scale back
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idiom

scale back

Meaning
to reduce the size or amount of something
Example
They had to **scale back** the festival because of the budget.
idiom

fall head over heels for someone

Meaning
to fall deeply in love with someone
Example
He **fell head over heels for her** the moment they met.
phrasal-verb

hold steady

Meaning
to remain stable; to avoid fluctuation
Example
The national currency managed to **hold steady** despite market pressure.
phrasal-verb

pay something off

Meaning
to completely repay a debt or loan
Example
We finally **paid off** our mortgage last month.
phrasal-verb

bring out clarity

Meaning
to make thoughts or feelings clearer
Example
Writing in a journal can **bring out clarity** about what you truly feel.
phrasal-verb

stand in

Meaning
to replace an actor temporarily in a scene
Example
A stunt double **stood in** for the actor during the dangerous scene.
phrasal-verb

take off financially

Meaning
to start growing or succeeding quickly in terms of money
Example
Their online business really **took off financially** after the pandemic.
phrasal-verb

return kindness with

Meaning
to respond to kindness by doing something nice in return
Example
He **returned kindness with** a thoughtful gift.
idiom

the light dawned on someone

Meaning
someone suddenly understands something
Example
The **light dawned on her** that she had made a mistake.
phrasal-verb

fall back into

Meaning
to return to a previous state or habit
Example
He **fell back into** his old routine after the vacation.
phrasal-verb

carry forward surplus

Meaning
to move remaining funds or profit into the next financial period
Example
The company decided to **carry forward surplus** to strengthen future operations.
phrasal-verb

cut across borders

Meaning
to go beyond national boundaries or differences
Example
Cultural exchange programs **cut across borders** and bring people together.
idiom

save the day

Meaning
to prevent failure or disaster by taking timely action
Example
His quick thinking **saved the day**.
phrasal-verb

fall behind schedule

Meaning
to not be progressing as quickly as planned
Example
Construction has **fallen behind schedule** due to bad weather.
phrasal-verb

reach out for

Meaning
to try to achieve or obtain something with effort
Example
You should always **reach out for** your dreams with confidence.
idiom

step into someone's shoes

Meaning
to take on someone's role or responsibility
Example
She was able to **step into her boss's shoes** when he was on vacation.
phrasal-verb

go straight

Meaning
to continue moving forward without turning
Example
Just **go straight** for two blocks and you’ll see the park on your right.
idiom

give someone a leg up

Meaning
to help someone improve their situation or get an advantage
Example
Her mentor **gave her a leg up** in her career.
phrasal-verb

zone back in

Meaning
to regain focus after being distracted
Example
After taking a short walk, I **zoned back in** and finished the report.
idiom

a blank slate

Meaning
a person with no prior knowledge or experience
Example
He came to the school like a **blank slate**.
idiom

Calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.
Example
The office is quiet now, but it’s just **the calm before the storm**.
phrasal-verb

stay in touch with

Meaning
to keep communicating regularly with someone
Example
I **stay in touch with** my college friends through video calls.
phrasal-verb

aim for excellence

Meaning
to try to achieve the best possible results
Example
Always **aim for excellence** instead of settling for average results.
idiom

helping hand

Meaning
assistance or support
Example
He offered a **helping hand** when I was struggling.
idiom

free up

Meaning
to make time, money, or space available
Example
Clearing old files will **free up** storage on the drive.
phrasal-verb

prep for

Meaning
to get yourself ready for something
Example
I like to **prep for** big presentations the night before.
phrasal-verb

let go of regret

Meaning
to release feelings of guilt or regret about the past
Example
He finally learned to **let go of regret** and focus on the future.
phrasal-verb

spread awareness of

Meaning
to share knowledge or information so more people understand an issue
Example
Schools help **spread awareness of** environmental protection.
phrasal-verb

add up revenue

Meaning
to calculate total income or sales
Example
The accountant will **add up revenue** from all branches.
idiom

gain ground

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
The company has been **gaining ground** in the tech industry.
idiom

tell tales

Meaning
to gossip or reveal secrets, often to get someone in trouble
Example
Stop **telling tales** about your coworkers.
phrasal-verb

show up at

Meaning
to arrive or appear at an event or place
Example
Many guests didn't **show up at** the party until midnight.
phrasal-verb

build towards

Meaning
to develop something gradually to reach a goal
Example
He is slowly **building towards** his dream project.
idiom

step on the gas

Meaning
to move faster; to hurry up
Example
We need to **step on the gas** if we want to reach on time.
phrasal-verb

detach from chaos

Meaning
to mentally separate yourself from stressful situations
Example
Sometimes you just need to **detach from chaos** to think clearly.
idiom

open up

Meaning
to become willing to share thoughts or to start operating
Example
He finally **opened up** about the challenges he’s facing.
idiom

A Scrooge

Meaning
A very stingy or miserly person.
Example
Don’t be **a Scrooge**—it’s Christmas!
idiom

change one's tune

Meaning
to change one's opinion or attitude
Example
After hearing the good news, he decided to **change his tune**.
phrasal-verb

deal with conflict

Meaning
to manage or resolve disagreements or disputes
Example
Managers often need to **deal with conflict** among team members.
phrasal-verb

exchange ideas

Meaning
to share thoughts and opinions with others; to discuss concepts
Example
Students **exchange ideas** about traditions during the cultural fair.
phrasal-verb

give credit to

Meaning
to acknowledge someone’s contribution
Example
You should **give credit to** those who helped you succeed.
phrasal-verb

fire back at

Meaning
to respond angrily or defensively to criticism
Example
The minister **fired back at** the accusations with strong evidence.
idiom

Wait for the dust to settle

Meaning
Wait until a situation becomes clear or calm.
Example
Let’s **wait for the dust to settle** before making a decision.
idiom

Out of fashion

Meaning
No longer trendy or popular
Example
Those jeans went **out of fashion** years ago.
phrasal-verb

focus on growth

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

a universe of possibilities

Meaning
endless opportunities or options
Example
Technology has opened **a universe of possibilities**.
idiom

jack up on

Meaning
to increase something sharply on a specific item
Example
Vendors **jacked up on** bottled water during the festival.
phrasal-verb

find out about

Meaning
to learn specific information or details regarding something
Example
I need to **find out about** the new insurance policy.
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

stand by

Meaning
to support or remain loyal to someone, especially in difficult times
Example
She always **stands by** her brother no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

cast a vote for

Meaning
to choose a candidate or option in an election
Example
Remember to **cast a vote for** the issues you believe in.
idiom

plow ahead

Meaning
to continue doing something despite difficulties
Example
Even with setbacks, they decided to **plow ahead** with the project.
phrasal-verb

point up to

Meaning
to highlight or bring attention to a higher idea or reason
Example
The teacher **pointed up to** the main reason for the conflict.
idiom

hair stands on end

Meaning
to feel intense fear or horror
Example
The ghost story made my **hair stand on end**.
phrasal-verb

wind meetings down

Meaning
to wrap up discussions and close a meeting
Example
Chairs **wind meetings down** by recapping wins and next steps.
idiom

A battle of wits

Meaning
A contest or situation where people use intelligence or cleverness to outsmart each other.
Example
The negotiations were a true **battle of wits** between the two leaders.
phrasal-verb

do up like a dog’s dinner

Meaning
to dress or decorate in an exaggerated or showy way
Example
She was **done up like a dog’s dinner** for the party.
idiom

beat a dead horse

Meaning
to waste time on a topic that has already been resolved
Example
Stop **beating a dead horse**; the decision is final.
idiom

speaking for myself

Meaning
stating one’s personal opinion only, not others’
Example
**Speaking for myself**, I think we should wait.
idiom

weigh in

Meaning
to give an opinion in a discussion
Example
Experts will **weigh in** on the proposal tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

celebrate with

Meaning
to join in celebration with people from other cultural backgrounds
Example
We love to **celebrate with** friends during their cultural festivals.
phrasal-verb

fire someone up

Meaning
to inspire or energize someone
Example
The coach’s words **fired up** the team before the final game.
phrasal-verb

work toward goals

Meaning
to make efforts to achieve objectives
Example
Everyone in the company is working toward the same vision.
idiom

level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
The new rules create a **level playing field** for all teams.
phrasal-verb

touch base

Meaning
to make contact with someone to update or confirm details
Example
Let’s **touch base** later this week to discuss the marketing plan.
idiom

byte the bullet

Meaning
to face a difficult situation bravely
Example
We have to **byte the bullet** and fix the system bugs now.
idiom

never say never

Meaning
to encourage someone to stay hopeful and not give up
Example
**Never say never**—you might succeed next time.
phrasal-verb

carry on smiling

Meaning
to keep smiling even during difficult times
Example
She always **carries on smiling** no matter what happens.
idiom

hammer home

Meaning
to emphasize something forcefully
Example
The trainer **hammered home** the importance of rest.
idiom

hair-raising experience

Meaning
something very frightening or terrifying
Example
Driving through that storm was a **hair-raising experience**.
idiom

out of one’s comfort zone

Meaning
doing something unfamiliar or challenging
Example
She stepped **out of her comfort zone** to take a new job.
idiom

spring for

Meaning
to pay for something, especially as a treat for others
Example
I'll **spring for** dessert since it's your birthday.
idiom

stab someone in the back

Meaning
to betray someone who trusts you
Example
I can’t believe he **stabbed me in the back** after all I did for him.
phrasal-verb

show through on

Meaning
to be visible or noticeable on something
Example
The stain **shows through on** the white fabric.
phrasal-verb

shine through challenges

Meaning
to maintain positivity and confidence during difficulties
Example
She always manages to **shine through challenges** with a smile.
phrasal-verb

fall behind on

Meaning
to fail to do something on time or as planned
Example
He **fell behind on** his rent payments last month.
phrasal-verb

pig out

Meaning
to eat too much food in one sitting
Example
We **pigged out** on pizza last night.
idiom

against the clock

Meaning
to do something as fast as possible because time is limited
Example
We were working **against the clock** to finish the project on time.
idiom

take the law into one's own hands

Meaning
to seek justice personally rather than through legal authorities
Example
The villagers decided to **take the law into their own hands** and punished the thief.
idiom

have a green thumb

Meaning
to be good at gardening
Example
My mother **has a green thumb** and grows beautiful flowers.
idiom

build from the ground up

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built their business from the ground up** with no investors.
phrasal-verb

hold on through struggle

Meaning
to stay strong and persistent during hard times
Example
You just have to **hold on through struggle** until things get better.
phrasal-verb

speak out against

Meaning
to publicly express opposition to something
Example
Many citizens **spoke out against** the unfair law.
phrasal-verb

cut in

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
Please don’t **cut in** when others are making their points.
idiom

dig in your heels

Meaning
to refuse to give up or change your position
Example
He **dug in his heels** and refused to quit until he succeeded.
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

move over

Meaning
to change position to make space for someone or something
Example
Can you **move over** a bit so I can sit down?
phrasal-verb

be touched by

Meaning
to feel emotional because of someone’s kindness
Example
I was really **touched by** your kind words.
idiom

blow out of the water

Meaning
to surprise or defeat completely
Example
Their performance **blew us out of the water**.
phrasal-verb

invest in infrastructure

Meaning
to spend money on buildings, systems, or services for long-term development
Example
Developing nations are trying to **invest in infrastructure** to support economic growth.
phrasal-verb

scale up with

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

green-eyed with envy

Meaning
showing strong jealousy
Example
They were **green-eyed with envy** at her luxurious lifestyle.
idiom

split-second decision

Meaning
a decision made very quickly without much thought
Example
The pilot had to make a **split-second decision** to avoid the crash.
idiom

the vision thing

Meaning
the ability to imagine and plan the future clearly
Example
Many politicians lack **the vision thing**.
idiom

eat humble pie

Meaning
to admit your mistake and apologize
Example
After blaming her friend, she had to **eat humble pie** when she realized she was wrong.
idiom

to be a sponge for knowledge

Meaning
to absorb information eagerly and enthusiastically
Example
She's **a sponge for knowledge**; she reads every book she can find.
idiom

brainstorm ideas

Meaning
to think of new and creative ideas
Example
The class gathered to **brainstorm ideas** for the science project.
phrasal-verb

click with

Meaning
to immediately feel a connection or understanding with someone
Example
We instantly **clicked with** each other at the party.
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.
idiom

Power behind the throne

Meaning
A person or group who has a hidden or indirect influence over the leadership
Example
The chief advisor is often considered the **power behind the throne**.
idiom

give someone the cold shoulder

Meaning
to deliberately ignore or show disapproval toward someone
Example
After the argument, she **gave him the cold shoulder**.
phrasal-verb

look on the bright side of things

Meaning
to focus on the positive aspects of a situation
Example
Try to **look on the bright side of things** when things go wrong.
phrasal-verb

hold with

Meaning
to agree with or approve of something
Example
I don’t **hold with** lying under any circumstances.
phrasal-verb

lift each other up

Meaning
to encourage or support colleagues emotionally or professionally
Example
A positive workplace culture helps employees **lift each other up**.
phrasal-verb

follow up on

Meaning
to check or continue working on something previously started
Example
He promised to **follow up on** his health goals regularly.
phrasal-verb

talk it over

Meaning
to discuss something to solve a problem or misunderstanding
Example
Let’s **talk it over** and clear things up.
idiom

patch together

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

good things come to those who wait

Meaning
patience brings positive results
Example
**Good things come to those who wait**, so be patient.
phrasal-verb

make amends for

Meaning
to do something to show you are sorry for hurting someone
Example
She tried to **make amends for** her mistake.
idiom

lose one’s cool

Meaning
to suddenly become angry
Example
Try not to **lose your cool** during the argument.
idiom

Make every minute count

Meaning
Use your time effectively and make the most of every moment.
Example
To be successful, you need to **make every minute count** and stay focused on your tasks.
phrasal-verb

fall behind in exports

Meaning
to lag in selling goods to foreign countries
Example
The nation has **fallen behind in exports** due to weak demand abroad.
idiom

mind your peace and quiet

Meaning
to protect your calm and avoid stress or disturbance
Example
She values her alone time to **mind her peace and quiet**.
idiom

get your point across

Meaning
to express an idea clearly so that others understand it
Example
It’s important to **get your point across** during discussions.
phrasal-verb

deal off

Meaning
to finish or complete a business transaction
Example
They finally **dealt off** the property last week.
phrasal-verb

turn setbacks around

Meaning
to transform failures into opportunities or success
Example
She managed to **turn setbacks around** by learning from her mistakes.
idiom

a dead-end job

Meaning
a job with no opportunity for advancement or improvement
Example
He quit his **dead-end job** to start his own business.
idiom

cut the mustard

Meaning
to perform well or meet expectations
Example
She didn’t **cut the mustard** in her new role.
idiom

cancel culture

Meaning
the practice of withdrawing support from someone after they do something offensive
Example
Many celebrities fear **cancel culture** online.
idiom

We’re of one mind

Meaning
To share the same opinion
Example
**We’re of one mind** about this decision.
phrasal-verb

get back to

Meaning
to return someone's call or reply later
Example
I’m busy now, but I’ll **get back to** you this evening.