light up
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phrasal-verb

light up

Meaning
to illuminate or brighten with lights or joy
Example
The entire hall **lit up** as the cultural show began.
phrasal-verb

set yourself apart

Meaning
to make yourself different or outstanding from others
Example
Hard work and creativity will **set you apart** from the rest.
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show off to

Meaning
to boast in front of someone to impress them
Example
He was **showing off to** his classmates about his new phone.
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pop into

Meaning
to enter a place briefly and casually
Example
We **popped into** a café for a quick coffee.
phrasal-verb

read through

Meaning
to read something carefully from beginning to end
Example
You should **read through** your notes before the exam.
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blow in

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly, usually with wind
Example
A cold wind suddenly **blew in** from the north.
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question over

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

Meaning
to store or tidy something in its proper place
Example
Please **put away** your toys after playing.
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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**.
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roll out infrastructure

Meaning
to implement or expand physical and digital infrastructure projects
Example
The government plans to **roll out infrastructure** projects across the country.
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bring around

Meaning
to persuade someone to accept your opinion
Example
I finally **brought her around** to my point of view.
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build on small wins

Meaning
to use minor achievements as motivation for bigger goals
Example
Try to **build on small wins** to gain more confidence.
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rant about

Meaning
to complain or talk loudly in anger about something
Example
He kept **ranting about** the unfair treatment at work.
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show out

Meaning
to accompany someone to the door when they are leaving
Example
The manager **showed out** the clients after the meeting.
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push forward with

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

Meaning
to smile slightly, especially when trying not to
Example
Even he **cracked a smile** after hearing the funny story.
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back down from demands

Meaning
to withdraw from a position or demand in a conflict
Example
The union refused to **back down from demands** for higher wages.
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die away

Meaning
to become weaker or quieter and finally stop
Example
The sound of thunder slowly **died away** in the distance.
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expand on ideas

Meaning
to explain or develop ideas in more detail
Example
The professor asked me to **expand on ideas** in my essay.
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stand resilient

Meaning
to remain strong and recover quickly from difficulties
Example
Communities must **stand resilient** in the face of tragedy.
phrasal-verb

tag along with

Meaning
to join someone, especially without an invitation, in an online or real-life activity
Example
He loves to **tag along with** influencers during live sessions.
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stand up against

Meaning
to resist or oppose injustice; to defend principles
Example
People **stand up against** censorship to protect freedom of speech.
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find peace with

Meaning
to accept something painful and stop being upset about it
Example
In time, she **found peace with** her past mistakes.
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speak around

Meaning
to discuss a topic without addressing it directly
Example
He tends to **speak around** the real issue instead of confronting it.
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break off diplomatic ties

Meaning
to end official relations between countries
Example
The two nations decided to **break off diplomatic ties** after the border conflict.
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point someone toward

Meaning
to direct a person to the right place or resource
Example
Locals **point travelers toward** the right bus when maps confuse them.
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shake off fear

Meaning
to get rid of fear or anxiety
Example
He tried to **shake off fear** before entering the stage.
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hold down costs

Meaning
to keep expenses under control
Example
The company managed to **hold down costs** despite rising raw material prices.
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cut out excuses

Meaning
to stop making excuses and take responsibility
Example
If you want to improve, you need to **cut out excuses**.
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bring up to date

Meaning
to give someone the latest information about something
Example
Can you **bring me up to date** on the latest news?
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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.
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rise through emotion

Meaning
to grow stronger by understanding and processing emotions
Example
He learned to **rise through emotion** instead of being controlled by it.
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build discipline

Meaning
to develop good habits and control over one’s actions
Example
Meditation helps you **build discipline** over your thoughts.
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follow up on leads

Meaning
to contact potential clients after an initial meeting or inquiry
Example
The sales team will **follow up on leads** from the international trade fair.
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point at

Meaning
to direct attention or a finger toward someone or something
Example
Don’t **point at** people; it’s rude.
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rise with hope

Meaning
to start fresh with renewed optimism
Example
Every morning, she tries to **rise with hope** for a better day.
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adapt for

Meaning
to modify or adjust something to make it suitable for a new culture or purpose
Example
The book was **adapted for** a film that appealed to global audiences.
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pay out

Meaning
to spend or distribute money, especially large amounts
Example
The company had to **pay out** millions in compensation.
phrasal-verb

go on

Meaning
to happen or take place
Example
The celebration **went on** until midnight with music and dance.
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come clean about

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you’ve been hiding
Example
She finally **came clean about** her past.
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roll out to

Meaning
to release something to a group of people
Example
The update will **roll out to** all users overnight.
phrasal-verb

map out a plan

Meaning
to carefully plan or design steps to achieve a goal
Example
She **mapped out a plan** for reaching her five-year career goals.
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hop on

Meaning
to get on a vehicle quickly or easily
Example
You can **hop on** the next bus if you miss this one.
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lift out of

Meaning
to help someone recover from sadness or depression
Example
Music often **lifts people out of** their sadness.
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agree upon

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

Meaning
to organize activities jointly across different areas or teams
Example
Agencies **coordinate across** regions for disaster management.
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turn negativity into strength

Meaning
to use negative experiences as motivation for improvement
Example
She learned to **turn negativity into strength** after many failures.
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hold in

Meaning
to control your emotions or not express them
Example
She tried to **hold in** her laughter during the meeting.
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meet up to

Meaning
to reach or satisfy a particular standard or expectation
Example
Our design must **meet up to** the client’s expectations before the deadline.
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wait your turn

Meaning
to be patient and not interrupt others
Example
Children should learn to **wait their turn** while playing.
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work out with

Meaning
to find a solution or come to an agreement with others
Example
We need to **work out with** the marketing team to align our plans.
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talk yourself through anxiety

Meaning
to calmly reason with yourself to reduce anxiety
Example
I **talk myself through anxiety** by reminding myself that everything will pass.
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deal away

Meaning
to give up something through a trade or compromise
Example
He **dealt away** his shares for quick cash.
phrasal-verb

grow back

Meaning
to regrow after being cut or destroyed
Example
The forest will take years to **grow back** after the fire.
phrasal-verb

stay away from

Meaning
to avoid something or someone for a good reason
Example
I told him to **stay away from** negative people.
phrasal-verb

click with

Meaning
to immediately feel a connection or understanding with someone
Example
We instantly **clicked with** each other at the party.
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coach through

Meaning
to guide someone step by step through a task
Example
I **coach through** tough trade-offs by sharing past cases.
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look someone in the eye

Meaning
to make direct eye contact as a sign of honesty or respect
Example
When greeting someone, try to **look them in the eye** to show respect.
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look back upon

Meaning
to think about something that happened in the past, often with mixed feelings
Example
When I **look back upon** my decisions, I wish I had chosen differently.
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choke down

Meaning
to suppress or hide emotions like anger or sadness
Example
He tried to **choke down** his tears during the farewell speech.
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vote through

Meaning
to officially approve a law or proposal by voting
Example
Parliament **voted through** the education reform bill yesterday.
phrasal-verb

deal with customs

Meaning
to handle procedures for importing or exporting goods
Example
Exporters must **deal with customs** regulations carefully.
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draw lessons from

Meaning
to learn something valuable from a situation or experience
Example
We should **draw lessons from** our past failures.
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build relations with

Meaning
to develop a friendly or cooperative connection with others
Example
We aim to **build relations with** investors from different regions.
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take notes

Meaning
to write down important information during a lesson or meeting
Example
He always **takes notes** when the teacher explains a new topic.
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build on trust

Meaning
to strengthen relationships by developing mutual confidence
Example
Successful partnerships **build on trust** and transparency.
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settle upon

Meaning
to decide on something after considering different options
Example
After much discussion, they **settled upon** a new business model.
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pause within

Meaning
to take a mental break and observe your feelings before reacting
Example
He learned to **pause within** before saying something hurtful.
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drop down

Meaning
to fall or descend to a lower level
Example
The temperature will **drop down** to five degrees tonight.
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take photos of

Meaning
to capture pictures of something or someone
Example
Everyone **took photos of** the beautiful decorations.
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soothe out

Meaning
to reduce emotional tension; to make feelings smoother or calmer
Example
Meditation helps to **soothe out** the stress in my mind.
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look ahead to

Meaning
to think about or plan for what is going to happen in the future
Example
We should **look ahead to** the challenges we might face in the next decade.
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burst out

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing or crying due to surprise or emotion
Example
She **burst out** laughing when she saw his funny costume.
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catch on with

Meaning
to become popular or well-accepted among people
Example
The innovative idea quickly **caught on with** young consumers.
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build upon ideas

Meaning
to develop or improve existing ideas
Example
Our goal is to **build upon** each other’s ideas to create a stronger plan.
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rise for

Meaning
to take a stand in favor of a cause or right
Example
People across the nation **rose for** equality.
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turn towards

Meaning
to start focusing on a new direction or field
Example
After years in law, he decided to **turn towards** teaching.
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narrow in on

Meaning
to focus more closely on a specific goal or decision
Example
He’s **narrowing in on** a few career options now.
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pick up

Meaning
to improve or increase after a slowdown
Example
The economy is expected to **pick up** after the policy reforms.
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gain from

Meaning
to get a benefit, advantage, or knowledge from something
Example
You can **gain from** every experience, even the difficult ones.
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sign off on an agreement

Meaning
to officially approve a trade deal or document
Example
Both leaders **signed off on an agreement** to strengthen bilateral trade.
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hype up

Meaning
to promote or exaggerate something to create excitement
Example
The media **hyped up** the movie before its release.
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hold talks with

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

Meaning
to return something to its owner, especially after checking it
Example
The professor **handed back** the graded assignments on Monday.
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post up

Meaning
to upload or share something online
Example
She **posted up** her vacation photos on Facebook.
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scale out

Meaning
to expand or grow the size or capacity of something
Example
The company plans to **scale out** its operations to new markets.
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bridge cultural gaps

Meaning
to reduce misunderstanding or distance between cultures
Example
Education can **bridge cultural gaps** and promote mutual respect.
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kick start

Meaning
to start something quickly and effectively
Example
The new project aims to **kick start** rural economic growth.
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power through

Meaning
to complete something difficult with strong effort and confidence
Example
She managed to **power through** the challenge with determination.
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own responsibility for

Meaning
to accept that you are accountable for something that happened
Example
He chose to **own responsibility for** the team’s delay.
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lag behind

Meaning
to respond slowly compared to expected speed
Example
The game **lags behind** because my device is old.
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put together

Meaning
to assemble or create something by organizing parts
Example
She helped **put together** the entire presentation.
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lay out a vision

Meaning
to clearly explain plans or goals for the future
Example
The CEO **laid out a vision** for the company’s next five years.
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catch someone’s eye

Meaning
to attract someone's attention
Example
The bright red car **caught my eye** as it drove past.
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dig around

Meaning
to search or investigate something to find more information
Example
He started to **dig around** to find out the truth about the old house.
phrasal-verb

log personal bests

Meaning
to record your top achievements
Example
Athletes **log personal bests** to track how training pays off.
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burn off

Meaning
to use up energy or fat by exercising
Example
I go jogging every morning to **burn off** extra calories.
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learn local customs

Meaning
to study and follow the traditions of the local culture
Example
Expats often try to **learn local customs** to show respect to the host country.
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pass on to

Meaning
to give information or a message to someone else
Example
Could you **pass this on to** the manager before lunch?
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take over responsibilities

Meaning
to start having control or responsibility for something
Example
After the manager resigned, she **took over responsibilities** temporarily.
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clock out for

Meaning
to end your work shift in order to do something specific
Example
I **clock out for** lunch right at noon every day.
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stand up against injustice

Meaning
to resist unfair treatment or oppression
Example
Citizens gathered to **stand up against injustice** in their country.
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follow through on decisions

Meaning
to continue with an action until it is completed
Example
Leaders must always follow through on their promises.
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drive yourself forward

Meaning
to motivate yourself to keep progressing
Example
She constantly **drives herself forward** to reach her goals.
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ride through

Meaning
to stay emotionally strong during a difficult period
Example
She managed to **ride through** the hard times with patience.
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back up data

Meaning
to make a copy of data to prevent loss
Example
It’s important to regularly **back up data** on your computer.
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come under

Meaning
to experience pressure or attack, especially politically
Example
The government **came under** pressure to increase public spending.
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push boundaries

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

Meaning
to make yourself feel less anxious or nervous
Example
Drinking herbal tea helps me **ease my nerves** before a big presentation.
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stand tall after failure

Meaning
to regain confidence and dignity after experiencing defeat
Example
Real growth happens when you **stand tall after failure**.
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hold out negotiations

Meaning
to continue discussions or resist giving in during talks
Example
The rebels **held out negotiations** until their demands were met.
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shore up confidence

Meaning
to support or strengthen belief and trust in the economy
Example
The government announced new reforms to **shore up confidence** in financial markets.
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lead the way for

Meaning
to create an example that others can follow
Example
Community leaders **lead the way for** safer streets by volunteering weekends.
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cheer on

Meaning
to encourage someone to keep going; to show support
Example
My friends always **cheer on** me when I feel down.
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adapt out of necessity

Meaning
to change behavior or plans because circumstances require it
Example
During the crisis, businesses had to **adapt out of necessity**.
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hold in check

Meaning
to control strong emotions before reacting
Example
He tried to **hold in check** his frustration during the meeting.
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work off

Meaning
to get rid of something by working or exercising
Example
He goes jogging every morning to **work off** stress.
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link up

Meaning
to connect or join with another group or organization
Example
We plan to **link up** with regional chambers of commerce.
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burst into

Meaning
to suddenly begin to express a strong emotion such as laughter or crying
Example
The children **burst into** laughter at the funny story.
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shut down emotionally

Meaning
to stop expressing or feeling emotions, especially after being hurt
Example
After the argument, he completely **shut down emotionally**.