apaple of my eye

to bounce something off someone,

Grammar: separable phrasal verb (bounce + idea + off + person), pronoun goes in the middle,

Preposition: off,

Collocations: bounce an idea/thought/theory off someone,

Synonyms: run something by someone, Notes: informal

Meaning: To share an idea or plan with someone to get their opinion or reaction before finalising it.

Examples: "I've drafted a new design, but it's not finished yet. Could I … you sometime today?" "Before we take this to the client, let's get lunch and … a few ideas off each other." "I just had a crazy thought. Can I … it off you?"

to be the norm,

Grammar: phrase (something + is/are + the norm), always use "the",

Collocations: become the norm, be considered the norm, be far from the norm,

Synonyms: standard, commonplace, Notes: neutral register

Meaning: To be the usual or standard situation, not an exception.

Examples: "Honestly, in this office, a 50-hour work week is pretty much …" "When I was growing up, a family having only one car was …, now, two is standard." "Don't be upset, making mistakes is … when you're learning a language."

decisive,

Grammar: adjective, adverb: decisively, noun: decisiveness,

Collocations: a decisive person/leader/manager, decisive action, a decisive victory/moment/factor,

Notes: stress on de-CI-sive, NOT "decided" for a person, neutral to formal

Meaning: 1. (person) Able to make decisions quickly and confidently.

2. (action/event) Having a very clear and important result.

Examples: "In a crisis, no one wants a manager who panics, you need someone calm and …" "Her … action of pulling the fire alarm probably saved lives." "The election wasn't even close, it was a … victory for the challenger."

indispensable,

Grammar: adjective,

Preposition: indispensable to + person/team,

Collocations: an indispensable part of the team, an indispensable tool/resource, absolutely indispensable, prove/become indispensable,

Notes: formal, stronger than essential or useful, spelling ends in -able

Meaning: So good or important that you cannot manage without it, absolutely essential.

Examples: "Since we lost our best programmer, the CTO has become absolutely … to the project's survival." "A good chef's knife is the single most … tool in any kitchen." "Her fluency in Japanese proved … during the negotiations with the Tokyo office."

consecutive,

Grammar: adjective, adverb: consecutively,

Collocations: consecutive days/weeks/months/years, consecutive victories/wins, for the third consecutive time, a consecutive run/streak,

Synonyms: in a row, back-to-back, successive,

Notes: neutral to slightly formal

Meaning: Following one after another without a break, back-to-back.

Examples: "This is our fifth … year of record growth, which is an incredible achievement." "The team has lost eight … games, it's the worst streak in the club's history." "Doctors are required to have twelve hours of rest after three … night shifts."

contemplate,

Grammar: verb + gerund (not infinitive), noun: contemplation, adjective: contemplative,

Collocations: contemplate the possibility/idea, contemplate the future/life,

Synonyms: consider, ponder, think about, Notes: neutral to slightly formal

Meaning: To think deeply and seriously about something, often for a long time, to seriously consider a future action.

Examples: "I'm … quitting my master's degree to join a startup, and it's the hardest decision I've ever made." "He sat on the park bench for an hour, silently … the ducks on the pond." "It's a big offer. Take the weekend to … it before you give them an answer."

assertion,

Grammar: countable noun, the assertion that + clause,

Collocations: make an assertion, bold assertion, unfounded assertion,

Synonyms: claim, statement, Notes: formal/neutral, analytical word

Meaning: A confident statement of fact or belief.

Examples: "The politician’s … that crime is falling has been challenged by the latest statistics." "In her essay, she makes a bold … that traditional office culture is dead."

condemn,

Grammar: condemn + object, condemn + object + as + adjective, condemn + someone + to + noun,

Collocations: strongly/roundly condemn, condemn an attack, condemn someone to death/life in prison,

Synonyms: criticize, denounce,

Notes: very strong, formal, for serious issues

Meaning: To publicly say that something is completely wrong or evil.

Examples: "The Prime Minister took to social media to … the terrorist attack in the strongest possible terms." "The report …s the city's housing policy as a failure that hurts the poorest families."

enhance,

Grammar: enhance + noun, passive: be enhanced,

Collocations: enhance the quality/value, digitally enhanced, performance-enhancing,

Synonyms: improve, boost,

Notes: only for positive things, not for fixing problems

Meaning: To improve the quality, value, or strength of something that is already good.

Examples: "A simple scarf can really … a plain black dress." "The app uses AI to … old, grainy photos with incredible detail."

heighten,

Grammar: heighten + noun (transitive), can be intransitive (tensions heighten),

Collocations: heighten tension/awareness, heighten a sense of danger, heightened sense,

Synonyms: intensify, increase,

Notes: for feelings and senses, not concrete numbers

Meaning: To become stronger or more intense, or to make a feeling or effect stronger.

Examples: "The director uses long silences to … the feeling of unease throughout the film." "Knowing she was listening …ed the tension in the room to an almost unbearable level."

hang in there,

Grammar: imperative phrase, used with modals (we've got to hang in there),

Collocations: just hang in there, hang in there a little longer,

Synonyms: hold on, stay strong, keep going,

Notes: informal, warm, for temporary difficult situations

Meaning: An idiom meaning "don't give up" when the situation is difficult but the end is near.

Examples: "The final week of the course is brutal, but …—you're almost at the finish line." "I know this shift has been exhausting, so just … for another hour until closing time."

miss the boat,

Grammar: verb phrase, often followed by "on" + noun,

Collocations: completely miss the boat, miss the boat on something, don't miss the boat,

Synonyms: miss out, lose your chance,

Notes: informal, for time-sensitive opportunities

Meaning: To lose an opportunity by being too slow to act.

Examples: "If you don't invest in this technology now, you'll …—in a year, every company will be using it." "I wanted to buy that vintage jacket, but I hesitated and completely …"