throw in the towel
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idiom

throw in the towel

Meaning
to give up or quit
Example
After many failures, he **threw in the towel**.
idiom

give it time

Meaning
to wait for something to improve or happen
Example
**Give it time**, you’ll see results soon.
idiom

take someone at their word

Meaning
to trust that someone is telling the truth
Example
You can **take her at her word**; she never lies.
idiom

hold someone accountable

Meaning
to make someone take responsibility for their actions
Example
It’s important to **hold people accountable** for their mistakes.
idiom

doubt creeps in

Meaning
to begin to feel uncertain or unsure
Example
After a few failures, **doubt began to creep in**.
idiom

keep the fire burning

Meaning
to stay motivated and passionate about something
Example
Even after failure, he managed to **keep the fire burning**.
idiom

debug the problem

Meaning
to identify and fix issues or errors
Example
Let’s **debug the problem** before we push the update.
phrasal-verb

stick to

Meaning
to continue following or supporting a particular position or argument
Example
She **stuck to** her point despite the criticism.
idiom

To tell the truth

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

call together

Meaning
to bring people together for a meeting
Example
The director **called together** the team for an urgent discussion.
idiom

Supply and demand

Meaning
The relationship between how much of something is available and how much people want it.
Example
The price of oil depends largely on **supply and demand**.
idiom

second to none

Meaning
the best; better than everyone else
Example
Her cooking is **second to none**.
phrasal-verb

go through customs

Meaning
to complete security and document checks when entering a country
Example
Budget extra time to **go through customs** at busy airports.
phrasal-verb

take over

Meaning
to gain control of another company through acquisition
Example
A multinational firm is planning to **take over** the local brand.
phrasal-verb

flag blockers early

Meaning
to report obstacles as soon as they appear
Example
Please **flag blockers early** so support teams can jump in.
phrasal-verb

reach forward to

Meaning
to extend emotional support to help someone move on
Example
He **reached forward to** his brother to help him recover.
phrasal-verb

stick around for

Meaning
to stay nearby or remain present, usually to spend more time together
Example
Why don’t you **stick around for** a while and have coffee with us?
phrasal-verb

bring people along

Meaning
to inspire others to share and follow your vision; to include others in your progress
Example
A good leader knows how to **bring people along** when introducing new ideas.
phrasal-verb

let yourself rest

Meaning
to allow yourself to take a break and relax
Example
You should **let yourself rest** after such a long day.
phrasal-verb

let feelings out

Meaning
to express emotions instead of keeping them inside
Example
It's important to **let your feelings out** instead of hiding them.
phrasal-verb

limit yourself to

Meaning
to restrict your actions or choices for a specific goal
Example
Try to **limit yourself to** one hour of social media per day.
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.
idiom

big brother

Meaning
an older brother or someone who behaves protectively
Example
Mark acts like a **big brother** to everyone in the neighborhood.
idiom

keep your word

Meaning
to honor a promise or commitment
Example
You must always **keep your word** if you want to gain trust.
idiom

a bookworm

Meaning
a person who loves reading books
Example
She’s **a bookworm**; she spends hours in the library.
idiom

hit back

Meaning
to reply to criticism or attack with force
Example
The team plans to **hit back** with a stronger strategy.
idiom

state of mind

Meaning
a person's emotional condition
Example
Your **state of mind** affects how you make decisions.
idiom

shake off

Meaning
to get rid of something unpleasant
Example
She took a walk to **shake off** the stress.
phrasal-verb

pay into

Meaning
to deposit money into a bank account or fund
Example
I **paid into** my savings account yesterday.
phrasal-verb

talk someone through

Meaning
to explain something step by step so the person feels confident
Example
Coaches **talk players through** calming breaths before big matches.
phrasal-verb

step into roles

Meaning
to take on new responsibilities or duties
Example
She confidently **stepped into** her new managerial role.
idiom

fit for a king

Meaning
something of very high quality or luxurious
Example
The dinner was **fit for a king**.
idiom

see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
They finally **saw eye to eye** on the business deal.
idiom

botnet

Meaning
a network of computers infected with malware that are controlled remotely by a hacker
Example
The hacker used the **botnet** to launch a massive DDoS attack on the server.
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.
idiom

call the shots

Meaning
to be in charge and make decisions
Example
In this company, the manager **calls the shots**.
idiom

have a blast

Meaning
to have a really good time
Example
We **had a blast** at the concert last night!
idiom

Go down the rabbit hole

Meaning
To get deeply involved in something, often unintentionally.
Example
I started reading about AI and **went down the rabbit hole** for hours.
idiom

cool off with

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

draw off

Meaning
to remove or take liquid from a source
Example
They **drew off** some water from the tank for cleaning.
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

throw your weight around

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

clear the decks

Meaning
Prepare for action by removing unnecessary things.
Example
We need to **clear the decks** before the new project begins.
phrasal-verb

go over lessons

Meaning
to review or check lessons again for better understanding
Example
I always **go over lessons** before an exam.
idiom

come rain or shine

Meaning
no matter what happens; in any weather or situation
Example
He goes jogging **come rain or shine**.
phrasal-verb

hand back praise

Meaning
to redirect compliments to the people who earned them
Example
Great mentors **hand back praise** to the colleagues who did the work.
idiom

light bulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or new idea
Example
She had a **light bulb moment** while brainstorming for the campaign.
idiom

offstage

Meaning
outside of public attention or in private life
Example
He is very different **offstage** than he appears in his shows.
idiom

dress down

Meaning
to scold someone severely
Example
The coach **dressed down** the team for sloppy defense.
idiom

get a grasp of

Meaning
to understand something fully
Example
It took me a while to **get a grasp of** the new software.
idiom

wave off

Meaning
to dismiss or refuse something with a gesture or comment
Example
She **waved off** the compliments with a smile.
idiom

spaced out

Meaning
not paying attention; lost in thought
Example
He looked completely **spaced out** during the meeting.
idiom

to wear one's heart on one's sleeve

Meaning
to openly show one's emotions or feelings
Example
He really **wears his heart on his sleeve**, you can tell exactly how he feels.
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

show up late

Meaning
to arrive later than expected
Example
He always **shows up late** for work.
phrasal-verb

let yourself go

Meaning
to relax and enjoy without worrying
Example
Sometimes you need to **let yourself go** and stop overthinking.
idiom

Dress to impress

Meaning
Wear clothes that will make others admire you
Example
You should **dress to impress** for your job interview.
idiom

ground control

Meaning
authority or people managing a situation
Example
In this project, Sarah is **ground control**.
idiom

it's not rocket science

Meaning
it's not difficult to understand
Example
You can learn to cook, **it's not rocket science**.
idiom

air out

Meaning
to let fresh air into a space
Example
Open the windows to **air out** the room.
phrasal-verb

come out with

Meaning
to produce or publish something new
Example
The company has **come out with** an innovative smartphone design.
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

drive yourself forward

Meaning
to motivate yourself to keep progressing
Example
She constantly **drives herself forward** to reach her goals.
phrasal-verb

take over as

Meaning
to assume a new position or responsibility previously held by someone else
Example
She will **take over as** the new HR manager next month.
phrasal-verb

drop off

Meaning
to take someone or something to a place by car
Example
Can you **drop off** the kids at school?
phrasal-verb

stick at

Meaning
to continue doing something with determination even when it is difficult
Example
If you **stick at** it, you will eventually see the results of your effort.
idiom

AI-powered

Meaning
referring to systems or applications that use artificial intelligence to function
Example
The company launched an **AI-powered** assistant to help customers find products more easily.
idiom

law of the jungle

Meaning
survival of the strongest; lack of order or law
Example
In war, the **law of the jungle** often applies.
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.
phrasal-verb

green up

Meaning
to make something more environmentally friendly
Example
Our building **greens up** by switching to solar lighting.
phrasal-verb

forgive from within

Meaning
to truly forgive someone deep in your heart
Example
To heal completely, you need to **forgive from within**.
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.
phrasal-verb

shut off emotions

Meaning
to stop feeling or expressing emotions
Example
He learned to **shut off his emotions** to protect himself.
phrasal-verb

hold down costs

Meaning
to keep expenses under control
Example
The company managed to **hold down costs** despite rising raw material prices.
idiom

hands are tied

Meaning
to be unable to act freely because of rules or restrictions
Example
The government’s **hands are tied** due to international trade laws.
idiom

play second fiddle

Meaning
to take a subordinate role to someone else
Example
He was tired of **playing second fiddle** to his colleague.
phrasal-verb

push beyond comfort

Meaning
to do more than what feels easy or safe
Example
Success begins when you **push beyond comfort** and take risks.
phrasal-verb

look out toward

Meaning
to show attention or awareness toward someone’s needs
Example
We should always **look out toward** those who are struggling.
phrasal-verb

drive up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods or services sold abroad
Example
The new trade policies are designed to **drive up exports**.
idiom

cut and paste

Meaning
to copy something with little change
Example
You can't just **cut and paste** ideas from others.
idiom

own up to something

Meaning
to admit or confess responsibility for something
Example
You should **own up to your mistakes** instead of blaming others.
phrasal-verb

rinse off after

Meaning
to quickly wash yourself following an activity
Example
I always **rinse off after** my evening workout.
phrasal-verb

hold with

Meaning
to agree with or approve of something
Example
I don’t **hold with** lying under any circumstances.
phrasal-verb

cash out

Meaning
to sell an investment for money
Example
He decided to **cash out** his stocks when the prices were high.
idiom

pillar of strength

Meaning
a person who provides strong support or comfort
Example
She was a **pillar of strength** during difficult times.
idiom

let bygones be bygones

Meaning
to forget past disagreements and forgive each other
Example
They decided to **let bygones be bygones** and move forward.
idiom

To lend a helping hand

Meaning
to assist someone in a time of need
Example
She always knows when to **lend a helping hand** and never hesitates.
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.
phrasal-verb

move over

Meaning
to change position to make space for someone or something
Example
Can you **move over** a bit so I can sit down?
phrasal-verb

carry about

Meaning
to move or take something from place to place
Example
Vendors **carry about** their goods in baskets.
phrasal-verb

lace up for

Meaning
to tie your shoes or gear in preparation for something
Example
I **lace up for** my morning run as soon as the sun comes up.
idiom

follow through on

Meaning
to complete a task or promise as planned
Example
She always **follows through on** what she says she will do.
idiom

make up

Meaning
to reconcile after an argument or fight
Example
They always **make up** after small arguments.
phrasal-verb

settle for

Meaning
to accept something that is not perfect because there is no better option
Example
He didn’t like the first design but had to **settle for** it due to time constraints.
phrasal-verb

hand action items out

Meaning
to assign follow-up tasks to specific people
Example
Facilitators **hand action items out** before closing the meeting.
idiom

take apart

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

cream of the crop

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

pick yourself up

Meaning
to recover from a failure or setback
Example
She failed the first time, but she **picked herself up** and tried again.
idiom

sadder but wiser

Meaning
disappointed but having learned from the experience
Example
After that mistake, she was **sadder but wiser**.
phrasal-verb

carry forward surplus

Meaning
to move remaining funds or profit into the next financial period
Example
The company decided to **carry forward surplus** to strengthen future operations.
idiom

debug the situation

Meaning
to analyze and solve a problem carefully; borrowed from programming
Example
We need to **debug the situation** before it gets worse.
idiom

make up with someone

Meaning
to become friends again after a disagreement
Example
After their argument, they decided to **make up with each other**.
phrasal-verb

make amends with

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry and to fix a problem
Example
She tried to **make amends with** her colleague after the heated argument.
phrasal-verb

fry up

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

Caught with your pants down

Meaning
To be caught unprepared or embarrassed.
Example
The manager was **caught with his pants down** when asked about the figures.
idiom

take a shot in the dark

Meaning
to try something without knowing the result
Example
He **took a shot in the dark** and guessed the correct answer.
idiom

trust someone with your life

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
I’d **trust her with my life**.
phrasal-verb

build toward

Meaning
to make progress in a way that helps achieve a goal
Example
Every small project helped her **build toward** becoming a team leader.
idiom

hit the airwaves

Meaning
to start being broadcast on television or radio
Example
The new talk show will **hit the airwaves** next week.
idiom

set the bar high

Meaning
to establish high standards or expectations
Example
Her achievements have **set the bar high** for future leaders.
phrasal-verb

draft blueprints for

Meaning
to create a detailed outline for something new
Example
Architects **draft blueprints for** civic centers with community input.
idiom

carve up

Meaning
to divide something into parts
Example
Let’s **carve up** the timeline into manageable phases.
idiom

make a fuss

Meaning
to complain or get angry about something small or unimportant
Example
She always **makes a fuss** about her food being cold.
idiom

fight your demons

Meaning
to deal with your fears or bad memories courageously
Example
He’s learning to **fight his demons** from the past.
phrasal-verb

fight off

Meaning
to resist or defend against illness or attack
Example
She’s trying to **fight off** a cold before her trip.
idiom

wrap up

Meaning
to finish something completely
Example
We need to **wrap up** the report before lunch.
idiom

painting the town red

Meaning
to go out and enjoy oneself in a lively and extravagant way
Example
After the big win, we went out and started **painting the town red**.
phrasal-verb

spring up

Meaning
to appear or grow suddenly, like plants in spring
Example
New flowers **sprang up** after the first rain of spring.
phrasal-verb

connect emotionally with

Meaning
to share and understand emotions with someone on a deeper level
Example
It’s important to **connect emotionally with** your partner for a healthy relationship.
phrasal-verb

stand down

Meaning
to withdraw from an argument or position to avoid conflict
Example
He decided to **stand down** instead of continuing the argument.
idiom

bag of bones

Meaning
a very thin person
Example
After his illness, he turned into a **bag of bones**.