come up to
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phrasal-verb

come up to

Meaning
to reach a particular standard or expectation
Example
Her performance didn't **come up to** our expectations.
idiom

put your shoulder to the wheel

Meaning
to start working hard on something
Example
Everyone needs to **put their shoulder to the wheel** to finish the project.
phrasal-verb

flare out

Meaning
to suddenly become angry or lose temper
Example
She **flared out** when her plans were canceled.
idiom

behind the scenes

Meaning
secretly or without public knowledge
Example
A lot of work happens **behind the scenes** to make a movie.
phrasal-verb

turn up at

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly at a place
Example
He **turned up at** my office without any notice.
phrasal-verb

meet up to

Meaning
to reach or satisfy a particular standard or expectation
Example
Our design must **meet up to** the client’s expectations before the deadline.
phrasal-verb

branch out internationally

Meaning
to expand your business activities into new countries
Example
Many local firms are trying to **branch out internationally** to increase their profits.
idiom

have confidence in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone’s ability
Example
I **have confidence in** your judgment.
phrasal-verb

talk it out

Meaning
to discuss problems to relieve stress
Example
If you’re feeling tense, it helps to **talk it out** with a friend.
idiom

blast off

Meaning
to take off or start with great energy or enthusiasm
Example
The project is ready to **blast off** next week.
idiom

keep things in perspective

Meaning
to stay calm by seeing things realistically
Example
When stressed, try to **keep things in perspective**.
idiom

turn the page

Meaning
to move on to something new after finishing or overcoming something
Example
After the breakup, she decided to **turn the page** and start fresh.
phrasal-verb

talk over drinks

Meaning
to have a conversation while drinking together
Example
They **talked over drinks** about old memories.
phrasal-verb

step beyond fear

Meaning
to act courageously despite being afraid
Example
To succeed, you must **step beyond fear** and take bold action.
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.
phrasal-verb

reach out to partners

Meaning
to contact or make connections with others for cooperation
Example
The NGO is **reaching out to partners** to expand its global projects.
phrasal-verb

rally around for

Meaning
to gather support for a person or cause
Example
Volunteers **rallied around for** the community cleanup in record time.
idiom

run for office

Meaning
to campaign for a political position
Example
She decided to **run for office** next year.
idiom

in the clear

Meaning
not guilty or free from suspicion
Example
After the investigation, he was found to be **in the clear**.
idiom

rope in

Meaning
to persuade someone to join an activity
Example
They **roped me in** to help with the charity event.
idiom

split hairs

Meaning
to argue about small or unimportant details
Example
Stop **splitting hairs** and focus on the main issue.
idiom

lock horns

Meaning
to get into an argument or fight
Example
They **locked horns** over the new proposal.
phrasal-verb

build confidence in

Meaning
to create or increase trust in something
Example
The new reforms helped **build confidence in** the financial market.
idiom

trendsetter

Meaning
someone who leads the way in fashion, technology, or other popular areas, setting trends for others to follow
Example
The company became a **trendsetter** in the tech world with its innovative new app.
phrasal-verb

pull out

Meaning
to move into traffic from the side of the road
Example
Be careful when you **pull out** from a parking space.
phrasal-verb

note down for

Meaning
to write something so it can be used later for a purpose
Example
Please **note this down for** the monthly review meeting.
idiom

chin up, soldier

Meaning
to stay brave and strong in difficult situations
Example
**Chin up, soldier**, things will get better soon.
phrasal-verb

talk down

Meaning
to speak in a way that shows you think someone is less intelligent
Example
Don’t **talk down** to your colleagues; it’s disrespectful.
phrasal-verb

rise to the challenge

Meaning
to deal successfully with something difficult
Example
He always **rises to the challenge** when things get tough.
phrasal-verb

rise from within

Meaning
to recover emotionally using one’s inner power or resilience
Example
After every setback, she found a way to **rise from within**.
idiom

A goal without a plan is just a wish

Meaning
Having a goal without a clear plan makes it unlikely to succeed.
Example
Don’t just dream, remember **a goal without a plan is just a wish**.
idiom

world at your fingertips

Meaning
to have access to vast information easily, especially online
Example
With smartphones, the **world is at your fingertips**.
phrasal-verb

boost up foreign reserves

Meaning
to increase a country's foreign currency holdings
Example
The central bank is working to **boost up foreign reserves** through remittances.
idiom

fair and square

Meaning
honest and straightforward; without cheating
Example
She won the competition **fair and square**.
phrasal-verb

run into debt

Meaning
to start owing money; to become in debt
Example
Many small companies **ran into debt** after the market crash.
idiom

the whole nine yards

Meaning
everything; the entire effort
Example
She went **the whole nine yards** to make her wedding perfect.
idiom

on the stump

Meaning
to campaign for political office, especially by giving speeches in public
Example
The candidate has been **on the stump** for weeks, rallying support across the country.
idiom

ace the test

Meaning
to perform extremely well on an exam or task
Example
She **aced the test** and got the highest score.
phrasal-verb

bring closer

Meaning
to strengthen the emotional connection between people
Example
Sharing personal stories can **bring** friends **closer**.
phrasal-verb

cut off excuses

Meaning
to stop giving reasons for not doing something
Example
It’s time to **cut off excuses** and take real action.
idiom

keep up with the times

Meaning
to stay updated or adapt to modern trends
Example
In the fast-moving tech industry, companies must **keep up with the times**.
idiom

keep up with

Meaning
to stay informed or at the same level as something or someone
Example
It's hard to **keep up with** the latest tech trends.
idiom

crack under pressure

Meaning
to lose control or fail when under stress
Example
Some people **crack under pressure**, while others thrive.
idiom

Plain sailing

Meaning
Something that is easy and without difficulty.
Example
Once we solved the main issue, the rest was **plain sailing**.
phrasal-verb

spark off ideas

Meaning
to trigger or inspire new creative thoughts
Example
The workshop helped **spark off ideas** for future projects.
idiom

throw money down the drain

Meaning
to waste money on something useless
Example
Buying that fake brand bag was like **throwing money down the drain**.
idiom

data is the new oil

Meaning
information has become a valuable resource in the modern world
Example
Every company knows that **data is the new oil**.
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.
idiom

hit the ground running

Meaning
to start something energetically and successfully
Example
She joined the team and **hit the ground running** on her first day.
idiom

bring to life

Meaning
to make something more interesting or realistic
Example
The artist’s use of color really **brought the painting to life**.
phrasal-verb

soak in positivity

Meaning
to absorb good energy and positive thoughts
Example
Surround yourself with good people and **soak in positivity**.
idiom

from the horse’s mouth

Meaning
directly from the original or reliable source
Example
I heard the news **from the horse’s mouth**.
phrasal-verb

bring out

Meaning
to reveal or emphasize a quality or idea
Example
Her words **brought out** the importance of teamwork.
phrasal-verb

draw courage from experience

Meaning
to gain strength and confidence through past experiences
Example
She learned to **draw courage from experience** instead of fearing failure.
idiom

point the finger

Meaning
to accuse or blame someone
Example
Don’t **point the finger** until you have all the facts.
idiom

never say never

Meaning
to encourage someone to stay hopeful and not give up
Example
**Never say never**—you might succeed next time.
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**.
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.
idiom

code like a machine

Meaning
to work extremely fast and efficiently on programming
Example
She can **code like a machine** when a deadline is near.
idiom

doubting Thomas

Meaning
a person who refuses to believe without proof
Example
He’s a **doubting Thomas**; he won’t believe it until he sees it himself.
idiom

Hit the wall

Meaning
to reach a point where one is physically or mentally exhausted and cannot continue
Example
I’ve been working all day, and now I’ve finally **hit the wall**.
phrasal-verb

look kindly upon

Meaning
to regard someone or something with appreciation or favor
Example
She **looked kindly upon** the people who helped her career.
idiom

self-assured

Meaning
confident and sure of oneself
Example
She walked into the room looking calm and **self-assured**.
phrasal-verb

boost innovation

Meaning
to encourage new ideas and technologies
Example
Investing in education can **boost innovation** and productivity.
idiom

Ask the right questions

Meaning
To inquire wisely to gain understanding.
Example
Good researchers always **ask the right questions**.
phrasal-verb

ease down

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

spread awareness of

Meaning
to share knowledge or information so more people understand an issue
Example
Schools help **spread awareness of** environmental protection.
idiom

at the crossroads

Meaning
facing a decision or choice
Example
I’m **at the crossroads** in my career right now.
phrasal-verb

withdraw into

Meaning
to retreat emotionally and avoid social or emotional contact
Example
He **withdrew into** himself after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

branch into

Meaning
to expand a company into new areas or markets
Example
The company plans to **branch into** Southeast Asian markets next year.
phrasal-verb

stick to your word

Meaning
to keep your promises and do what you say
Example
A disciplined person always **sticks to their word**.
phrasal-verb

cooperate across

Meaning
to collaborate or work jointly across different boundaries or fields
Example
Universities **cooperate across** continents to exchange research ideas.
phrasal-verb

be grateful for

Meaning
to feel thankful for something
Example
I’m really **grateful for** all your support.
idiom

to goof up

Meaning
to make a silly or careless mistake
Example
She **goofed up** the numbers in the report.
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

keep improving

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

talk on

Meaning
to continue talking for a long time, often unnecessarily
Example
She **talked on** for hours about her vacation.
phrasal-verb

call dibs on tasks

Meaning
to claim responsibility for specific work
Example
New hires **call dibs on tasks** that match their learning goals.
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.
phrasal-verb

push through reforms

Meaning
to make changes happen despite opposition
Example
The ruling party managed to **push through reforms** in parliament.
idiom

fear of the unknown

Meaning
anxiety about things that are unfamiliar or uncertain
Example
Many people avoid change because of their **fear of the unknown**.
idiom

Cut your losses

Meaning
To stop doing something that is no longer profitable.
Example
It’s better to **cut your losses** and move on.
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.
idiom

go off the deep end

Meaning
to become very angry or emotional suddenly
Example
She **went off the deep end** when she heard the bad news.
phrasal-verb

break news to

Meaning
to share important or upsetting information with someone
Example
He had to **break news to** his editor about the source backing out.
idiom

I feel that

Meaning
Used to express a personal belief or feeling
Example
I feel that we could do better next time.
phrasal-verb

whip up

Meaning
to quickly prepare a meal
Example
She can **whip up** a healthy salad in minutes.
phrasal-verb

learn to appreciate

Meaning
to develop admiration or respect for other traditions and beliefs
Example
Through travel, you can **learn to appreciate** cultural diversity.
phrasal-verb

recover from recession

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

a bumper crop

Meaning
an unusually large harvest
Example
Farmers are happy this year because of **a bumper crop** of rice.
phrasal-verb

aim toward

Meaning
to direct efforts or plans toward achieving something
Example
Her education is **aimed toward** a career in medicine.
phrasal-verb

lay out expectations

Meaning
to clearly explain what you expect from others
Example
At the beginning of the project, the manager **laid out expectations** for the entire team.
phrasal-verb

read up on

Meaning
to study or get information about something by reading
Example
You should **read up on** this topic before writing your paper.
phrasal-verb

reflect within

Meaning
to think carefully about your feelings and actions
Example
He likes to **reflect within** before making big decisions.
idiom

on edge

Meaning
to be nervous, tense, or irritable
Example
She’s been **on edge** since the exam started.
idiom

When the going gets tough, the tough get going

Meaning
Strong people keep working hard even in difficulties.
Example
**When the going gets tough, the tough get going** — never lose hope.
phrasal-verb

lead up to

Meaning
to result in or cause something to happen later
Example
The decisions we make now could **lead up to** major outcomes in the future.
idiom

to take the law into one’s own hands

Meaning
to punish someone personally instead of letting the authorities handle it
Example
The villagers **took the law into their own hands** when the thief escaped.
idiom

be thick as thieves

Meaning
to be very close friends
Example
Those two have been **thick as thieves** since childhood.
idiom

fill out

Meaning
to complete a form by providing information
Example
Please **fill out** this survey after the workshop.
idiom

behind closed doors

Meaning
in private; secretly
Example
The deal was made **behind closed doors**.
idiom

press ahead

Meaning
to continue with determination despite obstacles
Example
Let’s **press ahead** even if the timeline shifts.
idiom

in the long run

Meaning
after a long time; in the end
Example
Saving money now will help you **in the long run**.
idiom

take the stand

Meaning
to testify in court
Example
The witness will **take the stand** tomorrow morning.
idiom

hand down

Meaning
to pass something to someone of a later generation
Example
My grandmother **handed down** this recipe to me.
phrasal-verb

shift toward innovation

Meaning
to focus more on creating new ideas or technologies
Example
Many industries are trying to **shift toward innovation** to stay competitive.
phrasal-verb

show love to

Meaning
to demonstrate affection or gratitude toward someone
Example
He **shows love to** his mentors for guiding him through tough times.
idiom

Cultural melting pot

Meaning
A place where different cultures blend together
Example
New York is often described as a **cultural melting pot**.
idiom

a paradigm shift

Meaning
a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions
Example
The invention of the internet marked a **paradigm shift** in communication and information sharing.
idiom

old friends are gold

Meaning
old friends are precious and valuable
Example
I always say, **old friends are gold**.
phrasal-verb

test out

Meaning
to try or examine something to see if it works properly
Example
Developers are **testing out** the beta version of the app.
phrasal-verb

slide back

Meaning
to return to a worse or earlier condition
Example
The country risks **sliding back** into recession.
phrasal-verb

ring through

Meaning
to connect a phone call to its destination
Example
I’ll **ring through** to the manager for you.
idiom

Masterpiece

Meaning
A work of outstanding artistry or craftsmanship.
Example
The sculpture he created is truly a **masterpiece**.
phrasal-verb

speak out on

Meaning
to publicly express an opinion about something important
Example
The candidate decided to **speak out on** corruption during the debate.
phrasal-verb

sing along

Meaning
to sing together with a recording or performer
Example
Everyone **sang along** when the band played their favorite song.
phrasal-verb

freak out with joy

Meaning
to react very excitedly and happily
Example
They **freaked out with joy** when they won the contest.
idiom

No guts, no glory

Meaning
Without courage, you can’t achieve success.
Example
He took the challenge—**no guts, no glory**.
idiom

hold off

Meaning
to delay doing something
Example
Let’s **hold off** on finalizing the order until we confirm the budget.
idiom

Share a smile

Meaning
to smile and bring happiness to others
Example
It's easy to **share a smile** and brighten someone's day.
phrasal-verb

stay away from

Meaning
to avoid something or someone for a good reason
Example
I told him to **stay away from** negative people.