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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.
idiom

like one big happy family

Meaning
people living or working together in harmony
Example
Our office team works **like one big happy family**.
phrasal-verb

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.
phrasal-verb

turn left

Meaning
to change direction to the left
Example
At the next intersection, **turn left** onto Main Street.
idiom

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
phrasal-verb

tune inward

Meaning
to focus attention on your inner feelings or thoughts
Example
She took a few minutes each day to **tune inward** and reflect on her emotions.
phrasal-verb

find over to

Meaning
to move or transfer attention or focus to something new
Example
She quickly **found over to** another topic when things got awkward.
idiom

put to the test

Meaning
to see how good someone or something is
Example
Her knowledge was **put to the test** during the interview.
idiom

Fail fast

Meaning
To quickly identify and learn from failures.
Example
In startups, it’s better to **fail fast** and learn than to waste time.
idiom

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed **tears of joy** when her son returned home.
idiom

under oath

Meaning
having sworn to tell the truth in court
Example
He lied **under oath** and was charged with perjury.
idiom

make the tough calls

Meaning
to make difficult decisions in challenging situations
Example
Being a leader means sometimes having to **make the tough calls**.
phrasal-verb

lock down on

Meaning
to impose strict security controls on something
Example
After the warning, we **locked down on** remote access rules.
idiom

backseat driver

Meaning
a person who gives unwanted advice or direction
Example
Don't be a **backseat driver**, let me handle it.
phrasal-verb

stand by your word

Meaning
to keep a promise or commitment even when it is difficult
Example
He’s the kind of person who always **stands by his word**.
idiom

throw caution to the wind

Meaning
to do something risky without worrying
Example
I decided to **throw caution to the wind** and try it.
idiom

be in high spirits

Meaning
to feel very happy and positive
Example
Everyone was **in high spirits** after the successful event.
idiom

see red

Meaning
to become very angry
Example
He **saw red** when his computer crashed again.
idiom

open heart

Meaning
to be honest and kind in feelings and actions
Example
He welcomed everyone with an **open heart**.
idiom

going viral

Meaning
to become very popular very quickly on the internet or social media
Example
The video of the cat dancing has **gone viral** and everyone is talking about it.
phrasal-verb

filter out tension

Meaning
to remove or block stressful emotions or thoughts
Example
Yoga helps you **filter out tension** from your body and mind.
idiom

no pain, no gain

Meaning
you have to work hard to achieve success
Example
He practices every day because he believes **no pain, no gain**.
phrasal-verb

turn up

Meaning
to arrive or appear at an event or place, often unexpectedly
Example
He didn’t **turn up** for the dinner even though he promised.
phrasal-verb

pay out of

Meaning
to give money from a specific source
Example
The damages were **paid out of** the company’s funds.
phrasal-verb

touch up photo

Meaning
to make small edits or improvements to a photo
Example
You can **touch up the photo** using any editing app.
idiom

win by a landslide

Meaning
to win by a very large margin
Example
The candidate **won by a landslide** with 80% of the votes.
phrasal-verb

breathe through emotions

Meaning
to calm yourself by controlling your breathing during emotional moments
Example
She tried to **breathe through** her emotions before responding.
phrasal-verb

rise to the challenge

Meaning
to deal successfully with something difficult
Example
He always **rises to the challenge** when things get tough.
phrasal-verb

point toward

Meaning
to indicate or suggest a future possibility
Example
Recent studies **point toward** a rise in electric mobility.
idiom

let sleeping dogs lie

Meaning
to avoid bringing up a problem that will cause trouble
Example
It is better to **let sleeping dogs lie**.
idiom

bust someone

Meaning
to arrest or catch someone doing something illegal
Example
The officer was able to **bust someone** for selling drugs.
idiom

the lesser of two evils

Meaning
the less harmful of two bad options
Example
Voters often choose **the lesser of two evils** during elections.
idiom

as happy as a clam

Meaning
feeling completely happy and content
Example
After a long vacation, he was **as happy as a clam**.
phrasal-verb

drop away

Meaning
to decrease gradually; to fade or disappear
Example
Attendance at the club meetings has **dropped away** recently.
phrasal-verb

scrub off

Meaning
to remove dirt or stains by rubbing hard
Example
You need to **scrub off** that grease from the pan.
phrasal-verb

call down

Meaning
to scold or reprimand someone
Example
The boss **called down** the employee for being late.
phrasal-verb

look inward

Meaning
to reflect on your own thoughts, feelings, and motivations
Example
During hard times, it helps to **look inward** and understand your emotions.
phrasal-verb

work jointly with

Meaning
to perform a task together with another party
Example
Our firm will **work jointly with** the local government on the development plan.
idiom

ring the changes

Meaning
to make changes to something to make it more interesting or effective
Example
The restaurant decided to **ring the changes** with a new menu.
phrasal-verb

chill out over

Meaning
to relax while enjoying something like food or a conversation
Example
We **chill out over** coffee every Friday evening.
idiom

heart in one’s mouth

Meaning
to feel extreme fear or anxiety
Example
My **heart was in my mouth** as I waited for the results.
idiom

tear down

Meaning
to demolish or dismantle something
Example
They plan to **tear down** the old shed this weekend.
phrasal-verb

tune back in

Meaning
to reconnect with your emotions or awareness after being distracted
Example
He took a short walk to **tune back in** to his feelings.
idiom

spark an idea

Meaning
to cause someone to have a new thought or idea
Example
That movie **sparked an idea** for my next project.
idiom

split up

Meaning
to separate or end a relationship or marriage
Example
John and Mary **split up** last month.
idiom

pay it forward

Meaning
to do something kind for someone else after receiving kindness
Example
After receiving help from a stranger, he decided to **pay it forward** by helping someone in need.
idiom

jot down quickly

Meaning
to write something fast so you don’t forget
Example
**Jot down quickly** the ideas that come up in the meeting.
phrasal-verb

bridge over differences

Meaning
to overcome disagreements and create unity
Example
The summit aimed to **bridge over differences** among member states.
phrasal-verb

find with

Meaning
to discover something by examining or associating with someone
Example
They **found with** her a bag full of letters.
idiom

act on

Meaning
to respond to information with action
Example
We need to **act on** the survey results immediately.
idiom

make someone's jaw drop

Meaning
to surprise or amaze someone greatly
Example
Her stunning dress **made everyone's jaw drop**.
idiom

a global village

Meaning
the world considered as a single community due to technology and communication
Example
The internet has turned the world into **a global village**.
idiom

fall out with

Meaning
to argue or stop being friends with someone
Example
They **fell out with** each other over money.
phrasal-verb

dance to

Meaning
to move your body in rhythm with the music
Example
We couldn’t resist **dancing to** that catchy song.
phrasal-verb

set your mind to

Meaning
to focus all your attention and effort on achieving something
Example
You can achieve anything if you **set your mind to** it.
idiom

black sheep

Meaning
a person who is considered a disgrace to a group or family
Example
He is the **black sheep** of the family.
phrasal-verb

connect through language

Meaning
to communicate and bond using the local or common language
Example
People can **connect through language** even if they come from different cultures.
idiom

the blind leading the blind

Meaning
someone inexperienced leading others who also lack experience
Example
The new trainees teaching each other is like **the blind leading the blind**.
idiom

weigh in on

Meaning
to share an opinion about a topic
Example
The moderator asked experts to **weigh in on** the policy changes.
phrasal-verb

spread through

Meaning
to extend or move through an area or group
Example
Global culture has **spread through** digital media and communication networks.
phrasal-verb

cloud over

Meaning
when the sky becomes covered with clouds
Example
The sky **clouded over**, and we knew it was going to rain soon.
idiom

lucky break

Meaning
a sudden opportunity or good fortune
Example
Getting that job was a **lucky break** for her.
phrasal-verb

take off with

Meaning
to become successful quickly
Example
Their new app **took off with** millions of downloads in the first week.
phrasal-verb

turn right

Meaning
to change direction to the right
Example
**Turn right** after the traffic light and go past the gas station.
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.
idiom

make headway

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
We are finally **making headway** with our new project.
idiom

beyond reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical uncertainty
Example
The jury found him guilty **beyond reasonable doubt**.
phrasal-verb

sync across

Meaning
to make sure data or actions are consistent across devices or platforms
Example
All files automatically **sync across** your devices.
idiom

lock horns

Meaning
to get into an argument or fight
Example
They **locked horns** over the new proposal.
idiom

a stroke of genius

Meaning
a brilliant and creative idea
Example
Her design was **a stroke of genius**.
phrasal-verb

open toward

Meaning
to show warmth or acceptance toward someone
Example
He became more **open toward** his classmates.
idiom

In the picture

Meaning
Involved or informed about a situation
Example
I want to stay **in the picture** about the new project.
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

to clean one's hands

Meaning
to rid oneself of responsibility for something, especially wrongdoing
Example
He tried to **clean his hands** of the situation, but we all knew he was involved.
phrasal-verb

reach out within

Meaning
to connect with people inside an organization for collaboration
Example
Leaders need to **reach out within** to build trust among teams.
idiom

sit at someone’s feet

Meaning
to learn from someone who is very knowledgeable
Example
Many students wanted to **sit at his feet** and learn from him.
idiom

go with the flow

Meaning
to accept things as they come; not resist change
Example
Instead of worrying, just **go with the flow**.
phrasal-verb

open up emotionally

Meaning
to allow others to see your feelings or emotional state
Example
He started to **open up emotionally** after therapy.
idiom

walking on eggshells

Meaning
being very careful not to upset someone
Example
I feel like I am **walking on eggshells** around my boss.
phrasal-verb

project out

Meaning
to estimate or predict future results based on current data
Example
Economists **project out** the country's GDP growth for the next decade.
idiom

a weight on your shoulders

Meaning
a heavy burden or responsibility causing stress
Example
Running the company alone is **a weight on his shoulders**.
idiom

write off

Meaning
to dismiss something as unimportant or not worth considering
Example
Don’t **write off** his idea; it might actually work.
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.
phrasal-verb

result in

Meaning
to cause something to happen
Example
The lack of data **resulted in** an incomplete analysis.
phrasal-verb

ramp up to

Meaning
to increase or intensify effort or production to recover or meet demand
Example
Factories **ramped up to** meet the rising post-crisis demand.
phrasal-verb

bring down tariffs

Meaning
to reduce taxes on imports or exports
Example
The new agreement aims to **bring down tariffs** between the two nations.
phrasal-verb

send over

Meaning
to transmit or deliver something digitally to another person or group
Example
I’ll **send over** the final document once it’s approved.
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

keep things bottled up

Meaning
to not express your emotions or worries
Example
He tends to **keep things bottled up** instead of talking about them.
phrasal-verb

give way

Meaning
to collapse; to yield under pressure
Example
The old bridge **gave way** during the heavy storm.
phrasal-verb

work out regularly

Meaning
to exercise frequently to stay fit and healthy
Example
She **works out regularly** to keep her body strong and mind fresh.
phrasal-verb

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.
idiom

no rocket scientist

Meaning
not very intelligent; not a genius
Example
He’s **no rocket scientist**, but he works hard.
idiom

pay a compliment

Meaning
to give praise or admiration to someone
Example
He always knows how to **pay a compliment** to make someone feel better.
phrasal-verb

gear the crew up

Meaning
to prepare a team with the tools or mindset they need
Example
Heads **gear the crew up** with clear roles before the sprint begins.
phrasal-verb

reel in

Meaning
to attract or bring in something, especially investment or profit
Example
The new tax incentives helped **reel in** foreign capital.
phrasal-verb

break into conversation

Meaning
to join an ongoing conversation
Example
He politely **broke into the conversation** to share his opinion.
idiom

take someone at their word

Meaning
to trust that someone is telling the truth
Example
You can **take her at her word**; she never lies.
idiom

on top of the world

Meaning
to feel extremely happy and successful
Example
After winning the award, he felt **on top of the world**.
phrasal-verb

nudge teammates gently

Meaning
to remind colleagues politely about something
Example
I **nudge teammates gently** if a follow-up note is still missing.
idiom

put one's cards on the table

Meaning
to be honest and open about one’s intentions
Example
The negotiator decided to **put his cards on the table** to speed up talks.
idiom

hold down

Meaning
to keep something at a low level
Example
It’s tough to **hold down** rent costs in this city.
phrasal-verb

learn to live with

Meaning
to accept a mistake or flaw that cannot be changed
Example
Sometimes you just have to **learn to live with** your past mistakes.
idiom

see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
They finally **saw eye to eye** on the business deal.
idiom

hang in there

Meaning
to remain persistent and determined in difficult circumstances
Example
I know you're tired, but **hang in there** because you're almost finished.
phrasal-verb

find against

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

put your nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to work hard and focus on something
Example
If you want to succeed, you have to **put your nose to the grindstone**.
phrasal-verb

strengthen alliances with

Meaning
to make partnerships or coalitions with other nations stronger
Example
The president vowed to **strengthen alliances with** global partners.
idiom

anchors aweigh

Meaning
Ready to depart or begin a journey.
Example
With our bags packed, it’s **anchors aweigh** for the road trip!
idiom

cry your heart out

Meaning
to cry a lot due to sadness
Example
She **cried her heart out** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

Go to pieces

Meaning
To lose control of your emotions; to break down.
Example
She **went to pieces** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

Bursting at the seams

Meaning
To be very full or crowded.
Example
The store was **bursting at the seams** during the sale.
idiom

lose your cool

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

phase back in

Meaning
to reintroduce something gradually
Example
We’ll **phase back in** office days next quarter.
idiom

Ask the right questions

Meaning
To inquire wisely to gain understanding.
Example
Good researchers always **ask the right questions**.
phrasal-verb

prepare for

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

Give and take

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

go nuclear

Meaning
to react very strongly or angrily
Example
When the data got deleted, the manager **went nuclear**.
phrasal-verb

draw confidence from

Meaning
to gain self-assurance by relying on something
Example
I **draw confidence from** the small wins we track each week.
phrasal-verb

search for

Meaning
to look for specific items or products online
Example
He **searched for** a discount on wireless headphones.
idiom

jumpy as a cat

Meaning
easily frightened or nervous
Example
He’s been **jumpy as a cat** since the robbery.