focus on
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phrasal-verb

focus on

Meaning
to concentrate your attention or energy on something
Example
You should **focus on** what truly matters.
phrasal-verb

grow into confidence

Meaning
to gradually develop self-assurance and ability
Example
Over time, she **grew into confidence** in her managerial role.
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

aim for excellence

Meaning
to try to achieve the best possible results
Example
Always **aim for excellence** instead of settling for average results.
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bring in foreign investment

Meaning
to attract money from other countries for business or development
Example
The government is trying to **bring in foreign investment** to boost economic growth.
phrasal-verb

come forward

Meaning
to offer to help or take part in something
Example
Several team members **came forward** to volunteer for the new task.
phrasal-verb

think over

Meaning
to consider something carefully before making a decision
Example
I need to **think over** your proposal before giving you an answer.
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

ease out tension

Meaning
to reduce or remove feelings of stress
Example
A warm bath helps to **ease out tension** from muscles.
phrasal-verb

look on the bright side of things

Meaning
to focus on the positive aspects of a situation
Example
Try to **look on the bright side of things** when things go wrong.
phrasal-verb

snap at

Meaning
to speak angrily and quickly to someone
Example
He **snapped at** me when I asked him a simple question.
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sort through for

Meaning
to examine items one by one to find something specific
Example
I **sort through for** the receipts every month at budget time.
phrasal-verb

zone back in

Meaning
to regain focus after being distracted
Example
After taking a short walk, I **zoned back in** and finished the report.
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carry yourself with pride

Meaning
to behave in a confident and dignified way
Example
Always **carry yourself with pride**, even when things get tough.
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

cut out middlemen

Meaning
to trade directly without using intermediaries
Example
The exporters decided to **cut out middlemen** and sell directly to buyers.
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pick out

Meaning
to choose something you like
Example
She **picked out** a dress she really liked.
phrasal-verb

dig around for

Meaning
to search through different places to find something
Example
I **dig around for** spare change when the vending machine only takes coins.
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

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

relate to

Meaning
to understand and identify with someone’s experiences or emotions
Example
I can really **relate to** your situation because I went through something similar.
phrasal-verb

pay out on

Meaning
to give money as a result of an insurance claim or bet
Example
The insurance company **paid out on** the fire damage claim.
phrasal-verb

pull in investment

Meaning
to attract investors or funds
Example
The government hopes to **pull in investment** through new policies.
phrasal-verb

keep up your hopes

Meaning
to stay confident that things will turn out well
Example
Even in difficult times, she managed to **keep up her hopes**.
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hold back criticism

Meaning
to avoid saying negative things unnecessarily
Example
In polite conversation, it’s wise to **hold back criticism**.
phrasal-verb

put in

Meaning
to invest time or money into something
Example
She **put in** a lot of money to start her business.
phrasal-verb

stand up to

Meaning
to confront someone or something bravely in defense of someone
Example
He **stood up to** the bully to protect his little brother.
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shift focus toward growth

Meaning
to redirect attention and efforts toward improvement
Example
The manager encouraged everyone to **shift focus toward growth** after the changes.
phrasal-verb

tear up with joy

Meaning
to start crying because of happiness
Example
She **tore up with joy** when she heard the good news.
phrasal-verb

hold yourself back

Meaning
to restrain oneself from reacting emotionally
Example
He had to **hold himself back** from yelling at the meeting.
phrasal-verb

hold down costs

Meaning
to keep expenses under control
Example
The company managed to **hold down costs** despite rising raw material prices.
phrasal-verb

look up to the future

Meaning
to think positively about what is coming next
Example
Even after the failure, she continues to **look up to the future**.
phrasal-verb

tune down

Meaning
to lower the intensity or energy; to calm things
Example
Let’s **tune down** the tension and talk calmly about it.
phrasal-verb

get stranded

Meaning
to be left in a difficult situation without help or a way to leave
Example
We were **stranded** in the middle of nowhere when the bus broke down.
phrasal-verb

sleep off

Meaning
to sleep in order to recover from something like fatigue or hangover
Example
He’s trying to **sleep off** the tiredness from last night’s work.
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open up to someone

Meaning
to share personal feelings or problems with someone you trust
Example
He finally **opened up to** his friend about what he had been going through.
phrasal-verb

bring out potential

Meaning
to help others show their best abilities
Example
A true leader **brings out potential** in every team member.
phrasal-verb

bring up with

Meaning
to mention a topic or issue to someone for discussion
Example
I decided to **bring up** the issue **with** my manager during our weekly meeting.
phrasal-verb

cast doubt on

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

loosen out

Meaning
to relax muscles or body after strain
Example
Stretching helps you **loosen out** your body.
phrasal-verb

point out

Meaning
to draw attention to something; to mention something important
Example
He **pointed out** a few mistakes in the final report.
phrasal-verb

grow beyond

Meaning
to develop emotionally past a previous limitation or belief
Example
She’s trying to **grow beyond** her old fears and doubts.
phrasal-verb

turn off lights

Meaning
to switch off lights when not needed to save energy
Example
Employees are encouraged to **turn off lights** when leaving the office.
phrasal-verb

power through

Meaning
to complete something difficult with strong effort and confidence
Example
She managed to **power through** the challenge with determination.
phrasal-verb

pause within

Meaning
to take a mental break and observe your feelings before reacting
Example
He learned to **pause within** before saying something hurtful.
phrasal-verb

bring up prices

Meaning
to cause prices to increase; to make costs rise
Example
High demand for oil can **bring up prices** across many industries.
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open minds through dialogue

Meaning
to encourage understanding between cultures by communicating openly
Example
The conference aimed to **open minds through dialogue** between communities.
phrasal-verb

give rise to

Meaning
to cause or inspire the creation of new cultural customs
Example
The migration of people **gave rise to** a blend of new cultural practices.
phrasal-verb

charge up with

Meaning
to power a device or yourself using something available
Example
I **charge up with** a portable battery before long trips.
phrasal-verb

bring forward proposals

Meaning
to present suggestions or plans for discussion
Example
The committee will **bring forward proposals** for regional cooperation.
phrasal-verb

move beyond pain

Meaning
to heal and grow after emotional suffering
Example
She tried to **move beyond pain** and focus on her goals.
phrasal-verb

stand resilient

Meaning
to remain strong and recover quickly from difficulties
Example
Communities must **stand resilient** in the face of tragedy.
phrasal-verb

pick up signal

Meaning
to detect or receive a wireless signal
Example
My phone couldn’t **pick up signal** in the basement.
phrasal-verb

freeze over

Meaning
when water turns into ice due to cold temperature
Example
The lake **froze over** completely during the winter.
phrasal-verb

shut out

Meaning
to prevent someone from being included in a conversation or activity
Example
She felt **shut out** of the team discussions.
phrasal-verb

snap up

Meaning
to buy something quickly because it is cheap or available
Example
Shoppers **snapped up** the discounted electronics within minutes.
phrasal-verb

get over it

Meaning
to recover emotionally from something upsetting or painful
Example
It took her months to **get over** the heartbreak.
phrasal-verb

talk straight with

Meaning
to speak honestly and directly to someone
Example
I need to **talk straight with** the team about the missed deadline.
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

get going

Meaning
to begin taking action toward a goal
Example
If you want success, stop waiting and **get going** now!
phrasal-verb

ease yourself into

Meaning
to gradually start doing something stressful to reduce anxiety
Example
Try to **ease yourself into** the new routine instead of rushing it.
phrasal-verb

appeal to

Meaning
to ask someone earnestly or formally for help
Example
The charity **appealed to** the public for donations.
phrasal-verb

sniff around

Meaning
to try to find out information secretly or out of curiosity
Example
Reporters have been **sniffing around** for details about the case.
phrasal-verb

decide on

Meaning
to choose something after thinking carefully
Example
We finally **decided on** the blue design.
phrasal-verb

go for

Meaning
to like or choose something
Example
Most kids **go for** ice cream over fruit.
phrasal-verb

back away from blame

Meaning
to avoid putting blame on others or oneself during a disagreement
Example
It’s wise to **back away from blame** and focus on solutions.
phrasal-verb

step in for

Meaning
to take someone’s place to handle a situation
Example
The manager had to **step in for** the team leader during the crisis.
phrasal-verb

play back

Meaning
to listen to or watch something that was previously recorded
Example
Let’s **play back** the scene to check if the sound was clear.
phrasal-verb

look out for each other

Meaning
to take care of and support one another
Example
In a strong team, members always **look out for each other**.
phrasal-verb

grow past pain

Meaning
to develop emotionally by overcoming past suffering
Example
It’s never easy to **grow past pain**, but it’s worth it.
phrasal-verb

bring in ideas

Meaning
to introduce or contribute new ideas
Example
He encouraged the team to bring in new ideas for the project.
phrasal-verb

break off relations

Meaning
to end diplomatic or political connections between countries
Example
The two nations decided to **break off relations** after the border dispute escalated.
phrasal-verb

sync with

Meaning
to coordinate tasks or schedules with others online
Example
Let’s **sync with** the marketing team tomorrow morning.
phrasal-verb

turn away

Meaning
to refuse entry or acceptance; to move away from something
Example
The guard **turned away** people without tickets.
phrasal-verb

count down to deadlines

Meaning
to track remaining time closely before work is due
Example
I **count down to deadlines** with reminders so nothing slips.
phrasal-verb

focus forward

Meaning
to concentrate on future goals instead of past mistakes
Example
You should **focus forward** instead of worrying about what went wrong.
phrasal-verb

come up empty

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

fill in for someone

Meaning
to do someone’s job temporarily
Example
I had to **fill in for** my colleague while he was on leave.
phrasal-verb

immerse in

Meaning
to deeply involve oneself in a particular culture or activity
Example
He **immersed himself in** the local traditions to understand them better.
phrasal-verb

expand upon

Meaning
to provide more details or develop an idea further
Example
The CEO will **expand upon** the company’s future expansion plans.
phrasal-verb

scale back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something you use or do
Example
We've **scaled back on** paper prints to cut waste.
phrasal-verb

mess around with

Meaning
to handle or change something carelessly and cause problems
Example
Don't **mess around with** the settings or you might break it.
phrasal-verb

nerd out over

Meaning
to get excited discussing a favorite specialized topic
Example
We **nerd out over** robotics every Tuesday club meeting.
phrasal-verb

move with

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

drop into

Meaning
to enter or visit a place casually
Example
I’ll **drop into** the café for a quick coffee before work.
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blow up at

Meaning
to lose your temper and shout at someone
Example
She **blew up at** her brother for being late again.
phrasal-verb

close a deal

Meaning
to successfully reach an agreement or finalize a business transaction
Example
Our company managed to **close a deal** with a top European distributor.
phrasal-verb

pass on

Meaning
to convey information to someone else
Example
Please **pass on** the message to the entire team.
phrasal-verb

reach understanding with

Meaning
to achieve a friendly or cooperative agreement with another party
Example
The two countries finally **reached understanding with** each other after months of talks.
phrasal-verb

fit in

Meaning
to feel comfortable and accepted within a group or environment
Example
New employees often struggle to **fit in** at first.
phrasal-verb

run away with

Meaning
to win easily; to take something without permission
Example
Their team **ran away with** the championship.
phrasal-verb

pay out

Meaning
to spend or distribute money, especially large amounts
Example
The company had to **pay out** millions in compensation.
phrasal-verb

zone away

Meaning
to mentally escape from worries or stress
Example
I like to **zone away** by listening to soft music.
phrasal-verb

set off for

Meaning
to start a journey to a specific place
Example
We **set off for** Cox’s Bazar early in the morning.
phrasal-verb

digitize from

Meaning
to convert from physical or analog to digital form
Example
The company began to **digitize from** old paper records to cloud storage.
phrasal-verb

bring down expenses

Meaning
to lower the amount of money spent
Example
They managed to **bring down** expenses through better budgeting.
phrasal-verb

tear up over

Meaning
to start crying because of strong emotions or memories
Example
He **tears up over** the things he didn’t say to his parents.
phrasal-verb

bring out leadership qualities

Meaning
to help someone display or develop leadership traits
Example
Training sessions are designed to **bring out leadership qualities** in employees.
phrasal-verb

pivot around

Meaning
to reorganize or refocus strategy around a central idea or goal
Example
The company decided to **pivot around** customer satisfaction as its new priority.
phrasal-verb

wrap the day up

Meaning
to finish tasks and close out the workday
Example
I **wrap the day up** by reviewing tomorrow's top three priorities.
phrasal-verb

open yourself to experiences

Meaning
to be willing to try new cultural activities or perspectives
Example
When you **open yourself to experiences**, you grow beyond your comfort zone.
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stabilize prices

Meaning
to make prices steady and prevent large fluctuations
Example
Regulations were imposed to **stabilize prices** in the food market.
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throw in

Meaning
to add something extra for free; to include casually
Example
The seller **threw in** a free cover with the phone.
phrasal-verb

prepare for

Meaning
to make ready for something likely to happen
Example
We should **prepare for** possible cyber attacks.
phrasal-verb

build around ideas

Meaning
to develop something centered on particular ideas or concepts
Example
The campaign was **built around ideas** of innovation and sustainability.
phrasal-verb

expand into

Meaning
to grow a business into new territories or sectors
Example
They are planning to **expand into** renewable energy markets.
phrasal-verb

brainstorm our way out

Meaning
to think of ideas together until a problem is solved
Example
The team **brainstorms our way out** whenever a project gets stuck.
phrasal-verb

take photos of

Meaning
to capture pictures of something or someone
Example
Everyone **took photos of** the beautiful decorations.
phrasal-verb

bridge through education

Meaning
to connect cultures by learning and teaching from each other
Example
Schools help **bridge through education** by hosting cultural exchange programs.
phrasal-verb

read into behavior

Meaning
to interpret meaning from how someone acts
Example
Managers **read into behavior** to spot burnout early.
phrasal-verb

wrap around

Meaning
to summarize or conclude by revisiting main ideas
Example
Let’s **wrap around** our discussion by revisiting the key points.
phrasal-verb

call attention to

Meaning
to make people notice something good
Example
He **called attention to** the artist’s unique style.
phrasal-verb

stand by allies

Meaning
to support friendly nations during difficult times
Example
The country promised to **stand by allies** during the crisis.
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.
phrasal-verb

hear about

Meaning
to receive information and respond with appreciation or gratitude
Example
I was happy to **hear about** your help with the project—thank you!
phrasal-verb

give back to

Meaning
to contribute to a community or cause that has supported you
Example
He believes everyone should **give back to** society in some way.
phrasal-verb

write up

Meaning
to prepare a detailed written report
Example
Please **write up** the feedback summary for the manager.
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

look ahead to

Meaning
to think about or plan for what is going to happen in the future
Example
We should **look ahead to** the challenges we might face in the next decade.
phrasal-verb

cut down on imports

Meaning
to reduce the quantity of goods brought from other countries
Example
The country aims to **cut down on imports** to strengthen local industries.
phrasal-verb

revel in

Meaning
to get great pleasure from something
Example
He **revelled in** the joy of being with his family again.