The darkest hour is just before the dawn
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idiom

The darkest hour is just before the dawn

Meaning
Things often seem worst just before they improve.
Example
Things are rough right now, but remember, **the darkest hour is just before the dawn**.
idiom

do the right thing

Meaning
to act in a morally or socially responsible way
Example
Even when it’s hard, always **do the right thing**.
idiom

clear the air

Meaning
to remove tension or misunderstanding by talking openly
Example
We need to sit down and **clear the air** about what happened last week.
phrasal-verb

stand together against

Meaning
to unite and act collectively in opposition to something negative
Example
Countries **stand together against** terrorism and violence.
idiom

kill time

Meaning
to do something while waiting
Example
We played cards to **kill time** before the show started.
idiom

leave a legacy

Meaning
to create something that lasts and benefits others after you are gone
Example
He worked hard all his life to **leave a legacy** for his children.
phrasal-verb

make up after

Meaning
to become friends again after an argument
Example
They finally **made up after** not speaking for weeks.
idiom

keep out

Meaning
to prevent someone or something from entering
Example
Close the windows to **keep out** the dust during the renovation.
phrasal-verb

step down from office

Meaning
to resign from an important position
Example
The president agreed to **step down from office** after months of pressure.
phrasal-verb

tune up to

Meaning
to adjust or prepare equipment or oneself to perform better online
Example
Before the virtual meeting, make sure to **tune up to** avoid technical issues.
phrasal-verb

wait for

Meaning
to expect or anticipate the delivery of an order
Example
I can’t **wait for** my new shoes to arrive.
phrasal-verb

chill out over

Meaning
to relax while enjoying something like food or a conversation
Example
We **chill out over** coffee every Friday evening.
idiom

A thirst for knowledge

Meaning
A strong desire to learn new things.
Example
He has **a thirst for knowledge** and reads constantly.
idiom

bosom friend

Meaning
a very close and trusted friend
Example
We’ve been **bosom friends** since childhood.
phrasal-verb

give over

Meaning
to stop doing something; to hand control to someone
Example
He finally **gave over** his duties to his assistant.
phrasal-verb

slow within

Meaning
to calm down internally and observe your emotions without judgment
Example
Taking a breath helped her **slow within** and regain control over her thoughts.
idiom

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
idiom

feel it in your bones

Meaning
to sense something strongly without evidence
Example
I **feel it in my bones** that something bad will happen.
idiom

a quick learner

Meaning
someone who learns things fast
Example
She’s a **quick learner** and easily understands new topics.
idiom

throw a wrench in the works

Meaning
to cause a problem that stops progress
Example
The last-minute design change **threw a wrench in the works**.
phrasal-verb

reach consensus on

Meaning
to agree collectively on an issue after discussion
Example
Delegates finally **reached consensus on** the new global trade policy.
idiom

get along with someone

Meaning
to have a friendly relationship with someone
Example
They really **get along with each other** and are always laughing.
phrasal-verb

cheer someone on

Meaning
to encourage someone by showing support or enthusiasm
Example
My friends **cheered me on** during the presentation.
idiom

have words with

Meaning
to argue or disagree with someone
Example
She **had words with** her boss about the new schedule.
idiom

moonlight as

Meaning
to work at a second job, especially secretly or part-time
Example
She decided to **moonlight as** a freelance writer to make extra money.
phrasal-verb

get by on

Meaning
to manage to live with a certain amount of money
Example
Many families **get by on** a small income in rural areas.
idiom

at breaking point

Meaning
so stressed or tired that one can hardly cope
Example
After working 80 hours this week, she’s **at breaking point**.
phrasal-verb

bring around to

Meaning
to change someone’s opinion to match yours
Example
It took me hours to **bring him around to** my way of thinking.
phrasal-verb

drop by

Meaning
to visit someone informally or without prior notice
Example
Feel free to **drop by** anytime for a cup of tea.
phrasal-verb

embrace emotions

Meaning
to accept and welcome feelings fully
Example
He learned to **embrace his emotions** rather than suppress them.
phrasal-verb

pull in investment

Meaning
to attract investors or funds
Example
The government hopes to **pull in investment** through new policies.
phrasal-verb

get across your message

Meaning
to communicate an idea clearly so that others understand it
Example
A good speaker can get across their message effectively.
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.
idiom

the cream of the crop

Meaning
the best among a group of people or things
Example
Only **the cream of the crop** get into that university.
idiom

bring up a family

Meaning
to raise and take care of children
Example
They worked hard to **bring up a family**.
phrasal-verb

breathe out worries

Meaning
to exhale and mentally release your stress and fears
Example
I take a deep breath and **breathe out worries** before bedtime.
idiom

put the pieces together

Meaning
to understand or solve something by combining information
Example
After examining the data, the engineer **put the pieces together**.
idiom

cover up

Meaning
to hide the truth about something
Example
They tried to **cover up** the mistake.
phrasal-verb

pull out of

Meaning
to withdraw from a project, agreement, or deal
Example
The country decided to **pull out of** the trade agreement.
phrasal-verb

build credibility with

Meaning
to earn trust and respect from others
Example
It takes time to **build credibility with** your colleagues.
phrasal-verb

hang in

Meaning
to stay strong and not give up despite difficulties
Example
When life gets hard, you just have to **hang in** and stay positive.
phrasal-verb

blow off

Meaning
to release stress or anger by doing something
Example
He went jogging to **blow off** some steam after the argument.
phrasal-verb

sign in

Meaning
to enter your username and password to access an account
Example
You must **sign in** before commenting on this post.
B2 idiom

wrap your head around it

to understand or accept something
Meaning
to understand or accept something
Example
It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.
It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.
idiom

win someone over

Meaning
to persuade someone to support you or agree with you
Example
The candidate’s speech **won the crowd over**.
phrasal-verb

ease yourself into

Meaning
to gradually start doing something stressful to reduce anxiety
Example
Try to **ease yourself into** the new routine instead of rushing it.
idiom

draw in

Meaning
to attract someone’s interest
Example
The bold headline **drew in** readers right away.
phrasal-verb

draw attention to issues

Meaning
to make people notice or focus on important problems
Example
The activist group aims to **draw attention to issues** of global inequality.
phrasal-verb

point behind

Meaning
to indicate something located at the back
Example
He **pointed behind** to show the exit door.
phrasal-verb

chill yourself out

Meaning
to make yourself calm and relaxed
Example
You need to **chill yourself out** instead of worrying about everything.
idiom

to tip the scales

Meaning
to influence the outcome of a situation
Example
One witness’s statement **tipped the scales** in favor of the defendant.
idiom

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Meaning
Adapt to the customs of the place you are visiting
Example
When traveling abroad, it's wise to **do as the Romans do**.
idiom

win by a landslide

Meaning
to win by a very large margin
Example
The candidate **won by a landslide** with 80% of the votes.
phrasal-verb

give in to pressure

Meaning
to finally agree to something after refusing for some time
Example
The government refused to **give in to pressure** from opposition parties.
idiom

crunch the numbers

Meaning
to process data or analyze statistics
Example
AI can **crunch the numbers** faster than any human.
idiom

come crashing down

Meaning
to suddenly fail or collapse
Example
Their plans **came crashing down** after the crisis.
phrasal-verb

branch upward

Meaning
to move toward higher levels or bigger markets
Example
The business is **branching upward** into more profitable sectors.
idiom

to boot up

Meaning
to start something; to begin working or functioning
Example
Let’s **boot up** the new project today and see how it goes.
idiom

Give it your best shot

Meaning
Try as hard as you can.
Example
Even if you fail, **give it your best shot**.
phrasal-verb

zone out during

Meaning
to lose focus or stop paying attention
Example
I often **zone out during** long meetings when I'm exhausted.
phrasal-verb

head toward victory

Meaning
to move or progress in the direction of winning or success
Example
Our team is **heading toward victory** after months of training.
phrasal-verb

bottle emotions

Meaning
to keep emotions hidden instead of expressing them
Example
She tends to **bottle emotions** instead of talking about them.
phrasal-verb

open onto

Meaning
to lead to a place or opportunity for connection
Example
This conversation could **open onto** a deeper understanding between us.
phrasal-verb

log out of

Meaning
to exit a website or online account safely
Example
Don’t forget to **log out of** your account when you finish your class.
idiom

the art of something

Meaning
the skill of doing something well
Example
She has mastered **the art of** storytelling.
phrasal-verb

push through

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
He managed to **push through** the hard times and achieve his dream.
idiom

cut somebody some slack

Meaning
to not judge someone as severely as you usually would because they are having problems at the present time
Example
He's been under a lot of stress lately, so let's **cut him some slack**.
idiom

in good hands

Meaning
to be cared for or managed by someone trustworthy
Example
Don’t worry, your child is **in good hands**.
idiom

quiet down

Meaning
to become calmer or make less noise
Example
The kids finally **quieted down** after story time.
idiom

cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative
Example
Our company is working on **cutting edge** AI technology.
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

lighten your mood

Meaning
to make yourself feel happier and less stressed
Example
Watching a funny movie can really **lighten your mood**.
phrasal-verb

back down

Meaning
to admit you were wrong and stop arguing
Example
She refused to **back down** even after realizing her mistake.
idiom

at the end of your rope

Meaning
to be extremely frustrated and have no patience left
Example
After dealing with delays all day, she was **at the end of her rope**.
idiom

All for one and one for all

Meaning
Everyone in the group works together for the common good.
Example
In our company, we believe in the motto, **all for one and one for all**.
phrasal-verb

power down

Meaning
to turn off or shut down a device completely
Example
You should **power down** your computer before cleaning it.
phrasal-verb

drag into conflict

Meaning
to involve someone unwillingly in a dispute or war
Example
The smaller nation was **dragged into conflict** by its allies.
phrasal-verb

come in

Meaning
to enter a room or building
Example
Please **come in** and have a seat.
phrasal-verb

look in on

Meaning
to visit briefly to see if someone is fine
Example
I’ll **look in on** Grandma after work to make sure she’s okay.
idiom

play it straight

Meaning
to be honest and direct
Example
Just **play it straight** and tell them what happened.
idiom

old friends are gold

Meaning
old friends are precious and valuable
Example
I always say, **old friends are gold**.
phrasal-verb

get behind

Meaning
to fall late in doing something
Example
I’ve **got behind** on my assignments this week.
phrasal-verb

walk along

Meaning
to move on foot beside something for some distance
Example
**Walk along** the river until you reach the bridge.
phrasal-verb

hook up

Meaning
to connect electronic devices together
Example
I need to **hook up** my printer to the laptop.
idiom

Eager beaver

Meaning
A person who is very enthusiastic and eager to do something.
Example
She's an **eager beaver** who always volunteers for extra tasks.
idiom

A solid foundation

Meaning
A strong and reliable base or starting point.
Example
The success of this company is built on a **solid foundation** of hard work and dedication.
phrasal-verb

run over

Meaning
to repeat or review something you said to clarify or apologize
Example
Let me **run over** what I said to make sure you understand my apology.
phrasal-verb

zone into calmness

Meaning
to focus your mind completely on peace and relaxation
Example
Meditation helps me **zone into calmness** after stressful meetings.
phrasal-verb

give up

Meaning
to stop doing something, often a bad habit
Example
He finally **gave up** smoking after ten years.
phrasal-verb

hold elections

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

make ends meet

Meaning
to earn enough money to live on
Example
He works two jobs to **make ends meet**.
phrasal-verb

wipe off

Meaning
to remove something from a surface by rubbing
Example
Please **wipe off** the dust from the table.
phrasal-verb

deal off with

Meaning
to end a relationship or partnership
Example
They decided to **deal off with** each other after the argument.
phrasal-verb

open communication with

Meaning
to establish an honest and transparent exchange of thoughts and feelings
Example
Couples should **open communication with** each other to avoid misunderstandings.
phrasal-verb

stand up after

Meaning
to regain confidence or strength after failing
Example
True leaders **stand up after** every fall.
idiom

talk nineteen to the dozen

Meaning
to talk very quickly and without stopping
Example
Once she starts, she **talks nineteen to the dozen**.
idiom

A Jekyll and Hyde

Meaning
A person with two very different sides to their personality.
Example
He’s like **a Jekyll and Hyde**—nice one moment and cruel the next.
phrasal-verb

go to bed

Meaning
to lie down to sleep at night
Example
I try to **go to bed** before 11 p.m. every night.
idiom

bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too big to handle
Example
I think I **bit off more than I can chew** by agreeing to manage three projects at once.
phrasal-verb

call for change

Meaning
to demand reforms or modifications in policy or system
Example
The activists **called for change** in the voting system.
idiom

split decision

Meaning
a decision where people are divided in opinion
Example
The committee made a **split decision** on the proposal.
idiom

Fashion victim

Meaning
Someone who follows fashion trends blindly
Example
He's such a **fashion victim**—he buys every new style that comes out.
phrasal-verb

get around

Meaning
to overcome rules or obstacles
Example
Some exporters try to **get around** strict trade regulations.
phrasal-verb

fall down

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

to put one's foot in one's mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate by mistake
Example
I really **put my foot in my mouth** when I mentioned her ex-boyfriend.
idiom

green-eyed with envy

Meaning
showing strong jealousy
Example
They were **green-eyed with envy** at her luxurious lifestyle.
idiom

come to mind

Meaning
to suddenly remember something
Example
Her name didn’t **come to mind** at first.
phrasal-verb

hold on for

Meaning
to wait briefly, usually during a call or service
Example
Please **hold on for** a moment while I transfer your call to the billing department.
idiom

keep it together

Meaning
to stay composed during difficult times
Example
Even after hearing the bad news, he managed to **keep it together**.
idiom

keep your cards close to your chest

Meaning
to keep your plans or intentions secret
Example
She always **keeps her cards close to her chest** during negotiations.
phrasal-verb

cut down on tariffs

Meaning
to reduce import or export taxes
Example
The WTO encourages members to **cut down on tariffs** to enhance global trade.
idiom

drive someone crazy

Meaning
to irritate or annoy someone very much
Example
The noise is **driving me crazy**!
idiom

take shape

Meaning
to begin to develop or become clear
Example
Our business plan is finally **taking shape**.
idiom

steal the spotlight

Meaning
to get all the attention, often taking it away from someone else
Example
The little girl **stole the spotlight** at the wedding with her adorable dance.
phrasal-verb

connect to

Meaning
to feel a sense of belonging with one’s culture or roots
Example
I **connect to** my culture through music and food.
phrasal-verb

hack into

Meaning
to secretly enter a computer system or account
Example
Someone tried to **hack into** my account last night.
idiom

malware

Meaning
software designed to damage or disrupt computers or networks
Example
The antivirus software successfully removed the **malware** from the system.
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.
phrasal-verb

vote in

Meaning
to elect someone to a position through voting
Example
The people **voted in** a new government last year.
idiom

separate the wheat from the chaff

Meaning
to distinguish valuable things from worthless ones
Example
It’s time to **separate the wheat from the chaff** in this project.
phrasal-verb

swap notes on

Meaning
to exchange information or tips about something
Example
Let's **swap notes on** the new app after we try it out.