to frame the issue
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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

be on edge

Meaning
to be nervous, tense, or easily upset
Example
She’s been **on edge** all day waiting for the results.
idiom

Out of one’s depth

Meaning
To be in a situation that is too difficult to understand or deal with.
Example
I felt **out of my depth** in that technical discussion.
phrasal-verb

speak for yourself

Meaning
to politely clarify that your opinion differs from someone else's
Example
You may think it’s boring, but please **speak for yourself**.
idiom

Be as good as your word

Meaning
To do what you promised to do.
Example
He said he’d help and he’s **as good as his word**.
phrasal-verb

coach through

Meaning
to guide someone step by step through a task
Example
I **coach through** tough trade-offs by sharing past cases.
idiom

Speak the truth and shame the devil

Meaning
Speak the truth even if it may cause trouble or discomfort.
Example
She always believes that **speak the truth and shame the devil** is the right way.
idiom

a quantum leap

Meaning
a big and sudden improvement
Example
This discovery is **a quantum leap** in medical research.
idiom

run down

Meaning
to feel tired or exhausted due to overwork or illness
Example
You look a bit **run down**; you should get some rest.
phrasal-verb

hold office

Meaning
to have an official position of authority or power
Example
He has **held office** as the foreign minister for more than five years.
phrasal-verb

sit through

Meaning
to stay until the end of something that is long or boring
Example
We had to **sit through** a three-hour seminar on research methods.
idiom

to bite the bullet

Meaning
to make a difficult decision or endure something unpleasant
Example
I didn't want to go to the doctor, but I had to **bite the bullet**.
idiom

get down to business

Meaning
to start working seriously
Example
Let’s stop chatting and **get down to business**.
idiom

clamp down

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something
Example
The manager decided to **clamp down** on late arrivals.
phrasal-verb

climb up to

Meaning
to achieve a higher position or level of success
Example
He worked hard to **climb up to** the top position in the company.
idiom

no strings attached

Meaning
with no special conditions or restrictions
Example
They offered me a free trial with **no strings attached**.
idiom

flash of genius

Meaning
a sudden brilliant idea or solution
Example
Her idea for the new logo was a real **flash of genius**.
phrasal-verb

work under

Meaning
to operate or perform duties while facing stress or conditions
Example
She can **work under** extreme pressure and still deliver quality results.
phrasal-verb

brief the crew on

Meaning
to give a group the essential information about something
Example
Leads **brief the crew on** new safety rules before shifts start.
idiom

take it or leave it

Meaning
showing indifference about accepting or rejecting something
Example
That’s my final offer — **take it or leave it**.
phrasal-verb

advocate for

Meaning
to publicly support a cause or person
Example
Students **advocate for** safer campuses at the town hall.
idiom

I’m with you

Meaning
I agree with your idea or opinion
Example
**I’m with you** on that plan — it’s a good one.
phrasal-verb

stand together for inclusion

Meaning
to unite in support of equality and inclusion
Example
Employees decided to **stand together for inclusion** during the diversity week.
phrasal-verb

branch up into management

Meaning
to progress into a higher level of management or leadership
Example
After years of experience, he finally **branched up into management**.
idiom

work around

Meaning
to find a practical solution that avoids a problem
Example
We can **work around** the delay by using a backup supplier.
idiom

true colors

Meaning
someone’s real character or intentions
Example
He showed his **true colors** when he lied to me.
idiom

tomorrow is another day

Meaning
you can start fresh again tomorrow
Example
Don’t worry about your mistakes, **tomorrow is another day**.
phrasal-verb

lay out trade policies

Meaning
to explain or present trade strategies clearly
Example
The finance minister will **lay out trade policies** for the upcoming fiscal year.
phrasal-verb

put down

Meaning
to place something on a surface; to criticize or insult someone
Example
He **put down** his bag and sat on the chair.
phrasal-verb

work on

Meaning
to spend time improving or developing something
Example
Our team is **working on** an advanced AI model.
phrasal-verb

look in on

Meaning
to visit briefly to see if someone is fine
Example
I’ll **look in on** Grandma after work to make sure she’s okay.
phrasal-verb

go over the report

Meaning
to review or examine something carefully
Example
Let's **go over the report** before the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

float away stress

Meaning
to imagine your stress disappearing like something drifting away
Example
Visualize your worries and let them **float away** like clouds.
idiom

miss the boat

Meaning
to miss an opportunity
Example
If you don’t book early, you’ll **miss the boat**.
idiom

kick up your heels

Meaning
to enjoy yourself by dancing or celebrating
Example
Everyone was ready to **kick up their heels** at the reunion.
idiom

march to the beat of your own drum

Meaning
to act independently and follow your own ideas
Example
She doesn’t care about trends; she **marches to the beat of her own drum**.
idiom

get along with someone

Meaning
to have a friendly relationship with someone
Example
They really **get along with each other** and are always laughing.
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.
phrasal-verb

break away from

Meaning
to stop being part of something or someone’s influence
Example
He wants to **break away from** his parents’ control.
idiom

play the political card

Meaning
to use a political issue to one’s advantage
Example
The minister tried to **play the political card** to gain public sympathy.
phrasal-verb

drop off to sleep

Meaning
to start sleeping, especially unintentionally
Example
He **dropped off to sleep** while watching TV.
phrasal-verb

walk away from

Meaning
to leave a relationship or situation instead of confronting it
Example
Sometimes it’s better to **walk away from** toxic friendships.
phrasal-verb

be indebted to

Meaning
to feel deeply thankful or obliged to someone
Example
I’ll always **be indebted to** my mentor for his guidance.
idiom

stay composed

Meaning
to remain calm and not show emotion
Example
He **stayed composed** even when things went wrong.
phrasal-verb

budget out for

Meaning
to allocate money for a future need
Example
Finance **budgets out for** new laptops in the annual plan.
idiom

streamline the process

Meaning
to make a process more efficient and effective by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary steps
Example
We need to **streamline the process** of content creation to save time.
idiom

pat on the back

Meaning
to praise or congratulate someone for doing something well
Example
You deserve a **pat on the back** for your effort.
idiom

the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to believe someone even if you are not sure they are telling the truth
Example
I’ll give him **the benefit of the doubt** and believe his story.
phrasal-verb

warm up emotionally

Meaning
to start feeling comfortable enough to share your emotions
Example
It took a while for him to **warm up emotionally** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

celebrate wins with

Meaning
to mark achievements alongside someone
Example
We **celebrate wins with** a quick message in the team chat.
idiom

a leopard can't change its spots

Meaning
someone cannot change their inherent nature or characteristics
Example
No matter how hard he tries, **a leopard can't change its spots**.
phrasal-verb

get back on one's feet

Meaning
to recover after a difficult period; to regain stability
Example
It took him several months to **get back on his feet** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

reach milestones

Meaning
to achieve significant points of progress toward a goal
Example
By the end of the year, they had **reached all their milestones**.
idiom

the light dawned on someone

Meaning
someone suddenly understands something
Example
The **light dawned on her** that she had made a mistake.
phrasal-verb

own the mistake quickly

Meaning
to admit an error right away
Example
I **own the mistake quickly** and explain the fix to my team.
phrasal-verb

turn up growth

Meaning
to increase or accelerate the rate of growth
Example
The central bank aims to **turn up growth** by reducing interest rates.
phrasal-verb

drop behind

Meaning
to fall behind others in progress or development
Example
She started to **drop behind** in her studies after missing several classes.
phrasal-verb

shine through challenges

Meaning
to maintain positivity and confidence during difficulties
Example
She always manages to **shine through challenges** with a smile.
phrasal-verb

let in

Meaning
to allow someone to know your true thoughts or feelings
Example
She rarely **lets anyone in** because she fears getting hurt.
idiom

nip in the bud

Meaning
to stop something before it becomes a bigger problem
Example
We should **nip the problem in the bud** before it spreads.
phrasal-verb

shift focus away from

Meaning
to direct your attention away from something that causes anxiety
Example
When you feel nervous, **shift focus away from** your fears and onto your breathing.
idiom

The devil is in the details

Meaning
Small details are often the most important or problematic.
Example
The overall concept was great, but **the devil is in the details**.
idiom

turn dreams into reality

Meaning
to achieve something one has long desired
Example
With hard work and dedication, you can **turn your dreams into reality**.
phrasal-verb

vet out

Meaning
to examine something thoroughly to remove weak options
Example
We **vet out** risky proposals before they reach the board.
idiom

fit for a king

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

center on

Meaning
to focus attention or thoughts on something; to make something the main point
Example
Try to **center on** the positive aspects of your life instead of the negatives.
phrasal-verb

add in

Meaning
to include a small polite comment or detail
Example
If I may, I’d like to **add in** one more observation.
phrasal-verb

close a deal

Meaning
to successfully reach an agreement or finalize a business transaction
Example
Our company managed to **close a deal** with a top European distributor.
phrasal-verb

sub in for

Meaning
to replace someone temporarily in a role
Example
Can you **sub in for** me at the networking event tonight?
idiom

a bright spark

Meaning
a clever and intelligent person; someone with original ideas
Example
He's such **a bright spark**; he always finds innovative solutions.
phrasal-verb

look within for strength

Meaning
to find inner courage and motivation
Example
When times are tough, **look within for strength**.
idiom

in no time

Meaning
very quickly; almost immediately
Example
He finished the task **in no time**.
idiom

behind schedule

Meaning
later than planned or expected
Example
The flight is **behind schedule** because of the storm.
idiom

Throw down the gauntlet

Meaning
To challenge someone to fight or compete.
Example
He **threw down the gauntlet** by questioning his opponent’s honesty.
phrasal-verb

break up with

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship with someone
Example
He **broke up with** his girlfriend after three years of dating.
idiom

in the cloud

Meaning
stored or managed on remote servers via the internet
Example
All our data is now **in the cloud**.
idiom

Frankenstein’s monster

Meaning
A creation that turns against its creator.
Example
Social media became a **Frankenstein’s monster** for its inventors.
phrasal-verb

turn up

Meaning
to arrive or appear at an event or place, often unexpectedly
Example
He didn’t **turn up** for the dinner even though he promised.
idiom

catch a bug

Meaning
to find a problem or defect in a system
Example
The developer was able to **catch a bug** in the system before it went live.
phrasal-verb

let emotions settle

Meaning
to allow emotions to calm down naturally over time
Example
Take a break and **let your emotions settle** before reacting.
idiom

a meeting of minds

Meaning
a situation where people agree or have a shared understanding
Example
The agreement was the result of a real **meeting of minds**.
idiom

burned out

Meaning
completely exhausted or tired due to overwork
Example
After months of overtime, she felt **burned out**.
idiom

kick up a fuss

Meaning
to make a big complaint or protest about something
Example
They **kicked up a fuss** when the restaurant ran out of food.
idiom

hear someone out

Meaning
to listen to someone until they have finished speaking
Example
Please **hear me out** before you make a decision.
phrasal-verb

ground within

Meaning
to stabilize your emotions by connecting to your inner calm
Example
She practiced breathing exercises to **ground within** during stress.
idiom

a heavy heart

Meaning
a feeling of deep sadness or sorrow
Example
She left her hometown with **a heavy heart**.
phrasal-verb

check over yourself

Meaning
to review your own actions and attitudes carefully
Example
Before judging others, **check over yourself** first.
idiom

toss out

Meaning
to throw something away
Example
We had to **toss out** the expired snacks.
idiom

spring for

Meaning
to pay for something, especially as a treat for others
Example
I'll **spring for** dessert since it's your birthday.
idiom

know the ropes

Meaning
to be very familiar with something; to have a thorough understanding of something
Example
He really **knows the ropes** in this field of work.
phrasal-verb

bask in

Meaning
to enjoy something greatly, especially praise or attention
Example
She **basked in** the applause after her performance.
phrasal-verb

cast doubt on

Meaning
to make something seem uncertain or less believable
Example
His inconsistent story **casts doubt on** his credibility.
idiom

kindred spirit

Meaning
someone who has similar interests or feelings
Example
We became friends because we’re **kindred spirits**.
phrasal-verb

click with

Meaning
to immediately feel a connection or understanding with someone
Example
We instantly **clicked with** each other at the party.
idiom

give me a hand

Meaning
to help someone
Example
Can you **give me a hand** with this bag?
phrasal-verb

set up a meeting

Meaning
to arrange a meeting or appointment
Example
Can you **set up a meeting** with the marketing team tomorrow?
phrasal-verb

cut down on costs

Meaning
to reduce expenses or spending
Example
The government is trying to **cut down on costs** to stabilize the economy.
phrasal-verb

level off at

Meaning
to stop increasing or decreasing and stay at a steady level
Example
After a sharp rise, GDP growth **leveled off at** around 6%.
phrasal-verb

catch a cold

Meaning
to become ill with a cold
Example
You’ll **catch a cold** if you go out in this rain.
phrasal-verb

adjust for change

Meaning
to make modifications to deal with new circumstances
Example
The manager asked everyone to **adjust for change** during the transition.
phrasal-verb

stay focused

Meaning
to keep your attention on the goal without distractions
Example
Even during stressful times, it’s important to **stay focused** on your objectives.
phrasal-verb

focus forward

Meaning
to concentrate on future goals instead of past mistakes
Example
You should **focus forward** instead of worrying about what went wrong.
idiom

cop a plea

Meaning
to plead guilty to a lesser charge in order to avoid a more severe penalty
Example
He decided to **cop a plea** and serve a shorter sentence.
phrasal-verb

bounce off

Meaning
to discuss an idea with someone to get their opinion
Example
I’d like to **bounce off** a few ideas with you before the presentation.
phrasal-verb

sign in

Meaning
to enter your username and password to access an account
Example
You must **sign in** before commenting on this post.
phrasal-verb

gain from

Meaning
to get a benefit, advantage, or knowledge from something
Example
You can **gain from** every experience, even the difficult ones.
idiom

to bring someone to justice

Meaning
to capture and punish someone for a crime
Example
The police vowed to **bring the killers to justice**.
phrasal-verb

sketch out

Meaning
to make a rough or simple drawing; to outline an idea briefly
Example
The designer **sketched out** the new logo before finalizing it.
idiom

the algorithm knows best

Meaning
suggesting that AI or machine learning models are often the most reliable or efficient way to make decisions or predictions
Example
In most cases, **the algorithm knows best** when it comes to sorting large volumes of data.
phrasal-verb

get in touch with

Meaning
to reconnect or become aware of your emotions again
Example
Meditation helps you **get in touch with** your true feelings.
phrasal-verb

break down barriers

Meaning
to remove misunderstandings or divisions between people or cultures
Example
Art and music can **break down barriers** between different cultures.
phrasal-verb

come forward to help

Meaning
to volunteer or offer assistance when needed
Example
Many citizens **came forward to help** the victims of the earthquake.
idiom

burst with happiness

Meaning
to be full of great joy or excitement
Example
The parents **burst with happiness** when they saw their newborn baby.
idiom

quick on the uptake

Meaning
able to understand things quickly
Example
You don’t need to explain it twice—he’s **quick on the uptake**.
idiom

a change of heart

Meaning
a change in one’s opinion or feelings
Example
She had **a change of heart** and decided to stay.
idiom

eat your words

Meaning
to take back what you said
Example
He had to **eat his words** after the result was announced.
phrasal-verb

build from

Meaning
to use failure or mistakes as a foundation for future improvement
Example
Even though the project failed, we can still **build from** the experience.
idiom

go head to head

Meaning
to directly compete or confront each other
Example
The two negotiators went **head to head** over the contract terms.
phrasal-verb

kick tricky issues up

Meaning
to escalate complicated problems to a higher level
Example
Service reps **kick tricky issues up** when policy decisions are needed.
idiom

Take something with a grain of salt

Meaning
To not take something too seriously or literally
Example
You should **take his stories with a grain of salt**; he often exaggerates.
idiom

join up with

Meaning
to become part of a group or team
Example
She’ll **join up with** the outreach crew tomorrow.