Wear many hats
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idiom

Wear many hats

Meaning
To have many roles or responsibilities.
Example
As a small business owner, she **wears many hats**.
phrasal-verb

toy with

Meaning
to consider an idea casually without serious intention
Example
He’s been **toying with** the idea of developing a creative AI tool.
idiom

clean up one’s act

Meaning
to improve behavior or performance; to become more responsible
Example
The factory had to **clean up its act** to avoid heavy fines.
idiom

a clear conscience

Meaning
a state of being free from guilt or regret
Example
She could sleep soundly at night because she had **a clear conscience**.
phrasal-verb

fight against

Meaning
to oppose or resist something harmful or unjust
Example
We must **fight against** discrimination in every form.
idiom

Spin a story

Meaning
To present a story in a way that is intended to influence people's opinions or beliefs.
Example
The journalist managed to **spin a story** that made the politician look like a hero.
idiom

plow ahead

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
Even with setbacks, they decided to **plow ahead** with the project.
phrasal-verb

let go of confusion

Meaning
to stop overthinking or feeling uncertain
Example
Once she **let go of confusion**, everything became clear.
phrasal-verb

drift apart from

Meaning
to slowly become less close to someone
Example
Over the years, we **drifted apart from** each other and lost touch.
idiom

hit the road again

Meaning
to resume a journey after a stop
Example
After lunch, we **hit the road again**.
phrasal-verb

hold on to

Meaning
to keep believing or trying despite difficulties
Example
You must **hold on to** your dreams no matter what happens.
idiom

faint-hearted

Meaning
lacking courage or determination
Example
Climbing this mountain is not for the **faint-hearted**.
idiom

slip one's mind

Meaning
to forget something accidentally
Example
Sorry, it completely **slipped my mind** to call you.
phrasal-verb

delegate tasks

Meaning
to assign responsibilities to others
Example
An effective leader knows how to **delegate tasks** efficiently.
idiom

clean conscience

Meaning
feeling that you have done nothing wrong
Example
He can sleep well because he has a **clean conscience**.
phrasal-verb

follow around

Meaning
to accompany someone closely, often to observe or learn
Example
New employees **follow around** seniors to learn how things work.
phrasal-verb

open up to others

Meaning
to share thoughts and feelings with people from other cultures
Example
When you **open up to others**, you start to understand their perspectives better.
idiom

as easy as ABC

Meaning
very easy to do or understand
Example
For him, solving math problems is **as easy as ABC**.
idiom

pull over

Meaning
to stop a vehicle at the side of the road
Example
Please **pull over** so we can check the map.
idiom

act the part

Meaning
to behave in a way that fits a particular role or situation
Example
If you want to be treated like a leader, you need to **act the part**.
phrasal-verb

learn about

Meaning
to gain knowledge or understanding of something new
Example
Through cultural exchange, people **learn about** different lifestyles and beliefs.
phrasal-verb

breathe through

Meaning
to manage stress or pain by breathing calmly
Example
When anxious, try to **breathe through** the feeling slowly.
phrasal-verb

dust off

Meaning
to remove dust from something
Example
Could you **dust off** the shelves before putting the books back?
idiom

split personality

Meaning
having two very different sides to one's character
Example
He’s got a **split personality**—sometimes kind, sometimes cruel.
phrasal-verb

tighten up regulations

Meaning
to make rules or laws stricter
Example
The central authority decided to **tighten up regulations** on foreign trade.
phrasal-verb

take on responsibility

Meaning
to accept a duty or task
Example
He decided to **take on responsibility** for the new client.
phrasal-verb

join hands for

Meaning
to unite and cooperate for a common cause
Example
People from different backgrounds **joined hands for** peace.
idiom

clamp down

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something
Example
The manager decided to **clamp down** on late arrivals.
idiom

burst with happiness

Meaning
to be full of great joy or excitement
Example
The parents **burst with happiness** when they saw their newborn baby.
phrasal-verb

take care of

Meaning
to be responsible for someone or something
Example
My sister **takes care of** our younger brother when our parents are away.
idiom

at the top of one’s game

Meaning
to be performing at one’s best level
Example
The athlete is **at the top of his game** this season.
phrasal-verb

bring around

Meaning
to persuade someone to accept your opinion
Example
I finally **brought her around** to my point of view.
phrasal-verb

open up to change

Meaning
to become willing to accept new ideas or practices
Example
Societies progress when people **open up to change**.
idiom

Dust yourself off

Meaning
Recover after a setback and continue with confidence.
Example
He fell short this time, but he’ll **dust himself off** and try again.
phrasal-verb

sit down with

Meaning
to meet and discuss something seriously or formally
Example
Government officials will **sit down with** community leaders to resolve the conflict.
phrasal-verb

go crazy for

Meaning
to like something very much
Example
Fans **go crazy for** his new songs.
idiom

a burning desire

Meaning
a strong and intense wish to achieve something
Example
She has **a burning desire** to become the best in her field.
idiom

reboot your life

Meaning
to start over or make a fresh beginning
Example
After losing his job, he decided to **reboot his life**.
phrasal-verb

hold over feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions or resentment from the past and let them affect the present
Example
She tends to **hold over feelings** from old arguments.
phrasal-verb

push ahead with

Meaning
to continue with a task or plan despite opposition or difficulties
Example
They decided to **push ahead with** the project despite the challenges.
phrasal-verb

break down emotionally

Meaning
to lose control over your emotions and start crying
Example
She **broke down emotionally** after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

let emotions show

Meaning
to express one’s true feelings openly
Example
He rarely **lets his emotions show**, even when he’s upset.
idiom

Hear something on the grapevine

Meaning
To hear gossip or unofficial news.
Example
I **heard on the grapevine** that she’s leaving the company.
idiom

take someone to task

Meaning
to strongly criticize someone for something they did wrong
Example
The teacher **took him to task** for cheating on the exam.
idiom

get the word out

Meaning
to spread information or make something widely known
Example
We need to **get the word out** about our new service.
phrasal-verb

tear into

Meaning
to attack or criticize someone fiercely
Example
The coach **tore into** the players after their poor performance.
phrasal-verb

throw up one's hands

Meaning
to give up in despair or frustration
Example
The manager **threw up his hands** when the plan failed.
idiom

put the finishing touches

Meaning
to complete something perfectly by adding the final details
Example
She’s **putting the finishing touches** on her painting.
phrasal-verb

grow inward

Meaning
to develop understanding and wisdom from personal experiences
Example
She began to **grow inward** as she faced her fears and doubts.
idiom

have faith in someone

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
You should **have faith in** your team.
idiom

throw one’s hat into the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s intention to compete or take part, especially in politics
Example
He finally **threw his hat into the ring** for the mayoral election.
idiom

window of opportunity

Meaning
a short period when a chance is available
Example
We have a small **window of opportunity** to launch this product.
idiom

glue together

Meaning
to attach pieces firmly using adhesive
Example
Let the students **glue together** the collage pieces.
phrasal-verb

take off in career

Meaning
to suddenly become successful in your job or business
Example
Her career really **took off** after she launched her own startup.
phrasal-verb

yearn for

Meaning
to feel a deep emotional longing or desire for something lost or missed
Example
He still **yearns for** the life he could have had.
idiom

own your mistakes

Meaning
to take responsibility for what you did wrong.
Example
It’s important to **own your mistakes** and learn from them.
phrasal-verb

move back

Meaning
to return to a place where you lived before
Example
After years abroad, he decided to **move back** to his hometown.
phrasal-verb

prototype on paper

Meaning
to sketch a quick version of an idea
Example
Designers **prototype on paper** before they open any software.
idiom

to be like family

Meaning
to be as close as family members
Example
My neighbors are **like family** to me.
phrasal-verb

air issues out

Meaning
to talk openly about problems to resolve them
Example
Teams **air issues out** during retros so nothing lingers.
idiom

Play your cards right

Meaning
To make the right moves to achieve success.
Example
If you **play your cards right**, you might get the promotion.
phrasal-verb

rave about

Meaning
to speak with great enthusiasm and admiration about something
Example
He kept **raving about** the concert for days.
phrasal-verb

integrate into

Meaning
to combine one thing with another to make a whole
Example
We will **integrate into** the global digital ecosystem.
idiom

double check

Meaning
to verify something again for accuracy
Example
Always **double check** the numbers before submitting.
phrasal-verb

zone back in

Meaning
to regain focus after being distracted
Example
After taking a short walk, I **zoned back in** and finished the report.
idiom

fair and square

Meaning
honest and straightforward; without cheating
Example
She won the competition **fair and square**.
phrasal-verb

ease out tension

Meaning
to reduce or remove feelings of stress
Example
A warm bath helps to **ease out tension** from muscles.
phrasal-verb

step up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods sold abroad
Example
The country aims to **step up exports** to reduce the trade deficit.
idiom

Dress to kill

Meaning
To wear clothes that attract a lot of attention and admiration.
Example
She always **dresses to kill** when she goes to parties.
phrasal-verb

smash into

Meaning
to crash violently into something
Example
The truck **smashed into** the barrier after losing control.
idiom

a ticking time bomb

Meaning
A situation or person that could become dangerous at any moment.
Example
His anger issues make him **a ticking time bomb**.
idiom

off the wall

Meaning
unusual or unconventional
Example
His ideas are often **off the wall**, but they sometimes work.
phrasal-verb

settle into

Meaning
to become comfortable in a new place or routine
Example
After a few months, she finally **settled into** her new role as manager.
idiom

a blessing in disguise

Meaning
something that seems bad but results in something good
Example
Losing that job was **a blessing in disguise**.
phrasal-verb

build over

Meaning
to move past a negative feeling or fear by developing confidence
Example
He managed to **build over** his fear of speaking in public.
idiom

brush aside

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant
Example
Management **brushed aside** the rumors during the briefing.
idiom

The Midas touch

Meaning
The ability to make money or succeed in everything one does.
Example
She seems to have **the Midas touch**—every project she starts becomes a success.
phrasal-verb

build back

Meaning
to restore emotional strength after hardship
Example
It’s never easy to **build back** after heartbreak.
idiom

A battle of wits

Meaning
A contest or situation where people use intelligence or cleverness to outsmart each other.
Example
The negotiations were a true **battle of wits** between the two leaders.
phrasal-verb

draw across

Meaning
to pull something so that it covers or crosses another thing
Example
She **drew across** the blanket to keep warm.
phrasal-verb

relate to

Meaning
to understand and identify with someone’s experiences or emotions
Example
I can really **relate to** your situation because I went through something similar.
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

mend fences

Meaning
to repair a damaged relationship
Example
She called her friend to **mend fences** after their disagreement.
idiom

come full circle

Meaning
to return to the original state after a series of changes
Example
After years abroad, she’s **come full circle** and moved back home.
idiom

blow up in your face

Meaning
a plan or situation that suddenly goes wrong and causes trouble
Example
His plan to impress the boss **blew up in his face**.
phrasal-verb

call for backup

Meaning
to request extra help in a challenging situation
Example
Editors **call for backup** when breaking news floods in overnight.
idiom

take things to the next level

Meaning
to improve or develop something beyond its current state
Example
We plan to **take our innovation to the next level** this year.
idiom

pack up

Meaning
to gather belongings and prepare to leave
Example
We should **pack up** and head home before the storm starts.
idiom

hit the streets

Meaning
to go out on patrol or begin a search for a suspect
Example
The officers decided to **hit the streets** after the robbery was reported.
idiom

game plan

Meaning
a carefully thought-out strategy
Example
We need a solid **game plan** before meeting the investors.
idiom

get the hang of it

Meaning
to learn or become skilled at something new
Example
Don’t worry, you’ll **get the hang of it** soon.
idiom

dwell on

Meaning
to think or speak about something repeatedly
Example
Try not to **dwell on** the minor mistake.
idiom

make yourself at home

Meaning
to feel comfortable and relaxed as if you were at home
Example
Please **make yourself at home** while I get the tea.
idiom

see the silver lining

Meaning
to find hope or something positive in a bad situation
Example
She tries to **see the silver lining** even in tough times.
idiom

a penny for your thoughts

Meaning
a way of asking someone what they are thinking about
Example
You look lost in thought — **a penny for your thoughts**?
idiom

Bet the farm

Meaning
To risk everything on one big decision.
Example
He **bet the farm** on that business deal.
phrasal-verb

take over the government

Meaning
to assume control of the government, often by force
Example
The military attempted to **take over the government** after months of unrest.
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

when pigs fly

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

fact check against

Meaning
to verify information by comparing it with reliable sources
Example
Journalists **fact check against** official records to avoid errors.
phrasal-verb

burn down

Meaning
to be destroyed by fire
Example
The forest **burned down** after the wildfire.
phrasal-verb

team together

Meaning
to form or join a group to work on something
Example
Let's **team together** to organize the upcoming workshop.
idiom

get to the root of the problem

Meaning
to discover the main cause of a problem
Example
We need to **get to the root of the problem** before we can fix it.
phrasal-verb

count down from

Meaning
to recite numbers backward starting from a specific point
Example
The teacher had us **count down from** twenty to practice timing.
phrasal-verb

chat with

Meaning
to talk informally with someone
Example
She loves to **chat with** new people at social events.
idiom

nice to meet you

Meaning
a polite expression used when meeting someone for the first time
Example
It's **nice to meet you**, I've heard a lot about you.
idiom

turn things around

Meaning
to reverse a negative situation and make it positive
Example
With some effort, we can **turn things around**.
phrasal-verb

patch over differences

Meaning
to try to ignore disagreements and restore peace
Example
They decided to **patch over differences** and move on.
phrasal-verb

open doors for

Meaning
to create opportunities or possibilities for connection or collaboration
Example
Joining community events can **open doors for** meaningful relationships.
idiom

grin and bear it

Meaning
to accept a difficult situation patiently
Example
You just have to **grin and bear it** until the work is done.
phrasal-verb

fade out

Meaning
to gradually disappear from view or sound
Example
The music **faded out** as the credits rolled.
phrasal-verb

pick at

Meaning
to eat only small amounts of food without interest
Example
He just **picked at** his dinner and left most of it.
phrasal-verb

look down on

Meaning
to think that you are better than someone
Example
You should never **look down on** your relatives for their financial situation.
phrasal-verb

draw upon

Meaning
to use information or experience from the past for a new purpose
Example
Innovators often **draw upon** their previous failures to find success.
idiom

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

Meaning
alert and full of energy, especially in the morning
Example
He came to work **bright-eyed and bushy-tailed** after the weekend.
idiom

cry your heart out

Meaning
to cry a lot due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

anchors aweigh

Meaning
Ready to depart or begin a journey.
Example
With our bags packed, it’s **anchors aweigh** for the road trip!
phrasal-verb

set up dialogue

Meaning
to establish formal or informal communication between nations
Example
The leaders agreed to **set up dialogue** to discuss trade issues.
idiom

burst with pride

Meaning
to be very proud of someone or something
Example
His parents **burst with pride** when he won the award.
phrasal-verb

slip by

Meaning
to miss or overlook something accidentally
Example
A few errors **slipped by** during the proofreading.
idiom

step in

Meaning
to become involved in order to help or stop something
Example
The manager will **step in** if the discussion gets heated.