slip by
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phrasal-verb

slip by

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

phase in new strategies

Meaning
to introduce new methods gradually
Example
The firm will **phase in** new financial strategies over the next year.
idiom

lose faith in someone

Meaning
to stop trusting someone
Example
After what he did, I’ve completely **lost faith in him**.
idiom

a house divided against itself cannot stand

Meaning
a group or organization that is divided in opinion or direction cannot succeed
Example
In a team, **a house divided against itself cannot stand**; everyone needs to agree on the same goal.
idiom

hit the trends

Meaning
to become popular or fashionable in a very short period of time
Example
The new meme about the office prank has **hit the trends** and is everywhere now.
idiom

bang for your buck

Meaning
value for the money spent; a good deal
Example
This insurance plan gives you the best **bang for your buck**.
idiom

to hit it off

Meaning
to quickly become good friends
Example
We **hit it off** the moment we met.
phrasal-verb

chat over

Meaning
to discuss or talk casually with a friend
Example
We love to **chat over** coffee every weekend.
phrasal-verb

find out about

Meaning
to learn specific information or details regarding something
Example
I need to **find out about** the new insurance policy.
idiom

bend the law

Meaning
to use the law in a dishonest way to achieve something
Example
Some lawyers know how to **bend the law** to help their clients.
phrasal-verb

speak to

Meaning
to talk to someone; to address or scold someone
Example
The manager wants to **speak to** you about your performance.
idiom

Go overboard

Meaning
To do something to an excessive degree.
Example
He **went overboard** decorating his office for the holidays.
phrasal-verb

clean out

Meaning
to completely remove unwanted things from a place
Example
Volunteers worked to **clean out** the polluted river.
idiom

Lay bricks for the future

Meaning
To build a strong foundation for future success.
Example
Education helps children **lay bricks for the future**.
idiom

a golden goose

Meaning
a source of continuous wealth or profit
Example
Their subscription service has become **a golden goose** for the company.
idiom

It never rains but it pours

Meaning
When bad things happen, they happen all at once.
Example
First I lost my phone, then my wallet — **it never rains but it pours**.
idiom

Make a clean break

Meaning
To completely separate from something or someone, often for a fresh start.
Example
He decided to **make a clean break** from his old habits.
idiom

raise the stakes

Meaning
to increase the level of risk or difficulty
Example
We need to **raise the stakes** if we want to make a bigger impact.
idiom

a catnap

Meaning
a short, light sleep
Example
I took **a catnap** after lunch.
phrasal-verb

draw back from

Meaning
to hesitate or decide not to do something due to fear or doubt
Example
He **drew back from** investing after the market showed instability.
phrasal-verb

move toward leadership

Meaning
to progress in your career to take leadership roles
Example
With her experience, she’s ready to **move toward leadership**.
idiom

scare the living daylights out of someone

Meaning
to frighten someone very much
Example
The horror movie **scared the living daylights out of** me.
idiom

take the long view

Meaning
to plan or think about the future rather than short-term gains
Example
Successful leaders always **take the long view** when making decisions.
idiom

a work of art

Meaning
something very beautiful or skillfully made
Example
Her wedding dress was truly **a work of art**.
phrasal-verb

count towards

Meaning
to contribute to an overall result or future achievement
Example
This internship will **count towards** your graduation credits.
phrasal-verb

choke on

Meaning
to have difficulty speaking or breathing because of strong emotions
Example
She **choked on** her words as she tried to explain how she felt.
idiom

take the plunge

Meaning
to decide to do something risky or difficult
Example
After years of thinking, he finally **took the plunge** and started his business.
idiom

laid-back

Meaning
calm, relaxed, and not easily upset
Example
He’s a very **laid-back** person who rarely gets angry.
idiom

put one's foot in one's mouth

Meaning
to say something embarrassing or inappropriate
Example
He really **put his foot in his mouth** when he mentioned her ex-boyfriend.
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.
phrasal-verb

burst apart

Meaning
to explode with emotion such as laughter or tears
Example
The whole group **burst apart** laughing at his joke.
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

reach toward

Meaning
to try to connect emotionally with someone’s pain or experience
Example
He tried to **reach toward** her feelings without judgment.
phrasal-verb

sit for

Meaning
to take an exam
Example
I’m going to **sit for** my final exams next week.
phrasal-verb

draw benefits from

Meaning
to gain advantages or profits through collaboration
Example
Both sides expect to **draw benefits from** this partnership.
phrasal-verb

stand out from

Meaning
to be noticeably different or better than others
Example
Her confidence makes her **stand out from** the rest of the team.
idiom

down on your luck

Meaning
experiencing a period of bad luck
Example
He’s been **down on his luck** since losing his job.
phrasal-verb

tune your mind to positivity

Meaning
to intentionally think positive thoughts to reduce tension
Example
Each morning, I **tune my mind to positivity** before starting work.
phrasal-verb

bring about awareness

Meaning
to cause people to notice or understand something
Example
Social media can **bring about awareness** of important issues.
phrasal-verb

shape up to be

Meaning
to seem likely to develop into something
Example
The new policy is **shaping up to be** a major change in the industry.
idiom

forty winks

Meaning
a short nap or brief sleep
Example
He likes to take **forty winks** after work.
idiom

plug away

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

pay respect to

Meaning
to show honor or appreciation to someone
Example
They **paid respect to** their teachers during the ceremony.
phrasal-verb

keep in touch with

Meaning
to maintain contact or communication with someone over time
Example
Even after graduation, they promised to **keep in touch with** each other.
phrasal-verb

go for

Meaning
to like or choose something
Example
Most kids **go for** ice cream over fruit.
phrasal-verb

tone down for

Meaning
to soften your language or behavior for a situation
Example
She **tones down for** audiences who prefer straightforward facts.
idiom

Behind the curve

Meaning
To be less advanced or slow compared to competitors.
Example
Our company is **behind the curve** in adopting AI technologies.
phrasal-verb

blow out

Meaning
to extinguish flames, especially candles
Example
She **blew out** the candles and made a wish on her birthday.
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.
B1 proverb

easier said than done

Something is more difficult to do than it sounds
Meaning
Something is more difficult to do than it sounds
Example
Getting a job is easier said than done in this competitive market.
Getting a job is easier said than done in this competitive market.
phrasal-verb

walk away

Meaning
to leave a situation or place calmly; to move away by walking
Example
She **walked away** without saying a word.
idiom

open the floodgates

Meaning
to allow something to happen on a large scale; to trigger a chain reaction
Example
When the security flaw was leaked, it **opened the floodgates** for hackers worldwide.
phrasal-verb

float away stress

Meaning
to imagine your stress disappearing like something drifting away
Example
Visualize your worries and let them **float away** like clouds.
idiom

game changer

Meaning
an idea or event that changes everything significantly
Example
The new app was a real **game changer** for the company.
phrasal-verb

hold off on

Meaning
to delay doing something, especially spending or launching new projects
Example
Investors decided to **hold off on** new ventures until the market improved.
idiom

talk through

Meaning
to discuss something in detail
Example
Let’s **talk through** the plan before the client call.
idiom

play a part

Meaning
to have a role or influence in something
Example
She **played a part** in making the project successful.
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

get rid of

Meaning
to remove or eliminate something unwanted
Example
I need to **get rid of** these old clothes.
idiom

at the helm

Meaning
in a position of leadership or control
Example
With her **at the helm**, the company has grown rapidly.
phrasal-verb

drop in on

Meaning
to visit someone casually and without an appointment
Example
We decided to **drop in on** our cousins while passing through their town.
idiom

a heart of gold

Meaning
someone who is very kind and caring
Example
She has **a heart of gold**, always helping anyone in need.
idiom

a clear conscience

Meaning
a state of being free from guilt or regret
Example
She could sleep soundly at night because she had **a clear conscience**.
idiom

go the extra mile

Meaning
to make a special effort to achieve something
Example
She always **goes the extra mile** to help her team succeed.
idiom

step in

Meaning
to become involved in order to help or stop something
Example
The manager will **step in** if the discussion gets heated.
phrasal-verb

go against

Meaning
to oppose or disagree with someone or something
Example
It takes courage to **go against** popular opinion.
phrasal-verb

branch into tech

Meaning
to expand into the technology sector
Example
Traditional companies are now trying to **branch into tech** to stay relevant.
idiom

catch a bug

Meaning
to find a problem or defect in a system
Example
The developer was able to **catch a bug** in the system before it went live.
idiom

factor in

Meaning
to include something as part of a calculation or plan
Example
Remember to **factor in** travel time when planning.
phrasal-verb

lean on courage

Meaning
to rely on one’s inner strength during fear
Example
He learned to **lean on courage** instead of fear.
idiom

bottom out

Meaning
to reach the lowest point before improving
Example
Experts believe the market has **bottomed out**.
phrasal-verb

build up

Meaning
to gradually increase emotional strength or confidence
Example
She’s been trying to **build up** her self-esteem after the breakup.
phrasal-verb

peer into

Meaning
to look closely or carefully at something difficult to see
Example
She **peered into** the darkness, trying to see who was there.
idiom

make it to the top

Meaning
to reach the highest point of success
Example
After years of hard work, he finally **made it to the top** of his career.
phrasal-verb

come up to

Meaning
to reach a particular standard or expectation
Example
Her performance didn't **come up to** our expectations.
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

teach someone a lesson

Meaning
to make someone learn from their mistake
Example
The teacher’s punishment really **taught him a lesson**.
idiom

let on

Meaning
to reveal something secret unintentionally
Example
Don’t **let on** that you know about the plan.
idiom

a lawyer's brief

Meaning
a summary or concise statement of an argument or case
Example
The **lawyer's brief** was submitted to the judge before the trial began.
phrasal-verb

lay out concepts

Meaning
to present or explain creative ideas clearly
Example
The designer **laid out concepts** for the new brand identity.
idiom

put heads together

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

simmer with anger

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

call to mind

Meaning
to remember or recall something
Example
This song **calls to mind** my childhood days.
phrasal-verb

rally spirits around goals

Meaning
to encourage people to stay motivated about shared targets
Example
Captains **rally spirits around goals** when fatigue sets in late in the quarter.
idiom

take the pressure off

Meaning
to make a stressful situation easier
Example
Hiring an assistant really **took the pressure off** me.
phrasal-verb

let yourself feel

Meaning
to allow yourself to experience emotions instead of suppressing them
Example
It’s okay to **let yourself feel** sad sometimes.
idiom

make a name for oneself

Meaning
to become well-known or famous for something
Example
He **made a name for himself** as a creative designer.
phrasal-verb

trickle down

Meaning
to spread gradually from the wealthy to the less wealthy; to benefit lower classes indirectly
Example
Many economists argue that wealth doesn’t always **trickle down** to the poor.
idiom

an apple a day keeps the doctor away

Meaning
eating healthy food helps you stay well
Example
My mom always says, '**An apple a day keeps the doctor away**.'
phrasal-verb

pull yourself back

Meaning
to stop overthinking or panicking and return to calmness
Example
Whenever your mind runs away, **pull yourself back** to the present.
phrasal-verb

set about

Meaning
to begin doing something with determination
Example
He **set about** cleaning the entire house after breakfast.
idiom

can of worms

Meaning
a complex problem that may cause more trouble once started
Example
AI bias is a **can of worms** that’s hard to fix.
idiom

fun and games

Meaning
enjoyable activities; playful behavior
Example
It’s not all **fun and games** when organizing a big event.
phrasal-verb

snap out

Meaning
to suddenly stop being sad or depressed
Example
He needs to **snap out** of that bad mood.
idiom

go public

Meaning
to sell shares of a company to the public for the first time
Example
The startup plans to **go public** next year.
idiom

burst with ideas

Meaning
to have many creative ideas at once
Example
After watching the film, he was **bursting with ideas** for his next project.
idiom

Exit strategy

Meaning
A plan for how investors or founders will eventually leave or cash out.
Example
Every startup should have a clear **exit strategy**.
idiom

Fashion victim

Meaning
Someone who follows fashion trends blindly
Example
He's such a **fashion victim**—he buys every new style that comes out.
phrasal-verb

burst with excitement

Meaning
to be very excited or happy
Example
The children **burst with excitement** before the trip.
idiom

raining cats and dogs

Meaning
raining very heavily
Example
It's **raining cats and dogs** outside!
phrasal-verb

scale up to

Meaning
to increase in size, amount, or production level to meet higher demand or needs
Example
The company plans to **scale up to** full production once the economy stabilizes.
idiom

pair off

Meaning
to form groups of two
Example
Students will **pair off** for the lab experiment.
idiom

log off

Meaning
to disconnect from a computer system
Example
Don’t forget to **log off** before you leave the office.
phrasal-verb

warm up to gratitude

Meaning
to gradually become more appreciative or thankful
Example
He **warmed up to gratitude** after realizing how much support he had.
phrasal-verb

follow through on plans

Meaning
to complete actions that were promised or scheduled
Example
She **follows through on plans** even when the workload spikes.
phrasal-verb

step inside

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

revise for

Meaning
to study something again before an exam
Example
I need to **revise for** my chemistry exam this weekend.
idiom

a kind heart

Meaning
a person who is generous and caring
Example
Her **kind heart** is what makes her loved by everyone.
phrasal-verb

link up for

Meaning
to connect with others for a specific shared purpose
Example
Several banks **linked up for** cross-border payment solutions.
phrasal-verb

cut down tariffs

Meaning
to reduce import or export taxes
Example
Many countries agreed to **cut down tariffs** to encourage free trade.
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.
idiom

juggle with

Meaning
to handle several tasks or responsibilities at once
Example
She’s **juggling with** classes, work, and childcare.
phrasal-verb

transition through

Meaning
to pass through different phases of change smoothly
Example
The company managed to **transition through** restructuring with minimal disruption.
idiom

Spread like wildfire

Meaning
To become widely known very quickly.
Example
The news of their engagement **spread like wildfire**.
phrasal-verb

sum up

Meaning
to summarize or express something briefly
Example
Let me **sum up** the key points before we finish.
idiom

peace treaty

Meaning
an agreement between two or more parties to stop a war or conflict
Example
The two countries signed a **peace treaty** after years of conflict.
idiom

cover your tracks

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

go back to square one

Meaning
to start again from the beginning
Example
If this doesn’t work, we’ll have to **go back to square one**.
phrasal-verb

open eyes to

Meaning
to make someone realize or become aware of something important
Example
The film **opened people’s eyes to** the struggles of the poor.
phrasal-verb

draw confidence from

Meaning
to gain self-assurance by relying on something
Example
I **draw confidence from** the small wins we track each week.
phrasal-verb

show in

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