build capacity
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phrasal-verb

build capacity

Meaning
to develop skills or resources to handle more work or growth
Example
Small businesses are working hard to **build capacity** for future expansion.
phrasal-verb

pay into

Meaning
to deposit money into a bank account or fund
Example
I **paid into** my savings account yesterday.
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look around

Meaning
to explore or see what is nearby; to sightsee
Example
We spent the afternoon **looking around** the old city.
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ground your energy

Meaning
to stabilize your emotions by connecting with the present moment
Example
When you feel anxious, **ground your energy** through mindful breathing.
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settle into peace

Meaning
to reach a state of inner calm and balance
Example
After journaling, I finally **settled into peace**.
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stop over

Meaning
to stay somewhere for a short time during a long journey
Example
We’ll **stop over** in Dubai for one night before heading to Paris.
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pull ahead emotionally

Meaning
to progress emotionally faster than before
Example
After therapy, she began to **pull ahead emotionally**.
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phase out of

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

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

Meaning
to achieve significant points of progress toward a goal
Example
By the end of the year, they had **reached all their milestones**.
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stir up trouble

Meaning
to cause or provoke conflict or unrest
Example
Certain groups tried to **stir up trouble** during the election.
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check within

Meaning
to pause and observe your own emotions or state of mind
Example
Before reacting, **check within** to understand your feelings.
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work around challenges

Meaning
to find a way to deal with or bypass difficulties during change
Example
We had to **work around challenges** to complete the migration.
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warm to someone

Meaning
to begin to like someone or feel friendly towards them
Example
She didn’t like him at first but slowly **warmed to him**.
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bring about

Meaning
to cause something to happen or make a change
Example
Educational reforms can **bring about** long-term social change.
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bump into

Meaning
to meet someone unexpectedly
Example
I **bumped into** an old friend at the mall.
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own your progress

Meaning
to take pride in and acknowledge your personal growth
Example
You should **own your progress** and celebrate every small win.
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point behind

Meaning
to indicate something located at the back
Example
He **pointed behind** to show the exit door.
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blow up

Meaning
to fill something with air; to explode or become angry
Example
The kids **blew up** balloons for the birthday celebration.
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work out

Meaning
to find a solution or agreement through discussion or effort
Example
They managed to **work out** their differences after the meeting.
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work toward peace

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve harmony and stability among nations
Example
International leaders continue to **work toward peace** in conflict zones.
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show through

Meaning
to be visible through something; to be partly seen
Example
Her red shirt **showed through** the white dress.
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post up

Meaning
to upload or share something online
Example
She **posted up** her vacation photos on Facebook.
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set yourself apart

Meaning
to make yourself different or outstanding from others
Example
Hard work and creativity will **set you apart** from the rest.
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slip by

Meaning
to miss or overlook something accidentally
Example
A few errors **slipped by** during the proofreading.
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revel in

Meaning
to get great pleasure from something
Example
He **revelled in** the joy of being with his family again.
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phase in recovery

Meaning
to introduce recovery measures gradually over time
Example
The government decided to **phase in recovery** policies to avoid economic shocks.
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show off to

Meaning
to boast in front of someone to impress them
Example
He was **showing off to** his classmates about his new phone.
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trip up

Meaning
to make someone make a mistake; to make an error
Example
The interviewer tried to **trip up** the candidate with tricky questions.
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listen actively

Meaning
to focus completely on what someone is saying and respond thoughtfully
Example
Try to **listen actively** instead of just waiting to reply.
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shut off

Meaning
to block or stop feeling emotions
Example
He learned to **shut off** his emotions to stay strong.
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keep projects on track

Meaning
to ensure work stays within schedule and scope
Example
Daily standups help us **keep projects on track** despite surprises.
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look down at

Meaning
to direct your eyes downward; to check notes
Example
He occasionally **looked down at** his notes to stay on track.
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set apart from

Meaning
to make something or someone different or distinctive
Example
Their unique approach **set them apart from** competitors.
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align with

Meaning
to agree with or support the goals or principles of others
Example
Many countries **align with** global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
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hand around

Meaning
to give something to each person in a group
Example
She **handed around** snacks to all the guests.
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shine through

Meaning
to show your confidence or talent clearly despite challenges
Example
Her true confidence **shone through** during the interview.
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lean into healing

Meaning
to actively engage in the process of emotional recovery
Example
It's okay to cry—**lean into healing** and allow yourself to grow.
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deal down

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

Meaning
to identify or highlight problems or mistakes
Example
He was quick to **point out issues** in the project proposal.
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point toward

Meaning
to indicate or suggest a future possibility
Example
Recent studies **point toward** a rise in electric mobility.
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settle over

Meaning
to relax and let go of tension or emotional stress
Example
After a long day, I like to sit quietly and **settle over** my thoughts.
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feel down

Meaning
to feel sad or unhappy
Example
She’s been **feeling down** since her pet passed away.
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bring up with

Meaning
to mention a topic or issue to someone for discussion
Example
I decided to **bring up** the issue **with** my manager during our weekly meeting.
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protect against

Meaning
to take measures to defend from threats or attacks
Example
Good antivirus software can **protect against** malware.
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talk back

Meaning
to reply rudely; to argue with authority
Example
Don’t **talk back** to your teacher like that!
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catch one’s breath

Meaning
to stop and rest for a moment after physical activity
Example
After running upstairs, I stopped to **catch my breath**.
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bring in sustainability goals

Meaning
to introduce new environmental or social targets
Example
The firm plans to **bring in sustainability goals** for all departments.
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move up professionally

Meaning
to advance to a higher position or level in one’s career
Example
He worked hard to **move up professionally** within the company.
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bring back confidence

Meaning
to restore people's trust or optimism
Example
New trade policies are designed to **bring back confidence** in investors.
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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.
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bring across

Meaning
to communicate an idea effectively
Example
He used visuals to **bring across** his main idea clearly.
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pick up on traditions

Meaning
to notice and learn about customs and habits of other cultures
Example
During his stay in Japan, he quickly **picked up on** local traditions.
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come in

Meaning
to enter a room or building
Example
Please **come in** and have a seat.
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open out with

Meaning
to start being honest and expressive with someone about emotions
Example
She **opened out with** her husband about her anxiety.
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listen to feedback

Meaning
to pay attention to and consider others’ opinions or advice
Example
A wise leader always **listens to feedback** before making changes.
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take away

Meaning
to remove something; to make someone learn or remember something
Example
What did you **take away** from the meeting?
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rise up against

Meaning
to rebel or protest against authority or oppression
Example
Citizens **rose up against** the unfair government policies.
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calm things down

Meaning
to make a tense or angry situation more peaceful
Example
He tried to **calm things down** before it got worse.
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make over

Meaning
to change the appearance or style of something; to transfer ownership
Example
They completely **made over** the kitchen last month.
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embrace your journey

Meaning
to accept and appreciate your personal process of growth and healing
Example
It’s important to **embrace your journey**, even when it’s difficult.
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pin down

Meaning
to identify or determine something exactly
Example
We finally **pinned down** the project’s main objectives.
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click on

Meaning
to press a button on the mouse to select something
Example
Just **click on** the link to open the website.
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integrate with

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

Meaning
to refuse entry or acceptance; to move away from something
Example
The guard **turned away** people without tickets.
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carry forward into

Meaning
to move progress or funds into a future period
Example
We **carry forward into** next quarter any unused training budget.
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open up with

Meaning
to start a conversation by being honest or expressive about feelings
Example
He chose to **open up with** a personal story to make others feel comfortable.
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click away

Meaning
to leave a dangerous or suspicious webpage quickly
Example
If you see something strange, just **click away** immediately.
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lift yourself out of

Meaning
to recover or rise from a negative emotional state
Example
She worked hard to **lift herself out of** depression.
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move beyond boundaries

Meaning
to work or cooperate across national or traditional limits
Example
Global collaboration helps us **move beyond boundaries** to solve shared challenges.
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level off

Meaning
to stop rising or falling and remain steady
Example
After a rapid increase, the sales figures **leveled off**.
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turn in

Meaning
to submit something like an assignment or report
Example
Don’t forget to **turn in** your project by Friday.
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bridge across

Meaning
to overcome divisions between groups or nations
Example
Diplomats **bridge across** cultural and political gaps.
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shell out

Meaning
to pay money, especially when you don’t want to
Example
We had to **shell out** $200 for the concert tickets.
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cut out middlemen

Meaning
to trade directly without using intermediaries
Example
The exporters decided to **cut out middlemen** and sell directly to buyers.
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work out a deal

Meaning
to successfully negotiate an agreement
Example
The two nations finally **worked out a deal** after months of negotiation.
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go down

Meaning
to decrease; to be remembered or recorded
Example
This event will **go down** in history.
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ease out of

Meaning
to gradually stop doing something stressful
Example
She decided to **ease out of** her demanding job to find balance.
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drive toward

Meaning
to focus your energy and effort on reaching a goal
Example
They are **driving toward** a more sustainable business model.
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check out of

Meaning
to leave a hotel after paying the bill
Example
We **checked out of** the hotel early to catch our flight.
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open up trade routes

Meaning
to create new paths for international exchange of goods
Example
They are negotiating to **open up trade routes** with neighboring countries.
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pass stories down

Meaning
to share traditions or memories with the next generation
Example
Grandparents **pass stories down** during long festival evenings.
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go all in

Meaning
to put all your effort, energy, or enthusiasm into something
Example
He **went all in** to make the event successful.
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open out of yourself

Meaning
to express your true feelings freely; to become emotionally available
Example
It's healthy to **open out of yourself** when you're feeling overwhelmed.
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set aside funds

Meaning
to reserve money for a particular purpose
Example
The government has **set aside funds** for rural development.
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apologize for

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

Meaning
to summarize or express something briefly
Example
Let me **sum up** the key points before we finish.
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park ideas for later

Meaning
to set suggestions aside for future review
Example
We **park ideas for later** when the sprint board is already full.
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check back on progress

Meaning
to review how far work has moved since the last update
Example
Project leads **check back on progress** every Thursday morning.
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focus on improvement

Meaning
to give attention to becoming better at something
Example
Every student should **focus on improvement** rather than perfection.
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align efforts toward

Meaning
to direct teamwork and actions toward a shared objective
Example
We need to **align efforts toward** achieving long-term goals.
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rise above setbacks

Meaning
to recover and continue after facing difficulties or failures
Example
She learned to **rise above setbacks** and keep moving forward.
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grow along with others

Meaning
to develop together through teamwork and shared experience
Example
We **grow along with others** when we learn and support each other.
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acknowledge someone for

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

Meaning
to chase someone or something quickly
Example
The police **took off after** the thief.
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show respect for

Meaning
to demonstrate honor or reverence toward something or someone
Example
People **show respect for** their ancestors during traditional rituals.
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push for

Meaning
to try hard to get something done or accepted
Example
The opposition party **pushed for** a new anti-corruption bill.
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live below your means

Meaning
to spend less money than you earn
Example
One key to financial freedom is to **live below your means** consistently.
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cut in on

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
He rudely **cut in on** his opponent during the discussion.
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rise through

Meaning
to progress or succeed in something through effort and determination
Example
She managed to **rise through** hard work and self-belief.
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bring in line

Meaning
to make someone or something follow rules or standards
Example
The new CEO worked hard to **bring in line** all departments with the company’s vision.
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open with

Meaning
to begin something by doing or saying something specific
Example
He **opened with** a personal story to connect with the audience.
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pull down

Meaning
to demolish a building; to reduce someone’s confidence
Example
They decided to **pull down** the old factory and build a new one.
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click with

Meaning
to immediately feel a connection or understanding with someone
Example
We instantly **clicked with** each other at the party.
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turn against

Meaning
to stop supporting someone and start opposing them
Example
The public **turned against** the government after the scandal.
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log in to

Meaning
to enter your username and password to access an account
Example
I can’t **log in to** my Instagram account right now.
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keep striving for

Meaning
to continue making great efforts toward achieving something
Example
He always tells his students to **keep striving for** excellence.
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glow with joy

Meaning
to show happiness or satisfaction through facial expression or behavior
Example
She **glowed with joy** when she saw her family at the airport.
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aim for

Meaning
to try to achieve a particular goal
Example
You should **aim for** continuous improvement in your work.
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get dressed

Meaning
to put on clothes
Example
He **gets dressed** quickly after taking a shower.
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take up a new habit

Meaning
to start doing something regularly as a habit or routine
Example
She decided to **take up a new habit** of reading before bed.
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turn back

Meaning
to go back in the direction you came from
Example
We had to **turn back** because of the heavy rain.
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run into trouble

Meaning
to experience problems or difficulties
Example
We **ran into trouble** when the car suddenly stopped working.
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open up to change

Meaning
to become willing to accept new ideas or practices
Example
Societies progress when people **open up to change**.
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let feelings out

Meaning
to express emotions instead of keeping them inside
Example
It's important to **let your feelings out** instead of hiding them.
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bring into play

Meaning
to use or introduce something to influence a situation
Example
The president **brought into play** his connections to win the election.
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campaign for

Meaning
to work in an organized way for a political or social goal
Example
They are **campaigning for** better education policies.
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hold appreciation for

Meaning
to keep a feeling of thankfulness towards someone
Example
I still **hold appreciation for** my teachers who guided me.
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rise beyond

Meaning
to overcome limitations or challenges
Example
True leaders **rise beyond** their fears and inspire others.
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shore up reserves

Meaning
to strengthen or support financial reserves
Example
The central bank moved to **shore up reserves** by buying foreign currency.
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draw upon

Meaning
to use information or experience from the past for a new purpose
Example
Innovators often **draw upon** their previous failures to find success.