under the gun
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idiom

under the gun

Meaning
under pressure to perform or complete something
Example
We were **under the gun** to meet the deadline for the report.
idiom

take pride in

Meaning
to feel good about something you have done
Example
You should **take pride in** your achievements.
idiom

make up your mind

Meaning
to decide something
Example
You need to **make up your mind** about which job to take.
idiom

ahead of the game

Meaning
to have an advantage or be well prepared
Example
She’s always **ahead of the game** with her planning.
phrasal-verb

get on with

Meaning
to continue doing something; to have a good relationship
Example
Despite their differences, they **get on with** each other quite well.
idiom

music to my ears

Meaning
something that makes you feel happy or pleased
Example
Hearing that the concert was extended was **music to my ears**.
idiom

party pooper

Meaning
someone who spoils the fun of others
Example
Don’t be a **party pooper**, join the fun!
phrasal-verb

bridge across

Meaning
to overcome divisions between groups or nations
Example
Diplomats **bridge across** cultural and political gaps.
phrasal-verb

build upon yourself

Meaning
to improve or develop your skills, knowledge, or character based on what you already have
Example
You should always try to **build upon yourself** and become a better version of who you were yesterday.
phrasal-verb

enter into

Meaning
to begin or participate in an agreement or discussion
Example
The two countries agreed to **enter into** a new trade deal.
idiom

play it by ear

Meaning
to decide or act as the situation develops
Example
We’ll **play it by ear** and see what happens.
phrasal-verb

run short of

Meaning
to have less of something than needed
Example
We are **running short of** office supplies this week.
idiom

bite someone’s head off

Meaning
to speak angrily to someone without reason
Example
I just asked a question, no need to **bite my head off**!
idiom

figure out

Meaning
to understand or solve something
Example
We need to **figure out** why the emails bounced.
idiom

from my point of view

Meaning
considering something from one's own perspective
Example
**From my point of view**, the plan makes sense.
idiom

climb the corporate ladder

Meaning
to advance in one’s career or position in a company
Example
He worked hard to **climb the corporate ladder**.
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

jump down someone's throat

Meaning
to react angrily and criticize someone suddenly
Example
She **jumped down my throat** when I suggested a different approach.
phrasal-verb

rake in profits

Meaning
to earn a large amount of money easily or quickly
Example
The company **raked in** huge profits after its new product launch.
idiom

lend an ear

Meaning
to listen carefully to someone’s problems or feelings
Example
She’s always ready to **lend an ear** when I’m feeling down.
idiom

follow in someone’s footsteps

Meaning
to do the same work or live the same way as someone else, usually a family member
Example
He decided to **follow in his father’s footsteps** and become a lawyer.
phrasal-verb

depend on exports

Meaning
to rely on selling goods to other countries
Example
Many developing nations **depend on exports** for economic growth.
phrasal-verb

come up short

Meaning
to fail to meet a goal or expectation
Example
The team **came up short** in the final minutes of the game.
phrasal-verb

acknowledge someone for

Meaning
to recognize and thank someone for their help or contribution
Example
The company **acknowledged her for** her dedication and teamwork.
idiom

give someone a leg up

Meaning
to help someone improve their situation or get an advantage
Example
Her mentor **gave her a leg up** in her career.
idiom

I’m of the opinion that

Meaning
I believe that; expressing a firm opinion
Example
I’m of the opinion that honesty always pays.
phrasal-verb

cut off

Meaning
to stop the supply of something; to disconnect
Example
The drought has **cut off** water supplies to several villages.
idiom

to be in the doghouse

Meaning
to be in trouble, especially with someone you care about
Example
After forgetting her birthday, he was definitely **in the doghouse**.
idiom

set your sights high

Meaning
to aim for something ambitious
Example
Always **set your sights high** if you want to grow.
phrasal-verb

head for

Meaning
to go in the direction of a place
Example
After breakfast, we **headed for** the mountains.
idiom

wait and see

Meaning
to be patient until something becomes clear
Example
Let’s **wait and see** what happens next.
phrasal-verb

keep fit

Meaning
to stay healthy and physically active
Example
I go jogging every morning to **keep fit**.
phrasal-verb

sign in to

Meaning
to enter a username and password to access an account
Example
Please **sign in to** your account before starting the quiz.
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.
phrasal-verb

keep moving with purpose

Meaning
to continue progressing with clear goals and motivation
Example
Stay focused and **keep moving with purpose** every day.
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.
phrasal-verb

come out stronger

Meaning
to recover from difficulties with more strength or wisdom
Example
After failing the exam, she managed to **come out stronger** and more determined.
idiom

curtain call

Meaning
when performers return to the stage to receive applause
Example
After their amazing act, the team received a standing ovation during the **curtain call**.
phrasal-verb

botch up

Meaning
to do a job badly or carelessly
Example
He completely **botched up** the report.
idiom

couldn’t care less

Meaning
to show total indifference
Example
She **couldn’t care less** about what people think.
idiom

have a heart

Meaning
to show compassion or kindness
Example
**Have a heart**, he didn’t mean to hurt you.
idiom

run your own show

Meaning
to be in control of your own activities or business
Example
After years of working for others, he wanted to **run his own show**.
idiom

stay composed

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

make progress

Meaning
to move forward or improve
Example
She is slowly **making progress** with her studies.
idiom

follow suit

Meaning
to do the same thing as someone else, especially online
Example
After one influencer started the trend, many others **followed suit**.
idiom

carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders

Meaning
to feel responsible for many problems or duties
Example
She always **carries the weight of the world on her shoulders**, even when it's not her fault.
phrasal-verb

drive yourself forward

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

the powers that be

Meaning
people or organizations who hold authority or control
Example
The decision depends on **the powers that be**.
idiom

build a better mousetrap

Meaning
to improve an existing product or idea
Example
Every tech company tries to **build a better mousetrap** in its field.
idiom

zone in on

Meaning
to focus attention closely on something specific
Example
We need to **zone in on** the main customer problem.
phrasal-verb

carry forward lessons

Meaning
to apply what you learned from past experiences
Example
We **carry forward lessons** from each launch into the next sprint.
idiom

on all fours

Meaning
crawling on hands and knees
Example
The baby moved **on all fours** across the floor.
phrasal-verb

let feelings pass

Meaning
to allow emotions to come and go without fighting them
Example
Instead of holding on to anger, I try to **let feelings pass** naturally.
idiom

hold the upper hand

Meaning
to have more power or advantage over others
Example
Negotiations continued, but the buyer **held the upper hand**.
idiom

give someone a hand

Meaning
to help someone with a task
Example
Could you **give me a hand** with dinner?
phrasal-verb

shell out

Meaning
to pay money, especially when you don’t want to
Example
We had to **shell out** $200 for the concert tickets.
idiom

plug and play

Meaning
easy to use without complex setup
Example
The new printer is **plug and play** – no installation needed.
phrasal-verb

tidy up after

Meaning
to clean and organize a space after someone else has used it
Example
After dinner I always **tidy up after** the kids before sitting down.
idiom

give someone a piece of your mind

Meaning
to express your opinion strongly, especially when criticizing someone
Example
She **gave him a piece of her mind** after the argument.
idiom

the real McCoy

Meaning
the genuine or original thing
Example
This painting is **the real McCoy**, not a copy.
phrasal-verb

meet up with

Meaning
to successfully reach or fulfill something like a goal or deadline
Example
We worked all night to **meet up with** the project deadline.
phrasal-verb

roll out infrastructure

Meaning
to implement or expand physical and digital infrastructure projects
Example
The government plans to **roll out infrastructure** projects across the country.
idiom

break into a market

Meaning
to successfully enter a new market or industry
Example
The company is trying to **break into the Asian market**.
idiom

turn over a new leaf

Meaning
to start behaving better after doing something wrong
Example
After the accident, he decided to **turn over a new leaf**.
idiom

put on a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be confident or happy when you are not
Example
She **put on a brave face** even after hearing the bad news.
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

manage with

Meaning
to cope using what is available
Example
We’ll have to **manage with** what we have for now.
idiom

family ties

Meaning
Strong connections among family members.
Example
**Family ties** kept her close to her hometown.
idiom

wake up to

Meaning
to become aware of something important
Example
Communities are **waking up to** the impact of noise pollution.
idiom

raring to go

Meaning
very eager or excited to start something
Example
Everyone was **raring to go** when the event started.
phrasal-verb

point down

Meaning
to direct something downward
Example
He **pointed down** to show where the leak was.
idiom

breathe in

Meaning
to inhale air deeply
Example
Take a moment to **breathe in** before you speak.
phrasal-verb

pay someone out

Meaning
to compensate someone for loss or damage
Example
The insurer **paid her out** after the accident.
idiom

upload your thoughts

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

put two and two together

Meaning
to figure out something by reasoning
Example
He **put two and two together** and realized she was lying.
idiom

hit the roof

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
Dad will **hit the roof** when he sees the broken window.
phrasal-verb

track against goals

Meaning
to measure performance by comparing it to targets
Example
We **track against goals** every Monday so the team stays focused.
phrasal-verb

set an example for

Meaning
to behave in a way that others should copy; to lead by example
Example
A good leader **sets an example for** the team through actions, not words.
idiom

tighten one’s belt

Meaning
to spend less money due to financial difficulties
Example
After losing his job, he had to **tighten his belt**.
phrasal-verb

back up investment

Meaning
to support financial or business initiatives with funding
Example
Private investors **backed up investment** in green energy projects.
idiom

have a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or idea
Example
When I saw the problem from a different angle, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
phrasal-verb

fill up

Meaning
to eat enough food so that you are full
Example
That soup really **filled me up**.
phrasal-verb

stay in touch with

Meaning
to keep communicating regularly with someone
Example
I **stay in touch with** my college friends through video calls.
phrasal-verb

make up after

Meaning
to become friends again after an argument
Example
They finally **made up after** not speaking for weeks.
idiom

get a foot in the door

Meaning
to take the first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
He took an internship to **get a foot in the door** of the company.
idiom

make a killing

Meaning
to earn a large profit quickly
Example
They **made a killing** with their new tech product.
idiom

go for the jugular

Meaning
to attack someone's most vulnerable point
Example
During the debate, he **went for the jugular**.
idiom

smoke-filled room

Meaning
a place where powerful people make decisions secretly
Example
The new policy was decided in a **smoke-filled room** by senior officials.
idiom

A negative outlook

Meaning
A pessimistic attitude or perspective
Example
He always has **a negative outlook** on life.
idiom

go off the deep end

Meaning
to become very angry or emotional suddenly
Example
She **went off the deep end** when she heard the bad news.
idiom

to hit it off

Meaning
to quickly become good friends
Example
We **hit it off** the moment we met.
phrasal-verb

work towards

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

wait in the wings

Meaning
to be ready to take over or step in when needed
Example
The assistant manager was **waiting in the wings** for a promotion.
idiom

leave a mark

Meaning
to have a lasting effect or influence
Example
Her leadership skills will surely **leave a mark** on the company.
idiom

walk on eggshells

Meaning
to be very careful about what you say or do to avoid upsetting someone
Example
Ever since the argument, I've been **walking on eggshells** around him.
phrasal-verb

burn up

Meaning
to destroy something completely by fire
Example
Burning trash **burns up** oxygen and releases harmful gases.
phrasal-verb

win out

Meaning
to finally succeed after difficulties or opposition
Example
Despite strong resistance, the reformers **won out** in the end.
phrasal-verb

open with gratitude

Meaning
to start a conversation or message by expressing thanks
Example
She **opened with gratitude** before discussing the main issue.
idiom

steal the spotlight

Meaning
to get all the attention, often taking it away from someone else
Example
The little girl **stole the spotlight** at the wedding with her adorable dance.
phrasal-verb

speak up for yourself

Meaning
to express your opinions or defend your feelings confidently
Example
You need to **speak up for yourself** if something feels unfair.
idiom

confide in someone

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them secrets
Example
She only **confides in** her best friend.
phrasal-verb

let courage in

Meaning
to allow oneself to feel and act with bravery
Example
He tried to **let courage in** instead of fear.
phrasal-verb

bring out the best in

Meaning
to help someone perform to their highest potential
Example
A great leader can **bring out the best in** their team members.
phrasal-verb

prep for

Meaning
to get yourself ready for something
Example
I like to **prep for** big presentations the night before.
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

clean up well

Meaning
to look good after getting dressed or groomed
Example
He usually looks messy, but he **cleans up well** for special occasions.
idiom

hash it out

Meaning
to discuss a problem thoroughly to find a solution
Example
Let’s sit down and **hash it out** instead of fighting.
idiom

strike a bargain

Meaning
to reach an agreement or deal
Example
After some discussion, they **struck a bargain** that suited both parties.
idiom

have a one-track mind

Meaning
to think about only one thing all the time
Example
He **has a one-track mind** when it comes to his business.
phrasal-verb

take effect

Meaning
to start being used or enforced
Example
The new tax regulations will **take effect** from January.
phrasal-verb

build up strength

Meaning
to increase physical power through exercise
Example
She started lifting weights to **build up strength**.
phrasal-verb

grow apart

Meaning
to become distant from someone emotionally over time
Example
After years, they **grew apart** because of different interests.
idiom

market share

Meaning
the portion of a market controlled by a particular company or product
Example
The company increased its **market share** after launching the new product.
idiom

backpropagation

Meaning
a learning algorithm used in neural networks to minimize error by adjusting weights through the network
Example
The **backpropagation** algorithm helps in optimizing the neural network's performance.
idiom

At the forefront

Meaning
being in a leading or important position in a field
Example
The research center is **at the forefront** of renewable energy studies.
idiom

have a crush on

Meaning
to be attracted to someone
Example
I **had a crush on** my classmate in college.
idiom

the school of hard knocks

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

bounce ahead

Meaning
to move forward with energy and confidence after success or recovery
Example
After the failure, he decided to **bounce ahead** and try again.
phrasal-verb

put on

Meaning
to organize or present an event or show
Example
The community decided to **put on** a music festival to celebrate their culture.
idiom

take shape

Meaning
to begin to develop or become clear
Example
Our business plan is finally **taking shape**.
phrasal-verb

blow off

Meaning
to release stress or anger by doing something
Example
He went jogging to **blow off** some steam after the argument.