to keep one's chin up
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
idiom

to keep one's chin up

Meaning
to stay positive and hopeful in a difficult situation
Example
Even though she lost the game, she managed to **keep her chin up** and stayed positive.
idiom

get to the bottom of it

Meaning
to find the real reason or cause of something
Example
Let’s **get to the bottom of it** before making any decision.
phrasal-verb

shore up the economy

Meaning
to support or strengthen the economy during difficult times
Example
The stimulus package was introduced to **shore up the economy** after the crisis.
phrasal-verb

pitch innovations to

Meaning
to present new ideas to a specific audience
Example
Startups **pitch innovations to** potential partners during expos.
idiom

a weight off your shoulders

Meaning
relief after dealing with a stressful situation
Example
Finishing the project felt like **a weight off my shoulders**.
phrasal-verb

take on too much

Meaning
to accept more work or responsibility than one can handle
Example
You’re stressing yourself out because you **take on too much** work.
idiom

test the waters

Meaning
to try something out before committing fully
Example
Before launching the product, we decided to **test the waters**.
idiom

A bright future lies ahead

Meaning
there is hope for success in the future
Example
With his talent and hard work, **a bright future lies ahead** for him.
phrasal-verb

lead up to

Meaning
to result in or cause something to happen later
Example
The decisions we make now could **lead up to** major outcomes in the future.
idiom

plant the seeds

Meaning
to begin a process that will develop in the future
Example
The training program **planted the seeds** for long-term success.
idiom

Take your chances

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

full of the joys of spring

Meaning
very happy and energetic
Example
She’s **full of the joys of spring** after her vacation.
idiom

give someone a dose of their own medicine

Meaning
to treat someone the same bad way they treated others
Example
He was rude to everyone, so I **gave him a dose of his own medicine**.
idiom

sugarcoat the truth

Meaning
to make something seem more pleasant or acceptable than it is
Example
Don’t try to **sugarcoat the truth**; we need to be honest about the situation.
idiom

off to a flying start

Meaning
to begin something, like a journey, very successfully
Example
Our trip was **off to a flying start** with perfect weather.
phrasal-verb

share in traditions

Meaning
to participate in or take part in cultural customs or rituals
Example
Visitors were invited to **share in traditions** of the local people.
idiom

cut your teeth

Meaning
to gain initial experience in a particular area or job
Example
He **cut his teeth** in the banking industry before starting his own firm.
phrasal-verb

be into

Meaning
to like or be interested in something
Example
I’m really **into** classical music these days.
idiom

go the extra mile

Meaning
to make a special effort to achieve something
Example
She always **goes the extra mile** to help her team succeed.
phrasal-verb

phase in recovery

Meaning
to introduce recovery measures gradually over time
Example
The government decided to **phase in recovery** policies to avoid economic shocks.
idiom

manna from heaven

Meaning
an unexpected gift or blessing
Example
The bonus was **manna from heaven** during the tough month.
phrasal-verb

choke on

Meaning
to have difficulty speaking or breathing because of strong emotions
Example
She **choked on** her words as she tried to explain how she felt.
phrasal-verb

start up

Meaning
to begin a new business or project
Example
They decided to **start up** a food delivery service in their city.
phrasal-verb

lay down guidelines

Meaning
to establish official rules or principles
Example
The economic council will **lay down guidelines** for fiscal discipline.
idiom

play a cameo

Meaning
to make a brief appearance in a film
Example
The director himself **played a cameo** in the movie.
phrasal-verb

carry out

Meaning
to perform or execute a plan or task
Example
The consultants will **carry out** a market feasibility study.
phrasal-verb

focus on growth

Meaning
to pay attention to improving yourself
Example
Instead of worrying, **focus on growth** and self-improvement.
phrasal-verb

work through emotions

Meaning
to process and deal with emotions over time
Example
It took her months to **work through** her grief.
idiom

make small talk

Meaning
to have a casual conversation about unimportant topics
Example
We started to **make small talk** while waiting for the meeting to begin.
phrasal-verb

lean towards

Meaning
to tend to support or prefer one suggestion over another
Example
I **lean towards** your idea because it’s more practical.
idiom

feel good about yourself

Meaning
to have positive feelings about who you are or what you do
Example
Doing something kind makes you **feel good about yourself**.
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

aim higher

Meaning
to set more ambitious goals
Example
If you want to succeed, you must **aim higher**.
idiom

double-cross someone

Meaning
to betray someone after pretending to support them
Example
He promised to help but **double-crossed** me in the end.
phrasal-verb

help out with

Meaning
to assist someone in completing a task or responsibility
Example
Many volunteers **helped out with** the food distribution program.
idiom

off the air

Meaning
no longer being broadcasted
Example
The show went **off the air** after ten years.
idiom

the last straw

Meaning
the final problem that makes a situation unbearable
Example
His rude comment was **the last straw** for her.
idiom

dawn on

Meaning
to become clear to someone after not realizing
Example
It suddenly **dawned on** me that I’d left my wallet.
phrasal-verb

draw strength from

Meaning
to get courage or motivation from something or someone
Example
She **draws strength from** her past struggles.
phrasal-verb

let yourself go

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

opt out

Meaning
to choose not to participate
Example
Employees can **opt out** of the program if they want.
idiom

hit it off

Meaning
to become friends quickly and easily
Example
They **hit it off** right after being introduced.
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.
idiom

give the green light

Meaning
to give permission or approval to proceed
Example
The board finally **gave the green light** for the new project.
phrasal-verb

expand on ideas

Meaning
to explain or develop ideas in more detail
Example
The professor asked me to **expand on ideas** in my essay.
idiom

Culture shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when encountering a different culture
Example
Moving to Japan gave her a bit of **culture shock** at first.
idiom

better safe than sorry

Meaning
It’s wiser to be cautious than to take risks and regret later.
Example
I always double-check the locks — **better safe than sorry**.
idiom

on the rebound

Meaning
starting a new relationship soon after a breakup
Example
He started dating again **on the rebound**.
phrasal-verb

take over power

Meaning
to gain control of a government or organization, often by force
Example
The military attempted to **take over power** after the election crisis.
phrasal-verb

stamp out

Meaning
to completely stop something bad or harmful
Example
The movement aimed to **stamp out** political corruption.
idiom

tip off

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

blue chip company

Meaning
a large, reliable, and financially stable company
Example
Investors prefer to put their money into **blue chip companies**.
idiom

frame of mind

Meaning
a person's mood or mental state
Example
He’s not in the right **frame of mind** to make decisions.
idiom

hope springs eternal

Meaning
people will always have hope, no matter the situation
Example
Even in the darkest times, he believed things would get better because **hope springs eternal**.
phrasal-verb

thank for

Meaning
to express gratitude for something
Example
I want to **thank you for** your help with the project.
phrasal-verb

take part in

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

cash out

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

lean emotionally on

Meaning
to depend on someone for emotional support
Example
During tough times, she **leaned emotionally on** her best friend.
phrasal-verb

keep striving for

Meaning
to continue making great efforts toward achieving something
Example
He always tells his students to **keep striving for** excellence.
phrasal-verb

vote out

Meaning
to remove someone from office by voting against them
Example
Citizens **voted out** the corrupt officials in the last election.
idiom

take a load off

Meaning
to sit down and relax, especially after working hard
Example
Come in and **take a load off**.
phrasal-verb

phase through

Meaning
to move gradually through stages of change
Example
The company plans to **phase through** several steps to modernize its operations.
idiom

a heavy heart

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

scale up with

Meaning
to expand by adding extra resources
Example
They **scaled up with** extra analysts during the busy quarter.
idiom

Out of focus

Meaning
Not clear or not paying attention
Example
He looked tired and completely **out of focus** during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

check in on morale

Meaning
to ask people how they are feeling about work
Example
Leads **check in on morale** during stressful weeks.
idiom

a giant leap for mankind

Meaning
a significant or groundbreaking achievement
Example
The first man landing on the moon was truly **a giant leap for mankind**.
phrasal-verb

turn over

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

carve out power

Meaning
to gain influence by persistent effort
Example
Community organizers **carve out power** through consistent meetings.
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

set the standard

Meaning
to establish an example of excellence that others strive to reach
Example
Her work ethic has **set the standard** for the entire team.
phrasal-verb

give credit for

Meaning
to acknowledge someone’s effort or contribution positively
Example
He always **gives credit for** others’ good ideas.
phrasal-verb

build on success

Meaning
to use past achievements as a foundation for more success
Example
We should **build on success** and keep improving our results.
idiom

lay the foundation

Meaning
to create the base or starting point for something
Example
They worked hard to **lay the foundation** for future growth.
phrasal-verb

open up to ideas

Meaning
to be receptive to new and different ideas
Example
We should **open up to ideas** from junior staff as well.
phrasal-verb

cut back emissions

Meaning
to reduce the amount of pollution produced
Example
Our office **cuts back emissions** by switching to public transport incentives.
phrasal-verb

get ahead of

Meaning
to move in front of someone or gain an advantage
Example
We need to **get ahead of** the other team early in the match.
phrasal-verb

map out choices

Meaning
to list different options with their details
Example
We **map out choices** before deciding which project to take on.
phrasal-verb

fall back into

Meaning
to return to a previous state or habit
Example
He **fell back into** his old routine after the vacation.
phrasal-verb

tighten up

Meaning
to make rules or policies stricter
Example
The government decided to **tighten up** regulations on foreign investments.
phrasal-verb

link up

Meaning
to connect or join with another group or organization
Example
We plan to **link up** with regional chambers of commerce.
idiom

hang on

Meaning
to wait for a short time
Example
**Hang on** a minute, I’ll be right back.
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.
idiom

check up on

Meaning
to verify that someone or something is doing well
Example
I’ll **check up on** the interns after the training session.
phrasal-verb

head back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
It’s getting late, we should **head back** to the hotel.
B1 idiom

all ears

Listening very attentively
Meaning
Listening very attentively
Example
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
phrasal-verb

wind down with

Meaning
to relax by doing something calming
Example
She likes to **wind down with** a book before bed.
phrasal-verb

bridge over traditions

Meaning
to find common ground between different traditional beliefs or practices
Example
The event aimed to **bridge over traditions** and promote harmony.
idiom

check over

Meaning
to examine something carefully for mistakes
Example
Let’s **check over** the draft before sending it.
idiom

To tell the truth

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

bring in money

Meaning
to generate income or revenue
Example
The new policy helped the government **bring in money** from foreign investors.
idiom

get down to the wire

Meaning
to approach the last possible moment before a deadline
Example
The project went **down to the wire**, but we finished on time.
idiom

cut and paste

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

find out

Meaning
to discover information
Example
I need to **find out** what time the meeting starts.
idiom

rule out

Meaning
to decide that something is not possible
Example
We can’t **rule out** another delay yet.
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**.
idiom

climb the ladder

Meaning
to move up in position or success, especially in a career
Example
He worked hard to **climb the ladder** in his company.
phrasal-verb

forward to

Meaning
to send a received message to another person
Example
Can you **forward** this message **to** the manager?
idiom

throw oneself at someone's mercy

Meaning
to ask for forgiveness and hope for kindness
Example
She **threw herself at the teacher’s mercy** after missing the deadline.
phrasal-verb

branch upward

Meaning
to move toward higher levels or bigger markets
Example
The business is **branching upward** into more profitable sectors.
phrasal-verb

wait for

Meaning
to expect or anticipate the delivery of an order
Example
I can’t **wait for** my new shoes to arrive.
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

play a part

Meaning
to have a role or influence in something
Example
She **played a part** in making the project successful.
idiom

lend a helping hand

Meaning
to offer assistance or support
Example
She always tries to **lend a helping hand** to those in need.
idiom

Bootstrap the business

Meaning
To build a company using only personal finances.
Example
They decided to **bootstrap the business** instead of seeking investors.
phrasal-verb

lock out

Meaning
to be unable to access a system due to password or error
Example
I got **locked out** of my account after entering the wrong password.
idiom

behind the firewall

Meaning
protected or isolated from external threats
Example
Sensitive company data should always stay **behind the firewall**.
phrasal-verb

stay motivated

Meaning
to keep one’s enthusiasm and energy high
Example
Regular feedback helps employees **stay motivated**.
phrasal-verb

do up

Meaning
to fasten something such as buttons or laces; to decorate or renovate
Example
Can you help me **do up** the back of my dress?
idiom

bury your head in the sand

Meaning
to ignore a problem hoping it will go away
Example
We can’t **bury our heads in the sand** about climate change any longer.
phrasal-verb

breathe through tension

Meaning
to use calm breathing to release tension or anxiety
Example
The best way to handle stress is to **breathe through tension** slowly.
idiom

break the glass ceiling

Meaning
to overcome a barrier or limitation, particularly in career or personal advancement
Example
She was the first woman in the company to **break the glass ceiling** and become a senior manager.
idiom

pull someone's leg

Meaning
to tease or joke with someone in a playful way
Example
Don't worry, I was just **pulling your leg** about the test results.
phrasal-verb

work towards

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve a particular goal
Example
He is **working towards** his dream of becoming a pilot.
phrasal-verb

set up a business

Meaning
to start your own company to earn money
Example
Many people **set up a business** to create their own path to financial freedom.
phrasal-verb

get along across cultures

Meaning
to have a friendly and positive relationship with people from other cultures
Example
To work abroad successfully, you need to **get along across cultures**.
idiom

do your own thing

Meaning
to do what you want without worrying about what others think
Example
He prefers to **do his own thing** and not depend on anyone.
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.
phrasal-verb

light up with happiness

Meaning
to look very happy
Example
Her face **lit up with happiness** when she saw the gift.
phrasal-verb

hand in through

Meaning
to submit work using an online platform
Example
All assignments must be **handed in through** the company portal.
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.