race to the bottom
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idiom

race to the bottom

Meaning
a situation where companies or countries lower standards to remain competitive
Example
Reducing wages to attract investors can create a **race to the bottom**.
phrasal-verb

run into

Meaning
to meet someone unexpectedly
Example
I **ran into** my cousin at the shopping mall yesterday.
phrasal-verb

rally spirits around goals

Meaning
to encourage people to stay motivated about shared targets
Example
Captains **rally spirits around goals** when fatigue sets in late in the quarter.
phrasal-verb

reach for

Meaning
to try to achieve something difficult or ambitious
Example
Always **reach for** excellence in your education.
idiom

rough patch

Meaning
a period of difficulty or trouble
Example
Their marriage went through a **rough patch** last year.
idiom

rise and fall

Meaning
the success and failure of someone or something over time
Example
The documentary shows the **rise and fall** of the Roman Empire.
idiom

rock the boat

Meaning
to cause problems or upset a stable situation
Example
Everything is going well, so let's not **rock the boat** with unnecessary changes.
idiom

rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
economic growth benefits everyone; a general improvement in the economy helps all participants
Example
The government's new policies are helping the economy, and as a result, **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
idiom

red tape

Meaning
excessive bureaucracy or rules
Example
The project was delayed because of **red tape**.
idiom

reap what you sow

Meaning
you get the results of your actions, good or bad
Example
If you’re kind to others, you’ll **reap what you sow**.
phrasal-verb

recover confidence

Meaning
to regain belief in oneself after failure
Example
It took months for him to **recover confidence** after the rejection.
phrasal-verb

reach across traditions

Meaning
to connect or communicate across different cultural or traditional boundaries
Example
The festival helps people **reach across traditions** and share their heritage.
phrasal-verb

restore balance

Meaning
to bring back mental or emotional stability
Example
Taking a break can help you **restore balance** in life.
idiom

raise a toast

Meaning
to honor someone or something with a drink
Example
We **raised a toast** to the newlyweds.
phrasal-verb

reach sustainability goals

Meaning
to achieve targets related to environmental and social balance
Example
Nations are collaborating to **reach sustainability goals** by 2030.
phrasal-verb

run on

Meaning
to be powered by a particular source of energy
Example
Electric cars **run on** renewable energy instead of gasoline.
phrasal-verb

root in

Meaning
to be based on or connected to something deeply
Example
Our customs are **rooted in** ancient beliefs.
idiom

roll with laughter

Meaning
to laugh uncontrollably
Example
The comedian made the whole audience **roll with laughter**.
idiom

reboot your perspective

Meaning
to start fresh with a new mindset
Example
After project failure, the team decided to **reboot their perspective**.
idiom

Rite of passage

Meaning
A ceremony or event marking an important stage in someone's life
Example
Graduation is a **rite of passage** for many students.
idiom

rule out

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

rack up

Meaning
to accumulate or achieve something, such as points or awards
Example
She has **racked up** several awards for her outstanding work.
idiom

run your own show

Meaning
to be in control of your own activities or business
Example
After years of working for others, he wanted to **run his own show**.
phrasal-verb

respect for

Meaning
to show regard or consideration for someone or something
Example
We should always **show respect for** other people’s traditions.
phrasal-verb

read over

Meaning
to check something by reading it again
Example
Can you **read over** my essay and tell me what you think?
phrasal-verb

reach alignment on

Meaning
to reach an agreement where all parties share the same position
Example
The leaders **reached alignment on** climate goals.
idiom

reach for the moon

Meaning
to set very high goals
Example
Don’t be afraid to **reach for the moon**.
phrasal-verb

reach out emotionally

Meaning
to make an emotional effort to connect or support someone
Example
She tried to **reach out emotionally** when her friend was feeling down.
idiom

raining cats and dogs

Meaning
raining very heavily
Example
It's **raining cats and dogs** outside!
idiom

rein in

Meaning
to control or limit something
Example
We must **rein in** our spending this quarter.
phrasal-verb

recover from

Meaning
to return to a normal state after a setback or loss
Example
The global economy is gradually **recovering from** the financial crisis.
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.
phrasal-verb

rant about

Meaning
to complain or talk loudly in anger about something
Example
He kept **ranting about** the unfair treatment at work.
phrasal-verb

ring out

Meaning
to make a loud sound, especially of bells or alarms
Example
Church bells **rang out** across the city.
phrasal-verb

run over

Meaning
to repeat or review something you said to clarify or apologize
Example
Let me **run over** what I said to make sure you understand my apology.
phrasal-verb

rally behind

Meaning
to come together to support a leader or cause
Example
Citizens **rallied behind** their prime minister during the crisis.
phrasal-verb

run off with

Meaning
to leave someone in order to start a romantic relationship with another person
Example
He **ran off with** his colleague and shocked everyone.
phrasal-verb

reach over to

Meaning
to extend a gesture of comfort or support
Example
She **reached over to** hold his hand when he started crying.
phrasal-verb

reach deep

Meaning
to dig into one’s emotions or empathy to connect with others
Example
He had to **reach deep** to find the compassion to forgive.
phrasal-verb

run through

Meaning
to review or explain something quickly
Example
Let’s **run through** the presentation once before the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

raise consciousness about

Meaning
to make people more aware of an issue or cause
Example
The campaign aims to **raise consciousness about** climate change.
idiom

rags to riches

Meaning
to go from being poor to becoming rich and successful
Example
His life story is a real **rags to riches** tale.
phrasal-verb

rise with kindness

Meaning
to overcome negativity with compassion and empathy
Example
Always try to **rise with kindness** even when people hurt you.
phrasal-verb

revive through

Meaning
to bring back to life or strength by specific efforts
Example
The stimulus package helped **revive through** major industrial investment.
phrasal-verb

reach within

Meaning
to look deep inside yourself for strength or understanding
Example
During hard times, he learned to **reach within** for courage.
idiom

rack your brains

Meaning
to think very hard about something
Example
I had to **rack my brains** to remember her name.
phrasal-verb

respect differences

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

roll back on

Meaning
to reduce or reverse a policy or program
Example
The ministry **rolls back on** subsidies after the audit.
phrasal-verb

release tension

Meaning
to let go of emotional stress or anxiety
Example
Meditation helped her **release tension** and sleep better.
idiom

rope in

Meaning
to persuade someone to join an activity
Example
They **roped me in** to help with the charity event.
phrasal-verb

run off

Meaning
to leave suddenly; to make copies of something
Example
He **ran off** without saying goodbye.
idiom

refresh one's memory

Meaning
to help someone remember something
Example
Let me **refresh your memory** about what happened last week.
phrasal-verb

ring in

Meaning
to call by phone to report information
Example
Listeners were asked to **ring in** with their opinions.
phrasal-verb

rally around for

Meaning
to gather support for a person or cause
Example
Volunteers **rallied around for** the community cleanup in record time.
phrasal-verb

rejoice in

Meaning
to feel or show great joy or delight in something
Example
They **rejoiced in** their success after years of hard work.
phrasal-verb

reach agreement

Meaning
to successfully come to a shared decision or understanding
Example
The diplomats finally **reached agreement** after long discussions.
phrasal-verb

roll up

Meaning
to fold or turn up sleeves or trousers
Example
He **rolled up** his sleeves before starting to wash.
phrasal-verb

reach out within

Meaning
to connect with people inside an organization for collaboration
Example
Leaders need to **reach out within** to build trust among teams.
phrasal-verb

run around

Meaning
to play or move actively, especially as a child
Example
We used to **run around** the fields all day long.
idiom

rob Peter to pay Paul

Meaning
to take money from one part of something in order to pay for something else
Example
They're always **robbing Peter to pay Paul**, moving money around without making any progress.
phrasal-verb

reflect kindness on

Meaning
to show gratitude by being kind to others in return
Example
She **reflected kindness on** others after being helped herself.
idiom

Rome wasn’t built in a day

Meaning
Important things take time to accomplish.
Example
**Rome wasn’t built in a day**, be patient with your progress.
idiom

roll with

Meaning
to adapt to changes or challenges easily
Example
The team had to **roll with** several last-minute changes to the schedule.
phrasal-verb

rise from within

Meaning
to recover emotionally using one’s inner power or resilience
Example
After every setback, she found a way to **rise from within**.
phrasal-verb

run around with

Meaning
to spend a lot of time with a particular group of people
Example
He **runs around with** a fun crowd from college.
phrasal-verb

rise with courage

Meaning
to face challenges bravely and stay positive
Example
We must **rise with courage** when life throws difficulties our way.
idiom

rolling in money

Meaning
having a lot of money
Example
After his business took off, he’s been **rolling in money**.
idiom

runs in the family

Meaning
a trait or quality common among family members
Example
Musical talent **runs in the family**.
phrasal-verb

run out of

Meaning
to finish or exhaust a supply of something
Example
We might **run out of** clean water if we don’t conserve it.
phrasal-verb

reach beyond borders

Meaning
to connect or act across national or cultural boundaries
Example
Global initiatives aim to **reach beyond borders** to solve shared problems.
idiom

rule with an iron fist

Meaning
to control people very strictly and harshly
Example
The dictator **ruled with an iron fist** for twenty years.
idiom

rocket science

Meaning
something very complicated or difficult to understand
Example
Coding isn’t **rocket science** if you practice regularly.
idiom

Roll up your sleeves

Meaning
To prepare to work hard.
Example
Let’s **roll up our sleeves** and get started.
phrasal-verb

reach milestones

Meaning
to achieve significant points of progress toward a goal
Example
By the end of the year, they had **reached all their milestones**.
idiom

rule the roost

Meaning
to be the most powerful person in a group or family
Example
It’s clear that Mary **rules the roost** in that household.
idiom

rise and shine

Meaning
wake up and start your day energetically
Example
**Rise and shine**, it’s a brand new day!
phrasal-verb

reach toward

Meaning
to try to connect emotionally with someone’s pain or experience
Example
He tried to **reach toward** her feelings without judgment.
phrasal-verb

rise above failure

Meaning
to overcome failure and continue striving towards goals
Example
True leaders **rise above failure** and inspire others to do the same.
idiom

reach out to

Meaning
to contact someone to offer or request help
Example
Feel free to **reach out to** me if you need support.
phrasal-verb

regret over

Meaning
to feel sad or disappointed about something that happened
Example
She **regrets over** not spending enough time with her parents.
phrasal-verb

rise through self-doubt

Meaning
to overcome feelings of insecurity and believe in your ability
Example
He managed to **rise through self-doubt** and achieve great success.
phrasal-verb

reach back

Meaning
to respond to someone who contacted you earlier
Example
Don’t forget to **reach back** to the recruiter after your interview.
idiom

runway for growth

Meaning
the time or resources a startup has before it needs more funding
Example
The startup has enough **runway for growth** for the next 12 months.
phrasal-verb

run along

Meaning
to leave or go away, usually said to children
Example
It’s time to **run along** now, kids.
phrasal-verb

roll over

Meaning
to reinvest money from a matured investment into a new one
Example
He decided to **roll over** his fixed deposit for another year.
idiom

ray of hope

Meaning
a small sign that something good might happen
Example
The new treatment offers a **ray of hope** for patients.
phrasal-verb

rally around

Meaning
to come together to support someone or something
Example
The whole team **rallied around** their captain during tough times.
phrasal-verb

rise above fear

Meaning
to act bravely despite being afraid
Example
True courage means learning to **rise above fear**.
phrasal-verb

rise above pain

Meaning
to overcome emotional hurt and continue to grow
Example
He managed to **rise above pain** and start a new life.
phrasal-verb

rest up

Meaning
to rest completely to regain energy
Example
You should **rest up** before your long trip tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

root out

Meaning
to eliminate or get rid of something completely
Example
The government vowed to **root out** corruption at every level.
phrasal-verb

refer back

Meaning
to mention something again for clarification
Example
Let’s **refer back** to the graph we saw earlier.
phrasal-verb

revise for

Meaning
to study something again before an exam
Example
I need to **revise for** my chemistry exam this weekend.
phrasal-verb

rise above

Meaning
to not be affected by negative emotions or criticism; to stay strong emotionally
Example
She managed to **rise above** the negativity around her.
phrasal-verb

reach forward to

Meaning
to extend emotional support to help someone move on
Example
He **reached forward to** his brother to help him recover.
phrasal-verb

reach across barriers

Meaning
to make an effort to connect despite differences
Example
Artists often **reach across barriers** through their creative work.
idiom

roll with the punches

Meaning
to adapt to difficulties and keep going
Example
Life throws challenges, so we must **roll with the punches**.
phrasal-verb

rule over

Meaning
to have control or authority over a country or people
Example
The king **ruled over** the entire region for decades.
phrasal-verb

run into debt

Meaning
to start owing money; to become in debt
Example
Many small companies **ran into debt** after the market crash.
phrasal-verb

ring through

Meaning
to connect a phone call to its destination
Example
I’ll **ring through** to the manager for you.
phrasal-verb

rise above challenges

Meaning
to overcome difficulties and remain positive
Example
He learned to **rise above challenges** and stay optimistic.
phrasal-verb

rise from

Meaning
to recover or improve after a setback or loss
Example
She **rose from** her failures stronger than before.
phrasal-verb

rise above pressure

Meaning
to stay calm and focused in stressful situations
Example
He managed to **rise above pressure** during the busy quarter.
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.
phrasal-verb

reach out to partners

Meaning
to contact or make connections with others for cooperation
Example
The NGO is **reaching out to partners** to expand its global projects.
phrasal-verb

reach for higher goals

Meaning
to aim or strive for greater success or achievements
Example
She’s always encouraged her team to **reach for higher goals**.
idiom

Roll the dice

Meaning
to take a chance on something uncertain
Example
They **rolled the dice** by launching their product early.
phrasal-verb

run short of

Meaning
to have less of something than needed
Example
We are **running short of** office supplies this week.
idiom

ring a bell

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can't remember where I heard it.
idiom

reach your full potential

Meaning
to achieve the maximum ability or success that you are capable of
Example
By working hard, she was able to **reach her full potential**.
idiom

right up one’s alley

Meaning
something that suits one’s interests or abilities perfectly
Example
That cooking workshop is **right up your alley**, you should join!
phrasal-verb

reach out to allies

Meaning
to make contact or offer cooperation to friendly nations
Example
The new leader tried to **reach out to allies** to rebuild trust.
idiom

ring the changes

Meaning
to make changes to something to make it more interesting or effective
Example
The restaurant decided to **ring the changes** with a new menu.
phrasal-verb

root for

Meaning
to support someone in a competition or difficult situation
Example
We’re all **rooting for** you to succeed in your exam.
phrasal-verb

roll with it

Meaning
to accept a situation as it comes and deal with it calmly
Example
When unexpected challenges arise, she knows how to **roll with it**.
phrasal-verb

run after

Meaning
to chase someone or something
Example
The kids **ran after** their dog in the backyard.
idiom

run a tight ship

Meaning
to manage an organization or group efficiently and strictly
Example
The manager **runs a tight ship**, and everyone follows the rules.
phrasal-verb

roll out

Meaning
to launch or introduce a new product or service
Example
The government plans to **roll out** new incentives for exporters.
idiom

rule of thumb

Meaning
a general practical principle based on experience
Example
As a **rule of thumb**, I double-check every document.
idiom

ride out

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
We managed to **ride out** the storm without damage.
phrasal-verb

recover from recession

Meaning
to return to growth after an economic decline
Example
The country is slowly **recovering from recession**.