hold it in
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phrasal-verb

hold it in

Meaning
to stop yourself from showing emotion
Example
He tried to **hold it in**, but the tears came anyway.
idiom

a fool and his money are soon parted

Meaning
people who are careless with their money will lose it quickly
Example
He spent all his money on useless gadgets; **a fool and his money are soon parted**.
idiom

a lump in your throat

Meaning
feeling emotional or about to cry
Example
He felt **a lump in his throat** when he said goodbye.
phrasal-verb

bring together

Meaning
to unite people for a purpose
Example
Family events **bring together** everyone and strengthen bonds.
phrasal-verb

open up new perspectives

Meaning
to help someone see things in a new or different way
Example
Traveling to different countries can **open up new perspectives** on life.
phrasal-verb

get through with

Meaning
to successfully communicate or be understood by someone
Example
It’s hard to **get through with** people when there’s a language barrier.
idiom

Dig deeper

Meaning
To investigate more thoroughly or find out more details.
Example
Journalists are trained to **dig deeper** into stories.
phrasal-verb

join in the fun

Meaning
to participate in an enjoyable activity
Example
Even the shy guests **joined in the fun** after a while.
idiom

give the green light

Meaning
to give permission or approval to proceed
Example
The board finally **gave the green light** for the new project.
idiom

answer for

Meaning
to be responsible for something and answer to others about it
Example
She had to **answer for** the mistakes made by her team.
idiom

plug into

Meaning
to connect or become involved in something, usually a system or network
Example
You need to **plug into** the right social media channels to reach a wider audience.
idiom

left speechless

Meaning
so surprised that you cannot speak
Example
I was **left speechless** by her generosity.
idiom

get the wrong end of the stick

Meaning
to misunderstand a situation or statement completely
Example
I think you’ve **got the wrong end of the stick**—I wasn’t blaming you.
idiom

chart a new course

Meaning
to plan a new direction or strategy
Example
After the crisis, the CEO decided to **chart a new course**.
idiom

a closed book

Meaning
something or someone that is difficult to understand
Example
He’s **a closed book** when it comes to his personal life.
phrasal-verb

apologize to

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

have a splitting headache

Meaning
to have a very bad headache
Example
I can’t focus right now; I **have a splitting headache**.
idiom

smart cookie

Meaning
a clever and intelligent person
Example
Don’t underestimate her—she’s a **smart cookie**.
idiom

crossing the ethical boundary

Meaning
to act in a way that goes beyond moral acceptability
Example
Using AI to manipulate emotions may be **crossing the ethical boundary**.
idiom

to teach an old dog new tricks

Meaning
to try to teach someone something they are set in their ways about
Example
It’s hard to **teach an old dog new tricks** when it comes to new technology.
idiom

sit back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing
Example
Just **sit back** and enjoy the show.
phrasal-verb

let courage in

Meaning
to allow oneself to feel and act with bravery
Example
He tried to **let courage in** instead of fear.
idiom

make a fortune

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

Baptism of fire

Meaning
A person’s first difficult experience in a new job or role.
Example
Her first week as manager was a real **baptism of fire**.
idiom

travel light

Meaning
to travel with very little luggage
Example
When I travel for business, I like to **travel light**.
phrasal-verb

boost up

Meaning
to increase or enhance something such as production or growth
Example
The new incentives will **boost up** industrial productivity.
idiom

step in

Meaning
to become involved in order to help or stop something
Example
The manager will **step in** if the discussion gets heated.
phrasal-verb

learn to live with

Meaning
to accept a mistake or flaw that cannot be changed
Example
Sometimes you just have to **learn to live with** your past mistakes.
phrasal-verb

pour out your heart

Meaning
to express all your emotions and thoughts freely to someone
Example
She **poured out her heart** to her best friend after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

point around

Meaning
to show multiple directions or places
Example
The guide **pointed around** the historical landmarks.
phrasal-verb

open up space for joy

Meaning
to make emotional room for happiness after pain
Example
After forgiving herself, she began to **open up space for joy**.
phrasal-verb

climb toward

Meaning
to make steady progress toward a higher position or goal
Example
He is **climbing toward** the top position in his company.
phrasal-verb

build up stamina

Meaning
to increase strength or endurance gradually
Example
Running regularly helps to **build up stamina**.
phrasal-verb

bring in line

Meaning
to make someone or something follow rules or standards
Example
The new CEO worked hard to **bring in line** all departments with the company’s vision.
idiom

have a Eureka moment

Meaning
to suddenly realize the solution to a problem
Example
I had a **Eureka moment** while fixing the code last night.
idiom

have a heart

Meaning
to show compassion or kindness
Example
**Have a heart**, he didn’t mean to hurt you.
phrasal-verb

settle in for

Meaning
to get comfortable because something will take a while
Example
We **settled in for** a long night of studying at the library.
idiom

digital detox

Meaning
a period when a person avoids using digital devices or social media
Example
I’m going on a **digital detox** this weekend.
phrasal-verb

shut yourself away

Meaning
to isolate yourself from others to calm down
Example
He **shut himself away** for a while to clear his mind.
phrasal-verb

set forth

Meaning
to present or explain an idea or proposal clearly
Example
The president **set forth** his vision for the nation’s economic future.
idiom

wallflower

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

build upon innovation

Meaning
to use existing innovations as a foundation for further progress
Example
Nations must **build upon innovation** to drive sustainable development.
idiom

keep one's cards close to the chest

Meaning
to keep one's plans or intentions secret
Example
During the negotiations, she **kept her cards close to the chest**.
idiom

put two and two together

Meaning
to figure out something by reasoning
Example
He **put two and two together** and realized she was lying.
idiom

be lost for words

Meaning
to be so surprised that you cannot speak
Example
I was **lost for words** when I won the prize.
idiom

heart sinks

Meaning
to feel disappointed or sad suddenly
Example
My **heart sank** when I saw the exam result.
phrasal-verb

connect on a deeper level

Meaning
to relate to someone emotionally and understand them well
Example
They **connected on a deeper level** after sharing their personal stories.
phrasal-verb

deal with customs

Meaning
to handle procedures for importing or exporting goods
Example
Exporters must **deal with customs** regulations carefully.
phrasal-verb

power down

Meaning
to turn off or shut down a device completely
Example
You should **power down** your computer before cleaning it.
idiom

a wake-up call

Meaning
an event that makes someone realize they need to change
Example
Losing his job was a **wake-up call** for him.
idiom

drill down into

Meaning
to examine something in great depth
Example
The analyst will **drill down into** the sales numbers for trends.
phrasal-verb

reach within yourself

Meaning
to look inside yourself to find strength or courage
Example
You must **reach within yourself** to overcome fear.
phrasal-verb

close down

Meaning
to stop operating a business or company
Example
Due to losses, the branch had to **close down**.
idiom

tell a tall tale

Meaning
to tell an exaggerated or false story
Example
He loves to **tell tall tales** about his adventures.
phrasal-verb

work toward mastery

Meaning
to practice and improve until becoming very skilled
Example
She is **working toward mastery** in public speaking.
idiom

in the red

Meaning
to be in debt; losing money
Example
After the pandemic, many small businesses were **in the red**.
phrasal-verb

step forward

Meaning
to volunteer or take initiative for something
Example
John always **steps forward** when the team needs extra help.
idiom

grease the wheels

Meaning
to make a process run more smoothly by helping it along or making it easier
Example
Bribing officials is a common way to grease the wheels in international trade negotiations.
idiom

wind up

Meaning
to end up in a particular situation
Example
If you ignore the warning signs, you could **wind up** in trouble.
idiom

Too many cooks spoil the broth

Meaning
When too many people try to manage something, it can fail.
Example
If everyone keeps giving their opinion, remember that **too many cooks spoil the broth**.
phrasal-verb

filter out tension

Meaning
to remove or block stressful emotions or thoughts
Example
Yoga helps you **filter out tension** from your body and mind.
idiom

the big cheese

Meaning
an important or influential person
Example
He's **the big cheese** in the company.
idiom

adapt to new surroundings

Meaning
to adjust to a new environment or situation
Example
After moving to a new city, it took her some time to **adapt to new surroundings**.
idiom

do the right thing

Meaning
to act in a morally or socially responsible way
Example
Even when it’s hard, always **do the right thing**.
idiom

Go to pieces

Meaning
To lose control of your emotions; to break down.
Example
She **went to pieces** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

hang back

Meaning
to remain behind or hesitate to act
Example
If you **hang back**, you might miss the opportunity.
phrasal-verb

take away from

Meaning
to learn or gain something valuable from an experience
Example
What did you **take away from** that experience?
idiom

add on

Meaning
to include something extra
Example
You can **add on** dessert for a small fee.
idiom

Take one’s breath away

Meaning
To amaze or impress someone greatly.
Example
Her beauty **takes my breath away**.
idiom

hockey stick growth

Meaning
a sharp increase in growth after a period of slow progress
Example
The startup saw **hockey stick growth** after launching their new feature.
idiom

give someone a shot in the arm

Meaning
to boost someone’s confidence or enthusiasm
Example
The victory **gave the team a shot in the arm** before the final.
phrasal-verb

open up to ideas

Meaning
to be receptive to new and different ideas
Example
We should **open up to ideas** from junior staff as well.
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.
phrasal-verb

respect for

Meaning
to show regard or consideration for someone or something
Example
We should always **show respect for** other people’s traditions.
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.
idiom

driving innovation

Meaning
leading or inspiring new and creative ideas.
Example
The startup is **driving innovation** in renewable energy solutions.
phrasal-verb

shut someone down

Meaning
to stop someone from speaking or expressing themselves
Example
He tried to **shut her down** whenever she disagreed.
phrasal-verb

set out to

Meaning
to begin working with the intention of achieving something
Example
She **set out to** improve her public speaking skills this year.
idiom

to serve justice

Meaning
to ensure that fairness or punishment is properly given
Example
The court’s decision **served justice** for the victims.
phrasal-verb

clear your mind

Meaning
to remove distracting thoughts and relax mentally
Example
Go for a walk to **clear your mind** after a long day.
phrasal-verb

go down

Meaning
to decrease; to be remembered or recorded
Example
This event will **go down** in history.
idiom

move with the times

Meaning
to change and adapt as things in society or technology change
Example
Businesses must **move with the times** to stay relevant.
idiom

lay it on the line

Meaning
to be very clear or direct about something
Example
I'll **lay it on the line**—if we don't improve, we'll lose investors.
phrasal-verb

tone down for

Meaning
to soften your language or behavior for a situation
Example
She **tones down for** audiences who prefer straightforward facts.
phrasal-verb

bottle emotions

Meaning
to keep emotions hidden instead of expressing them
Example
She tends to **bottle emotions** instead of talking about them.
idiom

machine learning

Meaning
A method of data analysis that automates analytical model building.
Example
We used **machine learning** to predict customer behavior.
phrasal-verb

live below your means

Meaning
to spend less money than you earn
Example
One key to financial freedom is to **live below your means** consistently.
idiom

find your feet

Meaning
to become comfortable in a new situation
Example
It took a few months for him to **find his feet** in the new city.
phrasal-verb

phase through

Meaning
to move gradually through stages of change
Example
The company plans to **phase through** several steps to modernize its operations.
idiom

lose one’s cool

Meaning
to suddenly become angry
Example
Try not to **lose your cool** during the argument.
idiom

to fall head over heels

Meaning
to fall deeply in love
Example
He **fell head over heels** for her the moment they met.
phrasal-verb

come out

Meaning
to be released or published; to become visible
Example
The new movie **came out** last week.
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.
idiom

move the goalposts

Meaning
to change the rules or conditions to make success harder
Example
They **moved the goalposts** after we had agreed on the terms.
idiom

have steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to be visibly very angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** when he saw the damage.
idiom

out of the blue

Meaning
unexpectedly or without warning
Example
My old friend called me **out of the blue** after ten years.
phrasal-verb

pass stories down

Meaning
to share traditions or memories with the next generation
Example
Grandparents **pass stories down** during long festival evenings.
phrasal-verb

thrill to

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

spread your wings

Meaning
to start doing new and independent things
Example
After graduation, she wanted to **spread her wings**.
idiom

run out of bandwidth

Meaning
to have no time or energy left; to be overwhelmed
Example
Sorry, I can’t take another task — I’ve **run out of bandwidth**.
idiom

behind closed doors

Meaning
in private; secretly
Example
The deal was made **behind closed doors**.
phrasal-verb

depend upon

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

early bird

Meaning
a person who wakes up or arrives early
Example
She’s always the **early bird** at the office.
phrasal-verb

bring down costs

Meaning
to reduce the expenses involved in trading or production
Example
New technologies help companies **bring down costs** of international logistics.
phrasal-verb

look beyond culture

Meaning
to see people as individuals rather than defining them by their culture
Example
To build global unity, we must **look beyond culture** and see shared humanity.
phrasal-verb

get across to

Meaning
to make someone understand something clearly
Example
It’s hard to **get across to** customer service that the product is faulty.
phrasal-verb

go after

Meaning
to pursue or try to get something; to chase someone
Example
He decided to **go after** his dream of becoming a doctor.
phrasal-verb

rely on

Meaning
to trust or depend on someone or something
Example
We **rely on** local suppliers for daily goods.
phrasal-verb

spin out

Meaning
to lose control and start spinning around
Example
The car **spun out** on the wet highway.
idiom

sick to death of something

Meaning
extremely tired or annoyed by something
Example
I’m **sick to death of** listening to his complaints.
idiom

zone in on

Meaning
to focus attention closely on something specific
Example
We need to **zone in on** the main customer problem.
idiom

touch gold

Meaning
to be very successful or lucky in something
Example
Every project he takes on seems to **touch gold**.
phrasal-verb

dig up

Meaning
to discover secret or forgotten information
Example
Journalists managed to **dig up** new evidence about the case.
idiom

on the front line

Meaning
directly involved in the most active or dangerous part of something
Example
Doctors were **on the front line** during the pandemic.
idiom

Get the scoop

Meaning
To be the first to report on a story, often an exclusive one.
Example
The reporter worked tirelessly to **get the scoop** on the celebrity scandal.
phrasal-verb

plough back

Meaning
to reinvest profits into the same business
Example
The firm **ploughed back** its profits into expanding operations.
idiom

catch the travel bug

Meaning
to become very interested in traveling
Example
After visiting Thailand, she really **caught the travel bug**.
phrasal-verb

rise above challenges

Meaning
to overcome difficulties and remain positive
Example
He learned to **rise above challenges** and stay optimistic.
phrasal-verb

move away from

Meaning
to stop focusing on or using something
Example
The economy is **moving away from** dependency on foreign aid.
phrasal-verb

rally around

Meaning
to come together to support someone or something
Example
The whole team **rallied around** their captain during tough times.
phrasal-verb

bring optimism into life

Meaning
to include hopeful and positive thinking in your lifestyle
Example
Try to **bring optimism into life** through daily habits.