call upon
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phrasal-verb

call upon

Meaning
to formally ask someone to do something
Example
The president **called upon** all citizens to work for peace.
idiom

bust someone

Meaning
to arrest or catch someone doing something illegal
Example
The officer was able to **bust someone** for selling drugs.
phrasal-verb

hold emotions in

Meaning
to avoid expressing what you really feel
Example
He **holds his emotions in** because he fears being judged.
phrasal-verb

dip down

Meaning
to fall slightly before rising again
Example
Stock prices **dipped down** briefly before rebounding.
idiom

Money doesn't grow on trees

Meaning
Money is limited and must be earned; not easy to get.
Example
You should save more—**money doesn’t grow on trees**.
idiom

Never give up

Meaning
Always continue trying despite difficulties.
Example
No matter how hard it is, **never give up**.
idiom

take the stand

Meaning
to testify in court
Example
The witness will **take the stand** tomorrow morning.
phrasal-verb

cut short

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

sit at someone’s feet

Meaning
to learn from someone who is very knowledgeable
Example
Many students wanted to **sit at his feet** and learn from him.
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.
idiom

Dust yourself off

Meaning
Recover after a setback and continue with confidence.
Example
He fell short this time, but he’ll **dust himself off** and try again.
idiom

Cook the books

Meaning
To falsify financial records to hide losses or theft.
Example
The accountant was fired for trying to **cook the books**.
idiom

a bundle of joy

Meaning
someone or something that brings great happiness
Example
Their new baby is **a bundle of joy** for the family.
idiom

Photo finish

Meaning
A very close competition
Example
The race ended in a **photo finish**.
idiom

a Eureka moment

Meaning
a moment of sudden discovery or realization
Example
He had **a Eureka moment** when he solved the equation.
phrasal-verb

lie in wait

Meaning
to hide and wait for someone or something
Example
The police **lay in wait** for the suspect all night.
idiom

phase back in

Meaning
to reintroduce something gradually
Example
We’ll **phase back in** office days next quarter.
idiom

thinking outside the bot

Meaning
to think creatively beyond automated or programmed solutions
Example
To solve this challenge, we need to **think outside the bot**.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
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.
phrasal-verb

bring in revenue

Meaning
to generate income or money for a company or government
Example
The new industrial zone is expected to **bring in revenue** for the region.
phrasal-verb

lift yourself above doubt

Meaning
to overcome self-doubt and trust your own potential
Example
You need to **lift yourself above doubt** to achieve your dreams.
phrasal-verb

let go of confusion

Meaning
to stop overthinking or feeling uncertain
Example
Once she **let go of confusion**, everything became clear.
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

spotlight progress

Meaning
to highlight positive steps that have been made
Example
We **spotlight progress** in standups so hope stays alive.
idiom

blind justice

Meaning
justice that is impartial and not influenced by external factors
Example
**Blind justice** treats everyone the same, regardless of wealth or status.
idiom

bring to the table

Meaning
to contribute something useful or valuable
Example
Each team member **brings something unique to the table**.
phrasal-verb

move over

Meaning
to change position to make space for someone or something
Example
Can you **move over** a bit so I can sit down?
phrasal-verb

give back to

Meaning
to contribute to a community or cause that has supported you
Example
He believes everyone should **give back to** society in some way.
phrasal-verb

rise to

Meaning
to deal successfully with a difficult situation or challenge
Example
She always **rises to** the occasion when facing tough challenges.
idiom

get along like a house on fire

Meaning
To quickly become good friends and enjoy each other’s company.
Example
They met last week and **got along like a house on fire**.
phrasal-verb

dress for

Meaning
to wear clothes suitable for a particular situation
Example
You should **dress for** success when going to a job interview.
phrasal-verb

switch off mentally

Meaning
to stop thinking about work or problems for a while
Example
On weekends, I try to **switch off mentally** and enjoy time with my family.
phrasal-verb

stand out as

Meaning
to be noticeable or recognized as having a particular quality
Example
She really **stood out as** a confident and fair leader.
idiom

fan through

Meaning
to flip through pages quickly
Example
She **fanned through** the report to find the chart.
phrasal-verb

lean within

Meaning
to rely on your inner strength or wisdom
Example
During tough times, she chose to **lean within** for guidance.
phrasal-verb

open out

Meaning
to become more confident, relaxed, and expressive emotionally
Example
He started to **open out** after making new friends at work.
phrasal-verb

scale into

Meaning
to invest gradually over time instead of all at once
Example
It's wise to **scale into** the market rather than investing everything at once.
phrasal-verb

deal across

Meaning
to trade or exchange across parties
Example
The companies **dealt across** several industries.
phrasal-verb

staff up for

Meaning
to hire additional people in preparation for something
Example
We need to **staff up for** the remote support launch.
phrasal-verb

band together for

Meaning
to unite with others for a common purpose or cause
Example
The volunteers **banded together for** the flood relief effort.
idiom

wash your hands of something

Meaning
to stop being involved in or responsible for something
Example
After the scandal, the manager **washed his hands of** the project.
phrasal-verb

hold steady at

Meaning
to remain stable at a certain level or value
Example
The country's inflation rate has **held steady at** 5% for the past six months.
phrasal-verb

mingle with

Meaning
to move around and talk to different people at a social event
Example
Try to **mingle with** new people at the party.
phrasal-verb

rise above emotions

Meaning
to not let emotions control your actions
Example
True wisdom is the ability to **rise above emotions** in tough situations.
phrasal-verb

break down into

Meaning
to divide something into smaller parts
Example
Let's **break down** the project **into** smaller tasks.
phrasal-verb

think back on

Meaning
to remember or recall something from the past
Example
When I **think back on** that day, I realize how careless I was.
idiom

black and blue

Meaning
bruised; having marks from injury
Example
He was **black and blue** after falling off his bike.
idiom

in the line of fire

Meaning
to be in a situation where one is likely to be blamed or criticized
Example
The manager found himself **in the line of fire** after the project failed.
phrasal-verb

speak out for justice

Meaning
to publicly support fairness or equality
Example
The ambassador **spoke out for justice** in his UN speech.
phrasal-verb

grow past pain

Meaning
to develop emotionally by overcoming past suffering
Example
It’s never easy to **grow past pain**, but it’s worth it.
idiom

to my mind

Meaning
in my personal opinion or belief
Example
**To my mind**, this plan will work perfectly.
idiom

to frame the issue

Meaning
to present a situation in a particular way
Example
The journalist cleverly **framed the issue** to highlight social inequality.
idiom

bring forward

Meaning
to move something to an earlier time
Example
We had to **bring forward** the meeting due to travel.
idiom

hang loose

Meaning
to relax and take things easy
Example
We’re on vacation, so just **hang loose** and enjoy.
phrasal-verb

stand up for

Meaning
to defend or support someone’s rights or opinions
Example
Parents should **stand up for** their children when they are treated unfairly.
idiom

check over

Meaning
to examine something carefully for mistakes
Example
Let’s **check over** the draft before sending it.
idiom

mark down

Meaning
to reduce the price of something
Example
The store **marked down** winter coats in March.
idiom

run out of bandwidth

Meaning
to have no time or energy left; to be overwhelmed
Example
Sorry, I can’t take another task — I’ve **run out of bandwidth**.
phrasal-verb

keep fit

Meaning
to stay healthy and physically active
Example
I go jogging every morning to **keep fit**.
idiom

turn the page

Meaning
to move on to something new after finishing or overcoming something
Example
After the breakup, she decided to **turn the page** and start fresh.
idiom

When there’s life, there’s hope

Meaning
As long as you are alive, there is a chance for improvement.
Example
Don’t give up—**when there’s life, there’s hope**.
B2 idiom

close but no cigar

Almost correct or successful but not quite
Meaning
Almost correct or successful but not quite
Example
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
idiom

whatever floats your boat

Meaning
do whatever makes you happy or interested
Example
If you enjoy watching paint dry, **whatever floats your boat**.
phrasal-verb

pick on

Meaning
to treat someone unfairly or criticize repeatedly
Example
Don’t **pick on** your brother; he didn’t do anything wrong.
phrasal-verb

rely on

Meaning
to trust or depend on someone or something
Example
We **rely on** local suppliers for daily goods.
idiom

blow off steam

Meaning
to express anger or frustration so that you feel better
Example
He went for a run to **blow off steam** after the argument.
phrasal-verb

set out

Meaning
to begin an action with a clear purpose or plan
Example
The leader **set out** to build a more collaborative culture.
phrasal-verb

reach out for dialogue

Meaning
to try to start communication or discussion with others
Example
Countries need to **reach out for dialogue** to solve conflicts peacefully.
phrasal-verb

move up in

Meaning
to advance or get promoted within an organization
Example
She worked hard to **move up in** her company.
phrasal-verb

stay focused on

Meaning
to continue giving attention to something important without getting distracted
Example
To achieve good grades, you must **stay focused on** your studies.
idiom

map out

Meaning
to plan something in detail
Example
We should **map out** our marketing strategy for the next quarter.
phrasal-verb

zone in on calmness

Meaning
to focus your mind on staying calm
Example
Try to **zone in on calmness** during meditation.
phrasal-verb

chat with

Meaning
to talk informally with someone
Example
She loves to **chat with** new people at social events.
idiom

Cross the Rubicon

Meaning
To make an irreversible decision or take a step from which there is no turning back.
Example
By quitting his job, he **crossed the Rubicon** and committed to his startup dream.
idiom

take no prisoners

Meaning
to be ruthless or extremely determined in achieving something
Example
Our sales team **takes no prisoners** when it comes to competition.
idiom

penny stock

Meaning
a very low-priced, high-risk stock
Example
He made a fortune trading **penny stocks**.
idiom

set the example

Meaning
to model the behavior you expect from others
Example
The manager always tries to **set the example** by being punctual and hardworking.
idiom

under a cloud

Meaning
being suspected or in trouble
Example
He left the company **under a cloud** after the scandal.
idiom

to put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
to risk everything on a single venture or decision
Example
I wouldn’t suggest **putting all your eggs in one basket** with this investment.
phrasal-verb

lean toward

Meaning
to show preference or support for one option or side
Example
Most countries **lean toward** multilateral cooperation.
idiom

a helping hand

Meaning
someone who helps or assists others
Example
She offered **a helping hand** to the new student in class.
idiom

hands are tied

Meaning
to be unable to act freely because of rules or restrictions
Example
The government’s **hands are tied** due to international trade laws.
idiom

ahead of the curve

Meaning
to be more advanced or innovative than others
Example
Their company is **ahead of the curve** in AI development.
phrasal-verb

open up about kindness

Meaning
to speak honestly about acts of kindness or gratitude
Example
He finally **opened up about kindness** he received from strangers.
phrasal-verb

set against

Meaning
to compare one thing with another; to make someone oppose something
Example
Her parents are **set against** her studying abroad.
idiom

make up with someone

Meaning
to become friends again after a disagreement
Example
After their argument, they decided to **make up with each other**.
idiom

easy does it

Meaning
used to tell someone to be careful and patient
Example
**Easy does it**, don’t rush the process.
phrasal-verb

cut in line

Meaning
to move ahead of others waiting in a queue
Example
It’s considered rude to **cut in line** at the counter.
idiom

hit the airwaves

Meaning
to start being broadcast on television or radio
Example
The new talk show will **hit the airwaves** next week.
idiom

hard as nails

Meaning
very tough and determined
Example
She’s **hard as nails** when it comes to achieving her goals.
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.
idiom

get a new lease on life

Meaning
to gain new energy or enthusiasm for something
Example
After the surgery, she felt like she had **got a new lease on life**.
idiom

raise the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After several failed attempts, he finally **raised the white flag**.
phrasal-verb

pay out

Meaning
to spend or distribute money, especially large amounts
Example
The company had to **pay out** millions in compensation.
idiom

in beta

Meaning
in the testing phase before final release
Example
The app is still **in beta**, so expect some bugs.
idiom

turing test

Meaning
a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human
Example
The AI passed the **Turing test**, convincing the judges that it was human-like.
idiom

draw inspiration from

Meaning
to be motivated or influenced by something
Example
He **drew inspiration from** nature for his latest painting.
phrasal-verb

bounce ideas around

Meaning
to share and discuss ideas with others
Example
We often **bounce ideas around** during our weekly meetings.
phrasal-verb

drive yourself forward

Meaning
to motivate yourself to keep progressing
Example
She constantly **drives herself forward** to reach her goals.
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.
phrasal-verb

plug out

Meaning
to disconnect a device from a power source
Example
Remember to **plug out** your charger when it’s full.
phrasal-verb

draw attention to issues

Meaning
to make people notice or focus on important problems
Example
The activist group aims to **draw attention to issues** of global inequality.
idiom

sift out

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

build a better mousetrap

Meaning
to improve an existing product or idea
Example
Every tech company tries to **build a better mousetrap** in its field.
phrasal-verb

rise with hope

Meaning
to start fresh with renewed optimism
Example
Every morning, she tries to **rise with hope** for a better day.
idiom

an apple a day keeps the doctor away

Meaning
eating healthy food helps you stay well
Example
My mom always says, '**An apple a day keeps the doctor away**.'
phrasal-verb

blow it

Meaning
to fail at something important; to lose an opportunity
Example
I really **blew it** in the interview by arriving late.
idiom

Put one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
To focus on hard work and continuous effort.
Example
She really had to **put her nose to the grindstone** to get the promotion.
phrasal-verb

break off communication

Meaning
to stop communicating suddenly or intentionally
Example
After the argument, they **broke off communication** for months.
phrasal-verb

set aside time

Meaning
to reserve a specific amount of time for something important
Example
You should **set aside time** for personal reflection every day.
idiom

you’ve got this

Meaning
to reassure someone that they can handle a situation
Example
Don’t worry about the presentation—**you’ve got this**!
phrasal-verb

zone out with

Meaning
to relax or mentally drift while using something like music or a show
Example
I sometimes **zone out with** a podcast on the bus ride home.
idiom

hit the same wavelength

Meaning
to share similar thoughts and feelings
Example
We **hit the same wavelength** from the first conversation.
phrasal-verb

blend across

Meaning
to mix or merge cultures or systems from different areas
Example
Global cuisines often **blend across** traditions and tastes.
phrasal-verb

get over setbacks

Meaning
to recover from difficulties and continue trying
Example
It’s not easy, but you must **get over setbacks** and move on.
idiom

in the trenches

Meaning
to be deeply involved in hard work or challenging situations
Example
She’s **in the trenches** with the rest of the team, solving problems every day.
idiom

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Meaning
Don’t risk everything on a single plan.
Example
You should invest in different areas; **don’t put all your eggs in one basket**.
idiom

wear out

Meaning
to use something until it becomes unusable
Example
You’ll **wear out** those shoes if you hike every weekend.
idiom

Don’t be discouraged

Meaning
Stay motivated even after setbacks.
Example
**Don’t be discouraged**—success takes time.
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.