wave off
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idiom

wave off

Meaning
to dismiss or refuse something with a gesture or comment
Example
She **waved off** the compliments with a smile.
phrasal-verb

pick through

Meaning
to look through things to find what you want
Example
He **picked through** the old books looking for his favorite one.
idiom

salt of the earth

Meaning
a very good and honest person
Example
My grandfather was the **salt of the earth**.
phrasal-verb

capitalize on opportunities

Meaning
to take advantage of favorable situations to gain profit
Example
Smart investors always **capitalize on** opportunities in the market.
idiom

cut to the chase

Meaning
to get to the point quickly
Example
Let’s **cut to the chase** and discuss the main issue.
phrasal-verb

pass down

Meaning
to give something from one generation to the next
Example
The recipe was **passed down** from my grandmother to my mother.
phrasal-verb

fill your heart with gratitude

Meaning
to focus on the things you are thankful for
Example
Every morning, **fill your heart with gratitude** to start the day right.
phrasal-verb

fire back at

Meaning
to respond angrily or defensively to criticism
Example
The minister **fired back at** the accusations with strong evidence.
idiom

the nuts and bolts

Meaning
the basic practical details of something
Example
We discussed **the nuts and bolts** of the new software project.
phrasal-verb

jump back

Meaning
to move suddenly backward in fear or surprise
Example
She **jumped back** when the cat suddenly hissed.
idiom

settle the score

Meaning
to take revenge or resolve a conflict from the past
Example
He wanted to **settle the score** after last year's argument.
idiom

masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something developing into something great
Example
Her latest project looks like **a masterpiece in the making**.
idiom

make your mark

Meaning
to achieve distinction or recognition
Example
He worked hard to **make his mark** in the tech industry.
phrasal-verb

get past

Meaning
to stop being affected by something difficult or painful
Example
It took him months to **get past** the failure of his first project.
phrasal-verb

draw together

Meaning
to unite people for a common purpose
Example
The leader’s vision helped **draw together** the entire organization.
idiom

Spread too thin

Meaning
To try to do too many things at once, leaving no energy for any.
Example
She’s **spread too thin** between her job, family, and studies.
idiom

upload your brain

Meaning
to transfer or store one’s thoughts, knowledge, or consciousness digitally
Example
One day we might be able to **upload our brain** into the cloud.
idiom

beat a dead horse

Meaning
to waste time on a topic that has already been resolved
Example
Stop **beating a dead horse**; the decision is final.
idiom

straight from the horse’s mouth

Meaning
from the most reliable source; directly from the person involved
Example
I heard the news **straight from the horse’s mouth**.
phrasal-verb

look back fondly on

Meaning
to remember something with affection or happiness
Example
She **looks back fondly on** her childhood memories.
idiom

bottle up your feelings

Meaning
to hide or suppress your emotions
Example
Don't **bottle up your feelings**; talk about them.
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.
idiom

bounce back from

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback
Example
The team needs to **bounce back from** last week's loss.
phrasal-verb

bring attention to

Meaning
to make people notice or be aware of something important
Example
The campaign **brought attention to** climate inequality.
idiom

Talk through your hat

Meaning
To speak nonsense or about something one knows little about.
Example
He was **talking through his hat** about quantum physics.
phrasal-verb

chill with

Meaning
to relax and spend calm time with someone
Example
I love to **chill with** my friends on weekends to refresh my mind.
idiom

lend a helping hand

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

get sick of

Meaning
to become bored or annoyed with something or someone
Example
I **got sick of** hearing the same song over and over.
idiom

do one's duty

Meaning
to fulfill one's responsibilities or obligations
Example
Every citizen should **do their duty** to help their country.
idiom

pop the question

Meaning
to ask someone to marry you
Example
He finally **popped the question** during dinner.
idiom

as strong as an ox

Meaning
very strong and powerful
Example
He’s **as strong as an ox** after years of training.
phrasal-verb

catch at

Meaning
to try to grab something quickly; to take advantage of an opportunity suddenly
Example
He **caught at** the rope before he fell off the boat.
idiom

in your face advertising

Meaning
aggressive or very direct form of advertising
Example
Some brands use **in your face advertising** to stay memorable.
phrasal-verb

hold in check

Meaning
to control strong emotions before reacting
Example
He tried to **hold in check** his frustration during the meeting.
idiom

keep your eyes peeled

Meaning
to stay alert and watch carefully
Example
Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of trouble.
idiom

carry the burden

Meaning
to take on responsibility or a difficult task
Example
She had to **carry the burden** of the entire project alone.
phrasal-verb

journal through sadness

Meaning
to write in a journal while processing sad feelings
Example
She **journals through sadness** to understand what the day is teaching her.
idiom

walking on air

Meaning
to feel very happy and excited
Example
After winning the match, he was **walking on air**.
idiom

Opportunity knocks but once

Meaning
Good opportunities are rare and should be seized when they appear.
Example
Don't miss the chance, **opportunity knocks but once**.
idiom

no rocket scientist

Meaning
not very intelligent; not a genius
Example
He’s **no rocket scientist**, but he works hard.
idiom

swept off your feet

Meaning
to be suddenly and strongly attracted to someone
Example
She was **swept off her feet** by his charm.
phrasal-verb

get over setbacks

Meaning
to recover from difficulties and continue trying
Example
It’s not easy, but you must **get over setbacks** and move on.
idiom

to make matters worse

Meaning
to make a bad situation even more difficult or unpleasant
Example
I was already late, and **to make matters worse**, I couldn't find my keys.
idiom

off the top of one's head

Meaning
to say something without thinking carefully or checking
Example
**Off the top of my head**, I think there are five options.
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

put the brakes on

Meaning
to slow down or stop an activity
Example
The company had to **put the brakes on** its expansion plans.
idiom

once in a blue moon

Meaning
very rarely
Example
I only see him **once in a blue moon**.
phrasal-verb

team up across departments

Meaning
to collaborate with people from different teams
Example
We **team up across departments** to deliver the sustainability report.
idiom

live the dream

Meaning
to be living the life you always wanted
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
phrasal-verb

rise with confidence

Meaning
to regain self-assurance after a setback
Example
After every failure, try to **rise with confidence**.
phrasal-verb

shop around for

Meaning
to compare prices or products before buying
Example
Many customers **shop around for** the best deals online.
phrasal-verb

hang on to

Meaning
to keep something; not to lose hope or belief
Example
You must **hang on to** your vision even in hard times.
idiom

the sky's the limit

Meaning
there is no limit to what you can achieve
Example
With talent and hard work, **the sky’s the limit** for you.
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.
idiom

give someone a shot in the arm

Meaning
to boost someone’s confidence or enthusiasm
Example
The victory **gave the team a shot in the arm** before the final.
phrasal-verb

come round

Meaning
to regain consciousness
Example
She fainted but soon **came round**.
idiom

circle around

Meaning
to move repeatedly around something
Example
The hawk kept **circling around** above the trees.
phrasal-verb

toast to

Meaning
to raise a glass to honor or celebrate someone or something
Example
Let's **toast to** our hard work and success!
idiom

brand ambassador

Meaning
a person who promotes a brand through personal influence
Example
They hired a celebrity as their **brand ambassador**.
phrasal-verb

break through bias

Meaning
to overcome prejudices and unfair judgments
Example
Training programs help employees **break through bias** in hiring decisions.
phrasal-verb

stick up for

Meaning
to defend or support someone’s opinion or right
Example
He always **sticks up for** his friends when they are criticized.
phrasal-verb

take photos of

Meaning
to capture pictures of something or someone
Example
Everyone **took photos of** the beautiful decorations.
idiom

the scales of justice

Meaning
the system or symbol representing fairness and equality in law
Example
The judge ensures that **the scales of justice** remain balanced.
phrasal-verb

forecast for

Meaning
to predict what will happen at a particular time in the future
Example
Experts **forecast for** heavy rainfall next month due to climate change.
phrasal-verb

open your heart

Meaning
to become more emotionally available or loving
Example
She decided to **open her heart** to love again.
phrasal-verb

forgive from within

Meaning
to truly forgive someone deep in your heart
Example
To heal completely, you need to **forgive from within**.
phrasal-verb

move toward leadership

Meaning
to progress in your career to take leadership roles
Example
With her experience, she’s ready to **move toward leadership**.
idiom

family ties

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

in beta

Meaning
in the testing phase before final release
Example
The app is still **in beta**, so expect some bugs.
idiom

Out to pasture

Meaning
To retire someone or something from active use.
Example
The old manager was finally **put out to pasture** last year.
idiom

think for yourself

Meaning
to form your own opinions and make your own decisions
Example
You should learn to **think for yourself** instead of copying others.
idiom

hardwired to do something

Meaning
to be naturally inclined or programmed to behave a certain way
Example
Humans are **hardwired to** seek connection and belonging.
phrasal-verb

cut out negativity

Meaning
to remove negative thoughts or influences
Example
Try to **cut out negativity** and surround yourself with positive people.
phrasal-verb

reach understanding with

Meaning
to achieve a friendly or cooperative agreement with another party
Example
The two countries finally **reached understanding with** each other after months of talks.
phrasal-verb

bottle out

Meaning
to decide not to express your feelings because of fear or shyness
Example
He wanted to tell her how he felt but **bottled out** at the last moment.
phrasal-verb

let yourself breathe

Meaning
to allow yourself time to relax and calm down
Example
You should **let yourself breathe** when things get overwhelming.
idiom

feel like a new person

Meaning
to feel refreshed and healthy again
Example
After a good night’s sleep, I **feel like a new person**.
idiom

think big

Meaning
to set ambitious and visionary goals
Example
Entrepreneurs must **think big** to make a real impact.
idiom

meet halfway

Meaning
to compromise by agreeing to part of what each person wants
Example
We decided to **meet halfway** and agree on a fair price.
phrasal-verb

sign out of

Meaning
to exit or log off from an online account or platform
Example
Don’t forget to **sign out of** your account after using the computer lab.
phrasal-verb

stay put

Meaning
to remain in the same place and wait
Example
**Stay put** until I get back.
idiom

change of heart

Meaning
a change in the way one feels about something or someone
Example
He had a **change of heart** and decided to stay.
phrasal-verb

post about

Meaning
to publish content on social media related to a topic
Example
He often **posts about** his travel experiences on Instagram.
idiom

a quick study

Meaning
someone who learns new things very fast
Example
She’s **a quick study** and mastered the topic in a day.
idiom

bolt from the blue

Meaning
a sudden and unexpected event
Example
The project cancellation came as a **bolt from the blue**.
idiom

steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to look or feel extremely angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** after the argument.
idiom

square away

Meaning
to organize or finish something neatly
Example
We need to **square away** the paperwork before the audit.
phrasal-verb

unwind with

Meaning
to relax by doing something enjoyable
Example
I usually **unwind with** some music after dinner.
idiom

go nuclear

Meaning
to react very strongly or angrily
Example
When the data got deleted, the manager **went nuclear**.
idiom

Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Meaning
you can’t achieve anything if you don’t take risks
Example
He decided to invest because **nothing ventured, nothing gained**.
idiom

run the show

Meaning
to be in charge of an activity or organization
Example
Ever since the director left, Emma has been **running the show**.
phrasal-verb

bring nations together

Meaning
to unite countries for a common purpose or cause
Example
International sports events help **bring nations together** in harmony.
idiom

write down

Meaning
to record information on paper
Example
Please **write down** the maintenance request number.
idiom

hit the gas

Meaning
to accelerate; to move faster
Example
He **hit the gas** to catch the green light.
idiom

heart sinks

Meaning
to feel disappointed or sad suddenly
Example
My **heart sank** when I saw the exam result.
phrasal-verb

chalk up improvements

Meaning
to credit progress achieved over time
Example
We **chalk up improvements** to consistent practice and rest.
idiom

hit it off

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

think back to

Meaning
to recall or remember something from the past
Example
I often **think back to** the lessons my parents taught me.
phrasal-verb

tear up at

Meaning
to get tears in your eyes due to emotion
Example
He **teared up at** the touching moment in the movie.
idiom

light up someone’s day

Meaning
to make someone happy
Example
Your kind words **lighted up my day**.
idiom

come out on top

Meaning
to be the best or most successful in a situation
Example
Despite the competition, she **came out on top**.
phrasal-verb

reflect on yourself

Meaning
to think carefully about your actions, thoughts, and emotions
Example
Journaling allows you to **reflect on yourself** and grow.
phrasal-verb

pay respect to

Meaning
to show honor or appreciation to someone
Example
They **paid respect to** their teachers during the ceremony.
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.
idiom

a fair game

Meaning
a situation where both parties have equal opportunities to succeed or compromise
Example
The terms of the contract were discussed until both sides agreed it was **a fair game**.
phrasal-verb

shout out to

Meaning
to publicly acknowledge or compliment someone
Example
Let’s **shout out to** everyone who helped organize the event.
phrasal-verb

get away to

Meaning
to go somewhere for a short vacation or break
Example
We’re planning to **get away to** the mountains this weekend.
phrasal-verb

band up for

Meaning
to unite as a group to achieve a common economic goal
Example
Several small countries **banded up for** regional cooperation.
idiom

sing the same tune

Meaning
to have the same opinion as someone else
Example
Both managers **sing the same tune** about company policy.
phrasal-verb

stay disciplined

Meaning
to maintain self-control and consistent study habits
Example
To achieve great results, students must **stay disciplined** throughout the semester.
phrasal-verb

back off emotionally

Meaning
to stop being overly aggressive or involved in an argument
Example
He decided to **back off emotionally** to avoid further conflict.
idiom

bargain chip

Meaning
something of value used in negotiations to get a better deal
Example
His offer of a longer contract was a strong **bargain chip**.
idiom

Pick up the tab

Meaning
To pay the bill for something.
Example
John offered to **pick up the tab** for everyone.
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

cover your tracks

Meaning
to hide evidence of one’s actions
Example
Hackers often **cover their tracks** after breaking into systems.
idiom

think on one's feet

Meaning
to be able to make quick decisions and act quickly, especially in an emergency
Example
During the meeting, she had to **think on her feet** and come up with a solution.
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.
phrasal-verb

find with

Meaning
to discover something by examining or associating with someone
Example
They **found with** her a bag full of letters.
phrasal-verb

bring up negotiations

Meaning
to start discussing trade terms formally
Example
The minister plans to **bring up negotiations** during the next summit.
idiom

cut the mustard

Meaning
to perform well or meet expectations
Example
She didn’t **cut the mustard** in her new role.
phrasal-verb

grow through

Meaning
to become stronger or wiser because of difficult experiences
Example
We often **grow through** the pain we experience.