stay composed
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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idiom

stay composed

Meaning
to remain calm and not show emotion
Example
He **stayed composed** even when things went wrong.
phrasal-verb

hand off responsibility

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

push up

Meaning
to make something increase in value or price
Example
Rising fuel costs have **pushed up** transportation expenses.
idiom

come to terms

Meaning
to reach an agreement after discussion or conflict
Example
After weeks of negotiation, both sides finally **came to terms**.
idiom

seeing is believing

Meaning
only what one sees can be believed; things must be experienced to be believed.
Example
I was skeptical at first, but when I saw the results, I realized **seeing is believing**.
phrasal-verb

reach out internationally

Meaning
to establish contact or relationships with people or organizations in other countries
Example
The company plans to **reach out internationally** to expand its client base.
idiom

burning the candle at both ends

Meaning
working very hard without enough rest
Example
He is **burning the candle at both ends** with two jobs.
idiom

give someone the third degree

Meaning
to question someone intensely
Example
The police **gave him the third degree** after the incident.
idiom

mind your peace and quiet

Meaning
to protect your calm and avoid stress or disturbance
Example
She values her alone time to **mind her peace and quiet**.
phrasal-verb

run short of

Meaning
to have less of something than needed
Example
We are **running short of** office supplies this week.
idiom

law-abiding citizen

Meaning
a person who always follows the law
Example
He is known as a **law-abiding citizen** in the community.
phrasal-verb

speed up

Meaning
to go faster; to increase speed
Example
You need to **speed up** if you want to overtake that car.
idiom

hit the ground running

Meaning
to start something energetically and successfully
Example
She joined the team and **hit the ground running** on her first day.
idiom

give someone the benefit of the doubt

Meaning
to trust someone even when you are not sure they are honest
Example
I will **give him the benefit of the doubt** this time.
phrasal-verb

work out a plan

Meaning
to develop or create a strategy through discussion
Example
The managers **worked out a plan** to improve productivity.
idiom

brand ambassador

Meaning
a person who promotes a brand through personal influence
Example
They hired a celebrity as their **brand ambassador**.
idiom

a snake in the grass

Meaning
a secret enemy
Example
Be careful; there’s **a snake in the grass**.
phrasal-verb

lay out concepts

Meaning
to present or explain creative ideas clearly
Example
The designer **laid out concepts** for the new brand identity.
idiom

bounce around

Meaning
to discuss or move between ideas casually
Example
Let’s **bounce around** concepts before we pick one.
idiom

fall on deaf ears

Meaning
when advice or complaints are ignored
Example
His apology **fell on deaf ears**.
idiom

crash and burn

Meaning
to fail completely or suddenly
Example
The new software update **crashed and burned** after launch.
idiom

Roll the dice

Meaning
to take a chance on something uncertain
Example
They **rolled the dice** by launching their product early.
idiom

machine learning fairness

Meaning
the concept of ensuring that machine learning models make unbiased, equitable decisions.
Example
The research team focused on improving **machine learning fairness** to eliminate discrimination.
phrasal-verb

ease into workouts

Meaning
to start exercise gently before increasing intensity
Example
I **ease into workouts** with stretching so my body feels ready.
phrasal-verb

follow through with

Meaning
to continue with a plan or commitment until it is completed
Example
You must **follow through with** your study schedule to see improvement.
phrasal-verb

coach through

Meaning
to guide someone step by step through a task
Example
I **coach through** tough trade-offs by sharing past cases.
phrasal-verb

double down on learning

Meaning
to increase your effort toward gaining knowledge
Example
After the promotion, I **double down on learning** new leadership skills.
phrasal-verb

emerge from

Meaning
to come out of or develop from something
Example
New opportunities often **emerge from** major technological shifts.
phrasal-verb

put aside funds

Meaning
to save money for a specific purpose
Example
The company decided to **put aside funds** for future emergencies.
phrasal-verb

write out

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

scene-stealer

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

build credibility with

Meaning
to earn trust and respect from others
Example
It takes time to **build credibility with** your colleagues.
phrasal-verb

work from

Meaning
to base your creation on a source or reference
Example
She **worked from** a photograph to paint the portrait.
phrasal-verb

forgive yourself

Meaning
to stop blaming yourself for past mistakes
Example
You must **forgive yourself** to move forward peacefully.
phrasal-verb

dream ahead

Meaning
to imagine a positive future or goal
Example
You should always **dream ahead** and plan your next steps.
phrasal-verb

shut someone down

Meaning
to stop someone from speaking or expressing themselves
Example
He tried to **shut her down** whenever she disagreed.
phrasal-verb

fight off

Meaning
to resist or defend against illness or attack
Example
She’s trying to **fight off** a cold before her trip.
phrasal-verb

set out objectives

Meaning
to clearly define goals or intentions
Example
The UN has **set out objectives** for sustainable development.
idiom

in your face advertising

Meaning
aggressive or very direct form of advertising
Example
Some brands use **in your face advertising** to stay memorable.
idiom

Go down the rabbit hole

Meaning
To get deeply involved in something, often unintentionally.
Example
I started reading about AI and **went down the rabbit hole** for hours.
phrasal-verb

look beyond culture

Meaning
to see people as individuals rather than defining them by their culture
Example
To build global unity, we must **look beyond culture** and see shared humanity.
phrasal-verb

look set to

Meaning
to seem likely to happen soon
Example
The company **looks set to** dominate the market in the coming years.
idiom

a rising tide of opportunity

Meaning
an increase in opportunities for growth or success that benefits many people
Example
The new technology sector is creating **a rising tide of opportunity** for young entrepreneurs.
idiom

The waiting game

Meaning
A situation in which you must wait for something to happen.
Example
It’s all about **the waiting game** when you’re looking for a job.
phrasal-verb

project confidence

Meaning
to appear or make others feel that you are confident
Example
The speaker **projected confidence** throughout the session.
phrasal-verb

prototype on paper

Meaning
to sketch a quick version of an idea
Example
Designers **prototype on paper** before they open any software.
phrasal-verb

pull in investment

Meaning
to attract investors or funds
Example
The government hopes to **pull in investment** through new policies.
phrasal-verb

immerse in

Meaning
to deeply involve oneself in a particular culture or activity
Example
He **immersed himself in** the local traditions to understand them better.
idiom

get to the bottom of it

Meaning
to find the real reason or cause of something
Example
Let’s **get to the bottom of it** before making any decision.
idiom

take a load off

Meaning
to sit down and relax, especially after working hard
Example
Come in and **take a load off**.
phrasal-verb

ease back into

Meaning
to return to a task or routine gradually after stress or break
Example
After the holidays, I’m trying to **ease back into** my work routine.
phrasal-verb

get out of

Meaning
to leave a car or vehicle
Example
He quickly **got out of** the taxi and ran inside.
idiom

manna from heaven

Meaning
an unexpected gift or blessing
Example
The bonus was **manna from heaven** during the tough month.
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.
phrasal-verb

tap into your potential

Meaning
to use your abilities fully to achieve success
Example
You must **tap into your potential** to unlock greater confidence.
idiom

color outside the lines

Meaning
to think or act creatively and unconventionally
Example
Good designers always **color outside the lines**.
idiom

put something on the back burner

Meaning
to delay dealing with something until later
Example
The government decided to **put the issue on the back burner** for now.
phrasal-verb

lift out of recession

Meaning
to help the economy move away from a downturn
Example
New export policies helped **lift the economy out of recession**.
idiom

to have a fever pitch

Meaning
to reach an intense level of excitement or emotion
Example
The crowd’s excitement reached **fever pitch** during the final moments.
idiom

dawn on

Meaning
to become clear to someone after not realizing
Example
It suddenly **dawned on** me that I’d left my wallet.
phrasal-verb

tune inward

Meaning
to focus attention on your inner feelings or thoughts
Example
She took a few minutes each day to **tune inward** and reflect on her emotions.
phrasal-verb

boost up

Meaning
to increase or enhance something such as production or growth
Example
The new incentives will **boost up** industrial productivity.
idiom

wrap someone around your finger

Meaning
to have complete control or influence over someone
Example
She has her boss **wrapped around her finger**.
idiom

burst out laughing

Meaning
to suddenly start laughing loudly
Example
Everyone **burst out laughing** at his joke.
phrasal-verb

lift your spirit up

Meaning
to make yourself feel more cheerful and hopeful
Example
Helping others can really **lift your spirit up**.
idiom

A rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
When the economy improves, everyone benefits to some extent.
Example
When the new policies boosted trade, people said that **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
phrasal-verb

drop a line to

Meaning
to send a short message to someone
Example
Don’t forget to **drop a line to** me when you arrive.
idiom

on air

Meaning
broadcasting live; being aired on television or radio
Example
The radio show will be **on air** from 7 to 9 PM.
phrasal-verb

break into tears

Meaning
to start crying suddenly
Example
He **broke into tears** when he saw his old friend after many years.
phrasal-verb

bounce back stronger

Meaning
to recover from setbacks with renewed energy
Example
Teams **bounce back stronger** after honest feedback sessions.
idiom

gloss over

Meaning
to avoid mentioning unpleasant details
Example
The report tries to **gloss over** the budget cuts.
idiom

jot down quickly

Meaning
to write something fast so you don’t forget
Example
**Jot down quickly** the ideas that come up in the meeting.
idiom

mad as a hornet

Meaning
very angry
Example
She was **mad as a hornet** when she found her phone broken.
idiom

play through the pain

Meaning
to keep working or performing despite pain or hardship
Example
Athletes often **play through the pain** to win.
phrasal-verb

push back against

Meaning
to resist pressure or negativity with determination
Example
He decided to **push back against** the unfair criticism.
idiom

Risk it for the biscuit

Meaning
To take a risk to achieve something worthwhile.
Example
He knew it was risky, but he decided to **risk it for the biscuit**.
idiom

to take the cake

Meaning
to be the best or most impressive thing in a situation
Example
Out of all the new projects, his idea **took the cake**.
phrasal-verb

go down with

Meaning
to catch an illness, especially one that is not serious
Example
Several students **went down with** food poisoning.
idiom

gears in motion

Meaning
the process has started and is progressing
Example
Once the plan was approved, the **gears were in motion**.
phrasal-verb

turn around a business

Meaning
to make a failing business successful again
Example
The new CEO managed to **turn around the business** within a year.
idiom

fill in for

Meaning
to do someone’s job temporarily
Example
Can you **fill in for** Rosa while she’s on leave?
idiom

to kill two birds with one stone

Meaning
to achieve two things at once
Example
I can **kill two birds with one stone** by listening to a podcast while I exercise.
phrasal-verb

take pride in progress

Meaning
to feel good about the improvements or growth you’ve made
Example
You should **take pride in progress**, no matter how small it is.
phrasal-verb

read over

Meaning
to check something by reading it again
Example
Can you **read over** my essay and tell me what you think?
idiom

put in long hours

Meaning
to work for many hours
Example
He’s been **putting in long hours** to finish the report.
phrasal-verb

get feelings across

Meaning
to make someone understand your emotions clearly
Example
It's hard to **get your feelings across** in an email.
idiom

a level playing field

Meaning
a fair situation where everyone has equal chances
Example
We want to create **a level playing field** for all competitors.
phrasal-verb

brace for

Meaning
to prepare for something unpleasant or difficult
Example
The company is **bracing for** possible losses after the policy change.
phrasal-verb

back down on

Meaning
to withdraw or concede a position after opposition
Example
The government refused to **back down on** its stance regarding foreign aid.
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.
idiom

hit the airwaves

Meaning
to start being broadcast on television or radio
Example
The new talk show will **hit the airwaves** next week.
idiom

sitting on a gold mine

Meaning
to have something very valuable that is not yet realized
Example
That old property is worth millions — you're **sitting on a gold mine**.
idiom

balance out

Meaning
to counteract or cancel the effect of something
Example
The extra volunteers should **balance out** the workload.
phrasal-verb

run over

Meaning
to repeat or review something you said to clarify or apologize
Example
Let me **run over** what I said to make sure you understand my apology.
phrasal-verb

brace yourself for

Meaning
to mentally prepare for something challenging or frightening
Example
Take a breath and **brace yourself for** the tough conversation.
phrasal-verb

flip over

Meaning
to turn upside down accidentally
Example
The car **flipped over** after hitting a pothole.
phrasal-verb

pick up on traditions

Meaning
to notice and learn about customs and habits of other cultures
Example
During his stay in Japan, he quickly **picked up on** local traditions.
idiom

take the spotlight

Meaning
to be the center of attention or admiration
Example
The young actress **took the spotlight** at the award ceremony.
phrasal-verb

rise by

Meaning
to increase by a certain amount or percentage
Example
Exports **rose by** 10% in the last fiscal year.
idiom

carry yourself with confidence

Meaning
to behave in a confident and assured way
Example
She always **carries herself with confidence** during meetings.
idiom

Take one’s breath away

Meaning
To amaze or impress someone greatly.
Example
Her beauty **takes my breath away**.
phrasal-verb

roll out

Meaning
to launch or introduce a new product or service
Example
The government plans to **roll out** new incentives for exporters.
phrasal-verb

take inspiration from

Meaning
to get creative ideas or motivation from something
Example
Many fashion designers **take inspiration from** nature.
phrasal-verb

get by in

Meaning
to manage to communicate in a language, though not perfectly
Example
She can **get by in** Italian, but she’s not fluent.
phrasal-verb

buy in on

Meaning
to agree to support a plan or idea
Example
Managers **buy in on** the strategy once they see the cost savings.
idiom

carve your own path

Meaning
to create your own way of achieving success or independence
Example
She decided to **carve her own path** instead of joining her family business.
idiom

skeleton in the closet

Meaning
a family secret that one wants to keep hidden
Example
Every family has a **skeleton in the closet** they don't talk about.
phrasal-verb

close in on

Meaning
to get nearer to achieving something
Example
After several meetings, we are finally **closing in on** an agreement.
idiom

rolling in money

Meaning
having a lot of money
Example
After his business took off, he’s been **rolling in money**.
idiom

stand by someone

Meaning
to remain loyal or supportive
Example
True friends **stand by** each other in hard times.
phrasal-verb

swap in healthier sides

Meaning
to replace part of a meal with a healthier option
Example
We **swap in healthier sides** like roasted veggies instead of fries.
phrasal-verb

team around

Meaning
to organize or gather a group of people for a common purpose
Example
We should **team around** this project to deliver the best results.
idiom

in a pickle

Meaning
in a difficult or tricky situation
Example
I'm **in a pickle** because I double-booked my meetings.
phrasal-verb

hold appreciation for

Meaning
to keep a feeling of thankfulness towards someone
Example
I still **hold appreciation for** my teachers who guided me.
idiom

a stepping stone

Meaning
an event or experience that helps one to progress
Example
This internship was **a stepping stone** to my career.
phrasal-verb

reach for higher goals

Meaning
to aim or strive for greater success or achievements
Example
She’s always encouraged her team to **reach for higher goals**.
idiom

break into a market

Meaning
to successfully enter a new market or industry
Example
The company is trying to **break into the Asian market**.
idiom

Plead the fifth

Meaning
To refuse to answer a question, often in legal contexts, to avoid self-incrimination.
Example
When asked about the financial discrepancies, he chose to **plead the fifth**.
idiom

bark up the wrong tree

Meaning
to make a wrong assumption
Example
If you think I took your wallet, you’re **barking up the wrong tree**.
phrasal-verb

break off

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

follow your heart

Meaning
to make a decision based on your feelings
Example
When choosing a career, it’s best to **follow your heart**.