take initiative
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phrasal-verb

take initiative

Meaning
to be the first to take action or make a decision
Example
Employees who **take initiative** often grow faster in their careers.
phrasal-verb

tune in to others

Meaning
to pay attention to and understand others’ emotions
Example
Emotionally intelligent people **tune in to others** naturally.
idiom

weigh in

Meaning
to give an opinion in a discussion
Example
Experts will **weigh in** on the proposal tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

deal in

Meaning
to buy and sell a particular product or type of goods
Example
He **deals in** antique furniture.
idiom

minimum viable product

Meaning
the simplest version of a product that can be released to test an idea
Example
The team launched an **MVP (minimum viable product)** to gather user feedback.
phrasal-verb

let go of resentment

Meaning
to release negative feelings toward someone
Example
He decided to **let go of resentment** and move on with his life.
idiom

bolt from the blue

Meaning
a sudden and unexpected event
Example
The project cancellation came as a **bolt from the blue**.
phrasal-verb

point behind

Meaning
to indicate something located at the back
Example
He **pointed behind** to show the exit door.
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.
phrasal-verb

draw up a contract

Meaning
to prepare an official agreement in writing
Example
The lawyers will **draw up a contract** before the deal is signed.
phrasal-verb

build up strength

Meaning
to increase physical power through exercise
Example
She started lifting weights to **build up strength**.
phrasal-verb

take on too much

Meaning
to accept more work or responsibility than one can handle
Example
You’re stressing yourself out because you **take on too much** work.
idiom

Hot off the press

Meaning
Newly printed; very recent news
Example
The report was **hot off the press**, released just minutes ago.
idiom

draw inspiration from

Meaning
to be motivated or influenced by something
Example
He **drew inspiration from** nature for his latest painting.
idiom

glance over

Meaning
to read something quickly
Example
Can you **glance over** the memo before we send it?
idiom

Tell the truth

Meaning
To say what is true instead of lying.
Example
Please **tell the truth**, even if it hurts.
idiom

stage fright

Meaning
nervousness before performing in front of an audience
Example
Even experienced actors sometimes get **stage fright**.
idiom

act on

Meaning
to respond to information with action
Example
We need to **act on** the survey results immediately.
phrasal-verb

loosen out

Meaning
to relax muscles or body after strain
Example
Stretching helps you **loosen out** your body.
idiom

walk on air

Meaning
to feel very happy
Example
She was **walking on air** after hearing his message.
idiom

answer the call

Meaning
to respond to a responsibility or opportunity
Example
He was ready to **answer the call** and take charge of the project.
idiom

set down

Meaning
to place something or write something down
Example
**Set down** your ideas so we can review them.
idiom

at the back of one's mind

Meaning
something that one is not actively thinking about but is still aware of
Example
The fear of failure was always **at the back of his mind**.
idiom

My two cents

Meaning
My personal opinion or suggestion
Example
That’s just my two cents, but I think we should wait.
phrasal-verb

step up efforts

Meaning
to increase the level of effort or activity
Example
The ministry has **stepped up efforts** to create more jobs.
phrasal-verb

pull together for

Meaning
to work jointly to achieve something
Example
Nations must **pull together for** a stable global economy.
phrasal-verb

peer into

Meaning
to look closely or carefully at something difficult to see
Example
She **peered into** the darkness, trying to see who was there.
idiom

Out of fashion

Meaning
No longer trendy or popular
Example
Those jeans went **out of fashion** years ago.
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**.
phrasal-verb

speak up about

Meaning
to talk honestly about something you did wrong
Example
He decided to **speak up about** his past mistakes.
phrasal-verb

catch up with

Meaning
to reach the same level or standard as others
Example
Many companies are trying to **catch up with** global tech giants.
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

hand off

Meaning
to transfer a task or responsibility to another person
Example
I’ll **hand off** this report to the marketing team for review.
idiom

make headway

Meaning
to make progress or advance
Example
We are finally **making headway** with our new project.
phrasal-verb

budget time blocks

Meaning
to plan specific chunks of time for tasks
Example
I **budget time blocks** on Monday for deep work and catch-up slots.
phrasal-verb

live within your means

Meaning
to spend less money than you earn
Example
It's important to **live within your means** to avoid debt.
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

your guess is as good as mine

Meaning
I do not know the answer to a question
Example
I don't know what time the movie starts. **Your guess is as good as mine**.
phrasal-verb

pool together

Meaning
to combine resources or efforts for a shared goal
Example
The organizations decided to **pool together** their expertise for a larger impact.
idiom

heart of gold

Meaning
a very kind and generous person
Example
My grandmother has a **heart of gold**.
idiom

to mend fences

Meaning
to repair a relationship
Example
After their argument, they decided to **mend fences**.
phrasal-verb

step up to challenges

Meaning
to face difficult situations with courage and effort
Example
Good leaders always **step up to challenges**.
phrasal-verb

cut down emissions

Meaning
to reduce harmful gases released into the air
Example
Businesses are investing to **cut down emissions** from transport.
idiom

thank heavens

Meaning
to be very thankful about something
Example
**Thank heavens** the storm is finally over.
idiom

No man is an island

Meaning
People need others for support and connection.
Example
We all need help sometimes because **no man is an island**.
idiom

climb the corporate ladder

Meaning
to advance in one’s career or position in a company
Example
He worked hard to **climb the corporate ladder**.
idiom

Band together

Meaning
To unite for a common purpose.
Example
The workers **banded together** to demand better wages.
idiom

ring a bell

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can't remember where I heard it.
phrasal-verb

build connections with

Meaning
to form positive relationships with people from other cultures
Example
He tried to **build connections with** his colleagues from various countries.
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

gray area

Meaning
a situation that is not clearly defined or falls between two categories
Example
AI surveillance laws still fall into a **gray area**.
idiom

over the hill

Meaning
past one's prime; no longer young or at peak performance
Example
Some people think turning forty means you’re **over the hill**, but that’s not true.
phrasal-verb

tune up to

Meaning
to adjust or prepare equipment or oneself to perform better online
Example
Before the virtual meeting, make sure to **tune up to** avoid technical issues.
idiom

block off

Meaning
to close an area so people cannot enter
Example
Police **blocked off** the street after the accident.
idiom

feel for

Meaning
to have sympathy for someone
Example
We really **feel for** anyone stuck in that traffic.
idiom

Calm before the storm

Meaning
A peaceful time before trouble or chaos starts.
Example
The office is quiet now, but it’s just **the calm before the storm**.
phrasal-verb

open around

Meaning
to act friendly and emotionally available with people nearby
Example
She always **opens around** people she trusts.
idiom

take the reins

Meaning
to take control or responsibility
Example
After the director retired, she **took the reins** of the company.
phrasal-verb

help up

Meaning
to assist someone in standing after a fall
Example
He quickly **helped up** the old man who had tripped.
phrasal-verb

see off guests

Meaning
to say goodbye to people as they leave
Example
The host **saw off the guests** at the gate after midnight.
idiom

ask around

Meaning
to inquire with several people
Example
I’ll **ask around** to see who can cover the shift.
phrasal-verb

point toward

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

think twice

Meaning
to reconsider something carefully before acting
Example
You should **think twice** before making that deal.
idiom

digital twin

Meaning
a virtual representation of a physical object or system used for simulation and analysis
Example
Using **digital twin** technology, we can simulate the performance of machinery before production.
phrasal-verb

pay down

Meaning
to reduce a debt gradually by making regular payments
Example
She’s trying to **pay down** her credit card debt.
idiom

have a Eureka moment

Meaning
to suddenly realize the solution to a problem
Example
I had a **Eureka moment** while fixing the code last night.
phrasal-verb

get at

Meaning
to imply or suggest something indirectly
Example
What exactly are you **getting at** with that question?
phrasal-verb

listen to

Meaning
to pay attention to what someone feels or says with empathy
Example
Sometimes all a person needs is someone to **listen to** them.
phrasal-verb

cut up

Meaning
to chop something into small pieces; to upset someone emotionally
Example
He **cut up** the vegetables before cooking.
idiom

twist someone's ear

Meaning
to persuade someone to do something by being persistent
Example
I had to **twist someone's ear** to get him to help me move.
phrasal-verb

listen across cultures

Meaning
to pay attention and understand people from different cultural backgrounds
Example
To be a global leader, you must **listen across cultures** with empathy.
idiom

playing the long game

Meaning
making decisions or taking actions with long-term objectives in mind
Example
The president is **playing the long game** by focusing on long-term foreign policy.
idiom

Keep your head above water

Meaning
Manage to survive or cope with difficulties.
Example
It’s hard, but I’m trying to **keep my head above water**.
phrasal-verb

stand up after failure

Meaning
to recover and try again after failing
Example
Winners are those who **stand up after failure** and keep trying.
phrasal-verb

talk over drinks

Meaning
to have a conversation while drinking together
Example
They **talked over drinks** about old memories.
phrasal-verb

spark off unrest

Meaning
to cause anger or protest to start suddenly
Example
The new tax policy **sparked off unrest** among the citizens.
idiom

build a better mousetrap

Meaning
to improve an existing product or idea
Example
Every tech company tries to **build a better mousetrap** in its field.
phrasal-verb

look through

Meaning
to read something quickly
Example
She **looked through** her notes before class.
phrasal-verb

cut through

Meaning
to move quickly through something; to make something easier to understand
Example
The boat **cut through** the calm water easily.
idiom

go green

Meaning
to adopt an environmentally friendly lifestyle
Example
Many companies are trying to **go green** by using renewable energy sources.
phrasal-verb

push aside emotions

Meaning
to ignore emotions temporarily to focus on something else
Example
He had to **push aside his sadness** to finish the job.
idiom

stress out

Meaning
to become very anxious or nervous due to pressure
Example
She tends to **stress out** before exams.
phrasal-verb

bring in line with

Meaning
to make something conform to a standard or policy
Example
The company updated its IT systems to **bring them in line with** global data security standards.
idiom

Unicorn company

Meaning
A startup valued at over one billion dollars.
Example
Becoming a **unicorn company** is every founder’s dream.
idiom

in the footsteps of

Meaning
to follow someone’s example or career path
Example
She followed **in the footsteps of** her father, becoming a successful entrepreneur.
idiom

Apple of my eye

Meaning
Someone you love dearly.
Example
Her son is the **apple of her eye**.
phrasal-verb

apply for

Meaning
to make a formal request for a job or position
Example
She decided to **apply for** the marketing manager position at the new company.
phrasal-verb

back someone up

Meaning
to support or defend someone in a team or argument
Example
During the debate, my teammates **backed me up** when I presented my point.
idiom

a clear conscience

Meaning
a state of being free from guilt or regret
Example
She could sleep soundly at night because she had **a clear conscience**.
idiom

a crash course

Meaning
a short and intensive course of study
Example
I had to take a **crash course** in programming before starting the job.
idiom

A bright future lies ahead

Meaning
there is hope for success in the future
Example
With his talent and hard work, **a bright future lies ahead** for him.
idiom

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Meaning
Always stay optimistic, but be ready for any outcome.
Example
She was nervous about the exam but decided to **hope for the best, prepare for the worst**.
idiom

pick up the pace

Meaning
to increase speed
Example
We need to **pick up the pace** if we want to finish the project on time.
idiom

Failure is the mother of success

Meaning
Success often comes after learning from failures.
Example
Don’t worry about failing; **failure is the mother of success**.
phrasal-verb

balance between

Meaning
to maintain stability between different emotions or responsibilities
Example
She tries to **balance between** her work and personal life.
phrasal-verb

hum along

Meaning
to make a sound with your lips closed while listening to a tune
Example
He **hummed along** to the melody playing in the background.
idiom

the real McCoy

Meaning
the genuine or original thing
Example
This painting is **the real McCoy**, not a copy.
idiom

put a spin on

Meaning
to present information in a way that influences people's perception
Example
The media often **puts a spin on** stories to attract viewers.
phrasal-verb

cheer on

Meaning
to encourage someone to keep going; to show support
Example
My friends always **cheer on** me when I feel down.
phrasal-verb

own out of

Meaning
to stop being involved because of ethical concerns
Example
The company **owned out of** the project due to ethical issues.
idiom

par for the course

Meaning
what is normal or expected in a given situation
Example
Delays are **par for the course** in big projects.
idiom

at the cutting edge

Meaning
at the most advanced position in a field
Example
The lab is **at the cutting edge** of medical research.
idiom

make progress

Meaning
to move forward or improve
Example
She is slowly **making progress** with her studies.
phrasal-verb

reason out

Meaning
to find an answer or solution by logical thinking
Example
She tried to **reason out** the cause of the confusion.
idiom

game plan

Meaning
a carefully thought-out strategy
Example
We need a solid **game plan** before meeting the investors.
phrasal-verb

stand up with

Meaning
to show solidarity or support for someone
Example
We should **stand up with** colleagues who are treated unfairly.
idiom

fall through

Meaning
to fail to happen
Example
Our travel plans might **fall through** if the storm hits.
idiom

zero in on

Meaning
to direct all your attention and efforts toward one thing
Example
The team needs to **zero in on** the main problem before making changes.
idiom

breakthrough

Meaning
a significant or sudden development or discovery; an important achievement
Example
The scientist made a major **breakthrough** in his research on cancer treatment.
idiom

nose to the grindstone

Meaning
to focus and work hard for a long time
Example
He kept his **nose to the grindstone** and got promoted.
idiom

data mining

Meaning
the process of discovering patterns and relationships in large datasets
Example
Data mining helps businesses understand customer behavior and predict trends.
phrasal-verb

sing out

Meaning
to sing loudly and clearly
Example
Don’t be shy—**sing out** so everyone can hear you!
idiom

long story short

Meaning
to summarize something briefly
Example
**Long story short**, we missed the train.
phrasal-verb

head back

Meaning
to return to a place
Example
It’s getting late, we should **head back** to the hotel.
idiom

on the level

Meaning
honest and sincere; not trying to deceive
Example
You can trust her—she’s **on the level**.
phrasal-verb

restate goals clearly

Meaning
to repeat objectives in straightforward language
Example
Leads **restate goals clearly** at the start of every standup.
phrasal-verb

look inside

Meaning
to reflect on your own emotions and motivations
Example
You need to **look inside** yourself to understand your anger.
idiom

speaking for myself

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

nothing to write home about

Meaning
not special or interesting
Example
The movie was **nothing to write home about**.
phrasal-verb

pay out

Meaning
to spend or distribute money, especially large amounts
Example
The company had to **pay out** millions in compensation.
idiom

be responsible for

Meaning
to be in charge of or accountable for something
Example
She is **responsible for** managing the entire department.