speak across borders
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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phrasal-verb

speak across borders

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

keep faith with

Meaning
to stay loyal to someone or something
Example
Grassroots leaders **keep faith with** their communities.
phrasal-verb

stand up with

Meaning
to show solidarity or support for someone
Example
We should **stand up with** colleagues who are treated unfairly.
phrasal-verb

pick on

Meaning
to treat someone unfairly or criticize repeatedly
Example
Don’t **pick on** your brother; he didn’t do anything wrong.
phrasal-verb

boost investor confidence

Meaning
to make investors feel more positive about investing
Example
Strong GDP growth can **boost investor confidence** in the market.
phrasal-verb

give up

Meaning
to stop doing something, often a bad habit
Example
He finally **gave up** smoking after ten years.
phrasal-verb

focus on

Meaning
to concentrate your attention or energy on something
Example
You should **focus on** what truly matters.
phrasal-verb

boost consumer confidence

Meaning
to increase public trust in the economy
Example
Lower interest rates can **boost consumer confidence** and spending.
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nudge teammates gently

Meaning
to remind colleagues politely about something
Example
I **nudge teammates gently** if a follow-up note is still missing.
phrasal-verb

point behind

Meaning
to indicate something located at the back
Example
He **pointed behind** to show the exit door.
phrasal-verb

put away your phone

Meaning
to stop using your phone and keep it aside
Example
Please **put away your phone** during dinner.
phrasal-verb

live within your means

Meaning
to spend less money than you earn
Example
It's important to **live within your means** to avoid debt.
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jam out

Meaning
to play music with great enthusiasm or energy
Example
The band **jammed out** for hours during rehearsal.
phrasal-verb

get wrong

Meaning
to misunderstand or make an incorrect judgment
Example
You **got it wrong**—that wasn’t what I meant.
phrasal-verb

fess up

Meaning
to confess or admit something embarrassing or wrong
Example
It’s time to **fess up** and tell the truth about what happened.
phrasal-verb

adapt within communities

Meaning
to adjust behavior and habits to fit in with a local community
Example
Immigrants often need to **adapt within communities** to feel at home.
phrasal-verb

level out

Meaning
to stop rising or falling and become stable
Example
Inflation rates are expected to **level out** by the end of the year.
phrasal-verb

listen with empathy

Meaning
to listen carefully and understand someone’s feelings
Example
You should **listen with empathy** when someone shares their pain.
phrasal-verb

plug into system

Meaning
to connect a device to a power source or system
Example
Just **plug the printer into the system** to start using it.
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look through

Meaning
to read something quickly
Example
She **looked through** her notes before class.
phrasal-verb

set apart

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

fog up

Meaning
when glass or lenses become covered with mist or condensation
Example
My glasses always **fog up** when it rains.
phrasal-verb

throw at

Meaning
to aim something at someone or something with force
Example
He **threw** the ball **at** his friend playfully.
phrasal-verb

ground yourself

Meaning
to stay connected with reality and remain calm
Example
When stress builds up, I try to **ground myself** by breathing deeply.
phrasal-verb

call together

Meaning
to bring people together for a meeting
Example
The director **called together** the team for an urgent discussion.
phrasal-verb

scale back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something you use or do
Example
We've **scaled back on** paper prints to cut waste.
phrasal-verb

cloud over

Meaning
when the sky becomes covered with clouds
Example
The sky **clouded over**, and we knew it was going to rain soon.
phrasal-verb

reach out for help

Meaning
to contact someone when you need assistance
Example
If the workload feels heavy, **reach out for help** early.
phrasal-verb

sell off

Meaning
to sell assets or shares quickly, often at a low price
Example
Investors began to **sell off** their shares during the market downturn.
phrasal-verb

back out of an agreement

Meaning
to withdraw from a deal or commitment that was previously made
Example
The country decided to **back out of an agreement** citing national interest.
phrasal-verb

get back

Meaning
to return to a place; to recover something lost
Example
I hope you **get back** safely from your trip.
phrasal-verb

pull up

Meaning
to stop a vehicle
Example
The taxi **pulled up** outside the hotel.
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draw attention to

Meaning
to make people notice or focus on an issue
Example
Activists **drew attention to** flaws in the legal system.
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hand off responsibility

Meaning
to transfer duties to another person
Example
Supervisors **hand off responsibility** when they rotate night shifts.
phrasal-verb

make out to be

Meaning
to claim or pretend something about someone or something
Example
He’s not as rich as he **makes out to be**.
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tear up over

Meaning
to start crying because of strong emotions or memories
Example
He **tears up over** the things he didn’t say to his parents.
phrasal-verb

look after

Meaning
to take care of someone or something
Example
I have to **look after** my grandparents at the weekend.
phrasal-verb

lag behind

Meaning
to respond slowly compared to expected speed
Example
The game **lags behind** because my device is old.
phrasal-verb

bring everyone on board

Meaning
to include everyone in a decision or project
Example
Before starting the campaign, let's **bring everyone on board**.
phrasal-verb

draw confidence from experience

Meaning
to gain self-assurance by learning from past events
Example
You can **draw confidence from experience** and handle new challenges better.
phrasal-verb

boost up foreign reserves

Meaning
to increase a country's foreign currency holdings
Example
The central bank is working to **boost up foreign reserves** through remittances.
phrasal-verb

stand against

Meaning
to oppose or resist something strongly
Example
He decided to **stand against** the unfair law.
phrasal-verb

set up a coalition

Meaning
to form an alliance between parties or groups for political purposes
Example
Opposition leaders worked together to **set up a coalition** government.
phrasal-verb

pin down

Meaning
to identify or determine something exactly
Example
We finally **pinned down** the project’s main objectives.
phrasal-verb

shift toward

Meaning
to change focus, attitude, or direction toward something new
Example
There has been a global **shift toward** sustainable lifestyles.
phrasal-verb

let go of regret

Meaning
to release feelings of guilt or regret about the past
Example
He finally learned to **let go of regret** and focus on the future.
phrasal-verb

hold grudges against

Meaning
to continue feeling angry or resentful toward someone
Example
It’s not healthy to **hold grudges against** your friends.
phrasal-verb

work along with

Meaning
to cooperate or coordinate efforts with others
Example
Researchers **work along with** NGOs to reduce ocean pollution.
phrasal-verb

relax into

Meaning
to gradually feel more comfortable and happy in a situation
Example
She **relaxed into** the vacation after the first day.
phrasal-verb

blow up over

Meaning
to suddenly become angry because of something
Example
They **blew up over** a silly comment on social media.
phrasal-verb

blow over

Meaning
to become less serious and eventually end without major harm
Example
Most small arguments **blow over** with time.
phrasal-verb

reach beyond limits

Meaning
to try to achieve more than what seems possible; to go further than your comfort zone
Example
She always inspires others to **reach beyond limits** and dream big.
phrasal-verb

put back

Meaning
to return something to its place; to delay an event
Example
Please **put back** the book when you’re done reading.
phrasal-verb

stay true to goals

Meaning
to remain faithful and consistent toward your objectives
Example
He always **stays true to goals** no matter the challenges.
phrasal-verb

bring partners on board

Meaning
to involve or include other organizations or stakeholders
Example
The initiative **brought partners on board** to strengthen cooperation.
phrasal-verb

smooth things over with

Meaning
to restore peace with someone after a disagreement
Example
She brought cookies to **smooth things over with** her neighbor.
phrasal-verb

leak out

Meaning
to become known accidentally; to escape from secrecy
Example
Sensitive information **leaked out** before the official announcement.
phrasal-verb

contribute to

Meaning
to help bring about or support the achievement of something
Example
Global cooperation can **contribute to** sustainable development.
phrasal-verb

bring in investment

Meaning
to attract money from investors
Example
Tax incentives are designed to **bring in investment** from abroad.
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

upload to

Meaning
to transfer data or files from a local device to a server or the internet
Example
You can **upload to** Google Drive for easy sharing.
phrasal-verb

get over

Meaning
to recover from something upsetting or difficult
Example
It took him a long time to **get over** his fears.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself into

Meaning
to persuade yourself to do something
Example
She finally **talked herself into** applying for the scholarship.
phrasal-verb

keep away

Meaning
to stay at a distance; to avoid something or someone
Example
You should **keep away** from junk food if you want to stay healthy.
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churn out

Meaning
to produce something quickly and in large amounts, often without much quality
Example
The company has been **churning out** reports all week.
phrasal-verb

stay grounded

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

set off

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

cool down from

Meaning
to relax and recover from emotional or physical stress
Example
She needed time to **cool down from** the heated discussion.
phrasal-verb

evolve from

Meaning
to develop or change gradually from a previous form or condition
Example
Modern customs often **evolve from** ancient traditions.
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hold out negotiations

Meaning
to continue discussions or resist giving in during talks
Example
The rebels **held out negotiations** until their demands were met.
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draw from

Meaning
to take or get something from a source
Example
Artists often **draw from** real life experiences.
phrasal-verb

play out

Meaning
to happen or develop in a particular way
Example
We watched how the story **played out** until the final twist.
phrasal-verb

lock down on

Meaning
to impose strict security controls on something
Example
After the warning, we **locked down on** remote access rules.
phrasal-verb

pick up

Meaning
to improve or increase after a slowdown
Example
The economy is expected to **pick up** after the policy reforms.
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hint at

Meaning
to suggest or imply something indirectly about the future
Example
The CEO’s comments **hint at** a possible expansion next year.
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climb toward

Meaning
to make steady progress toward a higher position or goal
Example
He is **climbing toward** the top position in his company.
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ramp up production

Meaning
to increase the amount or level of production
Example
Factories are trying to **ramp up production** to meet growing demand.
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learn from differences

Meaning
to gain understanding or wisdom by observing cultural contrasts
Example
We can **learn from differences** instead of judging them.
phrasal-verb

scroll down to

Meaning
to move the screen view downward to see more content
Example
**Scroll down to** see the latest comments on the post.
phrasal-verb

join forces with

Meaning
to combine efforts or resources with others to achieve something
Example
Governments **join forces with** NGOs to fight global hunger.
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balance out trade

Meaning
to make exports and imports more equal in value
Example
The government aims to **balance out trade** by promoting local industries.
phrasal-verb

break off

Meaning
to end suddenly; to stop speaking or negotiating
Example
They **broke off** the engagement last month.
phrasal-verb

adapt out of necessity

Meaning
to change behavior or plans because circumstances require it
Example
During the crisis, businesses had to **adapt out of necessity**.
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keep faith in

Meaning
to continue believing in something or someone despite difficulties
Example
Always **keep faith in** yourself, even when no one else does.
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get turned on by

Meaning
to be excited or attracted by something
Example
He **gets turned on by** good music.
phrasal-verb

post up

Meaning
to upload or share something online
Example
She **posted up** her vacation photos on Facebook.
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sign up

Meaning
to register or create an account on a website
Example
You should **sign up** to receive our newsletter.
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

work out of

Meaning
to be based or operate from a specific place
Example
He **works out of** our Singapore office.
phrasal-verb

join in on

Meaning
to participate in a conversation or activity where experiences are being shared
Example
Feel free to **join in on** the discussion about travel memories.
phrasal-verb

scale down

Meaning
to reduce the size, cost, or extent of something
Example
Due to rising costs, the company had to **scale down** its expansion plans.
phrasal-verb

run out of

Meaning
to finish or exhaust a supply of something
Example
We might **run out of** clean water if we don’t conserve it.
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give up on

Meaning
to stop believing in someone or something
Example
Don’t **give up on** your dreams, no matter how hard it gets.
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kick start

Meaning
to start something quickly and effectively
Example
The new project aims to **kick start** rural economic growth.
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

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

open up space for joy

Meaning
to make emotional room for happiness after pain
Example
After forgiving herself, she began to **open up space for joy**.
phrasal-verb

take over for

Meaning
to temporarily handle someone’s virtual responsibilities
Example
Can you **take over for** me while I’m offline?
phrasal-verb

find for

Meaning
to support or rule in favor of someone (usually in a legal case)
Example
The court **found for** the defendant after reviewing the evidence.
phrasal-verb

hold back anger

Meaning
to control one’s temper during conflict
Example
He tried to **hold back anger** while listening to the criticism.
phrasal-verb

turn up at

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly at a place
Example
He **turned up at** my office without any notice.
phrasal-verb

run low on

Meaning
to have very little of something left
Example
They are **running low on** popular shoe sizes.
phrasal-verb

lay aside savings

Meaning
to save money for future use
Example
Families are advised to **lay aside savings** during good times.
phrasal-verb

speak kindly to

Meaning
to use gentle and respectful words when talking to someone
Example
Always **speak kindly to** others even when you disagree.
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draft blueprints for

Meaning
to create a detailed outline for something new
Example
Architects **draft blueprints for** civic centers with community input.
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carry away

Meaning
to become overly excited or enthusiastic
Example
Don’t get **carried away** with the excitement.
phrasal-verb

take in stride

Meaning
to accept and deal with something difficult calmly
Example
He learned to **take challenges in stride** instead of stressing out.
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grow beyond limits

Meaning
to improve yourself beyond what you thought possible
Example
You will **grow beyond limits** once you believe in your abilities.
phrasal-verb

let rip

Meaning
to express anger or frustration loudly
Example
He **let rip** at the meeting when no one listened to him.
phrasal-verb

learn to appreciate

Meaning
to develop admiration or respect for other traditions and beliefs
Example
Through travel, you can **learn to appreciate** cultural diversity.
phrasal-verb

rise with kindness

Meaning
to overcome negativity with compassion and empathy
Example
Always try to **rise with kindness** even when people hurt you.
phrasal-verb

stamp out

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

Meaning
to pretend to agree or cooperate with something
Example
Many people **play along with** trending topics just to stay relevant online.
phrasal-verb

dream of

Meaning
to imagine or hope for something you want very much
Example
Many children **dream of** becoming astronauts.
phrasal-verb

draw off

Meaning
to remove or take liquid from a source
Example
They **drew off** some water from the tank for cleaning.
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.
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circle back after

Meaning
to return to a topic once something else has finished
Example
We'll **circle back after** lunch to finalize the slides.
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cut off

Meaning
to stop the supply of something; to disconnect
Example
The drought has **cut off** water supplies to several villages.
phrasal-verb

come across as polite

Meaning
to appear polite when expressing an opinion
Example
Even when disagreeing, she always **comes across as polite**.
phrasal-verb

sing the praises of

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

point inside

Meaning
to indicate something within an area or container
Example
He **pointed inside** the box to show the contents.