the school of hard knocks
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idiom

the school of hard knocks

Meaning
learning through difficult experiences in life
Example
He didn’t go to college, but he learned from **the school of hard knocks**.
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.
idiom

thinking outside the bot

Meaning
to think creatively beyond automated or programmed solutions
Example
To solve this challenge, we need to **think outside the bot**.
idiom

the teacher’s pet

Meaning
a student who is favored by the teacher
Example
Everyone knows he’s **the teacher’s pet** in our class.
idiom

take someone's word for it

Meaning
to trust that what someone says is true
Example
I’ll **take your word for it** since you were there.
phrasal-verb

test out

Meaning
to try or examine something to see if it works properly
Example
Developers are **testing out** the beta version of the app.
phrasal-verb

take over a company

Meaning
to gain control of another company by buying it
Example
A major corporation plans to **take over a company** in the European market.
phrasal-verb

take care of

Meaning
to be responsible for someone or something
Example
My sister **takes care of** our younger brother when our parents are away.
idiom

to burn one's fingers

Meaning
to suffer from a bad experience or mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** investing in that fake company.
idiom

throw under the bus

Meaning
to blame someone else to save yourself.
Example
He **threw his colleague under the bus** to avoid punishment.
idiom

to throw one's hat into the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s candidacy or intention to compete in something
Example
He decided to **throw his hat into the ring** and run for mayor.
idiom

the right thing to do

Meaning
the most ethical or moral action to take
Example
Apologizing was **the right thing to do**.
phrasal-verb

take off with

Meaning
to become successful quickly
Example
Their new app **took off with** millions of downloads in the first week.
idiom

the apple of one's eye

Meaning
someone or something that is cherished or loved deeply
Example
Her son is truly **the apple of her eye**.
idiom

thank you kindly

Meaning
a polite way to say thank you warmly
Example
**Thank you kindly** for your time and patience.
phrasal-verb

trade down for

Meaning
to swap for a simpler or cheaper alternative
Example
Some shoppers **trade down for** savings during slow months.
phrasal-verb

take note of

Meaning
to pay attention to and remember something important
Example
He carefully **took note of** all the suggestions during the review meeting.
idiom

to have a lot on one's plate

Meaning
to have a lot of tasks or responsibilities to deal with
Example
She can't take on any more projects; she already has **a lot on her plate**.
phrasal-verb

tune back in

Meaning
to reconnect with your emotions or awareness after being distracted
Example
He took a short walk to **tune back in** to his feelings.
idiom

take your time

Meaning
don’t rush; use as much time as needed
Example
**Take your time** and finish the job carefully.
idiom

the green-eyed monster

Meaning
jealousy personified or described as a destructive force
Example
Don't let **the green-eyed monster** ruin your friendship.
idiom

take it or leave it

Meaning
showing indifference about accepting or rejecting something
Example
That’s my final offer — **take it or leave it**.
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.
idiom

throw your hat in the ring

Meaning
to show interest in something, especially a competition or challenge
Example
I decided to **throw my hat in the ring** and apply for the leadership role.
phrasal-verb

tear up

Meaning
to start crying a little
Example
She **teared up** during the emotional movie scene.
idiom

take the spotlight

Meaning
to be the center of attention or admiration
Example
The young actress **took the spotlight** at the award ceremony.
idiom

to nurse someone back to health

Meaning
to help someone recover from illness
Example
She **nursed her mother back to health** after the accident.
idiom

the ball is in your court

Meaning
it is your turn to make a decision or take action
Example
I've made my offer, now **the ball is in your court**.
idiom

to take the bull by the horns

Meaning
to confront a problem or challenge directly and with determination
Example
We need to **take the bull by the horns** and start making decisions now.
idiom

the life of the party

Meaning
a person who is lively, entertaining, and the center of attention at social gatherings
Example
Everyone loves Tom because he’s always **the life of the party**.
idiom

to fall head over heels

Meaning
to fall deeply in love
Example
He **fell head over heels** for her the moment they met.
idiom

take it to the bank

Meaning
to be certain that something is true or will happen
Example
You can **take it to the bank** that he’ll deliver on his promise.
idiom

tear into someone

Meaning
to criticize someone angrily
Example
The coach **tore into** the players after they lost the game.
idiom

to reach for the moon

Meaning
to aim for something that is difficult or seemingly impossible to achieve
Example
He decided to **reach for the moon** and apply for the most competitive university.
idiom

to keep one's chin up

Meaning
to stay positive and hopeful in a difficult situation
Example
Even though she lost the game, she managed to **keep her chin up** and stayed positive.
phrasal-verb

take off in career

Meaning
to suddenly become successful in your job or business
Example
Her career really **took off** after she launched her own startup.
idiom

take it on the chin

Meaning
to accept a difficult situation without complaining
Example
He **took it on the chin** when his project failed.
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.
idiom

tiger mom

Meaning
a strict mother who pushes her children to achieve high standards
Example
Her friends call her a **tiger mom** because she’s very demanding.
idiom

There’s always hope

Meaning
No matter how bad things look, you can still hope.
Example
Don’t lose heart — **there’s always hope**.
phrasal-verb

turn up for

Meaning
to attend or show up to support an event or cause
Example
Many locals **turned up for** the community clean-up drive.
idiom

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed **tears of joy** when her son returned home.
idiom

take apart

Meaning
to disassemble something into pieces
Example
We had to **take apart** the desk to move it upstairs.
idiom

think through

Meaning
to consider something carefully from all angles
Example
Let’s **think through** the risks before committing.
phrasal-verb

touch up

Meaning
to improve the appearance of something slightly, like makeup or paint
Example
She went to the mirror to **touch up** her makeup.
idiom

Too many cooks spoil the broth

Meaning
When too many people try to manage something, it can fail.
Example
If everyone keeps giving their opinion, remember that **too many cooks spoil the broth**.
idiom

the old school

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

tune your mind to calmness

Meaning
to train your thoughts to stay peaceful and relaxed
Example
Try to **tune your mind to calmness** every morning through breathing exercises.
phrasal-verb

tear apart alliances

Meaning
to destroy relationships between allied groups or nations
Example
The ongoing dispute **tore apart alliances** that lasted for decades.
phrasal-verb

turn setbacks into strength

Meaning
to learn and grow from difficulties or failures
Example
He managed to **turn setbacks into strength** through positive thinking.
phrasal-verb

take breaks

Meaning
to pause from work for rest; to stop temporarily for relaxation
Example
You should **take breaks** regularly to stay focused throughout the day.
idiom

There's no 'I' in team

Meaning
Emphasizing that teamwork is important, and it is not about individual glory.
Example
Remember, in a project, **there's no 'I' in team**.
phrasal-verb

take responsibility for

Meaning
to accept that you are to blame for something
Example
He finally **took responsibility for** the mistake.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
idiom

the acid test

Meaning
a true and final test of success
Example
The real market will be **the acid test** for this invention.
idiom

table the issue

Meaning
to postpone discussion of a topic for later
Example
They decided to **table the issue** until next week.
phrasal-verb

throw back

Meaning
to return something; to remind someone of the past
Example
The smell of the ocean **threw him back** to his childhood memories.
idiom

to kill two birds with one stone

Meaning
to achieve two things at once
Example
I can **kill two birds with one stone** by listening to a podcast while I exercise.
idiom

tune out

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

take flak

Meaning
to receive strong criticism
Example
The government **took flak** for its poor handling of the crisis.
idiom

to take the cake

Meaning
to be the best or most impressive thing in a situation
Example
Out of all the new projects, his idea **took the cake**.
idiom

the art of war

Meaning
strategies or tactics for achieving success in difficult situations
Example
The general studied **the art of war** to prepare for the upcoming battle.
idiom

the best is yet to come

Meaning
better things are coming in the future
Example
Don’t worry about the past; **the best is yet to come**.
phrasal-verb

turn pain into strength

Meaning
to use your emotional pain as a source of motivation or growth
Example
She learned to **turn pain into strength** after losing her job.
idiom

tighten one’s belt

Meaning
to spend less money due to financial difficulties
Example
After losing his job, he had to **tighten his belt**.
phrasal-verb

take off in

Meaning
to start succeeding rapidly in a field
Example
His career really **took off in** the last two years.
phrasal-verb

talk about

Meaning
to discuss a topic; to mention something in conversation
Example
We need to **talk about** your plans for next year.
phrasal-verb

take part

Meaning
to participate or be involved in an activity
Example
Many people **take part** in the annual marathon as a hobby.
phrasal-verb

think up

Meaning
to invent or imagine a new idea or plan
Example
She **thought up** a brilliant way to reduce energy consumption.
idiom

True to your word

Meaning
To do exactly what you say you’ll do.
Example
He was **true to his word** and kept his promise.
idiom

take a deep breath

Meaning
to calm down and relax
Example
**Take a deep breath** before reacting.
phrasal-verb

tune out distractions

Meaning
to ignore things that disturb your focus or peace
Example
You must **tune out distractions** to stay calm under pressure.
idiom

trust goes both ways

Meaning
both sides must trust each other
Example
**Trust goes both ways** in any relationship.
idiom

talk someone into something

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
He **talked me into** going to the gym with him.
idiom

Tear down barriers

Meaning
To remove obstacles or prejudices between people.
Example
Education helps to **tear down barriers** between communities.
idiom

throw someone under the bus

Meaning
to betray or sacrifice someone to save yourself
Example
He **threw his colleague under the bus** to avoid getting fired.
phrasal-verb

toast to

Meaning
to raise a glass to honor or celebrate someone or something
Example
Let's **toast to** our hard work and success!
idiom

take it with a grain of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He tends to exaggerate, so **take his stories with a grain of salt**.
idiom

teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something that is difficult for them to learn due to their age or experience
Example
It's hard to **teach an old dog new tricks**, but I'll try.
idiom

the story breaks

Meaning
when news becomes public or is first reported
Example
When **the story broke**, everyone was shocked.
idiom

Two’s company, three’s a crowd

Meaning
Sometimes, two people are just right, but a third person can make things uncomfortable.
Example
I wanted some alone time with Emily, but as they say, **two’s company, three’s a crowd**.
idiom

To be in someone's corner

Meaning
To support or defend someone.
Example
Even though they were having disagreements, she was always **in his corner**.
phrasal-verb

target at

Meaning
to aim a product or message toward a specific group
Example
This advertisement is **targeted at** young professionals.
phrasal-verb

tune up

Meaning
to prepare or adjust an instrument for better performance
Example
The guitarist **tuned up** his instrument before the show.
idiom

to teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something they are set in their ways about
Example
It’s hard to **teach an old dog new tricks** when it comes to new technology.
idiom

True blue

Meaning
Loyal and trustworthy.
Example
You can count on her; she’s **true blue**.
idiom

to cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it arises, rather than worrying about it beforehand
Example
Don't worry about the meeting next week, we'll **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

true to one's word

Meaning
To do what one has promised.
Example
She was **true to her word** and helped me finish the project.
phrasal-verb

take after

Meaning
to resemble a parent or relative in appearance or behavior
Example
He **takes after** his mother in both looks and nature.
idiom

to turn the tide

Meaning
to reverse the direction of events, especially to improve a difficult situation
Example
The new leadership has really **turned the tide** for the company’s performance.
idiom

training the model

Meaning
to teach an AI system how to make predictions by feeding it data
Example
We spent weeks **training the model** before deployment.
idiom

tough cookie

Meaning
a strong and determined person
Example
She’s a **tough cookie** who never gives up easily.
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.
phrasal-verb

take off financially

Meaning
to start growing or succeeding quickly in terms of money
Example
Their online business really **took off financially** after the pandemic.
idiom

to screw up

Meaning
to make a serious mistake or spoil something
Example
I really **screwed up** the presentation.
idiom

to sketch out

Meaning
to make a rough plan or outline of something
Example
The director **sketched out** the concept before filming began.
idiom

the winds of change

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

team up with partners

Meaning
to collaborate with other companies for mutual benefit
Example
Our firm decided to **team up with partners** in Japan for a joint venture.
phrasal-verb

turn ideas into reality

Meaning
to make your plans or dreams come true
Example
Great leaders know how to **turn ideas into reality**.
idiom

think ahead

Meaning
to plan for the future; to anticipate future needs or events
Example
Good managers always **think ahead** before making big decisions.
idiom

to think outside the box

Meaning
to think creatively or unconventionally
Example
In solving AI problems, it is essential to **think outside the box**.
phrasal-verb

tune into positivity

Meaning
to focus your attention on positive thoughts or feelings
Example
Each morning, **tune into positivity** before starting your work.
idiom

to hit the nail on the head

Meaning
to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem
Example
When she pointed out the lack of communication, she really **hit the nail on the head**.
phrasal-verb

team around

Meaning
to organize or gather a group of people for a common purpose
Example
We should **team around** this project to deliver the best results.
idiom

the glass is half full

Meaning
seeing the positive side of something
Example
Try to see **the glass as half full** instead of half empty.
phrasal-verb

take over for

Meaning
to temporarily handle someone’s virtual responsibilities
Example
Can you **take over for** me while I’m offline?
phrasal-verb

tune into others

Meaning
to be sensitive to what others are feeling or thinking
Example
Good communicators **tune into** others’ emotions easily.
idiom

to break the ice

Meaning
to start a friendly conversation in an awkward situation
Example
To **break the ice**, I told a joke.
idiom

to draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We need to **draw the line** between inspiration and plagiarism.
idiom

to make the grade

Meaning
to meet the required standard
Example
He didn’t **make the grade** in the final exam.
phrasal-verb

tear up over

Meaning
to start crying because of strong emotions or memories
Example
He **tears up over** the things he didn’t say to his parents.
idiom

The truth hurts

Meaning
The truth can be painful or difficult to accept.
Example
I know you don't want to hear this, but **the truth hurts**.
idiom

to lose your nerve

Meaning
to lose courage and become too afraid to do something
Example
He wanted to jump, but he **lost his nerve** at the last second.
phrasal-verb

talk over someone

Meaning
to speak louder than another person so they cannot be heard
Example
Stop **talking over** others; it's hard to understand anyone.
idiom

time flies

Meaning
time passes very quickly
Example
**Time flies** when you’re having fun.
phrasal-verb

tune into cultures

Meaning
to understand and adapt to the ways people from different cultures communicate
Example
To work globally, you must **tune into cultures** beyond your own.
idiom

time's up

Meaning
the time for something or someone has ended
Example
You have to finish the test now. **Time's up**!
idiom

The more, the merrier

Meaning
Things are more fun or effective with more people involved.
Example
Bring your friends along — **the more, the merrier**!
idiom

the vision thing

Meaning
the ability to imagine and plan the future clearly
Example
Many politicians lack **the vision thing**.
idiom

the conversion funnel

Meaning
the process customers go through from awareness to purchase
Example
We need to analyze where people drop off in **the conversion funnel**.
phrasal-verb

throw to

Meaning
to pass something to someone by throwing; to hand over responsibility
Example
The host **threw to** the reporter at the scene.