twist someone's ear
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idiom

twist someone's ear

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something by being persistent
Example
I had to **twist someone's ear** to get him to help me move.
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.
phrasal-verb

stay away from

Meaning
to avoid something or someone for a good reason
Example
I told him to **stay away from** negative people.
phrasal-verb

firm up decisions

Meaning
to confirm choices after considering options
Example
Let's **firm up decisions** now so vendors can start work tomorrow.
idiom

shake like a leaf

Meaning
to tremble with fear or nervousness
Example
She was **shaking like a leaf** before her first flight.
idiom

in the footsteps of

Meaning
to follow someone’s example or career path
Example
She followed **in the footsteps of** her father, becoming a successful entrepreneur.
idiom

back on track

Meaning
to return to the right path or plan
Example
After some delays, our trip is **back on track**.
phrasal-verb

go after your dreams

Meaning
to pursue your goals or ambitions actively
Example
He decided to **go after his dreams** no matter what.
phrasal-verb

move on to

Meaning
to go to another place after finishing one
Example
After visiting Paris, we’ll **move on to** Rome.
phrasal-verb

look back on

Meaning
to reflect on something that happened in the past
Example
Students often **look back on** their school days with pride.
idiom

drama queen

Meaning
a person who exaggerates or overreacts to situations
Example
Don’t be such a **drama queen**; it’s not that serious.
phrasal-verb

depend upon

Meaning
to rely on someone for support or help
Example
Children **depend upon** their parents for love and care.
phrasal-verb

stand beside

Meaning
to remain loyal or supportive to someone in difficult times
Example
True friends always **stand beside** you when life gets tough.
phrasal-verb

close the loop today

Meaning
to finish outstanding follow-ups before the day ends
Example
Let's **close the loop today** so clients get answers before evening.
idiom

carve your own path

Meaning
to create your own way of achieving success or independence
Example
She decided to **carve her own path** instead of joining her family business.
phrasal-verb

climb toward success

Meaning
to make steady progress toward achieving success
Example
Through hard work and persistence, she continues to **climb toward success**.
idiom

fend off

Meaning
to defend against something or someone
Example
They installed lights to **fend off** raccoons in the yard.
phrasal-verb

apologize to

Meaning
to say sorry to someone for something you did
Example
He **apologized to** his teacher for being rude.
phrasal-verb

stay focused on

Meaning
to continue giving attention to something important without getting distracted
Example
To achieve good grades, you must **stay focused on** your studies.
idiom

put your faith in someone

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
She decided to **put her faith in him** and let him handle the project.
phrasal-verb

pull off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something that is difficult or unexpected
Example
Everyone thought he would fail, but he **pulled off** an amazing victory.
phrasal-verb

lift off

Meaning
to start with great energy or enthusiasm
Example
Her confidence helped the project **lift off** successfully.
phrasal-verb

give on to

Meaning
to face or open onto a place
Example
Their balcony **gives on to** a beautiful garden.
idiom

cash cow

Meaning
a product or service that consistently generates a lot of money
Example
Their mobile app has become a **cash cow** for the company.
idiom

sleep like a baby

Meaning
to sleep very peacefully and comfortably
Example
After a warm bath, she **slept like a baby**.
phrasal-verb

shore up with

Meaning
to strengthen something by adding support
Example
We **shore up with** extra data before presenting the forecast.
phrasal-verb

hold yourself back

Meaning
to restrain oneself from reacting emotionally
Example
He had to **hold himself back** from yelling at the meeting.
phrasal-verb

break into profits

Meaning
to start making profits after a period of losses or investment
Example
After three years, the startup finally **broke into profits**.
idiom

cut someone down to size

Meaning
to criticize someone to make them feel less important
Example
The manager **cut him down to size** after he bragged too much.
phrasal-verb

push back against

Meaning
to resist pressure or negativity with determination
Example
He decided to **push back against** the unfair criticism.
phrasal-verb

walk along

Meaning
to move on foot beside something for some distance
Example
**Walk along** the river until you reach the bridge.
idiom

the old school

Meaning
having traditional beliefs or methods
Example
My professor is from **the old school**; he prefers chalkboards to slides.
idiom

shore up

Meaning
to strengthen or support something
Example
They’re investing to **shore up** the rural clinics.
phrasal-verb

campaign for

Meaning
to work in an organized way for a political or social goal
Example
They are **campaigning for** better education policies.
idiom

drop your guard

Meaning
to relax your vigilance or become less careful
Example
Never **drop your guard** when dealing with competitors.
idiom

break the bank

Meaning
to cost too much; to use up all your money
Example
Buying that car will **break the bank**.
phrasal-verb

connect to

Meaning
to feel a sense of belonging with one’s culture or roots
Example
I **connect to** my culture through music and food.
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.
idiom

at the end of your rope

Meaning
to be extremely frustrated and have no patience left
Example
After dealing with delays all day, she was **at the end of her rope**.
idiom

Take off

Meaning
To begin to succeed rapidly; to leave the ground.
Example
Her business really **took off** after the new marketing campaign.
phrasal-verb

chill down

Meaning
to relax and become calm after being upset or stressed
Example
After a tough day, I usually take a walk to **chill down**.
idiom

the black sheep

Meaning
a person who is a disgrace to their family or group
Example
He’s **the black sheep** of the family.
phrasal-verb

ring out

Meaning
to make a loud sound, especially of bells or alarms
Example
Church bells **rang out** across the city.
idiom

long time no see

Meaning
used when you meet someone after a long time
Example
**Long time no see!** How have you been?
idiom

fan through

Meaning
to flip through pages quickly
Example
She **fanned through** the report to find the chart.
idiom

make headway

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
We are finally **making headway** with our new project.
idiom

At a snail’s pace

Meaning
Very slowly.
Example
The traffic was moving **at a snail’s pace**.
idiom

A Sherlock Holmes

Meaning
A person who is extremely good at solving mysteries or finding out information.
Example
He’s such **a Sherlock Holmes** when it comes to finding lost things.
idiom

trust someone with something

Meaning
to give someone responsibility for something important
Example
I trust you to **take care of the project**.
idiom

don't judge a book by its cover

Meaning
you shouldn't form an opinion on someone or something based purely on what you see on the outside
Example
She may look serious, but **don't judge a book by its cover**.
idiom

have a change of heart

Meaning
to change your opinion or the way you feel about something
Example
She was going to move abroad, but she had **a change of heart**.
phrasal-verb

tune into others

Meaning
to be sensitive to what others are feeling or thinking
Example
Good communicators **tune into** others’ emotions easily.
idiom

pass the torch

Meaning
to hand over a duty or responsibility to someone else
Example
After many years of teaching, the professor decided to **pass the torch** to a younger teacher.
idiom

go bananas over something

Meaning
to become extremely excited or enthusiastic about something
Example
Kids **go bananas over** the new video game console.
phrasal-verb

get across feelings

Meaning
to successfully communicate how you feel
Example
He couldn’t **get across** his feelings properly in the letter.
phrasal-verb

get over

Meaning
to recover from something upsetting or difficult
Example
It took him a long time to **get over** his fears.
phrasal-verb

bounce ideas off

Meaning
to share and discuss ideas with someone to get feedback
Example
I love to **bounce ideas off** my teammates before finalizing a plan.
idiom

thank your lucky stars

Meaning
to feel grateful for good fortune
Example
You should **thank your lucky stars** for having such good friends.
phrasal-verb

hold on to hope

Meaning
to not give up believing that things will get better
Example
No matter how dark it seems, **hold on to hope**.
phrasal-verb

sit with yourself

Meaning
to spend quiet time alone reflecting on your feelings and thoughts
Example
It’s important to **sit with yourself** to understand your emotions.
idiom

a political football

Meaning
an issue used by politicians for their own advantage
Example
Healthcare has become **a political football** in the country.
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.
idiom

machine mind

Meaning
a way of thinking that relies heavily on logic and computation
Example
You need a **machine mind** to understand how neural networks operate.
phrasal-verb

follow one’s passion

Meaning
to pursue what you truly love or are interested in
Example
He chose to **follow his passion** for music instead of money.
idiom

tie the knot of friendship

Meaning
to start a friendship
Example
They **tied the knot of friendship** during college.
idiom

cross one's heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise, often used by children
Example
I’ll never lie to you again, **cross my heart**.
phrasal-verb

fall behind on

Meaning
to fail to do something on time or as planned
Example
He **fell behind on** his rent payments last month.
idiom

make a leap forward

Meaning
to make significant progress or improvements
Example
The company made a big **leap forward** after the new product launch.
idiom

take it upon oneself

Meaning
to decide to do something without being asked or required
Example
She decided to **take it upon herself** to organize the event.
phrasal-verb

stand around

Meaning
to spend time standing and doing nothing
Example
We were just **standing around** waiting for the bus.
phrasal-verb

see off guests

Meaning
to say goodbye to people as they leave
Example
The host **saw off the guests** at the gate after midnight.
idiom

big picture

Meaning
the overall perspective or situation
Example
Producers always try to see the **big picture** before making changes.
idiom

sick to death of something

Meaning
extremely tired or annoyed by something
Example
I’m **sick to death of** listening to his complaints.
idiom

offline mode

Meaning
a state of being disconnected from the internet or unavailable
Example
He’s been in **offline mode** all weekend, not answering any messages.
idiom

drive up

Meaning
to cause something to increase
Example
Rising fuel costs **drive up** the price of groceries.
idiom

pair up

Meaning
to form groups of two
Example
Students should **pair up** before starting the lab activity.
phrasal-verb

beam with joy

Meaning
to smile very happily because of joy
Example
She **beamed with joy** when she heard the good news.
phrasal-verb

turn out for

Meaning
to attend or participate in an event
Example
Thousands of people **turned out for** the annual cultural parade.
phrasal-verb

act up to

Meaning
to behave according to what is expected or suitable
Example
She tries to **act up to** her reputation as a hardworking student.
idiom

slip up

Meaning
to make a small mistake
Example
Everyone **slips up** sometimes — don’t worry about it.
idiom

my bad

Meaning
a casual way to admit a small mistake
Example
Oh, I forgot to bring your book — **my bad**!
idiom

a friend in need is a friend indeed

Meaning
a true friend helps you in difficult times
Example
When I was sick, Jane took care of me—**a friend in need is a friend indeed**.
idiom

divide and conquer

Meaning
to gain control by causing disagreement among others
Example
The dictator used a **divide and conquer** strategy to maintain power.
idiom

step away

Meaning
to take a short break from a situation
Example
Take a minute to **step away** if you feel overwhelmed.
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%.
idiom

think twice

Meaning
to reconsider something carefully before acting
Example
You should **think twice** before making that deal.
idiom

catfish someone

Meaning
to deceive someone by creating a fake online identity
Example
He was **catfished** by someone pretending to be a model.
phrasal-verb

head towards

Meaning
to move in the direction of something
Example
**Head towards** the city center and look for the tall clock tower.
idiom

balance of trade

Meaning
the difference between a country's exports and imports
Example
A negative **balance of trade** can weaken a nation's currency.
phrasal-verb

lift someone up

Meaning
to make someone feel more hopeful or encouraged
Example
Her words always **lift me up** when I’m feeling low.
idiom

Fortune favors the bold

Meaning
Those who take risks are more likely to be successful.
Example
Remember, **fortune favors the bold**, so don’t be afraid to invest in new opportunities.
idiom

long story short

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

clock out

Meaning
to record the time when you finish work
Example
I always **clock out** before I shut down my computer.
idiom

bottom out

Meaning
to reach the lowest point before improving
Example
Experts believe the market has **bottomed out**.
idiom

call the tune

Meaning
to be in control; to make important decisions
Example
In this company, the investors **call the tune**.
phrasal-verb

run off with

Meaning
to leave someone in order to start a romantic relationship with another person
Example
He **ran off with** his colleague and shocked everyone.
phrasal-verb

be kind to

Meaning
to treat someone with care and compassion
Example
Always **be kind to** people who are struggling silently.
phrasal-verb

bring on board

Meaning
to include or involve someone in a team or project
Example
We want to **bring on board** a partner who shares our vision.
idiom

feel the pinch

Meaning
to have financial difficulties; to feel short of money
Example
With rising prices, many families are starting to **feel the pinch**.
idiom

zero gravity

Meaning
a state of complete freedom or lack of pressure
Example
After quitting his stressful job, he felt like he was in **zero gravity**.
idiom

gain ground

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
The company has been **gaining ground** in the tech industry.
idiom

Stay on track

Meaning
To continue doing the right thing to reach your goal.
Example
We need to **stay on track** to meet our deadline.
idiom

brand loyalty

Meaning
the tendency of consumers to keep buying the same brand
Example
**Brand loyalty** often depends on consistent quality.
idiom

in the doldrums

Meaning
feeling sad or bored for a long time
Example
He’s been **in the doldrums** since his team lost.
idiom

cut and paste

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

to mend fences

Meaning
to repair a relationship
Example
After their argument, they decided to **mend fences**.
phrasal-verb

build confidence through practice

Meaning
to become more self-assured by repeated practice
Example
You can **build confidence through practice** in public speaking.
idiom

carry the world on your shoulders

Meaning
to feel responsible for everything; to take on too much stress
Example
You can’t **carry the world on your shoulders**; learn to share the load.
phrasal-verb

make into

Meaning
to change something into something else
Example
She **made** the old warehouse **into** a beautiful café.
phrasal-verb

move toward improvement

Meaning
to progress gradually toward a better state or process
Example
Every organization must **move toward improvement** to stay competitive.
idiom

write one’s own story

Meaning
to shape one’s own destiny or path in life
Example
She chose to **write her own story** instead of following tradition.
idiom

written in the stars

Meaning
destined to happen; fated
Example
They believe their meeting was **written in the stars**.
phrasal-verb

stand up after

Meaning
to regain confidence or strength after failing
Example
True leaders **stand up after** every fall.
idiom

face up to

Meaning
to accept and confront a difficult situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to** the staffing gaps.
idiom

inside job

Meaning
a crime committed by someone within the organization affected
Example
The robbery turned out to be an **inside job**.
idiom

Open-minded

Meaning
Willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
A good therapist must be **open-minded**.
phrasal-verb

fly into a rage

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry
Example
The manager **flew into a rage** when the report was submitted late.
phrasal-verb

crack down on protests

Meaning
to use force or strict measures to control protests
Example
Authorities began to **crack down on protests** after violence erupted.
idiom

hit the pause button

Meaning
to take a break or stop what you are doing temporarily
Example
After weeks of hard work, I decided to **hit the pause button** and relax for a while.
idiom

bounce back

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback or failure
Example
She **bounced back** after losing the competition.
phrasal-verb

sink into

Meaning
to gradually become deeply involved in a negative emotion
Example
She **sank into** depression after losing her job.