close development gaps
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phrasal-verb

close development gaps

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

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed **tears of joy** when her son returned home.
idiom

A thirst for knowledge

Meaning
A strong desire to learn new things.
Example
He has **a thirst for knowledge** and reads constantly.
phrasal-verb

keep ahead of

Meaning
to stay in front or make progress faster than others
Example
We need to **keep ahead of** the schedule to avoid stress later.
phrasal-verb

pay out of

Meaning
to give money from a specific source
Example
The damages were **paid out of** the company’s funds.
phrasal-verb

plan for

Meaning
to prepare in advance for possible events or risks
Example
Businesses should **plan for** economic downturns.
phrasal-verb

go on about

Meaning
to talk repeatedly about someone’s good qualities
Example
He always **goes on about** how talented his daughter is.
idiom

hold over

Meaning
to postpone something to a later time
Example
They had to **hold over** the vote until next week.
idiom

act on

Meaning
to respond to information with action
Example
We need to **act on** the survey results immediately.
phrasal-verb

get by with

Meaning
to manage or survive with limited resources or help
Example
We **got by with** little money when my dad lost his job.
idiom

Airhead

Meaning
A silly or foolish person.
Example
Don't be such an **airhead**, pay attention!
phrasal-verb

recover lost ground

Meaning
to regain previous progress or position after a decline
Example
The stock market quickly **recovered lost ground** after the policy announcement.
idiom

hold out for

Meaning
to wait to get exactly what you want
Example
She’ll **hold out for** a better offer before signing.
phrasal-verb

hand off

Meaning
to transfer a task or responsibility to another person
Example
I’ll **hand off** this report to the marketing team for review.
idiom

grow out of something

Meaning
to stop liking or doing something as you become older or more mature
Example
He eventually **grew out of** his bad habits.
idiom

sleep on

Meaning
to delay making a decision until the next day
Example
I'll **sleep on** it and let you know my answer tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

shore up against

Meaning
to strengthen or support something to prevent failure during crisis
Example
The government took steps to **shore up against** the collapsing economy.
idiom

justice will prevail

Meaning
in the end, right will triumph over wrong
Example
Even though the case was difficult, I believe that **justice will prevail**.
phrasal-verb

build up energy

Meaning
to increase your strength or motivation over time
Example
Regular rest helps you **build up energy** for the next day.
idiom

East meets West

Meaning
A blending of Eastern and Western cultures
Example
This restaurant is a perfect example of **East meets West** cuisine.
phrasal-verb

get across

Meaning
to communicate an idea successfully so that others understand it
Example
He struggled to **get across** his main message to the audience.
phrasal-verb

take off with

Meaning
to become successful quickly
Example
Their new app **took off with** millions of downloads in the first week.
phrasal-verb

work around challenges

Meaning
to find a way to deal with or bypass difficulties during change
Example
We had to **work around challenges** to complete the migration.
phrasal-verb

sell out

Meaning
to have no more of something to sell
Example
The new iPhones **sold out** in just two hours.
phrasal-verb

reach within yourself

Meaning
to look inside yourself to find strength or courage
Example
You must **reach within yourself** to overcome fear.
phrasal-verb

let courage in

Meaning
to allow oneself to feel and act with bravery
Example
He tried to **let courage in** instead of fear.
phrasal-verb

open yourself to experiences

Meaning
to be willing to try new cultural activities or perspectives
Example
When you **open yourself to experiences**, you grow beyond your comfort zone.
phrasal-verb

bring people along

Meaning
to inspire others to share and follow your vision; to include others in your progress
Example
A good leader knows how to **bring people along** when introducing new ideas.
idiom

hard act to follow

Meaning
someone or something so good that it’s difficult to replace
Example
The previous manager was a **hard act to follow**.
idiom

push someone's buttons

Meaning
to deliberately annoy or upset someone
Example
He knows how to **push her buttons** when they argue.
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

steer someone toward

Meaning
to guide a person toward a helpful choice
Example
Mentors **steer interns toward** roles that match their strengths.
phrasal-verb

reflect on yourself

Meaning
to think carefully about your actions, thoughts, and emotions
Example
Journaling allows you to **reflect on yourself** and grow.
idiom

chip in

Meaning
to contribute money or effort to a shared goal
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in** for Maya’s farewell gift.
idiom

jump on the bandwagon

Meaning
to join something that is already popular or successful
Example
Many people **jumped on the bandwagon** of budget travel.
phrasal-verb

zero in on goals

Meaning
to focus all attention and effort on achieving something
Example
The team needs to **zero in on goals** to stay efficient.
phrasal-verb

stay connected with

Meaning
to maintain an emotional or communicative link with someone
Example
Even after moving abroad, she **stays connected with** her old friends.
idiom

faint-hearted

Meaning
lacking courage or determination
Example
Climbing this mountain is not for the **faint-hearted**.
phrasal-verb

bring together

Meaning
to unite people for a purpose
Example
Family events **bring together** everyone and strengthen bonds.
idiom

bend the truth

Meaning
to slightly change the truth to make something sound better
Example
He tends to **bend the truth** when telling stories.
phrasal-verb

fall out

Meaning
to have an argument; to stop being friends
Example
They **fell out** over a small misunderstanding.
idiom

runway left

Meaning
the amount of time before a startup runs out of money
Example
We only have six months of **runway left** to make this work.
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

low-hanging fruit

Meaning
something easy to achieve or target
Example
We should focus on the **low-hanging fruit** before tackling bigger goals.
idiom

get back on track

Meaning
to return to the right path after a mistake or setback
Example
After a few mistakes, she managed to **get back on track**.
phrasal-verb

break down emotionally

Meaning
to lose control over your emotions and start crying
Example
She **broke down emotionally** after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

strive toward goals

Meaning
to put in great effort to achieve objectives
Example
They constantly **strive toward** their goals with persistence.
phrasal-verb

lay out concepts

Meaning
to present or explain creative ideas clearly
Example
The designer **laid out concepts** for the new brand identity.
phrasal-verb

walk along

Meaning
to move on foot beside something for some distance
Example
**Walk along** the river until you reach the bridge.
phrasal-verb

tear up over

Meaning
to start crying because of strong emotions or memories
Example
He **tears up over** the things he didn’t say to his parents.
idiom

grow into

Meaning
to gradually become more capable or skilled at something
Example
He will eventually **grow into** the role of manager.
idiom

take the spotlight

Meaning
to be the center of attention or admiration
Example
The young actress **took the spotlight** at the award ceremony.
idiom

talk the same language

Meaning
to have similar ideas and understanding
Example
We get along because we **talk the same language**.
phrasal-verb

lash back

Meaning
to respond angrily to criticism or attack
Example
When criticized unfairly, she immediately **lashed back** with strong words.
idiom

daydream about

Meaning
to imagine pleasant things while awake
Example
He often **daydreams about** living on a tropical island.
phrasal-verb

stick out

Meaning
to be noticeable or different; to continue doing something difficult
Example
You have to **stick out** the first few weeks of training.
idiom

feel under pressure

Meaning
to feel stressed or anxious due to responsibilities or expectations
Example
She's **feeling under pressure** to meet the deadline.
phrasal-verb

follow up

Meaning
to check progress or take further action on something previously discussed
Example
I’ll **follow up** with the client about the new proposal.
idiom

kick in

Meaning
to begin to take effect
Example
The backup generator should **kick in** within seconds.
phrasal-verb

mute yourself

Meaning
to turn off your microphone so others can’t hear you
Example
Don’t forget to **mute yourself** when you’re not speaking.
idiom

manna from heaven

Meaning
an unexpected gift or blessing
Example
The bonus was **manna from heaven** during the tough month.
phrasal-verb

back yourself up

Meaning
to have faith in your own ability or decision
Example
You have to **back yourself up** if you want others to trust you.
phrasal-verb

target at

Meaning
to aim a product or message toward a specific group
Example
This advertisement is **targeted at** young professionals.
phrasal-verb

apply for

Meaning
to make a formal request for a job or position
Example
She decided to **apply for** the marketing manager position at the new company.
phrasal-verb

speak kindly of

Meaning
to say positive things about someone as a form of appreciation
Example
Everyone **speaks kindly of** her because she’s always generous.
phrasal-verb

snap out

Meaning
to suddenly stop being sad or depressed
Example
He needs to **snap out** of that bad mood.
idiom

cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility and tension between countries without actual warfare
Example
During the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a **cold war**.
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.
phrasal-verb

pitch ideas in

Meaning
to contribute ideas or suggestions in teamwork
Example
Everyone was encouraged to **pitch ideas in** during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

keep improving

Meaning
to continue making things better or more effective
Example
Our company culture encourages everyone to **keep improving**.
idiom

shoot for the moon

Meaning
to aim for something very high or ambitious
Example
He decided to **shoot for the moon** and apply to Harvard.
phrasal-verb

write out

Meaning
to write something in full form
Example
Please **write out** your answers clearly in the exam sheet.
phrasal-verb

bask in

Meaning
to enjoy something greatly, especially praise or attention
Example
She **basked in** the applause after her performance.
phrasal-verb

work through

Meaning
to deal with and resolve difficult emotions or experiences
Example
He’s trying to **work through** his grief after the loss.
idiom

go places

Meaning
to be likely to become successful in the future
Example
Everyone says he’s going to **go places** with his skills.
phrasal-verb

come down with

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

carry along

Meaning
to inspire or persuade someone to agree or follow
Example
Her speech **carried along** the entire audience.
phrasal-verb

fall behind schedule

Meaning
to not be progressing as quickly as planned
Example
Construction has **fallen behind schedule** due to bad weather.
idiom

keep the momentum

Meaning
to continue progressing without slowing down
Example
We need to **keep the momentum** to reach our target.
idiom

give the cold shoulder

Meaning
to intentionally ignore someone
Example
She **gave me the cold shoulder** at the party.
idiom

full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or excitement
Example
The party was in **full swing** when we arrived.
phrasal-verb

bring in on

Meaning
to include someone in a discussion or project
Example
Let’s **bring John in on** this design review meeting.
idiom

keep something to yourself

Meaning
not tell anyone about something
Example
Please **keep it to yourself** until we’re ready to announce.
phrasal-verb

set things straight with

Meaning
to clarify or resolve a misunderstanding
Example
He met her to **set things straight with** her after the confusion.
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

in the same frame

Meaning
having a shared perspective or understanding
Example
Before we start, we need to make sure everyone is **in the same frame**.
idiom

break your back

Meaning
to work very hard to achieve something
Example
He’s been **breaking his back** to support his family.
phrasal-verb

bring up for debate

Meaning
to introduce a topic or proposal for official discussion
Example
The minister decided to **bring up for debate** a new tax reform policy.
phrasal-verb

stumble upon

Meaning
to find something by accident
Example
We **stumbled upon** a hidden waterfall in the forest.
phrasal-verb

push past

Meaning
to move beyond obstacles or limitations
Example
You have to **push past** your fears to achieve success.
idiom

be a person of your word

Meaning
to be someone who keeps their promises
Example
She is truly **a person of her word**, always doing what she says.
phrasal-verb

cut down emissions

Meaning
to reduce harmful gases released into the air
Example
Businesses are investing to **cut down emissions** from transport.
phrasal-verb

ease down

Meaning
to become less intense or emotional; to relax gradually
Example
After the stressful week, things started to **ease down**.
idiom

a picture is worth a thousand words

Meaning
a visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
That photo truly proves that **a picture is worth a thousand words**.
idiom

when life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Meaning
make the best out of a bad situation
Example
She lost her job but decided to **make lemonade** by starting her own business.
idiom

step up one’s game

Meaning
to improve one’s effort or performance
Example
If you want that promotion, you need to **step up your game**.
phrasal-verb

grow close to

Meaning
to develop a stronger emotional bond or friendship with someone
Example
Over the years, they **grew close to** each other through shared experiences.
phrasal-verb

let yourself breathe

Meaning
to allow yourself time to relax and calm down
Example
You should **let yourself breathe** when things get overwhelming.
idiom

come back to earth

Meaning
to return to reality after being excited or daydreaming
Example
After the vacation, it’s time to **come back to earth**.
phrasal-verb

cut off funding

Meaning
to stop providing financial support
Example
The government **cut off funding** for several development projects.
idiom

fib

Meaning
a small or trivial lie
Example
It was just a little **fib**, nothing serious.
idiom

spur on

Meaning
to encourage someone to continue or try harder
Example
Her mentor’s feedback **spurred her on** to apply for the grant.
phrasal-verb

pull yourself back

Meaning
to stop overthinking or panicking and return to calmness
Example
Whenever your mind runs away, **pull yourself back** to the present.
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.
idiom

the way I see it

Meaning
used to express how one understands or interprets something
Example
**The way I see it**, we should try again.
phrasal-verb

lean into healing

Meaning
to actively engage in the process of emotional recovery
Example
It's okay to cry—**lean into healing** and allow yourself to grow.
idiom

school of hard knocks

Meaning
learning through difficult life experiences
Example
He didn’t go to college; he learned from the **school of hard knocks**.
phrasal-verb

log in for

Meaning
to access an online system in order to do something
Example
Everyone **logs in for** the robotics demo ten minutes early.
phrasal-verb

buckle down on

Meaning
to start working seriously on something important
Example
I have to **buckle down on** my thesis this weekend.
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**.
phrasal-verb

tie to

Meaning
to connect closely with something
Example
Many local festivals are **tied to** historical events.
phrasal-verb

turn setbacks into strength

Meaning
to learn and grow from difficulties or failures
Example
He managed to **turn setbacks into strength** through positive thinking.
phrasal-verb

call for action

Meaning
to demand people to do something to solve a problem
Example
The protest **called for action** on climate change.
idiom

wise beyond his years

Meaning
showing maturity or wisdom greater than expected for one’s age
Example
Even as a child, he was **wise beyond his years**.
phrasal-verb

scale ideas globally

Meaning
to grow a concept so it works in many countries
Example
Innovators **scale ideas globally** once prototypes prove reliable.
idiom

be your own biggest fan

Meaning
to appreciate and believe in yourself
Example
You should **be your own biggest fan** to stay motivated.
phrasal-verb

phase in innovation

Meaning
to introduce innovation gradually
Example
They decided to **phase in innovation** to minimize disruption.
phrasal-verb

pivot to

Meaning
to change direction or strategy in response to challenges or new opportunities
Example
When their initial product failed, the startup decided to **pivot to** a new market.
phrasal-verb

keep faith in yourself

Meaning
to continue believing in your own abilities
Example
No matter how tough it gets, **keep faith in yourself**.
phrasal-verb

stay back

Meaning
to remain at a safe distance from danger
Example
Everyone, **stay back** until the area is secure.
phrasal-verb

key up

Meaning
to make someone feel nervous or excited
Example
She was **keyed up** before her first performance.