Decision & Control - Under Control

Discover how English idioms like "mind over matter" and "keep a level head" relate to being under control in English.

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to [get] {one's} act together [phrase]

to start to organize oneself for better results and more efficiency

Ex: After multiple warnings , he finally got his act together and improved his performance .

to [pull] {oneself} together [phrase]

to regain control over one's emotions, particularly after a period of being upset or angry

Ex: After the initial shock , they pulled themselves together and started planning for the future .

to [get] a hold of {oneself} [phrase]

to force oneself to stop behaving in an uncontrollable manner, particularly in face of a difficult or unexpected situation

Ex: After the initial shock , he managed to get a hold of himself and handle the crisis calmly .

to [get] {one's} shit together [phrase]

to start to act more organized in order to achieve better results and become more skillful or efficient

Ex: If you want to succeed , you need to get your shit together and take control of your life .

to [bite|hold] {one's} tongue [phrase]

to not say something, against one's wish, in order to avoid causing an argument or upsetting someone

Ex: He regretted not biting his tongue during the heated argument ; his harsh words caused irreparable damage .

[get|have] {one's} ducks in a row [sentence]

to get everything in order for something that is about to happen or one is going to do, particularly in order to avoid mistakes

Ex: After weeks of preparation , they got their ducks in a row and successfully launched the new product .

to [button|zip] {one's} [lip] [phrase]

to not say anything or immediately stop talking, particularly so as not to reveal a secret or make matters worse

Ex: They zip their lips to protect the privacy of their clients .

in hand [phrase]

(of a situation) completely under one's control

Ex: After months of preparation , they had the event in hand and it went smoothly .

out of {one's} [system] [phrase]

no longer desiring something or feeling strong emotions about someone

Ex: After venting to her friends , she felt like she had gotten her anger out of her system .

to [keep] a lid on {sth} [phrase]

to control a situation and stop it from getting worse

Ex: By clamping down on misinformation , the government had just barely kept a lid on public hysteria before a vaccine was found .

to [clean] up {one's} act [phrase]

to make an effort to demonstrate a better behavior and treat others better

Ex: She warns that if he does n't clean up his act soon , there will be serious consequences .

a straight face [noun]

one's face when it is devoid of any signs of amusement, interest, or even sadness

Ex: I 'm forcing a straight face while she recounts the silly mishap .

to [pour] oil on troubled waters [phrase]

to calm a tense situation with gentle or diplomatic action

Ex: The manager poured oil on troubled waters by acknowledging the team 's concerns .

to [take] {sth} in stride [phrase]

to calmly cope with something that is difficult or disturbing

Ex: Despite the setbacks , she took the failures in stride and learned valuable lessons from them .

to [keep] {sth} in proportion [phrase]

to sensibly react to something and not treat it as if it is more serious, severe, or important than it actually is

Ex:

to [keep] a level head [phrase]

to stay calm and sensible in a stressful or difficult situation

Ex: Despite the chaos , she kept a level head throughout the crisis , guiding her team with clarity and composure .

to [collect] {one's} thoughts [phrase]

to get one's thoughts or feelings under control, particularly after experiencing something shocking or disturbing

Ex: He collected his thoughts after the argument , reflecting on his words and seeking a resolution .

mind over matter [phrase]

the willpower to overcome one's problems or control one's physical condition

Ex: He had used mind over matter to overcome his fear of heights , conquering the challenge with sheer determination .

to [get] a grip on {oneself} [phrase]

to stop behaving foolishly or recklessly and gain full control of one's emotions and thoughts

Ex: Once the panic of failing her exam subsides , Jenny will get a grip on herself and make a plan to study harder for the retake .

to [keep] {one's} [head] [phrase]

to stay calm and think clearly, especially in challenging or stressful situations

Ex: They will keep their heads during the upcoming challenges , relying on their experience and expertise .

Decision & Control
Under Control	Out of Control	Losing Control	Being in Charge
Force & Obligation	Obedience	Choices & Decisions	Decisiveness
Indecisiveness	Dependency