pull back on
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phrasal-verb

pull back on

Meaning
to reduce or stop doing something, especially spending or investment; to withdraw effort or commitment
Example
During the economic crisis, many companies **pull back on** new projects to save money.
phrasal-verb

put out

Meaning
to extinguish a fire or light
Example
Firefighters worked hard to **put out** the forest fire.
phrasal-verb

run across

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

spread your wings

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

make hay while the sun shines

Meaning
take advantage of a good situation while it lasts
Example
You should **make hay while the sun shines** and finish your work early.
phrasal-verb

push through reforms

Meaning
to make changes happen despite opposition
Example
The ruling party managed to **push through reforms** in parliament.
phrasal-verb

set time aside for

Meaning
to reserve part of your schedule for something
Example
I **set time aside for** journaling before bed.
phrasal-verb

pay tribute to

Meaning
to show respect and admiration for someone
Example
The team **paid tribute to** their coach after the victory.
idiom

drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small or insignificant amount compared to what is needed
Example
Our recycling efforts are just a **drop in the ocean** compared to the global pollution problem.
phrasal-verb

bridge across languages

Meaning
to overcome language differences while communicating
Example
Technology helps us **bridge across languages** through translation tools.
phrasal-verb

be carried away

Meaning
to become so excited that you lose control of your feelings
Example
They got **carried away** during the celebration.
idiom

Nosey parker

Meaning
Someone who is too interested in other people's business.
Example
Stop being a **nosey parker** and mind your own business!
idiom

spill the tea

Meaning
to share gossip or secrets
Example
Come on, **spill the tea** - what happened at the party?
idiom

Meet your Waterloo

Meaning
To face a final and decisive defeat.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo** when sales plummeted.
idiom

work-life harmony

Meaning
a balanced and peaceful relationship between work and personal life
Example
She believes in maintaining **work-life harmony**.
phrasal-verb

bring in line

Meaning
to make someone or something follow rules or standards
Example
The new CEO worked hard to **bring in line** all departments with the company’s vision.
idiom

Down the rabbit hole

Meaning
Entering into a strange, complicated, or bizarre situation.
Example
I went **down the rabbit hole** researching ancient myths.
idiom

in good hands

Meaning
to be cared for or managed by someone trustworthy
Example
Don’t worry, your child is **in good hands**.
phrasal-verb

flare with joy

Meaning
to suddenly feel or show great happiness
Example
His face **flared with joy** when he saw his family again.
idiom

head off

Meaning
to prevent something from happening
Example
Early communication can **head off** most misunderstandings.
phrasal-verb

drive on

Meaning
to continue working hard to achieve success
Example
Even after failures, he kept **driving on** to reach his dreams.
idiom

the big bang

Meaning
a sudden and powerful beginning; often used metaphorically
Example
The startup launched with **a big bang** in the tech world.
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

get feelings across

Meaning
to make someone understand your emotions clearly
Example
It's hard to **get your feelings across** in an email.
phrasal-verb

lighten your thoughts

Meaning
to make your mind feel less heavy or serious
Example
Journaling helps me **lighten my thoughts** when I feel burdened.
phrasal-verb

pull together for

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

come to terms

Meaning
to reach an agreement after discussion or conflict
Example
After weeks of negotiation, both sides finally **came to terms**.
phrasal-verb

speak warmly of

Meaning
to talk kindly or appreciatively about someone
Example
Everyone **speaks warmly of** her generosity and kindness.
phrasal-verb

shore up reserves

Meaning
to strengthen or support financial reserves
Example
The central bank moved to **shore up reserves** by buying foreign currency.
idiom

Economic engine

Meaning
A sector that drives overall economic growth.
Example
Manufacturing remains the **economic engine** of the nation.
phrasal-verb

be there through

Meaning
to stay with someone and support them through difficulties
Example
He **was there through** her hardest times.
idiom

A bright idea

Meaning
a clever or innovative idea
Example
She came up with a **bright idea** for the new marketing campaign.
idiom

All hands on deck

Meaning
Everyone must work together or help with a task.
Example
We need **all hands on deck** to finish this project by tomorrow.
idiom

Cook up a story

Meaning
To invent a false story.
Example
He **cooked up a story** to explain why he was late.
phrasal-verb

grow accustomed to

Meaning
to gradually become familiar or comfortable with something
Example
He slowly **grew accustomed to** the cultural differences at work.
phrasal-verb

find into

Meaning
to enter or get involved in something gradually
Example
He slowly **found into** the rhythm of city life.
phrasal-verb

blend in

Meaning
to become part of a group or culture naturally
Example
He tried to **blend in** by learning the local customs and traditions.
idiom

in the hot seat

Meaning
to be in a difficult or uncomfortable position, often with public scrutiny
Example
After the controversy, the mayor was **in the hot seat** for several days.
phrasal-verb

zone in on calmness

Meaning
to focus your mind on staying calm
Example
Try to **zone in on calmness** during meditation.
idiom

warm the cockles of one's heart

Meaning
to make someone feel happy or grateful
Example
Her thoughtful gift really **warmed the cockles of my heart**.
phrasal-verb

climb toward success

Meaning
to make steady progress toward achieving success
Example
Through hard work and persistence, she continues to **climb toward success**.
phrasal-verb

swap notes on

Meaning
to exchange information or tips about something
Example
Let's **swap notes on** the new app after we try it out.
idiom

Cover a lot of ground

Meaning
to deal with a lot of information or material
Example
The lecture **covered a lot of ground** in just one hour.
idiom

fan through

Meaning
to flip through pages quickly
Example
She **fanned through** the report to find the chart.
phrasal-verb

falter on

Meaning
to hesitate or make mistakes while doing something
Example
She **faltered on** a few words during her speech.
phrasal-verb

work with

Meaning
to cooperate or collaborate with someone
Example
I really enjoy **working with** this creative team.
idiom

cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility and tension between countries without actual warfare
Example
During the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a **cold war**.
phrasal-verb

put in

Meaning
to invest time or money into something
Example
She **put in** a lot of money to start her business.
idiom

bury your head in the sand

Meaning
to ignore a problem hoping it will go away
Example
We can’t **bury our heads in the sand** about climate change any longer.
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

go back on one's word

Meaning
to not do what one said one would do
Example
He **went back on his word** about helping me.
phrasal-verb

dig around for

Meaning
to search through different places to find something
Example
I **dig around for** spare change when the vending machine only takes coins.
phrasal-verb

keep in touch with

Meaning
to maintain contact or communication with someone over time
Example
Even after graduation, they promised to **keep in touch with** each other.
phrasal-verb

stand firm on beliefs

Meaning
to stay confident in your values or opinions even when others disagree
Example
Leaders must **stand firm on beliefs** to earn respect.
phrasal-verb

rise toward excellence

Meaning
to keep improving continuously toward a higher standard
Example
With dedication, anyone can **rise toward excellence**.
phrasal-verb

chat with

Meaning
to talk informally with someone
Example
She loves to **chat with** new people at social events.
phrasal-verb

hop on

Meaning
to get on a vehicle quickly or easily
Example
You can **hop on** the next bus if you miss this one.
phrasal-verb

shut off emotions

Meaning
to stop feeling or expressing emotions
Example
He learned to **shut off his emotions** to protect himself.
idiom

hold your nerve

Meaning
to remain calm and confident under pressure
Example
She **held her nerve** and finished the speech perfectly.
idiom

the early bird catches the worm

Meaning
people who start early are more likely to succeed
Example
**The early bird catches the worm**, so start your day early.
idiom

trust someone as far as you can throw them

Meaning
to not trust someone much
Example
I wouldn’t **trust him as far as I can throw him**.
idiom

rule out

Meaning
to decide that something is not possible
Example
We can’t **rule out** another delay yet.
idiom

to be on cloud nine

Meaning
to be extremely happy
Example
She was **on cloud nine** after hearing the good news about her promotion.
phrasal-verb

work around challenges

Meaning
to find a way to deal with or bypass difficulties during change
Example
We had to **work around challenges** to complete the migration.
phrasal-verb

follow through on commitments

Meaning
to complete promises or obligations made to others
Example
The government must **follow through on commitments** made at the summit.
idiom

see the light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
to begin to see signs of improvement after a long period of difficulty
Example
After months of effort, we can finally **see the light at the end of the tunnel**.
phrasal-verb

act up

Meaning
to behave badly or cause trouble
Example
The kids started to **act up** during the long car ride.
idiom

to put it bluntly

Meaning
to express an opinion in a direct and straightforward way
Example
**To put it bluntly**, you were wrong.
idiom

freshen up

Meaning
to wash or tidy oneself to feel renewed
Example
Guests can **freshen up** in the lounge before dinner.
phrasal-verb

open up to

Meaning
to become more willing to accept or consider new ideas, cultures, or people
Example
As globalization spread, many countries began to **open up to** cultural exchange.
idiom

to make a boo-boo

Meaning
to make a small or funny mistake
Example
Oops, I **made a boo-boo** and sent the wrong file!
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.
idiom

open one's heart

Meaning
to express feelings or emotions honestly
Example
She finally decided to **open her heart** and share her feelings.
phrasal-verb

stand together for

Meaning
to unite in support of a common cause
Example
Nations **stand together for** climate action.
phrasal-verb

check inside

Meaning
to examine your thoughts or motives before reacting
Example
Always **check inside** before you respond in anger.
idiom

on the market

Meaning
available for sale
Example
Their house has been **on the market** for over six months.
idiom

sign up for

Meaning
to enroll in or agree to participate in something
Example
I’m going to **sign up for** the evening yoga class.
idiom

go belly up

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

call to mind

Meaning
to remember or recall something
Example
This song **calls to mind** my childhood days.
phrasal-verb

spark off ideas

Meaning
to trigger or inspire new creative thoughts
Example
The workshop helped **spark off ideas** for future projects.
idiom

kiss and make up

Meaning
to become friends again after an argument
Example
They always **kiss and make up** after every fight.
idiom

pull your socks up

Meaning
to make an effort to improve your performance
Example
You need to **pull your socks up** if you want that promotion.
idiom

level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
The new rules create a **level playing field** for all teams.
phrasal-verb

bring about awareness

Meaning
to cause people to notice or understand something
Example
Social media can **bring about awareness** of important issues.
phrasal-verb

let in peace

Meaning
to allow yourself a quiet moment away from distractions
Example
Give yourself time to **let in peace** after a stressful day.
idiom

make the tough calls

Meaning
to make difficult decisions in challenging situations
Example
Being a leader means sometimes having to **make the tough calls**.
phrasal-verb

let off

Meaning
to release emotions such as anger or frustration safely
Example
Sometimes you just need to **let off** your emotions through a good cry.
idiom

skeleton in the closet

Meaning
a family secret that one wants to keep hidden
Example
Every family has a **skeleton in the closet** they don't talk about.
idiom

switch on

Meaning
to turn something on so it operates
Example
Please **switch on** the lights before the clients arrive.
phrasal-verb

clean up after

Meaning
to remove waste or mess left behind by people or animals
Example
Volunteers came to **clean up after** the beach festival.
idiom

split the difference

Meaning
to agree on a compromise between two opinions or prices
Example
Let’s **split the difference** and meet halfway.
phrasal-verb

hold down inflation

Meaning
to control or keep inflation at a manageable level
Example
The central bank took measures to **hold down inflation**.
idiom

pair off

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

Keep an open mind

Meaning
To be willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
Example
Try to **keep an open mind** when learning about different cultures.
phrasal-verb

track against goals

Meaning
to measure performance by comparing it to targets
Example
We **track against goals** every Monday so the team stays focused.
phrasal-verb

copy down

Meaning
to write something exactly as it is
Example
Make sure to **copy down** the correct formula from the board.
phrasal-verb

come off

Meaning
to happen successfully; to succeed
Example
The plan **came off** just as we hoped.
phrasal-verb

fall apart

Meaning
to break into pieces; to fail completely
Example
Their marriage **fell apart** after years of arguments.
idiom

stay strong

Meaning
to remain courageous and confident despite difficulties
Example
Whatever happens, **stay strong** and keep moving forward.
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.
phrasal-verb

stay disciplined

Meaning
to maintain self-control and consistent study habits
Example
To achieve great results, students must **stay disciplined** throughout the semester.
phrasal-verb

backtrack on

Meaning
to reverse or withdraw from an earlier statement or promise
Example
The spokesperson **backtracked on** the claim once the data was checked.
idiom

big thanks

Meaning
an informal way to say thank you very much
Example
**Big thanks** to everyone who supported the project.
idiom

have the floor

Meaning
to have the right to speak in a discussion
Example
You **have the floor** now; please share your thoughts.
phrasal-verb

lift out of

Meaning
to help someone recover from sadness or depression
Example
Music often **lifts people out of** their sadness.
idiom

To have a clear conscience

Meaning
To feel that one has done the right thing.
Example
After returning the lost wallet, he went to bed **with a clear conscience**.
phrasal-verb

reel in

Meaning
to attract or bring in something, especially investment or profit
Example
The new tax incentives helped **reel in** foreign capital.
idiom

The devil is in the details

Meaning
Small details are often the most important or problematic.
Example
The overall concept was great, but **the devil is in the details**.
idiom

fall back on

Meaning
to rely on something when the first option fails
Example
If the deal falls through, we’ll **fall back on** our backup plan.
phrasal-verb

hint at

Meaning
to suggest or imply something indirectly about the future
Example
The CEO’s comments **hint at** a possible expansion next year.
phrasal-verb

spur growth

Meaning
to encourage or accelerate economic expansion
Example
Tax cuts were introduced to **spur growth** in the private sector.
phrasal-verb

take charge of

Meaning
to assume control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge of** the new department.
phrasal-verb

talk through with

Meaning
to discuss something step by step with someone
Example
Let's **talk through with** the client before we give our recommendation.
phrasal-verb

adjust to

Meaning
to gradually become comfortable with a new situation
Example
It can be hard to **adjust to** a new country's social norms.
idiom

phase back in

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

hand around

Meaning
to give something to each person in a group
Example
She **handed around** snacks to all the guests.
idiom

tack on

Meaning
to add something extra, especially at the end
Example
They **tacked on** a brief Q&A after the session.
idiom

bargain for

Meaning
to expect or plan for something
Example
The workload was more than we **bargained for**.
phrasal-verb

reach for excellence

Meaning
to aim to be the best at something
Example
True professionals always **reach for excellence** in their work.
idiom

down and out

Meaning
feeling hopeless and defeated
Example
After losing everything, he was completely **down and out**.
phrasal-verb

tune into cultures

Meaning
to understand and adapt to the ways people from different cultures communicate
Example
To work globally, you must **tune into cultures** beyond your own.