sprout up
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phrasal-verb

sprout up

Meaning
to appear or grow quickly like plants
Example
New trees have **sprouted up** after the monsoon rain.
idiom

tomorrow is another day

Meaning
you can start fresh again tomorrow
Example
Don’t worry about your mistakes, **tomorrow is another day**.
phrasal-verb

ring in

Meaning
to call by phone to report information
Example
Listeners were asked to **ring in** with their opinions.
idiom

off the cuff

Meaning
to speak or perform without preparation
Example
He gave an **off the cuff** remark that impressed everyone.
idiom

machine mind

Meaning
a way of thinking that relies heavily on logic and computation
Example
You need a **machine mind** to understand how neural networks operate.
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.
idiom

come of age

Meaning
to reach maturity; to become fully developed
Example
The company has **come of age** in the last few years.
phrasal-verb

push through reforms

Meaning
to make changes happen despite opposition
Example
The ruling party managed to **push through reforms** in parliament.
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.
phrasal-verb

stop over

Meaning
to stay somewhere for a short time during a long journey
Example
We’ll **stop over** in Dubai for one night before heading to Paris.
idiom

starry-eyed

Meaning
having naive or unrealistic dreams or hopes
Example
He was **starry-eyed** about becoming a famous singer.
phrasal-verb

pass out

Meaning
to lose consciousness
Example
He **passed out** from exhaustion after the marathon.
idiom

we'll cross that bridge when we come to it

Meaning
we will not worry about a possible future problem but will deal with it if it happens
Example
I don't know how we'll pay for the repairs, but **we'll cross that bridge when we come to it**.
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

hedge against

Meaning
to protect oneself against potential loss or risk
Example
Many investors **hedge against** market volatility by diversifying their portfolios.
phrasal-verb

connect emotionally with

Meaning
to share and understand emotions with someone on a deeper level
Example
It’s important to **connect emotionally with** your partner for a healthy relationship.
idiom

put heads together

Meaning
to work together to solve a problem
Example
Let’s **put our heads together** and find a solution.
phrasal-verb

coordinate with

Meaning
to organize or arrange actions in cooperation with others
Example
Nations **coordinate with** each other to deliver disaster relief effectively.
idiom

never say never

Meaning
to encourage someone to stay hopeful and not give up
Example
**Never say never**—you might succeed next time.
phrasal-verb

draw everyone in

Meaning
to involve all members actively in a discussion or activity
Example
The facilitator tried to **draw everyone in** during the brainstorming session.
phrasal-verb

log in

Meaning
to enter a website or app by typing your username and password
Example
You need to **log in** to access your account.
phrasal-verb

speak from

Meaning
to express an opinion based on personal experience
Example
She **speaks from** experience when she warns about that company.
phrasal-verb

take over a company

Meaning
to gain control of another company by buying it
Example
A major corporation plans to **take over a company** in the European market.
idiom

play one's cards right

Meaning
to make the right decisions in order to achieve a good result
Example
If you **play your cards right**, you could get the promotion you want.
idiom

fair and square

Meaning
honest and straightforward; without cheating
Example
She won the competition **fair and square**.
idiom

full of praise

Meaning
to speak very positively about someone or something
Example
Everyone was **full of praise** for her presentation.
idiom

Don’t throw in the towel

Meaning
Don’t give up or quit.
Example
**Don’t throw in the towel** even if it’s hard.
idiom

cut a deal

Meaning
to reach a business agreement quickly
Example
They **cut a deal** to save both companies money.
phrasal-verb

stimulate demand

Meaning
to encourage people to buy more goods or services
Example
The government reduced taxes to **stimulate demand** in the economy.
idiom

make waves

Meaning
to cause trouble or create a significant impact
Example
The new policy **made waves** throughout the organization.
phrasal-verb

get to

Meaning
to arrive at a place
Example
I **get to** the office by 9 a.m. every day.
idiom

turn the tide

Meaning
to cause a significant change in a situation or trend
Example
The new strategy helped us **turn the tide** in our favor.
idiom

give someone a dose of their own medicine

Meaning
to treat someone the same bad way they treated others
Example
He was rude to everyone, so I **gave him a dose of his own medicine**.
phrasal-verb

run into debt

Meaning
to start owing money; to become in debt
Example
Many small companies **ran into debt** after the market crash.
idiom

Go bust

Meaning
To go bankrupt or out of business.
Example
Many small banks **went bust** during the financial crisis.
idiom

have words with someone

Meaning
to argue with someone verbally
Example
I **had words with** my boss about the new policy.
idiom

to goof up

Meaning
to make a silly or careless mistake
Example
She **goofed up** the numbers in the report.
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.
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.
idiom

give it a rest

Meaning
to stop talking or thinking about something stressful
Example
You’ve been worrying too much—**give it a rest**.
idiom

stick your neck out

Meaning
to take a risk by doing or saying something that others may disagree with
Example
He **stuck his neck out** to defend his colleague.
phrasal-verb

crack down on protests

Meaning
to use force or strict measures to control protests
Example
Authorities began to **crack down on protests** after violence erupted.
phrasal-verb

stick to goals

Meaning
to remain committed to educational or personal objectives
Example
To achieve success, you must **stick to goals** no matter how hard it gets.
idiom

Ride it out

Meaning
Endure a difficult situation until it improves.
Example
We just need to **ride it out** until things get better.
phrasal-verb

finish up

Meaning
to complete or end something
Example
Let’s **finish up** this report before the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

go on about

Meaning
to talk repeatedly about someone’s good qualities
Example
He always **goes on about** how talented his daughter is.
phrasal-verb

open up to feedback

Meaning
to be willing to listen and accept constructive criticism
Example
A good leader must **open up to feedback** from the team.
phrasal-verb

evolve from

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

off the beaten path

Meaning
doing something unusual or original
Example
Her ideas are always **off the beaten path**.
phrasal-verb

plan out

Meaning
to carefully think about and arrange the details of something
Example
Let’s **plan out** the schedule so that everything runs smoothly.
phrasal-verb

throw down

Meaning
to drop something forcefully; to challenge someone
Example
He **threw down** his gloves and walked out angrily.
idiom

behind the firewall

Meaning
protected or isolated from external threats
Example
Sensitive company data should always stay **behind the firewall**.
phrasal-verb

rise beyond

Meaning
to overcome limitations or challenges
Example
True leaders **rise beyond** their fears and inspire others.
idiom

Dust yourself off

Meaning
Recover after a setback and continue with confidence.
Example
He fell short this time, but he’ll **dust himself off** and try again.
phrasal-verb

rush through

Meaning
to do something very quickly, often carelessly
Example
Don’t **rush through** your tasks; quality matters more.
B2 idiom

close but no cigar

Almost correct or successful but not quite
Meaning
Almost correct or successful but not quite
Example
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
phrasal-verb

draw strength from failure

Meaning
to learn and grow stronger after failure
Example
Winners **draw strength from failure** instead of giving up.
idiom

get your wires crossed

Meaning
to misunderstand someone or something
Example
We must have **got our wires crossed**, because I thought the meeting was tomorrow.
idiom

take it upon oneself

Meaning
to decide to do something without being asked or required
Example
She decided to **take it upon herself** to organize the event.
idiom

draw the line

Meaning
to set a limit on what is acceptable
Example
We have to **draw the line** when it comes to unethical behavior.
phrasal-verb

bring in foreign investment

Meaning
to attract money from other countries for business or development
Example
The government is trying to **bring in foreign investment** to boost economic growth.
idiom

reboot your life

Meaning
to start over or make a fresh beginning
Example
After losing his job, he decided to **reboot his life**.
phrasal-verb

pivot around

Meaning
to reorganize or refocus strategy around a central idea or goal
Example
The company decided to **pivot around** customer satisfaction as its new priority.
phrasal-verb

trim down

Meaning
to make something smaller or more efficient by removing unnecessary parts or expenses
Example
Companies **trim down** their budgets to survive during recessions.
idiom

Sail close to the wind

Meaning
To take risks or act dangerously.
Example
He’s **sailing close to the wind** by lying to his boss.
idiom

hash it out

Meaning
to discuss a problem thoroughly to find a solution
Example
Let’s sit down and **hash it out** instead of fighting.
idiom

hit the firewall

Meaning
to face a restriction or security block while trying to access something online
Example
I tried to visit the site but **hit the firewall** at work.
idiom

Rise from the ashes

Meaning
To recover and become strong again after failure or destruction.
Example
The company **rose from the ashes** after going bankrupt.
phrasal-verb

go over the report

Meaning
to review or examine something carefully
Example
Let's **go over the report** before the meeting starts.
phrasal-verb

feel bad about

Meaning
to feel sorry or regretful about something
Example
I really **feel bad about** what happened.
phrasal-verb

turn up at

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

mitigate against

Meaning
to make something less severe or harmful
Example
Effective controls can **mitigate against** financial losses.
phrasal-verb

psych yourself up

Meaning
to get yourself mentally ready and enthusiastic
Example
He **psyched himself up** before pitching the idea to the board.
phrasal-verb

calm over

Meaning
to gradually become peaceful or composed
Example
After some quiet time, you’ll **calm over** and think clearly.
idiom

under the hood

Meaning
behind the surface; the underlying mechanism or system
Example
Developers love to see what’s **under the hood** of a new app.
idiom

full of yourself

Meaning
to be too proud or self-centered
Example
He’s so **full of himself** after getting that promotion.
phrasal-verb

throw yourself into

Meaning
to do something with great enthusiasm and energy
Example
He **threw himself into** the new training program.
phrasal-verb

give up

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

In someone’s corner

Meaning
To support or stand by someone in times of need
Example
I always know my family will be **in my corner** when things go wrong.
idiom

political hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
Immigration reform has become a **political hot potato** for the government.
idiom

take the law into your own hands

Meaning
to punish someone without legal authority
Example
Citizens should not **take the law into their own hands**.
idiom

to mess up

Meaning
to make a mistake or do something badly
Example
Don’t **mess up** the report again this time.
idiom

neural spark

Meaning
a sudden moment of insight or creativity in AI innovation
Example
Her idea was a true **neural spark** that changed the whole project.
phrasal-verb

fill your heart with gratitude

Meaning
to focus on the things you are thankful for
Example
Every morning, **fill your heart with gratitude** to start the day right.
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.
idiom

give someone the creeps

Meaning
to make someone feel uncomfortable or afraid
Example
Old abandoned houses **give me the creeps**.
phrasal-verb

warm to

Meaning
to start feeling affection or liking toward someone
Example
She slowly **warmed to** the idea of sharing her story publicly.
phrasal-verb

focus on strengths

Meaning
to concentrate on your positive qualities and abilities
Example
Try to **focus on strengths** instead of weaknesses.
idiom

out of the picture

Meaning
no longer involved or relevant
Example
After the gallery closed, the curator was **out of the picture**.
phrasal-verb

make do with

Meaning
to manage with something less than ideal
Example
We didn’t have enough chairs, so we had to **make do with** stools.
idiom

win hands down

Meaning
to win easily or convincingly
Example
Our team **won hands down** in the final match.
phrasal-verb

find into

Meaning
to enter or get involved in something gradually
Example
He slowly **found into** the rhythm of city life.
idiom

offstage

Meaning
outside of public attention or in private life
Example
He is very different **offstage** than he appears in his shows.
phrasal-verb

work up to

Meaning
to gradually prepare for something difficult
Example
She’s **working up to** asking for a promotion.
idiom

spill the beans

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

garbage in, garbage out

Meaning
flawed input data will produce flawed results
Example
If the training data is poor, the AI model will fail — **garbage in, garbage out**.
idiom

change with the times

Meaning
to adapt to the changes in society or technology
Example
In order to stay relevant in the business, it's important to **change with the times**.
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

drift apart from

Meaning
to slowly become less close to someone
Example
Over the years, we **drifted apart from** each other and lost touch.
phrasal-verb

focus on the bright side

Meaning
to see the positive aspects of a situation
Example
No matter what happens, always **focus on the bright side**.
phrasal-verb

turn toward

Meaning
to direct attention or effort to something
Example
More youth are **turning toward** cultural initiatives to make a difference.
idiom

plug and play

Meaning
easy to use without complex setup
Example
The new printer is **plug and play** – no installation needed.
idiom

back into

Meaning
to move backwards into something unintentionally
Example
I nearly **backed into** the recycling bin while parking.
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.
idiom

against the clock

Meaning
to do something as fast as possible because time is limited
Example
We were working **against the clock** to finish the project on time.
phrasal-verb

fill someone in

Meaning
to give someone the details or latest information about something
Example
Can you **fill me in** on what happened at the client meeting?
phrasal-verb

burn through

Meaning
to use up energy or resources very quickly
Example
We’ve **burned through** our energy trying to meet the deadline.
idiom

Lose your shirt

Meaning
To lose a lot of money.
Example
He **lost his shirt** gambling last night.
idiom

let one's hair down

Meaning
to relax and enjoy oneself freely
Example
After the project ended, we all went out to **let our hair down**.
idiom

make a fuss

Meaning
to complain or get angry about something small or unimportant
Example
She always **makes a fuss** about her food being cold.
idiom

scene-stealer

Meaning
someone who attracts attention and stands out
Example
That child actor was a real **scene-stealer**.
idiom

cool off

Meaning
to become less hot or less angry
Example
Let the soup **cool off** before serving.
idiom

live from hand to mouth

Meaning
to barely have enough money to survive
Example
Many laborers **live from hand to mouth** every day.
phrasal-verb

grow stronger

Meaning
to become emotionally tougher after hardship
Example
Every challenge helps you **grow stronger** emotionally.
idiom

to hit the jackpot

Meaning
to achieve great success or gain a lot of money
Example
After years of hard work, she finally **hit the jackpot** with her startup.
idiom

to pull strings

Meaning
to use one's influence or connections to get things done
Example
She managed to **pull strings** to get the bill passed in Congress.
phrasal-verb

result in

Meaning
to cause something to happen
Example
The lack of data **resulted in** an incomplete analysis.
phrasal-verb

fight on

Meaning
to continue trying to achieve something despite difficulties
Example
Even when life gets hard, true champions **fight on**.
phrasal-verb

filter out tension

Meaning
to remove or block stressful emotions or thoughts
Example
Yoga helps you **filter out tension** from your body and mind.
idiom

take the long view

Meaning
to plan or think about the future rather than short-term gains
Example
Successful leaders always **take the long view** when making decisions.
phrasal-verb

catch fire

Meaning
to start burning; to become very exciting or popular
Example
The dry leaves quickly **caught fire** in the heat.