boil down
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phrasal-verb

boil down

Meaning
to simplify something to its essential points
Example
The report **boils down** to one key recommendation: cut costs.
phrasal-verb

step into power

Meaning
to assume an official leadership role
Example
A new coalition **steps into power** after the election.
idiom

white hat

Meaning
a hacker who uses skills ethically to improve security
Example
**White hats** help companies identify and fix security flaws.
phrasal-verb

bottle emotions up

Meaning
to keep your emotions hidden inside instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle his emotions up** instead of talking about them.
idiom

draw up

Meaning
to prepare an official document or plan
Example
The lawyer will **draw up** the agreement this afternoon.
phrasal-verb

ping back to

Meaning
to send a quick reply to someone electronically
Example
I'll **ping back to** you once the security patch finishes installing.
phrasal-verb

step into

Meaning
to begin a new role or position
Example
He confidently **stepped into** his position as project leader.
idiom

Fall into the same trap

Meaning
to make the same mistake again, often due to not learning from previous experiences
Example
She **fell into the same trap** by trusting him again.
phrasal-verb

acknowledge someone for

Meaning
to recognize and thank someone for their help or contribution
Example
The company **acknowledged her for** her dedication and teamwork.
idiom

Give one’s word

Meaning
To make a sincere promise.
Example
He **gave his word** that he would finish the job.
idiom

bear market

Meaning
a period when stock prices are falling
Example
Many people lose money during a **bear market**.
phrasal-verb

look for

Meaning
to search for something you need
Example
I’m **looking for** a new job because I need more stability.
idiom

Handle with kid gloves

Meaning
To treat someone very gently or carefully.
Example
They **handled** the new client **with kid gloves**.
idiom

chip away at

Meaning
to gradually work on something to achieve a result
Example
She **chipped away at** her thesis every evening until it was finished.
idiom

A thirst for knowledge

Meaning
A strong desire to learn new things.
Example
He has **a thirst for knowledge** and reads constantly.
idiom

At your own risk

Meaning
You are responsible for any possible danger or loss.
Example
You can enter the cave, but it’s **at your own risk**.
idiom

empty nest

Meaning
a home where the children have grown up and left
Example
After her kids moved out, she felt the **empty nest** syndrome.
phrasal-verb

stand firm

Meaning
to remain strong and not give up under pressure or doubt
Example
He decided to **stand firm** in his beliefs despite opposition.
phrasal-verb

step up with

Meaning
to provide leadership or resources when needed
Example
She **steps up with** clear goals whenever the team feels stuck.
phrasal-verb

delight in

Meaning
to take great pleasure in something
Example
She **delights in** making people laugh.
idiom

take one for the team

Meaning
to sacrifice for the benefit of others
Example
He **took one for the team** and stayed late to finish the report.
phrasal-verb

pave the way for

Meaning
to create conditions that make something possible
Example
Her strong performance **paved the way for** her promotion.
idiom

tide over

Meaning
to help someone through a difficult period
Example
A short-term loan will **tide us over** until the invoices are paid.
phrasal-verb

cheer someone up

Meaning
to make someone feel happier or less sad
Example
I bought flowers to **cheer her up** after the bad news.
phrasal-verb

shoot for

Meaning
to try to achieve a goal or aim for something high
Example
You should always **shoot for** the highest standards.
idiom

Make headlines

Meaning
To become an important news story
Example
Her sudden resignation **made headlines** across the country.
idiom

sour grapes

Meaning
pretending to dislike something you can’t have
Example
His comments about the award being unfair are just **sour grapes**.
phrasal-verb

push beyond

Meaning
to go further than one’s limits or fears
Example
You need to **push beyond** your comfort zone to grow.
idiom

hold the vision

Meaning
to maintain a clear sense of direction or goal
Example
Leaders who **hold the vision** can guide their teams through difficult times.
phrasal-verb

lead the way for

Meaning
to create an example that others can follow
Example
Community leaders **lead the way for** safer streets by volunteering weekends.
idiom

double check

Meaning
to verify something again for accuracy
Example
Always **double check** the numbers before submitting.
idiom

Nosey parker

Meaning
Someone who is too interested in other people's business.
Example
Stop being a **nosey parker** and mind your own business!
idiom

all smiles

Meaning
very happy and cheerful
Example
He was **all smiles** after hearing the compliment.
phrasal-verb

take issue with

Meaning
to disagree strongly with someone or something
Example
I **take issue with** your interpretation of the results.
idiom

get your ducks in a row

Meaning
to organize things properly before taking action
Example
Before launching the business, we need to **get our ducks in a row**.
idiom

cloak and dagger

Meaning
involving secrecy, mystery, and deception
Example
The meeting was surrounded by **cloak and dagger** secrecy.
idiom

go to battle

Meaning
to prepare to fight or compete strongly
Example
Our team is ready to **go to battle** in the finals.
phrasal-verb

connect with

Meaning
to understand or share similar feelings with someone
Example
I immediately **connected with** her because we had similar life experiences.
idiom

personally speaking

Meaning
expressing one’s own personal view
Example
**Personally speaking**, I prefer quiet places.
idiom

bring to life

Meaning
to make something more interesting or realistic
Example
The artist’s use of color really **brought the painting to life**.
phrasal-verb

let through

Meaning
to allow emotions to pass naturally without resisting them
Example
It’s okay to **let through** your sadness and then move on.
phrasal-verb

point at

Meaning
to direct attention or a finger toward someone or something
Example
Don’t **point at** people; it’s rude.
idiom

Crossing the Rubicon

Meaning
Taking an irreversible step with serious consequences.
Example
By going public with the information, he was **crossing the Rubicon**.
phrasal-verb

work toward improvement

Meaning
to make efforts to become better or achieve progress
Example
Everyone in the team is **working toward improvement** this quarter.
phrasal-verb

spark off ideas

Meaning
to trigger or inspire new creative thoughts
Example
The workshop helped **spark off ideas** for future projects.
idiom

full of yourself

Meaning
to be too proud or self-centered
Example
He’s so **full of himself** after getting that promotion.
phrasal-verb

listen within

Meaning
to pay attention to your inner voice or emotions
Example
When confused, take a moment to **listen within**.
phrasal-verb

step into strength

Meaning
to embrace one’s confidence and power despite fear
Example
She decided to **step into strength** and face her fears.
phrasal-verb

slow up

Meaning
to move or act more slowly to reduce pressure or stress
Example
You should **slow up** before you burn out.
phrasal-verb

follow on from

Meaning
to happen or result from something that was done earlier
Example
This report **follows on from** our last quarter’s findings.
phrasal-verb

build on achievements

Meaning
to use past successes as a foundation for further progress
Example
He aims to **build on achievements** and reach new goals this year.
idiom

under the microscope

Meaning
being examined very closely
Example
The new policy is **under the microscope** by analysts.
phrasal-verb

reach for excellence

Meaning
to aim to be the best at something
Example
True professionals always **reach for excellence** in their work.
idiom

Building castles in the air

Meaning
To have unrealistic or impractical plans or dreams.
Example
She’s always **building castles in the air**, dreaming of a perfect world.
idiom

a house divided against itself cannot stand

Meaning
a group or organization that is divided in opinion or direction cannot succeed
Example
In a team, **a house divided against itself cannot stand**; everyone needs to agree on the same goal.
idiom

know someone inside out

Meaning
to know someone very well
Example
I **know her inside out**; we’ve been friends for years.
phrasal-verb

step beyond fear

Meaning
to act courageously despite being afraid
Example
To succeed, you must **step beyond fear** and take bold action.
phrasal-verb

adapt over time

Meaning
to gradually adjust to changes or new circumstances
Example
Teams often **adapt over time** as they face different challenges.
idiom

strike it lucky

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

Straight shooter

Meaning
A person who is honest and direct.
Example
You can trust him; he’s a **straight shooter**.
idiom

zero gravity

Meaning
a state of complete freedom or lack of pressure
Example
After quitting his stressful job, he felt like he was in **zero gravity**.
phrasal-verb

loop stakeholders back

Meaning
to update decision makers after changes are made
Example
Please **loop stakeholders back** once the revised deck is ready.
idiom

scared out of one's wits

Meaning
to be very frightened
Example
The loud thunder **scared me out of my wits**.
phrasal-verb

branch out creatively

Meaning
to expand one’s work into more creative fields or approaches
Example
Our agency has started to **branch out creatively** with digital storytelling.
idiom

a heavy heart

Meaning
a feeling of deep sadness or sorrow
Example
She left her hometown with **a heavy heart**.
idiom

the rest is history

Meaning
used to say that everyone knows what happened next
Example
They met in college, fell in love, and **the rest is history**.
phrasal-verb

talk over someone

Meaning
to speak louder than another person so they cannot be heard
Example
Stop **talking over** others; it's hard to understand anyone.
phrasal-verb

chill down

Meaning
to relax and become calm after being upset or stressed
Example
After a tough day, I usually take a walk to **chill down**.
idiom

on the world stage

Meaning
in the international arena or community
Example
The country's economy is now strong **on the world stage**.
phrasal-verb

die down

Meaning
when wind, rain, or storm becomes weaker
Example
The rain finally **died down** after several hours.
phrasal-verb

stand aside

Meaning
to step to one side; to withdraw and let others take charge
Example
He **stood aside** to let her pass.
phrasal-verb

cover for

Meaning
to protect someone by hiding their mistake or wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **cover for** his colleague who submitted false data.
phrasal-verb

get at

Meaning
to imply or suggest something indirectly
Example
What exactly are you **getting at** with that question?
phrasal-verb

go against

Meaning
to oppose or disagree with someone or something
Example
It takes courage to **go against** popular opinion.
idiom

put on the map

Meaning
to make something or someone famous or well-known
Example
The viral campaign **put the brand on the map**.
phrasal-verb

comment on

Meaning
to express an opinion about something
Example
Please **comment on** the professor’s recent publication.
idiom

code the future

Meaning
to create innovations that shape future technology
Example
AI researchers are working hard to **code the future**.
idiom

the tipping point

Meaning
the moment when a change becomes unstoppable
Example
Climate change has reached **the tipping point** for action.
phrasal-verb

comment back

Meaning
to reply to someone’s comment online
Example
She always **comments back** to her followers.
phrasal-verb

split up tasks

Meaning
to divide work among people in a group
Example
Let’s **split up tasks** so everyone knows what to do.
idiom

get a grasp of

Meaning
to understand something fully
Example
It took me a while to **get a grasp of** the new software.
phrasal-verb

even up

Meaning
to make things equal or fair
Example
The central bank took measures to **even up** the trade imbalance.
idiom

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link

Meaning
the strength of a group depends on the weakest member
Example
In any team, **a chain is only as strong as its weakest link**.
idiom

manna from heaven

Meaning
an unexpected gift or blessing
Example
The bonus was **manna from heaven** during the tough month.
phrasal-verb

check against

Meaning
to verify information or behavior to ensure it meets standards
Example
All reports must be **checked against** the company’s ethical policy.
idiom

split hairs

Meaning
to argue about small or unimportant details
Example
Stop **splitting hairs** and focus on the main issue.
idiom

out of orbit

Meaning
beyond control; off the usual path
Example
The project went **out of orbit** after the manager left.
phrasal-verb

point out

Meaning
to draw attention to something; to mention something important
Example
He **pointed out** a few mistakes in the final report.
phrasal-verb

phase out late nights

Meaning
to gradually stop staying up very late
Example
I'm **phasing out late nights** so morning workouts feel better.
idiom

code like a machine

Meaning
to work extremely fast and efficiently on programming
Example
She can **code like a machine** when a deadline is near.
phrasal-verb

doodle around with

Meaning
to experiment playfully with sketches or ideas
Example
I **doodle around with** color palettes when inspiration drops.
idiom

bring up a family

Meaning
to raise and take care of children
Example
They worked hard to **bring up a family**.
phrasal-verb

fit around

Meaning
to organize work or tasks to accommodate other activities or people
Example
She managed to **fit her schedule around** her team’s needs to ensure smooth collaboration.
idiom

open channels of communication

Meaning
to establish dialogue or discussion
Example
They tried to **open channels of communication** with the neighboring country.
idiom

have a smile on your face

Meaning
to appear happy and cheerful
Example
She always has a smile on her face, no matter the situation.
idiom

play the political card

Meaning
to use a political issue to one’s advantage
Example
The minister tried to **play the political card** to gain public sympathy.
idiom

in full color

Meaning
in great detail and vividness
Example
The documentary showed the event **in full color**.
phrasal-verb

pep up with

Meaning
to boost your energy or mood by using something uplifting
Example
I **pep up with** an upbeat playlist before presentations.
idiom

full steam ahead

Meaning
to move forward with great energy or speed
Example
The team is going **full steam ahead** with the new logistics plan.
idiom

make friends with

Meaning
To become friendly with someone.
Example
It’s easy to **make friends with** kind people.
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

play the field

Meaning
to date or have romantic relationships with many people without commitment
Example
He’s still **playing the field** and not looking for a serious relationship.
idiom

turn the tide

Meaning
to cause a significant change in a situation or trend
Example
The new strategy helped us **turn the tide** in our favor.
idiom

on the cutting edge

Meaning
at the forefront of innovation or technology
Example
The laboratory is **on the cutting edge** of artificial intelligence research.
idiom

law of the jungle

Meaning
survival of the strongest; lack of order or law
Example
In war, the **law of the jungle** often applies.
idiom

Blue skies thinking

Meaning
Creative or open-minded thinking without limits.
Example
Our brainstorming session encouraged **blue skies thinking**.
phrasal-verb

shut down

Meaning
to turn off a computer or system
Example
Make sure to **shut down** your computer before leaving.
phrasal-verb

take out

Meaning
to borrow or get money from a bank or institution
Example
They decided to **take out** a loan to buy a new house.
idiom

a slippery slope

Meaning
a course of action that seems to lead to undesirable or dangerous consequences
Example
Starting to ignore small violations can lead to **a slippery slope** of bigger legal issues.
phrasal-verb

edge up

Meaning
to rise slightly or gradually
Example
The inflation rate **edged up** to 6% last month.
idiom

go easy on someone

Meaning
to be gentle or patient with someone
Example
Go easy on him; he’s been through a lot lately.
phrasal-verb

map out a plan

Meaning
to carefully plan or design steps to achieve a goal
Example
She **mapped out a plan** for reaching her five-year career goals.
idiom

fun and games

Meaning
enjoyable activities; playful behavior
Example
It’s not all **fun and games** when organizing a big event.
idiom

Spin the story

Meaning
To present information in a biased or manipulative way
Example
The politician tried to **spin the story** to his advantage.
phrasal-verb

push back

Meaning
to delay something to a later time or date
Example
We had to **push back** the deadline due to unexpected issues.
phrasal-verb

grow stronger

Meaning
to become emotionally tougher after hardship
Example
Every challenge helps you **grow stronger** emotionally.
idiom

brand ambassador

Meaning
a person who promotes a brand through personal influence
Example
They hired a celebrity as their **brand ambassador**.
idiom

cry a river

Meaning
to cry a lot or show extreme sadness
Example
He **cried a river** after hearing the news.
phrasal-verb

commend on

Meaning
to praise someone for something
Example
The manager **commended** her **on** her excellent presentation.
phrasal-verb

patch over differences

Meaning
to try to ignore disagreements and restore peace
Example
They decided to **patch over differences** and move on.
phrasal-verb

stabilize at

Meaning
to reach a point where something becomes steady
Example
The unemployment rate has **stabilized at** 5% after years of fluctuation.