count down from
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phrasal-verb

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.
idiom

have a vivid imagination

Meaning
to be able to think of interesting and unusual ideas
Example
Children often **have a vivid imagination**.
idiom

give someone a run for their money

Meaning
to compete strongly against someone
Example
The new player **gave the champion a run for his money**.
idiom

fill out

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

come up empty

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

talk things over with

Meaning
to discuss a matter thoroughly with someone
Example
I need to **talk things over with** you before we make a decision.
idiom

come out with it

Meaning
to say something openly or honestly that you’ve been hiding
Example
Stop hesitating and just **come out with it**!
idiom

fall on one's shoulders

Meaning
to be responsible for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
The task of organizing the event **fell on her shoulders**.
idiom

keep your eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal or objective despite obstacles
Example
Even though the road was tough, he always **kept his eye on the prize** and succeeded.
phrasal-verb

lift your mood

Meaning
to make yourself or someone feel happier
Example
Listening to uplifting music can **lift your mood** instantly.
idiom

blow off steam

Meaning
to express anger or frustration so that you feel better
Example
He went for a run to **blow off steam** after the argument.
phrasal-verb

call for unity

Meaning
to publicly ask people to come together for a common cause
Example
The leader **called for unity** among the divided political groups.
phrasal-verb

filter through for

Meaning
to sift carefully to find specific items
Example
Editors **filter through for** reliable sources before running a story.
idiom

Grounded

Meaning
Unable to go out or fly; restricted for a reason.
Example
All flights were **grounded** due to heavy fog.
phrasal-verb

break out of

Meaning
to free yourself from a negative emotional state
Example
He finally **broke out of** his depression after therapy.
idiom

off the top of one's head

Meaning
to say something without thinking carefully or checking
Example
**Off the top of my head**, I think there are five options.
idiom

pat on the back

Meaning
to praise or congratulate someone for doing something well
Example
You deserve a **pat on the back** for your effort.
phrasal-verb

storm out

Meaning
to leave a place angrily, like a storm
Example
He **stormed out** of the room when we mentioned the weather again.
idiom

take your life in your hands

Meaning
To do something very risky or dangerous.
Example
You’re **taking your life in your hands** by driving in that storm.
idiom

The waiting game

Meaning
A situation in which you must wait for something to happen.
Example
It’s all about **the waiting game** when you’re looking for a job.
phrasal-verb

catch up in

Meaning
to become involved in something, often unwillingly
Example
He got **caught up in** a legal issue he didn’t understand.
phrasal-verb

reach deep

Meaning
to dig into one’s emotions or empathy to connect with others
Example
He had to **reach deep** to find the compassion to forgive.
phrasal-verb

back down from

Meaning
to withdraw from a position or opinion due to pressure
Example
He never **backs down from** what he believes in.
idiom

sharp as a tack

Meaning
very intelligent or quick-thinking
Example
She's **sharp as a tack** and always has the best answers in class.
phrasal-verb

look within for strength

Meaning
to find inner courage and motivation
Example
When times are tough, **look within for strength**.
idiom

have a whale of a time

Meaning
to have an extremely enjoyable time
Example
We **had a whale of a time** at the beach party.
idiom

kiss and make up

Meaning
to become friends again after an argument
Example
They always **kiss and make up** after every fight.
idiom

reach your full potential

Meaning
to achieve the maximum ability or success that you are capable of
Example
By working hard, she was able to **reach her full potential**.
phrasal-verb

call down

Meaning
to scold or reprimand someone
Example
The boss **called down** the employee for being late.
idiom

go to seed

Meaning
to decline in quality or condition
Example
The old factory has really **gone to seed** over the years.
phrasal-verb

set clear goals

Meaning
to define specific objectives or targets
Example
A good manager always sets clear goals for the team.
phrasal-verb

bottle in

Meaning
to keep emotions inside instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle in** his sadness rather than share it.
phrasal-verb

get carried away

Meaning
to become so excited that you lose control of your feelings or actions
Example
I **got carried away** and bought more than I planned.
phrasal-verb

fit into

Meaning
to become part of a group or situation easily; to adjust to a new environment
Example
It took me a few weeks to **fit into** the new office culture.
phrasal-verb

drive growth

Meaning
to cause an increase or improvement in business or economy
Example
Government investments in infrastructure can **drive growth** across multiple sectors.
phrasal-verb

balance between

Meaning
to maintain stability between different emotions or responsibilities
Example
She tries to **balance between** her work and personal life.
idiom

cop a plea

Meaning
to plead guilty to a lesser charge in order to avoid a more severe penalty
Example
He decided to **cop a plea** and serve a shorter sentence.
phrasal-verb

walk away from

Meaning
to leave a relationship or situation instead of confronting it
Example
Sometimes it’s better to **walk away from** toxic friendships.
idiom

iron out the bugs

Meaning
to fix small problems or errors
Example
We spent the whole night **ironing out the bugs** in the AI chatbot.
phrasal-verb

throw to

Meaning
to pass something to someone by throwing; to hand over responsibility
Example
The host **threw to** the reporter at the scene.
idiom

build a better mousetrap

Meaning
to improve an existing product or idea
Example
Every tech company tries to **build a better mousetrap** in its field.
idiom

table the issue

Meaning
to postpone discussion of a topic for later
Example
They decided to **table the issue** until next week.
phrasal-verb

push ahead

Meaning
to continue working hard towards a goal despite difficulties
Example
Even after many failures, she decided to **push ahead** with her startup idea.
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.
phrasal-verb

splash out on

Meaning
to spend a lot of money on something special
Example
She **splashed out on** a designer handbag for her birthday.
idiom

a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or understanding
Example
When I saw the results, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
phrasal-verb

burn off

Meaning
to use up energy or fat by exercising
Example
I go jogging every morning to **burn off** extra calories.
phrasal-verb

think back to

Meaning
to recall or remember something from the past
Example
I often **think back to** the lessons my parents taught me.
phrasal-verb

speak warmly of

Meaning
to talk kindly or appreciatively about someone
Example
Everyone **speaks warmly of** her generosity and kindness.
idiom

masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something developing into something great
Example
Her latest project looks like **a masterpiece in the making**.
idiom

a black hole

Meaning
a place or situation where things are lost, never to be found again
Example
The document I was looking for seems to have disappeared into **a black hole**.
idiom

tee up

Meaning
to prepare something for easy execution
Example
I’ll **tee up** the slides so you can start on time.
idiom

tighten one’s belt

Meaning
to spend less money due to financial difficulties
Example
After losing his job, he had to **tighten his belt**.
phrasal-verb

come out

Meaning
to be released or published; to become visible
Example
The new movie **came out** last week.
phrasal-verb

branch out professionally

Meaning
to start doing something new or expand into a new area professionally
Example
After years in sales, he decided to **branch out professionally** into marketing.
phrasal-verb

stay balanced

Meaning
to maintain emotional stability and not overreact
Example
Try to **stay balanced** no matter what happens.
idiom

a foot in the door

Meaning
to have a small opportunity to start working in a company or industry
Example
An internship is a great way to get **a foot in the door**.
idiom

the picture of health

Meaning
a person who looks very healthy
Example
Despite his age, he’s still **the picture of health**.
phrasal-verb

freeze up

Meaning
to become frozen or stop working due to cold
Example
The pipes might **freeze up** if the temperature drops too low.
idiom

phishing attack

Meaning
a fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity
Example
Never click on suspicious links to avoid a **phishing attack**.
phrasal-verb

grow apart

Meaning
to become distant from someone emotionally over time
Example
After years, they **grew apart** because of different interests.
idiom

in good spirits

Meaning
to be cheerful and confident
Example
She was **in good spirits** after her presentation.
idiom

out with the old, in with the new

Meaning
to replace old things or ideas with new ones
Example
It's time for **out with the old, in with the new**.
phrasal-verb

deal across

Meaning
to trade or exchange across parties
Example
The companies **dealt across** several industries.
idiom

Wishful thinking

Meaning
Believing something because you want it to be true, not because it is realistic.
Example
Believing you'll win the lottery is just **wishful thinking**.
phrasal-verb

rebuild confidence

Meaning
to regain self-assurance after emotional setbacks
Example
He slowly **rebuilt confidence** after losing everything.
phrasal-verb

relish in

Meaning
to take great pleasure or delight in something
Example
He **relishes in** the success he worked so hard for.
phrasal-verb

sign on with

Meaning
to officially agree to work or collaborate with someone
Example
The firm has just **signed on with** a global distributor.
phrasal-verb

strengthen alliances with

Meaning
to make partnerships or coalitions with other nations stronger
Example
The president vowed to **strengthen alliances with** global partners.
idiom

to push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate
Example
In the world of AI, companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
phrasal-verb

look beyond stereotypes

Meaning
to avoid judging others based on general assumptions
Example
To understand people better, we must **look beyond stereotypes**.
idiom

be a person of your word

Meaning
to be someone who keeps their promises
Example
She is truly **a person of her word**, always doing what she says.
phrasal-verb

cut back emissions

Meaning
to reduce the amount of pollution produced
Example
Our office **cuts back emissions** by switching to public transport incentives.
phrasal-verb

sit through

Meaning
to stay until the end of something that is long or boring
Example
We had to **sit through** a three-hour seminar on research methods.
idiom

carry out one's duties

Meaning
to perform one's assigned tasks or responsibilities
Example
He always **carries out his duties** with honesty and dedication.
phrasal-verb

green up

Meaning
to make something more environmentally friendly
Example
Our building **greens up** by switching to solar lighting.
phrasal-verb

come down to

Meaning
to be influenced or decided by a particular factor
Example
The decision will **come down to** how much money we have left.
phrasal-verb

put behind

Meaning
to forget something unpleasant and move forward
Example
She tried to **put** her past **behind** and start anew.
idiom

the school of hard knocks

Meaning
learning through difficult experiences in life
Example
He didn’t go to college, but he learned from **the school of hard knocks**.
phrasal-verb

climb toward

Meaning
to make steady progress toward a higher position or goal
Example
He is **climbing toward** the top position in his company.
idiom

The Scarlet Letter

Meaning
A symbol of shame or social stigma.
Example
In that conservative town, being divorced was like wearing **a Scarlet Letter**.
phrasal-verb

push beyond comfort

Meaning
to do more than what feels easy or safe
Example
Success begins when you **push beyond comfort** and take risks.
phrasal-verb

hold on to

Meaning
to keep believing or trying despite difficulties
Example
You must **hold on to** your dreams no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

come along

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

cut down on emissions

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something harmful, especially pollution
Example
Nations are taking measures to **cut down on emissions** from industries.
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**.
phrasal-verb

do someone in

Meaning
to kill or exhaust someone
Example
The long hike really **did me in**.
idiom

miss out on

Meaning
to fail to experience something enjoyable
Example
Don’t **miss out on** the early-bird discount.
phrasal-verb

dip below

Meaning
to fall under a particular level or value
Example
The unemployment rate **dipped below** 5% for the first time in years.
idiom

hold back on

Meaning
to delay or reduce doing something
Example
Let’s **hold back on** hiring until sales improve.
idiom

see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
They finally **saw eye to eye** on the business deal.
idiom

a snake in the grass

Meaning
a secret enemy
Example
Be careful; there’s **a snake in the grass**.
phrasal-verb

blow off work

Meaning
to skip work or avoid responsibilities, often to reduce stress
Example
He decided to **blow off work** and spend the day at the beach.
phrasal-verb

brush through

Meaning
to quickly review or go through something
Example
I’ll **brush through** my notes one more time before the exam.
phrasal-verb

catch up on

Meaning
to do something that one has missed or delayed doing before a deadline
Example
I stayed late to **catch up on** my unfinished reports.
phrasal-verb

chime with

Meaning
to agree or align with someone’s opinion in a group call
Example
Her suggestion really **chimed with** what the team was thinking.
idiom

burst of creativity

Meaning
a sudden outpouring of creative ideas
Example
She had a **burst of creativity** and finished the design in one go.
phrasal-verb

flare with anger

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry
Example
She **flared with anger** when she heard the unfair decision.
phrasal-verb

raise consciousness about

Meaning
to make people more aware of an issue or cause
Example
The campaign aims to **raise consciousness about** climate change.
idiom

hang by a thread

Meaning
to be in a very dangerous or uncertain situation
Example
After the accident, his life was **hanging by a thread**.
idiom

neural network of ideas

Meaning
a complex and interconnected web of thoughts or concepts
Example
Her brain works like a **neural network of ideas**.
phrasal-verb

bring down trade barriers

Meaning
to reduce or remove obstacles that limit international trade
Example
Efforts are being made to **bring down trade barriers** between neighboring countries.
idiom

cry one’s heart out

Meaning
to cry very hard due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

earn out

Meaning
to achieve something through effort or performance
Example
He **earned out** his promotion by working tirelessly.
idiom

A peaceful mind is a happy mind

Meaning
Mental calmness leads to happiness and contentment.
Example
She believes that **a peaceful mind is a happy mind**.
idiom

Golden goose

Meaning
A source of continuous profit or success.
Example
Tourism has been the country's **golden goose** for years.
phrasal-verb

take off with

Meaning
to become successful quickly
Example
Their new app **took off with** millions of downloads in the first week.
idiom

nip it in the bud

Meaning
to stop a problem before it gets worse
Example
We should **nip it in the bud** before it becomes serious.
idiom

grow on someone

Meaning
to become more liked or appreciated over time
Example
At first I didn’t like the song, but it **grew on me**.
idiom

forgive and forget

Meaning
to stop being angry and not remember someone’s mistake
Example
Let’s **forgive and forget** and move on.
idiom

down on one’s luck

Meaning
to be experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s **down on his luck** and can’t find a job.
idiom

to come out on top

Meaning
to succeed in a difficult situation or competition
Example
After a fierce competition, they **came out on top** and won the contract.
idiom

a no-brainer

Meaning
something that is very easy to understand or decide
Example
The solution to the problem was **a no-brainer**.
idiom

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning
To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example
If you think I'm guilty, you're **barking up the wrong tree**.
idiom

sow the seeds of something

Meaning
to begin a process that leads to a result
Example
His actions **sowed the seeds of** mistrust among the team.
phrasal-verb

open up markets

Meaning
to make trade or business opportunities available; to remove barriers to trade
Example
The trade agreement helped **open up markets** for local exporters.
phrasal-verb

tighten up regulations

Meaning
to make rules or laws stricter
Example
The central authority decided to **tighten up regulations** on foreign trade.
phrasal-verb

knock down

Meaning
to hit someone or something and cause them to fall to the ground
Example
The car **knocked down** a cyclist on the busy road.
phrasal-verb

reach agreement on

Meaning
to come to a mutual understanding or consensus about something
Example
After long discussions, both sides **reached agreement on** the trade terms.
idiom

true to one's word

Meaning
To do what one has promised.
Example
She was **true to her word** and helped me finish the project.