catch off guard
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phrasal-verb

catch off guard

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

check out for the day

Meaning
to finish work and mentally leave for the rest of the day
Example
Once my reports are sent, I **check out for the day** and rest.
phrasal-verb

clarify up

Meaning
to make something easier to understand
Example
Can you **clarify up** what you meant in your email?
phrasal-verb

call for change

Meaning
to demand reforms or modifications in policy or system
Example
The activists **called for change** in the voting system.
phrasal-verb

circle back after

Meaning
to return to a topic once something else has finished
Example
We'll **circle back after** lunch to finalize the slides.
phrasal-verb

cut it close

Meaning
to allow very little time for something
Example
Leaving at 8:50 for a 9:00 meeting is **cutting it close**.
phrasal-verb

cool off after

Meaning
to calm down after being angry or upset
Example
He went for a walk to **cool off after** the argument.
phrasal-verb

come across as polite

Meaning
to appear polite when expressing an opinion
Example
Even when disagreeing, she always **comes across as polite**.
phrasal-verb

check over yourself

Meaning
to review your own actions and attitudes carefully
Example
Before judging others, **check over yourself** first.
phrasal-verb

cut off

Meaning
to stop the supply of something; to disconnect
Example
The drought has **cut off** water supplies to several villages.
phrasal-verb

crack a smile

Meaning
to smile slightly, especially when trying not to
Example
Even he **cracked a smile** after hearing the funny story.
phrasal-verb

cross over

Meaning
to go from one side to the other side of something
Example
**Cross over** the bridge to get to the other side of the river.
phrasal-verb

clean up well

Meaning
to look good after getting dressed or groomed
Example
He usually looks messy, but he **cleans up well** for special occasions.
phrasal-verb

come over

Meaning
to visit someone's house
Example
Why don’t you **come over** for lunch tomorrow?
phrasal-verb

cheer someone up

Meaning
to make someone feel happier or less sad
Example
I bought flowers to **cheer her up** after the bad news.
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

come off well

Meaning
to succeed or be judged positively in something
Example
She **came off well** in the presentation and impressed the board.
phrasal-verb

coordinate with

Meaning
to organize or arrange actions in cooperation with others
Example
Nations **coordinate with** each other to deliver disaster relief effectively.
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

come through with

Meaning
to produce or achieve something that was promised or expected
Example
The company finally **came through with** the funding they had promised.
phrasal-verb

curl up

Meaning
to bend your body and bring your knees close because of fear
Example
She **curled up** on the sofa when the horror movie got intense.
phrasal-verb

cool down after

Meaning
to gently relax following exercise or effort
Example
Always **cool down after** intense matches to avoid injury.
phrasal-verb

check in about

Meaning
to discuss or confirm the status of something
Example
Let’s **check in about** the deliverables before Friday.
phrasal-verb

crack down on protests

Meaning
to use force or strict measures to control protests
Example
Authorities began to **crack down on protests** after violence erupted.
phrasal-verb

catch at a chance

Meaning
to take an opportunity eagerly
Example
She **caught at the chance** to study abroad.
phrasal-verb

come to

Meaning
to regain consciousness; to amount to a total
Example
He **came to** after fainting in the heat.
phrasal-verb

come through for

Meaning
to do what is needed or expected, especially in difficult times
Example
Our teammates always **come through for** each other when deadlines are tight.
phrasal-verb

call for accountability

Meaning
to demand responsibility from someone for their actions
Example
The citizens **called for accountability** after the scandal broke out.
phrasal-verb

cool down

Meaning
to do light exercise after heavy activity to relax muscles
Example
You should **cool down** after your workout to avoid stiffness.
phrasal-verb

cool down emotions

Meaning
to let intense feelings settle before responding
Example
We **cool down emotions** before tackling tough feedback.
phrasal-verb

chill with

Meaning
to relax and spend calm time with someone
Example
I love to **chill with** my friends on weekends to refresh my mind.
phrasal-verb

center yourself

Meaning
to find balance and emotional calm within yourself
Example
Meditation helps her **center herself** when she feels stressed.
phrasal-verb

come up short

Meaning
to fail to meet a goal or expectation
Example
The team **came up short** in the final minutes of the game.
phrasal-verb

carry on smiling

Meaning
to keep smiling even during difficult times
Example
She always **carries on smiling** no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

catch up with

Meaning
to reach the same level or standard as others
Example
Many companies are trying to **catch up with** global tech giants.
phrasal-verb

climb toward

Meaning
to make steady progress toward a higher position or goal
Example
He is **climbing toward** the top position in his company.
phrasal-verb

comment back

Meaning
to reply to someone’s comment online
Example
She always **comments back** to her followers.
phrasal-verb

check back through

Meaning
to review something again for confirmation
Example
Journalists **check back through** notes to avoid quoting errors.
phrasal-verb

chime in

Meaning
to join a conversation by adding your opinion or comment
Example
Feel free to **chime in** if you have anything to add.
phrasal-verb

call for peace

Meaning
to publicly ask for an end to conflict
Example
The international community **called for peace** between the rival nations.
phrasal-verb

come round

Meaning
to regain consciousness
Example
She fainted but soon **came round**.
phrasal-verb

call into question

Meaning
to doubt or challenge something
Example
The report **called into question** the company’s honesty.
phrasal-verb

catch up in

Meaning
to become involved in something, often unwillingly
Example
He got **caught up in** a legal issue he didn’t understand.
phrasal-verb

cool your temper

Meaning
to become calm after being angry
Example
He went for a walk to **cool his temper** before talking to her.
phrasal-verb

cut off pollution

Meaning
to stop or reduce pollution sources
Example
Factories must **cut off pollution** to meet environmental standards.
phrasal-verb

check against

Meaning
to verify information or behavior to ensure it meets standards
Example
All reports must be **checked against** the company’s ethical policy.
phrasal-verb

cut down travel emissions

Meaning
to reduce pollution caused by transportation
Example
We can **cut down travel emissions** by holding virtual meetings.
phrasal-verb

count upon

Meaning
to depend or rely on someone for help or support
Example
You can always **count upon** me when you need assistance.
phrasal-verb

cut down unemployment

Meaning
to reduce the rate of people without jobs
Example
Industrial expansion aims to **cut down unemployment** in rural areas.
phrasal-verb

cut out excuses

Meaning
to stop making excuses and take responsibility
Example
If you want to improve, you need to **cut out excuses**.
phrasal-verb

cast a vote for

Meaning
to choose a candidate or option in an election
Example
Remember to **cast a vote for** the issues you believe in.
phrasal-verb

come off medication

Meaning
to stop taking medicine
Example
He **came off** his medication after feeling better.
phrasal-verb

cut down on sugar

Meaning
to reduce the amount of sugar you consume
Example
I decided to **cut down on sugar** to improve my health.
phrasal-verb

come up for

Meaning
to be scheduled for discussion or decision; to be considered
Example
The new proposal will **come up for** review next week.
phrasal-verb

carry across meaning

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

clear out

Meaning
to get rid of unnecessary things to feel mentally refreshed
Example
I like to **clear out** my desk when I'm feeling stressed.
phrasal-verb

carry over data

Meaning
to transfer unused data or balance from one period to another
Example
Most mobile plans now let you **carry over data** to the next month.
phrasal-verb

cut someone off emotionally

Meaning
to stop communicating or showing feelings to someone
Example
After their argument, she **cut him off emotionally**.
phrasal-verb

carry on

Meaning
to continue doing something even after interruptions or difficulties
Example
Despite the challenges, she managed to **carry on** with her work calmly.
phrasal-verb

click away

Meaning
to leave a dangerous or suspicious webpage quickly
Example
If you see something strange, just **click away** immediately.
phrasal-verb

cut down tariffs

Meaning
to reduce import or export taxes
Example
Many countries agreed to **cut down tariffs** to encourage free trade.
phrasal-verb

call upon

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

carry yourself with

Meaning
to present yourself in a confident and dignified way
Example
He always **carries himself with** confidence and calmness.
phrasal-verb

climb back

Meaning
to recover a previous position after losing it
Example
Stock prices have started to **climb back** after the market crash.
phrasal-verb

cut expenses

Meaning
to lower the total amount of money spent
Example
He managed to **cut expenses** by cooking at home instead of eating out.
phrasal-verb

clear things up with

Meaning
to resolve confusion or disagreement with someone
Example
I need to **clear things up with** my manager about the schedule.
phrasal-verb

crash into

Meaning
to hit something, especially another vehicle, violently
Example
The bus **crashed into** a truck in the early morning fog.
phrasal-verb

close development gaps

Meaning
to reduce inequalities between developed and developing regions
Example
Efforts are underway to **close development gaps** between nations.
phrasal-verb

cope under pressure

Meaning
to manage to function well even in stressful or difficult situations
Example
He learned to **cope under pressure** during tight deadlines.
phrasal-verb

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**.
phrasal-verb

cut across

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

carry forward your progress

Meaning
to continue developing based on what you have already achieved
Example
Always try to **carry forward your progress** to the next level.
phrasal-verb

chat over

Meaning
to discuss or talk casually with a friend
Example
We love to **chat over** coffee every weekend.
phrasal-verb

clean up after

Meaning
to remove waste or mess left behind by people or animals
Example
Volunteers came to **clean up after** the beach festival.
phrasal-verb

cut out middlemen

Meaning
to trade directly without using intermediaries
Example
The exporters decided to **cut out middlemen** and sell directly to buyers.
phrasal-verb

carry guilt over

Meaning
to continue feeling guilty about something for a long time
Example
He still **carries guilt over** how he treated his friend.
phrasal-verb

cut off caffeine

Meaning
to stop consuming coffee or caffeinated drinks
Example
She has **cut off caffeine** to sleep better at night.
phrasal-verb

carry up

Meaning
to take something from a lower place to a higher place
Example
Please **carry up** these bags to the attic.
phrasal-verb

come together

Meaning
to gather as a family for a purpose or celebration
Example
Our family **comes together** every year for the new year feast.
phrasal-verb

celebrate with others

Meaning
to join in the cultural festivities of people from other backgrounds
Example
We should **celebrate with others** to appreciate their culture and values.
phrasal-verb

choke back tears

Meaning
to try hard not to cry
Example
She **choked back tears** during her farewell speech.
phrasal-verb

catch fire

Meaning
to start burning; to become very exciting or popular
Example
The dry leaves quickly **caught fire** in the heat.
phrasal-verb

come out

Meaning
to be released or published; to become visible
Example
The new movie **came out** last week.
phrasal-verb

cut across inequalities

Meaning
to affect or involve people of all social and economic levels
Example
Climate change issues **cut across inequalities** and impact everyone.
phrasal-verb

comfort in

Meaning
to find peace or reassurance in something or someone
Example
Many people **find comfort in** talking to their loved ones.
phrasal-verb

cut out negativity

Meaning
to remove negative thoughts or influences
Example
Try to **cut out negativity** and surround yourself with positive people.
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.
phrasal-verb

clean up

Meaning
to remove dirt or pollution from a place; to make something cleaner
Example
Volunteers came together to **clean up** the beach after the storm.
phrasal-verb

come off as

Meaning
to seem to be a particular type of person
Example
He can **come off as** rude, but he’s actually very kind.
phrasal-verb

come forward to help

Meaning
to volunteer or offer assistance when needed
Example
Many citizens **came forward to help** the victims of the earthquake.
phrasal-verb

catch out

Meaning
to trick someone into making a mistake; to discover someone doing something wrong
Example
The reporter tried to **catch out** the politician with a tricky question.
phrasal-verb

come forward with

Meaning
to volunteer information or truth about something important
Example
She **came forward with** the truth about what really happened.
phrasal-verb

care from the heart

Meaning
to genuinely care about someone’s feelings or well-being
Example
She truly **cares from the heart** for everyone around her.
phrasal-verb

cut off by

Meaning
to be blocked or separated by something
Example
The road was **cut off by** the landslide.
phrasal-verb

come across as honest

Meaning
to seem or appear to be sincere and truthful
Example
He always **comes across as honest** in conversations.
phrasal-verb

clock out

Meaning
to record the time when you finish work
Example
I always **clock out** before I shut down my computer.
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

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.
phrasal-verb

check with

Meaning
to confirm information or ask for approval from someone
Example
Please **check with** your supervisor before making any changes.
phrasal-verb

call ahead

Meaning
to phone in advance to make arrangements
Example
You should **call ahead** to reserve a seat.
phrasal-verb

chill yourself out

Meaning
to make yourself calm and relaxed
Example
You need to **chill yourself out** instead of worrying about everything.
phrasal-verb

chop up

Meaning
to cut something into small pieces quickly
Example
He **chopped up** the onions for the curry.
phrasal-verb

cool within

Meaning
to calm down internally and regain emotional balance
Example
When I feel overwhelmed, I take deep breaths to **cool within**.
phrasal-verb

cry out for

Meaning
to need something urgently
Example
This area **cries out for** better healthcare facilities.
phrasal-verb

carve out success

Meaning
to achieve success through effort and persistence
Example
She **carved out success** through years of dedication and learning.
phrasal-verb

complain about

Meaning
to express dissatisfaction about something
Example
She always **complains about** the food at that restaurant.
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

count down to deadlines

Meaning
to track remaining time closely before work is due
Example
I **count down to deadlines** with reminders so nothing slips.
phrasal-verb

connect through

Meaning
to build relationships or understanding by using shared experiences or communication
Example
People can **connect through** art and music despite language barriers.
phrasal-verb

cut out waste

Meaning
to eliminate unnecessary waste completely
Example
We should **cut out waste** to make our cities more sustainable.
phrasal-verb

come along

Meaning
to go somewhere with someone when invited
Example
Would you like to **come along** to the picnic this Sunday?
phrasal-verb

check within

Meaning
to pause and observe your own emotions or state of mind
Example
Before reacting, **check within** to understand your feelings.
phrasal-verb

call for backup

Meaning
to request extra help in a challenging situation
Example
Editors **call for backup** when breaking news floods in overnight.
phrasal-verb

call for

Meaning
to demand or request something publicly
Example
The citizens **called for** fair elections and transparency.
phrasal-verb

chat with

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

cut down on distractions

Meaning
to reduce things that take your attention away
Example
He’s trying to **cut down on distractions** to stay focused.
phrasal-verb

cut off excuses

Meaning
to stop giving reasons for not doing something
Example
It’s time to **cut off excuses** and take real action.
phrasal-verb

come up in

Meaning
to be mentioned or discussed in a conversation
Example
Your name **came up in** our meeting yesterday.
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.
phrasal-verb

capitalize on

Meaning
to take advantage of something to gain success
Example
She knew how to **capitalize on** every opportunity that came her way.
phrasal-verb

coach up

Meaning
to train someone thoroughly to improve their skills
Example
My mentor **coaches me up** before every major presentation.