show the ropes
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idiom

show the ropes

Meaning
to teach someone how to do a job or task
Example
It took me a while to **show the ropes** to the new employee, but now they’re doing well.
idiom

smooth things over

Meaning
to make a bad situation seem better by dealing with it calmly
Example
She tried to **smooth things over** after their disagreement.
idiom

steal someone’s thunder

Meaning
to take credit for someone else’s idea or success
Example
She **stole my thunder** by announcing the news first.
phrasal-verb

set clear goals

Meaning
to define specific objectives or targets
Example
A good manager always sets clear goals for the team.
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

stop by

Meaning
to visit a place briefly on your way somewhere else
Example
Let’s **stop by** the souvenir shop before heading home.
phrasal-verb

show in

Meaning
to lead someone into a room or building
Example
Please **show in** the guests to the living room.
idiom

Speak the truth and shame the devil

Meaning
Speak the truth even if it may cause trouble or discomfort.
Example
She always believes that **speak the truth and shame the devil** is the right way.
idiom

steer someone in the right direction

Meaning
to guide someone towards the correct path or decision
Example
The senior manager helped **steer me in the right direction** when I was unsure about the project.
phrasal-verb

spin out

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

spark off unrest

Meaning
to cause anger or protest to start suddenly
Example
The new tax policy **sparked off unrest** among the citizens.
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

shake things up

Meaning
to cause change in a situation to make it better
Example
The manager decided to **shake things up** in the team.
idiom

spin-off

Meaning
a product or show that results from another existing one
Example
The successful TV show led to a **spin-off** featuring the same characters.
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**.
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

step on it

Meaning
to go faster; to hurry up
Example
We’re late — **step on it**!
phrasal-verb

stay balanced

Meaning
to maintain emotional stability and not overreact
Example
Try to **stay balanced** no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

set aside funds

Meaning
to reserve money for a particular purpose
Example
The government has **set aside funds** for rural development.
idiom

sick and tired of

Meaning
completely bored or annoyed by something
Example
I'm **sick and tired of** listening to his excuses.
phrasal-verb

shore up the economy

Meaning
to support or strengthen the economy during difficult times
Example
The stimulus package was introduced to **shore up the economy** after the crisis.
phrasal-verb

stand firm for

Meaning
to remain supportive and steady for someone or something you believe in
Example
She **stood firm for** her friend even when others doubted him.
phrasal-verb

stay grounded

Meaning
to remain humble and emotionally balanced
Example
No matter how successful you become, always **stay grounded**.
idiom

sell someone out

Meaning
to betray someone for personal gain
Example
He **sold me out** to save himself.
idiom

social proof

Meaning
the influence that other people’s actions have on one’s own behavior
Example
Positive reviews serve as **social proof** for new customers.
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**.
idiom

sift through

Meaning
to examine a large amount of information or items carefully
Example
I spent the afternoon **sifting through** old emails for the missing file.
idiom

success is earned, not given

Meaning
success comes from hard work, not by chance
Example
Remember, **success is earned, not given**, so work hard every day.
phrasal-verb

stand down

Meaning
to withdraw from an argument or position to avoid conflict
Example
He decided to **stand down** instead of continuing the argument.
idiom

stretch the truth

Meaning
to exaggerate or make something seem more important than it is
Example
He sometimes **stretches the truth** to impress people.
phrasal-verb

stand tall with courage

Meaning
to stay brave and optimistic in difficult situations
Example
He always **stands tall with courage** when facing failures.
phrasal-verb

stand resilient

Meaning
to remain strong and recover quickly from difficulties
Example
Communities must **stand resilient** in the face of tragedy.
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.
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

shut off emotions

Meaning
to stop feeling or expressing emotions
Example
He learned to **shut off his emotions** to protect himself.
phrasal-verb

scribble down

Meaning
to write something quickly and carelessly
Example
He **scribbled down** a few notes during the lecture.
idiom

second to none

Meaning
the best; better than everyone else
Example
Her cooking is **second to none**.
phrasal-verb

stay true to yourself

Meaning
to remain honest and authentic to your values
Example
Always **stay true to yourself**, no matter what others say.
idiom

see eye to eye

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

show love to

Meaning
to demonstrate affection or gratitude toward someone
Example
He **shows love to** his mentors for guiding him through tough times.
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.
phrasal-verb

show back up

Meaning
to return after being away or absent
Example
He suddenly **showed back up** after months of silence.
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

settle into peace

Meaning
to reach a state of inner calm and balance
Example
After journaling, I finally **settled into peace**.
phrasal-verb

summarize takeaways for

Meaning
to recap key lessons for a person or group
Example
I **summarize takeaways for** the team in a two-minute voice note.
idiom

slip into

Meaning
to gradually enter a state or start wearing something
Example
She quickly **slipped into** a more comfortable outfit.
phrasal-verb

stick around for

Meaning
to stay nearby or remain present, usually to spend more time together
Example
Why don’t you **stick around for** a while and have coffee with us?
phrasal-verb

set up a subsidiary

Meaning
to establish a smaller company controlled by a larger one
Example
They decided to **set up a subsidiary** in Singapore to handle regional operations.
idiom

Share a smile

Meaning
to smile and bring happiness to others
Example
It's easy to **share a smile** and brighten someone's day.
idiom

sit at someone’s feet

Meaning
to learn from someone who is very knowledgeable
Example
Many students wanted to **sit at his feet** and learn from him.
phrasal-verb

smooth out

Meaning
to make emotions or problems less rough or intense
Example
Time will **smooth out** the pain you’re feeling now.
phrasal-verb

speak out against

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

send over

Meaning
to transmit or deliver something digitally to another person or group
Example
I’ll **send over** the final document once it’s approved.
phrasal-verb

stay up late

Meaning
to go to bed later than usual, often to study
Example
Many students **stay up late** studying before exams.
phrasal-verb

search for

Meaning
to look for specific items or products online
Example
He **searched for** a discount on wireless headphones.
idiom

split the difference

Meaning
to agree on a compromise between two opinions or prices
Example
Let’s **split the difference** and meet halfway.
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

settle on

Meaning
to choose something after considering other options
Example
After hours of discussion, they **settled on** a final plan.
phrasal-verb

settle within

Meaning
to find peace or calm inside yourself
Example
She practices mindfulness to **settle within** after a busy day.
phrasal-verb

set toward

Meaning
to start making progress toward something
Example
After graduation, she **set toward** her goal of becoming a lawyer.
phrasal-verb

settle down

Meaning
to get married or begin a stable relationship
Example
He’s ready to **settle down** and start a family.
phrasal-verb

scale up with

Meaning
to expand by adding extra resources
Example
They **scaled up with** extra analysts during the busy quarter.
phrasal-verb

stay driven

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

smell a rat

Meaning
to suspect something wrong or dishonest
Example
I **smelled a rat** when he offered me free tickets.
phrasal-verb

stick to a plan

Meaning
to follow a plan strictly without giving up
Example
If you **stick to a plan**, you’ll achieve your goals faster.
idiom

step up

Meaning
to take responsibility or action when needed
Example
When the manager was away, she **stepped up** to lead the team.
phrasal-verb

stay connected with

Meaning
to maintain an emotional or communicative link with someone
Example
Even after moving abroad, she **stays connected with** her old friends.
phrasal-verb

stick with good habits

Meaning
to continue following positive routines or behaviors
Example
It’s important to **stick with good habits** even when you’re busy.
phrasal-verb

see to

Meaning
to make sure something is done; to take care of something
Example
I’ll **see to** it that the documents are ready on time.
phrasal-verb

slow down spending

Meaning
to reduce the speed of financial expenditure
Example
During inflation, people tend to **slow down spending**.
idiom

shoot for the stars

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

stay true to

Meaning
to remain loyal to your values or beliefs
Example
Always **stay true to** your principles no matter what.
phrasal-verb

step up against

Meaning
to take action to oppose something unfair
Example
Neighbors **step up against** bullying when they see it online.
phrasal-verb

step inside

Meaning
to enter a place, especially a building or room
Example
Please **step inside** and have a seat.
idiom

starry-eyed

Meaning
having naive or unrealistic dreams or hopes
Example
He was **starry-eyed** about becoming a famous singer.
idiom

Spin a story

Meaning
To present a story in a way that is intended to influence people's opinions or beliefs.
Example
The journalist managed to **spin a story** that made the politician look like a hero.
phrasal-verb

spark creativity

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

second childhood

Meaning
the time in old age when a person starts behaving like a child again
Example
After retirement, he entered his **second childhood**.
phrasal-verb

strive toward goals

Meaning
to put in great effort to achieve objectives
Example
They constantly **strive toward** their goals with persistence.
phrasal-verb

sell out of

Meaning
to have sold all of something
Example
The store **sold out of** the latest sneakers within hours.
idiom

Speak from the heart

Meaning
To speak honestly and sincerely.
Example
When he apologized, he really **spoke from the heart**.
phrasal-verb

set up for

Meaning
to prepare or arrange something for an event
Example
They started to **set up for** the cultural fair early in the morning.
phrasal-verb

spread out

Meaning
to extend over a large area; to reach many people
Example
The news **spread out** quickly across social media.
idiom

smart cookie

Meaning
a clever and intelligent person
Example
Don’t underestimate her—she’s a **smart cookie**.
idiom

set the trend

Meaning
to start something new that others begin to follow
Example
The company’s campaign **set the trend** for eco-friendly marketing.
idiom

stormy relationship

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

stay consistent

Meaning
to maintain steady effort and habits toward success
Example
If you **stay consistent**, your hard work will pay off.
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

serve up

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

sadder but wiser

Meaning
disappointed but having learned from the experience
Example
After that mistake, she was **sadder but wiser**.
idiom

Spread too thin

Meaning
To try to do too many things at once, leaving no energy for any.
Example
She’s **spread too thin** between her job, family, and studies.
phrasal-verb

speak up for yourself

Meaning
to express your opinions or defend your feelings confidently
Example
You need to **speak up for yourself** if something feels unfair.
phrasal-verb

steer someone toward

Meaning
to guide a person toward a helpful choice
Example
Mentors **steer interns toward** roles that match their strengths.
phrasal-verb

set to

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

step down from power

Meaning
to resign or give up a position of authority
Example
The president agreed to **step down from power** after the election results.
idiom

silver surfer

Meaning
an older person who uses the internet regularly
Example
My grandmother is a **silver surfer** who loves social media.
idiom

scoop the news

Meaning
to be the first to report an important piece of news
Example
The local newspaper **scooped the news** about the mayor's resignation.
idiom

small talk

Meaning
casual or polite conversation about unimportant topics
Example
We made **small talk** while waiting for the bus.
phrasal-verb

stay off

Meaning
to avoid eating or drinking something unhealthy
Example
The doctor told me to **stay off** junk food for a month.
phrasal-verb

say sorry for

Meaning
to express regret or apology for something
Example
He **said sorry for** his rude behavior.
phrasal-verb

speak up for

Meaning
to defend or support yourself or someone else confidently
Example
You need to **speak up for** yourself when you know you’re right.
phrasal-verb

sort things out with

Meaning
to resolve an issue directly with someone
Example
I need to **sort things out with** Jenna before the meeting.
phrasal-verb

storm in

Meaning
to enter suddenly and angrily, like a storm
Example
The teacher **stormed in** as the students were shouting loudly.
idiom

seeing is believing

Meaning
only what one sees can be believed; things must be experienced to be believed.
Example
I was skeptical at first, but when I saw the results, I realized **seeing is believing**.
phrasal-verb

stay on top of

Meaning
to remain in control or keep updated with something
Example
It’s important to **stay on top of** your emails to stay productive.
phrasal-verb

save on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money you spend on something
Example
You can **save on** electricity by turning off lights.
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.
phrasal-verb

slow within

Meaning
to calm down internally and observe your emotions without judgment
Example
Taking a breath helped her **slow within** and regain control over her thoughts.
idiom

scene-stealer

Meaning
someone who attracts attention and stands out
Example
That child actor was a real **scene-stealer**.
phrasal-verb

stabilize prices

Meaning
to make prices steady and prevent large fluctuations
Example
Regulations were imposed to **stabilize prices** in the food market.
idiom

slow as a snail

Meaning
very slow or lazy in movement or action
Example
He walks **slow as a snail** in the morning.
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

stem from

Meaning
to originate or come from something
Example
The misunderstanding **stems from** a lack of clear communication.
phrasal-verb

set out objectives

Meaning
to clearly define goals or intentions
Example
The UN has **set out objectives** for sustainable development.
phrasal-verb

speak across borders

Meaning
to communicate effectively with people from other countries
Example
Social media allows us to **speak across borders** instantly.
idiom

set your sights on

Meaning
to decide to achieve something; to aim for a specific goal
Example
She has **set her sights on** becoming a doctor.
phrasal-verb

shoot up

Meaning
to rise suddenly and quickly
Example
Gold prices **shot up** after the geopolitical tensions increased.
idiom

shoulder the blame

Meaning
to take responsibility for something bad.
Example
He decided to **shoulder the blame** for the error.
idiom

stoic calm

Meaning
to remain calm in difficult or stressful situations
Example
Even during the crisis, she maintained **stoic calm**.
idiom

speak your mind

Meaning
to say exactly what you think
Example
Don't be afraid to **speak your mind**.