stir up
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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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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 for

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

same old story

Meaning
something boringly repetitive
Example
It's the **same old story** every time we meet.
phrasal-verb

stay consistent

Meaning
to maintain steady effort and habits toward success
Example
If you **stay consistent**, your hard work will pay off.
idiom

Speaking personally

Meaning
Expressing one’s personal view or opinion
Example
Speaking personally, I wouldn’t take that risk.
phrasal-verb

shift over to

Meaning
to move from one system, process, or mindset to another
Example
They decided to **shift over to** digital platforms for better flexibility.
phrasal-verb

stick with good habits

Meaning
to continue following positive routines or behaviors
Example
It’s important to **stick with good habits** even when you’re busy.
idiom

set your sights on

Meaning
to decide to achieve something; to aim for a specific goal
Example
She has **set her sights on** becoming a doctor.
phrasal-verb

speak up for

Meaning
to defend or support yourself or someone else confidently
Example
You need to **speak up for** yourself when you know you’re right.
idiom

sign up for

Meaning
to enroll in or agree to participate in something
Example
I’m going to **sign up for** the evening yoga class.
idiom

Speak the truth

Meaning
To tell the truth without lying.
Example
She decided to **speak the truth** no matter what the consequences were.
idiom

stick to your guns

Meaning
to remain firm in your beliefs or decisions even under pressure
Example
He **stuck to his guns** even when others doubted him.
idiom

steal the show

Meaning
to be the most outstanding performer
Example
Her performance **stole the show** last night.
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

stay away from

Meaning
to avoid something or someone for a good reason
Example
I told him to **stay away from** negative people.
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.
idiom

sleep on it

Meaning
to delay making a decision until the next day
Example
This is an important decision, why don't you **sleep on it**?
phrasal-verb

switch off mentally

Meaning
to stop thinking about work or problems for a while
Example
On weekends, I try to **switch off mentally** and enjoy time with my family.
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

stand by

Meaning
to support or remain loyal to someone, especially in difficult times
Example
She always **stands by** her brother no matter what happens.
phrasal-verb

step up exports

Meaning
to increase the amount of goods sold abroad
Example
The country aims to **step up exports** to reduce the trade deficit.
phrasal-verb

sell off

Meaning
to sell assets or shares quickly, often at a low price
Example
Investors began to **sell off** their shares during the market downturn.
phrasal-verb

sort out finances

Meaning
to organize and fix your financial situation
Example
He needs to **sort out his finances** before applying for a loan.
idiom

see the bigger picture

Meaning
to understand the full scope of a situation or problem
Example
To make an informed decision, you need to **see the bigger picture**.
idiom

snowed under

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

set out to

Meaning
to begin working with the intention of achieving something
Example
She **set out to** improve her public speaking skills this year.
phrasal-verb

set out for

Meaning
to begin a journey or an endeavor with a goal in mind
Example
She **set out for** success with a clear vision and determination.
phrasal-verb

serve up

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

shape up

Meaning
to improve physical condition; to get fit
Example
He’s been going to the gym regularly to **shape up** before summer.
idiom

see the light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
to begin to see signs of improvement after a long period of difficulty
Example
After months of effort, we can finally **see the light at the end of the tunnel**.
phrasal-verb

switch between

Meaning
to alternate between different tasks or modes of work and rest
Example
I try to **switch between** intense work and short breaks to stay efficient.
idiom

set in stone

Meaning
fixed and not likely to change
Example
Our schedule isn’t **set in stone** yet.
phrasal-verb

sink in

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

shoulder the burden

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult or unpleasant
Example
She had to **shoulder the burden** of caring for her family.
phrasal-verb

save on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of money you spend on something
Example
You can **save on** electricity by turning off lights.
phrasal-verb

side with

Meaning
to support one person or group in an argument or conflict
Example
She always **sides with** her best friend in arguments.
idiom

sworn enemy

Meaning
someone who will never be your friend
Example
They used to be close but now are **sworn enemies**.
idiom

strike a chord

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

step outside

Meaning
to move beyond one’s comfort zone or familiar environment
Example
You grow as a person when you **step outside** your cultural comfort zone.
phrasal-verb

scale up production

Meaning
to increase production capacity significantly
Example
Factories are trying to **scale up production** to meet the growing global demand.
phrasal-verb

set out plans

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

step up

Meaning
to take responsibility or action when needed
Example
When the manager was away, she **stepped up** to lead the team.
idiom

soft spot for someone

Meaning
to feel affection or kindness towards someone
Example
He has a **soft spot for** stray animals.
idiom

sandboxing

Meaning
A security mechanism used to run applications in an isolated environment to prevent potential damage to the system.
Example
By using **sandboxing**, the malware was contained and couldn't affect the rest of the system.
idiom

scare someone half to death

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

space out on

Meaning
to lose focus while doing or listening to something
Example
I **space out on** long webinars if I don't take notes.
idiom

sign off on

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

stroke of genius

Meaning
a brilliant and creative idea or action
Example
That marketing campaign was a **stroke of genius**.
idiom

spread the word

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

stay put

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

speak up

Meaning
to express an opinion openly and clearly
Example
If you disagree, please **speak up** during the meeting.
phrasal-verb

snap out

Meaning
to suddenly stop being sad or depressed
Example
He needs to **snap out** of that bad mood.
phrasal-verb

speak well of

Meaning
to praise someone or talk positively about them
Example
Everyone **speaks well of** the teacher who inspired them.
phrasal-verb

speak fondly of

Meaning
to talk warmly or affectionately about someone
Example
She always **speaks fondly of** her first teacher.
phrasal-verb

scale out

Meaning
to expand or grow the size or capacity of something
Example
The company plans to **scale out** its operations to new markets.
idiom

second childhood

Meaning
the time in old age when a person starts behaving like a child again
Example
After retirement, he entered his **second childhood**.
idiom

sing from the same hymn sheet

Meaning
to express the same opinion as others, especially publicly
Example
All the managers are **singing from the same hymn sheet** on this issue.
idiom

silver surfer

Meaning
an older person who uses the internet regularly
Example
My grandmother is a **silver surfer** who loves social media.
idiom

see off

Meaning
to go with someone to say goodbye when they leave
Example
We’ll **see off** the guests at the station.
phrasal-verb

stock up on

Meaning
to buy or collect a large amount of food for future use
Example
We **stocked up on** vegetables for the week.
idiom

sift out

Meaning
to remove unwanted parts from a mix
Example
We need to **sift out** duplicate entries in the list.
idiom

sorry sight

Meaning
something or someone that looks pitiful or regrettable
Example
After the storm, the park was a **sorry sight**.
phrasal-verb

spark off

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

spread over

Meaning
to distribute across a certain time or area
Example
The costs will be **spread over** the next three months.
phrasal-verb

sync expectations up

Meaning
to make sure everyone understands the same plan
Example
Let's **sync expectations up** before we send the proposal.
idiom

stick around

Meaning
to stay in a place for a short time longer
Example
Can you **stick around** for the Q&A session?
idiom

short circuit

Meaning
to cause a sudden failure; to interrupt a process abruptly
Example
A small mistake **short-circuited** the entire project.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
phrasal-verb

sit down to

Meaning
to gather together to share a meal or celebration
Example
Every Friday, our family **sits down to** dinner together.
phrasal-verb

stand firm for

Meaning
to remain supportive and steady for someone or something you believe in
Example
She **stood firm for** her friend even when others doubted him.
idiom

sweat blood

Meaning
to make an enormous effort
Example
He **sweat blood** to get that promotion.
idiom

stressed out

Meaning
feeling very worried or tense because of problems
Example
I'm completely **stressed out** about my exams.
idiom

scene of the crime

Meaning
the place where something important happened
Example
We returned to the **scene of the crime** to find the truth.
phrasal-verb

stand out

Meaning
to be very noticeable; to be better than others
Example
Her bright dress really **stood out** at the party.
phrasal-verb

step onto

Meaning
to move onto a surface by walking or climbing
Example
He **stepped onto** the stage confidently to deliver his speech.
phrasal-verb

step outside comfort zones

Meaning
to try tasks that feel challenging so you can grow
Example
We **step outside comfort zones** by volunteering for bold projects.
phrasal-verb

shut yourself off

Meaning
to isolate yourself emotionally or socially due to stress
Example
She tends to **shut herself off** from everyone when she’s anxious.
phrasal-verb

storm out

Meaning
to leave a place angrily, like a storm
Example
He **stormed out** of the room when we mentioned the weather again.
phrasal-verb

set out new goals

Meaning
to define or start pursuing new objectives
Example
The innovation team **set out new goals** for sustainable business models.
phrasal-verb

spin out

Meaning
to lose control and start spinning around
Example
The car **spun out** on the wet highway.
phrasal-verb

step forward with

Meaning
to take initiative in offering help or leadership
Example
Several countries **stepped forward with** humanitarian aid.
phrasal-verb

set toward

Meaning
to start making progress toward something
Example
After graduation, she **set toward** her goal of becoming a lawyer.
idiom

see the glass half full

Meaning
see the positive side of something
Example
Try to **see the glass half full** instead of half empty.
idiom

Stay on track

Meaning
To continue doing the right thing to reach your goal.
Example
We need to **stay on track** to meet our deadline.
idiom

street smart

Meaning
having practical intelligence and experience, not just book knowledge
Example
He may not have a degree, but he’s very **street smart**.
idiom

spin-off

Meaning
a product or show that results from another existing one
Example
The successful TV show led to a **spin-off** featuring the same characters.
idiom

spread kindness like wildfire

Meaning
to spread kindness rapidly and uncontrollably
Example
Her acts of kindness **spread like wildfire** in the community.
idiom

split second

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

speak with

Meaning
to have a conversation with someone
Example
I need to **speak with** you about tomorrow’s presentation.
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

set reminders for

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

spread your wings

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

stand up for peace

Meaning
to defend or support the idea of peace in conflicts
Example
She always **stands up for peace** during political debates.
phrasal-verb

speak from experience

Meaning
to politely justify your opinion based on personal experience
Example
I **speak from experience** when I say this method really works.
idiom

spin doctor

Meaning
a person who gives a favorable interpretation of events to the media
Example
The politician hired a **spin doctor** to handle the press.
phrasal-verb

sink into

Meaning
to gradually become deeply involved in a negative emotion
Example
She **sank into** depression after losing her job.
phrasal-verb

show love to

Meaning
to demonstrate affection or gratitude toward someone
Example
He **shows love to** his mentors for guiding him through tough times.
phrasal-verb

slip out

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

set deadlines

Meaning
to establish specific time limits for tasks
Example
The manager **set deadlines** for each phase of the project.
phrasal-verb

stand out from

Meaning
to be noticeably different or better than others
Example
Her confidence makes her **stand out from** the rest of the team.
idiom

split-second decision

Meaning
a decision made very quickly without much thought
Example
The pilot had to make a **split-second decision** to avoid the crash.
phrasal-verb

show thanks for

Meaning
to display appreciation through words or actions
Example
She baked cookies to **show thanks for** her neighbor’s kindness.
phrasal-verb

sign into

Meaning
to access an online account using credentials
Example
You need to **sign into** your account to post a comment.
idiom

space out

Meaning
to stop paying attention
Example
He tends to **space out** during long meetings.
idiom

save time

Meaning
to reduce the time needed for something
Example
Using shortcuts can **save time** when typing.
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.
phrasal-verb

set off protests

Meaning
to cause protests or demonstrations to begin
Example
The new law **set off protests** across the country.
idiom

security blanket

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

set your mind on

Meaning
to decide to achieve something and focus on it
Example
Once she **set her mind on** becoming a doctor, nothing could stop her.
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

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

stand back

Meaning
to move away from something; to distance yourself from involvement
Example
Please **stand back** from the edge of the platform.
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

spread out investment

Meaning
to diversify investments to reduce risk
Example
It's wise to **spread out investment** across different sectors.
phrasal-verb

sign in

Meaning
to enter your username and password to access an account
Example
You must **sign in** before commenting on this post.
phrasal-verb

step into power

Meaning
to assume an official leadership role
Example
A new coalition **steps into power** after the election.
phrasal-verb

sort things out with

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

see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
They finally **saw eye to eye** on the business deal.
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.
phrasal-verb

set up for

Meaning
to prepare or arrange something for an event
Example
They started to **set up for** the cultural fair early in the morning.
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.