ground yourself before speaking
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phrasal-verb

ground yourself before speaking

Meaning
to center your emotions so you can communicate steadily
Example
I **ground myself before speaking** in tense meetings by noting three positives.
phrasal-verb

call for

Meaning
to demand or request something publicly
Example
The citizens **called for** fair elections and transparency.
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

sit down

Meaning
to take a seat; to lower your body to a sitting position
Example
Please **sit down** and relax for a moment.
idiom

open and shut case

Meaning
a case that is easily decided or obvious
Example
It was an **open and shut case** with clear evidence.
idiom

top-notch

Meaning
of the highest quality; excellent
Example
Your presentation was absolutely **top-notch**.
idiom

new lease of life

Meaning
to give someone or something a fresh start or new energy
Example
The renovation of the old building has given it a **new lease of life**.
idiom

stand up for something

Meaning
to support or defend something you believe in
Example
She always **stands up for what she believes in**, even when it's difficult.
idiom

sound bite

Meaning
a short and catchy quote used in media coverage
Example
The politician’s **sound bite** went viral on social media.
idiom

full of oneself

Meaning
to be overly proud or self-confident
Example
He’s so **full of himself** after getting that promotion.
phrasal-verb

open yourself to

Meaning
to allow yourself to experience emotions or connections
Example
He finally decided to **open himself to** love again.
phrasal-verb

reflect on yourself

Meaning
to think carefully about your actions, thoughts, and emotions
Example
Journaling allows you to **reflect on yourself** and grow.
phrasal-verb

take up

Meaning
to start doing something new, such as a habit, activity, or belief
Example
Many people **take up** meditation as they explore mindfulness culture.
idiom

brainstorm ideas

Meaning
to think of new and creative ideas
Example
The class gathered to **brainstorm ideas** for the science project.
phrasal-verb

hand back

Meaning
to return something to its owner, especially after checking it
Example
The professor **handed back** the graded assignments on Monday.
idiom

no worries

Meaning
used to say that everything is fine or there is no problem
Example
**No worries**, I’ll take care of it.
idiom

much obliged

Meaning
used to express thanks politely
Example
I'm **much obliged** for your help today.
idiom

get ahead in life

Meaning
to succeed or progress in one's life or career
Example
He worked hard to **get ahead in life** and build a successful career.
idiom

caught off guard

Meaning
surprised or shocked by something unexpected
Example
She was **caught off guard** by the sudden question.
phrasal-verb

show around

Meaning
to give someone a guided tour of a place
Example
I will **show around** our office to the new interns.
phrasal-verb

set yourself apart

Meaning
to make yourself different or outstanding from others
Example
Hard work and creativity will **set you apart** from the rest.
idiom

fall head over heels for someone

Meaning
to fall deeply in love with someone
Example
He **fell head over heels for her** the moment they met.
idiom

gear up to

Meaning
to prepare energetically to do something
Example
We’re **gearing up to** launch the app next month.
idiom

Bet the farm

Meaning
To risk everything on one big decision.
Example
He **bet the farm** on that business deal.
idiom

scare the life out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That horror movie **scared the life out of me**.
phrasal-verb

question over

Meaning
to express doubt or uncertainty about something
Example
There’s been a lot of **questions over** the accuracy of that report.
idiom

home sweet home

Meaning
used to express happiness upon returning home
Example
After a long trip, it feels so good to be **home sweet home**.
phrasal-verb

ride through

Meaning
to stay emotionally strong during a difficult period
Example
She managed to **ride through** the hard times with patience.
idiom

Golden handshake

Meaning
A large payment given to someone when they leave a job, especially early retirement.
Example
The CEO received a **golden handshake** when he retired early.
phrasal-verb

write in

Meaning
to send a written complaint or opinion
Example
Many viewers **wrote in** to complain about the poor sound quality.
idiom

go with your gut

Meaning
to trust your instinct when making a decision
Example
Sometimes you just have to **go with your gut**.
idiom

hold oneself accountable

Meaning
to take responsibility for one's actions or decisions
Example
A true leader **holds himself accountable** for the team’s failures.
phrasal-verb

blast out

Meaning
to play music very loudly
Example
The neighbors were **blasting out** heavy metal all night.
phrasal-verb

ease tensions between

Meaning
to reduce conflict or hostility between countries
Example
Efforts were made to **ease tensions between** the rival nations.
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.
idiom

fly high

Meaning
to be very successful or happy
Example
After winning the award, she’s been **flying high**.
phrasal-verb

work through stress

Meaning
to deal with and gradually overcome stress
Example
Meditation helps me **work through stress** effectively.
phrasal-verb

call up

Meaning
to phone someone
Example
I’ll **call up** my friend to invite him to dinner.
idiom

to hit the nail on the head

Meaning
to describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem
Example
When she pointed out the lack of communication, she really **hit the nail on the head**.
phrasal-verb

work up to

Meaning
to gradually prepare for something difficult
Example
She’s **working up to** asking for a promotion.
phrasal-verb

break out of insecurity

Meaning
to free yourself from self-doubt and lack of confidence
Example
She finally **broke out of insecurity** and started speaking publicly.
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

stand for election

Meaning
to be a candidate in an election
Example
She decided to **stand for election** as a member of parliament.
idiom

Give it your best shot

Meaning
Try as hard as you can.
Example
Even if you fail, **give it your best shot**.
idiom

bolt from the blue

Meaning
a sudden and unexpected event
Example
The project cancellation came as a **bolt from the blue**.
phrasal-verb

ask over

Meaning
to invite someone to your place, often to talk or apologize
Example
He **asked her over** to say sorry for what happened.
idiom

tee up

Meaning
to prepare something for easy execution
Example
I’ll **tee up** the slides so you can start on time.
idiom

hold over

Meaning
to postpone something to a later time
Example
They had to **hold over** the vote until next week.
phrasal-verb

apologize to

Meaning
to say sorry to someone for something you did
Example
He **apologized to** his teacher for being rude.
idiom

tear into someone

Meaning
to criticize someone angrily
Example
The coach **tore into** the players after they lost the game.
phrasal-verb

call off

Meaning
to cancel something
Example
We had to **call off** the meeting because the manager was sick.
idiom

lay the blame on

Meaning
to accuse someone of being responsible for something bad.
Example
They tried to **lay the blame on** the new employee.
idiom

green around the gills

Meaning
looking sick or nauseated
Example
He looked **green around the gills** after the boat ride.
idiom

to frame the issue

Meaning
to present a situation in a particular way
Example
The journalist cleverly **framed the issue** to highlight social inequality.
phrasal-verb

turn left

Meaning
to change direction to the left
Example
At the next intersection, **turn left** onto Main Street.
idiom

draw up

Meaning
to prepare an official document or plan
Example
The lawyer will **draw up** the agreement this afternoon.
phrasal-verb

reach alignment on

Meaning
to reach an agreement where all parties share the same position
Example
The leaders **reached alignment on** climate goals.
idiom

In a peaceful state of mind

Meaning
feeling relaxed and at ease without stress or worry
Example
After yoga, she felt **in a peaceful state of mind** all day.
idiom

in one’s element

Meaning
doing something one is good at or enjoys
Example
He’s **in his element** when he’s cooking for friends.
idiom

don't sweat the small stuff

Meaning
don’t worry about minor or unimportant things
Example
It’s just a little mistake, **don’t sweat the small stuff**.
phrasal-verb

relax into

Meaning
to gradually feel more comfortable and happy in a situation
Example
She **relaxed into** the vacation after the first day.
idiom

move up

Meaning
to advance to a higher level or position
Example
She hopes to **move up** to a senior role next year.
phrasal-verb

lash back

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

reduce carbon footprint

Meaning
to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere
Example
Many companies are working to **reduce their carbon footprint** by using renewable energy.
idiom

to pass the baton

Meaning
to transfer responsibility to someone else
Example
After years of leadership, he decided it was time to **pass the baton** to his successor.
phrasal-verb

factor into

Meaning
to include something in your calculations or predictions about the future
Example
We must **factor into** our plans the possible rise in inflation.
phrasal-verb

bring home

Meaning
to win or achieve something valuable or important
Example
The team worked hard and finally **brought home** the championship trophy.
phrasal-verb

push aside

Meaning
to ignore negative feelings and focus on moving forward
Example
She tried to **push aside** her fears and keep going.
idiom

heart in your mouth

Meaning
to feel extremely anxious or scared
Example
My **heart was in my mouth** when the plane started shaking.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
phrasal-verb

take issue with

Meaning
to disagree strongly with someone or something
Example
I **take issue with** your interpretation of the results.
phrasal-verb

lie back

Meaning
to recline or rest in a relaxed position
Example
Just **lie back** and take a deep breath.
phrasal-verb

let yourself breathe

Meaning
to allow yourself time to relax and calm down
Example
You should **let yourself breathe** when things get overwhelming.
idiom

bring up a family

Meaning
to raise and take care of children
Example
They worked hard to **bring up a family**.
phrasal-verb

get back at

Meaning
to take revenge on someone for something they did
Example
He tried to **get back at** his brother for teasing him.
idiom

build character

Meaning
to develop positive qualities or strength through challenges
Example
Going through this process will **build character** in the team.
idiom

calm down

Meaning
to become less angry or upset
Example
Please **calm down**, everything is under control.
idiom

square away

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

to bask in the glory

Meaning
to enjoy the admiration and praise from others after achieving something great
Example
He **basked in the glory** of his victory for weeks after the championship.
phrasal-verb

drive up prices

Meaning
to cause prices to increase
Example
High demand for oil has **driven up prices** around the world.
phrasal-verb

set out for success

Meaning
to begin a journey or plan with the goal of achieving success
Example
She **set out for success** by creating a clear vision and staying disciplined.
idiom

light the fire

Meaning
to inspire or motivate people to act passionately
Example
Her speech really **lit the fire** in the employees’ hearts.
phrasal-verb

be carried away

Meaning
to become so excited that you lose control of your feelings
Example
They got **carried away** during the celebration.
phrasal-verb

set out code

Meaning
to organize or structure code clearly
Example
Make sure you **set out your code** neatly before pushing it.
phrasal-verb

take along

Meaning
to bring someone or something with you
Example
Don’t forget to **take along** your umbrella.
phrasal-verb

exchange views with

Meaning
to share opinions or ideas with someone from another culture
Example
Students **exchange views with** their international peers to broaden their perspectives.
idiom

a labor of love

Meaning
something done out of passion, not for money
Example
Building that model train was **a labor of love** for him.
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.
idiom

filter out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from something
Example
Use this tool to **filter out** spam messages.
idiom

cold feet

Meaning
to feel nervous or hesitant about something
Example
He got **cold feet** before proposing to her.
idiom

face up to

Meaning
to accept and confront a difficult situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to** the staffing gaps.
phrasal-verb

rise through emotions

Meaning
to grow stronger by learning from emotional experiences
Example
We can **rise through emotions** and become wiser each time.
phrasal-verb

get in touch with

Meaning
to reconnect or become aware of your emotions again
Example
Meditation helps you **get in touch with** your true feelings.
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**.
idiom

light up someone’s day

Meaning
to make someone happy
Example
Your kind words **lighted up my day**.
idiom

toss out

Meaning
to throw something away
Example
We had to **toss out** the expired snacks.
phrasal-verb

let go of stress

Meaning
to release tension and stop worrying
Example
Meditation helps you **let go of stress** and feel at peace.
phrasal-verb

start up

Meaning
to begin a new business or project
Example
They decided to **start up** a food delivery service in their city.
phrasal-verb

build on

Meaning
to use your past success or experience to improve or achieve more
Example
We should **build on** our previous success to reach higher goals.
phrasal-verb

get bogged down

Meaning
to become so involved in something that you cannot make progress
Example
I got **bogged down** in paperwork and missed the meeting.
phrasal-verb

buy in on

Meaning
to agree to support a plan or idea
Example
Managers **buy in on** the strategy once they see the cost savings.
idiom

play a pivotal role

Meaning
to play an important part in something
Example
She played a **pivotal role** in the success of the team.
phrasal-verb

settle on

Meaning
to choose something after considering other options
Example
After hours of discussion, they **settled on** a final plan.
phrasal-verb

work along with

Meaning
to cooperate or coordinate efforts with others
Example
Researchers **work along with** NGOs to reduce ocean pollution.
phrasal-verb

tear up

Meaning
to start crying a little
Example
She **teared up** during the emotional movie scene.
phrasal-verb

mobilize for

Meaning
to organize people for a political or social cause
Example
The leader **mobilized for** a national campaign on climate action.
idiom

An ear to the ground

Meaning
To be aware of what is happening around you.
Example
If you want to succeed in business, always keep **an ear to the ground**.
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

scene-stealer

Meaning
someone who attracts attention and stands out
Example
That child actor was a real **scene-stealer**.
phrasal-verb

get down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad; to move to a lower position
Example
Don’t let failure **get you down**.
idiom

get one's ducks in a row

Meaning
to organize things in a proper and efficient way
Example
Before we begin, we need to **get our ducks in a row** and finalize the plan.
phrasal-verb

bring down barriers

Meaning
to remove obstacles between people or groups
Example
Education can **bring down barriers** between communities.
phrasal-verb

make things right with

Meaning
to restore harmony or fix a mistake with someone
Example
He wanted to **make things right with** his parents after disappointing them.
idiom

Zoom in on

Meaning
To focus closely on something
Example
Let’s **zoom in on** the key issues first.
idiom

sweet talk someone

Meaning
to flatter or charm someone into doing something
Example
He **sweet talked** his way into getting a discount.
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

wait around

Meaning
to stay somewhere doing nothing while waiting for something
Example
I had to **wait around** for hours before the meeting started.
idiom

A true friend is one who stands by you

Meaning
A true friend will be there for you during difficult times
Example
Even in the worst of times, she proved to be a true friend. **A true friend is one who stands by you**.
idiom

count on

Meaning
to rely on or trust someone to do something
Example
You can always **count on** me.
phrasal-verb

coordinate across borders

Meaning
to organize efforts with people in different countries
Example
We **coordinate across borders** to keep the partnership moving smoothly.
phrasal-verb

pay homage to

Meaning
to show deep respect or tribute to someone or something
Example
Citizens **pay homage to** national heroes on Independence Day.