fall behind on
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phrasal-verb

fall behind on

Meaning
to fail to do something on time or as planned
Example
He **fell behind on** his rent payments last month.
idiom

stay ahead of the game

Meaning
to be more successful or prepared than others
Example
To **stay ahead of the game**, you must always keep learning.
idiom

a ray of sunshine

Meaning
someone or something that brings happiness
Example
Her smile is **a ray of sunshine** on a gloomy day.
idiom

The sun will shine again

Meaning
Better times will come after bad ones.
Example
Don’t worry too much — **the sun will shine again**.
idiom

keep something under wraps

Meaning
to keep something secret
Example
They managed to **keep the project under wraps** until the launch day.
idiom

crybaby

Meaning
someone who complains or cries easily
Example
Don’t be a **crybaby**, it’s just a small scratch.
idiom

hit the big time

Meaning
to achieve great fame or success
Example
The band **hit the big time** after their first album went viral.
phrasal-verb

take inspiration from

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

trip over

Meaning
to make a careless mistake while doing something
Example
I **tripped over** my words during the speech.
phrasal-verb

go over with

Meaning
to review or explain something to someone carefully
Example
The teacher **went over** the essay with the students.
phrasal-verb

drop out of

Meaning
to leave school or university before finishing a course
Example
He **dropped out of** college to start his own business.
phrasal-verb

move up in

Meaning
to advance or get promoted within an organization
Example
She worked hard to **move up in** her company.
phrasal-verb

flip out

Meaning
to react with extreme surprise, anger, or excitement
Example
He **flipped out** when he saw the mess in his room.
idiom

step up one’s game

Meaning
to improve one’s effort or performance
Example
If you want that promotion, you need to **step up your game**.
phrasal-verb

light up

Meaning
to illuminate or brighten with lights or joy
Example
The entire hall **lit up** as the cultural show began.
phrasal-verb

opt for

Meaning
to choose one thing instead of another
Example
We decided to **opt for** the smaller but cheaper apartment.
idiom

Change is the only constant

Meaning
Everything in life keeps changing; nothing stays the same.
Example
Don’t resist — change is the only constant.
idiom

keep a low profile

Meaning
to avoid attracting attention; to stay calm and unnoticed
Example
After the controversy, he decided to **keep a low profile**.
phrasal-verb

load up on

Meaning
to eat a lot of something, usually before an activity or event
Example
Athletes **load up on** carbs before a big game.
idiom

zero gravity

Meaning
a state of complete freedom or lack of pressure
Example
After quitting his stressful job, he felt like he was in **zero gravity**.
phrasal-verb

check against

Meaning
to verify information or behavior to ensure it meets standards
Example
All reports must be **checked against** the company’s ethical policy.
phrasal-verb

be in two minds about

Meaning
to be uncertain or indecisive about something
Example
I’m **in two minds about** going to the party tonight.
phrasal-verb

bring in

Meaning
to introduce something new, such as a law, idea, or practice; to implement
Example
The organization decided to **bring in** new policies to promote inclusivity.
phrasal-verb

appreciate for

Meaning
to recognize the value of someone or something
Example
I really **appreciate you for** staying late to finish the work.
idiom

Build bridges, not walls

Meaning
Make connections and friendships rather than creating barriers
Example
Instead of fighting, let's **build bridges, not walls**.
idiom

Out to pasture

Meaning
To retire someone or something from active use.
Example
The old manager was finally **put out to pasture** last year.
idiom

own up to

Meaning
to admit or confess to something you did wrong
Example
She finally **owned up to** breaking the vase.
idiom

pull the wool over someone’s eyes

Meaning
to deceive or trick someone
Example
He tried to **pull the wool over my eyes**, but I knew the truth.
phrasal-verb

listen across cultures

Meaning
to pay attention and understand people from different cultural backgrounds
Example
To be a global leader, you must **listen across cultures** with empathy.
phrasal-verb

look up to mentors

Meaning
to admire and respect experienced people
Example
Young managers often look up to their senior mentors for advice.
phrasal-verb

grow up in

Meaning
to spend your childhood in a particular place or culture
Example
I **grew up in** a small village where traditions are still strong.
phrasal-verb

bloom into

Meaning
to develop into something beautiful or full of life
Example
She **bloomed into** a confident young woman.
phrasal-verb

live by

Meaning
to follow certain principles or moral values
Example
Our organization **lives by** honesty and transparency.
idiom

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

Meaning
Going from a bad situation to an even worse one.
Example
Quitting that job put him **out of the frying pan and into the fire**.
idiom

backdoor entry

Meaning
a secret or unofficial way to access something
Example
Hackers found a **backdoor entry** into the company’s database.
idiom

let nature take its course

Meaning
to allow natural processes to happen without interference
Example
Sometimes the best solution is to **let nature take its course**.
idiom

feel for

Meaning
to have sympathy for someone
Example
We really **feel for** anyone stuck in that traffic.
phrasal-verb

snow over

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

in a tight spot

Meaning
to be in a difficult or tricky situation
Example
He found himself **in a tight spot** when both friends asked for help.
idiom

the pen is mightier than the sword

Meaning
words and communication have more power than violence
Example
He believes **the pen is mightier than the sword**, so he fights with ideas, not weapons.
phrasal-verb

build upon knowledge

Meaning
to use previously learned information as a foundation for new learning
Example
Students should **build upon knowledge** from earlier lessons to understand complex topics.
idiom

riding the wave

Meaning
taking advantage of a current trend or success
Example
The company is **riding the wave** of its recent success in the international market.
idiom

call it quits

Meaning
to stop or end something
Example
After working for hours, they decided to **call it quits** for the day.
phrasal-verb

be moved by

Meaning
to be emotionally affected by someone’s good act
Example
She was deeply **moved by** the support she received.
idiom

a dream come true

Meaning
something that happens which you always wished for
Example
Getting that scholarship was **a dream come true** for her.
phrasal-verb

eat in

Meaning
to have a meal at home or at the hotel instead of going out
Example
We were too tired to go out, so we decided to **eat in**.
phrasal-verb

hold talks with

Meaning
to have formal discussions or negotiations with someone
Example
The foreign ministers agreed to **hold talks with** neighboring countries.
phrasal-verb

stand around

Meaning
to spend time standing and doing nothing
Example
We were just **standing around** waiting for the bus.
phrasal-verb

push yourself forward

Meaning
to take initiative or move ahead despite obstacles
Example
You have to **push yourself forward** if you want to succeed.
phrasal-verb

switch to

Meaning
to start using something different, especially something more sustainable
Example
Many companies are now **switching to** renewable energy sources.
phrasal-verb

bring on board

Meaning
to include or involve someone in a team or project
Example
We want to **bring on board** a partner who shares our vision.
idiom

talk through

Meaning
to discuss something in detail
Example
Let’s **talk through** the plan before the client call.
idiom

lose track of

Meaning
to forget or stop being aware of something
Example
I completely **lost track of time** while watching the movie.
phrasal-verb

find after

Meaning
to pursue or try to locate something or someone
Example
The detective is still **finding after** the missing document.
phrasal-verb

bounce ideas off

Meaning
to share and discuss ideas with someone to get feedback
Example
I love to **bounce ideas off** my teammates before finalizing a plan.
idiom

ask around

Meaning
to inquire with several people
Example
I’ll **ask around** to see who can cover the shift.
idiom

trust issues

Meaning
difficulty trusting others due to past experiences
Example
He has **trust issues** after being betrayed once.
phrasal-verb

take part in discussions

Meaning
to actively join in conversations or debates
Example
Students should **take part in discussions** to develop communication skills.
idiom

truth be told

Meaning
to admit something honestly
Example
**Truth be told**, I don’t really like this movie.
idiom

keep your fingers crossed

Meaning
to hope for good luck
Example
I am **keeping my fingers crossed** for the exam results.
idiom

spring for

Meaning
to pay for something, especially as a treat for others
Example
I'll **spring for** dessert since it's your birthday.
idiom

set the tone

Meaning
to establish the mood or style for something
Example
The manager's speech **set the tone** for the meeting.
phrasal-verb

rely upon

Meaning
to trust someone or something to do what is expected or needed
Example
I can always **rely upon** my best friend for honest advice.
phrasal-verb

grow apart from

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

shadow a teammate

Meaning
to observe a colleague closely to learn
Example
Interns **shadow a teammate** during client demos for practice.
phrasal-verb

take heart from

Meaning
to gain comfort or courage because of something
Example
Volunteers **take heart from** every thank-you message they receive.
phrasal-verb

connect with

Meaning
to understand or share similar feelings with someone
Example
I immediately **connected with** her because we had similar life experiences.
idiom

throw money at

Meaning
to spend large amounts of money in a hasty or unwise way
Example
The company tried to **throw money at** the problem instead of addressing the root cause.
idiom

old friends are gold

Meaning
old friends are precious and valuable
Example
I always say, **old friends are gold**.
idiom

test the waters

Meaning
to try something out before committing fully
Example
Before launching the product, we decided to **test the waters**.
phrasal-verb

relate across

Meaning
to connect with people from other backgrounds through shared understanding
Example
Learning languages helps you **relate across** cultures more easily.
idiom

on the rise

Meaning
increasing or growing in value or number
Example
Tech stocks are **on the rise** this quarter.
phrasal-verb

blend in

Meaning
to become part of a group or culture naturally
Example
He tried to **blend in** by learning the local customs and traditions.
idiom

Pilot project

Meaning
A small-scale experiment to test a concept.
Example
We launched a **pilot project** before going nationwide.
idiom

ahead of time

Meaning
before the expected or planned time
Example
She finished her work **ahead of time**.
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.
idiom

deep learning

Meaning
A class of machine learning algorithms that uses multiple layers to progressively extract higher-level features from raw input.
Example
The AI system improved through **deep learning**, making it smarter over time.
idiom

on the dot

Meaning
exactly on time; punctual
Example
The meeting started **on the dot** at 10 a.m.
phrasal-verb

lift out of poverty

Meaning
to help people or nations escape from poverty
Example
International aid has helped **lift millions out of poverty** worldwide.
idiom

feeling blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
She’s been **feeling blue** all day.
phrasal-verb

scroll back

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

backdoor access

Meaning
a secret or unauthorized way to access a system or information
Example
Hackers found a **backdoor access** to the company’s database.
idiom

talk over

Meaning
to discuss something thoroughly
Example
Let’s **talk over** the proposal before we send it.
phrasal-verb

ping back to

Meaning
to send a quick reply to someone electronically
Example
I'll **ping back to** you once the security patch finishes installing.
idiom

cloak and dagger

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

keep your shirt on

Meaning
stay calm; don’t get angry or impatient
Example
**Keep your shirt on**, we’ll solve it soon.
phrasal-verb

deal with conflict

Meaning
to manage or resolve disagreements or disputes
Example
Managers often need to **deal with conflict** among team members.
phrasal-verb

go far

Meaning
to be very successful in life or career
Example
With her talent and dedication, she will definitely **go far**.
phrasal-verb

point ahead

Meaning
to indicate a direction in front; to suggest future possibilities
Example
The results **point ahead** to major improvements.
phrasal-verb

tie up with

Meaning
to form a partnership or collaboration
Example
The fintech company will **tie up with** a global payment network.
phrasal-verb

phase in reforms

Meaning
to introduce changes gradually over time
Example
The administration plans to **phase in reforms** in the tax system.
idiom

pass the buck

Meaning
to shift responsibility to someone else.
Example
Don’t **pass the buck**; you need to take ownership of your actions.
idiom

come to terms with

Meaning
to reach an agreement or accept a situation after some negotiation
Example
It took some time, but eventually we **came to terms with** the new policy.
idiom

branch out

Meaning
to expand into new activities or areas
Example
The bakery plans to **branch out** into catering services next year.
idiom

a steep learning curve

Meaning
when something is difficult to learn, usually quickly
Example
The new software had a **steep learning curve**, but I managed to understand it.
phrasal-verb

take back

Meaning
to admit that what you said was wrong; to retract something
Example
I **take back** what I said earlier.
phrasal-verb

come over

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

kick oneself for

Meaning
to feel angry or regretful for doing or not doing something
Example
I could **kick myself for** not taking that job opportunity.
idiom

Gordian knot

Meaning
A very complex or unsolvable problem.
Example
The issue of climate change is like a **Gordian knot** that needs bold action.
idiom

take responsibility

Meaning
to be accountable for something you did or are in charge of.
Example
You need to **take responsibility** for your actions.
idiom

keep your mind on

Meaning
to stay focused on a task or goal
Example
If you **keep your mind on** your studies, you’ll do well.
phrasal-verb

lean on each other

Meaning
to rely on teammates for help or support
Example
In challenging projects, we often **lean on each other** for motivation.
idiom

the internet of things (IoT)

Meaning
the connection of everyday objects to the internet to send and receive data
Example
Smart homes are part of the **internet of things (IoT)**, where devices are interconnected.
idiom

breathe in

Meaning
to inhale air deeply
Example
Take a moment to **breathe in** before you speak.
idiom

brainstorm an idea

Meaning
to discuss and think creatively to generate new ideas
Example
The teacher asked the class to **brainstorm ideas** for the project.
idiom

in a state of shock

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or upset
Example
She was **in a state of shock** after hearing the news.
phrasal-verb

lift yourself out of

Meaning
to recover or rise from a negative emotional state
Example
She worked hard to **lift herself out of** depression.
phrasal-verb

be thrilled about

Meaning
to feel very excited or pleased about something
Example
She was **thrilled about** her upcoming vacation.
phrasal-verb

shore up with

Meaning
to strengthen something by adding support
Example
We **shore up with** extra data before presenting the forecast.
idiom

off the cuff

Meaning
to speak or perform without preparation
Example
He gave an **off the cuff** remark that impressed everyone.
idiom

it's not rocket science

Meaning
it's not difficult to understand
Example
You can learn to cook, **it's not rocket science**.
idiom

a well-oiled machine

Meaning
a group that works efficiently and smoothly together
Example
Our team worked like **a well-oiled machine** during the event.
phrasal-verb

butt in

Meaning
to interrupt or give an opinion when not invited
Example
I wish you wouldn’t **butt in** when we are discussing something serious.
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.
phrasal-verb

keep striving

Meaning
to continue trying hard to achieve something
Example
Even after success, a true professional keeps **striving** for excellence.
phrasal-verb

keep in touch with

Meaning
to maintain contact or communication with someone over time
Example
Even after graduation, they promised to **keep in touch with** each other.
idiom

machine mind

Meaning
a way of thinking that relies heavily on logic and computation
Example
You need a **machine mind** to understand how neural networks operate.
idiom

off the rails

Meaning
to become uncontrolled or chaotic
Example
After his friend moved away, his life went **off the rails**.
phrasal-verb

zip up

Meaning
to close something with a zipper
Example
Don’t forget to **zip up** your jacket, it’s cold outside.
phrasal-verb

fade in

Meaning
to gradually become visible at the beginning of a scene
Example
The movie **fades in** with a beautiful sunrise.
idiom

dress up

Meaning
to wear formal or special clothes
Example
We don’t have to **dress up** for tonight’s dinner—it’s casual.