speak up in
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phrasal-verb

speak up in

Meaning
to express one’s thoughts or opinions clearly during a conversation or meeting
Example
She always **speaks up in** international conferences to share her ideas.
phrasal-verb

keep after

Meaning
to remind or encourage someone to do something continuously
Example
Parents often **keep after** their children to do homework.
idiom

bank on

Meaning
to rely on or depend on something happening
Example
You can **bank on** her support during tough times.
idiom

tough cookie

Meaning
a strong and determined person
Example
She’s a **tough cookie** who never gives up easily.
idiom

old buddy old pal

Meaning
An affectionate way to refer to a longtime friend.
Example
Hey **old buddy old pal**, long time no see!
idiom

keep one's head above water

Meaning
to survive financially in difficult times
Example
Many small businesses struggle to **keep their heads above water**.
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.
idiom

adapt to new circumstances

Meaning
to adjust oneself to new situations or changes
Example
In order to survive in the changing world, we need to **adapt to new circumstances**.
phrasal-verb

come over to

Meaning
to visit someone at their place
Example
Why don’t you **come over to** my house this weekend?
phrasal-verb

ground yourself before speaking

Meaning
to center your emotions so you can communicate steadily
Example
I **ground myself before speaking** in tense meetings by noting three positives.
phrasal-verb

eat out

Meaning
to eat at a restaurant instead of at home
Example
We decided to **eat out** tonight.
idiom

grab attention

Meaning
to make people notice something immediately
Example
Bright colors and bold fonts are used to **grab attention**.
phrasal-verb

reach out over

Meaning
to contact someone via digital communication tools
Example
Feel free to **reach out over** Teams if you have any issues.
phrasal-verb

dip into savings

Meaning
to use money that you had saved
Example
We had to **dip into our savings** to cover medical expenses.
phrasal-verb

take over the government

Meaning
to assume control of the government, often by force
Example
The military attempted to **take over the government** after months of unrest.
phrasal-verb

earn out

Meaning
to achieve something through effort or performance
Example
He **earned out** his promotion by working tirelessly.
phrasal-verb

pick up steam

Meaning
to start becoming more active or successful
Example
The manufacturing sector began to **pick up steam** after months of stagnation.
phrasal-verb

rally around

Meaning
to come together to support someone or something
Example
The whole team **rallied around** their captain during tough times.
phrasal-verb

act up to

Meaning
to behave according to what is expected or suitable
Example
She tries to **act up to** her reputation as a hardworking student.
idiom

win the battle but lose the war

Meaning
to achieve a small success but fail in the larger goal
Example
By focusing on minor issues, they **won the battle but lost the war**.
idiom

at your wits' end

Meaning
to be so worried or stressed that you don’t know what to do
Example
I’m **at my wits’ end** trying to finish all this work.
phrasal-verb

step aside for

Meaning
to let someone else take your position or role
Example
The senior manager decided to **step aside for** a younger leader.
phrasal-verb

get across

Meaning
to communicate an idea successfully so that others understand it
Example
He struggled to **get across** his main message to the audience.
idiom

hit the road

Meaning
to start a journey; to leave a place
Example
We should **hit the road** before sunset to avoid traffic.
idiom

Best foot forward

Meaning
To try to make the best possible impression
Example
She always puts her **best foot forward** on important occasions.
phrasal-verb

grow toward success

Meaning
to develop gradually in the process of achieving success
Example
You are **growing toward success** with every lesson you learn.
idiom

take someone to task

Meaning
to strongly criticize someone for something they did wrong
Example
The teacher **took him to task** for cheating on the exam.
idiom

the smoking gun

Meaning
a piece of evidence that clearly proves guilt
Example
The email was **the smoking gun** in the corruption case.
idiom

not born yesterday

Meaning
not easily fooled; experienced and smart
Example
Don’t try to trick me — I was **not born yesterday**.
phrasal-verb

spark off unrest

Meaning
to cause anger or protest to start suddenly
Example
The new tax policy **sparked off unrest** among the citizens.
phrasal-verb

write out

Meaning
to write something in full form
Example
Please **write out** your answers clearly in the exam sheet.
idiom

in my book

Meaning
according to one’s own opinion or standards
Example
**In my book**, honesty comes first.
idiom

go the distance

Meaning
to finish something successfully despite difficulties
Example
Only the most determined athletes can **go the distance**.
idiom

set the stage

Meaning
to prepare everything for something to happen
Example
The manager's speech helped **set the stage** for the upcoming conference.
phrasal-verb

save up for

Meaning
to collect money over time for a goal or purchase
Example
She’s **saving up for** a new laptop.
idiom

get a taste of your own medicine

Meaning
to be treated in the same unpleasant way that you have treated others
Example
He's always rude to people, so I'm glad he finally **got a taste of his own medicine**.
idiom

get to the bottom of something

Meaning
to understand or solve the real cause of something
Example
We need to **get to the bottom of this issue** to prevent it from happening again.
phrasal-verb

bring along

Meaning
to take someone or something with you when you go somewhere
Example
You can **bring along** your sister to the party if you like.
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.
idiom

air out

Meaning
to let fresh air into a space
Example
Open the windows to **air out** the room.
phrasal-verb

run down on

Meaning
to criticize someone or something harshly
Example
She often **runs down on** her coworkers.
phrasal-verb

opt for

Meaning
to choose one thing instead of another
Example
We decided to **opt for** the smaller but cheaper apartment.
idiom

throw caution to the wind

Meaning
to do something risky without worrying
Example
I decided to **throw caution to the wind** and try it.
phrasal-verb

turn against

Meaning
to stop supporting someone and start opposing them
Example
The public **turned against** the government after the scandal.
idiom

can't believe your eyes

Meaning
to be so surprised that you doubt what you are seeing
Example
I **couldn’t believe my eyes** when I saw the snowfall.
phrasal-verb

zone away

Meaning
to mentally escape from worries or stress
Example
I like to **zone away** by listening to soft music.
idiom

the balance of power

Meaning
a situation in which power is distributed among nations to prevent dominance by one
Example
The UN aims to maintain **the balance of power** among major nations.
phrasal-verb

carry over data

Meaning
to transfer unused data or balance from one period to another
Example
Most mobile plans now let you **carry over data** to the next month.
phrasal-verb

light up for

Meaning
to become visibly happy or excited when seeing someone or something
Example
Her eyes **lit up for** her little son as he ran to her.
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

pine over

Meaning
to feel deep sadness or longing because of something or someone lost
Example
She still **pines over** her broken relationship.
phrasal-verb

snap back

Meaning
to reply sharply when angry or irritated
Example
He **snapped back** when his boss blamed him unfairly.
phrasal-verb

bring up prices

Meaning
to cause prices to increase; to make costs rise
Example
High demand for oil can **bring up prices** across many industries.
phrasal-verb

take up a new habit

Meaning
to start doing something regularly as a habit or routine
Example
She decided to **take up a new habit** of reading before bed.
idiom

hand off to

Meaning
to transfer responsibility or control to someone else
Example
I’ll **hand this off to** the design team tomorrow.
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

filter through for

Meaning
to sift carefully to find specific items
Example
Editors **filter through for** reliable sources before running a story.
phrasal-verb

let in peace

Meaning
to allow yourself a quiet moment away from distractions
Example
Give yourself time to **let in peace** after a stressful day.
phrasal-verb

open up to peace

Meaning
to allow yourself to feel inner calmness
Example
Through meditation, I’ve learned to **open up to peace**.
phrasal-verb

turn towards

Meaning
to start focusing on a new direction or field
Example
After years in law, he decided to **turn towards** teaching.
idiom

True to your word

Meaning
To do exactly what you say you’ll do.
Example
He was **true to his word** and kept his promise.
idiom

bear the brunt

Meaning
to take the main responsibility or suffering of something unpleasant
Example
The junior staff had to **bear the brunt** of the manager’s anger.
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

clickbait

Meaning
a headline or content designed to attract attention and encourage clicks
Example
That article title is pure **clickbait**.
idiom

All for one and one for all

Meaning
Everyone in the group works together for the common good.
Example
In our company, we believe in the motto, **all for one and one for all**.
phrasal-verb

break barriers

Meaning
to overcome obstacles that divide people or cultures
Example
Education helps **break barriers** between communities.
phrasal-verb

hold on to hope

Meaning
to not give up believing that things will get better
Example
No matter how dark it seems, **hold on to hope**.
phrasal-verb

learn from differences

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

Keep the faith

Meaning
Continue to believe that things will work out.
Example
Even in hard times, **keep the faith**.
phrasal-verb

map out a growth plan

Meaning
to design steps that will help you develop professionally
Example
I **map out a growth plan** each quarter with my mentor.
idiom

fall in love

Meaning
to develop romantic feelings for someone
Example
I didn't expect to **fall in love** with her so quickly.
idiom

turn a corner

Meaning
to begin to improve after a difficult period
Example
Things started to **turn a corner** after the new management took over.
idiom

bite off more than you can chew

Meaning
to take on a task that is too big to handle
Example
I think I **bit off more than I can chew** by agreeing to manage three projects at once.
idiom

break someone’s heart

Meaning
to make someone very sad
Example
It really **broke his heart** when she left him.
idiom

burn one’s fingers

Meaning
to suffer because of one’s own mistake
Example
He **burned his fingers** by investing in a risky business.
idiom

dead tired

Meaning
extremely tired or exhausted
Example
After the long trip, we were **dead tired**.
phrasal-verb

tear apart alliances

Meaning
to destroy relationships between allied groups or nations
Example
The ongoing dispute **tore apart alliances** that lasted for decades.
phrasal-verb

tune up

Meaning
to prepare or adjust an instrument for better performance
Example
The guitarist **tuned up** his instrument before the show.
idiom

feel it in one's bones

Meaning
to have a strong feeling or intuition about something
Example
I **feel it in my bones** that something bad is going to happen.
idiom

A nervous wreck

Meaning
Someone who is very worried or upset.
Example
He’s **a nervous wreck** before every exam.
idiom

the buck stops here

Meaning
I am the one responsible; I will take responsibility.
Example
**The buck stops here**, and I will handle the mistake personally.
idiom

tough luck

Meaning
expression of sympathy for someone’s misfortune
Example
Didn’t get the job? **Tough luck**!
idiom

Keep someone posted

Meaning
To keep someone informed about something.
Example
Please **keep me posted** about any updates.
phrasal-verb

stick it out

Meaning
to continue doing something difficult until the end
Example
Even though the job was hard, he decided to **stick it out**.
idiom

corner the market

Meaning
to dominate a particular market
Example
They’ve managed to **corner the market** in organic products.
idiom

As old as the hills

Meaning
Very old or ancient
Example
That legend is **as old as the hills**.
idiom

Buy low, sell high

Meaning
The strategy of buying goods or assets cheaply and selling them for a profit.
Example
Every investor dreams to **buy low, sell high**.
idiom

balance of power

Meaning
the distribution of power between nations to prevent any one nation from becoming too powerful
Example
The United Nations aims to maintain the **balance of power** among its member states.
phrasal-verb

drag into conflict

Meaning
to involve someone unwillingly in a dispute or war
Example
The smaller nation was **dragged into conflict** by its allies.
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.
phrasal-verb

stand by your word

Meaning
to keep a promise or commitment even when it is difficult
Example
He’s the kind of person who always **stands by his word**.
phrasal-verb

participate in festivals

Meaning
to join cultural celebrations and events of a community
Example
Foreigners love to **participate in festivals** that show the local culture.
idiom

Hold it together with duct tape

Meaning
To keep something functioning despite poor condition or limited resources.
Example
The old car is barely running—we’re **holding it together with duct tape**.
idiom

talk nineteen to the dozen

Meaning
to talk very quickly and without stopping
Example
Once she starts, she **talks nineteen to the dozen**.
idiom

pick someone’s brain

Meaning
to ask someone knowledgeable for advice or ideas
Example
I’d like to **pick your brain** about this project idea.
phrasal-verb

stand for yourself

Meaning
to defend your beliefs or actions confidently
Example
Always **stand for yourself** even when others disagree.
idiom

Boom and bust

Meaning
A period of great prosperity followed by a sharp decline.
Example
The real estate market often experiences **boom and bust** cycles.
phrasal-verb

reach down to

Meaning
to connect emotionally with someone suffering or sad
Example
He **reached down to** her when she was crying alone.
idiom

soft spot for someone

Meaning
to feel affection or kindness towards someone
Example
He has a **soft spot for** stray animals.
idiom

in the money

Meaning
to suddenly have a lot of money
Example
After winning the lottery, they were **in the money**.
idiom

without a care in the world

Meaning
free from worries or problems
Example
The kids were playing **without a care in the world**.
phrasal-verb

fall out over

Meaning
to argue and stop being friendly with someone because of something
Example
They **fell out over** money matters last year.
idiom

bring up a family

Meaning
to raise and take care of children
Example
They worked hard to **bring up a family**.
idiom

In vogue

Meaning
Currently popular or fashionable
Example
Long skirts are **in vogue** again this season.
idiom

lend an ear

Meaning
to listen carefully to someone’s problems or feelings
Example
She’s always ready to **lend an ear** when I’m feeling down.
idiom

just what the doctor ordered

Meaning
exactly what is needed or wanted
Example
A cup of tea was **just what the doctor ordered**.
phrasal-verb

come round

Meaning
to regain consciousness
Example
She fainted but soon **came round**.
idiom

I’d say

Meaning
used to express a considered opinion
Example
**I’d say** this is the best option we have.
phrasal-verb

zone out during

Meaning
to lose focus or stop paying attention
Example
I often **zone out during** long meetings when I'm exhausted.
phrasal-verb

hold onto hope

Meaning
to keep believing that good things will happen
Example
No matter how hard life gets, always **hold onto hope**.
phrasal-verb

branch out professionally

Meaning
to start doing something new or expand into a new area professionally
Example
After years in sales, he decided to **branch out professionally** into marketing.
idiom

see the light

Meaning
to finally understand or accept the truth or a new idea
Example
After years of denial, he finally **saw the light**.
idiom

blind justice

Meaning
justice that is impartial and not influenced by external factors
Example
**Blind justice** treats everyone the same, regardless of wealth or status.
phrasal-verb

embrace with

Meaning
to accept something enthusiastically and willingly
Example
He quickly **embraced with** the new culture and made many friends.
idiom

run the show

Meaning
to be in charge of an activity or organization
Example
Ever since the director left, Emma has been **running the show**.
idiom

ghost someone

Meaning
to suddenly stop communicating with someone online
Example
He used to text me daily but then he **ghosted** me.
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.
phrasal-verb

slow down spending

Meaning
to reduce the speed of financial expenditure
Example
During inflation, people tend to **slow down spending**.
phrasal-verb

level emotions

Meaning
to stabilize one's emotional state; to avoid highs and lows
Example
He practices meditation daily to **level emotions**.
idiom

strike it rich

Meaning
to suddenly make a lot of money
Example
They **struck it rich** after investing in that startup.
phrasal-verb

pay out

Meaning
to spend or distribute money, especially large amounts
Example
The company had to **pay out** millions in compensation.