Occupations

Occupations Cards

Food

Travel Words Cards

Travelling

Travel Words Cards

Describing Personality

English Words Cards

Phrasal Verbs

Englivio — 120 Must-know Phrasal Verbs (A–Z)

Add up

To make sense or to total.

His story doesn’t add up with the facts.
The numbers add up to a very large amount.

Agree with

To have the same opinion as someone.

I agree with your point about planning.
Many experts agree with this recommendation.

Back up

To support someone or to copy/secure data.

Can you back up your claim with evidence?
Remember to back up your files before the update.

Blow up

To explode or suddenly become very angry.

The gas leak could cause the building to blow up.
He blew up when he saw the damaged car.

Break down

To stop working (machine) or to lose control emotionally.

The car broke down on the highway.
She broke down in tears after hearing the news.

Break up

To end a relationship or to disperse a group.

They decided to break up after two years together.
The police broke up the gathering.

Bring about

To cause something to happen.

New regulations brought about improved safety.
The reform brought about major change.

Bring back

To return something or to cause memories to appear.

This song brings back childhood memories.
Please bring back the book when you finish it.

Bring up

To mention a topic or to raise a child.

Don’t bring up politics at dinner.
They brought up their children bilingually.

Brush up on

To review or improve knowledge of something.

I need to brush up on my French before the trip.
She brushed up on her coding skills over the weekend.

Call back

To return a phone call.

I will call back after the meeting.
She called back to confirm the appointment.

Call off

To cancel an event or arrangement.

They called off the picnic because of rain.
The match was called off at the last minute.

Carry on

To continue doing something.

Please carry on with your work.
They carried on despite the interruption.

Carry out

To perform or complete a task.

The team carried out the experiment successfully.
We must carry out these instructions exactly.

Catch up

To reach someone or to exchange news.

I need to catch up on my email.
Let’s meet this weekend and catch up.

Check in

To register on arrival (hotel, flight) or to report presence.

We checked in at the hotel at noon.
Please check in at reception when you arrive.

Check out

To look at something or leave a place after paying.

Check out that new restaurant on Main Street.
We checked out of the hotel early this morning.

Cheer up

To become happier or to make someone happier.

Cheer up — things will improve soon.
I brought coffee to cheer up my colleague.

Clear up

To tidy up or to resolve a problem or misunderstanding.

Can you clear up this mess?
We need to clear up that misunderstanding.

Come across

To find by chance or to give a particular impression.

I came across an old letter in the drawer.
He came across as confident in the interview.

Come back

To return to a place or to a previous state.

When did you come back from your trip?
The trend has come back into fashion.

Come up with

To produce an idea or solution.

She came up with a clever solution to the problem.
Can you come up with a shorter plan?

Count on

To rely on someone or something.

You can count on me to help you.
We were counting on good weather for the event.

Cut down on

To reduce the quantity of something.

I’m trying to cut down on sugar this month.
We need to cut down on unnecessary spending.

Cut off

To stop the supply of something or to interrupt.

They cut off the electricity for repairs.
She was cut off mid-sentence during the live show.

Deal with

To handle or manage a problem or situation.

I’ll deal with the complaint tomorrow.
She knows how to deal with difficult customers calmly.

Drop by

To visit briefly and informally.

Feel free to drop by my office this afternoon.
He dropped by to return the book.

Drop out

To leave school or an activity before finishing.

She dropped out of university to start a business.
He almost dropped out of the race because of injury.

End up

To finally be in a particular place or state.

We ended up having dinner at a small café.
He ended up working abroad for two years.

Figure out

To understand or solve something by thinking.

Can you figure out why the app crashed?
She figured out how to open the locked door.

Fill out

To complete a form or to become fuller.

Please fill out this application form.
His face filled out after months of good nutrition.

Find out

To discover information or learn something new.

I need to find out who called last night.
She found out the truth after investigating.

Get along with

To have a friendly relationship with someone.

Do you get along with your new colleagues?
They get along with each other very well.

Get back

To return to a place or to regain something.

When did you get back from vacation?
He finally got back the money he was owed.

Get over

To recover from an illness or emotional event.

It took her months to get over the breakup.
He got over the flu quickly after treatment.

Get through

To finish something difficult or to contact someone by phone.

We finally got through the long meeting.
I couldn’t get through to her by phone all evening.

Give in

To stop resisting or to agree reluctantly.

Don’t give in to pressure from others.
After hours of debate he finally gave in.

Give up

To stop trying or to quit a habit.

Never give up on your goals.
He gave up smoking last year.

Go on

To continue or to happen.

What’s going on in the next room?
The show must go on despite the rain.

Go over

To review or examine details.

Let’s go over your notes before the exam.
We went over the budget line by line.

Grow up

To become an adult or to mature.

I grew up in a small coastal town.
It’s time to grow up and take responsibility.

Grow out of

To stop a habit or to become too large to wear.

He grew out of his childhood fears.
The coat grew out of him last year.

Hang out

To spend time relaxing or socializing.

They hang out at the café every Saturday.
Do you want to hang out this evening?

Hang up

To end a phone call or to hang something on a hook.

She hung up before I could say goodbye.
Please hang up your coat on the rack.

Hold on

To wait briefly or to keep a grip on something.

Hold on, I’ll check the schedule.
She held on to the rope tightly during the climb.

Hold up

To delay or to rob (informal: hold up a bank).

The roadworks held up traffic for hours.
The store was held up in a robbery last night.

Iron out

To resolve small problems or differences.

Let’s iron out the remaining details tomorrow.
They met to iron out scheduling conflicts.

Keep on

To continue doing something.

Keep on practicing if you want to improve.
He keeps on calling despite requests to stop.

Keep up with

To stay at the same level or follow developments.

It is hard to keep up with new technology.
She works late to keep up with her coursework.

Kick off

To start an event or activity.

The festival kicks off next Friday.
Let’s kick off the project with a short meeting.

Lay off

To stop employing someone (temporarily or permanently).

The company had to lay off several workers.
He was laid off during the restructure.

Let down

To disappoint someone by failing to do what was expected.

Don’t let me down — we need your support.
He felt let down when the plan failed.

Look after

To take care of someone or something.

Can you look after my plants while I’m away?
She looks after her younger siblings every day.

Look for

To try to find something or someone.

I’m looking for my keys — have you seen them?
They are looking for a new marketing manager.

Look forward to

To anticipate something with pleasure.

I look forward to meeting you next week.
We look forward to the summer holidays each year.

Look into

To investigate or examine something.

We’ll look into the complaint immediately.
Can you look into why the server crashed?

Look up

To search for information or for something to improve.

Look up the word in the dictionary.
Things are looking up after last quarter’s sales.

Make out

To see, hear, or understand something with difficulty.

I can’t make out the handwriting on this note.
From a distance she made out a small boat on the horizon.

Make up

To invent a story/excuse or to reconcile after an argument.

She made up an excuse for being late.
They made up after their argument.

Make up for

To compensate for something lost or missed.

He bought flowers to make up for his mistake.
Extra classes will make up for the lost time.

Move on

To continue to the next thing or to recover from an event.

Let’s move on to the next topic.
She finally moved on after the breakup.

Pass away

To die (polite expression).

Her grandfather passed away peacefully last night.
They announced that the beloved author had passed away.

Pass out

To faint or to distribute something to people.

He passed out from the heat during the match.
They passed out flyers at the festival.

Pay back

To return borrowed money or to get revenge (informal).

I’ll pay you back next week.
He said he would pay back those who betrayed him.

Pick out

To choose or select something.

She picked out a dress for the party.
Can you pick out a gift for Tom?

Pick up

To collect someone or something; to learn informally.

I’ll pick you up at seven.
He picked up some Spanish while traveling.

Point out

To draw attention to something or explain an important fact.

She pointed out an error in the report.
The guide pointed out the historic buildings.

Pull over

To move a vehicle to the side of the road and stop.

The officer signaled for him to pull over.
We pulled over to let a truck pass.

Put away

To store or tidy something in its place.

Please put away your toys after playing.
She put away the winter clothes in boxes.

Put off

To delay or postpone something.

Don’t put off your assignment until the last minute.
They put off the meeting until Friday.

Put up with

To tolerate or accept something unpleasant.

I won’t put up with rude behaviour in my class.
She put up with the noise for years.

Run into

To meet someone unexpectedly or to collide with something.

I ran into an old friend at the market.
They ran into difficulties with the new software.

Run out of

To have no more of something left.

We ran out of milk this morning.
They ran out of time before completing the test.

Set off

To begin a journey or to cause something to start.

We set off early to avoid traffic.
The alarm set off a loud noise in the building.

Set up

To arrange, organize, or establish something.

They set up a new office downtown.
I will set up the equipment before the meeting.

Settle down

To become calm or to start a stable life.

The children finally settled down after the party.
They plan to settle down in a quiet town.

Show off

To display proudly, often to attract attention.

He likes to show off his new car.
Don’t show off — it’s annoying.

Show up

To appear or arrive at a place.

Only ten people showed up for the meeting.
He showed up late to the interview.

Shut down

To close permanently or to turn off a machine.

The factory was shut down last year.
Shut down the computer before leaving.

Slow down

To reduce speed or to do something more slowly.

Please slow down, you’re driving too fast.
We should slow down and think about the changes.

Sort out

To organize or to solve a problem.

We need to sort out these documents.
They sorted out the technical problem quickly.

Stand up

To rise to a standing position or to fail to meet someone as agreed.

Please stand up when the judge enters.
He stood her up at the restaurant last night.

Stick to

To continue following a plan, goal, or rule.

We must stick to the schedule to finish on time.
Try to stick to your healthy eating plan this week.

Take after

To resemble a family member in appearance or behavior.

She takes after her mother in looks.
He takes after his grandfather’s calm temperament.

Take back

To return something or to retract a statement.

I need to take back the DVD to the shop.
He took back his rude remark afterwards.

Take off

To remove clothing or when an aircraft leaves the ground.

The plane took off on time.
Please take off your shoes before entering the mosque.

Take on

To accept responsibility or to fight/compete against someone.

She took on extra duties at work last month.
He took on the champion in a friendly match.

Take over

To assume control or responsibility.

A larger firm took over the company last year.
Can you take over while I’m away?

Take up

To begin a hobby or occupy space or time.

He took up cycling during the summer.
This project takes up most of my free time.

Talk over

To discuss something with someone.

Let’s talk over the plan tonight.
They talked over their options before deciding.

Tell off

To criticize or scold someone angrily.

The teacher told off the students for misbehaving.
He was told off for missing the deadline.

Think over

To consider something carefully before deciding.

Think it over and tell me tomorrow.
She needed time to think over the job offer.

Think through

To consider consequences or results carefully.

You should think through your plan before acting.
We thought through every step in the process.

Throw away

To discard something unwanted.

Don’t throw away those receipts — keep them for now.
He threw away the broken tools.

Throw up

To vomit or to produce something suddenly.

She threw up after the roller coaster ride.
The search threw up several interesting results.

Try out

To test something to see if it works or is suitable.

We should try out the new software before buying it.
She tried out for the lead role and got it.

Turn down

To refuse or to reduce volume.

She turned down the job because of the commute.
Please turn down the music.

Turn off

To stop a device or to repel interest.

Remember to turn off the lights before you leave.
His attitude really turned off potential clients.

Turn on

To start a device or to excite interest.

Turn on the heater; it’s cold in here.
The new feature will turn on many users.

100

Turn up

To appear unexpectedly or increase volume.

He turned up unexpectedly at the party.
Could you turn up the radio a bit?

101

Use up

To consume all of something.

We’ve used up all the printer paper.
Don’t use up the flour; we need some for tomorrow.

102

Wake up

To stop sleeping or to become alert to something.

I woke up early to study for the exam.
It’s time to wake up to the new reality.

103

Warm up

To prepare physically or to become less cold.

Do a short run to warm up before the match.
The room warmed up once the sun came out.

104

Watch out

To be careful or alert to danger.

Watch out for the wet floor sign.
Watch out, there’s a car coming.

105

Watch over

To guard or protect someone or something.

She watched over the children while they played.
Volunteers watch over the site at night.

106

Wear out

To become unusable through use or to make someone very tired.

These shoes will wear out if you use them every day.
The long day completely wore out the children.

107

Work on

To spend time improving or fixing something.

She’s working on her thesis this semester.
We need to work on our presentation skills.

108

Work out

To exercise or to find a solution/resolve successfully.

She works out at the gym three times a week.
Everything worked out in the end.

109

Write down

To record information on paper.

Write down the address so you won’t forget it.
I always write down new vocabulary to study later.

110

Zero in on

To direct attention toward a particular target or problem.

The team zeroed in on the root cause of the issue.
We should zero in on the most important tasks first.

111

Zone out

To lose focus or daydream.

I tend to zone out during long meetings.
He zoned out and missed the instructions.

112

Boil down to

To be the main or most important point.

It all boils down to trust in the end.
The debate boiled down to a question of priorities.

113

Brush up on

To improve knowledge of something previously learned.

I need to brush up on my algebra before the test.
She brushed up on her French for the trip.

114

Call in

To phone someone or to request help/expertise.

We had to call in a mechanic to fix the car.
Please call in if you’ll be late for the meeting.

115

Chip in

To contribute money or help toward something.

Everyone chipped in to buy a farewell gift.
He chipped in with advice during the meeting.

116

Come up

To happen or be mentioned unexpectedly.

Something urgent came up at work so I had to leave.
Her name came up during the discussion.

117

Drop off

To deliver someone/something to a place or to fall asleep.

I’ll drop off the package on my way to work.
He dropped off while watching the movie.

118

Keep out

To prevent someone from entering a place.

Please keep out — private property.
The fence helped keep out stray animals.

119

Look back

To think about the past or review previous events.

When I look back, I see how much I’ve changed.
She often looked back fondly on her childhood.

120

Zoom in

To focus closely on details or to make an image appear closer.

Can you zoom in on that part of the picture?
The discussion zoomed in on the main problem.

Recently Featured

Common 200 Idioms

a blessing in disguise

Something that seems bad at first but turns out good.

• Losing that job was a blessing in disguise—she found a better one.

• The delay was a blessing in disguise; it avoided a worse problem.

a dime a dozen

Very common and easily found.

• Cheap souvenirs are a dime a dozen in the tourist area.

• Talent shows make new singers a dime a dozen.

a drop in the ocean

A very small amount compared to what is needed.

• The donation was a drop in the ocean compared to the costs.

• One small change is a drop in the ocean for large problems.

a feather in one’s cap

An achievement to be proud of.

• The award was a feather in her cap after years of work.

• Getting published is a feather in his cap.

a fine kettle of fish

A messy or awkward situation.

• The missing files made a fine kettle of fish for the team.

• Now this is a fine kettle of fish—we have conflicting reports.

a foot in the door

Gaining an initial opportunity that may lead to more.

• Internships give you a foot in the door at big companies.

• That small job was a foot in the door to a career change.

a leopard can’t change its spots

People cannot change their basic nature.

• He promised to change, but a leopard can’t change its spots.

• She doubted his reformation—after all, a leopard can’t change its spots.

a piece of cake

Very easy to do.

• The quiz was a piece of cake for him.

• Baking this recipe is a piece of cake.

add fuel to the fire

Make a bad situation worse.

• Arguing here will only add fuel to the fire.

• His comments added fuel to the fire and made tensions worse.

against the clock

Rushed and with little time to spare.

• We worked against the clock to finish the report.

• The team raced against the clock before the deadline.

ahead of the curve

More advanced than others; leading.

• Their technology keeps them ahead of the curve.

• She stays ahead of the curve by learning new skills early.

all ears

Fully listening and attentive.

• I’m all ears—tell me what happened.

• The class went silent; the students were all ears.

all in a day’s work

A normal or routine task, not unusual.

• For nurses, long shifts are all in a day’s work.

• Fixing small issues is all in a day’s work for him.

all thumbs

Clumsy or awkward with hands.

• I’m all thumbs when it comes to DIY projects.

• He’s all thumbs handling delicate equipment.

at the drop of a hat

Immediately, without hesitation.

• She’ll travel at the drop of a hat.

• He accepts gigs at the drop of a hat.

back to square one

Return to the starting point after failure.

• The failed test put them back to square one.

• We have to go back to square one and redesign the plan.

ballpark figure

An approximate number or estimate.

• Give me a ballpark figure for the renovation costs.

• The manager asked for a ballpark figure quickly.

barking up the wrong tree

Accusing or blaming the wrong person; mistaken approach.

• If you think I did it, you’re barking up the wrong tree.

• The detective was barking up the wrong tree with that lead.

beating around the bush

Avoiding the main point; indirect talk.

• Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth.

• He always beats around the bush during reviews.

bite the bullet

Decide to do something difficult or unpleasant.

• I’ll bite the bullet and call the client now.

• She bit the bullet and finished the painful procedure.

black sheep

A person considered odd or disreputable in a group.

• He was the black sheep of the family for his choices.

• The team’s black sheep changed after the scandal.

blow off steam

Release stress or strong emotion.

• She jogs to blow off steam after work.

• They went to the gym to blow off steam after the meeting.

break the ice

Do something to relieve tension or start conversation.

• A quick game can break the ice at workshops.

• She told a joke to break the ice with the new team.

bring to the table

Offer something useful (skills, ideas) to a group.

• What will you bring to the table in this role?

• Her network brings a lot to the table for partnerships.

brush up on

Improve or refresh knowledge or skill.

• I need to brush up on my Spanish before traveling.

• She brushed up on coding before the interview.

by the book

Follow rules strictly; do something according to rules.

• The inspector did everything by the book.

• He prefers doing things by the book to avoid errors.

call it a day

Stop working for now; finish for the day.

• It’s late—let’s call it a day.

• After the long shoot, the crew called it a day.

call the shots

Be the one who makes decisions.

• In that project, she calls the shots.

• Who’s calling the shots for this event?

caught between a rock and a hard place

Faced with two difficult choices.

• Choosing between pay and ethics left him between a rock and a hard place.

• She felt stuck—caught between a rock and a hard place.

change of heart

A change in one’s feelings or intentions.

• He had a change of heart and decided to stay.

• After thinking, she had a change of heart about quitting.

cold shoulder

Deliberately ignore someone.

• After the fight, he gave her the cold shoulder.

• Don’t give me the cold shoulder—talk to me.

cost an arm and a leg

Be very expensive.

• That renovation cost an arm and a leg.

• Designer clothes can cost an arm and a leg.

crack the books

Begin studying seriously.

• Time to crack the books for final exams.

• He cracked the books all weekend before the test.

cry over spilt milk

Be upset about something that cannot be changed.

• It’s too late to worry—don’t cry over spilt milk.

• We made a mistake, but there’s no point crying over spilt milk.

cut to the chase

Get to the main point without delay.

• Let’s cut to the chase—what do you want?

• He cut to the chase and gave the final numbers.

cut corners

Do something cheaply or carelessly.

• Don’t cut corners when building safety features.

• They cut corners to finish the job faster and paid later.

down to earth

Practical, realistic, and sensible.

• She’s successful but very down to earth.

• Keep your ideas down to earth and actionable.

draw the line

Set a limit on what one will accept.

• I draw the line at lying to clients.

• Where do you draw the line on acceptable behaviour?

drop the ball

Make a mistake or fail to do something.

• We dropped the ball on that shipment.

• Don’t drop the ball with the client presentation.

easy as pie

Extremely easy to do.

• The math problem was easy as pie for her.

• Setting up the app is easy as pie.

eat humble pie

Admit you were wrong and apologize.

• He had to eat humble pie after the error was revealed.

• She ate humble pie and apologized publicly.

eat one’s words

Retract something you said, especially when proven wrong.

• He had to eat his words when the facts changed.

• She ate her words after the team succeeded.

elephant in the room

An obvious problem everyone avoids discussing.

• The budget cuts were the elephant in the room all meeting.

• We must address the elephant in the room: the missing funding.

every cloud has a silver lining

There is something positive in every bad situation.

• Losing the contract led to new opportunities—every cloud has a silver lining.

• Though it was hard, every cloud had a silver lining for them.

eye for an eye

Retribution in kind; revengeful justice.

• They argued that the policy was an eye for an eye approach.

• The feud felt like an eye for an eye, escalating each time.

face the music

Accept unpleasant consequences of one’s actions.

• After the error, he had to face the music with his boss.

• It’s time to face the music and fix the problem.

fall through the cracks

Be overlooked or neglected unintentionally.

• Some emails fell through the cracks during the move.

• We tightened processes because things were falling through the cracks.

feel like a million dollars

Feel excellent, often after improvement or success.

• After the haircut, she felt like a million dollars.

• He felt like a million dollars after the promotion.

feel under the weather

Feel slightly unwell.

• I’m feeling under the weather today and will rest.

• She felt under the weather and skipped the meeting.

few and far between

Rare or infrequent.

• Opportunities that size are few and far between.

• Good coffee shops are few and far between in that area.

fight tooth and nail

Fight fiercely and determinedly.

• They fought tooth and nail to save the school.

• She fought tooth and nail for her rights.

fill someone in

Give someone the necessary information.

• Fill me in on the details when you can.

• He filled her in after the meeting.

find your feet

Become confident and comfortable in new surroundings.

• She found her feet in the new role after a month.

• It took him a while to find his feet after moving cities.

fit as a fiddle

In very good health.

• After rehab, he’s fit as a fiddle.

• She exercises daily and is fit as a fiddle.

flash in the pan

A short-lived success or craze.

• That viral clip was a flash in the pan.

• Many startups are flashes in the pan without lasting models.

fly off the handle

Lose one’s temper suddenly.

• Don’t fly off the handle; let’s discuss calmly.

• He flew off the handle when he saw the damage.

follow suit

Do the same as someone else.

• Several companies followed suit with new policies.

• When one student stood, others followed suit.

for the birds

Unimportant or worthless.

• That idea is for the birds—let’s move on.

• His complaints were dismissed as for the birds.

get a taste of your own medicine

Experience the same bad treatment you give others.

• The prankster finally got a taste of his own medicine.

• She got a taste of her own medicine when ignored by colleagues.

get the ball rolling

Start an activity or process.

• Let’s get the ball rolling on recruitment this week.

• He got the ball rolling with a quick email.

get your act together

Organize yourself and perform better.

• If you want the promotion, get your act together.

• She got her act together and finished the project.

give someone the cold shoulder

Deliberately ignore someone.

• After the argument, she gave him the cold shoulder.

• Don’t give the new colleague the cold shoulder.

go back to the drawing board

Start over because the previous attempt failed.

• The prototype failed—back to the drawing board.

• They went back to the drawing board after customer feedback.

go the extra mile

Make more effort than expected.

• Good service means going the extra mile for customers.

• She always goes the extra mile in her work.

grass is greener

The belief that other situations are better than one’s own.

• He thought moving cities would help—the grass is greener elsewhere.

• Don’t assume the grass is greener on the other side.

green light

Permission to proceed.

• The project received the green light from management.

• We can start once we get the green light.

hands down

Easily; without doubt.

• She’s hands down the best speaker today.

• That was hands down the best meal I’ve had.

hang in there

Keep going; don’t give up.

• Hang in there—things will improve.

• She told him to hang in there during recovery.

have second thoughts

Doubt a decision after making it.

• I had second thoughts about buying that car.

• She had second thoughts and postponed the trip.

have your hands full

Be very busy or occupied.

• With three kids, she has her hands full.

• The manager has his hands full with the new hires.

hit the ground running

Start a task with immediate energy and effectiveness.

• We need someone who can hit the ground running.

• She hit the ground running on day one.

hit the nail on the head

Describe exactly what is causing a problem.

• You hit the nail on the head with that observation.

• His suggestion hit the nail on the head.

hold your horses

Wait; be patient.

• Hold your horses—we’ll leave in a minute.

• Hold your horses before making quick decisions.

hook, line, and sinker

Completely and without doubt (usually believing a story).

• He believed the story hook, line, and sinker.

• The audience fell for the joke hook, line, and sinker.

in a nutshell

Summarized briefly; in short.

• In a nutshell, we need more resources.

• She explained the plan in a nutshell.

in hot water

In trouble or facing difficulties.

• He was in hot water after missing the deadline.

• The team is in hot water with management now.

in the same boat

Share the same difficult situation as others.

• We are all in the same boat during the transition.

• You’re not alone—others are in the same boat.

in the nick of time

Just in time; at the last moment.

• The ambulance arrived in the nick of time.

• They caught the offer in the nick of time.

jump on the bandwagon

Join a trend or popular activity.

• Many brands jumped on the bandwagon for eco-packaging.

• He jumped on the bandwagon and started using the app.

keep an eye on

Watch or monitor carefully.

• Keep an eye on the oven while it bakes.

• I’ll keep an eye on your luggage while you go.

keep your chin up

Stay positive in difficult times.

• Keep your chin up—better days are coming.

• She kept her chin up through recovery.

kill two birds with one stone

Achieve two things with one action.

• She killed two birds with one stone by studying on the commute.

• Cooking while catching up on calls killed two birds with one stone.

know the ropes

Understand how a job or situation works.

• It took him months to know the ropes at work.

• She knows the ropes and trains new hires.

lay it on thick

Praise or flatter in an exaggerated way.

• Don’t lay it on thick—just say thanks.

• She laid it on thick about his performance at the party.

let the cat out of the bag

Reveal a secret unintentionally.

• He accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the wedding.

• Don’t let the cat out of the bag about the surprise.

level playing field

A fair situation where everyone has the same opportunity.

• New regulations created a level playing field for startups.

• The competition aims for a level playing field.

light at the end of the tunnel

Sign of improvement after a difficult period.

• After months of work, we finally see light at the end of the tunnel.

• Recovery suggested a light at the end of the tunnel.

live and learn

Learn from experience, often after making a mistake.

• I missed the train—live and learn for next time.

• She forgot the email but lived and learned.

lose your touch

Lose ability or skill through lack of practice.

• He used to be great at coding but seems to have lost his touch.

• Don’t worry—you’ll practice and regain your touch.

make a long story short

Summarize and skip details.

• To make a long story short, we missed our flight.

• Make a long story short: it all worked out.

miss the boat

Miss an opportunity.

• He missed the boat on that investment opportunity.

• Don’t miss the boat—apply early.

once in a blue moon

Very rarely.

• We go out for dinner once in a blue moon.

• He calls once in a blue moon.

out of the blue

Unexpectedly and without warning.

• The call came out of the blue last night.

• The news arrived out of the blue and surprised everyone.

over the moon

Extremely happy or delighted.

• She was over the moon about the promotion.

• They were over the moon at the good news.

pass the buck

Shift responsibility to someone else.

• Don’t pass the buck—take responsibility.

• He tried to pass the buck after the error.

piece of cake

Very easy task.

• The test was a piece of cake for her.

• This recipe is a piece of cake to make.

play it by ear

Decide how to proceed as events unfold.

• We’ll play it by ear and see how the weather goes.

• No schedule—let’s play it by ear.

put all your eggs in one basket

Rely on a single plan or resource, risking everything.

• Don’t put all your eggs in one basket with investments.

• They put all their eggs in one basket and lost it all.

put your foot down

Be firm about a decision or rule.

• She put her foot down and refused overtime.

• Parents sometimes must put their foot down.

rain on someone’s parade

Spoil someone’s plans or excitement.

• I don’t want to rain on your parade, but we need a budget.

• Don’t rain on her parade—she worked hard for it.

read between the lines

Understand the hidden meaning in what is said or written.

• Read between the lines of that email; he’s unhappy.

• She can read between the lines and sense the issue.

rock the boat

Cause trouble or disturb stability.

• Don’t rock the boat during negotiations.

• He worried that his complaint would rock the boat.

roll up your sleeves

Prepare to work hard or tackle a task.

• Let’s roll up our sleeves and fix this.

• She rolled up her sleeves and started cleaning.

run out of steam

Lose energy or momentum.

• The campaign ran out of steam after month two.

• He started strong but ran out of steam.

see eye to eye

Agree completely with someone.

• We finally see eye to eye on the plan.

• Parents rarely see eye to eye on everything.

sell like hotcakes

Sell very quickly and in large numbers.

• The new phone sold like hotcakes on launch day.

• Tickets are selling like hotcakes for the festival.

sit tight

Wait patiently without taking action.

• Sit tight while we check availability.

• The doctor told him to sit tight and wait.

skeleton in the closet

A hidden and possibly embarrassing secret.

• The scandal revealed a skeleton in the closet for the company.

• He was worried his past would become a skeleton in the closet.

sleep on it

Delay a decision until the next day to think it over.

• I’ll sleep on it and tell you tomorrow.

• She decided to sleep on it before answering.

spill the beans

Reveal secret information.

• Don’t spill the beans about the surprise.

• He spilled the beans accidentally at lunch.

stand your ground

Refuse to back down; hold a position.

• She stood her ground during the tough negotiation.

• Stand your ground if you believe it’s right.

steal someone’s thunder

Take attention or praise away from someone else.

• He stole her thunder by announcing results first.

• Don’t steal someone’s thunder at celebrations.

take it with a grain of salt

View something skeptically; don’t take it fully seriously.

• Take his boasts with a grain of salt.

• I’d take that rumor with a grain of salt until confirmed.

take the bull by the horns

Face a difficult situation directly and with courage.

• She took the bull by the horns and led the project.

• He decided to take the bull by the horns and speak up.

the ball is in your court

It’s your turn to take action or make a decision.

• I’ve done my part; now the ball is in your court.

• The ball’s in their court after the proposal.

the best of both worlds

Enjoy benefits of two different things at once.

• Working part-time and freelancing gives the best of both worlds.

• She enjoys the best of both worlds with her hybrid schedule.

the early bird catches the worm

Those who act early gain an advantage.

• The early bird catches the worm—apply early for discounts.

• He arrived early; the early bird caught the worm.

the last straw

The final problem that causes a collapse of patience.

• Her late arrival was the last straw for the manager.

• Missing the meeting was the last straw for the board.

the tip of the iceberg

A small, visible part of a much larger problem.

• The errors we found are just the tip of the iceberg.

• That scandal was only the tip of the iceberg for corruption.

throw in the towel

Give up; admit defeat.

• After repeated failures, he threw in the towel.

• Don’t throw in the towel yet; try one more approach.

turn a blind eye

Deliberately ignore something bad or wrong.

• Management turned a blind eye to minor breaches.

• You can’t turn a blind eye to safety issues.

turn the tables

Reverse a situation to gain advantage.

• She turned the tables on critics with solid results.

• The team turned the tables and won the match.

two peas in a pod

Very similar people or things.

• Those twins are two peas in a pod.

• The partners are two peas in a pod when planning events.

under the weather

Feeling ill or unwell.

• I’m feeling under the weather today and will work from home.

• She’s been under the weather since Monday.

up in the air

Uncertain or undecided.

• Travel plans are up in the air until we confirm flights.

• The future of the project is still up in the air.

wash your hands of

Refuse responsibility for something.

• He washed his hands of the failed scheme.

• Don’t wash your hands of the project—help finish it.

water under the bridge

Past events that are forgiven or no longer important.

• That argument is water under the bridge now.

• Let’s move on—it’s water under the bridge.

wear your heart on your sleeve

Show feelings openly and plainly.

• He wears his heart on his sleeve about his family.

• She wears her heart on her sleeve, so you always know how she feels.

when pigs fly

Something that will never happen.

• I’ll clean the whole house? When pigs fly.

• He’ll apologize when pigs fly.

wicked problem

A complex problem with no simple solution.

• Climate change is a wicked problem facing leaders worldwide.

• Designing the system proved to be a wicked problem.

wild goose chase

A pointless or futile pursuit.

• Chasing that rumor was a wild goose chase.

• The search turned into a wild goose chase with no results.

word of mouth

Information spread by people talking rather than official channels.

• The restaurant grew by word of mouth.

• We rely on word of mouth for new clients.

you can say that again

I strongly agree with that statement.

• “That was a great match.” “You can say that again!”

• “It’s hot today.” “You can say that again.”

your guess is as good as mine

I have no idea; I can’t tell you.

• “When will they arrive?” “Your guess is as good as mine.”

• He shrugged—your guess is as good as mine about the results.

zero tolerance

No acceptance of certain behaviors or actions.

• The school has zero tolerance for bullying.

• There’s zero tolerance for safety breaches on site.

zone out

Lose concentration; become inattentive.

• I zoned out during the lecture for a moment.

• She tends to zone out when tired.

ace up your sleeve

A hidden advantage or resource saved for use later.

• He always has an ace up his sleeve during negotiations.

• Keep an ace up your sleeve for the presentation.

backhanded compliment

A remark that seems like praise but is actually critical.

• “You look good for your age” is a backhanded compliment.

• He was upset by the backhanded compliment masked as praise.

bite the dust

To fail or be defeated; to die (informal).

• The old business finally bit the dust last year.

• The plan bit the dust after funding was cut.

call the shots

Make decisions; be in control.

• She calls the shots in the marketing department.

• Who’s calling the shots for this project?

cut and dried

Clear, settled, and unlikely to change.

• The rules are cut and dried—no exceptions.

• The decision wasn’t cut and dried; it needed debate.

dead ringer

Someone or something that looks exactly like another.

• He’s a dead ringer for his father.

• That painting is a dead ringer for the original.

easy does it

Slow down; do something carefully.

• Easy does it with that fragile vase.

• Easy does it—no need to rush.

face value

Accepting something as it appears without questioning.

• Don’t take his promise at face value.

• The offer looked good at face value, but we checked details.

go down in flames

Fail spectacularly.

• The proposal went down in flames after the audit.

• His attempt to win the account went down in flames.

hit the jackpot

Have great success or luck, often unexpectedly.

• They hit the jackpot with the viral campaign.

• She hit the jackpot when the startup got acquired.

keep your nose to the grindstone

Work hard and continuously.

• Keep your nose to the grindstone and you’ll finish soon.

• He kept his nose to the grindstone to meet the deadline.

left field

Unexpected or surprising; out of the ordinary.

• That suggestion came from left field.

• The question was from left field and surprised everyone.

let sleeping dogs lie

Avoid restarting old conflicts or problems.

• Don’t ask about the old disagreement—let sleeping dogs lie.

• They decided to let sleeping dogs lie and move on.

think outside the box

Think creatively and differently from the norm.

• We need to think outside the box for this challenge.

• The team thought outside the box and found a smart solution.