spark off ideas
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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

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

out for blood

Meaning
to be extremely determined to defeat or punish someone
Example
After losing last time, the team is **out for blood** this season.
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

bring up against

Meaning
to confront someone with a problem or difficulty
Example
He was suddenly **brought up against** a serious obstacle.
idiom

dollar for dollar

Meaning
an exact or equivalent match in value or amount
Example
The government promised a **dollar for dollar** match for all donations.
idiom

the world is your oyster

Meaning
you can achieve anything you want in life
Example
With your talent, **the world is your oyster**.
phrasal-verb

beam with

Meaning
to smile widely because of happiness or pride
Example
He **beamed with** pride when his daughter won the competition.
idiom

get in touch

Meaning
to contact or communicate with someone
Example
I’ll **get in touch** with you tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

burn down

Meaning
to be destroyed by fire
Example
The forest **burned down** after the wildfire.
phrasal-verb

step up for

Meaning
to take responsibility or show leadership in a group situation
Example
When the manager was away, Sara **stepped up for** the team.
phrasal-verb

deal against

Meaning
to act or compete against someone in a transaction
Example
He **dealt against** his rival in the stock market.
phrasal-verb

call out for

Meaning
to ask loudly for something or someone
Example
He **called out for** his mother when he got hurt.
idiom

social butterfly

Meaning
someone who loves meeting and talking to people
Example
Emma is a **social butterfly**; she knows everyone at the event.
phrasal-verb

aim toward excellence

Meaning
to focus effort on achieving the highest quality or standard
Example
Our company always **aims toward excellence** in every project.
idiom

get wind of something

Meaning
to hear a rumor or piece of information
Example
The media **got wind of** the secret meeting.
idiom

carry the weight of the world

Meaning
to take on a lot of responsibility
Example
John felt like he had to **carry the weight of the world** on his shoulders at work.
phrasal-verb

check out

Meaning
to stop being involved or attentive; to mentally disengage
Example
Many employees **check out** mentally before the weekend starts.
idiom

square peg in a round hole

Meaning
someone or something that doesn't fit or belong in a particular place or situation
Example
Putting a modern building in a historical district is like trying to fit a **square peg in a round hole**.
phrasal-verb

lay foundations for

Meaning
to set the basic structures needed for success
Example
We **lay foundations for** expansion by documenting every process.
phrasal-verb

hold in

Meaning
to control your emotions or not express them
Example
She tried to **hold in** her laughter during the meeting.
idiom

long time no see

Meaning
used when you meet someone after a long time
Example
**Long time no see!** How have you been?
phrasal-verb

hold back from

Meaning
to resist forgetting or losing traditional values
Example
The villagers **held back from** abandoning their rituals.
phrasal-verb

brush up

Meaning
to clean or improve something; to review or practice
Example
He **brushed up** his teeth quickly before leaving for work.
phrasal-verb

loosen out

Meaning
to relax muscles or body after strain
Example
Stretching helps you **loosen out** your body.
phrasal-verb

fume at

Meaning
to feel or show anger towards someone or something
Example
She was **fuming at** her friends for breaking her trust.
idiom

in the lab

Meaning
working in a laboratory environment on experiments or research
Example
The new vaccine is currently being tested **in the lab** before it’s released to the public.
phrasal-verb

build endurance

Meaning
to gradually develop the ability to keep going for a long time
Example
Athletes **build endurance** through consistent training.
phrasal-verb

pace yourself through

Meaning
to move steadily through a task without rushing
Example
I **pace myself through** long study guides to stay focused.
phrasal-verb

build confidence within

Meaning
to strengthen your belief in yourself from the inside
Example
Through practice and reflection, you can **build confidence within**.
phrasal-verb

fill in gaps

Meaning
to complete missing parts of understanding or knowledge
Example
Teachers help students **fill in gaps** in their learning.
idiom

when pigs fly

Meaning
something that will never happen
Example
He'll clean his room **when pigs fly**.
idiom

to hit it off

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

in the wrong hands

Meaning
controlled or used by people who could cause harm
Example
AI technology **in the wrong hands** could be disastrous.
idiom

get under someone's skin

Meaning
to annoy or bother someone deeply
Example
She really knows how to **get under my skin**.
idiom

throw a wrench into the works

Meaning
to disrupt or complicate something
Example
The sudden resignation of the minister threw a **wrench into the works** of the peace negotiations.
phrasal-verb

touch up photo

Meaning
to make small edits or improvements to a photo
Example
You can **touch up the photo** using any editing app.
phrasal-verb

die down

Meaning
when wind, rain, or storm becomes weaker
Example
The rain finally **died down** after several hours.
phrasal-verb

open hearts to

Meaning
to show kindness and acceptance toward people of other cultures
Example
We should **open our hearts to** people who are different from us.
phrasal-verb

back something up to

Meaning
to make a copy of data and store it in another place
Example
You should **back your files up to** an external hard drive regularly.
idiom

see the big picture

Meaning
to understand the overall situation or goal
Example
You need to **see the big picture** before making decisions.
B1 idiom

all ears

Listening very attentively
Meaning
Listening very attentively
Example
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
When the teacher started explaining the concept, the students were all ears.
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

give back

Meaning
to return something to someone
Example
Don’t forget to **give back** the book you borrowed.
phrasal-verb

campaign against

Meaning
to organize efforts to oppose something
Example
Local groups **campaign against** harmful zoning changes.
phrasal-verb

put out

Meaning
to extinguish a fire or light
Example
Firefighters worked hard to **put out** the forest fire.
idiom

touch and go

Meaning
a risky or uncertain situation where the outcome is doubtful
Example
It was **touch and go** whether he would survive the surgery.
idiom

love at first sight

Meaning
to fall in love immediately after meeting someone for the first time
Example
It was **love at first sight** when they met in college.
phrasal-verb

reflect on yourself

Meaning
to think carefully about your actions, thoughts, and emotions
Example
Journaling allows you to **reflect on yourself** and grow.
phrasal-verb

get away

Meaning
to go somewhere for a short vacation; to escape from daily routine
Example
We’re planning to **get away** for the weekend to relax.
idiom

keep the dream alive

Meaning
to continue to hope or work toward a goal even after setbacks
Example
Even after the failure, they **kept the dream alive**.
phrasal-verb

talk over drinks

Meaning
to have a conversation while drinking together
Example
They **talked over drinks** about old memories.
idiom

have butterflies in your stomach

Meaning
to feel very nervous about something
Example
She always **has butterflies in her stomach** before exams.
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

lose your train of thought

Meaning
to forget what you were thinking or saying
Example
I **lost my train of thought** when the phone rang.
phrasal-verb

zone in

Meaning
to focus your attention fully on something important
Example
I try to **zone in** when handling complex projects.
idiom

under oath

Meaning
having sworn to tell the truth in court
Example
He lied **under oath** and was charged with perjury.
phrasal-verb

set aside funds

Meaning
to reserve money for a particular purpose
Example
The government has **set aside funds** for rural development.
phrasal-verb

move on to

Meaning
to go to another place after finishing one
Example
After visiting Paris, we’ll **move on to** Rome.
idiom

keep your mind on

Meaning
to stay focused on a task or goal
Example
If you **keep your mind on** your studies, you’ll do well.
idiom

bear in mind

Meaning
to remember or consider something
Example
**Bear in mind** that traffic will be heavy at that time.
idiom

talk at cross purposes

Meaning
to misunderstand each other when talking about different things
Example
I think we’re **talking at cross purposes**—I meant next week, not this one.
idiom

think twice

Meaning
to reconsider something carefully before acting
Example
You should **think twice** before making that deal.
phrasal-verb

cry over

Meaning
to feel sad or complain about something that has already happened
Example
There's no point **crying over** spilled milk.
phrasal-verb

get together on

Meaning
to meet and discuss something as a group
Example
We should **get together on** this proposal before sending it to the client.
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

look ahead positively

Meaning
to think about the future with optimism
Example
Even after failures, I try to **look ahead positively**.
idiom

flag up

Meaning
to draw attention to something important
Example
The auditor will **flag up** any unusual expenses.
idiom

ethical AI

Meaning
artificial intelligence that is developed and used in ways that are morally and ethically sound.
Example
The company prides itself on creating **ethical AI** systems that respect user privacy.
phrasal-verb

bug out

Meaning
to malfunction or behave unexpectedly because of a bug
Example
The new update made the camera app **bug out** constantly.
idiom

cut corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way
Example
They **cut corners** to finish the project faster.
phrasal-verb

flatten out

Meaning
to stop increasing or decreasing and stay at the same level
Example
After years of fluctuation, growth has **flattened out**.
idiom

blue sky thinking

Meaning
creative and visionary thinking that ignores practical limitations
Example
Let's engage in some **blue sky thinking** to come up with innovative solutions.
idiom

ease into

Meaning
to enter a new activity slowly and comfortably
Example
The trainer helped us **ease into** the new routine.
phrasal-verb

walk along

Meaning
to move on foot beside something for some distance
Example
**Walk along** the river until you reach the bridge.
idiom

busy as a bee

Meaning
very active or hardworking
Example
She’s **as busy as a bee** preparing for the wedding.
idiom

team effort

Meaning
work done by a group of people to achieve a common goal
Example
The success of the project was due to a great **team effort**.
idiom

saber rattling

Meaning
threatening military action to intimidate others
Example
The country’s recent **saber rattling** alarmed its neighbors.
phrasal-verb

feed on

Meaning
to gain support or energy from something, often negative; to be sustained by
Example
The tabloids **feed on** celebrity scandals to boost their sales.
idiom

zone in on

Meaning
to focus attention closely on something specific
Example
We need to **zone in on** the main customer problem.
idiom

case closed

Meaning
the matter is settled or finished
Example
The evidence was clear, so it’s **case closed**.
idiom

machine minds

Meaning
refers to artificial intelligence systems capable of learning or thinking
Example
The rise of **machine minds** is reshaping industries worldwide.
phrasal-verb

pull into

Meaning
to drive into a place, such as a parking lot or station
Example
The bus **pulled into** the terminal right on time.
idiom

get off scot-free

Meaning
to escape punishment or consequences without facing any penalty
Example
He was caught stealing but managed to **get off scot-free**.
idiom

to be in good shape

Meaning
to be physically fit and healthy
Example
She exercises daily to stay **in good shape**.
idiom

Jump in with both feet

Meaning
To start something enthusiastically without hesitation.
Example
She **jumped in with both feet** when offered the startup role.
phrasal-verb

keep up your hopes

Meaning
to stay confident that things will turn out well
Example
Even in difficult times, she managed to **keep up her hopes**.
idiom

move mountains

Meaning
to achieve something very difficult
Example
With determination, you can **move mountains**.
idiom

thinking outside the algorithm

Meaning
to think creatively beyond structured systems or programmed logic
Example
Our best innovation came when we started **thinking outside the algorithm**.
idiom

bold as brass

Meaning
to be very confident and not shy at all
Example
She walked into the meeting **bold as brass**.
phrasal-verb

listen actively

Meaning
to focus completely on what someone is saying and respond thoughtfully
Example
Try to **listen actively** instead of just waiting to reply.
phrasal-verb

pass through

Meaning
to go through an official process or approval in parliament or committee
Example
The bill **passed through** both houses before becoming law.
idiom

outside the box

Meaning
thinking or acting in an unusual or unconventional way
Example
To solve this problem, we need to think **outside the box**.
phrasal-verb

go far

Meaning
to be very successful in life or career
Example
With her talent and dedication, she will definitely **go far**.
phrasal-verb

trust with

Meaning
to give someone responsibility or confidence to handle something
Example
I **trust you with** my deepest secrets.
idiom

strike a deal

Meaning
to reach an agreement or arrangement, especially in business
Example
After long discussions, the companies finally **struck a deal**.
idiom

personally speaking

Meaning
expressing one’s own personal view
Example
**Personally speaking**, I prefer quiet places.
phrasal-verb

sync up with

Meaning
to coordinate or match with something or someone
Example
The app will automatically **sync up with** your online account.
phrasal-verb

look deeper into

Meaning
to examine something more carefully or in detail
Example
The scientist decided to **look deeper into** the mysterious phenomenon.
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

tear into

Meaning
to attack or criticize someone fiercely
Example
The coach **tore into** the players after their poor performance.
idiom

beginner’s luck

Meaning
success for someone inexperienced
Example
He won his first game — must be **beginner’s luck**.
idiom

hit the target audience

Meaning
to reach the intended group of people with a message or product
Example
The new campaign failed to **hit the target audience** effectively.
phrasal-verb

fight for

Meaning
to struggle or take action to achieve something
Example
Many activists **fight for** freedom and equality.
phrasal-verb

find along

Meaning
to discover or encounter something while moving or traveling
Example
We **found along** a beautiful lake on our way to the hills.
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.
idiom

run circles around someone

Meaning
to be much better than someone at something
Example
She can **run circles around** anyone in the debate team.
idiom

break the problem down

Meaning
to divide a complex problem into smaller, more manageable parts
Example
Let's **break the problem down** into smaller steps.
phrasal-verb

blend across cultures

Meaning
to combine or mix aspects from different cultural backgrounds
Example
Modern cuisine often **blends across cultures** to create new flavors.
idiom

turing test

Meaning
a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human
Example
The AI passed the **Turing test**, convincing the judges that it was human-like.
phrasal-verb

chill out over

Meaning
to relax while enjoying something like food or a conversation
Example
We **chill out over** coffee every Friday evening.
phrasal-verb

speak softly

Meaning
to talk in a gentle and quiet tone
Example
In public places, it’s polite to **speak softly**.
phrasal-verb

hit on

Meaning
to show romantic or sexual interest in someone
Example
He tried to **hit on** her at the party, but she ignored him.
phrasal-verb

stand out professionally

Meaning
to be noticed or recognized for one’s professional excellence
Example
Her creativity helped her **stand out professionally** in a competitive field.
idiom

chart a new course

Meaning
to plan a new direction or strategy
Example
After the crisis, the CEO decided to **chart a new course**.
idiom

have a heart

Meaning
to show compassion or kindness
Example
**Have a heart**, he didn’t mean to hurt you.
idiom

gear toward

Meaning
to design or aim something for a particular group
Example
The course is **geared toward** new managers.
idiom

Pump money into

Meaning
To invest large amounts of money to boost growth.
Example
The government plans to **pump money into** infrastructure projects.
idiom

phishing for information

Meaning
attempting to obtain sensitive information by disguising oneself as a trustworthy entity
Example
He was **phishing for information** by pretending to be from the bank.
idiom

caught between two stools

Meaning
to fail because of trying to do two things at once
Example
He was **caught between two stools**—trying to please both his boss and his team.
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.