settle for
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phrasal-verb

settle for

Meaning
to accept something that is not perfect because there is no better option
Example
He didn’t like the first design but had to **settle for** it due to time constraints.
phrasal-verb

relish in

Meaning
to take great pleasure or delight in something
Example
He **relishes in** the success he worked so hard for.
idiom

to see the big picture

Meaning
to understand the larger or more important issue
Example
You need to **see the big picture** when making strategic decisions.
idiom

Keep one’s eye on the ball

Meaning
To stay focused on achieving a goal.
Example
If you **keep your eye on the ball**, you’ll surely succeed.
phrasal-verb

open your mind to

Meaning
to start considering or accepting new ideas or opinions
Example
Studying anthropology can help you **open your mind to** cultural diversity.
phrasal-verb

stabilize at

Meaning
to reach a point where something becomes steady
Example
The unemployment rate has **stabilized at** 5% after years of fluctuation.
phrasal-verb

push through limits

Meaning
to go beyond what seems possible; to overcome boundaries
Example
Athletes must **push through limits** to reach their full potential.
phrasal-verb

chalk up to

Meaning
to attribute something to a particular reason
Example
We **chalked it up to** experience and moved forward.
idiom

figure out

Meaning
to understand or solve something
Example
We need to **figure out** why the emails bounced.
phrasal-verb

bring in investment

Meaning
to attract money from investors
Example
Tax incentives are designed to **bring in investment** from abroad.
idiom

par for the course

Meaning
what is normal or expected in a given situation
Example
Delays are **par for the course** in big projects.
phrasal-verb

follow along

Meaning
to keep up with or understand what is being said or shown
Example
The audience **followed along** as the journalist described the events.
phrasal-verb

brag about

Meaning
to talk proudly about one’s or someone’s achievements
Example
He loves to **brag about** his team’s success.
phrasal-verb

zone off into

Meaning
to disconnect mentally and drift into thoughts
Example
During long hours, she often **zones off into** daydreams.
phrasal-verb

gain insight into

Meaning
to understand something deeply or clearly through experience
Example
Traveling helped me **gain insight into** different cultures.
phrasal-verb

call out

Meaning
to criticize or challenge someone publicly
Example
The candidate **called out** the government for ignoring public needs.
phrasal-verb

talk past

Meaning
to fail to understand each other during a discussion
Example
We kept **talking past** each other instead of solving the issue.
idiom

see the bigger picture

Meaning
to understand the full scope of a situation or problem
Example
To make an informed decision, you need to **see the bigger picture**.
idiom

botnet

Meaning
a network of computers infected with malware that are controlled remotely by a hacker
Example
The hacker used the **botnet** to launch a massive DDoS attack on the server.
idiom

Cross one’s mind

Meaning
To suddenly think of something.
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could be lying.
phrasal-verb

cut through

Meaning
to move quickly through something; to make something easier to understand
Example
The boat **cut through** the calm water easily.
phrasal-verb

log off from

Meaning
to disconnect from an online account or service
Example
I **log off from** work chats after dinner to stay present with family.
phrasal-verb

look within for strength

Meaning
to find inner courage and motivation
Example
When times are tough, **look within for strength**.
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

square peg in a round hole

Meaning
someone or something that doesn't fit or belong in a particular place or situation
Example
Putting a modern building in a historical district is like trying to fit a **square peg in a round hole**.
idiom

a peaceful resolution

Meaning
a solution that resolves a conflict calmly
Example
They reached **a peaceful resolution** after several discussions.
idiom

jump through hoops

Meaning
to do a lot of difficult or complicated things to achieve something
Example
I had to **jump through hoops** to get my visa approved.
idiom

stay calm

Meaning
to remain composed and not panic
Example
No need to worry, just **stay calm** and think it through.
phrasal-verb

tune into cravings

Meaning
to pay attention to what your body is asking for
Example
I **tune into cravings** so I notice when stress makes me want extra sweets.
phrasal-verb

let emotions out

Meaning
to express feelings that you have been holding in
Example
It’s healthy to **let emotions out** instead of suppressing them.
idiom

move up the ladder

Meaning
to be promoted or advance in one’s job
Example
She hopes to **move up the ladder** by the end of the year.
phrasal-verb

let up

Meaning
when bad weather or rain becomes less strong or stops
Example
The rain finally **let up** after hours of storm.
phrasal-verb

add in

Meaning
to include a small polite comment or detail
Example
If I may, I’d like to **add in** one more observation.
phrasal-verb

reach out for balance

Meaning
to make an effort to create harmony in life
Example
He’s learning to **reach out for balance** between work and rest.
idiom

Burning question

Meaning
An important or urgent question that people are eager to know.
Example
The **burning question** is whether the plan will actually work.
idiom

upgrade your mindset

Meaning
to adapt one’s thinking for modern changes or innovation
Example
In the age of AI, it’s vital to **upgrade your mindset**.
idiom

keep your head in the game

Meaning
to stay mentally focused and motivated
Example
Even when things get tough, **keep your head in the game**.
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

bungle up

Meaning
to spoil or ruin something through clumsiness
Example
The workers **bungled up** the whole paint job.
idiom

make your mark

Meaning
to achieve distinction or recognition
Example
He worked hard to **make his mark** in the tech industry.
idiom

throw money down the drain

Meaning
to waste money on something useless
Example
Buying that fake brand bag was like **throwing money down the drain**.
phrasal-verb

hold back

Meaning
to stop yourself from expressing something
Example
He wanted to tell her everything but **held back** his words.
idiom

make a decision

Meaning
to choose something after thinking about it
Example
I need some time to **make a decision** about my career path.
phrasal-verb

lock in focus

Meaning
to give complete attention to the task at hand
Example
I **lock in focus** before presenting the quarterly strategy.
phrasal-verb

move away from

Meaning
to stop focusing on or using something
Example
The economy is **moving away from** dependency on foreign aid.
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

bring across

Meaning
to communicate an idea effectively
Example
He used visuals to **bring across** his main idea clearly.
idiom

jot down

Meaning
to write something quickly for later use
Example
I always **jot down** ideas as soon as they pop into my head.
phrasal-verb

spin out

Meaning
to lose control and start spinning around
Example
The car **spun out** on the wet highway.
idiom

Pay dividends

Meaning
To bring benefits or rewards later.
Example
Investing in education always **pays dividends** in the long run.
phrasal-verb

let go of

Meaning
to release negative emotions or painful memories; to stop holding onto something emotionally
Example
She’s learning to **let go of** her past mistakes and move forward.
phrasal-verb

filter in calmness

Meaning
to gradually bring peace or calm into your mind
Example
Meditation helps **filter in calmness** during stress.
phrasal-verb

boost up foreign reserves

Meaning
to increase a country's foreign currency holdings
Example
The central bank is working to **boost up foreign reserves** through remittances.
phrasal-verb

beam at

Meaning
to give a big, happy smile to someone
Example
He **beamed at** his friends during the celebration.
idiom

patch over

Meaning
to cover up a problem without truly fixing it
Example
We can’t just **patch over** the security flaws.
phrasal-verb

draw attention to

Meaning
to make people notice or focus on an issue
Example
Activists **drew attention to** flaws in the legal system.
idiom

Open book

Meaning
Someone who is easy to understand or transparent.
Example
She’s an **open book**; you always know what she’s thinking.
idiom

size up

Meaning
to quickly assess someone or something
Example
She walked into the room and instantly **sized up** the situation.
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

balance out trade deficits

Meaning
to equalize imports and exports to avoid economic imbalance
Example
The country is working to **balance out trade deficits** by boosting exports.
idiom

strike a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement or arrangement, especially in business
Example
After long discussions, the companies finally **struck a deal**.
phrasal-verb

acknowledge with

Meaning
to show recognition or appreciation through something
Example
They **acknowledged with** a small gift for all his hard work.
phrasal-verb

pull in together

Meaning
to combine efforts to achieve a goal
Example
If we all **pull in together**, we can finish the project on time.
phrasal-verb

come up short

Meaning
to fail to meet a goal or expectation
Example
The team **came up short** in the final minutes of the game.
phrasal-verb

ease tensions between

Meaning
to reduce conflict or hostility between countries
Example
Efforts were made to **ease tensions between** the rival nations.
phrasal-verb

draw confidence from

Meaning
to gain self-assurance by relying on something
Example
I **draw confidence from** the small wins we track each week.
idiom

bored to death

Meaning
extremely bored
Example
I was **bored to death** during the long lecture.
phrasal-verb

work out of

Meaning
to be based or operate from a specific place
Example
He **works out of** our Singapore office.
idiom

Handed down

Meaning
To give or leave something to someone younger or from a previous generation
Example
This antique watch was **handed down** to me from my grandfather.
idiom

keep your word

Meaning
to honor a promise or commitment
Example
You must always **keep your word** if you want to gain trust.
phrasal-verb

die out

Meaning
to become extinct or disappear completely
Example
Many ancient traditions have **died out** over the centuries.
idiom

grow on someone

Meaning
to become more liked or appreciated over time
Example
At first I didn’t like the song, but it **grew on me**.
idiom

pass along

Meaning
to share information or items with someone else
Example
Could you **pass along** the agenda to the interns?
idiom

build trust

Meaning
to create or develop trust in a relationship
Example
It takes time to **build trust** with new people.
idiom

turn back the clock

Meaning
to return to an earlier time; to undo progress or change
Example
Many people wish they could **turn back the clock** to their childhood.
idiom

hard as nails

Meaning
very tough and determined
Example
She’s **hard as nails** when it comes to achieving her goals.
phrasal-verb

push beyond

Meaning
to go further than one’s limits or fears
Example
You need to **push beyond** your comfort zone to grow.
idiom

zero-day vulnerability

Meaning
A security flaw in software that is exploited by hackers before the vendor has a chance to fix it
Example
The **zero-day vulnerability** was exploited by hackers to steal sensitive data.
phrasal-verb

back up with evidence

Meaning
to support a claim or statement using proof or facts
Example
You should always **back up** your accusations **with evidence**.
phrasal-verb

lend support to

Meaning
to give help or approval to something
Example
Many celebrities **lend support to** environmental causes.
idiom

algorithmic bias

Meaning
the systematic favoritism towards certain data or outcomes by an algorithm, often unintentionally.
Example
The development team worked to eliminate **algorithmic bias** in the AI model.
idiom

heart in one’s mouth

Meaning
to feel extreme fear or anxiety
Example
My **heart was in my mouth** as I waited for the results.
phrasal-verb

fry up

Meaning
to cook something quickly in hot oil or fat
Example
She **fried up** some eggs for breakfast.
idiom

A snapshot of

Meaning
A brief look or summary of something
Example
The report gives **a snapshot of** our company's performance.
idiom

Fail fast

Meaning
To quickly identify and learn from failures.
Example
In startups, it’s better to **fail fast** and learn than to waste time.
idiom

get away from it all

Meaning
to take a break from daily routine; to relax
Example
We went to the countryside to **get away from it all**.
phrasal-verb

cut across

Meaning
to affect multiple areas or groups at once
Example
Climate change **cuts across** every sector of society.
idiom

say hello

Meaning
to greet someone
Example
Please **say hello** to your parents for me.
idiom

piece of cake

Meaning
something very easy to do
Example
The exam was a **piece of cake** for her.
idiom

speak one’s mind

Meaning
to say exactly what one thinks
Example
She always **speaks her mind**, even if it offends people.
idiom

keep your shirt on

Meaning
stay calm; don’t get angry or impatient
Example
**Keep your shirt on**, we’ll solve it soon.
idiom

extend an olive branch

Meaning
to offer peace or reconciliation
Example
After years of conflict, the president decided to **extend an olive branch**.
phrasal-verb

catch a cold

Meaning
to become ill with a cold
Example
You’ll **catch a cold** if you go out in this rain.
idiom

take the stage

Meaning
to begin performing or speaking publicly
Example
The new actor will **take the stage** for the first time tonight.
idiom

bite your tongue

Meaning
to stop yourself from saying something you want to say
Example
I had to **bite my tongue** when my boss took credit for my work.
idiom

lost in translation

Meaning
when the meaning is lost or changed in translation or communication
Example
The humor was **lost in translation** when the movie was dubbed.
phrasal-verb

crack up

Meaning
to burst into laughter; to laugh uncontrollably
Example
We all **cracked up** at his silly joke.
phrasal-verb

build discipline

Meaning
to develop good habits and control over one’s actions
Example
Meditation helps you **build discipline** over your thoughts.
idiom

a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be brave when you are actually scared or worried
Example
She put on **a brave face** despite feeling nervous inside.
phrasal-verb

turn ideas into reality

Meaning
to make your plans or dreams come true
Example
Great leaders know how to **turn ideas into reality**.
phrasal-verb

come up trumps

Meaning
to perform unexpectedly well; to succeed when least expected
Example
She **came up trumps** and saved the project just in time.
phrasal-verb

click with

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

call the tune

Meaning
to be in control; to make important decisions
Example
In this company, the investors **call the tune**.
phrasal-verb

beam with

Meaning
to smile widely because of happiness or pride
Example
He **beamed with** pride when his daughter won the competition.
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

raise awareness about

Meaning
to increase public understanding or concern about an issue
Example
The campaign aims to **raise awareness about** climate change.
B2 idiom

close but no cigar

Almost correct or successful but not quite
Meaning
Almost correct or successful but not quite
Example
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
idiom

to mend fences

Meaning
to repair a relationship
Example
After their argument, they decided to **mend fences**.
idiom

have a crush on

Meaning
to be attracted to someone
Example
I **had a crush on** my classmate in college.
idiom

True blue

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

stay curious about

Meaning
to remain interested in learning new things
Example
Good learners always **stay curious about** how things work.
phrasal-verb

get around to

Meaning
to finally do something after delaying it
Example
I finally **got around to** cleaning my desk.
idiom

black box

Meaning
a system or process whose workings are not understood or transparent
Example
The neural network is often described as a **black box** because its decision-making process is not fully transparent.
idiom

Breaking new ground

Meaning
To make an important new discovery or innovation; to do something that has never been done before.
Example
The new trade agreement is **breaking new ground** in international relations.
idiom

on good terms with

Meaning
having a friendly and positive relationship with someone
Example
She’s **on good terms with** her ex-husband for the kids’ sake.
phrasal-verb

join in on

Meaning
to participate in a conversation or activity where experiences are being shared
Example
Feel free to **join in on** the discussion about travel memories.
phrasal-verb

come out in favor of

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

pan out

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

lean in to

Meaning
to embrace or face emotional challenges with courage
Example
Instead of avoiding conflict, she decided to **lean in to** the discussion.
idiom

give it time

Meaning
to wait for something to improve or happen
Example
**Give it time**, you’ll see results soon.
phrasal-verb

check into

Meaning
to enter and get accommodation at a hotel or lodge
Example
We **checked into** a cozy mountain resort for our vacation.