shift toward
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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phrasal-verb

shift toward

Meaning
to change focus, attitude, or direction toward something new
Example
There has been a global **shift toward** sustainable lifestyles.
phrasal-verb

share in traditions

Meaning
to participate in or take part in cultural customs or rituals
Example
Visitors were invited to **share in traditions** of the local people.
phrasal-verb

keep calm

Meaning
to stay relaxed and not get angry or upset
Example
He tried to **keep calm** when everyone else was panicking.
phrasal-verb

break into laughter

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing
Example
They **broke into laughter** when the teacher made a joke.
idiom

break faith

Meaning
to stop being loyal or trustworthy
Example
He **broke faith** with his team when he left suddenly.
phrasal-verb

draw up a plan

Meaning
to prepare a detailed plan or document
Example
The management team drew up a plan for the next quarter.
idiom

That ship has sailed

Meaning
That opportunity is gone and cannot be used anymore.
Example
I wanted to apply for that job, but **that ship has sailed**.
phrasal-verb

branch up into management

Meaning
to progress into a higher level of management or leadership
Example
After years of experience, he finally **branched up into management**.
idiom

carry forward

Meaning
to move something to a later period
Example
We’ll **carry forward** the unused budget to next quarter.
idiom

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
phrasal-verb

appeal against

Meaning
to formally ask for a change in a court decision
Example
The defendant plans to **appeal against** the verdict.
phrasal-verb

look into expansion opportunities

Meaning
to investigate possibilities for growing the business abroad
Example
The management is **looking into expansion opportunities** in Africa.
idiom

Sow the seeds

Meaning
To begin a process that will develop in the future.
Example
Her small donations **sowed the seeds** of a larger charity movement.
idiom

the picture of health

Meaning
a person who looks very healthy
Example
Despite his age, he’s still **the picture of health**.
phrasal-verb

buzz with

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

freak about

Meaning
to become very anxious or upset about something
Example
She **freaked about** the upcoming interview.
phrasal-verb

fuel up on

Meaning
to eat or drink something to gain energy
Example
We **fuel up on** oatmeal before the morning hike.
idiom

frozen with fear

Meaning
unable to move because of extreme fear
Example
She stood **frozen with fear** when the snake appeared.
idiom

trust someone with your life

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
I’d **trust her with my life**.
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

feeling blue

Meaning
to feel sad or depressed
Example
She’s been **feeling blue** all day.
phrasal-verb

turn up at

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly at a place
Example
He **turned up at** my office without any notice.
phrasal-verb

brush back

Meaning
to push hair away from the face using the hand or brush
Example
She **brushed back** her hair to see more clearly.
idiom

plug away

Meaning
to keep working steadily on something
Example
Keep **plugging away** at the draft and it will improve.
idiom

in beta

Meaning
in the testing phase before final release
Example
The app is still **in beta**, so expect some bugs.
idiom

get the credit

Meaning
to receive praise or recognition for something
Example
The whole team worked hard, but only he **got the credit**.
phrasal-verb

live through

Meaning
to experience or survive an important period of history
Example
Our grandparents **lived through** times of great cultural change.
phrasal-verb

chill out over

Meaning
to relax while enjoying something like food or a conversation
Example
We **chill out over** coffee every Friday evening.
idiom

map out

Meaning
to plan something in detail
Example
We should **map out** our marketing strategy for the next quarter.
phrasal-verb

speak up on

Meaning
to express one's opinion openly about a topic
Example
Experts **speak up on** the importance of cross-cultural dialogue.
idiom

have the time of your life

Meaning
to have an extremely enjoyable experience
Example
We **had the time of our lives** at the amusement park.
phrasal-verb

step into strength

Meaning
to embrace one’s confidence and power despite fear
Example
She decided to **step into strength** and face her fears.
idiom

boot up

Meaning
to start a computer or system
Example
My laptop takes forever to **boot up**.
idiom

take no prisoners

Meaning
to be ruthless or extremely determined in achieving something
Example
Our sales team **takes no prisoners** when it comes to competition.
idiom

Two’s company, three’s a crowd

Meaning
Sometimes, two people are just right, but a third person can make things uncomfortable.
Example
I wanted some alone time with Emily, but as they say, **two’s company, three’s a crowd**.
phrasal-verb

hang out

Meaning
to spend time with someone socially
Example
Let’s **hang out** after work and grab some coffee.
idiom

give someone a hard time

Meaning
to criticize or treat someone harshly
Example
The boss **gave me a hard time** for being late.
phrasal-verb

file on deadline

Meaning
to submit a story right at the required time
Example
Reporters **file on deadline** even when storms slow travel.
phrasal-verb

break out of insecurity

Meaning
to free yourself from self-doubt and lack of confidence
Example
She finally **broke out of insecurity** and started speaking publicly.
phrasal-verb

lean toward

Meaning
to show preference or support for one option or side
Example
Most countries **lean toward** multilateral cooperation.
phrasal-verb

go after

Meaning
to pursue or try to get something; to chase someone
Example
He decided to **go after** his dream of becoming a doctor.
phrasal-verb

be indebted to

Meaning
to feel deeply thankful or obliged to someone
Example
I’ll always **be indebted to** my mentor for his guidance.
idiom

a cold fish

Meaning
someone who is unemotional or not friendly
Example
He seemed **a cold fish** when I first met him.
idiom

grateful as can be

Meaning
extremely thankful
Example
I’m **grateful as can be** for your guidance.
phrasal-verb

face down

Meaning
to confront someone or something bravely
Example
He **faced down** his fears and took the exam again.
phrasal-verb

build yourself up mentally

Meaning
to strengthen your mindset and self-belief
Example
Read motivational books to **build yourself up mentally**.
idiom

draw a blank

Meaning
to be unable to remember or think of something
Example
When asked about the date, she **drew a blank**.
idiom

show one's true colors

Meaning
to reveal one's true character or feelings, often after a period of hiding them
Example
He finally **showed his true colors** when he volunteered at the charity event.
phrasal-verb

let in positivity

Meaning
to allow positive thoughts and emotions to enter your mind
Example
She tries to **let in positivity** every morning.
idiom

from the ground up

Meaning
to build or start something completely from the beginning
Example
The software was built **from the ground up** using new code.
phrasal-verb

burst with

Meaning
to be full of a strong emotion like happiness or excitement
Example
The children were **bursting with** excitement on their birthday.
phrasal-verb

look out over

Meaning
to have a view of something from above or a distance
Example
Our room **looks out over** the beautiful lake.
phrasal-verb

hold back anger

Meaning
to control one’s temper during conflict
Example
He tried to **hold back anger** while listening to the criticism.
idiom

burn a hole in one's pocket

Meaning
to spend money quickly or irresponsibly
Example
After receiving his bonus, he couldn't resist and **burned a hole in his pocket** by buying a new car.
phrasal-verb

step beyond limits

Meaning
to go past what you thought was possible
Example
To grow, you need to **step beyond limits** and challenge yourself.
phrasal-verb

break off relations

Meaning
to end diplomatic or political connections between countries
Example
The two nations decided to **break off relations** after the border dispute escalated.
idiom

long story short

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
**Long story short**, we missed the train.
idiom

the way I see it

Meaning
used to express how one understands or interprets something
Example
**The way I see it**, we should try again.
phrasal-verb

laugh along with

Meaning
to share in someone else's laughter or joy
Example
Everyone **laughed along with** the funny story.
idiom

the lion’s share

Meaning
the largest part of something
Example
He took **the lion’s share** of the profits.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
phrasal-verb

deal back

Meaning
to return a favor or repay someone
Example
She promised to **deal back** the help someday.
idiom

Talk through your hat

Meaning
To speak nonsense or about something one knows little about.
Example
He was **talking through his hat** about quantum physics.
phrasal-verb

drive toward

Meaning
to focus your energy and effort on reaching a goal
Example
They are **driving toward** a more sustainable business model.
phrasal-verb

stand out as

Meaning
to be noticeable or recognized as having a particular quality
Example
She really **stood out as** a confident and fair leader.
phrasal-verb

get through to

Meaning
to make someone understand what you are trying to say
Example
Sometimes it’s hard to **get through to** my teenage son.
idiom

kill time

Meaning
to do something while waiting
Example
We played cards to **kill time** before the show started.
phrasal-verb

ship out goods

Meaning
to send goods to another place, especially abroad
Example
They will **ship out goods** to Europe by the end of this month.
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

reach for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious or difficult to achieve
Example
She always tells her students to **reach for the stars** and never give up.
idiom

off to a flying start

Meaning
to begin something, like a journey, very successfully
Example
Our trip was **off to a flying start** with perfect weather.
idiom

good to see you

Meaning
a friendly way to greet someone you know
Example
**Good to see you** again after so long!
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.
phrasal-verb

finish off

Meaning
to complete the last part of something
Example
We just need to **finish off** the presentation slides before submitting the report.
idiom

table a proposal

Meaning
to formally present a proposal for discussion
Example
The ambassador decided to **table a proposal** for regional cooperation.
idiom

party line

Meaning
the official policy or position of a political party
Example
Members were warned not to speak against the **party line**.
phrasal-verb

stabilize currency

Meaning
to prevent large fluctuations in the value of a currency
Example
Central banks intervene to **stabilize currency** during financial crises.
phrasal-verb

root in

Meaning
to be based on or connected to something deeply
Example
Our customs are **rooted in** ancient beliefs.
idiom

Baptism of fire

Meaning
A person’s first difficult experience in a new job or role.
Example
Her first week as manager was a real **baptism of fire**.
idiom

a ticking time bomb

Meaning
A situation or person that could become dangerous at any moment.
Example
His anger issues make him **a ticking time bomb**.
idiom

on shaky ground

Meaning
in an uncertain or unstable situation
Example
His business is **on shaky ground** after the market crash.
phrasal-verb

lift out of recession

Meaning
to help the economy move away from a downturn
Example
New export policies helped **lift the economy out of recession**.
idiom

dump someone

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship suddenly or unkindly
Example
She **dumped** him by text message.
idiom

in the zone

Meaning
to be fully focused and performing at your best
Example
When she’s **in the zone**, she can write for hours without stopping.
phrasal-verb

get up

Meaning
to rise from bed after sleeping
Example
She **gets up** right after the alarm goes off.
idiom

climbing the ladder

Meaning
to improve one's position, typically in a career or personal growth
Example
He started at the bottom of the company and has been **climbing the ladder** ever since.
phrasal-verb

back up initiatives

Meaning
to provide support or resources for new projects
Example
Global organizations **back up initiatives** that promote equality.
phrasal-verb

focus on improvement

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

steal the show

Meaning
to be the most outstanding performer
Example
Her performance **stole the show** last night.
phrasal-verb

call into question

Meaning
to doubt or challenge something
Example
The report **called into question** the company’s honesty.
phrasal-verb

cheer oneself up

Meaning
to make yourself feel happier
Example
She watched her favorite movie to **cheer herself up** after a rough day.
idiom

to take a turn for the worse

Meaning
to become worse or decline in health
Example
His condition **took a turn for the worse** last night.
idiom

hold forth

Meaning
to speak at length about a topic
Example
He loved to **hold forth** on travel stories.
phrasal-verb

connect through

Meaning
to build relationships or understanding by using shared experiences or communication
Example
People can **connect through** art and music despite language barriers.
idiom

In due time

Meaning
At the right or appropriate time.
Example
Everything will be alright **in due time**, just be patient.
phrasal-verb

grow up

Meaning
to become an adult; to mature
Example
Children **grow up** so fast these days.
phrasal-verb

dig beneath

Meaning
to search for the real emotions or motivations hidden under the surface
Example
He tried to **dig beneath** his frustration to understand his true fears.
idiom

put the team on your back

Meaning
to take responsibility for leading and carrying the burden for a group
Example
In the final moments of the game, he **put the team on his back** and led them to victory.
phrasal-verb

reach out within

Meaning
to connect with people inside an organization for collaboration
Example
Leaders need to **reach out within** to build trust among teams.
phrasal-verb

blow up

Meaning
to fill something with air; to explode or become angry
Example
The kids **blew up** balloons for the birthday celebration.
phrasal-verb

pass out

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

catch somebody out

Meaning
to show that someone has made a mistake or is lying
Example
The teacher tried to **catch the student out** during the test.
idiom

Put your heads together

Meaning
To discuss and solve a problem collectively.
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** to find a solution.
phrasal-verb

hold in check

Meaning
to control strong emotions before reacting
Example
He tried to **hold in check** his frustration during the meeting.
idiom

at the eleventh hour

Meaning
at the very last moment
Example
He submitted his assignment **at the eleventh hour**.
phrasal-verb

post about

Meaning
to publish content on social media related to a topic
Example
He often **posts about** his travel experiences on Instagram.
idiom

A clear conscience is a soft pillow

Meaning
When you live honestly, you sleep peacefully without guilt.
Example
After telling the truth, he had a peaceful night’s sleep because **a clear conscience is a soft pillow**.
idiom

the luck of the draw

Meaning
something decided by chance
Example
You can’t choose your team; it’s **the luck of the draw**.
phrasal-verb

find against

Meaning
to decide that someone is wrong or guilty
Example
The judge **found against** the company for breaking the contract.
idiom

a masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something that has great potential to become exceptional
Example
Her new sculpture is **a masterpiece in the making**.
phrasal-verb

take photos of

Meaning
to capture pictures of something or someone
Example
Everyone **took photos of** the beautiful decorations.
idiom

Pyrrhic victory

Meaning
A victory won at too great a cost to be worthwhile.
Example
Winning the lawsuit was a **Pyrrhic victory** since it drained all their finances.
phrasal-verb

look back fondly on

Meaning
to remember something with affection or happiness
Example
She **looks back fondly on** her childhood memories.
idiom

Put your trust in someone

Meaning
To believe in someone's honesty or ability
Example
I chose to **put my trust in her**, and she didn't disappoint me.
idiom

cross the ethical line

Meaning
to do something that is considered morally wrong in ethics
Example
Selling user data without permission **crosses the ethical line**.
idiom

make small talk

Meaning
to have a casual conversation about unimportant topics
Example
We started to **make small talk** while waiting for the meeting to begin.
phrasal-verb

clean up well

Meaning
to look good after getting dressed or groomed
Example
He usually looks messy, but he **cleans up well** for special occasions.
idiom

ride the wave

Meaning
to take advantage of a trend or situation
Example
Many companies are trying to **ride the wave** of AI technology.
phrasal-verb

attach to

Meaning
to include a file or document with an email
Example
I've **attached** the report **to** this email.
idiom

to make the grade

Meaning
to meet the required standard
Example
He didn’t **make the grade** in the final exam.
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.