sync expectations up
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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

Fall seven times, stand up eight

Meaning
Keep trying even after multiple failures.
Example
Life is tough, but remember to **fall seven times, stand up eight**.
phrasal-verb

adjust within

Meaning
to make internal changes to adapt to new conditions
Example
The team had to **adjust within** the department to meet new expectations.
phrasal-verb

rise above pressure

Meaning
to stay calm and focused in stressful situations
Example
He managed to **rise above pressure** during the busy quarter.
phrasal-verb

key up

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

under someone's thumb

Meaning
completely under someone's control
Example
He's **under his boss's thumb** and can't make his own decisions.
idiom

trade blows

Meaning
to argue or fight with someone
Example
The two rival companies have been **trading blows** over market share for years.
idiom

As old as the hills

Meaning
Very old or ancient
Example
That legend is **as old as the hills**.
idiom

cutting edge

Meaning
the most advanced or innovative
Example
Our company is working on **cutting edge** AI technology.
idiom

catch someone red-handed

Meaning
to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The police **caught him red-handed** as he was stealing from the store.
phrasal-verb

hold back tears

Meaning
to stop yourself from crying
Example
He tried to **hold back tears** during the speech.
phrasal-verb

draw strength from

Meaning
to get courage or motivation from something or someone
Example
She **draws strength from** her past struggles.
phrasal-verb

close down

Meaning
to stop operating a business or company
Example
Due to losses, the branch had to **close down**.
idiom

phishing

Meaning
A method of trying to gather personal information using deceptive emails, websites, or other communications.
Example
He received an email that looked legitimate, but it was actually a **phishing** attempt.
idiom

Roll up your sleeves

Meaning
To prepare to work hard.
Example
Let’s **roll up our sleeves** and get started.
idiom

extend an olive branch

Meaning
to offer peace or reconciliation
Example
After years of conflict, the president decided to **extend an olive branch**.
idiom

a quick learner

Meaning
someone who learns things fast
Example
She’s a **quick learner** and easily understands new topics.
phrasal-verb

see about

Meaning
to deal with something; to arrange for something
Example
I’ll **see about** getting us some tickets for the concert.
idiom

run out of bandwidth

Meaning
to have no time or energy left; to be overwhelmed
Example
Sorry, I can’t take another task — I’ve **run out of bandwidth**.
phrasal-verb

warm down

Meaning
to perform gentle exercises after intense physical activity
Example
The coach told the players to **warm down** after the match.
idiom

to have hope in one's heart

Meaning
to remain hopeful and optimistic about the future
Example
Despite all the challenges, he always **has hope in his heart**.
idiom

at your breaking point

Meaning
to be very close to losing control due to stress
Example
After months of overwork, she was **at her breaking point**.
phrasal-verb

pencil in

Meaning
to arrange something temporarily
Example
Can we **pencil in** the meeting for Friday morning?
phrasal-verb

bring optimism into life

Meaning
to include hopeful and positive thinking in your lifestyle
Example
Try to **bring optimism into life** through daily habits.
idiom

under someone's nose

Meaning
in an obvious place or situation where someone should have noticed
Example
The keys were **under my nose** the whole time on the kitchen table.
idiom

loose cannon

Meaning
an unpredictable person who may cause problems
Example
He’s a **loose cannon** who often says things without thinking.
phrasal-verb

go out

Meaning
to leave home; to go outside for leisure or work
Example
We **went out** for dinner last night.
phrasal-verb

push boundaries

Meaning
to go beyond limits or expectations
Example
Innovators constantly **push boundaries** to discover new possibilities.
idiom

cliffhanger

Meaning
an ending that leaves the audience in suspense
Example
The episode ended on a **cliffhanger**, so we can’t wait for the next one.
phrasal-verb

take in

Meaning
to provide shelter or care to someone; to allow someone to stay in your home
Example
After the storm, they decided to **take in** their neighbors who lost their house.
phrasal-verb

scale ideas globally

Meaning
to grow a concept so it works in many countries
Example
Innovators **scale ideas globally** once prototypes prove reliable.
idiom

fair-weather friend

Meaning
a person who is only your friend when things are good
Example
A **fair-weather friend** will leave you when things get tough.
phrasal-verb

reflect upon failures

Meaning
to think deeply about one’s failures to gain insight
Example
She often **reflects upon failures** to improve her approach.
phrasal-verb

reach out for

Meaning
to try to achieve or obtain something with effort
Example
You should always **reach out for** your dreams with confidence.
phrasal-verb

look out

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

ace the test

Meaning
to perform extremely well on an exam or task
Example
She **aced the test** and got the highest score.
idiom

go above and beyond

Meaning
to do more than what is required
Example
She **went above and beyond** to complete the project ahead of schedule.
idiom

get the jitters

Meaning
to feel extremely nervous or anxious
Example
I always **get the jitters** before a big meeting.
idiom

speak your mind

Meaning
to say exactly what you think
Example
Don't be afraid to **speak your mind**.
idiom

under pressure

Meaning
to be in a stressful situation with a lot of demands
Example
She performs well even when she’s **under pressure**.
phrasal-verb

let feelings pass

Meaning
to allow emotions to come and go without fighting them
Example
Instead of holding on to anger, I try to **let feelings pass** naturally.
idiom

come to light

Meaning
to become known or revealed
Example
The truth finally **came to light** after many years.
idiom

give out

Meaning
to distribute something
Example
We’ll **give out** the schedules at the door.
phrasal-verb

grow accustomed to

Meaning
to gradually become familiar or comfortable with something
Example
He slowly **grew accustomed to** the cultural differences at work.
phrasal-verb

take over responsibilities

Meaning
to start having control or responsibility for something
Example
After the manager resigned, she **took over responsibilities** temporarily.
idiom

the sky's the limit

Meaning
there is no limit to what you can achieve
Example
With talent and hard work, **the sky’s the limit** for you.
idiom

live and learn

Meaning
to accept a mistake as a lesson for the future
Example
I lost my wallet again — well, **live and learn**.
idiom

leave your mark

Meaning
to have a lasting impact or influence on something
Example
Her dedication to the cause will surely **leave her mark** in the history books.
idiom

cry wolf

Meaning
to raise a false alarm
Example
Do not **cry wolf** or no one will believe you later.
phrasal-verb

rise through

Meaning
to progress or succeed in something through effort and determination
Example
She managed to **rise through** hard work and self-belief.
idiom

in so many words

Meaning
to say something clearly and directly
Example
He didn’t say it **in so many words**, but I knew what he meant.
idiom

nitpick

Meaning
to find small, unimportant faults in something
Example
Stop **nitpicking** every little mistake I make!
idiom

above board

Meaning
honest and legal; without deceit
Example
Their business deal was completely **above board**.
idiom

to put one's finger on

Meaning
to identify or recognize something with precision
Example
The journalist was able to **put her finger on** the exact cause of the political unrest.
phrasal-verb

set against

Meaning
to compare one thing with another; to make someone oppose something
Example
Her parents are **set against** her studying abroad.
idiom

to feel like a million bucks

Meaning
to feel very good or confident
Example
After the spa treatment, I **felt like a million bucks**.
phrasal-verb

sit in for

Meaning
to substitute for someone temporarily
Example
The assistant will **sit in for** the teacher today.
idiom

break into

Meaning
to enter a new field or profession successfully
Example
She managed to **break into** the film industry last year.
idiom

come crashing down

Meaning
to suddenly fail or collapse
Example
Their plans **came crashing down** after the crisis.
idiom

point the finger

Meaning
to accuse or blame someone
Example
Don’t **point the finger** until you have all the facts.
phrasal-verb

adhere to

Meaning
to follow or obey a rule, law, or belief strictly
Example
All organizations must **adhere to** government policies.
idiom

wild goose chase

Meaning
a useless or hopeless pursuit
Example
Looking for that document was a **wild goose chase**.
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.
idiom

draw in

Meaning
to attract someone’s interest
Example
The bold headline **drew in** readers right away.
phrasal-verb

break down emotionally

Meaning
to lose control over your emotions and start crying
Example
She **broke down emotionally** after hearing the bad news.
idiom

know someone inside out

Meaning
to know someone very well
Example
I **know her inside out**; we’ve been friends for years.
phrasal-verb

turn up the music

Meaning
to increase the volume of music
Example
They **turned up the music** when everyone started dancing.
phrasal-verb

stand in

Meaning
to replace an actor temporarily in a scene
Example
A stunt double **stood in** for the actor during the dangerous scene.
phrasal-verb

sleep off

Meaning
to sleep in order to recover from something like fatigue or hangover
Example
He’s trying to **sleep off** the tiredness from last night’s work.
idiom

a fish out of water

Meaning
feeling uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation
Example
She felt like **a fish out of water** at the new school.
idiom

as wise as an owl

Meaning
very wise or knowledgeable
Example
My grandfather is **as wise as an owl**.
phrasal-verb

carry yourself with

Meaning
to present yourself in a confident and dignified way
Example
He always **carries himself with** confidence and calmness.
phrasal-verb

be crazy about

Meaning
to love something or someone very much
Example
She’s **crazy about** Korean dramas.
idiom

key into

Meaning
to pay close attention to or understand something important
Example
Leaders must **key into** what customers value most.
idiom

rise through the ranks

Meaning
to gradually move up to higher positions in an organization
Example
He **rose through the ranks** to become the CEO.
phrasal-verb

deal with customs

Meaning
to handle procedures for importing or exporting goods
Example
Exporters must **deal with customs** regulations carefully.
phrasal-verb

talk it out

Meaning
to discuss problems to relieve stress
Example
If you’re feeling tense, it helps to **talk it out** with a friend.
phrasal-verb

book up

Meaning
to reserve all available places or tickets
Example
All the hotels were **booked up** weeks before the holiday.
phrasal-verb

look up to mentors

Meaning
to admire and respect experienced people
Example
Young managers often look up to their senior mentors for advice.
idiom

the next big thing

Meaning
something that will become extremely popular or successful soon
Example
Everyone thinks blockchain is **the next big thing**.
idiom

to pick someone's brain

Meaning
to ask someone questions in order to get information or advice
Example
I need to **pick your brain** about your experience with this software.
phrasal-verb

break down over

Meaning
to become very emotional because of regret or sadness
Example
He **broke down over** losing his best friend.
phrasal-verb

use sparingly

Meaning
to use something in small or limited amounts
Example
Please **use** the office supplies **sparingly** until the next order arrives.
phrasal-verb

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.
phrasal-verb

branch upward

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

speaking for myself

Meaning
stating one’s personal opinion only, not others’
Example
**Speaking for myself**, I think we should wait.
phrasal-verb

talk back

Meaning
to reply rudely; to argue with authority
Example
Don’t **talk back** to your teacher like that!
phrasal-verb

shrink back

Meaning
to move away from something because of fear
Example
The child **shrank back** when the dog barked loudly.
idiom

add color to

Meaning
to make something more interesting or lively
Example
The teacher’s stories **added color to** the history lesson.
idiom

Go exploring

Meaning
To travel or look around to discover new things.
Example
Let's **go exploring** around the city this weekend.
phrasal-verb

shift toward

Meaning
to change focus, attitude, or direction toward something new
Example
There has been a global **shift toward** sustainable lifestyles.
idiom

a light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
a sign that a situation will improve soon; hope in a difficult situation
Example
After months of hard work, she finally saw **a light at the end of the tunnel**.
idiom

upgrade your thinking

Meaning
to improve your thought process or mindset
Example
To adapt to AI trends, you must **upgrade your thinking**.
phrasal-verb

get by on

Meaning
to manage to live with a certain amount of money
Example
Many families **get by on** a small income in rural areas.
phrasal-verb

laugh with

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

barefaced lie

Meaning
a bold and shameless lie
Example
His excuse was a **barefaced lie**.
idiom

hold yourself accountable

Meaning
to take personal responsibility for your actions
Example
You must always **hold yourself accountable** for your actions.
phrasal-verb

grow past pain

Meaning
to develop emotionally by overcoming past suffering
Example
It’s never easy to **grow past pain**, but it’s worth it.
idiom

bursting with joy

Meaning
full of happiness and excitement
Example
The children were **bursting with joy** on Christmas morning.
phrasal-verb

go ahead with

Meaning
to start or continue doing something planned
Example
The teacher told us to **go ahead with** the project.
idiom

to backfire

Meaning
to have the opposite result of what was intended
Example
His plan **backfired** and made things worse.
phrasal-verb

stay with

Meaning
to continue supporting or believing in something or someone
Example
The employees decided to **stay with** the company during tough times.
phrasal-verb

pick up signal

Meaning
to detect or receive a wireless signal
Example
My phone couldn’t **pick up signal** in the basement.
phrasal-verb

go over again

Meaning
to review or repeat material for better understanding
Example
Let’s **go over again** the main points before the quiz.
phrasal-verb

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**.
phrasal-verb

lift trade barriers

Meaning
to remove restrictions on international trade
Example
Nations agreed to **lift trade barriers** to encourage investment.
phrasal-verb

keep faith with

Meaning
to stay loyal to someone or something
Example
Grassroots leaders **keep faith with** their communities.
idiom

Cross one’s mind

Meaning
To suddenly think of something.
Example
It never **crossed my mind** that he could be lying.
phrasal-verb

work out to

Meaning
to calculate or come to a certain amount
Example
The total cost **works out to** about $200.
phrasal-verb

pour into

Meaning
to invest large amounts of money into something
Example
Investors are **pouring into** renewable energy projects.
phrasal-verb

shoot up

Meaning
to rise suddenly and quickly
Example
Gold prices **shot up** after the geopolitical tensions increased.
idiom

table the discussion

Meaning
to postpone discussing something until later
Example
They decided to **table the discussion** until next week.
phrasal-verb

freeze up

Meaning
to become frozen or stop working due to cold
Example
The pipes might **freeze up** if the temperature drops too low.
idiom

join up with

Meaning
to become part of a group or team
Example
She’ll **join up with** the outreach crew tomorrow.
idiom

draw on

Meaning
to use something as a resource
Example
We’ll **draw on** last year’s data for the report.
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.
phrasal-verb

tighten up on

Meaning
to become stricter with spending or policy
Example
The central bank decided to **tighten up on** lending to reduce inflation.
idiom

take with a grain of salt

Meaning
to view something with skepticism or not completely believe it
Example
He's known for exaggerating, so **take his stories with a grain of salt**.
idiom

strike a chord

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

cut over

Meaning
to switch from an old system to a new one
Example
We plan to **cut over** to the new cloud platform this weekend.
idiom

give someone a hand

Meaning
to help someone with a task
Example
Could you **give me a hand** with dinner?