roll forward
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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phrasal-verb

roll forward

Meaning
to move plans or activities into the next period
Example
The project has been **roll forward** to the next fiscal year.
idiom

on the spot

Meaning
to make a decision immediately
Example
He was asked to decide **on the spot**.
idiom

leave a carbon footprint

Meaning
to cause pollution or environmental impact through daily activities
Example
Flying frequently can **leave a large carbon footprint**.
idiom

In a new light

Meaning
To see something from a different perspective
Example
After the discussion, I saw the issue **in a new light**.
idiom

lazy bones

Meaning
a lazy person
Example
Come on, **lazy bones**, get out of bed!
idiom

the right thing to do

Meaning
the most ethical or moral action to take
Example
Apologizing was **the right thing to do**.
idiom

feeling blue

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

cool down emotions

Meaning
to let intense feelings settle before responding
Example
We **cool down emotions** before tackling tough feedback.
phrasal-verb

make over

Meaning
to change the appearance or style of something; to transfer ownership
Example
They completely **made over** the kitchen last month.
phrasal-verb

hand out recognition

Meaning
to give praise or rewards for good work
Example
The manager regularly **hands out recognition** to motivate the staff.
idiom

Get the message

Meaning
To understand what someone is trying to say.
Example
After his silence, she finally **got the message**.
phrasal-verb

be curious about

Meaning
to have a desire to know or learn about something
Example
Children are naturally **curious about** how things work.
idiom

feel the strain

Meaning
to feel stress or pressure from a difficult situation
Example
Many employees are starting to **feel the strain** of the workload.
idiom

Give and take

Meaning
Mutual compromise or cooperation.
Example
Good teamwork is all about **give and take**.
idiom

birds of a feather

Meaning
people with similar interests or characteristics
Example
Tom and Jerry are always together—**birds of a feather**.
phrasal-verb

open through

Meaning
to access understanding by going through experiences of another culture
Example
You can **open through** empathy to truly understand cultural values.
idiom

blue chip company

Meaning
a large, reliable, and financially stable company
Example
Investors prefer to put their money into **blue chip companies**.
phrasal-verb

hit out at

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

cut into

Meaning
to reduce the time or energy available for eating or cooking
Example
Work has really **cut into** my cooking time.
idiom

to go viral

Meaning
to spread rapidly, especially online
Example
The new research paper **went viral** on social media.
phrasal-verb

hold in

Meaning
to control your emotions or not express them
Example
She tried to **hold in** her laughter during the meeting.
idiom

set the pace

Meaning
to establish a standard of performance or progress for others to follow
Example
Our CEO always **sets the pace** for the entire company.
idiom

the ivory tower

Meaning
a place or situation where one is disconnected from practical concerns or the real world
Example
Academics are often accused of living in **the ivory tower**.
idiom

wave the white flag

Meaning
to surrender or give up
Example
After a long debate, he finally **waved the white flag**.
phrasal-verb

lay off workers

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

bring down debt

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money a government or company owes
Example
The government is trying to **bring down debt** by increasing exports.
idiom

Break like the wind

Meaning
To move or pass quickly; sometimes used humorously.
Example
He ran **like the wind** to catch the bus.
phrasal-verb

center on

Meaning
to focus attention or thoughts on something; to make something the main point
Example
Try to **center on** the positive aspects of your life instead of the negatives.
idiom

Scale up

Meaning
To expand a company’s operations or reach.
Example
The startup is ready to **scale up** after its first funding round.
phrasal-verb

get together on

Meaning
to meet and discuss something as a group
Example
We should **get together on** this proposal before sending it to the client.
phrasal-verb

wind up with

Meaning
to end up in a particular situation or condition; to result in
Example
If you keep skipping breaks, you might **wind up with** burnout.
phrasal-verb

draft in for

Meaning
to bring someone in to help with a task
Example
We **drafted Sam in for** the client presentation at the last minute.
phrasal-verb

carry away

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

look back at

Meaning
to think about something that happened in the past
Example
When I **look back at** my college days, I realize how much I’ve learned.
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

go public

Meaning
to sell shares of a company to the public for the first time
Example
The startup plans to **go public** next year.
phrasal-verb

reach consensus on

Meaning
to agree collectively on an issue after discussion
Example
Delegates finally **reached consensus on** the new global trade policy.
phrasal-verb

stand down

Meaning
to withdraw from an argument or position to avoid conflict
Example
He decided to **stand down** instead of continuing the argument.
phrasal-verb

cheer someone up

Meaning
to make someone feel happier or less sad
Example
I bought flowers to **cheer her up** after the bad news.
idiom

get a degree

Meaning
to complete a formal education program
Example
She worked hard to **get a degree** in engineering.
idiom

back away from

Meaning
to retreat or withdraw from a situation
Example
He chose to **back away from** the argument before it escalated.
phrasal-verb

pick up

Meaning
to improve or increase after a slowdown
Example
The economy is expected to **pick up** after the policy reforms.
phrasal-verb

speak up about

Meaning
to talk honestly about something you did wrong
Example
He decided to **speak up about** his past mistakes.
phrasal-verb

ease back into

Meaning
to return to a task or routine gradually after stress or break
Example
After the holidays, I’m trying to **ease back into** my work routine.
phrasal-verb

work toward equality

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve fairness and equal opportunities
Example
International organizations continue to **work toward equality** for all genders.
phrasal-verb

live for

Meaning
to find hope or meaning in something or someone
Example
She **lives for** her children and their happiness.
phrasal-verb

set toward

Meaning
to start making progress toward something
Example
After graduation, she **set toward** her goal of becoming a lawyer.
phrasal-verb

strengthen alliances with

Meaning
to make partnerships or coalitions with other nations stronger
Example
The president vowed to **strengthen alliances with** global partners.
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

reach out with thanks

Meaning
to contact someone to express appreciation
Example
She always **reaches out with thanks** after receiving any help.
idiom

new lease on life

Meaning
a chance to live or start something again after a period of difficulty
Example
Winning the award gave her a **new lease on life**.
idiom

to come clean

Meaning
to admit the truth, especially when it is difficult or embarrassing
Example
He decided it was time to **come clean** about his mistake.
idiom

a couch potato

Meaning
a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV
Example
He’s become **a couch potato** since he lost his job.
idiom

run out of bandwidth

Meaning
to have no time or energy left; to be overwhelmed
Example
Sorry, I can’t take another task — I’ve **run out of bandwidth**.
idiom

Born in the barn

Meaning
To have bad manners or lack social etiquette.
Example
Close the door! Were you **born in the barn**?
idiom

a steep learning curve

Meaning
when something is difficult to learn, usually quickly
Example
The new software had a **steep learning curve**, but I managed to understand it.
idiom

cutting-edge marketing

Meaning
using the latest and most advanced marketing techniques
Example
Our company invests in **cutting-edge marketing** strategies.
phrasal-verb

dip below

Meaning
to fall under a particular level or value
Example
The unemployment rate **dipped below** 5% for the first time in years.
idiom

minimum viable product

Meaning
the simplest version of a product that can be released to test an idea
Example
The team launched an **MVP (minimum viable product)** to gather user feedback.
idiom

talk someone into

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something
Example
He **talked me into** joining the event.
phrasal-verb

set aside funds

Meaning
to reserve money for a particular purpose
Example
The government has **set aside funds** for rural development.
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.
idiom

a leopard can't change its spots

Meaning
someone cannot change their inherent nature or characteristics
Example
No matter how hard he tries, **a leopard can't change its spots**.
idiom

let on

Meaning
to reveal something secret unintentionally
Example
Don’t **let on** that you know about the plan.
phrasal-verb

stick to your word

Meaning
to keep your promises and do what you say
Example
A disciplined person always **sticks to their word**.
idiom

thank you kindly

Meaning
a polite way to say thank you warmly
Example
**Thank you kindly** for your time and patience.
idiom

chase rainbows

Meaning
to try to achieve something impossible
Example
Stop **chasing rainbows** and focus on reality.
idiom

day in court

Meaning
a fair opportunity to defend oneself or be heard
Example
Everyone deserves their **day in court**.
phrasal-verb

make amends through action

Meaning
to repair harm by doing something helpful
Example
He **makes amends through action** by redoing the report correctly.
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.
idiom

fake news

Meaning
false or misleading information presented as news
Example
Be careful not to believe in **fake news** spread on social media.
idiom

save for a rainy day

Meaning
to save money for future emergencies
Example
You should **save for a rainy day**.
phrasal-verb

staff up for

Meaning
to hire additional people in preparation for something
Example
We need to **staff up for** the remote support launch.
phrasal-verb

bounce ahead with optimism

Meaning
to continue progressing with a positive attitude after difficulties
Example
After every failure, she chooses to **bounce ahead with optimism**.
idiom

reach out

Meaning
to contact someone for help or communication
Example
Feel free to **reach out** if you have more questions.
idiom

in the limelight

Meaning
to be the focus of public attention
Example
After winning the award, he was **in the limelight** for months.
idiom

to machine learn

Meaning
to learn automatically from data without human intervention
Example
The system continues **to machine learn** as more data is fed into it.
idiom

over it

Meaning
no longer interested or affected by something
Example
I'm totally **over it** now.
phrasal-verb

grow beyond mistakes

Meaning
to develop personally by learning from one’s errors
Example
He chose to **grow beyond mistakes** instead of regretting them.
idiom

over the horizon

Meaning
something that is expected to happen soon
Example
A big change in the market may be **over the horizon**.
phrasal-verb

slow your pace

Meaning
to move or work more slowly to reduce stress
Example
When I feel tense, I remind myself to **slow my pace** and take it easy.
idiom

blow up in your face

Meaning
a plan or situation that suddenly goes wrong and causes trouble
Example
His plan to impress the boss **blew up in his face**.
phrasal-verb

benefit from

Meaning
to gain an advantage or profit through something
Example
Many developing nations **benefit from** global trade agreements.
idiom

wake up to

Meaning
to become aware of something important
Example
Communities are **waking up to** the impact of noise pollution.
phrasal-verb

get away with

Meaning
to do something wrong without being punished
Example
He thought he could **get away with** cheating on the test.
idiom

put something on the back burner

Meaning
to delay dealing with something until later
Example
The government decided to **put the issue on the back burner** for now.
phrasal-verb

nudge teammates gently

Meaning
to remind colleagues politely about something
Example
I **nudge teammates gently** if a follow-up note is still missing.
phrasal-verb

fade into

Meaning
to blend gradually with surroundings; become less noticeable
Example
His pale shirt **faded into** the white background.
idiom

off script

Meaning
to deviate from a prepared plan or speech
Example
During the meeting, he went **off script** and made some bold statements.
phrasal-verb

log on to

Meaning
to access a website or online platform by entering credentials
Example
Students must **log on to** the portal before the class starts.
phrasal-verb

move out

Meaning
to stop living in a place and leave it
Example
She decided to **move out** of her parents’ house after getting a job.
phrasal-verb

target at

Meaning
to aim a product or message toward a specific group
Example
This advertisement is **targeted at** young professionals.
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.
idiom

logged in

Meaning
to gain access to a computer or system
Example
She **logged in** to check her emails.
phrasal-verb

trade up for

Meaning
to exchange something for a better option
Example
We **trade up for** faster equipment when budgets allow.
idiom

Don’t give up

Meaning
Continue trying and don’t quit.
Example
You’ve come so far—**don’t give up** now!
idiom

from the horse’s mouth

Meaning
directly from the original or reliable source
Example
I heard the news **from the horse’s mouth**.
idiom

call it a night

Meaning
to stop what you are doing and go home, especially after a party
Example
It’s getting late, let’s **call it a night**.
idiom

beyond one’s comprehension

Meaning
too difficult to understand
Example
Quantum physics is **beyond my comprehension**.
idiom

hammer out a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement after long discussion
Example
They spent hours to **hammer out a deal** that satisfied both sides.
idiom

pan out

Meaning
to turn out well or produce a good result
Example
Luckily, our backup plan **panned out**.
idiom

the scoop

Meaning
exclusive or sensational news
Example
The journalist got **the scoop** on the celebrity wedding.
phrasal-verb

lead with

Meaning
to begin with a polite or positive statement before criticism
Example
It’s always better to **lead with** appreciation before giving feedback.
idiom

like father, like son

Meaning
a son behaves like his father
Example
Tom loves cars just like his dad — **like father, like son**!
idiom

find your feet

Meaning
to become comfortable in a new situation
Example
It took a few months for him to **find his feet** in the new city.
idiom

blow the whistle

Meaning
to expose wrongdoing or reveal secret information
Example
He **blew the whistle** on the company’s illegal activities.
idiom

True blue

Meaning
Loyal and trustworthy.
Example
You can count on her; she’s **true blue**.
idiom

heart of stone

Meaning
to be unkind or without compassion
Example
She must have a **heart of stone** to ignore that crying child.
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**.
idiom

Wisdom comes with age

Meaning
The older you get, the wiser you become, due to experience.
Example
You should listen to him; after all, **wisdom comes with age**.
B2 idiom

up in the air

Uncertain or undecided
Meaning
Uncertain or undecided
Example
The plans for the project are still up in the air.
The plans for the project are still up in the air.
phrasal-verb

see over

Meaning
to inspect a place, especially a house or building
Example
We went to **see over** the new apartment before signing the contract.
phrasal-verb

work out tariffs with

Meaning
to negotiate and agree on trade tariffs with another party
Example
The two nations are trying to **work out tariffs with** each other.
idiom

bear the brunt

Meaning
to take the main responsibility or suffering of something unpleasant
Example
The junior staff had to **bear the brunt** of the manager’s anger.
idiom

cry over spilled milk

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

get something off your chest

Meaning
to talk about something that has been worrying you
Example
I needed to **get it off my chest**, so I finally told her the truth.
phrasal-verb

reason out

Meaning
to find an answer or solution by logical thinking
Example
She tried to **reason out** the cause of the confusion.
idiom

to wear one's heart on one's sleeve

Meaning
to openly show one's emotions or feelings
Example
He really **wears his heart on his sleeve**, you can tell exactly how he feels.
phrasal-verb

call for change

Meaning
to demand reforms or modifications in policy or system
Example
The activists **called for change** in the voting system.
phrasal-verb

deal around

Meaning
to share something among people informally
Example
He **dealt around** the snacks during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

work into

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