reach out to allies
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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.
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

commend on

Meaning
to praise someone for something
Example
The manager **commended** her **on** her excellent presentation.
idiom

scene-stealer

Meaning
someone who attracts attention and stands out
Example
That child actor was a real **scene-stealer**.
phrasal-verb

get across to

Meaning
to make someone understand something clearly
Example
It’s hard to **get across to** customer service that the product is faulty.
phrasal-verb

set up a subsidiary

Meaning
to establish a smaller company controlled by a larger one
Example
They decided to **set up a subsidiary** in Singapore to handle regional operations.
phrasal-verb

open within

Meaning
to connect with your inner emotions and understand yourself better
Example
Yoga helps me to **open within** and feel peaceful.
phrasal-verb

open onto

Meaning
to lead to a place or opportunity for connection
Example
This conversation could **open onto** a deeper understanding between us.
phrasal-verb

hit out at

Meaning
to criticize someone or something angrily
Example
The politician **hit out at** the media for spreading lies.
idiom

take pride in yourself

Meaning
to feel proud of who you are or what you do
Example
Always **take pride in yourself** and your achievements.
idiom

true colors

Meaning
someone’s real character or intentions
Example
He showed his **true colors** when he lied to me.
phrasal-verb

run up

Meaning
to cause yourself to owe a large amount of money
Example
He **ran up** a huge credit card bill last month.
idiom

Media frenzy

Meaning
Excessive media attention or excitement over a story.
Example
The celebrity’s arrest created a **media frenzy**.
phrasal-verb

call forth

Meaning
to bring about a reaction or response
Example
Her speech **called forth** a lot of emotions from the audience.
idiom

bide your time

Meaning
to wait patiently for the right moment
Example
She decided to **bide her time** before making a move.
idiom

keep up with the times

Meaning
to stay updated or adapt to modern trends
Example
In the fast-moving tech industry, companies must **keep up with the times**.
idiom

heart skips a beat

Meaning
to feel excited or nervous because of love
Example
Every time he smiles, her **heart skips a beat**.
phrasal-verb

reach underserved areas

Meaning
to extend services or opportunities to communities lacking access
Example
Global programs aim to **reach underserved areas** with healthcare and education.
phrasal-verb

pick up after

Meaning
to clean or tidy after someone
Example
I’m tired of **picking up after** my messy roommates.
idiom

don't count your chickens before they hatch

Meaning
don't make plans for something that might not happen
Example
You should wait until you get the job offer before you start celebrating. **Don't count your chickens before they hatch**.
phrasal-verb

check in about

Meaning
to discuss or confirm the status of something
Example
Let’s **check in about** the deliverables before Friday.
phrasal-verb

open yourself up to

Meaning
to allow yourself to express feelings or be vulnerable
Example
He learned to **open himself up to** love again.
idiom

feel blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
I always **feel blue** on rainy days.
idiom

measure up

Meaning
to meet expected standards
Example
The new hire has to **measure up** to the team’s standards.
phrasal-verb

meet up

Meaning
to get together with someone for an arranged meeting
Example
Let’s **meet up** at the cafe before heading to the concert.
idiom

doubting Thomas

Meaning
a person who refuses to believe without proof
Example
He’s a **doubting Thomas**; he won’t believe it until he sees it himself.
phrasal-verb

flag wins publicly

Meaning
to acknowledge achievements in front of others
Example
Managers **flag wins publicly** to keep motivation high.
idiom

butterflies in the stomach

Meaning
feeling nervous or excited
Example
I always get **butterflies in my stomach** before a date.
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

feel like a new person

Meaning
to feel refreshed and healthy again
Example
After a good night’s sleep, I **feel like a new person**.
phrasal-verb

lay off workers

Meaning
to dismiss employees due to economic downturn
Example
Several companies had to **lay off workers** during the recession.
idiom

Burn the bridges

Meaning
to destroy the possibility of returning to a previous situation
Example
Once he left the company, he decided to **burn the bridges** and not look back.
idiom

Don’t be discouraged

Meaning
Stay motivated even after setbacks.
Example
**Don’t be discouraged**—success takes time.
idiom

hang by a thread

Meaning
to be in a very dangerous or uncertain situation
Example
After the accident, his life was **hanging by a thread**.
idiom

off the hook

Meaning
to be free from blame or responsibility for something
Example
He was **off the hook** after his friend confessed.
phrasal-verb

look out for one another

Meaning
to care for and protect others in the team
Example
Good teams always **look out for one another**.
idiom

drill down

Meaning
to examine something in greater detail
Example
We need to **drill down** into the survey responses.
phrasal-verb

keep faith in

Meaning
to continue believing in something or someone despite difficulties
Example
Always **keep faith in** yourself, even when no one else does.
idiom

draw in

Meaning
to attract someone’s interest
Example
The bold headline **drew in** readers right away.
phrasal-verb

map out a growth plan

Meaning
to design steps that will help you develop professionally
Example
I **map out a growth plan** each quarter with my mentor.
phrasal-verb

speak about

Meaning
to talk about a particular topic or issue
Example
He will **speak about** effective communication at the seminar.
idiom

corner office

Meaning
a symbol of success or high position in a company
Example
Everyone dreams of getting the **corner office** one day.
idiom

change the game

Meaning
to introduce something that significantly alters an industry or field
Example
5G technology will **change the game** for mobile communication.
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

withdraw into

Meaning
to retreat emotionally and avoid social or emotional contact
Example
He **withdrew into** himself after the breakup.
idiom

let your imagination run wild

Meaning
to allow yourself to think freely and creatively
Example
When writing stories, I always **let my imagination run wild**.
idiom

tone down

Meaning
to make something less forceful or intense
Example
Could you **tone down** the colors in that slide?
idiom

get your foot in the door

Meaning
to make a first step towards achieving something, especially a job
Example
She finally **got her foot in the door** at a top firm.
phrasal-verb

save up for

Meaning
to collect money over time for a goal or purchase
Example
She’s **saving up for** a new laptop.
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

sing the praises of

Meaning
to praise enthusiastically
Example
The director **sang the praises of** the team after the event.
phrasal-verb

open up trade

Meaning
to make international trade easier by removing barriers
Example
The new agreement will **open up trade** between the two nations.
idiom

touch base with

Meaning
to make brief contact with someone for an update
Example
I'll **touch base with** you after the meeting to confirm the plan.
idiom

Breaking news

Meaning
New and important information being reported immediately
Example
We have **breaking news** about the election results.
idiom

on good terms

Meaning
to have a friendly and peaceful relationship
Example
They are still **on good terms** even after the breakup.
idiom

to debug a program

Meaning
to identify and fix errors or problems in a computer program
Example
I spent all day **to debug a program** that was causing crashes.
idiom

raise a toast

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

sit down to

Meaning
to gather together to share a meal or celebration
Example
Every Friday, our family **sits down to** dinner together.
idiom

give ground

Meaning
to make concessions or yield in a discussion
Example
He finally **gave ground** on the pricing issue.
phrasal-verb

scale ideas globally

Meaning
to grow a concept so it works in many countries
Example
Innovators **scale ideas globally** once prototypes prove reliable.
idiom

neck and neck

Meaning
very close in a race or competition
Example
The two runners were **neck and neck** until the final lap.
phrasal-verb

bring online

Meaning
to make a system or machine operational or connected to a network
Example
The new data center was **brought online** last week.
phrasal-verb

draw out creativity

Meaning
to encourage or inspire someone’s creative potential
Example
The manager tried to **draw out creativity** from every team member.
idiom

wield power

Meaning
to have and use power or influence effectively
Example
He’s not the president, but he still **wields a lot of power**.
idiom

work hand in hand

Meaning
to work closely and effectively with someone
Example
The designers and developers **work hand in hand** on the project.
idiom

lost in space

Meaning
confused or not paying attention
Example
He looked completely **lost in space** during the lecture.
idiom

Inquisitive mind

Meaning
A curious and eager-to-learn mindset.
Example
Children have an **inquisitive mind** that loves to explore.
phrasal-verb

lay out trade policies

Meaning
to explain or present trade strategies clearly
Example
The finance minister will **lay out trade policies** for the upcoming fiscal year.
idiom

go head to head

Meaning
to directly compete or confront each other
Example
The two negotiators went **head to head** over the contract terms.
idiom

Share a smile

Meaning
to smile and bring happiness to others
Example
It's easy to **share a smile** and brighten someone's day.
phrasal-verb

dig up

Meaning
to discover secret or forgotten information
Example
Journalists managed to **dig up** new evidence about the case.
idiom

own up to

Meaning
to admit or confess to something you did wrong
Example
She finally **owned up to** breaking the vase.
idiom

in the trenches

Meaning
to be deeply involved in hard work or challenging situations
Example
She’s **in the trenches** with the rest of the team, solving problems every day.
phrasal-verb

open up to challenges

Meaning
to be willing to face or accept difficult situations with confidence
Example
If you want to grow, you must **open up to challenges** instead of avoiding them.
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.
idiom

pay the price

Meaning
to suffer the consequences of one’s actions
Example
If you don’t follow the rules, you’ll have to **pay the price**.
phrasal-verb

stand up after

Meaning
to regain confidence or strength after failing
Example
True leaders **stand up after** every fall.
idiom

to fall flat on one's face

Meaning
to fail completely or embarrass oneself
Example
The comedian **fell flat on his face** when no one laughed.
idiom

in the red

Meaning
to be in debt; losing money
Example
After the pandemic, many small businesses were **in the red**.
idiom

jump in on

Meaning
to join an activity or discussion quickly
Example
Feel free to **jump in on** the brainstorming if you have ideas.
idiom

lose your mind

Meaning
to become mentally unstable or extremely upset
Example
He nearly **lost his mind** after the breakup.
idiom

book smart

Meaning
knowledgeable from studying rather than experience
Example
He’s **book smart** but lacks practical experience.
phrasal-verb

trade down for

Meaning
to swap for a simpler or cheaper alternative
Example
Some shoppers **trade down for** savings during slow months.
idiom

Keep the team on track

Meaning
to make sure the team remains focused and organized
Example
As the project manager, it's important to **keep the team on track**.
idiom

laugh off

Meaning
to dismiss something by treating it as a joke
Example
She tried to **laugh off** the mistake during the presentation.
idiom

Wishful thinking

Meaning
Believing something because you want it to be true, not because it is realistic.
Example
Believing you'll win the lottery is just **wishful thinking**.
phrasal-verb

ease tensions between

Meaning
to reduce conflict or hostility between countries
Example
Efforts were made to **ease tensions between** the rival nations.
phrasal-verb

add up

Meaning
to calculate the total cost or amount
Example
Before shopping, I like to **add up** all my expenses.
idiom

wear the crown

Meaning
to be in a position of leadership or power
Example
It's not easy to **wear the crown** and handle all responsibilities.
phrasal-verb

turn left

Meaning
to change direction to the left
Example
At the next intersection, **turn left** onto Main Street.
phrasal-verb

learn about

Meaning
to gain knowledge or understanding of something new
Example
Through cultural exchange, people **learn about** different lifestyles and beliefs.
phrasal-verb

check into

Meaning
to enter and get accommodation at a hotel or lodge
Example
We **checked into** a cozy mountain resort for our vacation.
idiom

stoic calm

Meaning
to remain calm in difficult or stressful situations
Example
Even during the crisis, she maintained **stoic calm**.
phrasal-verb

blend in with

Meaning
to mix naturally with people or surroundings
Example
Tourists often try to **blend in with** the locals to experience the culture better.
idiom

put one's cards on the table

Meaning
to be honest and open about one’s intentions
Example
The negotiator decided to **put his cards on the table** to speed up talks.
phrasal-verb

catch someone’s eye

Meaning
to attract someone's attention
Example
The bright red car **caught my eye** as it drove past.
phrasal-verb

single out

Meaning
to choose one person or thing from a group for special attention
Example
The teacher **singled out** one student for praise.
idiom

flash of genius

Meaning
a sudden brilliant idea or solution
Example
Her idea for the new logo was a real **flash of genius**.
idiom

space out

Meaning
to stop paying attention
Example
He tends to **space out** during long meetings.
idiom

tie the knot

Meaning
to get married
Example
They are planning to **tie the knot** next summer.
phrasal-verb

stand up for values

Meaning
to defend important beliefs or principles even when it's hard
Example
A respected leader always **stands up for values** under pressure.
phrasal-verb

cut expenses

Meaning
to lower the total amount of money spent
Example
He managed to **cut expenses** by cooking at home instead of eating out.
idiom

as wise as an owl

Meaning
very wise or knowledgeable
Example
My grandfather is **as wise as an owl**.
idiom

a thing of the past

Meaning
something that no longer exists or happens
Example
With smartphones, landline phones are **a thing of the past**.
phrasal-verb

break away for a moment

Meaning
to step aside from work or tension for a short time
Example
I like to **break away for a moment** to clear my head.
phrasal-verb

go for

Meaning
to like or choose something
Example
Most kids **go for** ice cream over fruit.
idiom

big thanks

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

balance the books

Meaning
to make sure income and expenses are equal
Example
The accountant worked late to **balance the books**.
phrasal-verb

reach for excellence

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

grow into self-belief

Meaning
to gradually develop confidence in yourself
Example
Over time, he **grew into self-belief** and stopped comparing himself to others.
phrasal-verb

look deeper into

Meaning
to examine something more carefully or in detail
Example
The scientist decided to **look deeper into** the mysterious phenomenon.
phrasal-verb

build endurance

Meaning
to gradually develop the ability to keep going for a long time
Example
Athletes **build endurance** through consistent training.
phrasal-verb

set aside time

Meaning
to reserve a specific amount of time for something important
Example
You should **set aside time** for personal reflection every day.
phrasal-verb

think back on

Meaning
to remember or recall something from the past
Example
When I **think back on** that day, I realize how careless I was.
idiom

wanderlust

Meaning
a strong desire to travel and explore the world
Example
His **wanderlust** took him to every continent on Earth.
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

hold sway

Meaning
to have great influence or power over others
Example
The leader **held sway** over the entire organization.
idiom

show compassion

Meaning
to express care or sympathy toward others
Example
We should **show compassion** to those in need.
idiom

A hard row to hoe

Meaning
A difficult task or challenge.
Example
Getting this project done on time is going to be **a hard row to hoe**.
idiom

In a peaceful state of mind

Meaning
feeling relaxed and at ease without stress or worry
Example
After yoga, she felt **in a peaceful state of mind** all day.
idiom

artificial instinct

Meaning
a machine’s ability to make decisions that seem natural or human-like
Example
The new model shows a kind of **artificial instinct** while driving.