goof off
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
phrasal-verb

goof off

Meaning
to waste time instead of working or studying
Example
If you **goof off** all semester, you’ll regret it during finals.
phrasal-verb

shut off

Meaning
to block or stop feeling emotions
Example
He learned to **shut off** his emotions to stay strong.
phrasal-verb

upload to

Meaning
to transfer data or files from a local device to a server or the internet
Example
You can **upload to** Google Drive for easy sharing.
phrasal-verb

transform over time

Meaning
to gradually change form or nature
Example
The organization will **transform over time** with consistent innovation.
phrasal-verb

set up a business

Meaning
to start your own company to earn money
Example
Many people **set up a business** to create their own path to financial freedom.
phrasal-verb

pace yourself

Meaning
to control the speed at which you work to avoid exhaustion
Example
You need to **pace yourself** during busy weeks.
phrasal-verb

win out

Meaning
to finally succeed after difficulties or opposition
Example
Despite strong resistance, the reformers **won out** in the end.
phrasal-verb

pull through with

Meaning
to succeed in surviving or recovering with effort or support
Example
The country managed to **pull through with** international assistance.
phrasal-verb

learn to appreciate

Meaning
to develop admiration or respect for other traditions and beliefs
Example
Through travel, you can **learn to appreciate** cultural diversity.
phrasal-verb

show through on

Meaning
to be visible or noticeable on something
Example
The stain **shows through on** the white fabric.
phrasal-verb

check back on

Meaning
to review or look again at online updates or messages
Example
You should **check back on** the thread later for new replies.
phrasal-verb

double down on learning

Meaning
to increase your effort toward gaining knowledge
Example
After the promotion, I **double down on learning** new leadership skills.
phrasal-verb

give up on

Meaning
to stop believing in someone or something
Example
Don’t **give up on** your dreams, no matter how hard it gets.
phrasal-verb

turn up at

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly at a place
Example
He **turned up at** my office without any notice.
phrasal-verb

reach out for mediation

Meaning
to seek help from a third party to resolve conflict
Example
Both sides **reached out for mediation** to end the war peacefully.
phrasal-verb

roll up

Meaning
to fold or turn up sleeves or trousers
Example
He **rolled up** his sleeves before starting to wash.
phrasal-verb

roll back

Meaning
to reverse or reduce the effect of something
Example
The government decided to **roll back** the new data policy after criticism.
phrasal-verb

type up

Meaning
to write or prepare something using a computer
Example
He quickly **typed up** the message and sent it.
phrasal-verb

step over

Meaning
to cross something by lifting your foot; to ignore someone or something
Example
She carefully **stepped over** the puddle to avoid getting her shoes wet.
phrasal-verb

dress for

Meaning
to wear clothes suitable for a particular situation
Example
You should **dress for** success when going to a job interview.
phrasal-verb

wonder about

Meaning
to be curious or question something
Example
I often **wonder about** what life will be like in ten years.
phrasal-verb

lash with anger

Meaning
to express anger strongly
Example
The coach **lashed with anger** after the team lost again.
phrasal-verb

back away

Meaning
to move backward from something frightening
Example
They **backed away** from the angry dog.
phrasal-verb

work alongside

Meaning
to cooperate or collaborate with someone on the same task or project
Example
We need to **work alongside** our colleagues to complete the project efficiently.
phrasal-verb

wake early

Meaning
to get up early in the morning; to start the day early
Example
I try to **wake early** every morning to enjoy the quiet and plan my day.
phrasal-verb

laugh together

Meaning
to share laughter and joy with others
Example
We all **laughed together** remembering funny college stories.
phrasal-verb

send back

Meaning
to return a purchased item for a refund or replacement
Example
I had to **send back** the shirt because it didn’t fit.
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

blend across cultures

Meaning
to combine or mix aspects from different cultural backgrounds
Example
Modern cuisine often **blends across cultures** to create new flavors.
phrasal-verb

build on success

Meaning
to use past achievements as a foundation for more success
Example
We should **build on success** and keep improving our results.
phrasal-verb

take over as

Meaning
to assume a new position or responsibility previously held by someone else
Example
She will **take over as** the new HR manager next month.
phrasal-verb

break through to

Meaning
to make someone understand your emotions or point of view
Example
It took hours to finally **break through to** him and make him understand how I felt.
phrasal-verb

get along together

Meaning
to have a friendly and harmonious relationship
Example
Despite their differences, they **get along together** quite well.
phrasal-verb

let emotions settle

Meaning
to allow emotions to calm down naturally over time
Example
Take a break and **let your emotions settle** before reacting.
phrasal-verb

learn to cope with

Meaning
to learn how to manage or handle failure
Example
You have to **learn to cope with** setbacks if you want to grow.
phrasal-verb

stand firm on beliefs

Meaning
to stay confident in your values or opinions even when others disagree
Example
Leaders must **stand firm on beliefs** to earn respect.
phrasal-verb

honor where you come from

Meaning
to show respect for your cultural roots
Example
Artists **honor where they come from** by weaving family stories into their work.
phrasal-verb

call together

Meaning
to bring people together for a meeting
Example
The director **called together** the team for an urgent discussion.
phrasal-verb

drop off

Meaning
to take someone or something to a place by car
Example
Can you **drop off** the kids at school?
phrasal-verb

keep faith in

Meaning
to continue believing in something or someone despite difficulties
Example
Always **keep faith in** yourself, even when no one else does.
phrasal-verb

bungle up

Meaning
to spoil or ruin something through clumsiness
Example
The workers **bungled up** the whole paint job.
phrasal-verb

hold down inflation

Meaning
to control or keep inflation at a manageable level
Example
The central bank took measures to **hold down inflation**.
phrasal-verb

pay respect to

Meaning
to show honor or appreciation to someone
Example
They **paid respect to** their teachers during the ceremony.
phrasal-verb

whip up

Meaning
to quickly prepare a meal
Example
She can **whip up** a healthy salad in minutes.
phrasal-verb

breathe out

Meaning
to slowly exhale to release tension
Example
Take a deep breath and **breathe out** all your worries.
phrasal-verb

be thankful for

Meaning
to feel or express gratitude for something
Example
I’ll always **be thankful for** your kindness.
phrasal-verb

link up

Meaning
to connect or join with another group or organization
Example
We plan to **link up** with regional chambers of commerce.
phrasal-verb

stay positive

Meaning
to keep an optimistic attitude
Example
Even in hard times, she always tries to **stay positive**.
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

pay out of

Meaning
to give money from a specific source
Example
The damages were **paid out of** the company’s funds.
phrasal-verb

hold out negotiations

Meaning
to continue discussions or resist giving in during talks
Example
The rebels **held out negotiations** until their demands were met.
phrasal-verb

cut back on laziness

Meaning
to reduce your tendency to avoid effort or work
Example
To be disciplined, you need to **cut back on laziness**.
phrasal-verb

draw everyone in

Meaning
to involve all members actively in a discussion or activity
Example
The facilitator tried to **draw everyone in** during the brainstorming session.
phrasal-verb

ring through

Meaning
to connect a phone call to its destination
Example
I’ll **ring through** to the manager for you.
phrasal-verb

take on responsibility

Meaning
to accept a duty or task
Example
He decided to **take on responsibility** for the new client.
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.
phrasal-verb

open up about kindness

Meaning
to speak honestly about acts of kindness or gratitude
Example
He finally **opened up about kindness** he received from strangers.
phrasal-verb

follow through on commitments

Meaning
to complete promises or obligations made to others
Example
The government must **follow through on commitments** made at the summit.
phrasal-verb

tag in

Meaning
to include someone’s username in a post or photo
Example
Don’t forget to **tag in** your friends when you upload the group photo.
phrasal-verb

align with

Meaning
to agree with or support the goals or principles of others
Example
Many countries **align with** global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
phrasal-verb

look out for others

Meaning
to watch over or protect other people
Example
It’s important to **look out for others** in difficult situations.
phrasal-verb

bring out clarity

Meaning
to make thoughts or feelings clearer
Example
Writing in a journal can **bring out clarity** about what you truly feel.
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

help up

Meaning
to assist someone in standing after a fall
Example
He quickly **helped up** the old man who had tripped.
phrasal-verb

forgive someone for

Meaning
to stop being angry with someone for what they did
Example
She finally **forgave him for** lying.
phrasal-verb

weigh up

Meaning
to consider the pros and cons before making a decision
Example
The board had to **weigh up** the risks before cutting more jobs.
phrasal-verb

be unsure of

Meaning
to not feel confident or certain about something
Example
I’m **unsure of** what to say in that situation.
phrasal-verb

tire yourself out

Meaning
to make yourself very tired, often due to stress or overwork
Example
He **tired himself out** trying to finish all his tasks in one day.
phrasal-verb

reach sustainability goals

Meaning
to achieve targets related to environmental and social balance
Example
Nations are collaborating to **reach sustainability goals** by 2030.
phrasal-verb

cool down after

Meaning
to gently relax following exercise or effort
Example
Always **cool down after** intense matches to avoid injury.
phrasal-verb

take interest in

Meaning
to show curiosity or enthusiasm about something
Example
He started to **take interest in** local traditions after moving abroad.
phrasal-verb

think outside boundaries

Meaning
to think creatively without restrictions or limitations
Example
Designers must **think outside boundaries** to stay innovative.
phrasal-verb

put into practice

Meaning
to use knowledge or skills in a real situation
Example
You should **put into practice** what you’ve learned in the course.
phrasal-verb

build discipline

Meaning
to develop good habits and control over one’s actions
Example
Meditation helps you **build discipline** over your thoughts.
phrasal-verb

feed on

Meaning
to gain support or energy from something, often negative; to be sustained by
Example
The tabloids **feed on** celebrity scandals to boost their sales.
phrasal-verb

bring back confidence

Meaning
to restore people's trust or optimism
Example
New trade policies are designed to **bring back confidence** in investors.
phrasal-verb

catch up with

Meaning
to reach the same level or standard as others
Example
Many companies are trying to **catch up with** global tech giants.
phrasal-verb

keep offices aligned

Meaning
to ensure different branches follow the same plan
Example
We **keep offices aligned** with a daily global standup call.
phrasal-verb

reach across

Meaning
to connect or communicate with people from different backgrounds or beliefs
Example
Art has the power to **reach across** cultures and unite people.
phrasal-verb

strive for

Meaning
to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something
Example
She always **strives for** excellence in her work.
phrasal-verb

talk it out

Meaning
to discuss problems to relieve stress
Example
If you’re feeling tense, it helps to **talk it out** with a friend.
phrasal-verb

protect against downturns

Meaning
to take measures to avoid negative effects during economic decline
Example
Diversifying investments can **protect against downturns** in the economy.
phrasal-verb

tune in to others

Meaning
to pay attention to and understand others’ emotions
Example
Emotionally intelligent people **tune in to others** naturally.
phrasal-verb

learn about traditions

Meaning
to study or become familiar with cultural customs
Example
Tourists should **learn about traditions** before visiting a new country.
phrasal-verb

build toward

Meaning
to make progress in a way that helps achieve a goal
Example
Every small project helped her **build toward** becoming a team leader.
phrasal-verb

cut back on mistakes

Meaning
to reduce the number of errors you make
Example
To grow professionally, try to **cut back on mistakes**.
phrasal-verb

cut down on distractions

Meaning
to reduce things that take your attention away
Example
He’s trying to **cut down on distractions** to stay focused.
phrasal-verb

push for

Meaning
to try hard to get something done or accepted
Example
The opposition party **pushed for** a new anti-corruption bill.
phrasal-verb

look kindly upon

Meaning
to regard someone or something with appreciation or favor
Example
She **looked kindly upon** the people who helped her career.
phrasal-verb

look someone in the eye

Meaning
to make direct eye contact as a sign of honesty or respect
Example
When greeting someone, try to **look them in the eye** to show respect.
phrasal-verb

be curious about

Meaning
to have a desire to know or learn about something
Example
Children are naturally **curious about** how things work.
phrasal-verb

bring in tariffs

Meaning
to introduce taxes on imported goods
Example
The government plans to **bring in tariffs** to protect domestic manufacturers.
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**.
phrasal-verb

move toward improvement

Meaning
to progress gradually toward a better state or process
Example
Every organization must **move toward improvement** to stay competitive.
phrasal-verb

warm up to someone

Meaning
to begin to like or trust someone
Example
She slowly **warmed up to** her new classmates.
phrasal-verb

set about

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

bring together the team

Meaning
to unite people to work collaboratively
Example
The new manager managed to bring together the whole team after a conflict.
phrasal-verb

pray for

Meaning
to express hope or desire for something by praying
Example
We all **pray for** a better future.
phrasal-verb

get away to

Meaning
to go somewhere for a short vacation or break
Example
We’re planning to **get away to** the mountains this weekend.
phrasal-verb

speak truth to power

Meaning
to tell honest truths to those in authority
Example
Journalists **speak truth to power** when they expose corruption.
phrasal-verb

play around with

Meaning
to experiment with ideas, materials, or techniques
Example
She loves to **play around with** different colors to find new combinations.
phrasal-verb

show up late

Meaning
to arrive later than expected
Example
He always **shows up late** for work.
phrasal-verb

pump up

Meaning
to make someone feel excited or full of energy
Example
The coach **pumped up** the team before the match.
phrasal-verb

cut down travel emissions

Meaning
to reduce pollution caused by transportation
Example
We can **cut down travel emissions** by holding virtual meetings.
phrasal-verb

check out of

Meaning
to leave a hotel after paying the bill
Example
We **checked out of** the hotel early to catch our flight.
phrasal-verb

pick up for

Meaning
to improve or recover for something
Example
Sales usually **pick up for** the holidays.
phrasal-verb

quote from

Meaning
to repeat words from a person or source in speech or writing
Example
The news anchor **quoted from** the Prime Minister’s statement.
phrasal-verb

put on weight

Meaning
to gain weight
Example
I’ve **put on weight** since I stopped exercising.
phrasal-verb

click away

Meaning
to leave a dangerous or suspicious webpage quickly
Example
If you see something strange, just **click away** immediately.
phrasal-verb

focus on improvement

Meaning
to give attention to becoming better at something
Example
Every student should **focus on improvement** rather than perfection.
phrasal-verb

take on too much

Meaning
to accept more work or responsibility than one can handle
Example
You’re stressing yourself out because you **take on too much** work.
phrasal-verb

wait out

Meaning
to wait until something unpleasant ends
Example
We decided to **wait out** the storm at the café.
phrasal-verb

roll into place

Meaning
to start working smoothly after some time or preparation
Example
Once everyone understands their tasks, the new system will **roll into place**.
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

cheer someone on

Meaning
to encourage someone by showing support or enthusiasm
Example
My friends **cheered me on** during the presentation.
phrasal-verb

learn to let go

Meaning
to accept something and move on emotionally
Example
You must **learn to let go** of your past regrets.
phrasal-verb

figure out regulations

Meaning
to understand foreign laws and business rules
Example
It can take months to **figure out regulations** in a new country.
phrasal-verb

share out

Meaning
to distribute something equally among members of a group
Example
The organization **shared out** resources to support developing countries.
phrasal-verb

see through

Meaning
to realize the truth about someone or something
Example
She quickly **saw through** his lies.
phrasal-verb

let go of regret

Meaning
to release feelings of guilt or regret about the past
Example
He finally learned to **let go of regret** and focus on the future.
phrasal-verb

wind down spending

Meaning
to gradually reduce or stop expenditure
Example
The finance department aims to **wind down spending** as the fiscal year ends.