set an example
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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idiom

set an example

Meaning
to behave in a way that others should follow
Example
A true leader **sets an example** for others to follow.
idiom

go ballistic

Meaning
to become extremely angry or excited
Example
Dad **went ballistic** when he found out I dented his car.
phrasal-verb

pin down answers

Meaning
to get clear responses to specific questions
Example
We **pin down answers** during the call so nothing stays vague.
idiom

make a good impression

Meaning
to create a positive image of yourself in someone's mind
Example
You should dress well to **make a good impression**.
idiom

shake like a leaf

Meaning
to tremble with fear or nervousness
Example
She was **shaking like a leaf** before her first flight.
idiom

to put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to risk everything on a single venture or decision
Example
I wouldn’t suggest **putting all your eggs in one basket** with this investment.
phrasal-verb

break into laughter

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

speak from experience

Meaning
to politely justify your opinion based on personal experience
Example
I **speak from experience** when I say this method really works.
phrasal-verb

tick off

Meaning
to mark completed items on a list
Example
I **ticked off** each task as I finished to track the progress before the deadline.
idiom

strike a chord

Meaning
to cause someone to feel sympathy or emotion
Example
Her story **struck a chord** with the audience.
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.
idiom

act the part

Meaning
to behave in a way that fits a particular role or situation
Example
If you want to be treated like a leader, you need to **act the part**.
phrasal-verb

bring yourself to

Meaning
to force yourself to do something that is emotionally difficult
Example
He couldn't **bring himself to** tell her the truth.
phrasal-verb

advocate for

Meaning
to publicly support a cause or person
Example
Students **advocate for** safer campuses at the town hall.
phrasal-verb

speak openly about

Meaning
to discuss sensitive or challenging topics honestly
Example
Our CEO encourages everyone to **speak openly about** diversity issues.
phrasal-verb

open doors to

Meaning
to create opportunities for cultural connection or understanding
Example
Cultural exchange programs **open doors to** meaningful friendships worldwide.
idiom

under pressure

Meaning
to be in a stressful situation with a lot of demands
Example
She performs well even when she’s **under pressure**.
phrasal-verb

draw benefits from

Meaning
to gain advantages or profits through collaboration
Example
Both sides expect to **draw benefits from** this partnership.
idiom

keyboard warrior

Meaning
someone who posts aggressive or angry comments online
Example
He acts tough online, but he’s just a **keyboard warrior**.
phrasal-verb

burst out smiling

Meaning
to suddenly start smiling widely
Example
When she saw the surprise gift, she **burst out smiling**.
phrasal-verb

light the way

Meaning
to inspire hope or positivity for others
Example
Her success will **light the way** for many others.
idiom

full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or excitement
Example
The party was in **full swing** when we arrived.
phrasal-verb

cut off from reality

Meaning
to be disconnected from what is real or practical
Example
He lives in his own world, completely **cut off from reality**.
phrasal-verb

lift the room up

Meaning
to make a group feel more positive
Example
She **lifts the room up** by celebrating small achievements.
phrasal-verb

reach down for

Meaning
to extend one’s hand to help someone get up or reach something
Example
He **reached down for** the child who had fallen.
idiom

human in the loop

Meaning
a person actively involved in monitoring or controlling an automated process
Example
Even in AI systems, a **human in the loop** ensures ethical decisions.
idiom

lost in the moment

Meaning
to be completely absorbed in what you’re doing
Example
She was **lost in the moment** while painting her favorite landscape.
idiom

close the book on something

Meaning
to stop dealing with or thinking about something
Example
After years of conflict, they finally **closed the book on** their rivalry.
idiom

take the spotlight

Meaning
to be the center of attention or admiration
Example
The young actress **took the spotlight** at the award ceremony.
idiom

take a toll

Meaning
to cause harm or damage over time due to stress or overwork
Example
Long working hours can **take a toll** on your health.
idiom

lose your cool

Meaning
to become angry or impatient
Example
Don’t **lose your cool**; the situation will get better.
idiom

the lion’s share

Meaning
the largest part of something
Example
He took **the lion’s share** of the profits.
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

blunder into

Meaning
to enter or do something by mistake
Example
He **blundered into** the wrong meeting room.
idiom

give it a shot

Meaning
to try something, even if you are not sure of success
Example
You should **give it a shot**; you might surprise yourself.
idiom

take the road less traveled

Meaning
to do something different or unconventional
Example
He **took the road less traveled** by choosing a career in adventure sports.
idiom

trickle-down economics

Meaning
an economic theory that suggests that policies benefiting the wealthy will eventually benefit everyone by creating jobs and growth
Example
Critics argue that **trickle-down economics** has failed to provide substantial benefits for the poor.
idiom

in a pickle

Meaning
in a difficult or tricky situation
Example
I'm **in a pickle** because I double-booked my meetings.
idiom

hacktivism

Meaning
the use of hacking to promote political or social causes
Example
The group used **hacktivism** to expose corruption within the government.
idiom

To move mountains

Meaning
To achieve something very difficult or seemingly impossible.
Example
With determination, she can **move mountains**.
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.
phrasal-verb

hold accountable for

Meaning
to make someone responsible for their actions
Example
The CEO promised to **hold accountable for** those who broke company rules.
phrasal-verb

break off thoughts

Meaning
to stop negative or anxious thoughts abruptly
Example
Whenever you start overthinking, **break off thoughts** and focus on something present.
phrasal-verb

refer back

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

stand over from

Meaning
to postpone or delay something
Example
The meeting was **stood over from** last week to tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

open up markets

Meaning
to make trade or business opportunities available; to remove barriers to trade
Example
The trade agreement helped **open up markets** for local exporters.
phrasal-verb

build upon experience

Meaning
to use past experiences to improve future actions or performance
Example
We can **build upon our experience** to avoid making the same mistakes again.
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

Eager beaver

Meaning
A person who is very enthusiastic and eager to do something.
Example
She's an **eager beaver** who always volunteers for extra tasks.
idiom

knock your socks off

Meaning
to impress or surprise someone greatly
Example
The concert will **knock your socks off**!
phrasal-verb

break through pain

Meaning
to overcome emotional suffering or struggle
Example
She managed to **break through pain** and start a new chapter in life.
idiom

keep the dream alive

Meaning
to continue to hope or work toward a goal even after setbacks
Example
Even after the failure, they **kept the dream alive**.
idiom

to bask in the glory

Meaning
to enjoy the admiration and praise from others after achieving something great
Example
He **basked in the glory** of his victory for weeks after the championship.
idiom

to nurse someone back to health

Meaning
to help someone recover from illness
Example
She **nursed her mother back to health** after the accident.
idiom

chain reaction

Meaning
a series of events triggered by one event
Example
One breakthrough can start a **chain reaction** of new innovations.
phrasal-verb

hold on through struggle

Meaning
to stay strong and persistent during hard times
Example
You just have to **hold on through struggle** until things get better.
idiom

to be in good shape

Meaning
to be physically fit and healthy
Example
She exercises daily to stay **in good shape**.
idiom

take a stand

Meaning
to make a firm decision or opinion known
Example
It’s time to **take a stand** and support what you believe in.
phrasal-verb

finish off

Meaning
to complete the last part of something
Example
We just need to **finish off** the presentation slides before submitting the report.
phrasal-verb

let off tension

Meaning
to release built-up stress or frustration
Example
Going for a run helps me **let off tension** after a busy day.
idiom

see things differently

Meaning
to have a different opinion or perspective
Example
I **see things differently** when it comes to politics.
idiom

pay attention to

Meaning
to listen carefully or give thought to something
Example
You should **pay attention to** the details of the project.
idiom

Faith can move mountains

Meaning
Strong belief can achieve the impossible.
Example
He believes that **faith can move mountains** when you truly believe.
idiom

go along with

Meaning
to agree to something or support an idea
Example
I’ll **go along with** your plan since it sounds reasonable.
phrasal-verb

rise from within

Meaning
to recover emotionally using one’s inner power or resilience
Example
After every setback, she found a way to **rise from within**.
idiom

bootstrapping

Meaning
building a business without external funding
Example
He started his company through **bootstrapping**, using only his savings.
idiom

to be like family

Meaning
to be as close as family members
Example
My neighbors are **like family** to me.
phrasal-verb

depend on

Meaning
to rely on someone or something for help or support
Example
You can always **depend on** me when you need advice.
idiom

jump out of your skin

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or frightened
Example
I nearly **jumped out of my skin** when I saw the snake.
idiom

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link

Meaning
the strength of a group depends on the weakest member
Example
In any team, **a chain is only as strong as its weakest link**.
idiom

give someone a run for their money

Meaning
to compete strongly against someone
Example
The new player **gave the champion a run for his money**.
phrasal-verb

stay alert

Meaning
to remain cautious and watchful for dangers
Example
Always **stay alert** when clicking unfamiliar links.
phrasal-verb

dream about

Meaning
to think about something you wish for while sleeping or awake
Example
She often **dreams about** becoming a successful singer one day.
phrasal-verb

touch base after work

Meaning
to connect with someone later in the day for updates
Example
We **touch base after work** to confirm travel details for tomorrow.
idiom

spread kindness like wildfire

Meaning
to spread kindness rapidly and uncontrollably
Example
Her acts of kindness **spread like wildfire** in the community.
phrasal-verb

find along

Meaning
to discover or encounter something while moving or traveling
Example
We **found along** a beautiful lake on our way to the hills.
idiom

take aback

Meaning
to surprise or shock someone suddenly
Example
I was **taken aback** by his rude behavior.
phrasal-verb

build toward

Meaning
to make progress in a way that helps achieve a goal
Example
Every small project helped her **build toward** becoming a team leader.
idiom

in one piece

Meaning
safe and unharmed after a difficult situation
Example
Luckily, everyone came out **in one piece** after the accident.
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

throw to

Meaning
to pass something to someone by throwing; to hand over responsibility
Example
The host **threw to** the reporter at the scene.
idiom

bring the curtain down

Meaning
to end something; to finish a performance or event
Example
The concert **brought the curtain down** on the music festival.
phrasal-verb

reflect on mistakes

Meaning
to think carefully about what went wrong and learn from it
Example
It’s healthy to **reflect on mistakes** and grow from them.
phrasal-verb

shut out

Meaning
to prevent someone from being included in a conversation or activity
Example
She felt **shut out** of the team discussions.
phrasal-verb

cut down on

Meaning
to reduce the amount or frequency of something harmful
Example
We must **cut down on** carbon emissions to fight climate change.
phrasal-verb

brush up

Meaning
to clean or improve something; to review or practice
Example
He **brushed up** his teeth quickly before leaving for work.
phrasal-verb

pull yourself back

Meaning
to stop overthinking or panicking and return to calmness
Example
Whenever your mind runs away, **pull yourself back** to the present.
phrasal-verb

loosen up

Meaning
to relax your body or mind; to become less tense
Example
You need to **loosen up** and stop being so serious.
phrasal-verb

beat oneself up over

Meaning
to blame or criticize oneself harshly for something that happened
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up over** something you can’t change.
phrasal-verb

look ahead to

Meaning
to think about or plan for what is going to happen in the future
Example
We should **look ahead to** the challenges we might face in the next decade.
phrasal-verb

carry on with

Meaning
to continue doing something even when it is difficult
Example
He decided to **carry on with** his studies despite financial struggles.
phrasal-verb

say sorry to

Meaning
to express regret or apologize to someone
Example
You should **say sorry to** her for yelling.
idiom

key in

Meaning
to enter data using a keyboard or keypad
Example
Please **key in** your code before the door locks.
phrasal-verb

give oneself up

Meaning
to surrender to the police or authorities
Example
The thief **gave himself up** to the police after two days.
idiom

table the issue

Meaning
to postpone discussion of a topic for later
Example
They decided to **table the issue** until next week.
phrasal-verb

step through

Meaning
to pass through something carefully or one stage at a time
Example
Let’s **step through** the process so everyone understands it clearly.
phrasal-verb

join together

Meaning
to unite people for a cultural or communal purpose
Example
Families **join together** every year to celebrate the harvest festival.
idiom

driving innovation

Meaning
leading or inspiring new and creative ideas.
Example
The startup is **driving innovation** in renewable energy solutions.
idiom

Sail close to the wind

Meaning
To take risks or act dangerously.
Example
He’s **sailing close to the wind** by lying to his boss.
phrasal-verb

budget time blocks

Meaning
to plan specific chunks of time for tasks
Example
I **budget time blocks** on Monday for deep work and catch-up slots.
phrasal-verb

fog up

Meaning
when glass or lenses become covered with mist or condensation
Example
My glasses always **fog up** when it rains.
phrasal-verb

branch into tech

Meaning
to expand into the technology sector
Example
Traditional companies are now trying to **branch into tech** to stay relevant.
idiom

internet troll

Meaning
a person who deliberately posts offensive or provocative comments online
Example
Don’t feed the **internet trolls** by replying to their comments.
idiom

come into one's own

Meaning
to reach a stage of maturity or full potential
Example
She really **came into her own** after starting her own business.
idiom

leave a mark

Meaning
to have a lasting effect or influence
Example
Her leadership skills will surely **leave a mark** on the company.
phrasal-verb

pair program through

Meaning
to work on code together until a problem is solved
Example
We **pair program through** tricky bugs to keep velocity steady.
phrasal-verb

rise above pressure

Meaning
to stay calm and focused in stressful situations
Example
He managed to **rise above pressure** during the busy quarter.
phrasal-verb

back someone up

Meaning
to support or defend someone in a team or argument
Example
During the debate, my teammates **backed me up** when I presented my point.
phrasal-verb

run through

Meaning
to review or explain something quickly
Example
Let’s **run through** the presentation once before the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

come out

Meaning
to be released or published; to become visible
Example
The new movie **came out** last week.
phrasal-verb

campaign for

Meaning
to work in an organized way for a political or social goal
Example
They are **campaigning for** better education policies.
idiom

crossing the ethical boundary

Meaning
to act in a way that goes beyond moral acceptability
Example
Using AI to manipulate emotions may be **crossing the ethical boundary**.
phrasal-verb

bring in line with

Meaning
to make something conform to a standard or policy
Example
The company updated its IT systems to **bring them in line with** global data security standards.
phrasal-verb

carry forward surplus

Meaning
to move remaining funds or profit into the next financial period
Example
The company decided to **carry forward surplus** to strengthen future operations.
idiom

throw money down the drain

Meaning
to waste money on something useless
Example
Buying that fake brand bag was like **throwing money down the drain**.
phrasal-verb

catch up with

Meaning
to reach the same level or standard as others
Example
Many companies are trying to **catch up with** global tech giants.
idiom

Boom and bust

Meaning
A period of great prosperity followed by a sharp decline.
Example
The real estate market often experiences **boom and bust** cycles.
phrasal-verb

go wild

Meaning
to behave in an extremely excited or enthusiastic way
Example
The crowd **went wild** when the team scored the goal.
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.
phrasal-verb

agree on

Meaning
to reach a shared decision or understanding
Example
We finally **agreed on** the marketing strategy after a long discussion.