climb the corporate ladder
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idiom

climb the corporate ladder

Meaning
to advance in one’s career or position in a company
Example
He worked hard to **climb the corporate ladder**.
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

couldn't believe my eyes

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

call upon

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

cover your tracks

Meaning
to hide evidence of one’s actions
Example
Hackers often **cover their tracks** after breaking into systems.
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**.
idiom

carry on about

Meaning
to speak at length in an excited or annoyed way
Example
He kept **carrying on about** the missed deadline all morning.
phrasal-verb

cut down on delays

Meaning
to reduce the amount of time wasted or delays in work
Example
The team is working to **cut down on delays** in project delivery.
idiom

call it a day

Meaning
to stop working for the day
Example
Let’s **call it a day** and go home.
idiom

cover up

Meaning
to hide the truth about something
Example
They tried to **cover up** the mistake.
phrasal-verb

cheer oneself up

Meaning
to make yourself feel happier
Example
She watched her favorite movie to **cheer herself up** after a rough day.
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

cut back on costs

Meaning
to reduce spending or expenses
Example
We need to **cut back on costs** to improve our profit margins.
idiom

caught between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
in a difficult situation where any choice you make will have negative consequences
Example
I'm **caught between a rock and a hard place** - both options are terrible.
idiom

cast in stone

Meaning
fixed and unchangeable
Example
The script isn’t **cast in stone**; we can make changes.
idiom

cash in on

Meaning
to profit from a situation, often quickly
Example
Several startups tried to **cash in on** the sudden trend.
phrasal-verb

carry off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
She managed to **carry off** the project despite all the challenges.
phrasal-verb

cut out luxury items

Meaning
to stop buying unnecessary expensive things
Example
They decided to **cut out luxury items** to save for a new house.
idiom

chart a new course

Meaning
to plan a new direction or strategy
Example
After the crisis, the CEO decided to **chart a new course**.
idiom

cry a river

Meaning
to cry a lot or show extreme sadness
Example
He **cried a river** after hearing the news.
idiom

cool as a cucumber

Meaning
very calm and composed
Example
He stayed **cool as a cucumber** during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

carry across meaning

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

Cultural shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when exposed to a different culture or way of life
Example
Moving from a small village to a big city gave me **cultural shock**.
phrasal-verb

clamp down on

Meaning
to take strict action to stop or control something
Example
Authorities are **clamping down on** tax evasion this year.
phrasal-verb

clamp down on corruption

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something harmful or illegal
Example
The new government promised to **clamp down on corruption** across all departments.
phrasal-verb

check in with yourself

Meaning
to pause and reflect on your current emotional state
Example
Take a moment to **check in with yourself** during stressful days.
idiom

chip in for

Meaning
to contribute money toward a shared cost
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in for** a farewell cake.
phrasal-verb

carve out power

Meaning
to gain influence by persistent effort
Example
Community organizers **carve out power** through consistent meetings.
phrasal-verb

campaign for

Meaning
to work in an organized way for a political or social goal
Example
They are **campaigning for** better education policies.
phrasal-verb

charge up with

Meaning
to power a device or yourself using something available
Example
I **charge up with** a portable battery before long trips.
idiom

cut above the rest

Meaning
to be better than others
Example
His presentation was **a cut above the rest**.
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

call to mind

Meaning
to remember or recall something
Example
This song **calls to mind** my childhood days.
idiom

come straight to the point

Meaning
to be direct and honest without wasting time
Example
Please **come straight to the point** and tell me what happened.
phrasal-verb

clock out for

Meaning
to end your work shift in order to do something specific
Example
I **clock out for** lunch right at noon every day.
phrasal-verb

cry over

Meaning
to feel sad or complain about something that has already happened
Example
There's no point **crying over** spilled milk.
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

close the loop today

Meaning
to finish outstanding follow-ups before the day ends
Example
Let's **close the loop today** so clients get answers before evening.
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

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

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.
phrasal-verb

cheer yourself on

Meaning
to motivate and encourage yourself to keep going
Example
Sometimes you just need to **cheer yourself on** when no one else does.
phrasal-verb

crack under

Meaning
to fail or give up because of too much pressure or stress
Example
He **cracked under** the pressure of constant deadlines.
phrasal-verb

come back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
When will you **come back** from London?
idiom

cut and dry

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

crystal ball

Meaning
the ability to predict the future
Example
I don’t have a **crystal ball**, so I can’t tell what will happen.
phrasal-verb

cut back on spending

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money spent on something
Example
To control inflation, the government decided to **cut back on spending**.
phrasal-verb

clarify up

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

come to mind

Meaning
to suddenly remember something
Example
Her name didn’t **come to mind** at first.
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**.
phrasal-verb

cut it out

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

check in with

Meaning
to contact someone to exchange updates
Example
I’ll **check in with** the vendor later today.
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

couch potato

Meaning
a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV
Example
He’s such a **couch potato**, he never goes out or exercises.
idiom

crack the books

Meaning
to open your books and begin studying
Example
It's time to **crack the books** and prepare for finals.
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.
phrasal-verb

call forth

Meaning
to bring about a reaction or response
Example
Her speech **called forth** a lot of emotions from the audience.
idiom

cover story

Meaning
the main story on the front of a magazine or newspaper
Example
Her interview became the **cover story** of the week.
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

come in

Meaning
to enter a room or building
Example
Please **come in** and have a seat.
idiom

carry the load

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult
Example
She had to **carry the load** after her manager resigned.
idiom

carry weight

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

cheer someone on

Meaning
to encourage someone by showing support or enthusiasm
Example
My friends **cheered me on** during the presentation.
phrasal-verb

comfort someone through

Meaning
to help someone emotionally during a difficult time
Example
She **comforted him through** his toughest days.
idiom

chapter and verse

Meaning
to provide full and exact details about something
Example
She can quote **chapter and verse** to support her argument.
phrasal-verb

call together

Meaning
to bring people together for a meeting
Example
The director **called together** the team for an urgent discussion.
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.
phrasal-verb

come down with

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

cut back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something
Example
We’re trying to **cut back on** eating out during the week.
phrasal-verb

carry on through

Meaning
to continue despite difficulties or emotional pain
Example
He managed to **carry on through** the tough times.
idiom

chain reaction

Meaning
a series of events triggered by one event
Example
One breakthrough can start a **chain reaction** of new innovations.
idiom

Cross my heart

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

cream of the crop

Meaning
the best of a group; the finest selection
Example
These students are the **cream of the crop**.
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.
idiom

cool off

Meaning
to become less hot or less angry
Example
Let the soup **cool off** before serving.
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

coach through

Meaning
to guide someone step by step through a task
Example
I **coach through** tough trade-offs by sharing past cases.
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

coach someone past doubt

Meaning
to help a person move beyond uncertainty
Example
Leaders **coach people past doubt** with honest feedback and support.
phrasal-verb

clean out cache

Meaning
to remove temporary files from a system to free up space
Example
You should **clean out cache** to make your browser faster.
phrasal-verb

come over

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

check in on morale

Meaning
to ask people how they are feeling about work
Example
Leads **check in on morale** during stressful weeks.
idiom

cool off with

Meaning
to refresh oneself using something
Example
We’ll **cool off with** iced tea after the run.
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.
idiom

change gears

Meaning
to shift to a new way of thinking or doing things
Example
We need to **change gears** if we want to reach our target in time.
idiom

cross the ethical line

Meaning
to do something that is considered morally wrong in ethics
Example
Selling user data without permission **crosses the ethical line**.
idiom

cry one’s eyes out

Meaning
to cry a lot; to weep uncontrollably
Example
She **cried her eyes out** after watching that sad movie.
idiom

call someone out

Meaning
to criticize someone publicly for their behavior or actions
Example
She **called him out** for being rude to the waiter.
phrasal-verb

comment back

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

cut back on laziness

Meaning
to reduce your tendency to avoid effort or work
Example
To be disciplined, you need to **cut back on laziness**.
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**.
idiom

clear away

Meaning
to remove things to tidy a space
Example
Please **clear away** the dishes after lunch.
phrasal-verb

come up with ideas

Meaning
to create or think of new ideas
Example
The R&D team managed to **come up with ideas** that revolutionized the product line.
idiom

Cover a lot of ground

Meaning
to deal with a lot of information or material
Example
The lecture **covered a lot of ground** in just one hour.
phrasal-verb

check in

Meaning
to register at a hotel or airport
Example
We **checked in** at the hotel as soon as we arrived.
phrasal-verb

collaborate on

Meaning
to work jointly on a specific project or task
Example
Both companies agreed to **collaborate on** the new software product.
idiom

clash of wills

Meaning
a conflict between two determined people
Example
It was a **clash of wills** between the manager and the employee.
phrasal-verb

connect through language

Meaning
to communicate and bond using the local or common language
Example
People can **connect through language** even if they come from different cultures.
phrasal-verb

come clean about

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you’ve been hiding
Example
She finally **came clean about** her past.
phrasal-verb

care for

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

cry wolf

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

call for unity

Meaning
to publicly ask people to come together for a common cause
Example
The leader **called for unity** among the divided political groups.
idiom

change of scene

Meaning
a new environment or situation
Example
After months of work, I needed a **change of scene**.
idiom

clear the air

Meaning
to remove tension or misunderstanding by talking openly
Example
We need to sit down and **clear the air** about what happened last week.
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

cut down costs

Meaning
to reduce expenses
Example
The manager suggested ways to **cut down** costs without affecting quality.
phrasal-verb

coach daily standups

Meaning
to guide short daily check-in meetings
Example
Leads **coach daily standups** so updates stay crisp and helpful.
idiom

case closed

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

cut away

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

curtain call

Meaning
when performers return to the stage to receive applause
Example
After their amazing act, the team received a standing ovation during the **curtain call**.
phrasal-verb

call into question

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

choke up

Meaning
to become emotional and unable to speak
Example
He **choked up** while giving his farewell speech.
idiom

cross off

Meaning
to remove an item from a list
Example
You can **cross off** the tasks we’ve finished.
phrasal-verb

cut down on costs

Meaning
to reduce expenses or spending
Example
The government is trying to **cut down on costs** to stabilize the economy.
idiom

cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it happens, not before
Example
We will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
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.