make out
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phrasal-verb

make out

Meaning
to understand something; to kiss passionately
Example
I couldn’t **make out** what he was saying because of the noise.
idiom

Go to pieces

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

carry off with

Meaning
to remove or take away forcefully
Example
The thief **carried off** the jewels **with** surprising speed.
idiom

lost in translation

Meaning
when the meaning is lost or changed in translation or communication
Example
The humor was **lost in translation** when the movie was dubbed.
phrasal-verb

give rise to

Meaning
to cause or inspire the creation of new cultural customs
Example
The migration of people **gave rise to** a blend of new cultural practices.
phrasal-verb

depend on exports

Meaning
to rely on selling goods to other countries
Example
Many developing nations **depend on exports** for economic growth.
idiom

a storybook ending

Meaning
a perfect or happy ending, like in a fairy tale
Example
Their wedding was a true **storybook ending**.
idiom

sick and tired of

Meaning
completely bored or annoyed by something
Example
I'm **sick and tired of** listening to his excuses.
phrasal-verb

fall behind schedule

Meaning
to not be progressing as quickly as planned
Example
Construction has **fallen behind schedule** due to bad weather.
idiom

not lose heart

Meaning
to not lose confidence or courage
Example
**Don’t lose heart**; success takes time.
idiom

don't sweat the small stuff

Meaning
don’t worry about minor or unimportant things
Example
It’s just a little mistake, **don’t sweat the small stuff**.
phrasal-verb

catch up with

Meaning
to reach the same level or standard as others
Example
Many companies are trying to **catch up with** global tech giants.
phrasal-verb

count down to deadlines

Meaning
to track remaining time closely before work is due
Example
I **count down to deadlines** with reminders so nothing slips.
idiom

Nest feathering

Meaning
Using one’s position or power for personal financial gain.
Example
The politician was accused of **nest feathering**.
idiom

beyond the pale

Meaning
outside acceptable rules or standards
Example
His behavior was **beyond the pale**.
phrasal-verb

commend on

Meaning
to praise someone for something
Example
The manager **commended** her **on** her excellent presentation.
phrasal-verb

cash out

Meaning
to sell an investment for money
Example
He decided to **cash out** his stocks when the prices were high.
phrasal-verb

cut in

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
Please don’t **cut in** when others are making their points.
phrasal-verb

face up to the truth

Meaning
to accept or confront the reality of a situation
Example
It’s time to **face up to the truth** about your mistakes.
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

let up

Meaning
when bad weather or rain becomes less strong or stops
Example
The rain finally **let up** after hours of storm.
phrasal-verb

step up investment

Meaning
to increase the amount of money put into projects or businesses
Example
Foreign companies are expected to **step up investment** in renewable energy.
idiom

thinking outside the box

Meaning
to think in an unconventional or creative way
Example
In the tech world, **thinking outside the box** is crucial to developing innovative solutions.
phrasal-verb

be thrilled about

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

smooth sailing

Meaning
a situation without problems or difficulties
Example
Once we crossed the border, it was **smooth sailing**.
phrasal-verb

speak out on

Meaning
to publicly express an opinion about something important
Example
The candidate decided to **speak out on** corruption during the debate.
phrasal-verb

set off protests

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

partner across

Meaning
to work with organizations across different regions or sectors
Example
We **partner across** industries to deliver innovative solutions.
phrasal-verb

balance out inflation

Meaning
to offset or stabilize inflationary pressure
Example
Raising interest rates can help **balance out inflation**.
idiom

run down

Meaning
to feel tired or exhausted due to overwork or illness
Example
You look a bit **run down**; you should get some rest.
phrasal-verb

stand together for inclusion

Meaning
to unite in support of equality and inclusion
Example
Employees decided to **stand together for inclusion** during the diversity week.
idiom

swear on one’s life

Meaning
to make a very serious promise that something is true
Example
I **swear on my life**, I didn’t do it!
idiom

Bury yourself in books

Meaning
To spend all your time studying
Example
He **buried himself in books** before the finals.
phrasal-verb

open up to someone

Meaning
to share personal feelings or problems with someone you trust
Example
He finally **opened up to** his friend about what he had been going through.
idiom

iron curtain

Meaning
a barrier separating nations ideologically or politically
Example
During the Cold War, Europe was divided by the **iron curtain**.
idiom

a thorn in the flesh

Meaning
something or someone that causes continuous trouble or annoyance
Example
The new regulations have been **a thorn in the flesh** for small business owners.
phrasal-verb

fill your heart with gratitude

Meaning
to focus on the things you are thankful for
Example
Every morning, **fill your heart with gratitude** to start the day right.
idiom

Go against the grain

Meaning
to do something that is contrary to the usual way of doing things
Example
Their new approach really **goes against the grain** of traditional research methods.
phrasal-verb

push through with hope

Meaning
to continue trying with faith and optimism
Example
You can **push through with hope** and reach your goal.
phrasal-verb

look out

Meaning
to be careful; to pay attention to avoid danger
Example
You should **look out** when crossing the street.
phrasal-verb

close down

Meaning
to stop operating a business or company
Example
Due to losses, the branch had to **close down**.
idiom

go steady

Meaning
to date someone regularly and exclusively
Example
They've been **going steady** for over two years now.
idiom

a level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
We want to create **a level playing field** for all competitors.
idiom

roll with

Meaning
to adapt to changes or challenges easily
Example
The team had to **roll with** several last-minute changes to the schedule.
idiom

In the blink of an eye

Meaning
Very quickly, almost instantaneously.
Example
The discovery of the new planet happened **in the blink of an eye**.
phrasal-verb

let courage in

Meaning
to allow oneself to feel and act with bravery
Example
He tried to **let courage in** instead of fear.
phrasal-verb

lie back

Meaning
to recline or rest in a relaxed position
Example
Just **lie back** and take a deep breath.
idiom

Make a move

Meaning
to take action or start doing something
Example
If you want success, it’s time to **make a move**.
idiom

beat down

Meaning
to strike repeatedly with force, such as intense sun or rain
Example
The afternoon sun **beat down** on the field all day.
idiom

natural language processing

Meaning
a field of AI that focuses on the interaction between computers and human language
Example
Natural language processing enables AI systems to understand and respond to human speech.
phrasal-verb

pine over

Meaning
to feel deep sadness or longing because of something or someone lost
Example
She still **pines over** her broken relationship.
idiom

put your faith in someone

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
She decided to **put her faith in him** and let him handle the project.
phrasal-verb

comfort with

Meaning
to make someone feel better by offering kind words or actions
Example
He **comforted her with** gentle words when she was crying.
phrasal-verb

trade down for

Meaning
to swap for a simpler or cheaper alternative
Example
Some shoppers **trade down for** savings during slow months.
phrasal-verb

power through

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

call a truce

Meaning
to agree to stop fighting or arguing for a while
Example
They decided to **call a truce** until the boss arrived.
idiom

shop till you drop

Meaning
to go shopping for a long time until you are tired
Example
My sister loves to **shop till she drops** during sales.
idiom

hit the ground running

Meaning
to start something energetically and successfully
Example
She joined the team and **hit the ground running** on her first day.
idiom

new blood

Meaning
new people who bring fresh ideas
Example
The company needs **new blood** to stay competitive.
idiom

have it made

Meaning
to be in a very good position for success
Example
With a stable job and a happy family, he really **has it made**.
phrasal-verb

open up inside

Meaning
to become emotionally available to yourself and recognize your true emotions
Example
When he learned to **open up inside**, he finally stopped hiding his pain.
idiom

Runway

Meaning
The time a startup has before running out of cash.
Example
We only have six months of **runway** left.
phrasal-verb

work through emotions

Meaning
to process and deal with emotions over time
Example
It took her months to **work through** her grief.
idiom

hand over to

Meaning
to transfer control or responsibility to someone
Example
I’ll **hand this over to** the legal team for review.
idiom

ring a bell with someone

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name doesn't **ring a bell with** me at all.
idiom

team player

Meaning
someone who works well with others
Example
Every company values a good **team player**.
phrasal-verb

get away

Meaning
to go somewhere for a short vacation; to escape from daily routine
Example
We’re planning to **get away** for the weekend to relax.
idiom

kill time

Meaning
to do something while waiting
Example
We played cards to **kill time** before the show started.
idiom

turn the tables

Meaning
to reverse a situation and gain the upper hand
Example
They were losing, but managed to **turn the tables** in the final round.
idiom

Know the drill

Meaning
To be familiar with a routine or procedure.
Example
Everyone here **knows the drill** during an emergency.
phrasal-verb

lay the groundwork for

Meaning
to prepare the basic foundation for something important in the future
Example
She’s **laying the groundwork for** her next career move.
idiom

sound out

Meaning
to quietly discover what people think
Example
She will **sound out** the team before making changes.
idiom

A bright idea

Meaning
a clever or innovative idea
Example
She came up with a **bright idea** for the new marketing campaign.
phrasal-verb

break through barriers

Meaning
to overcome difficulties or obstacles
Example
She **broke through barriers** to become a successful engineer.
phrasal-verb

live beyond one’s means

Meaning
to spend more money than one can afford
Example
Many people **live beyond their means** by using credit cards carelessly.
idiom

Hot off the press

Meaning
Newly printed; very recent news
Example
The report was **hot off the press**, released just minutes ago.
phrasal-verb

rise through

Meaning
to progress or succeed in something through effort and determination
Example
She managed to **rise through** hard work and self-belief.
idiom

free up

Meaning
to make time, money, or space available
Example
Clearing old files will **free up** storage on the drive.
idiom

a ray of sunshine

Meaning
someone or something that brings happiness
Example
Her smile is **a ray of sunshine** on a gloomy day.
idiom

under the stars

Meaning
in the open air, outside, especially at night
Example
We slept **under the stars** by the lake.
phrasal-verb

ease back into

Meaning
to return to a task or routine gradually after stress or break
Example
After the holidays, I’m trying to **ease back into** my work routine.
idiom

have steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to be visibly very angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** when he saw the damage.
phrasal-verb

shake up

Meaning
to make major changes in an organization to improve it
Example
The new CEO plans to **shake up** the company’s culture to encourage innovation.
idiom

spur of the moment

Meaning
an unplanned or spontaneous decision or action
Example
The idea came **on the spur of the moment** during lunch.
phrasal-verb

show through

Meaning
to be visible through something; to be partly seen
Example
Her red shirt **showed through** the white dress.
idiom

living the dream

Meaning
living a life that one always desired
Example
After years of hard work, he’s finally **living the dream**.
idiom

butterflies in one's stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or anxious
Example
I had **butterflies in my stomach** before the interview.
phrasal-verb

branch into tech

Meaning
to expand into the technology sector
Example
Traditional companies are now trying to **branch into tech** to stay relevant.
idiom

hit home

Meaning
to be fully understood or have a strong impact
Example
The reality of the housing crisis really **hit home** for them.
idiom

have a smile on your face

Meaning
to appear happy and cheerful
Example
She always has a smile on her face, no matter the situation.
idiom

put in a nutshell

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
To **put it in a nutshell**, we need more time to finish.
idiom

Political bargaining chip

Meaning
An issue or point used to negotiate or exchange in politics.
Example
The trade agreement became a **political bargaining chip** during the negotiations.
phrasal-verb

turn up growth

Meaning
to increase or accelerate the rate of growth
Example
The central bank aims to **turn up growth** by reducing interest rates.
idiom

bottle up emotions

Meaning
to keep feelings inside and not express them
Example
He tends to **bottle up his emotions**, which isn't healthy in the long run.
phrasal-verb

log back in

Meaning
to enter your account again after logging out
Example
I had to **log back in** after my session expired.
phrasal-verb

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.
phrasal-verb

sit down

Meaning
to take a seat; to lower your body to a sitting position
Example
Please **sit down** and relax for a moment.
phrasal-verb

listen with respect

Meaning
to pay attention and value other people’s perspectives during communication
Example
To understand others, we must **listen with respect** to their stories.
phrasal-verb

pull through together

Meaning
to survive a hard time by supporting one another
Example
Communities **pull through together** after harsh weather hits.
phrasal-verb

care from the heart

Meaning
to genuinely care about someone’s feelings or well-being
Example
She truly **cares from the heart** for everyone around her.
idiom

break a leg

Meaning
to wish someone good luck in a performance
Example
Before the play started, everyone told her to **break a leg**.
idiom

make a good impression

Meaning
to create a positive image of yourself in someone's mind
Example
You should dress well to **make a good impression**.
phrasal-verb

count down

Meaning
to count backward to mark the start of an event
Example
Everyone **counted down** to midnight on New Year’s Eve.
idiom

a work in progress

Meaning
something that is still being developed or improved
Example
The project is still **a work in progress**, but it's going well.
idiom

take a nosedive

Meaning
to decline suddenly and dramatically
Example
The company's stock **took a nosedive** after the scandal.
idiom

warm-hearted

Meaning
kind and sympathetic
Example
She is a **warm-hearted** person who cares for everyone.
phrasal-verb

come off

Meaning
to happen successfully; to succeed
Example
The plan **came off** just as we hoped.
phrasal-verb

smooth over conflicts

Meaning
to reduce tension after a disagreement
Example
Leads **smooth over conflicts** by reminding everyone of the goal.
idiom

brave the storm

Meaning
to face great difficulties with courage
Example
They **braved the storm** to rescue the stranded people.
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

freak over

Meaning
to become very anxious or upset about something
Example
He **freaked over** the missed deadline and couldn’t focus on anything else.
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

a debt of gratitude

Meaning
a feeling of being grateful to someone who has helped you
Example
We owe **a debt of gratitude** to our mentors.
idiom

be on edge

Meaning
to be nervous, tense, or easily upset
Example
She’s been **on edge** all day waiting for the results.
phrasal-verb

revive through

Meaning
to bring back to life or strength by specific efforts
Example
The stimulus package helped **revive through** major industrial investment.
phrasal-verb

boost up

Meaning
to increase or enhance something such as production or growth
Example
The new incentives will **boost up** industrial productivity.
idiom

pile up

Meaning
to increase into a large amount
Example
Emails tend to **pile up** over the weekend.
phrasal-verb

wait on

Meaning
to wait for something to happen before acting; to depend on
Example
We’re **waiting on** the results before making a decision.
idiom

just what the doctor ordered

Meaning
exactly what is needed or wanted
Example
A cup of tea was **just what the doctor ordered**.
idiom

rack your brains

Meaning
to think very hard about something
Example
I had to **rack my brains** to remember her name.
phrasal-verb

look beyond differences

Meaning
to focus on common goals instead of conflicts or disagreements
Example
Effective leaders **look beyond differences** to achieve unity.