shrink back
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phrasal-verb

shrink back

Meaning
to move away from something because of fear
Example
The child **shrank back** when the dog barked loudly.
phrasal-verb

sit down with

Meaning
to meet and discuss something seriously or formally
Example
Government officials will **sit down with** community leaders to resolve the conflict.
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.
phrasal-verb

space yourself out

Meaning
to take mental breaks to avoid stress
Example
You should **space yourself out** during long study sessions.
phrasal-verb

sort out finances

Meaning
to organize and fix your financial situation
Example
He needs to **sort out his finances** before applying for a loan.
phrasal-verb

stack small wins

Meaning
to build momentum by completing quick successes
Example
We **stack small wins** early in the day to feel accomplished.
phrasal-verb

shrug off

Meaning
to ignore or dismiss an emotion or problem
Example
He tried to **shrug off** his disappointment.
phrasal-verb

speak softly

Meaning
to talk in a gentle and quiet tone
Example
In public places, it’s polite to **speak softly**.
phrasal-verb

set goals

Meaning
to decide what you or your team want to achieve
Example
Our team should **set goals** for the next quarter to stay focused.
phrasal-verb

stand alongside

Meaning
to support or defend someone as part of a group
Example
True teammates **stand alongside** each other in difficult times.
phrasal-verb

switch between

Meaning
to alternate between different tasks or modes of work and rest
Example
I try to **switch between** intense work and short breaks to stay efficient.
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

set aside time

Meaning
to reserve a specific amount of time for something important
Example
You should **set aside time** for personal reflection every day.
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

shake off fear

Meaning
to get rid of fear or anxiety
Example
He tried to **shake off fear** before entering the stage.
phrasal-verb

switch down

Meaning
to reduce mental or emotional activity to relax
Example
I try to **switch down** my brain before going to bed.
phrasal-verb

sign out of

Meaning
to exit or log off from an online account or platform
Example
Don’t forget to **sign out of** your account after using the computer lab.
phrasal-verb

stand over to

Meaning
to transfer or carry something to another time or situation
Example
The discussion will be **stood over to** next week.
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

scale ideas globally

Meaning
to grow a concept so it works in many countries
Example
Innovators **scale ideas globally** once prototypes prove reliable.
phrasal-verb

speak for others

Meaning
to voice concerns on behalf of people who are absent
Example
Leaders should **speak for others** who aren't in the room.
phrasal-verb

smooth out fluctuations

Meaning
to reduce ups and downs and make something more stable
Example
Fiscal policies aim to **smooth out fluctuations** in the economy.
phrasal-verb

show out

Meaning
to accompany someone to the door when they are leaving
Example
The manager **showed out** the clients after the meeting.
phrasal-verb

shift around

Meaning
to rearrange tasks, people, or resources to suit new situations
Example
We had to **shift around** responsibilities when two team members left.
phrasal-verb

shore up with

Meaning
to strengthen something by adding support
Example
We **shore up with** extra data before presenting the forecast.
phrasal-verb

start out

Meaning
to begin one’s career or business journey
Example
He **started out** as a small investor before becoming a venture capitalist.
phrasal-verb

step back from tension

Meaning
to distance yourself from a stressful situation to regain perspective
Example
Sometimes it's best to **step back from tension** and reassess things calmly.
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.
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.
phrasal-verb

shut yourself away

Meaning
to isolate yourself from others to calm down
Example
He **shut himself away** for a while to clear his mind.
phrasal-verb

slow down

Meaning
to do things more calmly or at a relaxed pace
Example
You should **slow down** and take time to rest when you feel stressed.
phrasal-verb

stand with

Meaning
to support or show solidarity with someone or a group
Example
Many countries **stand with** those affected by the global crisis.
phrasal-verb

switch off from

Meaning
to disconnect mentally from work or stress
Example
She **switches off from** emails after yoga class.
phrasal-verb

speak out for peace

Meaning
to publicly express support for harmony and understanding
Example
Global organizations **speak out for peace** during world summits.
phrasal-verb

stand up for democracy

Meaning
to defend or support the principles of democracy
Example
Citizens gathered to **stand up for democracy** during the national protest.
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

send out

Meaning
to distribute or send invitations to people
Example
We need to **send out** the invitations by tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

shift away from negativity

Meaning
to move your attention away from negative thoughts or people
Example
I’ve learned to **shift away from negativity** and focus on gratitude.
phrasal-verb

stand together against

Meaning
to unite and act collectively in opposition to something negative
Example
Countries **stand together against** terrorism and violence.
phrasal-verb

stand behind

Meaning
to support or defend someone or something publicly
Example
Many nations **stand behind** the new global peace initiative.
phrasal-verb

sync up with

Meaning
to coordinate or match with something or someone
Example
The app will automatically **sync up with** your online account.
phrasal-verb

sync across

Meaning
to make sure data or actions are consistent across devices or platforms
Example
All files automatically **sync across** your devices.
phrasal-verb

slim down

Meaning
to become thinner; to lose weight
Example
She has been exercising to **slim down** for her wedding.
phrasal-verb

sell out of

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

stick out

Meaning
to be noticeable or different; to continue doing something difficult
Example
You have to **stick out** the first few weeks of training.
phrasal-verb

scroll down to

Meaning
to move the screen view downward to see more content
Example
**Scroll down to** see the latest comments on the post.
phrasal-verb

set apart from

Meaning
to make something or someone different or distinctive
Example
Their unique approach **set them apart from** competitors.
phrasal-verb

sign up

Meaning
to register or create an account on a website
Example
You should **sign up** to receive our newsletter.
phrasal-verb

space out on

Meaning
to lose focus while doing or listening to something
Example
I **space out on** long webinars if I don't take notes.
phrasal-verb

step into leadership

Meaning
to begin taking on a leadership role or responsibility
Example
He was encouraged to **step into leadership** after his promotion.
phrasal-verb

slow down growth

Meaning
to reduce the rate of economic expansion
Example
Rising inflation can **slow down growth** in developing countries.
phrasal-verb

smash into

Meaning
to crash violently into something
Example
The truck **smashed into** the barrier after losing control.
phrasal-verb

sit through

Meaning
to stay until the end of something that is long or boring
Example
We had to **sit through** a three-hour seminar on research methods.
phrasal-verb

stand united for

Meaning
to act together in support of a cause or issue
Example
Nations must **stand united for** peace and prosperity.
phrasal-verb

set out

Meaning
to begin an action with a clear purpose or plan
Example
The leader **set out** to build a more collaborative culture.
phrasal-verb

spin off into

Meaning
to develop from something and become a separate project
Example
Our AI pilot might **spin off into** a full analytics product.
phrasal-verb

sign on to

Meaning
to agree to join or support something officially
Example
Several parents **sign on to** the new mentorship program this week.
phrasal-verb

stand strong

Meaning
to remain emotionally firm despite difficulties
Example
She had to **stand strong** when everything seemed to fall apart.
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

speak kindly of

Meaning
to say positive things about someone as a form of appreciation
Example
Everyone **speaks kindly of** her because she’s always generous.
phrasal-verb

stick up for

Meaning
to defend or support someone’s opinion or right
Example
He always **sticks up for** his friends when they are criticized.
phrasal-verb

speak up against

Meaning
to voice opposition to something openly
Example
Many young people **speak up against** injustice in their communities.
phrasal-verb

shine through

Meaning
to show your confidence or talent clearly despite challenges
Example
Her true confidence **shone through** during the interview.
phrasal-verb

stay up

Meaning
to remain awake later than usual
Example
If you **stay up** too late, you’ll feel tired in the morning.
phrasal-verb

stand together for inclusion

Meaning
to unite in support of equality and inclusion
Example
Employees decided to **stand together for inclusion** during the diversity week.
phrasal-verb

stand up to

Meaning
to confront someone or something bravely in defense of someone
Example
He **stood up to** the bully to protect his little brother.
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

show respect for

Meaning
to demonstrate honor or reverence toward something or someone
Example
People **show respect for** their ancestors during traditional rituals.
phrasal-verb

set things straight with

Meaning
to clarify or resolve a misunderstanding
Example
He met her to **set things straight with** her after the confusion.
phrasal-verb

scale up exports

Meaning
to expand the amount of goods sold abroad
Example
The company plans to **scale up exports** to reach new markets.
phrasal-verb

stick to

Meaning
to continue following or supporting a particular position or argument
Example
She **stuck to** her point despite the criticism.
phrasal-verb

settle in for

Meaning
to get comfortable because something will take a while
Example
We **settled in for** a long night of studying at the library.
phrasal-verb

set out plans

Meaning
to explain or describe plans in detail
Example
The finance minister **set out plans** to boost national growth.
phrasal-verb

snap out of fear

Meaning
to quickly recover from a fearful or panicked state
Example
He managed to **snap out of fear** and take control of the situation.
phrasal-verb

stand strong with

Meaning
to remain supportive and united with someone in difficulty
Example
Families should **stand strong with** each other during hard times.
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

set out new goals

Meaning
to define or start pursuing new objectives
Example
The innovation team **set out new goals** for sustainable business models.
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

speak truth to power

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

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

set up a committee

Meaning
to establish a group to discuss or manage an issue
Example
Parliament **set up a committee** to investigate the allegations.
phrasal-verb

step down

Meaning
to resign from an important position; to leave office
Example
The president decided to **step down** after public protests.
phrasal-verb

stay grounded

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

step outside

Meaning
to move beyond one’s comfort zone or familiar environment
Example
You grow as a person when you **step outside** your cultural comfort zone.
phrasal-verb

swap notes on

Meaning
to exchange information or tips about something
Example
Let's **swap notes on** the new app after we try it out.
phrasal-verb

step beyond fear

Meaning
to act courageously despite being afraid
Example
To succeed, you must **step beyond fear** and take bold action.
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

share stories with

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

stand together

Meaning
to unite and act as one in support of a cause
Example
Communities must **stand together** to fight social injustice.
phrasal-verb

step forward with

Meaning
to take initiative in offering help or leadership
Example
Several countries **stepped forward with** humanitarian aid.
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

set upon

Meaning
to attack someone suddenly
Example
The thief was **set upon** by the angry crowd.
phrasal-verb

simmer with anger

Meaning
to feel but not express anger openly
Example
He **simmered with anger** after being insulted.
phrasal-verb

sign in to

Meaning
to enter a username and password to access an account
Example
Please **sign in to** your account before starting the quiz.
phrasal-verb

staff up for

Meaning
to hire additional people in preparation for something
Example
We need to **staff up for** the remote support launch.
phrasal-verb

speak from

Meaning
to express an opinion based on personal experience
Example
She **speaks from** experience when she warns about that company.
phrasal-verb

sprout up

Meaning
to appear or grow quickly like plants
Example
New trees have **sprouted up** after the monsoon rain.
phrasal-verb

stay in touch with

Meaning
to keep communicating regularly with someone
Example
I **stay in touch with** my college friends through video calls.
phrasal-verb

shore up reserves

Meaning
to strengthen or support financial reserves
Example
The central bank moved to **shore up reserves** by buying foreign currency.
phrasal-verb

spark off

Meaning
to cause someone to feel excited or emotional
Example
The movie trailer **sparked off** huge excitement among fans.
phrasal-verb

speak warmly of

Meaning
to talk kindly or appreciatively about someone
Example
Everyone **speaks warmly of** her generosity and kindness.
phrasal-verb

start up

Meaning
to begin a new business or project
Example
They decided to **start up** a food delivery service in their city.
phrasal-verb

stand up for your values

Meaning
to defend what you believe in confidently
Example
True confidence means you **stand up for your values**, even when others disagree.
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

slip by

Meaning
to miss or overlook something accidentally
Example
A few errors **slipped by** during the proofreading.
phrasal-verb

step down from

Meaning
to resign or leave a position of authority or responsibility
Example
The CEO **stepped down from** his role after the financial collapse.
phrasal-verb

switch off mentally

Meaning
to stop thinking about work or problems for a while
Example
On weekends, I try to **switch off mentally** and enjoy time with my family.
phrasal-verb

step forward with confidence

Meaning
to take action or speak up boldly without fear
Example
He decided to **step forward with confidence** and share his idea.
phrasal-verb

settle upon

Meaning
to decide on something after considering different options
Example
After much discussion, they **settled upon** a new business model.
phrasal-verb

stand out

Meaning
to be very noticeable; to be better than others
Example
Her bright dress really **stood out** at the party.
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.
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

shoot up

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

shift focus away from

Meaning
to direct your attention away from something that causes anxiety
Example
When you feel nervous, **shift focus away from** your fears and onto your breathing.
phrasal-verb

soothe out

Meaning
to reduce emotional tension; to make feelings smoother or calmer
Example
Meditation helps to **soothe out** the stress in my mind.
phrasal-verb

sum up ideas

Meaning
to briefly express or summarize main thoughts
Example
At the end of the class, the teacher asked students to **sum up ideas** from the discussion.
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

scroll down

Meaning
to move the page downward to see more content
Example
Just **scroll down** to read the full post.
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

speak openly about

Meaning
to discuss sensitive or challenging topics honestly
Example
Our CEO encourages everyone to **speak openly about** diversity issues.