Example
**Blind justice** treats everyone the same, regardless of wealth or status.
phrasal-verb

cut out middlemen

Meaning
to trade directly without using intermediaries
Example
The exporters decided to **cut out middlemen** and sell directly to buyers.
idiom

flat broke

Meaning
having no money at all
Example
I was **flat broke** after paying all my bills this month.
phrasal-verb

move up in

Meaning
to advance or get promoted within an organization
Example
She worked hard to **move up in** her company.
idiom

go out of your way

Meaning
to make a special effort to help someone
Example
She **went out of her way** to help me with my project.
idiom

Word on the street

Meaning
Common rumor or gossip
Example
The **word on the street** is that the CEO might resign soon.
idiom

light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
sign of hope after a difficult period
Example
After months of struggle, she finally saw the **light at the end of the tunnel**.
idiom

put a spin on

Meaning
to present information in a way that influences people's perception
Example
The media often **puts a spin on** stories to attract viewers.
phrasal-verb

press for

Meaning
to insistently demand something
Example
Opposition parties continue to **press for** fair elections.
idiom

pumped up

Meaning
full of energy and excitement
Example
He was **pumped up** before the big presentation.
phrasal-verb

pick out of

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

get past

Meaning
to stop being affected by something difficult or painful
Example
It took him months to **get past** the failure of his first project.
idiom

a work of art

Meaning
something very beautiful or skillfully made
Example
Her wedding dress was truly **a work of art**.
idiom

give someone a dose of their own medicine

Meaning
to treat someone the same bad way they treated others
Example
He was rude to everyone, so I **gave him a dose of his own medicine**.
phrasal-verb

circle back after

Meaning
to return to a topic once something else has finished
Example
We'll **circle back after** lunch to finalize the slides.
idiom

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Meaning
you can’t achieve anything if you don’t take risks
Example
He decided to invest because **nothing ventured, nothing gained**.
phrasal-verb

bring out ideas

Meaning
to encourage others to share creative thoughts
Example
Good leaders know how to **bring out ideas** from their team.
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

vote through

Meaning
to officially approve a law or proposal by voting
Example
Parliament **voted through** the education reform bill yesterday.
idiom

carbon neutral

Meaning
achieving a net-zero carbon footprint, where the amount of carbon dioxide released is equal to the amount removed from the atmosphere
Example
By planting trees and reducing emissions, the company is aiming to become **carbon neutral**.
phrasal-verb

run around with

Meaning
to spend a lot of time with a particular group of people
Example
He **runs around with** a fun crowd from college.
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

point out issues

Meaning
to identify or highlight problems or mistakes
Example
He was quick to **point out issues** in the project proposal.