build upon knowledge
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
phrasal-verb

build upon knowledge

Meaning
to use previously learned information as a foundation for new learning
Example
Students should **build upon knowledge** from earlier lessons to understand complex topics.
phrasal-verb

lean on friends

Meaning
to depend on friends for emotional support
Example
When life gets tough, don’t be afraid to **lean on friends**.
phrasal-verb

portion out snacks

Meaning
to divide snacks into measured servings
Example
We **portion out snacks** on Sundays so weekday meals stay balanced.
phrasal-verb

make amends with

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry and to fix a problem
Example
She tried to **make amends with** her colleague after the heated argument.
phrasal-verb

build emotional strength

Meaning
to develop the ability to handle emotional challenges better
Example
Through meditation, you can **build emotional strength** and resilience.
phrasal-verb

learn through experience

Meaning
to improve by reflecting on what has happened before
Example
We **learn through experience** when forecasts miss the mark.
phrasal-verb

dream ahead

Meaning
to imagine a positive future or goal
Example
You should always **dream ahead** and plan your next steps.
phrasal-verb

expand your network

Meaning
to build new professional relationships and connections
Example
Attending industry events can help you **expand your network**.
phrasal-verb

get in

Meaning
to enter a car or vehicle
Example
Please **get in** the car, it’s raining outside.
phrasal-verb

speak well of

Meaning
to praise someone or talk positively about them
Example
Everyone **speaks well of** the teacher who inspired them.
phrasal-verb

scale ideas globally

Meaning
to grow a concept so it works in many countries
Example
Innovators **scale ideas globally** once prototypes prove reliable.
phrasal-verb

let yourself feel

Meaning
to allow yourself to experience emotions instead of suppressing them
Example
It’s okay to **let yourself feel** sad sometimes.
phrasal-verb

drop away

Meaning
to decrease gradually; to fade or disappear
Example
Attendance at the club meetings has **dropped away** recently.
phrasal-verb

settle upon

Meaning
to decide on something after considering different options
Example
After much discussion, they **settled upon** a new business model.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself through

Meaning
to calmly guide yourself with inner talk during anxiety
Example
When your heart races, **talk yourself through** it with reassuring words.
phrasal-verb

pull at

Meaning
to tug or hold onto something repeatedly
Example
The child kept **pulling at** his mother’s hand.
phrasal-verb

come down with

Meaning
to become ill with a disease
Example
I think I'm **coming down with** a cold.
phrasal-verb

throw away

Meaning
to discard something that is no longer useful
Example
Don’t **throw away** plastic bottles—recycle them instead.
phrasal-verb

mix in with

Meaning
to participate socially and integrate with others in a group
Example
He tried to **mix in with** the team by joining their weekend activities.
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

shift away from negativity

Meaning
to move your attention away from negative thoughts or people
Example
I’ve learned to **shift away from negativity** and focus on gratitude.
phrasal-verb

blow through

Meaning
when wind or storm moves quickly across an area
Example
A strong wind **blew through** the town last night.
phrasal-verb

stir up demand

Meaning
to increase or stimulate consumer demand
Example
Lower interest rates can **stir up demand** for housing and cars.
phrasal-verb

bring down debt

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money a government or company owes
Example
The government is trying to **bring down debt** by increasing exports.
phrasal-verb

tune your mind to positivity

Meaning
to intentionally think positive thoughts to reduce tension
Example
Each morning, I **tune my mind to positivity** before starting work.
phrasal-verb

bring people along

Meaning
to inspire others to share and follow your vision; to include others in your progress
Example
A good leader knows how to **bring people along** when introducing new ideas.
phrasal-verb

go back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
I have to **go back** to the office now.
phrasal-verb

cut in with

Meaning
to interrupt someone politely during an online conversation
Example
I didn’t mean to **cut in with** your point, please continue.
phrasal-verb

catch hold of

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

center on

Meaning
to focus attention or thoughts on something; to make something the main point
Example
Try to **center on** the positive aspects of your life instead of the negatives.
phrasal-verb

roll cargo out

Meaning
to move freight out for delivery
Example
Crews **roll cargo out** to the loading docks by dawn.
phrasal-verb

run after

Meaning
to chase someone or something
Example
The kids **ran after** their dog in the backyard.
phrasal-verb

step down from office

Meaning
to resign from an important position
Example
The president agreed to **step down from office** after months of pressure.
phrasal-verb

open channels with

Meaning
to start communication with an individual or group
Example
The company **opened channels with** its overseas partners to share updates.
phrasal-verb

cut across

Meaning
to affect multiple areas or groups at once
Example
Climate change **cuts across** every sector of society.
phrasal-verb

smooth things over with

Meaning
to restore peace with someone after a disagreement
Example
She brought cookies to **smooth things over with** her neighbor.
phrasal-verb

swot up on

Meaning
to study something intensively before an event
Example
I **swot up on** statistics before every data review.
phrasal-verb

fill up with gratitude

Meaning
to feel full of thankfulness and appreciation
Example
Every morning, I **fill up with gratitude** for the life I have.
phrasal-verb

stick it out

Meaning
to continue doing something difficult until the end
Example
Even though the job was hard, he decided to **stick it out**.
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.
phrasal-verb

radiate happiness

Meaning
to clearly show happiness or joy through your appearance or behavior
Example
The bride **radiated happiness** throughout the ceremony.
phrasal-verb

pay something off

Meaning
to completely repay a debt or loan
Example
We finally **paid off** our mortgage last month.
phrasal-verb

rise above fear

Meaning
to act bravely despite being afraid
Example
True courage means learning to **rise above fear**.
phrasal-verb

put down to

Meaning
to attribute something to a cause
Example
She **put** her success **down to** hard work and determination.
phrasal-verb

cool down from

Meaning
to relax and recover from emotional or physical stress
Example
She needed time to **cool down from** the heated discussion.
phrasal-verb

comfort with

Meaning
to make someone feel better by offering kind words or actions
Example
He **comforted her with** gentle words when she was crying.
phrasal-verb

take on new challenges

Meaning
to accept new or difficult tasks
Example
To grow professionally, you should **take on new challenges** regularly.
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

warm down

Meaning
to perform gentle exercises after intense physical activity
Example
The coach told the players to **warm down** after the match.
phrasal-verb

step back from tension

Meaning
to distance yourself from a stressful situation to regain perspective
Example
Sometimes it's best to **step back from tension** and reassess things calmly.
phrasal-verb

show off

Meaning
to display something proudly to impress others
Example
He loves to **show off** his painting skills.
phrasal-verb

hold in emotions

Meaning
to stop yourself from showing what you feel
Example
He tried to **hold in his emotions** during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

look down upon

Meaning
to regard someone or something as inferior or less worthy
Example
No one should **look down upon** others based on their position.
phrasal-verb

hand updates over

Meaning
to give the latest information to the next person responsible
Example
Shift leads **hand updates over** at the end of every afternoon.
phrasal-verb

delight in

Meaning
to take great pleasure in something
Example
She **delights in** making people laugh.
phrasal-verb

rake in profits

Meaning
to earn a large amount of money easily or quickly
Example
The company **raked in** huge profits after its new product launch.
phrasal-verb

try out

Meaning
to test a new recipe or food for the first time
Example
I want to **try out** that new smoothie recipe.
phrasal-verb

set out on

Meaning
to begin a journey or activity with a particular goal
Example
She **set out on** her dream to start a handmade jewelry business.
phrasal-verb

level up skills

Meaning
to improve or upgrade your abilities or qualifications
Example
Professionals often need to **level up skills** to stay competitive.
phrasal-verb

sweep up

Meaning
to clean the floor by brushing dirt together
Example
She grabbed the broom to **sweep up** the dirt on the floor.
phrasal-verb

climb up to

Meaning
to achieve a higher position or level of success
Example
He worked hard to **climb up to** the top position in the company.
phrasal-verb

tear apart alliances

Meaning
to destroy relationships between allied groups or nations
Example
The ongoing dispute **tore apart alliances** that lasted for decades.
phrasal-verb

cloud over

Meaning
when the sky becomes covered with clouds
Example
The sky **clouded over**, and we knew it was going to rain soon.
phrasal-verb

fire back at

Meaning
to respond angrily or defensively to criticism
Example
The minister **fired back at** the accusations with strong evidence.
phrasal-verb

hold feelings in

Meaning
to not express emotions; to suppress feelings
Example
He tends to **hold his feelings in** rather than show them.
phrasal-verb

hold down inflation

Meaning
to control or keep inflation at a manageable level
Example
The central bank took measures to **hold down inflation**.
phrasal-verb

breathe out

Meaning
to slowly exhale to release tension
Example
Take a deep breath and **breathe out** all your worries.
phrasal-verb

find into

Meaning
to enter or get involved in something gradually
Example
He slowly **found into** the rhythm of city life.
phrasal-verb

build yourself up

Meaning
to increase your confidence or strength gradually
Example
She **built herself up** by practicing every day.
phrasal-verb

go ahead with

Meaning
to start or continue doing something planned
Example
The teacher told us to **go ahead with** the project.
phrasal-verb

listen without judging

Meaning
to pay attention to others’ views without bias or criticism
Example
Inclusive managers **listen without judging** during discussions.
phrasal-verb

stick to goals

Meaning
to remain committed to educational or personal objectives
Example
To achieve success, you must **stick to goals** no matter how hard it gets.
phrasal-verb

talk someone through

Meaning
to explain something step by step so the person feels confident
Example
Coaches **talk players through** calming breaths before big matches.
phrasal-verb

go past

Meaning
to move beyond a particular place or object
Example
**Go past** the supermarket and you’ll find the library on the left.
phrasal-verb

hunt for

Meaning
to look carefully for something, especially a good deal
Example
She loves to **hunt for** discounts during sales.
phrasal-verb

bottle under

Meaning
to collapse mentally or emotionally due to pressure
Example
He finally **bottled under** the pressure of constant deadlines.
phrasal-verb

pin down answers

Meaning
to get clear responses to specific questions
Example
We **pin down answers** during the call so nothing stays vague.
phrasal-verb

draw together

Meaning
to unite people for a common purpose
Example
The leader’s vision helped **draw together** the entire organization.
phrasal-verb

backtrack on

Meaning
to reverse or withdraw from an earlier statement or promise
Example
The spokesperson **backtracked on** the claim once the data was checked.
phrasal-verb

sleep in

Meaning
to sleep later than usual, especially in the morning
Example
I like to **sleep in** on weekends to rest properly.
phrasal-verb

sign off

Meaning
to end a message, email, or broadcast
Example
I’ll **sign off** here. Talk to you later!
phrasal-verb

lie back

Meaning
to recline or rest in a relaxed position
Example
Just **lie back** and take a deep breath.
phrasal-verb

come down to

Meaning
to be influenced or decided by a particular factor
Example
The decision will **come down to** how much money we have left.
phrasal-verb

find out

Meaning
to discover information
Example
I need to **find out** what time the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

sit in for

Meaning
to substitute for someone temporarily
Example
The assistant will **sit in for** the teacher today.
phrasal-verb

reach out about anxiety

Meaning
to contact someone to talk about feeling anxious
Example
Whenever worry builds, I **reach out about anxiety** to a close friend.
phrasal-verb

tune into yourself

Meaning
to become aware of your feelings and needs
Example
He started meditating to **tune into himself** and find clarity.
phrasal-verb

open out emotionally

Meaning
to start expressing feelings freely
Example
It took her months to **open out emotionally** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

do up like a dog’s dinner

Meaning
to dress or decorate in an exaggerated or showy way
Example
She was **done up like a dog’s dinner** for the party.
phrasal-verb

turn around

Meaning
to improve a situation or make something successful again
Example
The new leader helped **turn around** the company’s declining performance.
phrasal-verb

fight back tears

Meaning
to try not to cry
Example
She **fought back tears** while saying goodbye.
phrasal-verb

catch up to

Meaning
to reach the same level or position as someone ahead
Example
He ran faster to **catch up to** the leading runner.
phrasal-verb

step up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods sold abroad
Example
The country aims to **step up exports** to reduce the trade deficit.
phrasal-verb

keep pushing

Meaning
to continue making an effort despite obstacles
Example
Even when life gets tough, keep **pushing** forward.
phrasal-verb

look out for others

Meaning
to watch over or protect other people
Example
It’s important to **look out for others** in difficult situations.
phrasal-verb

rule over

Meaning
to have control or authority over a country or people
Example
The king **ruled over** the entire region for decades.
phrasal-verb

follow up with

Meaning
to contact or check again after an initial meeting or message
Example
Please **follow up with** the client after sending the proposal.
phrasal-verb

shut oneself in

Meaning
to isolate oneself from others to avoid stress
Example
He **shut himself in** his office to avoid interruptions.
phrasal-verb

tap into your potential

Meaning
to use your abilities fully to achieve success
Example
You must **tap into your potential** to unlock greater confidence.
phrasal-verb

screw up

Meaning
to do something badly or incorrectly
Example
He **screwed up** the report by adding wrong data.
phrasal-verb

thank warmly

Meaning
to express gratitude in a sincere way
Example
She **thanked everyone warmly** for attending the event.
phrasal-verb

integrate into

Meaning
to combine one thing with another to make a whole
Example
We will **integrate into** the global digital ecosystem.
phrasal-verb

bring about change

Meaning
to cause something to happen; to make change occur
Example
A good leader can bring about change in any organization.
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.
phrasal-verb

factor in for

Meaning
to include a consideration when planning for something
Example
Analysts **factor in for** currency swings when forecasting prices.
phrasal-verb

hold yourself back

Meaning
to restrain oneself from reacting emotionally
Example
He had to **hold himself back** from yelling at the meeting.
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

click on

Meaning
to press a button on the mouse to select something
Example
Just **click on** the link to open the website.
phrasal-verb

warm up for

Meaning
to prepare your body or mind before an activity
Example
Players **warm up for** ten minutes before drills.
phrasal-verb

choke down

Meaning
to suppress or hide emotions like anger or sadness
Example
He tried to **choke down** his tears during the farewell speech.
phrasal-verb

drop back

Meaning
to move to a position further behind
Example
The runner **dropped back** after the first lap due to exhaustion.
phrasal-verb

swap in healthier sides

Meaning
to replace part of a meal with a healthier option
Example
We **swap in healthier sides** like roasted veggies instead of fries.
phrasal-verb

grow out

Meaning
to allow hair or nails to become longer naturally
Example
She's **growing out** her hair for a new style.
phrasal-verb

stay ahead of

Meaning
to be more advanced or prepared than others
Example
Students who review regularly **stay ahead of** the class.
phrasal-verb

fog up

Meaning
when glass or lenses become covered with mist or condensation
Example
My glasses always **fog up** when it rains.
phrasal-verb

forward to

Meaning
to send a received message to another person
Example
Can you **forward** this message **to** the manager?
phrasal-verb

work hand in glove with

Meaning
to work very closely and effectively with someone
Example
The trade departments **work hand in glove with** each other to boost exports.
phrasal-verb

reflect kindness on

Meaning
to show gratitude by being kind to others in return
Example
She **reflected kindness on** others after being helped herself.
phrasal-verb

stand up to

Meaning
to confront someone or something bravely in defense of someone
Example
He **stood up to** the bully to protect his little brother.
phrasal-verb

open up communication

Meaning
to start or improve honest and clear communication
Example
They tried to **open up communication** to solve their issues.
phrasal-verb

cool yourself off

Meaning
to calm down after being angry or excited
Example
He went for a walk to **cool himself off** after the argument.