shake up
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phrasal-verb

shake up

Meaning
to make major changes in an organization to improve it
Example
The new CEO plans to **shake up** the company’s culture to encourage innovation.
idiom

chain reaction

Meaning
a series of events triggered by one event
Example
One breakthrough can start a **chain reaction** of new innovations.
idiom

in one piece

Meaning
safe and unharmed after a difficult situation
Example
Luckily, everyone came out **in one piece** after the accident.
phrasal-verb

show gratitude for

Meaning
to express thanks or appreciation for something
Example
We should **show gratitude for** everyone who helped us reach this milestone.
phrasal-verb

find back

Meaning
to regain something lost; to recover
Example
After a long search, she finally **found back** her missing cat.
phrasal-verb

find out

Meaning
to discover information
Example
I need to **find out** what time the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

fall out over

Meaning
to argue and stop being friendly with someone because of something
Example
They **fell out over** money matters last year.
phrasal-verb

get out of

Meaning
to leave a car or vehicle
Example
He quickly **got out of** the taxi and ran inside.
idiom

there’s always tomorrow

Meaning
you’ll have another chance in the future
Example
Don’t be sad about today’s failure — **there’s always tomorrow**.
phrasal-verb

speak truth to power

Meaning
to tell honest truths to those in authority
Example
Journalists **speak truth to power** when they expose corruption.
idiom

test the waters

Meaning
to try something out before committing fully
Example
Before launching the product, we decided to **test the waters**.
idiom

save time

Meaning
to reduce the time needed for something
Example
Using shortcuts can **save time** when typing.
phrasal-verb

sum up

Meaning
to summarize or express something briefly
Example
Let me **sum up** the key points before we finish.
idiom

a snowball effect

Meaning
a situation in which something increases in size or importance at a faster and faster rate
Example
The more followers she got, the more famous she became, creating **a snowball effect**.
idiom

come to the rescue

Meaning
to help someone in trouble
Example
A firefighter **came to the rescue** of the trapped cat.
phrasal-verb

shut down

Meaning
to turn off a computer or system
Example
Make sure to **shut down** your computer before leaving.
idiom

true colors

Meaning
someone’s real character or intentions
Example
He showed his **true colors** when he lied to me.
idiom

bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

Meaning
alert and full of energy, especially in the morning
Example
He came to work **bright-eyed and bushy-tailed** after the weekend.
phrasal-verb

get organized

Meaning
to arrange your work and time in an efficient way
Example
It’s easier to manage your day if you **get organized** early.
phrasal-verb

speed up

Meaning
to go faster; to increase speed
Example
You need to **speed up** if you want to overtake that car.
phrasal-verb

trade off between

Meaning
to balance two opposing things or priorities
Example
Nations often **trade off between** protecting local industries and promoting free trade.
idiom

fan through

Meaning
to flip through pages quickly
Example
She **fanned through** the report to find the chart.
idiom

butter wouldn’t melt in their mouth

Meaning
someone who looks innocent but might not be
Example
She looks so sweet—**butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth**.
idiom

as fit as a fiddle

Meaning
in very good health
Example
My grandfather is 80 but still **as fit as a fiddle**.
idiom

reboot your mindset

Meaning
to change your way of thinking completely
Example
To adapt to AI, we need to **reboot our mindset**.
idiom

gather up

Meaning
to collect things together
Example
Let’s **gather up** the supplies before the workshop.
phrasal-verb

sleep off

Meaning
to sleep in order to recover from something like fatigue or hangover
Example
He’s trying to **sleep off** the tiredness from last night’s work.
phrasal-verb

chime in

Meaning
to join a conversation by adding your opinion or comment
Example
Feel free to **chime in** if you have anything to add.
idiom

catch someone red-handed

Meaning
to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The police **caught him red-handed** as he was stealing from the store.
idiom

a kind heart

Meaning
a person who is generous and caring
Example
Her **kind heart** is what makes her loved by everyone.
idiom

a ray of hope

Meaning
a small sign of possible success or improvement
Example
The new treatment gave patients **a ray of hope**.
phrasal-verb

blend across cultures

Meaning
to combine or mix aspects from different cultural backgrounds
Example
Modern cuisine often **blends across cultures** to create new flavors.
phrasal-verb

zone away

Meaning
to mentally escape from worries or stress
Example
I like to **zone away** by listening to soft music.
idiom

Pull through

Meaning
To survive or recover from a difficult situation.
Example
He was very sick, but he **pulled through** in the end.
idiom

save for a rainy day

Meaning
to save money for future emergencies
Example
You should **save for a rainy day**.
idiom

hold off

Meaning
to delay doing something
Example
Let’s **hold off** on finalizing the order until we confirm the budget.
phrasal-verb

speak to

Meaning
to talk to someone; to address or scold someone
Example
The manager wants to **speak to** you about your performance.
idiom

zero in on

Meaning
to direct all your attention and efforts toward one thing
Example
The team needs to **zero in on** the main problem before making changes.
phrasal-verb

apply for

Meaning
to make a formal request for a job or position
Example
She decided to **apply for** the marketing manager position at the new company.
phrasal-verb

follow back

Meaning
to follow someone who has followed you
Example
She didn’t **follow back** even though I followed her first.
phrasal-verb

wind up with

Meaning
to end up in a particular situation or condition; to result in
Example
If you keep skipping breaks, you might **wind up with** burnout.
idiom

overnight success

Meaning
a person or thing that becomes successful very quickly
Example
Her first song made her an **overnight success**.
phrasal-verb

go far

Meaning
to be very successful in life or career
Example
With her talent and dedication, she will definitely **go far**.
idiom

a brush with fame

Meaning
a brief encounter or experience with a famous person
Example
During the exhibition, I had **a brush with fame** when I met a renowned painter.
idiom

mix up

Meaning
to confuse two or more things
Example
I always **mix up** their names during meetings.
phrasal-verb

break into markets

Meaning
to start to sell goods or services in a new market
Example
Many startups aim to **break into markets** in Africa to support sustainable growth.
idiom

a clear conscience

Meaning
a state of being free from guilt or regret
Example
She could sleep soundly at night because she had **a clear conscience**.
idiom

confide in someone

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them secrets
Example
She only **confides in** her best friend.
idiom

Dress to impress

Meaning
Wear clothes that will make others admire you
Example
You should **dress to impress** for your job interview.
phrasal-verb

stand up for

Meaning
to defend or support someone’s rights or opinions
Example
Parents should **stand up for** their children when they are treated unfairly.
phrasal-verb

cut off funding

Meaning
to stop providing financial support
Example
The government **cut off funding** for several development projects.
idiom

fly high

Meaning
to be very successful or happy
Example
After winning the award, she’s been **flying high**.
idiom

juggle work and life

Meaning
to manage both work and personal life at the same time
Example
It's not easy to **juggle work and life**, but I try to do my best.
phrasal-verb

work out a plan

Meaning
to develop or create a strategy through discussion
Example
The managers **worked out a plan** to improve productivity.
phrasal-verb

call for peace

Meaning
to publicly ask for an end to conflict
Example
The international community **called for peace** between the rival nations.
phrasal-verb

get back on one's feet

Meaning
to recover after a difficult period; to regain stability
Example
It took him several months to **get back on his feet** after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

reach out to team members

Meaning
to communicate or offer support to colleagues
Example
Good leaders **reach out to team members** during tough times.
phrasal-verb

zone out with

Meaning
to relax or mentally drift while using something like music or a show
Example
I sometimes **zone out with** a podcast on the bus ride home.
phrasal-verb

roll up

Meaning
to fold or turn up sleeves or trousers
Example
He **rolled up** his sleeves before starting to wash.
phrasal-verb

take charge of

Meaning
to assume control or responsibility for something
Example
She decided to **take charge of** the new department.
idiom

hammer out

Meaning
to reach an agreement after thorough discussion
Example
They stayed late to **hammer out** the final details of the contract.
phrasal-verb

spur on growth

Meaning
to encourage or accelerate economic development
Example
Digital innovation is expected to **spur on growth** in the service sector.
phrasal-verb

be grateful for

Meaning
to feel thankful for something
Example
I’m really **grateful for** all your support.
idiom

peace talks

Meaning
negotiations aimed at ending a conflict
Example
The **peace talks** between the two countries lasted for weeks.
idiom

say hello

Meaning
to greet someone
Example
Please **say hello** to your parents for me.
phrasal-verb

mix up ideas

Meaning
to combine different ideas to create something new
Example
Our marketing team loves to **mix up ideas** from different industries.
phrasal-verb

filter through emails

Meaning
to go through many emails and find the relevant ones
Example
I spent an hour **filtering through emails** this morning.
idiom

bloom where you are planted

Meaning
to make the best of the situation you are in
Example
Even in a small town, she managed to **bloom where she was planted**.
phrasal-verb

hear about

Meaning
to receive information and respond with appreciation or gratitude
Example
I was happy to **hear about** your help with the project—thank you!
phrasal-verb

fill up with

Meaning
to become full or crowded with something
Example
The hall **filled up with** excited guests before the concert began.
phrasal-verb

press ahead with confidence

Meaning
to move forward positively despite difficulties
Example
We must **press ahead with confidence** even if challenges arise.
phrasal-verb

feel sorry for

Meaning
to pity or sympathize with someone or yourself
Example
I **feel sorry for** what I did to you.
idiom

bear the responsibility

Meaning
to take on the duty of something
Example
She was willing to **bear the responsibility** for the new project.
idiom

back and forth

Meaning
to change opinions or decisions repeatedly
Example
We’ve been going **back and forth** about this issue for weeks.
phrasal-verb

point to

Meaning
to show where something is; to suggest something as evidence
Example
All the facts **point to** his innocence.
idiom

have a spark of creativity

Meaning
to show signs of being creative or imaginative
Example
Even as a child, she **had a spark of creativity**.
idiom

find your feet

Meaning
to become comfortable in a new situation
Example
It took a few months for him to **find his feet** in the new city.
idiom

a tough act to follow

Meaning
something so impressive that others find it hard to match or surpass
Example
His last performance was **a tough act to follow**.
idiom

pluck up the courage

Meaning
to make yourself feel brave enough to do something
Example
He finally **plucked up the courage** to speak in public.
idiom

crazy about someone

Meaning
to be deeply attracted or infatuated with someone
Example
She’s **crazy about** her new boyfriend.
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.
phrasal-verb

bulk up

Meaning
to gain muscle and become stronger
Example
He started lifting heavier weights to **bulk up**.
idiom

practice what you preach

Meaning
to act according to the advice you give to others
Example
If you want others to be kind, you need to **practice what you preach**.
idiom

in seventh heaven

Meaning
in a state of great happiness
Example
They were **in seventh heaven** during their honeymoon.
phrasal-verb

build toward success

Meaning
to gradually develop skills or actions that lead to success
Example
He is **building toward success** by improving his skills daily.
phrasal-verb

press on

Meaning
to continue doing something in a determined way despite difficulties
Example
Although he was tired, he decided to **press on** until he finished the task.
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

lightning fast

Meaning
extremely fast
Example
She replied **lightning fast** to the email.
idiom

ahead of the pack

Meaning
to be more successful than competitors
Example
Her innovative ideas always keep her **ahead of the pack**.
idiom

do the right thing by someone

Meaning
to treat someone fairly and with respect
Example
It's important to always **do the right thing by your colleagues**.
idiom

let your imagination run wild

Meaning
to allow yourself to think freely and creatively
Example
When writing stories, I always **let my imagination run wild**.
idiom

keep someone’s word

Meaning
to do what you promise to do
Example
You can trust him; he always **keeps his word**.
idiom

golden opportunity

Meaning
a very good chance; rare opportunity
Example
This is a **golden opportunity** to show your talent.
phrasal-verb

check out

Meaning
to stop being involved or attentive; to mentally disengage
Example
Many employees **check out** mentally before the weekend starts.
idiom

alien concept

Meaning
something unfamiliar or strange
Example
Honesty seems like an **alien concept** to him.
phrasal-verb

hold fast to

Meaning
to remain firmly committed to a belief or value
Example
She **holds fast to** transparency even under pressure.
idiom

veer off

Meaning
to suddenly change direction
Example
The conversation **veered off** into weekend plans.
idiom

To be there for someone

Meaning
To offer emotional support when someone is in need
Example
No matter what happens, I’ll always **be there for you**.
idiom

flag up

Meaning
to draw attention to something important
Example
The auditor will **flag up** any unusual expenses.
phrasal-verb

measure up to

Meaning
to meet a required ethical or professional standard
Example
All employees are expected to **measure up to** the company’s moral values.
phrasal-verb

catch up on

Meaning
to do something that one has missed or delayed doing before a deadline
Example
I stayed late to **catch up on** my unfinished reports.
idiom

to take the law into one’s own hands

Meaning
to punish someone personally instead of letting the authorities handle it
Example
The villagers **took the law into their own hands** when the thief escaped.
phrasal-verb

take over for

Meaning
to temporarily handle someone’s virtual responsibilities
Example
Can you **take over for** me while I’m offline?
idiom

on all fours

Meaning
crawling on hands and knees
Example
The baby moved **on all fours** across the floor.
phrasal-verb

come down on

Meaning
to criticize or punish someone strongly for a decision or action
Example
The board will **come down on** any department that exceeds the budget.
idiom

to be ahead of the curve

Meaning
to be more advanced than others
Example
Her research was **ahead of the curve** in the field of artificial intelligence.
idiom

the art of persuasion

Meaning
the ability to convince someone to do something or believe something
Example
He mastered **the art of persuasion** and convinced them to support his cause.
idiom

do good to others

Meaning
to act in a way that helps other people
Example
It is always a good idea to **do good to others**.
idiom

go steady

Meaning
to date someone regularly and exclusively
Example
They've been **going steady** for over two years now.
phrasal-verb

get by with

Meaning
to manage or survive with limited resources or help
Example
We **got by with** little money when my dad lost his job.
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

speak around

Meaning
to discuss a topic without addressing it directly
Example
He tends to **speak around** the real issue instead of confronting it.
phrasal-verb

share stories with

Meaning
to exchange cultural experiences and personal stories
Example
They sat together to **share stories with** people from around the world.
idiom

out of bandwidth

Meaning
too busy or overwhelmed to handle more tasks
Example
I’m **out of bandwidth** today, can we talk tomorrow?
phrasal-verb

advocate for

Meaning
to publicly support a cause or person
Example
Students **advocate for** safer campuses at the town hall.
idiom

a go-getter

Meaning
someone who is very energetic and determined to succeed
Example
He’s **a go-getter** who never gives up on his goals.
idiom

Running on empty

Meaning
To continue working or functioning when you have no energy left.
Example
After pulling an all-nighter, he’s **running on empty** today.
idiom

too big to fail

Meaning
a company or institution that is so important that it is unlikely to fail
Example
Many financial institutions were considered **too big to fail** during the 2008 financial crisis.
idiom

take the wheel

Meaning
to take control or responsibility
Example
It's time for the new manager to **take the wheel**.
phrasal-verb

catch on quickly

Meaning
to understand new concepts or ideas fast
Example
She **catches on quickly** when it comes to math problems.
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.