talk around something
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

talk around something

Meaning
to discuss something without addressing it directly
Example
She kept **talking around** the topic instead of answering the question directly.
idiom

green light

Meaning
permission to start or go ahead with something
Example
The manager gave us the **green light** to launch the project.
idiom

forbidden fruit

Meaning
something attractive but not allowed or morally wrong
Example
For teenagers, breaking rules often feels like **forbidden fruit**.
idiom

steer the ship

Meaning
to be in charge or control of a situation or organization
Example
The manager was able to **steer the ship** through the difficult times.
idiom

kick the habit

Meaning
to stop doing something bad or addictive
Example
After ten years of smoking, he finally **kicked the habit**.
phrasal-verb

appeal against

Meaning
to formally ask for a change in a court decision
Example
The defendant plans to **appeal against** the verdict.
phrasal-verb

cast a vote for

Meaning
to choose a candidate or option in an election
Example
Remember to **cast a vote for** the issues you believe in.
phrasal-verb

tune in to

Meaning
to become aware of or responsive to something or someone
Example
Good leaders **tune in to** their team’s needs and emotions.
idiom

Dressed to kill

Meaning
Wearing very fashionable or attractive clothes
Example
She was **dressed to kill** at the party last night.
phrasal-verb

lay out concepts

Meaning
to present or explain creative ideas clearly
Example
The designer **laid out concepts** for the new brand identity.
idiom

get your money’s worth

Meaning
to get value or satisfaction from what you paid for
Example
That smartphone is so durable—you really **got your money’s worth**.
idiom

nod off

Meaning
to fall asleep suddenly, especially when sitting
Example
He **nodded off** during the boring lecture.
phrasal-verb

brush off doubt

Meaning
to ignore self-doubt and continue with confidence
Example
He **brushed off doubt** and delivered a great speech.
idiom

turn back the clock

Meaning
to return to an earlier time; to undo progress or change
Example
Many people wish they could **turn back the clock** to their childhood.
idiom

cross the floor

Meaning
to change political allegiance or party
Example
The MP shocked everyone when he decided to **cross the floor** and join the opposition.
idiom

refresh one's memory

Meaning
to help someone remember something
Example
Let me **refresh your memory** about what happened last week.
idiom

Keep it under your hat

Meaning
To keep something secret.
Example
I’ll tell you a secret, but **keep it under your hat**.
idiom

shoulder the burden

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
She had to **shoulder the burden** of caring for her family.
phrasal-verb

ease tensions between

Meaning
to reduce conflict or hostility between countries
Example
Efforts were made to **ease tensions between** the rival nations.
phrasal-verb

get back up

Meaning
to recover after falling or failing
Example
When life knocks you down, **get back up** and try again.
phrasal-verb

build wealth

Meaning
to accumulate money and assets over time
Example
She plans to **build wealth** through smart investments and saving strategies.
phrasal-verb

steady yourself with breathing

Meaning
to calm your body by focusing on slow breaths
Example
I **steady myself with breathing** before I speak to the whole team.
phrasal-verb

write in

Meaning
to send a written complaint or opinion
Example
Many viewers **wrote in** to complain about the poor sound quality.
phrasal-verb

turn around from

Meaning
to change from a failing situation to a successful one
Example
The company managed to **turn around from** a major loss last year.
idiom

low-hanging fruit

Meaning
something easy to achieve or target
Example
We should focus on the **low-hanging fruit** before tackling bigger goals.
phrasal-verb

side with

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument or conflict
Example
She always **sides with** her best friend in arguments.
idiom

sadder but wiser

Meaning
disappointed but having learned from the experience
Example
After that mistake, she was **sadder but wiser**.
phrasal-verb

reach out to investors

Meaning
to contact people who might be interested in funding your business
Example
Startups often **reach out to investors** when they need capital.
phrasal-verb

break away into laughter

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing
Example
Everyone **broke away into laughter** after his funny comment.
phrasal-verb

hold down inflation

Meaning
to control or keep inflation at a manageable level
Example
The central bank took measures to **hold down inflation**.
phrasal-verb

revise for

Meaning
to study something again before an exam
Example
I need to **revise for** my chemistry exam this weekend.
idiom

apology accepted

Meaning
used to say that you forgive someone
Example
Don’t worry, **apology accepted**.
phrasal-verb

think outside boundaries

Meaning
to think creatively without restrictions or limitations
Example
Designers must **think outside boundaries** to stay innovative.
phrasal-verb

wind up with

Meaning
to end up in a particular situation or condition; to result in
Example
If you keep skipping breaks, you might **wind up with** burnout.
phrasal-verb

look ahead

Meaning
to think about the future instead of the past
Example
Instead of regretting, **look ahead** and plan your next move.
idiom

lose faith in someone

Meaning
to stop trusting someone
Example
After what he did, I’ve completely **lost faith in him**.
idiom

patch over

Meaning
to cover up a problem without truly fixing it
Example
We can’t just **patch over** the security flaws.
idiom

art imitates life

Meaning
art reflects real-life experiences or truths
Example
**Art imitates life**, and great artists capture that essence.
phrasal-verb

clock out for

Meaning
to end your work shift in order to do something specific
Example
I **clock out for** lunch right at noon every day.
phrasal-verb

talk down to

Meaning
to speak to someone as if they are less intelligent or inferior
Example
He always **talks down to** his employees.
phrasal-verb

draw out creativity

Meaning
to encourage or inspire someone’s creative potential
Example
The manager tried to **draw out creativity** from every team member.
phrasal-verb

tremble with excitement

Meaning
to shake slightly because of excitement
Example
He **trembled with excitement** before the announcement.
phrasal-verb

show thanks for

Meaning
to display appreciation through words or actions
Example
She baked cookies to **show thanks for** her neighbor’s kindness.
idiom

pioneer a path

Meaning
to be the first to do something new or innovative.
Example
She is determined to **pioneer a path** in sustainable fashion.
phrasal-verb

rope in for

Meaning
to persuade someone to join an activity
Example
They **roped me in for** the weekend volunteer drive.
phrasal-verb

cut expenses

Meaning
to lower the total amount of money spent
Example
He managed to **cut expenses** by cooking at home instead of eating out.
idiom

hope springs eternal

Meaning
people will always have hope, no matter the situation
Example
Even in the darkest times, he believed things would get better because **hope springs eternal**.
phrasal-verb

cut out excuses

Meaning
to stop making excuses and take responsibility
Example
If you want to improve, you need to **cut out excuses**.
phrasal-verb

snow over

Meaning
to be covered completely with snow
Example
The roads were **snowed over** by morning.
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

black hat

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

sworn enemy

Meaning
someone who will never be your friend
Example
They used to be close but now are **sworn enemies**.
idiom

Like two peas in a pod

Meaning
Two people who are very similar or close.
Example
John and Mike are **like two peas in a pod**. They think alike and do everything together.
phrasal-verb

drop in on

Meaning
to visit someone casually and without an appointment
Example
We decided to **drop in on** our cousins while passing through their town.
idiom

In for the long haul

Meaning
Prepared to continue something for a long time.
Example
He knew that success would take years, but he was **in for the long haul**.
phrasal-verb

cut down

Meaning
to eat or use less of something
Example
He’s trying to **cut down** his sugar intake.
phrasal-verb

embrace change

Meaning
to accept and welcome emotional or life changes positively
Example
To grow emotionally, you must **embrace change** with courage.
phrasal-verb

seek out

Meaning
to look for and find something or someone with effort
Example
She loves to **seek out** new experiences when she travels.
phrasal-verb

look back on

Meaning
to reflect on something that happened in the past
Example
Students often **look back on** their school days with pride.
idiom

pass with flying colors

Meaning
to succeed brilliantly or achieve something with excellence
Example
She **passed the exam with flying colors**.
phrasal-verb

build confidence

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

Wisdom comes with age

Meaning
The older you get, the wiser you become, due to experience.
Example
You should listen to him; after all, **wisdom comes with age**.
phrasal-verb

lean on courage

Meaning
to rely on one’s inner strength during fear
Example
He learned to **lean on courage** instead of fear.
idiom

tune out

Meaning
to stop paying attention to what’s happening around you
Example
He often **tunes out** when people start complaining.
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

live up to

Meaning
to meet expectations or standards
Example
He worked hard to **live up to** his parents’ expectations.
phrasal-verb

turn back

Meaning
to go back in the direction you came from
Example
We had to **turn back** because of the heavy rain.
phrasal-verb

keep away

Meaning
to stay at a distance; to avoid something or someone
Example
You should **keep away** from junk food if you want to stay healthy.
idiom

A bright future lies ahead

Meaning
there is hope for success in the future
Example
With his talent and hard work, **a bright future lies ahead** for him.
idiom

patch together

Meaning
to assemble something quickly and roughly
Example
We managed to **patch together** a plan before the call.
phrasal-verb

reach out with

Meaning
to offer help or kindness to someone
Example
The volunteers **reached out with** compassion and care.
idiom

move with the times

Meaning
to change and adapt as things in society or technology change
Example
Businesses must **move with the times** to stay relevant.
idiom

a stepping stone

Meaning
an event or experience that helps one to progress
Example
This internship was **a stepping stone** to my career.
phrasal-verb

stay up

Meaning
to remain awake later than usual
Example
If you **stay up** too late, you’ll feel tired in the morning.
idiom

Put your thinking cap on

Meaning
To start thinking carefully about something
Example
It’s time to **put your thinking cap on** for the quiz.
phrasal-verb

screw up

Meaning
to do something badly or incorrectly
Example
He **screwed up** the report by adding wrong data.
idiom

Bear with me

Meaning
Be patient with me.
Example
**Bear with me** while I fix this problem.
idiom

a peaceful resolution

Meaning
a solution that resolves a conflict calmly
Example
They reached **a peaceful resolution** after several discussions.
phrasal-verb

identify as

Meaning
to define oneself as belonging to a particular cultural or ethnic group
Example
He **identifies as** both Bangladeshi and global citizen.
phrasal-verb

build around customer needs

Meaning
to develop products or services based on user demands
Example
Successful startups **build around customer needs** to ensure satisfaction.
phrasal-verb

rule over

Meaning
to have control or authority over a country or people
Example
The king **ruled over** the entire region for decades.
phrasal-verb

shut down emotionally

Meaning
to stop expressing or feeling emotions, especially after being hurt
Example
After the argument, he completely **shut down emotionally**.
idiom

cry wolf

Meaning
to raise a false alarm
Example
Do not **cry wolf** or no one will believe you later.
idiom

in a bad mood

Meaning
feeling unhappy or irritable
Example
She’s **in a bad mood** because she didn’t sleep well.
phrasal-verb

float away stress

Meaning
to imagine your stress disappearing like something drifting away
Example
Visualize your worries and let them **float away** like clouds.
phrasal-verb

team along with

Meaning
to join efforts or form a group with others to accomplish a shared goal
Example
Several nations decided to **team along with** the UN to improve global healthcare.
idiom

shoulder to cry on

Meaning
Someone who listens and comforts you when you’re upset.
Example
After her breakup, Emma needed a **shoulder to cry on**.
phrasal-verb

check into

Meaning
to enter and get accommodation at a hotel or lodge
Example
We **checked into** a cozy mountain resort for our vacation.
phrasal-verb

let off your emotions

Meaning
to release stress or anger by expressing feelings
Example
It’s better to **let off your emotions** than to keep them inside.
phrasal-verb

join up for

Meaning
to enroll or participate in a collective action
Example
Thousands **join up for** the beach cleanup drive.
idiom

cutting corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often sacrificing quality
Example
They finished early by **cutting corners**, but the result was poor.
idiom

to pick someone's brain

Meaning
to ask someone questions in order to get information or advice
Example
I need to **pick your brain** about your experience with this software.
idiom

on the bench

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

crime doesn't pay

Meaning
doing wrong or illegal things will never bring true success
Example
He learned the hard way that **crime doesn't pay**.
idiom

have mixed feelings

Meaning
to be uncertain or have both positive and negative emotions
Example
I **have mixed feelings** about moving to another city.
phrasal-verb

burst apart

Meaning
to explode with emotion such as laughter or tears
Example
The whole group **burst apart** laughing at his joke.
phrasal-verb

rise through emotion

Meaning
to grow stronger by understanding and processing emotions
Example
He learned to **rise through emotion** instead of being controlled by it.
phrasal-verb

follow one’s passion

Meaning
to pursue what you truly love or are interested in
Example
He chose to **follow his passion** for music instead of money.
idiom

On the breadline

Meaning
Living in poverty or with very little money.
Example
After losing his job, he was almost **on the breadline**.
phrasal-verb

set boundaries

Meaning
to establish limits on what you will or will not do, especially in work
Example
It’s healthy to **set boundaries** between work and personal life.
idiom

tighten your belt

Meaning
to spend less money; to economize
Example
We’ll have to **tighten our belts** until business improves.
idiom

blue sky thinking

Meaning
creative and visionary thinking that ignores practical limitations
Example
Let's engage in some **blue sky thinking** to come up with innovative solutions.
idiom

digital twin

Meaning
a virtual representation of a physical object or system used for simulation and analysis
Example
Using **digital twin** technology, we can simulate the performance of machinery before production.
idiom

once bitten, twice shy

Meaning
after an unpleasant experience, you are careful to avoid it happening again
Example
After losing money in the stock market, he became **once bitten, twice shy**.
idiom

mark down

Meaning
to reduce the price of something
Example
The store **marked down** winter coats in March.
phrasal-verb

live up to promises

Meaning
to act according to what one has promised or expected
Example
Great leaders always **live up to** their promises.
idiom

put one's foot down

Meaning
to make a firm decision or take a strong stand on something
Example
She had to **put her foot down** and say no to the proposal.
idiom

phishing attack

Meaning
a fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity
Example
Never click on suspicious links to avoid a **phishing attack**.
phrasal-verb

blow up

Meaning
to fill something with air; to explode or become angry
Example
The kids **blew up** balloons for the birthday celebration.
phrasal-verb

stay ahead in class

Meaning
to perform better or be more advanced than others in the class
Example
He studies extra hours to **stay ahead in class**.
phrasal-verb

turn away from

Meaning
to stop doing or being involved in something
Example
He decided to **turn away from** politics.
phrasal-verb

map forward

Meaning
to plan the direction or steps for future progress
Example
The manager helped the team **map forward** their long-term strategy.
idiom

keep your options open

Meaning
to delay making a final decision so you have choices
Example
I’ll **keep my options open** until I hear back from all the universities.
idiom

code of ethics

Meaning
a set of moral principles guiding AI development or usage
Example
Developers must follow a strict **code of ethics** in AI research.
idiom

back and forth

Meaning
to change opinions or decisions repeatedly
Example
We’ve been going **back and forth** about this issue for weeks.
idiom

have a falling out

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

shift around

Meaning
to rearrange tasks, people, or resources to suit new situations
Example
We had to **shift around** responsibilities when two team members left.
phrasal-verb

see off guests

Meaning
to say goodbye to people as they leave
Example
The host **saw off the guests** at the gate after midnight.
idiom

chip in

Meaning
to contribute money or effort to a shared goal
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in** for Maya’s farewell gift.
phrasal-verb

branch up into management

Meaning
to progress into a higher level of management or leadership
Example
After years of experience, he finally **branched up into management**.
idiom

make your mark

Meaning
to achieve distinction or recognition
Example
He worked hard to **make his mark** in the tech industry.