contribute to
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phrasal-verb

contribute to

Meaning
to help bring about or support the achievement of something
Example
Global cooperation can **contribute to** sustainable development.
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bump into

Meaning
to meet someone unexpectedly
Example
I **bumped into** an old friend at the mall.
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pick apart

Meaning
to criticize something in detail
Example
The reviewer **picked apart** the movie for its weak plot.
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watch over

Meaning
to protect or guard someone carefully
Example
Grandparents lovingly **watch over** their grandchildren.
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cheat on

Meaning
to be unfaithful to your partner
Example
She found out that her boyfriend had **cheated on** her.
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hear from

Meaning
to receive communication from someone
Example
I haven’t **heard from** Sarah in weeks.
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push ahead with

Meaning
to continue with a task or plan despite opposition or difficulties
Example
They decided to **push ahead with** the project despite the challenges.
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bring home

Meaning
to win or achieve something valuable or important
Example
The team worked hard and finally **brought home** the championship trophy.
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log onto platform

Meaning
to access a website or system by entering credentials
Example
You need to **log onto the platform** to join the webinar.
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live for

Meaning
to find hope or meaning in something or someone
Example
She **lives for** her children and their happiness.
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zip up

Meaning
to close something with a zipper
Example
Don’t forget to **zip up** your jacket, it’s cold outside.
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roll out products

Meaning
to launch or introduce new products to the market
Example
The company plans to **roll out products** that feature cutting-edge technology.
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bottle emotions

Meaning
to keep emotions hidden instead of expressing them
Example
She tends to **bottle emotions** instead of talking about them.
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open up to ideas

Meaning
to be receptive to new and different ideas
Example
We should **open up to ideas** from junior staff as well.
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fill someone in

Meaning
to give someone the details or latest information about something
Example
Can you **fill me in** on what happened at the client meeting?
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push for change

Meaning
to strongly demand or advocate for transformation
Example
Many organizations **push for change** in government policy.
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glow with

Meaning
to look very happy or pleased
Example
She **glowed with** happiness after the compliment.
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work into

Meaning
to include something into a plan or discussion
Example
I’ll try to **work** your idea **into** the proposal.
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point someone toward

Meaning
to direct a person to the right place or resource
Example
Locals **point travelers toward** the right bus when maps confuse them.
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run into debt

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

Meaning
to express hope or desire for something by praying
Example
We all **pray for** a better future.
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bring nations together

Meaning
to unite countries for a common purpose or cause
Example
International sports events help **bring nations together** in harmony.
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set toward

Meaning
to start making progress toward something
Example
After graduation, she **set toward** her goal of becoming a lawyer.
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bounce ideas around

Meaning
to share and discuss ideas with others
Example
We often **bounce ideas around** during our weekly meetings.
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team around

Meaning
to organize or gather a group of people for a common purpose
Example
We should **team around** this project to deliver the best results.
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shine on

Meaning
to continue to be cheerful and positive despite difficulties
Example
Even in tough times, she continues to **shine on**.
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set against

Meaning
to compare one thing with another; to make someone oppose something
Example
Her parents are **set against** her studying abroad.
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light up for

Meaning
to become visibly happy or excited when seeing someone or something
Example
Her eyes **lit up for** her little son as he ran to her.
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portion out snacks

Meaning
to divide snacks into measured servings
Example
We **portion out snacks** on Sundays so weekday meals stay balanced.
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push up

Meaning
to make something increase in value or price
Example
Rising fuel costs have **pushed up** transportation expenses.
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bottle out of

Meaning
to lose courage and avoid doing something because of fear
Example
He was going to confess his feelings but **bottled out of** it at the last moment.
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show up in

Meaning
to appear or be noticed in a specific place or situation
Example
His name **showed up in** the final list of winners.
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take notes on

Meaning
to write down important information while studying
Example
You should **take notes on** every lecture.
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take out

Meaning
to borrow or get money from a bank or institution
Example
They decided to **take out** a loan to buy a new house.
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shout out to

Meaning
to publicly acknowledge or compliment someone
Example
Let’s **shout out to** everyone who helped organize the event.
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work out to

Meaning
to calculate or come to a certain amount
Example
The total cost **works out to** about $200.
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release tension

Meaning
to let go of emotional stress or anxiety
Example
Meditation helped her **release tension** and sleep better.
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rise with courage

Meaning
to face challenges bravely and stay positive
Example
We must **rise with courage** when life throws difficulties our way.
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laugh with

Meaning
to share laughter and happiness with someone
Example
We **laughed with** our colleagues after the meeting.
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stick to your word

Meaning
to keep your promises and do what you say
Example
A disciplined person always **sticks to their word**.
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hand over money

Meaning
to give money, usually unwillingly
Example
He had to **hand over** a large sum in taxes last month.
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set up for

Meaning
to prepare or arrange something for an event
Example
They started to **set up for** the cultural fair early in the morning.
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freak with fear

Meaning
to become extremely scared or panicked
Example
She **freaked with fear** when she saw the snake.
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book into

Meaning
to reserve accommodation at a hotel or place
Example
We **booked into** a nice resort by the beach for our holiday.
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lay things out for

Meaning
to explain or arrange information clearly for a purpose
Example
She **laid things out for** the team so everyone knew their tasks.
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talk out of

Meaning
to persuade someone not to do something
Example
I tried to **talk him out of** quitting his job.
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share with

Meaning
to exchange ideas, beliefs, or customs with others
Example
Teachers encourage students to **share with** their peers about their heritage.
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touch up

Meaning
to improve the appearance of something slightly, like makeup or paint
Example
She went to the mirror to **touch up** her makeup.
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take over responsibilities

Meaning
to start having control or responsibility for something
Example
After the manager resigned, she **took over responsibilities** temporarily.
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pull in together

Meaning
to combine efforts to achieve a goal
Example
If we all **pull in together**, we can finish the project on time.
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grow apart from

Meaning
to gradually stop having the same interests or feelings
Example
As time passed, they **grew apart from** each other.
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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.
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boil down

Meaning
to simplify something to its essential points
Example
The report **boils down** to one key recommendation: cut costs.
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fire yourself up

Meaning
to make yourself feel excited or motivated about something
Example
He **fired himself up** before the race by listening to his favorite music.
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crack under

Meaning
to fail or give up because of too much pressure or stress
Example
He **cracked under** the pressure of constant deadlines.
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fall back

Meaning
to move backward; to retreat
Example
The soldiers had to **fall back** after losing ground.
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bring in ideas

Meaning
to introduce or contribute new ideas
Example
He encouraged the team to bring in new ideas for the project.
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own responsibility for

Meaning
to accept that you are accountable for something that happened
Example
He chose to **own responsibility for** the team’s delay.
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follow self-imposed rules

Meaning
to obey the rules you set for yourself
Example
Self-disciplined people **follow self-imposed rules** without complaint.
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reach higher goals

Meaning
to achieve more ambitious objectives or aims
Example
The company’s vision encourages employees to **reach higher goals**.
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snow under

Meaning
to be overwhelmed by too much work or snow
Example
We were completely **snowed under** during the winter storm.
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step into your power

Meaning
to embrace your strength, potential, and confidence fully
Example
She finally decided to **step into her power** and take charge of her life.
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tremble with

Meaning
to shake because of fear or anxiety
Example
He **trembled with** fear when he saw the police car stop near him.
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make out to be

Meaning
to claim or pretend something about someone or something
Example
He’s not as rich as he **makes out to be**.
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live through

Meaning
to experience or survive an important period of history
Example
Our grandparents **lived through** times of great cultural change.
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vote through

Meaning
to officially approve a law or proposal by voting
Example
Parliament **voted through** the education reform bill yesterday.
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count down from

Meaning
to recite numbers backward starting from a specific point
Example
The teacher had us **count down from** twenty to practice timing.
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lift your spirit up

Meaning
to make yourself feel more cheerful and hopeful
Example
Helping others can really **lift your spirit up**.
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revise for

Meaning
to study something again before an exam
Example
I need to **revise for** my chemistry exam this weekend.
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take notes

Meaning
to write down important information during a lesson or meeting
Example
He always **takes notes** when the teacher explains a new topic.
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set upon

Meaning
to attack someone suddenly
Example
The thief was **set upon** by the angry crowd.
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back up data to

Meaning
to copy information onto a safe location
Example
Reporters **back up data to** the cloud after each story.
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chill yourself out

Meaning
to make yourself calm and relaxed
Example
You need to **chill yourself out** instead of worrying about everything.
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push on with

Meaning
to continue doing something with energy and effort
Example
Even when tired, he **pushed on with** his training.
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gain from

Meaning
to get a benefit, advantage, or knowledge from something
Example
You can **gain from** every experience, even the difficult ones.
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soak away stress

Meaning
to relax and release stress gradually
Example
A warm bath can help you **soak away stress** after a busy day.
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hint at

Meaning
to suggest or imply something indirectly about the future
Example
The CEO’s comments **hint at** a possible expansion next year.
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snow over

Meaning
to be covered completely with snow
Example
The roads were **snowed over** by morning.
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switch to

Meaning
to start using something different, especially something more sustainable
Example
Many companies are now **switching to** renewable energy sources.
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spur on innovation

Meaning
to encourage or stimulate creativity and new ideas
Example
Government incentives have **spurred on innovation** in the tech sector.
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log off from

Meaning
to disconnect from an online account or service
Example
I **log off from** work chats after dinner to stay present with family.
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come along

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

Meaning
to take someone on a short tour of a place
Example
The agent **showed over** the apartment to the potential buyers.
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bring out leadership qualities

Meaning
to help someone display or develop leadership traits
Example
Training sessions are designed to **bring out leadership qualities** in employees.
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prep for

Meaning
to get yourself ready for something
Example
I like to **prep for** big presentations the night before.
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slide into bed

Meaning
to get into bed smoothly and get ready to sleep
Example
After the long shift he just wants to **slide into bed** and rest.
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close a deal

Meaning
to successfully reach an agreement or finalize a business transaction
Example
Our company managed to **close a deal** with a top European distributor.
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point behind

Meaning
to indicate something located at the back
Example
He **pointed behind** to show the exit door.
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rise by

Meaning
to increase by a certain amount or percentage
Example
Exports **rose by** 10% in the last fiscal year.
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tie together

Meaning
to connect or combine different ideas or organizations into a single effort
Example
Their vision helps to **tie together** efforts from multiple NGOs.
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bring down debt

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money a government or company owes
Example
The government is trying to **bring down debt** by increasing exports.
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stumble upon

Meaning
to find something by accident
Example
We **stumbled upon** a hidden waterfall in the forest.
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sort through for

Meaning
to examine items one by one to find something specific
Example
I **sort through for** the receipts every month at budget time.
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turn out for

Meaning
to attend or participate in an event
Example
Thousands of people **turned out for** the annual cultural parade.
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participate in festivals

Meaning
to join cultural celebrations and events of a community
Example
Foreigners love to **participate in festivals** that show the local culture.
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give back

Meaning
to return something to someone
Example
Don’t forget to **give back** the book you borrowed.
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build resilience

Meaning
to develop the ability to recover from challenges or stress
Example
Facing hardships helps you **build resilience** for the future.
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screw up

Meaning
to do something badly or incorrectly
Example
He **screwed up** the report by adding wrong data.
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hold down costs

Meaning
to keep expenses under control
Example
The company managed to **hold down costs** despite rising raw material prices.
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drop off at

Meaning
to leave someone or something at a specific place
Example
The taxi **dropped us off at** the airport gate.
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blend with

Meaning
to mix harmoniously with something; to integrate smoothly
Example
Immigrants often try to **blend with** the local culture while keeping their traditions alive.
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give back to

Meaning
to contribute to a community or cause that has supported you
Example
He believes everyone should **give back to** society in some way.
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clamor for

Meaning
to demand something loudly and emotionally
Example
Fans **clamored for** an encore performance.
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foster mutual respect

Meaning
to encourage understanding and appreciation between groups or countries
Example
Cultural exchanges help **foster mutual respect** among nations.
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heal up

Meaning
to recover or become healthy again after injury
Example
Her wound has started to **heal up** nicely.
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stand over

Meaning
to watch someone closely to ensure they do something correctly
Example
The teacher **stood over** the students during the exam.
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hold onto values

Meaning
to keep and protect one’s principles despite pressure
Example
A leader should **hold onto values** even when it's not easy.
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catch someone’s eye

Meaning
to attract someone's attention
Example
The bright red car **caught my eye** as it drove past.
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stand firm

Meaning
to remain strong and not give up under pressure or doubt
Example
He decided to **stand firm** in his beliefs despite opposition.
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work under

Meaning
to operate or perform duties while facing stress or conditions
Example
She can **work under** extreme pressure and still deliver quality results.
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draw back from

Meaning
to hesitate or decide not to do something due to fear or doubt
Example
He **drew back from** investing after the market showed instability.
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keep up growth

Meaning
to maintain economic progress over time
Example
The government is focusing on policies to **keep up growth** while maintaining stability.
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drop a line to

Meaning
to send a short message to someone
Example
Don’t forget to **drop a line to** me when you arrive.
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shore up confidence

Meaning
to support or strengthen belief and trust in the economy
Example
The government announced new reforms to **shore up confidence** in financial markets.
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brush through

Meaning
to quickly review or go through something
Example
I’ll **brush through** my notes one more time before the exam.
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stay ahead in class

Meaning
to perform better or be more advanced than others in the class
Example
He studies extra hours to **stay ahead in class**.
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write in about

Meaning
to contact an organization in writing regarding something
Example
If you have ideas, please **write in about** them before Friday.
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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.
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reach across borders

Meaning
to cooperate internationally; to form connections beyond national boundaries
Example
Organizations are striving to **reach across borders** to solve global problems.
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jam out

Meaning
to play music with great enthusiasm or energy
Example
The band **jammed out** for hours during rehearsal.
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adapt through

Meaning
to change behavior or habits because of exposure to new experiences
Example
She managed to **adapt through** constant interaction with locals.