pay homage to
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phrasal-verb

pay homage to

Meaning
to show deep respect or tribute to someone or something
Example
Citizens **pay homage to** national heroes on Independence Day.
phrasal-verb

keep pushing forward

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

rise above hurt

Meaning
to move past emotional pain and not let it control you
Example
She learned to **rise above hurt** and forgive others.
idiom

riding the wave

Meaning
taking advantage of a current trend or success
Example
The company is **riding the wave** of its recent success in the international market.
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.
idiom

stormy relationship

Meaning
a relationship full of arguments and conflicts
Example
They had a **stormy relationship** for many years.
phrasal-verb

soak in positivity

Meaning
to absorb good energy and positive thoughts
Example
Surround yourself with good people and **soak in positivity**.
phrasal-verb

get across feelings

Meaning
to successfully communicate how you feel
Example
He couldn’t **get across** his feelings properly in the letter.
phrasal-verb

zone back

Meaning
to return mental focus after distraction or stress
Example
After a short break, I managed to **zone back** into my work.
phrasal-verb

clam up with

Meaning
to suddenly stop talking because of shyness or fear
Example
He **clammed up with** embarrassment when everyone stared at him.
idiom

sworn enemy

Meaning
someone who will never be your friend
Example
They used to be close but now are **sworn enemies**.
idiom

against all odds

Meaning
despite great difficulties or challenges
Example
She succeeded **against all odds** and became a doctor.
idiom

phishing for information

Meaning
attempting to obtain sensitive information by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity
Example
He was **phishing for information** by pretending to be from the bank.
phrasal-verb

grow beyond

Meaning
to develop emotionally past a previous limitation or belief
Example
She’s trying to **grow beyond** her old fears and doubts.
phrasal-verb

forward to

Meaning
to send a received message to another person
Example
Can you **forward** this message **to** the manager?
idiom

get a good deal

Meaning
to buy something at a low price; to make a bargain
Example
I **got a good deal** on this phone online.
idiom

Pilot project

Meaning
A small-scale experiment to test a concept.
Example
We launched a **pilot project** before going nationwide.
phrasal-verb

breathe out worries

Meaning
to exhale and mentally release your stress and fears
Example
I take a deep breath and **breathe out worries** before bedtime.
phrasal-verb

pay in

Meaning
to deposit money into a bank or account
Example
She **paid in** a large sum yesterday.
idiom

Living beyond one’s means

Meaning
Spending more money than one can afford.
Example
Many people get into debt by **living beyond their means**.
idiom

trust one's judgment

Meaning
to believe in someone's decision or ability to make good choices
Example
I always **trust her judgment** when it comes to hiring decisions.
phrasal-verb

tune up

Meaning
to prepare or adjust an instrument for better performance
Example
The guitarist **tuned up** his instrument before the show.
phrasal-verb

warm up to someone

Meaning
to begin to like or trust someone
Example
She slowly **warmed up to** her new classmates.
phrasal-verb

come on board

Meaning
to join a team or project
Example
We’re excited for you to **come on board** our project.
idiom

get a handle on something

Meaning
to understand or gain control of something
Example
I'm trying to **get a handle on** the new software.
phrasal-verb

ask for forgiveness

Meaning
to request someone to forgive you
Example
I will **ask for forgiveness** for what I did.
phrasal-verb

get down

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

light up for

Meaning
to become visibly happy or excited when seeing someone or something
Example
Her eyes **lit up for** her little son as he ran to her.
B1 idiom

all ears

Listening very attentively
Meaning
Listening very attentively
Example
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
idiom

at war with oneself

Meaning
to be conflicted or struggling internally
Example
She is **at war with herself** about the decision to move abroad.
idiom

patch things up

Meaning
to repair a relationship after a disagreement
Example
They finally **patched things up** after their fight.
idiom

moonlight as

Meaning
to work at a second job, especially secretly or part-time
Example
She decided to **moonlight as** a freelance writer to make extra money.
phrasal-verb

trip up

Meaning
to make someone make a mistake; to make an error
Example
The interviewer tried to **trip up** the candidate with tricky questions.
phrasal-verb

grow emotionally

Meaning
to become more mature in handling emotions and relationships
Example
You can **grow emotionally** by being honest about your feelings.
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

market share

Meaning
the portion of a market controlled by a particular company or product
Example
The company increased its **market share** after launching the new product.
idiom

balance of power

Meaning
the distribution of power between nations to prevent any one nation from becoming too powerful
Example
The United Nations aims to maintain the **balance of power** among its member states.
phrasal-verb

take heart from

Meaning
to gain comfort or courage because of something
Example
Volunteers **take heart from** every thank-you message they receive.
phrasal-verb

reach beyond limits

Meaning
to try to achieve more than what seems possible; to go further than your comfort zone
Example
She always inspires others to **reach beyond limits** and dream big.
idiom

data breach

Meaning
unauthorized access to confidential information
Example
The company suffered a major **data breach** last year.
phrasal-verb

call up

Meaning
to phone someone
Example
I’ll **call up** my friend to invite him to dinner.
idiom

in the clear

Meaning
not guilty or free from suspicion
Example
After the investigation, he was found to be **in the clear**.
phrasal-verb

catch at

Meaning
to try to grab something quickly; to take advantage of an opportunity suddenly
Example
He **caught at** the rope before he fell off the boat.
idiom

narrow down

Meaning
to reduce a list of options to a smaller number
Example
We’ve **narrowed down** the candidates to the final three.
idiom

Have something up your sleeve

Meaning
To have a secret plan or idea.
Example
Don’t worry, he **has something up his sleeve** for the project.
phrasal-verb

cool off after

Meaning
to calm down after being angry or upset
Example
He went for a walk to **cool off after** the argument.
phrasal-verb

hold in

Meaning
to control your emotions or not express them
Example
She tried to **hold in** her laughter during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

point down

Meaning
to direct something downward
Example
He **pointed down** to show where the leak was.
idiom

in the limelight

Meaning
to be the focus of public attention
Example
After winning the award, he was **in the limelight** for months.
idiom

truth be told

Meaning
to admit something honestly
Example
**Truth be told**, I don’t really like this movie.
idiom

smoke and mirrors

Meaning
something that is intended to deceive or confuse
Example
The company’s promises were just **smoke and mirrors**.
idiom

taste of success

Meaning
to experience success for the first time
Example
After years of struggle, he finally got a **taste of success**.
idiom

by leaps and bounds

Meaning
to progress or improve very quickly
Example
Her English has improved **by leaps and bounds**.
idiom

jump in on

Meaning
to join an activity or discussion quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in on** the brainstorming if you have ideas.
phrasal-verb

bring out leadership qualities

Meaning
to help someone display or develop leadership traits
Example
Training sessions are designed to **bring out leadership qualities** in employees.
idiom

measure twice, cut once

Meaning
to plan carefully before taking action
Example
Before starting the project, he always says **measure twice, cut once**.
phrasal-verb

cut off negativity

Meaning
to remove negative influences or thoughts
Example
He learned to **cut off negativity** to stay mentally strong.
phrasal-verb

keep away

Meaning
to stay at a distance; to avoid something or someone
Example
You should **keep away** from junk food if you want to stay healthy.
idiom

ring in the new year

Meaning
to celebrate the start of a new year
Example
We gathered downtown to **ring in the new year** together.
phrasal-verb

open up new horizons

Meaning
to create new opportunities for learning or understanding different cultures
Example
Studying abroad can **open up new horizons** for personal and cultural growth.
phrasal-verb

reach across borders

Meaning
to cooperate internationally; to form connections beyond national boundaries
Example
Organizations are striving to **reach across borders** to solve global problems.
idiom

Keep the tradition alive

Meaning
To continue practicing a custom so that it is not forgotten
Example
Every year we celebrate this festival to **keep the tradition alive**.
idiom

a fine line

Meaning
a very small difference between two things
Example
There’s **a fine line** between genius and madness in art.
phrasal-verb

ask over

Meaning
to invite someone to your place, often to talk or apologize
Example
He **asked her over** to say sorry for what happened.
idiom

jump in

Meaning
to join an activity quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in** if you have suggestions.
phrasal-verb

bring out clarity

Meaning
to make thoughts or feelings clearer
Example
Writing in a journal can **bring out clarity** about what you truly feel.
idiom

once bitten, twice shy

Meaning
after an unpleasant experience, you are careful to avoid it happening again
Example
After losing money in the stock market, he became **once bitten, twice shy**.
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

cut down workforce

Meaning
to reduce the number of employees
Example
Due to reduced demand, the factory **cut down workforce** by 20 percent.
phrasal-verb

work on

Meaning
to spend time improving or developing something
Example
Our team is **working on** an advanced AI model.
idiom

chase rainbows

Meaning
to try to achieve something impossible
Example
Stop **chasing rainbows** and focus on reality.
idiom

step in

Meaning
to become involved in order to help or stop something
Example
The manager will **step in** if the discussion gets heated.
idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to **get their hands dirty** when necessary.
idiom

over the horizon

Meaning
something that is expected to happen soon
Example
A big change in the market may be **over the horizon**.
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

weather the storm

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
Our company managed to **weather the storm** during the crisis.
idiom

play dirty

Meaning
to use unfair or dishonest methods to win
Example
Politicians often **play dirty** during elections.
idiom

to break new ground

Meaning
to do something innovative or unprecedented
Example
The company’s new app **broke new ground** in terms of user experience.
idiom

pull the plug

Meaning
to stop something; to end support for a project or activity
Example
The company decided to **pull the plug** on the outdated app.
idiom

under someone's thumb

Meaning
completely under someone's control
Example
He's **under his boss's thumb** and can't make his own decisions.
phrasal-verb

move beyond anger

Meaning
to let go of resentment and focus on reconciliation
Example
She learned to **move beyond anger** and rebuild trust.
phrasal-verb

set things straight with

Meaning
to clarify or resolve a misunderstanding
Example
He met her to **set things straight with** her after the confusion.
phrasal-verb

open yourself up to feedback

Meaning
to be willing to receive and accept constructive criticism
Example
To grow, you need to **open yourself up to feedback** from others.
idiom

Bet your bottom dollar

Meaning
To be very sure or confident about something.
Example
You can **bet your bottom dollar** that he’ll show up late again.
idiom

driving innovation

Meaning
leading or inspiring new and creative ideas.
Example
The startup is **driving innovation** in renewable energy solutions.
phrasal-verb

reach down for

Meaning
to extend one’s hand to help someone get up or reach something
Example
He **reached down for** the child who had fallen.
phrasal-verb

break into tech

Meaning
to start working in the technology industry
Example
She worked hard to **break into tech** after finishing her degree.
idiom

Gordian knot

Meaning
A very complex or unsolvable problem.
Example
The issue of climate change is like a **Gordian knot** that needs bold action.
phrasal-verb

park ideas for later

Meaning
to set suggestions aside for future review
Example
We **park ideas for later** when the sprint board is already full.
idiom

count to ten

Meaning
to pause and calm down before reacting in anger
Example
When you’re upset, just **count to ten** before speaking.
phrasal-verb

copy out

Meaning
to write something again exactly as it is
Example
The students were asked to **copy out** the paragraph neatly.
idiom

driven by passion

Meaning
to be motivated by strong enthusiasm or love for something
Example
He is **driven by passion** to help others succeed.
idiom

not lose heart

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

miss the boat

Meaning
to miss an opportunity
Example
If you don’t book early, you’ll **miss the boat**.
idiom

a blessing in disguise

Meaning
something that seems bad but results in something good
Example
Losing that job was **a blessing in disguise**.
phrasal-verb

lay out concepts

Meaning
to present or explain creative ideas clearly
Example
The designer **laid out concepts** for the new brand identity.
phrasal-verb

jump out at

Meaning
to be immediately noticeable or surprising
Example
The bright colors really **jump out at** you.
phrasal-verb

get back on one's feet

Meaning
to recover after a difficult period; to regain stability
Example
It took him several months to **get back on his feet** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

go off

Meaning
to stop liking something
Example
I’ve **gone off** coffee lately.
idiom

cold shoulder

Meaning
to ignore someone deliberately
Example
After the argument, she gave him the **cold shoulder** for days.
phrasal-verb

depend on exports

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

wipe down

Meaning
to clean a surface by rubbing it with a cloth
Example
Don’t forget to **wipe down** the kitchen counter after cooking.
phrasal-verb

drive up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods or services sold abroad
Example
The new trade policies are designed to **drive up exports**.
phrasal-verb

filter out negativity

Meaning
to remove negative thoughts or influences from your mind
Example
Try to **filter out negativity** and focus on what’s good.
idiom

on fire

Meaning
performing very well; full of energy and success
Example
The sales team is **on fire** this month!
idiom

step up to the plate

Meaning
to take responsibility for doing something important
Example
When the leader resigned, she **stepped up to the plate** and took charge.
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

juggle work and life

Meaning
to manage both work and personal life at the same time
Example
It's not easy to **juggle work and life**, but I try to do my best.
phrasal-verb

snow in

Meaning
to be trapped somewhere because of heavy snow
Example
We were **snowed in** for two days after the blizzard.
idiom

play a part

Meaning
to have a role or influence in something
Example
She **played a part** in making the project successful.
phrasal-verb

share out

Meaning
to distribute something equally among members of a group
Example
The organization **shared out** resources to support developing countries.
phrasal-verb

deal with conflict

Meaning
to manage or resolve disagreements or disputes
Example
Managers often need to **deal with conflict** among team members.
idiom

take under one’s wing

Meaning
to look after someone and help them develop
Example
The teacher **took the new student under her wing**.
phrasal-verb

drive yourself forward

Meaning
to motivate yourself to keep progressing
Example
She constantly **drives herself forward** to reach her goals.
idiom

True friends stab you in the front

Meaning
A true friend tells you harsh truths to your face.
Example
She’s not afraid to tell me the truth, because **true friends stab you in the front**.
phrasal-verb

follow up with clients

Meaning
to contact someone again after an initial meeting or communication
Example
Don’t forget to **follow up with clients** after sending the proposal.
idiom

head out

Meaning
to leave for a destination
Example
Let’s **head out** before the traffic gets heavy.
idiom

build a better mousetrap

Meaning
to improve an existing product or idea
Example
Every tech company tries to **build a better mousetrap** in its field.
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

talk around

Meaning
to persuade someone by discussion
Example
We finally **talked her around** to joining the team.
idiom

show initiative

Meaning
to take action without being told what to do
Example
Employees are encouraged to **show initiative** and come up with solutions on their own.