come out of one's shell
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idiom

come out of one's shell

Meaning
to become more outgoing or confident
Example
She used to be shy, but now she has finally **come out of her shell**.
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

cheer someone on

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

Meaning
to take on a large responsibility or burden
Example
As the team leader, it's his job to **carry the weight** of the project's success.
idiom

cool off

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

clamp down

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something
Example
The manager decided to **clamp down** on late arrivals.
idiom

catch some z’s

Meaning
to get some sleep
Example
I need to **catch some z’s** before the meeting.
phrasal-verb

care deeply for

Meaning
to have strong affection or concern for someone
Example
He truly **cares deeply for** his grandparents.
phrasal-verb

connect to

Meaning
to feel a sense of belonging with one’s culture or roots
Example
I **connect to** my culture through music and food.
phrasal-verb

come around

Meaning
to regain consciousness; to change one’s opinion
Example
She finally **came around** to our way of thinking.
idiom

carry weight

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

come of age

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

cross your heart

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

care about

Meaning
to feel concern or affection for someone or something
Example
He truly **cares about** the people he works with.
phrasal-verb

commend on

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

come forward

Meaning
to offer to help or take part in something
Example
Several team members **came forward** to volunteer for the new task.
idiom

come to mind

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

coordinate across borders

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

Catwalk queen

Meaning
A woman who is very confident and stylish, like a model
Example
She walked into the room like a **catwalk queen**.
phrasal-verb

call out for

Meaning
to ask loudly for something or someone
Example
He **called out for** his mother when he got hurt.
phrasal-verb

come up

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

Cook up a story

Meaning
To invent a false story.
Example
He **cooked up a story** to explain why he was late.
phrasal-verb

check in after

Meaning
to follow up with someone once something has happened
Example
Please **check in after** the appointment so I know how it went.
idiom

catch someone red-handed

Meaning
to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The police **caught him red-handed** as he was stealing from the store.
idiom

cut the cord

Meaning
to become independent from someone or something
Example
It’s time for you to **cut the cord** and live on your own.
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

carry the weight of responsibility

Meaning
to bear the burden of an important duty or obligation
Example
As a team leader, he has to **carry the weight of responsibility**.
phrasal-verb

carry on smiling

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

cut above the rest

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

catch on with

Meaning
to become popular or well-accepted among people
Example
The innovative idea quickly **caught on with** young consumers.
phrasal-verb

cherish forever

Meaning
to hold memories or kindness in your heart with gratitude
Example
I’ll **cherish forever** the help you gave me during tough times.
phrasal-verb

cash out

Meaning
to sell an investment for money
Example
He decided to **cash out** his stocks when the prices were high.
phrasal-verb

chalk up improvements

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

campaign against

Meaning
to organize efforts to oppose something
Example
Local groups **campaign against** harmful zoning changes.
idiom

Change is the only constant

Meaning
Everything in life keeps changing; nothing stays the same.
Example
Don’t resist — change is the only constant.
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

call for action

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

crack of dawn

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

celebrate wins with

Meaning
to mark achievements alongside someone
Example
We **celebrate wins with** a quick message in the team chat.
phrasal-verb

clarify up

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

Calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.
Example
The office is quiet now, but it’s just **the calm before the storm**.
phrasal-verb

chat over

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

come to terms with

Meaning
to reach an agreement or accept a situation after some negotiation
Example
It took some time, but eventually we **came to terms with** the new policy.
idiom

come to the rescue

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

clear the decks

Meaning
Prepare for action by removing unnecessary things.
Example
We need to **clear the decks** before the new project begins.
phrasal-verb

calm down from

Meaning
to relax after being angry or upset
Example
It took her a few minutes to **calm down from** the argument.
phrasal-verb

carry out plans

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

cry out for

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

cold feet

Meaning
to feel nervous or hesitant about something
Example
He got **cold feet** before proposing to her.
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.
idiom

cloak and dagger

Meaning
involving secrecy, mystery, and deception
Example
The meeting was surrounded by **cloak and dagger** secrecy.
phrasal-verb

come in

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

come up empty

Meaning
to fail to achieve or find something
Example
We searched everywhere but **came up empty**.
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 out

Meaning
to completely remove unwanted things from a place
Example
Volunteers worked to **clean out** the polluted river.
phrasal-verb

call up

Meaning
to phone someone
Example
I’ll **call up** my friend to invite him to dinner.
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

clean up shared docs

Meaning
to tidy common files so everyone can use them easily
Example
I **clean up shared docs** every Friday to remove outdated drafts.
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

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

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

cross one's heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise, often used by children
Example
I’ll never lie to you again, **cross my heart**.
phrasal-verb

clear the air with

Meaning
to resolve tension by having an honest talk with someone
Example
I want to **clear the air with** you before the next meetup.
phrasal-verb

cut down expenses

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money spent
Example
To stay profitable, companies must **cut down expenses**.
phrasal-verb

calm nerves before

Meaning
to reduce anxiety ahead of an event
Example
I **calm nerves before** presentations by rehearsing with a friend.
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

crash down

Meaning
to suddenly stop working or fail completely
Example
The software **crashed down** in the middle of my presentation.
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

carry on bravely

Meaning
to continue with courage despite emotional hardship
Example
He chose to **carry on bravely** after losing his loved one.
phrasal-verb

carry away

Meaning
to become overly excited or enthusiastic
Example
Don’t get **carried away** with the excitement.
phrasal-verb

connect through art

Meaning
to build understanding or friendships using creative expression
Example
People can **connect through art** even if they speak different languages.
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

check over

Meaning
to examine something carefully for mistakes
Example
Let’s **check over** the draft before sending it.
phrasal-verb

check back with

Meaning
to contact someone again to confirm or review something
Example
Could you **check back with** me tomorrow for an update on your case?
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.
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.
idiom

crack the whip

Meaning
to use authority to make people work harder or obey rules
Example
The new manager is **cracking the whip** to improve productivity.
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

cut back on

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

count to ten

Meaning
to pause and calm down before reacting in anger
Example
When you’re upset, just **count to ten** before speaking.
phrasal-verb

cut out waste

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

cry your heart out

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

cross the line

Meaning
to do something that is considered unacceptable
Example
He **crossed the line** when he insulted her in front of everyone.
idiom

chew someone out

Meaning
to angrily scold or criticize someone
Example
The coach **chewed out** the team for their poor performance.
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

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

crack the code

Meaning
to solve a complex problem or mystery
Example
It took hours, but we finally **cracked the code** of the system error.
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

climb the ladder

Meaning
to move up in position or success, especially in a career
Example
He worked hard to **climb the ladder** in his company.
phrasal-verb

cut off negativity

Meaning
to remove negative influences or thoughts
Example
He learned to **cut off negativity** to stay mentally strong.
idiom

cut the mustard

Meaning
to perform well or meet expectations
Example
She didn’t **cut the mustard** in her new role.
idiom

chase rainbows

Meaning
to try to achieve something impossible
Example
Stop **chasing rainbows** and focus on reality.
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

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 along

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

count on

Meaning
to rely on or trust someone to do something
Example
You can always **count on** me.
phrasal-verb

cut out for

Meaning
to be naturally suited for something
Example
She isn’t really **cut out for** long-distance running.
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

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.
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**.
idiom

cutting-edge marketing

Meaning
using the latest and most advanced marketing techniques
Example
Our company invests in **cutting-edge marketing** strategies.
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

catch up

Meaning
to meet and talk after a long time; to reach the same level as someone
Example
Let’s **catch up** over coffee this weekend.
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

coach daily standups

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

cross your mind

Meaning
to think of something briefly
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could lie.
phrasal-verb

count towards

Meaning
to contribute to an overall result or future achievement
Example
This internship will **count towards** your graduation credits.
idiom

carry over

Meaning
to transfer something to a later time or place
Example
We’ll **carry over** the unused vacation days to next year.
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

change of scene

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

cut up

Meaning
to chop something into small pieces; to upset someone emotionally
Example
He **cut up** the vegetables before cooking.
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

carry the burden

Meaning
to take on responsibility or a difficult task
Example
She had to **carry the burden** of the entire project alone.
idiom

crack down on

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