light upon
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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phrasal-verb

light upon

Meaning
to discover or notice something that brings appreciation or gratitude
Example
I lighted upon an old letter that reminded me of your kindness.
phrasal-verb

appreciate for

Meaning
to recognize the value of someone or something
Example
I really appreciate you for staying late to finish the work.
idiom

crack under pressure

Meaning
to lose control or fail when under stress
Example
Some people crack under pressure, while others thrive.
phrasal-verb

cut someone off emotionally

Meaning
to stop communicating or showing feelings to someone
Example
After their argument, she cut him off emotionally.
phrasal-verb

look after yourself

Meaning
to take care of your own health or well-being
Example
Take some rest and look after yourself properly.
phrasal-verb

lash out at work

Meaning
to express anger sharply in the workplace
Example
It's better to breathe than to lash out at work over a comment.
phrasal-verb

stay ahead of

Meaning
to be more advanced or prepared than others
Example
Students who review regularly stay ahead of the class.
phrasal-verb

get across to

Meaning
to make someone understand something clearly
Example
It’s hard to get across to customer service that the product is faulty.
idiom

raise the stakes

Meaning
to increase the level of risk or difficulty
Example
We need to raise the stakes if we want to make a bigger impact.
phrasal-verb

believe in

Meaning
to have confidence in someone or something
Example
You need to believe in yourself if you want to succeed.
idiom

A bright future awaits

Meaning
good things are coming ahead
Example
Despite the challenges, a bright future awaits you.
idiom

go live

Meaning
to start broadcasting in real time on social media
Example
She plans to go live tonight to talk with her followers.
idiom

keep smiling

Meaning
to stay cheerful even when facing difficulties
Example
Whatever happens, just keep smiling.
phrasal-verb

give credit to

Meaning
to acknowledge someone’s contribution
Example
You should give credit to those who helped you succeed.
idiom

to bend the rules

Meaning
to make exceptions or not strictly follow the law or rules
Example
Sometimes, officers bend the rules to help the needy.
phrasal-verb

go without

Meaning
to not have or eat something, often because you choose to
Example
I can go without dessert tonight.
idiom

leap of faith

Meaning
to do something without knowing the outcome
Example
Starting his own company was a leap of faith for him.
phrasal-verb

phase out subsidies

Meaning
to gradually stop providing financial support or benefits
Example
The government plans to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels over the next five years.
phrasal-verb

cut down emissions

Meaning
to reduce harmful gases released into the air
Example
Businesses are investing to cut down emissions from transport.
idiom

To move mountains

Meaning
To achieve something very difficult or seemingly impossible.
Example
With determination, she can move mountains.
idiom

play a pivotal role

Meaning
to play an important part in something
Example
She played a pivotal role in the success of the team.
idiom

in hot water

Meaning
in trouble or difficulty
Example
He’s in hot water for missing the meeting.
idiom

Dressed to kill

Meaning
Wearing very fashionable or attractive clothes
Example
She was dressed to kill at the party last night.
phrasal-verb

clean out cache

Meaning
to remove temporary files from a system to free up space
Example
You should clean out cache to make your browser faster.
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.
idiom

kiss and make up

Meaning
to become friends again after an argument
Example
They always kiss and make up after every fight.
idiom

take the fall

Meaning
to accept blame for something, often to protect others.
Example
He agreed to take the fall for the team’s mistake.
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

pharming

Meaning
a cyber attack that redirects a website’s traffic to a fraudulent site to steal information
Example
The victim's bank details were stolen due to a pharming attack.
phrasal-verb

pace yourself

Meaning
to control the speed at which you work to avoid exhaustion
Example
You need to pace yourself during busy weeks.
phrasal-verb

catch fire

Meaning
to start burning; to become very exciting or popular
Example
The dry leaves quickly caught fire in the heat.
phrasal-verb

run behind schedule

Meaning
to be late or delayed in finishing something
Example
The construction team is running behind schedule because of heavy rain.
idiom

Airhead

Meaning
A silly or foolish person.
Example
Don't be such an airhead, pay attention!
phrasal-verb

see off guests

Meaning
to say goodbye to people as they leave
Example
The host saw off the guests at the gate after midnight.
idiom

put in the hours

Meaning
to spend a lot of time working
Example
If you put in the hours, you’ll see progress soon.
idiom

the big cheese

Meaning
an important or influential person
Example
He's the big cheese in the company.
phrasal-verb

let in on

Meaning
to share a secret or private feeling with someone
Example
She finally let me in on what was bothering her.
idiom

keep the home fires burning

Meaning
to maintain a happy home while others are away
Example
While her husband was abroad, she kept the home fires burning.
phrasal-verb

roll over

Meaning
to reinvest money from a matured investment into a new one
Example
He decided to roll over his fixed deposit for another year.
idiom

out of bounds

Meaning
not allowed or beyond acceptable limits
Example
His rude comment was out of bounds.
phrasal-verb

step down from office

Meaning
to resign from an important position
Example
The president agreed to step down from office after months of pressure.
idiom

I’m here for you

Meaning
You can count on my support.
Example
Whenever you need me, I’m here for you.
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.
idiom

take it with a pinch of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He exaggerates a lot, so take it with a pinch of salt.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re talking at cross purposes—I meant next week, not this one.
phrasal-verb

look ahead

Meaning
to think about the future instead of the past
Example
Instead of regretting, look ahead and plan your next move.
idiom

pull oneself up by the bootstraps

Meaning
to improve one's situation through hard work and determination
Example
Despite all the challenges, he pulled himself up by the bootstraps and succeeded.
idiom

the nuts and bolts

Meaning
the basic practical details of something
Example
We discussed the nuts and bolts of the new software project.
idiom

a man with a mission

Meaning
a person with strong purpose and determination to achieve something
Example
He’s a man with a mission to change the way we think about education.
phrasal-verb

delegate tasks

Meaning
to assign responsibilities to others
Example
An effective leader knows how to delegate tasks efficiently.
idiom

asleep on your feet

Meaning
extremely tired and almost falling asleep
Example
You look asleep on your feet after working all day.
idiom

Give the shirt off your back

Meaning
to give everything you can to help someone
Example
She would give the shirt off her back if it meant helping her friends.
idiom

share the load

Meaning
to divide the work or responsibility among people
Example
We should share the load so no one gets too tired.
phrasal-verb

go off on

Meaning
to suddenly criticize or yell at someone angrily
Example
My boss went off on me for missing the deadline.
phrasal-verb

evolve from

Meaning
to develop or change gradually from a previous form or condition
Example
Modern customs often evolve from ancient traditions.
phrasal-verb

get down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad; to move to a lower position
Example
Don’t let failure get you down.
idiom

envy eats the heart

Meaning
jealousy destroys one’s peace of mind
Example
Envy eats the heart, so stop comparing yourself to others.
phrasal-verb

take forward

Meaning
to move a plan or project to the next stage
Example
We need strong leadership to take forward the innovation agenda.
phrasal-verb

open up to differences

Meaning
to accept and appreciate diversity
Example
Children should learn to open up to differences from an early age.
phrasal-verb

shut down

Meaning
to turn off a computer or system
Example
Make sure to shut down your computer before leaving.
idiom

piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a part of the complete solution or understanding
Example
This information is just a piece of the puzzle.
phrasal-verb

give on to

Meaning
to face or open onto a place
Example
Their balcony gives on to a beautiful garden.
phrasal-verb

coach someone past doubt

Meaning
to help a person move beyond uncertainty
Example
Leaders coach people past doubt with honest feedback and support.
phrasal-verb

lift your mood

Meaning
to make yourself or someone feel happier
Example
Listening to uplifting music can lift your mood instantly.
phrasal-verb

find against

Meaning
to decide that someone is wrong or guilty
Example
The judge found against the company for breaking the contract.
phrasal-verb

stock up on

Meaning
to buy or collect a large amount of food for future use
Example
We stocked up on vegetables for the week.
idiom

break even

Meaning
to have equal income and expenses, neither profit nor loss
Example
The company finally broke even after three years.
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.
idiom

zero-day vulnerability

Meaning
A security flaw in software that is exploited by hackers before the vendor has a chance to fix it
Example
The zero-day vulnerability was exploited by hackers to steal sensitive data.
phrasal-verb

settle into peace

Meaning
to reach a state of inner calm and balance
Example
After journaling, I finally settled into peace.
phrasal-verb

build upon feedback

Meaning
to use team feedback to improve or develop something
Example
We should build upon feedback from our colleagues.
idiom

in over one’s head

Meaning
to be involved in something too difficult to handle
Example
He’s in over his head with this complex project.
phrasal-verb

walk away

Meaning
to leave a situation or place calmly; to move away by walking
Example
She walked away without saying a word.
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.
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

hold over feelings

Meaning
to keep emotions or resentment from the past and let them affect the present
Example
She tends to hold over feelings from old arguments.
idiom

take the edge off

Meaning
to make a bad situation or feeling less intense or unpleasant
Example
A hot cup of tea always helps to take the edge off.
idiom

figure out

Meaning
to understand or solve something
Example
We need to figure out why the emails bounced.
phrasal-verb

call ahead

Meaning
to phone in advance to make arrangements
Example
You should call ahead to reserve a seat.
idiom

a cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility without open warfare
Example
The two nations seem to be entering a cold war again.
idiom

call the shots

Meaning
to be in charge and make decisions
Example
In this company, the manager calls the shots.
idiom

close the book on something

Meaning
to stop dealing with or thinking about something
Example
After years of conflict, they finally closed the book on their rivalry.
idiom

call it a night

Meaning
to stop what you are doing and go home, especially after a party
Example
It’s getting late, let’s call it a night.
phrasal-verb

carry back

Meaning
to remind someone of something from the past
Example
That song carried me back to my childhood days.
idiom

light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
sign of hope after a difficult period
Example
After months of struggle, she finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
idiom

wind up

Meaning
to end up in a particular situation
Example
If you ignore the warning signs, you could wind up in trouble.
phrasal-verb

pass stories down

Meaning
to share traditions or memories with the next generation
Example
Grandparents pass stories down during long festival evenings.
phrasal-verb

adapt within

Meaning
to adjust oneself while keeping personal identity
Example
Immigrants often adapt within new societies while keeping their traditions alive.
phrasal-verb

sit for

Meaning
to take an exam
Example
I’m going to sit for my final exams next week.
idiom

tighten the screws

Meaning
to put pressure on someone to make them behave or act a certain way
Example
The government tightened the screws on tax evaders.
idiom

bottom out

Meaning
to reach the lowest point before improving
Example
Experts believe the market has bottomed out.
idiom

To break ground

Meaning
To begin a new project or initiative.
Example
The company is excited to break ground on their new office next month.
phrasal-verb

tune into cultures

Meaning
to understand and adapt to the ways people from different cultures communicate
Example
To work globally, you must tune into cultures beyond your own.
phrasal-verb

set up for shipping

Meaning
to prepare goods so they are ready to be sent
Example
The warehouse sets up for shipping as soon as orders close.
phrasal-verb

drop below

Meaning
to decrease to less than a specific amount or level
Example
Investment growth dropped below expectations this quarter.
phrasal-verb

get away with

Meaning
to do something wrong without being punished
Example
He thought he could get away with cheating on the test.
phrasal-verb

keep pushing forward

Meaning
to continue moving toward your goals despite challenges
Example
Even when it’s tough, always keep pushing forward.
idiom

trust someone with something

Meaning
to give someone responsibility for something important
Example
I trust you to take care of the project.
idiom

in the money

Meaning
to suddenly have a lot of money
Example
After winning the lottery, they were in the money.
phrasal-verb

slide back

Meaning
to return to a worse or earlier condition
Example
The country risks sliding back into recession.
phrasal-verb

grow through pain

Meaning
to learn or become stronger from emotional difficulties
Example
We often grow through pain more than through comfort.
phrasal-verb

turn up the music

Meaning
to increase the volume of music
Example
They turned up the music when everyone started dancing.
idiom

full of beans

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

head out

Meaning
to leave for a destination
Example
Let’s head out before the traffic gets heavy.
phrasal-verb

make up to

Meaning
to do something nice for someone to show regret for something wrong
Example
He bought her flowers to make up to her after their argument.
idiom

Opportunity knocks but once

Meaning
Good opportunities are rare and should be seized when they appear.
Example
Don't miss the chance, opportunity knocks but once.
phrasal-verb

fight through

Meaning
to continue despite pain or struggle until success or relief
Example
He managed to fight through the hardest days of his life.
idiom

on the mend

Meaning
recovering from an illness or injury
Example
I was sick last week, but I’m on the mend now.
phrasal-verb

tear up

Meaning
to start crying a little
Example
She teared up during the emotional movie scene.
idiom

stand up and be counted

Meaning
to take responsibility by showing your support or opinion openly
Example
It’s time for everyone to stand up and be counted.
idiom

a thing of the past

Meaning
something that no longer exists or happens
Example
With smartphones, landline phones are a thing of the past.
idiom

narrow in

Meaning
to focus on a smaller area or set of options
Example
Let’s narrow in on the two strongest proposals.
phrasal-verb

choke back tears

Meaning
to try hard not to cry
Example
She choked back tears during her farewell speech.
phrasal-verb

stand for equality

Meaning
to represent or support the idea of equal rights for all
Example
We must stand for equality in every part of the world.
idiom

live up to one's promise

Meaning
to fulfill what was promised or expected
Example
He lived up to his promise and completed the project.
phrasal-verb

follow self-imposed rules

Meaning
to obey the rules you set for yourself
Example
Self-disciplined people follow self-imposed rules without complaint.
idiom

flesh out

Meaning
to add more detail to something
Example
We need to flesh out the proposal before presenting it.
idiom

in two minds

Meaning
undecided about something
Example
I'm in two minds about accepting the new job offer.
phrasal-verb

gear up for adventure

Meaning
to prepare equipment and mindset for something exciting
Example
We gear up for adventure by checking safety kits before the hike.
phrasal-verb

come off

Meaning
to happen successfully; to succeed
Example
The plan came off just as we hoped.
idiom

out for blood

Meaning
to be extremely determined to defeat or punish someone
Example
After losing last time, the team is out for blood this season.