light up for
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phrasal-verb

light up for

Meaning
to become visibly happy or excited when seeing someone or something
Example
Her eyes **lit up for** her little son as he ran to her.
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

flatten out

Meaning
to stop increasing or decreasing and stay at the same level
Example
After years of fluctuation, growth has **flattened out**.
idiom

make a decision

Meaning
to choose something after thinking about it
Example
I need some time to **make a decision** about my career path.
phrasal-verb

shell out

Meaning
to pay money, especially when you don’t want to
Example
We had to **shell out** $200 for the concert tickets.
idiom

tag along

Meaning
to join someone’s online activity or conversation uninvited
Example
He just **tagged along** in our group chat without asking.
idiom

make the grade

Meaning
to reach the desired standard or level
Example
Only a few students **made the grade** in the final test.
phrasal-verb

be honest with yourself

Meaning
to admit your true feelings or reality to yourself
Example
You have to **be honest with yourself** about how you feel.
idiom

keep your eyes on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on your goal despite difficulties
Example
Even during tough times, she **kept her eyes on the prize**.
idiom

black hole

Meaning
a situation where things disappear or are lost without explanation
Example
All the research data went into a **black hole** after the server crash.
idiom

keep it up

Meaning
to continue doing something well
Example
You’re doing great with your studies—**keep it up**!
phrasal-verb

get over it

Meaning
to recover emotionally from something upsetting or painful
Example
It took her months to **get over** the heartbreak.
idiom

fail at something

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

zero out

Meaning
to reduce an amount to nothing
Example
We **zero out** the balance every month to avoid interest.
phrasal-verb

question over

Meaning
to express doubt or uncertainty about something
Example
There’s been a lot of **questions over** the accuracy of that report.
idiom

circle around

Meaning
to move repeatedly around something
Example
The hawk kept **circling around** above the trees.
idiom

fan through

Meaning
to flip through pages quickly
Example
She **fanned through** the report to find the chart.
phrasal-verb

step out of fear

Meaning
to overcome fear and act with courage
Example
He **stepped out of fear** and started his own business.
phrasal-verb

copy out

Meaning
to write something again exactly as it is
Example
The students were asked to **copy out** the paragraph neatly.
phrasal-verb

stay disciplined

Meaning
to maintain self-control and consistent study habits
Example
To achieve great results, students must **stay disciplined** throughout the semester.
idiom

go to battle

Meaning
to prepare to fight or compete strongly
Example
Our team is ready to **go to battle** in the finals.
idiom

out with the old, in with the new

Meaning
to replace old things or ideas with new ones
Example
It's time for **out with the old, in with the new**.
phrasal-verb

phase over to

Meaning
to switch operations gradually to another system
Example
They plan to **phase over to** a paperless office within six months.
idiom

on one’s last legs

Meaning
to be near the end of one’s strength or life
Example
After the long hike, we were all **on our last legs**.
phrasal-verb

hear from

Meaning
to receive communication from someone
Example
I haven’t **heard from** Sarah in weeks.
phrasal-verb

shoot for

Meaning
to try to achieve a goal or aim for something high
Example
You should always **shoot for** the highest standards.
idiom

by and large

Meaning
generally speaking; on the whole
Example
**By and large**, we agree with your proposal.
idiom

A true friend is one who stands by you

Meaning
A true friend will be there for you during difficult times
Example
Even in the worst of times, she proved to be a true friend. **A true friend is one who stands by you**.
phrasal-verb

keep your spirits up

Meaning
to stay cheerful and hopeful in tough times
Example
Even during stress, try to **keep your spirits up**.
idiom

throw good money after bad

Meaning
to waste more money on something that has already failed
Example
Don’t **throw good money after bad** on that failing project.
phrasal-verb

ring through

Meaning
to connect a phone call to its destination
Example
I’ll **ring through** to the manager for you.
idiom

on the warpath

Meaning
very angry and likely to argue or fight
Example
She was **on the warpath** after hearing the bad news.
phrasal-verb

power down

Meaning
to turn off or shut down a device completely
Example
You should **power down** your computer before cleaning it.
B1 idiom

fish out of water

Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Meaning
Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place
Example
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
At the formal party, the casual dresser felt like a fish out of water.
idiom

the powers that be

Meaning
people or organizations who hold authority or control
Example
The decision depends on **the powers that be**.
idiom

a diplomatic tightrope

Meaning
a very delicate or risky diplomatic situation
Example
Managing relations with both rivals is a **diplomatic tightrope**.
idiom

earn your stripes

Meaning
to gain respect or recognition through hard work
Example
She really **earned her stripes** after managing that crisis.
idiom

in no time

Meaning
very quickly; almost immediately
Example
He finished the task **in no time**.
phrasal-verb

clamp down on corruption

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something harmful or illegal
Example
The new government promised to **clamp down on corruption** across all departments.
idiom

the glass is half full

Meaning
seeing the positive side of something
Example
Try to see **the glass as half full** instead of half empty.
phrasal-verb

turn to

Meaning
to approach someone for advice or help
Example
When I need feedback, I usually **turn to** my supervisor.
phrasal-verb

set to

Meaning
to begin doing something energetically
Example
After the meeting, everyone **set to** work immediately.
idiom

iron out the wrinkles

Meaning
to solve small problems or differences
Example
We need to **iron out the wrinkles** before launching the project.
phrasal-verb

set up trade ties with

Meaning
to establish trading relationships with another country
Example
The nation plans to **set up trade ties with** African economies.
idiom

a weak link

Meaning
the least reliable or secure part of a system or group
Example
One careless employee can be **a weak link** in the security chain.
phrasal-verb

doubt about

Meaning
to have uncertainty regarding something
Example
I have serious **doubts about** his honesty.
idiom

hit the headlines

Meaning
to be reported widely in the news
Example
The company's scandal **hit the headlines** immediately.
idiom

blow someone away

Meaning
to impress or surprise someone greatly
Example
Her performance really **blew me away**.
idiom

down on one’s luck

Meaning
to be experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s **down on his luck** and can’t find a job.
idiom

No comment

Meaning
Refusing to answer a question
Example
The spokesperson simply said **no comment** to all questions.
idiom

to rise to the occasion

Meaning
to show the necessary ability when faced with a challenge
Example
When the team needed him most, he **rose to the occasion** and led them to victory.
idiom

break the clutter

Meaning
to stand out in a crowded or competitive market
Example
A good tagline can help a brand **break the clutter**.
phrasal-verb

cheer for

Meaning
to show support or enthusiasm for someone or something
Example
The crowd **cheered for** their favorite player loudly.
idiom

Break with tradition

Meaning
To do something in a different way from what is usually done
Example
The couple decided to **break with tradition** and have a small wedding on the beach.
idiom

on thin ice

Meaning
in a risky or dangerous situation
Example
You are **on thin ice** with that behavior.
idiom

wait and see

Meaning
to be patient until something becomes clear
Example
Let’s **wait and see** what happens next.
idiom

Break the news

Meaning
To tell someone important or bad news.
Example
He didn’t know how to **break the news** to his parents.
phrasal-verb

forgive for

Meaning
to stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for something
Example
She **forgave him for** lying to her.
idiom

canary in the coal mine

Meaning
an early warning of potential danger
Example
Melting glaciers are the **canary in the coal mine** for climate change.
idiom

neck and neck

Meaning
very close in a race or competition
Example
The two runners were **neck and neck** until the final lap.
phrasal-verb

print out

Meaning
to produce a paper copy from a computer or printer
Example
I need to **print out** the report for tomorrow’s meeting.
phrasal-verb

get along together

Meaning
to have a friendly and harmonious relationship
Example
Despite their differences, they **get along together** quite well.
phrasal-verb

rise up

Meaning
to stand and act against challenges or difficulties
Example
We must **rise up** and face the challenges together.
idiom

Born and bred

Meaning
Having lived all one’s life in a particular place and influenced by its culture
Example
She’s a Dhaka **born and bred** woman.
idiom

climb the ladder of success

Meaning
to achieve higher positions in career or life
Example
She’s been **climbing the ladder of success** through hard work.
idiom

expand one's horizons

Meaning
to increase one’s knowledge or experience
Example
Traveling abroad can really help you **expand your horizons**.
idiom

bide your time

Meaning
to wait patiently for the right moment
Example
She decided to **bide her time** before making a move.
phrasal-verb

ease tensions between

Meaning
to reduce conflict or hostility between countries
Example
Efforts were made to **ease tensions between** the rival nations.
phrasal-verb

come clean with

Meaning
to be completely honest with someone about something
Example
You should **come clean with** the team about the project delay.
idiom

pull someone's leg

Meaning
to tease or joke with someone in a playful way
Example
Don't worry, I was just **pulling your leg** about the test results.
idiom

pull it off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
No one thought she could do it, but she **pulled it off**.
idiom

Make up for lost time

Meaning
To do something faster to compensate for wasted time.
Example
We worked overtime to make up for lost time.
idiom

march to the beat of your own drum

Meaning
to act independently and follow your own ideas
Example
She doesn’t care about trends; she **marches to the beat of her own drum**.
idiom

fall on one's sword

Meaning
to take responsibility for a failure, often at great personal cost
Example
He decided to **fall on his sword** and resign after the scandal.
idiom

book smart

Meaning
knowledgeable from studying rather than experience
Example
He’s **book smart** but lacks practical experience.
idiom

hit rock bottom

Meaning
to reach the lowest point of failure or depression
Example
After losing his job, he **hit rock bottom**.
idiom

paint oneself into a corner

Meaning
to create a situation where one has limited options
Example
He **painted himself into a corner** by promising too much.
phrasal-verb

switch off from

Meaning
to disconnect mentally from work or stress
Example
She **switches off from** emails after yoga class.
phrasal-verb

build connections with

Meaning
to form positive relationships with people from other cultures
Example
He tried to **build connections with** his colleagues from various countries.
phrasal-verb

come up to

Meaning
to reach a particular standard or expectation
Example
Her performance didn't **come up to** our expectations.
idiom

step into someone's shoes

Meaning
to take on someone's role or responsibility
Example
She was able to **step into her boss's shoes** when he was on vacation.
idiom

run out of bandwidth

Meaning
to have no time or energy left; to be overwhelmed
Example
Sorry, I can’t take another task — I’ve **run out of bandwidth**.
phrasal-verb

check back on progress

Meaning
to review how far work has moved since the last update
Example
Project leads **check back on progress** every Thursday morning.
idiom

keep something to yourself

Meaning
not tell anyone about something
Example
Please **keep it to yourself** until we’re ready to announce.
phrasal-verb

open up to joy

Meaning
to allow yourself to feel happiness and positivity
Example
When you **open up to joy**, life becomes brighter.
phrasal-verb

comfort someone with

Meaning
to console someone by offering kind words or support
Example
He **comforted his friend with** kind words after the loss.
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

add color to

Meaning
to make something more interesting or lively
Example
The teacher’s stories **added color to** the history lesson.
phrasal-verb

end up with

Meaning
to finally receive or experience something undesirable
Example
After all that effort, we **ended up with** nothing.
phrasal-verb

reach out for mediation

Meaning
to seek help from a third party to resolve conflict
Example
Both sides **reached out for mediation** to end the war peacefully.
idiom

Look on the bright side

Meaning
To focus on the positive aspects of a situation.
Example
**Look on the bright side**, at least you learned something.
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.
idiom

full of beans

Meaning
very energetic and lively
Example
The kids are **full of beans** this morning.
idiom

get ahead in life

Meaning
to succeed or progress in one's life or career
Example
He worked hard to **get ahead in life** and build a successful career.
phrasal-verb

catch one’s breath

Meaning
to stop and rest for a moment after physical activity
Example
After running upstairs, I stopped to **catch my breath**.
idiom

rags to riches

Meaning
to go from being poor to becoming rich and successful
Example
His life story is a real **rags to riches** tale.
phrasal-verb

flare up

Meaning
to suddenly become angry or violent
Example
Their argument **flared up** again during dinner.
idiom

burst of creativity

Meaning
a sudden outpouring of creative ideas
Example
She had a **burst of creativity** and finished the design in one go.
idiom

off to a flying start

Meaning
to begin something, like a journey, very successfully
Example
Our trip was **off to a flying start** with perfect weather.
idiom

the old school

Meaning
having traditional beliefs or methods
Example
My professor is from **the old school**; he prefers chalkboards to slides.
phrasal-verb

shift around

Meaning
to rearrange tasks, people, or resources to suit new situations
Example
We had to **shift around** responsibilities when two team members left.
idiom

fun and games

Meaning
enjoyable activities; playful behavior
Example
It’s not all **fun and games** when organizing a big event.
phrasal-verb

keep under

Meaning
to control or suppress something or someone
Example
The manager tried to **keep under** control the rising tension.
phrasal-verb

point inside

Meaning
to indicate something within an area or container
Example
He **pointed inside** the box to show the contents.
idiom

cracks in the wall

Meaning
signs of problems or weaknesses in a system or relationship
Example
There are **cracks in the wall** of their friendship lately.
phrasal-verb

keep striving for

Meaning
to continue making great efforts toward achieving something
Example
He always tells his students to **keep striving for** excellence.
phrasal-verb

wind yourself up

Meaning
to make yourself nervous or upset; to become tense or worried
Example
Try not to **wind yourself up** before the meeting; everything will be fine.
idiom

in full swing

Meaning
at the peak of activity or progress
Example
The dance rehearsal is **in full swing** before the big day.
phrasal-verb

let rip

Meaning
to express anger or frustration loudly
Example
He **let rip** at the meeting when no one listened to him.
idiom

open the floodgates

Meaning
to allow something to happen on a large scale; to trigger a chain reaction
Example
When the security flaw was leaked, it **opened the floodgates** for hackers worldwide.
phrasal-verb

phase in reforms

Meaning
to introduce changes gradually over time
Example
The administration plans to **phase in reforms** in the tax system.
phrasal-verb

expose to

Meaning
to introduce someone to new experiences or ideas
Example
The program **exposes students to** global cultures and traditions.
idiom

synergy effect

Meaning
the increased effectiveness or value that results from two or more companies working together
Example
The partnership created a **synergy effect**, benefiting both companies.
idiom

walk a tightrope

Meaning
to be in a difficult situation requiring careful balance
Example
The manager **walked a tightrope** between the demands of staff and management.
phrasal-verb

cast doubt on

Meaning
to make something seem uncertain or less believable
Example
His inconsistent story **casts doubt on** his credibility.
phrasal-verb

tie up with

Meaning
to form a partnership or collaboration
Example
The fintech company will **tie up with** a global payment network.
phrasal-verb

set off protests

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

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
phrasal-verb

smooth out differences

Meaning
to resolve disagreements or make things run more easily
Example
We need to **smooth out differences** between the teams to improve collaboration.
phrasal-verb

thank warmly

Meaning
to express gratitude in a sincere way
Example
She **thanked everyone warmly** for attending the event.
phrasal-verb

send back

Meaning
to return a purchased item for a refund or replacement
Example
I had to **send back** the shirt because it didn’t fit.