sweeten the deal
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idiom

sweeten the deal

Meaning
to make an offer more attractive
Example
They decided to **sweeten the deal** by offering free shipping.
phrasal-verb

look back upon

Meaning
to think about something that happened in the past, often with mixed feelings
Example
When I **look back upon** my decisions, I wish I had chosen differently.
idiom

success is within reach

Meaning
success is almost attainable
Example
With just a little more effort, **success is within reach**.
idiom

sort out

Meaning
to organize or resolve a confusing situation
Example
We need to **sort out** this billing error today.
idiom

go steady

Meaning
to date someone regularly and exclusively
Example
They've been **going steady** for over two years now.
idiom

to have a fever pitch

Meaning
to reach an intense level of excitement or emotion
Example
The crowd’s excitement reached **fever pitch** during the final moments.
phrasal-verb

get over hurt

Meaning
to recover emotionally from pain or sadness
Example
It took him months to **get over** the hurt from the breakup.
idiom

put your foot in your mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate
Example
He really **put his foot in his mouth** when he mentioned her age.
phrasal-verb

open up emotionally

Meaning
to allow others to see your feelings or emotional state
Example
He started to **open up emotionally** after therapy.
idiom

written in the stars

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

pay out on

Meaning
to give money as a result of an insurance claim or bet
Example
The insurance company **paid out on** the fire damage claim.
phrasal-verb

heap praise on

Meaning
to give a lot of praise to someone
Example
Critics **heaped praise on** the actor for his performance.
idiom

You can say that again

Meaning
Used to strongly agree with someone
Example
‘It’s been a long day.’ ‘**You can say that again!**’
idiom

Open a can of worms

Meaning
To start something that creates many new problems.
Example
By questioning the policy, he **opened a can of worms**.
phrasal-verb

let up

Meaning
when bad weather or rain becomes less strong or stops
Example
The rain finally **let up** after hours of storm.
phrasal-verb

kick off innovation projects

Meaning
to begin innovation initiatives
Example
The firm will **kick off innovation projects** next quarter.
idiom

steer clear of

Meaning
to avoid someone or something
Example
You should **steer clear of** that street after dark.
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.
phrasal-verb

dream of

Meaning
to imagine or hope for something you want very much
Example
Many children **dream of** becoming astronauts.
idiom

blind justice

Meaning
justice that is impartial and not influenced by external factors
Example
**Blind justice** treats everyone the same, regardless of wealth or status.
idiom

cross that bridge when we come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem only when it arises
Example
Don't worry about the challenges now, we will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
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.
idiom

chill out

Meaning
to relax and stop being angry or nervous
Example
You need to **chill out** and enjoy the weekend.
phrasal-verb

speak from

Meaning
to express an opinion based on personal experience
Example
She **speaks from** experience when she warns about that company.
idiom

cut to the chase

Meaning
to get to the point quickly
Example
Let’s **cut to the chase** and discuss the main issue.
idiom

kick up a fuss

Meaning
to make a big complaint or protest about something
Example
They **kicked up a fuss** when the restaurant ran out of food.
idiom

sweet tooth

Meaning
a love for sweet foods
Example
She has a **sweet tooth** and can’t resist desserts.
idiom

check back

Meaning
to return at a later time for an update
Example
Please **check back** next week for the final list.
idiom

Apple of my eye

Meaning
Someone you love dearly.
Example
Her son is the **apple of her eye**.
phrasal-verb

open up to differences

Meaning
to accept and appreciate diversity
Example
Children should learn to **open up to differences** from an early age.
phrasal-verb

finish up

Meaning
to complete or end something
Example
Let’s **finish up** this report before the meeting starts.
idiom

toe the line

Meaning
to obey rules or follow the official policy
Example
All members are expected to **toe the line** with party policy.
idiom

run out of bandwidth

Meaning
to have no time or energy left; to be overwhelmed
Example
Sorry, I can’t take another task — I’ve **run out of bandwidth**.
phrasal-verb

take back

Meaning
to admit that what you said was wrong; to retract something
Example
I **take back** what I said earlier.
idiom

zero-day attack

Meaning
a cyberattack that exploits a previously unknown vulnerability
Example
The team discovered a **zero-day attack** before it spread widely.
phrasal-verb

evolve from

Meaning
to develop or change gradually from a previous form or condition
Example
Modern customs often **evolve from** ancient traditions.
idiom

change of guard

Meaning
a change in leadership or authority
Example
There has been a **change of guard** in the ruling party.
idiom

tie the knot of friendship

Meaning
to start a friendship
Example
They **tied the knot of friendship** during college.
idiom

Nest feathering

Meaning
Using one’s position or power for personal financial gain.
Example
The politician was accused of **nest feathering**.
phrasal-verb

turn setbacks into opportunities

Meaning
to use failure as a chance for growth
Example
True leaders **turn setbacks into opportunities** to learn and improve.
phrasal-verb

connect through

Meaning
to build relationships or understanding by using shared experiences or communication
Example
People can **connect through** art and music despite language barriers.
idiom

pick someone’s brain

Meaning
to ask someone knowledgeable for advice or ideas
Example
I’d like to **pick your brain** about this project idea.
idiom

pay off

Meaning
to yield good results after effort
Example
All those late nights finally **paid off** during the launch.
idiom

trending topic

Meaning
a subject that is currently popular on social media
Example
Her post became a **trending topic** on Twitter.
idiom

weather the storm

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
Our company managed to **weather the storm** during the crisis.
idiom

break into

Meaning
to enter a new field or profession successfully
Example
She managed to **break into** the film industry last year.
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

break into new markets

Meaning
to successfully enter a new market or industry
Example
The startup managed to **break into new markets** with its AI-powered tools.
idiom

ease into

Meaning
to enter a new activity slowly and comfortably
Example
The trainer helped us **ease into** the new routine.
idiom

Pass down from generation to generation

Meaning
To transfer knowledge, customs, or traditions from one generation to the next
Example
These folk songs have been **passed down from generation to generation**.
phrasal-verb

doodle around with

Meaning
to experiment playfully with sketches or ideas
Example
I **doodle around with** color palettes when inspiration drops.
idiom

smooth sailing

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

stand for

Meaning
to represent or support a particular idea or principle
Example
The party **stands for** equality and justice.
phrasal-verb

strengthen alliances with

Meaning
to make partnerships or coalitions with other nations stronger
Example
The president vowed to **strengthen alliances with** global partners.
phrasal-verb

drive up with

Meaning
to increase results by using a particular lever
Example
They **drive up with** targeted ads during festival weeks.
phrasal-verb

doll up

Meaning
to make oneself look more attractive by wearing nice clothes or makeup
Example
She **dolled up** for the evening party.
idiom

A shot in the dark

Meaning
a guess or attempt made without knowing much or anything about the result
Example
His idea about solving the problem was just **a shot in the dark**.
phrasal-verb

restate goals clearly

Meaning
to repeat objectives in straightforward language
Example
Leads **restate goals clearly** at the start of every standup.
idiom

get down to business

Meaning
to start working seriously
Example
Let’s stop chatting and **get down to business**.
phrasal-verb

draw attention to

Meaning
to make people notice or focus on an issue
Example
Activists **drew attention to** flaws in the legal system.
idiom

snowed under

Meaning
to have too much work to do
Example
I'm **snowed under** with assignments this week.
idiom

addiction to something

Meaning
a strong and harmful need to do or use something
Example
He is struggling with his **addiction to smoking**.
idiom

burn your fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of a bad decision or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by trusting the wrong person.
idiom

come to terms

Meaning
to reach an agreement after discussion or conflict
Example
After weeks of negotiation, both sides finally **came to terms**.
phrasal-verb

bring across

Meaning
to communicate an idea effectively
Example
He used visuals to **bring across** his main idea clearly.
phrasal-verb

come off as

Meaning
to seem to be a particular type of person
Example
He can **come off as** rude, but he’s actually very kind.
idiom

plan ahead

Meaning
to prepare for the future
Example
You should **plan ahead** to avoid problems later.
idiom

pull someone’s weight

Meaning
to do one's fair share of work in a group
Example
Everyone in the team **pulls their weight** to succeed.
phrasal-verb

budget for

Meaning
to plan how much money will be needed for something
Example
We need to **budget for** our new marketing campaign.
phrasal-verb

turn within

Meaning
to focus on your inner world to find peace or answers
Example
He chose to **turn within** instead of blaming others.
idiom

take the credit

Meaning
to accept praise for something one did
Example
She was the one who solved the issue, but he tried to **take the credit**.
idiom

Handle with kid gloves

Meaning
To treat someone very gently or carefully.
Example
They **handled** the new client **with kid gloves**.
phrasal-verb

stay away from

Meaning
to avoid something or someone for a good reason
Example
I told him to **stay away from** negative people.
phrasal-verb

reach within yourself

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

fake news

Meaning
false or misleading information presented as news
Example
Be careful not to believe in **fake news** spread on social media.
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

run away with

Meaning
to win easily; to take something without permission
Example
Their team **ran away with** the championship.
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

hang in there

Meaning
to remain persistent and determined in difficult circumstances
Example
I know you're tired, but **hang in there** because you're almost finished.
idiom

talk up

Meaning
to praise or promote something enthusiastically
Example
The host will **talk up** the new menu tonight.
phrasal-verb

bring online

Meaning
to make a system or machine operational or connected to a network
Example
The new data center was **brought online** last week.
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.
idiom

wash your hands of something

Meaning
to stop being involved in or responsible for something
Example
After the scandal, the manager **washed his hands of** the project.
phrasal-verb

look after

Meaning
to take care of someone or something
Example
I have to **look after** my grandparents at the weekend.
phrasal-verb

shut off emotions

Meaning
to stop feeling or expressing emotions
Example
He learned to **shut off his emotions** to protect himself.
idiom

black hat

Meaning
a hacker with malicious intent
Example
**Black hats** often exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain.
phrasal-verb

lock up

Meaning
to become completely unresponsive or stuck
Example
The app **locked up** and I had to restart my phone.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
idiom

once in a blue moon

Meaning
very rarely
Example
I only see him **once in a blue moon**.
phrasal-verb

keep cool

Meaning
to remain calm in a stressful situation
Example
It’s important to **keep cool** even when things go wrong.
phrasal-verb

choke up

Meaning
to become emotional and unable to speak
Example
He **choked up** while giving his farewell speech.
idiom

riding the wave

Meaning
taking advantage of a current trend or success
Example
The company is **riding the wave** of its recent success in the international market.
phrasal-verb

cheer yourself on

Meaning
to motivate and encourage yourself to keep going
Example
Sometimes you just need to **cheer yourself on** when no one else does.
idiom

under false pretenses

Meaning
by lying or misleading someone
Example
He got the job **under false pretenses**.
phrasal-verb

move beyond pain

Meaning
to heal and grow after emotional suffering
Example
She tried to **move beyond pain** and focus on her goals.
phrasal-verb

chill with

Meaning
to relax and spend calm time with someone
Example
I love to **chill with** my friends on weekends to refresh my mind.
phrasal-verb

dry up

Meaning
to become dry or have no water left
Example
Many rivers may **dry up** if rainfall continues to decrease.
idiom

Trickle-down effect

Meaning
Economic benefits of the wealthy gradually reaching the lower-income groups.
Example
Critics argue that the **trickle-down effect** rarely helps the poor.
phrasal-verb

fall down

Meaning
to drop to the ground; to fail at something
Example
He **fell down** while running in the park.
idiom

at ease

Meaning
feeling relaxed and comfortable
Example
He felt completely **at ease** in the quiet garden.
phrasal-verb

pour into

Meaning
to invest large amounts of money into something
Example
Investors are **pouring into** renewable energy projects.
phrasal-verb

power through

Meaning
to complete something difficult with strong effort and confidence
Example
She managed to **power through** the challenge with determination.
phrasal-verb

move closer to

Meaning
to make progress toward achieving a goal
Example
Every small win moves you **closer to** success.
idiom

flash back to

Meaning
to suddenly remember a past event
Example
The photo made her **flash back to** her first day at work.
phrasal-verb

drop behind

Meaning
to fall behind others in progress or development
Example
She started to **drop behind** in her studies after missing several classes.
phrasal-verb

shift mindset

Meaning
to change the way one thinks about something
Example
Leaders must **shift mindset** to embrace innovation.
idiom

a chatterbox

Meaning
someone who talks a lot, especially a child
Example
My little sister is **a chatterbox**; she never stops talking.
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

a silver bullet

Meaning
a simple solution to a complex problem
Example
There is no **silver bullet** for solving climate change, but we need to take action.
phrasal-verb

dream up

Meaning
to imagine or invent something new or creative
Example
They **dreamed up** a new way to achieve their business goals.
idiom

nice to meet you

Meaning
a polite expression used when meeting someone for the first time
Example
It's **nice to meet you**, I've heard a lot about you.
idiom

parallel universe

Meaning
a completely different or contrasting situation
Example
Life in the countryside feels like a **parallel universe** compared to the city.
idiom

wild goose chase

Meaning
a useless or hopeless pursuit
Example
Looking for that document was a **wild goose chase**.
phrasal-verb

move beyond boundaries

Meaning
to work or cooperate across national or traditional limits
Example
Global collaboration helps us **move beyond boundaries** to solve shared challenges.
phrasal-verb

cross out

Meaning
to draw a line through something written to show it is wrong
Example
He **crossed out** the wrong answer and wrote the correct one.
phrasal-verb

zone out with

Meaning
to relax or mentally drift while using something like music or a show
Example
I sometimes **zone out with** a podcast on the bus ride home.
phrasal-verb

adapt to

Meaning
to change your behavior to fit a new situation or culture
Example
It takes patience to **adapt to** a completely different lifestyle.
phrasal-verb

bridge over traditions

Meaning
to find common ground between different traditional beliefs or practices
Example
The event aimed to **bridge over traditions** and promote harmony.
B1 idiom

all ears

Listening very attentively
Meaning
Listening very attentively
Example
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
phrasal-verb

sync with

Meaning
to coordinate tasks or schedules with others online
Example
Let’s **sync with** the marketing team tomorrow morning.
idiom

pat on the back

Meaning
to praise or congratulate someone for doing something well
Example
You deserve a **pat on the back** for your effort.