lean on for
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phrasal-verb

lean on for

Meaning
to depend on someone for help or advice
Example
My mentor is who I **lean on for** guidance before big negotiations.
idiom

fail at something

Meaning
to not succeed in doing something
Example
He tried to fix the car, but he **failed at something**.
idiom

kill someone with kindness

Meaning
to be extra kind to someone unpleasant to neutralize their negativity
Example
The best way to deal with her is to **kill her with kindness**.
phrasal-verb

fill someone in

Meaning
to give someone the details or latest information about something
Example
Can you **fill me in** on what happened at the client meeting?
idiom

jump out of your skin

Meaning
to be extremely surprised or frightened
Example
I nearly **jumped out of my skin** when I saw the snake.
B2 idiom

close but no cigar

Almost correct or successful but not quite
Meaning
Almost correct or successful but not quite
Example
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
phrasal-verb

build self-discipline

Meaning
to develop control over one’s actions and emotions
Example
He started to **build self-discipline** by waking up early every day.
phrasal-verb

talk about

Meaning
to discuss a topic; to mention something in conversation
Example
We need to **talk about** your plans for next year.
phrasal-verb

break in on

Meaning
to interrupt a conversation or online discussion
Example
Sorry to **break in on** your chat, but I have an update.
phrasal-verb

run out of

Meaning
to finish or exhaust a supply of something
Example
We might **run out of** clean water if we don’t conserve it.
phrasal-verb

bring on board

Meaning
to include or involve someone in a team or project
Example
We want to **bring on board** a partner who shares our vision.
phrasal-verb

perk up

Meaning
to become more lively, cheerful, or interested
Example
She **perked up** when she heard the good news.
phrasal-verb

show over

Meaning
to take someone on a short tour of a place
Example
The agent **showed over** the apartment to the potential buyers.
phrasal-verb

use sparingly

Meaning
to use something in small or limited amounts
Example
Please **use** the office supplies **sparingly** until the next order arrives.
phrasal-verb

step toward progress

Meaning
to make progress or advance toward improvement
Example
Each reform is a **step toward progress** in global development.
idiom

kick off

Meaning
to start an event or activity
Example
The workshop will **kick off** at 9 a.m. sharp.
idiom

lend a hand

Meaning
to help someone with something
Example
Can you **lend a hand** with these boxes?
phrasal-verb

lean toward

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

Climb the ranks

Meaning
To move up to higher positions through hard work and experience.
Example
He **climbed the ranks** from an intern to a manager in five years.
idiom

the picture of health

Meaning
a person who looks very healthy
Example
Despite his age, he’s still **the picture of health**.
phrasal-verb

go into

Meaning
to discuss or examine something in detail
Example
The lecturer didn’t **go into** much detail about the topic.
idiom

upload your brain

Meaning
to transfer or store one’s thoughts, knowledge, or consciousness digitally
Example
One day we might be able to **upload our brain** into the cloud.
idiom

make peace with

Meaning
to end conflict and become friendly again
Example
She finally **made peace with** her sister after years of misunderstanding.
idiom

vote with one’s feet

Meaning
to show disapproval by leaving or not participating
Example
Many citizens **voted with their feet** by not attending the rally.
idiom

art imitates life

Meaning
art reflects real-life experiences or truths
Example
**Art imitates life**, and great artists capture that essence.
idiom

a slippery slope

Meaning
a course of action that seems to lead to undesirable or dangerous consequences
Example
Starting to ignore small violations can lead to **a slippery slope** of bigger legal issues.
idiom

Pull together

Meaning
To work as a group to achieve something.
Example
If we all **pull together**, we can finish the project on time.
idiom

a law unto oneself

Meaning
someone who acts independently and ignores rules
Example
He’s **a law unto himself**, never following company policies.
phrasal-verb

point towards

Meaning
to indicate a direction or possible cause
Example
The evidence **points towards** a financial motive.
phrasal-verb

get away from

Meaning
to avoid unethical practices or situations
Example
We need to **get away from** these unfair business tactics.
phrasal-verb

move past failure

Meaning
to stop dwelling on mistakes and continue forward
Example
Successful people learn to **move past failure** quickly.
phrasal-verb

smooth things over with

Meaning
to restore peace with someone after a disagreement
Example
She brought cookies to **smooth things over with** her neighbor.
phrasal-verb

lay out trade policies

Meaning
to explain or present trade strategies clearly
Example
The finance minister will **lay out trade policies** for the upcoming fiscal year.
phrasal-verb

prepare for

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

channel emotions

Meaning
to direct emotions into positive actions
Example
She learned to **channel her emotions** into creative work.
idiom

bring to the table

Meaning
to contribute something useful or valuable
Example
Each team member **brings something unique to the table**.
phrasal-verb

talk straight with

Meaning
to speak honestly and directly to someone
Example
I need to **talk straight with** the team about the missed deadline.
idiom

can't believe your eyes

Meaning
to be so surprised that you doubt what you are seeing
Example
I **couldn’t believe my eyes** when I saw the snowfall.
idiom

to pull strings

Meaning
to use one's influence or connections to get things done
Example
She managed to **pull strings** to get the bill passed in Congress.
phrasal-verb

lead with

Meaning
to begin with a polite or positive statement before criticism
Example
It’s always better to **lead with** appreciation before giving feedback.
idiom

crossed wires

Meaning
a misunderstanding between two people
Example
We must have **crossed wires** about the meeting time.
phrasal-verb

snack on

Meaning
to eat small amounts of food between meals
Example
I like to **snack on** fruits in the afternoon.
phrasal-verb

bottle out

Meaning
to decide not to express your feelings because of fear or shyness
Example
He wanted to tell her how he felt but **bottled out** at the last moment.
idiom

smooth things over

Meaning
to make a bad situation seem better by dealing with it calmly
Example
She tried to **smooth things over** after their disagreement.
phrasal-verb

work out tariffs with

Meaning
to negotiate and agree on trade tariffs with another party
Example
The two nations are trying to **work out tariffs with** each other.
idiom

to boot up

Meaning
to start something; to begin working or functioning
Example
Let’s **boot up** the new project today and see how it goes.
phrasal-verb

stand behind

Meaning
to support or defend someone or something publicly
Example
Many nations **stand behind** the new global peace initiative.
idiom

break the problem down

Meaning
to divide a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts
Example
Let's **break the problem down** into smaller steps.
idiom

have the upper hand

Meaning
to have control or advantage over someone
Example
After the merger, the larger company **had the upper hand**.
idiom

kick back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing for a while
Example
After finishing the project, we just **kicked back** and watched a movie.
idiom

top-notch

Meaning
of the highest quality; excellent
Example
Your presentation was absolutely **top-notch**.
idiom

All for one and one for all

Meaning
Everyone in the group works together for the common good.
Example
In our company, we believe in the motto, **all for one and one for all**.
idiom

beg to differ

Meaning
to politely disagree with someone
Example
I **beg to differ**, but I think your conclusion is incorrect.
phrasal-verb

see through

Meaning
to realize the truth about someone or something
Example
She quickly **saw through** his lies.
phrasal-verb

space out on

Meaning
to lose focus while doing or listening to something
Example
I **space out on** long webinars if I don't take notes.
idiom

stressed out

Meaning
feeling very worried or tense because of problems
Example
I'm completely **stressed out** about my exams.
idiom

a window of opportunity

Meaning
a short period when one has a chance to act effectively
Example
We have **a window of opportunity** to finalize the deal this week.
idiom

a people person

Meaning
someone who enjoys being with and talking to other people
Example
Maria is **a people person**, she makes friends everywhere she goes.
phrasal-verb

fall back into friendship

Meaning
to become friends again naturally after a conflict
Example
After a few months, they **fell back into friendship** as if nothing happened.
phrasal-verb

heal from

Meaning
to emotionally recover from pain, trauma, or loss
Example
It takes time to **heal from** emotional wounds.
idiom

too big to fail

Meaning
a company or institution that is so important that it is unlikely to fail
Example
Many financial institutions were considered **too big to fail** during the 2008 financial crisis.
phrasal-verb

add to

Meaning
to include an item in your online shopping cart
Example
I always **add to** my cart before comparing prices on other websites.
idiom

internet troll

Meaning
a person who deliberately posts offensive or provocative comments online
Example
Don’t feed the **internet trolls** by replying to their comments.
idiom

take center stage

Meaning
to be the main focus of attention
Example
The issue of climate change **took center stage** at the conference.
idiom

on fire

Meaning
performing very well; full of energy and success
Example
The sales team is **on fire** this month!
idiom

hang out with

Meaning
to spend time with friends
Example
We usually **hang out with** our classmates after school.
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

turn setbacks into opportunities

Meaning
to use failure as a chance for growth
Example
True leaders **turn setbacks into opportunities** to learn and improve.
phrasal-verb

bungle up

Meaning
to spoil or ruin something through clumsiness
Example
The workers **bungled up** the whole paint job.
phrasal-verb

carry forward into

Meaning
to move progress or funds into a future period
Example
We **carry forward into** next quarter any unused training budget.
idiom

pull someone up

Meaning
to reprimand or correct someone for a mistake or poor performance
Example
If a team member is underperforming, it's important to **pull them up** and help them improve.
idiom

in the heat of the moment

Meaning
acting impulsively or emotionally, without thinking
Example
I said some things I regret **in the heat of the moment**.
phrasal-verb

speak out for nature

Meaning
to publicly express concern or support for environmental protection
Example
Celebrities are using their platforms to **speak out for nature**.
phrasal-verb

adapt within new environments

Meaning
to adjust yourself to new cultural surroundings or customs
Example
It takes time to **adapt within new environments**, but it’s worth it.
phrasal-verb

let go

Meaning
to stop holding onto negative emotions or memories
Example
You have to **let go** of the past to heal emotionally.
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

set off protests

Meaning
to cause protests or demonstrations to begin
Example
The new law **set off protests** across the country.
idiom

set in stone

Meaning
fixed and not likely to change
Example
Our schedule isn’t **set in stone** yet.
idiom

draw inspiration from

Meaning
to be motivated or influenced by something
Example
He **drew inspiration from** nature for his latest painting.
phrasal-verb

start off with

Meaning
to begin a creative process or project using a certain idea or material
Example
The artist **started off with** a simple sketch before adding color.
phrasal-verb

pull back on

Meaning
to reduce or stop doing something, especially spending or investment; to withdraw effort or commitment
Example
During the economic crisis, many companies **pull back on** new projects to save money.
idiom

give someone the cold shoulder

Meaning
to deliberately ignore or show disapproval toward someone
Example
After the argument, she **gave him the cold shoulder**.
phrasal-verb

come round

Meaning
to regain consciousness
Example
She fainted but soon **came round**.
idiom

go down in flames

Meaning
to fail spectacularly
Example
The project **went down in flames** after the funding was cut.
phrasal-verb

stand up after failure

Meaning
to recover and try again after failing
Example
Winners are those who **stand up after failure** and keep trying.
phrasal-verb

listen without

Meaning
to listen attentively without interrupting or judging
Example
It helps when someone just **listens without** giving advice.
phrasal-verb

snap at

Meaning
to speak angrily and quickly to someone
Example
He **snapped at** me when I asked him a simple question.
phrasal-verb

speak across borders

Meaning
to communicate effectively with people from other countries
Example
Social media allows us to **speak across borders** instantly.
idiom

make an example of someone

Meaning
to punish someone to warn others
Example
The boss **made an example of** the dishonest employee.
idiom

take the road less traveled

Meaning
to do something different or unconventional
Example
He **took the road less traveled** by choosing a career in adventure sports.
idiom

the pen is mightier than the sword

Meaning
words and communication have more power than violence
Example
He believes **the pen is mightier than the sword**, so he fights with ideas, not weapons.
idiom

scene of the crime

Meaning
the place where something important happened
Example
We returned to the **scene of the crime** to find the truth.
phrasal-verb

work through stress

Meaning
to deal with and gradually overcome stress
Example
Meditation helps me **work through stress** effectively.
phrasal-verb

open up with

Meaning
to start a conversation by being honest or expressive about feelings
Example
He chose to **open up with** a personal story to make others feel comfortable.
phrasal-verb

upgrade to

Meaning
to change to a newer or better version of something
Example
Users are encouraged to **upgrade to** the latest version of the software.
phrasal-verb

argue with

Meaning
to disagree or fight verbally with someone
Example
My brother often **argues with** me about household chores.
phrasal-verb

reach higher goals

Meaning
to achieve more ambitious objectives or aims
Example
The company’s vision encourages employees to **reach higher goals**.
idiom

go off the deep end

Meaning
to become very angry or emotional suddenly
Example
She **went off the deep end** when she heard the bad news.
phrasal-verb

log out

Meaning
to exit from a website or app after finishing your work
Example
Don’t forget to **log out** when you’re done.
phrasal-verb

freeze up

Meaning
to become frozen or stop working due to cold
Example
The pipes might **freeze up** if the temperature drops too low.
phrasal-verb

see to

Meaning
to make sure something is done; to take care of something
Example
I’ll **see to** it that the documents are ready on time.
idiom

apple of someone’s eye

Meaning
someone very precious or loved
Example
Her son is the **apple of her eye**.
phrasal-verb

work across

Meaning
to collaborate or operate jointly across multiple regions or teams
Example
The NGO **works across** 20 countries to promote global education.
phrasal-verb

call dibs on tasks

Meaning
to claim responsibility for specific work
Example
New hires **call dibs on tasks** that match their learning goals.
phrasal-verb

lay off workers

Meaning
to dismiss employees due to economic downturn
Example
Several companies had to **lay off workers** during the recession.
phrasal-verb

be thrilled about

Meaning
to feel very excited or pleased about something
Example
She was **thrilled about** her upcoming vacation.
phrasal-verb

beam with pride

Meaning
to smile happily because of feeling proud
Example
His mother **beamed with pride** at his graduation ceremony.
phrasal-verb

get out of

Meaning
to leave a car or vehicle
Example
He quickly **got out of** the taxi and ran inside.
idiom

run on empty

Meaning
to continue working even when you are tired or out of energy
Example
He’s been **running on empty** for weeks without a break.
idiom

build brand loyalty

Meaning
to create long-term trust and attachment to a brand
Example
Consistent quality helps **build brand loyalty** among customers.
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

blank mind

Meaning
unable to think clearly or remember something
Example
During the exam, my **mind went blank**.
phrasal-verb

back down from

Meaning
to withdraw from a position or opinion due to pressure
Example
He never **backs down from** what he believes in.
idiom

cross the line

Meaning
to do something that is considered unacceptable
Example
He **crossed the line** when he insulted her in front of everyone.
idiom

in the pipeline

Meaning
being planned or developed
Example
Several new projects are **in the pipeline**.
idiom

burn one’s fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of one’s own mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by investing in a risky business.
phrasal-verb

spin out

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

decide on

Meaning
to choose something after thinking carefully
Example
We finally **decided on** the blue design.
idiom

have words with

Meaning
to argue or disagree with someone
Example
She **had words with** her boss about the new schedule.
phrasal-verb

press ahead with confidence

Meaning
to move forward positively despite difficulties
Example
We must **press ahead with confidence** even if challenges arise.
phrasal-verb

sink into

Meaning
to gradually become deeply involved in a negative emotion
Example
She **sank into** depression after losing her job.