move up the ranks
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idiom

move up the ranks

Meaning
to be promoted to higher positions over time
Example
He started as an assistant but quickly **moved up the ranks**.
phrasal-verb

loop in on

Meaning
to include someone in information or discussions
Example
Please **loop me in on** any decisions about the new policy.
idiom

carry on luggage

Meaning
small bags taken with you on a plane or trip
Example
She packed all her essentials in her **carry on luggage**.
idiom

corner the market

Meaning
to dominate a particular market
Example
They’ve managed to **corner the market** in organic products.
idiom

Never give up

Meaning
Always continue trying despite difficulties.
Example
No matter how hard it is, **never give up**.
phrasal-verb

talk down

Meaning
to speak in a way that shows you think someone is less intelligent
Example
Don’t **talk down** to your colleagues; it’s disrespectful.
phrasal-verb

shuffle ideas around

Meaning
to rearrange different thoughts to find a new approach
Example
Designers **shuffle ideas around** until a better concept appears.
idiom

every cloud has a silver lining

Meaning
every difficult situation has a hopeful aspect
Example
I was sad when I lost my job, but then I found a better one. **Every cloud has a silver lining**.
idiom

ground control

Meaning
authority or people managing a situation
Example
In this project, Sarah is **ground control**.
idiom

in the mood

Meaning
feeling like doing something or having a particular attitude
Example
I'm **in the mood** for some chocolate cake today.
phrasal-verb

buy in on

Meaning
to agree to support a plan or idea
Example
Managers **buy in on** the strategy once they see the cost savings.
idiom

sit tight

Meaning
to stay calm and wait patiently
Example
Just **sit tight** and wait for the results.
idiom

pivot

Meaning
to change direction or strategy in response to market feedback or failure
Example
After the initial product launch failed, the team decided to **pivot** to a new business model.
idiom

scare the life out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That horror movie **scared the life out of me**.
phrasal-verb

see over

Meaning
to inspect a place, especially a house or building
Example
We went to **see over** the new apartment before signing the contract.
idiom

move up the ladder

Meaning
to be promoted or advance in one’s job
Example
She hopes to **move up the ladder** by the end of the year.
phrasal-verb

patch things up with

Meaning
to repair a relationship after an argument or conflict
Example
They finally **patched things up with** each other after weeks of silence.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself through

Meaning
to calmly guide yourself with inner talk during anxiety
Example
When your heart races, **talk yourself through** it with reassuring words.
idiom

It's always darkest before the dawn

Meaning
Things are usually worst just before they improve.
Example
Keep going, **it's always darkest before the dawn**.
idiom

parallel universe

Meaning
a completely different or contrasting situation
Example
Life in the countryside feels like a **parallel universe** compared to the city.
idiom

join up with

Meaning
to become part of a group or team
Example
She’ll **join up with** the outreach crew tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

bring around to

Meaning
to change someone’s opinion to match yours
Example
It took me hours to **bring him around to** my way of thinking.
idiom

a burning desire

Meaning
a strong and intense wish to achieve something
Example
She has **a burning desire** to become the best in her field.
phrasal-verb

build upon trust

Meaning
to strengthen relationships by relying on mutual trust
Example
A successful team must **build upon trust** to work efficiently.
idiom

Keep someone posted

Meaning
To keep someone informed about something.
Example
Please **keep me posted** about any updates.
idiom

slow as a snail

Meaning
very slow or lazy in movement or action
Example
He walks **slow as a snail** in the morning.
idiom

once in a while

Meaning
sometimes, but not very often
Example
I enjoy eating out **once in a while**, but I prefer home-cooked meals.
idiom

tickled pink

Meaning
very pleased or delighted
Example
She was **tickled pink** by the surprise gift.
idiom

to hack into

Meaning
to gain unauthorized access to a system or network
Example
The attackers managed **to hack into** the company's internal servers.
idiom

hold sway

Meaning
to have great influence or power over others
Example
The leader **held sway** over the entire organization.
idiom

add insult to injury

Meaning
to make a bad situation even worse
Example
First, they lost the game, and then, to **add insult to injury**, their bus broke down.
idiom

political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
Immigration reform has become a **political hot potato** for the government.
phrasal-verb

warm up to gratitude

Meaning
to gradually become more appreciative or thankful
Example
He **warmed up to gratitude** after realizing how much support he had.
idiom

roam around

Meaning
to travel or walk around aimlessly
Example
We spent the afternoon **roaming around** the old city.
phrasal-verb

set aside for

Meaning
to reserve a specific time for virtual meetings or work
Example
I’ve **set aside for** an hour every morning to check emails.
phrasal-verb

go straight

Meaning
to continue moving forward without turning
Example
Just **go straight** for two blocks and you’ll see the park on your right.
idiom

be a person of your word

Meaning
to be someone who keeps their promises
Example
She is truly **a person of her word**, always doing what she says.
idiom

the scoop

Meaning
exclusive or sensational news
Example
The journalist got **the scoop** on the celebrity wedding.
idiom

pivot on a dime

Meaning
to change direction or strategy quickly
Example
Startups often have to **pivot on a dime** when market trends shift.
phrasal-verb

bounce off

Meaning
to discuss an idea with someone to get their opinion
Example
I’d like to **bounce off** a few ideas with you before the presentation.
idiom

think on one's feet

Meaning
to be able to make quick decisions and act quickly, especially in an emergency
Example
During the meeting, she had to **think on her feet** and come up with a solution.
phrasal-verb

stand up for democracy

Meaning
to defend or support the principles of democracy
Example
Citizens gathered to **stand up for democracy** during the national protest.
phrasal-verb

think outside boundaries

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

push on through

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
Even when tired, she decided to **push on through** the pain.
idiom

in a pickle

Meaning
in a difficult or tricky situation
Example
I'm **in a pickle** because I double-booked my meetings.
phrasal-verb

cool down after

Meaning
to gently relax following exercise or effort
Example
Always **cool down after** intense matches to avoid injury.
phrasal-verb

take time off

Meaning
to stop working temporarily for rest or recovery
Example
I'm going to **take time off** next week to recharge.
phrasal-verb

adapt to

Meaning
to change your behavior to fit a new situation or culture
Example
It takes patience to **adapt to** a completely different lifestyle.
idiom

cut through the red tape

Meaning
to remove bureaucratic obstacles or delays
Example
The new policy helps **cut through the red tape** and speed up approvals.
phrasal-verb

look up

Meaning
to visit someone after a long time
Example
When you are in town, **look me up**.
idiom

artificial empathy

Meaning
AI's ability to simulate or mimic human emotions
Example
The robot therapist shows **artificial empathy** during sessions.
idiom

to lose your nerve

Meaning
to lose courage and become too afraid to do something
Example
He wanted to jump, but he **lost his nerve** at the last second.
phrasal-verb

rant about

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

foster in

Meaning
to promote the development of a quality or idea within someone or a group
Example
The program aims to **foster in** participants a sense of responsibility.
phrasal-verb

bulk up

Meaning
to gain muscle and become stronger
Example
He started lifting heavier weights to **bulk up**.
phrasal-verb

walk along

Meaning
to move on foot beside something for some distance
Example
**Walk along** the river until you reach the bridge.
idiom

lay aside

Meaning
to put something away temporarily
Example
Please **lay aside** your phones during the briefing.
idiom

show true colors

Meaning
to reveal one’s real character or intentions
Example
He **showed his true colors** when he took charge of the team.
idiom

pass sentence

Meaning
to announce a punishment in court
Example
The judge will **pass sentence** next week.
phrasal-verb

dispose of

Meaning
to throw something away or get rid of it properly
Example
You must **dispose of** batteries safely to prevent pollution.
phrasal-verb

lean emotionally on

Meaning
to depend on someone for emotional support
Example
During tough times, she **leaned emotionally on** her best friend.
idiom

to be ahead of the curve

Meaning
to be more advanced than others
Example
Her research was **ahead of the curve** in the field of artificial intelligence.
phrasal-verb

give over

Meaning
to stop doing something; to hand control to someone
Example
He finally **gave over** his duties to his assistant.
phrasal-verb

raise concern about

Meaning
to express worry or doubt about an issue
Example
Activists **raised concern about** the pollution levels in the river.
phrasal-verb

toy with

Meaning
to consider an idea casually without serious intention
Example
He’s been **toying with** the idea of developing a creative AI tool.
idiom

break free

Meaning
to escape from control or restriction
Example
She wanted to **break free** from her routine life.
phrasal-verb

mess up

Meaning
to make a mistake; to spoil something
Example
I really **messed up** my presentation yesterday.
idiom

lightning fast

Meaning
extremely fast
Example
She replied **lightning fast** to the email.
idiom

start off on the right foot

Meaning
to begin something well or positively
Example
I want to **start off on the right foot** with my new job.
idiom

to take the bull by the horns

Meaning
to confront a problem or challenge directly and with determination
Example
We need to **take the bull by the horns** and start making decisions now.
phrasal-verb

pick up steam

Meaning
to start becoming more active or successful
Example
The manufacturing sector began to **pick up steam** after months of stagnation.
phrasal-verb

burst out crying

Meaning
to suddenly start crying loudly
Example
The child **burst out crying** when his toy broke.
phrasal-verb

channel energy into

Meaning
to direct your effort toward a specific goal
Example
He **channels energy into** creative hobbies to relieve stress.
phrasal-verb

slow your pace

Meaning
to move or work more slowly to reduce stress
Example
When I feel tense, I remind myself to **slow my pace** and take it easy.
phrasal-verb

drag into conflict

Meaning
to involve someone unwillingly in a dispute or war
Example
The smaller nation was **dragged into conflict** by its allies.
idiom

cat nap

Meaning
a short sleep during the day
Example
I took a **cat nap** before the meeting.
phrasal-verb

fade out

Meaning
to gradually disappear from view or sound
Example
The music **faded out** as the credits rolled.
phrasal-verb

invest in infrastructure

Meaning
to spend money on buildings, systems, or services for long-term development
Example
Developing nations are trying to **invest in infrastructure** to support economic growth.
idiom

Cultural shock

Meaning
A feeling of confusion when exposed to a different culture or way of life
Example
Moving from a small village to a big city gave me **cultural shock**.
idiom

cut someone down to size

Meaning
to criticize someone to make them feel less important
Example
The manager **cut him down to size** after he bragged too much.
idiom

Blue skies thinking

Meaning
Creative or open-minded thinking without limits.
Example
Our brainstorming session encouraged **blue skies thinking**.
idiom

it takes two to tango

Meaning
both people involved in a situation are equally responsible
Example
You can't blame only him for the argument - **it takes two to tango**.
idiom

Don’t give up hope

Meaning
Keep believing that things will get better.
Example
**Don’t give up hope**, miracles can happen any time.
idiom

ramp up

Meaning
to increase the intensity or amount of something
Example
We need to **ramp up** production before the holidays.
phrasal-verb

pump into

Meaning
to invest a large amount of money in something
Example
They **pumped into** the real estate sector during the boom years.
idiom

stay ahead of the game

Meaning
to be more successful or prepared than others
Example
To **stay ahead of the game**, you must always keep learning.
idiom

game changer

Meaning
an idea or event that changes everything significantly
Example
The new app was a real **game changer** for the company.
phrasal-verb

lay out expectations

Meaning
to clearly explain what you expect from others
Example
At the beginning of the project, the manager **laid out expectations** for the entire team.
idiom

beat oneself up

Meaning
to blame yourself too much for something
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up** over one mistake.
phrasal-verb

hand back

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

hand in through

Meaning
to submit work using an online platform
Example
All assignments must be **handed in through** the company portal.
phrasal-verb

scroll down

Meaning
to move the page downward to see more content
Example
Just **scroll down** to read the full post.
idiom

Get off the ground

Meaning
To start successfully; to begin operating.
Example
Our startup finally **got off the ground** after months of planning.
idiom

a silver lining

Meaning
a positive aspect in a difficult situation
Example
Losing my job was tough, but the **silver lining** was that I found a better one.
phrasal-verb

keep in

Meaning
to not allow someone to go out; to hold inside
Example
The teacher **kept in** the students after class for talking too much.
idiom

feeling low

Meaning
feeling depressed or unhappy
Example
I’ve been **feeling low** lately due to stress.
idiom

pass the buck

Meaning
to shift responsibility to someone else.
Example
Don’t **pass the buck**; you need to take ownership of your actions.
idiom

under someone's nose

Meaning
in an obvious place or situation where someone should have noticed
Example
The keys were **under my nose** the whole time on the kitchen table.
idiom

gear down

Meaning
to slow the pace of activity
Example
We can **gear down** after the product launch is stable.
phrasal-verb

run across

Meaning
to find or meet something or someone by chance
Example
I **ran across** an interesting article online.
idiom

read between the lines

Meaning
to understand the hidden meaning behind something
Example
She said everything was fine, but if you **read between the lines**, you could tell she was upset.
phrasal-verb

burn off

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

forgive and forget

Meaning
to stop being angry and not remember someone’s mistake
Example
Let’s **forgive and forget** and move on.
idiom

short circuit

Meaning
to cause a sudden failure; to interrupt a process abruptly
Example
A small mistake **short-circuited** the entire project.
idiom

Masterpiece

Meaning
A work of outstanding artistry or craftsmanship.
Example
The sculpture he created is truly a **masterpiece**.
idiom

to boot up

Meaning
to start something; to begin working or functioning
Example
Let’s **boot up** the new project today and see how it goes.
idiom

In for the long haul

Meaning
Prepared to continue something for a long time.
Example
He knew that success would take years, but he was **in for the long haul**.
idiom

on the sly

Meaning
secretly; in a sneaky way
Example
He met her **on the sly** without telling anyone.
idiom

talk someone into something

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
He **talked me into** going to the gym with him.
idiom

Lay bricks for the future

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

keep to

Meaning
to stick to something such as a rule or plan
Example
Please **keep to** the schedule.
idiom

go nuclear

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

better safe than sorry

Meaning
It’s wiser to be cautious than to take risks and regret later.
Example
I always double-check the locks — **better safe than sorry**.
phrasal-verb

freak out with joy

Meaning
to react very excitedly and happily
Example
They **freaked out with joy** when they won the contest.
phrasal-verb

tap into new markets

Meaning
to start selling in new regions or countries
Example
The company is trying to **tap into new markets** in Asia and Africa.
idiom

Out to pasture

Meaning
To retire someone or something from active use.
Example
The old manager was finally **put out to pasture** last year.
phrasal-verb

let yourself rest

Meaning
to allow yourself to take a break and relax
Example
You should **let yourself rest** after such a long day.
idiom

crystal ball

Meaning
the ability to predict the future
Example
I don’t have a **crystal ball**, so I can’t tell what will happen.
phrasal-verb

end up

Meaning
to finally do or be in a particular situation
Example
If you don’t plan well, you might **end up** wasting time.
phrasal-verb

forge partnerships with

Meaning
to build strong working relationships with others
Example
Our diplomats **forge partnerships with** innovators at global forums.
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.