hold it in
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

hold it in

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

tinker around with

Meaning
to make small adjustments in an experimental way
Example
We **tinker around with** the app design after each user interview.
phrasal-verb

pay for

Meaning
to give money in exchange for something; to suffer the consequences
Example
You will **pay for** your mistakes one day.
phrasal-verb

slim down

Meaning
to become thinner; to lose weight
Example
She has been exercising to **slim down** for her wedding.
phrasal-verb

look around

Meaning
to explore or see what is nearby; to sightsee
Example
We spent the afternoon **looking around** the old city.
phrasal-verb

stand up for democracy

Meaning
to defend or support the principles of democracy
Example
Citizens gathered to **stand up for democracy** during the national protest.
phrasal-verb

reach out about anxiety

Meaning
to contact someone to talk about feeling anxious
Example
Whenever worry builds, I **reach out about anxiety** to a close friend.
phrasal-verb

stand by

Meaning
to support or remain loyal to someone, especially in difficult times
Example
She always **stands by** her brother no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

move out

Meaning
to stop living in a place and leave it
Example
She decided to **move out** of her parents’ house after getting a job.
phrasal-verb

ring back

Meaning
to return a phone call
Example
I’ll **ring back** when I get home.
phrasal-verb

dream beyond

Meaning
to imagine or aim for something greater than what seems possible
Example
To make a difference, you must **dream beyond** limits.
phrasal-verb

choke on emotions

Meaning
to find it hard to speak because of strong emotions
Example
She **choked on emotions** while giving her farewell speech.
phrasal-verb

break into markets

Meaning
to start to sell goods or services in a new market
Example
Many startups aim to **break into markets** in Africa to support sustainable growth.
phrasal-verb

reach down to

Meaning
to connect emotionally with someone suffering or sad
Example
He **reached down to** her when she was crying alone.
phrasal-verb

put across

Meaning
to communicate an idea clearly
Example
She always manages to **put across** her ideas effectively.
phrasal-verb

cut across borders

Meaning
to go beyond national boundaries or differences
Example
Cultural exchange programs **cut across borders** and bring people together.
phrasal-verb

break language barriers

Meaning
to overcome difficulties in communication due to language differences
Example
Translation apps help travelers **break language barriers** easily.
phrasal-verb

reach forward to

Meaning
to extend emotional support to help someone move on
Example
He **reached forward to** his brother to help him recover.
phrasal-verb

snow under

Meaning
to be overwhelmed by too much work or snow
Example
We were completely **snowed under** during the winter storm.
phrasal-verb

contribute to

Meaning
to help bring about or support the achievement of something
Example
Global cooperation can **contribute to** sustainable development.
phrasal-verb

cool your temper

Meaning
to become calm after being angry
Example
He went for a walk to **cool his temper** before talking to her.
phrasal-verb

snap under

Meaning
to lose control or become angry under stress
Example
She finally **snapped under** the constant criticism from her boss.
phrasal-verb

work toward excellence

Meaning
to make consistent efforts to achieve high standards
Example
Our teachers motivate us to **work toward excellence** in every subject.
phrasal-verb

spread through

Meaning
to extend or move through an area or group
Example
Global culture has **spread through** digital media and communication networks.
phrasal-verb

log in

Meaning
to enter a website or app by typing your username and password
Example
You need to **log in** to access your account.
phrasal-verb

lighten your mood

Meaning
to make yourself feel happier and less stressed
Example
Watching a funny movie can really **lighten your mood**.
phrasal-verb

hand in assignments

Meaning
to submit school or college work to the teacher
Example
You must **hand in assignments** before the deadline.
phrasal-verb

deal with conflict

Meaning
to manage or resolve disagreements or disputes
Example
Managers often need to **deal with conflict** among team members.
phrasal-verb

come round

Meaning
to regain consciousness
Example
She fainted but soon **came round**.
phrasal-verb

pull in revenue

Meaning
to earn or generate income, especially on a large scale
Example
The new export policy helped the country **pull in revenue** from foreign markets.
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

back out of agreement

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or promise
Example
The government suddenly **backed out of agreement** with its allies.
phrasal-verb

cover for

Meaning
to protect someone by hiding their mistake or wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **cover for** his colleague who submitted false data.
phrasal-verb

fall behind schedule

Meaning
to not be progressing as quickly as planned
Example
Construction has **fallen behind schedule** due to bad weather.
phrasal-verb

chalk up improvements

Meaning
to credit progress achieved over time
Example
We **chalk up improvements** to consistent practice and rest.
phrasal-verb

cut back from

Meaning
to reduce involvement or dependency on something harmful
Example
We should **cut back from** non-renewable energy sources.
phrasal-verb

pay back

Meaning
to return money that you borrowed
Example
I will **pay back** the money I borrowed from you next week.
phrasal-verb

set up a subsidiary

Meaning
to establish a smaller company controlled by a larger one
Example
They decided to **set up a subsidiary** in Singapore to handle regional operations.
phrasal-verb

break into production

Meaning
to start producing something new; to begin manufacturing on a large scale
Example
The country plans to **break into production** of electric vehicles next year.
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

choke down

Meaning
to suppress or hide emotions like anger or sadness
Example
He tried to **choke down** his tears during the farewell speech.
phrasal-verb

come off

Meaning
to happen successfully; to succeed
Example
The plan **came off** just as we hoped.
phrasal-verb

let yourself heal

Meaning
to allow yourself time and space to recover emotionally
Example
It’s okay to rest and **let yourself heal** after a painful breakup.
phrasal-verb

throw up one's hands

Meaning
to give up in despair or frustration
Example
The manager **threw up his hands** when the plan failed.
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

boil with anger

Meaning
to be extremely angry
Example
She was **boiling with anger** when she found out about the unfair decision.
phrasal-verb

paint over

Meaning
to cover something with a new layer of paint
Example
He decided to **paint over** the old mural with a new design.
phrasal-verb

lock up

Meaning
to become completely unresponsive or stuck
Example
The app **locked up** and I had to restart my phone.
phrasal-verb

link up with

Meaning
to connect or cooperate with another group or country
Example
Our company plans to **link up with** partners in Asia for expansion.
phrasal-verb

bounce back stronger

Meaning
to recover from setbacks with renewed energy
Example
Teams **bounce back stronger** after honest feedback sessions.
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

hang over

Meaning
to remain as a feeling of worry, sadness, or fear
Example
A sense of sorrow still **hangs over** the family.
phrasal-verb

focus on

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

get ahead of

Meaning
to move in front of someone or gain an advantage
Example
We need to **get ahead of** the other team early in the match.
phrasal-verb

prepare for

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

pull out of the deal

Meaning
to withdraw from an agreement or contract
Example
Several companies **pulled out of the deal** due to political instability.
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

top off with

Meaning
to finish something by adding a final touch
Example
We always **top off with** fresh herbs before serving the soup.
phrasal-verb

build on small wins

Meaning
to use minor achievements as motivation for bigger goals
Example
Try to **build on small wins** to gain more confidence.
phrasal-verb

stay hydrated

Meaning
to drink enough water to keep your body healthy
Example
It’s important to **stay hydrated** during summer workouts.
phrasal-verb

grow close to

Meaning
to develop a stronger emotional bond or friendship with someone
Example
Over the years, they **grew close to** each other through shared experiences.
phrasal-verb

draw attention to

Meaning
to make people notice or focus on an issue
Example
Activists **drew attention to** flaws in the legal system.
phrasal-verb

find over to

Meaning
to move or transfer attention or focus to something new
Example
She quickly **found over to** another topic when things got awkward.
phrasal-verb

run into trouble

Meaning
to experience problems or difficulties
Example
We **ran into trouble** when the car suddenly stopped working.
phrasal-verb

rise with

Meaning
to grow stronger together with something or someone
Example
We can all **rise with** positivity and mutual respect.
phrasal-verb

feel sorry for

Meaning
to pity or sympathize with someone or yourself
Example
I **feel sorry for** what I did to you.
phrasal-verb

scrub off

Meaning
to remove dirt or stains by rubbing hard
Example
You need to **scrub off** that grease from the pan.
phrasal-verb

throw down

Meaning
to drop something forcefully; to challenge someone
Example
He **threw down** his gloves and walked out angrily.
phrasal-verb

come up against

Meaning
to face a problem or difficulty
Example
We **came up against** several obstacles during the project.
phrasal-verb

face up to the truth

Meaning
to accept or confront the reality of a situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to the truth** about your mistakes.
phrasal-verb

shine on

Meaning
to continue to be cheerful and positive despite difficulties
Example
Even in tough times, she continues to **shine on**.
phrasal-verb

reach out for balance

Meaning
to make an effort to create harmony in life
Example
He’s learning to **reach out for balance** between work and rest.
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

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.
phrasal-verb

branch out internationally

Meaning
to expand your business activities into new countries
Example
Many local firms are trying to **branch out internationally** to increase their profits.
phrasal-verb

do someone in

Meaning
to kill or exhaust someone
Example
The long hike really **did me in**.
phrasal-verb

flow with

Meaning
to move along naturally with emotions or situations instead of resisting them
Example
She learned to **flow with** her emotions rather than fight them.
phrasal-verb

roll out

Meaning
to launch or introduce a new product or service
Example
The government plans to **roll out** new incentives for exporters.
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

rant about

Meaning
to complain or talk loudly in anger about something
Example
He kept **ranting about** the unfair treatment at work.
phrasal-verb

take initiative

Meaning
to be the first to take action or make a decision
Example
Employees who **take initiative** often grow faster in their careers.
phrasal-verb

get past differences

Meaning
to overcome disagreements and move forward positively
Example
The team managed to **get past differences** and focus on the project.
phrasal-verb

learn from

Meaning
to gain knowledge or understanding through experience or observation
Example
We can **learn from** other cultures to make our society more inclusive.
phrasal-verb

ramp up production

Meaning
to increase the amount or level of production
Example
Factories are trying to **ramp up production** to meet growing demand.
phrasal-verb

fess up

Meaning
to confess or admit something embarrassing or wrong
Example
It’s time to **fess up** and tell the truth about what happened.
phrasal-verb

come together for

Meaning
to unite for a common purpose; to join efforts toward a shared goal
Example
Communities from all over the world **come together for** humanitarian causes.
phrasal-verb

swot up on

Meaning
to study something intensively before an event
Example
I **swot up on** statistics before every data review.
phrasal-verb

read aloud

Meaning
to read something so that other people can hear it
Example
She **read aloud** the story to the whole class.
phrasal-verb

take over the government

Meaning
to assume control of the government, often by force
Example
The military attempted to **take over the government** after months of unrest.
phrasal-verb

keep up with changes

Meaning
to stay informed or updated about new developments
Example
Employees must **keep up with changes** in company policies.
phrasal-verb

open up to change

Meaning
to become willing to accept new ideas or practices
Example
Societies progress when people **open up to change**.
phrasal-verb

level emotions

Meaning
to stabilize one's emotional state; to avoid highs and lows
Example
He practices meditation daily to **level emotions**.
phrasal-verb

fall over

Meaning
to lose balance and drop to the ground
Example
The baby **fell over** while trying to walk.
phrasal-verb

glow up

Meaning
to become more confident, attractive, or happy over time
Example
She really **glowed up** after starting her new job.
phrasal-verb

carry yourself

Meaning
to behave in a confident and graceful way
Example
He knows how to **carry himself** with confidence in any situation.
phrasal-verb

take care of

Meaning
to be responsible for someone or something
Example
My sister **takes care of** our younger brother when our parents are away.
phrasal-verb

mitigate against

Meaning
to make something less severe or harmful
Example
Effective controls can **mitigate against** financial losses.
phrasal-verb

lose it

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry or emotional
Example
She completely **lost it** when she saw the mess in the room.
phrasal-verb

say sorry to

Meaning
to express regret or apologize to someone
Example
You should **say sorry to** her for yelling.
phrasal-verb

work hand in hand with

Meaning
to cooperate closely with someone
Example
The design and development teams **work hand in hand with** each other to deliver quality results.
phrasal-verb

mentor others in

Meaning
to guide and support less experienced people
Example
Senior employees are encouraged to **mentor others in** their department.
phrasal-verb

grow into understanding

Meaning
to gradually develop empathy or comprehension for different cultures
Example
Children can **grow into understanding** diversity through stories and travel.
phrasal-verb

build up confidence

Meaning
to increase self-belief among team members
Example
A leader’s words can **build up confidence** in the team.
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

reflect upon failures

Meaning
to think deeply about one’s failures to gain insight
Example
She often **reflects upon failures** to improve her approach.
phrasal-verb

roll out products

Meaning
to launch or introduce new products to the market
Example
The company plans to **roll out products** that feature cutting-edge technology.
phrasal-verb

fall under

Meaning
to be included in a category; to be controlled by someone
Example
This issue **falls under** the HR department’s responsibility.
phrasal-verb

power down

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

cloud over

Meaning
when the sky becomes covered with clouds
Example
The sky **clouded over**, and we knew it was going to rain soon.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself through anxiety

Meaning
to calmly reason with yourself to reduce anxiety
Example
I **talk myself through anxiety** by reminding myself that everything will pass.
phrasal-verb

freshen up before

Meaning
to wash or tidy yourself just before an event
Example
Let me **freshen up before** the guests arrive.
phrasal-verb

collide with

Meaning
to crash into something or someone
Example
Two motorcycles **collided with** each other at the intersection.
phrasal-verb

set aside for

Meaning
to reserve a specific time for virtual meetings or work
Example
I’ve **set aside for** an hour every morning to check emails.
phrasal-verb

rise under

Meaning
to perform well despite facing great pressure or challenges
Example
He always **rises under** pressure and delivers his best work.
phrasal-verb

drift apart from

Meaning
to slowly become less close to someone
Example
Over the years, we **drifted apart from** each other and lost touch.
phrasal-verb

heal over

Meaning
to gradually recover from emotional wounds
Example
Time helps old wounds to **heal over** naturally.
phrasal-verb

speak up for yourself

Meaning
to express your opinions or defend your feelings confidently
Example
You need to **speak up for yourself** if something feels unfair.
phrasal-verb

be patient with

Meaning
to stay calm and understanding toward someone who is struggling
Example
You need to **be patient with** people who are healing emotionally.
phrasal-verb

go over again

Meaning
to review or repeat material for better understanding
Example
Let’s **go over again** the main points before the quiz.
phrasal-verb

stand up with

Meaning
to show solidarity or support for someone
Example
We should **stand up with** colleagues who are treated unfairly.
phrasal-verb

head back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
It’s getting late, we should **head back** to the hotel.