come up trumps
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phrasal-verb

come up trumps

Meaning
to perform unexpectedly well; to succeed when least expected
Example
She **came up trumps** and saved the project just in time.
phrasal-verb

clock out

Meaning
to record the time when you finish work
Example
I always **clock out** before I shut down my computer.
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

chat up

Meaning
to talk to someone in a friendly or romantic way
Example
He tried to **chat up** the girl at the party.
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

carry back

Meaning
to remind someone of something from the past
Example
That song **carried me back** to my childhood days.
idiom

Crossing the Rubicon

Meaning
Taking an irreversible step with serious consequences.
Example
By going public with the information, he was **crossing the Rubicon**.
idiom

crash and burn

Meaning
to fail completely or suddenly
Example
The new software update **crashed and burned** after launch.
phrasal-verb

come out with

Meaning
to produce or publish something new
Example
The company has **come out with** an innovative smartphone design.
phrasal-verb

catch a cold

Meaning
to become ill with a cold
Example
You’ll **catch a cold** if you go out in this rain.
idiom

come out on top

Meaning
to be the best or most successful in a situation
Example
Despite the competition, she **came out on top**.
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.
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

close ranks

Meaning
to unite and support each other when facing opposition
Example
The employees **closed ranks** after the company came under criticism.
idiom

Culture shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when encountering a different culture
Example
Moving to Japan gave her a bit of **culture shock** at first.
phrasal-verb

cut down on debts

Meaning
to reduce the amount of debt owed
Example
The company must **cut down on debts** to improve its financial stability.
phrasal-verb

cut off from network

Meaning
to lose connection to a network or internet
Example
The device got **cut off from the network** during the update.
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

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**.
idiom

catch some z’s

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

cheer someone for

Meaning
to show appreciation by praising or encouraging someone
Example
They **cheered him for** his volunteer work at the shelter.
idiom

change the game

Meaning
to introduce something that significantly alters an industry or field
Example
5G technology will **change the game** for mobile communication.
idiom

Chart a course

Meaning
To plan a way to achieve something.
Example
The company has **charted a course** for global expansion.
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

center yourself

Meaning
to find balance and emotional calm within yourself
Example
Meditation helps her **center herself** when she feels stressed.
phrasal-verb

come out in favor of

Meaning
to publicly support or agree with something
Example
The committee **came out in favor of** the new proposal.
phrasal-verb

come across

Meaning
to find something or someone unexpectedly
Example
We **came across** a promising distributor during the trade fair.
idiom

count your blessings

Meaning
be grateful for the good things in your life
Example
Instead of complaining, **count your blessings**.
phrasal-verb

cloud over

Meaning
when the sky becomes covered with clouds
Example
The sky **clouded over**, and we knew it was going to rain soon.
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**.
idiom

Curiosity killed the cat

Meaning
Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble.
Example
Don't ask too many questions about his past — **curiosity killed the cat**.
phrasal-verb

commend on

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

call in for

Meaning
to join a remote session for a specific purpose
Example
Drivers **call in for** updates when weather turns rough.
idiom

crybaby

Meaning
someone who complains or cries easily
Example
Don’t be a **crybaby**, it’s just a small scratch.
idiom

cry a river

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

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.
idiom

Caught with your pants down

Meaning
To be caught unprepared or embarrassed.
Example
The manager was **caught with his pants down** when asked about the figures.
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.
phrasal-verb

come through with

Meaning
to produce or achieve something that was promised or expected
Example
The company finally **came through with** the funding they had promised.
phrasal-verb

clam down from

Meaning
to gradually relax after being very stressed or angry
Example
It took him an hour to **clam down from** the argument.
phrasal-verb

call into question

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

carry out negotiations

Meaning
to conduct formal discussions to reach an agreement
Example
Our team will **carry out negotiations** with foreign investors next week.
phrasal-verb

cast doubt on

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

call in

Meaning
to phone a place, especially work; to ask for help from someone
Example
I had to **call in** sick this morning.
phrasal-verb

climb up to

Meaning
to achieve a higher position or level of success
Example
He worked hard to **climb up to** the top position in the company.
phrasal-verb

cut out excuses

Meaning
to stop making excuses and take responsibility
Example
If you want to improve, you need to **cut out excuses**.
phrasal-verb

come around

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

cross your heart and hope to die

Meaning
to swear that something is true, often said with sincerity
Example
I **cross my heart and hope to die** that I will never lie to you.
phrasal-verb

come down

Meaning
when rain or snow falls heavily
Example
The rain is really **coming down** now.
idiom

check in on

Meaning
to monitor or see how someone or something is doing
Example
Could you **check in on** the kids while I'm out?
phrasal-verb

crack down on corruption

Meaning
to take strong measures to stop corruption
Example
The new government promised to **crack down on corruption**.
phrasal-verb

call for peace

Meaning
to publicly ask for an end to conflict
Example
The international community **called for peace** between the rival nations.
phrasal-verb

cut over

Meaning
to switch from an old system to a new one
Example
We plan to **cut over** to the new cloud platform this weekend.
phrasal-verb

carry yourself with pride

Meaning
to behave in a confident and dignified way
Example
Always **carry yourself with pride**, even when things get tough.
phrasal-verb

chase after dreams

Meaning
to actively pursue one's ambitions or desires
Example
He left his hometown to **chase after** his dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.
phrasal-verb

calm over

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

cash out

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

can of worms

Meaning
a complex problem that may cause more trouble once started
Example
AI bias is a **can of worms** that’s hard to fix.
idiom

conversion rate

Meaning
The percentage of visitors to a website who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up.
Example
Our **conversion rate** has significantly improved after the redesign of the website.
phrasal-verb

cut down costs

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

cheer about

Meaning
to express happiness or approval loudly about something
Example
Fans **cheered about** the team’s victory.
phrasal-verb

check in about

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

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

Cut class

Meaning
To skip a class without permission
Example
He **cut class** to watch a movie.
phrasal-verb

connect with

Meaning
to understand or share similar feelings with someone
Example
I immediately **connected with** her because we had similar life experiences.
phrasal-verb

catch off guard

Meaning
to surprise someone unexpectedly
Example
Her sudden question **caught me off guard**.
phrasal-verb

cut out on

Meaning
to eliminate something from your diet or routine
Example
My doctor told me to **cut out on** sugar to lose weight.
idiom

chill out

Meaning
to relax and stop being angry or nervous
Example
You need to **chill out** and enjoy the weekend.
idiom

clear away

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

clamp down

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

clear out

Meaning
to get rid of unnecessary things to feel mentally refreshed
Example
I like to **clear out** my desk when I'm feeling stressed.
phrasal-verb

check on

Meaning
to make sure someone is safe or doing well
Example
He **checked on** his grandparents after hearing about the storm.
idiom

cool as a cucumber

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

confide in

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them personal feelings or secrets
Example
I can always **confide in** my sister when I feel upset.
idiom

cracks in the wall

Meaning
signs of problems or weaknesses in a system or relationship
Example
There are **cracks in the wall** of their friendship lately.
idiom

catfish someone

Meaning
to deceive someone by creating a fake online identity
Example
He was **catfished** by someone pretending to be a model.
idiom

cut the mustard

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

cut corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way
Example
They **cut corners** to finish the project faster.
phrasal-verb

check into

Meaning
to enter and get accommodation at a hotel or lodge
Example
We **checked into** a cozy mountain resort for our vacation.
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

Cross my heart

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

come to the rescue

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

Clean hands

Meaning
To be innocent or free from guilt.
Example
He claims to have **clean hands** in the scandal.
phrasal-verb

climb toward success

Meaning
to make steady progress toward achieving success
Example
Through hard work and persistence, she continues to **climb toward success**.
idiom

carry the weight of the world

Meaning
to take on a lot of responsibility
Example
John felt like he had to **carry the weight of the world** on his shoulders at work.
phrasal-verb

cut it out

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

call for

Meaning
to demand or request something publicly
Example
The citizens **called for** fair elections and transparency.
B2 idiom

close but no cigar

Almost correct or successful but not quite
Meaning
Almost correct or successful but not quite
Example
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
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 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

call up

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

call it a day

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

come over

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

crime doesn't pay

Meaning
doing wrong or illegal things will never bring true success
Example
He learned the hard way that **crime doesn't pay**.
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.
phrasal-verb

carry along

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

clarify up

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

carry over data

Meaning
to transfer unused data or balance from one period to another
Example
Most mobile plans now let you **carry over data** to the next month.
phrasal-verb

circle back after

Meaning
to return to a topic once something else has finished
Example
We'll **circle back after** lunch to finalize the slides.
phrasal-verb

chat over

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

cool down emotions

Meaning
to let intense feelings settle before responding
Example
We **cool down emotions** before tackling tough feedback.
phrasal-verb

crack up

Meaning
to burst into laughter; to laugh uncontrollably
Example
We all **cracked up** at his silly joke.
idiom

call to action

Meaning
a prompt that encourages an immediate response from an audience
Example
Your ad must include a strong **call to action**.
idiom

crunch the numbers

Meaning
to process data or analyze statistics
Example
AI can **crunch the numbers** faster than any human.
idiom

cold call

Meaning
to contact a potential customer without prior introduction
Example
He spent all morning making **cold calls** to new clients.
phrasal-verb

coach daily standups

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

carbon neutral

Meaning
achieving a net-zero carbon footprint, where the amount of carbon dioxide released is equal to the amount removed from the atmosphere
Example
By planting trees and reducing emissions, the company is aiming to become **carbon neutral**.
phrasal-verb

catch on to

Meaning
to understand or learn something new, especially after some time
Example
It took him a few weeks to **catch on to** the new reporting system.
idiom

call it quits

Meaning
to stop or end something
Example
After working for hours, they decided to **call it quits** for the day.
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

carry on through

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