pull someone up
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idiom

pull someone up

Meaning
to reprimand or correct someone for a mistake or poor performance
Example
If a team member is underperforming, it's important to **pull them up** and help them improve.
idiom

lose confidence

Meaning
to stop believing in your own ability or someone else’s
Example
Don’t **lose confidence** after one failure.
phrasal-verb

cool yourself off

Meaning
to calm down after being angry or excited
Example
He went for a walk to **cool himself off** after the argument.
idiom

Eager beaver

Meaning
A person who is very enthusiastic and eager to do something.
Example
She's an **eager beaver** who always volunteers for extra tasks.
phrasal-verb

point down

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

throw your weight behind

Meaning
to support someone or something strongly
Example
The manager **threw his weight behind** the new proposal.
idiom

serenity now

Meaning
a phrase used to invoke calmness, usually in a stressful situation
Example
Whenever I feel stressed, I remind myself to say **serenity now**.
phrasal-verb

storm in

Meaning
to enter suddenly and angrily, like a storm
Example
The teacher **stormed in** as the students were shouting loudly.
idiom

cut and dry

Meaning
clear and straightforward; no room for confusion
Example
The decision wasn’t as **cut and dry** as they expected.
idiom

under the table

Meaning
done secretly or dishonestly, often involving money
Example
He was paid **under the table** to avoid taxes.
idiom

feeling blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
She’s been **feeling blue** all day.
phrasal-verb

brief the crew on

Meaning
to give a group the essential information about something
Example
Leads **brief the crew on** new safety rules before shifts start.
phrasal-verb

tie nations together through

Meaning
to link countries through shared economic activities
Example
Free trade agreements **tie nations together through** common benefits.
idiom

keep on keeping on

Meaning
to continue doing something despite challenges
Example
It’s tough, but you have to **keep on keeping on**.
idiom

A red herring

Meaning
A misleading clue or distraction intended to divert attention from the real issue.
Example
The new law was just a **red herring** to distract from the corruption scandal.
idiom

apple of one’s eye

Meaning
someone who is cherished above others
Example
Her little son is the **apple of her eye**.
phrasal-verb

heap praise on

Meaning
to give a lot of praise to someone
Example
Critics **heaped praise on** the actor for his performance.
idiom

the art of war

Meaning
strategies or tactics for achieving success in difficult situations
Example
The general studied **the art of war** to prepare for the upcoming battle.
phrasal-verb

tune in to others

Meaning
to pay attention to and understand others’ emotions
Example
Emotionally intelligent people **tune in to others** naturally.
idiom

in the money

Meaning
to suddenly have a lot of money
Example
After winning the lottery, they were **in the money**.
idiom

The light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
A sign of hope after a long period of difficulty.
Example
After months of hard work, we finally saw **the light at the end of the tunnel**.
idiom

Move fast and break things

Meaning
To innovate quickly, even if mistakes happen along the way.
Example
Our CEO encourages us to **move fast and break things** to stay ahead of competitors.
phrasal-verb

throw up one's hands

Meaning
to give up in despair or frustration
Example
The manager **threw up his hands** when the plan failed.
idiom

iron out the wrinkles

Meaning
to solve small problems or differences
Example
We need to **iron out the wrinkles** before launching the project.
phrasal-verb

keep faith with

Meaning
to stay loyal to someone or something
Example
Grassroots leaders **keep faith with** their communities.
phrasal-verb

trip over

Meaning
to make a careless mistake while doing something
Example
I **tripped over** my words during the speech.
idiom

be in the limelight

Meaning
to be the center of attention
Example
The actor was **in the limelight** after his award win.
idiom

kick out

Meaning
to force someone to leave
Example
Security **kicked out** the rowdy fans before the end.
phrasal-verb

adhere to principles

Meaning
to continue to obey or follow moral rules or beliefs
Example
A true professional should **adhere to principles** even under pressure.
idiom

sharp as a tack

Meaning
very intelligent or quick-thinking
Example
She's **sharp as a tack** and always has the best answers in class.
idiom

jump out of your chair

Meaning
to react suddenly from shock or surprise
Example
He **jumped out of his chair** when he heard the news.
phrasal-verb

branch out into

Meaning
to expand into a new area of business or activity
Example
They decided to **branch out into** renewable energy solutions.
phrasal-verb

line out

Meaning
to sketch or outline the main points of something
Example
We **lined out** the science project steps on the whiteboard.
phrasal-verb

smooth over conflicts

Meaning
to reduce tension after a disagreement
Example
Leads **smooth over conflicts** by reminding everyone of the goal.
idiom

Make a clean break

Meaning
To completely separate from something or someone, often for a fresh start.
Example
He decided to **make a clean break** from his old habits.
idiom

jumpy as a cat

Meaning
easily frightened or nervous
Example
He’s been **jumpy as a cat** since the robbery.
phrasal-verb

brace for

Meaning
to prepare for something unpleasant or difficult
Example
The company is **bracing for** possible losses after the policy change.
phrasal-verb

break in on

Meaning
to interrupt a conversation or online discussion
Example
Sorry to **break in on** your chat, but I have an update.
idiom

face the music

Meaning
to accept criticism or punishment for something you have done
Example
You made a mistake, and now you have to **face the music**.
phrasal-verb

deal with customs

Meaning
to handle procedures for importing or exporting goods
Example
Exporters must **deal with customs** regulations carefully.
phrasal-verb

bring together

Meaning
to unite people for a purpose
Example
Family events **bring together** everyone and strengthen bonds.
idiom

scare someone half to death

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That spider **scared me half to death**!
phrasal-verb

speak on behalf of

Meaning
to represent someone else's opinion politely
Example
I’d like to **speak on behalf of** my team regarding this issue.
idiom

Face the truth

Meaning
To accept the reality of a situation, even if it’s unpleasant.
Example
You have to **face the truth** about your finances.
idiom

call a truce

Meaning
to agree to stop fighting or arguing for a while
Example
They decided to **call a truce** until the boss arrived.
idiom

engagement rate

Meaning
a measure of how actively people interact with online content
Example
Our **engagement rate** doubled after using video posts.
idiom

change with the times

Meaning
to adapt to the changes in society or technology
Example
In order to stay relevant in the business, it's important to **change with the times**.
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

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.
idiom

jot down quickly

Meaning
to write something fast so you don’t forget
Example
**Jot down quickly** the ideas that come up in the meeting.
phrasal-verb

carry away

Meaning
to become overly excited or enthusiastic
Example
Don’t get **carried away** with the excitement.
idiom

dollar for dollar

Meaning
an exact or equivalent match in value or amount
Example
The government promised a **dollar for dollar** match for all donations.
idiom

blue chip

Meaning
a well-established and financially sound company
Example
He prefers to invest in **blue chip** stocks for stability.
phrasal-verb

step down from

Meaning
to resign or leave a position of authority or responsibility
Example
The CEO **stepped down from** his role after the financial collapse.
phrasal-verb

call for unity

Meaning
to publicly ask people to come together for a common cause
Example
The leader **called for unity** among the divided political groups.
idiom

hold up your end

Meaning
to fulfill your part of an agreement or duty
Example
If you **hold up your end**, the project will succeed.
phrasal-verb

open toward

Meaning
to show warmth or acceptance toward someone
Example
He became more **open toward** his classmates.
phrasal-verb

open up to trade

Meaning
to start allowing international trade or economic exchange
Example
Many developing nations are trying to **open up to trade** to attract foreign investment.
phrasal-verb

channel emotions

Meaning
to direct emotions into positive actions
Example
She learned to **channel her emotions** into creative work.
idiom

take a toll

Meaning
to cause harm or damage over time due to stress or overwork
Example
Long working hours can **take a toll** on your health.
idiom

Calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.
Example
The office is quiet now, but it’s just **the calm before the storm**.
phrasal-verb

stay back

Meaning
to remain at a safe distance from danger
Example
Everyone, **stay back** until the area is secure.
idiom

keep things in perspective

Meaning
to stay calm by seeing things realistically
Example
When stressed, try to **keep things in perspective**.
phrasal-verb

respect differences

Meaning
to show appreciation for diversity in opinions or cultures
Example
A global citizen must **respect differences** among people.
idiom

A Pandora’s box

Meaning
A source of endless complications or trouble.
Example
Discussing that topic will open a **Pandora’s box** of complaints.
phrasal-verb

turn away

Meaning
to refuse entry or acceptance; to move away from something
Example
The guard **turned away** people without tickets.
phrasal-verb

bottle out

Meaning
to decide not to express your feelings because of fear or shyness
Example
He wanted to tell her how he felt but **bottled out** at the last moment.
phrasal-verb

hold appreciation for

Meaning
to keep a feeling of thankfulness towards someone
Example
I still **hold appreciation for** my teachers who guided me.
idiom

back to square one

Meaning
to start over again
Example
After the computer crashed, I had to go **back to square one** with my report.
idiom

hold your horses

Meaning
to be patient; to wait
Example
**Hold your horses**! The show hasn’t started yet.
phrasal-verb

bring home

Meaning
to win or achieve something valuable or important
Example
The team worked hard and finally **brought home** the championship trophy.
idiom

black and white

Meaning
clearly defined; without confusion or ambiguity
Example
The contract terms are **black and white**.
phrasal-verb

turn off

Meaning
to stop the flow of something; to switch off
Example
Please **turn off** the lights when you leave the room to save energy.
idiom

come out with it

Meaning
to say something openly or honestly that you’ve been hiding
Example
Stop hesitating and just **come out with it**!
phrasal-verb

perk up

Meaning
to become more lively, cheerful, or interested
Example
She **perked up** when she heard the good news.
phrasal-verb

shake with laughter

Meaning
to laugh so much that your body moves
Example
They **shook with laughter** at the comedian’s jokes.
phrasal-verb

cross over

Meaning
to go from one side to the other side of something
Example
**Cross over** the bridge to get to the other side of the river.
phrasal-verb

botch up

Meaning
to do a job badly or carelessly
Example
He completely **botched up** the report.
idiom

fall short

Meaning
to fail to meet expectations or standards
Example
His efforts **fell short** of what was needed to win the competition.
phrasal-verb

fall off

Meaning
to drop from a higher place; to decrease
Example
Sales have **fallen off** since last month.
idiom

talk shop

Meaning
to talk about work or business during leisure time
Example
Even at dinner, they started to **talk shop**.
phrasal-verb

bring together the team

Meaning
to unite people to work collaboratively
Example
The new manager managed to bring together the whole team after a conflict.
idiom

Out of curiosity

Meaning
Because of a desire to know or learn something.
Example
I asked him **out of curiosity**, not to interfere.
idiom

a stepping stone

Meaning
an event or experience that helps one to progress
Example
This internship was **a stepping stone** to my career.
phrasal-verb

adapt culturally

Meaning
to adjust behavior or mindset to fit into another culture
Example
When moving abroad, it’s important to **adapt culturally** to the new environment.
phrasal-verb

dream up

Meaning
to imagine or invent something new or creative
Example
They **dreamed up** a new way to achieve their business goals.
idiom

hit the streets

Meaning
to go out on patrol or begin a search for a suspect
Example
The officers decided to **hit the streets** after the robbery was reported.
idiom

slip up

Meaning
to make a small mistake
Example
Everyone **slips up** sometimes — don’t worry about it.
phrasal-verb

carry across

Meaning
to make people understand your idea or emotion
Example
The speaker’s emotions really **carried across** to the audience.
phrasal-verb

speak to

Meaning
to talk to someone; to address or scold someone
Example
The manager wants to **speak to** you about your performance.
phrasal-verb

set up a committee

Meaning
to establish a group to discuss or manage an issue
Example
Parliament **set up a committee** to investigate the allegations.
phrasal-verb

flare out

Meaning
to suddenly become angry or lose temper
Example
She **flared out** when her plans were canceled.
phrasal-verb

cheer others on

Meaning
to encourage people to keep going
Example
Managers **cheer others on** when the team hits tough weather calls.
idiom

the last straw

Meaning
the final problem that makes a situation unbearable
Example
His rude comment was **the last straw** for her.
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.
phrasal-verb

show through on

Meaning
to be visible or noticeable on something
Example
The stain **shows through on** the white fabric.
idiom

shoot for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious
Example
Don’t be afraid to **shoot for the stars**.
idiom

beat down

Meaning
to strike repeatedly with force, such as intense sun or rain
Example
The afternoon sun **beat down** on the field all day.
phrasal-verb

get to

Meaning
to arrive at a place
Example
I **get to** the office by 9 a.m. every day.
idiom

go off the deep end

Meaning
to become very angry or emotional suddenly
Example
She **went off the deep end** when she heard the bad news.
idiom

full of beans

Meaning
very energetic and lively
Example
The kids are **full of beans** this morning.
phrasal-verb

shade in concepts

Meaning
to add tone or detail to drawings of ideas
Example
Designers **shade in concepts** to show light and depth in the sketch.
idiom

jump on the bandwagon

Meaning
to join something that is already popular or successful
Example
Many people **jumped on the bandwagon** of budget travel.
idiom

take charge

Meaning
to take control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge** of the project herself.
idiom

be above board

Meaning
to act in an honest and open manner
Example
She is always **above board** in all her dealings.
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

go off on

Meaning
to suddenly criticize or yell at someone angrily
Example
My boss **went off on** me for missing the deadline.
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

feed on

Meaning
to gain support or energy from something, often negative; to be sustained by
Example
The tabloids **feed on** celebrity scandals to boost their sales.
idiom

Crooked as a snake

Meaning
Dishonest or untrustworthy.
Example
Everyone knows that politician is **crooked as a snake**.
idiom

face the world

Meaning
to deal with life and its challenges confidently
Example
After recovering, she was ready to **face the world** again.
phrasal-verb

boost up foreign reserves

Meaning
to increase a country's foreign currency holdings
Example
The central bank is working to **boost up foreign reserves** through remittances.
idiom

botnet

Meaning
a network of computers infected with malware that are controlled remotely by a hacker
Example
The hacker used the **botnet** to launch a massive DDoS attack on the server.
idiom

a thorn in one's side

Meaning
a constant source of annoyance or trouble
Example
The trade dispute has become **a thorn in our side**.
idiom

Stay in the loop

Meaning
To be informed about something regularly.
Example
Make sure you **stay in the loop** about the latest updates.
idiom

off the top of one's head

Meaning
to say something without thinking carefully or checking
Example
**Off the top of my head**, I think there are five options.
idiom

blow away the cobwebs

Meaning
to refresh one’s mind or body after inactivity
Example
A short walk helped me **blow away the cobwebs**.
phrasal-verb

cry out for

Meaning
to need something urgently
Example
This area **cries out for** better healthcare facilities.
phrasal-verb

take up meditation

Meaning
to start practicing meditation
Example
I recently **took up meditation** to reduce stress and feel more peaceful.
idiom

zone out

Meaning
to stop paying attention and mentally drift away
Example
I completely **zoned out** during the long presentation.
idiom

seat at the table

Meaning
to have influence or participation in important decision-making
Example
Developing nations are demanding a **seat at the table** in climate talks.