step up productivity
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phrasal-verb

step up productivity

Meaning
to increase the level of output or performance
Example
The company is taking steps to **step up productivity** across departments.
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dial back on

Meaning
to reduce the intensity or amount of something
Example
We're **dialing back on** late-night emails to protect balance.
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dress up for

Meaning
to wear fancy or formal clothes for an occasion
Example
Everyone **dressed up for** the annual gala dinner.
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thank politely

Meaning
to express gratitude in a respectful way
Example
You should always **thank politely** when someone helps you.
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get stuck in

Meaning
to become unable to move because of traffic or crowding
Example
We **got stuck in** traffic for over an hour.
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glow up

Meaning
to become more confident, attractive, or happy over time
Example
She really **glowed up** after starting her new job.
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snap under pressure

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

Meaning
to attend a meeting or class without participating actively
Example
He was allowed to **sit in on** the meeting as an observer.
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build toward success

Meaning
to gradually develop skills or actions that lead to success
Example
He is **building toward success** by improving his skills daily.
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listen carefully

Meaning
to pay close attention when someone is speaking
Example
Good manners require you to **listen carefully** when others speak.
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value differences

Meaning
to respect and appreciate what makes people unique
Example
We should **value differences** as they make our workplace stronger.
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turn to

Meaning
to approach someone for advice or help
Example
When I need feedback, I usually **turn to** my supervisor.
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mark out

Meaning
to distinguish or define a special cultural space or event
Example
They **marked out** an area in the village square for the cultural exhibition.
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fall behind in

Meaning
to not make as much progress as others in something
Example
If you skip classes, you might **fall behind in** your studies.
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take away

Meaning
to remove something; to make someone learn or remember something
Example
What did you **take away** from the meeting?
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build up to

Meaning
to prepare for something gradually
Example
You should **build up to** running long distances slowly.
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break off talks

Meaning
to stop discussions or negotiations suddenly
Example
The two countries decided to **break off talks** after repeated disagreements.
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stay grounded

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

Meaning
to wait or spend time somewhere without doing much
Example
We **hung about** outside the hall until the doors opened.
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unwind with

Meaning
to relax by doing something enjoyable
Example
I usually **unwind with** some music after dinner.
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take on challenges

Meaning
to accept and deal with difficult tasks confidently
Example
Employees who **take on challenges** tend to grow faster in their careers.
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look on the bright side of things

Meaning
to focus on the positive aspects of a situation
Example
Try to **look on the bright side of things** when things go wrong.
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work jointly with

Meaning
to perform a task together with another party
Example
Our firm will **work jointly with** the local government on the development plan.
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step into new roles

Meaning
to begin taking on new responsibilities or positions during change
Example
After the merger, many employees had to **step into new roles**.
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hit on

Meaning
to show romantic or sexual interest in someone
Example
He tried to **hit on** her at the party, but she ignored him.
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live within

Meaning
to spend only as much money as you earn
Example
It's important to **live within** your means.
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reach out to team members

Meaning
to communicate or offer support to colleagues
Example
Good leaders **reach out to team members** during tough times.
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lay down terms

Meaning
to state the rules or conditions of an agreement
Example
Each country must **lay down terms** before signing the treaty.
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branch upward

Meaning
to move toward higher levels or bigger markets
Example
The business is **branching upward** into more profitable sectors.
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read aloud

Meaning
to read something so that other people can hear it
Example
She **read aloud** the story to the whole class.
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break open

Meaning
to release repressed emotions or feelings
Example
The movie made me **break open** and finally cry.
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sweep up

Meaning
to clean the floor by brushing dirt together
Example
She grabbed the broom to **sweep up** the dirt on the floor.
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set boundaries

Meaning
to establish limits on what you will or will not do, especially in work
Example
It’s healthy to **set boundaries** between work and personal life.
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warm up for

Meaning
to prepare your body or mind before an activity
Example
Players **warm up for** ten minutes before drills.
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let down your guard

Meaning
to stop being defensive and allow yourself to feel or connect
Example
When you **let down your guard**, you allow others to truly know you.
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call for backup

Meaning
to request extra help in a challenging situation
Example
Editors **call for backup** when breaking news floods in overnight.
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build toward

Meaning
to make progress in a way that helps achieve a goal
Example
Every small project helped her **build toward** becoming a team leader.
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dwell upon

Meaning
to think or talk too much about something unpleasant that happened in the past
Example
She tends to **dwell upon** her past mistakes instead of moving on.
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get around to

Meaning
to finally do something after delaying it
Example
I finally **got around to** cleaning my desk.
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lag behind

Meaning
to respond slowly compared to expected speed
Example
The game **lags behind** because my device is old.
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step down from office

Meaning
to resign from an important position
Example
The president agreed to **step down from office** after months of pressure.
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let in

Meaning
to allow someone to know your true thoughts or feelings
Example
She rarely **lets anyone in** because she fears getting hurt.
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acknowledge with

Meaning
to show recognition or appreciation through something
Example
They **acknowledged with** a small gift for all his hard work.
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stay curious

Meaning
to keep being interested and eager to learn
Example
The best learners always **stay curious** about the world.
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draw up a plan

Meaning
to prepare a detailed plan or document
Example
The management team drew up a plan for the next quarter.
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set out plans

Meaning
to explain or describe plans in detail
Example
The finance minister **set out plans** to boost national growth.
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lay out concepts

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

Meaning
to fail to understand each other during a discussion
Example
We kept **talking past** each other instead of solving the issue.
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talk it through

Meaning
to discuss your worries or feelings with someone to find relief
Example
It often helps to **talk it through** with someone who listens without judging.
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rally spirits around goals

Meaning
to encourage people to stay motivated about shared targets
Example
Captains **rally spirits around goals** when fatigue sets in late in the quarter.
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pull at

Meaning
to tug or hold onto something repeatedly
Example
The child kept **pulling at** his mother’s hand.
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shake hands on

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

Meaning
to happen or result from something that was done earlier
Example
This report **follows on from** our last quarter’s findings.
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grow beyond

Meaning
to develop emotionally past a previous limitation or belief
Example
She’s trying to **grow beyond** her old fears and doubts.
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honor with

Meaning
to give respect or recognition to someone for their contribution
Example
The company **honored him with** an award for his years of service.
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point toward

Meaning
to indicate or suggest a future possibility
Example
Recent studies **point toward** a rise in electric mobility.
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branch out creatively

Meaning
to expand one’s work into more creative fields or approaches
Example
Our agency has started to **branch out creatively** with digital storytelling.
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rise up to

Meaning
to face and deal successfully with a challenge or situation
Example
He **rose up to** the challenge and proved his worth.
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plough back

Meaning
to reinvest profits into the same business
Example
The firm **ploughed back** its profits into expanding operations.
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mix with locals

Meaning
to socialize or interact with local people
Example
Students are encouraged to **mix with locals** to practice the language.
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flag wins publicly

Meaning
to acknowledge achievements in front of others
Example
Managers **flag wins publicly** to keep motivation high.
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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.
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cut across

Meaning
to affect multiple areas or groups at once
Example
Climate change **cuts across** every sector of society.
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tune in to

Meaning
to become aware of or responsive to something or someone
Example
Good leaders **tune in to** their team’s needs and emotions.
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wait your turn

Meaning
to be patient and not interrupt others
Example
Children should learn to **wait their turn** while playing.
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get ahead financially

Meaning
to improve your financial situation over time
Example
It takes careful planning to **get ahead financially** in this economy.
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lighten up on

Meaning
to become less strict or critical toward someone
Example
Could you **lighten up on** your little brother? He's trying his best.
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run out of

Meaning
to finish or exhaust a supply of something
Example
We might **run out of** clean water if we don’t conserve it.
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work out regularly

Meaning
to exercise frequently to stay fit and healthy
Example
She **works out regularly** to keep her body strong and mind fresh.
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set yourself apart

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

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something you use or do
Example
We've **scaled back on** paper prints to cut waste.
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beam with

Meaning
to smile widely because of happiness or pride
Example
He **beamed with** pride when his daughter won the competition.
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drop out of the race

Meaning
to quit or withdraw from a competition or activity
Example
The cyclist **dropped out of the race** due to an injury.
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sort things out with

Meaning
to resolve an issue directly with someone
Example
I need to **sort things out with** Jenna before the meeting.
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carry around

Meaning
to have something with you all the time
Example
He always **carries around** a notebook to jot down ideas.
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throw to

Meaning
to pass something to someone by throwing; to hand over responsibility
Example
The host **threw to** the reporter at the scene.
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sleep over

Meaning
to sleep at someone else's house for a night
Example
My friend invited me to **sleep over** at his place.
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bottle out of

Meaning
to lose courage and avoid doing something because of fear
Example
He was going to confess his feelings but **bottled out of** it at the last moment.
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go all in

Meaning
to put all your effort, energy, or enthusiasm into something
Example
He **went all in** to make the event successful.
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take against

Meaning
to begin to dislike someone or something without clear reason
Example
She suddenly **took against** her new neighbor.
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pay back

Meaning
to return money that you borrowed
Example
I will **pay back** the money I borrowed from you next week.
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rinse off after

Meaning
to quickly wash yourself following an activity
Example
I always **rinse off after** my evening workout.
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cut off pollution

Meaning
to stop or reduce pollution sources
Example
Factories must **cut off pollution** to meet environmental standards.
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reach deep

Meaning
to dig into one’s emotions or empathy to connect with others
Example
He had to **reach deep** to find the compassion to forgive.
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keep in

Meaning
to not allow someone to go out; to hold inside
Example
The teacher **kept in** the students after class for talking too much.
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load up on veggies

Meaning
to eat a lot of vegetables
Example
I **load up on veggies** at lunch so dinner can stay light.
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head toward victory

Meaning
to move or progress in the direction of winning or success
Example
Our team is **heading toward victory** after months of training.
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talk it over

Meaning
to discuss something to solve a problem or misunderstanding
Example
Let’s **talk it over** and clear things up.
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step toward progress

Meaning
to make progress or advance toward improvement
Example
Each reform is a **step toward progress** in global development.
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catch up on

Meaning
to do something that one has missed or delayed doing before a deadline
Example
I stayed late to **catch up on** my unfinished reports.
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appeal to

Meaning
to ask someone earnestly or formally for help
Example
The charity **appealed to** the public for donations.
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relish in

Meaning
to take great pleasure or delight in something
Example
He **relishes in** the success he worked so hard for.
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send back

Meaning
to return a purchased item for a refund or replacement
Example
I had to **send back** the shirt because it didn’t fit.
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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.
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keep ahead of

Meaning
to stay in front or make progress faster than others
Example
We need to **keep ahead of** the schedule to avoid stress later.
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chime with

Meaning
to agree or align with someone’s opinion in a group call
Example
Her suggestion really **chimed with** what the team was thinking.
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find over to

Meaning
to move or transfer attention or focus to something new
Example
She quickly **found over to** another topic when things got awkward.
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call up

Meaning
to phone someone
Example
I’ll **call up** my friend to invite him to dinner.
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branch out internationally

Meaning
to expand your business activities into new countries
Example
Many local firms are trying to **branch out internationally** to increase their profits.
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crash down

Meaning
to suddenly stop working or fail completely
Example
The software **crashed down** in the middle of my presentation.
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come up for

Meaning
to be scheduled for discussion or decision; to be considered
Example
The new proposal will **come up for** review next week.
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get out of

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

Meaning
to be careful; to pay attention to avoid danger
Example
You should **look out** when crossing the street.
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get away from

Meaning
to avoid unethical practices or situations
Example
We need to **get away from** these unfair business tactics.
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listen with respect

Meaning
to pay attention and value other people’s perspectives during communication
Example
To understand others, we must **listen with respect** to their stories.
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be in two minds about

Meaning
to be uncertain or indecisive about something
Example
I’m **in two minds about** going to the party tonight.
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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.
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take notes on

Meaning
to write down important information while studying
Example
You should **take notes on** every lecture.
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spark off

Meaning
to cause someone to feel excited or emotional
Example
The movie trailer **sparked off** huge excitement among fans.
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reach agreement

Meaning
to successfully come to a shared decision or understanding
Example
The diplomats finally **reached agreement** after long discussions.
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laugh with

Meaning
to share laughter and happiness with someone
Example
We **laughed with** our colleagues after the meeting.
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band together for

Meaning
to unite with others for a common purpose or cause
Example
The volunteers **banded together for** the flood relief effort.
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coach daily standups

Meaning
to guide short daily check-in meetings
Example
Leads **coach daily standups** so updates stay crisp and helpful.
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turn away from

Meaning
to stop doing or being involved in something
Example
He decided to **turn away from** politics.
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let stress fade out

Meaning
to gradually allow stress to disappear or lessen
Example
After meditation, I could feel my worries **fade out** slowly.
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stand over against

Meaning
to contrast or compare one thing with another
Example
This idea **stands over against** the traditional belief.
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cherish forever

Meaning
to hold memories or kindness in your heart with gratitude
Example
I’ll **cherish forever** the help you gave me during tough times.
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make after

Meaning
to chase or pursue someone
Example
The police **made after** the suspect immediately.
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break through to

Meaning
to make someone understand your emotions or point of view
Example
It took hours to finally **break through to** him and make him understand how I felt.
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get along across

Meaning
to have a friendly relationship across different backgrounds
Example
He can easily **get along across** cultures because he is open-minded.