third time lucky
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idiom

third time lucky

Meaning
succeeding after two failures
Example
He failed twice, but maybe he’ll be **third time lucky**.
idiom

talk someone's ear off

Meaning
to talk too much and for a long time
Example
She **talked my ear off** about her new job.
idiom

to have a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared healthy by a doctor
Example
After the checkup, she got **a clean bill of health**.
idiom

target audience

Meaning
a specific group of people a campaign is aimed at
Example
You need to know your **target audience** before launching a campaign.
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

take along

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

take on new responsibilities

Meaning
to accept additional tasks or duties in one’s role
Example
He was eager to **take on new responsibilities** after the promotion.
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.
phrasal-verb

tackle issues with

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

to break out in a cold sweat

Meaning
to suddenly become very nervous or afraid
Example
I **broke out in a cold sweat** before giving my first public speech.
idiom

talk around something

Meaning
to discuss something without addressing it directly
Example
She kept **talking around** the topic instead of answering the question directly.
idiom

take the fall for

Meaning
to accept blame for something on behalf of someone else
Example
He decided to **take the fall for** his colleague's mistake.
idiom

Tear down barriers

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

tough luck

Meaning
expression of sympathy for someone’s misfortune
Example
Didn’t get the job? **Tough luck**!
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**!
phrasal-verb

turn against

Meaning
to stop supporting someone and start opposing them
Example
The public **turned against** the government after the scandal.
phrasal-verb

turn over to

Meaning
to transfer control or responsibility to someone else
Example
He **turned over to** the next speaker after finishing his talk.
idiom

tough it out

Meaning
to endure a difficult situation with strength and determination
Example
Even though it was a tough day, she managed to **tough it out** and finish the project.
phrasal-verb

talk down

Meaning
to speak in a way that shows you think someone is less intelligent
Example
Don’t **talk down** to your colleagues; it’s disrespectful.
phrasal-verb

toughen up

Meaning
to become stronger and more resilient, especially emotionally
Example
You need to **toughen up** if you want to handle criticism at work.
phrasal-verb

tear up

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

tap into your potential

Meaning
to use your abilities fully to achieve success
Example
You must **tap into your potential** to unlock greater confidence.
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**.
idiom

to machine learn

Meaning
to learn automatically from data without human intervention
Example
The system continues **to machine learn** as more data is fed into it.
phrasal-verb

tune in to

Meaning
to become aware of or responsive to something or someone
Example
Good leaders **tune in to** their team’s needs and emotions.
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

tune down

Meaning
to lower the intensity or energy; to calm things
Example
Let’s **tune down** the tension and talk calmly about it.
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

the right thing to do

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

troll someone

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

talk on

Meaning
to continue talking for a long time, often unnecessarily
Example
She **talked on** for hours about her vacation.
phrasal-verb

talk over drinks

Meaning
to have a conversation while drinking together
Example
They **talked over drinks** about old memories.
phrasal-verb

touch on

Meaning
to briefly mention or discuss a subject
Example
She only **touched on** the topic during her speech.
idiom

That’s exactly right

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

take the stage

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

the lights are on but nobody’s home

Meaning
someone appears active but is not thinking clearly
Example
When the AI glitched, it was like **the lights were on but nobody’s home**.
phrasal-verb

track against goals

Meaning
to measure performance by comparing it to targets
Example
We **track against goals** every Monday so the team stays focused.
idiom

take stock of

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

To have a clear conscience

Meaning
To feel that one has done the right thing.
Example
After returning the lost wallet, he went to bed **with a clear conscience**.
idiom

tip off

Meaning
to secretly give information or a warning
Example
A neighbor **tipped off** the police about the noise.
phrasal-verb

turn left

Meaning
to change direction to the left
Example
At the next intersection, **turn left** onto Main Street.
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.
idiom

take a stand

Meaning
to make a firm decision or opinion known
Example
It’s time to **take a stand** and support what you believe in.
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

Take your chances

Meaning
To try something despite uncertainty.
Example
He decided to **take his chances** and apply for the international scholarship.
idiom

the art of something

Meaning
the skill of doing something well
Example
She has mastered **the art of** storytelling.
idiom

take someone aback

Meaning
to surprise or shock someone suddenly
Example
I was **taken aback** by his rude comment.
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 question everything

Meaning
To critically examine and not blindly accept the status quo or accepted beliefs.
Example
In philosophy, one is encouraged **to question everything** in order to arrive at the truth.
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 screw up

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

team up with

Meaning
to collaborate with someone for a common goal
Example
The nonprofits **teamed up with** local schools for the project.
phrasal-verb

tag along with

Meaning
to join someone, especially without an invitation, in an online or real-life activity
Example
He loves to **tag along with** influencers during live sessions.
idiom

throw your weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** in meetings.
idiom

throw shade

Meaning
to subtly insult or criticize someone
Example
She was **throwing shade** at her ex during the conversation.
phrasal-verb

testify against

Meaning
to give evidence in court against someone
Example
The witness agreed to **testify against** the accused.
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

tickled pink

Meaning
very pleased or delighted
Example
She was **tickled pink** by the surprise gift.
idiom

take the rap

Meaning
to be punished or blamed for something, often unfairly.
Example
He **took the rap** for the team’s poor performance.
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

table a proposal

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

tune out

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

Talk through your hat

Meaning
To speak nonsense or about something one knows little about.
Example
He was **talking through his hat** about quantum physics.
idiom

to encrypt data

Meaning
to convert data into a secure format to prevent unauthorized access
Example
All sensitive information must be **to encrypt data** before storage.
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

the whole truth

Meaning
the complete truth without leaving anything out
Example
She promised to tell **the whole truth** in court.
idiom

turn over a new leaf

Meaning
to start behaving better after doing something wrong
Example
After the accident, he decided to **turn over a new leaf**.
idiom

tighten the belt

Meaning
to reduce spending; to save money due to financial constraints
Example
In tough economic times, businesses must **tighten the belt** to survive.
idiom

turn a new leaf

Meaning
to make a fresh start or change for the better
Example
After the incident, he decided to **turn a new leaf** and improve his behavior.
idiom

take charge

Meaning
to take control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge** of the project herself.
idiom

to steal the show

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

take a nosedive

Meaning
to decline suddenly and dramatically
Example
The company's stock **took a nosedive** after the scandal.
phrasal-verb

turn around the economy

Meaning
to improve an economy that was in decline
Example
The stimulus package helped **turn around the economy** after the crisis.
idiom

take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become more ill
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
idiom

Tell the truth

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

take shape

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

turn out for

Meaning
to attend or participate in an event
Example
Thousands of people **turned out for** the annual cultural parade.
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

turn on

Meaning
to start a machine or device
Example
Can you **turn on** the Wi-Fi, please?
idiom

That ship has sailed

Meaning
That opportunity is gone and cannot be used anymore.
Example
I wanted to apply for that job, but **that ship has sailed**.
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

think up

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

take part in

Meaning
to join or participate actively in something
Example
Students should **take part in** group discussions to learn better.
idiom

take someone under your wing

Meaning
to take responsibility for someone and help them learn
Example
He decided to **take me under his wing** and show me how to succeed.
idiom

to take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become worse or decline in health
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
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

throw to

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

talk it through

Meaning
to discuss your worries or feelings with someone to find relief
Example
It often helps to **talk it through** with someone who listens without judging.
idiom

trendsetter

Meaning
someone who leads the way in fashion, technology, or other popular areas, setting trends for others to follow
Example
The company became a **trendsetter** in the tech world with its innovative new app.
idiom

three sheets to the wind

Meaning
Very drunk or intoxicated.
Example
After the party, he was **three sheets to the wind**.
idiom

tone down

Meaning
to make something less forceful or intense
Example
Could you **tone down** the colors in that slide?
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.
phrasal-verb

turn inward

Meaning
to focus on your own thoughts and feelings
Example
After the accident, he began to **turn inward** for reflection.
idiom

trust one's judgment

Meaning
to believe in someone's decision or ability to make good choices
Example
I always **trust her judgment** when it comes to hiring decisions.
phrasal-verb

tie up with

Meaning
to form a partnership or collaboration
Example
The fintech company will **tie up with** a global payment network.
phrasal-verb

take off in

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

to backfire

Meaning
to have the opposite result of what was intended
Example
His plan **backfired** and made things worse.
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

take the plunge

Meaning
to decide to do something risky or difficult
Example
After years of thinking, he finally **took the plunge** and started his business.
idiom

to lay down the law

Meaning
to assert authority and dictate how things should be done
Example
The new judge quickly **laid down the law** in the courtroom.
idiom

take five

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

throw about

Meaning
to move or scatter things in a disorderly way
Example
The kids **threw about** their toys all over the room.
idiom

Take it one step at a time

Meaning
Deal with tasks gradually instead of rushing.
Example
**Take it one step at a time**, and you’ll succeed.
idiom

the best of both worlds

Meaning
a situation in which you can enjoy the advantages of two very different things at the same time
Example
She works in the city and lives in the country, so she gets **the best of both worlds**.
idiom

talk the talk

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

turn toward

Meaning
to direct attention or effort to something
Example
More youth are **turning toward** cultural initiatives to make a difference.
idiom

To tell the truth

Meaning
To speak honestly or openly.
Example
**To tell the truth**, I never liked that movie.
idiom

the wisdom of age

Meaning
knowledge and understanding gained through life experience
Example
He gave me advice that showed **the wisdom of age**.
idiom

tough as nails

Meaning
very strong and resilient
Example
She is **tough as nails**, nothing can break her spirit.
idiom

to break new ground

Meaning
to do something innovative or unprecedented
Example
The company’s new app **broke new ground** in terms of user experience.
idiom

The greater good

Meaning
The idea that actions should be judged based on how much they contribute to the overall well-being of society, rather than individual interests.
Example
In times of crisis, leaders must always think about **the greater good** before making decisions.
idiom

to firewall something

Meaning
to block or prevent access to something, typically used in the context of protecting a network or system
Example
We need **to firewall something** to protect our database from hackers.
phrasal-verb

turn over

Meaning
to flip something; to change jobs or positions
Example
She **turned over** the page to continue reading.
phrasal-verb

talk back

Meaning
to reply rudely; to argue with authority
Example
Don’t **talk back** to your teacher like that!
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

too big to fail

Meaning
a company or institution that is so important that it is unlikely to fail
Example
Many financial institutions were considered **too big to fail** during the 2008 financial crisis.
phrasal-verb

tie together

Meaning
to connect or combine different ideas or organizations into a single effort
Example
Their vision helps to **tie together** efforts from multiple NGOs.
phrasal-verb

take away from

Meaning
to learn or gain something valuable from an experience
Example
What did you **take away from** that experience?