sketch out
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phrasal-verb

sketch out

Meaning
to make a rough or simple drawing; to outline an idea briefly
Example
The designer **sketched out** the new logo before finalizing it.
phrasal-verb

sign out

Meaning
to log off or exit from a meeting or account
Example
Remember to **sign out** after finishing the session.
phrasal-verb

set off protests

Meaning
to cause protests or demonstrations to begin
Example
The new law **set off protests** across the country.
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

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.
phrasal-verb

sink money into

Meaning
to invest a large amount of money in something that may not be profitable
Example
They **sank money into** a risky cryptocurrency venture.
phrasal-verb

set up trade ties with

Meaning
to establish trading relationships with another country
Example
The nation plans to **set up trade ties with** African economies.
idiom

strike a bargain

Meaning
to reach an agreement or deal
Example
After some discussion, they **struck a bargain** that suited both parties.
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.
idiom

sleep like a baby

Meaning
to sleep very peacefully and comfortably
Example
After a warm bath, she **slept like a baby**.
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.
idiom

smooth sailing

Meaning
a situation without problems or difficulties
Example
Once we crossed the border, it was **smooth sailing**.
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

step change

Meaning
a significant improvement or shift
Example
This marks a **step change** in how we approach innovation.
phrasal-verb

shadow a teammate

Meaning
to observe a colleague closely to learn
Example
Interns **shadow a teammate** during client demos for practice.
phrasal-verb

step up efforts

Meaning
to increase the level of effort or activity
Example
The ministry has **stepped up efforts** to create more jobs.
phrasal-verb

shut off from

Meaning
to stop communicating or sharing emotions with others
Example
After the argument, he **shut himself off from** everyone for days.
idiom

spread kindness like wildfire

Meaning
to spread kindness rapidly and uncontrollably
Example
Her acts of kindness **spread like wildfire** in the community.
phrasal-verb

scribble down

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

shift mindset

Meaning
to change the way one thinks about something
Example
Leaders must **shift mindset** to embrace innovation.
phrasal-verb

step through

Meaning
to pass through something carefully or one stage at a time
Example
Let’s **step through** the process so everyone understands it clearly.
phrasal-verb

step aside

Meaning
to move to one side to let someone pass; to withdraw from a position
Example
He **stepped aside** to let the woman pass.
idiom

stay composed

Meaning
to remain calm and not show emotion
Example
He **stayed composed** even when things went wrong.
phrasal-verb

scale back spending

Meaning
to reduce the level of spending
Example
Due to inflation, many households are **scaling back spending**.
phrasal-verb

show back up

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

step into roles

Meaning
to take on new responsibilities or duties
Example
She confidently **stepped into** her new managerial role.
idiom

success is within reach

Meaning
success is almost attainable
Example
With just a little more effort, **success is within reach**.
phrasal-verb

sing out

Meaning
to sing loudly and clearly
Example
Don’t be shy—**sing out** so everyone can hear you!
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

see over

Meaning
to inspect a place, especially a house or building
Example
We went to **see over** the new apartment before signing the contract.
phrasal-verb

set up for shipping

Meaning
to prepare goods so they are ready to be sent
Example
The warehouse **sets up for shipping** as soon as orders close.
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

soak in

Meaning
to fully enjoy or appreciate a positive feeling or moment
Example
She closed her eyes to **soak in** the beauty of the sunset.
idiom

Stick with it

Meaning
Keep doing something even if it’s hard.
Example
Learning English takes time, so **stick with it**.
phrasal-verb

stay open to

Meaning
to be willing to consider or accept new ideas or experiences
Example
Always **stay open to** new perspectives while learning.
idiom

stay ahead of the game

Meaning
to be more successful or prepared than others
Example
To **stay ahead of the game**, you must always keep learning.
idiom

sweep someone off their feet

Meaning
to make someone fall in love with you suddenly
Example
His charm and confidence really **swept her off her feet**.
idiom

speak up

Meaning
to express an opinion openly and clearly
Example
If you disagree, please **speak up** during the meeting.
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

Stay in the loop

Meaning
To be informed about something regularly.
Example
Make sure you **stay in the loop** about the latest updates.
phrasal-verb

stand up after

Meaning
to regain confidence or strength after failing
Example
True leaders **stand up after** every fall.
phrasal-verb

set off for

Meaning
to start a journey to a specific place
Example
We **set off for** Cox’s Bazar early in the morning.
phrasal-verb

send across

Meaning
to convey a message or feeling clearly to others
Example
His speech **sent across** a strong message of cooperation.
phrasal-verb

stick it out

Meaning
to continue doing something difficult until the end
Example
Even though the job was hard, he decided to **stick it out**.
idiom

serenity now

Meaning
a phrase used to invoke calmness, usually in a stressful situation
Example
Whenever I feel stressed, I remind myself to say **serenity now**.
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.
idiom

share the love

Meaning
to show support or appreciation by liking or sharing someone’s post
Example
**Share the love** by liking and commenting on this post!
phrasal-verb

say sorry for

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

spark off ideas

Meaning
to trigger or inspire new creative thoughts
Example
The workshop helped **spark off ideas** for future projects.
phrasal-verb

speak for

Meaning
to represent someone’s opinion or view
Example
I can’t **speak for** everyone, but I think this idea is worth trying.
phrasal-verb

stay away from

Meaning
to avoid something or someone for a good reason
Example
I told him to **stay away from** negative people.
idiom

set an example

Meaning
to behave in a way that others should follow
Example
A true leader **sets an example** for others to follow.
phrasal-verb

show up in

Meaning
to appear or be noticed in a specific place or situation
Example
His name **showed up in** the final list of winners.
phrasal-verb

show up

Meaning
to appear or arrive at an event
Example
Even though it was raining, most guests **showed up** on time.
idiom

spill the tea

Meaning
to share gossip or secrets
Example
Come on, **spill the tea** - what happened at the party?
phrasal-verb

speak for unity

Meaning
to express opinions promoting global harmony and understanding
Example
Leaders often **speak for unity** at international forums.
phrasal-verb

switch to

Meaning
to start using something different, especially something more sustainable
Example
Many companies are now **switching to** renewable energy sources.
idiom

set aside

Meaning
to reserve something for a particular purpose
Example
We should **set aside** some money for unexpected expenses.
phrasal-verb

stay grounded

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

stay beside

Meaning
to remain physically or emotionally close to someone in need
Example
She **stayed beside** her mother through her illness.
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

share with

Meaning
to exchange ideas, beliefs, or customs with others
Example
Teachers encourage students to **share with** their peers about their heritage.
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

scale up operations

Meaning
to expand the size or capacity of business or production
Example
To meet global demand, the company decided to **scale up operations**.
idiom

split decision

Meaning
a decision where people are divided in opinion
Example
The committee made a **split decision** on the proposal.
phrasal-verb

set off

Meaning
to start a journey
Example
We **set off** early in the morning to avoid traffic.
idiom

stress out

Meaning
to become very anxious or nervous due to pressure
Example
She tends to **stress out** before exams.
idiom

sweep under the rug

Meaning
to hide or ignore problems instead of solving them
Example
You can’t just **sweep problems under the rug** forever.
phrasal-verb

stick by

Meaning
to continue to support someone even when it is difficult
Example
Good friends **stick by** each other during hard times.
phrasal-verb

share experiences with

Meaning
to tell or exchange stories and traditions with others
Example
He loves to **share experiences with** people from different backgrounds.
idiom

stay on task

Meaning
to continue focusing on what needs to be done
Example
Try to **stay on task** even when things get difficult.
idiom

settle in

Meaning
to become comfortable in a new place or situation
Example
It took a week to **settle in** after the move.
phrasal-verb

show appreciation for

Meaning
to demonstrate that you value something
Example
We should **show appreciation for** the team’s hard work.
phrasal-verb

stay ahead in class

Meaning
to perform better or be more advanced than others in the class
Example
He studies extra hours to **stay ahead in class**.
phrasal-verb

step beyond

Meaning
to go further than expected or allowed
Example
Her creativity always **steps beyond** traditional boundaries.
idiom

stay strong

Meaning
to remain courageous and confident despite difficulties
Example
Whatever happens, **stay strong** and keep moving forward.
idiom

state of mind

Meaning
a person's emotional condition
Example
Your **state of mind** affects how you make decisions.
idiom

slippery slope

Meaning
a situation that can lead to serious problems if not controlled
Example
Allowing AI to make moral decisions is a **slippery slope**.
idiom

set the stage for

Meaning
to make something possible or likely to happen later
Example
This meeting will **set the stage for** future cooperation.
phrasal-verb

stand for yourself

Meaning
to defend your beliefs or actions confidently
Example
Always **stand for yourself** even when others disagree.
phrasal-verb

step up for responsibility

Meaning
to take on a challenge or responsibility willingly
Example
Leaders must **step up for responsibility** when the situation demands it.
phrasal-verb

shout at

Meaning
to raise your voice in anger at someone
Example
Don’t **shout at** me, I didn’t do anything wrong!
idiom

Star-studded

Meaning
Full of famous or talented people.
Example
The event was **star-studded** with celebrities from all fields.
idiom

sign off on

Meaning
to formally approve something
Example
The director needs to **sign off on** the final budget.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
phrasal-verb

speak from experience

Meaning
to politely justify your opinion based on personal experience
Example
I **speak from experience** when I say this method really works.
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.
idiom

sweet tooth

Meaning
a love for sweet foods
Example
She has a **sweet tooth** and can’t resist desserts.
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

stand by allies

Meaning
to support friendly nations during difficult times
Example
The country promised to **stand by allies** during the crisis.
idiom

spread your wings

Meaning
to start doing new and independent things
Example
After graduation, she wanted to **spread her wings**.
phrasal-verb

set in

Meaning
when something unpleasant like rain or cold begins and seems likely to continue
Example
The cold season has **set in**, and we need to wear warm clothes.
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.
idiom

Speaking personally

Meaning
Expressing one’s personal view or opinion
Example
Speaking personally, I wouldn’t take that risk.
phrasal-verb

set up a business

Meaning
to start your own company to earn money
Example
Many people **set up a business** to create their own path to financial freedom.
idiom

state of the art

Meaning
the most modern and advanced
Example
They built a **state-of-the-art** research facility.
idiom

steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to look or feel extremely angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** after the argument.
phrasal-verb

shift into

Meaning
to transition into a different type of job or field
Example
He’s planning to **shift into** a more creative industry next year.
idiom

split hairs

Meaning
to argue about small or unimportant details
Example
Stop **splitting hairs** and focus on the main issue.
idiom

set the standard

Meaning
to establish an example of excellence that others strive to reach
Example
Her work ethic has **set the standard** for the entire team.
phrasal-verb

sit with

Meaning
to accept and experience emotions without rushing to fix them
Example
When you’re sad, just **sit with** your feelings for a while.
phrasal-verb

stick to goals

Meaning
to remain committed to educational or personal objectives
Example
To achieve success, you must **stick to goals** no matter how hard it gets.
idiom

size up

Meaning
to quickly assess someone or something
Example
She walked into the room and instantly **sized up** the situation.
phrasal-verb

speak down to

Meaning
to talk to someone as if they are less intelligent
Example
Don’t **speak down to** your colleagues; treat them equally.
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

spread awareness about

Meaning
to share information to make people more conscious about something
Example
The NGO works hard to **spread awareness about** climate change.
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

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

seek out

Meaning
to look for and find something or someone with effort
Example
She loves to **seek out** new experiences when she travels.
phrasal-verb

stand together with

Meaning
to support and stay united with partners during challenges
Example
True business partners **stand together with** each other in hard times.
phrasal-verb

set clear goals

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

spin the truth

Meaning
to present a situation in a way that benefits a particular perspective
Example
The politician tried to **spin the truth** about the scandal to protect his reputation.
idiom

set the stage

Meaning
to prepare everything for something to happen
Example
The manager's speech helped **set the stage** for the upcoming conference.
phrasal-verb

stick at

Meaning
to continue doing something with determination even when it is difficult
Example
If you **stick at** it, you will eventually see the results of your effort.
idiom

see the bigger picture

Meaning
to understand the full scope of a situation or problem
Example
To make an informed decision, you need to **see the bigger picture**.
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 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.
idiom

shoulder the burden

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
She had to **shoulder the burden** of caring for her family.
phrasal-verb

spell out

Meaning
to explain something clearly and in detail
Example
Could you **spell out** what you mean by that term?