cut down costs
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phrasal-verb

cut down costs

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

look over

Meaning
to examine or review something quickly
Example
Can you **look over** this proposal before submitting it?
idiom

on the go

Meaning
always busy or active; traveling a lot
Example
She's always **on the go** with her work trips.
idiom

Game of thrones

Meaning
A struggle for power or control, often involving manipulation and rivalry
Example
The election turned into a **game of thrones** with leaders fighting for dominance.
idiom

freshen up

Meaning
to wash or tidy oneself to feel renewed
Example
Guests can **freshen up** in the lounge before dinner.
idiom

hacktivism

Meaning
the use of hacking to promote political or social causes
Example
The group used **hacktivism** to expose corruption within the government.
phrasal-verb

step up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods sold abroad
Example
The country aims to **step up exports** to reduce the trade deficit.
phrasal-verb

go after your dreams

Meaning
to pursue your goals or ambitions actively
Example
He decided to **go after his dreams** no matter what.
phrasal-verb

give away to

Meaning
to yield to; to be replaced by something
Example
The old traditions **gave away to** modern practices.
phrasal-verb

lift someone’s spirits

Meaning
to make someone feel happier or more hopeful
Example
His words really **lifted my spirits** after the bad news.
phrasal-verb

come around

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

give credit to

Meaning
to acknowledge someone’s contribution
Example
You should **give credit to** those who helped you succeed.
phrasal-verb

draw up a trade agreement

Meaning
to prepare the terms of a trade deal
Example
Officials met to **draw up a trade agreement** that benefits both nations.
idiom

sworn enemy turned friend

Meaning
someone who was once your enemy but is now a friend
Example
After years of rivalry, they became **sworn enemies turned friends**.
phrasal-verb

factor into

Meaning
to include something in your calculations or predictions about the future
Example
We must **factor into** our plans the possible rise in inflation.
phrasal-verb

snap out of fear

Meaning
to quickly recover from a fearful or panicked state
Example
He managed to **snap out of fear** and take control of the situation.
idiom

have a heart of gold

Meaning
to be very kind and generous
Example
Everyone loves her because she **has a heart of gold**.
phrasal-verb

wind up about

Meaning
to become agitated or upset because of something
Example
Try not to **wind up about** the traffic; we'll still make it on time.
phrasal-verb

stand out from

Meaning
to be noticeably different or better than others
Example
Her confidence makes her **stand out from** the rest of the team.
idiom

hand in

Meaning
to submit something to someone in authority
Example
Please **hand in** your assignment by Friday morning.
idiom

hit like a ton of bricks

Meaning
to cause a sudden and strong shock or surprise
Example
The news of his death **hit me like a ton of bricks**.
idiom

A Pandora’s box

Meaning
A source of endless complications or trouble.
Example
Discussing that topic will open a **Pandora’s box** of complaints.
phrasal-verb

chill with

Meaning
to relax and spend calm time with someone
Example
I love to **chill with** my friends on weekends to refresh my mind.
idiom

on the run

Meaning
trying to avoid being caught by the police
Example
The suspect has been **on the run** for three days.
phrasal-verb

spark up

Meaning
to begin something cheerful or lively, such as a smile or conversation
Example
He **sparked up** a smile as soon as he saw her.
idiom

step away

Meaning
to take a short break from a situation
Example
Take a minute to **step away** if you feel overwhelmed.
idiom

answer for something

Meaning
to be responsible for something bad that happens
Example
You’ll have to **answer for your actions** if things go wrong.
phrasal-verb

cut into

Meaning
to reduce the time or energy available for eating or cooking
Example
Work has really **cut into** my cooking time.
phrasal-verb

level off at

Meaning
to stop increasing or decreasing and stay at a steady level
Example
After a sharp rise, GDP growth **leveled off at** around 6%.
phrasal-verb

take part

Meaning
to participate or be involved in an activity
Example
Many people **take part** in the annual marathon as a hobby.
idiom

own your mistakes

Meaning
to take responsibility for what you did wrong.
Example
It’s important to **own your mistakes** and learn from them.
phrasal-verb

sort things out with

Meaning
to resolve an issue directly with someone
Example
I need to **sort things out with** Jenna before the meeting.
phrasal-verb

take inspiration from

Meaning
to get creative ideas or motivation from something
Example
Many fashion designers **take inspiration from** nature.
idiom

under the knife

Meaning
to have surgery
Example
She has to go **under the knife** for her knee problem.
phrasal-verb

switch off mentally

Meaning
to stop thinking about work or problems for a while
Example
On weekends, I try to **switch off mentally** and enjoy time with my family.
idiom

pluck up the courage

Meaning
to make yourself feel brave enough to do something
Example
He finally **plucked up the courage** to speak in public.
phrasal-verb

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.
idiom

set the pace

Meaning
to establish a standard of performance or progress for others to follow
Example
Our CEO always **sets the pace** for the entire company.
phrasal-verb

come to

Meaning
to regain consciousness; to amount to a total
Example
He **came to** after fainting in the heat.
idiom

the dawn of a new day

Meaning
a new beginning filled with hope
Example
Her graduation marked **the dawn of a new day** in her life.
phrasal-verb

bring in new ideas

Meaning
to introduce creative thoughts or plans
Example
Leaders should **bring in new ideas** to improve team performance.
idiom

turn the tables

Meaning
to reverse a situation and gain the upper hand
Example
They were losing, but managed to **turn the tables** in the final round.
idiom

to bask in the glory

Meaning
to enjoy the admiration and praise from others after achieving something great
Example
He **basked in the glory** of his victory for weeks after the championship.
idiom

a run for one’s money

Meaning
to compete strongly with someone; to challenge effectively
Example
The new company is giving the old giants **a run for their money**.
idiom

Fall into the same trap

Meaning
to make the same mistake again, often due to not learning from previous experiences
Example
She **fell into the same trap** by trusting him again.
phrasal-verb

grow attached to

Meaning
to develop strong emotional feelings for someone or something
Example
She quickly **grew attached to** the little dog she rescued.
phrasal-verb

give in to

Meaning
to yield or surrender to pressure or temptation
Example
The country refused to **give in to** international pressure.
idiom

hit the road again

Meaning
to resume a journey after a stop
Example
After lunch, we **hit the road again**.
phrasal-verb

back down on

Meaning
to withdraw or concede a position after opposition
Example
The government refused to **back down on** its stance regarding foreign aid.
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

rise from hurt

Meaning
to recover emotionally after being deeply hurt
Example
He managed to **rise from hurt** and trust people again.
idiom

a feather in one’s cap

Meaning
an achievement to be proud of
Example
Winning the national award was **a feather in his cap**.
idiom

Keep it under your hat

Meaning
To keep something secret.
Example
I’ll tell you a secret, but **keep it under your hat**.
phrasal-verb

open up to feedback

Meaning
to be willing to listen and accept constructive criticism
Example
A good leader must **open up to feedback** from the team.
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

write one’s own story

Meaning
to shape one’s own destiny or path in life
Example
She chose to **write her own story** instead of following tradition.
idiom

go to battle

Meaning
to prepare to fight or compete strongly
Example
Our team is ready to **go to battle** in the finals.
idiom

a win-win situation

Meaning
a situation where everyone benefits
Example
Merging the two companies created **a win-win situation** for both parties.
phrasal-verb

throw up

Meaning
to vomit
Example
The spoiled food made him **throw up**.
idiom

make a comeback

Meaning
to return to success after a period of failure
Example
After a year of struggle, the team managed to **make a comeback** and won the championship.
phrasal-verb

switch off from

Meaning
to disconnect mentally from work or stress
Example
She **switches off from** emails after yoga class.
phrasal-verb

pull yourself back

Meaning
to stop overthinking or panicking and return to calmness
Example
Whenever your mind runs away, **pull yourself back** to the present.
phrasal-verb

build bridges between

Meaning
to improve relationships or understanding between groups
Example
The project aims to **build bridges between** rural and urban youth.
phrasal-verb

move on from

Meaning
to recover emotionally and continue life after a painful experience
Example
It took him a while to **move on from** the heartbreak.
idiom

a thorn in one's side

Meaning
a constant source of annoyance or trouble
Example
The trade dispute has become **a thorn in our side**.
phrasal-verb

bring online

Meaning
to make a system or machine operational or connected to a network
Example
The new data center was **brought online** last week.
idiom

No risk, no reward

Meaning
You can't expect to achieve something without taking risks.
Example
To get ahead in life, you have to understand that **no risk, no reward**.
idiom

give away

Meaning
to donate or to reveal something unintentionally
Example
They plan to **give away** the extra supplies to the shelter.
idiom

overnight success

Meaning
a person or thing that becomes successful very quickly
Example
Her first song made her an **overnight success**.
phrasal-verb

stand up after

Meaning
to regain confidence or strength after failing
Example
True leaders **stand up after** every fall.
idiom

be sure of yourself

Meaning
to have confidence in your abilities or opinions
Example
To be a leader, you must **be sure of yourself**.
idiom

keep in mind

Meaning
to remember something important
Example
**Keep in mind** that deadlines are strict.
idiom

a cold fish

Meaning
someone who is unemotional or not friendly
Example
He seemed **a cold fish** when I first met him.
phrasal-verb

scale up to

Meaning
to increase in size, amount, or production level to meet higher demand or needs
Example
The company plans to **scale up to** full production once the economy stabilizes.
idiom

back to the drawing board

Meaning
to start over again after a failure
Example
Our proposal was rejected, so it's **back to the drawing board**.
idiom

make it to the top

Meaning
to reach the highest point of success
Example
After years of hard work, he finally **made it to the top** of his career.
phrasal-verb

wait up

Meaning
to stay awake until someone arrives
Example
Don’t **wait up** for me, I might be late tonight.
idiom

data-driven decision making

Meaning
making decisions based on data analysis rather than intuition or personal experience
Example
In the world of business, **data-driven decision making** is crucial for success.
idiom

bubbling with joy

Meaning
very happy and excited
Example
The children were **bubbling with joy** after receiving their gifts.
phrasal-verb

line questions up

Meaning
to prepare queries in an organized list
Example
I **line questions up** before our weekly check-in with leadership.
idiom

call to order

Meaning
to officially begin a meeting or discussion
Example
The chairperson **called the meeting to order** at 10 AM.
idiom

take no prisoners

Meaning
to be ruthless or extremely determined in achieving something
Example
Our sales team **takes no prisoners** when it comes to competition.
phrasal-verb

turn within

Meaning
to focus on your inner world to find peace or answers
Example
He chose to **turn within** instead of blaming others.
idiom

keep your options open

Meaning
to delay making a final decision so you have choices
Example
I’ll **keep my options open** until I hear back from all the universities.
phrasal-verb

join across

Meaning
to connect or unite with people or organizations from different countries or sectors
Example
Businesses **join across** industries to promote sustainability.
idiom

Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today

Meaning
Do not procrastinate; take advantage of the present moment.
Example
Finish your work now, **don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today**.
phrasal-verb

play with

Meaning
to spend time enjoying a game or toy with someone
Example
We used to **play with** marbles and paper boats in the rain.
idiom

touch wood

Meaning
to say something positive and hope it continues to be good
Example
We haven’t lost a game yet, **touch wood**.
phrasal-verb

build up to

Meaning
to prepare for something gradually
Example
You should **build up to** running long distances slowly.
phrasal-verb

follow along in chat

Meaning
to keep up with messages during an online meeting
Example
Participants **follow along in chat** while the speaker demos the tool.
phrasal-verb

carry on

Meaning
to continue doing something even after interruptions or difficulties
Example
Despite the challenges, she managed to **carry on** with her work calmly.
phrasal-verb

get along across

Meaning
to have a friendly relationship across different backgrounds
Example
He can easily **get along across** cultures because he is open-minded.
phrasal-verb

layer on

Meaning
to add layers or levels to a piece of art or design
Example
He **layered on** different textures to make the painting richer.
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.
idiom

switch off

Meaning
to stop thinking about work or problems
Example
It’s important to **switch off** after a long day.
phrasal-verb

rack up

Meaning
to accumulate or achieve something, such as points or awards
Example
She has **racked up** several awards for her outstanding work.
phrasal-verb

save up

Meaning
to keep money so you can buy something in the future
Example
I’m trying to **save up** for a new laptop.
idiom

A Jekyll and Hyde

Meaning
A person with two very different sides to their personality.
Example
He’s like **a Jekyll and Hyde**—nice one moment and cruel the next.
idiom

Put your heads together

Meaning
To discuss and solve a problem collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** to find a solution.
idiom

keep your head in the game

Meaning
to stay mentally focused and motivated
Example
Even when things get tough, **keep your head in the game**.
phrasal-verb

bottle out

Meaning
to decide not to express your feelings because of fear or shyness
Example
He wanted to tell her how he felt but **bottled out** at the last moment.
phrasal-verb

get used to

Meaning
to become familiar with or accustomed to something new
Example
It took her some time to **get used to** the local customs and traditions.
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

fall for

Meaning
to fall in love with someone; to be strongly attracted to something
Example
He **fell for** her the moment they met.
idiom

see red

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **saw red** when his computer crashed again.
idiom

burn your boats

Meaning
to commit yourself to a course of action without a way back
Example
He **burned his boats** when he quit his job to start a business.
idiom

at war with oneself

Meaning
to be conflicted or struggling internally
Example
She is **at war with herself** about the decision to move abroad.
phrasal-verb

copy out

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

flare with anger

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

thrill at

Meaning
to feel excited and happy about something
Example
Fans **thrilled at** the sight of their favorite singer.
idiom

shake off

Meaning
to get rid of something unpleasant
Example
She took a walk to **shake off** the stress.
idiom

set the trend

Meaning
to start something new that others begin to follow
Example
The company’s campaign **set the trend** for eco-friendly marketing.
idiom

table the discussion

Meaning
to postpone discussing something until later
Example
They decided to **table the discussion** until next week.
phrasal-verb

roll over

Meaning
to reinvest money from a matured investment into a new one
Example
He decided to **roll over** his fixed deposit for another year.
idiom

burn one's bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or opportunities that cannot be restored
Example
He **burned his bridges** when he insulted his boss.
idiom

pick a fight

Meaning
to start an argument intentionally
Example
Don’t **pick a fight** with him; he’s already angry.
idiom

the lion’s share

Meaning
the largest part of something
Example
He took **the lion’s share** of the profits.
idiom

bottle up emotions

Meaning
to keep feelings inside and not express them
Example
He tends to **bottle up his emotions**, which isn't healthy in the long run.
idiom

itching to do something

Meaning
to be eager or impatient to do something
Example
He’s **itching to start** his new project.
phrasal-verb

stand out as a leader

Meaning
to be recognized for leadership qualities or achievements
Example
She **stood out as a leader** because of her integrity and vision.