throw one’s weight around
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idiom

throw one’s weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** at work to get things done.
idiom

In the eye of the beholder

Meaning
Beauty or value is subjective and dependent on the viewer.
Example
Art is truly **in the eye of the beholder**, as different people have different tastes.
idiom

have a Eureka moment

Meaning
to suddenly realize the solution to a problem
Example
I had a **Eureka moment** while fixing the code last night.
idiom

school of hard knocks

Meaning
learning through difficult life experiences
Example
He didn’t go to college; he learned from the **school of hard knocks**.
phrasal-verb

cut down on emissions

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something harmful, especially pollution
Example
Nations are taking measures to **cut down on emissions** from industries.
phrasal-verb

go up

Meaning
to increase; to rise
Example
The price of oil has **gone up** recently.
idiom

long story short

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
**Long story short**, we missed the train.
phrasal-verb

see through

Meaning
to realize the truth about someone or something
Example
She quickly **saw through** his lies.
phrasal-verb

work out tariffs with

Meaning
to negotiate and agree on trade tariffs with another party
Example
The two nations are trying to **work out tariffs with** each other.
idiom

work up

Meaning
to gradually build courage, energy, or an appetite
Example
It took me a while to **work up** the courage to ask.
idiom

bite the dust

Meaning
to fail or be defeated
Example
Several small startups **bit the dust** last year.
phrasal-verb

get bogged down

Meaning
to become so involved in something that you cannot make progress
Example
I got **bogged down** in paperwork and missed the meeting.
idiom

play the field

Meaning
to date or have romantic relationships with many people without commitment
Example
He’s still **playing the field** and not looking for a serious relationship.
phrasal-verb

reach out to allies

Meaning
to make contact or offer cooperation to friendly nations
Example
The new leader tried to **reach out to allies** to rebuild trust.
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 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.
phrasal-verb

keep improving

Meaning
to continue making things better or more effective
Example
Our company culture encourages everyone to **keep improving**.
phrasal-verb

drop in on

Meaning
to visit someone casually and without an appointment
Example
We decided to **drop in on** our cousins while passing through their town.
phrasal-verb

rely upon stability

Meaning
to depend on consistent conditions or predictable systems
Example
Foreign investors **rely upon stability** before entering a new market.
idiom

take by surprise

Meaning
to catch someone off guard; to surprise unexpectedly
Example
The sudden rain **took us by surprise**.
idiom

turn things around

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

rise with kindness

Meaning
to overcome negativity with compassion and empathy
Example
Always try to **rise with kindness** even when people hurt you.
phrasal-verb

run for

Meaning
to compete in an election for a political position
Example
He plans to **run for** president next year.
phrasal-verb

ship out to

Meaning
to send goods to a destination
Example
The factory **ships out to** regional stores every Thursday.
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

eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on achieving your goal
Example
She always keeps her **eye on the prize** no matter what.
idiom

line up with

Meaning
to match or agree with something
Example
These metrics **line up with** our targets.
idiom

go through the motions

Meaning
to do something without enthusiasm
Example
He’s just **going through the motions** at work.
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

A nest egg

Meaning
A sum of money saved for the future or retirement.
Example
He built up a **nest egg** for his children's education.
phrasal-verb

stock up on

Meaning
to buy or collect a large amount of food for future use
Example
We **stocked up on** vegetables for the week.
idiom

drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small or insignificant amount compared to what is needed
Example
Our recycling efforts are just a **drop in the ocean** compared to the global pollution problem.
idiom

step up to the plate

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something important
Example
When the leader resigned, she **stepped up to the plate** and took charge.
phrasal-verb

push through limits

Meaning
to go beyond what seems possible; to overcome boundaries
Example
Athletes must **push through limits** to reach their full potential.
phrasal-verb

focus on

Meaning
to concentrate your attention or energy on something
Example
You should **focus on** what truly matters.
idiom

take one's hat off to

Meaning
to show respect or admiration for someone
Example
I **take my hat off to** you for handling the situation so calmly.
idiom

As green as grass

Meaning
Very inexperienced or new at something.
Example
He’s **as green as grass** in his new job.
phrasal-verb

speak softly

Meaning
to talk in a gentle and quiet tone
Example
In public places, it’s polite to **speak softly**.
phrasal-verb

come together for

Meaning
to unite for a common purpose; to join efforts toward a shared goal
Example
Communities from all over the world **come together for** humanitarian causes.
phrasal-verb

make it right

Meaning
to correct a mistake or repair the damage caused by one’s actions
Example
He promised to **make it right** after hurting her feelings.
phrasal-verb

coach up

Meaning
to train someone thoroughly to improve their skills
Example
My mentor **coaches me up** before every major presentation.
phrasal-verb

cut down on sugar

Meaning
to reduce the amount of sugar you consume
Example
I decided to **cut down on sugar** to improve my health.
idiom

upload your thoughts

Meaning
to express or share one’s ideas online
Example
People love to **upload their thoughts** on social media.
phrasal-verb

lead to

Meaning
to cause a particular result or outcome
Example
Improved visuals can **lead to** better audience engagement.
phrasal-verb

hold up under

Meaning
to remain strong despite pressure or stress
Example
She managed to **hold up under** all the pressure at work.
idiom

mix up

Meaning
to confuse two or more things
Example
I always **mix up** their names during meetings.
phrasal-verb

grow closer

Meaning
to gradually become more emotionally connected
Example
Over the years, we’ve **grown closer** as a family.
phrasal-verb

cut off from reality

Meaning
to be disconnected from what is real or practical
Example
He lives in his own world, completely **cut off from reality**.
idiom

ring the changes

Meaning
to make changes to something to make it more interesting or effective
Example
The restaurant decided to **ring the changes** with a new menu.
phrasal-verb

chase after dreams

Meaning
to actively pursue one's ambitions or desires
Example
He left his hometown to **chase after** his dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.
phrasal-verb

sleep over

Meaning
to sleep at someone else's house for a night
Example
My friend invited me to **sleep over** at his place.
phrasal-verb

fill your mind with peace

Meaning
to focus your thoughts on calm and positive feelings
Example
Meditation helps you **fill your mind with peace**.
phrasal-verb

cross out

Meaning
to draw a line through something written to show it is wrong
Example
He **crossed out** the wrong answer and wrote the correct one.
phrasal-verb

find over

Meaning
to review or check something carefully
Example
Let’s **find over** the details before submitting the report.
phrasal-verb

build up resilience

Meaning
to develop the ability to recover from challenges or stress
Example
Therapy can help you **build up resilience** against anxiety.
idiom

keep your head in the game

Meaning
to stay mentally focused and motivated
Example
Even when things get tough, **keep your head in the game**.
phrasal-verb

motivate toward

Meaning
to inspire someone to move or act toward a goal
Example
Effective leaders **motivate toward** shared goals.
idiom

Make headlines

Meaning
To become an important news story
Example
Her sudden resignation **made headlines** across the country.
idiom

level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
The new rules create a **level playing field** for all teams.
phrasal-verb

wipe off

Meaning
to remove something from a surface by rubbing
Example
Please **wipe off** the dust from the table.
phrasal-verb

keep faith with

Meaning
to stay loyal to someone or something
Example
Grassroots leaders **keep faith with** their communities.
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

set the record straight

Meaning
to clarify the truth after a misunderstanding
Example
He wanted to **set the record straight** about what really happened.
phrasal-verb

cut someone off

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
She kept **cutting me off** whenever I tried to explain.
idiom

Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth

Meaning
To be born into a wealthy family.
Example
He never had to struggle; he was **born with a silver spoon in his mouth**.
phrasal-verb

warm to

Meaning
to start feeling affection or liking toward someone
Example
She slowly **warmed to** the idea of sharing her story publicly.
phrasal-verb

cut out excuses

Meaning
to stop making excuses and take responsibility
Example
If you want to improve, you need to **cut out excuses**.
phrasal-verb

bubble with

Meaning
to be full of excitement, happiness, or energy
Example
The kids were **bubbling with** excitement at the party.
phrasal-verb

run out of cash

Meaning
to have no money left to continue operations or activities
Example
Many small businesses **run out of cash** during prolonged recessions.
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.
phrasal-verb

cash in

Meaning
to make money from an investment or situation
Example
Investors **cashed in** when the stock prices soared.
phrasal-verb

get around

Meaning
to overcome rules or obstacles
Example
Some exporters try to **get around** strict trade regulations.
phrasal-verb

work over

Meaning
to review or revise something carefully
Example
We need to **work over** the report before submission.
idiom

the political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to handle
Example
Corruption has become **a political hot potato** in the country.
idiom

take up a hobby

Meaning
to start a new hobby or leisure activity
Example
During the lockdown, many people **took up hobbies** like painting or cooking.
phrasal-verb

push ahead

Meaning
to continue working hard towards a goal despite difficulties
Example
Even after many failures, she decided to **push ahead** with her startup idea.
idiom

edge out

Meaning
to narrowly defeat someone or something
Example
They **edged out** their rivals by just one point.
phrasal-verb

take after

Meaning
to resemble a parent or relative in appearance or behavior
Example
He **takes after** his mother in both looks and nature.
phrasal-verb

drop out of sight

Meaning
to disappear or become unnoticed
Example
After the scandal, the actor **dropped out of sight** for several months.
idiom

family comes first

Meaning
family is the most important priority in life
Example
No matter how busy I get, **family comes first** for me.
idiom

take the time to listen

Meaning
to make an effort to understand or care about someone else's feelings
Example
Sometimes, all we need is to **take the time to listen** to others' problems.
idiom

do good to others

Meaning
to act in a way that helps other people
Example
It is always a good idea to **do good to others**.
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.
phrasal-verb

stay balanced

Meaning
to maintain emotional stability and not overreact
Example
Try to **stay balanced** no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

drop into

Meaning
to enter or visit a place casually
Example
I’ll **drop into** the café for a quick coffee before work.
phrasal-verb

step out of

Meaning
to move beyond your usual limits or comfort zone
Example
To grow, you need to **step out of** your comfort zone.
idiom

to frame the issue

Meaning
to present a situation in a particular way
Example
The journalist cleverly **framed the issue** to highlight social inequality.
idiom

Move fast and break things

Meaning
To innovate quickly, even if mistakes happen along the way.
Example
Our CEO encourages us to **move fast and break things** to stay ahead of competitors.
phrasal-verb

put aside

Meaning
to keep money for future use
Example
Try to **put aside** a little money every month.
phrasal-verb

pull apart

Meaning
to separate or tear something into pieces
Example
She tried to **pull apart** the stuck pages of the book.
idiom

give someone the shirt off your back

Meaning
to be extremely generous and selfless
Example
He’d **give you the shirt off his back** if you needed it.
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

Balance the scales

Meaning
to make sure everything is fair or equal
Example
We need to **balance the scales** before making a final decision.
idiom

throw the book at someone

Meaning
to punish someone severely
Example
The judge decided to **throw the book at** the criminal.
phrasal-verb

care for

Meaning
to look after someone who is sick or in need
Example
He **cares for** his elderly parents every day.
idiom

sworn enemy

Meaning
someone who will never be your friend
Example
They used to be close but now are **sworn enemies**.
idiom

learn the ropes

Meaning
to learn how to do a particular job or activity
Example
It took me a month to **learn the ropes** at my new job.
idiom

make an example of someone

Meaning
to punish someone to warn others
Example
The boss **made an example of** the dishonest employee.
idiom

talk someone into something

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
He **talked me into** going to the gym with him.
idiom

upgrade your thinking

Meaning
to improve your thought process or mindset
Example
To adapt to AI trends, you must **upgrade your thinking**.
phrasal-verb

bring in

Meaning
to introduce something new, such as a law, idea, or practice; to implement
Example
The organization decided to **bring in** new policies to promote inclusivity.
idiom

filter bubble

Meaning
a situation where a person only sees online content that reinforces their beliefs
Example
Many people live inside a **filter bubble** on social media.
phrasal-verb

save up

Meaning
to keep money so you can buy something in the future
Example
I’m trying to **save up** for a new laptop.
phrasal-verb

roll forward

Meaning
to move plans or activities into the next period
Example
The project has been **roll forward** to the next fiscal year.
idiom

tag along

Meaning
to join someone’s online activity or conversation uninvited
Example
He just **tagged along** in our group chat without asking.
phrasal-verb

cut down debts

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money you owe
Example
He’s been trying hard to **cut down his debts** this year.
phrasal-verb

draw upon

Meaning
to use information or experience from the past for a new purpose
Example
Innovators often **draw upon** their previous failures to find success.
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

blow off work

Meaning
to skip work or avoid responsibilities, often to reduce stress
Example
He decided to **blow off work** and spend the day at the beach.
phrasal-verb

hold up

Meaning
to cause delay or slow down progress
Example
The server issue **held up** the entire team's work for hours.
idiom

on the tip of one's tongue

Meaning
when you can almost remember something but not quite
Example
His name is **on the tip of my tongue**, but I can’t recall it.
idiom

hit the nail on the head

Meaning
to be exactly right about something
Example
You **hit the nail on the head** with that analysis.
phrasal-verb

reach out diplomatically

Meaning
to try to establish communication or improve relations through diplomacy
Example
The government decided to **reach out diplomatically** to its neighboring countries.
phrasal-verb

open with

Meaning
to begin something by doing or saying something specific
Example
He **opened with** a personal story to connect with the audience.
idiom

tough as nails

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

shift mindset

Meaning
to change the way one thinks about something
Example
Leaders must **shift mindset** to embrace innovation.
idiom

blue chip

Meaning
a well-established and financially sound company
Example
He prefers to invest in **blue chip** stocks for stability.
phrasal-verb

double source

Meaning
to confirm information with at least two independent sources
Example
Reporters **double source** sensitive claims before airing them.
idiom

sorry sight

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

Never say die

Meaning
Always remain optimistic and determined.
Example
He faced many challenges but had a **never say die** attitude.
phrasal-verb

stem from

Meaning
to originate or come from something
Example
The misunderstanding **stems from** a lack of clear communication.