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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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phrasal-verb

step on

Meaning
to press down with your foot; to offend or hurt someone's feelings
Example
Be careful not to **step on** anyone’s toes during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

listen without

Meaning
to listen attentively without interrupting or judging
Example
It helps when someone just **listens without** giving advice.
phrasal-verb

line questions up

Meaning
to prepare queries in an organized list
Example
I **line questions up** before our weekly check-in with leadership.
phrasal-verb

look within for strength

Meaning
to find inner courage and motivation
Example
When times are tough, **look within for strength**.
phrasal-verb

draw from

Meaning
to take or get something from a source
Example
Artists often **draw from** real life experiences.
idiom

off the rails

Meaning
to become uncontrolled or chaotic
Example
After his friend moved away, his life went **off the rails**.
idiom

Running on empty

Meaning
To continue working or functioning when you have no energy left.
Example
After pulling an all-nighter, he’s **running on empty** today.
phrasal-verb

get away to

Meaning
to go somewhere for a short vacation or break
Example
We’re planning to **get away to** the mountains this weekend.
idiom

A Jekyll and Hyde

Meaning
A person with two very different sides to their personality.
Example
He’s like **a Jekyll and Hyde**—nice one moment and cruel the next.
phrasal-verb

fess up

Meaning
to confess or admit something embarrassing or wrong
Example
It’s time to **fess up** and tell the truth about what happened.
phrasal-verb

doze off

Meaning
to fall asleep, especially unintentionally
Example
I often **doze off** while watching TV at night.
phrasal-verb

jump out at

Meaning
to be immediately noticeable or surprising
Example
The bright colors really **jump out at** you.
idiom

Hit the wall

Meaning
to reach a point where one is physically or mentally exhausted and cannot continue
Example
I’ve been working all day, and now I’ve finally **hit the wall**.
phrasal-verb

lean on friends

Meaning
to depend on friends for emotional support
Example
When life gets tough, don’t be afraid to **lean on friends**.
phrasal-verb

be curious about

Meaning
to have a desire to know or learn about something
Example
Children are naturally **curious about** how things work.
idiom

lay the foundation

Meaning
to create the base or starting point for something
Example
They worked hard to **lay the foundation** for future growth.
phrasal-verb

mix in with

Meaning
to participate socially and integrate with others in a group
Example
He tried to **mix in with** the team by joining their weekend activities.
phrasal-verb

hold onto values

Meaning
to keep and protect one’s principles despite pressure
Example
A leader should **hold onto values** even when it's not easy.
idiom

have a lightbulb moment

Meaning
a sudden realization or idea
Example
When I saw the problem from a different angle, I had a **lightbulb moment**.
idiom

a game changer

Meaning
something that completely changes the way things are done
Example
The new technology is a **game changer** for the healthcare industry.
phrasal-verb

pour out feelings

Meaning
to express your emotions freely and openly
Example
She **poured out her feelings** to her therapist.
idiom

a double-edged sword

Meaning
something that has both positive and negative consequences
Example
The internet is **a double-edged sword**; it provides vast information but also exposes us to privacy risks.
idiom

read someone the riot act

Meaning
to warn or scold someone severely for bad behavior
Example
The teacher **read the students the riot act** after the chaos in class.
phrasal-verb

work out of

Meaning
to be based or operate from a specific place
Example
He **works out of** our Singapore office.
idiom

a few bricks short of a load

Meaning
a little stupid or crazy
Example
He tries hard, but he’s **a few bricks short of a load**.
phrasal-verb

lean emotionally on

Meaning
to depend on someone for emotional support
Example
During tough times, she **leaned emotionally on** her best friend.
phrasal-verb

count down

Meaning
to count backward to mark the start of an event
Example
Everyone **counted down** to midnight on New Year’s Eve.
idiom

caught between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
in a difficult situation where any choice you make will have negative consequences
Example
I'm **caught between a rock and a hard place** - both options are terrible.
idiom

sweet talk someone

Meaning
to flatter or charm someone into doing something
Example
He **sweet talked** his way into getting a discount.
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

adapt to

Meaning
to change your behavior to fit a new situation or culture
Example
It takes patience to **adapt to** a completely different lifestyle.
idiom

stretch the truth

Meaning
to exaggerate or make something seem more important than it is
Example
He sometimes **stretches the truth** to impress people.
idiom

Lay down arms

Meaning
to stop fighting and surrender
Example
After the long conflict, both sides decided to **lay down arms** and negotiate.
idiom

seat at the table

Meaning
to have influence or participation in important decision-making
Example
Developing nations are demanding a **seat at the table** in climate talks.
idiom

manna from heaven

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

cope with

Meaning
to manage or deal effectively with something difficult
Example
She found it hard to **cope with** the sudden loss of her job.
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.
idiom

air gap

Meaning
a physical separation between secure and insecure systems
Example
Critical networks are kept **air-gapped** to prevent unauthorized access.
idiom

head out

Meaning
to leave for a destination
Example
Let’s **head out** before the traffic gets heavy.
idiom

a debt of gratitude

Meaning
a feeling of being grateful to someone who has helped you
Example
We owe **a debt of gratitude** to our mentors.
idiom

I’d say

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

dig out

Meaning
to retrieve something that has been stored or buried
Example
Could you **dig out** last year’s budget notes?
phrasal-verb

weigh up

Meaning
to consider the pros and cons before making a decision
Example
The board had to **weigh up** the risks before cutting more jobs.
phrasal-verb

hand around

Meaning
to give something to each person in a group
Example
She **handed around** snacks to all the guests.
idiom

burst with pride

Meaning
to be very proud of someone or something
Example
His parents **burst with pride** when he won the award.
idiom

Give and take

Meaning
Mutual compromise or cooperation.
Example
Good teamwork is all about **give and take**.
phrasal-verb

chime in

Meaning
to join a conversation by adding your opinion or comment
Example
Feel free to **chime in** if you have anything to add.
phrasal-verb

guard against volatility

Meaning
to take action to protect from sudden changes or risks
Example
Investors should **guard against volatility** in global markets.
idiom

ray of hope

Meaning
a small sign that something good might happen
Example
The new treatment offers a **ray of hope** for patients.
phrasal-verb

shut oneself in

Meaning
to isolate oneself from others to avoid stress
Example
He **shut himself in** his office to avoid interruptions.
phrasal-verb

align across

Meaning
to bring strategies or actions in agreement across regions or teams
Example
Global managers **align across** departments to ensure consistent performance.
phrasal-verb

ground yourself

Meaning
to stay connected with reality and remain calm
Example
When stress builds up, I try to **ground myself** by breathing deeply.
idiom

share the load

Meaning
to divide the work or responsibility among people
Example
We should **share the load** so no one gets too tired.
idiom

open one's heart

Meaning
to express feelings or emotions honestly
Example
She finally decided to **open her heart** and share her feelings.
phrasal-verb

turn setbacks into strengths

Meaning
to use failures or difficulties as a source of learning and confidence
Example
She learned to **turn setbacks into strengths** through self-belief.
phrasal-verb

catch up in

Meaning
to become involved in something, often unwillingly
Example
He got **caught up in** a legal issue he didn’t understand.
idiom

light years ahead

Meaning
far more advanced than others
Example
This new smartphone is **light years ahead** of its competitors.
phrasal-verb

move forward with confidence

Meaning
to progress in life without fear or doubt
Example
After learning from mistakes, **move forward with confidence**.
idiom

pull someone’s weight

Meaning
to do one's fair share of work in a group
Example
Everyone in the team **pulls their weight** to succeed.
phrasal-verb

follow through on commitments

Meaning
to complete promises or obligations made to others
Example
The government must **follow through on commitments** made at the summit.
phrasal-verb

reach back out

Meaning
to reply or contact someone again after a while
Example
He finally **reached back out** to his followers after a month.
phrasal-verb

rely upon

Meaning
to trust someone or something to do what is expected or needed
Example
I can always **rely upon** my best friend for honest advice.
idiom

brand awareness

Meaning
the extent to which consumers are familiar with a brand
Example
Our main goal is to increase **brand awareness** through social media.
phrasal-verb

look up for

Meaning
to admire or respect someone
Example
Many people **look up for** those who stand for honesty.
idiom

love at first sight

Meaning
to fall in love immediately after meeting someone for the first time
Example
It was **love at first sight** when they met in college.
idiom

Catwalk queen

Meaning
A woman who is very confident and stylish, like a model
Example
She walked into the room like a **catwalk queen**.
idiom

put on the map

Meaning
to make something or someone famous or well-known
Example
The viral campaign **put the brand on the map**.
idiom

hit the panic button

Meaning
to react too quickly or nervously to a problem
Example
Don’t **hit the panic button** just because the server is down.
idiom

be your own biggest fan

Meaning
to appreciate and believe in yourself
Example
You should **be your own biggest fan** to stay motivated.
idiom

turn your dreams into reality

Meaning
to make your dreams come true through effort
Example
She worked day and night to **turn her dreams into reality**.
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.
phrasal-verb

plough back

Meaning
to reinvest profits into the same business
Example
The firm **ploughed back** its profits into expanding operations.
phrasal-verb

turn up growth

Meaning
to increase or accelerate the rate of growth
Example
The central bank aims to **turn up growth** by reducing interest rates.
idiom

sign off on

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

blow up into violence

Meaning
to suddenly become violent or intense
Example
The argument **blew up into violence** before police arrived.
idiom

the nuts and bolts

Meaning
the basic practical details of something
Example
We discussed **the nuts and bolts** of the new software project.
phrasal-verb

come round

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

Take it one step at a time

Meaning
Deal with tasks gradually instead of rushing.
Example
**Take it one step at a time**, and you’ll succeed.
idiom

I couldn’t agree more

Meaning
To completely agree with someone
Example
That’s exactly what I was thinking — **I couldn’t agree more**.
idiom

anchors aweigh

Meaning
Ready to depart or begin a journey.
Example
With our bags packed, it’s **anchors aweigh** for the road trip!
phrasal-verb

point at

Meaning
to direct attention or a finger toward someone or something
Example
Don’t **point at** people; it’s rude.
idiom

own it

Meaning
to take pride in who you are or what you do
Example
Don’t be shy about your success—**own it**!
phrasal-verb

come down to

Meaning
to be influenced or decided by a particular factor
Example
The decision will **come down to** how much money we have left.
idiom

a breakthrough

Meaning
a significant discovery or achievement in science or research
Example
The team made **a breakthrough** in cancer research.
idiom

have a splitting headache

Meaning
to have a very bad headache
Example
I can’t focus right now; I **have a splitting headache**.
phrasal-verb

lash into

Meaning
to criticize someone angrily
Example
The teacher **lashed into** the students for being noisy.
idiom

find the right balance

Meaning
to achieve a healthy or effective equilibrium between work and personal life
Example
It took me a while, but I finally **found the right balance** between work and family.
phrasal-verb

campaign for

Meaning
to work in an organized way for a political or social goal
Example
They are **campaigning for** better education policies.
idiom

tiger mom

Meaning
a strict mother who pushes her children to achieve high standards
Example
Her friends call her a **tiger mom** because she’s very demanding.
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

change the game

Meaning
to introduce something that significantly alters an industry or field
Example
5G technology will **change the game** for mobile communication.
idiom

bring to the table

Meaning
to contribute something useful or valuable
Example
Each team member **brings something unique to the table**.
idiom

three sheets to the wind

Meaning
Very drunk or intoxicated.
Example
After the party, he was **three sheets to the wind**.
idiom

throw under the bus

Meaning
to blame someone else to save yourself.
Example
He **threw his colleague under the bus** to avoid punishment.
idiom

brain like a sieve

Meaning
having a very bad memory
Example
I keep forgetting things—I’ve got a **brain like a sieve**!
phrasal-verb

back out of an agreement

Meaning
to withdraw from a deal or commitment that was previously made
Example
The country decided to **back out of an agreement** citing national interest.
idiom

to reach for the moon

Meaning
to aim for something that is difficult or seemingly impossible to achieve
Example
He decided to **reach for the moon** and apply for the most competitive university.
phrasal-verb

build upon knowledge

Meaning
to use previously learned information as a foundation for new learning
Example
Students should **build upon knowledge** from earlier lessons to understand complex topics.
phrasal-verb

bottle up

Meaning
to hide or control your emotions instead of expressing them
Example
He tends to **bottle up** his anger instead of talking about it.
idiom

white lie

Meaning
a harmless or small lie told to avoid hurting someone
Example
I told a **white lie** to avoid upsetting her.
phrasal-verb

back down from demands

Meaning
to withdraw from a position or demand in a conflict
Example
The union refused to **back down from demands** for higher wages.
idiom

keep track of

Meaning
to monitor or record information consistently
Example
Use the shared sheet to **keep track of** expenses.
idiom

wait in the wings

Meaning
to be ready to take over or step in when needed
Example
The assistant manager was **waiting in the wings** for a promotion.
idiom

clamp down

Meaning
to take strong action to stop something
Example
The manager decided to **clamp down** on late arrivals.
phrasal-verb

fall back

Meaning
to move backward; to retreat
Example
The soldiers had to **fall back** after losing ground.
idiom

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet

Meaning
Although waiting is hard, it results in good outcomes.
Example
It might be tough, but **patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet**.
phrasal-verb

point inside

Meaning
to indicate something within an area or container
Example
He **pointed inside** the box to show the contents.
phrasal-verb

connect to

Meaning
to feel a sense of belonging with one’s culture or roots
Example
I **connect to** my culture through music and food.
idiom

give someone a hard time

Meaning
to criticize or treat someone harshly
Example
The boss **gave me a hard time** for being late.
phrasal-verb

build on small wins

Meaning
to use minor achievements as motivation for bigger goals
Example
Try to **build on small wins** to gain more confidence.
phrasal-verb

key up

Meaning
to make someone feel nervous or excited
Example
She was **keyed up** before her first performance.
phrasal-verb

let go of stress

Meaning
to release tension and stop worrying
Example
Meditation helps you **let go of stress** and feel at peace.
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

run away with

Meaning
to win easily; to take something without permission
Example
Their team **ran away with** the championship.
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.
idiom

black box

Meaning
a system or process whose workings are not understood or transparent
Example
The neural network is often described as a **black box** because its decision-making process is not fully transparent.
phrasal-verb

speak up for yourself

Meaning
to express your opinions or defend your feelings confidently
Example
You need to **speak up for yourself** if something feels unfair.
idiom

hit the jackpot

Meaning
to achieve great success or win something valuable
Example
He **hit the jackpot** when his startup got acquired for millions.
idiom

Stay in the loop

Meaning
To be informed about something regularly.
Example
Make sure you **stay in the loop** about the latest updates.
idiom

open up

Meaning
to become willing to share thoughts or to start operating
Example
He finally **opened up** about the challenges he’s facing.
idiom

cut through the noise

Meaning
to stand out from the competition; to be noticed despite distractions
Example
Our campaign needs to **cut through the noise** and grab people’s attention.