balance out inflation
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phrasal-verb

balance out inflation

Meaning
to offset or stabilize inflationary pressure
Example
Raising interest rates can help **balance out inflation**.
idiom

SEO-friendly

Meaning
optimized to rank higher in search engine results
Example
Make sure your website is **SEO-friendly**.
phrasal-verb

shuffle ideas around

Meaning
to rearrange different thoughts to find a new approach
Example
Designers **shuffle ideas around** until a better concept appears.
idiom

win by a landslide

Meaning
to win by a very large margin
Example
The candidate **won by a landslide** with 80% of the votes.
idiom

the world is your oyster

Meaning
you can achieve anything you want in life
Example
With your talent, **the world is your oyster**.
idiom

in black and white

Meaning
in written form; clearly stated
Example
The rules are clearly written **in black and white**.
phrasal-verb

move toward

Meaning
to progress or advance in the direction of change or improvement
Example
Societies are slowly **moving toward** greater gender equality.
phrasal-verb

blend in with

Meaning
to mix naturally with people or surroundings
Example
Tourists often try to **blend in with** the locals to experience the culture better.
idiom

take the reins

Meaning
to take control or responsibility
Example
After the director retired, she **took the reins** of the company.
idiom

key in on

Meaning
to give focused attention to something specific
Example
The coach asked the team to **key in on** their defensive mistakes.
idiom

to have hope in one's heart

Meaning
to remain hopeful and optimistic about the future
Example
Despite all the challenges, he always **has hope in his heart**.
phrasal-verb

keep improving

Meaning
to continue making things better or more effective
Example
Our company culture encourages everyone to **keep improving**.
phrasal-verb

mitigate against

Meaning
to make something less severe or harmful
Example
Effective controls can **mitigate against** financial losses.
phrasal-verb

float above chaos

Meaning
to stay mentally detached from stressful surroundings
Example
Even in chaos, she manages to **float above chaos** and stay calm.
idiom

hard as nails

Meaning
very tough and determined
Example
She’s **hard as nails** when it comes to achieving her goals.
idiom

drag on

Meaning
to continue for too long and become boring
Example
The meeting **dragged on** for hours.
phrasal-verb

be there for

Meaning
to be available to help or comfort someone in need
Example
She promised to always **be there for** her sister no matter what.
idiom

think ahead

Meaning
to plan for the future; to anticipate future needs or events
Example
Good managers always **think ahead** before making big decisions.
phrasal-verb

move beyond anger

Meaning
to let go of resentment and focus on reconciliation
Example
She learned to **move beyond anger** and rebuild trust.
phrasal-verb

grow through change

Meaning
to develop personally or professionally during a transition
Example
We can **grow through change** if we remain open-minded and adaptable.
phrasal-verb

hold in check

Meaning
to control strong emotions before reacting
Example
He tried to **hold in check** his frustration during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

check back in with

Meaning
to reconnect with someone to give or get an update
Example
I'll **check back in with** you after the leadership roundtable.
idiom

build one's confidence

Meaning
to increase one's self-assurance or belief in one's abilities
Example
Public speaking classes helped him **build his confidence**.
phrasal-verb

write out

Meaning
to write something in full form
Example
Please **write out** your answers clearly in the exam sheet.
idiom

out of one’s mind

Meaning
crazy or extremely worried
Example
He must be **out of his mind** to drive so fast in the rain.
phrasal-verb

speed up

Meaning
to go faster; to increase speed
Example
You need to **speed up** if you want to overtake that car.
idiom

close the deal

Meaning
to successfully finalize an agreement
Example
After weeks of negotiation, they finally **closed the deal**.
phrasal-verb

blow over

Meaning
to become less serious and eventually end without major harm
Example
Most small arguments **blow over** with time.
idiom

let your imagination run wild

Meaning
to allow yourself to think freely and creatively
Example
When writing stories, I always **let my imagination run wild**.
idiom

build character

Meaning
to develop positive qualities or strength through challenges
Example
Going through this process will **build character** in the team.
idiom

track down

Meaning
to find something or someone after a search
Example
We finally **tracked down** the missing invoice.
idiom

out of sorts

Meaning
feeling slightly unwell or upset
Example
He’s been **out of sorts** since he caught that cold.
idiom

weakest link

Meaning
the most vulnerable part of a system or group
Example
Human error is often the **weakest link** in cybersecurity.
idiom

cut the cord

Meaning
to become independent from someone or something
Example
It’s time for you to **cut the cord** and live on your own.
idiom

Run the risk

Meaning
To do something that may result in loss or danger.
Example
You’ll **run the risk** of losing everything if you lie.
idiom

out of the woods

Meaning
no longer in danger or difficulty
Example
She’s recovering now, so she’s **out of the woods**.
idiom

to play fair

Meaning
To act honestly and follow the rules.
Example
In every competition, we must **play fair**.
phrasal-verb

work around obstacles

Meaning
to find alternative ways to complete a task despite difficulties
Example
The team managed to **work around obstacles** to meet the deadline.
idiom

broken-hearted

Meaning
extremely sad about something or someone
Example
He was **broken-hearted** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

fall behind on

Meaning
to fail to do something on time or as planned
Example
He **fell behind on** his rent payments last month.
idiom

learn from mistakes

Meaning
to improve oneself by understanding and correcting errors
Example
I always try to **learn from mistakes** to avoid repeating them.
phrasal-verb

apologize for

Meaning
to say sorry for something you did
Example
She **apologized for** forgetting his birthday.
idiom

switch over

Meaning
to change from one system or option to another
Example
The team will **switch over** to the new software tonight.
idiom

a catnap

Meaning
a short, light sleep
Example
I took **a catnap** after lunch.
phrasal-verb

chill out over

Meaning
to relax while enjoying something like food or a conversation
Example
We **chill out over** coffee every Friday evening.
phrasal-verb

comfort someone through

Meaning
to help someone emotionally during a difficult time
Example
She **comforted him through** his toughest days.
idiom

rule with an iron fist

Meaning
to control people very strictly and harshly
Example
The dictator **ruled with an iron fist** for twenty years.
phrasal-verb

shake off fear

Meaning
to get rid of fear or anxiety
Example
He tried to **shake off fear** before entering the stage.
idiom

As old as the hills

Meaning
Very old or ancient
Example
That legend is **as old as the hills**.
phrasal-verb

deal down

Meaning
to negotiate a lower price
Example
She managed to **deal down** the price of the car.
idiom

a masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something that has great potential to become exceptional
Example
Her new sculpture is **a masterpiece in the making**.
phrasal-verb

result in

Meaning
to cause something to happen
Example
The lack of data **resulted in** an incomplete analysis.
idiom

take the heat

Meaning
to accept criticism or blame.
Example
The manager **took the heat** for the failed project.
phrasal-verb

speak out for

Meaning
to publicly support or defend someone or something
Example
He **spoke out for** the victims of political violence.
idiom

blind date

Meaning
a romantic meeting between two people who have never met before
Example
She met her boyfriend on a **blind date**.
idiom

strike it lucky

Meaning
to have unexpected good fortune
Example
We **struck it lucky** and found the last two tickets.
idiom

mentor from the sidelines

Meaning
to guide someone without directly getting involved in their work
Example
Sometimes, the best leaders **mentor from the sidelines** and let others take charge.
phrasal-verb

fill the gap

Meaning
to make up for something that is missing or lacking
Example
International aid aims to **fill the gap** in education and healthcare.
idiom

backdoor

Meaning
An undocumented way of accessing a system or software, usually used by hackers to bypass security.
Example
The attacker installed a **backdoor** to access the system at any time without being detected.
idiom

Runway

Meaning
The time a startup has before running out of cash.
Example
We only have six months of **runway** left.
phrasal-verb

set up

Meaning
to establish or create an organization, system, or structure
Example
They **set up** a new political party to challenge the ruling government.
phrasal-verb

put away

Meaning
to store or tidy something in its proper place
Example
Please **put away** your toys after playing.
idiom

golden opportunity

Meaning
a very good chance; rare opportunity
Example
This is a **golden opportunity** to show your talent.
idiom

busy bee

Meaning
a person who is always busy and active
Example
She’s a **busy bee**, always working on something.
idiom

roll the credits

Meaning
to finish something officially
Example
After the final announcement, they **rolled the credits** on the project.
phrasal-verb

care deeply for

Meaning
to have strong affection or concern for someone
Example
He truly **cares deeply for** his grandparents.
phrasal-verb

give credit to

Meaning
to acknowledge someone’s contribution
Example
You should **give credit to** those who helped you succeed.
idiom

paint a rosy picture

Meaning
to describe something in an overly optimistic way
Example
The guide **painted a rosy picture** of the museum's future.
phrasal-verb

stand beside

Meaning
to remain loyal or supportive to someone in difficult times
Example
True friends always **stand beside** you when life gets tough.
idiom

lock and key

Meaning
completely secured or protected
Example
All confidential data is kept under **lock and key**.
idiom

mind your peace and quiet

Meaning
to protect your calm and avoid stress or disturbance
Example
She values her alone time to **mind her peace and quiet**.
phrasal-verb

fork out

Meaning
to spend money unwillingly
Example
We had to **fork out** a lot of money for the car repairs.
idiom

phishing

Meaning
A method of trying to gather personal information using deceptive emails, websites, or other communications.
Example
He received an email that looked legitimate, but it was actually a **phishing** attempt.
phrasal-verb

carry over data

Meaning
to transfer unused data or balance from one period to another
Example
Most mobile plans now let you **carry over data** to the next month.
idiom

life in the fast lane

Meaning
a lifestyle full of excitement, activity, and sometimes risk
Example
He enjoys **life in the fast lane** with parties and travel.
phrasal-verb

go into

Meaning
to discuss or examine something in detail
Example
The lecturer didn’t **go into** much detail about the topic.
idiom

go off the rails

Meaning
to start behaving in an unusual or uncontrolled way
Example
After losing his job, his life seemed to **go off the rails**.
idiom

patch up

Meaning
to repair something or improve a damaged relationship
Example
They managed to **patch up** their friendship after the argument.
phrasal-verb

ease yourself into

Meaning
to gradually start doing something stressful to reduce anxiety
Example
Try to **ease yourself into** the new routine instead of rushing it.
phrasal-verb

come across

Meaning
to find something or someone unexpectedly
Example
We **came across** a promising distributor during the trade fair.
idiom

put the team on your back

Meaning
to take responsibility for leading and carrying the burden for a group
Example
In the final moments of the game, he **put the team on his back** and led them to victory.
phrasal-verb

vote for

Meaning
to choose someone or something in an election
Example
Everyone should **vote for** candidates who value honesty.
idiom

take the time to listen

Meaning
to make an effort to understand or care about someone else's feelings
Example
Sometimes, all we need is to **take the time to listen** to others' problems.
phrasal-verb

come up empty

Meaning
to fail to achieve or find something
Example
We searched everywhere but **came up empty**.
phrasal-verb

step toward progress

Meaning
to make progress or advance toward improvement
Example
Each reform is a **step toward progress** in global development.
phrasal-verb

tighten up on

Meaning
to become stricter with spending or policy
Example
The central bank decided to **tighten up on** lending to reduce inflation.
phrasal-verb

grow through

Meaning
to become stronger or wiser because of difficult experiences
Example
We often **grow through** the pain we experience.
phrasal-verb

build upon experience

Meaning
to use past experiences to improve future actions or performance
Example
We can **build upon our experience** to avoid making the same mistakes again.
idiom

hit the brakes

Meaning
to slow down or stop something
Example
The company had to **hit the brakes** on its expansion plans.
idiom

keep in touch

Meaning
to maintain communication with someone
Example
Even after moving away, we **keep in touch** regularly.
phrasal-verb

march on

Meaning
to continue advancing toward a goal despite difficulties
Example
The demonstrators **marched on** the capital demanding justice.
phrasal-verb

map out a growth plan

Meaning
to design steps that will help you develop professionally
Example
I **map out a growth plan** each quarter with my mentor.
idiom

crime doesn't pay

Meaning
doing wrong or illegal things will never bring true success
Example
He learned the hard way that **crime doesn't pay**.
idiom

to make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a big impact
Example
Her new book **made a splash** in the literary world.
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.
idiom

Know your stuff

Meaning
to be knowledgeable or skilled about something
Example
You can tell she really **knows her stuff** about physics.
phrasal-verb

poke around

Meaning
to look for something in a place, often in a casual or curious way
Example
She likes to **poke around** antique shops on weekends.
phrasal-verb

coordinate across borders

Meaning
to organize efforts with people in different countries
Example
We **coordinate across borders** to keep the partnership moving smoothly.
phrasal-verb

sign in

Meaning
to enter your username and password to access an account
Example
You must **sign in** before commenting on this post.
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**.
phrasal-verb

grow close to

Meaning
to develop a stronger emotional bond or friendship with someone
Example
Over the years, they **grew close to** each other through shared experiences.
idiom

brighten up your day

Meaning
to make someone feel happier
Example
Her smile can **brighten up your day** instantly.
phrasal-verb

set against

Meaning
to compare one thing with another; to make someone oppose something
Example
Her parents are **set against** her studying abroad.
idiom

to my mind

Meaning
in my personal opinion or belief
Example
**To my mind**, this plan will work perfectly.
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.
It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.
idiom

black hole

Meaning
a situation where things disappear or are lost without explanation
Example
All the research data went into a **black hole** after the server crash.
phrasal-verb

build up pressure

Meaning
to increase influence or demand for action
Example
Opposition parties **built up pressure** for early elections.
idiom

check in with

Meaning
to contact someone to exchange updates
Example
I’ll **check in with** the vendor later today.
idiom

luck of the Irish

Meaning
good fortune associated with Irish people
Example
He found gold! Must be the **luck of the Irish**.
phrasal-verb

come off as

Meaning
to seem to be a particular type of person
Example
He can **come off as** rude, but he’s actually very kind.
phrasal-verb

shift focus toward growth

Meaning
to redirect attention and efforts toward improvement
Example
The manager encouraged everyone to **shift focus toward growth** after the changes.
idiom

heartbroken

Meaning
very sad and emotionally hurt
Example
He was **heartbroken** when his pet died.
idiom

hand over to

Meaning
to transfer control or responsibility to someone
Example
I’ll **hand this over to** the legal team for review.
idiom

have someone's back

Meaning
to support or defend someone
Example
Don’t worry—I **have your back**.
idiom

a cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility without open warfare
Example
The two nations seem to be entering **a cold war** again.
idiom

Heart full of gratitude

Meaning
Deeply thankful and appreciative.
Example
She spoke with a **heart full of gratitude** for her teachers.
idiom

sell like hotcakes

Meaning
to sell very quickly and in large quantities
Example
After the ad went viral, the product began to **sell like hotcakes**.
idiom

the walls have ears

Meaning
be careful what you say because someone might be listening
Example
Speak quietly—**the walls have ears**.
idiom

get your wires crossed

Meaning
to misunderstand someone or something
Example
We must have **got our wires crossed**, because I thought the meeting was tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

back away

Meaning
to move backward from something frightening
Example
They **backed away** from the angry dog.
phrasal-verb

bring down trade barriers

Meaning
to reduce or remove obstacles that limit international trade
Example
Efforts are being made to **bring down trade barriers** between neighboring countries.