serve up
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phrasal-verb

serve up

Meaning
to offer or provide food or a meal
Example
Grandma **served up** a delicious lunch.
phrasal-verb

use sparingly

Meaning
to use something in small or limited amounts
Example
Please **use** the office supplies **sparingly** until the next order arrives.
phrasal-verb

focus on improvement

Meaning
to give attention to becoming better at something
Example
Every student should **focus on improvement** rather than perfection.
phrasal-verb

go by

Meaning
to pass (about time); to follow or be guided by something
Example
As the years **go by**, we learn more about ourselves.
phrasal-verb

keep your spirits up

Meaning
to stay cheerful and hopeful in tough times
Example
Even during stress, try to **keep your spirits up**.
phrasal-verb

build on trust

Meaning
to strengthen relationships by developing mutual confidence
Example
Successful partnerships **build on trust** and transparency.
phrasal-verb

check in after

Meaning
to follow up with someone once something has happened
Example
Please **check in after** the appointment so I know how it went.
phrasal-verb

build resilience

Meaning
to develop the ability to recover from challenges or stress
Example
Facing hardships helps you **build resilience** for the future.
phrasal-verb

partner with

Meaning
to collaborate with another organization or country for a shared initiative
Example
Tech companies **partner with** governments to improve cybersecurity globally.
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come out in favor of

Meaning
to publicly support or agree with something
Example
The committee **came out in favor of** the new proposal.
phrasal-verb

appeal to

Meaning
to ask someone earnestly or formally for help
Example
The charity **appealed to** the public for donations.
phrasal-verb

clam down from

Meaning
to gradually relax after being very stressed or angry
Example
It took him an hour to **clam down from** the argument.
phrasal-verb

take in stride

Meaning
to accept and deal with something difficult calmly
Example
He learned to **take challenges in stride** instead of stressing out.
phrasal-verb

build capacity

Meaning
to develop skills or resources to handle more work or growth
Example
Small businesses are working hard to **build capacity** for future expansion.
phrasal-verb

try on

Meaning
to put on clothes to see if they fit or look good
Example
I want to **try on** this jacket before buying it.
phrasal-verb

throw down

Meaning
to drop something forcefully; to challenge someone
Example
He **threw down** his gloves and walked out angrily.
phrasal-verb

keep moving

Meaning
to continue progressing without giving up
Example
Even when life gets tough, you must **keep moving**.
phrasal-verb

blow up at

Meaning
to lose your temper and shout at someone
Example
She **blew up at** her brother for being late again.
phrasal-verb

slow yourself down

Meaning
to reduce your pace to avoid stress or exhaustion
Example
If you feel tired, try to **slow yourself down** and rest a little.
phrasal-verb

carry on bravely

Meaning
to continue with courage despite emotional hardship
Example
He chose to **carry on bravely** after losing his loved one.
phrasal-verb

take along

Meaning
to bring someone or something with you
Example
Don’t forget to **take along** your umbrella.
phrasal-verb

wind up about

Meaning
to become agitated or upset because of something
Example
Try not to **wind up about** the traffic; we'll still make it on time.
phrasal-verb

deal against

Meaning
to act or compete against someone in a transaction
Example
He **dealt against** his rival in the stock market.
phrasal-verb

deal around

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

set reminders for

Meaning
to schedule alerts so tasks are not forgotten
Example
I **set reminders for** every invoice deadline in my calendar.
phrasal-verb

let rip

Meaning
to express anger or frustration loudly
Example
He **let rip** at the meeting when no one listened to him.
phrasal-verb

tip over

Meaning
to fall onto one side accidentally
Example
The truck **tipped over** while taking a sharp turn.
phrasal-verb

be carried away

Meaning
to become so excited that you lose control of your feelings
Example
They got **carried away** during the celebration.
phrasal-verb

stay driven

Meaning
to remain motivated and focused on your goals
Example
To achieve greatness, you must **stay driven** no matter what.
phrasal-verb

light up with emotion

Meaning
to show a strong positive emotion on your face suddenly
Example
Her face **lit up with emotion** when she saw her mother.
phrasal-verb

steady yourself with breathing

Meaning
to calm your body by focusing on slow breaths
Example
I **steady myself with breathing** before I speak to the whole team.
phrasal-verb

figure lessons out

Meaning
to discover what can be learned from failure
Example
It took him some time to **figure lessons out** from his failed business.
phrasal-verb

deal across

Meaning
to trade or exchange across parties
Example
The companies **dealt across** several industries.
phrasal-verb

loop stakeholders back

Meaning
to update decision makers after changes are made
Example
Please **loop stakeholders back** once the revised deck is ready.
phrasal-verb

drop by

Meaning
to visit someone informally or without prior notice
Example
Feel free to **drop by** anytime for a cup of tea.
phrasal-verb

shell out

Meaning
to pay money, especially when you don’t want to
Example
We had to **shell out** $200 for the concert tickets.
phrasal-verb

reflect within

Meaning
to think carefully about your feelings and actions
Example
He likes to **reflect within** before making big decisions.
phrasal-verb

firm up decisions

Meaning
to confirm choices after considering options
Example
Let's **firm up decisions** now so vendors can start work tomorrow.
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

break through pain

Meaning
to overcome emotional suffering or struggle
Example
She managed to **break through pain** and start a new chapter in life.
phrasal-verb

mix with locals

Meaning
to socialize or interact with local people
Example
Students are encouraged to **mix with locals** to practice the language.
phrasal-verb

take back

Meaning
to admit that what you said was wrong; to retract something
Example
I **take back** what I said earlier.
phrasal-verb

get on with

Meaning
to continue doing something; to have a good relationship
Example
Despite their differences, they **get on with** each other quite well.
phrasal-verb

hold to

Meaning
to keep following a promise, rule, or plan
Example
She always **holds to** her daily routine, no matter what.
phrasal-verb

deal away

Meaning
to give up something through a trade or compromise
Example
He **dealt away** his shares for quick cash.
phrasal-verb

carry around

Meaning
to have something with you all the time
Example
He always **carries around** a notebook to jot down ideas.
phrasal-verb

average out at

Meaning
to have a particular average amount or rate over a period of time
Example
Inflation **averaged out at** around 4% over the year.
phrasal-verb

give credit for

Meaning
to acknowledge someone’s effort or contribution positively
Example
He always **gives credit for** others’ good ideas.
phrasal-verb

check over yourself

Meaning
to review your own actions and attitudes carefully
Example
Before judging others, **check over yourself** first.
phrasal-verb

rise above fear

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

cut down

Meaning
to eat or use less of something
Example
He’s trying to **cut down** his sugar intake.
phrasal-verb

shade in concepts

Meaning
to add tone or detail to drawings of ideas
Example
Designers **shade in concepts** to show light and depth in the sketch.
phrasal-verb

be kind to

Meaning
to treat someone with care and compassion
Example
Always **be kind to** people who are struggling silently.
phrasal-verb

cool yourself off

Meaning
to calm down after being angry or excited
Example
He went for a walk to **cool himself off** after the argument.
phrasal-verb

draw across

Meaning
to pull something so that it covers or crosses another thing
Example
She **drew across** the blanket to keep warm.
phrasal-verb

break apart

Meaning
to separate something into smaller parts for examination
Example
Let's **break apart** the argument to understand its main components.
phrasal-verb

speak out against

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

call out energy waste

Meaning
to point out when energy is being used carelessly
Example
Teammates **call out energy waste** whenever lights stay on overnight.
phrasal-verb

give oneself up

Meaning
to surrender to the police or authorities
Example
The thief **gave himself up** to the police after two days.
phrasal-verb

run out

Meaning
to have no remaining phone balance or battery
Example
My phone **ran out** of battery during the call.
phrasal-verb

refer to

Meaning
to mention or speak about something
Example
As I **referred to** earlier, this data comes from our annual survey.
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

break into a smile

Meaning
to suddenly start smiling
Example
He **broke into a smile** when he heard the good news.
phrasal-verb

park ideas for later

Meaning
to set suggestions aside for future review
Example
We **park ideas for later** when the sprint board is already full.
phrasal-verb

build rapport with

Meaning
to create a friendly and understanding relationship with someone
Example
Teachers need to **build rapport with** their students.
phrasal-verb

show through on

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

build flexibility into

Meaning
to include adaptability as a part of a system or plan
Example
We need to **build flexibility into** our workflow to handle changes easily.
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

keep fit

Meaning
to stay healthy and physically active
Example
I go jogging every morning to **keep fit**.
phrasal-verb

yearn for

Meaning
to feel a deep emotional longing or desire for something lost or missed
Example
He still **yearns for** the life he could have had.
phrasal-verb

open doors to

Meaning
to create opportunities for cultural connection or understanding
Example
Cultural exchange programs **open doors to** meaningful friendships worldwide.
phrasal-verb

shine on

Meaning
to continue to be cheerful and positive despite difficulties
Example
Even in tough times, she continues to **shine on**.
phrasal-verb

keep in touch with

Meaning
to maintain contact or communication with someone over time
Example
Even after graduation, they promised to **keep in touch with** each other.
phrasal-verb

backtrack on

Meaning
to reverse or withdraw from an earlier statement or promise
Example
The spokesperson **backtracked on** the claim once the data was checked.
phrasal-verb

warm to someone

Meaning
to begin to like someone or feel friendly towards them
Example
She didn’t like him at first but slowly **warmed to him**.
phrasal-verb

stick by

Meaning
to continue to support someone even when it is difficult
Example
Good friends **stick by** each other during hard times.
phrasal-verb

switch to

Meaning
to start using something different, especially something more sustainable
Example
Many companies are now **switching to** renewable energy sources.
phrasal-verb

adapt around

Meaning
to modify plans or behavior to fit changing circumstances
Example
We need to **adapt around** the new market trends quickly.
phrasal-verb

go back over

Meaning
to review or check something again carefully
Example
Before submitting your work, **go back over** it once more.
phrasal-verb

sit in for

Meaning
to substitute for someone temporarily
Example
The assistant will **sit in for** the teacher today.
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

tap into new markets

Meaning
to start selling in new regions or countries
Example
The company is trying to **tap into new markets** in Asia and Africa.
phrasal-verb

warm up to gratitude

Meaning
to gradually become more appreciative or thankful
Example
He **warmed up to gratitude** after realizing how much support he had.
phrasal-verb

clam up

Meaning
to suddenly stop talking, especially when nervous or unwilling
Example
She **clammed up** as soon as I asked about her mistake.
phrasal-verb

dream up with

Meaning
to invent or imagine something together with someone
Example
The design team **dreamed up with** a clever solution overnight.
phrasal-verb

pass out

Meaning
to lose consciousness
Example
He **passed out** from exhaustion after the marathon.
phrasal-verb

set about

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

bring up to date

Meaning
to give someone the latest information about something
Example
Can you **bring me up to date** on the latest news?
phrasal-verb

shout out to

Meaning
to publicly acknowledge or compliment someone
Example
Let’s **shout out to** everyone who helped organize the event.
phrasal-verb

light up with excitement

Meaning
to show happiness or enthusiasm suddenly on the face
Example
Her face **lit up with excitement** when she saw her friends.
phrasal-verb

filter out tension

Meaning
to remove or block stressful emotions or thoughts
Example
Yoga helps you **filter out tension** from your body and mind.
phrasal-verb

look down at

Meaning
to direct your eyes downward; to check notes
Example
He occasionally **looked down at** his notes to stay on track.
phrasal-verb

feed on

Meaning
to gain support or energy from something, often negative; to be sustained by
Example
The tabloids **feed on** celebrity scandals to boost their sales.
phrasal-verb

buzz with

Meaning
to be full of excitement or activity
Example
The hall was **buzzing with** excitement before the show.
phrasal-verb

spark creativity

Meaning
to inspire creative thinking or ideas
Example
Team discussions often **spark creativity** and innovation.
phrasal-verb

work for

Meaning
to be employed by someone or an organization
Example
I **work for** a multinational company in Dhaka.
phrasal-verb

single out

Meaning
to choose one person or thing from a group for special attention
Example
The teacher **singled out** one student for praise.
phrasal-verb

break off

Meaning
to end suddenly; to stop speaking or negotiating
Example
They **broke off** the engagement last month.
phrasal-verb

disagree with

Meaning
to have a different opinion from someone else
Example
I respectfully **disagree with** your conclusion.
phrasal-verb

speak for unity

Meaning
to express opinions promoting global harmony and understanding
Example
Leaders often **speak for unity** at international forums.
phrasal-verb

open up new perspectives

Meaning
to help someone see things in a new or different way
Example
Traveling to different countries can **open up new perspectives** on life.
phrasal-verb

look in on

Meaning
to visit briefly to see if someone is fine
Example
I’ll **look in on** Grandma after work to make sure she’s okay.
phrasal-verb

log onto platform

Meaning
to access a website or system by entering credentials
Example
You need to **log onto the platform** to join the webinar.
phrasal-verb

talk down

Meaning
to speak in a way that shows you think someone is less intelligent
Example
Don’t **talk down** to your colleagues; it’s disrespectful.
phrasal-verb

gear down for

Meaning
to slow your pace in preparation for something
Example
We **gear down for** finals by taking fewer shifts that week.
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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

hit out at

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

take time out

Meaning
to spend time resting away from work or pressure
Example
You should **take time out** to recharge and relax.
phrasal-verb

play back

Meaning
to listen to or watch something that was previously recorded
Example
Let’s **play back** the scene to check if the sound was clear.
phrasal-verb

hand back

Meaning
to return something to its owner, especially after checking it
Example
The professor **handed back** the graded assignments on Monday.
phrasal-verb

let in peace

Meaning
to allow yourself a quiet moment away from distractions
Example
Give yourself time to **let in peace** after a stressful day.
phrasal-verb

stand up for oneself

Meaning
to defend your rights or express your opinions confidently
Example
You should **stand up for yourself** when someone disrespects you.
phrasal-verb

drop below

Meaning
to decrease to less than a specific amount or level
Example
Investment growth **dropped below** expectations this quarter.
phrasal-verb

look beyond culture

Meaning
to see people as individuals rather than defining them by their culture
Example
To build global unity, we must **look beyond culture** and see shared humanity.
phrasal-verb

clear out

Meaning
to get rid of unnecessary things to feel mentally refreshed
Example
I like to **clear out** my desk when I'm feeling stressed.
phrasal-verb

build connections with

Meaning
to form positive relationships with people from other cultures
Example
He tried to **build connections with** his colleagues from various countries.
phrasal-verb

branch out professionally

Meaning
to start doing something new or expand into a new area professionally
Example
After years in sales, he decided to **branch out professionally** into marketing.
phrasal-verb

go back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
I have to **go back** to the office now.
phrasal-verb

hear from

Meaning
to receive communication from someone
Example
I haven’t **heard from** Sarah in weeks.
phrasal-verb

follow up on leads

Meaning
to contact potential clients after an initial meeting or inquiry
Example
The sales team will **follow up on leads** from the international trade fair.
phrasal-verb

break off communication

Meaning
to stop communicating suddenly or intentionally
Example
After the argument, they **broke off communication** for months.