the nuts and bolts
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idiom

the nuts and bolts

Meaning
the basic practical details of something
Example
We discussed **the nuts and bolts** of the new software project.
idiom

overnight success

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

adjust back

Meaning
to return to a previous state or routine after a change
Example
It took her a while to **adjust back** to her normal schedule after the project ended.
phrasal-verb

bridge cultural gaps

Meaning
to reduce misunderstanding or distance between cultures
Example
Education can **bridge cultural gaps** and promote mutual respect.
idiom

to take the high road

Meaning
to choose the most ethical or moral path, even when others don’t
Example
She decided to **take the high road** and not respond with anger.
idiom

feel ten feet tall

Meaning
to feel very proud and confident
Example
He **felt ten feet tall** after completing the challenge.
phrasal-verb

let go of stress

Meaning
to release tension and stop worrying
Example
Meditation helps you **let go of stress** and feel at peace.
idiom

the old school

Meaning
having traditional beliefs or methods
Example
My professor is from **the old school**; he prefers chalkboards to slides.
idiom

to deep dive into data

Meaning
to analyze data in great detail
Example
We need **to deep dive into data** to understand the root cause of the problem.
phrasal-verb

refer back to

Meaning
to mention or direct attention to something mentioned earlier
Example
In this section, we **refer back to** the previous findings.
phrasal-verb

bridge over differences

Meaning
to overcome disagreements and create unity
Example
The summit aimed to **bridge over differences** among member states.
phrasal-verb

follow along in chat

Meaning
to keep up with messages during an online meeting
Example
Participants **follow along in chat** while the speaker demos the tool.
phrasal-verb

bring down inflation

Meaning
to reduce the rate at which prices are rising
Example
Central banks are working to **bring down inflation** through interest rate hikes.
phrasal-verb

hold feelings in

Meaning
to not express emotions; to suppress feelings
Example
He tends to **hold his feelings in** rather than show them.
idiom

have faith in someone

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
You should **have faith in** your team.
idiom

in the mood

Meaning
feeling like doing something or having a particular attitude
Example
I'm **in the mood** for some chocolate cake today.
idiom

gloss over

Meaning
to avoid mentioning unpleasant details
Example
The report tries to **gloss over** the budget cuts.
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

call upon

Meaning
to formally ask someone to do something
Example
The president **called upon** all citizens to work for peace.
idiom

think twice

Meaning
to reconsider something carefully before acting
Example
You should **think twice** before making that deal.
phrasal-verb

put up with

Meaning
to tolerate or endure something unpleasant
Example
I can't **put up with** his rude behavior anymore.
idiom

fail better

Meaning
to improve by learning from past failures
Example
Even if you fail, try to **fail better** next time.
phrasal-verb

rise under

Meaning
to perform well despite facing great pressure or challenges
Example
He always **rises under** pressure and delivers his best work.
phrasal-verb

boost investor confidence

Meaning
to make investors feel more positive about investing
Example
Strong GDP growth can **boost investor confidence** in the market.
phrasal-verb

reach across borders

Meaning
to cooperate internationally; to form connections beyond national boundaries
Example
Organizations are striving to **reach across borders** to solve global problems.
idiom

Cross the Rubicon

Meaning
To make an irreversible decision or take a step from which there is no turning back.
Example
By quitting his job, he **crossed the Rubicon** and committed to his startup dream.
phrasal-verb

bring everyone on board

Meaning
to include everyone in a decision or project
Example
Before starting the campaign, let's **bring everyone on board**.
phrasal-verb

build up

Meaning
to gradually increase emotional strength or confidence
Example
She’s been trying to **build up** her self-esteem after the breakup.
idiom

mutton dressed as lamb

Meaning
an older person trying to look younger
Example
People laughed when she wore teenage clothes — they said she was **mutton dressed as lamb**.
idiom

open and shut case

Meaning
a case that is easily decided or obvious
Example
It was an **open and shut case** with clear evidence.
idiom

Out to pasture

Meaning
To retire someone or something from active use.
Example
The old manager was finally **put out to pasture** last year.
idiom

get the jitters

Meaning
to feel extremely nervous or anxious
Example
I always **get the jitters** before a big meeting.
phrasal-verb

work through pain

Meaning
to deal with emotional pain step by step until you heal
Example
He is still trying to **work through pain** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

rise above negativity

Meaning
to not let negative emotions or situations affect you
Example
She tried to **rise above negativity** and stay positive.
idiom

key in on

Meaning
to give focused attention to something specific
Example
The coach asked the team to **key in on** their defensive mistakes.
phrasal-verb

circle back after

Meaning
to return to a topic once something else has finished
Example
We'll **circle back after** lunch to finalize the slides.
idiom

down to the wire

Meaning
until the very last moment; close to the deadline
Example
The game went **down to the wire**, but they won in the end.
idiom

spur of the moment

Meaning
an unplanned or spontaneous decision or action
Example
The idea came **on the spur of the moment** during lunch.
phrasal-verb

find in

Meaning
to see or recognize a quality or feature in someone or something
Example
She **finds in** him a true friend she can trust.
phrasal-verb

set toward

Meaning
to start making progress toward something
Example
After graduation, she **set toward** her goal of becoming a lawyer.
phrasal-verb

work together

Meaning
to cooperate with others to achieve a goal
Example
If we **work together**, we can finish this project faster.
phrasal-verb

give into

Meaning
to yield to temptation or pressure
Example
She finally **gave into** the temptation to eat chocolate.
phrasal-verb

cut off by

Meaning
to be blocked or separated by something
Example
The road was **cut off by** the landslide.
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

go over to

Meaning
to switch to another app, tab, or platform
Example
Let’s **go over to** the discussion forum to share our ideas.
phrasal-verb

narrow in on

Meaning
to focus more closely on a specific goal or decision
Example
He’s **narrowing in on** a few career options now.
idiom

start from scratch

Meaning
to begin again without any advantage or preparation
Example
They lost everything and had to **start from scratch**.
phrasal-verb

freak over

Meaning
to become very anxious or upset about something
Example
He **freaked over** the missed deadline and couldn’t focus on anything else.
phrasal-verb

calm over

Meaning
to gradually become peaceful or composed
Example
After some quiet time, you’ll **calm over** and think clearly.
phrasal-verb

build on trust

Meaning
to strengthen relationships by developing mutual confidence
Example
Successful partnerships **build on trust** and transparency.
phrasal-verb

call down

Meaning
to scold or reprimand someone
Example
The boss **called down** the employee for being late.
idiom

carry the weight

Meaning
to take on a large responsibility or burden
Example
As the team leader, it's his job to **carry the weight** of the project's success.
idiom

go belly up

Meaning
to fail completely; to go bankrupt
Example
Many small businesses **went belly up** during the pandemic.
phrasal-verb

grow close

Meaning
to become more emotionally connected with someone
Example
They **grew close** after spending so much time together.
idiom

get your act together

Meaning
start working efficiently or properly
Example
You need to **get your act together** if you want to meet the deadline.
phrasal-verb

draw up plans

Meaning
to prepare detailed strategies or documents
Example
Experts **drew up plans** for cross-border trade cooperation.
phrasal-verb

point away from

Meaning
to direct attention away from something
Example
He tried to **point away from** the real 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.
phrasal-verb

bring in on

Meaning
to include someone in a discussion or project
Example
Let’s **bring John in on** this design review meeting.
idiom

free up

Meaning
to make time, money, or space available
Example
Clearing old files will **free up** storage on the drive.
phrasal-verb

flip over

Meaning
to turn upside down accidentally
Example
The car **flipped over** after hitting a pothole.
phrasal-verb

pass away

Meaning
to die
Example
Her grandfather **passed away** peacefully last night.
idiom

make friends with

Meaning
To become friendly with someone.
Example
It’s easy to **make friends with** kind people.
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.
idiom

at death’s door

Meaning
very close to death
Example
He was **at death’s door** before the doctors saved him.
phrasal-verb

get sick of

Meaning
to become bored or annoyed with something or someone
Example
I **got sick of** hearing the same song over and over.
idiom

to pass with flying colors

Meaning
to succeed with a very high score
Example
He studied hard and passed the exam with **flying colors**.
phrasal-verb

pay down

Meaning
to reduce a debt gradually by making regular payments
Example
She’s trying to **pay down** her credit card debt.
phrasal-verb

delegate to

Meaning
to assign responsibility or tasks to someone else
Example
A good manager knows how to **delegate to** their team members effectively.
phrasal-verb

brush through

Meaning
to quickly review or go through something
Example
I’ll **brush through** my notes one more time before the exam.
idiom

make friends

Meaning
to form new friendships
Example
It’s easy to **make friends** when you’re kind to others.
idiom

table a proposal

Meaning
to formally present a proposal for discussion
Example
The ambassador decided to **table a proposal** for regional cooperation.
idiom

on cue

Meaning
exactly at the right moment
Example
The dog barked **on cue** when the actor opened the door.
phrasal-verb

embrace peace

Meaning
to accept tranquility and stop resisting calm feelings
Example
She learned to **embrace peace** instead of constant anxiety.
idiom

have it out

Meaning
to talk openly about a disagreement to resolve it
Example
They decided to **have it out** instead of staying angry.
phrasal-verb

pop into

Meaning
to enter a place briefly and casually
Example
We **popped into** a café for a quick coffee.
idiom

set the standard

Meaning
to establish an example of excellence that others strive to reach
Example
Her work ethic has **set the standard** for the entire team.
idiom

painting the town red

Meaning
to go out and enjoy oneself in a lively and extravagant way
Example
After the big win, we went out and started **painting the town red**.
phrasal-verb

push through setbacks

Meaning
to continue trying and not give up even when facing difficulties or failures
Example
True confidence comes when you **push through setbacks** with determination.
idiom

sift through

Meaning
to examine a large amount of information or items carefully
Example
I spent the afternoon **sifting through** old emails for the missing file.
phrasal-verb

grow accustomed to

Meaning
to gradually become familiar or comfortable with something
Example
He slowly **grew accustomed to** the cultural differences at work.
idiom

give someone a break

Meaning
to give someone a chance or show them mercy
Example
He’s new here, so **give him a break**.
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

die off

Meaning
to become extinct gradually; to disappear slowly
Example
Many animal species may **die off** if global warming continues.
idiom

tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small part of a much bigger problem
Example
The data error we found is just the **tip of the iceberg**.
phrasal-verb

pay into

Meaning
to deposit money into a bank account or fund
Example
I **paid into** my savings account yesterday.
idiom

brainstorm

Meaning
to generate many creative ideas in a group discussion
Example
Let’s **brainstorm** some ideas for our next campaign.
idiom

bull market

Meaning
a period when prices of stocks are rising
Example
Investors are optimistic during a **bull market**.
idiom

new lease on life

Meaning
a chance to live or start something again after a period of difficulty
Example
Winning the award gave her a **new lease on life**.
idiom

grow into

Meaning
to gradually become more capable or skilled at something
Example
He will eventually **grow into** the role of manager.
idiom

algorithmic bias

Meaning
the systematic favoritism towards certain data or outcomes by an algorithm, often unintentionally.
Example
The development team worked to eliminate **algorithmic bias** in the AI model.
phrasal-verb

ground yourself in reality

Meaning
to focus your mind on what is real to reduce panic or anxiety
Example
If you feel lost in thoughts, **ground yourself in reality** by naming what you see.
phrasal-verb

make for

Meaning
to move toward a place; to contribute to or cause something
Example
The boy **made for** the door when he heard his name.
idiom

cash cow

Meaning
a product or service that consistently generates a lot of money
Example
Their mobile app has become a **cash cow** for the company.
phrasal-verb

come up in

Meaning
to be mentioned or discussed in a conversation
Example
Your name **came up in** our meeting yesterday.
phrasal-verb

give credit for

Meaning
to acknowledge someone’s effort or contribution positively
Example
He always **gives credit for** others’ good ideas.
phrasal-verb

set up dialogue

Meaning
to establish formal or informal communication between nations
Example
The leaders agreed to **set up dialogue** to discuss trade issues.
idiom

make hay while the sun shines

Meaning
take advantage of a good situation while it lasts
Example
You should **make hay while the sun shines** and finish your work early.
phrasal-verb

rise from

Meaning
to recover or improve after a setback or loss
Example
She **rose from** her failures stronger than before.
phrasal-verb

stand for

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

boil down to

Meaning
to have something as the main point or reason
Example
The argument **boiled down to** a simple misunderstanding.
idiom

reboot your perspective

Meaning
to start fresh with a new mindset
Example
After project failure, the team decided to **reboot their perspective**.
phrasal-verb

clock out

Meaning
to record the time when you finish work
Example
I always **clock out** before I shut down my computer.
idiom

Lose your shirt

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

law-abiding citizen

Meaning
a person who always follows the law
Example
He is known as a **law-abiding citizen** in the community.
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

to make matters worse

Meaning
to make a bad situation even more difficult or unpleasant
Example
I was already late, and **to make matters worse**, I couldn't find my keys.
phrasal-verb

let go

Meaning
to stop holding onto negative emotions or memories
Example
You have to **let go** of the past to heal emotionally.
phrasal-verb

heap praise on

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

keep projects on track

Meaning
to ensure work stays within schedule and scope
Example
Daily standups help us **keep projects on track** despite surprises.
idiom

throw a wrench into the works

Meaning
to disrupt or complicate something
Example
The sudden resignation of the minister threw a **wrench into the works** of the peace negotiations.
idiom

make history

Meaning
to do something very important that will be remembered
Example
The young scientist **made history** by discovering a new planet.
idiom

even out

Meaning
to make something level or balanced
Example
Stir the batter to **even out** the lumps.
idiom

go the extra mile

Meaning
to make a special effort to achieve something
Example
She always **goes the extra mile** to help her team succeed.
phrasal-verb

tie up in

Meaning
to have money invested in something and not easily available
Example
Most of their capital is **tied up in** real estate.
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**.
idiom

the lesser of two evils

Meaning
the less harmful of two bad options
Example
Voters often choose **the lesser of two evils** during elections.
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

take the heat

Meaning
to accept criticism or blame.
Example
The manager **took the heat** for the failed project.
idiom

put one's cards on the table

Meaning
to be honest and open about one’s intentions
Example
The negotiator decided to **put his cards on the table** to speed up talks.
idiom

a picture is worth a thousand words

Meaning
a visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
That photo truly proves that **a picture is worth a thousand words**.