lean in to
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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phrasal-verb

lean in to

Meaning
to embrace or face emotional challenges with courage
Example
Instead of avoiding conflict, she decided to **lean in to** the discussion.
phrasal-verb

cut off from

Meaning
to separate or isolate from something
Example
Deforestation can **cut off** animals from their habitats.
idiom

step up one’s game

Meaning
to improve one’s effort or performance
Example
If you want that promotion, you need to **step up your game**.
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

chat over

Meaning
to discuss or talk casually with a friend
Example
We love to **chat over** coffee every weekend.
idiom

Don’t throw in the towel

Meaning
Don’t give up or quit.
Example
**Don’t throw in the towel** even if it’s hard.
idiom

chin up, soldier

Meaning
to stay brave and strong in difficult situations
Example
**Chin up, soldier**, things will get better soon.
phrasal-verb

pick out of

Meaning
to choose from a group
Example
She was **picked out of** hundreds of applicants.
idiom

fair and square

Meaning
honest and straightforward; without cheating
Example
She won the competition **fair and square**.
idiom

ahead of its time

Meaning
to be unusually advanced or innovative for its era
Example
That invention was **ahead of its time**.
idiom

Give and take

Meaning
Mutual compromise or cooperation.
Example
Good teamwork is all about **give and take**.
idiom

hold forth

Meaning
to speak at length about a topic
Example
He loved to **hold forth** on travel stories.
phrasal-verb

restore balance

Meaning
to bring back mental or emotional stability
Example
Taking a break can help you **restore balance** in life.
phrasal-verb

cut back on spending

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money spent on something
Example
To control inflation, the government decided to **cut back on spending**.
phrasal-verb

call in

Meaning
to phone a place, especially work; to ask for help from someone
Example
I had to **call in** sick this morning.
phrasal-verb

grow out of

Meaning
to stop repeating mistakes as you gain experience
Example
Most people **grow out of** their early mistakes with time.
phrasal-verb

let up

Meaning
when bad weather or rain becomes less strong or stops
Example
The rain finally **let up** after hours of storm.
idiom

in good shape

Meaning
to be physically fit and healthy
Example
He goes to the gym regularly to stay **in good shape**.
phrasal-verb

care for

Meaning
to look after someone who is sick or in need
Example
He **cares for** his elderly parents every day.
phrasal-verb

share in traditions

Meaning
to participate in or take part in cultural customs or rituals
Example
Visitors were invited to **share in traditions** of the local people.
idiom

on cloud nine

Meaning
extremely happy; overjoyed
Example
She was **on cloud nine** after getting the job.
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

rejoice in

Meaning
to feel or show great joy or delight in something
Example
They **rejoiced in** their success after years of hard work.
phrasal-verb

work over

Meaning
to review or revise something carefully
Example
We need to **work over** the report before submission.
idiom

give in

Meaning
to stop resisting or to agree after initial refusal
Example
After a long debate, the committee finally **gave in**.
phrasal-verb

age into

Meaning
to grow into a role or habit as you get older
Example
Many leaders **age into** a calmer style of decision-making.
idiom

lose your cool

Meaning
to become angry or impatient
Example
Don’t **lose your cool**; the situation will get better.
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.
idiom

rule the roost

Meaning
to be the most powerful person in a group or family
Example
It’s clear that Mary **rules the roost** in that household.
phrasal-verb

stamp out

Meaning
to completely stop something bad or harmful
Example
The movement aimed to **stamp out** political corruption.
idiom

game changer

Meaning
an idea or event that changes everything significantly
Example
The new app was a real **game changer** for the company.
phrasal-verb

apply learning to

Meaning
to use what you have learned in a new situation
Example
You should **apply your learning to** real-life situations.
idiom

That’s exactly right

Meaning
Used to completely agree with a statement
Example
**That’s exactly right**, we should focus on quality first.
idiom

diplomatic tightrope

Meaning
a delicate situation requiring careful diplomacy
Example
The president walked a **diplomatic tightrope** between the two rival nations.
phrasal-verb

write back

Meaning
to reply to someone’s complaint or message
Example
The company promised to **write back** within 48 hours.
idiom

give someone the third degree

Meaning
to question someone intensely
Example
The police **gave him the third degree** after the incident.
idiom

a feather in one’s cap

Meaning
an achievement to be proud of
Example
Winning the national award was **a feather in his cap**.
idiom

key in on

Meaning
to give focused attention to something specific
Example
The coach asked the team to **key in on** their defensive mistakes.
idiom

roll credits

Meaning
to finish or conclude something
Example
Once the project is done, we can **roll credits**.
phrasal-verb

take back

Meaning
to admit that what you said was wrong; to retract something
Example
I **take back** what I said earlier.
phrasal-verb

settle for

Meaning
to accept something that is not perfect because there is no better option
Example
He didn’t like the first design but had to **settle for** it due to time constraints.
idiom

weak link

Meaning
the most vulnerable or insecure part of a system
Example
Humans are often the **weak link** in cybersecurity.
idiom

Go down the rabbit hole

Meaning
To get deeply involved in something, often unintentionally.
Example
I started reading about AI and **went down the rabbit hole** for hours.
idiom

fall in love

Meaning
to develop romantic feelings for someone
Example
I didn't expect to **fall in love** with her so quickly.
idiom

split second

Meaning
a very short amount of time
Example
The decision was made in a **split second**.
idiom

the luck of the draw

Meaning
something decided by chance
Example
You can’t choose your team; it’s **the luck of the draw**.
phrasal-verb

pave the way for

Meaning
to create conditions that make something possible
Example
Her strong performance **paved the way for** her promotion.
idiom

pioneer a new path

Meaning
to lead the way in a new venture or innovation
Example
He was the first to **pioneer a new path** in renewable energy solutions.
idiom

ease around

Meaning
to move carefully to avoid disturbance
Example
Please **ease around** the cords near the podium.
idiom

a brainwave

Meaning
a sudden clever idea or solution
Example
I had **a brainwave** and realized how to fix the issue.
phrasal-verb

smooth out

Meaning
to make emotions or problems less rough or intense
Example
Time will **smooth out** the pain you’re feeling now.
idiom

bring forward

Meaning
to move something to an earlier time
Example
We had to **bring forward** the meeting due to travel.
idiom

to be honest

Meaning
used when expressing a sincere or frank opinion
Example
**To be honest**, I didn’t like the food.
phrasal-verb

lift off

Meaning
to start with great energy or enthusiasm
Example
Her confidence helped the project **lift off** successfully.
phrasal-verb

talk out of

Meaning
to persuade someone not to do something
Example
I tried to **talk him out of** quitting his job.
idiom

weigh in

Meaning
to give an opinion in a discussion
Example
Experts will **weigh in** on the proposal tomorrow.
idiom

hit the airwaves

Meaning
to start being broadcast on television or radio
Example
The new talk show will **hit the airwaves** next week.
idiom

by the skin of your teeth

Meaning
to just barely manage to do something
Example
He passed the exam **by the skin of his teeth**.
phrasal-verb

deal down

Meaning
to negotiate a lower price
Example
She managed to **deal down** the price of the car.
idiom

face the world

Meaning
to deal with life and its challenges confidently
Example
After recovering, she was ready to **face the world** again.
idiom

once in a while

Meaning
sometimes, but not very often
Example
I enjoy eating out **once in a while**, but I prefer home-cooked meals.
phrasal-verb

shout at

Meaning
to raise your voice in anger at someone
Example
Don’t **shout at** me, I didn’t do anything wrong!
phrasal-verb

call someone out on

Meaning
to point out a person’s mistake or bad behavior
Example
Coworkers **call someone out on** gossip that hurts the team.
phrasal-verb

point out to

Meaning
to make someone aware of something specific
Example
Can you **point out to** me where the problem is?
idiom

after the rain comes the rainbow

Meaning
good times follow bad times
Example
Don’t lose faith; **after the rain comes the rainbow**.
idiom

Keep hope alive

Meaning
To continue believing in a positive outcome.
Example
Even in hard times, we must **keep hope alive**.
idiom

on the fast track

Meaning
advancing quickly in a career or project
Example
He is **on the fast track** to becoming a manager.
idiom

get the creative juices flowing

Meaning
to start being creative or imaginative
Example
A walk in nature helps me **get the creative juices flowing**.
idiom

burning desire

Meaning
a strong motivation to achieve something
Example
He has a **burning desire** to succeed in life.
phrasal-verb

reach agreement

Meaning
to successfully come to a shared decision or understanding
Example
The diplomats finally **reached agreement** after long discussions.
phrasal-verb

point out

Meaning
to draw attention to something; to mention something important
Example
He **pointed out** a few mistakes in the final report.
phrasal-verb

zip up

Meaning
to close something with a zipper
Example
Don’t forget to **zip up** your jacket, it’s cold outside.
phrasal-verb

brainstorm around impact

Meaning
to discuss ideas that focus on potential outcomes
Example
We **brainstorm around impact** to see how policies help the planet.
idiom

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

Meaning
It's important to maintain good relationships with your friends, but it's equally important to understand your enemies.
Example
He always watches his competitors carefully because he believes in **keeping your friends close and your enemies closer**.
phrasal-verb

look for

Meaning
to search for something you need
Example
I’m **looking for** a new job because I need more stability.
phrasal-verb

pour out feelings

Meaning
to express your emotions freely and openly
Example
She **poured out her feelings** to her therapist.
phrasal-verb

let emotions out

Meaning
to express feelings that you have been holding in
Example
It’s healthy to **let emotions out** instead of suppressing them.
phrasal-verb

push forward with

Meaning
to continue making progress despite challenges
Example
The team decided to **push forward with** the new project.
idiom

to bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too difficult
Example
He **bit off more than he could chew** by promising to finish the work alone.
idiom

a drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small amount compared to what is needed
Example
The money they raised was just **a drop in the ocean** compared to the total cost.
idiom

wear one's heart on one's sleeve

Meaning
to openly show emotions or feelings
Example
He tends to **wear his heart on his sleeve** when it comes to helping others.
idiom

fly by the seat of your pants

Meaning
to do something without planning, using only instinct and experience
Example
We didn't have a map, so we **flew by the seat of our pants**.
phrasal-verb

set your heart on

Meaning
to be very determined to get or achieve something
Example
She has **set her heart on** becoming a famous singer.
idiom

head back to

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
Let’s **head back to** the office after lunch.
idiom

battle-tested

Meaning
proven effective through experience or hardship
Example
She’s a **battle-tested** leader who knows how to stay calm under pressure.
phrasal-verb

break through pain

Meaning
to overcome emotional suffering or struggle
Example
She managed to **break through pain** and start a new chapter in life.
phrasal-verb

stir up

Meaning
to cause activity or energy to increase
Example
New infrastructure projects have **stirred up** economic growth in rural areas.
idiom

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet

Meaning
Although waiting is hard, it results in good outcomes.
Example
It might be tough, but **patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet**.
idiom

split decision

Meaning
a decision where people are divided in opinion
Example
The committee made a **split decision** on the proposal.
idiom

cut and dry

Meaning
clear and straightforward; no room for confusion
Example
The decision wasn’t as **cut and dry** as they expected.
phrasal-verb

lay out concepts

Meaning
to present or explain creative ideas clearly
Example
The designer **laid out concepts** for the new brand identity.
phrasal-verb

clean out

Meaning
to completely remove unwanted things from a place
Example
Volunteers worked to **clean out** the polluted river.
idiom

In a new light

Meaning
To see something from a different perspective
Example
After the discussion, I saw the issue **in a new light**.
phrasal-verb

think back

Meaning
to remember or reflect on something from the past
Example
When I **think back** to my first job, I realize how much I’ve grown.
phrasal-verb

scale up exports

Meaning
to expand the amount of goods sold abroad
Example
The company plans to **scale up exports** to reach new markets.
phrasal-verb

rise above challenges

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

cream of the crop

Meaning
the best of a group; the finest selection
Example
These students are the **cream of the crop**.
idiom

reach for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious or difficult to achieve
Example
She always tells her students to **reach for the stars** and never give up.
idiom

taste of success

Meaning
to experience success for the first time
Example
After years of struggle, he finally got a **taste of success**.
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

green with jealousy

Meaning
extremely jealous
Example
He was **green with jealousy** when he saw her with someone else.
idiom

burn one's bridges

Meaning
to destroy relationships or opportunities that cannot be restored
Example
He **burned his bridges** when he insulted his boss.
idiom

blind justice

Meaning
justice that is impartial and not influenced by external factors
Example
**Blind justice** treats everyone the same, regardless of wealth or status.
idiom

having a whale of a time

Meaning
enjoying yourself greatly
Example
We had **a whale of a time** at the beach yesterday.
idiom

rocket science

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

hit the firewall

Meaning
to face a restriction or security block while trying to access something online
Example
I tried to visit the site but **hit the firewall** at work.
phrasal-verb

speak out on

Meaning
to publicly express an opinion about something important
Example
The candidate decided to **speak out on** corruption during the debate.
idiom

check back in

Meaning
to reconnect later to get an update
Example
Let’s **check back in** next week on the prototype.
idiom

serenity now

Meaning
a phrase used to invoke calmness, usually in a stressful situation
Example
Whenever I feel stressed, I remind myself to say **serenity now**.
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

curl up

Meaning
to bend your body and bring your knees close because of fear
Example
She **curled up** on the sofa when the horror movie got intense.
idiom

hit the streets

Meaning
to go out on patrol or begin a search for a suspect
Example
The officers decided to **hit the streets** after the robbery was reported.
phrasal-verb

switch down

Meaning
to reduce mental or emotional activity to relax
Example
I try to **switch down** my brain before going to bed.
phrasal-verb

lean toward

Meaning
to show preference or support for one option or side
Example
Most countries **lean toward** multilateral cooperation.
idiom

a rising tide of opportunity

Meaning
an increase in opportunities for growth or success that benefits many people
Example
The new technology sector is creating **a rising tide of opportunity** for young entrepreneurs.
idiom

add fuel to the fire

Meaning
to make a bad situation worse
Example
Your comments **added fuel to the fire**.
phrasal-verb

act up to

Meaning
to behave according to what is expected or suitable
Example
She tries to **act up to** her reputation as a hardworking student.
idiom

big brother

Meaning
an older brother or someone who behaves protectively
Example
Mark acts like a **big brother** to everyone in the neighborhood.
phrasal-verb

run off

Meaning
to leave suddenly; to make copies of something
Example
He **ran off** without saying goodbye.
idiom

run the show

Meaning
to be in charge of an activity or organization
Example
Ever since the director left, Emma has been **running the show**.
phrasal-verb

open up to others

Meaning
to share thoughts and feelings with people from other cultures
Example
When you **open up to others**, you start to understand their perspectives better.