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.
phrasal-verb

stamp out

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

spin up for

Meaning
to prepare systems or resources to handle something
Example
We **spin up for** big launches by testing backup servers early.
phrasal-verb

set out on

Meaning
to begin a journey or activity with a particular goal
Example
She **set out on** her dream to start a handmade jewelry business.
idiom

settle the score

Meaning
to take revenge or resolve a conflict from the past
Example
He wanted to **settle the score** after last year's argument.
phrasal-verb

set about

Meaning
to begin doing something with determination
Example
He **set about** cleaning the entire house after breakfast.
phrasal-verb

stay disciplined

Meaning
to maintain self-control and consistent study habits
Example
To achieve great results, students must **stay disciplined** throughout the semester.
phrasal-verb

set to

Meaning
to begin doing something energetically
Example
After the meeting, everyone **set to** work immediately.
idiom

silver lining

Meaning
a positive aspect in a bad situation
Example
Every dark cloud has a **silver lining**.
phrasal-verb

speak from experience

Meaning
to politely justify your opinion based on personal experience
Example
I **speak from experience** when I say this method really works.
phrasal-verb

set things straight with

Meaning
to clarify or resolve a misunderstanding
Example
He met her to **set things straight with** her after the confusion.
phrasal-verb

send out

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

set priorities

Meaning
to decide which tasks or goals are most important
Example
You must **set priorities** to reach your long-term goals.
phrasal-verb

set up a business

Meaning
to start your own company to earn money
Example
Many people **set up a business** to create their own path to financial freedom.
phrasal-verb

sleep in

Meaning
to sleep later than usual, especially in the morning
Example
I like to **sleep in** on weekends to rest properly.
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.
idiom

set the example

Meaning
to model the behavior you expect from others
Example
The manager always tries to **set the example** by being punctual and hardworking.
phrasal-verb

set your mind on

Meaning
to decide to achieve something and focus on it
Example
Once she **set her mind on** becoming a doctor, nothing could stop her.
phrasal-verb

set forth

Meaning
to present or explain an idea or proposal clearly
Example
The president **set forth** his vision for the nation’s economic future.
phrasal-verb

scale back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something you use or do
Example
We've **scaled back on** paper prints to cut waste.
phrasal-verb

stick to

Meaning
to continue following or supporting a particular position or argument
Example
She **stuck to** her point despite the criticism.
phrasal-verb

speak from

Meaning
to express an opinion based on personal experience
Example
She **speaks from** experience when she warns about that company.
idiom

shoot for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious
Example
Don’t be afraid to **shoot for the stars**.
idiom

shoulder to cry on

Meaning
Someone who listens and comforts you when you’re upset.
Example
After her breakup, Emma needed a **shoulder to cry on**.
idiom

spark an idea

Meaning
to cause someone to have a new thought or idea
Example
That movie **sparked an idea** for my next project.
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

stormy relationship

Meaning
a relationship full of arguments and conflicts
Example
They had a **stormy relationship** for many years.
idiom

sworn enemies turned friends

Meaning
two people who used to dislike each other but became friends
Example
They were **sworn enemies turned friends** after college.
phrasal-verb

sign off from

Meaning
to stop participating in an online meeting or platform
Example
I **sign off from** chat at six to spend time with my kids.
phrasal-verb

slip by

Meaning
to miss or overlook something accidentally
Example
A few errors **slipped by** during the proofreading.
phrasal-verb

speak for yourself

Meaning
to politely clarify that your opinion differs from someone else's
Example
You may think it’s boring, but please **speak for yourself**.
phrasal-verb

spur growth

Meaning
to encourage or accelerate economic expansion
Example
Tax cuts were introduced to **spur growth** in the private sector.
phrasal-verb

scroll back

Meaning
to move up to view older posts or messages
Example
I **scrolled back** to see our old conversation.
phrasal-verb

step into roles

Meaning
to take on new responsibilities or duties
Example
She confidently **stepped into** her new managerial role.
phrasal-verb

strike up

Meaning
to start a conversation or friendship
Example
He easily **strikes up** conversations with strangers.
idiom

spend money like water

Meaning
to spend money freely or wastefully
Example
She **spends money like water** on clothes.
idiom

sell like hotcakes

Meaning
to sell very quickly and in large quantities
Example
After the ad went viral, the product began to **sell like hotcakes**.
idiom

sing the same tune

Meaning
to have the same opinion as someone else
Example
Both managers **sing the same tune** about company policy.
phrasal-verb

scrub off

Meaning
to remove dirt or stains by rubbing hard
Example
You need to **scrub off** that grease from the pan.
phrasal-verb

share experiences with

Meaning
to tell or exchange stories and traditions with others
Example
He loves to **share experiences with** people from different backgrounds.
idiom

see eye to eye

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

sweat blood

Meaning
to make an enormous effort
Example
He **sweat blood** to get that promotion.
phrasal-verb

show thanks for

Meaning
to display appreciation through words or actions
Example
She baked cookies to **show thanks for** her neighbor’s kindness.
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.
idiom

snap out of it

Meaning
to stop being upset and start feeling better
Example
You need to **snap out of it** and start thinking positively.
idiom

sort out

Meaning
to organize or resolve a confusing situation
Example
We need to **sort out** this billing error today.
phrasal-verb

step into

Meaning
to begin a new role or position
Example
He confidently **stepped into** his position as project leader.
phrasal-verb

step on

Meaning
to press down with your foot; to offend or hurt someone's feelings
Example
Be careful not to **step on** anyone’s toes during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

stand up against injustice

Meaning
to resist unfair treatment or oppression
Example
Citizens gathered to **stand up against injustice** in their country.
idiom

stand out from the crowd

Meaning
to be noticeably different or better than others
Example
Her talent helps her **stand out from the crowd**.
phrasal-verb

share out

Meaning
to distribute something equally among members of a group
Example
The organization **shared out** resources to support developing countries.
idiom

sign up for

Meaning
to enroll in or agree to participate in something
Example
I’m going to **sign up for** the evening yoga class.
phrasal-verb

set boundaries

Meaning
to establish limits on what you will or will not do, especially in work
Example
It’s healthy to **set boundaries** between work and personal life.
phrasal-verb

speak kindly of

Meaning
to say positive things about someone as a form of appreciation
Example
Everyone **speaks kindly of** her because she’s always generous.
idiom

step in

Meaning
to become involved in order to help or stop something
Example
The manager will **step in** if the discussion gets heated.
phrasal-verb

share with

Meaning
to exchange ideas, beliefs, or customs with others
Example
Teachers encourage students to **share with** their peers about their heritage.
phrasal-verb

spark up

Meaning
to begin something cheerful or lively, such as a smile or conversation
Example
He **sparked up** a smile as soon as he saw her.
phrasal-verb

stand by allies

Meaning
to support friendly nations during difficult times
Example
The country promised to **stand by allies** during the crisis.
idiom

steer clear of

Meaning
to avoid someone or something
Example
You should **steer clear of** that street after dark.
idiom

spread the love

Meaning
to show kindness and affection to others
Example
She always tries to **spread the love** by helping others.
phrasal-verb

speak out about

Meaning
to publicly express one’s opinion or concern
Example
The whistleblower **spoke out about** corruption in the department.
phrasal-verb

switch down

Meaning
to reduce mental or emotional activity to relax
Example
I try to **switch down** my brain before going to bed.
idiom

step up a gear

Meaning
to increase your effort or speed
Example
The team needs to **step up a gear** to meet the deadline.
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

show appreciation for

Meaning
to demonstrate that you value something
Example
We should **show appreciation for** the team’s hard work.
phrasal-verb

see off guests

Meaning
to say goodbye to people as they leave
Example
The host **saw off the guests** at the gate after midnight.
phrasal-verb

sub in for

Meaning
to replace someone temporarily in a role
Example
Can you **sub in for** me at the networking event tonight?
phrasal-verb

step outside

Meaning
to move beyond one’s comfort zone or familiar environment
Example
You grow as a person when you **step outside** your cultural comfort zone.
phrasal-verb

set out to improve

Meaning
to begin an effort to make yourself or something better
Example
He **set out to improve** his communication skills after the feedback session.
phrasal-verb

square off with

Meaning
to prepare to compete or argue directly with someone
Example
Two teams **square off with** each other in tonight's final.
phrasal-verb

stand together against

Meaning
to unite and act collectively in opposition to something negative
Example
Countries **stand together against** terrorism and violence.
idiom

stick together

Meaning
to stay close and support each other
Example
In tough times, good friends **stick together**.
idiom

settle in

Meaning
to become comfortable in a new place or situation
Example
It took a week to **settle in** after the move.
phrasal-verb

splash out on

Meaning
to spend a lot of money on something special
Example
She **splashed out on** a designer handbag for her birthday.
idiom

sliding into DMs

Meaning
to send a private message to someone on social media, often flirtatiously
Example
He started **sliding into her DMs** after seeing her post.
idiom

slip up

Meaning
to make a small mistake
Example
Everyone **slips up** sometimes — don’t worry about it.
idiom

spam someone

Meaning
to send too many messages or unnecessary information
Example
Don’t **spam me** with notifications every minute!
idiom

street smart

Meaning
having practical intelligence and experience, not just book knowledge
Example
He may not have a degree, but he’s very **street smart**.
phrasal-verb

soak up the moment

Meaning
to fully enjoy and appreciate a happy situation
Example
She stood on the beach, **soaking up the moment**.
phrasal-verb

stay back

Meaning
to remain at a safe distance from danger
Example
Everyone, **stay back** until the area is secure.
phrasal-verb

step up productivity

Meaning
to increase the level of output or performance
Example
The company is taking steps to **step up productivity** across departments.
phrasal-verb

side with

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument or conflict
Example
She always **sides with** her best friend in arguments.
idiom

strength in numbers

Meaning
greater power comes from a larger group
Example
We can win this battle if we stick together, there's **strength in numbers**.
phrasal-verb

shift focus toward growth

Meaning
to redirect attention and efforts toward improvement
Example
The manager encouraged everyone to **shift focus toward growth** after the changes.
phrasal-verb

shake off fear

Meaning
to get rid of fear or anxiety
Example
He tried to **shake off fear** before entering the stage.
phrasal-verb

stick to the point

Meaning
to stay focused on the main topic during a discussion
Example
The moderator asked everyone to **stick to the point** during the debate.
phrasal-verb

step forward

Meaning
to volunteer or take initiative for something
Example
John always **steps forward** when the team needs extra help.
idiom

sit in the driver’s seat

Meaning
to be in a position of control or leadership
Example
After the promotion, she now **sits in the driver’s seat**.
phrasal-verb

speak out on

Meaning
to publicly express an opinion about something important
Example
The candidate decided to **speak out on** corruption during the debate.
phrasal-verb

start over

Meaning
to begin again after a failure
Example
If something doesn’t work, just **start over** and try a new way.
idiom

scaling up

Meaning
to expand a business rapidly after initial success
Example
After their Series A funding, the team focused on **scaling up**.
phrasal-verb

spread awareness about

Meaning
to share information to make people more conscious about something
Example
The NGO works hard to **spread awareness about** climate change.
idiom

sing someone’s praises

Meaning
to speak highly of someone
Example
Everyone **sang her praises** after the performance.
phrasal-verb

scroll through

Meaning
to move down or up a page to look at content
Example
I spent an hour **scrolling through** Instagram last night.
phrasal-verb

set up

Meaning
to establish or create an organization, system, or structure
Example
They **set up** a new political party to challenge the ruling government.
idiom

sworn enemy

Meaning
someone who will never be your friend
Example
They used to be close but now are **sworn enemies**.
idiom

see the light

Meaning
to finally understand or accept the truth or a new idea
Example
After years of denial, he finally **saw the light**.
phrasal-verb

sort through for

Meaning
to examine items one by one to find something specific
Example
I **sort through for** the receipts every month at budget time.
idiom

start from scratch

Meaning
to begin again without any advantage or preparation
Example
They lost everything and had to **start from scratch**.
phrasal-verb

snap up

Meaning
to buy something quickly because it is cheap or available
Example
Shoppers **snapped up** the discounted electronics within minutes.
idiom

stick around

Meaning
to stay in a place for a short time longer
Example
Can you **stick around** for the Q&A session?
idiom

set in stone

Meaning
fixed and not likely to change
Example
Our schedule isn’t **set in stone** yet.
idiom

separate the wheat from the chaff

Meaning
to distinguish valuable things from worthless ones
Example
It’s time to **separate the wheat from the chaff** in this project.
phrasal-verb

stimulate demand

Meaning
to encourage people to buy more goods or services
Example
The government reduced taxes to **stimulate demand** 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

Seize the day

Meaning
to take advantage of the present moment
Example
She believes in living life to the fullest and always tries to **seize the day**.
phrasal-verb

step into leadership

Meaning
to begin taking on a leadership role or responsibility
Example
He was encouraged to **step into leadership** after his promotion.
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

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
phrasal-verb

scale up to

Meaning
to increase in size, amount, or production level to meet higher demand or needs
Example
The company plans to **scale up to** full production once the economy stabilizes.
idiom

sitting on the fence

Meaning
to avoid taking sides or making a decision
Example
He is **sitting on the fence** about the new policy.
phrasal-verb

shut off

Meaning
to block or stop feeling emotions
Example
He learned to **shut off** his emotions to stay strong.
phrasal-verb

settle over

Meaning
to relax and let go of tension or emotional stress
Example
After a long day, I like to sit quietly and **settle over** my thoughts.
idiom

safeguard your system

Meaning
to protect your computer system or network from attacks
Example
Make sure to **safeguard your system** with the latest antivirus software.
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.
phrasal-verb

step into your power

Meaning
to embrace your strength, potential, and confidence fully
Example
She finally decided to **step into her power** and take charge of her life.
phrasal-verb

sync up with

Meaning
to coordinate or match with something or someone
Example
The app will automatically **sync up with** your online account.
idiom

Speak the truth

Meaning
To tell the truth without lying.
Example
She decided to **speak the truth** no matter what the consequences were.
idiom

spin up

Meaning
to start something quickly, especially a system
Example
The IT team can **spin up** a test server in minutes.
idiom

show someone the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a task
Example
She took the time to **show me the ropes** on my first day at work.
phrasal-verb

snow in

Meaning
to be trapped somewhere because of heavy snow
Example
We were **snowed in** for two days after the blizzard.