sound out about
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phrasal-verb

sound out about

Meaning
to ask people for their opinions on something
Example
Let's **sound out about** the new comment policy before we publish it.
idiom

switch over

Meaning
to change from one system or option to another
Example
The team will **switch over** to the new software tonight.
phrasal-verb

speak out against injustice

Meaning
to express opposition to unfair treatment or actions
Example
Activists continued to **speak out against injustice** despite threats.
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

skid off

Meaning
to slide uncontrollably off a surface or road
Example
The bus **skidded off** the icy road.
phrasal-verb

splash out on

Meaning
to spend a lot of money on something special
Example
She **splashed out on** a designer handbag for her birthday.
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

step change

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

stand up for oneself

Meaning
to defend your rights or express your opinions confidently
Example
You should **stand up for yourself** when someone disrespects you.
phrasal-verb

show off

Meaning
to display something proudly to impress others
Example
He loves to **show off** his painting skills.
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

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

show admiration for

Meaning
to express approval and respect
Example
He openly **showed admiration for** her courage.
phrasal-verb

stick with your goals

Meaning
to stay committed to your plans and not give up
Example
If you **stick with your goals**, you’ll see results soon.
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

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

step beyond

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

set apart

Meaning
to make something or someone distinctive or unique
Example
Innovative design can **set apart** a brand from its competitors.
idiom

stay ahead of the curve

Meaning
to stay more advanced or knowledgeable than others
Example
If you read daily, you can **stay ahead of the curve** in your studies.
phrasal-verb

stir up

Meaning
to cause activity or energy to increase
Example
New infrastructure projects have **stirred up** economic growth in rural areas.
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.
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

set the wheels in motion

Meaning
to start something or initiate action
Example
The CEO's speech **set the wheels in motion** for the new project.
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.
idiom

Stay on track

Meaning
To continue doing the right thing to reach your goal.
Example
We need to **stay on track** to meet our deadline.
phrasal-verb

spotlight progress

Meaning
to highlight positive steps that have been made
Example
We **spotlight progress** in standups so hope stays alive.
idiom

spill your guts

Meaning
to tell someone all your private feelings or secrets
Example
After a few drinks, he started to **spill his guts** about his failed marriage.
idiom

spend money like water

Meaning
to spend money freely or wastefully
Example
She **spends money like water** on clothes.
phrasal-verb

spur growth

Meaning
to encourage or accelerate economic expansion
Example
Tax cuts were introduced to **spur growth** in the private sector.
phrasal-verb

sum up

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

speak well of

Meaning
to praise someone or talk positively about them
Example
Everyone **speaks well of** the teacher who inspired them.
phrasal-verb

speak for yourself

Meaning
to politely clarify that your opinion differs from someone else's
Example
You may think it’s boring, but please **speak for yourself**.
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.
idiom

spin doctor

Meaning
a person who gives a favorable interpretation of events to the media
Example
The politician hired a **spin doctor** to handle the press.
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

step inside

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

set up dialogue

Meaning
to establish formal or informal communication between nations
Example
The leaders agreed to **set up dialogue** to discuss trade issues.
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.
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.
idiom

Speaking personally

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

scroll back

Meaning
to move up to view older posts or messages
Example
I **scrolled back** to see our old conversation.
idiom

sit on the fence

Meaning
to avoid making a decision or choice
Example
You can't **sit on the fence** any longer, you need to choose a side.
phrasal-verb

speak up against

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

set a precedent

Meaning
to establish a standard or example for future actions
Example
Banning unethical AI systems will **set a precedent** for accountability.
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

stabilize prices

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

start from scratch

Meaning
to begin again without any advantage or preparation
Example
They lost everything and had to **start from scratch**.
phrasal-verb

shift focus toward growth

Meaning
to redirect attention and efforts toward improvement
Example
The manager encouraged everyone to **shift focus toward growth** after the changes.
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.
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.
phrasal-verb

stand in for

Meaning
to take someone’s place temporarily
Example
Lisa will **stand in for** me during the client meeting tomorrow.
idiom

stand trial

Meaning
to appear in court to answer criminal charges
Example
He will **stand trial** for fraud next month.
idiom

spread sunshine

Meaning
to make others happy with your positivity
Example
Her smile always **spreads sunshine** wherever she goes.
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

shut yourself off

Meaning
to isolate yourself emotionally or socially due to stress
Example
She tends to **shut herself off** from everyone when she’s anxious.
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.
idiom

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Meaning
The process of improving the visibility of a website or web page in a search engine's unpaid results.
Example
To improve our search rankings, we need to focus on **SEO** strategies.
idiom

sit back

Meaning
to relax and do nothing
Example
Just **sit back** and enjoy the show.
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.
phrasal-verb

set an example for

Meaning
to behave in a way that others should copy; to lead by example
Example
A good leader **sets an example for** the team through actions, not words.
phrasal-verb

set yourself apart

Meaning
to make yourself different or outstanding from others
Example
Hard work and creativity will **set you apart** from the rest.
phrasal-verb

stay balanced

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

stay grounded

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

scale forward

Meaning
to expand operations or activities progressively toward growth
Example
The organization plans to **scale forward** its social impact programs.
idiom

shoot from the hip

Meaning
to speak or act without thinking carefully
Example
He tends to **shoot from the hip** during meetings.
phrasal-verb

set aside differences

Meaning
to ignore disagreements so cooperation can continue
Example
Partners **set aside differences** to finish the joint project.
phrasal-verb

step forward

Meaning
to volunteer or take initiative for something
Example
John always **steps forward** when the team needs extra help.
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.
idiom

set a good example

Meaning
to behave in a way that shows others how they should act
Example
Parents should **set a good example** for their children.
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.
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.
phrasal-verb

speed up

Meaning
to go faster; to increase speed
Example
You need to **speed up** if you want to overtake that car.
idiom

stand up for something

Meaning
to support or defend something you believe in
Example
She always **stands up for what she believes in**, even when it's difficult.
phrasal-verb

send out

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

strike it lucky

Meaning
to have unexpected good fortune
Example
We **struck it lucky** and found the last two tickets.
idiom

Scale up

Meaning
To expand a company’s operations or reach.
Example
The startup is ready to **scale up** after its first funding round.
phrasal-verb

spin up for

Meaning
to prepare systems or resources to handle something
Example
We **spin up for** big launches by testing backup servers early.
phrasal-verb

ship out goods

Meaning
to send goods to another place, especially abroad
Example
They will **ship out goods** to Europe by the end of this month.
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

stir up demand

Meaning
to increase or stimulate consumer demand
Example
Lower interest rates can **stir up demand** for housing and cars.
idiom

soft power

Meaning
a country's ability to influence others through culture or values rather than force
Example
Japan uses **soft power** to promote its culture worldwide.
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

show up as

Meaning
to appear in a particular way or form
Example
Your mistake **shows up as** a red mark on the report.
phrasal-verb

step up production

Meaning
to increase the manufacturing output to meet export demand
Example
Factories **stepped up production** to fulfill international orders.
idiom

step on it

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

sink into

Meaning
to gradually become deeply involved in a negative emotion
Example
She **sank into** depression after losing her job.
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

split profits with

Meaning
to share earnings or gains equally or based on agreement
Example
They decided to **split profits with** their local partners.
phrasal-verb

stumble over

Meaning
to make an error while speaking or reading
Example
He **stumbled over** several words in the script.
phrasal-verb

sit for

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

split-second decision

Meaning
a decision made very quickly without much thought
Example
The pilot had to make a **split-second decision** to avoid the crash.
phrasal-verb

spur on growth

Meaning
to encourage or accelerate economic development
Example
Digital innovation is expected to **spur on growth** in the service sector.
idiom

school of thought

Meaning
a particular way of thinking or set of ideas
Example
There’s a **school of thought** that believes learning by doing is best.
phrasal-verb

step down costs

Meaning
to gradually reduce expenses
Example
The company will **step down costs** to increase profitability.
idiom

strong password

Meaning
a password that is difficult for others to guess, typically combining letters, numbers, and symbols
Example
For better security, always use a **strong password** with at least eight characters.
phrasal-verb

stand firm

Meaning
to remain strong and not give up under pressure or doubt
Example
He decided to **stand firm** in his beliefs despite opposition.
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.
phrasal-verb

sweep up

Meaning
to clean the floor by brushing dirt together
Example
She grabbed the broom to **sweep up** the dirt on the floor.
phrasal-verb

say sorry to

Meaning
to express regret or apologize to someone
Example
You should **say sorry to** her for yelling.
phrasal-verb

set up a meeting

Meaning
to arrange a meeting or appointment
Example
Can you **set up a meeting** with the marketing team tomorrow?
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

speak around

Meaning
to discuss a topic without addressing it directly
Example
He tends to **speak around** the real issue instead of confronting it.
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

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.
idiom

Speak from the heart

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

stand up for values

Meaning
to defend important beliefs or principles even when it's hard
Example
A respected leader always **stands up for values** under pressure.
idiom

show true colors

Meaning
to reveal one’s real character or intentions
Example
He **showed his true colors** when he took charge of the team.
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

sing the praises of

Meaning
to praise enthusiastically
Example
The director **sang the praises of** the team after the event.
idiom

show leadership

Meaning
to demonstrate leadership qualities or skills
Example
She was able to **show leadership** during the crisis and guide the team through tough times.
idiom

swear an oath

Meaning
to promise solemnly, often in a formal way
Example
He **swore an oath** to serve his country faithfully.
idiom

sift out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from a mix
Example
We need to **sift out** duplicate entries in the list.
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.
idiom

smoke-filled room

Meaning
a place where powerful people make decisions secretly
Example
The new policy was decided in a **smoke-filled room** by senior officials.
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.
idiom

sitting on a gold mine

Meaning
to have something very valuable that is not yet realized
Example
That old property is worth millions — you're **sitting on a gold mine**.
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

stand out from the crowd

Meaning
to be noticeably different or better than others
Example
Her talent helps her **stand out from the crowd**.