stand one’s ground
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idiom

stand one’s ground

Meaning
to refuse to change your opinion or position
Example
She **stood her ground** during the heated debate.
phrasal-verb

catch out

Meaning
to trick someone into making a mistake; to discover someone doing something wrong
Example
The reporter tried to **catch out** the politician with a tricky question.
phrasal-verb

open through

Meaning
to access understanding by going through experiences of another culture
Example
You can **open through** empathy to truly understand cultural values.
idiom

hold out for

Meaning
to wait to get exactly what you want
Example
She’ll **hold out for** a better offer before signing.
idiom

forever grateful

Meaning
thankful for something for a long time
Example
I’ll be **forever grateful** for what you’ve done.
phrasal-verb

tune out negativity

Meaning
to ignore or block negative thoughts or emotions
Example
He tries to **tune out negativity** to stay mentally strong.
idiom

cut back on

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

foster cooperation

Meaning
to encourage and develop mutual assistance or teamwork between nations
Example
The UN's goal is to **foster cooperation** among its members.
idiom

shoot from the hip

Meaning
to speak or act without thinking carefully
Example
He tends to **shoot from the hip** during meetings.
idiom

man’s best friend

Meaning
a common phrase for a dog, symbolizing loyalty and friendship
Example
They say a dog is **man’s best friend**.
idiom

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed **tears of joy** when her son returned home.
idiom

clue in

Meaning
to give someone the necessary information
Example
Can you **clue me in** on the schedule changes?
idiom

A truth universally acknowledged

Meaning
A widely accepted truth or belief.
Example
**A truth universally acknowledged** is that honesty is important.
idiom

stand tall

Meaning
to act in a proud and confident way
Example
She **stood tall** despite all the criticism.
idiom

anchors aweigh

Meaning
Ready to depart or begin a journey.
Example
With our bags packed, it’s **anchors aweigh** for the road trip!
phrasal-verb

back away from power

Meaning
to choose not to hold an influential position
Example
Some activists **back away from power** to stay independent.
phrasal-verb

set clear goals

Meaning
to define specific objectives or targets
Example
A good manager always sets clear goals for the team.
phrasal-verb

roll over to

Meaning
to extend or continue a policy or plan into a new period
Example
The budget plan was **rolled over to** the next fiscal year.
idiom

flash of genius

Meaning
a sudden brilliant idea or solution
Example
Her idea for the new logo was a real **flash of genius**.
phrasal-verb

roll out

Meaning
to launch or introduce a new product or service
Example
The government plans to **roll out** new incentives for exporters.
idiom

lay the blame on

Meaning
to accuse someone of being responsible for something bad.
Example
They tried to **lay the blame on** the new employee.
idiom

up against the wall

Meaning
to be in a very difficult or desperate situation
Example
The company is **up against the wall** financially after the recent losses.
phrasal-verb

heat up

Meaning
to make food warm or hot again
Example
I’ll **heat up** the leftovers from last night.
idiom

ride the wave

Meaning
to take advantage of a trend or situation
Example
Many companies are trying to **ride the wave** of AI technology.
phrasal-verb

set up a coalition

Meaning
to form an alliance between parties or groups for political purposes
Example
Opposition leaders worked together to **set up a coalition** government.
idiom

take the long view

Meaning
to plan or think about the future rather than short-term gains
Example
Successful leaders always **take the long view** when making decisions.
phrasal-verb

fact check against

Meaning
to verify information by comparing it with reliable sources
Example
Journalists **fact check against** official records to avoid errors.
phrasal-verb

work over

Meaning
to review or revise something carefully
Example
We need to **work over** the report before submission.
idiom

play the political card

Meaning
to use a political issue to one’s advantage
Example
The minister tried to **play the political card** to gain public sympathy.
phrasal-verb

work out with

Meaning
to find a solution or come to an agreement with others
Example
We need to **work out with** the marketing team to align our plans.
phrasal-verb

lift yourself up

Meaning
to encourage yourself emotionally or mentally after a setback
Example
He tried to **lift himself up** after the rejection.
idiom

be all smiles

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

burst out crying

Meaning
to suddenly start crying loudly
Example
The child **burst out crying** when his toy broke.
phrasal-verb

cut away

Meaning
to remove part of something with a tool or knife
Example
The doctor **cut away** the damaged tissue.
idiom

balance out

Meaning
to counteract or cancel the effect of something
Example
The extra volunteers should **balance out** the workload.
idiom

come a long way

Meaning
to make a lot of progress or improvement
Example
She has **come a long way** since she started her career.
phrasal-verb

draw strength from

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

take the edge off

Meaning
to make a bad situation or feeling less intense or unpleasant
Example
A hot cup of tea always helps to **take the edge off**.
idiom

shift gears

Meaning
to change one’s approach or activity
Example
We need to **shift gears** if we want to meet the deadline.
phrasal-verb

carry yourself with

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

throw one’s weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** at work to get things done.
idiom

take pride in

Meaning
to feel good about something you have done
Example
You should **take pride in** your achievements.
idiom

black box thinking

Meaning
analyzing unknown processes by studying their inputs and outputs
Example
In AI research, **black box thinking** helps improve transparency.
phrasal-verb

build on small wins

Meaning
to use minor achievements as motivation for bigger goals
Example
Try to **build on small wins** to gain more confidence.
phrasal-verb

bring in line

Meaning
to make someone or something follow rules or standards
Example
The new CEO worked hard to **bring in line** all departments with the company’s vision.
phrasal-verb

throw in

Meaning
to add something extra for free; to include casually
Example
The seller **threw in** a free cover with the phone.
idiom

on all fours

Meaning
crawling on hands and knees
Example
The baby moved **on all fours** across the floor.
phrasal-verb

thank for

Meaning
to express gratitude for something
Example
I want to **thank you for** your help with the project.
idiom

Lose your shirt

Meaning
To lose a lot of money.
Example
He **lost his shirt** gambling last night.
phrasal-verb

find out

Meaning
to discover information
Example
I need to **find out** what time the meeting starts.
idiom

team spirit

Meaning
a feeling of pride and loyalty shared by members of a group
Example
Their **team spirit** helped them win the championship.
phrasal-verb

take over for

Meaning
to temporarily handle someone’s virtual responsibilities
Example
Can you **take over for** me while I’m offline?
idiom

natural language processing

Meaning
a field of AI that focuses on the interaction between computers and human language
Example
Natural language processing enables AI systems to understand and respond to human speech.
idiom

on the rocks

Meaning
in trouble or likely to fail (especially a relationship or marriage)
Example
Their marriage is **on the rocks** after constant arguments.
idiom

the last straw

Meaning
the final problem that makes a situation unbearable
Example
His rude comment was **the last straw** for her.
phrasal-verb

grow past pain

Meaning
to develop emotionally by overcoming past suffering
Example
It’s never easy to **grow past pain**, but it’s worth it.
idiom

mentor from the sidelines

Meaning
to guide someone without directly getting involved in their work
Example
Sometimes, the best leaders **mentor from the sidelines** and let others take charge.
idiom

over the horizon

Meaning
something that is expected to happen soon
Example
A big change in the market may be **over the horizon**.
idiom

stick your neck out

Meaning
to take a risk by doing or saying something that others may disagree with
Example
He **stuck his neck out** to defend his colleague.
phrasal-verb

work past

Meaning
to overcome an emotional obstacle or memory
Example
He’s still trying to **work past** his anxiety.
idiom

out of one’s mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
He must be **out of his mind** to drive so fast in the rain.
idiom

keep the peace

Meaning
to maintain order and avoid conflict
Example
The police were called to **keep the peace** during the protest.
idiom

Clean hands

Meaning
To be innocent or free from guilt.
Example
He claims to have **clean hands** in the scandal.
phrasal-verb

rise through

Meaning
to progress or succeed in something through effort and determination
Example
She managed to **rise through** hard work and self-belief.
phrasal-verb

turn on

Meaning
to start a machine or device
Example
Can you **turn on** the Wi-Fi, please?
phrasal-verb

point down

Meaning
to direct something downward
Example
He **pointed down** to show where the leak was.
idiom

seat of power

Meaning
a place where authority or control is exercised
Example
The prime minister returned to the **seat of power** after a long illness.
phrasal-verb

build discipline

Meaning
to develop good habits and control over one’s actions
Example
Meditation helps you **build discipline** over your thoughts.
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

zone in on

Meaning
to focus attention closely on something specific
Example
We need to **zone in on** the main customer problem.
idiom

have a falling out

Meaning
to have a disagreement or fight with someone
Example
They **had a falling out** over money issues.
idiom

drill down

Meaning
to examine something in greater detail
Example
We need to **drill down** into the survey responses.
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

go separate ways

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

check over

Meaning
to examine something carefully for mistakes
Example
Let’s **check over** the draft before sending it.
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

reach forward to

Meaning
to extend emotional support to help someone move on
Example
He **reached forward to** his brother to help him recover.
phrasal-verb

scale ideas globally

Meaning
to grow a concept so it works in many countries
Example
Innovators **scale ideas globally** once prototypes prove reliable.
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

clam down from

Meaning
to gradually relax after being very stressed or angry
Example
It took him an hour to **clam down from** the argument.
idiom

stand up and be counted

Meaning
to take responsibility by showing your support or opinion openly
Example
It’s time for everyone to **stand up and be counted**.
phrasal-verb

move through

Meaning
to pass through or experience something from start to end
Example
We had to **move through** many challenges to succeed.
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

self-assured

Meaning
confident and sure of oneself
Example
She walked into the room looking calm and **self-assured**.
phrasal-verb

hand off responsibility

Meaning
to transfer duties to another person
Example
Supervisors **hand off responsibility** when they rotate night shifts.
phrasal-verb

take time out

Meaning
to spend time resting away from work or pressure
Example
You should **take time out** to recharge and relax.
phrasal-verb

fill up with gratitude

Meaning
to feel full of thankfulness and appreciation
Example
Every morning, I **fill up with gratitude** for the life I have.
idiom

have a chip on your shoulder

Meaning
to be angry or resentful about something from the past
Example
He **has a chip on his shoulder** about being rejected.
idiom

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
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

steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to look or feel extremely angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** after the argument.
idiom

blow away the cobwebs

Meaning
to refresh one’s mind or body after inactivity
Example
A short walk helped me **blow away the cobwebs**.
idiom

breaking the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation where no progress is being made
Example
The negotiation team succeeded in **breaking the deadlock**.
phrasal-verb

stand up under

Meaning
to endure stress or criticism without breaking down
Example
She **stood up under** the criticism and stayed confident.
phrasal-verb

wrap around

Meaning
to summarize or conclude by revisiting main ideas
Example
Let’s **wrap around** our discussion by revisiting the key points.
phrasal-verb

log in for

Meaning
to access an online system in order to do something
Example
Everyone **logs in for** the robotics demo ten minutes early.
idiom

Keep your head above water

Meaning
Manage to survive or cope with difficulties.
Example
It’s hard, but I’m trying to **keep my head above water**.
phrasal-verb

work within

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

Breaking news

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

rise up against

Meaning
to rebel or protest against authority or oppression
Example
Citizens **rose up against** the unfair government policies.
idiom

knuckle down

Meaning
to start working hard, especially after delaying
Example
It’s time to **knuckle down** and finish this report.
idiom

under the pump

Meaning
to be under a lot of pressure or stress
Example
The team has been **under the pump** to meet the project deadline.
phrasal-verb

iterate through drafts

Meaning
to review and adjust multiple versions in sequence
Example
We **iterate through drafts** until the collaboration guide reads clearly.
idiom

jump the gun

Meaning
to start something too soon
Example
They **jumped the gun** by announcing the news early.
idiom

in deep water

Meaning
to be in serious trouble or difficulty
Example
He’s **in deep water** after missing the deadline again.
idiom

a guiding light

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

ahead of its time

Meaning
to be unusually advanced or innovative for its era
Example
That invention was **ahead of its time**.
phrasal-verb

step back from tension

Meaning
to distance yourself from a stressful situation to regain perspective
Example
Sometimes it's best to **step back from tension** and reassess things calmly.
idiom

call to arms

Meaning
a call to take action, especially to defend a cause
Example
The leader’s speech was a **call to arms** for all citizens to fight corruption.
idiom

corner office

Meaning
a symbol of success or high position in a company
Example
Everyone dreams of getting the **corner office** one day.
phrasal-verb

build across

Meaning
to develop cooperation or structures that connect different entities globally
Example
They aim to **build across** regions to support innovation networks.
idiom

a ray of sunshine

Meaning
someone or something that brings happiness
Example
Her smile is **a ray of sunshine** on a gloomy day.
phrasal-verb

set out plans

Meaning
to explain or describe plans in detail
Example
The finance minister **set out plans** to boost national growth.
phrasal-verb

ease into calmness

Meaning
to gradually relax and let go of anxious tension
Example
Close your eyes and **ease into calmness** with slow breathing.
idiom

pull someone's leg

Meaning
to tease or joke with someone in a playful way
Example
Don't worry, I was just **pulling your leg** about the test results.
phrasal-verb

give thanks to

Meaning
to express gratitude or appreciation toward someone
Example
We should always **give thanks to** those who help us in tough times.
idiom

going viral

Meaning
to become very popular very quickly on the internet or social media
Example
The video of the cat dancing has **gone viral** and everyone is talking about it.
phrasal-verb

take things easy

Meaning
to relax and not get too worried or upset
Example
You need to **take things easy** instead of stressing about every detail.
phrasal-verb

call over

Meaning
to invite someone to come to your place
Example
We should **call over** some friends this weekend for a movie night.
idiom

To be thick as thieves

Meaning
To be very close friends
Example
They've been **thick as thieves** ever since childhood.