pick over
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phrasal-verb

pick over

Meaning
to examine things carefully to choose the best
Example
She **picked over** the apples to find the freshest ones.
phrasal-verb

pick up signal

Meaning
to detect or receive a wireless signal
Example
My phone couldn’t **pick up signal** in the basement.
idiom

play through the pain

Meaning
to keep working or performing despite pain or hardship
Example
Athletes often **play through the pain** to win.
idiom

pull it off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something difficult
Example
No one thought she could do it, but she **pulled it off**.
idiom

put the team on your back

Meaning
to take responsibility for leading and carrying the burden for a group
Example
In the final moments of the game, he **put the team on his back** and led them to victory.
idiom

par for the course

Meaning
what is normal or expected in a given situation
Example
Delays are **par for the course** in big projects.
idiom

post something

Meaning
to share content on a social media platform
Example
She **posted** a beautiful picture on Instagram.
idiom

piece together

Meaning
to understand something by combining small details
Example
The detective tried to **piece together** what had happened that night.
idiom

Plow the field

Meaning
To prepare for future work or success.
Example
Before launching the product, we need to **plow the field** with proper research.
idiom

Put up walls

Meaning
To create emotional barriers or distance from others.
Example
After the breakup, she **put up walls** and stopped trusting people.
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.
phrasal-verb

pull ahead of

Meaning
to move in front of someone or something in a race or competition
Example
Our car finally **pulled ahead of** the others on the highway.
idiom

peel off

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

project confidence

Meaning
to appear or make others feel that you are confident
Example
The speaker **projected confidence** throughout the session.
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.
phrasal-verb

push forward

Meaning
to continue working hard despite obstacles; to persist toward goals
Example
Even after rejection, the team decided to **push forward** with their plan.
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.
phrasal-verb

pace yourself through

Meaning
to move steadily through a task without rushing
Example
I **pace myself through** long study guides to stay focused.
phrasal-verb

play along with

Meaning
to pretend to agree or cooperate with something
Example
Many people **play along with** trending topics just to stay relevant online.
phrasal-verb

post up

Meaning
to upload or share something online
Example
She **posted up** her vacation photos on Facebook.
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.
idiom

power play

Meaning
a strategic move to gain or maintain control
Example
The alliance between the two countries is seen as a **power play**.
phrasal-verb

pull in revenue

Meaning
to earn or generate income, especially on a large scale
Example
The new export policy helped the country **pull in revenue** from foreign markets.
idiom

phishing expedition

Meaning
an attempt to obtain sensitive information by deceit
Example
The suspicious email was part of a **phishing expedition**.
phrasal-verb

point over

Meaning
to gesture or indicate something across a space
Example
She **pointed over** to the next building.
phrasal-verb

pay out

Meaning
to spend or distribute money, especially large amounts
Example
The company had to **pay out** millions in compensation.
idiom

put the finishing touches

Meaning
to complete something perfectly by adding the final details
Example
She’s **putting the finishing touches** on her painting.
phrasal-verb

push through setbacks

Meaning
to continue trying and not give up even when facing difficulties or failures
Example
True confidence comes when you **push through setbacks** with determination.
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

political mileage

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

put to the test

Meaning
to see how good someone or something is
Example
Her knowledge was **put to the test** during the interview.
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 together for

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

push past

Meaning
to move beyond obstacles or limitations
Example
You have to **push past** your fears to achieve success.
idiom

Put your trust in someone

Meaning
To believe in someone's honesty or ability
Example
I chose to **put my trust in her**, and she didn't disappoint me.
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

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

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

pencil in

Meaning
to arrange something temporarily
Example
Can we **pencil in** the meeting for Friday morning?
idiom

plow ahead

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
Even with setbacks, they decided to **plow ahead** with the project.
idiom

pitch in

Meaning
to join others in doing a task or helping
Example
Everyone **pitched in** to clean the park.
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

push through

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
He managed to **push through** the hard times and achieve his dream.
phrasal-verb

pay back

Meaning
to return money that you borrowed
Example
I will **pay back** the money I borrowed from you next week.
idiom

Practice makes perfect

Meaning
The more you practice, the better you become.
Example
**Practice makes perfect**, so keep trying.
idiom

put something on the back burner

Meaning
to delay dealing with something until later
Example
The government decided to **put the issue on the back burner** for now.
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

put your shoulder to the wheel

Meaning
to start working hard on something
Example
Everyone needs to **put their shoulder to the wheel** to finish the project.
phrasal-verb

phase in reforms

Meaning
to introduce changes gradually over time
Example
The administration plans to **phase in reforms** in the tax system.
idiom

pick someone’s brain

Meaning
to ask someone knowledgeable for advice or ideas
Example
I’d like to **pick your brain** about this project idea.
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.
phrasal-verb

put off

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

penny for your thoughts

Meaning
a way of asking what someone is thinking.
Example
You've been quiet for a while. A **penny for your thoughts**?
phrasal-verb

pick back up

Meaning
to resume something after a break
Example
Let’s **pick back up** where we left off yesterday.
idiom

pat yourself on the back

Meaning
to praise yourself for doing something well
Example
You should **pat yourself on the back** for finishing that project.
idiom

play a part

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

phishing attack

Meaning
a fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity
Example
Never click on suspicious links to avoid a **phishing attack**.
idiom

patch together

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

penny wise and pound foolish

Meaning
careful with small amounts of money but wasteful with large amounts
Example
He’s **penny wise and pound foolish** when it comes to investments.
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

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.
phrasal-verb

phase through

Meaning
to move gradually through stages of change
Example
The company plans to **phase through** several steps to modernize its operations.
phrasal-verb

put down

Meaning
to place something on a surface; to criticize or insult someone
Example
He **put down** his bag and sat on the chair.
idiom

plug into

Meaning
to connect or become involved in something, usually a system or network
Example
You need to **plug into** the right social media channels to reach a wider audience.
phrasal-verb

pull off

Meaning
to succeed in doing something that is difficult or unexpected
Example
Everyone thought he would fail, but he **pulled off** an amazing victory.
phrasal-verb

put aside funds

Meaning
to save money for a specific purpose
Example
The company decided to **put aside funds** for future emergencies.
phrasal-verb

pitch ideas in

Meaning
to contribute ideas or suggestions in teamwork
Example
Everyone was encouraged to **pitch ideas in** during the meeting.
idiom

Pay dividends

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

push aside doubts

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

pick out

Meaning
to choose something you like
Example
She **picked out** a dress she really liked.
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.
phrasal-verb

pay something off

Meaning
to completely repay a debt or loan
Example
We finally **paid off** our mortgage last month.
phrasal-verb

put on weight

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

plug and play

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

political circus

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

peace talks

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

pull strings

Meaning
to use influence or connections to get what you want
Example
She **pulled strings** to get him the job.
phrasal-verb

phase out subsidies

Meaning
to gradually stop providing financial support or benefits
Example
The government plans to **phase out subsidies** for fossil fuels over the next five years.
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.
phrasal-verb

point up to

Meaning
to highlight or bring attention to a higher idea or reason
Example
The teacher **pointed up to** the main reason for the conflict.
idiom

piece of the puzzle

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

push ahead

Meaning
to continue working hard towards a goal despite difficulties
Example
Even after many failures, she decided to **push ahead** with her startup idea.
phrasal-verb

push through on

Meaning
to keep working on something until it is completed
Example
We **push through on** the prototype even when the tests fail.
idiom

put in a good word for someone

Meaning
to say something positive about someone in order to help them
Example
I will **put in a good word for you** with the manager.
phrasal-verb

pick up where you left off

Meaning
to continue doing something from the point you stopped
Example
Let’s **pick up where we left off** last week.
phrasal-verb

phase over to

Meaning
to switch operations gradually to another system
Example
They plan to **phase over to** a paperless office within six months.
idiom

Pull together

Meaning
To work as a group to achieve something.
Example
If we all **pull together**, we can finish the project on time.
idiom

pot luck

Meaning
whatever is available or happens by chance
Example
Let’s take **pot luck** and eat at that new café.
phrasal-verb

paint over

Meaning
to cover something with a new layer of paint
Example
He decided to **paint over** the old mural with a new design.
phrasal-verb

point behind

Meaning
to indicate something located at the back
Example
He **pointed behind** to show the exit door.
phrasal-verb

pay out on

Meaning
to give money as a result of an insurance claim or bet
Example
The insurance company **paid out on** the fire damage claim.
phrasal-verb

pay up

Meaning
to give all the money you owe, especially unwillingly
Example
He refused to **pay up** until the work was completed.
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

pass along

Meaning
to share information or items with someone else
Example
Could you **pass along** the agenda to the interns?
phrasal-verb

put in for

Meaning
to make a formal request for something
Example
I decided to **put in for** a few days of leave.
phrasal-verb

push into

Meaning
to drive adoption or expansion of something
Example
They are trying to **push into** the digital payment market quickly.
phrasal-verb

pool together

Meaning
to combine resources or efforts for a shared goal
Example
The organizations decided to **pool together** their expertise for a larger impact.
phrasal-verb

ping back to

Meaning
to send a quick reply to someone electronically
Example
I'll **ping back to** you once the security patch finishes installing.
phrasal-verb

pay off someone

Meaning
to give someone money so they stop bothering you; to bribe
Example
He tried to **pay off** the guard to let him in.
phrasal-verb

partner with

Meaning
to collaborate with another organization or country for a shared initiative
Example
Tech companies **partner with** governments to improve cybersecurity globally.
idiom

penny stock

Meaning
a very low-priced, high-risk stock
Example
He made a fortune trading **penny stocks**.
idiom

play fair

Meaning
to act honestly and treat others equally
Example
We expect everyone to **play fair** during the competition.
idiom

Playing both sides

Meaning
To secretly support or manipulate both sides of a conflict for personal gain.
Example
The ambassador was accused of **playing both sides** in the negotiations.
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

pick up speed

Meaning
to gain momentum or progress faster
Example
Sales have **picked up speed** since the new campaign launched.
phrasal-verb

put through

Meaning
to connect someone on the phone
Example
Could you **put me through** to the manager, please?
idiom

pulling strings

Meaning
using influence to get something done
Example
He got the engineering contract by **pulling strings**.
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.
phrasal-verb

pass on to

Meaning
to give information or a message to someone else
Example
Could you **pass this on to** the manager before lunch?
phrasal-verb

play up

Meaning
to exaggerate or emphasize something
Example
Some news outlets **played up** the drama to attract viewers.
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.
phrasal-verb

pass down

Meaning
to give something from one generation to the next
Example
The recipe was **passed down** from my grandmother to my mother.
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.
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 our heads together

Meaning
To discuss and find a solution collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** and come up with a plan.
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.
idiom

plug away

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

pause within

Meaning
to take a mental break and observe your feelings before reacting
Example
He learned to **pause within** before saying something hurtful.
idiom

Pyrrhic victory

Meaning
A victory won at too great a cost to be worthwhile.
Example
Winning the lawsuit was a **Pyrrhic victory** since it drained all their finances.
idiom

play a pivotal role

Meaning
to play an important part in something
Example
She played a **pivotal role** in the success of the team.