throw good money after bad
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idiom

throw good money after bad

Meaning
to waste more money on something that has already failed
Example
Don’t **throw good money after bad** on that failing project.
phrasal-verb

build resilience

Meaning
to develop the ability to recover from challenges or stress
Example
Facing hardships helps you **build resilience** for the future.
idiom

cut the mustard

Meaning
to perform well or meet expectations
Example
She didn’t **cut the mustard** in her new role.
idiom

tears of joy

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

cut down on distractions

Meaning
to reduce things that take your attention away
Example
He’s trying to **cut down on distractions** to stay focused.
phrasal-verb

pull out of markets

Meaning
to withdraw investments or operations from a market
Example
Some multinational companies decided to **pull out of markets** facing instability.
idiom

bloom where you are planted

Meaning
to make the best of the situation you are in
Example
Even in a small town, she managed to **bloom where she was planted**.
phrasal-verb

spin out

Meaning
to lose control and start spinning around
Example
The car **spun out** on the wet highway.
idiom

strike it lucky

Meaning
to have unexpected good fortune
Example
We **struck it lucky** and found the last two tickets.
idiom

cold shoulder

Meaning
to ignore someone deliberately
Example
After the argument, she gave him the **cold shoulder** for days.
idiom

a dime a dozen

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

pair up with

Meaning
to join someone to work or participate together
Example
Please **pair up with** a partner for the lab experiment.
idiom

rack your brains

Meaning
to think very hard about something
Example
I had to **rack my brains** to remember her name.
phrasal-verb

lean into uncertainty

Meaning
to accept and embrace the unknown aspects of change
Example
Successful leaders **lean into uncertainty** rather than fear it.
idiom

money burns a hole in your pocket

Meaning
to be eager to spend money quickly
Example
He just got paid, and already **money burns a hole in his pocket**.
idiom

malware

Meaning
software designed to damage or disrupt computers or networks
Example
The antivirus software successfully removed the **malware** from the system.
phrasal-verb

back someone up

Meaning
to support or defend someone in a team or argument
Example
During the debate, my teammates **backed me up** when I presented my point.
idiom

over it

Meaning
no longer interested or affected by something
Example
I'm totally **over it** now.
idiom

come crashing down

Meaning
to suddenly fail or collapse
Example
Their plans **came crashing down** after the crisis.
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

brainchild of

Meaning
an idea or invention created by someone
Example
ChatGPT is the **brainchild of** OpenAI researchers.
phrasal-verb

lead with

Meaning
to begin with a polite or positive statement before criticism
Example
It’s always better to **lead with** appreciation before giving feedback.
phrasal-verb

carry out negotiations

Meaning
to conduct formal discussions to reach an agreement
Example
Our team will **carry out negotiations** with foreign investors next week.
phrasal-verb

draw aside

Meaning
to move something to one side; to separate from a group
Example
He **drew aside** the curtain to see who was outside.
idiom

steer someone in the right direction

Meaning
to guide someone towards the correct path or decision
Example
The senior manager helped **steer me in the right direction** when I was unsure about the project.
idiom

miss out on

Meaning
to fail to experience something enjoyable
Example
Don’t **miss out on** the early-bird discount.
phrasal-verb

stand up

Meaning
to rise to a standing position
Example
Everyone **stood up** when the teacher entered the room.
idiom

win by a landslide

Meaning
to win by a very large margin
Example
The candidate **won by a landslide** with 80% of the votes.
idiom

the show must go on

Meaning
to continue despite difficulties
Example
Even after the power went out, the actors knew **the show must go on**.
phrasal-verb

start off with

Meaning
to begin a creative process or project using a certain idea or material
Example
The artist **started off with** a simple sketch before adding color.
idiom

figure out

Meaning
to understand or solve something
Example
We need to **figure out** why the emails bounced.
phrasal-verb

move forward with joy

Meaning
to continue with a happy and positive attitude
Example
Let’s **move forward with joy** and not dwell on the past.
idiom

cut someone some slack

Meaning
to be less critical or give someone a break
Example
You should **cut him some slack**—he’s having a tough day.
idiom

no pain, no gain

Meaning
you have to work hard to achieve success
Example
He practices every day because he believes **no pain, no gain**.
phrasal-verb

charge up with

Meaning
to power a device or yourself using something available
Example
I **charge up with** a portable battery before long trips.
phrasal-verb

follow through on decisions

Meaning
to continue with an action until it is completed
Example
Leaders must always follow through on their promises.
idiom

cash in on

Meaning
to profit from a situation, often quickly
Example
Several startups tried to **cash in on** the sudden trend.
idiom

by trial and error

Meaning
learning by experimenting and correcting mistakes
Example
We developed the best method **by trial and error**.
idiom

soft power

Meaning
a country's ability to influence others through culture or values rather than force
Example
Japan uses **soft power** to promote its culture worldwide.
phrasal-verb

lock down on

Meaning
to impose strict security controls on something
Example
After the warning, we **locked down on** remote access rules.
idiom

a pipe dream

Meaning
an unrealistic or impossible dream
Example
Owning a private island is just **a pipe dream** for most people.
idiom

Game of thrones

Meaning
A struggle for power or control, often involving manipulation and rivalry
Example
The election turned into a **game of thrones** with leaders fighting for dominance.
phrasal-verb

keep alive

Meaning
to make sure cultural traditions continue to exist
Example
Artists work hard to **keep alive** the spirit of folk art.
phrasal-verb

delegate tasks

Meaning
to assign responsibilities to others
Example
An effective leader knows how to **delegate tasks** efficiently.
idiom

a shoulder to cry on

Meaning
someone who listens and supports you when you are sad
Example
She has always been **a shoulder to cry on** when I needed help.
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

cut down tariffs

Meaning
to reduce import or export taxes
Example
Many countries agreed to **cut down tariffs** to encourage free trade.
phrasal-verb

goof off

Meaning
to waste time instead of working or studying
Example
If you **goof off** all semester, you’ll regret it during finals.
idiom

tear into someone

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

media circus

Meaning
an excessive or sensationalized media coverage
Example
The trial turned into a **media circus**.
idiom

key into

Meaning
to pay close attention to or understand something important
Example
Leaders must **key into** what customers value most.
idiom

in good spirits

Meaning
to be cheerful and confident
Example
She was **in good spirits** after her presentation.
idiom

Bury yourself in books

Meaning
To spend all your time studying
Example
He **buried himself in books** before the finals.
phrasal-verb

learn by

Meaning
to gain knowledge or skill through a specific way or method
Example
Many people **learn by** making mistakes and correcting them.
idiom

in the wrong hands

Meaning
controlled or used by people who could cause harm
Example
AI technology **in the wrong hands** could be disastrous.
idiom

bite the byte

Meaning
to deal with a difficult technological challenge
Example
Developers had to **bite the byte** to fix the software issue.
idiom

do someone a favor

Meaning
to help someone out of kindness
Example
Could you **do me a favor** and close the window?
phrasal-verb

get going

Meaning
to begin taking action toward a goal
Example
If you want success, stop waiting and **get going** now!
idiom

cross the line

Meaning
to do something that is considered unacceptable
Example
He **crossed the line** when he insulted her in front of everyone.
idiom

a silver bullet

Meaning
a simple solution to a complex problem
Example
There is no **silver bullet** for solving climate change, but we need to take action.
phrasal-verb

merge efforts with

Meaning
to combine work or resources with another party
Example
They **merged efforts with** neighboring countries for mutual benefit.
phrasal-verb

take over responsibilities

Meaning
to start having control or responsibility for something
Example
After the manager resigned, she **took over responsibilities** temporarily.
phrasal-verb

reach across barriers

Meaning
to make an effort to connect despite differences
Example
Artists often **reach across barriers** through their creative work.
idiom

hand in glove

Meaning
working closely and harmoniously together
Example
The two partners work **hand in glove** to achieve their goals.
idiom

A golden opportunity

Meaning
a very good chance to do something
Example
Getting this scholarship is **a golden opportunity** for you.
phrasal-verb

cut off pollution

Meaning
to stop or reduce pollution sources
Example
Factories must **cut off pollution** to meet environmental standards.
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

cover your bases

Meaning
to prepare for all possible outcomes; to be cautious
Example
Make sure you **cover your bases** before presenting the report.
idiom

reach out to

Meaning
to contact someone to offer or request help
Example
Feel free to **reach out to** me if you need support.
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

revel in

Meaning
to get great pleasure from something
Example
He **revelled in** the joy of being with his family again.
idiom

friends in high places

Meaning
people with power or influence who can help you
Example
He got the job because he has **friends in high places**.
phrasal-verb

move ahead

Meaning
to make progress; to go forward
Example
Despite the delay, the project will **move ahead** as planned.
phrasal-verb

cut back on expenses

Meaning
to spend less money; to reduce costs
Example
During tough times, companies often **cut back on expenses**.
phrasal-verb

deal over

Meaning
to repeat the distribution of cards or tasks
Example
Let’s **deal over**; someone missed a card.
phrasal-verb

check around for

Meaning
to look in different places in search of something
Example
We **check around for** scholarships before settling on a program.
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.
phrasal-verb

learn from differences

Meaning
to gain understanding or wisdom by observing cultural contrasts
Example
We can **learn from differences** instead of judging them.
idiom

break the internet

Meaning
to cause an enormous amount of attention and discussion online
Example
The celebrity's new photo **broke the internet**.
idiom

internet troll

Meaning
a person who deliberately posts offensive or provocative comments online
Example
Don’t feed the **internet trolls** by replying to their comments.
phrasal-verb

chase after

Meaning
to try hard to achieve something you want
Example
Many people **chase after** success without enjoying the process.
phrasal-verb

play with

Meaning
to spend time enjoying a game or toy with someone
Example
We used to **play with** marbles and paper boats in the rain.
idiom

on good terms with

Meaning
having a friendly and positive relationship with someone
Example
She’s **on good terms with** her ex-husband for the kids’ sake.
idiom

burst with ideas

Meaning
to have many creative ideas at once
Example
After watching the film, he was **bursting with ideas** for his next project.
idiom

mix together

Meaning
to combine different things into one
Example
**Mix together** the spices before adding them to the stew.
phrasal-verb

live up to

Meaning
to meet expectations or standards
Example
He worked hard to **live up to** his parents’ expectations.
idiom

burning the midnight oil

Meaning
working late into the night
Example
She’s been **burning the midnight oil** to finish the report.
phrasal-verb

call ahead

Meaning
to phone in advance to make arrangements
Example
You should **call ahead** to reserve a seat.
phrasal-verb

lean on for

Meaning
to depend on someone for help or advice
Example
My mentor is who I **lean on for** guidance before big negotiations.
idiom

brute force attack

Meaning
a method of hacking that tries all possible combinations of passwords until the correct one is found
Example
The attacker launched a **brute force attack** on the system’s login page.
phrasal-verb

find after

Meaning
to pursue or try to locate something or someone
Example
The detective is still **finding after** the missing document.
idiom

Shoulder to shoulder

Meaning
Working together closely and equally.
Example
The soldiers stood **shoulder to shoulder** in battle.
idiom

cool off with

Meaning
to refresh oneself using something
Example
We’ll **cool off with** iced tea after the run.
phrasal-verb

stand united against

Meaning
to collectively oppose something as one group
Example
Countries **stand united against** global terrorism.
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

in a league of its own

Meaning
being far superior to others in a particular field.
Example
This smartphone is truly **in a league of its own** in terms of camera quality.
idiom

keep someone’s word

Meaning
to do what you promise to do
Example
You can trust him; he always **keeps his word**.
idiom

the art of persuasion

Meaning
the ability to convince someone to do something or believe something
Example
He mastered **the art of persuasion** and convinced them to support his cause.
idiom

take a hike

Meaning
to go for a walk or leave; to go away
Example
Let’s **take a hike** in the mountains this weekend.
idiom

till the soil

Meaning
to prepare for future success by hard work
Example
He spent years **tilling the soil** before his business finally grew.
idiom

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
idiom

chart a new course

Meaning
to plan a new direction or strategy
Example
After the crisis, the CEO decided to **chart a new course**.
idiom

a cog in the machine

Meaning
a small but essential part of a large system
Example
Every engineer is **a cog in the machine** that keeps the factory running.
idiom

believe in yourself

Meaning
to have confidence in your own abilities
Example
**Believe in yourself** and you can achieve anything.
phrasal-verb

get around to

Meaning
to finally do something after delaying it
Example
I finally **got around to** cleaning my desk.
phrasal-verb

come up empty

Meaning
to fail to achieve or find something
Example
We searched everywhere but **came up empty**.
phrasal-verb

stand over

Meaning
to watch someone closely to ensure they do something correctly
Example
The teacher **stood over** the students during the exam.
phrasal-verb

point inside

Meaning
to indicate something within an area or container
Example
He **pointed inside** the box to show the contents.
phrasal-verb

lay risks out

Meaning
to present potential issues clearly
Example
Product leads **lay risks out** before we greenlight new features.
idiom

win the peace

Meaning
to succeed in maintaining peace after a conflict
Example
The treaty was a success, but they still had to **win the peace**.
phrasal-verb

bring in line with

Meaning
to make something conform to a standard or policy
Example
The company updated its IT systems to **bring them in line with** global data security standards.
phrasal-verb

stand tall with courage

Meaning
to stay brave and optimistic in difficult situations
Example
He always **stands tall with courage** when facing failures.
phrasal-verb

wind meetings down

Meaning
to wrap up discussions and close a meeting
Example
Chairs **wind meetings down** by recapping wins and next steps.
phrasal-verb

tidy up after

Meaning
to clean and organize a space after someone else has used it
Example
After dinner I always **tidy up after** the kids before sitting down.
idiom

hair stands on end

Meaning
to feel intense fear or horror
Example
The ghost story made my **hair stand on end**.
phrasal-verb

heal from

Meaning
to emotionally recover from pain, trauma, or loss
Example
It takes time to **heal from** emotional wounds.
phrasal-verb

pass on

Meaning
to convey information to someone else
Example
Please **pass on** the message to the entire team.
idiom

outstanding in one’s field

Meaning
to be exceptionally good at one’s work
Example
She’s **outstanding in her field** as a scientist.
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

get to the bottom of things

Meaning
to find out the real cause or truth behind something
Example
The detective worked hard to **get to the bottom of things**.
phrasal-verb

move toward

Meaning
to progress or advance in the direction of change or improvement
Example
Societies are slowly **moving toward** greater gender equality.