catch up to
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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

commend on

Meaning
to praise someone for something
Example
The manager **commended** her **on** her excellent presentation.
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.
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

check back in

Meaning
to reconnect later to get an update
Example
Let’s **check back in** next week on the prototype.
idiom

change your tune

Meaning
to change your opinion or attitude
Example
He criticized the plan at first but later **changed his tune**.
phrasal-verb

carry about

Meaning
to move or take something from place to place
Example
Vendors **carry about** their goods in baskets.
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

carry forward surplus

Meaning
to move remaining funds or profit into the next financial period
Example
The company decided to **carry forward surplus** to strengthen future operations.
idiom

clean up your act

Meaning
to start behaving more responsibly.
Example
You need to **clean up your act** if you want that promotion.
idiom

cry over spilt milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There’s no use **crying over spilt milk**.
phrasal-verb

connect emotionally with

Meaning
to share and understand emotions with someone on a deeper level
Example
It’s important to **connect emotionally with** your partner for a healthy relationship.
idiom

cry wolf

Meaning
to raise a false alarm
Example
Do not **cry wolf** or no one will believe you later.
phrasal-verb

cheer forward

Meaning
to encourage someone to continue with confidence or hope
Example
Let’s **cheer forward** our team even if they’re losing!
idiom

clue in

Meaning
to give someone the necessary information
Example
Can you **clue me in** on the schedule changes?
idiom

crack down on

Meaning
to take strict action to stop something
Example
The city plans to **crack down on** illegal parking downtown.
phrasal-verb

crack up

Meaning
to burst into laughter; to laugh uncontrollably
Example
We all **cracked up** at his silly joke.
idiom

copycat

Meaning
someone who imitates another person
Example
She’s such a **copycat**, always doing what I do.
phrasal-verb

carry forward lessons

Meaning
to apply what you learned from past experiences
Example
We **carry forward lessons** from each launch into the next sprint.
idiom

come down hard on

Meaning
to punish or criticize someone severely
Example
The company **came down hard on** employees who broke the rules.
idiom

clear your head

Meaning
to stop thinking about something for a while and relax
Example
After a stressful week, I like to take a walk to **clear my head**.
phrasal-verb

come into alliance with

Meaning
to form an alliance or partnership with another group or country
Example
The two economies **came into alliance with** each other to strengthen trade ties.
idiom

Cross my heart

Meaning
I swear or promise sincerely.
Example
I will help you, **cross my heart**.
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

come together on

Meaning
to unite in agreement on a common issue
Example
World leaders **came together on** climate change goals.
idiom

cry your heart out

Meaning
to cry a lot due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

carry on with

Meaning
to continue doing something even when it is difficult
Example
He decided to **carry on with** his studies despite financial struggles.
phrasal-verb

collide with

Meaning
to crash into something or someone
Example
Two motorcycles **collided with** each other at the intersection.
idiom

call to order

Meaning
to officially begin a meeting or discussion
Example
The chairperson **called the meeting to order** at 10 AM.
phrasal-verb

coordinate across borders

Meaning
to organize efforts with people in different countries
Example
We **coordinate across borders** to keep the partnership moving smoothly.
phrasal-verb

cut back on imports

Meaning
to reduce the amount of goods bought from abroad
Example
The country decided to **cut back on imports** to improve its trade balance.
idiom

call the shots

Meaning
to be in charge and make decisions
Example
In this company, the manager **calls the shots**.
idiom

climbing the ladder

Meaning
to improve one's position, typically in a career or personal growth
Example
He started at the bottom of the company and has been **climbing the ladder** ever since.
idiom

circle back

Meaning
to return to a topic or task later
Example
Let's **circle back** to this issue after lunch.
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

cover for

Meaning
to protect someone by hiding their mistake or wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **cover for** his colleague who submitted false data.
idiom

caught between two stools

Meaning
to fail because of trying to do two things at once
Example
He was **caught between two stools**—trying to please both his boss and his team.
idiom

circle of friends

Meaning
a group of people you are friendly with
Example
She has a large **circle of friends** from college.
idiom

couldn’t care less

Meaning
to show total indifference
Example
She **couldn’t care less** about what people think.
phrasal-verb

crack up at

Meaning
to laugh uncontrollably at something
Example
Everyone **cracked up at** his funny joke.
idiom

Culture shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when encountering a different culture
Example
Moving to Japan gave her a bit of **culture shock** at first.
idiom

cut someone down to size

Meaning
to criticize someone to make them feel less important
Example
The manager **cut him down to size** after he bragged too much.
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.
idiom

canary in the coal mine

Meaning
an early warning of potential danger
Example
Melting glaciers are the **canary in the coal mine** for climate change.
phrasal-verb

care for

Meaning
to look after someone who is sick or in need
Example
He **cares for** his elderly parents every day.
idiom

chip off the old block

Meaning
a child who closely resembles their parent in looks or behavior
Example
He’s a **chip off the old block**—just as kind and funny as his father.
phrasal-verb

catch on to

Meaning
to understand or learn something new, especially after some time
Example
It took him a few weeks to **catch on to** the new reporting system.
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.
idiom

chalk up

Meaning
to attribute something to a particular cause
Example
Let’s **chalk up** the delay to bad weather.
idiom

catch a bug

Meaning
to find a problem or defect in a system
Example
The developer was able to **catch a bug** in the system before it went live.
idiom

carry the weight of the world on one's shoulders

Meaning
to feel responsible for many problems or duties
Example
She always **carries the weight of the world on her shoulders**, even when it's not her fault.
idiom

can’t wait

Meaning
to be very eager or impatient for something to happen
Example
I **can’t wait** to see the new movie!
phrasal-verb

clock in

Meaning
to record the time when you start work
Example
Employees must **clock in** when they begin their remote shifts.
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

choke back tears

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

carry out plans

Meaning
to execute or implement something as planned
Example
The team successfully carried out the new strategy.
idiom

come of age

Meaning
to reach maturity; to become fully developed
Example
The company has **come of age** in the last few years.
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

clam up

Meaning
to suddenly stop talking, especially when nervous or unwilling
Example
She **clammed up** as soon as I asked about her mistake.
phrasal-verb

chase after dreams

Meaning
to actively pursue one's ambitions or desires
Example
He left his hometown to **chase after** his dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.
phrasal-verb

cheer someone for

Meaning
to show appreciation by praising or encouraging someone
Example
They **cheered him for** his volunteer work at the shelter.
idiom

chatterbox

Meaning
a person who talks a lot
Example
My little sister is a real **chatterbox**.
idiom

catch lightning in a bottle

Meaning
to achieve something amazing and rare through creativity or luck
Example
Their new design **caught lightning in a bottle**.
idiom

come to the rescue

Meaning
to help someone in trouble
Example
A firefighter **came to the rescue** of the trapped cat.
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

call dibs on tasks

Meaning
to claim responsibility for specific work
Example
New hires **call dibs on tasks** that match their learning goals.
phrasal-verb

connect on a deeper level

Meaning
to relate to someone emotionally and understand them well
Example
They **connected on a deeper level** after sharing their personal stories.
phrasal-verb

carry off with

Meaning
to remove or take away forcefully
Example
The thief **carried off** the jewels **with** surprising speed.
idiom

cross your heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise
Example
I’ll never tell anyone, **cross my heart**.
phrasal-verb

cut in

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
Please don’t **cut in** when others are making their points.
phrasal-verb

come across

Meaning
to find something or someone unexpectedly
Example
We **came across** a promising distributor during the trade fair.
phrasal-verb

come up

Meaning
to be mentioned or occur unexpectedly
Example
Your name **came up** during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

click away

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

cash cow

Meaning
a product or service that consistently generates a lot of money
Example
Their mobile app has become a **cash cow** for the company.
phrasal-verb

cut someone off

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
She kept **cutting me off** whenever I tried to explain.
phrasal-verb

cheer for

Meaning
to show support or enthusiasm for someone or something
Example
The crowd **cheered for** their favorite player loudly.
idiom

chill out

Meaning
to relax and stop being angry or nervous
Example
You need to **chill out** and enjoy the weekend.
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.
idiom

cancel culture

Meaning
the practice of withdrawing support from someone after they do something offensive
Example
Many celebrities fear **cancel culture** online.
phrasal-verb

check into

Meaning
to enter and get accommodation at a hotel or lodge
Example
We **checked into** a cozy mountain resort for our vacation.
idiom

crack of dawn

Meaning
very early in the morning
Example
He wakes up at the **crack of dawn** every day.
idiom

clear up

Meaning
to make something easier to understand or to tidy a place
Example
Let me **clear up** the schedule so everyone knows their tasks.
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.
idiom

check up on

Meaning
to verify that someone or something is doing well
Example
I’ll **check up on** the interns after the training session.
idiom

come to terms

Meaning
to reach an agreement after discussion or conflict
Example
After weeks of negotiation, both sides finally **came to terms**.
idiom

cloud computing

Meaning
the practice of using remote servers to store, manage, and process data over the internet
Example
Many businesses rely on **cloud computing** for data storage and security.
phrasal-verb

calm over

Meaning
to gradually become peaceful or composed
Example
After some quiet time, you’ll **calm over** and think clearly.
phrasal-verb

come on board

Meaning
to join a team or project
Example
We’re excited for you to **come on board** our project.
idiom

crazy about someone

Meaning
to be deeply attracted or infatuated with someone
Example
She’s **crazy about** her new boyfriend.
idiom

climb to the top

Meaning
to achieve the highest position in a company or field
Example
He’s determined to **climb to the top** of his profession.
idiom

cutting corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often sacrificing quality
Example
They finished early by **cutting corners**, but the result was poor.
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 on

Meaning
to eliminate something from your diet or routine
Example
My doctor told me to **cut out on** sugar to lose weight.
phrasal-verb

check around for

Meaning
to look in different places in search of something
Example
We **check around for** scholarships before settling on a program.
phrasal-verb

call out

Meaning
to criticize or challenge someone publicly
Example
The candidate **called out** the government for ignoring public needs.
phrasal-verb

chop up

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

call on

Meaning
to request someone to speak or do something
Example
The teacher will **call on** you if you raise your hand.
phrasal-verb

come up against

Meaning
to face a problem or difficulty
Example
We **came up against** several obstacles during the project.
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.
idiom

corner office

Meaning
a symbol of success or high position in a company
Example
Everyone dreams of getting the **corner office** one day.
phrasal-verb

cut away

Meaning
to remove part of something with a tool or knife
Example
The doctor **cut away** the damaged tissue.
phrasal-verb

check back through

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

cut it out

Meaning
to stop doing something annoying or bad
Example
**Cut it out**! You’re being too noisy.
idiom

cross the aisle

Meaning
to cooperate with members of the opposing political party
Example
He often **crosses the aisle** to work on bipartisan issues.
phrasal-verb

come off medication

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

chalk up improvements

Meaning
to credit progress achieved over time
Example
We **chalk up improvements** to consistent practice and rest.
phrasal-verb

chase after

Meaning
to try hard to achieve something you want
Example
Many people **chase after** success without enjoying the process.
idiom

change one's tune

Meaning
to change one's opinion or attitude
Example
After hearing the good news, he decided to **change his tune**.
idiom

cut and dry

Meaning
clear and straightforward; no room for confusion
Example
The decision wasn’t as **cut and dry** as they expected.
phrasal-verb

come up in

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

chip away at

Meaning
to gradually work on something to achieve a result
Example
She **chipped away at** her thesis every evening until it was finished.
idiom

cross that bridge when we come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem only when it arises
Example
Don't worry about the challenges now, we will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
idiom

carve out

Meaning
to create or obtain something with effort
Example
She managed to **carve out** time for daily reading.
phrasal-verb

cheer about

Meaning
to express happiness or approval loudly about something
Example
Fans **cheered about** the team’s victory.
idiom

crybaby

Meaning
someone who complains or cries easily
Example
Don’t be a **crybaby**, it’s just a small scratch.
phrasal-verb

come out stronger

Meaning
to recover from difficulties with more strength or wisdom
Example
After failing the exam, she managed to **come out stronger** and more determined.
phrasal-verb

cut back on mistakes

Meaning
to reduce the number of errors you make
Example
To grow professionally, try to **cut back on mistakes**.
phrasal-verb

cheer others on

Meaning
to encourage people to keep going
Example
Managers **cheer others on** when the team hits tough weather calls.
idiom

change your mind

Meaning
to decide something different from before
Example
She **changed her mind** about going to the party.
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**.