sharp as a tack
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idiom

sharp as a tack

Meaning
very intelligent or quick-thinking
Example
She's **sharp as a tack** and always has the best answers in class.
phrasal-verb

move into

Meaning
to start working in a new role or area
Example
She recently **moved into** a senior management position.
idiom

castles in the air

Meaning
dreams or plans that are impossible or unrealistic
Example
He’s always building **castles in the air** about his future.
phrasal-verb

come up

Meaning
to be mentioned or occur unexpectedly
Example
Your name **came up** during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

comfort in

Meaning
to find peace or reassurance in something or someone
Example
Many people **find comfort in** talking to their loved ones.
idiom

piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a part of the complete solution or understanding
Example
This information is just **a piece of the puzzle**.
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.
phrasal-verb

step up productivity

Meaning
to increase the level of output or performance
Example
The company is taking steps to **step up productivity** across departments.
phrasal-verb

fall through on

Meaning
to fail to happen or be completed, especially a deal or plan
Example
Several merger talks **fell through on** due to the unstable economy.
phrasal-verb

step down from power

Meaning
to resign or give up a position of authority
Example
The president agreed to **step down from power** after the election results.
phrasal-verb

find peace with

Meaning
to accept something painful and stop being upset about it
Example
In time, she **found peace with** her past mistakes.
phrasal-verb

confide in

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them personal feelings or secrets
Example
I can always **confide in** my sister when I feel upset.
phrasal-verb

break out in

Meaning
to suddenly develop something on the skin (like a rash)
Example
He **broke out in** a rash after eating seafood.
idiom

hit a home run

Meaning
to achieve great success
Example
The new marketing campaign really **hit a home run** with its audience.
idiom

backdoor access

Meaning
a secret or unauthorized way to access a system or information
Example
Hackers found a **backdoor access** to the company’s database.
idiom

do the right thing by someone

Meaning
to treat someone fairly and with respect
Example
It's important to always **do the right thing by your colleagues**.
phrasal-verb

draw lessons from

Meaning
to learn something valuable from a situation or experience
Example
We should **draw lessons from** our past failures.
idiom

in good shape

Meaning
to be physically fit and healthy
Example
He goes to the gym regularly to stay **in good shape**.
phrasal-verb

pool resources for

Meaning
to combine money, labor, or materials for a joint project
Example
The governments **pooled resources for** regional development projects.
idiom

To toe the line

Meaning
To follow rules or policies strictly, often without questioning
Example
The senator was expected to **toe the line** and support the party’s stance.
phrasal-verb

bubble over

Meaning
to show excitement or happiness in an obvious way
Example
The children were **bubbling over** with joy on the last day of school.
phrasal-verb

embrace peace

Meaning
to accept tranquility and stop resisting calm feelings
Example
She learned to **embrace peace** instead of constant anxiety.
idiom

AI accountability

Meaning
the responsibility of developers and organizations to ensure AI systems act fairly, safely, and ethically.
Example
Ensuring **AI accountability** is essential to avoid harmful consequences in society.
phrasal-verb

bounce forward

Meaning
to recover from difficulties and move ahead with improvement
Example
After the recession, the nation aims to **bounce forward** with stronger growth.
phrasal-verb

keep your spirits up

Meaning
to stay cheerful and hopeful in tough times
Example
Even during stress, try to **keep your spirits up**.
phrasal-verb

go crazy for

Meaning
to like something very much
Example
Fans **go crazy for** his new songs.
phrasal-verb

learn to trust again

Meaning
to regain faith in others after being betrayed or hurt
Example
It takes time to **learn to trust again** after being let down.
idiom

in your face advertising

Meaning
aggressive or very direct form of advertising
Example
Some brands use **in your face advertising** to stay memorable.
idiom

Time heals all wounds

Meaning
Emotional pain will lessen with time.
Example
Don’t worry, time heals all wounds.
phrasal-verb

get across

Meaning
to communicate an idea successfully so that others understand it
Example
He struggled to **get across** his main message to the audience.
phrasal-verb

go through

Meaning
to study or read something carefully
Example
You should **go through** the textbook before the quiz.
idiom

put the brakes on

Meaning
to slow down or stop an activity
Example
The company had to **put the brakes on** its expansion plans.
idiom

sleep like a baby

Meaning
to sleep very peacefully and comfortably
Example
After a warm bath, she **slept like a baby**.
phrasal-verb

hit on

Meaning
to show romantic or sexual interest in someone
Example
He tried to **hit on** her at the party, but she ignored him.
phrasal-verb

let go

Meaning
to stop holding onto negative emotions or memories
Example
You have to **let go** of the past to heal emotionally.
idiom

go up in smoke

Meaning
to fail completely; to come to nothing
Example
All his dreams **went up in smoke** after the deal collapsed.
phrasal-verb

fall into recession

Meaning
to enter a period of economic decline
Example
The global economy may **fall into recession** if inflation continues to rise.
idiom

the next big thing

Meaning
something that will become extremely popular or successful soon
Example
Everyone thinks blockchain is **the next big thing**.
idiom

hands are tied

Meaning
to be unable to act freely because of rules or restrictions
Example
The government’s **hands are tied** due to international trade laws.
idiom

factor in

Meaning
to include something as part of a calculation or plan
Example
Remember to **factor in** travel time when planning.
idiom

cold feet

Meaning
to feel nervous or hesitant about something
Example
He got **cold feet** before proposing to her.
idiom

Cover a lot of ground

Meaning
to deal with a lot of information or material
Example
The lecture **covered a lot of ground** in just one hour.
idiom

brush aside

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant
Example
Management **brushed aside** the rumors during the briefing.
idiom

get fired up

Meaning
to become very excited or enthusiastic about something
Example
The team got **fired up** before the final match.
phrasal-verb

switch down

Meaning
to reduce mental or emotional activity to relax
Example
I try to **switch down** my brain before going to bed.
idiom

call around

Meaning
to contact several people or places by phone
Example
I’ll **call around** to find a venue with parking.
phrasal-verb

call out energy waste

Meaning
to point out when energy is being used carelessly
Example
Teammates **call out energy waste** whenever lights stay on overnight.
idiom

narrow down to

Meaning
to reduce choices to a smaller number
Example
We’ve **narrowed it down to** three finalists.
idiom

change with the times

Meaning
to adapt to the changes in society or technology
Example
In order to stay relevant in the business, it's important to **change with the times**.
phrasal-verb

forgive yourself

Meaning
to stop blaming yourself for past mistakes
Example
You must **forgive yourself** to move forward peacefully.
phrasal-verb

check against

Meaning
to verify information or behavior to ensure it meets standards
Example
All reports must be **checked against** the company’s ethical policy.
idiom

a crash course

Meaning
a short and intensive course of study
Example
I had to take a **crash course** in programming before starting the job.
idiom

teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something that is difficult for them to learn due to their age or experience
Example
It's hard to **teach an old dog new tricks**, but I'll try.
idiom

hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
The refugee crisis has become a **hot potato** in the government.
phrasal-verb

get at

Meaning
to imply or suggest something indirectly
Example
What exactly are you **getting at** with that question?
idiom

when pigs fly

Meaning
something that will never happen
Example
He'll clean his room **when pigs fly**.
phrasal-verb

deal with setbacks

Meaning
to handle emotional or personal failures calmly and positively
Example
Learning to **deal with setbacks** is key to emotional growth.
phrasal-verb

pick out

Meaning
to choose something you like
Example
She **picked out** a dress she really liked.
phrasal-verb

look within

Meaning
to examine your own feelings and motives
Example
To grow emotionally, you must **look within** yourself.
phrasal-verb

aim at

Meaning
to have a particular goal or purpose
Example
This research **aims at** improving online education quality.
idiom

to teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something they are set in their ways about
Example
It’s hard to **teach an old dog new tricks** when it comes to new technology.
idiom

breakthrough

Meaning
a significant or sudden development or discovery; an important achievement
Example
The scientist made a major **breakthrough** in his research on cancer treatment.
idiom

balance the books

Meaning
to make sure income and expenses are equal
Example
The accountant worked late to **balance the books**.
phrasal-verb

team up with partners

Meaning
to collaborate with other companies for mutual benefit
Example
Our firm decided to **team up with partners** in Japan for a joint venture.
idiom

throw a party

Meaning
to organize and host a celebration
Example
We’re going to **throw a party** for her birthday.
idiom

family ties

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

cut and paste

Meaning
to copy something with little change
Example
You can't just **cut and paste** ideas from others.
idiom

Keep a cool head

Meaning
to remain calm and not get too emotional
Example
In a crisis, it's important to **keep a cool head**.
idiom

carry the load

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult
Example
She had to **carry the load** after her manager resigned.
phrasal-verb

grow into leadership

Meaning
to gradually develop the skills needed to lead others
Example
Over time, he **grew into leadership** through mentoring and practice.
phrasal-verb

be thrilled about

Meaning
to feel very excited or pleased about something
Example
She was **thrilled about** her upcoming vacation.
phrasal-verb

break into tech

Meaning
to start working in the technology industry
Example
She worked hard to **break into tech** after finishing her degree.
idiom

streamline the process

Meaning
to make a process more efficient and effective by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary steps
Example
We need to **streamline the process** of content creation to save time.
phrasal-verb

build confidence

Meaning
to strengthen belief in your own abilities
Example
Every small success helps you **build confidence** for bigger goals.
idiom

burst out laughing

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing loudly
Example
Everyone **burst out laughing** at his joke.
phrasal-verb

hold back

Meaning
to stop yourself from expressing something
Example
He wanted to tell her everything but **held back** his words.
phrasal-verb

blow in

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

build bridges with

Meaning
to improve relationships and promote understanding between people or countries
Example
The summit aimed to **build bridges with** neighboring countries.
phrasal-verb

throw oneself into

Meaning
to do something with great enthusiasm or energy
Example
After the breakup, she **threw herself into** her work.
phrasal-verb

capitalize on

Meaning
to take advantage of something to gain success
Example
She knew how to **capitalize on** every opportunity that came her way.
phrasal-verb

look up

Meaning
to visit someone after a long time
Example
When you are in town, **look me up**.
idiom

things are looking up

Meaning
the situation is improving
Example
After a tough year, **things are looking up** for our business.
idiom

hash it out

Meaning
to discuss a problem thoroughly to find a solution
Example
Let’s sit down and **hash it out** instead of fighting.
phrasal-verb

bridge across

Meaning
to overcome divisions between groups or nations
Example
Diplomats **bridge across** cultural and political gaps.
idiom

the real McCoy

Meaning
the genuine or original thing
Example
This painting is **the real McCoy**, not a copy.
phrasal-verb

measure up to

Meaning
to meet a required ethical or professional standard
Example
All employees are expected to **measure up to** the company’s moral values.
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

set your heart on

Meaning
to be very determined to get or achieve something
Example
She has **set her heart on** becoming a famous singer.
phrasal-verb

cover for

Meaning
to protect someone by hiding their mistake or wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **cover for** his colleague who submitted false data.
idiom

head off to

Meaning
to leave for a particular place
Example
We should **head off to** the venue by noon.
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

dress down

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

add color to

Meaning
to make something more interesting or lively
Example
The teacher’s stories **added color to** the history lesson.
idiom

step up your game

Meaning
to improve your performance or effort
Example
You need to **step up your game** if you want to win.
idiom

lay off

Meaning
to dismiss someone from a job due to lack of work or money
Example
The company hopes to avoid having to **lay off** employees.
idiom

well-oiled machine

Meaning
something that operates smoothly and efficiently
Example
Our engineering team runs like a **well-oiled machine**.
phrasal-verb

scroll back

Meaning
to move up to view older posts or messages
Example
I **scrolled back** to see our old conversation.
idiom

fearless as a lion

Meaning
to be very brave and bold
Example
The firefighter was **fearless as a lion** during the rescue.
idiom

In due time

Meaning
At the right or appropriate time.
Example
Everything will be alright **in due time**, just be patient.
idiom

work your fingers to the bone

Meaning
to work extremely hard
Example
She **worked her fingers to the bone** to support her family.
idiom

a dream come true

Meaning
something that happens which you always wished for
Example
Getting that scholarship was **a dream come true** for her.
phrasal-verb

throw off

Meaning
to get rid of something; to free oneself from control or illness
Example
It took him weeks to **throw off** the flu.
phrasal-verb

protest against

Meaning
to show opposition to something through public action
Example
Thousands of people **protested against** unfair laws.
idiom

out like a light

Meaning
to fall asleep very quickly
Example
He was **out like a light** as soon as his head hit the pillow.
phrasal-verb

go ahead with

Meaning
to start or continue doing something planned
Example
The teacher told us to **go ahead with** the project.
phrasal-verb

cut out luxury items

Meaning
to stop buying unnecessary expensive things
Example
They decided to **cut out luxury items** to save for a new house.
phrasal-verb

build upon knowledge

Meaning
to use previously learned information as a foundation for new learning
Example
Students should **build upon knowledge** from earlier lessons to understand complex topics.
idiom

runway for growth

Meaning
the time or resources a startup has before it needs more funding
Example
The startup has enough **runway for growth** for the next 12 months.
phrasal-verb

refer back

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

byte the bullet

Meaning
to face a difficult situation bravely
Example
We have to **byte the bullet** and fix the system bugs now.
idiom

in one ear and out the other

Meaning
to not pay attention to what is said
Example
Whatever I tell him goes **in one ear and out the other**.
phrasal-verb

find on

Meaning
to discover something physically on someone or something
Example
The police **found on** him a stolen phone.
idiom

Hold it together with duct tape

Meaning
To keep something functioning despite poor condition or limited resources.
Example
The old car is barely running—we’re **holding it together with duct tape**.
phrasal-verb

peer into

Meaning
to look closely or carefully at something difficult to see
Example
She **peered into** the darkness, trying to see who was there.
phrasal-verb

work along with

Meaning
to cooperate or coordinate efforts with others
Example
Researchers **work along with** NGOs to reduce ocean pollution.
phrasal-verb

work through emotions

Meaning
to process and deal with emotions over time
Example
It took her months to **work through** her grief.
idiom

a tough cookie

Meaning
someone who is strong and not easily upset
Example
She’s **a tough cookie**; nothing can discourage her.
idiom

switch off

Meaning
to stop thinking about work or problems
Example
It’s important to **switch off** after a long day.
phrasal-verb

work within

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

relax into

Meaning
to gradually feel more comfortable and happy in a situation
Example
She **relaxed into** the vacation after the first day.
idiom

build bridges

Meaning
to improve relationships between people
Example
We need to **build bridges** between our two departments.