run down on
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phrasal-verb

run down on

Meaning
to criticize someone or something harshly
Example
She often **runs down on** her coworkers.
phrasal-verb

follow through on decisions

Meaning
to continue with an action until it is completed
Example
Leaders must always follow through on their promises.
idiom

get straight to the point

Meaning
to talk directly about the main topic
Example
Let's **get straight to the point** and discuss the issue.
idiom

the dawn of a new day

Meaning
a new beginning filled with hope
Example
Her graduation marked **the dawn of a new day** in her life.
idiom

corner the market

Meaning
to dominate a particular market
Example
They’ve managed to **corner the market** in organic products.
phrasal-verb

lay out concepts

Meaning
to present or explain creative ideas clearly
Example
The designer **laid out concepts** for the new brand identity.
phrasal-verb

turn down

Meaning
to reject or refuse something
Example
The minister **turned down** the proposal for increasing taxes.
idiom

learn by heart

Meaning
to memorize something perfectly
Example
He **learned the poem by heart** for the recital.
idiom

hit like a ton of bricks

Meaning
to cause a sudden and strong shock or surprise
Example
The news of his death **hit me like a ton of bricks**.
phrasal-verb

push back

Meaning
to delay something to a later time or date
Example
We had to **push back** the deadline due to unexpected issues.
phrasal-verb

pool resources for

Meaning
to combine money, labor, or materials for a joint project
Example
The governments **pooled resources for** regional development projects.
idiom

add fuel to the fire

Meaning
to make a bad situation worse
Example
Your comments **added fuel to the fire**.
idiom

thank you kindly

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

No risk, no reward

Meaning
You can't expect to achieve something without taking risks.
Example
To get ahead in life, you have to understand that **no risk, no reward**.
idiom

bark up the wrong tree

Meaning
to make a wrong assumption
Example
If you think I took your wallet, you’re **barking up the wrong tree**.
phrasal-verb

write out

Meaning
to write something in full form
Example
Please **write out** your answers clearly in the exam sheet.
idiom

get to the bottom of things

Meaning
to find out the real cause or truth behind something
Example
The detective worked hard to **get to the bottom of things**.
idiom

a close call

Meaning
A situation where a disaster or accident was narrowly avoided.
Example
That was **a close call** — the car almost hit us!
idiom

olive branch

Meaning
a gesture of peace or reconciliation
Example
The president extended an **olive branch** by inviting his rival to the summit.
idiom

tie the knot

Meaning
to get married
Example
They are planning to **tie the knot** next summer.
idiom

go through the motions

Meaning
to do something without enthusiasm
Example
He’s just **going through the motions** at work.
idiom

down the road

Meaning
in the future
Example
We may expand to other countries **down the road**.
phrasal-verb

bring in

Meaning
to introduce something new, such as a law, idea, or practice; to implement
Example
The organization decided to **bring in** new policies to promote inclusivity.
idiom

full of the joys of spring

Meaning
very happy and energetic
Example
She’s **full of the joys of spring** after her vacation.
idiom

skeleton in the closet

Meaning
a family secret that one wants to keep hidden
Example
Every family has a **skeleton in the closet** they don't talk about.
phrasal-verb

speak up for yourself

Meaning
to express your opinions or defend your feelings confidently
Example
You need to **speak up for yourself** if something feels unfair.
idiom

tie up loose ends

Meaning
to complete the remaining small tasks of a project
Example
Before the deadline, we need to **tie up loose ends**.
phrasal-verb

call someone out on

Meaning
to point out a person’s mistake or bad behavior
Example
Coworkers **call someone out on** gossip that hurts the team.
idiom

to take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become worse or decline in health
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
idiom

out of the box

Meaning
creative and different from usual ideas
Example
Her **out of the box** marketing strategy increased sales rapidly.
phrasal-verb

embrace good vibes

Meaning
to accept and enjoy positive energy and feelings around you
Example
Let’s **embrace good vibes** and enjoy the moment.
idiom

much obliged

Meaning
used to express thanks politely
Example
I'm **much obliged** for your help today.
idiom

a chain is only as strong as its weakest link

Meaning
the strength of a group depends on the weakest member
Example
In any team, **a chain is only as strong as its weakest link**.
idiom

edge out

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

never look back

Meaning
to focus on moving forward and not dwell on past mistakes
Example
Once she made the decision, she promised to **never look back**.
phrasal-verb

rely upon stability

Meaning
to depend on consistent conditions or predictable systems
Example
Foreign investors **rely upon stability** before entering a new market.
phrasal-verb

carry over to

Meaning
to apply something learned or used in one situation to another
Example
You can **carry over** those skills **to** your new job.
phrasal-verb

scale up with

Meaning
to expand by adding extra resources
Example
They **scaled up with** extra analysts during the busy quarter.
idiom

split hairs

Meaning
to argue about small or unimportant details
Example
Stop **splitting hairs** and focus on the main issue.
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.
idiom

read someone the riot act

Meaning
to warn or scold someone severely for bad behavior
Example
The teacher **read the students the riot act** after the chaos in class.
idiom

brute force attack

Meaning
a method of hacking that tries all possible combinations of passwords until the correct one is found
Example
The attacker launched a **brute force attack** on the system’s login page.
idiom

cross off

Meaning
to remove an item from a list
Example
You can **cross off** the tasks we’ve finished.
idiom

hit the trends

Meaning
to become popular or fashionable in a very short period of time
Example
The new meme about the office prank has **hit the trends** and is everywhere now.
phrasal-verb

tag in

Meaning
to include someone’s username in a post or photo
Example
Don’t forget to **tag in** your friends when you upload the group photo.
phrasal-verb

call attention to

Meaning
to make people notice something good
Example
He **called attention to** the artist’s unique style.
idiom

over the horizon

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

curtain call

Meaning
when performers return to the stage to receive applause
Example
After their amazing act, the team received a standing ovation during the **curtain call**.
phrasal-verb

rise above fear

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

dress up

Meaning
to wear formal or special clothes
Example
We don’t have to **dress up** for tonight’s dinner—it’s casual.
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

bring up negotiations

Meaning
to start discussing trade terms formally
Example
The minister plans to **bring up negotiations** during the next summit.
idiom

hit the hay

Meaning
to go to bed; to sleep
Example
I'm really tired, so I'm going to **hit the hay** early tonight.
idiom

head to head

Meaning
to be in direct competition or disagreement
Example
The two leaders went **head to head** in the debate.
phrasal-verb

open up to someone

Meaning
to share personal feelings or problems with someone you trust
Example
He finally **opened up to** his friend about what he had been going through.
phrasal-verb

draw from

Meaning
to take or get something from a source
Example
Artists often **draw from** real life experiences.
phrasal-verb

ask about

Meaning
to request information or clarification about something
Example
He **asked about** the results of the experiment.
phrasal-verb

send out

Meaning
to distribute or send invitations to people
Example
We need to **send out** the invitations by tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

fit around

Meaning
to organize work or tasks to accommodate other activities or people
Example
She managed to **fit her schedule around** her team’s needs to ensure smooth collaboration.
phrasal-verb

gear the crew up

Meaning
to prepare a team with the tools or mindset they need
Example
Heads **gear the crew up** with clear roles before the sprint begins.
idiom

branch out

Meaning
to expand into new activities or areas
Example
The bakery plans to **branch out** into catering services next year.
phrasal-verb

break language barriers

Meaning
to overcome difficulties in communication due to language differences
Example
Translation apps help travelers **break language barriers** easily.
idiom

get a word in edgewise

Meaning
to be able to say something during a conversation dominated by others
Example
He talked so much that no one could **get a word in edgewise**.
phrasal-verb

dip into savings

Meaning
to use money that you had saved
Example
We had to **dip into our savings** to cover medical expenses.
idiom

a golden goose

Meaning
a source of continuous wealth or profit
Example
Their subscription service has become **a golden goose** for the company.
idiom

make ends meet

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

look beyond bias

Meaning
to see past personal prejudices and focus on fairness
Example
We must **look beyond bias** to make objective hiring decisions.
idiom

tear into someone

Meaning
to criticize someone angrily
Example
The coach **tore into** the players after they lost the game.
idiom

Bide one’s time

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

have it made

Meaning
to be in a very good position for success
Example
With a stable job and a happy family, he really **has it made**.
idiom

zone out

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

build one's confidence

Meaning
to increase one's self-assurance or belief in one's abilities
Example
Public speaking classes helped him **build his confidence**.
phrasal-verb

get over setbacks

Meaning
to recover from difficulties and continue trying
Example
It’s not easy, but you must **get over setbacks** and move on.
phrasal-verb

adapt under pressure

Meaning
to adjust effectively when facing stressful situations
Example
Professionals must learn to **adapt under pressure**.
idiom

hold your horses

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

set down

Meaning
to place something or write something down
Example
**Set down** your ideas so we can review them.
idiom

Put your trust in someone

Meaning
To believe in someone's honesty or ability
Example
I chose to **put my trust in her**, and she didn't disappoint me.
idiom

seal the deal

Meaning
to finalize or confirm an agreement
Example
Offering a discount helped us **seal the deal** with the client.
idiom

clear the decks

Meaning
Prepare for action by removing unnecessary things.
Example
We need to **clear the decks** before the new project begins.
idiom

the big bang

Meaning
a sudden and powerful beginning; often used metaphorically
Example
The startup launched with **a big bang** in the tech world.
phrasal-verb

step aside for

Meaning
to let someone else take your position or role
Example
The senior manager decided to **step aside for** a younger leader.
idiom

to see the silver lining

Meaning
to find something positive in a negative situation
Example
She always tries to **see the silver lining** even in the most challenging situations.
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.
idiom

off to a flying start

Meaning
to begin something, like a journey, very successfully
Example
Our trip was **off to a flying start** with perfect weather.
idiom

get your hands dirty

Meaning
to engage in the hard or unpleasant work of a task
Example
A true leader will not hesitate to **get their hands dirty** when necessary.
idiom

reach the top

Meaning
to achieve the highest position or level in something
Example
After years of hard work, she finally **reached the top** of her profession.
phrasal-verb

stand united against

Meaning
to collectively oppose something as one group
Example
Countries **stand united against** global terrorism.
idiom

party line

Meaning
the official policy or position of a political party
Example
Members were warned not to speak against the **party line**.
phrasal-verb

shrug off

Meaning
to ignore or dismiss an emotion or problem
Example
He tried to **shrug off** his disappointment.
idiom

warm up

Meaning
to prepare the body or mind for activity
Example
Let’s **warm up** before we dive into the rehearsal.
phrasal-verb

fill up on

Meaning
to eat a lot of one type of food so you are not hungry for other food
Example
Don’t **fill up on** snacks before dinner.
phrasal-verb

take forward

Meaning
to move a plan or project to the next stage
Example
We need strong leadership to **take forward** the innovation agenda.
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

moral compass

Meaning
a person’s ability to judge what is right and wrong
Example
Developers must keep their **moral compass** while designing AI tools.
idiom

at the end of the day

Meaning
when everything is considered; ultimately
Example
**At the end of the day**, teamwork solved the problem.
idiom

good vibes only

Meaning
to focus only on positive thoughts and energy
Example
This year, I’m living by the motto **good vibes only**.
idiom

go back to the drawing board

Meaning
to start over again because the previous plan failed
Example
Our experiment failed, so we have to **go back to the drawing board**.
phrasal-verb

move on

Meaning
to progress to the next stage; to leave something behind
Example
After the breakup, she decided to **move on** with her life.
phrasal-verb

fog up

Meaning
when glass or lenses become covered with mist or condensation
Example
My glasses always **fog up** when it rains.
idiom

An old friend is better than two new ones

Meaning
Long-time friends are more valuable than new ones.
Example
I trust John more than anyone else—**an old friend is better than two new ones**.
phrasal-verb

lean on friends

Meaning
to depend on friends for emotional support
Example
When life gets tough, don’t be afraid to **lean on friends**.
idiom

to have a thirst for knowledge

Meaning
to have a strong desire to learn or gain more knowledge
Example
She always **has a thirst for knowledge** and keeps reading books.
idiom

phishing expedition

Meaning
an attempt to obtain sensitive information by deceit
Example
The suspicious email was part of a **phishing expedition**.
phrasal-verb

smooth out fluctuations

Meaning
to reduce ups and downs and make something more stable
Example
Fiscal policies aim to **smooth out fluctuations** in the economy.
phrasal-verb

set out to

Meaning
to begin working with the intention of achieving something
Example
She **set out to** improve her public speaking skills this year.
idiom

hit upon an idea

Meaning
to suddenly think of a good idea
Example
I **hit upon an idea** for improving the app.
idiom

my way or the highway

Meaning
used to say that someone must accept your rules or leave
Example
The boss said it's **my way or the highway**.
phrasal-verb

follow through on commitments

Meaning
to complete promises or obligations made to others
Example
The government must **follow through on commitments** made at the summit.
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.
idiom

the picture of health

Meaning
a person who looks very healthy
Example
Despite his age, he’s still **the picture of health**.
idiom

take by surprise

Meaning
to catch someone off guard; to surprise unexpectedly
Example
The sudden rain **took us by surprise**.
phrasal-verb

clean out

Meaning
to completely remove unwanted things from a place
Example
Volunteers worked to **clean out** the polluted river.
idiom

patch together

Meaning
to assemble something quickly and roughly
Example
We managed to **patch together** a plan before the call.
idiom

inside job

Meaning
a crime committed by someone within the organization affected
Example
The robbery turned out to be an **inside job**.
idiom

a stroke of luck

Meaning
something good that happens by chance
Example
It was **a stroke of luck** that I found my lost wallet.
idiom

white as snow

Meaning
Pure and innocent.
Example
Her intentions were **white as snow**.
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

follow suit

Meaning
to do the same thing as someone else, especially online
Example
After one influencer started the trend, many others **followed suit**.
phrasal-verb

build on small wins

Meaning
to use minor achievements as motivation for bigger goals
Example
Try to **build on small wins** to gain more confidence.
phrasal-verb

grow closer

Meaning
to gradually become more emotionally connected
Example
Over the years, we’ve **grown closer** as a family.
idiom

jumpy as a cat

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