put something on the back burner
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idiom

put something on the back burner

Meaning
to delay dealing with something until later
Example
The government decided to **put the issue on the back burner** for now.
phrasal-verb

balance out inflation

Meaning
to offset or stabilize inflationary pressure
Example
Raising interest rates can help **balance out inflation**.
idiom

Pull through

Meaning
To survive or recover from a difficult situation.
Example
He was very sick, but he **pulled through** in the end.
idiom

to boot up

Meaning
to start something; to begin working or functioning
Example
Let’s **boot up** the new project today and see how it goes.
idiom

phase back in

Meaning
to reintroduce something gradually
Example
We’ll **phase back in** office days next quarter.
idiom

wise beyond one's years

Meaning
showing wisdom or maturity greater than expected for one's age
Example
Her advice is always thoughtful—she’s **wise beyond her years**.
idiom

quick on the uptake

Meaning
able to understand things quickly
Example
You don’t need to explain it twice—he’s **quick on the uptake**.
phrasal-verb

merge into

Meaning
to combine or integrate into a single unit or system
Example
Regional economies are beginning to **merge into** a global network.
idiom

crossed wires

Meaning
a misunderstanding between two people
Example
We must have **crossed wires** about the meeting time.
idiom

wild goose chase

Meaning
a useless or hopeless pursuit
Example
Looking for that document was a **wild goose chase**.
idiom

in harm’s way

Meaning
In a position to be injured or in danger.
Example
Firefighters often put themselves **in harm’s way** to save others.
idiom

lay into

Meaning
to criticize someone harshly
Example
Instead of **laying into** the intern, offer some guidance.
idiom

on the radar

Meaning
something that is being monitored or considered
Example
The new scientific theory is now **on the radar** of researchers across the world.
phrasal-verb

run out of cash

Meaning
to have no money left to continue operations or activities
Example
Many small businesses **run out of cash** during prolonged recessions.
idiom

full of the joys of spring

Meaning
very happy and energetic
Example
She’s **full of the joys of spring** after her vacation.
idiom

Make a mountain out of a molehill

Meaning
To exaggerate a small problem and make it seem much bigger than it really is.
Example
She made such a big deal out of forgetting her phone; she really **made a mountain out of a molehill**.
idiom

to burn one's fingers

Meaning
to suffer from a bad experience or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** investing in that fake company.
idiom

envy eats the heart

Meaning
jealousy destroys one’s peace of mind
Example
**Envy eats the heart**, so stop comparing yourself to others.
idiom

upgrade your thinking

Meaning
to improve your thought process or mindset
Example
To adapt to AI trends, you must **upgrade your thinking**.
idiom

nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to focus and work hard for a long time
Example
He kept his **nose to the grindstone** and got promoted.
idiom

step into someone's shoes

Meaning
to take on someone's role or responsibility
Example
She was able to **step into her boss's shoes** when he was on vacation.
phrasal-verb

play around with

Meaning
to experiment with ideas, materials, or techniques
Example
She loves to **play around with** different colors to find new combinations.
idiom

opt out

Meaning
to choose not to participate
Example
Employees can **opt out** of the program if they want.
phrasal-verb

fill up

Meaning
to eat enough food so that you are full
Example
That soup really **filled me up**.
idiom

Don't rush things

Meaning
Take your time and don't hurry.
Example
You don't need to finish everything today, **don't rush things**.
idiom

toe the party line

Meaning
to follow the official policies or opinions of one’s political party
Example
Members of parliament are expected to **toe the party line** during the vote.
idiom

Burn the bridges

Meaning
to destroy the possibility of returning to a previous situation
Example
Once he left the company, he decided to **burn the bridges** and not look back.
idiom

go public

Meaning
to sell shares of a company to the public for the first time
Example
The startup plans to **go public** next year.
idiom

bring down the house

Meaning
to get an enthusiastic applause from the audience
Example
Her solo performance **brought down the house**.
phrasal-verb

cut back on costs

Meaning
to reduce spending or expenses
Example
We need to **cut back on costs** to improve our profit margins.
phrasal-verb

open with gratitude

Meaning
to start a conversation or message by expressing thanks
Example
She **opened with gratitude** before discussing the main issue.
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

scale up with

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

hit the target market

Meaning
to reach the intended audience effectively
Example
Our ads finally **hit the target market** this quarter.
idiom

old friends are gold

Meaning
old friends are precious and valuable
Example
I always say, **old friends are gold**.
phrasal-verb

drive up inflation

Meaning
to cause prices to increase rapidly
Example
Rising fuel costs have **driven up inflation** in many countries.
idiom

ease around

Meaning
to move carefully to avoid disturbance
Example
Please **ease around** the cords near the podium.
phrasal-verb

run behind

Meaning
to be late or delayed
Example
The project is **running behind** schedule.
phrasal-verb

keep dreaming

Meaning
to continue having hopes and ambitions even when things are difficult
Example
No matter what happens, **keep dreaming** big.
idiom

hold someone accountable

Meaning
to make someone take responsibility for their actions
Example
It’s important to **hold people accountable** for their mistakes.
phrasal-verb

grow beyond

Meaning
to develop emotionally past a previous limitation or belief
Example
She’s trying to **grow beyond** her old fears and doubts.
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.
phrasal-verb

reach out for mediation

Meaning
to seek help from a third party to resolve conflict
Example
Both sides **reached out for mediation** to end the war peacefully.
phrasal-verb

work out

Meaning
to find a solution or agreement through discussion or effort
Example
They managed to **work out** their differences after the meeting.
idiom

on the beat

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

step into new roles

Meaning
to begin taking on new responsibilities or positions during change
Example
After the merger, many employees had to **step into new roles**.
idiom

cry over spilled milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There's no use **crying over spilled milk**.
idiom

heart in one’s mouth

Meaning
to feel extreme fear or anxiety
Example
My **heart was in my mouth** as I waited for the results.
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

manage with

Meaning
to cope using what is available
Example
We’ll have to **manage with** what we have for now.
idiom

the writing on the wall

Meaning
a sign that something bad will happen soon
Example
When sales started falling, the manager saw **the writing on the wall**.
phrasal-verb

portion out snacks

Meaning
to divide snacks into measured servings
Example
We **portion out snacks** on Sundays so weekday meals stay balanced.
phrasal-verb

honor with

Meaning
to give respect or recognition to someone for their contribution
Example
The company **honored him with** an award for his years of service.
idiom

mind over matter

Meaning
the use of willpower to overcome physical problems
Example
Running that marathon was pure **mind over matter**.
idiom

drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small or insignificant amount compared to what is needed
Example
Our recycling efforts are just a **drop in the ocean** compared to the global pollution problem.
phrasal-verb

rise from

Meaning
to recover or improve after a setback or loss
Example
She **rose from** her failures stronger than before.
idiom

see red

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **saw red** when his computer crashed again.
idiom

keep away from

Meaning
to avoid someone or something
Example
You should **keep away from** sugary drinks right now.
idiom

line up for

Meaning
to queue in anticipation of something
Example
Fans will **line up for** tickets at dawn.
idiom

overfitting

Meaning
when a model performs well on training data but poorly on unseen data
Example
The model seems to be **overfitting** because it performs well on the training data but poorly on the test set.
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

to have a ray of hope

Meaning
to see a small sign of improvement in a bad situation
Example
After hearing the good news, I felt I had a **ray of hope** for my future.
phrasal-verb

keep after

Meaning
to remind or encourage someone to do something continuously
Example
Parents often **keep after** their children to do homework.
idiom

better luck next time

Meaning
used to encourage someone who has failed
Example
**Better luck next time**! You almost won.
idiom

blow one’s own trumpet

Meaning
to praise oneself; to boast about one's achievements
Example
He loves to **blow his own trumpet** whenever he achieves something.
idiom

a political football

Meaning
an issue used by politicians for their own advantage
Example
Healthcare has become **a political football** in the country.
phrasal-verb

target at

Meaning
to aim a product or message toward a specific group
Example
This advertisement is **targeted at** young professionals.
idiom

fail fast, learn faster

Meaning
to quickly identify mistakes and use them as learning opportunities
Example
In startup culture, it’s encouraged to **fail fast, learn faster**.
phrasal-verb

push on with

Meaning
to continue doing something with energy and effort
Example
Even when tired, he **pushed on with** his training.
phrasal-verb

cope with

Meaning
to manage or deal effectively with something difficult
Example
She found it hard to **cope with** the sudden loss of her job.
idiom

have cold feet

Meaning
to suddenly become nervous before doing something important
Example
He was ready to get married but **got cold feet** at the last minute.
phrasal-verb

branch out into

Meaning
to expand into a new area of business or activity
Example
They decided to **branch out into** renewable energy solutions.
phrasal-verb

go against

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

the big bang

Meaning
a sudden and powerful beginning; often used metaphorically
Example
The startup launched with **a big bang** in the tech world.
idiom

make someone's day

Meaning
to make someone very happy
Example
Your message really **made my day**!
phrasal-verb

blow in

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly, usually with wind
Example
A cold wind suddenly **blew in** from the north.
idiom

run circles around someone

Meaning
to be much better than someone at something
Example
She can **run circles around** anyone in the debate team.
idiom

money burns a hole in your pocket

Meaning
to be eager to spend money quickly
Example
He just got paid, and already **money burns a hole in his pocket**.
idiom

nice to meet you

Meaning
a polite expression used when meeting someone for the first time
Example
It's **nice to meet you**, I've heard a lot about you.
idiom

lock horns

Meaning
to get into an argument or fight
Example
They **locked horns** over the new proposal.
idiom

a snake in the grass

Meaning
a secret enemy
Example
Be careful; there’s **a snake in the grass**.
idiom

to steal the show

Meaning
to attract all the attention or praise
Example
Her performance in the play completely **stole the show**.
phrasal-verb

snap under

Meaning
to lose control or become angry under stress
Example
She finally **snapped under** the constant criticism from her boss.
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.
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

take on challenges

Meaning
to accept and deal with difficult tasks confidently
Example
Employees who **take on challenges** tend to grow faster in their careers.
idiom

go bananas over something

Meaning
to become extremely excited or enthusiastic about something
Example
Kids **go bananas over** the new video game console.
idiom

the jury is still out

Meaning
a decision has not yet been made
Example
**The jury is still out** on whether the new policy will work.
idiom

shoot for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious
Example
Don’t be afraid to **shoot for the stars**.
idiom

the going gets tough

Meaning
when the situation becomes very difficult or challenging
Example
When **the going gets tough**, the tough get going.
idiom

carry on luggage

Meaning
small bags taken with you on a plane or trip
Example
She packed all her essentials in her **carry on luggage**.
idiom

follow suit

Meaning
to do the same thing as someone else, especially online
Example
After one influencer started the trend, many others **followed suit**.
phrasal-verb

step on

Meaning
to press down with your foot; to offend or hurt someone's feelings
Example
Be careful not to **step on** anyone’s toes during the meeting.
idiom

move up the ranks

Meaning
to be promoted to higher positions over time
Example
He started as an assistant but quickly **moved up the ranks**.
phrasal-verb

check inside

Meaning
to examine your thoughts or motives before reacting
Example
Always **check inside** before you respond in anger.
idiom

a ticking time bomb

Meaning
A situation or person that could become dangerous at any moment.
Example
His anger issues make him **a ticking time bomb**.
idiom

a kind heart

Meaning
a person who is generous and caring
Example
Her **kind heart** is what makes her loved by everyone.
idiom

fall in with

Meaning
to join or agree with a group or plan
Example
She decided to **fall in with** the volunteer crew for the weekend.
phrasal-verb

root out

Meaning
to eliminate or get rid of something completely
Example
The government vowed to **root out** corruption at every level.
idiom

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

Meaning
Knowing a small amount about something can lead to mistakes.
Example
**A little knowledge is a dangerous thing** — don’t try to fix it if you’re not an expert.
idiom

blow your top

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **blew his top** when he found out about the mistake.
phrasal-verb

get past differences

Meaning
to overcome disagreements and move forward positively
Example
The team managed to **get past differences** and focus on the project.
phrasal-verb

build alliances with

Meaning
to form partnerships or agreements with other groups or parties
Example
The party aims to **build alliances with** smaller political movements to strengthen its position.
phrasal-verb

break into laughter

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing
Example
They **broke into laughter** when the teacher made a joke.
idiom

mums the word

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

break out in a rash

Meaning
to suddenly develop a skin condition
Example
She **broke out in a rash** after eating seafood.
idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to **get their hands dirty** when necessary.
idiom

live out of a suitcase

Meaning
to travel frequently; to not stay in one place for long
Example
He’s been **living out of a suitcase** for months.
phrasal-verb

break limits

Meaning
to go beyond what is normally possible or expected
Example
He **broke limits** by achieving what no one else dared to try.
phrasal-verb

live within

Meaning
to spend only as much money as you earn
Example
It's important to **live within** your means.
phrasal-verb

expand on

Meaning
to add more details or information about something
Example
Could you **expand on** your last point a bit more?
idiom

runway left

Meaning
the amount of time before a startup runs out of money
Example
We only have six months of **runway left** to make this work.
phrasal-verb

look down upon

Meaning
to regard someone or something as inferior or less worthy
Example
No one should **look down upon** others based on their position.
phrasal-verb

raise concern about

Meaning
to express worry or doubt about an issue
Example
Activists **raised concern about** the pollution levels in the river.
phrasal-verb

tidy up after

Meaning
to clean and organize a space after someone else has used it
Example
After dinner I always **tidy up after** the kids before sitting down.
phrasal-verb

look down at

Meaning
to direct your eyes downward; to check notes
Example
He occasionally **looked down at** his notes to stay on track.
phrasal-verb

scale up operations

Meaning
to expand the size or capacity of business or production
Example
To meet global demand, the company decided to **scale up operations**.
phrasal-verb

work around obstacles

Meaning
to find alternative ways to complete a task despite difficulties
Example
The team managed to **work around obstacles** to meet the deadline.
idiom

Batten down the hatches

Meaning
To prepare for a difficult or dangerous situation.
Example
We’d better **batten down the hatches**; a storm is coming.
idiom

family ties

Meaning
Strong connections among family members.
Example
**Family ties** kept her close to her hometown.