reflect back on
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phrasal-verb

reflect back on

Meaning
to think deeply about something that happened; to analyze past experiences
Example
He likes to **reflect back on** his past achievements and lessons.
idiom

draw on

Meaning
to use something as a resource
Example
We’ll **draw on** last year’s data for the report.
idiom

It’s not over till it’s over

Meaning
Don’t lose hope until the end.
Example
**It’s not over till it’s over**, we can still win this game.
idiom

cry over spilled milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There's no use **crying over spilled milk**.
phrasal-verb

turn into

Meaning
to become something different
Example
Over time, the small shop **turned into** a large supermarket.
idiom

beat the rap

Meaning
to escape punishment or avoid being convicted
Example
He managed to **beat the rap** thanks to a clever lawyer.
idiom

better late than never

Meaning
it’s better to do something late than not do it at all
Example
**Better late than never** – he finally apologized.
phrasal-verb

freak about

Meaning
to become very anxious or upset about something
Example
She **freaked about** the upcoming interview.
idiom

have a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or idea
Example
When I saw the problem from a different angle, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
phrasal-verb

keep on

Meaning
to continue doing something repeatedly
Example
She **kept on** talking even though nobody was listening.
phrasal-verb

work into

Meaning
to include something into a plan or discussion
Example
I’ll try to **work** your idea **into** the proposal.
phrasal-verb

cool within

Meaning
to calm down internally and regain emotional balance
Example
When I feel overwhelmed, I take deep breaths to **cool within**.
phrasal-verb

break barriers

Meaning
to overcome obstacles that divide people or cultures
Example
Education helps **break barriers** between communities.
phrasal-verb

deal off with

Meaning
to end a relationship or partnership
Example
They decided to **deal off with** each other after the argument.
phrasal-verb

cut back on spending

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money spent on something
Example
To control inflation, the government decided to **cut back on spending**.
idiom

Out of one’s depth

Meaning
To be in a situation that is too difficult to understand or deal with.
Example
I felt **out of my depth** in that technical discussion.
idiom

data-driven decision

Meaning
a decision based on data analysis rather than intuition
Example
Modern companies rely on **data-driven decisions** to stay competitive.
idiom

bail someone out

Meaning
to help someone out of a difficult situation
Example
His friend **bailed him out** when he ran out of money.
phrasal-verb

feel bad about

Meaning
to feel sorry or regretful about something
Example
I really **feel bad about** what happened.
phrasal-verb

come clean about

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you’ve been hiding
Example
She finally **came clean about** her past.
phrasal-verb

stay grounded

Meaning
to remain humble and emotionally balanced
Example
No matter how successful you become, always **stay grounded**.
idiom

bring luck

Meaning
to cause good fortune
Example
This bracelet is said to **bring luck** to whoever wears it.
idiom

filter out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from something
Example
Use this tool to **filter out** spam messages.
idiom

queue up

Meaning
to line up and wait for your turn
Example
Fans began to **queue up** hours before the show.
idiom

match made in heaven

Meaning
a perfect romantic couple
Example
Everyone says they are a **match made in heaven**.
idiom

As I see it

Meaning
According to my understanding or opinion
Example
As I see it, we need to try a different strategy.
phrasal-verb

share stories with

Meaning
to exchange cultural experiences and personal stories
Example
They sat together to **share stories with** people from around the world.
phrasal-verb

work up to

Meaning
to gradually prepare for something difficult
Example
She’s **working up to** asking for a promotion.
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.
idiom

slow as a snail

Meaning
very slow or lazy in movement or action
Example
He walks **slow as a snail** in the morning.
idiom

lead by example

Meaning
to show others how to behave by doing it yourself
Example
A true leader always **leads by example**.
idiom

go ballistic

Meaning
to become extremely angry or excited
Example
Dad **went ballistic** when he found out I dented his car.
idiom

Go against the grain

Meaning
to do something that is contrary to the usual way of doing things
Example
Their new approach really **goes against the grain** of traditional research methods.
phrasal-verb

cut it close

Meaning
to allow very little time for something
Example
Leaving at 8:50 for a 9:00 meeting is **cutting it close**.
phrasal-verb

stabilize prices

Meaning
to make prices steady and prevent large fluctuations
Example
Regulations were imposed to **stabilize prices** in the food market.
idiom

keep your head in the game

Meaning
to stay mentally focused and motivated
Example
Even when things get tough, **keep your head in the game**.
phrasal-verb

step around

Meaning
to move to avoid something; to bypass a problem or rule
Example
He tried to **step around** the issue instead of facing it directly.
phrasal-verb

lay out a vision

Meaning
to clearly explain plans or goals for the future
Example
The CEO **laid out a vision** for the company’s next five years.
idiom

a slip of the tongue

Meaning
a spoken mistake; saying something unintentionally
Example
It was just **a slip of the tongue**, I didn’t mean to offend you.
phrasal-verb

stamp out

Meaning
to completely stop something bad or harmful
Example
The movement aimed to **stamp out** political corruption.
idiom

jot down

Meaning
to write something quickly for later use
Example
I always **jot down** ideas as soon as they pop into my head.
idiom

Jump in at the deep end

Meaning
to take on a difficult task without preparation
Example
I had to **jump in at the deep end** when I started my new job.
idiom

make peace with

Meaning
to end conflict and become friendly again
Example
She finally **made peace with** her sister after years of misunderstanding.
phrasal-verb

put across

Meaning
to communicate an idea clearly
Example
She always manages to **put across** her ideas effectively.
phrasal-verb

hold firm

Meaning
to stay confident and not let fear or doubt take over
Example
In the face of criticism, she continued to **hold firm** to her beliefs.
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

work your fingers to the bone

Meaning
to work extremely hard
Example
She **worked her fingers to the bone** to support her family.
phrasal-verb

listen out for

Meaning
to pay attention so that you can hear a specific sound or word
Example
Please **listen out for** your name during the announcement.
idiom

In the calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful period before a difficult situation or conflict arises.
Example
The office was quiet, **in the calm before the storm**, as they prepared for the big meeting.
idiom

brighten up

Meaning
to become happier or more cheerful
Example
Her face **brightened up** when she saw her friends.
phrasal-verb

stay motivated

Meaning
to keep one’s enthusiasm and energy high
Example
Regular feedback helps employees **stay motivated**.
idiom

edge out

Meaning
to narrowly defeat someone or something
Example
They **edged out** their rivals by just one point.
phrasal-verb

point out

Meaning
to draw attention to something; to mention something important
Example
He **pointed out** a few mistakes in the final report.
phrasal-verb

bring people along

Meaning
to inspire others to share and follow your vision; to include others in your progress
Example
A good leader knows how to **bring people along** when introducing new ideas.
phrasal-verb

count upon

Meaning
to depend or rely on someone for help or support
Example
You can always **count upon** me when you need assistance.
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

not the sharpest tool in the shed

Meaning
not very intelligent
Example
He’s kind but **not the sharpest tool in the shed**.
phrasal-verb

tie innovation to strategy

Meaning
to connect innovation plans with business strategy
Example
The manager wants to **tie innovation to strategy** for better results.
idiom

What’s done is done

Meaning
There is no point in worrying about past mistakes.
Example
We can’t change the past, so **what’s done is done**.
phrasal-verb

wander around

Meaning
to move about without a fixed purpose or direction
Example
We spent the afternoon **wandering around** the old town.
phrasal-verb

run after

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

make ends meet

Meaning
to earn enough money to live on
Example
He works two jobs to **make ends meet**.
phrasal-verb

take off after

Meaning
to chase someone or something quickly
Example
The police **took off after** the thief.
phrasal-verb

tidy up

Meaning
to clean and organize a space
Example
I need to **tidy up** the kitchen before going to bed.
idiom

go for broke

Meaning
to risk everything to achieve success
Example
They decided to **go for broke** and launch their new product.
idiom

take someone under your wing

Meaning
to take responsibility for someone and help them learn
Example
He decided to **take me under his wing** and show me how to succeed.
phrasal-verb

reflect upon

Meaning
to think carefully about something
Example
Take time to **reflect upon** your achievements and mistakes.
idiom

black sheep

Meaning
a person who is considered a disgrace to a group or family
Example
He is the **black sheep** of the family.
idiom

sound out

Meaning
to quietly discover what people think
Example
She will **sound out** the team before making changes.
idiom

stay calm

Meaning
to remain composed and not panic
Example
No need to worry, just **stay calm** and think it through.
idiom

dump someone

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship suddenly or unkindly
Example
She **dumped** him by text message.
idiom

no rocket scientist

Meaning
not very intelligent; not a genius
Example
He’s **no rocket scientist**, but he works hard.
phrasal-verb

set out for success

Meaning
to begin a journey or plan with the goal of achieving success
Example
She **set out for success** by creating a clear vision and staying disciplined.
phrasal-verb

boot into

Meaning
to start a computer or device and load its operating system
Example
When I **boot into** Linux, the system loads all my development tools automatically.
phrasal-verb

tell off

Meaning
to scold someone angrily
Example
She **told off** her son for breaking the vase.
phrasal-verb

release worries

Meaning
to let go of anxiety and stressful thoughts
Example
Take a walk to **release worries** from your mind.
idiom

see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
They finally **saw eye to eye** on the business deal.
idiom

The sun is shining

Meaning
A metaphor for happiness or positivity, often used when things are going well.
Example
After all the hard work, things finally seemed to be **shining**.
phrasal-verb

forward to

Meaning
to send a received message to another person
Example
Can you **forward** this message **to** the manager?
idiom

throw money at

Meaning
to spend large amounts of money in a hasty or unwise way
Example
The company tried to **throw money at** the problem instead of addressing the root cause.
idiom

a good Samaritan

Meaning
a person who helps others in need
Example
A **good Samaritan** helped the injured man on the road.
idiom

to be fair

Meaning
used to introduce a balanced or just opinion
Example
**To be fair**, she did try her best.
phrasal-verb

follow your passion

Meaning
to pursue what you love doing as a career or goal
Example
He decided to **follow his passion** for photography.
idiom

set the bar high

Meaning
to establish high standards or expectations
Example
Her achievements have **set the bar high** for future leaders.
idiom

Band together

Meaning
To unite for a common purpose.
Example
The workers **banded together** to demand better wages.
phrasal-verb

look through

Meaning
to read something quickly
Example
She **looked through** her notes before class.
phrasal-verb

clean out cache

Meaning
to remove temporary files from a system to free up space
Example
You should **clean out cache** to make your browser faster.
phrasal-verb

carry yourself

Meaning
to behave in a confident and graceful way
Example
He knows how to **carry himself** with confidence in any situation.
idiom

save for a rainy day

Meaning
to save money for future emergencies
Example
You should **save for a rainy day**.
idiom

Throw money at the problem

Meaning
To try to solve a problem by spending a lot of money instead of finding the real solution.
Example
You can’t just **throw money at the problem**; we need a proper plan.
idiom

Running on empty

Meaning
To continue working or functioning when you have no energy left.
Example
After pulling an all-nighter, he’s **running on empty** today.
phrasal-verb

stand up with

Meaning
to show solidarity or support for someone
Example
We should **stand up with** colleagues who are treated unfairly.
idiom

debug the mind

Meaning
to clear one’s thoughts or fix mental confusion
Example
Before making big design decisions, it’s good to **debug your mind**.
idiom

knock around

Meaning
to spend time doing casual activities
Example
We’ll **knock around** the city after the workshop.
idiom

trendsetter

Meaning
someone who leads the way in fashion, technology, or other popular areas, setting trends for others to follow
Example
The company became a **trendsetter** in the tech world with its innovative new app.
phrasal-verb

join forces for

Meaning
to combine efforts with others for a purpose
Example
Companies **join forces for** developing sustainable packaging.
phrasal-verb

work toward understanding

Meaning
to make an effort to empathize and see another person’s perspective
Example
Both sides should **work toward understanding** rather than arguing.
phrasal-verb

live below your means

Meaning
to spend less money than you earn
Example
One key to financial freedom is to **live below your means** consistently.
idiom

fall on one's shoulders

Meaning
to be responsible for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
The task of organizing the event **fell on her shoulders**.
idiom

learn by doing

Meaning
to gain knowledge through practical experience
Example
Students **learn by doing** during the science experiments.
idiom

When there’s life, there’s hope

Meaning
As long as you are alive, there is a chance for improvement.
Example
Don’t give up—**when there’s life, there’s hope**.
phrasal-verb

carry through on

Meaning
to complete or fulfill a promise, plan, or commitment
Example
A person with strong ethics will always **carry through on** their promises.
idiom

ease back

Meaning
to relax or slow down the pace of something
Example
After the deadline, we can **ease back** a little.
idiom

When there’s a will, there’s a way

Meaning
If you are determined, you can find a way to achieve your goal.
Example
**When there’s a will, there’s a way**, and he proved it by finishing the race.
idiom

scared out of one's wits

Meaning
to be very frightened
Example
The loud thunder **scared me out of my wits**.
phrasal-verb

fill up with gratitude

Meaning
to feel full of thankfulness and appreciation
Example
Every morning, I **fill up with gratitude** for the life I have.
phrasal-verb

set back

Meaning
to delay progress or cause a problem
Example
The heavy rain **set back** the construction work by two weeks.
phrasal-verb

weigh in with

Meaning
to contribute an opinion or advice
Example
Directors **weigh in with** fresh perspectives near the end of the meeting.
idiom

blackout

Meaning
to lose consciousness temporarily
Example
He suddenly **blacked out** during the match.
phrasal-verb

branch upward

Meaning
to move toward higher levels or bigger markets
Example
The business is **branching upward** into more profitable sectors.
idiom

swear on one’s life

Meaning
to make a very serious promise that something is true
Example
I **swear on my life**, I didn’t do it!
idiom

to shoot for the moon

Meaning
to aim for a difficult or ambitious goal
Example
He’s always **shooting for the moon**, trying to achieve impossible goals.
idiom

machine learning to the rescue

Meaning
using machine learning algorithms to solve complex problems that humans can't easily handle
Example
When the data was too large for traditional methods, **machine learning to the rescue** helped us find patterns.
phrasal-verb

depend upon exports

Meaning
to rely on exports for income or growth
Example
Many developing countries **depend upon exports** to boost their economy.
idiom

reduce carbon footprint

Meaning
to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere
Example
Many companies are working to **reduce their carbon footprint** by using renewable energy.
idiom

show initiative

Meaning
to take action without being told what to do
Example
Employees are encouraged to **show initiative** and come up with solutions on their own.
idiom

call to action

Meaning
a prompt that encourages an immediate response from an audience
Example
Your ad must include a strong **call to action**.
idiom

beyond reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical uncertainty
Example
The jury found him guilty **beyond reasonable doubt**.
idiom

cross your heart and hope to die

Meaning
to swear that something is true, often said with sincerity
Example
I **cross my heart and hope to die** that I will never lie to you.
phrasal-verb

focus on growth

Meaning
to pay attention to improving yourself
Example
Instead of worrying, **focus on growth** and self-improvement.
phrasal-verb

depend on

Meaning
to rely on someone or something for help or support
Example
You can always **depend on** me when you need advice.