1. "Take On"

• Definition: to accept a challenge or responsibility.

• Use Cases (for "take on"):

  • "I'm ready to take on the new project at work."

  • "She decided to take on the role of team leader."

2. "Needless to Say"

• Definition: Used to indicate that something is obvious or doesn't need to be said.

• Use Cases:

  • "Needless to say, I was very disappointed when I didn't get the job."

  • "The hotel was beautiful; needless to say, we enjoyed our stay."

3. "Leave It at That"

• Definition: To stop discussing or dealing with something at the current point.

  • Also, to give a short version of a longer story

• Use Cases:

  • "I think we've covered enough for today; let's leave it at that."

  • "Sorry I’m late, I ran into some trouble and missed the bus; let's just leave it at that."

4. "It's Not the Same as It Was / Things Aren’t the Same as They Were"

• Definition: Used to express that something has changed and is no longer as it once was.

• Use Cases:

  • "The city has grown so much; it's not the same as it was when I was a kid."

  • "Things aren’t the same as they were before the pandemic; people are more cautious now."

5. "Being on One’s Own"

• Definition: To be independent and self-responsible; no one to answer to.

• Use Cases:

  • "I enjoy being on my own. I can stay out as late as I like."

  • "After the divorce, she found it hard being on her own again."

6. "For Long Enough"

• Definition: For a sufficient amount of time.

• Use Cases:

  • "I've been practicing guitar long enough to play a few songs well."

  • "She's been working there long enough to know not to interrupt the boss during his lunch."

7. "Going Through Withdrawals"

• Definition: Experiencing symptoms when stopping the use of a substance, like drugs or nicotine.

• Use Cases:

  • "Two days on my diet, and I’m already having chocolate withdrawals.”

  • "I haven’t had a coffee today and now I have a headache from caffeine withdrawal."

8. "Running Out of Time"

• Definition: To be close to the end of the available time to do something.

• Use Cases:

  • "We're running out of time to finish this project; we need to work faster."

  • "I'm running out of time to apply for the scholarship; the deadline is tomorrow."

9. "Hit the Road"

• Definition: To start a journey or leave a place.

• Use Cases:

  • "We need to hit the road early if we want to avoid traffic."

  • "After packing up the car, we hit the road for our vacation."

10. "Being in Overdrive"

• Definition: To be working or moving at an extremely fast pace

• Use Cases:

  • "The company has been in overdrive trying to meet the tight deadline."

  • "If we’re going to get this done on time, we need to get into overdrive."