cut away
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phrasal-verb

cut away

Meaning
to remove part of something with a tool or knife
Example
The doctor **cut away** the damaged tissue.
phrasal-verb

copy out

Meaning
to write something again exactly as it is
Example
The students were asked to **copy out** the paragraph neatly.
idiom

Chart a course

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

catch someone red-handed

Meaning
to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The police **caught him red-handed** as he was stealing from the store.
phrasal-verb

capitalize on opportunities

Meaning
to take advantage of favorable situations to gain profit
Example
Smart investors always **capitalize on** opportunities in the market.
phrasal-verb

calm over

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

cross that bridge when you come to it

Meaning
to deal with a problem when it happens, not before
Example
We will **cross that bridge when we come to it**.
phrasal-verb

count upon

Meaning
to depend or rely on someone for help or support
Example
You can always **count upon** me when you need assistance.
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**.
phrasal-verb

come apart

Meaning
to break into pieces; to fall apart emotionally
Example
The old book **came apart** in my hands.
idiom

crunch the data

Meaning
to process and analyze large amounts of data
Example
The AI can **crunch the data** in seconds and give insights.
idiom

clamp down

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

check back on progress

Meaning
to review how far work has moved since the last update
Example
Project leads **check back on progress** every Thursday morning.
idiom

cloak and dagger

Meaning
involving secrecy, mystery, and deception
Example
The meeting was surrounded by **cloak and dagger** secrecy.
idiom

crack under pressure

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

cool down from

Meaning
to relax and recover from emotional or physical stress
Example
She needed time to **cool down from** the heated discussion.
phrasal-verb

clean up well

Meaning
to look good after getting dressed or groomed
Example
He usually looks messy, but he **cleans up well** for special occasions.
phrasal-verb

circle the wagons

Meaning
to come together to protect the group from criticism
Example
Fans **circle the wagons** when the coach faces unfair blame.
phrasal-verb

cut it close

Meaning
to allow very little time for something
Example
Leaving at 8:50 for a 9:00 meeting is **cutting it close**.
phrasal-verb

contribute to

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

chain reaction

Meaning
a series of events triggered by one event
Example
One breakthrough can start a **chain reaction** of new innovations.
phrasal-verb

check inside

Meaning
to examine your thoughts or motives before reacting
Example
Always **check inside** before you respond in anger.
phrasal-verb

choke up

Meaning
to become emotional and unable to speak
Example
He **choked up** while giving his farewell speech.
phrasal-verb

come clean about

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you’ve been hiding
Example
She finally **came clean about** her past.
idiom

can’t wait

Meaning
to be very eager or impatient for something to happen
Example
I **can’t wait** to see the new movie!
idiom

crack the whip

Meaning
to use authority to make people work harder or obey rules
Example
The new manager is **cracking the whip** to improve productivity.
phrasal-verb

cash in

Meaning
to make money from an investment or situation
Example
Investors **cashed in** when the stock prices soared.
idiom

call it a night

Meaning
to stop what you are doing and go home, especially after a party
Example
It’s getting late, let’s **call it a night**.
idiom

clean up your act

Meaning
to start behaving more responsibly.
Example
You need to **clean up your act** if you want that promotion.
idiom

check in with

Meaning
to contact someone to exchange updates
Example
I’ll **check in with** the vendor later today.
phrasal-verb

clean out

Meaning
to completely remove unwanted things from a place
Example
Volunteers worked to **clean out** the polluted river.
idiom

climb the ladder of success

Meaning
to achieve higher positions in career or life
Example
She’s been **climbing the ladder of success** through hard work.
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

come round

Meaning
to regain consciousness
Example
She fainted but soon **came round**.
phrasal-verb

carry out

Meaning
to perform or execute a plan or task
Example
The consultants will **carry out** a market feasibility study.
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

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

circle around

Meaning
to move repeatedly around something
Example
The hawk kept **circling around** above the trees.
phrasal-verb

chase after

Meaning
to try hard to achieve something you want
Example
Many people **chase after** success without enjoying the process.
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

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

carry the can

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

chicken out

Meaning
to decide not to do something because of fear
Example
He was going to ask her out but **chickened out** at the last minute.
phrasal-verb

coordinate across borders

Meaning
to organize efforts with people in different countries
Example
We **coordinate across borders** to keep the partnership moving smoothly.
phrasal-verb

cut back on laziness

Meaning
to reduce your tendency to avoid effort or work
Example
To be disciplined, you need to **cut back on laziness**.
phrasal-verb

cut off pollution

Meaning
to stop or reduce pollution sources
Example
Factories must **cut off pollution** to meet environmental standards.
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

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.
idiom

crack the books

Meaning
to open your books and begin studying
Example
It's time to **crack the books** and prepare for finals.
phrasal-verb

close in on

Meaning
to get nearer to achieving something
Example
After several meetings, we are finally **closing in on** an agreement.
phrasal-verb

catch on quickly

Meaning
to understand new concepts or ideas fast
Example
She **catches on quickly** when it comes to math problems.
phrasal-verb

come back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
When will you **come back** from London?
phrasal-verb

climb back

Meaning
to recover a previous position after losing it
Example
Stock prices have started to **climb back** after the market crash.
phrasal-verb

carve your path

Meaning
to create your own way or direction in life or career
Example
He decided to **carve his path** instead of following others.
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

cool down after

Meaning
to gently relax following exercise or effort
Example
Always **cool down after** intense matches to avoid injury.
phrasal-verb

cut in line

Meaning
to move ahead of others waiting in a queue
Example
It’s considered rude to **cut in line** at the counter.
phrasal-verb

calm the mind

Meaning
to relax and bring mental peace
Example
Meditation helps her **calm the mind** after a stressful day.
phrasal-verb

check out for the day

Meaning
to finish work and mentally leave for the rest of the day
Example
Once my reports are sent, I **check out for the day** and rest.
phrasal-verb

connect across

Meaning
to form relationships or communication across different regions or cultures
Example
The platform helps users **connect across** languages and borders.
phrasal-verb

cut someone short

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
She tried to explain her point, but he **cut her short** halfway through.
phrasal-verb

crack up at

Meaning
to laugh uncontrollably at something
Example
Everyone **cracked up at** his funny joke.
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

cover all the angles

Meaning
to examine a story or issue from every perspective
Example
The journalist tried to **cover all the angles** before publishing the article.
idiom

come back to earth

Meaning
to return to reality after being excited or daydreaming
Example
After the vacation, it’s time to **come back to earth**.
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

clash of wills

Meaning
a conflict between two determined people
Example
It was a **clash of wills** between the manager and the employee.
idiom

cover your tracks

Meaning
to hide evidence of one’s actions
Example
Hackers often **cover their tracks** after breaking into systems.
phrasal-verb

click on

Meaning
to press a button on the mouse to select something
Example
Just **click on** the link to open the website.
phrasal-verb

cross over

Meaning
to go from one side to the other side of something
Example
**Cross over** the bridge to get to the other side of the river.
phrasal-verb

come down with

Meaning
to become ill with a disease
Example
I think I'm **coming down with** a cold.
phrasal-verb

cut back

Meaning
to reduce the amount of time or effort spent on work
Example
She decided to **cut back** her working hours to spend more time with family.
idiom

Cut class

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

call up on

Meaning
to ask someone formally to do something
Example
The chairman **called up on** all members to vote.
phrasal-verb

cut across

Meaning
to affect multiple areas or groups at once
Example
Climate change **cuts across** every sector of society.
phrasal-verb

call down

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

come off well

Meaning
to succeed or be judged positively in something
Example
She **came off well** in the presentation and impressed the board.
idiom

comic relief

Meaning
a funny moment in a serious situation
Example
The movie’s sidekick provided much-needed **comic relief**.
idiom

cold case

Meaning
a criminal case that has not been solved for a long time
Example
The detective reopened a **cold case** from 1999.
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

cheer someone up

Meaning
to make someone feel happier or less sad
Example
I bought flowers to **cheer her up** after the bad news.
phrasal-verb

channel emotions

Meaning
to direct emotions into positive actions
Example
She learned to **channel her emotions** into creative work.
idiom

cut someone down to size

Meaning
to criticize someone to make them feel less important
Example
The manager **cut him down to size** after he bragged too much.
idiom

cross your heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise
Example
I’ll never tell anyone, **cross my heart**.
idiom

cry one’s heart out

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

cross one's heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise, often used by children
Example
I’ll never lie to you again, **cross my heart**.
idiom

clear away

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

call into question

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

change your tune

Meaning
to change your opinion or attitude
Example
He criticized the plan at first but later **changed his tune**.
phrasal-verb

cut down on

Meaning
to reduce the amount or frequency of something harmful
Example
We must **cut down on** carbon emissions to fight climate change.
phrasal-verb

count towards

Meaning
to contribute to an overall result or future achievement
Example
This internship will **count towards** your graduation credits.
idiom

cold call

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

call the bluff

Meaning
to challenge someone to prove their authority or claim
Example
She **called his bluff** when he threatened to quit.
phrasal-verb

cheer someone on

Meaning
to encourage someone by showing support or enthusiasm
Example
My friends **cheered me on** during the presentation.
idiom

come full circle

Meaning
to return to the original state after a series of changes
Example
After years abroad, she’s **come full circle** and moved back home.
phrasal-verb

chalk up improvements

Meaning
to credit progress achieved over time
Example
We **chalk up improvements** to consistent practice and rest.
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.
idiom

cool off

Meaning
to become less hot or less angry
Example
Let the soup **cool off** before serving.
phrasal-verb

come together for

Meaning
to unite for a common purpose; to join efforts toward a shared goal
Example
Communities from all over the world **come together for** humanitarian causes.
phrasal-verb

come over

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

crossed wires

Meaning
a misunderstanding between two people
Example
We must have **crossed wires** about the meeting time.
phrasal-verb

come up with ideas

Meaning
to create or think of new ideas
Example
The R&D team managed to **come up with ideas** that revolutionized the product line.
phrasal-verb

coach through

Meaning
to guide someone step by step through a task
Example
I **coach through** tough trade-offs by sharing past cases.
phrasal-verb

click with

Meaning
to immediately feel a connection or understanding with someone
Example
We instantly **clicked with** each other at the party.
idiom

cry wolf

Meaning
to raise a false alarm
Example
Do not **cry wolf** or no one will believe you later.
phrasal-verb

cut back on mistakes

Meaning
to reduce the number of errors you make
Example
To grow professionally, try to **cut back on mistakes**.
phrasal-verb

come through for

Meaning
to do what is needed or expected, especially in difficult times
Example
Our teammates always **come through for** each other when deadlines are tight.
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

cut off caffeine

Meaning
to stop consuming coffee or caffeinated drinks
Example
She has **cut off caffeine** to sleep better at night.
idiom

corner the market

Meaning
to dominate a particular market
Example
They’ve managed to **corner the market** in organic products.
idiom

cut through the noise

Meaning
to stand out from the competition; to be noticed despite distractions
Example
Our campaign needs to **cut through the noise** and grab people’s attention.
idiom

Cover a lot of ground

Meaning
to deal with a lot of information or material
Example
The lecture **covered a lot of ground** in just one hour.
idiom

call a truce

Meaning
to agree to stop fighting or arguing for a while
Example
They decided to **call a truce** until the boss arrived.
idiom

carve out a niche

Meaning
to establish a unique place or role for oneself
Example
She **carved out a niche** as a specialist in art restoration.
idiom

come to mind

Meaning
to suddenly remember something
Example
Her name didn’t **come to mind** at first.
idiom

call to arms

Meaning
a call to take action, especially to defend a cause
Example
The leader’s speech was a **call to arms** for all citizens to fight corruption.
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

cut down workforce

Meaning
to reduce the number of employees
Example
Due to reduced demand, the factory **cut down workforce** by 20 percent.
idiom

catch the train

Meaning
to be on time for a train or event
Example
Hurry up or you’ll not **catch the train**!
idiom

cool as a cucumber

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