start off with
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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phrasal-verb

start off with

Meaning
to begin a creative process or project using a certain idea or material
Example
The artist **started off with** a simple sketch before adding color.
phrasal-verb

scroll up

Meaning
to move the page upward to see earlier content
Example
You can **scroll up** to check the previous messages.
phrasal-verb

speak out for justice

Meaning
to publicly support fairness or equality
Example
The ambassador **spoke out for justice** in his UN speech.
phrasal-verb

stay ahead in class

Meaning
to perform better or be more advanced than others in the class
Example
He studies extra hours to **stay ahead in class**.
phrasal-verb

show out

Meaning
to accompany someone to the door when they are leaving
Example
The manager **showed out** the clients after the meeting.
phrasal-verb

serve up

Meaning
to offer or provide food or a meal
Example
Grandma **served up** a delicious lunch.
phrasal-verb

speak out against

Meaning
to publicly express opposition to something
Example
Many citizens **spoke out against** the unfair law.
phrasal-verb

shout out to

Meaning
to publicly acknowledge or compliment someone
Example
Let’s **shout out to** everyone who helped organize the event.
phrasal-verb

set priorities

Meaning
to decide which tasks or goals are most important
Example
You must **set priorities** to reach your long-term goals.
phrasal-verb

stay grounded

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

stand up for democracy

Meaning
to defend or support the principles of democracy
Example
Citizens gathered to **stand up for democracy** during the national protest.
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.
phrasal-verb

set yourself apart

Meaning
to make yourself different or outstanding from others
Example
Hard work and creativity will **set you apart** from the rest.
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

stir up

Meaning
to cause activity or energy to increase
Example
New infrastructure projects have **stirred up** economic growth in rural areas.
phrasal-verb

stand strong

Meaning
to remain emotionally firm despite difficulties
Example
She had to **stand strong** when everything seemed to fall apart.
phrasal-verb

speak down to

Meaning
to talk to someone as if they are less intelligent
Example
Don’t **speak down to** your colleagues; treat them equally.
phrasal-verb

set forth

Meaning
to present or explain an idea or proposal clearly
Example
The president **set forth** his vision for the nation’s economic future.
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

stay put

Meaning
to remain in the same place and wait
Example
**Stay put** until I get back.
phrasal-verb

snap out of

Meaning
to suddenly stop feeling sad or depressed
Example
You need to **snap out of** your bad mood and move on.
phrasal-verb

set reminders for

Meaning
to schedule alerts so tasks are not forgotten
Example
I **set reminders for** every invoice deadline in my calendar.
phrasal-verb

set to

Meaning
to begin doing something energetically
Example
After the meeting, everyone **set to** work immediately.
phrasal-verb

switch off from

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

speak about

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

sit in for

Meaning
to substitute for someone temporarily
Example
The assistant will **sit in for** the teacher today.
phrasal-verb

screw up

Meaning
to do something badly or incorrectly
Example
He **screwed up** the report by adding wrong data.
phrasal-verb

speak kindly of

Meaning
to say positive things about someone as a form of appreciation
Example
Everyone **speaks kindly of** her because she’s always generous.
phrasal-verb

scale back spending

Meaning
to reduce the level of spending
Example
Due to inflation, many households are **scaling back spending**.
phrasal-verb

see off guests

Meaning
to say goodbye to people as they leave
Example
The host **saw off the guests** at the gate after midnight.
phrasal-verb

strive toward goals

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

step out of

Meaning
to move beyond your usual limits or comfort zone
Example
To grow, you need to **step out of** your comfort zone.
phrasal-verb

stay focused on

Meaning
to continue giving attention to something important without getting distracted
Example
To achieve good grades, you must **stay focused on** your studies.
phrasal-verb

sing out

Meaning
to sing loudly and clearly
Example
Don’t be shy—**sing out** so everyone can hear you!
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

speak on behalf of

Meaning
to represent someone else's opinion politely
Example
I’d like to **speak on behalf of** my team regarding this issue.
phrasal-verb

set out for success

Meaning
to begin a journey or plan with the goal of achieving success
Example
She **set out for success** by creating a clear vision and staying disciplined.
phrasal-verb

show off with

Meaning
to display or use something to attract attention
Example
She loves to **show off with** her stylish outfits.
phrasal-verb

sketch out

Meaning
to make a rough or simple drawing; to outline an idea briefly
Example
The designer **sketched out** the new logo before finalizing it.
phrasal-verb

save up

Meaning
to keep money so you can buy something in the future
Example
I’m trying to **save up** for a new laptop.
phrasal-verb

stand for

Meaning
to represent or support a particular idea or principle
Example
The party **stands for** equality and justice.
phrasal-verb

spin off into

Meaning
to develop from something and become a separate project
Example
Our AI pilot might **spin off into** a full analytics product.
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.
phrasal-verb

speak against

Meaning
to criticize or express opposition to something or someone
Example
He **spoke against** the policy in the meeting.
phrasal-verb

scale forward

Meaning
to expand operations or activities progressively toward growth
Example
The organization plans to **scale forward** its social impact programs.
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

sum up

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

shop around

Meaning
to compare prices before buying something
Example
Always **shop around** before making a big purchase.
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

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.
phrasal-verb

square off with

Meaning
to prepare to compete or argue directly with someone
Example
Two teams **square off with** each other in tonight's final.
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.
phrasal-verb

shift focus toward growth

Meaning
to redirect attention and efforts toward improvement
Example
The manager encouraged everyone to **shift focus toward growth** after the changes.
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

step into

Meaning
to begin a new role or position
Example
He confidently **stepped into** his position as project leader.
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

stand together

Meaning
to unite and act as one in support of a cause
Example
Communities must **stand together** to fight social injustice.
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.
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

stick out

Meaning
to be noticeable or different; to continue doing something difficult
Example
You have to **stick out** the first few weeks of training.
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

stand up for

Meaning
to defend or support someone’s rights or opinions
Example
Parents should **stand up for** their children when they are treated unfairly.
phrasal-verb

stretch out

Meaning
to extend your body or limbs to relax or prepare for exercise
Example
Don’t forget to **stretch out** before starting your workout.
phrasal-verb

settle upon

Meaning
to decide on something after considering different options
Example
After much discussion, they **settled upon** a new business model.
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

shop around for

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

slide into bed

Meaning
to get into bed smoothly and get ready to sleep
Example
After the long shift he just wants to **slide into bed** and rest.
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

step around

Meaning
to move to avoid something; to bypass a problem or rule
Example
He tried to **step around** the issue instead of facing it directly.
phrasal-verb

split up tasks

Meaning
to divide work among people in a group
Example
Let’s **split up tasks** so everyone knows what to do.
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

stick with your goals

Meaning
to stay committed to your plans and not give up
Example
If you **stick with your goals**, you’ll see results soon.
phrasal-verb

set out

Meaning
to begin an action with a clear purpose or plan
Example
The leader **set out** to build a more collaborative culture.
phrasal-verb

sleep over

Meaning
to sleep at someone else's house for a night
Example
My friend invited me to **sleep over** at his place.
phrasal-verb

sell out

Meaning
to have no more of something to sell
Example
The new iPhones **sold out** in just two hours.
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

speak openly about

Meaning
to discuss sensitive or challenging topics honestly
Example
Our CEO encourages everyone to **speak openly about** diversity issues.
phrasal-verb

shrink back

Meaning
to move away from something because of fear
Example
The child **shrank back** when the dog barked loudly.
phrasal-verb

stand for equality

Meaning
to represent or support the idea of equal rights for all
Example
We must **stand for equality** in every part of the world.
phrasal-verb

shake hands on

Meaning
to agree on something formally or finalize a deal
Example
They finally **shook hands on** the joint investment plan.
phrasal-verb

set the tone for

Meaning
to create the general mood or attitude for a group or activity
Example
A leader’s behavior **sets the tone for** the entire organization.
phrasal-verb

speak out for nature

Meaning
to publicly express concern or support for environmental protection
Example
Celebrities are using their platforms to **speak out for nature**.
phrasal-verb

slip out

Meaning
to say something unintentionally
Example
The secret just **slipped out** during the chat.
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

stay alert

Meaning
to remain cautious and watchful for dangers
Example
Always **stay alert** when clicking unfamiliar links.
phrasal-verb

stand up after failure

Meaning
to recover and try again after failing
Example
Winners are those who **stand up after failure** and keep trying.
phrasal-verb

snow in

Meaning
to be trapped somewhere because of heavy snow
Example
We were **snowed in** for two days after the blizzard.
phrasal-verb

say sorry for

Meaning
to express regret or apology for something
Example
He **said sorry for** his rude behavior.
phrasal-verb

show respect

Meaning
to behave politely and honor others’ feelings or opinions
Example
We should always **show respect** to teachers and elders.
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

stay motivated

Meaning
to keep one’s enthusiasm and energy high
Example
Regular feedback helps employees **stay motivated**.
phrasal-verb

shade in concepts

Meaning
to add tone or detail to drawings of ideas
Example
Designers **shade in concepts** to show light and depth in the sketch.
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

step out

Meaning
to leave a place for a short time; to go outside
Example
I’m going to **step out** for a moment to get some fresh air.
phrasal-verb

send across

Meaning
to convey a message or feeling clearly to others
Example
His speech **sent across** a strong message of cooperation.
phrasal-verb

set up a committee

Meaning
to establish a group to discuss or manage an issue
Example
Parliament **set up a committee** to investigate the allegations.
phrasal-verb

set out plans

Meaning
to explain or describe plans in detail
Example
The finance minister **set out plans** to boost national growth.
phrasal-verb

slow within

Meaning
to calm down internally and observe your emotions without judgment
Example
Taking a breath helped her **slow within** and regain control over her thoughts.
phrasal-verb

speak up on

Meaning
to express one's opinion openly about a topic
Example
Experts **speak up on** the importance of cross-cultural dialogue.
phrasal-verb

step inside

Meaning
to enter a place, especially a building or room
Example
Please **step inside** and have a seat.
phrasal-verb

show around

Meaning
to give someone a guided tour of a place
Example
I will **show around** our office to the new interns.
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

sync with

Meaning
to coordinate tasks or schedules with others online
Example
Let’s **sync with** the marketing team tomorrow morning.
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

stand up against injustice

Meaning
to resist unfair treatment or oppression
Example
Citizens gathered to **stand up against injustice** in their country.
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.
phrasal-verb

steer someone toward

Meaning
to guide a person toward a helpful choice
Example
Mentors **steer interns toward** roles that match their strengths.
phrasal-verb

stay on

Meaning
to remain connected or continue working
Example
Can you **stay on** the call until we finish the report?
phrasal-verb

speak out on

Meaning
to publicly express an opinion about something important
Example
The candidate decided to **speak out on** corruption during the debate.
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

stumble upon

Meaning
to find something by accident
Example
We **stumbled upon** a hidden waterfall in the forest.
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

spur on growth

Meaning
to encourage or accelerate economic development
Example
Digital innovation is expected to **spur on growth** in the service sector.
phrasal-verb

step up to

Meaning
to take responsibility or initiative; to rise to a challenge
Example
When the manager resigned, she **stepped up to** take his place.
phrasal-verb

strive for

Meaning
to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something
Example
She always **strives for** excellence in her work.
phrasal-verb

set off

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

shut out

Meaning
to prevent someone from being included in a conversation or activity
Example
She felt **shut out** of the team discussions.
phrasal-verb

stand up for your values

Meaning
to defend what you believe in confidently
Example
True confidence means you **stand up for your values**, even when others disagree.
phrasal-verb

step down

Meaning
to resign from an important position; to leave office
Example
The president decided to **step down** after public protests.
phrasal-verb

snap out of fear

Meaning
to quickly recover from a fearful or panicked state
Example
He managed to **snap out of fear** and take control of the situation.