Running on empty
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idiom

Running on empty

Meaning
To continue working or functioning when you have no energy left.
Example
After pulling an all-nighter, he’s **running on empty** today.
phrasal-verb

go up

Meaning
to increase; to rise
Example
The price of oil has **gone up** recently.
idiom

family comes first

Meaning
family is the most important priority in life
Example
No matter how busy I get, **family comes first** for me.
phrasal-verb

put back

Meaning
to return something to its place; to delay an event
Example
Please **put back** the book when you’re done reading.
idiom

it blew my mind

Meaning
it amazed or shocked me completely
Example
The technology they used **blew my mind**.
phrasal-verb

zone out with

Meaning
to relax or mentally drift while using something like music or a show
Example
I sometimes **zone out with** a podcast on the bus ride home.
idiom

cut and dry

Meaning
clear and straightforward; no room for confusion
Example
The decision wasn’t as **cut and dry** as they expected.
idiom

carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders

Meaning
to feel responsible for many problems or duties
Example
She always **carries the weight of the world on her shoulders**, even when it's not her fault.
phrasal-verb

shore up confidence

Meaning
to support or strengthen belief and trust in the economy
Example
The government announced new reforms to **shore up confidence** in financial markets.
phrasal-verb

read into behavior

Meaning
to interpret meaning from how someone acts
Example
Managers **read into behavior** to spot burnout early.
phrasal-verb

boost confidence

Meaning
to increase optimism or trust in the economy
Example
Positive trade data helped **boost confidence** among entrepreneurs.
idiom

on the grapevine

Meaning
to hear gossip or rumor indirectly
Example
I heard **on the grapevine** that they’re getting divorced.
idiom

peace talks

Meaning
negotiations aimed at ending a conflict
Example
The **peace talks** between the two countries lasted for weeks.
idiom

Big fish in a small pond

Meaning
An important person in a small organization or area.
Example
He prefers being a **big fish in a small pond** rather than competing globally.
phrasal-verb

tear up at

Meaning
to get tears in your eyes due to emotion
Example
He **teared up at** the touching moment in the movie.
idiom

the internet of things (IoT)

Meaning
the connection of everyday objects to the internet to send and receive data
Example
Smart homes are part of the **internet of things (IoT)**, where devices are interconnected.
idiom

run the show

Meaning
to be in charge of an activity or organization
Example
Ever since the director left, Emma has been **running the show**.
phrasal-verb

grow stronger

Meaning
to become emotionally tougher after hardship
Example
Every challenge helps you **grow stronger** emotionally.
phrasal-verb

fall off

Meaning
to drop from a higher place; to decrease
Example
Sales have **fallen off** since last month.
idiom

be on duty

Meaning
to be working or responsible for something at a certain time
Example
The guard was **on duty** all night.
phrasal-verb

break language barriers

Meaning
to overcome difficulties in communication due to language differences
Example
Translation apps help travelers **break language barriers** easily.
phrasal-verb

burst out

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing or crying due to surprise or emotion
Example
She **burst out** laughing when she saw his funny costume.
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

set in stone

Meaning
fixed and not likely to change
Example
Our schedule isn’t **set in stone** yet.
phrasal-verb

comfort someone with

Meaning
to console someone by offering kind words or support
Example
He **comforted his friend with** kind words after the loss.
idiom

out of orbit

Meaning
beyond control; off the usual path
Example
The project went **out of orbit** after the manager left.
idiom

To go the extra mile

Meaning
To put in more effort than is expected
Example
He always goes the extra mile to help his friends.
idiom

star-crossed lovers

Meaning
lovers whose relationship is doomed or unlucky
Example
Romeo and Juliet were **star-crossed lovers**.
idiom

a snake in the grass

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

catfish someone

Meaning
to deceive someone by creating a fake online identity
Example
He was **catfished** by someone pretending to be a model.
idiom

take a rain check

Meaning
to decline an offer but suggest doing it another time
Example
Can I **take a rain check** on dinner? I am busy tonight.
phrasal-verb

zone back in

Meaning
to regain focus after being distracted
Example
After taking a short walk, I **zoned back in** and finished the report.
idiom

data-driven decision making

Meaning
making decisions based on data analysis rather than intuition or personal experience
Example
In the world of business, **data-driven decision making** is crucial for success.
phrasal-verb

build upon yourself

Meaning
to improve or develop your skills, knowledge, or character based on what you already have
Example
You should always try to **build upon yourself** and become a better version of who you were yesterday.
idiom

bring down the house

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

in the same league

Meaning
comparable in quality or ability
Example
Those two companies aren’t **in the same league**.
phrasal-verb

ease your mind

Meaning
to make yourself feel less worried or anxious
Example
Talking to a friend can really **ease your mind**.
idiom

play politics

Meaning
to act in a manipulative or strategic way to gain advantage
Example
He was accused of trying to **play politics** instead of focusing on the nation’s welfare.
phrasal-verb

stand firm for

Meaning
to remain supportive and steady for someone or something you believe in
Example
She **stood firm for** her friend even when others doubted him.
idiom

key in on

Meaning
to give focused attention to something specific
Example
The coach asked the team to **key in on** their defensive mistakes.
phrasal-verb

back up with evidence

Meaning
to support a claim or statement using proof or facts
Example
You should always **back up** your accusations **with evidence**.
idiom

dress down

Meaning
to scold someone severely
Example
The coach **dressed down** the team for sloppy defense.
idiom

feeling low

Meaning
feeling depressed or unhappy
Example
I’ve been **feeling low** lately due to stress.
phrasal-verb

look back on

Meaning
to reflect on something that happened in the past
Example
Students often **look back on** their school days with pride.
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

read through

Meaning
to read something carefully from beginning to end
Example
You should **read through** your notes before the exam.
phrasal-verb

come up trumps

Meaning
to perform unexpectedly well; to succeed when least expected
Example
She **came up trumps** and saved the project just in time.
idiom

reboot your life

Meaning
to start over or make a fresh beginning
Example
After losing his job, he decided to **reboot his life**.
phrasal-verb

fall into

Meaning
to begin doing something; to be caught in a situation
Example
She **fell into** bad habits during the lockdown.
idiom

go-getter

Meaning
an ambitious person who achieves their goals
Example
Tom is a real **go-getter**; he never gives up.
idiom

call the bluff

Meaning
to challenge someone to prove their authority or claim
Example
She **called his bluff** when he threatened to quit.
idiom

throw one’s hat into the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s intention to compete or take part, especially in politics
Example
He finally **threw his hat into the ring** for the mayoral election.
idiom

piece of cake

Meaning
something very easy to do
Example
The exam was a **piece of cake** for her.
phrasal-verb

write back

Meaning
to reply to someone’s complaint or message
Example
The company promised to **write back** within 48 hours.
idiom

the proof is in the pudding

Meaning
the real value of something can only be judged when it's put to use
Example
He claims the app is great, but **the proof is in the pudding**.
idiom

hit upon an idea

Meaning
to suddenly think of a good idea
Example
I **hit upon an idea** for improving the app.
idiom

beyond reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical uncertainty
Example
The jury found him guilty **beyond reasonable doubt**.
phrasal-verb

spin up for

Meaning
to prepare systems or resources to handle something
Example
We **spin up for** big launches by testing backup servers early.
idiom

green thumb

Meaning
a natural talent for gardening or growing plants
Example
My mother has a **green thumb**; everything she plants grows beautifully.
phrasal-verb

carry forward your progress

Meaning
to continue developing based on what you have already achieved
Example
Always try to **carry forward your progress** to the next level.
idiom

data mining

Meaning
the process of discovering patterns and relationships in large datasets
Example
Data mining helps businesses understand customer behavior and predict trends.
phrasal-verb

deal upon

Meaning
to act or decide based on something
Example
They **dealt upon** the information they received.
phrasal-verb

take away from

Meaning
to learn or gain something valuable from an experience
Example
What did you **take away from** that experience?
phrasal-verb

take forward

Meaning
to move a plan or project to the next stage
Example
We need strong leadership to **take forward** the innovation agenda.
phrasal-verb

key up

Meaning
to make someone feel nervous or excited
Example
She was **keyed up** before her first performance.
idiom

hand down

Meaning
to pass something to someone of a later generation
Example
My grandmother **handed down** this recipe to me.
idiom

saber rattling

Meaning
threatening military action to intimidate others
Example
The country’s recent **saber rattling** alarmed its neighbors.
phrasal-verb

pour down

Meaning
to rain very heavily
Example
It started to **pour down**, and everyone ran for shelter.
idiom

go to battle

Meaning
to prepare to fight or compete strongly
Example
Our team is ready to **go to battle** in the finals.
idiom

better luck next time

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

Supply and demand

Meaning
The relationship between how much of something is available and how much people want it.
Example
The price of oil depends largely on **supply and demand**.
idiom

under the microscope

Meaning
being examined very closely
Example
The new policy is **under the microscope** by analysts.
idiom

play one's cards close to one's chest

Meaning
to keep one's plans or ideas secret
Example
He always **plays his cards close to his chest** in business.
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

check within

Meaning
to pause and observe your own emotions or state of mind
Example
Before reacting, **check within** to understand your feelings.
idiom

burning the candle at both ends

Meaning
working very hard without enough rest
Example
He is **burning the candle at both ends** with two jobs.
phrasal-verb

refer back

Meaning
to mention something again for clarification
Example
Let’s **refer back** to the graph we saw earlier.
idiom

The melting pot

Meaning
A place where many different cultures blend together
Example
New York is often called **the melting pot** of cultures.
idiom

set a good example

Meaning
to behave in a way that shows others how they should act
Example
Parents should **set a good example** for their children.
idiom

Put one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
To focus on hard work and continuous effort.
Example
She really had to **put her nose to the grindstone** to get the promotion.
idiom

grab attention

Meaning
to make people notice something immediately
Example
Bright colors and bold fonts are used to **grab attention**.
phrasal-verb

phase into

Meaning
to introduce or begin something gradually over time
Example
The company plans to **phase into** a new training system for employees.
idiom

roll into

Meaning
to transition smoothly into something
Example
The webinar will **roll into** a live Q&A.
idiom

take stock of

Meaning
to review a situation carefully before making decisions
Example
Let’s **take stock of** our priorities this quarter.
idiom

Gordian knot

Meaning
A very complex or unsolvable problem.
Example
The issue of climate change is like a **Gordian knot** that needs bold action.
idiom

a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be brave when you are actually scared or worried
Example
She put on **a brave face** despite feeling nervous inside.
phrasal-verb

carry over data

Meaning
to transfer unused data or balance from one period to another
Example
Most mobile plans now let you **carry over data** to the next month.
phrasal-verb

zone in on calmness

Meaning
to focus your mind on staying calm
Example
Try to **zone in on calmness** during meditation.
idiom

masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something developing into something great
Example
Her latest project looks like **a masterpiece in the making**.
phrasal-verb

run up

Meaning
to cause yourself to owe a large amount of money
Example
He **ran up** a huge credit card bill last month.
phrasal-verb

reflect back on

Meaning
to think deeply about something that happened; to analyze past experiences
Example
He likes to **reflect back on** his past achievements and lessons.
phrasal-verb

freak out about

Meaning
to become very anxious or upset about something
Example
People often **freak out about** deadlines and performance reviews.
idiom

Hot off the press

Meaning
Newly printed; very recent news
Example
The report was **hot off the press**, released just minutes ago.
idiom

open to abuse

Meaning
liable to be misused or exploited
Example
Facial recognition technology is **open to abuse** if not regulated.
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**.
idiom

on the go

Meaning
always busy or active; traveling a lot
Example
She's always **on the go** with her work trips.
idiom

keep your emotions in check

Meaning
to control your emotions
Example
It's important to **keep your emotions in check** during a meeting.
idiom

gloss over

Meaning
to avoid mentioning unpleasant details
Example
The report tries to **gloss over** the budget cuts.
idiom

beat the algorithm

Meaning
to find a way to outsmart or bypass a system's logic
Example
Marketers always try to **beat the algorithm** for better reach.
phrasal-verb

double down on learning

Meaning
to increase your effort toward gaining knowledge
Example
After the promotion, I **double down on learning** new leadership skills.
idiom

Move fast and break things

Meaning
To innovate quickly, even if mistakes happen along the way.
Example
Our CEO encourages us to **move fast and break things** to stay ahead of competitors.
idiom

self-assured

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

learn to live with

Meaning
to accept a mistake or flaw that cannot be changed
Example
Sometimes you just have to **learn to live with** your past mistakes.
phrasal-verb

roll out products

Meaning
to launch or introduce new products to the market
Example
The company plans to **roll out products** that feature cutting-edge technology.
idiom

never look back

Meaning
to focus on moving forward and not dwell on past mistakes
Example
Once she made the decision, she promised to **never look back**.
idiom

take your life in your hands

Meaning
To do something very risky or dangerous.
Example
You’re **taking your life in your hands** by driving in that storm.
idiom

a dark horse

Meaning
a person who keeps their skills or plans secret until an important moment
Example
Nobody expected her to win; she was **a dark horse**.
idiom

a storm in a teacup

Meaning
a small problem that is exaggerated
Example
Their argument was just **a storm in a teacup**.
idiom

in no time

Meaning
very quickly; almost immediately
Example
He finished the task **in no time**.
phrasal-verb

shift over to

Meaning
to move from one system, process, or mindset to another
Example
They decided to **shift over to** digital platforms for better flexibility.
phrasal-verb

toast to

Meaning
to raise a glass to honor or celebrate someone or something
Example
Let's **toast to** our hard work and success!
idiom

a smart cookie

Meaning
a very clever or intelligent person
Example
Don’t underestimate her; she’s **a smart cookie**.
phrasal-verb

come to

Meaning
to regain consciousness; to amount to a total
Example
He **came to** after fainting in the heat.
idiom

behind someone’s back

Meaning
to do something secretly without their knowledge
Example
She was talking about me **behind my back**.
idiom

code like a machine

Meaning
to work extremely fast and efficiently on programming
Example
She can **code like a machine** when a deadline is near.
phrasal-verb

take time out

Meaning
to spend time resting away from work or pressure
Example
You should **take time out** to recharge and relax.
phrasal-verb

follow one’s passion

Meaning
to pursue what you truly love or are interested in
Example
He chose to **follow his passion** for music instead of money.
phrasal-verb

mix up ideas

Meaning
to combine different ideas to create something new
Example
Our marketing team loves to **mix up ideas** from different industries.
idiom

spread kindness

Meaning
to do or say kind things to others
Example
We should all try to **spread kindness** every day.
phrasal-verb

pull into

Meaning
to drive into a place, such as a parking lot or station
Example
The bus **pulled into** the terminal right on time.
idiom

drum up

Meaning
to increase interest or support for something
Example
The volunteers are visiting schools to **drum up** excitement for the festival.