bring yourself to
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phrasal-verb

bring yourself to

Meaning
to force yourself to do something that is emotionally difficult
Example
He couldn't **bring himself to** tell her the truth.
idiom

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
idiom

when pigs fly

Meaning
something that will never happen
Example
He'll clean his room **when pigs fly**.
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

hear someone out

Meaning
to listen to someone until they have finished speaking
Example
Please **hear me out** before you make a decision.
phrasal-verb

build over

Meaning
to move past a negative feeling or fear by developing confidence
Example
He managed to **build over** his fear of speaking in public.
idiom

Many hands make light work

Meaning
Work becomes easier when many people help.
Example
Let’s all join in; **many hands make light work**.
phrasal-verb

move up the value chain

Meaning
to shift toward producing more advanced or higher-value products
Example
The nation is working to **move up the value chain** by investing in technology.
idiom

open up about

Meaning
to share personal thoughts or feelings
Example
He finally **opened up about** the project stress.
idiom

pull oneself up by the bootstraps

Meaning
to improve one's situation through hard work and determination
Example
Despite all the challenges, he **pulled himself up by the bootstraps** and succeeded.
idiom

in someone’s good books

Meaning
to be liked or approved by someone
Example
She’s **in her boss’s good books** after completing the project early.
idiom

come out with it

Meaning
to say something openly or honestly that you’ve been hiding
Example
Stop hesitating and just **come out with it**!
phrasal-verb

ride out the storm

Meaning
to stay calm and keep going during a difficult situation
Example
We **ride out the storm** together when deadlines stack up.
phrasal-verb

wipe off

Meaning
to remove something from a surface by rubbing
Example
Please **wipe off** the dust from the table.
idiom

off the top of one's head

Meaning
to say something without thinking carefully or checking
Example
**Off the top of my head**, I think there are five options.
phrasal-verb

push on with

Meaning
to continue doing something with energy and effort
Example
Even when tired, he **pushed on with** his training.
idiom

enter stage left

Meaning
to appear or arrive dramatically in a situation
Example
Just when things got complicated, **enter stage left**—our new competitor!
idiom

Pump money into

Meaning
To invest large amounts of money to boost growth.
Example
The government plans to **pump money into** infrastructure projects.
idiom

It's always darkest before the dawn

Meaning
Things are usually worst just before they improve.
Example
Keep going, **it's always darkest before the dawn**.
phrasal-verb

build up confidence

Meaning
to increase self-belief among team members
Example
A leader’s words can **build up confidence** in the team.
phrasal-verb

dry out

Meaning
to become completely dry after being wet
Example
The ground will **dry out** once the sun comes up.
idiom

Put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to risk everything on a single opportunity
Example
Don’t **put all your eggs in one basket**; invest in different sectors.
idiom

smear campaign

Meaning
an attempt to damage someone's reputation through false accusations or gossip
Example
The opposition launched a **smear campaign** against the minister.
phrasal-verb

earn out

Meaning
to achieve something through effort or performance
Example
He **earned out** his promotion by working tirelessly.
idiom

move the goalposts

Meaning
to change the rules or conditions to make success harder
Example
They **moved the goalposts** after we had agreed on the terms.
idiom

play God

Meaning
to make decisions that have extreme control over life or morality
Example
Some people fear AI researchers are trying to **play God**.
phrasal-verb

roll out infrastructure

Meaning
to implement or expand physical and digital infrastructure projects
Example
The government plans to **roll out infrastructure** projects across the country.
phrasal-verb

pass through

Meaning
to go through an official process or approval in parliament or committee
Example
The bill **passed through** both houses before becoming law.
idiom

it takes two to tango

Meaning
both people involved in a situation are equally responsible
Example
You can't blame only him for the argument - **it takes two to tango**.
idiom

carry on about

Meaning
to speak at length in an excited or annoyed way
Example
He kept **carrying on about** the missed deadline all morning.
idiom

a shoulder to cry on

Meaning
someone who listens and supports you when you are sad
Example
She has always been **a shoulder to cry on** when I needed help.
phrasal-verb

lighten off

Meaning
to feel or make something less serious or stressful
Example
Talking to friends helped me **lighten off** the pressure.
phrasal-verb

loop people in

Meaning
to include others in information or decisions
Example
I'll **loop people in** on the findings after the interview.
idiom

tip off

Meaning
to secretly give information or a warning
Example
A neighbor **tipped off** the police about the noise.
phrasal-verb

stick to a plan

Meaning
to follow a plan strictly without giving up
Example
If you **stick to a plan**, you’ll achieve your goals faster.
idiom

throw one’s weight around

Meaning
to use one’s power or influence aggressively
Example
He likes to **throw his weight around** at work to get things done.
idiom

think on your feet

Meaning
to make quick decisions or ideas under pressure
Example
Good leaders can **think on their feet**.
idiom

case closed

Meaning
the matter is settled or finished
Example
The evidence was clear, so it’s **case closed**.
idiom

figure out

Meaning
to understand or solve something
Example
We need to **figure out** why the emails bounced.
phrasal-verb

rise above setbacks

Meaning
to recover and continue after facing difficulties or failures
Example
She learned to **rise above setbacks** and keep moving forward.
phrasal-verb

break out of comfort zone

Meaning
to do something that is new or challenging for personal growth
Example
To grow as a person, you must **break out of your comfort zone**.
idiom

forbidden fruit

Meaning
something attractive but not allowed or morally wrong
Example
For teenagers, breaking rules often feels like **forbidden fruit**.
phrasal-verb

calm down after

Meaning
to relax or become less angry after being upset
Example
It took him a while to **calm down after** the argument.
idiom

your guess is as good as mine

Meaning
I do not know the answer to a question
Example
I don't know what time the movie starts. **Your guess is as good as mine**.
phrasal-verb

rise to the challenge

Meaning
to deal successfully with something difficult
Example
He always **rises to the challenge** when things get tough.
idiom

in one’s element

Meaning
doing something one is good at or enjoys
Example
He’s **in his element** when he’s cooking for friends.
idiom

the spark of an idea

Meaning
the beginning of a new idea or thought
Example
That comment gave me **the spark of an idea**.
idiom

bring up

Meaning
to raise or care for a child until adulthood
Example
She was **brought up** by her grandparents.
phrasal-verb

hum along

Meaning
to make a sound with your lips closed while listening to a tune
Example
He **hummed along** to the melody playing in the background.
phrasal-verb

stick to

Meaning
to continue following or supporting a particular position or argument
Example
She **stuck to** her point despite the criticism.
idiom

A politician's promise is like a bubble

Meaning
a politician's promises are often unrealistic or unattainable
Example
You can't trust his plans; **a politician's promise is like a bubble**.
idiom

out with the old, in with the new

Meaning
to replace old things or ideas with new ones
Example
It's time for **out with the old, in with the new**.
idiom

throw a tantrum

Meaning
to have an outburst of anger or frustration, often in a childish manner
Example
The child **threw a tantrum** when she didn’t get the toy she wanted.
phrasal-verb

bring down costs

Meaning
to reduce the expenses involved in trading or production
Example
New technologies help companies **bring down costs** of international logistics.
phrasal-verb

give thanks to

Meaning
to express gratitude or appreciation toward someone
Example
We should always **give thanks to** those who help us in tough times.
phrasal-verb

carry across meaning

Meaning
to make someone understand your message clearly
Example
Good translators know how to **carry across meaning** accurately.
idiom

take it to the next level

Meaning
to improve something significantly; to advance to a higher stage
Example
We plan to **take our business to the next level** this year.
idiom

hit the panic button

Meaning
to react too quickly or nervously to a problem
Example
Don’t **hit the panic button** just because the server is down.
idiom

stand out from the crowd

Meaning
to be noticeably different or better than others
Example
Her talent helps her **stand out from the crowd**.
phrasal-verb

scale out

Meaning
to expand or grow the size or capacity of something
Example
The company plans to **scale out** its operations to new markets.
idiom

to weigh the pros and cons

Meaning
to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of something
Example
Before making a final decision, it's important to **weigh the pros and cons**.
idiom

troll someone

Meaning
to deliberately provoke or upset someone online
Example
Some users love to **troll** others just for fun.
phrasal-verb

log back on

Meaning
to reconnect to a website or system after logging off
Example
If your session expires, just **log back on** to continue.
idiom

At a snail’s pace

Meaning
Very slowly.
Example
The traffic was moving **at a snail’s pace**.
phrasal-verb

catch off guard

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

break barriers

Meaning
to overcome obstacles that divide people or cultures
Example
Education helps **break barriers** between communities.
idiom

draw on

Meaning
to use something as a resource
Example
We’ll **draw on** last year’s data for the report.
phrasal-verb

integrate with

Meaning
to combine or work together with another system
Example
Our app can **integrate with** multiple payment gateways.
idiom

burst of creativity

Meaning
a sudden outpouring of creative ideas
Example
She had a **burst of creativity** and finished the design in one go.
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

foster mutual respect

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

weigh against

Meaning
to compare different opinions before expressing your own
Example
Before responding, I’d like to **weigh against** all the arguments made.
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.
idiom

new lease on life

Meaning
a chance to live or start something again after a period of difficulty
Example
Winning the award gave her a **new lease on life**.
phrasal-verb

live off

Meaning
to depend on a particular kind of food for living
Example
During college, I mostly **lived off** instant noodles.
phrasal-verb

hurry up

Meaning
to do something faster
Example
You need to **hurry up** if you want to catch the train.
phrasal-verb

run down on

Meaning
to criticize someone or something harshly
Example
She often **runs down on** her coworkers.
phrasal-verb

cut down debts

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money you owe
Example
He’s been trying hard to **cut down his debts** this year.
phrasal-verb

learn to live with

Meaning
to accept a mistake or flaw that cannot be changed
Example
Sometimes you just have to **learn to live with** your past mistakes.
idiom

by the skin of your teeth

Meaning
to just barely manage to do something
Example
He passed the exam **by the skin of his teeth**.
phrasal-verb

knuckle under

Meaning
to accept someone’s authority or give in to pressure
Example
He refused to **knuckle under** to his boss’s unfair demands.
phrasal-verb

move away from

Meaning
to stop focusing on or using something
Example
The economy is **moving away from** dependency on foreign aid.
idiom

bond of friendship

Meaning
A strong connection of trust and affection between friends.
Example
Their **bond of friendship** grew stronger over the years.
phrasal-verb

reach back out

Meaning
to reply or contact someone again after a while
Example
He finally **reached back out** to his followers after a month.
idiom

tell it like it is

Meaning
to speak honestly without sugarcoating
Example
She’s known for **telling it like it is**, even when the truth hurts.
phrasal-verb

bottle up

Meaning
to hide or control your emotions instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle up** his anger instead of talking about it.
phrasal-verb

blend into

Meaning
to mix harmoniously with a group or culture; to become part of the surroundings
Example
She quickly **blended into** the local community by learning their customs.
idiom

In for the long haul

Meaning
Prepared to continue something for a long time.
Example
He knew that success would take years, but he was **in for the long haul**.
idiom

to the letter

Meaning
exactly as instructed
Example
She followed her teacher’s advice **to the letter**.
idiom

point the finger

Meaning
to accuse or blame someone
Example
Don’t **point the finger** until you have all the facts.
idiom

A bright idea

Meaning
a clever or innovative idea
Example
She came up with a **bright idea** for the new marketing campaign.
idiom

life of the party

Meaning
the most lively and entertaining person at a party
Example
Jake is always the **life of the party**.
phrasal-verb

break off talks

Meaning
to stop discussions or negotiations suddenly
Example
The two countries decided to **break off talks** after repeated disagreements.
phrasal-verb

sync up

Meaning
to make systems or devices work together in harmony
Example
Please **sync up** your devices before starting the meeting.
phrasal-verb

close in on

Meaning
to get nearer to achieving something
Example
After several meetings, we are finally **closing in on** an agreement.
idiom

code of ethics

Meaning
a set of moral principles guiding AI development or usage
Example
Developers must follow a strict **code of ethics** in AI research.
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 acquainted

Meaning
to become familiar or friendly with someone
Example
We had a short chat to **get acquainted**.
phrasal-verb

shape up

Meaning
to improve physical condition; to get fit
Example
He’s been going to the gym regularly to **shape up** before summer.
phrasal-verb

aim higher

Meaning
to set more ambitious goals
Example
If you want to succeed, you must **aim higher**.
phrasal-verb

spin off into

Meaning
to develop from something and become a separate project
Example
Our AI pilot might **spin off into** a full analytics product.
phrasal-verb

work toward equality

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve fairness and equal opportunities
Example
International organizations continue to **work toward equality** for all genders.
idiom

dress down

Meaning
to scold someone severely
Example
The coach **dressed down** the team for sloppy defense.
idiom

a wake-up call

Meaning
an event that makes someone realize they need to change
Example
Losing his job was a **wake-up call** for him.
phrasal-verb

stumble over

Meaning
to make an error while speaking or reading
Example
He **stumbled over** several words in the script.
phrasal-verb

sing the praises of

Meaning
to praise enthusiastically
Example
The director **sang the praises of** the team after the event.
idiom

get a pat on the back

Meaning
to receive praise or recognition for something good
Example
He **got a pat on the back** for completing the project early.
idiom

sift out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from a mix
Example
We need to **sift out** duplicate entries in the list.
phrasal-verb

budget out for

Meaning
to allocate money for a future need
Example
Finance **budgets out for** new laptops in the annual plan.
idiom

lie through one’s teeth

Meaning
to tell an obvious and bold lie
Example
He **lied through his teeth** when he said he was sick.
phrasal-verb

tune yourself out

Meaning
to stop paying attention to stressful things
Example
When people argue, I just **tune myself out** to stay calm.
idiom

a brush with fame

Meaning
a brief encounter or experience with a famous person
Example
During the exhibition, I had **a brush with fame** when I met a renowned painter.
idiom

trust your gut

Meaning
to follow your intuition or instincts
Example
When making big decisions, it’s often best to **trust your gut**.
idiom

get used to it

Meaning
to become familiar with something new
Example
It took a while, but I finally **got used to it**.
phrasal-verb

set reminders for

Meaning
to schedule alerts so tasks are not forgotten
Example
I **set reminders for** every invoice deadline in my calendar.
idiom

pull out all the stops

Meaning
to make every possible effort to achieve something
Example
The team **pulled out all the stops** to win the championship.
idiom

the big bang

Meaning
a sudden and powerful beginning; often used metaphorically
Example
The startup launched with **a big bang** in the tech world.
idiom

lost in translation

Meaning
when the meaning is lost or changed in translation or communication
Example
The humor was **lost in translation** when the movie was dubbed.
idiom

spill your guts

Meaning
to tell someone all your private feelings or secrets
Example
After a few drinks, he started to **spill his guts** about his failed marriage.
phrasal-verb

sign out of

Meaning
to exit or log off from an online account or platform
Example
Don’t forget to **sign out of** your account after using the computer lab.
idiom

white as snow

Meaning
Pure and innocent.
Example
Her intentions were **white as snow**.