break a promise
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idiom

break a promise

Meaning
to fail to do what one promised
Example
She **broke her promise** and didn’t call him.
phrasal-verb

long for

Meaning
to wish very strongly for something that cannot happen or is far away
Example
He still **longs for** the days when he could have made things right.
phrasal-verb

soak in

Meaning
to fully enjoy or appreciate a positive feeling or moment
Example
She closed her eyes to **soak in** the beauty of the sunset.
phrasal-verb

phase through

Meaning
to move gradually through stages of change
Example
The company plans to **phase through** several steps to modernize its operations.
idiom

short circuit

Meaning
to cause a sudden failure; to interrupt a process abruptly
Example
A small mistake **short-circuited** the entire project.
idiom

adapt to new circumstances

Meaning
to adjust oneself to new situations or changes
Example
In order to survive in the changing world, we need to **adapt to new circumstances**.
phrasal-verb

reach into

Meaning
to access or connect with inner feelings; to explore emotions deeply
Example
She tried to **reach into** her own pain to understand his suffering.
phrasal-verb

fall over

Meaning
to lose balance and drop to the ground
Example
The baby **fell over** while trying to walk.
phrasal-verb

bring in reforms

Meaning
to introduce changes to improve a system or policy
Example
The new government promised to **bring in reforms** to strengthen the economy.
idiom

button up

Meaning
to finish preparations or close something securely
Example
Let’s **button up** the proposal by Friday.
phrasal-verb

catch off guard

Meaning
to surprise someone unexpectedly
Example
Her sudden question **caught me off guard**.
phrasal-verb

build upon agreements

Meaning
to develop or improve international agreements that already exist
Example
The summit aimed to **build upon agreements** made in previous meetings.
phrasal-verb

go through customs

Meaning
to complete security and document checks when entering a country
Example
Budget extra time to **go through customs** at busy airports.
idiom

drama queen

Meaning
a person who exaggerates or overreacts to situations
Example
Don’t be such a **drama queen**; it’s not that serious.
phrasal-verb

scale down to

Meaning
to reduce the size or capacity to fit a smaller need
Example
The company had to **scale down to** a smaller data center to cut costs.
idiom

Lead the charge

Meaning
to be at the forefront of an action or movement
Example
He was the one to **lead the charge** in the new project.
idiom

give someone a warm welcome

Meaning
to greet someone very kindly and enthusiastically
Example
They **gave us a warm welcome** when we arrived.
idiom

change one's tune

Meaning
to change one's opinion or attitude
Example
After hearing the good news, he decided to **change his tune**.
phrasal-verb

catch hold of

Meaning
to grab something or someone firmly
Example
She **caught hold of** his hand to stop him from leaving.
idiom

on top of the world

Meaning
to feel extremely happy and successful
Example
After winning the award, he felt **on top of the world**.
idiom

Put the pedal to the metal

Meaning
To push harder and make a greater effort.
Example
We need to **put the pedal to the metal** if we want to meet the deadline.
idiom

behind the eight ball

Meaning
to be in a difficult position or disadvantage
Example
Without proper funding, the project is **behind the eight ball**.
idiom

the early bird catches the worm

Meaning
people who start early are more likely to succeed
Example
**The early bird catches the worm**, so start your day early.
phrasal-verb

blow apart emotionally

Meaning
to lose control because of overwhelming emotion
Example
After the breakup, she **blew apart emotionally** for weeks.
phrasal-verb

throw about

Meaning
to move or scatter things in a disorderly way
Example
The kids **threw about** their toys all over the room.
phrasal-verb

map out choices

Meaning
to list different options with their details
Example
We **map out choices** before deciding which project to take on.
phrasal-verb

run off

Meaning
to leave suddenly; to make copies of something
Example
He **ran off** without saying goodbye.
idiom

answer the call of duty

Meaning
to fulfill one's obligation, especially in a difficult situation
Example
Firefighters **answered the call of duty** during the massive fire.
idiom

gather up

Meaning
to collect things together
Example
Let’s **gather up** the supplies before the workshop.
phrasal-verb

reach out to team members

Meaning
to communicate or offer support to colleagues
Example
Good leaders **reach out to team members** during tough times.
phrasal-verb

phase out of

Meaning
to gradually stop using or producing something
Example
The company decided to **phase out of** non-profitable divisions.
idiom

tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small part of a much bigger problem
Example
The data error we found is just the **tip of the iceberg**.
phrasal-verb

find up

Meaning
to end up in a particular situation unexpectedly
Example
He didn’t plan to live in the city but somehow **found up** there.
idiom

train your brain

Meaning
to practice and improve one’s cognitive abilities
Example
Use puzzles to **train your brain** like an AI model.
idiom

a bug in the system

Meaning
a problem or error in a program or system
Example
There seems to be **a bug in the system** causing slow performance.
idiom

plow ahead

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
Even with setbacks, they decided to **plow ahead** with the project.
phrasal-verb

depend upon imports

Meaning
to rely on goods brought from other countries
Example
Many developing countries **depend upon imports** for essential commodities.
idiom

fall flat on your face

Meaning
to fail completely in an embarrassing way
Example
He **fell flat on his face** during his first business attempt.
phrasal-verb

phase out restrictions

Meaning
to gradually remove limitations on trade
Example
The country plans to **phase out restrictions** on foreign imports over five years.
phrasal-verb

step out

Meaning
to leave a place for a short time; to go outside
Example
I’m going to **step out** for a moment to get some fresh air.
phrasal-verb

mess around

Meaning
to spend time doing unimportant or fun things
Example
We just **messed around** in the park all afternoon.
phrasal-verb

set up a subsidiary

Meaning
to establish a smaller company controlled by a larger one
Example
They decided to **set up a subsidiary** in Singapore to handle regional operations.
idiom

out of shape

Meaning
to be unfit or unhealthy due to lack of exercise
Example
I’m so **out of shape** after sitting at a desk all day.
idiom

happy as a clam

Meaning
very content and comfortable
Example
She looked **happy as a clam** on her vacation.
idiom

on good terms with

Meaning
having a friendly and positive relationship with someone
Example
She’s **on good terms with** her ex-husband for the kids’ sake.
idiom

Move heaven and earth

Meaning
To do everything possible to achieve something.
Example
They **moved heaven and earth** to save the project.
phrasal-verb

close down

Meaning
to stop operating a business or company
Example
Due to losses, the branch had to **close down**.
idiom

Put your thinking cap on

Meaning
To start thinking carefully about something
Example
It’s time to **put your thinking cap on** for the quiz.
idiom

call a truce

Meaning
to agree to stop fighting or arguing for a while
Example
They decided to **call a truce** until the boss arrived.
phrasal-verb

stand up for democracy

Meaning
to defend or support the principles of democracy
Example
Citizens gathered to **stand up for democracy** during the national protest.
phrasal-verb

stay off

Meaning
to avoid eating or drinking something unhealthy
Example
The doctor told me to **stay off** junk food for a month.
phrasal-verb

lay down terms

Meaning
to state the rules or conditions of an agreement
Example
Each country must **lay down terms** before signing the treaty.
idiom

paint oneself into a corner

Meaning
to create a situation where one has limited options
Example
He **painted himself into a corner** by promising too much.
idiom

feel like a new person

Meaning
to feel refreshed and healthy again
Example
After a good night’s sleep, I **feel like a new person**.
idiom

light up someone’s day

Meaning
to make someone happy
Example
Your kind words **lighted up my day**.
phrasal-verb

roll feedback into

Meaning
to incorporate comments into the next version
Example
Designers **roll feedback into** the doc before sharing again.
phrasal-verb

push up

Meaning
to make something increase in value or price
Example
Rising fuel costs have **pushed up** transportation expenses.
phrasal-verb

cut short

Meaning
to end something earlier than planned
Example
We had to **cut short** the meeting due to a technical issue.
phrasal-verb

phase out debts

Meaning
to gradually reduce or eliminate debts
Example
The government plans to **phase out debts** over the next decade.
phrasal-verb

foster mutual respect

Meaning
to encourage understanding and appreciation between groups or countries
Example
Cultural exchanges help **foster mutual respect** among nations.
phrasal-verb

vote through reform

Meaning
to officially approve a change by voting
Example
Parliament successfully **voted through reform** aimed at transparency.
phrasal-verb

tune up

Meaning
to prepare or adjust an instrument for better performance
Example
The guitarist **tuned up** his instrument before the show.
phrasal-verb

reach over to

Meaning
to extend a gesture of comfort or support
Example
She **reached over to** hold his hand when he started crying.
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

to pull strings

Meaning
to use one's influence or connections to get things done
Example
She managed to **pull strings** to get the bill passed in Congress.
phrasal-verb

build discipline

Meaning
to develop good habits and control over one’s actions
Example
Meditation helps you **build discipline** over your thoughts.
phrasal-verb

open oneself to

Meaning
to allow oneself to experience or understand new ideas or cultures
Example
Living abroad helped him **open himself to** diverse ways of life.
phrasal-verb

team around

Meaning
to organize or gather a group of people for a common purpose
Example
We should **team around** this project to deliver the best results.
idiom

Pull one’s weight

Meaning
To do your fair share of work.
Example
If everyone **pulls their weight**, the job will be done quickly.
idiom

hit the road again

Meaning
to resume a journey after a stop
Example
After lunch, we **hit the road again**.
idiom

to strike it rich

Meaning
to suddenly become very wealthy
Example
He **struck it rich** by investing in early-stage tech companies.
phrasal-verb

back down

Meaning
to admit you were wrong and stop arguing
Example
She refused to **back down** even after realizing her mistake.
idiom

sing from the same hymn sheet

Meaning
to express the same opinion as others, especially publicly
Example
All the managers are **singing from the same hymn sheet** on this issue.
phrasal-verb

shake hands on

Meaning
to agree on something formally or finalize a deal
Example
They finally **shook hands on** the joint investment plan.
idiom

mix together

Meaning
to combine different things into one
Example
**Mix together** the spices before adding them to the stew.
phrasal-verb

shop around

Meaning
to compare prices before buying something
Example
Always **shop around** before making a big purchase.
phrasal-verb

bounce back stronger

Meaning
to recover from setbacks with renewed energy
Example
Teams **bounce back stronger** after honest feedback sessions.
phrasal-verb

care about

Meaning
to feel concern or affection for someone or something
Example
He truly **cares about** the people he works with.
idiom

get along with

Meaning
to have a good relationship with someone
Example
I really **get along with** my coworkers.
phrasal-verb

fall behind in exports

Meaning
to lag in selling goods to foreign countries
Example
The nation has **fallen behind in exports** due to weak demand abroad.
phrasal-verb

fall in line

Meaning
to follow the rules or decisions of a group
Example
New members quickly **fall in line** with the team’s culture.
idiom

a rollercoaster of emotions

Meaning
to experience very high and very low emotional states in a short time
Example
The week was **a rollercoaster of emotions**, with moments of joy and sadness.
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.
phrasal-verb

commend on

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

keep up with studies

Meaning
to stay at the same level as others in your academic progress
Example
It's important to **keep up with studies** to avoid falling behind in class.
phrasal-verb

ground oneself

Meaning
to stay emotionally stable and present in reality
Example
He took a walk outside to **ground himself** after the bad news.
idiom

do the right thing by someone

Meaning
to treat someone fairly and with respect
Example
It's important to always **do the right thing by your colleagues**.
idiom

thinking outside the algorithm

Meaning
to think creatively beyond structured systems or programmed logic
Example
Our best innovation came when we started **thinking outside the algorithm**.
phrasal-verb

keep from

Meaning
to prevent oneself or someone from doing something
Example
I couldn’t **keep from** laughing when he told the joke.
idiom

beg to differ

Meaning
to politely disagree with someone
Example
I **beg to differ**, but I think your conclusion is incorrect.
phrasal-verb

hold up

Meaning
to cause delay or slow down progress
Example
The server issue **held up** the entire team's work for hours.
idiom

stick around

Meaning
to stay in a place for a short time longer
Example
Can you **stick around** for the Q&A session?
idiom

sit in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in a position of control or leadership
Example
After the promotion, she now **sits in the driver’s seat**.
phrasal-verb

carry away

Meaning
to become overly excited or enthusiastic
Example
Don’t get **carried away** with the excitement.
phrasal-verb

lose it

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry or emotional
Example
She completely **lost it** when she saw the mess in the room.
idiom

lean over

Meaning
to bend your body forward or downward
Example
Please don’t **lean over** the railing during the show.
idiom

a barrel of laughs

Meaning
someone or something very funny or entertaining
Example
The new comedy show is **a barrel of laughs**.
idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to **get their hands dirty** when necessary.
idiom

take stock of

Meaning
to review a situation carefully before making decisions
Example
Let’s **take stock of** our priorities this quarter.
phrasal-verb

gear down for

Meaning
to slow your pace in preparation for something
Example
We **gear down for** finals by taking fewer shifts that week.
idiom

hit the pause button

Meaning
to take a break or stop what you are doing temporarily
Example
After weeks of hard work, I decided to **hit the pause button** and relax for a while.
idiom

Freudian slip

Meaning
An unintentional mistake that reveals one's true thoughts or feelings.
Example
He made a **Freudian slip** when he called his boss ‘mom’.
idiom

bat around

Meaning
to discuss ideas casually
Example
We spent the afternoon **batting around** marketing themes.
phrasal-verb

cut down workforce

Meaning
to reduce the number of employees
Example
Due to reduced demand, the factory **cut down workforce** by 20 percent.
idiom

lay into

Meaning
to criticize someone harshly
Example
Instead of **laying into** the intern, offer some guidance.
idiom

reach out

Meaning
to contact someone for help or communication
Example
Feel free to **reach out** if you have more questions.
idiom

ring a bell

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can't remember where I heard it.
idiom

a breath of fresh air

Meaning
something new and refreshing
Example
Her positive attitude is **a breath of fresh air** in the office.
phrasal-verb

embrace change

Meaning
to accept and welcome emotional or life changes positively
Example
To grow emotionally, you must **embrace change** with courage.
phrasal-verb

grow stronger

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

set out to

Meaning
to begin working with the intention of achieving something
Example
She **set out to** improve her public speaking skills this year.
phrasal-verb

skid off

Meaning
to slide uncontrollably off a surface or road
Example
The bus **skidded off** the icy road.
idiom

think big

Meaning
to set ambitious and visionary goals
Example
Entrepreneurs must **think big** to make a real impact.
idiom

Put up walls

Meaning
To create emotional barriers or distance from others.
Example
After the breakup, she **put up walls** and stopped trusting people.
idiom

debug the problem

Meaning
to identify and fix issues or errors
Example
Let’s **debug the problem** before we push the update.
phrasal-verb

fill in

Meaning
to provide missing information; to substitute for someone temporarily
Example
Can you **fill in** for me at the meeting tomorrow?
idiom

split decision

Meaning
a decision where people are divided in opinion
Example
The committee made a **split decision** on the proposal.
phrasal-verb

work out of

Meaning
to be based or operate from a specific place
Example
He **works out of** our Singapore office.
idiom

take a breather

Meaning
to rest for a short while to relax
Example
Let’s **take a breather** before continuing the meeting.
phrasal-verb

run up

Meaning
to cause yourself to owe a large amount of money
Example
He **ran up** a huge credit card bill last month.
idiom

pull the plug

Meaning
to stop something; to end support for a project or activity
Example
The company decided to **pull the plug** on the outdated app.