B2 idiom

wrap your head around it

to understand or accept something

Meaning

to understand or accept something

Example

It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.

idiom

a helping hand

Meaning

someone who helps or assists others

Example

She offered a helping hand to the new student in class.

idiom

on your own shoulders

Meaning

to be responsible for something yourself

Example

The success of this event rests on your own shoulders.

idiom

Two’s company, three’s a crowd

Meaning

Sometimes, two people are just right, but a third person can make things uncomfortable.

Example

I wanted some alone time with Emily, but as they say, two’s company, three’s a crowd.

phrasal-verb

find along

Meaning

to discover or encounter something while moving or traveling

Example

We found along a beautiful lake on our way to the hills.

idiom

Running on empty

Meaning

To continue working or functioning when you have no energy left.

Example

After pulling an all-nighter, he’s running on empty today.

idiom

weigh your options

Meaning

to consider different possibilities before deciding

Example

You should weigh your options before buying the car.

idiom

a catnap

Meaning

a short, light sleep

Example

I took a catnap after lunch.

idiom

give it time

Meaning

to wait for something to improve or happen

Example

Give it time, you’ll see results soon.

idiom

to see the big picture

Meaning

to understand the larger or more important issue

Example

You need to see the big picture when making strategic decisions.

idiom

throw in the towel

Meaning

to give up or quit

Example

After many failures, he threw in the towel.

phrasal-verb

strike up

Meaning

to start a conversation or friendship

Example

He easily strikes up conversations with strangers.

idiom

get along with

Meaning

to have a good relationship with someone

Example

I really get along with my coworkers.

idiom

mix up

Meaning

to confuse two or more things

Example

I always mix up their names during meetings.

phrasal-verb

pay into

Meaning

to deposit money into a bank account or fund

Example

I paid into my savings account yesterday.

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.

phrasal-verb

bring up with

Meaning

to mention a topic or issue to someone for discussion

Example

I decided to bring up the issue with my manager during our weekly meeting.

idiom

Calm before the storm

Meaning

A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.

Example

The office is quiet now, but it’s just the calm before the storm.

idiom

hack the system

Meaning

to break into a system or network to gain unauthorized access

Example

He was caught trying to hack the system for personal gain.

idiom

out for blood

Meaning

to be extremely determined to defeat or punish someone

Example

After losing last time, the team is out for blood this season.

phrasal-verb

be patient with

Meaning

to stay calm and understanding toward someone who is struggling

Example

You need to be patient with people who are healing emotionally.

phrasal-verb

set out for success

Meaning

to begin a journey or plan with the goal of achieving success

Example

She set out for success by creating a clear vision and staying disciplined.

idiom

chew someone out

Meaning

to angrily scold or criticize someone

Example

The coach chewed out the team for their poor performance.

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

burst into song

Meaning

to start singing suddenly out of happiness

Example

He burst into song when he got the good news.

idiom

stay ahead of the curve

Meaning

to stay more advanced or knowledgeable than others

Example

If you read daily, you can stay ahead of the curve in your studies.

phrasal-verb

stick around for

Meaning

to stay nearby or remain present, usually to spend more time together

Example

Why don’t you stick around for a while and have coffee with us?

phrasal-verb

mess up

Meaning

to make a mistake; to spoil something

Example

I really messed up my presentation yesterday.

phrasal-verb

turn around

Meaning

to improve a situation or make something successful again

Example

The new leader helped turn around the company’s declining performance.

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.

phrasal-verb

look around for

Meaning

to search or explore for something nearby

Example

Let’s look around for a good restaurant before we leave the city.

idiom

fall through the cracks

Meaning

to be overlooked or neglected

Example

I forgot to follow up on his application and it fell through the cracks.

phrasal-verb

break off relations

Meaning

to end diplomatic or political connections between countries

Example

The two nations decided to break off relations after the border dispute escalated.

idiom

a glimpse into the future

Meaning

a small indication of what the future might be like

Example

This technology gives us a glimpse into the future.

idiom

take a deep breath

Meaning

to calm down and relax

Example

Take a deep breath before reacting.

idiom

flesh out

Meaning

to add more detail to something

Example

We need to flesh out the proposal before presenting it.

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

put down to

Meaning

to attribute something to a cause

Example

She put her success down to hard work and determination.

idiom

trust goes both ways

Meaning

both sides must trust each other

Example

Trust goes both ways in any relationship.

idiom

dot the i's and cross the t's

Meaning

to pay attention to small details or finalize things perfectly

Example

Before the presentation, we need to dot the i's and cross the t's.

idiom

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning

To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.

Example

If you think I'm guilty, you're barking up the wrong tree.

idiom

ace a test

Meaning

to do extremely well on a test

Example

He studied hard and managed to ace the test.

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.

phrasal-verb

build up patience

Meaning

to gradually increase emotional endurance

Example

Meditation helps you build up patience in stressful times.

phrasal-verb

run off

Meaning

to leave suddenly; to make copies of something

Example

He ran off without saying goodbye.

idiom

take the long view

Meaning

to plan or think about the future rather than short-term gains

Example

Successful leaders always take the long view when making decisions.

idiom

To toe the line

Meaning

To follow rules or policies strictly, often without questioning

Example

The senator was expected to toe the line and support the party’s stance.

phrasal-verb

shadow a teammate

Meaning

to observe a colleague closely to learn

Example

Interns shadow a teammate during client demos for practice.

phrasal-verb

click with

Meaning

to immediately feel a connection or understanding with someone

Example

We instantly clicked with each other at the party.

idiom

ballpark figure

Meaning

an approximate estimate or number

Example

Can you give me a ballpark figure for the project cost?

idiom

logged in

Meaning

to gain access to a computer or system

Example

She logged in to check her emails.

phrasal-verb

let yourself heal

Meaning

to allow yourself time and space to recover emotionally

Example

It’s okay to rest and let yourself heal after a painful breakup.

idiom

AI arms race

Meaning

competition among companies or nations to lead in AI development

Example

Big tech companies are engaged in an AI arms race.

idiom

a front-page story

Meaning

a news story that is important enough to be placed on the front page of a newspaper

Example

The fire in the city center was a front-page story for the national newspapers.

idiom

hear something through the grapevine

Meaning

to hear news or rumors indirectly

Example

I heard through the grapevine that they are getting married.

idiom

roll the credits

Meaning

to finish something officially

Example

After the final announcement, they rolled the credits on the project.

phrasal-verb

set upon

Meaning

to attack someone suddenly

Example

The thief was set upon by the angry crowd.

idiom

lovebirds

Meaning

a couple who are very affectionate with each other

Example

Look at those lovebirds holding hands in the park!

idiom

tear into someone

Meaning

to criticize someone angrily

Example

The coach tore into the players after they lost the game.

idiom

on good terms with

Meaning

having a friendly and positive relationship with someone

Example

She’s on good terms with her ex-husband for the kids’ sake.

phrasal-verb

let positivity flow

Meaning

to freely express and share positive emotions

Example

When you smile and help others, you let positivity flow.

phrasal-verb

look someone in the eye

Meaning

to make direct eye contact as a sign of honesty or respect

Example

When greeting someone, try to look them in the eye to show respect.

phrasal-verb

mix up ideas

Meaning

to combine different ideas to create something new

Example

Our marketing team loves to mix up ideas from different industries.

idiom

have a stake in

Meaning

to have an interest or investment in something

Example

She has a stake in the company's success.

phrasal-verb

point toward

Meaning

to indicate or suggest a future possibility

Example

Recent studies point toward a rise in electric mobility.

phrasal-verb

lean forward

Meaning

to show interest and emotional engagement in a conversation

Example

She leaned forward and listened carefully to her friend’s worries.

idiom

bold as brass

Meaning

to be very confident and not shy at all

Example

She walked into the meeting bold as brass.

idiom

cool off with

Meaning

to refresh oneself using something

Example

We’ll cool off with iced tea after the run.

phrasal-verb

set back

Meaning

to delay progress or cause a problem

Example

The heavy rain set back the construction work by two weeks.

idiom

digital twin

Meaning

a virtual representation of a physical object or system used for simulation and analysis

Example

Using digital twin technology, we can simulate the performance of machinery before production.

idiom

a storm in a teacup

Meaning

a small problem that is exaggerated

Example

Their argument was just a storm in a teacup.

phrasal-verb

smile at

Meaning

to express warmth or gratitude through a smile

Example

She smiled at me when I handed her the gift.

idiom

Time heals all wounds

Meaning

Emotional pain will lessen with time.

Example

Don’t worry, time heals all wounds.

phrasal-verb

screw up

Meaning

to do something badly or incorrectly

Example

He screwed up the report by adding wrong data.

phrasal-verb

open within

Meaning

to connect with your inner emotions and understand yourself better

Example

Yoga helps me to open within and feel peaceful.

phrasal-verb

step aside

Meaning

to move to one side to let someone pass; to withdraw from a position

Example

He stepped aside to let the woman pass.

idiom

Put the pedal to the metal

Meaning

To push harder and make a greater effort.

Example

We need to put the pedal to the metal if we want to meet the deadline.

idiom

Trickle-down effect

Meaning

Economic benefits of the wealthy gradually reaching the lower-income groups.

Example

Critics argue that the trickle-down effect rarely helps the poor.

phrasal-verb

log on to

Meaning

to access a website or online platform by entering credentials

Example

Students must log on to the portal before the class starts.

phrasal-verb

open up markets

Meaning

to make trade or business opportunities available; to remove barriers to trade

Example

The trade agreement helped open up markets for local exporters.

idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning

to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task

Example

A true leader will not hesitate to get their hands dirty when necessary.

phrasal-verb

project out

Meaning

to estimate or predict future results based on current data

Example

Economists project out the country's GDP growth for the next decade.

phrasal-verb

talk someone through

Meaning

to explain something step by step so the person feels confident

Example

Coaches talk players through calming breaths before big matches.

idiom

in a nutshell

Meaning

to summarize something briefly

Example

To put it in a nutshell, we need more funding.

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

viral content

Meaning

Content that spreads rapidly across the internet, usually through social media.

Example

The video went viral after being shared on Facebook.

idiom

hook the customer

Meaning

to attract and keep a customer’s interest

Example

A good slogan can easily hook the customer.

phrasal-verb

get back

Meaning

to return to a place; to recover something lost

Example

I hope you get back safely from your trip.

idiom

busy as a bee

Meaning

very active or hardworking

Example

She’s as busy as a bee preparing for the wedding.

phrasal-verb

go wild

Meaning

to behave in an extremely excited or enthusiastic way

Example

The crowd went wild when the team scored the goal.

idiom

move forward

Meaning

to continue with progress after a delay or challenge

Example

After reviewing the feedback, we can move forward with the design.

phrasal-verb

hook up to

Meaning

to connect a device to another system or network

Example

The printer is hooked up to the office Wi-Fi network.

phrasal-verb

take effect

Meaning

to start being used or enforced

Example

The new tax regulations will take effect from January.

idiom

piece of the puzzle

Meaning

a part of the complete solution or understanding

Example

This information is just a piece of the puzzle.

phrasal-verb

drop off at

Meaning

to leave someone or something at a specific place

Example

The taxi dropped us off at the airport gate.

idiom

lay the blame on

Meaning

to accuse someone of being responsible for something bad.

Example

They tried to lay the blame on the new employee.

idiom

out of one’s comfort zone

Meaning

doing something unfamiliar or challenging

Example

She stepped out of her comfort zone to take a new job.

idiom

game plan

Meaning

a carefully thought-out strategy

Example

We need a solid game plan before meeting the investors.

phrasal-verb

pay out of

Meaning

to give money from a specific source

Example

The damages were paid out of the company’s funds.

idiom

give out

Meaning

to distribute something

Example

We’ll give out the schedules at the door.

idiom

Show of hands

Meaning

A quick way to see who agrees or supports something by raising hands.

Example

Let’s have a show of hands to decide who supports the new plan.

phrasal-verb

wear off

Meaning

to gradually disappear or lose effect

Example

The excitement of the trip soon wore off after returning home.

idiom

in harm’s way

Meaning

In a position to be injured or in danger.

Example

Firefighters often put themselves in harm’s way to save others.

idiom

under pressure

Meaning

to be in a stressful situation with a lot of demands

Example

She performs well even when she’s under pressure.

phrasal-verb

scroll down to

Meaning

to move the screen view downward to see more content

Example

Scroll down to see the latest comments on the post.

phrasal-verb

stand over from

Meaning

to postpone or delay something

Example

The meeting was stood over from last week to tomorrow.

idiom

steal someone’s thunder

Meaning

to take credit for someone else’s idea or success

Example

She stole my thunder by announcing the news first.

idiom

a long shot

Meaning

something that has a very small chance of success

Example

Winning the competition is a long shot, but we’ll try.

idiom

a job well done

Meaning

a task completed with great success

Example

The project was completed ahead of schedule, truly a job well done.

idiom

answer for

Meaning

to be responsible for something and answer to others about it

Example

She had to answer for the mistakes made by her team.

idiom

wear the pants

Meaning

to be the person who controls or makes decisions in a family

Example

Everyone knows she wears the pants in the house.

phrasal-verb

hear about

Meaning

to receive information and respond with appreciation or gratitude

Example

I was happy to hear about your help with the project—thank you!

phrasal-verb

sync up on

Meaning

to coordinate with someone about details or plans

Example

Let's sync up on the project timeline this afternoon.

phrasal-verb

lighten off

Meaning

to feel or make something less serious or stressful

Example

Talking to friends helped me lighten off the pressure.

phrasal-verb

fire yourself up

Meaning

to make yourself feel excited or motivated about something

Example

He fired himself up before the race by listening to his favorite music.

phrasal-verb

carry down

Meaning

to bring something from a higher place to a lower place

Example

Could you carry down that box from the shelf?

idiom

take the lead

Meaning

to go ahead or be in front in a competition

Example

Our team took the lead in the final round.

idiom

teamwork makes the dream work

Meaning

working together leads to success

Example

We can accomplish so much if we cooperate, because teamwork makes the dream work.

idiom

give credit where it's due

Meaning

to acknowledge someone's contribution or effort

Example

Let's give credit where it's due and thank the team.

phrasal-verb

lift out of recession

Meaning

to help the economy move away from a downturn

Example

New export policies helped lift the economy out of recession.

phrasal-verb

show appreciation for

Meaning

to demonstrate that you value something

Example

We should show appreciation for the team’s hard work.