move up professionally
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Expression Cards All Expressions
phrasal-verb

move up professionally

Meaning
to advance to a higher position or level in one’s career
Example
He worked hard to **move up professionally** within the company.
phrasal-verb

cut someone short

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
She tried to explain her point, but he **cut her short** halfway through.
idiom

push someone's buttons

Meaning
to deliberately annoy or upset someone
Example
He knows how to **push her buttons** when they argue.
phrasal-verb

hold on to hope

Meaning
to not give up believing that things will get better
Example
No matter how dark it seems, **hold on to hope**.
idiom

see the bigger picture

Meaning
to understand the full scope of a situation or problem
Example
To make an informed decision, you need to **see the bigger picture**.
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

get by in

Meaning
to manage to communicate in a language, though not perfectly
Example
She can **get by in** Italian, but she’s not fluent.
phrasal-verb

refer back to

Meaning
to mention or direct attention to something mentioned earlier
Example
In this section, we **refer back to** the previous findings.
idiom

Go Dutch

Meaning
To share the cost of something equally.
Example
Let’s **go Dutch** on the dinner tonight.
idiom

drill down

Meaning
to examine something in greater detail
Example
We need to **drill down** into the survey responses.
phrasal-verb

look out toward

Meaning
to show attention or awareness toward someone’s needs
Example
We should always **look out toward** those who are struggling.
idiom

a few bricks short of a load

Meaning
a little stupid or crazy
Example
He tries hard, but he’s **a few bricks short of a load**.
idiom

full of oneself

Meaning
to be overly proud or self-confident
Example
He’s so **full of himself** after getting that promotion.
idiom

fine-tune

Meaning
to make small adjustments to improve performance
Example
The team **fine-tuned** the design before the final launch.
phrasal-verb

clock in

Meaning
to record the time when you start work
Example
Employees must **clock in** when they begin their remote shifts.
idiom

cut the cord

Meaning
to become independent from someone or something
Example
It’s time for you to **cut the cord** and live on your own.
idiom

Burn rate

Meaning
The rate at which a startup spends its capital.
Example
Our **burn rate** is too high; we need to cut costs.
phrasal-verb

chase after dreams

Meaning
to actively pursue one's ambitions or desires
Example
He left his hometown to **chase after** his dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.
idiom

reach your full potential

Meaning
to achieve the maximum ability or success that you are capable of
Example
By working hard, she was able to **reach her full potential**.
idiom

under the microscope

Meaning
being examined very closely
Example
The new policy is **under the microscope** by analysts.
phrasal-verb

move beyond pain

Meaning
to heal and grow after emotional suffering
Example
She tried to **move beyond pain** and focus on her goals.
phrasal-verb

evolve from

Meaning
to develop or change gradually from a previous form or condition
Example
Modern customs often **evolve from** ancient traditions.
idiom

food for thought

Meaning
something that makes you think seriously
Example
His comment gave me **food for thought**.
phrasal-verb

step forward with confidence

Meaning
to take action or speak up boldly without fear
Example
He decided to **step forward with confidence** and share his idea.
idiom

make a name for oneself

Meaning
to become well-known or famous for something
Example
He **made a name for himself** as a creative designer.
idiom

put on the map

Meaning
to make something or someone famous or well-known
Example
The viral campaign **put the brand on the map**.
idiom

hold your horses

Meaning
to be patient; to wait
Example
**Hold your horses**! The show hasn’t started yet.
phrasal-verb

keep to oneself

Meaning
to not share thoughts or feelings with others
Example
He usually **keeps to himself** and doesn’t talk much.
idiom

fend off

Meaning
to defend against something or someone
Example
They installed lights to **fend off** raccoons in the yard.
idiom

life of the party

Meaning
the most lively and entertaining person at a party
Example
Jake is always the **life of the party**.
idiom

have a splitting headache

Meaning
to have a very bad headache
Example
I can’t focus right now; I **have a splitting headache**.
idiom

put two and two together

Meaning
to figure out something by reasoning
Example
He **put two and two together** and realized she was lying.
idiom

stick your neck out

Meaning
to take a risk by doing or saying something that others may disagree with
Example
He **stuck his neck out** to defend his colleague.
idiom

party animal

Meaning
someone who loves going to parties
Example
She’s such a **party animal**, always out on weekends.
idiom

go back and forth

Meaning
to keep changing your mind about something
Example
He’s been **going back and forth** about buying a new car.
idiom

Things will get better

Meaning
difficult situations will improve over time
Example
I know you're stressed, but remember, **things will get better**.
phrasal-verb

follow around

Meaning
to accompany someone closely, often to observe or learn
Example
New employees **follow around** seniors to learn how things work.
idiom

there’s always tomorrow

Meaning
you’ll have another chance in the future
Example
Don’t be sad about today’s failure — **there’s always tomorrow**.
phrasal-verb

sink money into

Meaning
to invest a large amount of money in something that may not be profitable
Example
They **sank money into** a risky cryptocurrency venture.
phrasal-verb

speak from experience

Meaning
to politely justify your opinion based on personal experience
Example
I **speak from experience** when I say this method really works.
phrasal-verb

storm in

Meaning
to enter suddenly and angrily, like a storm
Example
The teacher **stormed in** as the students were shouting loudly.
idiom

the tipping point

Meaning
the moment when a change becomes unstoppable
Example
Climate change has reached **the tipping point** for action.
phrasal-verb

roll in profits

Meaning
to start earning a large amount of money
Example
After launching the new app, profits began to **roll in** quickly.
phrasal-verb

hand off context

Meaning
to give background information with a task
Example
Please **hand off context** when you reassign the ticket.
phrasal-verb

cheer others on

Meaning
to encourage people to keep going
Example
Managers **cheer others on** when the team hits tough weather calls.
phrasal-verb

pick up after

Meaning
to clean or tidy after someone
Example
I’m tired of **picking up after** my messy roommates.
phrasal-verb

run out of cash

Meaning
to have no money left to continue operations or activities
Example
Many small businesses **run out of cash** during prolonged recessions.
phrasal-verb

churn out

Meaning
to produce something quickly and in large amounts, often without much quality
Example
The company has been **churning out** reports all week.
idiom

behind the times

Meaning
old-fashioned or not keeping up with modern ideas
Example
My uncle still uses a typewriter—he’s **behind the times**.
idiom

Bursting at the seams

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

plan out

Meaning
to carefully think about and arrange the details of something
Example
Let’s **plan out** the schedule so that everything runs smoothly.
idiom

foot the bill

Meaning
to pay for something, especially something expensive
Example
His father will **foot the bill** for the wedding.
phrasal-verb

cut down electricity use

Meaning
to lower the consumption of electrical power
Example
Installing solar panels helps to **cut down electricity use**.
phrasal-verb

blend across

Meaning
to mix or merge cultures or systems from different areas
Example
Global cuisines often **blend across** traditions and tastes.
phrasal-verb

think ahead to

Meaning
to consider what will happen in the future and make plans for it
Example
You should **think ahead to** where you want to be in five years.
idiom

get in shape

Meaning
to become fit through exercise
Example
He started jogging every morning to **get in shape**.
idiom

expand one's horizons

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

in layman's terms

Meaning
to explain something in simple, non-technical language
Example
Can you explain the theory **in layman's terms**?
phrasal-verb

break away from

Meaning
to stop being part of something or someone’s influence
Example
He wants to **break away from** his parents’ control.
phrasal-verb

come up trumps

Meaning
to perform unexpectedly well; to succeed when least expected
Example
She **came up trumps** and saved the project just in time.
idiom

Put the pedal to the metal

Meaning
To push harder and make a greater effort.
Example
We need to **put the pedal to the metal** if we want to meet the deadline.
phrasal-verb

back one another up

Meaning
to support or defend each other in a group
Example
In our team, we always **back one another up** during challenges.
idiom

to make a splash

Meaning
to attract a lot of attention or make a big impact
Example
Her new book **made a splash** in the literary world.
idiom

bottom out

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

spread your wings

Meaning
to start doing new and independent things
Example
After graduation, she wanted to **spread her wings**.
phrasal-verb

speak out against

Meaning
to publicly express opposition to something
Example
Many citizens **spoke out against** the unfair law.
phrasal-verb

connect on a deeper level

Meaning
to relate to someone emotionally and understand them well
Example
They **connected on a deeper level** after sharing their personal stories.
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

sharp as a tack

Meaning
very intelligent or quick-thinking
Example
She's **sharp as a tack** and always has the best answers in class.
phrasal-verb

point towards

Meaning
to indicate a direction or possible cause
Example
The evidence **points towards** a financial motive.
phrasal-verb

get used to

Meaning
to become familiar with or accustomed to something new
Example
It took her some time to **get used to** the local customs and traditions.
idiom

cut to the chase

Meaning
to get to the point quickly
Example
Let’s **cut to the chase** and discuss the main issue.
phrasal-verb

set boundaries

Meaning
to establish limits on what you will or will not do, especially in work
Example
It’s healthy to **set boundaries** between work and personal life.
idiom

personally speaking

Meaning
expressing one’s own personal view
Example
**Personally speaking**, I prefer quiet places.
phrasal-verb

check on

Meaning
to make sure someone is safe or doing well
Example
He **checked on** his grandparents after hearing about the storm.
idiom

go belly up

Meaning
to fail completely; to go bankrupt
Example
Many small businesses **went belly up** during the pandemic.
idiom

put the brakes on

Meaning
to slow down or stop an activity
Example
The company had to **put the brakes on** its expansion plans.
idiom

thick as thieves

Meaning
very close friends who share everything
Example
Those two are **thick as thieves**.
phrasal-verb

spur on innovation

Meaning
to encourage or stimulate creativity and new ideas
Example
Government incentives have **spurred on innovation** in the tech sector.
phrasal-verb

show up in

Meaning
to appear or be noticed in a specific place or situation
Example
His name **showed up in** the final list of winners.
phrasal-verb

win over voters

Meaning
to persuade people to support you or your ideas
Example
The candidate tried to **win over voters** with promises of reform.
idiom

crossing the ethical boundary

Meaning
to act in a way that goes beyond moral acceptability
Example
Using AI to manipulate emotions may be **crossing the ethical boundary**.
phrasal-verb

rise by

Meaning
to increase by a certain amount or percentage
Example
Exports **rose by** 10% in the last fiscal year.
phrasal-verb

move up the value chain

Meaning
to shift toward producing more advanced or higher-value products
Example
The nation is working to **move up the value chain** by investing in technology.
phrasal-verb

drive inclusive growth

Meaning
to promote economic growth that benefits all segments of society
Example
Governments are working to **drive inclusive growth** for all citizens.
phrasal-verb

look on the bright side of things

Meaning
to focus on the positive aspects of a situation
Example
Try to **look on the bright side of things** when things go wrong.
idiom

crossing the aisle

Meaning
when a politician supports or votes for the opposite party
Example
She surprised everyone by **crossing the aisle** to support the bill.
phrasal-verb

be over the moon

Meaning
to be extremely happy or delighted
Example
He was **over the moon** when he got his dream job.
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.
idiom

open up about

Meaning
to share personal thoughts or feelings
Example
He finally **opened up about** the project stress.
phrasal-verb

lay things out for

Meaning
to explain or arrange information clearly for a purpose
Example
She **laid things out for** the team so everyone knew their tasks.
idiom

talk behind someone's back

Meaning
to say bad things about someone when they are not present
Example
I don’t like people who **talk behind my back**.
phrasal-verb

fuel up on

Meaning
to eat or drink something to gain energy
Example
We **fuel up on** oatmeal before the morning hike.
idiom

hit the same wavelength

Meaning
to share similar thoughts and feelings
Example
We **hit the same wavelength** from the first conversation.
idiom

surf the net

Meaning
to browse or explore websites on the internet
Example
I usually **surf the net** before going to bed.
phrasal-verb

simmer down with

Meaning
to calm yourself by using something soothing
Example
He **simmers down with** a cup of tea after tense meetings.
phrasal-verb

show up as

Meaning
to appear in a particular way or form
Example
Your mistake **shows up as** a red mark on the report.
phrasal-verb

talk it over

Meaning
to discuss something to solve a problem or misunderstanding
Example
Let’s **talk it over** and clear things up.
idiom

throw oneself at someone's mercy

Meaning
to ask for forgiveness and hope for kindness
Example
She **threw herself at the teacher’s mercy** after missing the deadline.
idiom

hockey stick growth

Meaning
a sharp increase in growth after a period of slow progress
Example
The startup saw **hockey stick growth** after launching their new feature.
phrasal-verb

go on

Meaning
to happen or take place
Example
The celebration **went on** until midnight with music and dance.
phrasal-verb

dip down

Meaning
to fall slightly before rising again
Example
Stock prices **dipped down** briefly before rebounding.
phrasal-verb

keep inflation in check

Meaning
to control inflation and prevent it from rising too much
Example
The government is trying to **keep inflation in check** through monetary policies.
phrasal-verb

check within

Meaning
to pause and observe your own emotions or state of mind
Example
Before reacting, **check within** to understand your feelings.
phrasal-verb

relate to

Meaning
to understand and identify with someone’s experiences or emotions
Example
I can really **relate to** your situation because I went through something similar.
idiom

soft power

Meaning
a country's ability to influence others through culture or values rather than force
Example
Japan uses **soft power** to promote its culture worldwide.
phrasal-verb

shut oneself in

Meaning
to isolate oneself from others to avoid stress
Example
He **shut himself in** his office to avoid interruptions.
phrasal-verb

add to

Meaning
to include an item in your online shopping cart
Example
I always **add to** my cart before comparing prices on other websites.
idiom

hang out with

Meaning
to spend time with friends
Example
We usually **hang out with** our classmates after school.
phrasal-verb

cool yourself off

Meaning
to calm down after being angry or excited
Example
He went for a walk to **cool himself off** after the argument.
idiom

out of shape

Meaning
to be unfit or unhealthy due to lack of exercise
Example
I’m so **out of shape** after sitting at a desk all day.
phrasal-verb

stir up demand

Meaning
to increase or stimulate consumer demand
Example
Lower interest rates can **stir up demand** for housing and cars.
idiom

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

Meaning
Going from a bad situation to an even worse one.
Example
Quitting that job put him **out of the frying pan and into the fire**.
phrasal-verb

sing the praises of

Meaning
to praise enthusiastically
Example
The director **sang the praises of** the team after the event.
idiom

Lay bricks for the future

Meaning
To build a strong foundation for future success.
Example
Education helps children **lay bricks for the future**.
idiom

hard sell

Meaning
an aggressive or forceful sales approach
Example
Customers today dislike the **hard sell** approach.
phrasal-verb

cut down unemployment

Meaning
to reduce the rate of people without jobs
Example
Industrial expansion aims to **cut down unemployment** in rural areas.
idiom

tough cookie

Meaning
a strong and determined person
Example
She’s a **tough cookie** who never gives up easily.
idiom

trust someone with your life

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
I’d **trust her with my life**.
phrasal-verb

think outside boundaries

Meaning
to think creatively without restrictions or limitations
Example
Designers must **think outside boundaries** to stay innovative.