teach someone a lesson
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idiom

teach someone a lesson

Meaning
to make someone learn from their mistake
Example
The teacher’s punishment really **taught him a lesson**.
idiom

pot luck

Meaning
whatever is available or happens by chance
Example
Let’s take **pot luck** and eat at that new café.
phrasal-verb

tie together

Meaning
to connect or combine different ideas or organizations into a single effort
Example
Their vision helps to **tie together** efforts from multiple NGOs.
idiom

earn your stripes

Meaning
to gain respect or recognition through hard work
Example
She really **earned her stripes** after managing that crisis.
idiom

hit the nail on the head

Meaning
to be exactly right about something
Example
You **hit the nail on the head** with that analysis.
idiom

fail to plan is plan to fail

Meaning
without proper planning, failure is inevitable
Example
**Failing to plan is planning to fail**, so prepare early.
idiom

A nest egg

Meaning
A sum of money saved for the future or retirement.
Example
He built up a **nest egg** for his children's education.
idiom

Star-studded

Meaning
Full of famous or talented people.
Example
The event was **star-studded** with celebrities from all fields.
idiom

tell a tall tale

Meaning
to tell an exaggerated or false story
Example
He loves to **tell tall tales** about his adventures.
idiom

rant and rave

Meaning
to shout and complain loudly
Example
He was **ranting and raving** about the bad service.
phrasal-verb

pack up for travel

Meaning
to gather and prepare belongings before a trip
Example
We **pack up for travel** the night before an early flight.
idiom

luck of the Irish

Meaning
good fortune associated with Irish people
Example
He found gold! Must be the **luck of the Irish**.
idiom

barefaced lie

Meaning
a bold and shameless lie
Example
His excuse was a **barefaced lie**.
idiom

don't sweat the small stuff

Meaning
don’t worry about minor or unimportant things
Example
It’s just a little mistake, **don’t sweat the small stuff**.
idiom

by the book

Meaning
to follow the rules exactly
Example
Our manager does everything **by the book**.
idiom

hand down to

Meaning
to pass something to someone of a later generation
Example
Grandma **handed this down to** me when I graduated.
phrasal-verb

settle over

Meaning
to relax and let go of tension or emotional stress
Example
After a long day, I like to sit quietly and **settle over** my thoughts.
phrasal-verb

log back in

Meaning
to enter your account again after logging out
Example
I had to **log back in** after my session expired.
phrasal-verb

focus on strengths

Meaning
to concentrate on your positive qualities and abilities
Example
Try to **focus on strengths** instead of weaknesses.
idiom

a run on the bank

Meaning
a situation where many people withdraw their money from a bank due to fear of collapse
Example
Rumors of insolvency caused **a run on the bank**.
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

smile from ear to ear

Meaning
to have a big, broad smile showing happiness
Example
He was **smiling from ear to ear** after the interview.
idiom

itching to do something

Meaning
to be eager or impatient to do something
Example
He’s **itching to start** his new project.
phrasal-verb

come out stronger

Meaning
to recover from difficulties with more strength or wisdom
Example
After failing the exam, she managed to **come out stronger** and more determined.
idiom

A bundle of nerves

Meaning
To be extremely anxious or tense.
Example
Before the presentation, she was **a bundle of nerves**.
idiom

take a step back

Meaning
to pause and reassess a situation
Example
Sometimes you need to **take a step back** to see the bigger picture.
phrasal-verb

pivot to

Meaning
to change direction or strategy in response to challenges or new opportunities
Example
When their initial product failed, the startup decided to **pivot to** a new market.
idiom

throw one’s hat into the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s intention to compete or take part, especially in politics
Example
He finally **threw his hat into the ring** for the mayoral election.
idiom

A giant leap

Meaning
A significant advancement or achievement.
Example
Landing on the moon was **a giant leap** for mankind.
idiom

dive into

Meaning
to start doing something with enthusiasm
Example
Let’s **dive into** the agenda after coffee.
phrasal-verb

open yourself up

Meaning
to make yourself emotionally vulnerable or honest
Example
It’s hard to **open yourself up** after being hurt.
idiom

doomscrolling

Meaning
endlessly scrolling through bad news or negative content online
Example
I stayed up late **doomscrolling** last night.
idiom

ring a bell

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can't remember where I heard it.
phrasal-verb

cut off from network

Meaning
to lose connection to a network or internet
Example
The device got **cut off from the network** during the update.
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

set aside differences

Meaning
to ignore disagreements so cooperation can continue
Example
Partners **set aside differences** to finish the joint project.
phrasal-verb

apologize sincerely

Meaning
to say sorry in a heartfelt and honest manner
Example
If you make a mistake, **apologize sincerely** to the person.
phrasal-verb

work from

Meaning
to base your creation on a source or reference
Example
She **worked from** a photograph to paint the portrait.
phrasal-verb

take charge of

Meaning
to assume control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge of** the new department.
phrasal-verb

drop off to sleep

Meaning
to start sleeping, especially unintentionally
Example
He **dropped off to sleep** while watching TV.
phrasal-verb

run up

Meaning
to cause yourself to owe a large amount of money
Example
He **ran up** a huge credit card bill last month.
phrasal-verb

come up empty

Meaning
to fail to achieve or find something
Example
We searched everywhere but **came up empty**.
idiom

get the wrong end of the stick

Meaning
to misunderstand a situation or statement completely
Example
I think you’ve **got the wrong end of the stick**—I wasn’t blaming you.
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**.
idiom

ray of sunshine

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

sync expectations up

Meaning
to make sure everyone understands the same plan
Example
Let's **sync expectations up** before we send the proposal.
phrasal-verb

build towards

Meaning
to develop something gradually to reach a goal
Example
He is slowly **building towards** his dream project.
phrasal-verb

turn towards

Meaning
to start focusing on a new direction or field
Example
After years in law, he decided to **turn towards** teaching.
idiom

to get the ball rolling

Meaning
to start something, especially a project or task
Example
Let's **get the ball rolling** and start the meeting.
idiom

a glimmer of hope

Meaning
a small sign of improvement or success in a difficult situation
Example
Even in the hardest times, he never gave up because there was always **a glimmer of hope**.
phrasal-verb

speak for others

Meaning
to voice concerns on behalf of people who are absent
Example
Leaders should **speak for others** who aren't in the room.
idiom

say hello

Meaning
to greet someone
Example
Please **say hello** to your parents for me.
phrasal-verb

shift focus toward growth

Meaning
to redirect attention and efforts toward improvement
Example
The manager encouraged everyone to **shift focus toward growth** after the changes.
idiom

overnight success

Meaning
a person or thing that becomes successful very quickly
Example
Her first song made her an **overnight success**.
phrasal-verb

feed your soul with joy

Meaning
to engage in activities that make you genuinely happy
Example
Spend time in nature to **feed your soul with joy**.
idiom

The more you know, the more you realize you don’t

Meaning
The more you learn, the more you understand how much there is left to learn.
Example
**The more you know, the more you realize you don’t** — that’s the beauty of curiosity.
phrasal-verb

lie around

Meaning
to spend time lazily doing nothing
Example
I just want to **lie around** and do nothing today.
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.
idiom

read between the lines

Meaning
to understand the hidden meaning behind something
Example
She said everything was fine, but if you **read between the lines**, you could tell she was upset.
idiom

keep faith with someone

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

rule the roost

Meaning
to be the most powerful person in a group or family
Example
It’s clear that Mary **rules the roost** in that household.
idiom

Don't cry over spilled milk

Meaning
Don’t waste time worrying about things that have already happened.
Example
**Don't cry over spilled milk**; learn from your mistake.
phrasal-verb

lash with anger

Meaning
to express anger strongly
Example
The coach **lashed with anger** after the team lost again.
idiom

bear market

Meaning
a period when stock prices are falling
Example
Many people lose money during a **bear market**.
idiom

win the battle but lose the war

Meaning
to achieve a small success but fail in the larger goal
Example
By focusing on minor issues, they **won the battle but lost the war**.
idiom

sitting on a gold mine

Meaning
to have something very valuable that is not yet realized
Example
That old property is worth millions — you're **sitting on a gold mine**.
phrasal-verb

sink into

Meaning
to gradually become deeply involved in a negative emotion
Example
She **sank into** depression after losing her job.
idiom

carry a torch for someone

Meaning
to continue loving someone who doesn’t love you back
Example
He’s still **carrying a torch for** his ex-girlfriend.
phrasal-verb

snow over

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

weigh in

Meaning
to give an opinion in a discussion
Example
Experts will **weigh in** on the proposal tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

pop up

Meaning
to appear suddenly on the screen
Example
A message just **popped up** on my screen.
idiom

move up

Meaning
to advance to a higher level or position
Example
She hopes to **move up** to a senior role next year.
idiom

spark an idea

Meaning
to cause someone to have a new thought or idea
Example
That movie **sparked an idea** for my next project.
idiom

a man of integrity

Meaning
someone who is honest and morally upright
Example
He is known as **a man of integrity** in the business world.
idiom

on the up and up

Meaning
honest; truthful; not involved in any wrongdoing
Example
She’s always been **on the up and up** with me.
idiom

a quick study

Meaning
someone who learns new things very fast
Example
She’s **a quick study** and mastered the topic in a day.
idiom

face your fears

Meaning
to confront something that scares you
Example
You need to **face your fears** if you want to grow as a person.
phrasal-verb

shell out

Meaning
to pay money, especially when you don’t want to
Example
We had to **shell out** $200 for the concert tickets.
phrasal-verb

appreciate for

Meaning
to recognize the value of someone or something
Example
I really **appreciate you for** staying late to finish the work.
phrasal-verb

keep up morale

Meaning
to maintain team spirit and positive energy
Example
The coach worked hard to **keep up morale** after the team’s loss.
idiom

keep on keeping on

Meaning
to continue doing something despite challenges
Example
It’s tough, but you have to **keep on keeping on**.
idiom

forbidden fruit

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

go for

Meaning
to like or choose something
Example
Most kids **go for** ice cream over fruit.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
idiom

in beta

Meaning
in the testing phase before final release
Example
The app is still **in beta**, so expect some bugs.
phrasal-verb

ask out

Meaning
to invite someone to go somewhere with you, especially on a date
Example
He finally had the courage to **ask out** his coworker for dinner.
idiom

Big fish in a small pond

Meaning
An important person in a small organization or area.
Example
He prefers being a **big fish in a small pond** rather than competing globally.
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.
phrasal-verb

ask for forgiveness

Meaning
to request someone to forgive you
Example
I will **ask for forgiveness** for what I did.
idiom

in over one’s head

Meaning
to be involved in something too difficult to handle
Example
He’s **in over his head** with this complex project.
phrasal-verb

lead up to

Meaning
to result in or cause something to happen later
Example
The decisions we make now could **lead up to** major outcomes in the future.
phrasal-verb

work toward equality

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve fairness and equal opportunities
Example
International organizations continue to **work toward equality** for all genders.
phrasal-verb

draft blueprints for

Meaning
to create a detailed outline for something new
Example
Architects **draft blueprints for** civic centers with community input.
phrasal-verb

sort out finances

Meaning
to organize and fix your financial situation
Example
He needs to **sort out his finances** before applying for a loan.
idiom

make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a strong impression
Example
The new product launch really **made a splash** in the market.
phrasal-verb

lean forward

Meaning
to show interest and emotional engagement in a conversation
Example
She **leaned forward** and listened carefully to her friend’s worries.
idiom

have a heavy heart

Meaning
to feel deep sadness or sorrow
Example
He left the city **with a heavy heart**.
phrasal-verb

cool your temper

Meaning
to become calm after being angry
Example
He went for a walk to **cool his temper** before talking to her.
idiom

cut someone down to size

Meaning
to criticize someone to make them feel less important
Example
The manager **cut him down to size** after he bragged too much.
idiom

a labor of love

Meaning
something done out of passion, not for money
Example
Building that model train was **a labor of love** for him.
idiom

runway left

Meaning
the amount of time before a startup runs out of money
Example
We only have six months of **runway left** to make this work.
phrasal-verb

breathe in calmness

Meaning
to take deep breaths to feel relaxed and peaceful
Example
Take a moment to **breathe in calmness** and release your worries.
idiom

head to head

Meaning
to be in direct competition or disagreement
Example
The two leaders went **head to head** in the debate.
phrasal-verb

drop a message

Meaning
to send someone a short message online
Example
Just **drop me a message** if you need any help.
phrasal-verb

work out of

Meaning
to be based or operate from a specific place
Example
He **works out of** our Singapore office.
idiom

put on a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be confident or happy when you are not
Example
She **put on a brave face** even after hearing the bad news.
idiom

Don Quixote

Meaning
A person who is overly idealistic, unrealistic, or impractical.
Example
He’s being **a Don Quixote**, chasing impossible dreams.
phrasal-verb

phase in recovery

Meaning
to introduce recovery measures gradually over time
Example
The government decided to **phase in recovery** policies to avoid economic shocks.
phrasal-verb

burn down

Meaning
to be destroyed by fire
Example
The forest **burned down** after the wildfire.
phrasal-verb

team together for

Meaning
to unite or collaborate with others for a common purpose
Example
Countries decided to **team together for** regional growth.
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

answer the call

Meaning
to respond to a responsibility or opportunity
Example
He was ready to **answer the call** and take charge of the project.
idiom

Air time

Meaning
The amount of time something is broadcast on TV or radio
Example
The charity event got a lot of **air time** on local stations.
phrasal-verb

make things right with

Meaning
to restore harmony or fix a mistake with someone
Example
He wanted to **make things right with** his parents after disappointing them.
phrasal-verb

cheer yourself up

Meaning
to do something to feel happier
Example
I bought some flowers to **cheer myself up** after a long week.
idiom

jump in on

Meaning
to join an activity or discussion quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in on** the brainstorming if you have ideas.
idiom

as thick as two short planks

Meaning
very stupid or slow-witted
Example
He’s **as thick as two short planks**, bless him.
idiom

Bursting at the seams

Meaning
To be very full or crowded.
Example
The store was **bursting at the seams** during the sale.
idiom

the winds of change

Meaning
an influence that promotes change
Example
**The winds of change** are blowing through the organization.
phrasal-verb

click away

Meaning
to leave a dangerous or suspicious webpage quickly
Example
If you see something strange, just **click away** immediately.
idiom

hear something straight from the horse's mouth

Meaning
to hear something directly from the original or most reliable source
Example
I heard it **straight from the horse's mouth** that the event is canceled.