saber rattling
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

saber rattling

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

digital detox

Meaning
a period when a person avoids using digital devices or social media
Example
I’m going on a **digital detox** this weekend.
idiom

cut your teeth

Meaning
to gain initial experience in a particular area or job
Example
He **cut his teeth** in the banking industry before starting his own firm.
phrasal-verb

come to

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

dig deep

Meaning
to use all your strength and determination to achieve something
Example
You’ll have to **dig deep** to finish this marathon.
idiom

rise to the occasion

Meaning
to perform well in a difficult situation
Example
He really **rose to the occasion** during the crisis.
idiom

keep out

Meaning
to prevent someone or something from entering
Example
Close the windows to **keep out** the dust during the renovation.
idiom

fall flat

Meaning
to fail completely
Example
His idea **fell flat** because nobody liked it.
phrasal-verb

tie to

Meaning
to connect closely with something
Example
Many local festivals are **tied to** historical events.
phrasal-verb

raise awareness about

Meaning
to increase public understanding or concern about an issue
Example
The campaign aims to **raise awareness about** climate change.
phrasal-verb

join in

Meaning
to participate in an activity or celebration
Example
Everyone was invited to **join in** the traditional dance at the festival.
idiom

draw out

Meaning
to encourage someone to express themselves
Example
The mentor helped **draw out** her confidence.
idiom

music to one’s ears

Meaning
something that makes someone feel very happy or pleased
Example
The news of his promotion was **music to his ears**.
phrasal-verb

hold yourself back

Meaning
to restrain oneself from reacting emotionally
Example
He had to **hold himself back** from yelling at the meeting.
phrasal-verb

tie innovation to strategy

Meaning
to connect innovation plans with business strategy
Example
The manager wants to **tie innovation to strategy** for better results.
idiom

Behind the curve

Meaning
To be less advanced or slow compared to competitors.
Example
Our company is **behind the curve** in adopting AI technologies.
phrasal-verb

roll feedback into

Meaning
to incorporate comments into the next version
Example
Designers **roll feedback into** the doc before sharing again.
idiom

turn the other cheek

Meaning
to ignore insults or avoid taking revenge
Example
He chose to **turn the other cheek** instead of fighting back.
idiom

to be fair

Meaning
used to introduce a balanced or just opinion
Example
**To be fair**, she did try her best.
idiom

drop a bombshell

Meaning
to announce something shocking or unexpected
Example
She **dropped a bombshell** by quitting her job.
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.
idiom

have nerves of steel

Meaning
to be very brave and calm under pressure
Example
A firefighter must **have nerves of steel** to face danger every day.
phrasal-verb

grow into self-belief

Meaning
to gradually develop confidence in yourself
Example
Over time, he **grew into self-belief** and stopped comparing himself to others.
idiom

trust someone with something

Meaning
to give someone responsibility for something important
Example
I trust you to **take care of the project**.
idiom

as luck would have it

Meaning
by chance; fortunately or unfortunately
Example
**As luck would have it**, I met my old friend at the airport.
phrasal-verb

carve your path

Meaning
to create your own way or direction in life or career
Example
He decided to **carve his path** instead of following others.
idiom

A Faustian bargain

Meaning
A deal where one sacrifices moral integrity for power or success.
Example
Signing that contract was **a Faustian bargain** for him.
phrasal-verb

draw strength from

Meaning
to get courage or motivation from something or someone
Example
She **draws strength from** her past struggles.
idiom

mea culpa

Meaning
an expression used to admit one's own fault
Example
He offered a public **mea culpa** for his earlier comments.
idiom

fall behind

Meaning
to fail to keep up with a schedule or progress
Example
If we miss another deadline, we’ll **fall behind** on the project.
idiom

gray area

Meaning
a situation that is not clearly defined or falls between two categories
Example
AI surveillance laws still fall into a **gray area**.
idiom

cut back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something
Example
We’re trying to **cut back on** eating out during the week.
idiom

pay off

Meaning
to yield good results after effort
Example
All those late nights finally **paid off** during the launch.
idiom

Breaking news

Meaning
New and important information being reported immediately
Example
We have **breaking news** about the election results.
idiom

Economic backbone

Meaning
The most important part of the economy.
Example
Small businesses are the **economic backbone** of the nation.
phrasal-verb

pull ahead emotionally

Meaning
to progress emotionally faster than before
Example
After therapy, she began to **pull ahead emotionally**.
phrasal-verb

stay ahead

Meaning
to continue to be more successful or advanced than others
Example
You have to work hard to **stay ahead** in this competitive program.
idiom

fib

Meaning
a small or trivial lie
Example
It was just a little **fib**, nothing serious.
phrasal-verb

get together

Meaning
to meet with family or friends socially
Example
Our whole family **gets together** every New Year’s Eve.
phrasal-verb

cool down

Meaning
to do light exercise after heavy activity to relax muscles
Example
You should **cool down** after your workout to avoid stiffness.
idiom

footloose and fancy-free

Meaning
free to do whatever you want; without commitments
Example
He loves being **footloose and fancy-free** after retirement.
idiom

act on

Meaning
to respond to information with action
Example
We need to **act on** the survey results immediately.
idiom

same old story

Meaning
something boringly repetitive
Example
It's the **same old story** every time we meet.
phrasal-verb

value differences

Meaning
to respect and appreciate what makes people unique
Example
We should **value differences** as they make our workplace stronger.
phrasal-verb

point up to

Meaning
to highlight or bring attention to a higher idea or reason
Example
The teacher **pointed up to** the main reason for the conflict.
idiom

ring a bell

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can't remember where I heard it.
idiom

full of yourself

Meaning
to be too proud or self-centered
Example
He’s so **full of himself** after getting that promotion.
phrasal-verb

show up

Meaning
to appear or arrive at an event
Example
Even though it was raining, most guests **showed up** on time.
phrasal-verb

face up to challenges

Meaning
to confront difficulties with courage and confidence
Example
You’ll grow stronger when you **face up to challenges** instead of avoiding them.
idiom

face up to

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

sort out

Meaning
to organize or resolve a confusing situation
Example
We need to **sort out** this billing error today.
phrasal-verb

phase in recovery

Meaning
to introduce recovery measures gradually over time
Example
The government decided to **phase in recovery** policies to avoid economic shocks.
idiom

debug the problem

Meaning
to identify and fix issues or errors
Example
Let’s **debug the problem** before we push the update.
phrasal-verb

call out for

Meaning
to ask loudly for something or someone
Example
He **called out for** his mother when he got hurt.
idiom

glance over

Meaning
to read something quickly
Example
Can you **glance over** the memo before we send it?
idiom

A nest egg

Meaning
A sum of money saved for the future or retirement.
Example
He built up a **nest egg** for his children's education.
idiom

get a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared completely healthy by a doctor
Example
After his check-up, he **got a clean bill of health**.
idiom

beyond one's control

Meaning
not under one’s power or influence
Example
The situation is **beyond our control** now.
idiom

weigh the pros and cons

Meaning
to consider the advantages and disadvantages before making a choice
Example
You should **weigh the pros and cons** before quitting your job.
idiom

read between the lines

Meaning
to understand the hidden meaning behind something
Example
She said everything was fine, but if you **read between the lines**, you could tell she was upset.
idiom

spread your wings

Meaning
to start doing new and independent things
Example
After graduation, she wanted to **spread her wings**.
idiom

big picture

Meaning
the overall perspective or situation
Example
Producers always try to see the **big picture** before making changes.
idiom

have second thoughts

Meaning
to start having doubts about a decision you have made
Example
I'm having **second thoughts** about buying such an expensive car.
idiom

tune out

Meaning
to stop paying attention to what’s happening around you
Example
He often **tunes out** when people start complaining.
idiom

from the horse’s mouth

Meaning
directly from the original or reliable source
Example
I heard the news **from the horse’s mouth**.
phrasal-verb

open communication with

Meaning
to establish an honest and transparent exchange of thoughts and feelings
Example
Couples should **open communication with** each other to avoid misunderstandings.
idiom

it blew my mind

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

the bottom line

Meaning
the most important fact or result
Example
The **bottom line** is that we need to increase our profits.
idiom

a piece of cake

Meaning
something that is very easy to do
Example
The exam was **a piece of cake** for me.
idiom

a learning curve

Meaning
the process of learning something new, especially one that requires time and effort
Example
There was a steep **learning curve** when I first started the project.
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**.
phrasal-verb

ease tensions between

Meaning
to reduce conflict or hostility between countries
Example
Efforts were made to **ease tensions between** the rival nations.
idiom

weigh your options

Meaning
to consider different possibilities before deciding
Example
You should **weigh your options** before buying the car.
phrasal-verb

speak up for yourself

Meaning
to express your opinions or defend your feelings confidently
Example
You need to **speak up for yourself** if something feels unfair.
phrasal-verb

spark off ideas

Meaning
to trigger or inspire new creative thoughts
Example
The workshop helped **spark off ideas** for future projects.
phrasal-verb

chime with

Meaning
to agree or align with someone’s opinion in a group call
Example
Her suggestion really **chimed with** what the team was thinking.
phrasal-verb

face up to the truth

Meaning
to accept or confront the reality of a situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to the truth** about your mistakes.
idiom

plans are up in the air

Meaning
plans are uncertain or not decided yet
Example
Our travel plans are still **up in the air**.
phrasal-verb

pull back up

Meaning
to improve or recover after falling or dropping
Example
The national currency has started to **pull back up** against the dollar.
phrasal-verb

mix with locals

Meaning
to socialize or interact with local people
Example
Students are encouraged to **mix with locals** to practice the language.
idiom

the apple of one's eye

Meaning
someone or something that is cherished or loved deeply
Example
Her son is truly **the apple of her eye**.
idiom

zoom in

Meaning
to focus closely on something
Example
Use the report to **zoom in** on customer trends.
phrasal-verb

pay someone out

Meaning
to compensate someone for loss or damage
Example
The insurer **paid her out** after the accident.
phrasal-verb

heal from

Meaning
to emotionally recover from pain, trauma, or loss
Example
It takes time to **heal from** emotional wounds.
phrasal-verb

lean on each other

Meaning
to rely on teammates for help or support
Example
In challenging projects, we often **lean on each other** for motivation.
idiom

to fall flat on one's face

Meaning
to fail completely or embarrass oneself
Example
The comedian **fell flat on his face** when no one laughed.
idiom

tighten your belt

Meaning
to spend less money; to economize
Example
We’ll have to **tighten our belts** until business improves.
phrasal-verb

pay back

Meaning
to return money that you borrowed
Example
I will **pay back** the money I borrowed from you next week.
phrasal-verb

deal upon

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

adapt to the changing times

Meaning
to adjust to new conditions or circumstances
Example
In order to survive in this fast-paced world, you must **adapt to the changing times**.
phrasal-verb

follow back

Meaning
to follow someone who has followed you
Example
She didn’t **follow back** even though I followed her first.
phrasal-verb

join forces for

Meaning
to combine efforts with others for a purpose
Example
Companies **join forces for** developing sustainable packaging.
phrasal-verb

load up on veggies

Meaning
to eat a lot of vegetables
Example
I **load up on veggies** at lunch so dinner can stay light.
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

gear up to

Meaning
to prepare energetically to do something
Example
We’re **gearing up to** launch the app next month.
phrasal-verb

follow through with

Meaning
to continue with a plan or commitment until it is completed
Example
You must **follow through with** your study schedule to see improvement.
phrasal-verb

ramp up to

Meaning
to increase or intensify effort or production to recover or meet demand
Example
Factories **ramped up to** meet the rising post-crisis demand.
idiom

climb the corporate ladder

Meaning
to advance in one’s career or position in a company
Example
He worked hard to **climb the corporate ladder**.
idiom

To meet one’s Waterloo

Meaning
To encounter one’s ultimate defeat or failure.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo**.
phrasal-verb

break away from

Meaning
to stop being part of something or someone’s influence
Example
He wants to **break away from** his parents’ control.
idiom

A bundle of nerves

Meaning
To be extremely anxious or tense.
Example
Before the presentation, she was **a bundle of nerves**.
idiom

keep in touch

Meaning
to maintain communication with someone
Example
Even after moving away, we **keep in touch** regularly.
phrasal-verb

settle in for

Meaning
to get comfortable because something will take a while
Example
We **settled in for** a long night of studying at the library.
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.
phrasal-verb

pay respect to

Meaning
to show honor or appreciation to someone
Example
They **paid respect to** their teachers during the ceremony.
idiom

sorry sight

Meaning
something or someone that looks pitiful or regrettable
Example
After the storm, the park was a **sorry sight**.
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

work through pain

Meaning
to deal with emotional pain step by step until you heal
Example
He is still trying to **work through pain** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

set out to improve

Meaning
to begin an effort to make yourself or something better
Example
He **set out to improve** his communication skills after the feedback session.
idiom

feel blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
I always **feel blue** on rainy days.
phrasal-verb

run along

Meaning
to leave or go away, usually said to children
Example
It’s time to **run along** now, kids.
phrasal-verb

speak softly

Meaning
to talk in a gentle and quiet tone
Example
In public places, it’s polite to **speak softly**.
idiom

get your wires crossed

Meaning
to misunderstand someone or something
Example
We must have **got our wires crossed**, because I thought the meeting was tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

rally spirits around goals

Meaning
to encourage people to stay motivated about shared targets
Example
Captains **rally spirits around goals** when fatigue sets in late in the quarter.
idiom

put your heart and soul into something

Meaning
to do something with great effort and passion
Example
She **put her heart and soul into** her new business.
idiom

Above reproach

Meaning
Completely honest and without fault.
Example
Her integrity is **above reproach**.
phrasal-verb

stand for election

Meaning
to be a candidate in an election
Example
She decided to **stand for election** as a member of parliament.
phrasal-verb

step out of

Meaning
to move beyond your usual limits or comfort zone
Example
To grow, you need to **step out of** your comfort zone.
phrasal-verb

think through problems

Meaning
to carefully consider all aspects of an issue before deciding
Example
Before answering, always **think through problems** clearly.
idiom

the tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small visible part of a much larger problem
Example
The few complaints we received are just **the tip of the iceberg**.
phrasal-verb

fill in gaps

Meaning
to complete missing parts of understanding or knowledge
Example
Teachers help students **fill in gaps** in their learning.