shut oneself off
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phrasal-verb

shut oneself off

Meaning
to isolate yourself emotionally from others
Example
After the breakup, he completely **shut himself off** from his friends.
idiom

play second fiddle

Meaning
to take a subordinate role to someone else
Example
He was tired of **playing second fiddle** to his colleague.
idiom

over the hill

Meaning
past one's prime; no longer young or at peak performance
Example
Some people think turning forty means you’re **over the hill**, but that’s not true.
idiom

a miscarriage of justice

Meaning
a wrong or unfair decision by a court
Example
The innocent man’s imprisonment was **a miscarriage of justice**.
idiom

brainchild of

Meaning
an idea or invention created by someone
Example
ChatGPT is the **brainchild of** OpenAI researchers.
idiom

on the run

Meaning
trying to avoid being caught by the police
Example
The suspect has been **on the run** for three days.
phrasal-verb

take on

Meaning
to accept or start dealing with a challenge or responsibility
Example
Developed nations should **take on** more responsibility for climate aid.
phrasal-verb

ask about

Meaning
to request information or clarification about something
Example
He **asked about** the results of the experiment.
idiom

get along with

Meaning
to have a good relationship with someone
Example
I really **get along with** my coworkers.
idiom

hit the road again

Meaning
to resume a journey after a stop
Example
After lunch, we **hit the road again**.
phrasal-verb

drop dead

Meaning
to die suddenly; used informally to express shock or anger
Example
He almost **dropped dead** when he heard the news.
phrasal-verb

rise above negativity

Meaning
to not let negative emotions or situations affect you
Example
She tried to **rise above negativity** and stay positive.
idiom

give the green light

Meaning
to give permission or approval to proceed
Example
The board finally **gave the green light** for the new project.
idiom

hang by a thread

Meaning
to be in a very dangerous or uncertain situation
Example
After the accident, his life was **hanging by a thread**.
idiom

bargain chip

Meaning
something of value used in negotiations to get a better deal
Example
His offer of a longer contract was a strong **bargain chip**.
phrasal-verb

lead by

Meaning
to guide others through your own example or actions
Example
Great leaders **lead by** example rather than words.
idiom

lose one’s cool

Meaning
to suddenly become angry
Example
Try not to **lose your cool** during the argument.
idiom

cover your tracks

Meaning
to hide evidence of one’s actions
Example
Hackers often **cover their tracks** after breaking into systems.
phrasal-verb

cheer yourself up

Meaning
to do something to feel happier
Example
I bought some flowers to **cheer myself up** after a long week.
phrasal-verb

reach over to

Meaning
to extend a gesture of comfort or support
Example
She **reached over to** hold his hand when he started crying.
phrasal-verb

push through on

Meaning
to keep working on something until it is completed
Example
We **push through on** the prototype even when the tests fail.
idiom

reap what you sow

Meaning
you get the results of your actions, good or bad
Example
If you’re kind to others, you’ll **reap what you sow**.
phrasal-verb

dig into data

Meaning
to analyze information in detail
Example
Analysts **dig into data** to understand the social shifts.
idiom

in black and white

Meaning
in written form; clearly stated
Example
The rules are clearly written **in black and white**.
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

slim down

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

a trip down memory lane

Meaning
to remember pleasant events from the past
Example
Looking through old photos was **a trip down memory lane**.
phrasal-verb

exchange ideas with

Meaning
to share thoughts or opinions with others from different backgrounds
Example
During the workshop, participants **exchanged ideas with** people from many countries.
phrasal-verb

square off with

Meaning
to prepare to compete or argue directly with someone
Example
Two teams **square off with** each other in tonight's final.
idiom

a bundle of joy

Meaning
someone or something that brings great happiness
Example
Their new baby is **a bundle of joy** for the family.
phrasal-verb

dress for

Meaning
to wear clothes suitable for a particular situation
Example
You should **dress for** success when going to a job interview.
phrasal-verb

lock out

Meaning
to be unable to access a system due to password or error
Example
I got **locked out** of my account after entering the wrong password.
phrasal-verb

pay someone out

Meaning
to compensate someone for loss or damage
Example
The insurer **paid her out** after the accident.
idiom

meet someone halfway

Meaning
to agree to compromise with someone
Example
We finally **met each other halfway** and agreed on a solution.
phrasal-verb

cut down travel emissions

Meaning
to reduce pollution caused by transportation
Example
We can **cut down travel emissions** by holding virtual meetings.
phrasal-verb

start over

Meaning
to begin again after a failure
Example
If something doesn’t work, just **start over** and try a new way.
phrasal-verb

relate across

Meaning
to connect with people from other backgrounds through shared understanding
Example
Learning languages helps you **relate across** cultures more easily.
idiom

rule with an iron fist

Meaning
to control people very strictly and harshly
Example
The dictator **ruled with an iron fist** for twenty years.
idiom

busy bee

Meaning
a person who is always busy and active
Example
She’s a **busy bee**, always working on something.
phrasal-verb

talk straight with

Meaning
to speak honestly and directly to someone
Example
I need to **talk straight with** the team about the missed deadline.
phrasal-verb

team up with partners

Meaning
to collaborate with other companies for mutual benefit
Example
Our firm decided to **team up with partners** in Japan for a joint venture.
idiom

a breath of fresh air

Meaning
something new and refreshing
Example
Her positive attitude is **a breath of fresh air** in the office.
idiom

cut and paste

Meaning
to copy something with little change
Example
You can't just **cut and paste** ideas from others.
phrasal-verb

cut in line

Meaning
to move ahead of others waiting in a queue
Example
It’s considered rude to **cut in line** at the counter.
idiom

a dark horse

Meaning
a person who keeps their skills or plans secret until an important moment
Example
Nobody expected her to win; she was **a dark horse**.
phrasal-verb

call for backup

Meaning
to request extra help in a challenging situation
Example
Editors **call for backup** when breaking news floods in overnight.
idiom

Burn rate

Meaning
The rate at which a startup spends its capital.
Example
Our **burn rate** is too high; we need to cut costs.
phrasal-verb

end up with

Meaning
to finally receive or experience something undesirable
Example
After all that effort, we **ended up with** nothing.
idiom

green light

Meaning
permission to start or go ahead with something
Example
The manager gave us the **green light** to launch the project.
idiom

fail at something

Meaning
to not succeed in doing something
Example
He tried to fix the car, but he **failed at something**.
idiom

A picture paints a thousand words

Meaning
A visual image can express complex ideas better than words
Example
Cultural symbols remind us that **a picture paints a thousand words**.
phrasal-verb

taste out

Meaning
to test the flavor of food while cooking
Example
Always **taste out** your dish before serving it.
idiom

at war with oneself

Meaning
to be conflicted or struggling internally
Example
She is **at war with herself** about the decision to move abroad.
idiom

grin and bear it

Meaning
to accept a difficult situation patiently
Example
You just have to **grin and bear it** until the work is done.
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

come across as honest

Meaning
to seem or appear to be sincere and truthful
Example
He always **comes across as honest** in conversations.
idiom

nip in the bud

Meaning
to stop something before it becomes a bigger problem
Example
We should **nip the problem in the bud** before it spreads.
idiom

strike while the iron is hot

Meaning
to take advantage of an opportunity immediately
Example
The market conditions are perfect, so we need to **strike while the iron is hot**.
phrasal-verb

pace meetings well

Meaning
to manage the speed of a meeting appropriately
Example
Hosts **pace meetings well** by sticking to the agenda timing.
idiom

beat around the bush

Meaning
to avoid talking about the main topic
Example
Stop **beating around the bush** and tell me what happened.
idiom

fall head over heels

Meaning
to fall deeply in love
Example
He **fell head over heels** in love with her the moment they met.
idiom

asleep on your feet

Meaning
extremely tired and almost falling asleep
Example
You look **asleep on your feet** after working all day.
phrasal-verb

open up to change

Meaning
to become willing to accept new ideas or practices
Example
Societies progress when people **open up to change**.
phrasal-verb

bounce ahead with optimism

Meaning
to continue progressing with a positive attitude after difficulties
Example
After every failure, she chooses to **bounce ahead with optimism**.
idiom

break free

Meaning
to escape from control or restriction
Example
She wanted to **break free** from her routine life.
phrasal-verb

look after

Meaning
to take care of someone or something
Example
I have to **look after** my grandparents at the weekend.
phrasal-verb

drop below

Meaning
to decrease to less than a specific amount or level
Example
Investment growth **dropped below** expectations this quarter.
phrasal-verb

pitch innovations to

Meaning
to present new ideas to a specific audience
Example
Startups **pitch innovations to** potential partners during expos.
idiom

Through the lens

Meaning
From a particular perspective or point of view
Example
We need to see this issue **through the lens** of equality.
idiom

say hello

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

project out

Meaning
to estimate or predict future results based on current data
Example
Economists **project out** the country's GDP growth for the next decade.
phrasal-verb

carve out success

Meaning
to achieve success through effort and persistence
Example
She **carved out success** through years of dedication and learning.
idiom

sleep like a log

Meaning
to sleep very deeply and soundly
Example
After the long journey, I **slept like a log** all night.
phrasal-verb

call in

Meaning
to phone a place, especially work; to ask for help from someone
Example
I had to **call in** sick this morning.
phrasal-verb

believe in better days

Meaning
to stay positive that life will improve
Example
He always **believes in better days**, no matter how tough life gets.
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

stamp out

Meaning
to completely stop something bad or harmful
Example
The movement aimed to **stamp out** political corruption.
phrasal-verb

set to

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

open doors for

Meaning
to create opportunities or possibilities for connection or collaboration
Example
Joining community events can **open doors for** meaningful relationships.
idiom

lay aside

Meaning
to put something away temporarily
Example
Please **lay aside** your phones during the briefing.
phrasal-verb

stand in

Meaning
to replace an actor temporarily in a scene
Example
A stunt double **stood in** for the actor during the dangerous scene.
idiom

masterpiece in the making

Meaning
something developing into something great
Example
Her latest project looks like **a masterpiece in the making**.
idiom

Put your thinking cap on

Meaning
To start thinking carefully about something
Example
It’s time to **put your thinking cap on** for the quiz.
idiom

At the forefront

Meaning
being in a leading or important position in a field
Example
The research center is **at the forefront** of renewable energy studies.
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

growth hacking

Meaning
using creative and low-cost strategies to rapidly grow a business or product
Example
Startups rely heavily on **growth hacking** to gain users quickly.
phrasal-verb

hold onto hope

Meaning
to keep believing that good things will happen
Example
No matter how hard life gets, always **hold onto hope**.
phrasal-verb

wind down with

Meaning
to relax by doing something calming
Example
She likes to **wind down with** a book before bed.
phrasal-verb

key up

Meaning
to make someone feel nervous or excited
Example
She was **keyed up** before her first performance.
phrasal-verb

delve in

Meaning
to explore or investigate deeply
Example
The scientist decided to **delve in** to the mysteries of the deep sea.
phrasal-verb

refer back to

Meaning
to mention or direct attention to something mentioned earlier
Example
In this section, we **refer back to** the previous findings.
idiom

A hit piece

Meaning
A story or article intended to damage someone's reputation, often in a biased or unfair way.
Example
The editor criticized the paper for publishing such a **hit piece** on the politician.
idiom

helping hand

Meaning
assistance or support
Example
He offered a **helping hand** when I was struggling.
idiom

down time

Meaning
time when one relaxes and does not work
Example
I need some **down time** after this hectic week.
idiom

to pass the baton

Meaning
to transfer responsibility to someone else
Example
After years of leadership, he decided it was time to **pass the baton** to his successor.
phrasal-verb

bring out the best in

Meaning
to help someone perform to their highest potential
Example
A great leader can **bring out the best in** their team members.
idiom

mix in

Meaning
to combine one thing with others
Example
Now **mix in** the chopped herbs.
phrasal-verb

work out with

Meaning
to find a solution or come to an agreement with others
Example
We need to **work out with** the marketing team to align our plans.
idiom

a lump in your throat

Meaning
feeling emotional or about to cry
Example
He felt **a lump in his throat** when he said goodbye.
idiom

to make matters worse

Meaning
to make a bad situation even more difficult or unpleasant
Example
I was already late, and **to make matters worse**, I couldn't find my keys.
idiom

to make a boo-boo

Meaning
to make a small or funny mistake
Example
Oops, I **made a boo-boo** and sent the wrong file!
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

follow through

Meaning
to complete a task that was started or promised
Example
We need to **follow through** with our commitments to build trust.
idiom

the wisdom of age

Meaning
knowledge and understanding gained through life experience
Example
He gave me advice that showed **the wisdom of age**.
idiom

cracks in the wall

Meaning
signs of problems or weaknesses in a system or relationship
Example
There are **cracks in the wall** of their friendship lately.
phrasal-verb

embrace diversity

Meaning
to accept and value cultural differences positively
Example
Companies that **embrace diversity** often perform better globally.
phrasal-verb

care for

Meaning
to look after someone who is sick or in need
Example
He **cares for** his elderly parents every day.
phrasal-verb

break down over

Meaning
to become very emotional because of regret or sadness
Example
He **broke down over** losing his best friend.
idiom

fit as a fiddle

Meaning
in very good health
Example
My grandfather is 80 but he’s **fit as a fiddle**.
phrasal-verb

tie into

Meaning
to connect or link closely with something
Example
This project **ties into** our long-term digital strategy.
phrasal-verb

lighten up on

Meaning
to become less strict or critical toward someone
Example
Could you **lighten up on** your little brother? He's trying his best.
phrasal-verb

win out

Meaning
to finally succeed after difficulties or opposition
Example
Despite strong resistance, the reformers **won out** in the end.
idiom

Run the risk

Meaning
To do something that may result in loss or danger.
Example
You’ll **run the risk** of losing everything if you lie.
idiom

square away

Meaning
to organize or finish something neatly
Example
We need to **square away** the paperwork before the audit.
idiom

behind the firewall

Meaning
protected or isolated from external threats
Example
Sensitive company data should always stay **behind the firewall**.
phrasal-verb

pick out

Meaning
to choose something you like
Example
She **picked out** a dress she really liked.
idiom

In the know

Meaning
Having information that most people do not have.
Example
She’s always **in the know** about company secrets.
idiom

reinforcement learning

Meaning
a type of machine learning where an agent learns to make decisions by performing actions and receiving feedback
Example
In **reinforcement learning**, the model improves over time as it learns from trial and error.
idiom

make a comeback

Meaning
to return to success after a period of failure
Example
After a year of struggle, the team managed to **make a comeback** and won the championship.