gear down for
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phrasal-verb

gear down for

Meaning
to slow your pace in preparation for something
Example
We **gear down for** finals by taking fewer shifts that week.
idiom

Money doesn't grow on trees

Meaning
Money is limited and must be earned; not easy to get.
Example
You should save more—**money doesn’t grow on trees**.
phrasal-verb

play into

Meaning
to contribute to or support a particular trend or situation
Example
The new technology **plays into** the growing demand for automation.
phrasal-verb

cut off from reality

Meaning
to be disconnected from what is real or practical
Example
He lives in his own world, completely **cut off from reality**.
idiom

cover up

Meaning
to hide the truth about something
Example
They tried to **cover up** the mistake.
idiom

be all smiles

Meaning
to look very happy and cheerful
Example
She was **all smiles** after hearing the good news.
idiom

to pull strings

Meaning
to use one's influence or connections to get things done
Example
She managed to **pull strings** to get the bill passed in Congress.
idiom

the moral compass

Meaning
a person's or society’s sense of right and wrong
Example
We must ensure AI doesn’t lose its **moral compass**.
idiom

under the pump

Meaning
to be under a lot of pressure or stress
Example
The team has been **under the pump** to meet the project deadline.
phrasal-verb

tune your mind to calmness

Meaning
to train your thoughts to stay peaceful and relaxed
Example
Try to **tune your mind to calmness** every morning through breathing exercises.
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.
idiom

in the wrong hands

Meaning
controlled or used by people who could cause harm
Example
AI technology **in the wrong hands** could be disastrous.
phrasal-verb

follow through on goals

Meaning
to complete tasks or commitments that one starts
Example
To grow professionally, you must **follow through on goals**.
phrasal-verb

push forward

Meaning
to continue working hard despite obstacles; to persist toward goals
Example
Even after rejection, the team decided to **push forward** with their plan.
idiom

clean conscience

Meaning
feeling that you have done nothing wrong
Example
He can sleep well because he has a **clean conscience**.
phrasal-verb

zone yourself in

Meaning
to focus deeply on something to forget stress
Example
I **zone myself in** on painting to relax my mind.
idiom

burning the midnight oil

Meaning
working late into the night
Example
She’s been **burning the midnight oil** to finish the report.
idiom

Sow the seeds

Meaning
To begin a process that will develop in the future.
Example
Her small donations **sowed the seeds** of a larger charity movement.
phrasal-verb

tie up with

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

spread kindness

Meaning
to do or say kind things to others
Example
We should all try to **spread kindness** every day.
idiom

pull someone up

Meaning
to reprimand or correct someone for a mistake or poor performance
Example
If a team member is underperforming, it's important to **pull them up** and help them improve.
phrasal-verb

build yourself up

Meaning
to increase your confidence or strength gradually
Example
She **built herself up** by practicing every day.
idiom

Know something inside out

Meaning
To know something very well
Example
She **knows the syllabus inside out**.
idiom

online presence

Meaning
the existence and activity of a person or business on the internet
Example
A strong **online presence** is essential for digital marketing.
phrasal-verb

set about

Meaning
to begin doing something with determination
Example
He **set about** cleaning the entire house after breakfast.
idiom

tie the knot of friendship

Meaning
to start a friendship
Example
They **tied the knot of friendship** during college.
idiom

a fair trial

Meaning
a trial where all sides are treated equally and justly
Example
The defendant demanded **a fair trial** to prove his innocence.
phrasal-verb

hold over feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions or resentment from the past and let them affect the present
Example
She tends to **hold over feelings** from old arguments.
phrasal-verb

brace yourself for

Meaning
to mentally prepare for something challenging or frightening
Example
Take a breath and **brace yourself for** the tough conversation.
phrasal-verb

speak up on

Meaning
to express one's opinion openly about a topic
Example
Experts **speak up on** the importance of cross-cultural dialogue.
phrasal-verb

flag for review

Meaning
to mark something so it will be checked carefully
Example
Moderators **flag for review** any suspicious training data.
phrasal-verb

give credit for

Meaning
to acknowledge someone’s effort or contribution positively
Example
He always **gives credit for** others’ good ideas.
idiom

Speak from the heart

Meaning
To speak honestly and sincerely.
Example
When he apologized, he really **spoke from the heart**.
idiom

drop someone a line

Meaning
to contact someone by writing or message
Example
Please **drop me a line** when you arrive.
phrasal-verb

deal across

Meaning
to trade or exchange across parties
Example
The companies **dealt across** several industries.
phrasal-verb

check in with yourself

Meaning
to pause and reflect on your current emotional state
Example
Take a moment to **check in with yourself** during stressful days.
phrasal-verb

hold in emotions

Meaning
to stop yourself from showing what you feel
Example
He tried to **hold in his emotions** during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

drop by

Meaning
to visit someone informally or without prior notice
Example
Feel free to **drop by** anytime for a cup of tea.
phrasal-verb

come out with

Meaning
to produce or publish something new
Example
The company has **come out with** an innovative smartphone design.
idiom

face the music

Meaning
to accept criticism or punishment for something you have done
Example
You made a mistake, and now you have to **face the music**.
idiom

broken-hearted

Meaning
extremely sad about something or someone
Example
He was **broken-hearted** after the breakup.
idiom

turn the other cheek

Meaning
to ignore insults or avoid taking revenge
Example
He chose to **turn the other cheek** instead of fighting back.
phrasal-verb

embrace emotions

Meaning
to accept and welcome feelings fully
Example
He learned to **embrace his emotions** rather than suppress them.
idiom

beg to differ

Meaning
to politely disagree with someone
Example
I **beg to differ**, but I think your conclusion is incorrect.
phrasal-verb

draw confidence from experience

Meaning
to gain self-assurance by learning from past events
Example
You can **draw confidence from experience** and handle new challenges better.
phrasal-verb

dig up on

Meaning
to investigate and discover information about someone or something
Example
Reporters **dig up on** candidates before the debate night.
idiom

kick the bucket

Meaning
to die (informal)
Example
He finally **kicked the bucket** after a long illness.
phrasal-verb

lean towards

Meaning
to tend to support or prefer one suggestion over another
Example
I **lean towards** your idea because it’s more practical.
idiom

on background

Meaning
information given to a journalist that cannot be attributed to the source
Example
The official spoke **on background** about the new policy.
idiom

street smart

Meaning
having practical intelligence and experience, not just book knowledge
Example
He may not have a degree, but he’s very **street smart**.
phrasal-verb

stabilize prices

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

chip off the old block

Meaning
a child who closely resembles their parent in looks or behavior
Example
He’s a **chip off the old block**—just as kind and funny as his father.
idiom

a heart-to-heart

Meaning
a sincere and open conversation
Example
We had **a heart-to-heart** about our future plans.
idiom

a cut above

Meaning
better than others; superior in quality or ability
Example
Her work is **a cut above** the rest.
idiom

above board

Meaning
honest and legal; without deceit
Example
Their business deal was completely **above board**.
idiom

fall for someone

Meaning
to start loving someone; to develop romantic feelings
Example
He **fell for** her the moment he saw her smile.
phrasal-verb

say sorry for

Meaning
to express regret or apology for something
Example
He **said sorry for** his rude behavior.
phrasal-verb

let off your emotions

Meaning
to release stress or anger by expressing feelings
Example
It’s better to **let off your emotions** than to keep them inside.
idiom

wallflower

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

take a nosedive

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

call out

Meaning
to criticize or challenge someone publicly
Example
The candidate **called out** the government for ignoring public needs.
phrasal-verb

depend upon

Meaning
to rely on someone for support or help
Example
Children **depend upon** their parents for love and care.
idiom

have big plans

Meaning
to have important or ambitious goals for the future
Example
He **has big plans** to expand his business overseas.
idiom

Cut from the same cloth

Meaning
To be very similar in character or behavior.
Example
Those two brothers are **cut from the same cloth**.
phrasal-verb

look into allegations

Meaning
to investigate claims or accusations
Example
An independent body was formed to **look into allegations** of election fraud.
idiom

wise beyond his years

Meaning
showing maturity or wisdom greater than expected for one’s age
Example
Even as a child, he was **wise beyond his years**.
idiom

to backfire

Meaning
to have the opposite result of what was intended
Example
His plan **backfired** and made things worse.
phrasal-verb

scroll up

Meaning
to move the page upward to see earlier content
Example
You can **scroll up** to check the previous messages.
idiom

old flame

Meaning
a person one had a romantic relationship with in the past
Example
He met his **old flame** at the reunion.
idiom

Air time

Meaning
The amount of time something is broadcast on TV or radio
Example
The charity event got a lot of **air time** on local stations.
idiom

data-driven

Meaning
based on or influenced by data
Example
We make **data-driven** decisions to ensure the best outcome.
idiom

wake up to

Meaning
to become aware of something important
Example
Communities are **waking up to** the impact of noise pollution.
idiom

ahead of the game

Meaning
to have an advantage or be well prepared
Example
She’s always **ahead of the game** with her planning.
phrasal-verb

stay grounded

Meaning
to remain humble and emotionally balanced
Example
No matter how successful you become, always **stay grounded**.
phrasal-verb

open up to courage

Meaning
to allow bravery and confidence to enter one’s mind
Example
She slowly **opened up to courage** after years of doubt.
phrasal-verb

go past

Meaning
to move beyond a particular place or object
Example
**Go past** the supermarket and you’ll find the library on the left.
idiom

beat around the bush

Meaning
to avoid talking about the main topic
Example
Stop **beating around the bush** and tell me what happened.
idiom

mend fences

Meaning
to repair a damaged relationship
Example
She called her friend to **mend fences** after their disagreement.
idiom

open-hearted

Meaning
kind and honest in expressing feelings
Example
She is an **open-hearted** person who always listens.
idiom

break the deadlock

Meaning
to end a situation in which progress is not possible
Example
They finally managed to **break the deadlock** through discussion.
phrasal-verb

blow in

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly, usually with wind
Example
A cold wind suddenly **blew in** from the north.
phrasal-verb

pay something off

Meaning
to completely repay a debt or loan
Example
We finally **paid off** our mortgage last month.
phrasal-verb

hone in on

Meaning
to focus attention or effort on something specific
Example
You need to **hone in on** your weaknesses to improve faster.
idiom

paint oneself into a corner

Meaning
to create a situation where one has limited options
Example
He **painted himself into a corner** by promising too much.
idiom

answer the call of duty

Meaning
to fulfill one's obligation, especially in a difficult situation
Example
Firefighters **answered the call of duty** during the massive fire.
idiom

head back to

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
Let’s **head back to** the office after lunch.
phrasal-verb

rise with kindness

Meaning
to overcome negativity with compassion and empathy
Example
Always try to **rise with kindness** even when people hurt you.
phrasal-verb

step up for responsibility

Meaning
to take on a challenge or responsibility willingly
Example
Leaders must **step up for responsibility** when the situation demands it.
idiom

crash and burn

Meaning
to fail completely or suddenly
Example
The new software update **crashed and burned** after launch.
phrasal-verb

dig in for

Meaning
to prepare yourself for sustained effort
Example
The team **digs in for** late nights ahead of launch week.
phrasal-verb

drop out of sight

Meaning
to disappear or become unnoticed
Example
After the scandal, the actor **dropped out of sight** for several months.
phrasal-verb

ask for

Meaning
to request something
Example
You should **ask for** help if you can’t finish the task.
phrasal-verb

keep up morale

Meaning
to maintain team spirit and positive energy
Example
The coach worked hard to **keep up morale** after the team’s loss.
phrasal-verb

go through

Meaning
to study or read something carefully
Example
You should **go through** the textbook before the quiz.
phrasal-verb

open your mind to

Meaning
to start considering or accepting new ideas or opinions
Example
Studying anthropology can help you **open your mind to** cultural diversity.
phrasal-verb

adapt around

Meaning
to modify plans or behavior to fit changing circumstances
Example
We need to **adapt around** the new market trends quickly.
idiom

come straight to the point

Meaning
to be direct and honest without wasting time
Example
Please **come straight to the point** and tell me what happened.
phrasal-verb

break limits

Meaning
to go beyond what is normally possible or expected
Example
He **broke limits** by achieving what no one else dared to try.
idiom

be at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or upset that you don't know what to do
Example
I'm **at my wits' end** trying to calm the kids down.
phrasal-verb

time out

Meaning
to stop a connection after taking too long to respond
Example
The website **timed out** because the server was too slow.
idiom

to get away with murder

Meaning
to do something wrong and avoid punishment
Example
Rich criminals often **get away with murder** due to influence.
phrasal-verb

geek out over

Meaning
to get very excited discussing a favorite topic
Example
We **geek out over** new space missions every Friday livestream.
phrasal-verb

come up in

Meaning
to be mentioned or discussed in a conversation
Example
Your name **came up in** our meeting yesterday.
phrasal-verb

carve out power

Meaning
to gain influence by persistent effort
Example
Community organizers **carve out power** through consistent meetings.
idiom

A blurred line

Meaning
An unclear distinction between two things
Example
There’s often **a blurred line** between work and personal life.
idiom

make a fortune

Meaning
to earn a lot of money
Example
She **made a fortune** selling handmade jewelry online.
phrasal-verb

follow up right away

Meaning
to respond immediately after receiving a message
Example
I **follow up right away** when a client shares new requirements.
phrasal-verb

dip into savings

Meaning
to use money that you had saved
Example
We had to **dip into our savings** to cover medical expenses.
phrasal-verb

follow self-imposed rules

Meaning
to obey the rules you set for yourself
Example
Self-disciplined people **follow self-imposed rules** without complaint.
idiom

cut and paste

Meaning
to copy something with little change
Example
You can't just **cut and paste** ideas from others.
phrasal-verb

thrill to

Meaning
to feel great excitement or pleasure from something
Example
The audience **thrilled to** the singer’s performance.
phrasal-verb

appeal against

Meaning
to formally ask for a change in a court decision
Example
The defendant plans to **appeal against** the verdict.
idiom

a rolling stone gathers no moss

Meaning
a person who keeps moving and exploring avoids boredom or stagnation
Example
**A rolling stone gathers no moss**, and he’s always on the move.
idiom

get on the same page

Meaning
to agree on something or understand something in the same way
Example
Before starting the project, we need to **get on the same page** about the goals.
idiom

Stick with it

Meaning
Keep doing something even if it’s hard.
Example
Learning English takes time, so **stick with it**.
phrasal-verb

wake up

Meaning
to stop sleeping and become awake
Example
I usually **wake up** at 6 a.m. to start my day.
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.
phrasal-verb

carry yourself with

Meaning
to present yourself in a confident and dignified way
Example
He always **carries himself with** confidence and calmness.
idiom

divide and conquer

Meaning
to gain control by causing disagreement among others
Example
The dictator used a **divide and conquer** strategy to maintain power.
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.