lay the foundation for progress
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phrasal-verb

lay the foundation for progress

Meaning
to create a strong basis for future development
Example
Investing in education helps **lay the foundation for progress**.
idiom

go ballistic

Meaning
to become extremely angry or excited
Example
Dad **went ballistic** when he found out I dented his car.
idiom

call the bluff

Meaning
to challenge someone to prove their authority or claim
Example
She **called his bluff** when he threatened to quit.
phrasal-verb

streamline into

Meaning
to simplify a process to make it more efficient
Example
The company aims to **streamline into** a faster workflow this quarter.
idiom

step away

Meaning
to take a short break from a situation
Example
Take a minute to **step away** if you feel overwhelmed.
phrasal-verb

carry guilt over

Meaning
to continue feeling guilty about something for a long time
Example
He still **carries guilt over** how he treated his friend.
phrasal-verb

fade away

Meaning
to gradually disappear
Example
His anger slowly **faded away** after the apology.
phrasal-verb

work on

Meaning
to spend time improving or developing something
Example
Our team is **working on** an advanced AI model.
idiom

to put two and two together

Meaning
to figure something out from the facts
Example
She didn’t tell me directly, but I **put two and two together**.
idiom

twist someone's ear

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something by being persistent
Example
I had to **twist someone's ear** to get him to help me move.
idiom

win-win situation

Meaning
a situation where all parties benefit
Example
The new deal was a **win-win situation** for both companies.
phrasal-verb

come through with

Meaning
to produce or achieve something that was promised or expected
Example
The company finally **came through with** the funding they had promised.
phrasal-verb

pull down

Meaning
to demolish a building; to reduce someone’s confidence
Example
They decided to **pull down** the old factory and build a new one.
phrasal-verb

ground oneself

Meaning
to stay emotionally stable and present in reality
Example
He took a walk outside to **ground himself** after the bad news.
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

One step at a time

Meaning
Handle tasks gradually and not all at once.
Example
Don't stress, just take **one step at a time**.
idiom

Hit the wall

Meaning
to reach a point where one is physically or mentally exhausted and cannot continue
Example
I’ve been working all day, and now I’ve finally **hit the wall**.
phrasal-verb

dig into data

Meaning
to analyze information in detail
Example
Analysts **dig into data** to understand the social shifts.
idiom

reinforcement learning

Meaning
a type of machine learning where an agent learns to make decisions by performing actions and receiving feedback
Example
In **reinforcement learning**, the model improves over time as it learns from trial and error.
phrasal-verb

tune out from

Meaning
to stop paying attention to stressful things; to mentally disconnect
Example
I sometimes **tune out from** work emails on weekends to recharge.
phrasal-verb

bring in new ideas

Meaning
to introduce creative thoughts or plans
Example
Leaders should **bring in new ideas** to improve team performance.
idiom

iron fist in a velvet glove

Meaning
a gentle outward appearance hiding strong control
Example
Her leadership style is an **iron fist in a velvet glove**.
phrasal-verb

put aside

Meaning
to keep money for future use
Example
Try to **put aside** a little money every month.
idiom

thank your lucky stars

Meaning
to feel grateful for good fortune
Example
You should **thank your lucky stars** for having such good friends.
idiom

hand over

Meaning
to give control or possession to someone else
Example
She will **hand over** the keys when the lease is signed.
idiom

boot up

Meaning
to start a computer or system
Example
My laptop takes forever to **boot up**.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
phrasal-verb

branch into innovation

Meaning
to expand into creative or innovative areas
Example
The company plans to **branch into innovation** through new tech solutions.
phrasal-verb

sign off from

Meaning
to stop participating in an online meeting or platform
Example
I **sign off from** chat at six to spend time with my kids.
phrasal-verb

look up to

Meaning
to admire or respect someone
Example
I really **look up to** my father for his honesty and kindness.
idiom

sworn enemies turned friends

Meaning
two people who used to dislike each other but became friends
Example
They were **sworn enemies turned friends** after college.
idiom

The waiting game

Meaning
A situation in which you must wait for something to happen.
Example
It’s all about **the waiting game** when you’re looking for a job.
idiom

on the sly

Meaning
secretly; in a sneaky way
Example
He met her **on the sly** without telling anyone.
idiom

a clean bill of health

Meaning
a report confirming good health
Example
The doctor gave me **a clean bill of health** after the check-up.
phrasal-verb

hold back

Meaning
to stop yourself from expressing something
Example
He wanted to tell her everything but **held back** his words.
phrasal-verb

stabilize prices

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

jump on a call

Meaning
to quickly join an online voice or video call
Example
Let’s **jump on a call** to discuss the issue in detail.
phrasal-verb

open out emotionally

Meaning
to start expressing feelings freely
Example
It took her months to **open out emotionally** after the breakup.
idiom

red tape

Meaning
excessive bureaucracy or rules
Example
The project was delayed because of **red tape**.
phrasal-verb

cut down costs

Meaning
to reduce expenses
Example
The manager suggested ways to **cut down** costs without affecting quality.
idiom

the power behind the throne

Meaning
a person who secretly controls or influences the leader
Example
Though he's not the CEO, he's **the power behind the throne**.
idiom

dance the night away

Meaning
to dance for a long time, especially during a celebration
Example
Everyone **danced the night away** at the wedding reception.
idiom

pull oneself up by the bootstraps

Meaning
to improve one's situation through hard work and determination
Example
Despite all the challenges, he **pulled himself up by the bootstraps** and succeeded.
idiom

hear something through the grapevine

Meaning
to hear news or rumors indirectly
Example
I **heard through the grapevine** that they are getting married.
idiom

family comes first

Meaning
family is the most important priority in life
Example
No matter how busy I get, **family comes first** for me.
phrasal-verb

bring in investment

Meaning
to attract money from investors
Example
Tax incentives are designed to **bring in investment** from abroad.
phrasal-verb

heal over

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

make it happen

Meaning
take action to achieve something
Example
Stop dreaming and **make it happen**.
idiom

so far so good

Meaning
used to say that an activity has been successful up to this point
Example
We've finished the first part of the project, and **so far so good**.
idiom

act your age

Meaning
behave in a manner appropriate to your age
Example
Stop being so childish and **act your age**!
idiom

pull rank

Meaning
to use one's authority to gain an advantage
Example
He **pulled rank** to get the last seat on the plane.
idiom

sort out

Meaning
to organize or resolve a confusing situation
Example
We need to **sort out** this billing error today.
phrasal-verb

work out a deal

Meaning
to successfully negotiate an agreement
Example
The two nations finally **worked out a deal** after months of negotiation.
idiom

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
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.
idiom

nitpick

Meaning
to find small, unimportant faults in something
Example
Stop **nitpicking** every little mistake I make!
phrasal-verb

push beyond

Meaning
to go further than one’s limits or fears
Example
You need to **push beyond** your comfort zone to grow.
phrasal-verb

lay down guidelines

Meaning
to establish official rules or principles
Example
The economic council will **lay down guidelines** for fiscal discipline.
phrasal-verb

take on new responsibilities

Meaning
to accept additional tasks or duties in one’s role
Example
He was eager to **take on new responsibilities** after the promotion.
idiom

let your hair down

Meaning
to relax and enjoy yourself freely
Example
At the party, everyone **let their hair down**.
phrasal-verb

tear up at

Meaning
to get tears in your eyes due to emotion
Example
He **teared up at** the touching moment in the movie.
phrasal-verb

set out code

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

to be in someone’s good books

Meaning
to be in favor with someone
Example
If you want to get promoted, you need to be **in the boss’s good books**.
idiom

get the credit

Meaning
to receive praise or recognition for something
Example
The whole team worked hard, but only he **got the credit**.
idiom

A tough row to hoe

Meaning
A difficult task or situation to handle.
Example
Starting a new business is **a tough row to hoe**.
phrasal-verb

vote out

Meaning
to remove someone from office by voting against them
Example
Citizens **voted out** the corrupt officials in the last election.
idiom

get something off your chest

Meaning
to talk about something that has been worrying you
Example
I needed to **get it off my chest**, so I finally told her the truth.
idiom

hold the fort

Meaning
to be in charge while someone is away
Example
Can you **hold the fort** while I'm at the meeting?
phrasal-verb

reach deep within

Meaning
to connect with your inner emotions or true feelings
Example
Meditation helps you **reach deep within** and find peace.
idiom

Cultural shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when exposed to a different culture or way of life
Example
Moving from a small village to a big city gave me **cultural shock**.
idiom

Cogito, ergo sum

Meaning
I think, therefore I am. A fundamental philosophical proposition that asserts the act of thinking is proof of one's existence.
Example
René Descartes' famous phrase **Cogito, ergo sum** highlights the importance of self-awareness in understanding existence.
idiom

hit home

Meaning
to be fully understood or have a strong impact
Example
The reality of the housing crisis really **hit home** for them.
phrasal-verb

carry across

Meaning
to make people understand your idea or emotion
Example
The speaker’s emotions really **carried across** to the audience.
phrasal-verb

lace up for

Meaning
to tie your shoes or gear in preparation for something
Example
I **lace up for** my morning run as soon as the sun comes up.
idiom

time's up

Meaning
the time for something or someone has ended
Example
You have to finish the test now. **Time's up**!
phrasal-verb

bask in

Meaning
to enjoy something greatly, especially praise or attention
Example
She **basked in** the applause after her performance.
idiom

across the board

Meaning
affecting everyone or everything equally
Example
The new tariffs apply **across the board** to all imported goods.
phrasal-verb

count upon

Meaning
to depend or rely on someone for help or support
Example
You can always **count upon** me when you need assistance.
phrasal-verb

step up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods sold abroad
Example
The country aims to **step up exports** to reduce the trade deficit.
phrasal-verb

break out of

Meaning
to free yourself from a negative emotional state
Example
He finally **broke out of** his depression after therapy.
phrasal-verb

get into

Meaning
to start enjoying or developing an interest in something
Example
He recently **got into** yoga to improve his flexibility.
idiom

lay your cards on the table

Meaning
to be open and honest about your intentions or plans
Example
Let’s **lay our cards on the table** and discuss this honestly.
idiom

masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something developing into something great
Example
Her latest project looks like **a masterpiece in the making**.
idiom

earn someone's trust

Meaning
to gain someone's confidence through actions
Example
You need to **earn their trust** before they open up.
idiom

spread the word

Meaning
to tell many people about something
Example
Please **spread the word** about our new course.
idiom

rocket science

Meaning
something very complicated or difficult to understand
Example
Coding isn’t **rocket science** if you practice regularly.
idiom

give ground

Meaning
to make concessions or yield in a discussion
Example
He finally **gave ground** on the pricing issue.
phrasal-verb

slow your pace

Meaning
to move or work more slowly to reduce stress
Example
When I feel tense, I remind myself to **slow my pace** and take it easy.
phrasal-verb

stay with

Meaning
to continue supporting or believing in something or someone
Example
The employees decided to **stay with** the company during tough times.
idiom

off the beaten track

Meaning
in a place not visited by many people; remote or unusual
Example
We found a lovely beach **off the beaten track**.
phrasal-verb

loosen out

Meaning
to relax muscles or body after strain
Example
Stretching helps you **loosen out** your body.
idiom

a blast from the past

Meaning
something that reminds you of an earlier time
Example
Seeing that old photo album was **a blast from the past**.
phrasal-verb

blow apart emotionally

Meaning
to lose control because of overwhelming emotion
Example
After the breakup, she **blew apart emotionally** for weeks.
idiom

cover all bases

Meaning
to prepare for all possible situations
Example
Before the presentation, we need to **cover all bases**.
phrasal-verb

lean into uncertainty

Meaning
to accept and embrace the unknown aspects of change
Example
Successful leaders **lean into uncertainty** rather than fear it.
idiom

under the weather

Meaning
feeling ill or unwell
Example
I didn’t go to work because I felt **under the weather**.
phrasal-verb

break into phases

Meaning
to divide a project into smaller parts or stages
Example
We decided to **break the project into phases** to manage it more effectively.
idiom

pick someone’s brain

Meaning
to ask someone knowledgeable for advice or ideas
Example
I’d like to **pick your brain** about this project idea.
phrasal-verb

cut it out

Meaning
to stop doing something annoying or bad
Example
**Cut it out**! You’re being too noisy.
idiom

opt out

Meaning
to choose not to participate
Example
Employees can **opt out** of the program if they want.
phrasal-verb

cut out waste

Meaning
to eliminate unnecessary waste completely
Example
We should **cut out waste** to make our cities more sustainable.
idiom

crack the books

Meaning
to open your books and begin studying
Example
It's time to **crack the books** and prepare for finals.
idiom

fall flat

Meaning
to fail completely
Example
His idea **fell flat** because nobody liked it.
phrasal-verb

go on

Meaning
to happen or take place
Example
The celebration **went on** until midnight with music and dance.
phrasal-verb

open yourself up to

Meaning
to allow yourself to express feelings or be vulnerable
Example
He learned to **open himself up to** love again.
phrasal-verb

push boundaries

Meaning
to go beyond limits or expectations
Example
Innovators constantly **push boundaries** to discover new possibilities.
idiom

learning on the fly

Meaning
to adapt and learn quickly without prior preparation
Example
AI systems are **learning on the fly** from user data.
idiom

Throw down the gauntlet

Meaning
To challenge someone to fight or compete.
Example
He **threw down the gauntlet** by questioning his opponent’s honesty.
idiom

lock and key

Meaning
completely secured or protected
Example
All confidential data is kept under **lock and key**.
idiom

talk shop

Meaning
to talk about work or business during leisure time
Example
Even at dinner, they started to **talk shop**.
idiom

Tear down barriers

Meaning
To remove obstacles or prejudices between people.
Example
Education helps to **tear down barriers** between communities.
phrasal-verb

dig beneath

Meaning
to search for the real emotions or motivations hidden under the surface
Example
He tried to **dig beneath** his frustration to understand his true fears.
phrasal-verb

tune into cultures

Meaning
to understand and adapt to the ways people from different cultures communicate
Example
To work globally, you must **tune into cultures** beyond your own.
idiom

circle of friends

Meaning
a group of people you are friendly with
Example
She has a large **circle of friends** from college.
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

cold feet

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

bounce back stronger

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

day in court

Meaning
a fair opportunity to defend oneself or be heard
Example
Everyone deserves their **day in court**.
phrasal-verb

fit into

Meaning
to become part of a group or situation easily; to adjust to a new environment
Example
It took me a few weeks to **fit into** the new office culture.
idiom

connect the dots

Meaning
to make connections between ideas or information
Example
Once you **connect the dots**, the whole picture will make sense.
phrasal-verb

look beyond yourself

Meaning
to consider others’ feelings or needs instead of focusing only on yourself
Example
Real emotional growth comes when you **look beyond yourself**.