choke back
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phrasal-verb

choke back

Meaning
to try hard not to show or express an emotion, especially sadness or tears
Example
He **choked back** his tears during the farewell speech.
idiom

ahead of the game

Meaning
to have an advantage or be well prepared
Example
She’s always **ahead of the game** with her planning.
idiom

move past

Meaning
to overcome or stop focusing on something
Example
It’s time to **move past** the misunderstanding.
phrasal-verb

go ahead with

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

down on one’s luck

Meaning
to be experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s **down on his luck** and can’t find a job.
idiom

go ballistic

Meaning
to become extremely angry or excited
Example
Dad **went ballistic** when he found out I dented his car.
phrasal-verb

blow up over

Meaning
to suddenly become angry because of something
Example
They **blew up over** a silly comment on social media.
phrasal-verb

strengthen alliances with

Meaning
to make partnerships or coalitions with other nations stronger
Example
The president vowed to **strengthen alliances with** global partners.
phrasal-verb

fight back tears

Meaning
to try not to cry
Example
She **fought back tears** while saying goodbye.
idiom

on air

Meaning
broadcasting live; being aired on television or radio
Example
The radio show will be **on air** from 7 to 9 PM.
idiom

to be in good shape

Meaning
to be physically fit and healthy
Example
She exercises daily to stay **in good shape**.
idiom

take up a hobby

Meaning
to start a new hobby or leisure activity
Example
During the lockdown, many people **took up hobbies** like painting or cooking.
idiom

Bet your bottom dollar

Meaning
To be very sure or confident about something.
Example
You can **bet your bottom dollar** that he’ll show up late again.
phrasal-verb

show through

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

talk around something

Meaning
to discuss something without addressing it directly
Example
She kept **talking around** the topic instead of answering the question directly.
idiom

carry weight

Meaning
to have influence or importance
Example
His opinion **carries a lot of weight** in this organization.
phrasal-verb

preserve up

Meaning
to maintain or keep something in its original condition for the future
Example
We must **preserve up** our traditional dance forms.
idiom

can't believe your eyes

Meaning
to be so surprised that you doubt what you are seeing
Example
I **couldn’t believe my eyes** when I saw the snowfall.
phrasal-verb

vet out

Meaning
to examine something thoroughly to remove weak options
Example
We **vet out** risky proposals before they reach the board.
idiom

A flash of inspiration

Meaning
A sudden creative idea
Example
He had **a flash of inspiration** while working late at night.
phrasal-verb

gain from

Meaning
to get a benefit, advantage, or knowledge from something
Example
You can **gain from** every experience, even the difficult ones.
idiom

rocket science

Meaning
something very complicated or difficult to understand
Example
Coding isn’t **rocket science** if you practice regularly.
phrasal-verb

reach deep within

Meaning
to connect with your inner emotions or true feelings
Example
Meditation helps you **reach deep within** and find peace.
phrasal-verb

turn up for

Meaning
to attend or show up to support an event or cause
Example
Many locals **turned up for** the community clean-up drive.
phrasal-verb

pick apart from

Meaning
to separate or distinguish from others
Example
It’s hard to **pick her apart from** her twin sister.
phrasal-verb

speak on

Meaning
to talk about a specific political or social issue
Example
The minister will **speak on** the new environmental policy tomorrow.
idiom

butter someone up

Meaning
to flatter someone to gain favor
Example
He’s trying to **butter up** the boss for a promotion.
phrasal-verb

bubble with

Meaning
to be full of excitement, happiness, or energy
Example
The kids were **bubbling with** excitement at the party.
phrasal-verb

earn out

Meaning
to achieve something through effort or performance
Example
He **earned out** his promotion by working tirelessly.
idiom

a snowball's chance in hell

Meaning
no chance at all
Example
He has **a snowball's chance in hell** of winning the lottery.
phrasal-verb

ground yourself

Meaning
to stay connected with reality and remain calm
Example
When stress builds up, I try to **ground myself** by breathing deeply.
phrasal-verb

step up productivity

Meaning
to increase the level of output or performance
Example
The company is taking steps to **step up productivity** across departments.
idiom

pull out all the stops

Meaning
to make every possible effort to achieve something
Example
The team **pulled out all the stops** to win the championship.
phrasal-verb

vote in

Meaning
to elect someone to a position through voting
Example
The people **voted in** a new government last year.
idiom

adapt or die

Meaning
to survive, one must adjust to changing conditions
Example
In business, it’s **adapt or die**.
phrasal-verb

share in wins

Meaning
to celebrate successes together with others
Example
We **share in wins** with a quick shout-out during standups.
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.
idiom

tempt fate

Meaning
to take a foolish risk that may bring bad luck
Example
You’re **tempting fate** by driving without insurance.
idiom

ghost someone

Meaning
to suddenly stop communicating with someone online
Example
He used to text me daily but then he **ghosted** me.
phrasal-verb

count down from

Meaning
to recite numbers backward starting from a specific point
Example
The teacher had us **count down from** twenty to practice timing.
idiom

Speak the truth

Meaning
To tell the truth without lying.
Example
She decided to **speak the truth** no matter what the consequences were.
idiom

play it straight

Meaning
to be honest and direct
Example
Just **play it straight** and tell them what happened.
phrasal-verb

dig around for

Meaning
to search through different places to find something
Example
I **dig around for** spare change when the vending machine only takes coins.
phrasal-verb

build upon

Meaning
to use your past achievements as a base for further progress
Example
We can **build upon** our previous success to reach new goals.
idiom

patch up

Meaning
to repair something or improve a damaged relationship
Example
They managed to **patch up** their friendship after the argument.
phrasal-verb

line up investors

Meaning
to secure people who will provide funding
Example
Our team is working to **line up investors** before the press release.
idiom

make strides

Meaning
to make noticeable progress
Example
The company has really **made strides** in product development.
phrasal-verb

set out new goals

Meaning
to define or start pursuing new objectives
Example
The innovation team **set out new goals** for sustainable business models.
phrasal-verb

push up

Meaning
to make something increase in value or price
Example
Rising fuel costs have **pushed up** transportation expenses.
idiom

get a degree

Meaning
to complete a formal education program
Example
She worked hard to **get a degree** in engineering.
phrasal-verb

drop someone off

Meaning
to take someone by vehicle to a place and leave them there
Example
The driver **dropped me off** at the airport.
idiom

pay attention to

Meaning
to listen carefully or give thought to something
Example
You should **pay attention to** the details of the project.
phrasal-verb

budget for

Meaning
to plan how much money will be needed for something
Example
We need to **budget for** our new marketing campaign.
idiom

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
phrasal-verb

stand together for inclusion

Meaning
to unite in support of equality and inclusion
Example
Employees decided to **stand together for inclusion** during the diversity week.
phrasal-verb

warm up emotionally

Meaning
to start feeling comfortable enough to share your emotions
Example
It took a while for him to **warm up emotionally** after the breakup.
idiom

bookworm

Meaning
a person who loves reading
Example
He’s such a **bookworm**; he spends all his free time in the library.
phrasal-verb

come across

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

Take something with a grain of salt

Meaning
To not take something too seriously or literally
Example
You should **take his stories with a grain of salt**; he often exaggerates.
idiom

turn dreams into reality

Meaning
to achieve something one has long desired
Example
With hard work and dedication, you can **turn your dreams into reality**.
phrasal-verb

mix with locals

Meaning
to socialize or interact with local people
Example
Students are encouraged to **mix with locals** to practice the language.
idiom

Fine tuning

Meaning
small adjustments to improve something
Example
The plan just needs some **fine tuning** before we present it.
phrasal-verb

thank for

Meaning
to express gratitude for something
Example
I want to **thank you for** your help with the project.
idiom

lose track of

Meaning
to forget or stop being aware of something
Example
I completely **lost track of time** while watching the movie.
idiom

Ask a million questions

Meaning
To be extremely curious and ask many questions.
Example
Kids often **ask a million questions** about everything.
phrasal-verb

hold over feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions or resentment from the past and let them affect the present
Example
She tends to **hold over feelings** from old arguments.
idiom

give someone a hand

Meaning
to help someone with a task
Example
Could you **give me a hand** with dinner?
idiom

behind bars

Meaning
in prison
Example
The murderer will spend the rest of his life **behind bars**.
idiom

ring up

Meaning
to calculate and record a sale
Example
The cashier will **ring up** your items at the counter.
phrasal-verb

win out

Meaning
to finally succeed after difficulties or opposition
Example
Despite strong resistance, the reformers **won out** in the end.
phrasal-verb

cut off caffeine

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

take someone's word for it

Meaning
to trust that what someone says is true
Example
I’ll **take your word for it** since you were there.
phrasal-verb

step out of

Meaning
to move beyond your usual limits or comfort zone
Example
To grow, you need to **step out of** your comfort zone.
phrasal-verb

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.
phrasal-verb

ship out goods

Meaning
to send goods to another place, especially abroad
Example
They will **ship out goods** to Europe by the end of this month.
idiom

burn bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or connections permanently
Example
Be careful not to **burn bridges** when leaving your job.
phrasal-verb

follow through with

Meaning
to continue with a plan or commitment until it is completed
Example
You must **follow through with** your study schedule to see improvement.
idiom

take stock of

Meaning
to review a situation carefully before making decisions
Example
Let’s **take stock of** our priorities this quarter.
idiom

bury the differences

Meaning
to forget disagreements and be friendly again
Example
They decided to **bury their differences** and work together.
idiom

be at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or upset that you don't know what to do
Example
I'm **at my wits' end** trying to calm the kids down.
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.
idiom

feel ten feet tall

Meaning
to feel very proud and confident
Example
He **felt ten feet tall** after completing the challenge.
phrasal-verb

move upward in mindset

Meaning
to develop a more positive and confident way of thinking
Example
With the right attitude, you can **move upward in mindset** easily.
phrasal-verb

top off with

Meaning
to finish something by adding a final touch
Example
We always **top off with** fresh herbs before serving the soup.
idiom

tag along

Meaning
to join someone’s online activity or conversation uninvited
Example
He just **tagged along** in our group chat without asking.
idiom

have a spark of creativity

Meaning
to show signs of being creative or imaginative
Example
Even as a child, she **had a spark of creativity**.
phrasal-verb

recover from recession

Meaning
to return to growth after an economic decline
Example
The country is slowly **recovering from recession**.
phrasal-verb

drop into

Meaning
to enter or visit a place casually
Example
I’ll **drop into** the café for a quick coffee before work.
idiom

upgrade your mindset

Meaning
to adapt one’s thinking for modern changes or innovation
Example
In the age of AI, it’s vital to **upgrade your mindset**.
phrasal-verb

speak around

Meaning
to discuss a topic without addressing it directly
Example
He tends to **speak around** the real issue instead of confronting it.
idiom

get the wrong end of the stick

Meaning
to misunderstand a situation or statement completely
Example
I think you’ve **got the wrong end of the stick**—I wasn’t blaming you.
phrasal-verb

say thanks to

Meaning
to verbally express gratitude to someone
Example
Don’t forget to **say thanks to** your teacher before leaving.
phrasal-verb

shore up confidence

Meaning
to support or strengthen belief and trust in the economy
Example
The government announced new reforms to **shore up confidence** in financial markets.
idiom

to get the ball rolling

Meaning
to start something, especially a project or task
Example
Let's **get the ball rolling** and start the meeting.
phrasal-verb

run out of cash

Meaning
to have no money left to continue operations or activities
Example
Many small businesses **run out of cash** during prolonged recessions.
idiom

rule of thumb

Meaning
a general practical principle based on experience
Example
As a **rule of thumb**, I double-check every document.
phrasal-verb

come together on

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

flag for review

Meaning
to mark something so it will be checked carefully
Example
Moderators **flag for review** any suspicious training data.
idiom

bottle up feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions inside without expressing them
Example
It's not healthy to **bottle up your feelings** for too long.
idiom

a well-oiled machine

Meaning
a group that works efficiently and smoothly together
Example
Our team worked like **a well-oiled machine** during the event.
idiom

case closed

Meaning
the matter is settled or finished
Example
The evidence was clear, so it’s **case closed**.
idiom

stick to your guns

Meaning
to remain firm in your beliefs or decisions even under pressure
Example
He **stuck to his guns** even when others doubted him.
idiom

take someone's breath away

Meaning
to impress or amaze someone with beauty or charm
Example
Her beauty **took his breath away**.
phrasal-verb

inquire about

Meaning
to ask for information about something
Example
She called to **inquire about** the new course schedule.
idiom

Get down to brass tacks

Meaning
To start discussing the essential or most important aspects of a matter.
Example
Let’s **get down to brass tacks** and talk about the real issues.
phrasal-verb

run off

Meaning
to leave suddenly; to make copies of something
Example
He **ran off** without saying goodbye.
phrasal-verb

build flexibility into

Meaning
to include adaptability as a part of a system or plan
Example
We need to **build flexibility into** our workflow to handle changes easily.
phrasal-verb

work out of

Meaning
to be based or operate from a specific place
Example
He **works out of** our Singapore office.
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.
idiom

alive and kicking

Meaning
still healthy and full of life
Example
My grandmother is 90 but still **alive and kicking**.
idiom

feel blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
I always **feel blue** on rainy days.
idiom

eat one's words

Meaning
to admit that what one said was wrong
Example
He had to **eat his words** after breaking his promise.
phrasal-verb

throw up

Meaning
to vomit
Example
The spoiled food made him **throw up**.
phrasal-verb

sort out finances

Meaning
to organize and fix your financial situation
Example
He needs to **sort out his finances** before applying for a loan.
phrasal-verb

close a deal

Meaning
to successfully reach an agreement or finalize a business transaction
Example
Our company managed to **close a deal** with a top European distributor.
phrasal-verb

throw oneself into

Meaning
to do something with great enthusiasm or energy
Example
After the breakup, she **threw herself into** her work.
idiom

fine-tune

Meaning
to make small adjustments to improve performance
Example
The team **fine-tuned** the design before the final launch.
idiom

hold forth

Meaning
to speak at length about a topic
Example
He loved to **hold forth** on travel stories.
idiom

bold as brass

Meaning
to be very confident and not shy at all
Example
She walked into the meeting **bold as brass**.
phrasal-verb

hold off on

Meaning
to delay doing something, especially spending or launching new projects
Example
Investors decided to **hold off on** new ventures until the market improved.
phrasal-verb

build around

Meaning
to base something on a central idea or feature
Example
The company plans to **build around** AI as its main technology.