sow the seeds of something
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idiom

sow the seeds of something

Meaning
to begin a process that leads to a result
Example
His actions **sowed the seeds of** mistrust among the team.
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 firm on

Meaning
to remain strong in one's beliefs or decisions
Example
True leaders **stand firm on** their principles even under pressure.
idiom

second to none

Meaning
the best; better than everyone else
Example
Her cooking is **second to none**.
phrasal-verb

set your mind to

Meaning
to focus all your attention and effort on achieving something
Example
You can achieve anything if you **set your mind to** it.
idiom

sort out

Meaning
to organize or resolve a confusing situation
Example
We need to **sort out** this billing error today.
idiom

seal the deal

Meaning
to finalize or confirm an agreement
Example
Offering a discount helped us **seal the deal** with the client.
idiom

strength in numbers

Meaning
greater power comes from a larger group
Example
We can win this battle if we stick together, there's **strength in numbers**.
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.
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.
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

sweat blood

Meaning
to make an enormous effort
Example
He **sweat blood** to get that promotion.
idiom

scene of the crime

Meaning
the place where something important happened
Example
We returned to the **scene of the crime** to find the truth.
phrasal-verb

speak about

Meaning
to talk about a particular topic or issue
Example
He will **speak about** effective communication at the seminar.
idiom

stand trial

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

social engineering

Meaning
manipulating people into divulging confidential information through psychological tactics
Example
The attacker used **social engineering** to gain access to the company’s secure database.
idiom

security blanket

Meaning
something that gives a sense of safety or comfort
Example
Using a strong password manager is my **security blanket** online.
phrasal-verb

set boundaries

Meaning
to establish limits on what you will or will not do, especially in work
Example
It’s healthy to **set boundaries** between work and personal life.
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

sleep off

Meaning
to sleep in order to recover from something like fatigue or hangover
Example
He’s trying to **sleep off** the tiredness from last night’s work.
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.
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

stick to the point

Meaning
to stay focused on the main topic during a discussion
Example
The moderator asked everyone to **stick to the point** during the debate.
idiom

split second

Meaning
a very short amount of time
Example
The decision was made in a **split second**.
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.
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

sign off on an agreement

Meaning
to officially approve a trade deal or document
Example
Both leaders **signed off on an agreement** to strengthen bilateral trade.
phrasal-verb

sing along

Meaning
to sing together with a recording or performer
Example
Everyone **sang along** when the band played their favorite song.
idiom

spread kindness

Meaning
to do or say kind things to others
Example
We should all try to **spread kindness** every day.
phrasal-verb

spread over

Meaning
to distribute across a certain time or area
Example
The costs will be **spread over** the next three months.
idiom

smile from ear to ear

Meaning
to have a big, broad smile showing happiness
Example
He was **smiling from ear to ear** after the interview.
phrasal-verb

speak glowingly about

Meaning
to talk with great enthusiasm and praise
Example
The boss **spoke glowingly about** your performance.
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

stay off

Meaning
to avoid eating or drinking something unhealthy
Example
The doctor told me to **stay off** junk food for a month.
phrasal-verb

stamp out

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

shoulder the blame

Meaning
to take responsibility for something bad.
Example
He decided to **shoulder the blame** for the error.
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

stabilize currency

Meaning
to prevent large fluctuations in the value of a currency
Example
Central banks intervene to **stabilize currency** during financial crises.
phrasal-verb

set out to improve

Meaning
to begin an effort to make yourself or something better
Example
He **set out to improve** his communication skills after the feedback session.
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.
phrasal-verb

show up late

Meaning
to arrive later than expected
Example
He always **shows up late** for work.
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

share your soul with

Meaning
to be completely honest and vulnerable in expressing your emotions to someone
Example
You can only truly love when you **share your soul with** someone.
phrasal-verb

show through

Meaning
to be visible through something; to be partly seen
Example
Her red shirt **showed through** the white dress.
phrasal-verb

stick around for

Meaning
to stay nearby or remain present, usually to spend more time together
Example
Why don’t you **stick around for** a while and have coffee with us?
idiom

Stand your ground

Meaning
to remain firm in your beliefs or decisions despite opposition
Example
Even though they disagreed, he decided to **stand his ground** and not back down.
phrasal-verb

scribble down

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

set meeting notes live

Meaning
to publish the latest minutes for everyone to view
Example
Please **set meeting notes live** right after the session ends.
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

speak across borders

Meaning
to communicate effectively with people from other countries
Example
Social media allows us to **speak across borders** instantly.
idiom

split up

Meaning
to separate or end a relationship or marriage
Example
John and Mary **split up** last month.
phrasal-verb

shuffle ideas around

Meaning
to rearrange different thoughts to find a new approach
Example
Designers **shuffle ideas around** until a better concept appears.
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

social media influencer

Meaning
a person who has the power to influence others through social media platforms
Example
She became a **social media influencer** after her makeup tutorials went viral.
idiom

spill the beans

Meaning
to reveal a secret
Example
She accidentally **spilled the beans** about the surprise party.
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.
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

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

say sorry to

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

snap under pressure

Meaning
to lose control emotionally under stress
Example
He **snapped under pressure** during the argument.
phrasal-verb

sum up

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

strike a chord

Meaning
to cause someone to feel sympathy or emotion
Example
Her story **struck a chord** with the audience.
idiom

steal someone’s thunder

Meaning
to take credit for someone else’s idea or success
Example
She **stole my thunder** by announcing the news first.
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.
idiom

sandboxing

Meaning
A security mechanism used to run applications in an isolated environment to prevent potential damage to the system.
Example
By using **sandboxing**, the malware was contained and couldn't affect the rest of the system.
phrasal-verb

step back

Meaning
to pause and look at a situation calmly and objectively
Example
Sometimes you need to **step back** to see the bigger picture.
phrasal-verb

stand tall with courage

Meaning
to stay brave and optimistic in difficult situations
Example
He always **stands tall with courage** when facing failures.
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.
idiom

slip into

Meaning
to gradually enter a state or start wearing something
Example
She quickly **slipped into** a more comfortable outfit.
phrasal-verb

shop around for

Meaning
to compare prices or products before buying
Example
Many customers **shop around for** the best deals online.
phrasal-verb

sub in for

Meaning
to replace someone temporarily in a role
Example
Can you **sub in for** me at the networking event tonight?
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

spread out investment

Meaning
to diversify investments to reduce risk
Example
It's wise to **spread out investment** across different sectors.
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

scale up production

Meaning
to increase production capacity significantly
Example
Factories are trying to **scale up production** to meet the growing global demand.
phrasal-verb

snap at

Meaning
to speak angrily and quickly to someone
Example
He **snapped at** me when I asked him a simple question.
phrasal-verb

see about

Meaning
to deal with something; to arrange for something
Example
I’ll **see about** getting us some tickets for the concert.
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

shift perspective

Meaning
to change the way you think about failure
Example
Try to **shift perspective** and see failure as a learning step.
idiom

star-crossed lovers

Meaning
lovers whose relationship is doomed or unlucky
Example
Romeo and Juliet were **star-crossed lovers**.
idiom

show who's boss

Meaning
to make people recognize your authority
Example
Sometimes a leader must **show who's boss**.
idiom

spin-off

Meaning
a product or show that results from another existing one
Example
The successful TV show led to a **spin-off** featuring the same characters.
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.
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

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.
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 up about

Meaning
to talk honestly about something you did wrong
Example
He decided to **speak up about** his past mistakes.
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.
idiom

speak one’s mind

Meaning
to say exactly what one thinks
Example
She always **speaks her mind**, even if it offends people.
idiom

Spread joy

Meaning
to make others happy by being kind or cheerful
Example
It's important to **spread joy** wherever you go.
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

shoot up

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

step change

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

sadder but wiser

Meaning
disappointed but having learned from the experience
Example
After that mistake, she was **sadder but wiser**.
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.
idiom

sign up for

Meaning
to enroll in or agree to participate in something
Example
I’m going to **sign up for** the evening yoga class.
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.
idiom

sliding into DMs

Meaning
to send a private message to someone on social media, often flirtatiously
Example
He started **sliding into her DMs** after seeing her post.
idiom

stick with

Meaning
to continue doing or supporting something despite challenges
Example
If you **stick with** the routine, you’ll see results soon.
phrasal-verb

sign off from

Meaning
to stop participating in an online meeting or platform
Example
I **sign off from** chat at six to spend time with my kids.
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.
idiom

smoke and mirrors

Meaning
something that is intended to deceive or confuse
Example
The company’s promises were just **smoke and mirrors**.
idiom

show compassion

Meaning
to express care or sympathy toward others
Example
We should **show compassion** to those in need.
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

stem from

Meaning
to originate or come from something
Example
The misunderstanding **stems from** a lack of clear communication.
phrasal-verb

strive toward goals

Meaning
to put in great effort to achieve objectives
Example
They constantly **strive toward** their goals with persistence.
idiom

show one's true colors

Meaning
to reveal one's true character or feelings, often after a period of hiding them
Example
He finally **showed his true colors** when he volunteered at the charity event.
phrasal-verb

smooth over conflicts

Meaning
to reduce tension after a disagreement
Example
Leads **smooth over conflicts** by reminding everyone of the goal.
phrasal-verb

swot up on

Meaning
to study something intensively before an event
Example
I **swot up on** statistics before every data review.
idiom

swept off your feet

Meaning
to be suddenly and strongly attracted to someone
Example
She was **swept off her feet** by his charm.
phrasal-verb

spark creativity

Meaning
to inspire creative thinking or ideas
Example
Team discussions often **spark creativity** and innovation.
phrasal-verb

shine through challenges

Meaning
to maintain positivity and confidence during difficulties
Example
She always manages to **shine through challenges** with a smile.
phrasal-verb

scale into

Meaning
to invest gradually over time instead of all at once
Example
It's wise to **scale into** the market rather than investing everything at once.
phrasal-verb

switch off from

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

show up at

Meaning
to arrive or appear at an event or place
Example
Many guests didn't **show up at** the party until midnight.
idiom

spread the word

Meaning
to tell many people about something
Example
Please **spread the word** about our new course.
phrasal-verb

switch over to

Meaning
to change from one job or career path to another
Example
He **switched over to** software development after studying economics.
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.
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.