start up
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phrasal-verb

start up

Meaning
to begin a new business or project
Example
They decided to **start up** a food delivery service in their city.
idiom

strike a chord

Meaning
to cause someone to feel sympathy or emotion
Example
Her story **struck a chord** with the audience.
idiom

strike a balance

Meaning
to find a satisfactory compromise between two things
Example
It’s hard to **strike a balance** between career and family.
phrasal-verb

spread through

Meaning
to extend or move through an area or group
Example
Global culture has **spread through** digital media and communication networks.
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

snow over

Meaning
to be covered completely with snow
Example
The roads were **snowed over** by morning.
phrasal-verb

snap under pressure

Meaning
to lose control emotionally under stress
Example
He **snapped under pressure** during the argument.
idiom

set the bar high

Meaning
to establish high standards or expectations
Example
Her achievements have **set the bar high** for future leaders.
phrasal-verb

sit through

Meaning
to stay until the end of something that is long or boring
Example
We had to **sit through** a three-hour seminar on research methods.
phrasal-verb

soak up knowledge

Meaning
to absorb and retain new information or skills quickly
Example
Young minds can easily **soak up knowledge** from their surroundings.
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

speak out for

Meaning
to publicly support or defend someone or something
Example
He **spoke out for** the victims of political violence.
phrasal-verb

sit with emotions

Meaning
to allow yourself to feel emotions without trying to change them
Example
She learned to **sit with her emotions** instead of avoiding them.
idiom

split second

Meaning
a very short amount of time
Example
The decision was made in a **split second**.
idiom

split hairs

Meaning
to argue about small or unimportant details
Example
Stop **splitting hairs** and focus on the main issue.
idiom

sworn enemy turned friend

Meaning
someone who was once your enemy but is now a friend
Example
After years of rivalry, they became **sworn enemies turned friends**.
idiom

security blanket

Meaning
something that gives a sense of safety or comfort
Example
Using a strong password manager is my **security blanket** online.
idiom

stress out

Meaning
to become very anxious or nervous due to pressure
Example
She tends to **stress out** before exams.
phrasal-verb

stir up demand

Meaning
to increase or stimulate consumer demand
Example
Lower interest rates can **stir up demand** for housing and cars.
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

stand firm

Meaning
to remain strong and not give up under pressure or doubt
Example
He decided to **stand firm** in his beliefs despite opposition.
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

stand united for

Meaning
to act together in support of a cause or issue
Example
Nations must **stand united for** peace and prosperity.
idiom

set the record straight

Meaning
to clarify the truth after a misunderstanding
Example
He wanted to **set the record straight** about what really happened.
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.
idiom

scare someone half to death

Meaning
to frighten someone very badly
Example
That spider **scared me half to death**!
phrasal-verb

stand out as

Meaning
to be noticeable or recognized as having a particular quality
Example
She really **stood out as** a confident and fair leader.
phrasal-verb

stand for election

Meaning
to be a candidate in an election
Example
She decided to **stand for election** as a member of parliament.
phrasal-verb

stand tall with courage

Meaning
to stay brave and optimistic in difficult situations
Example
He always **stands tall with courage** when facing failures.
idiom

see stars

Meaning
to feel dizzy or stunned, often after being hit
Example
He bumped his head and started to **see stars**.
idiom

snowed under

Meaning
to have too much work to do
Example
I'm **snowed under** with assignments this week.
idiom

strike it lucky

Meaning
to have unexpected good fortune
Example
We **struck it lucky** and found the last two tickets.
idiom

shoot for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious
Example
Don’t be afraid to **shoot for the stars**.
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

show who's boss

Meaning
to make people recognize your authority
Example
Sometimes a leader must **show who's boss**.
phrasal-verb

shut down emotionally

Meaning
to stop expressing or feeling emotions, especially after being hurt
Example
After the argument, he completely **shut down emotionally**.
phrasal-verb

scroll through

Meaning
to move down or up a page to look at content
Example
I spent an hour **scrolling through** Instagram last night.
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

stand strong

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

sink or swim

Meaning
to succeed or fail by your own efforts
Example
When you start your own business, it’s **sink or swim**.
phrasal-verb

step beyond limits

Meaning
to go past what you thought was possible
Example
To grow, you need to **step beyond limits** and challenge yourself.
idiom

settle in

Meaning
to become comfortable in a new place or situation
Example
It took a week to **settle in** after the move.
phrasal-verb

shell out

Meaning
to pay money, especially when you don’t want to
Example
We had to **shell out** $200 for the concert tickets.
phrasal-verb

stay disciplined

Meaning
to maintain self-control and consistent study habits
Example
To achieve great results, students must **stay disciplined** throughout the semester.
idiom

stand trial

Meaning
to appear in court to answer criminal charges
Example
He will **stand trial** for fraud next month.
idiom

seal the deal

Meaning
to finalize or confirm an agreement
Example
Offering a discount helped us **seal the deal** with the client.
idiom

still waters run deep

Meaning
quiet or calm people often have deep thoughts or emotions
Example
He may seem quiet, but remember, **still waters run deep**.
idiom

sleep on

Meaning
to delay making a decision until the next day
Example
I'll **sleep on** it and let you know my answer tomorrow.
idiom

set the tone

Meaning
to establish the mood or style for something
Example
The manager's speech **set the tone** for the meeting.
phrasal-verb

stand up after

Meaning
to regain confidence or strength after failing
Example
True leaders **stand up after** every fall.
phrasal-verb

speak to

Meaning
to talk to someone; to address or scold someone
Example
The manager wants to **speak to** you about your performance.
phrasal-verb

sprout up

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

set out on

Meaning
to begin a journey or activity with a particular goal
Example
She **set out on** her dream to start a handmade jewelry business.
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

split personality

Meaning
having two very different sides to one's character
Example
He’s got a **split personality**—sometimes kind, sometimes cruel.
phrasal-verb

stand in for

Meaning
to take someone’s place temporarily
Example
Lisa will **stand in for** me during the client meeting tomorrow.
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 appreciation for

Meaning
to demonstrate that you value something
Example
We should **show appreciation for** the team’s hard work.
idiom

size up

Meaning
to quickly assess someone or something
Example
She walked into the room and instantly **sized up** the situation.
phrasal-verb

sign on to

Meaning
to agree to join or support something officially
Example
Several parents **sign on to** the new mentorship program this week.
idiom

sign off on

Meaning
to formally approve something
Example
The director needs to **sign off on** the final budget.
idiom

step in

Meaning
to become involved in order to help or stop something
Example
The manager will **step in** if the discussion gets heated.
idiom

spark an idea

Meaning
to cause someone to have a new thought or idea
Example
That movie **sparked an idea** for my next project.
idiom

spread kindness

Meaning
to do or say kind things to others
Example
We should all try to **spread kindness** every day.
phrasal-verb

step down from

Meaning
to resign or leave a position of authority or responsibility
Example
The CEO **stepped down from** his role after the financial collapse.
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

snow in

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

step through

Meaning
to pass through something carefully or one stage at a time
Example
Let’s **step through** the process so everyone understands it clearly.
phrasal-verb

step over

Meaning
to cross something by lifting your foot; to ignore someone or something
Example
She carefully **stepped over** the puddle to avoid getting her shoes wet.
idiom

soft sell

Meaning
a subtle and persuasive way of selling without pressure
Example
They used a **soft sell** strategy to gain customer trust.
idiom

stand one’s ground

Meaning
to refuse to change your opinion or position
Example
She **stood her ground** during the heated debate.
phrasal-verb

set time aside for

Meaning
to reserve part of your schedule for something
Example
I **set time aside for** journaling before bed.
phrasal-verb

speak on

Meaning
to talk about a specific political or social issue
Example
The minister will **speak on** the new environmental policy tomorrow.
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.
phrasal-verb

slim down

Meaning
to become thinner; to lose weight
Example
She has been exercising to **slim down** for her wedding.
idiom

sweep someone off their feet

Meaning
to make someone fall in love with you suddenly
Example
His charm and confidence really **swept her off her feet**.
idiom

start off on the right foot

Meaning
to begin something well or positively
Example
I want to **start off on the right foot** with my new job.
phrasal-verb

set clear goals

Meaning
to define specific objectives or targets
Example
A good manager always sets clear goals for the team.
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.
idiom

straight from the horse’s mouth

Meaning
from the most reliable source; directly from the person involved
Example
I heard the news **straight from the horse’s mouth**.
phrasal-verb

step forward

Meaning
to volunteer or take initiative for something
Example
John always **steps forward** when the team needs extra help.
phrasal-verb

strengthen alliances with

Meaning
to make partnerships or coalitions with other nations stronger
Example
The president vowed to **strengthen alliances with** global partners.
idiom

soft launch

Meaning
a limited or quiet release of a new product before the full launch
Example
The company did a **soft launch** to test customer reactions.
idiom

spread sunshine

Meaning
to make others happy with your positivity
Example
Her smile always **spreads sunshine** wherever she goes.
phrasal-verb

sell out of

Meaning
to have sold all of something
Example
The store **sold out of** the latest sneakers within hours.
phrasal-verb

smooth out differences

Meaning
to resolve disagreements or make things run more easily
Example
We need to **smooth out differences** between the teams to improve collaboration.
phrasal-verb

scale up investment

Meaning
to increase the amount of money invested in a project or sector
Example
The policy aims to **scale up investment** in renewable energy.
phrasal-verb

shut oneself off

Meaning
to isolate yourself emotionally from others
Example
After the breakup, he completely **shut himself off** from his friends.
idiom

shake things up

Meaning
to cause change in a situation to make it better
Example
The manager decided to **shake things up** in the team.
phrasal-verb

skid off

Meaning
to slide uncontrollably off a surface or road
Example
The bus **skidded off** the icy road.
phrasal-verb

stand by allies

Meaning
to support friendly nations during difficult times
Example
The country promised to **stand by allies** during the crisis.
idiom

set down

Meaning
to place something or write something down
Example
**Set down** your ideas so we can review them.
phrasal-verb

stay beside

Meaning
to remain physically or emotionally close to someone in need
Example
She **stayed beside** her mother through her illness.
phrasal-verb

spotlight progress

Meaning
to highlight positive steps that have been made
Example
We **spotlight progress** in standups so hope stays alive.
phrasal-verb

settle on

Meaning
to choose something after considering other options
Example
After hours of discussion, they **settled on** a final plan.
idiom

Straight shooter

Meaning
A person who is honest and direct.
Example
You can trust him; he’s a **straight shooter**.
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

speak out about

Meaning
to publicly express one’s opinion or concern
Example
The whistleblower **spoke out about** corruption in the department.
phrasal-verb

soak up the moment

Meaning
to fully enjoy and appreciate a happy situation
Example
She stood on the beach, **soaking up the moment**.
phrasal-verb

sub in for

Meaning
to replace someone temporarily in a role
Example
Can you **sub in for** me at the networking event tonight?
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

stand for yourself

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

sweet tooth

Meaning
a love for sweet foods
Example
She has a **sweet tooth** and can’t resist desserts.
phrasal-verb

stir up trouble

Meaning
to cause or provoke conflict or unrest
Example
Certain groups tried to **stir up trouble** during the election.
idiom

step on the gas

Meaning
to move faster; to hurry up
Example
We need to **step on the gas** if we want to reach on time.
phrasal-verb

stay alert

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

slow down growth

Meaning
to reduce the rate of economic expansion
Example
Rising inflation can **slow down growth** in developing countries.
idiom

spread the word

Meaning
to tell many people about something
Example
Please **spread the word** about our new course.
idiom

streamline the process

Meaning
to make a process more efficient and effective by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary steps
Example
We need to **streamline the process** of content creation to save time.
phrasal-verb

snack on

Meaning
to eat small amounts of food between meals
Example
I like to **snack on** fruits in the afternoon.
phrasal-verb

stand over to

Meaning
to transfer or carry something to another time or situation
Example
The discussion will be **stood over to** next week.
phrasal-verb

settle within

Meaning
to find peace or calm inside yourself
Example
She practices mindfulness to **settle within** after a busy day.
phrasal-verb

scroll down

Meaning
to move the page downward to see more content
Example
Just **scroll down** to read the full post.
idiom

Spread like wildfire

Meaning
To become widely known very quickly.
Example
The news of their engagement **spread like wildfire**.
phrasal-verb

stay in

Meaning
to remain at home instead of going out
Example
We decided to **stay in** and watch a movie.
phrasal-verb

sink in

Meaning
to be fully understood or accepted emotionally
Example
It took a while for the news to **sink in**.
phrasal-verb

scale back spending

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

show initiative

Meaning
to take action without being told what to do
Example
Employees are encouraged to **show initiative** and come up with solutions on their own.
idiom

spread your wings

Meaning
to start doing new and independent things
Example
After graduation, she wanted to **spread her wings**.
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.