come up short
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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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

calm over

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

against all odds

Meaning
despite great difficulties or challenges
Example
She succeeded **against all odds** and became a doctor.
phrasal-verb

bring in together

Meaning
to unite people from different backgrounds
Example
The HR department worked hard to **bring in together** employees from various cultures.
phrasal-verb

come off

Meaning
to happen successfully; to succeed
Example
The plan **came off** just as we hoped.
phrasal-verb

start up

Meaning
to begin a new business or project
Example
They decided to **start up** a food delivery service in their city.
idiom

carry the can

Meaning
to accept responsibility or blame, often unfairly.
Example
She was left to **carry the can** after her manager left.
idiom

make your blood run cold

Meaning
to cause extreme fear or horror
Example
The ghost story **made my blood run cold**.
idiom

peace and quiet

Meaning
a time of calmness and tranquility
Example
I just need some **peace and quiet** to finish my work.
idiom

hot under the collar

Meaning
feeling angry or embarrassed
Example
He got **hot under the collar** when his mistake was pointed out.
idiom

keep up with the Joneses

Meaning
to try to match your neighbors or peers in wealth or possessions
Example
Many people go into debt trying to **keep up with the Joneses**.
idiom

full of years

Meaning
having lived a long and fulfilling life
Example
He passed away **full of years** and surrounded by family.
idiom

roll credits

Meaning
to finish or conclude something
Example
Once the project is done, we can **roll credits**.
phrasal-verb

give in to

Meaning
to yield or surrender to pressure or temptation
Example
The country refused to **give in to** international pressure.
phrasal-verb

branch out creatively

Meaning
to expand one’s work into more creative fields or approaches
Example
Our agency has started to **branch out creatively** with digital storytelling.
idiom

crack down on

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

To meet one’s Waterloo

Meaning
To encounter one’s ultimate defeat or failure.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo**.
phrasal-verb

set off

Meaning
to start a journey
Example
We **set off** early in the morning to avoid traffic.
B1 proverb

easier said than done

Something is more difficult to do than it sounds
Meaning
Something is more difficult to do than it sounds
Example
Getting a job is easier said than done in this competitive market.
Getting a job is easier said than done in this competitive market.
phrasal-verb

come across as polite

Meaning
to appear polite when expressing an opinion
Example
Even when disagreeing, she always **comes across as polite**.
idiom

Pick up the tab

Meaning
To pay the bill for something.
Example
John offered to **pick up the tab** for everyone.
idiom

carry forward

Meaning
to move something to a later period
Example
We’ll **carry forward** the unused budget to next quarter.
phrasal-verb

carry away

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

set toward

Meaning
to start making progress toward something
Example
After graduation, she **set toward** her goal of becoming a lawyer.
phrasal-verb

build upon agreements

Meaning
to develop or improve international agreements that already exist
Example
The summit aimed to **build upon agreements** made in previous meetings.
idiom

penny wise and pound foolish

Meaning
careful with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Example
He’s **penny wise and pound foolish** when it comes to investments.
idiom

feel it in your bones

Meaning
to sense something strongly without evidence
Example
I **feel it in my bones** that something bad will happen.
idiom

sign off on

Meaning
to formally approve something
Example
The director needs to **sign off on** the final budget.
phrasal-verb

blurt out

Meaning
to say something suddenly without thinking, often because of emotion
Example
He **blurted out** his secret in front of everyone.
idiom

live from hand to mouth

Meaning
to barely have enough money to survive
Example
Many laborers **live from hand to mouth** every day.
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

leave out

Meaning
to omit or not include something in writing or speech
Example
Don't **leave out** important details when you write the summary.
phrasal-verb

back off from

Meaning
to stop being involved in a situation; to retreat from confrontation
Example
He decided to **back off from** the argument before it got worse.
phrasal-verb

learn through experience

Meaning
to improve by reflecting on what has happened before
Example
We **learn through experience** when forecasts miss the mark.
phrasal-verb

sound out about

Meaning
to ask people for their opinions on something
Example
Let's **sound out about** the new comment policy before we publish it.
phrasal-verb

step up to challenges

Meaning
to face difficult situations with courage and effort
Example
Good leaders always **step up to challenges**.
phrasal-verb

wait out

Meaning
to wait until something unpleasant ends
Example
We decided to **wait out** the storm at the café.
idiom

You can say that again

Meaning
Used to strongly agree with someone
Example
‘It’s been a long day.’ ‘**You can say that again!**’
phrasal-verb

hold out on

Meaning
to refuse to give information or something to someone
Example
He’s **holding out on** me about the project details.
phrasal-verb

quote from

Meaning
to repeat words from a person or source in speech or writing
Example
The news anchor **quoted from** the Prime Minister’s statement.
idiom

phishing attempt

Meaning
an attempt to deceive someone into revealing personal or confidential information by pretending to be a trustworthy entity
Example
The email you received looks like a **phishing attempt**, so don't click any links.
idiom

jump in

Meaning
to join an activity quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in** if you have suggestions.
idiom

a slap on the wrist

Meaning
a very mild punishment
Example
He got **a slap on the wrist** for such a serious offense.
idiom

itchy feet

Meaning
a strong desire to travel or move around
Example
After a few months at home, I started to get **itchy feet** again.
idiom

stay strong

Meaning
to remain courageous and confident despite difficulties
Example
Whatever happens, **stay strong** and keep moving forward.
phrasal-verb

check in about

Meaning
to discuss or confirm the status of something
Example
Let’s **check in about** the deliverables before Friday.
idiom

out of one’s comfort zone

Meaning
doing something unfamiliar or challenging
Example
She stepped **out of her comfort zone** to take a new job.
idiom

cut somebody some slack

Meaning
to not judge someone as severely as you usually would because they are having problems at the present time
Example
He's been under a lot of stress lately, so let's **cut him some slack**.
idiom

on the market

Meaning
available for sale
Example
Their house has been **on the market** for over six months.
idiom

in the black

Meaning
making a profit; financially stable
Example
Our company is finally **in the black** after two years.
idiom

Eureka moment

Meaning
a sudden moment of discovery or realization
Example
She had a **Eureka moment** when she found the solution to the problem.
idiom

off the air

Meaning
no longer being broadcasted
Example
The show went **off the air** after ten years.
phrasal-verb

bring up old issues

Meaning
to mention past problems during a new argument
Example
He always **brings up old issues** whenever they argue.
idiom

a house divided against itself cannot stand

Meaning
a group or organization that is divided in opinion or direction cannot succeed
Example
In a team, **a house divided against itself cannot stand**; everyone needs to agree on the same goal.
phrasal-verb

build yourself up

Meaning
to increase your confidence or strength gradually
Example
She **built herself up** by practicing every day.
idiom

split the atom

Meaning
to do something revolutionary or extremely difficult
Example
Creating a universal AI is like trying to **split the atom** of intelligence.
idiom

hold oneself accountable

Meaning
to take responsibility for one's actions or decisions
Example
A true leader **holds himself accountable** for the team’s failures.
phrasal-verb

step out

Meaning
to leave a place for a short time; to go outside
Example
I’m going to **step out** for a moment to get some fresh air.
idiom

in hot water

Meaning
in trouble or difficulty
Example
He’s **in hot water** for missing the meeting.
idiom

robotic process automation

Meaning
the use of AI to automate business processes
Example
Companies are embracing **robotic process automation** to reduce costs.
idiom

set in stone

Meaning
fixed and not likely to change
Example
Our schedule isn’t **set in stone** yet.
idiom

the sky's the limit

Meaning
there is no limit to what you can achieve
Example
With talent and hard work, **the sky’s the limit** for you.
idiom

A pack of lies

Meaning
A complete set of false statements.
Example
His excuse was nothing but **a pack of lies**.
idiom

to be fair

Meaning
used to introduce a balanced or just opinion
Example
**To be fair**, she did try her best.
idiom

play one's cards right

Meaning
to make the right decisions in order to achieve a good result
Example
If you **play your cards right**, you could get the promotion you want.
idiom

Keep an even keel

Meaning
To stay calm and steady, especially during difficulties.
Example
Despite the pressure, she **kept an even keel** throughout the project.
idiom

a snowball effect

Meaning
a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate
Example
The more followers she got, the more famous she became, creating **a snowball effect**.
idiom

tell a tall tale

Meaning
to tell an exaggerated or false story
Example
He loves to **tell tall tales** about his adventures.
phrasal-verb

open your heart

Meaning
to become more emotionally available or loving
Example
She decided to **open her heart** to love again.
phrasal-verb

run on

Meaning
to be powered by a particular source of energy
Example
Electric cars **run on** renewable energy instead of gasoline.
idiom

doubt creeps in

Meaning
to begin to feel uncertain or unsure
Example
After a few failures, **doubt began to creep in**.
idiom

brush up on

Meaning
to improve one’s skill or knowledge
Example
She decided to **brush up on** her painting techniques.
phrasal-verb

break off communication

Meaning
to stop communicating suddenly or intentionally
Example
After the argument, they **broke off communication** for months.
phrasal-verb

turn around

Meaning
to improve a situation or make something successful again
Example
The new leader helped **turn around** the company’s declining performance.
phrasal-verb

fume at

Meaning
to feel or show anger towards someone or something
Example
She was **fuming at** her friends for breaking her trust.
idiom

grab a bite

Meaning
to eat something quickly
Example
Let’s **grab a bite** before the meeting.
idiom

in the wrong

Meaning
to be responsible for a mistake or bad situation.
Example
He knew he was **in the wrong** for shouting at her.
phrasal-verb

come on board with

Meaning
to agree to join a team or project
Example
We’re glad you decided to **come on board with** our team.
idiom

land a job

Meaning
to successfully get a job
Example
He was thrilled to **land a job** at his dream company.
idiom

be like family

Meaning
to be as close as family members
Example
My best friend is **like family** to me.
idiom

to pass with flying colors

Meaning
to succeed with a very high score
Example
He studied hard and passed the exam with **flying colors**.
phrasal-verb

spin out

Meaning
to lose control and start spinning around
Example
The car **spun out** on the wet highway.
phrasal-verb

sync up with

Meaning
to coordinate or match with something or someone
Example
The app will automatically **sync up with** your online account.
phrasal-verb

get behind

Meaning
to fall late in doing something
Example
I’ve **got behind** on my assignments this week.
phrasal-verb

build immunity to

Meaning
to develop resistance to a disease
Example
Vaccines help your body **build immunity to** dangerous viruses.
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

draw benefits from

Meaning
to gain advantages or profits through collaboration
Example
Both sides expect to **draw benefits from** this partnership.
phrasal-verb

expand on ideas

Meaning
to explain or develop ideas in more detail
Example
The professor asked me to **expand on ideas** in my essay.
phrasal-verb

share in

Meaning
to participate in someone’s emotions, especially happiness or sadness
Example
We all **shared in** their joy when they got engaged.
idiom

make small talk

Meaning
to have a casual conversation about unimportant topics
Example
We started to **make small talk** while waiting for the meeting to begin.
idiom

the powers that be

Meaning
people or organizations who hold authority or control
Example
The decision depends on **the powers that be**.
idiom

know the ropes

Meaning
to be very familiar with something; to have a thorough understanding of something
Example
He really **knows the ropes** in this field of work.
idiom

fall flat on one’s face

Meaning
to fail completely or embarrass oneself
Example
He **fell flat on his face** trying to start a new business.
idiom

dodged a bullet

Meaning
To narrowly escape a dangerous or unlucky situation.
Example
We really **dodged a bullet** when that deal fell through.
phrasal-verb

slow within

Meaning
to calm down internally and observe your emotions without judgment
Example
Taking a breath helped her **slow within** and regain control over her thoughts.
phrasal-verb

take effect

Meaning
to start being used or enforced
Example
The new tax regulations will **take effect** from January.
phrasal-verb

prioritize over

Meaning
to give more importance to one thing than another
Example
You should **prioritize over** urgent tasks before anything else.
idiom

bury your head in the sand

Meaning
to ignore a problem hoping it will go away
Example
We can’t **bury our heads in the sand** about climate change any longer.
idiom

a big mouth

Meaning
a person who talks too much or reveals secrets
Example
Don’t tell Jake, he’s **a big mouth**!
idiom

break one's word

Meaning
to fail to keep a promise
Example
Don’t **break your word**; people rely on you.
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

shut off

Meaning
to block or stop feeling emotions
Example
He learned to **shut off** his emotions to stay strong.
phrasal-verb

look in on

Meaning
to visit briefly to see if someone is fine
Example
I’ll **look in on** Grandma after work to make sure she’s okay.
idiom

have a heavy heart

Meaning
to feel deep sadness or sorrow
Example
He left the city **with a heavy heart**.
phrasal-verb

fight on

Meaning
to continue trying to achieve something despite difficulties
Example
Even when life gets hard, true champions **fight on**.
idiom

put first things first

Meaning
to focus on the most important things before others
Example
When managing time, always **put first things first**.
idiom

follow suit

Meaning
to do the same thing as someone else, especially online
Example
After one influencer started the trend, many others **followed suit**.
phrasal-verb

snap at

Meaning
to speak angrily and quickly to someone
Example
He **snapped at** me when I asked him a simple question.
phrasal-verb

look out for

Meaning
to protect or take care of someone’s needs
Example
My mother always **looks out for** everyone in the family.
phrasal-verb

cut out

Meaning
to stop using or doing something completely; to eliminate
Example
We need to **cut out** fossil fuels to slow down global warming.
phrasal-verb

fall out over

Meaning
to argue and stop being friendly with someone because of something
Example
They **fell out over** money matters last year.
phrasal-verb

grow into understanding

Meaning
to gradually develop empathy or comprehension for different cultures
Example
Children can **grow into understanding** diversity through stories and travel.
phrasal-verb

lead the way for

Meaning
to create an example that others can follow
Example
Community leaders **lead the way for** safer streets by volunteering weekends.
idiom

to have faith in yourself

Meaning
to trust your own abilities and potential
Example
If you want to succeed, you need to **have faith in yourself**.
idiom

to take the bull by the horns

Meaning
to confront a problem or challenge directly and with determination
Example
We need to **take the bull by the horns** and start making decisions now.
phrasal-verb

build upon feedback

Meaning
to use team feedback to improve or develop something
Example
We should **build upon feedback** from our colleagues.
idiom

hear it through the grapevine

Meaning
to hear a rumor or unofficial news
Example
I **heard it through the grapevine** that they broke up.
idiom

bail someone out

Meaning
to help someone out of a difficult situation
Example
His friend **bailed him out** when he ran out of money.
phrasal-verb

push into

Meaning
to drive adoption or expansion of something
Example
They are trying to **push into** the digital payment market quickly.
phrasal-verb

cast doubt on

Meaning
to make something seem uncertain or less believable
Example
His inconsistent story **casts doubt on** his credibility.
idiom

make friends with

Meaning
To become friendly with someone.
Example
It’s easy to **make friends with** kind people.