school of thought
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idiom

school of thought

Meaning
a particular way of thinking or set of ideas
Example
There’s a **school of thought** that believes learning by doing is best.
idiom

go through a transformation

Meaning
to undergo a significant change or improvement
Example
The company had to **go through a transformation** to survive in the competitive market.
phrasal-verb

come up empty

Meaning
to fail to achieve or find something
Example
We searched everywhere but **came up empty**.
phrasal-verb

put away your phone

Meaning
to stop using your phone and keep it aside
Example
Please **put away your phone** during dinner.
idiom

to have hope in one's heart

Meaning
to remain hopeful and optimistic about the future
Example
Despite all the challenges, he always **has hope in his heart**.
phrasal-verb

bring into play

Meaning
to use or introduce something to influence a situation
Example
The president **brought into play** his connections to win the election.
idiom

cry over spilt milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There’s no use **crying over spilt milk**.
phrasal-verb

recover lost ground

Meaning
to regain previous progress or position after a decline
Example
The stock market quickly **recovered lost ground** after the policy announcement.
idiom

party animal

Meaning
someone who loves going to parties
Example
She’s such a **party animal**, always out on weekends.
idiom

see red

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

shine through

Meaning
to show your confidence or talent clearly despite challenges
Example
Her true confidence **shone through** during the interview.
phrasal-verb

build confidence in

Meaning
to create or increase trust in something
Example
The new reforms helped **build confidence in** the financial market.
phrasal-verb

set deadlines

Meaning
to establish specific time limits for tasks
Example
The manager **set deadlines** for each phase of the project.
idiom

hold someone accountable

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

phishing attempt

Meaning
an attempt to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity
Example
The email you received looks like a **phishing attempt**, so don't click any links.
idiom

have a stake in

Meaning
to have an interest or investment in something
Example
She has a **stake in** the company's success.
phrasal-verb

speak on behalf of

Meaning
to represent someone else's opinion politely
Example
I’d like to **speak on behalf of** my team regarding this issue.
phrasal-verb

open up to

Meaning
to become more willing to accept or consider new ideas, cultures, or people
Example
As globalization spread, many countries began to **open up to** cultural exchange.
phrasal-verb

slip by

Meaning
to miss or overlook something accidentally
Example
A few errors **slipped by** during the proofreading.
idiom

justice delayed is justice denied

Meaning
if legal redress is available but not delivered in time, it is as good as having none
Example
Many believe that **justice delayed is justice denied** in this country.
idiom

grow by leaps and bounds

Meaning
to grow or improve very quickly
Example
The company has **grown by leaps and bounds** in the last year.
phrasal-verb

live on

Meaning
to eat mainly a particular type of food
Example
He **lives on** fast food, which is not healthy.
idiom

make a breakthrough

Meaning
to make a significant discovery or achievement
Example
She **made a breakthrough** in her research that could change the field.
phrasal-verb

deal up

Meaning
to distribute cards to players in a card game
Example
The dealer **dealt up** the cards quickly.
phrasal-verb

pop up

Meaning
to appear suddenly on the screen
Example
A message just **popped up** on my screen.
idiom

the end of the road

Meaning
the point where progress stops; the end of something
Example
For us, this is **the end of the road**.
phrasal-verb

post up

Meaning
to upload or share something online
Example
She **posted up** her vacation photos on Facebook.
idiom

Break a sweat

Meaning
To exert effort or work hard at something.
Example
She didn't even **break a sweat** while finishing the entire project in one day.
idiom

to pass with flying colors

Meaning
to succeed with a very high score
Example
He studied hard and passed the exam with **flying colors**.
idiom

tough luck

Meaning
expression of sympathy for someone’s misfortune
Example
Didn’t get the job? **Tough luck**!
phrasal-verb

pass out

Meaning
to lose consciousness
Example
He **passed out** from exhaustion after the marathon.
idiom

boot up

Meaning
to start a computer or system
Example
My laptop takes forever to **boot up**.
idiom

be all smiles

Meaning
to look very happy and cheerful
Example
She was **all smiles** after hearing the good news.
idiom

a blast from the past

Meaning
something that reminds you of an earlier time
Example
Seeing that old photo album was **a blast from the past**.
idiom

clear your head

Meaning
to stop thinking about something for a while and relax
Example
After a stressful week, I like to take a walk to **clear my head**.
idiom

right up one’s alley

Meaning
something that suits one’s interests or abilities perfectly
Example
That cooking workshop is **right up your alley**, you should join!
idiom

birds of a feather

Meaning
people with similar interests or characteristics
Example
Tom and Jerry are always together—**birds of a feather**.
idiom

cloak and dagger

Meaning
involving secrecy, mystery, and deception
Example
The meeting was surrounded by **cloak and dagger** secrecy.
phrasal-verb

bring along

Meaning
to take someone or something with you when you go somewhere
Example
You can **bring along** your sister to the party if you like.
idiom

on the level

Meaning
honest and sincere; not trying to deceive
Example
You can trust her—she’s **on the level**.
idiom

on good terms

Meaning
to have a friendly and peaceful relationship
Example
They are still **on good terms** even after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

chat with

Meaning
to talk informally with someone
Example
She loves to **chat with** new people at social events.
phrasal-verb

go after your dreams

Meaning
to pursue your goals or ambitions actively
Example
He decided to **go after his dreams** no matter what.
idiom

own the mistake

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something wrong
Example
A good leader knows how to **own the mistake** and learn from it.
phrasal-verb

climb up

Meaning
to move upward using hands and feet
Example
The children **climbed up** the tree to get the kite.
idiom

put in the hours

Meaning
to spend a lot of time working
Example
If you **put in the hours**, you’ll see progress soon.
idiom

behind the times

Meaning
old-fashioned or not keeping up with modern ideas
Example
My uncle still uses a typewriter—he’s **behind the times**.
idiom

place trust in

Meaning
to rely on someone or something
Example
I **place my trust in** you to handle this task.
phrasal-verb

connect through art

Meaning
to build understanding or friendships using creative expression
Example
People can **connect through art** even if they speak different languages.
idiom

jack up

Meaning
to raise something suddenly and sharply
Example
They might **jack up** ticket prices before the holidays.
idiom

break a leg

Meaning
to wish someone good luck in a performance
Example
Before the play started, everyone told her to **break a leg**.
idiom

The light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
A sign of hope after a long period of difficulty.
Example
After months of hard work, we finally saw **the light at the end of the tunnel**.
phrasal-verb

hype up

Meaning
to promote or exaggerate something to create excitement
Example
The media **hyped up** the movie before its release.
idiom

pick holes in something

Meaning
to find faults in something, especially when it’s not necessary
Example
He loves **picking holes** in everyone else’s ideas.
idiom

in the same league

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

turn inward

Meaning
to focus on your own thoughts and feelings
Example
After the accident, he began to **turn inward** for reflection.
phrasal-verb

follow through on decisions

Meaning
to continue with an action until it is completed
Example
Leaders must always follow through on their promises.
phrasal-verb

get a grip on

Meaning
to gain control of one’s emotions
Example
You need to **get a grip on** your emotions before reacting.
phrasal-verb

go on about

Meaning
to talk repeatedly about someone’s good qualities
Example
He always **goes on about** how talented his daughter is.
idiom

the cat’s out of the bag

Meaning
the secret is revealed
Example
Now that **the cat’s out of the bag**, everyone knows the truth.
phrasal-verb

phase in

Meaning
to introduce or implement something gradually over a period of time
Example
The school plans to **phase in** bilingual education over the next few years.
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

save on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money you spend on something
Example
You can **save on** electricity by turning off lights.
phrasal-verb

stay beside

Meaning
to remain physically or emotionally close to someone in need
Example
She **stayed beside** her mother through her illness.
phrasal-verb

drop through

Meaning
to fail or not happen as planned
Example
Our plan to travel abroad this year has **dropped through** due to budget issues.
idiom

skeleton in the closet

Meaning
a family secret that one wants to keep hidden
Example
Every family has a **skeleton in the closet** they don't talk about.
idiom

Flying high

Meaning
To be very successful or happy.
Example
After getting promoted, she's **flying high**.
idiom

a peace of mind

Meaning
a state of mental and emotional calmness
Example
After the long vacation, she finally got **a peace of mind**.
phrasal-verb

flare out

Meaning
to suddenly become angry or lose temper
Example
She **flared out** when her plans were canceled.
phrasal-verb

identify as

Meaning
to define oneself as belonging to a particular cultural or ethnic group
Example
He **identifies as** both Bangladeshi and global citizen.
phrasal-verb

catch at

Meaning
to try to grab something quickly; to take advantage of an opportunity suddenly
Example
He **caught at** the rope before he fell off the boat.
phrasal-verb

step up efforts

Meaning
to increase the level of effort or activity
Example
The ministry has **stepped up efforts** to create more jobs.
idiom

in all honesty

Meaning
To be completely truthful or sincere.
Example
**In all honesty**, I think he deserves the job.
idiom

a trip down memory lane

Meaning
to remember pleasant events from the past
Example
Looking through old photos was **a trip down memory lane**.
idiom

to feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel very good or confident
Example
After the spa treatment, I **felt like a million bucks**.
phrasal-verb

bottle emotions up

Meaning
to keep your emotions hidden inside instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle his emotions up** instead of talking about them.
phrasal-verb

work within

Meaning
to operate while staying under specific limits or constraints
Example
The team must **work within** the given budget.
idiom

keep out

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

stand out from the crowd

Meaning
to be noticeably different or better than others
Example
Her talent helps her **stand out from the crowd**.
phrasal-verb

move forward confidently

Meaning
to progress with self-assurance and determination
Example
He chose to **move forward confidently** despite past setbacks.
phrasal-verb

fall behind on

Meaning
to fail to do something on time or as planned
Example
He **fell behind on** his rent payments last month.
idiom

a guiding light

Meaning
someone who inspires or leads others toward success
Example
Her courage became **a guiding light** for the whole team.
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.
phrasal-verb

speak out against injustice

Meaning
to express opposition to unfair treatment or actions
Example
Activists continued to **speak out against injustice** despite threats.
phrasal-verb

plan around

Meaning
to make arrangements considering a specific factor or event
Example
We had to **plan around** the weather when scheduling our trip.
phrasal-verb

build upon innovation

Meaning
to use existing innovations as a foundation for further progress
Example
Nations must **build upon innovation** to drive sustainable development.
phrasal-verb

wait on

Meaning
to wait for something to happen before acting; to depend on
Example
We’re **waiting on** the results before making a decision.
idiom

check back in

Meaning
to reconnect later to get an update
Example
Let’s **check back in** next week on the prototype.
idiom

caught between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
in a difficult situation where any choice you make will have negative consequences
Example
I'm **caught between a rock and a hard place** - both options are terrible.
idiom

to sketch out

Meaning
to make a rough plan or outline of something
Example
The director **sketched out** the concept before filming began.
idiom

call a spade a spade

Meaning
to speak honestly and directly, even if it’s unpleasant
Example
She always **calls a spade a spade**, no matter who gets offended.
idiom

pluck up the courage

Meaning
to make yourself feel brave enough to do something
Example
He finally **plucked up the courage** to speak in public.
idiom

bite the byte

Meaning
to deal with a difficult technological challenge
Example
Developers had to **bite the byte** to fix the software issue.
phrasal-verb

settle into

Meaning
to become comfortable in a new place or routine
Example
After a few months, she finally **settled into** her new role as manager.
idiom

bring forward

Meaning
to move something to an earlier time
Example
We had to **bring forward** the meeting due to travel.
idiom

to have faith in yourself

Meaning
to trust your own abilities and potential
Example
If you want to succeed, you need to **have faith in yourself**.
phrasal-verb

take against

Meaning
to begin to dislike someone or something without clear reason
Example
She suddenly **took against** her new neighbor.
phrasal-verb

put together

Meaning
to assemble or create something by organizing parts
Example
She helped **put together** the entire presentation.
idiom

feel for

Meaning
to have sympathy for someone
Example
We really **feel for** anyone stuck in that traffic.
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

make yourself at home

Meaning
to feel comfortable and relaxed as if you were at home
Example
Please **make yourself at home** while I get the tea.
idiom

A bright idea

Meaning
a clever or innovative idea
Example
She came up with a **bright idea** for the new marketing campaign.
phrasal-verb

build bridges between

Meaning
to improve relationships or understanding between groups
Example
The project aims to **build bridges between** rural and urban youth.
phrasal-verb

patch up bugs

Meaning
to fix small errors or issues in software
Example
Developers are working to **patch up bugs** found in the latest release.
phrasal-verb

steady yourself with breathing

Meaning
to calm your body by focusing on slow breaths
Example
I **steady myself with breathing** before I speak to the whole team.
idiom

Fall seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying even after multiple failures.
Example
Life is tough, but remember to **fall seven times, stand up eight**.
idiom

take the blame

Meaning
to accept responsibility for something wrong
Example
He decided to **take the blame** for the team's failure.
idiom

visionary leader

Meaning
a leader with a clear vision for the future
Example
Steve Jobs was considered a **visionary leader** for his innovative ideas.
phrasal-verb

bounce back emotionally

Meaning
to recover emotionally from a difficult experience
Example
She took time to **bounce back emotionally** after losing her job.
phrasal-verb

see off guests

Meaning
to say goodbye to people as they leave
Example
The host **saw off the guests** at the gate after midnight.
idiom

feel like a new person

Meaning
to feel refreshed and healthy again
Example
After a good night’s sleep, I **feel like a new person**.
idiom

be accountable for

Meaning
to be responsible for something and able to explain it
Example
As the team leader, he is **accountable for the project's outcome**.
phrasal-verb

run down on

Meaning
to criticize someone or something harshly
Example
She often **runs down on** her coworkers.
phrasal-verb

clock out for

Meaning
to end your work shift in order to do something specific
Example
I **clock out for** lunch right at noon every day.
phrasal-verb

build around

Meaning
to base something on a central idea or feature
Example
The company plans to **build around** AI as its main technology.
idiom

level the playing field

Meaning
to make a situation fair for everyone
Example
The new regulations are designed to **level the playing field** for all companies.
phrasal-verb

buzz with

Meaning
to be full of excitement or activity
Example
The hall was **buzzing with** excitement before the show.
idiom

a good Samaritan

Meaning
a person who helps others in need
Example
A **good Samaritan** helped the injured man on the road.
idiom

make amends

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry
Example
He tried to **make amends** by helping her with her work.
phrasal-verb

work hand in glove with

Meaning
to work very closely and effectively with someone
Example
The trade departments **work hand in glove with** each other to boost exports.
phrasal-verb

hold on to hope

Meaning
to not give up believing that things will get better
Example
No matter how dark it seems, **hold on to hope**.