lay the groundwork for
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

lay the groundwork for

Meaning
to prepare the basic foundation for something important in the future
Example
She’s **laying the groundwork for** her next career move.
phrasal-verb

get on

Meaning
to board a bus, train, or plane
Example
We **got on** the bus just before it left the station.
phrasal-verb

break off communication

Meaning
to stop communicating suddenly or intentionally
Example
After the argument, they **broke off communication** for months.
phrasal-verb

go wild

Meaning
to behave in an extremely excited or enthusiastic way
Example
The crowd **went wild** when the team scored the goal.
phrasal-verb

kick oneself for

Meaning
to feel angry or regretful for doing or not doing something
Example
I could **kick myself for** not taking that job opportunity.
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

cheer yourself on

Meaning
to motivate and encourage yourself to keep going
Example
Sometimes you just need to **cheer yourself on** when no one else does.
phrasal-verb

feel bad about

Meaning
to feel sorry or regretful about something
Example
I really **feel bad about** what happened.
phrasal-verb

step into new roles

Meaning
to begin taking on new responsibilities or positions during change
Example
After the merger, many employees had to **step into new roles**.
phrasal-verb

lift out of poverty

Meaning
to help people or nations escape from poverty
Example
International aid has helped **lift millions out of poverty** worldwide.
phrasal-verb

cut down electricity use

Meaning
to lower the consumption of electrical power
Example
Installing solar panels helps to **cut down electricity use**.
phrasal-verb

step forward for opportunities

Meaning
to volunteer or take initiative when opportunities arise
Example
Ambitious employees often **step forward for opportunities** to learn and grow.
phrasal-verb

carry through on

Meaning
to complete or fulfill a promise, plan, or commitment
Example
A person with strong ethics will always **carry through on** their promises.
phrasal-verb

lash out emotionally

Meaning
to express anger or frustration violently or suddenly
Example
He **lashed out emotionally** when he felt betrayed.
phrasal-verb

smooth over conflicts

Meaning
to reduce tension after a disagreement
Example
Leads **smooth over conflicts** by reminding everyone of the goal.
phrasal-verb

break down emotionally

Meaning
to lose control over your emotions and start crying
Example
She **broke down emotionally** after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

laugh off trouble

Meaning
to stay positive by joking about problems
Example
She **laughs off trouble** when flight delays throw off plans.
phrasal-verb

get ahead in

Meaning
to make progress or succeed in a particular area
Example
She worked hard to **get ahead in** her studies.
phrasal-verb

hold office

Meaning
to have an official position of authority or power
Example
He has **held office** as the foreign minister for more than five years.
phrasal-verb

keep up

Meaning
to maintain or continue a custom or tradition
Example
Our family still **keeps up** the tradition of making homemade sweets on Eid.
phrasal-verb

melt away

Meaning
when snow or ice disappears as it gets warmer
Example
The snow quickly **melted away** in the morning sun.
phrasal-verb

sort through for

Meaning
to examine items one by one to find something specific
Example
I **sort through for** the receipts every month at budget time.
phrasal-verb

rip off

Meaning
to charge someone too much money
Example
Tourists often get **ripped off** in that market.
phrasal-verb

tune inward

Meaning
to focus attention on your inner feelings or thoughts
Example
She took a few minutes each day to **tune inward** and reflect on her emotions.
phrasal-verb

ease inflation

Meaning
to make inflation less severe or reduce price pressure
Example
Rising interest rates can help **ease inflation** over time.
phrasal-verb

blend across

Meaning
to mix or merge cultures or systems from different areas
Example
Global cuisines often **blend across** traditions and tastes.
phrasal-verb

buddy up with

Meaning
to become partners or friends with someone
Example
New hires **buddy up with** mentors during orientation week.
phrasal-verb

take off in career

Meaning
to suddenly become successful in your job or business
Example
Her career really **took off** after she launched her own startup.
phrasal-verb

bring to light

Meaning
to reveal something that was hidden or unclear
Example
Therapy helped him **bring to light** the real source of his anger.
phrasal-verb

pass around

Meaning
to distribute or share something among people
Example
They **passed around** the trophy for everyone to see.
phrasal-verb

invite over

Meaning
to ask someone to come to your home
Example
We’re planning to **invite over** our colleagues this weekend.
phrasal-verb

code around

Meaning
to find a software workaround for a problem
Example
Engineers **code around** the bug until an official patch ships.
phrasal-verb

move beyond pain

Meaning
to heal and grow after emotional suffering
Example
She tried to **move beyond pain** and focus on her goals.
phrasal-verb

zone into calmness

Meaning
to focus your mind completely on peace and relaxation
Example
Meditation helps me **zone into calmness** after stressful meetings.
phrasal-verb

take time off

Meaning
to stop working temporarily for rest or recovery
Example
I'm going to **take time off** next week to recharge.
phrasal-verb

lay out a plan

Meaning
to present or explain a strategy or proposal clearly
Example
The finance minister **laid out a plan** for sustainable growth.
phrasal-verb

spotlight progress

Meaning
to highlight positive steps that have been made
Example
We **spotlight progress** in standups so hope stays alive.
phrasal-verb

dry up

Meaning
to become dry or have no water left
Example
Many rivers may **dry up** if rainfall continues to decrease.
phrasal-verb

bring forward a resolution

Meaning
to formally present a proposal or resolution for discussion
Example
The delegate **brought forward a resolution** on global peace and cooperation.
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

confide in

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them personal feelings or secrets
Example
I can always **confide in** my sister when I feel upset.
phrasal-verb

tie into

Meaning
to connect or link closely with something
Example
This project **ties into** our long-term digital strategy.
phrasal-verb

edge up

Meaning
to rise slightly or gradually
Example
The inflation rate **edged up** to 6% last month.
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

doze off

Meaning
to fall asleep, especially unintentionally
Example
I often **doze off** while watching TV at night.
phrasal-verb

tune down

Meaning
to lower the intensity or energy; to calm things
Example
Let’s **tune down** the tension and talk calmly about it.
phrasal-verb

point down

Meaning
to direct something downward
Example
He **pointed down** to show where the leak was.
phrasal-verb

open the lines of communication

Meaning
to start talking again after a period of silence
Example
She wanted to **open the lines of communication** with her best friend again.
phrasal-verb

listen with respect

Meaning
to pay attention and value other people’s perspectives during communication
Example
To understand others, we must **listen with respect** to their stories.
phrasal-verb

take up a new habit

Meaning
to start doing something regularly as a habit or routine
Example
She decided to **take up a new habit** of reading before bed.
phrasal-verb

wrap up the project

Meaning
to finish or complete something
Example
We need to **wrap up the project** by the end of this week.
phrasal-verb

crash down

Meaning
to suddenly stop working or fail completely
Example
The software **crashed down** in the middle of my presentation.
phrasal-verb

cross over

Meaning
to go from one side to the other side of something
Example
**Cross over** the bridge to get to the other side of the river.
phrasal-verb

build upon strengths

Meaning
to use existing advantages or abilities to achieve more success
Example
Great leaders **build upon strengths** instead of focusing on weaknesses.
phrasal-verb

shine through challenges

Meaning
to maintain positivity and confidence during difficulties
Example
She always manages to **shine through challenges** with a smile.
phrasal-verb

cooperate across

Meaning
to collaborate or work jointly across different boundaries or fields
Example
Universities **cooperate across** continents to exchange research ideas.
phrasal-verb

rally spirits around goals

Meaning
to encourage people to stay motivated about shared targets
Example
Captains **rally spirits around goals** when fatigue sets in late in the quarter.
phrasal-verb

rave about

Meaning
to speak with great enthusiasm and admiration about something
Example
He kept **raving about** the concert for days.
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

scale up to

Meaning
to increase in size, amount, or production level to meet higher demand or needs
Example
The company plans to **scale up to** full production once the economy stabilizes.
phrasal-verb

put down

Meaning
to place something on a surface; to criticize or insult someone
Example
He **put down** his bag and sat on the chair.
phrasal-verb

buckle under

Meaning
to give in or collapse under pressure
Example
He refused to **buckle under** the stress of his new responsibilities.
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

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.
phrasal-verb

branch up into management

Meaning
to progress into a higher level of management or leadership
Example
After years of experience, he finally **branched up into management**.
phrasal-verb

get off

Meaning
to leave a bus, train, or plane
Example
We **got off** the train at the wrong station.
phrasal-verb

cut someone off

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
She kept **cutting me off** whenever I tried to explain.
phrasal-verb

speak up against

Meaning
to voice opposition to something openly
Example
Many young people **speak up against** injustice in their communities.
phrasal-verb

find through

Meaning
to understand or see something clearly after effort
Example
It took me some time to **find through** his lies.
phrasal-verb

let in positivity

Meaning
to allow positive thoughts and emotions to enter your mind
Example
She tries to **let in positivity** every morning.
phrasal-verb

hold onto values

Meaning
to keep and protect one’s principles despite pressure
Example
A leader should **hold onto values** even when it's not easy.
phrasal-verb

clam up

Meaning
to suddenly stop talking, especially when nervous or unwilling
Example
She **clammed up** as soon as I asked about her mistake.
phrasal-verb

weigh in with

Meaning
to contribute an opinion or advice
Example
Directors **weigh in with** fresh perspectives near the end of the meeting.
phrasal-verb

take up meditation

Meaning
to start practicing meditation
Example
I recently **took up meditation** to reduce stress and feel more peaceful.
phrasal-verb

portion out snacks

Meaning
to divide snacks into measured servings
Example
We **portion out snacks** on Sundays so weekday meals stay balanced.
phrasal-verb

branch into tech

Meaning
to expand into the technology sector
Example
Traditional companies are now trying to **branch into tech** to stay relevant.
phrasal-verb

agree upon

Meaning
to reach a shared understanding or decision on something
Example
Both nations **agreed upon** a trade policy that benefits their people.
phrasal-verb

coordinate with

Meaning
to organize or arrange actions in cooperation with others
Example
Nations **coordinate with** each other to deliver disaster relief effectively.
phrasal-verb

plan out

Meaning
to carefully think about and arrange the details of something
Example
Let’s **plan out** the schedule so that everything runs smoothly.
phrasal-verb

pick up on traditions

Meaning
to notice and learn about customs and habits of other cultures
Example
During his stay in Japan, he quickly **picked up on** local traditions.
phrasal-verb

speak around

Meaning
to discuss a topic without addressing it directly
Example
He tends to **speak around** the real issue instead of confronting it.
phrasal-verb

get carried away

Meaning
to become so excited that you lose control of your feelings or actions
Example
I **got carried away** and bought more than I planned.
phrasal-verb

drop out of sight

Meaning
to disappear or become unnoticed
Example
After the scandal, the actor **dropped out of sight** for several months.
phrasal-verb

simmer with anger

Meaning
to feel but not express anger openly
Example
He **simmered with anger** after being insulted.
phrasal-verb

follow through on vision

Meaning
to continue efforts until a goal or plan is fully achieved
Example
Great leaders **follow through on vision** with persistence and dedication.
phrasal-verb

turn ideas into reality

Meaning
to make your plans or dreams come true
Example
Great leaders know how to **turn ideas into reality**.
phrasal-verb

write in about

Meaning
to contact an organization in writing regarding something
Example
If you have ideas, please **write in about** them before Friday.
phrasal-verb

show out

Meaning
to accompany someone to the door when they are leaving
Example
The manager **showed out** the clients after the meeting.
phrasal-verb

point up

Meaning
to emphasize something; to make something more noticeable
Example
This example **points up** the importance of communication.
phrasal-verb

break through bias

Meaning
to overcome prejudices and unfair judgments
Example
Training programs help employees **break through bias** in hiring decisions.
phrasal-verb

speak kindly of

Meaning
to say positive things about someone as a form of appreciation
Example
Everyone **speaks kindly of** her because she’s always generous.
phrasal-verb

pass gratitude on

Meaning
to share or extend appreciation to others
Example
She always **passes gratitude on** to everyone who helps her.
phrasal-verb

set up a meeting

Meaning
to arrange a meeting or appointment
Example
Can you **set up a meeting** with the marketing team tomorrow?
phrasal-verb

prep for

Meaning
to get yourself ready for something
Example
I like to **prep for** big presentations the night before.
phrasal-verb

carry over to

Meaning
to apply something learned or used in one situation to another
Example
You can **carry over** those skills **to** your new job.
phrasal-verb

reach over to

Meaning
to extend a gesture of comfort or support
Example
She **reached over to** hold his hand when he started crying.
phrasal-verb

chop up

Meaning
to cut something into small pieces quickly
Example
He **chopped up** the onions for the curry.
phrasal-verb

beat oneself up over

Meaning
to blame or criticize oneself harshly for something that happened
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up over** something you can’t change.
phrasal-verb

stand beside

Meaning
to remain loyal or supportive to someone in difficult times
Example
True friends always **stand beside** you when life gets tough.
phrasal-verb

sort out finances

Meaning
to organize and fix your financial situation
Example
He needs to **sort out his finances** before applying for a loan.
phrasal-verb

rinse off after

Meaning
to quickly wash yourself following an activity
Example
I always **rinse off after** my evening workout.
phrasal-verb

hold appreciation for

Meaning
to keep a feeling of thankfulness towards someone
Example
I still **hold appreciation for** my teachers who guided me.
phrasal-verb

try on

Meaning
to put on clothes to see if they fit or look good
Example
I want to **try on** this jacket before buying it.
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

adapt around

Meaning
to modify plans or behavior to fit changing circumstances
Example
We need to **adapt around** the new market trends quickly.
phrasal-verb

open around

Meaning
to act friendly and emotionally available with people nearby
Example
She always **opens around** people she trusts.
phrasal-verb

zone in

Meaning
to focus your attention fully on something important
Example
I try to **zone in** when handling complex projects.
phrasal-verb

save up

Meaning
to keep money so you can buy something in the future
Example
I’m trying to **save up** for a new laptop.
phrasal-verb

carry along

Meaning
to inspire or persuade someone to agree or follow
Example
Her speech **carried along** the entire audience.
phrasal-verb

get lost

Meaning
to lose one's way
Example
We **got lost** in the small streets of Venice.
phrasal-verb

drive up inflation

Meaning
to cause prices to increase rapidly
Example
Rising fuel costs have **driven up inflation** in many countries.
phrasal-verb

branch globally

Meaning
to expand or operate in multiple countries or regions
Example
The company hopes to **branch globally** within the next five years.
phrasal-verb

bring in line with

Meaning
to make something conform to a standard or policy
Example
The company updated its IT systems to **bring them in line with** global data security standards.
phrasal-verb

switch over for

Meaning
to change to a different option because of a need
Example
We **switch over for** winter hours to match customer demand.
phrasal-verb

hold talks with

Meaning
to have formal discussions or negotiations with someone
Example
The foreign ministers agreed to **hold talks with** neighboring countries.
phrasal-verb

raise awareness about

Meaning
to increase public understanding or concern about an issue
Example
The campaign aims to **raise awareness about** climate change.
phrasal-verb

breathe through

Meaning
to manage stress or pain by breathing calmly
Example
When anxious, try to **breathe through** the feeling slowly.
phrasal-verb

patch things up with

Meaning
to repair a relationship after an argument or conflict
Example
They finally **patched things up with** each other after weeks of silence.
phrasal-verb

join forces for

Meaning
to combine efforts with others for a purpose
Example
Companies **join forces for** developing sustainable packaging.
phrasal-verb

bump into

Meaning
to meet someone unexpectedly
Example
I **bumped into** an old friend at the mall.
phrasal-verb

transition through

Meaning
to pass through different phases of change smoothly
Example
The company managed to **transition through** restructuring with minimal disruption.