deal out
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phrasal-verb

deal out

Meaning
to distribute something to several people
Example
The teacher **dealt out** the exam papers.
phrasal-verb

deal down

Meaning
to negotiate a lower price
Example
She managed to **deal down** the price of the car.
idiom

social media blackout

Meaning
a period when social media services are unavailable or intentionally avoided
Example
During the **social media blackout**, everyone started reading books again.
phrasal-verb

mess around

Meaning
to spend time doing unimportant or fun things
Example
We just **messed around** in the park all afternoon.
phrasal-verb

jump back

Meaning
to move suddenly backward in fear or surprise
Example
She **jumped back** when the cat suddenly hissed.
phrasal-verb

hold out on

Meaning
to refuse to give information or something to someone
Example
He’s **holding out on** me about the project details.
phrasal-verb

shake off fear

Meaning
to get rid of fear or anxiety
Example
He tried to **shake off fear** before entering the stage.
phrasal-verb

build wealth

Meaning
to accumulate money and assets over time
Example
She plans to **build wealth** through smart investments and saving strategies.
idiom

run out of bandwidth

Meaning
to have no time or energy left; to be overwhelmed
Example
Sorry, I can’t take another task — I’ve **run out of bandwidth**.
idiom

guide the way

Meaning
to lead someone through a process or path
Example
A good leader knows how to **guide the way** for their team to succeed.
idiom

break your back

Meaning
to work very hard to achieve something
Example
He’s been **breaking his back** to support his family.
idiom

back into

Meaning
to move backwards into something unintentionally
Example
I nearly **backed into** the recycling bin while parking.
idiom

keep someone at arm’s length

Meaning
to avoid getting too close to someone
Example
After the argument, I **kept him at arm’s length**.
idiom

ring up

Meaning
to calculate and record a sale
Example
The cashier will **ring up** your items at the counter.
phrasal-verb

back out of an agreement

Meaning
to withdraw from a deal or commitment that was previously made
Example
The country decided to **back out of an agreement** citing national interest.
idiom

as easy as ABC

Meaning
very easy to do or understand
Example
For him, solving math problems is **as easy as ABC**.
idiom

break the chains

Meaning
to free oneself from restrictions or limitations
Example
She wanted to **break the chains** of social expectations.
idiom

to take the bull by the horns

Meaning
to confront a problem or challenge directly and with determination
Example
We need to **take the bull by the horns** and start making decisions now.
phrasal-verb

code around

Meaning
to find a software workaround for a problem
Example
Engineers **code around** the bug until an official patch ships.
idiom

Star-studded

Meaning
Full of famous or talented people.
Example
The event was **star-studded** with celebrities from all fields.
idiom

black box

Meaning
a system or process whose workings are not understood or transparent
Example
The neural network is often described as a **black box** because its decision-making process is not fully transparent.
phrasal-verb

kick start

Meaning
to start something quickly and effectively
Example
The new project aims to **kick start** rural economic growth.
idiom

show the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a job or task
Example
It took me a while to **show the ropes** to the new employee, but now they’re doing well.
phrasal-verb

let emotions in

Meaning
to allow yourself to feel and process emotions
Example
Don’t block your feelings—**let emotions in** and deal with them.
idiom

come into one's own

Meaning
to reach a stage of maturity or full potential
Example
She really **came into her own** after starting her own business.
idiom

make up your mind

Meaning
to decide something
Example
You need to **make up your mind** about which job to take.
idiom

A tough row to hoe

Meaning
A difficult task or situation to handle.
Example
Starting a new business is **a tough row to hoe**.
idiom

Ask a million questions

Meaning
To be extremely curious and ask many questions.
Example
Kids often **ask a million questions** about everything.
phrasal-verb

stay in shape

Meaning
to keep the body healthy and fit
Example
He exercises every day to **stay in shape**.
phrasal-verb

set out

Meaning
to begin an action with a clear purpose or plan
Example
The leader **set out** to build a more collaborative culture.
phrasal-verb

go down with

Meaning
to catch an illness, especially one that is not serious
Example
Several students **went down with** food poisoning.
phrasal-verb

brush up

Meaning
to clean or improve something; to review or practice
Example
He **brushed up** his teeth quickly before leaving for work.
idiom

behind the scenes

Meaning
secretly or without public knowledge
Example
A lot of work happens **behind the scenes** to make a movie.
idiom

a lawyer's brief

Meaning
a summary or concise statement of an argument or case
Example
The **lawyer's brief** was submitted to the judge before the trial began.
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

bottle up your feelings

Meaning
to hide or suppress your emotions
Example
Don't **bottle up your feelings**; talk about them.
idiom

hit the same wavelength

Meaning
to share similar thoughts and feelings
Example
We **hit the same wavelength** from the first conversation.
phrasal-verb

bring over

Meaning
to persuade someone to your point of view
Example
I finally **brought her over** to my side of the argument.
phrasal-verb

show off to

Meaning
to boast in front of someone to impress them
Example
He was **showing off to** his classmates about his new phone.
idiom

a double-edged sword

Meaning
something that has both positive and negative consequences
Example
The internet is **a double-edged sword**; it provides vast information but also exposes us to privacy risks.
idiom

cut your teeth

Meaning
to gain initial experience in a particular area or job
Example
He **cut his teeth** in the banking industry before starting his own firm.
idiom

take the fifth

Meaning
to refuse to answer a question on the grounds that it may incriminate oneself
Example
When asked about his involvement, he chose to **take the fifth**.
idiom

quick on the uptake

Meaning
able to understand things quickly
Example
You don’t need to explain it twice—he’s **quick on the uptake**.
idiom

It never rains but it pours

Meaning
When bad things happen, they happen all at once.
Example
First I lost my phone, then my wallet — **it never rains but it pours**.
idiom

throw a wrench into the works

Meaning
to disrupt or complicate something
Example
The sudden resignation of the minister threw a **wrench into the works** of the peace negotiations.
idiom

make it happen

Meaning
take action to achieve something
Example
Stop dreaming and **make it happen**.
phrasal-verb

scroll back

Meaning
to move up to view older posts or messages
Example
I **scrolled back** to see our old conversation.
idiom

top dog

Meaning
the most important or powerful person
Example
He’s the **top dog** in the company.
phrasal-verb

fight off

Meaning
to resist or defend against illness or attack
Example
She’s trying to **fight off** a cold before her trip.
phrasal-verb

invest in infrastructure

Meaning
to spend money on buildings, systems, or services for long-term development
Example
Developing nations are trying to **invest in infrastructure** to support economic growth.
idiom

square away

Meaning
to organize or finish something neatly
Example
We need to **square away** the paperwork before the audit.
idiom

take a nosedive

Meaning
to decline suddenly and dramatically
Example
The company's stock **took a nosedive** after the scandal.
idiom

to reach for the moon

Meaning
to aim for something that is difficult or seemingly impossible to achieve
Example
He decided to **reach for the moon** and apply for the most competitive university.
idiom

hear something through the grapevine

Meaning
to hear news or rumors indirectly
Example
I **heard through the grapevine** that they are getting married.
phrasal-verb

reflect kindness on

Meaning
to show gratitude by being kind to others in return
Example
She **reflected kindness on** others after being helped herself.
phrasal-verb

build up patience

Meaning
to gradually increase emotional endurance
Example
Meditation helps you **build up patience** in stressful times.
phrasal-verb

zone out with

Meaning
to relax or mentally drift while using something like music or a show
Example
I sometimes **zone out with** a podcast on the bus ride home.
idiom

a daydreamer

Meaning
someone who spends a lot of time thinking about pleasant things rather than working
Example
She’s **a daydreamer** who often forgets what she’s doing.
phrasal-verb

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.
idiom

a wake-up call

Meaning
an event that makes someone realize they need to change
Example
Losing his job was a **wake-up call** for him.
idiom

artificial instinct

Meaning
a machine’s ability to make decisions that seem natural or human-like
Example
The new model shows a kind of **artificial instinct** while driving.
idiom

phase back in

Meaning
to reintroduce something gradually
Example
We’ll **phase back in** office days next quarter.
phrasal-verb

pool together

Meaning
to combine resources or efforts for a shared goal
Example
The organizations decided to **pool together** their expertise for a larger impact.
idiom

a weight on your shoulders

Meaning
a heavy burden or responsibility causing stress
Example
Running the company alone is **a weight on his shoulders**.
idiom

Go against the grain

Meaning
to do something that is contrary to the usual way of doing things
Example
Their new approach really **goes against the grain** of traditional research methods.
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

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

pick back up

Meaning
to resume something after a break
Example
Let’s **pick back up** where we left off yesterday.
phrasal-verb

step forward with

Meaning
to take initiative in offering help or leadership
Example
Several countries **stepped forward with** humanitarian aid.
idiom

flash back to

Meaning
to suddenly remember a past event
Example
The photo made her **flash back to** her first day at work.
idiom

honesty is the best policy

Meaning
being honest is always the best way to behave
Example
My parents always taught me that **honesty is the best policy**.
phrasal-verb

partner up

Meaning
to form a partnership for a specific goal or project
Example
Our firm decided to **partner up** with a local distributor in Africa.
phrasal-verb

owe to

Meaning
to feel you should thank someone for something
Example
I **owe my success to** my parents’ support.
phrasal-verb

act up

Meaning
to behave badly or cause trouble
Example
The kids started to **act up** during the long car ride.
idiom

to see the silver lining

Meaning
to find something positive in a negative situation
Example
She always tries to **see the silver lining** even in the most challenging situations.
idiom

take pride in

Meaning
to feel good about something you have done
Example
You should **take pride in** your achievements.
idiom

to tip the scales

Meaning
to influence the outcome of a situation
Example
One witness’s statement **tipped the scales** in favor of the defendant.
phrasal-verb

cast doubt on

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

from the bottom of my heart

Meaning
with sincere gratitude
Example
I thank you **from the bottom of my heart** for everything.
idiom

come a long way

Meaning
to make a lot of progress or improvement
Example
She has **come a long way** since she started her career.
idiom

a thing of the past

Meaning
something that no longer exists or happens
Example
With smartphones, landline phones are **a thing of the past**.
phrasal-verb

see to

Meaning
to make sure something is done; to take care of something
Example
I’ll **see to** it that the documents are ready on time.
phrasal-verb

point out issues

Meaning
to identify or highlight problems or mistakes
Example
He was quick to **point out issues** in the project proposal.
idiom

the cat’s out of the bag

Meaning
the secret is revealed
Example
Now that **the cat’s out of the bag**, everyone knows the truth.
idiom

the tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small visible part of a much larger problem
Example
The few complaints we received are just **the tip of the iceberg**.
idiom

pair up

Meaning
to form groups of two
Example
Students should **pair up** before starting the lab activity.
phrasal-verb

work out

Meaning
to find a solution or agreement through discussion or effort
Example
They managed to **work out** their differences after the meeting.
phrasal-verb

buckle down on

Meaning
to start working seriously on something important
Example
I have to **buckle down on** my thesis this weekend.
idiom

Band together

Meaning
To unite for a common purpose.
Example
The workers **banded together** to demand better wages.
idiom

apology accepted

Meaning
used to say that you forgive someone
Example
Don’t worry, **apology accepted**.
idiom

open heart

Meaning
to be honest and kind in feelings and actions
Example
He welcomed everyone with an **open heart**.
phrasal-verb

lash back

Meaning
to respond angrily to criticism or attack
Example
When criticized unfairly, she immediately **lashed back** with strong words.
idiom

pay it forward

Meaning
to do something kind for someone else after receiving kindness
Example
After receiving help from a stranger, he decided to **pay it forward** by helping someone in need.
phrasal-verb

go over again

Meaning
to review or repeat material for better understanding
Example
Let’s **go over again** the main points before the quiz.
phrasal-verb

pack up for travel

Meaning
to gather and prepare belongings before a trip
Example
We **pack up for travel** the night before an early flight.
idiom

ease around

Meaning
to move carefully to avoid disturbance
Example
Please **ease around** the cords near the podium.
phrasal-verb

speak out about

Meaning
to publicly express one’s opinion or concern
Example
The whistleblower **spoke out about** corruption in the department.
phrasal-verb

heap praise on

Meaning
to give a lot of praise to someone
Example
Critics **heaped praise on** the actor for his performance.
phrasal-verb

delegate to

Meaning
to assign responsibility or tasks to someone else
Example
A good manager knows how to **delegate to** their team members effectively.
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.
phrasal-verb

block off time

Meaning
to reserve a period in your schedule for something important
Example
I **block off time** every Friday to review the next week's deadlines.
phrasal-verb

detach from chaos

Meaning
to mentally separate yourself from stressful situations
Example
Sometimes you just need to **detach from chaos** to think clearly.
phrasal-verb

follow back

Meaning
to follow someone who has followed you
Example
She didn’t **follow back** even though I followed her first.
phrasal-verb

move with

Meaning
to adjust according to changing trends or environments
Example
Companies that **move with** the market survive longer.
idiom

wallflower

Meaning
a shy person who avoids social activities
Example
She used to be a **wallflower**, but now she’s more confident.
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

filter through

Meaning
to spread gradually among people
Example
News of the promotion quickly **filtered through** the office.
idiom

a closed book

Meaning
something or someone that is difficult to understand
Example
He’s **a closed book** when it comes to his personal life.
idiom

Dressed to kill

Meaning
Wearing very fashionable or attractive clothes
Example
She was **dressed to kill** at the party last night.
phrasal-verb

power up

Meaning
to turn on or start an electronic device
Example
You should **power up** the computer before connecting peripherals.
phrasal-verb

choke on emotions

Meaning
to find it hard to speak because of strong emotions
Example
She **choked on emotions** while giving her farewell speech.
idiom

a rip-off

Meaning
something that is too expensive or not worth its price
Example
That restaurant is **a rip-off**; the food is not worth the money.
phrasal-verb

kick off innovation projects

Meaning
to begin innovation initiatives
Example
The firm will **kick off innovation projects** next quarter.
idiom

To meet one’s Waterloo

Meaning
To encounter one’s ultimate defeat or failure.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo**.
phrasal-verb

work off emotions

Meaning
to get rid of negative emotions by doing physical activity
Example
He goes jogging to **work off** his frustration.
phrasal-verb

rise beyond

Meaning
to overcome limitations or challenges
Example
True leaders **rise beyond** their fears and inspire others.
idiom

in the spotlight

Meaning
receiving public attention
Example
After the award, she’s been **in the spotlight** constantly.
phrasal-verb

bring into play

Meaning
to use or introduce something to influence a situation
Example
The president **brought into play** his connections to win the election.
idiom

burst with happiness

Meaning
to be full of great joy or excitement
Example
The parents **burst with happiness** when they saw their newborn baby.
phrasal-verb

warm up emotionally

Meaning
to start feeling comfortable enough to share your emotions
Example
It took a while for him to **warm up emotionally** after the breakup.
idiom

a drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small amount compared to what is needed
Example
The money they raised was just **a drop in the ocean** compared to the total cost.