the walls have ears
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idiom

the walls have ears

Meaning
be careful what you say because someone might be listening
Example
Speak quietly—**the walls have ears**.
idiom

earn your stripes

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

cut away from

Meaning
to remove or avoid unhealthy parts or habits
Example
Try to **cut away from** processed foods for a healthier diet.
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.
phrasal-verb

listen within

Meaning
to pay attention to your inner voice or emotions
Example
When confused, take a moment to **listen within**.
idiom

head off for

Meaning
to depart for a destination
Example
We’ll **head off for** the airport at 5 a.m.
phrasal-verb

stand over from

Meaning
to postpone or delay something
Example
The meeting was **stood over from** last week to tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

link together

Meaning
to connect or unite people or organizations
Example
The new initiative aims to **link together** researchers from across the globe.
idiom

set the stage for

Meaning
to make something possible or likely to happen later
Example
This meeting will **set the stage for** future cooperation.
phrasal-verb

bounce forward

Meaning
to recover from difficulties and move ahead with improvement
Example
After the recession, the nation aims to **bounce forward** with stronger growth.
idiom

a crash course

Meaning
a short and intensive course of study
Example
I had to take a **crash course** in programming before starting the job.
phrasal-verb

keep in touch with

Meaning
to maintain contact or communication with someone over time
Example
Even after graduation, they promised to **keep in touch with** each other.
idiom

sing someone’s praises

Meaning
to speak highly of someone
Example
Everyone **sang her praises** after the performance.
idiom

lose your mind

Meaning
to become mentally unstable or extremely upset
Example
He nearly **lost his mind** after the breakup.
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

The Scarlet Letter

Meaning
A symbol of shame or social stigma.
Example
In that conservative town, being divorced was like wearing **a Scarlet Letter**.
idiom

in a world of your own

Meaning
to be lost in thought or imagination
Example
He didn’t hear me because he was **in a world of his own**.
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

sum up ideas

Meaning
to briefly express or summarize main thoughts
Example
At the end of the class, the teacher asked students to **sum up ideas** from the discussion.
idiom

In a new light

Meaning
To see something from a different perspective
Example
After the discussion, I saw the issue **in a new light**.
idiom

let one's hair down

Meaning
to relax and enjoy oneself freely
Example
After the project ended, we all went out to **let our hair down**.
idiom

bear in mind

Meaning
to remember or consider something
Example
**Bear in mind** that traffic will be heavy at that time.
idiom

cream of the crop

Meaning
the best of a group; the finest selection
Example
These students are the **cream of the crop**.
phrasal-verb

tackle issues with

Meaning
to address problems together with someone
Example
Let's **tackle issues with** transparency during the review.
phrasal-verb

log onto platform

Meaning
to access a website or system by entering credentials
Example
You need to **log onto the platform** to join the webinar.
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

line up investors

Meaning
to secure people who will provide funding
Example
Our team is working to **line up investors** before the press release.
idiom

sell like hotcakes

Meaning
to sell very quickly and in large quantities
Example
After the ad went viral, the product began to **sell like hotcakes**.
phrasal-verb

throw on

Meaning
to put on clothes quickly and carelessly
Example
She just **threw on** a sweater and ran out the door.
idiom

Roll the dice

Meaning
to take a chance on something uncertain
Example
They **rolled the dice** by launching their product early.
phrasal-verb

bring in sustainability goals

Meaning
to introduce new environmental or social targets
Example
The firm plans to **bring in sustainability goals** for all departments.
phrasal-verb

point towards

Meaning
to indicate a direction or possible cause
Example
The evidence **points towards** a financial motive.
idiom

Jump in at the deep end

Meaning
to take on a difficult task without preparation
Example
I had to **jump in at the deep end** when I started my new job.
phrasal-verb

come down on

Meaning
to criticize or punish someone strongly for a decision or action
Example
The board will **come down on** any department that exceeds the budget.
phrasal-verb

disagree with

Meaning
to have a different opinion from someone else
Example
I respectfully **disagree with** your conclusion.
phrasal-verb

stick it out

Meaning
to continue doing something difficult until the end
Example
Even though the job was hard, he decided to **stick it out**.
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

stay connected with

Meaning
to maintain an emotional or communicative link with someone
Example
Even after moving abroad, she **stays connected with** her old friends.
idiom

Cut from the same cloth

Meaning
To be very similar in character or behavior.
Example
Those two brothers are **cut from the same cloth**.
idiom

make small talk

Meaning
to have a casual conversation about unimportant topics
Example
We started to **make small talk** while waiting for the meeting to begin.
idiom

weigh in on

Meaning
to share an opinion about a topic
Example
The moderator asked experts to **weigh in on** the policy changes.
idiom

have a splitting headache

Meaning
to have a very bad headache
Example
I can’t focus right now; I **have a splitting headache**.
idiom

sorry sight

Meaning
something or someone that looks pitiful or regrettable
Example
After the storm, the park was a **sorry sight**.
phrasal-verb

press ahead with confidence

Meaning
to move forward positively despite difficulties
Example
We must **press ahead with confidence** even if challenges arise.
phrasal-verb

face up to the truth

Meaning
to accept or confront the reality of a situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to the truth** about your mistakes.
idiom

Put your trust in someone

Meaning
To believe in someone's honesty or ability
Example
I chose to **put my trust in her**, and she didn't disappoint me.
phrasal-verb

listen across cultures

Meaning
to pay attention and understand people from different cultural backgrounds
Example
To be a global leader, you must **listen across cultures** with empathy.
phrasal-verb

dig around for

Meaning
to search through different places to find something
Example
I **dig around for** spare change when the vending machine only takes coins.
phrasal-verb

book up

Meaning
to reserve all available places or tickets
Example
All the hotels were **booked up** weeks before the holiday.
idiom

at the helm

Meaning
in a position of leadership or control
Example
With her **at the helm**, the company has grown rapidly.
idiom

butterflies in your stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I always get **butterflies in my stomach** before a big presentation.
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.
phrasal-verb

let emotions out

Meaning
to express feelings that you have been holding in
Example
It’s healthy to **let emotions out** instead of suppressing them.
phrasal-verb

stand up against

Meaning
to resist or oppose injustice; to defend principles
Example
People **stand up against** censorship to protect freedom of speech.
phrasal-verb

work on weaknesses

Meaning
to make efforts to improve the areas where you are lacking
Example
He is trying to **work on his weaknesses** to become more confident.
phrasal-verb

pick at

Meaning
to eat only small amounts of food without interest
Example
He just **picked at** his dinner and left most of it.
idiom

on fire

Meaning
performing very well; full of energy and success
Example
The sales team is **on fire** this month!
idiom

a dime a dozen

Meaning
very common and not valuable
Example
Those toys are **a dime a dozen** at the market.
idiom

clear up

Meaning
to make something easier to understand or to tidy a place
Example
Let me **clear up** the schedule so everyone knows their tasks.
phrasal-verb

get dressed

Meaning
to put on clothes
Example
He **gets dressed** quickly after taking a shower.
phrasal-verb

get in

Meaning
to enter a car or vehicle
Example
Please **get in** the car, it’s raining outside.
idiom

see red

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **saw red** when his computer crashed again.
phrasal-verb

come across as

Meaning
to appear or seem to be something
Example
He **came across as** a very confident person.
phrasal-verb

get away

Meaning
to go somewhere for a short vacation; to escape from daily routine
Example
We’re planning to **get away** for the weekend to relax.
phrasal-verb

turn away

Meaning
to refuse entry or acceptance; to move away from something
Example
The guard **turned away** people without tickets.
idiom

swear on one’s life

Meaning
to make a very serious promise that something is true
Example
I **swear on my life**, I didn’t do it!
phrasal-verb

root in

Meaning
to be based on or connected to something deeply
Example
Our customs are **rooted in** ancient beliefs.
phrasal-verb

catch up on

Meaning
to do something that one has missed or delayed doing before a deadline
Example
I stayed late to **catch up on** my unfinished reports.
idiom

mind the gap

Meaning
to be aware of potential problems or discrepancies
Example
The developer needs to **mind the gap** between AI expectations and real-world capabilities.
phrasal-verb

lay the groundwork for

Meaning
to prepare the basic foundation for something important in the future
Example
She’s **laying the groundwork for** her next career move.
idiom

take shape

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

We’re of one mind

Meaning
To share the same opinion
Example
**We’re of one mind** about this decision.
idiom

light up someone’s day

Meaning
to make someone happy
Example
Your kind words **lighted up my day**.
phrasal-verb

turn up growth

Meaning
to increase or accelerate the rate of growth
Example
The central bank aims to **turn up growth** by reducing interest rates.
phrasal-verb

restore balance

Meaning
to bring back mental or emotional stability
Example
Taking a break can help you **restore balance** in life.
phrasal-verb

speak across borders

Meaning
to communicate effectively with people from other countries
Example
Social media allows us to **speak across borders** instantly.
phrasal-verb

think ahead to

Meaning
to consider what will happen in the future and make plans for it
Example
You should **think ahead to** where you want to be in five years.
idiom

reach the top

Meaning
to achieve the highest position or level in something
Example
After years of hard work, she finally **reached the top** of her profession.
idiom

change one's tune

Meaning
to change one's opinion or attitude
Example
After hearing the good news, he decided to **change his tune**.
idiom

share the load

Meaning
to divide the work or responsibility among people
Example
We should **share the load** so no one gets too tired.
phrasal-verb

bridge across languages

Meaning
to overcome language differences while communicating
Example
Technology helps us **bridge across languages** through translation tools.
idiom

disruptive innovation

Meaning
an innovation that significantly alters or revolutionizes an existing market or industry
Example
The smartphone was a **disruptive innovation** that changed the way we communicate.
phrasal-verb

draw up a treaty

Meaning
to prepare an official document or agreement
Example
Diplomats worked late into the night to **draw up a treaty** between the two nations.
idiom

like a dog with two tails

Meaning
extremely happy and excited
Example
He was **like a dog with two tails** after getting the promotion.
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.
phrasal-verb

mop up

Meaning
to clean liquid or dirt from a surface using a mop or cloth
Example
Use a towel to **mop up** the water you spilled.
phrasal-verb

lift off

Meaning
to start with great energy or enthusiasm
Example
Her confidence helped the project **lift off** successfully.
idiom

change your tune

Meaning
to change your opinion or attitude
Example
He criticized the plan at first but later **changed his tune**.
idiom

I owe you one

Meaning
used to express that you are thankful and plan to return the favor
Example
Thanks for helping me move, **I owe you one**!
idiom

the blind leading the blind

Meaning
someone inexperienced leading others who also lack experience
Example
The new trainees teaching each other is like **the blind leading the blind**.
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 cloud-sync

Meaning
to synchronize data or files between devices via cloud services
Example
I always **to cloud-sync** my documents so that I can access them anywhere.
idiom

blow someone's mind

Meaning
to amaze or astonish someone
Example
The magic show really **blew my mind**.
idiom

on the sly

Meaning
secretly; in a sneaky way
Example
He met her **on the sly** without telling anyone.
phrasal-verb

keep up with studies

Meaning
to stay at the same level as others in your academic progress
Example
It's important to **keep up with studies** to avoid falling behind in class.
idiom

Play with fire

Meaning
To do something dangerous or risky.
Example
You’re **playing with fire** if you invest without research.
phrasal-verb

fry up

Meaning
to cook something quickly in hot oil or fat
Example
She **fried up** some eggs for breakfast.
idiom

grow on someone

Meaning
to become more liked or appreciated over time
Example
At first I didn’t like the song, but it **grew on me**.
phrasal-verb

look out for one another

Meaning
to care for and protect others in the team
Example
Good teams always **look out for one another**.
idiom

no such luck

Meaning
used when something hoped for did not happen
Example
I hoped to win the lottery, but **no such luck**.
idiom

team spirit

Meaning
a feeling of pride and loyalty shared by members of a group
Example
Their **team spirit** helped them win the championship.
phrasal-verb

bubble over

Meaning
to show excitement or happiness in an obvious way
Example
The children were **bubbling over** with joy on the last day of school.
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

united we stand, divided we fall

Meaning
people are stronger when they work together
Example
Remember, **united we stand, divided we fall**.
phrasal-verb

drop behind

Meaning
to fall behind others in progress or development
Example
She started to **drop behind** in her studies after missing several classes.
phrasal-verb

show in

Meaning
to lead someone into a room or building
Example
Please **show in** the guests to the living room.
phrasal-verb

ask for

Meaning
to request something
Example
You should **ask for** help if you can’t finish the task.
idiom

sugarcoat the truth

Meaning
to make something seem more pleasant or acceptable than it is
Example
Don’t try to **sugarcoat the truth**; we need to be honest about the situation.
idiom

once in a blue moon

Meaning
very rarely
Example
I only see him **once in a blue moon**.
idiom

peace and quiet

Meaning
a time of calmness and tranquility
Example
I just need some **peace and quiet** to finish my work.
phrasal-verb

value differences

Meaning
to respect and appreciate what makes people unique
Example
We should **value differences** as they make our workplace stronger.
idiom

get your foot in the door

Meaning
to make a first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
She finally **got her foot in the door** at a top firm.
phrasal-verb

jump back

Meaning
to move suddenly backward in fear or surprise
Example
She **jumped back** when the cat suddenly hissed.
idiom

afraid of your own shadow

Meaning
to be easily frightened
Example
He’s so timid; he’s **afraid of his own shadow**.
idiom

be in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in control of a situation
Example
After the merger, our company is **in the driver’s seat**.
idiom

Plain sailing

Meaning
Something that is easy and without difficulty.
Example
Once we solved the main issue, the rest was **plain sailing**.
idiom

time will tell

Meaning
the future will reveal the outcome
Example
**Time will tell** whether this was the right decision.
phrasal-verb

push back

Meaning
to delay something to a later time or date
Example
We had to **push back** the deadline due to unexpected issues.
idiom

tear down

Meaning
to demolish or dismantle something
Example
They plan to **tear down** the old shed this weekend.
idiom

a catnap

Meaning
a short, light sleep
Example
I took **a catnap** after lunch.
phrasal-verb

shift to

Meaning
to move or change focus, method, or responsibility
Example
Our company plans to **shift to** a hybrid work model.