wear down
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idiom

wear down

Meaning
to gradually weaken someone or something
Example
Constant delays can **wear down** even the calmest client.
phrasal-verb

work out tariffs with

Meaning
to negotiate and agree on trade tariffs with another party
Example
The two nations are trying to **work out tariffs with** each other.
phrasal-verb

work out differences

Meaning
to find a solution or compromise to disagreements between parties
Example
The two nations tried to **work out differences** through dialogue.
phrasal-verb

work into

Meaning
to include something into a plan or discussion
Example
I’ll try to **work** your idea **into** the proposal.
idiom

wallflower

Meaning
a shy person who avoids social activities
Example
She used to be a **wallflower**, but now she’s more confident.
phrasal-verb

wrap around

Meaning
to summarize or conclude by revisiting main ideas
Example
Let’s **wrap around** our discussion by revisiting the key points.
idiom

wise beyond his years

Meaning
showing maturity or wisdom greater than expected for one’s age
Example
Even as a child, he was **wise beyond his years**.
phrasal-verb

work out on paper

Meaning
to plan or calculate something in detail before action
Example
They **worked out on paper** the logistics of the export plan.
phrasal-verb

withdraw into

Meaning
to retreat emotionally and avoid social or emotional contact
Example
He **withdrew into** himself after the breakup.
idiom

win the battle but lose the war

Meaning
to achieve a small success but fail in the larger goal
Example
By focusing on minor issues, they **won the battle but lost the war**.
phrasal-verb

wipe down

Meaning
to clean a surface by rubbing it with a cloth
Example
Don’t forget to **wipe down** the kitchen counter after cooking.
idiom

well-oiled machine

Meaning
something that operates smoothly and efficiently
Example
Our engineering team runs like a **well-oiled machine**.
idiom

Wisdom comes with age

Meaning
The older you get, the wiser you become, due to experience.
Example
You should listen to him; after all, **wisdom comes with age**.
phrasal-verb

write out

Meaning
to write something in full form
Example
Please **write out** your answers clearly in the exam sheet.
idiom

white as snow

Meaning
Pure and innocent.
Example
Her intentions were **white as snow**.
phrasal-verb

work against the clock

Meaning
to try to finish something before a deadline
Example
We’re **working against the clock** to submit the proposal today.
phrasal-verb

warm down

Meaning
to perform gentle exercises after intense physical activity
Example
The coach told the players to **warm down** after the match.
phrasal-verb

work together

Meaning
to cooperate with others to achieve a goal
Example
If we **work together**, we can finish this project faster.
phrasal-verb

wake up politically

Meaning
to become aware of political issues and start caring about them
Example
Many young people are beginning to **wake up politically**.
idiom

wear the crown

Meaning
to be in a position of leadership or power
Example
It's not easy to **wear the crown** and handle all responsibilities.
idiom

wait and see

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

walk a tightrope

Meaning
to be in a difficult situation requiring careful balance
Example
The manager **walked a tightrope** between the demands of staff and management.
idiom

win by a landslide

Meaning
to win by a very large margin
Example
The candidate **won by a landslide** with 80% of the votes.
phrasal-verb

work out a plan

Meaning
to develop or create a strategy through discussion
Example
The managers **worked out a plan** to improve productivity.
idiom

weigh in

Meaning
to give an opinion in a discussion
Example
Experts will **weigh in** on the proposal tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

wind meetings down

Meaning
to wrap up discussions and close a meeting
Example
Chairs **wind meetings down** by recapping wins and next steps.
phrasal-verb

wind off

Meaning
to relax after a period of work or tension
Example
After a busy week, I like to **wind off** by reading a good book.
idiom

walk with confidence

Meaning
to move or act in a way that shows belief in one's abilities
Example
He always **walks with confidence** during his presentations.
phrasal-verb

work on yourself

Meaning
to make conscious efforts to improve your personality, habits, or mindset
Example
He spent years trying to **work on himself** after his breakup.
idiom

weakest link

Meaning
the most vulnerable part of a system or group
Example
Human error is often the **weakest link** in cybersecurity.
idiom

written in the stars

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

wipe the slate clean

Meaning
to forget past mistakes and start fresh
Example
Let’s **wipe the slate clean** and begin again.
phrasal-verb

wind yourself up

Meaning
to make yourself nervous or upset; to become tense or worried
Example
Try not to **wind yourself up** before the meeting; everything will be fine.
idiom

work around the clock

Meaning
to work continuously day and night
Example
They **worked around the clock** to finish the project.
idiom

write down

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

wish for

Meaning
to hope or desire for something to happen
Example
I always **wish for** peace and happiness in my life.
phrasal-verb

wake up

Meaning
to stop sleeping and become awake
Example
I usually **wake up** at 6 a.m. to start my day.
phrasal-verb

work for

Meaning
to be employed by someone or an organization
Example
I **work for** a multinational company in Dhaka.
phrasal-verb

wind down from

Meaning
to relax after finishing something intense
Example
We **wind down from** deadlines with a quick walk outside.
phrasal-verb

wear off

Meaning
to gradually disappear or lose effect
Example
The excitement of the trip soon **wore off** after returning home.
phrasal-verb

work out at

Meaning
to exercise at a gym or place regularly
Example
I **work out at** the gym every morning before work.
phrasal-verb

work out to

Meaning
to calculate or come to a certain amount
Example
The total cost **works out to** about $200.
idiom

when life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Meaning
make the best out of a bad situation
Example
She lost her job but decided to **make lemonade** by starting her own business.
phrasal-verb

wait around

Meaning
to stay somewhere doing nothing while waiting for something
Example
I had to **wait around** for hours before the meeting started.
phrasal-verb

work around obstacles

Meaning
to find alternative ways to complete a task despite difficulties
Example
The team managed to **work around obstacles** to meet the deadline.
phrasal-verb

weigh against

Meaning
to compare different opinions before expressing your own
Example
Before responding, I’d like to **weigh against** all the arguments made.
phrasal-verb

work toward equality

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve fairness and equal opportunities
Example
International organizations continue to **work toward equality** for all genders.
phrasal-verb

wonder about

Meaning
to be curious or question something
Example
I often **wonder about** what life will be like in ten years.
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

walking on air

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

warm-hearted

Meaning
kind and sympathetic
Example
She is a **warm-hearted** person who cares for everyone.
idiom

With friends like that, who needs enemies?

Meaning
A person’s actions or behavior make them worse than an enemy.
Example
He betrayed me again, **with friends like that, who needs enemies?**
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

wake early

Meaning
to get up early in the morning; to start the day early
Example
I try to **wake early** every morning to enjoy the quiet and plan my day.
phrasal-verb

write back

Meaning
to reply to someone’s complaint or message
Example
The company promised to **write back** within 48 hours.
phrasal-verb

wind off from

Meaning
to relax or detach yourself from stress; to calm down after work or tension
Example
After a long day, I like to **wind off from** all the pressure by listening to soft music.
phrasal-verb

whip up

Meaning
to quickly prepare a meal
Example
She can **whip up** a healthy salad in minutes.
idiom

war of words

Meaning
an argument or verbal conflict
Example
The two politicians engaged in a **war of words** on TV.
phrasal-verb

work around challenges

Meaning
to find a way to deal with or bypass difficulties during change
Example
We had to **work around challenges** to complete the migration.
phrasal-verb

work through pain

Meaning
to deal with emotional pain step by step until you heal
Example
He is still trying to **work through pain** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

wrap up the project

Meaning
to finish or complete something
Example
We need to **wrap up the project** by the end of this week.
idiom

wear out

Meaning
to use something until it becomes unusable
Example
You’ll **wear out** those shoes if you hike every weekend.
idiom

window shopping

Meaning
looking at things in shops without buying them
Example
We went **window shopping** at the mall yesterday.
phrasal-verb

warm to someone

Meaning
to begin to like someone or feel friendly towards them
Example
She didn’t like him at first but slowly **warmed to him**.
idiom

work-life harmony

Meaning
a balanced and peaceful relationship between work and personal life
Example
She believes in maintaining **work-life harmony**.
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

work out agreements

Meaning
to reach a negotiated settlement or deal
Example
The trade ministers managed to **work out agreements** after long discussions.
idiom

What’s done is done

Meaning
There is no point in worrying about past mistakes.
Example
We can’t change the past, so **what’s done is done**.
phrasal-verb

work toward goals

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve objectives
Example
Everyone in the company is working toward the same vision.
phrasal-verb

work through challenges

Meaning
to deal with and overcome problems while continuing progress
Example
The creative team managed to **work through challenges** and meet the deadline.
idiom

wipe out

Meaning
to eliminate something completely
Example
One bug can **wipe out** hours of unsaved work.
idiom

work up

Meaning
to gradually build courage, energy, or an appetite
Example
It took me a while to **work up** the courage to ask.
idiom

wired for success

Meaning
naturally inclined or designed to succeed
Example
The new AI model seems **wired for success** in every test.
phrasal-verb

work toward peace

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve harmony and stability among nations
Example
International leaders continue to **work toward peace** in conflict zones.
idiom

wrap your head around

Meaning
to understand or comprehend something difficult
Example
It took me a while to **wrap my head around** the new software.
idiom

wrap up

Meaning
to finish something completely
Example
We need to **wrap up** the report before lunch.
phrasal-verb

work through

Meaning
to deal with and resolve difficult emotions or experiences
Example
He’s trying to **work through** his grief after the loss.
phrasal-verb

work ahead

Meaning
to do work in advance before it is due
Example
I try to **work ahead** so deadlines don’t stress me out.
idiom

whatever floats your boat

Meaning
do whatever makes you happy or interested
Example
If you enjoy watching paint dry, **whatever floats your boat**.
phrasal-verb

wish away

Meaning
to hope something unpleasant would disappear or never happen
Example
You can't just **wish away** your mistakes.
idiom

wash your hands of something

Meaning
to stop being involved in or responsible for something
Example
After the scandal, the manager **washed his hands of** the project.
phrasal-verb

work against

Meaning
to act in opposition to someone or something
Example
The new policy may **work against** small businesses.
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

work toward understanding

Meaning
to make an effort to empathize and see another person’s perspective
Example
Both sides should **work toward understanding** rather than arguing.
phrasal-verb

work off

Meaning
to get rid of something by working or exercising
Example
He goes jogging every morning to **work off** stress.
phrasal-verb

work off emotions

Meaning
to get rid of negative emotions by doing physical activity
Example
He goes jogging to **work off** his frustration.
idiom

when pigs fly

Meaning
something that will never happen
Example
He'll clean his room **when pigs fly**.
phrasal-verb

walk along

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

work hand in hand with

Meaning
to cooperate closely with someone
Example
The design and development teams **work hand in hand with** each other to deliver quality results.
idiom

walk a fine line

Meaning
to balance between two difficult choices or opposing sides
Example
The diplomat had to **walk a fine line** between honesty and tact.
idiom

wrap your head around something

Meaning
to succeed in understanding something difficult or strange
Example
I'm still trying to **wrap my head around** this new software.
idiom

when one door closes, another opens

Meaning
when one opportunity is lost, another appears
Example
Don’t be upset about the rejection—**when one door closes, another opens**.
idiom

without a care in the world

Meaning
free from worries or problems
Example
The kids were playing **without a care in the world**.
idiom

where there’s a will, there’s a way

Meaning
if you are determined, you can find a solution
Example
**Where there’s a will, there’s a way**—you can do it!
idiom

When there’s a will, there’s a way

Meaning
If you are determined, you can find a way to achieve your goal.
Example
**When there’s a will, there’s a way**, and he proved it by finishing the race.
phrasal-verb

work out a deal

Meaning
to successfully negotiate an agreement
Example
The two nations finally **worked out a deal** after months of negotiation.
idiom

warp speed

Meaning
very high speed; extremely fast progress
Example
The project is moving at **warp speed** now.
idiom

wired to learn

Meaning
naturally designed to acquire knowledge or skills
Example
Humans are **wired to learn**, just like AI systems.
phrasal-verb

work from

Meaning
to base your creation on a source or reference
Example
She **worked from** a photograph to paint the portrait.
phrasal-verb

work toward mastery

Meaning
to practice and improve until becoming very skilled
Example
She is **working toward mastery** in public speaking.
phrasal-verb

work alongside

Meaning
to cooperate or collaborate with someone on the same task or project
Example
We need to **work alongside** our colleagues to complete the project efficiently.
idiom

word gets around

Meaning
news or gossip spreads among people
Example
Be careful—**word gets around** quickly in this office.
idiom

write off

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant or not worth considering
Example
Don’t **write off** his idea; it might actually work.
phrasal-verb

warm up to someone

Meaning
to begin to like or trust someone
Example
She slowly **warmed up to** her new classmates.
phrasal-verb

write in about

Meaning
to contact an organization in writing regarding something
Example
If you have ideas, please **write in about** them before Friday.
idiom

words can’t express

Meaning
used to show that you are very thankful beyond words
Example
**Words can’t express** how thankful I am for your support.
idiom

wave the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After a long debate, he finally **waved the white flag**.
phrasal-verb

wipe off

Meaning
to remove something from a surface by rubbing
Example
Please **wipe off** the dust from the table.
idiom

work toward

Meaning
to make progress in order to achieve something
Example
We’re **working toward** a more flexible schedule for everyone.
phrasal-verb

work along with

Meaning
to cooperate or coordinate efforts with others
Example
Researchers **work along with** NGOs to reduce ocean pollution.
phrasal-verb

wind up with

Meaning
to end up in a particular situation or condition; to result in
Example
If you keep skipping breaks, you might **wind up with** burnout.
idiom

win-win situation

Meaning
a situation where all parties benefit
Example
The new deal was a **win-win situation** for both companies.
idiom

wander off

Meaning
to walk away without purpose or direction
Example
The child **wandered off** while we were shopping.
phrasal-verb

work out for

Meaning
to end successfully for someone
Example
I hope everything **works out for** you in your new job.
phrasal-verb

work out of

Meaning
to be based or operate from a specific place
Example
He **works out of** our Singapore office.
idiom

wield power

Meaning
to have and use power or influence effectively
Example
He’s not the president, but he still **wields a lot of power**.
idiom

weather the storm

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
Our company managed to **weather the storm** during the crisis.
idiom

wash one’s hands of something

Meaning
to stop being responsible for something
Example
He **washed his hands of** the project after it failed.
phrasal-verb

wash away

Meaning
to remove or carry something away with water
Example
The flood **washed away** several houses near the river.
phrasal-verb

work across

Meaning
to collaborate or operate jointly across multiple regions or teams
Example
The NGO **works across** 20 countries to promote global education.
phrasal-verb

walk away

Meaning
to leave a situation or place calmly; to move away by walking
Example
She **walked away** without saying a word.