things are looking up
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idiom

things are looking up

Meaning
the situation is improving
Example
After a tough year, **things are looking up** for our business.
idiom

take on board

Meaning
to accept or take responsibility for something
Example
The manager had to **take on board** the new task for the team.
phrasal-verb

type up

Meaning
to write or prepare something using a computer
Example
He quickly **typed up** the message and sent it.
idiom

team effort

Meaning
work done by a group of people to achieve a common goal
Example
The success of the project was due to a great **team effort**.
idiom

the letter of the law

Meaning
following the exact wording of the law
Example
He follows **the letter of the law**, not its spirit.
idiom

to be honest

Meaning
used when expressing a sincere or frank opinion
Example
**To be honest**, I didn’t like the food.
idiom

to feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel very good or confident
Example
After the spa treatment, I **felt like a million bucks**.
idiom

Take off

Meaning
To begin to succeed rapidly; to leave the ground.
Example
Her business really **took off** after the new marketing campaign.
phrasal-verb

take along

Meaning
to bring someone or something with you
Example
Don’t forget to **take along** your umbrella.
idiom

trade blows

Meaning
to argue or fight with someone
Example
The two rival companies have been **trading blows** over market share for years.
idiom

Trickle-down effect

Meaning
Economic benefits of the wealthy gradually reaching the lower-income groups.
Example
Critics argue that the **trickle-down effect** rarely helps the poor.
idiom

throw one's hat in the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s intention to compete for a position or office
Example
Several candidates have **thrown their hats in the ring** for the presidency.
idiom

toss out

Meaning
to throw something away
Example
We had to **toss out** the expired snacks.
phrasal-verb

tie to

Meaning
to connect closely with something
Example
Many local festivals are **tied to** historical events.
idiom

take the stage

Meaning
to begin performing or speaking publicly
Example
The new actor will **take the stage** for the first time tonight.
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.
phrasal-verb

throw up

Meaning
to vomit
Example
The spoiled food made him **throw up**.
idiom

talk the talk

Meaning
to speak confidently about something
Example
He can **talk the talk**, but can he walk the walk?
idiom

the long arm of the law

Meaning
the power and reach of the law to catch criminals
Example
**The long arm of the law** finally caught the escaped prisoner.
idiom

The sun is shining

Meaning
A metaphor for happiness or positivity, often used when things are going well.
Example
After all the hard work, things finally seemed to be **shining**.
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

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

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

the luck of the draw

Meaning
something decided by chance
Example
You can’t choose your team; it’s **the luck of the draw**.
idiom

talk shop

Meaning
to talk about work or business during leisure time
Example
Even at dinner, they started to **talk shop**.
idiom

the rest is history

Meaning
used to say that everyone knows what happened next
Example
They met in college, fell in love, and **the rest is history**.
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!
phrasal-verb

think back to

Meaning
to recall or remember something from the past
Example
I often **think back to** the lessons my parents taught me.
idiom

throw a tantrum

Meaning
to have an outburst of anger or frustration, often in a childish manner
Example
The child **threw a tantrum** when she didn’t get the toy she wanted.
idiom

trust issues

Meaning
difficulty trusting others due to past experiences
Example
He has **trust issues** after being betrayed once.
idiom

take your time

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

to make a boo-boo

Meaning
to make a small or funny mistake
Example
Oops, I **made a boo-boo** and sent the wrong file!
phrasal-verb

transition through

Meaning
to pass through different phases of change smoothly
Example
The company managed to **transition through** restructuring with minimal disruption.
idiom

to blow it

Meaning
to ruin a chance or opportunity by mistake
Example
He **blew it** by arriving late to the interview.
idiom

to steal the show

Meaning
to attract all the attention or praise
Example
Her performance in the play completely **stole the show**.
idiom

talk over someone's head

Meaning
to speak in a way that someone cannot understand
Example
The professor was **talking over our heads** during the lecture.
phrasal-verb

turn into

Meaning
to become something different
Example
Over time, the small shop **turned into** a large supermarket.
idiom

that's the last straw

Meaning
my patience has run out
Example
He's been late all week, but this is **the last straw**.
phrasal-verb

toy with

Meaning
to consider an idea casually without serious intention
Example
He’s been **toying with** the idea of developing a creative AI tool.
phrasal-verb

take in stride

Meaning
to accept and deal with something difficult calmly
Example
He learned to **take challenges in stride** instead of stressing out.
phrasal-verb

turn up the music

Meaning
to increase the volume of music
Example
They **turned up the music** when everyone started dancing.
phrasal-verb

try out

Meaning
to test a new recipe or food for the first time
Example
I want to **try out** that new smoothie recipe.
idiom

to sweep someone off their feet

Meaning
to make someone fall in love with you quickly
Example
He **swept her off her feet** with his charm.
idiom

truth be told

Meaning
to admit something honestly
Example
**Truth be told**, I don’t really like this movie.
idiom

take your breath away

Meaning
to surprise or impress someone very much
Example
The beauty of the sunset will **take your breath away**.
idiom

turn the page

Meaning
to move on to something new after finishing or overcoming something
Example
After the breakup, she decided to **turn the page** and start fresh.
idiom

the tide has turned

Meaning
a situation has started to change in your favor
Example
After months of bad luck, **the tide has turned** for our team.
idiom

two-faced

Meaning
deceitful; pretending to be friendly while being dishonest
Example
She seems nice, but she’s actually **two-faced**.
idiom

the doctor ordered

Meaning
exactly what is needed or wanted
Example
After a long day, a cup of coffee was just **what the doctor ordered**.
idiom

the real McCoy

Meaning
the genuine or original thing
Example
This painting is **the real McCoy**, not a copy.
idiom

to hit it off

Meaning
to quickly become good friends
Example
We **hit it off** the moment we met.
idiom

take five

Meaning
to take a short break
Example
Let's **take five** before continuing the meeting.
idiom

to push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate
Example
In the world of AI, companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
idiom

the buck stops here

Meaning
I am the one responsible; I will take responsibility.
Example
**The buck stops here**, and I will handle the mistake personally.
idiom

think tank

Meaning
a group of experts developing new ideas or policies
Example
The **think tank** proposed innovative educational reforms.
idiom

take down

Meaning
to record information in writing
Example
Can you **take down** the meeting notes?
phrasal-verb

tire yourself out

Meaning
to make yourself very tired, often due to stress or overwork
Example
He **tired himself out** trying to finish all his tasks in one day.
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**.
idiom

to be in the doghouse

Meaning
to be in trouble, especially with someone you care about
Example
After forgetting her birthday, he was definitely **in the doghouse**.
idiom

to tell you the truth

Meaning
used to introduce an honest or surprising opinion
Example
**To tell you the truth**, I didn’t enjoy the party.
idiom

the bottom line

Meaning
the most important fact or result
Example
The **bottom line** is that we need to increase our profits.
idiom

toe the line

Meaning
to obey rules or follow the official policy
Example
All members are expected to **toe the line** with party policy.
phrasal-verb

trade down for

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

turn things around

Meaning
to reverse a negative situation and make it positive
Example
With some effort, we can **turn things around**.
idiom

trending topic

Meaning
a subject that is currently popular on social media
Example
Her post became a **trending topic** on Twitter.
idiom

take sides

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument
Example
It’s hard not to **take sides** when your friends are arguing.
idiom

to clean one's hands

Meaning
to rid oneself of responsibility for something, especially wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **clean his hands** of the situation, but we all knew he was involved.
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

twist someone's ear

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something by being persistent
Example
I had to **twist someone's ear** to get him to help me move.
idiom

to be a sponge for knowledge

Meaning
to absorb information eagerly and enthusiastically
Example
She's **a sponge for knowledge**; she reads every book she can find.
idiom

throw oneself at someone's mercy

Meaning
to ask for forgiveness and hope for kindness
Example
She **threw herself at the teacher’s mercy** after missing the deadline.
idiom

to see the big picture

Meaning
to understand the larger or more important issue
Example
You need to **see the big picture** when making strategic decisions.
idiom

take ownership

Meaning
to take full responsibility for something
Example
Leaders should **take ownership** of both successes and failures.
idiom

Tell the truth

Meaning
To say what is true instead of lying.
Example
Please **tell the truth**, even if it hurts.
idiom

take stock of

Meaning
to review a situation carefully before making decisions
Example
Let’s **take stock of** our priorities this quarter.
idiom

the bottom has fallen out

Meaning
a situation in which something has suddenly failed or collapsed
Example
The market for tech stocks has crashed; the **bottom has fallen out**.
idiom

turn up the heat

Meaning
to increase pressure or intensity
Example
The scientists decided to **turn up the heat** on the experiment.
idiom

to rise to the occasion

Meaning
to show the necessary ability when faced with a challenge
Example
When the team needed him most, he **rose to the occasion** and led them to victory.
idiom

think big

Meaning
to set ambitious and visionary goals
Example
Entrepreneurs must **think big** to make a real impact.
idiom

the calm before the storm

Meaning
a peaceful time before trouble begins
Example
The classroom was silent, like **the calm before the storm**.
phrasal-verb

turn down for

Meaning
to reject an offer or opportunity
Example
He was **turned down for** the job because he lacked experience.
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

throw under the bus

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

train your brain

Meaning
to practice and improve one’s cognitive abilities
Example
Use puzzles to **train your brain** like an AI model.
idiom

the dawn of a new day

Meaning
a new beginning filled with hope
Example
Her graduation marked **the dawn of a new day** in her life.
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.
idiom

train the brain

Meaning
to improve one’s thinking or problem-solving ability through practice
Example
Developers constantly **train their brains** to create smarter algorithms.
phrasal-verb

tie into

Meaning
to connect or link closely with something
Example
This project **ties into** our long-term digital strategy.
phrasal-verb

tally costs up

Meaning
to add expenses together to get a total
Example
We **tally costs up** every Friday to stay under budget.
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

take it to the next level

Meaning
to improve something significantly; to advance to a higher stage
Example
We plan to **take our business to the next level** this year.
idiom

to mess up

Meaning
to make a mistake or do something badly
Example
Don’t **mess up** the report again this time.
idiom

trust your gut

Meaning
to follow your intuition or instincts
Example
When making big decisions, it’s often best to **trust your gut**.
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.
phrasal-verb

take on challenges

Meaning
to accept and deal with difficult tasks confidently
Example
Employees who **take on challenges** tend to grow faster in their careers.
idiom

time will tell

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

take the wind out of someone’s sails

Meaning
To make someone lose confidence or enthusiasm.
Example
Her harsh criticism **took the wind out of his sails**.
idiom

teach someone a lesson

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

trip over oneself

Meaning
to make many small mistakes because of nervousness
Example
He **tripped over himself** trying to explain.
idiom

to pick someone's brain

Meaning
to ask someone questions in order to get information or advice
Example
I need to **pick your brain** about your experience with this software.
phrasal-verb

tune into emotions

Meaning
to pay attention to and understand your feelings
Example
Meditation helps you **tune into emotions** without judgment.
phrasal-verb

tune out negativity

Meaning
to ignore or block negative thoughts or emotions
Example
He tries to **tune out negativity** to stay mentally strong.
idiom

That’s exactly right

Meaning
Used to completely agree with a statement
Example
**That’s exactly right**, we should focus on quality first.
phrasal-verb

throw in

Meaning
to add something extra for free; to include casually
Example
The seller **threw in** a free cover with the phone.
idiom

the balance of power

Meaning
a situation in which power is distributed among nations to prevent dominance by one
Example
The UN aims to maintain **the balance of power** among major nations.
idiom

troll someone

Meaning
to deliberately provoke or upset someone online
Example
Some users love to **troll** others just for fun.
phrasal-verb

take out on

Meaning
to use money for paying a loan or insurance
Example
He decided to **take out** life insurance after having a baby.
idiom

trust someone with something

Meaning
to give someone responsibility for something important
Example
I trust you to **take care of the project**.
idiom

the smoking gun

Meaning
a piece of evidence that clearly proves guilt
Example
The email was **the smoking gun** in the corruption case.
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.
idiom

To have a heart of gold

Meaning
To be very kind and generous
Example
She has a heart of gold, always helping those in need.
phrasal-verb

turn failure into

Meaning
to transform a failure into a learning or success opportunity
Example
He tried to **turn failure into** motivation for his next project.
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**.
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

tear into someone

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

take off after

Meaning
to chase someone or something quickly
Example
The police **took off after** the thief.
phrasal-verb

tick off

Meaning
to mark completed items on a list
Example
I **ticked off** each task as I finished to track the progress before the deadline.
phrasal-verb

throw together

Meaning
to assemble or prepare something quickly and without care
Example
They **threw together** a quick dinner before the guests arrived.
idiom

Two heads are better than one

Meaning
Working together gives better results.
Example
**Two heads are better than one**, let’s solve it together.
idiom

to bend the rules

Meaning
to make exceptions or not strictly follow the law or rules
Example
Sometimes, officers **bend the rules** to help the needy.
phrasal-verb

thank for

Meaning
to express gratitude for something
Example
I want to **thank you for** your help with the project.