smooth sailing
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idiom

smooth sailing

Meaning
a situation without problems or difficulties
Example
Once we crossed the border, it was **smooth sailing**.
idiom

out of balance

Meaning
to feel mentally or emotionally unstable
Example
Lack of rest can make you feel **out of balance**.
phrasal-verb

work through

Meaning
to deal with and resolve difficult emotions or experiences
Example
He’s trying to **work through** his grief after the loss.
phrasal-verb

jump at

Meaning
to react suddenly with fear or surprise
Example
She **jumped at** the sound of thunder.
idiom

Help each other out

Meaning
To assist one another, especially in difficult situations.
Example
During the project, we all had to **help each other out** to finish on time.
idiom

have the upper hand

Meaning
to have control or advantage over someone
Example
After the merger, the larger company **had the upper hand**.
idiom

give someone a hand

Meaning
to help someone with a task
Example
Could you **give me a hand** with dinner?
phrasal-verb

break off from

Meaning
to pause or stop doing something temporarily
Example
She had to **break off from** studying to answer a call.
idiom

born poor, die rich

Meaning
to start life poor but become rich through hard work
Example
He’s the kind of man who wants to **born poor, die rich**.
phrasal-verb

breathe through tension

Meaning
to use calm breathing to release tension or anxiety
Example
The best way to handle stress is to **breathe through tension** slowly.
idiom

written in the stars

Meaning
destined to happen; fated
Example
They believe their meeting was **written in the stars**.
phrasal-verb

shade in concepts

Meaning
to add tone or detail to drawings of ideas
Example
Designers **shade in concepts** to show light and depth in the sketch.
idiom

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Meaning
you can’t achieve anything if you don’t take risks
Example
He decided to invest because **nothing ventured, nothing gained**.
idiom

white lie

Meaning
a harmless or small lie told to avoid hurting someone
Example
I told a **white lie** to avoid upsetting her.
idiom

a gift from the heavens

Meaning
a blessing or something very special
Example
Her support during the tough times was **a gift from the heavens**.
idiom

raise the bar

Meaning
to set a higher standard or level of quality
Example
The new product really **raised the bar** for the industry.
phrasal-verb

slow up

Meaning
to move or act more slowly to reduce pressure or stress
Example
You should **slow up** before you burn out.
idiom

wash one’s hands of something

Meaning
to stop being responsible for something
Example
He **washed his hands of** the project after it failed.
phrasal-verb

talk into

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
She **talked me into** joining the dance class.
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

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

take it with a pinch of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He exaggerates a lot, so **take it with a pinch of salt**.
phrasal-verb

lift your mood

Meaning
to make yourself or someone feel happier
Example
Listening to uplifting music can **lift your mood** instantly.
phrasal-verb

carry yourself with

Meaning
to present yourself in a confident and dignified way
Example
He always **carries himself with** confidence and calmness.
phrasal-verb

lay down guidelines

Meaning
to establish official rules or principles
Example
The economic council will **lay down guidelines** for fiscal discipline.
idiom

wind down

Meaning
to relax or slow down after activity
Example
I like to **wind down** with a book before bed.
idiom

hand over

Meaning
to give control or possession to someone else
Example
She will **hand over** the keys when the lease is signed.
phrasal-verb

coordinate across

Meaning
to organize activities jointly across different areas or teams
Example
Agencies **coordinate across** regions for disaster management.
idiom

hold your horses

Meaning
to be patient; to wait
Example
**Hold your horses**! The show hasn’t started yet.
idiom

model evaluation

Meaning
the process of assessing the accuracy and performance of a trained model
Example
Before deploying the system, we need to perform **model evaluation** to ensure accuracy.
phrasal-verb

hold elections

Meaning
to organize and conduct voting for leadership
Example
The commission will **hold elections** in all districts next month.
idiom

laugh your head off

Meaning
to laugh very loudly or uncontrollably
Example
The movie was so funny that we **laughed our heads off**.
idiom

political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
Immigration reform has become a **political hot potato** for the government.
phrasal-verb

cut out of

Meaning
to remove something unwanted from a situation or process
Example
We need to **cut carbon out of** our energy systems.
idiom

drive someone up the wall

Meaning
to make someone very annoyed or angry
Example
Her constant complaints **drive me up the wall**.
idiom

code your way out

Meaning
to solve a problem through programming skills
Example
When the system crashed, she managed to **code her way out**.
idiom

get the ball rolling

Meaning
to start something, especially a project or process
Example
Let’s **get the ball rolling** on this new campaign.
phrasal-verb

step beyond fear

Meaning
to act courageously despite being afraid
Example
To succeed, you must **step beyond fear** and take bold action.
phrasal-verb

tie nations together through

Meaning
to link countries through shared economic activities
Example
Free trade agreements **tie nations together through** common benefits.
phrasal-verb

detach from chaos

Meaning
to mentally separate yourself from stressful situations
Example
Sometimes you just need to **detach from chaos** to think clearly.
phrasal-verb

hold back tears

Meaning
to stop yourself from crying
Example
He tried to **hold back tears** during the speech.
phrasal-verb

cut down debts

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money you owe
Example
He’s been trying hard to **cut down his debts** this year.
idiom

playing the long game

Meaning
making decisions or taking actions with long-term objectives in mind
Example
The president is **playing the long game** by focusing on long-term foreign policy.
phrasal-verb

smash into

Meaning
to crash violently into something
Example
The truck **smashed into** the barrier after losing control.
idiom

give someone the creeps

Meaning
to make someone feel uncomfortable or afraid
Example
Old abandoned houses **give me the creeps**.
idiom

lay it on the line

Meaning
to be very clear or direct about something
Example
I'll **lay it on the line**—if we don't improve, we'll lose investors.
phrasal-verb

reach out internationally

Meaning
to establish contact or relationships with people or organizations in other countries
Example
The company plans to **reach out internationally** to expand its client base.
phrasal-verb

take precautions against

Meaning
to take actions to prevent something harmful from happening
Example
People should **take precautions against** mosquito bites to prevent dengue.
idiom

As green as grass

Meaning
Very inexperienced or new at something.
Example
He’s **as green as grass** in his new job.
idiom

yellow-bellied

Meaning
very cowardly
Example
He’s too **yellow-bellied** to stand up for himself.
phrasal-verb

adapt within communities

Meaning
to adjust behavior and habits to fit in with a local community
Example
Immigrants often need to **adapt within communities** to feel at home.
phrasal-verb

tune out from

Meaning
to stop paying attention to stressful things; to mentally disconnect
Example
I sometimes **tune out from** work emails on weekends to recharge.
idiom

keep faith with someone

Meaning
to remain loyal to someone or something
Example
Even in hard times, she **kept faith with** her friends.
phrasal-verb

focus on gratitude

Meaning
to concentrate on things you are thankful for
Example
Each morning, **focus on gratitude** to start your day positively.
phrasal-verb

light up with joy

Meaning
to look suddenly happy or excited
Example
Her face **lit up with joy** when she saw her parents.
phrasal-verb

play down

Meaning
to make something seem less important or serious than it is
Example
The minister tried to **play down** the controversy in the media.
idiom

as thick as thieves

Meaning
To be very close friends who share secrets.
Example
Lisa and Nora are **as thick as thieves** since childhood.
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**.
phrasal-verb

come up with solutions

Meaning
to think of or create new ideas or solutions
Example
She always manages to **come up with solutions** to complex problems.
idiom

come out on top

Meaning
to be the best or most successful in a situation
Example
Despite the competition, she **came out on top**.
idiom

comic relief

Meaning
a funny moment in a serious situation
Example
The movie’s sidekick provided much-needed **comic relief**.
phrasal-verb

listen to

Meaning
to pay attention to what someone feels or says with empathy
Example
Sometimes all a person needs is someone to **listen to** them.
idiom

see the bigger picture

Meaning
to understand the full scope of a situation or problem
Example
To make an informed decision, you need to **see the bigger picture**.
idiom

Roll up your sleeves

Meaning
To prepare to work hard.
Example
Let’s **roll up our sleeves** and get started.
idiom

burning the midnight oil

Meaning
working late into the night
Example
She’s been **burning the midnight oil** to finish the report.
idiom

have a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or idea
Example
When I saw the problem from a different angle, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
idiom

drop a comment

Meaning
to leave a message or opinion on a social media post
Example
Don’t forget to **drop a comment** below if you liked the video.
idiom

take a hike

Meaning
to go for a walk or leave; to go away
Example
Let’s **take a hike** in the mountains this weekend.
idiom

have an axe to grind

Meaning
to have a personal reason to complain or criticize
Example
She **has an axe to grind** with her former employer.
idiom

walk tall

Meaning
to behave confidently and proudly
Example
You have every reason to **walk tall** after your success.
idiom

to my mind

Meaning
in my personal opinion or belief
Example
**To my mind**, this plan will work perfectly.
phrasal-verb

pull apart

Meaning
to separate or tear something into pieces
Example
She tried to **pull apart** the stuck pages of the book.
idiom

throw your hat in the ring

Meaning
to show interest in something, especially a competition or challenge
Example
I decided to **throw my hat in the ring** and apply for the leadership role.
idiom

seat at the table

Meaning
to have influence or participation in important decision-making
Example
Developing nations are demanding a **seat at the table** in climate talks.
phrasal-verb

jump on a call

Meaning
to quickly join an online voice or video call
Example
Let’s **jump on a call** to discuss the issue in detail.
phrasal-verb

cut off caffeine

Meaning
to stop consuming coffee or caffeinated drinks
Example
She has **cut off caffeine** to sleep better at night.
idiom

a piece of cake

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

deal around

Meaning
to share something among people informally
Example
He **dealt around** the snacks during the meeting.
idiom

dress down

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

get through to someone

Meaning
to make someone understand what you mean
Example
I tried to **get through to him**, but he just wouldn’t listen.
idiom

face time

Meaning
direct personal interaction rather than virtual communication
Example
We need more **face time** to build trust among team members.
idiom

a barrel of laughs

Meaning
someone or something very funny or entertaining
Example
The new comedy show is **a barrel of laughs**.
idiom

iron out

Meaning
to resolve small problems or differences
Example
We need to **iron out** the payment details before signing.
idiom

a mind like a sieve

Meaning
to have a very bad memory
Example
He forgets everything; he has **a mind like a sieve**.
idiom

pull yourself together

Meaning
to regain control of your emotions or behavior
Example
Stop crying and **pull yourself together** – we need to find a solution.
phrasal-verb

sink in

Meaning
to be fully understood or accepted emotionally
Example
It took a while for the news to **sink in**.
phrasal-verb

acknowledge someone for

Meaning
to recognize and thank someone for their help or contribution
Example
The company **acknowledged her for** her dedication and teamwork.
idiom

A battle of wits

Meaning
A contest or situation where people use intelligence or cleverness to outsmart each other.
Example
The negotiations were a true **battle of wits** between the two leaders.
phrasal-verb

pull in revenue

Meaning
to earn or generate income, especially on a large scale
Example
The new export policy helped the country **pull in revenue** from foreign markets.
idiom

fire up

Meaning
to excite or motivate someone
Example
The coach’s speech really **fired up** the players.
phrasal-verb

build insight from

Meaning
to develop understanding by analyzing past experiences
Example
We can **build insight from** our past projects to improve future ones.
idiom

give off

Meaning
to emit a smell, light, or feeling
Example
The candles **give off** a calming scent in the room.
idiom

reap what you sow

Meaning
you get the results of your actions, good or bad
Example
If you’re kind to others, you’ll **reap what you sow**.
idiom

blind faith

Meaning
trusting without questioning
Example
Having **blind faith** can sometimes lead to disappointment.
phrasal-verb

chat over

Meaning
to discuss or talk casually with a friend
Example
We love to **chat over** coffee every weekend.
phrasal-verb

adapt out of necessity

Meaning
to change behavior or plans because circumstances require it
Example
During the crisis, businesses had to **adapt out of necessity**.
idiom

go separate ways

Meaning
to end a relationship or partnership
Example
After ten years together, they decided to **go separate ways**.
phrasal-verb

act up to

Meaning
to behave according to what is expected or suitable
Example
She tries to **act up to** her reputation as a hardworking student.
phrasal-verb

close a deal

Meaning
to successfully reach an agreement or finalize a business transaction
Example
Our company managed to **close a deal** with a top European distributor.
phrasal-verb

drop dead

Meaning
to die suddenly; used informally to express shock or anger
Example
He almost **dropped dead** when he heard the news.
phrasal-verb

take over a company

Meaning
to gain control of another company by buying it
Example
A major corporation plans to **take over a company** in the European market.
phrasal-verb

bring up to speed

Meaning
to make someone or something fully informed or updated
Example
The new employees were **brought up to speed** on the company’s financial goals.
phrasal-verb

step out

Meaning
to leave a place for a short time; to go outside
Example
I’m going to **step out** for a moment to get some fresh air.
idiom

on the bench

Meaning
serving as a judge in a court
Example
She spent 20 years **on the bench** before retiring.
phrasal-verb

hand back praise

Meaning
to redirect compliments to the people who earned them
Example
Great mentors **hand back praise** to the colleagues who did the work.
phrasal-verb

hold feelings in

Meaning
to not express emotions; to suppress feelings
Example
He tends to **hold his feelings in** rather than show them.
idiom

to make a boo-boo

Meaning
to make a small or funny mistake
Example
Oops, I **made a boo-boo** and sent the wrong file!
phrasal-verb

target at

Meaning
to aim a product or message toward a specific group
Example
This advertisement is **targeted at** young professionals.
idiom

hold the vision

Meaning
to maintain a clear sense of direction or goal
Example
Leaders who **hold the vision** can guide their teams through difficult times.
phrasal-verb

lash out at work

Meaning
to express anger sharply in the workplace
Example
It's better to breathe than to **lash out at work** over a comment.
idiom

back on track

Meaning
to return to the right path or plan
Example
After some delays, our trip is **back on track**.
phrasal-verb

dip into savings

Meaning
to use money that you had saved
Example
We had to **dip into our savings** to cover medical expenses.
idiom

count on

Meaning
to rely on or trust someone to do something
Example
You can always **count on** me.
phrasal-verb

breathe through emotions

Meaning
to calm yourself by controlling your breathing during emotional moments
Example
She tried to **breathe through** her emotions before responding.
idiom

social media influencer

Meaning
a person who has the power to influence others through social media platforms
Example
She became a **social media influencer** after her makeup tutorials went viral.
idiom

check in with

Meaning
to contact someone to exchange updates
Example
I’ll **check in with** the vendor later today.
phrasal-verb

argue over

Meaning
to have a disagreement or fight about something
Example
They often **argue over** project deadlines in the office.
idiom

place your confidence in

Meaning
to trust or rely on someone or something
Example
He **placed his confidence in** the team.
phrasal-verb

keep alive

Meaning
to make sure cultural traditions continue to exist
Example
Artists work hard to **keep alive** the spirit of folk art.
phrasal-verb

reach within yourself

Meaning
to look inside yourself to find strength or courage
Example
You must **reach within yourself** to overcome fear.
phrasal-verb

sit in on

Meaning
to attend a meeting or class without participating actively
Example
He was allowed to **sit in on** the meeting as an observer.