pick off
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phrasal-verb

pick off

Meaning
to shoot or remove one by one
Example
The sniper **picked off** the enemies from a distance.
phrasal-verb

phase in recovery

Meaning
to introduce recovery measures gradually over time
Example
The government decided to **phase in recovery** policies to avoid economic shocks.
phrasal-verb

push aside doubts

Meaning
to ignore fears or uncertainties and keep moving
Example
She **pushed aside doubts** and followed her instincts.
phrasal-verb

prioritize over

Meaning
to give more importance to one thing than another
Example
You should **prioritize over** urgent tasks before anything else.
idiom

penny wise, pound foolish

Meaning
being careful with small amounts of money but careless with large amounts
Example
She refuses to buy a $10 book, but spends $100 on clothes; she's **penny wise, pound foolish**.
idiom

pop the question

Meaning
to ask someone to marry you
Example
He finally **popped the question** during dinner.
phrasal-verb

point around

Meaning
to show multiple directions or places
Example
The guide **pointed around** the historical landmarks.
idiom

Pick up the tab

Meaning
To pay the bill for something.
Example
John offered to **pick up the tab** for everyone.
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.
phrasal-verb

phase out debts

Meaning
to gradually reduce or eliminate debts
Example
The government plans to **phase out debts** over the next decade.
idiom

play on someone's emotions

Meaning
to influence someone by appealing to their feelings
Example
The ad tries to **play on people's emotions** to sell products.
phrasal-verb

point towards

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

press ahead with confidence

Meaning
to move forward positively despite difficulties
Example
We must **press ahead with confidence** even if challenges arise.
phrasal-verb

pick through

Meaning
to look through things to find what you want
Example
He **picked through** the old books looking for his favorite one.
idiom

Pay dividends

Meaning
To bring benefits or rewards later.
Example
Investing in education always **pays dividends** in the long run.
phrasal-verb

put forward

Meaning
to suggest an idea; to propose
Example
He **put forward** a new plan during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

pull out

Meaning
to move into traffic from the side of the road
Example
Be careful when you **pull out** from a parking space.
phrasal-verb

pull through with

Meaning
to succeed in surviving or recovering with effort or support
Example
The country managed to **pull through with** international assistance.
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

Put one's nose to the grindstone

Meaning
To focus on hard work and continuous effort.
Example
She really had to **put her nose to the grindstone** to get the promotion.
idiom

phishing

Meaning
A method of trying to gather personal information using deceptive emails, websites, or other communications.
Example
He received an email that looked legitimate, but it was actually a **phishing** attempt.
idiom

picture perfect

Meaning
completely flawless or ideal
Example
Their wedding day was **picture perfect**.
phrasal-verb

pay someone off

Meaning
to give someone money to make them leave or stop working for you
Example
They **paid him off** after ten years of service.
idiom

play both sides

Meaning
to support opposing parties to gain advantage
Example
Some lobbyists are known to **play both sides** of the issue.
idiom

put it in a nutshell

Meaning
to explain something in a very clear and concise way
Example
To **put it in a nutshell**, the project was a success.
idiom

pair off

Meaning
to form groups of two
Example
Students will **pair off** for the lab experiment.
phrasal-verb

preserve up

Meaning
to maintain or keep something in its original condition for the future
Example
We must **preserve up** our traditional dance forms.
phrasal-verb

pop into chat

Meaning
to join a conversation or chat briefly
Example
He **popped into the chat** just to say hi.
phrasal-verb

put back

Meaning
to return something to its place; to delay an event
Example
Please **put back** the book when you’re done reading.
idiom

play God

Meaning
to make decisions that have extreme control over life or morality
Example
Some people fear AI researchers are trying to **play God**.
phrasal-verb

pull together for

Meaning
to work jointly to achieve something
Example
Nations must **pull together for** a stable global economy.
idiom

paint the town red

Meaning
to go out and celebrate wildly
Example
After the exam, we decided to **paint the town red**.
idiom

pipe dream

Meaning
an unrealistic or impossible hope
Example
Becoming a billionaire overnight is just a **pipe dream**.
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.
idiom

pep up

Meaning
to make someone or something more lively or energetic
Example
A quick walk outside always **peps me up** in the afternoon.
idiom

pharming

Meaning
a cyber attack that redirects a website’s traffic to a fraudulent site to steal information
Example
The victim's bank details were stolen due to a **pharming** attack.
idiom

plug and play

Meaning
easy to use without complex setup
Example
The new printer is **plug and play** – no installation needed.
phrasal-verb

pay someone back

Meaning
to take revenge; to return money owed
Example
I’ll **pay you back** for what you did to me.
phrasal-verb

pay down

Meaning
to reduce a debt gradually by making regular payments
Example
She’s trying to **pay down** her credit card debt.
idiom

playing the long game

Meaning
making decisions or taking actions with long-term objectives in mind
Example
The president is **playing the long game** by focusing on long-term foreign policy.
idiom

Pop quiz

Meaning
a surprise test given without warning
Example
Our teacher gave us a **pop quiz** today.
idiom

patch together

Meaning
to assemble something quickly and roughly
Example
We managed to **patch together** a plan before the call.
idiom

put in a nutshell

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

push back against

Meaning
to resist pressure or negativity with determination
Example
He decided to **push back against** the unfair criticism.
phrasal-verb

put off

Meaning
to postpone or delay something
Example
They decided to **put off** the meeting until next week.
idiom

political circus

Meaning
a situation where politics becomes chaotic and theatrical
Example
The election debates turned into a **political circus**.
idiom

play a part

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

put on your thinking cap

Meaning
to start thinking seriously about solving a problem
Example
Let’s **put on our thinking caps** and find a solution.
idiom

Patience pays off

Meaning
Being patient will eventually lead to positive results.
Example
I know you’ve been waiting for a long time, but trust me, **patience pays off**.
idiom

put words in someone’s mouth

Meaning
to say someone said something they did not
Example
Don’t **put words in my mouth**—I never said that!
phrasal-verb

prepare against

Meaning
to take precautions to avoid future risks
Example
The city is **preparing against** possible flooding.
idiom

Power behind the throne

Meaning
A person or group who has a hidden or indirect influence over the leadership
Example
The chief advisor is often considered the **power behind the throne**.
phrasal-verb

pig out

Meaning
to eat too much food in one sitting
Example
We **pigged out** on pizza last night.
idiom

put one on the map

Meaning
to make someone or something famous or well-known
Example
His groundbreaking research **put him on the map** in the scientific community.
phrasal-verb

put on weight

Meaning
to gain weight
Example
I’ve **put on weight** since I stopped exercising.
idiom

phase back in

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

parallel universe

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

play around with

Meaning
to experiment with ideas, materials, or techniques
Example
She loves to **play around with** different colors to find new combinations.
idiom

peel off

Meaning
to remove something, especially a layer, from a surface
Example
**Peel off** the label before recycling the jar.
idiom

plug away

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

pull down

Meaning
to demolish a building; to reduce someone’s confidence
Example
They decided to **pull down** the old factory and build a new one.
idiom

put one's foot in one's mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate
Example
He really **put his foot in his mouth** when he mentioned her ex-boyfriend.
phrasal-verb

push yourself forward

Meaning
to take initiative or move ahead despite obstacles
Example
You have to **push yourself forward** if you want to succeed.
idiom

push the algorithm

Meaning
to test the limits or performance of an AI system
Example
The engineers wanted to **push the algorithm** further to improve accuracy.
idiom

put your foot in it

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate by mistake
Example
I really **put my foot in it** when I asked about her ex-husband.
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.
idiom

Push yourself

Meaning
Try to do better or go beyond your limits.
Example
You won’t improve unless you **push yourself**.
phrasal-verb

pass on

Meaning
to convey information to someone else
Example
Please **pass on** the message to the entire team.
phrasal-verb

pick at

Meaning
to eat only small amounts of food without interest
Example
He just **picked at** his dinner and left most of it.
phrasal-verb

play down

Meaning
to make something seem less important or serious than it is
Example
The minister tried to **play down** the controversy in the media.
idiom

play a role

Meaning
to have a part in something
Example
Everyone **played a role** in making the show successful.
idiom

pivot to success

Meaning
to change direction strategically to achieve success
Example
The company had to **pivot to success** after its first product failed.
phrasal-verb

pick apart from

Meaning
to separate or distinguish from others
Example
It’s hard to **pick her apart from** her twin sister.
idiom

put all your cards on the table

Meaning
to be honest and reveal all the facts in a discussion
Example
It’s time to **put all your cards on the table** and be transparent.
idiom

play to the gallery

Meaning
to try to gain approval from the general public rather than experts
Example
The politician was clearly **playing to the gallery** with his speech.
phrasal-verb

pave the way for

Meaning
to create conditions that make something possible
Example
Her strong performance **paved the way for** her promotion.
idiom

patch over

Meaning
to cover up a problem without truly fixing it
Example
We can’t just **patch over** the security flaws.
idiom

put in the hours

Meaning
to spend a lot of time working
Example
If you **put in the hours**, you’ll see progress soon.
idiom

pull the wool over someone’s eyes

Meaning
to deceive or trick someone
Example
He tried to **pull the wool over my eyes**, but I knew the truth.
idiom

piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a part of the complete solution or understanding
Example
This information is just **a piece of the puzzle**.
idiom

play by ear

Meaning
to improvise or decide as you go rather than following a fixed plan
Example
We don't have a fixed schedule, so let's just **play it by ear**.
idiom

pull ahead

Meaning
to take the lead in a race or competition
Example
She **pulled ahead** in the last minute of the race.
idiom

put first things first

Meaning
to focus on the most important things before others
Example
When managing time, always **put first things first**.
phrasal-verb

push beyond comfort

Meaning
to do more than what feels easy or safe
Example
Success begins when you **push beyond comfort** and take risks.
phrasal-verb

protect against

Meaning
to take measures to defend from threats or attacks
Example
Good antivirus software can **protect against** malware.
idiom

predictive analytics

Meaning
using data and statistical algorithms to forecast future outcomes
Example
With **predictive analytics**, we can forecast market trends with high accuracy.
phrasal-verb

point away from

Meaning
to direct attention away from something
Example
He tried to **point away from** the real issue.
phrasal-verb

plough back

Meaning
to reinvest profits into the same business
Example
The firm **ploughed back** its profits into expanding operations.
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

point toward

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

put up

Meaning
to provide accommodation; to raise something; to display
Example
They will **put up** a tent for the night.
idiom

push your luck

Meaning
take a risk hoping for more success
Example
You already got a discount, don’t **push your luck**.
idiom

Pour your heart out

Meaning
To express all your feelings honestly.
Example
She **poured her heart out** to her best friend.
phrasal-verb

pull ahead emotionally

Meaning
to progress emotionally faster than before
Example
After therapy, she began to **pull ahead emotionally**.
phrasal-verb

pull oneself together

Meaning
to regain control of one's emotions; to recover composure
Example
After crying for hours, she finally managed to **pull herself together** and face the situation calmly.
idiom

political mileage

Meaning
advantage gained from a political situation
Example
Opposition leaders tried to gain **political mileage** from the crisis.
phrasal-verb

phase into

Meaning
to introduce or begin something gradually over time
Example
The company plans to **phase into** a new training system for employees.
phrasal-verb

pour out

Meaning
to express all your feelings freely
Example
She **poured out** her heart to her best friend.
phrasal-verb

phase over into

Meaning
to transition gradually from one state into another
Example
We'll **phase over into** hybrid work across the spring.
idiom

peace talks

Meaning
negotiations aimed at ending a conflict
Example
The **peace talks** between the two countries lasted for weeks.
phrasal-verb

push beyond

Meaning
to go further than one’s limits or fears
Example
You need to **push beyond** your comfort zone to grow.
idiom

put one's foot down

Meaning
to make a firm decision or take a strong stand on something
Example
She had to **put her foot down** and say no to the proposal.
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

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.
idiom

Playing with house money

Meaning
Taking risks with money that was gained easily or unexpectedly.
Example
After their early profits, the traders were **playing with house money**.
idiom

paint yourself into a corner

Meaning
to put yourself in a difficult situation with no easy way out
Example
By making so many promises, he **painted himself into a corner**.
phrasal-verb

pass through

Meaning
to go through an official process or approval in parliament or committee
Example
The bill **passed through** both houses before becoming law.
idiom

put your feet up

Meaning
to relax after a period of hard work
Example
After the long day, I just want to **put my feet up**.
phrasal-verb

put aside

Meaning
to keep money for future use
Example
Try to **put aside** a little money every month.
phrasal-verb

point back to

Meaning
to refer to something in the past as a cause or source
Example
Her symptoms **point back to** a previous illness.
idiom

play politics

Meaning
to act in a manipulative or strategic way to gain advantage
Example
He was accused of trying to **play politics** instead of focusing on the nation’s welfare.
idiom

pair up with

Meaning
to join someone to work or participate together
Example
Please **pair up with** a partner for the lab experiment.
phrasal-verb

point at

Meaning
to direct attention or a finger toward someone or something
Example
Don’t **point at** people; it’s rude.
phrasal-verb

push forward with

Meaning
to continue making progress despite challenges
Example
The team decided to **push forward with** the new project.
idiom

party animal

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

pop the champagne

Meaning
to celebrate a special event or success
Example
Let’s **pop the champagne** to celebrate our victory!
idiom

push yourself to the limit

Meaning
to make maximum effort even when it’s tough
Example
Athletes **push themselves to the limit** to achieve their dreams.
idiom

pass the torch

Meaning
to hand over a duty or responsibility to someone else
Example
After many years of teaching, the professor decided to **pass the torch** to a younger teacher.
phrasal-verb

push through fear

Meaning
to take action despite being afraid
Example
He learned to **push through fear** and speak with confidence.
phrasal-verb

point out issues

Meaning
to identify or highlight problems or mistakes
Example
He was quick to **point out issues** in the project proposal.
idiom

paint oneself into a corner

Meaning
to create a situation where one has limited options
Example
He **painted himself into a corner** by promising too much.