take stock of
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idiom

take stock of

Meaning
to review a situation carefully before making decisions
Example
Let’s **take stock of** our priorities this quarter.
phrasal-verb

act out over stress

Meaning
to behave badly because pressure feels overwhelming
Example
Kids sometimes **act out over stress** when parents pack for long trips.
phrasal-verb

make up to

Meaning
to do something nice for someone to show regret for something wrong
Example
He bought her flowers to **make up to** her after their argument.
phrasal-verb

draw out creativity

Meaning
to encourage or inspire someone’s creative potential
Example
The manager tried to **draw out creativity** from every team member.
phrasal-verb

aim for

Meaning
to try to achieve a particular goal
Example
You should **aim for** continuous improvement in your work.
phrasal-verb

work from

Meaning
to base your creation on a source or reference
Example
She **worked from** a photograph to paint the portrait.
phrasal-verb

put into practice

Meaning
to use knowledge or skills in a real situation
Example
You should **put into practice** what you’ve learned in the course.
phrasal-verb

work out of

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

double down on learning

Meaning
to increase your effort toward gaining knowledge
Example
After the promotion, I **double down on learning** new leadership skills.
idiom

bark up the wrong tree

Meaning
to make a wrong assumption
Example
If you think I took your wallet, you’re **barking up the wrong tree**.
idiom

world at your fingertips

Meaning
to have access to vast information easily, especially online
Example
With smartphones, the **world is at your fingertips**.
idiom

Power behind the throne

Meaning
A person or group who has a hidden or indirect influence over the leadership
Example
The chief advisor is often considered the **power behind the throne**.
idiom

Keep the faith

Meaning
Continue to believe that things will work out.
Example
Even in hard times, **keep the faith**.
phrasal-verb

tie into

Meaning
to connect or link closely with something
Example
This project **ties into** our long-term digital strategy.
idiom

in the pink of health

Meaning
in very good health
Example
After months of rest, he’s now **in the pink of health**.
idiom

answer the call of duty

Meaning
to fulfill one's obligation, especially in a difficult situation
Example
Firefighters **answered the call of duty** during the massive fire.
phrasal-verb

tear into

Meaning
to attack or criticize someone fiercely
Example
The coach **tore into** the players after their poor performance.
phrasal-verb

light up for

Meaning
to become visibly happy or excited when seeing someone or something
Example
Her eyes **lit up for** her little son as he ran to her.
idiom

blur the lines

Meaning
to make the difference between two things less clear or distinct
Example
AI-generated art often **blurs the lines** between human creativity and machine output.
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.
phrasal-verb

melt into tears

Meaning
to start crying softly because of emotion
Example
She **melted into tears** after hearing the touching story.
phrasal-verb

flip over

Meaning
to turn upside down accidentally
Example
The car **flipped over** after hitting a pothole.
idiom

behind schedule

Meaning
later than planned or expected
Example
The flight is **behind schedule** because of the storm.
idiom

Barking up the wrong tree

Meaning
To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example
If you think I'm guilty, you're **barking up the wrong tree**.
idiom

out of your league

Meaning
too good or powerful to compete with
Example
That company is **out of our league** in terms of resources.
phrasal-verb

rise through emotions

Meaning
to grow stronger by learning from emotional experiences
Example
We can **rise through emotions** and become wiser each time.
idiom

lazy bones

Meaning
a lazy person
Example
Come on, **lazy bones**, get out of bed!
idiom

take the bull by the horns

Meaning
to face a difficult situation directly and with courage
Example
She decided to **take the bull by the horns** and confront her manager.
phrasal-verb

pay homage to

Meaning
to show deep respect or tribute to someone or something
Example
Citizens **pay homage to** national heroes on Independence Day.
phrasal-verb

identify as

Meaning
to define oneself as belonging to a particular cultural or ethnic group
Example
He **identifies as** both Bangladeshi and global citizen.
phrasal-verb

turn into

Meaning
to become something different
Example
Over time, the small shop **turned into** a large supermarket.
phrasal-verb

lean into uncertainty

Meaning
to accept and embrace the unknown aspects of change
Example
Successful leaders **lean into uncertainty** rather than fear it.
idiom

that's the last straw

Meaning
my patience has run out
Example
He's been late all week, but this is **the last straw**.
phrasal-verb

rise above setbacks

Meaning
to recover and continue after facing difficulties or failures
Example
She learned to **rise above setbacks** and keep moving forward.
idiom

blackout

Meaning
to lose consciousness temporarily
Example
He suddenly **blacked out** during the match.
phrasal-verb

get down to it

Meaning
to start doing something seriously and with focus
Example
We’ve wasted enough time—let’s **get down to it** and start working.
idiom

have nerves of steel

Meaning
to be very brave and calm under pressure
Example
A firefighter must **have nerves of steel** to face danger every day.
idiom

air out

Meaning
to let fresh air into a space
Example
Open the windows to **air out** the room.
phrasal-verb

look beyond stereotypes

Meaning
to avoid judging others based on general assumptions
Example
To understand people better, we must **look beyond stereotypes**.
phrasal-verb

open up trade

Meaning
to make international trade easier by removing barriers
Example
The new agreement will **open up trade** between the two nations.
idiom

a blessing in disguise

Meaning
something that seems bad but results in something good
Example
Losing that job was **a blessing in disguise**.
idiom

On the clock

Meaning
Working, often with a strict time limit or deadline.
Example
I’m **on the clock** today, so I can’t waste any time.
phrasal-verb

save up

Meaning
to keep money so you can buy something in the future
Example
I’m trying to **save up** for a new laptop.
phrasal-verb

ring off

Meaning
to end a phone call
Example
He suddenly **rang off** without saying goodbye.
phrasal-verb

drive innovation

Meaning
to lead or motivate creative progress
Example
The CEO’s vision helps **drive innovation** across all departments.
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

protest against

Meaning
to show opposition to something through public action
Example
Thousands of people **protested against** unfair laws.
phrasal-verb

gear down for

Meaning
to slow your pace in preparation for something
Example
We **gear down for** finals by taking fewer shifts that week.
idiom

red tape

Meaning
excessive bureaucracy or rules
Example
The project was delayed because of **red tape**.
phrasal-verb

come under

Meaning
to experience pressure or attack, especially politically
Example
The government **came under** pressure to increase public spending.
idiom

sworn friends

Meaning
Friends who are deeply loyal to each other.
Example
Since childhood, they’ve been **sworn friends**.
phrasal-verb

scale up with

Meaning
to expand by adding extra resources
Example
They **scaled up with** extra analysts during the busy quarter.
idiom

heartbroken

Meaning
very sad and emotionally hurt
Example
He was **heartbroken** when his pet died.
idiom

if you ask me

Meaning
used when giving a personal opinion, often without being asked
Example
**If you ask me**, they made a bad decision.
idiom

raring to go

Meaning
very eager or excited to start something
Example
Everyone was **raring to go** when the event started.
phrasal-verb

branch into

Meaning
to expand a company into new areas or markets
Example
The company plans to **branch into** Southeast Asian markets next year.
idiom

have a lot on one’s plate

Meaning
to have many responsibilities or tasks
Example
She can’t join us tonight; she **has a lot on her plate**.
idiom

hot potato

Meaning
a controversial issue that no one wants to deal with
Example
The refugee crisis has become a **hot potato** in the government.
phrasal-verb

catch one’s breath

Meaning
to stop and rest for a moment after physical activity
Example
After running upstairs, I stopped to **catch my breath**.
phrasal-verb

play into

Meaning
to contribute to or support a particular trend or situation
Example
The new technology **plays into** the growing demand for automation.
idiom

to be on the up and up

Meaning
to be honest and trustworthy
Example
I trust her completely because I know she’s always **on the up and up**.
phrasal-verb

draft in for

Meaning
to bring someone in to help with a task
Example
We **drafted Sam in for** the client presentation at the last minute.
idiom

a cold fish

Meaning
someone who is unemotional or not friendly
Example
He seemed **a cold fish** when I first met him.
phrasal-verb

forgive for

Meaning
to stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for something
Example
She **forgave him for** lying to her.
phrasal-verb

lay out a plan

Meaning
to present or explain a strategy or proposal clearly
Example
The finance minister **laid out a plan** for sustainable growth.
idiom

fight your demons

Meaning
to deal with your fears or bad memories courageously
Example
He’s learning to **fight his demons** from the past.
phrasal-verb

cut someone off

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
She kept **cutting me off** whenever I tried to explain.
phrasal-verb

pull through with

Meaning
to succeed in surviving or recovering with effort or support
Example
The country managed to **pull through with** international assistance.
idiom

make sense of

Meaning
to understand something that is complicated or unclear
Example
I finally **made sense of** the instructions after reading them twice.
idiom

lose touch

Meaning
to stop communicating with someone
Example
We **lost touch** after college.
idiom

race against time

Meaning
to rush to complete something before a deadline
Example
We’re in a **race against time** to meet the client’s demand.
phrasal-verb

base on

Meaning
to use something as a foundation or starting point
Example
The conclusion is **based on** reliable evidence.
idiom

united we stand, divided we fall

Meaning
people are stronger when they work together
Example
Remember, **united we stand, divided we fall**.
phrasal-verb

reach out for mediation

Meaning
to seek help from a third party to resolve conflict
Example
Both sides **reached out for mediation** to end the war peacefully.
idiom

shift gears

Meaning
to change one’s approach or activity
Example
We need to **shift gears** if we want to meet the deadline.
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

clear away

Meaning
to remove things to tidy a space
Example
Please **clear away** the dishes after lunch.
phrasal-verb

turn away from

Meaning
to stop doing or being involved in something
Example
He decided to **turn away from** politics.
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.
phrasal-verb

make off with

Meaning
to steal something and run away
Example
A thief **made off with** her handbag in the market.
phrasal-verb

hash through

Meaning
to discuss something thoroughly to reach clarity
Example
Let's **hash through** the ethics policy before we publish.
idiom

pull your weight

Meaning
to do your fair share of work
Example
Everyone needs to **pull their weight** if we want to finish this project on time.
idiom

dump someone

Meaning
to end a romantic relationship suddenly or unkindly
Example
She **dumped** him by text message.
idiom

to throw one's hat into the ring

Meaning
to announce one’s candidacy or intention to compete in something
Example
He decided to **throw his hat into the ring** and run for mayor.
phrasal-verb

work around challenges

Meaning
to find a way to deal with or bypass difficulties during change
Example
We had to **work around challenges** to complete the migration.
phrasal-verb

draw attention to

Meaning
to make people notice or focus on an issue
Example
Activists **drew attention to** flaws in the legal system.
phrasal-verb

be crazy about

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

get by in

Meaning
to manage to communicate in a language, though not perfectly
Example
She can **get by in** Italian, but she’s not fluent.
idiom

feel the heat

Meaning
to experience pressure or criticism
Example
The manager began to **feel the heat** after the sales dropped.
phrasal-verb

phase in recovery

Meaning
to introduce recovery measures gradually over time
Example
The government decided to **phase in recovery** policies to avoid economic shocks.
phrasal-verb

level emotions

Meaning
to stabilize one's emotional state; to avoid highs and lows
Example
He practices meditation daily to **level emotions**.
idiom

reach common ground

Meaning
to find shared interests or agreement between parties
Example
After a long discussion, they **reached common ground**.
phrasal-verb

carry away

Meaning
to become overly excited or enthusiastic
Example
Don’t get **carried away** with the excitement.
phrasal-verb

ally with

Meaning
to join forces with someone for a shared cause or benefit
Example
The developing nations **allied with** each other to negotiate better trade terms.
idiom

steal someone’s thunder

Meaning
to take credit for someone else’s idea or success
Example
She **stole my thunder** by announcing the news first.
idiom

When there’s a will, there’s a way

Meaning
If you are determined, you can find a way to achieve your goal.
Example
**When there’s a will, there’s a way**, and he proved it by finishing the race.
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

gear up for

Meaning
to prepare for something
Example
The engineers are **gearing up for** the final test run.
phrasal-verb

kick tricky issues up

Meaning
to escalate complicated problems to a higher level
Example
Service reps **kick tricky issues up** when policy decisions are needed.
idiom

bend the truth

Meaning
to slightly change the truth to make something sound better
Example
He tends to **bend the truth** when telling stories.
idiom

dream big

Meaning
to have ambitious goals and aspirations
Example
If you want to achieve greatness, you must **dream big**.
phrasal-verb

sink money into

Meaning
to invest a large amount of money in something that may not be profitable
Example
They **sank money into** a risky cryptocurrency venture.
phrasal-verb

throw off

Meaning
to get rid of something; to free oneself from control or illness
Example
It took him weeks to **throw off** the flu.
idiom

spill the beans

Meaning
to reveal a secret
Example
She accidentally **spilled the beans** about the surprise party.
phrasal-verb

set up

Meaning
to establish or create an organization, system, or structure
Example
They **set up** a new political party to challenge the ruling government.
phrasal-verb

zone yourself out

Meaning
to deliberately disconnect from stressful surroundings
Example
Sometimes you just need to **zone yourself out** and take a break.
idiom

on your last legs

Meaning
completely exhausted or near collapse
Example
After working 18 hours straight, I was **on my last legs**.
phrasal-verb

adapt in

Meaning
to adjust oneself to a new cultural environment or setting
Example
It takes time to **adapt in** a new cultural setting when moving abroad.
idiom

when life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Meaning
make the best out of a bad situation
Example
She lost her job but decided to **make lemonade** by starting her own business.
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

pivot around

Meaning
to reorganize or refocus strategy around a central idea or goal
Example
The company decided to **pivot around** customer satisfaction as its new priority.
phrasal-verb

run out of cash

Meaning
to have no money left to continue operations or activities
Example
Many small businesses **run out of cash** during prolonged recessions.
phrasal-verb

keep alive

Meaning
to make sure cultural traditions continue to exist
Example
Artists work hard to **keep alive** the spirit of folk art.
phrasal-verb

shout out to

Meaning
to publicly acknowledge or compliment someone
Example
Let’s **shout out to** everyone who helped organize the event.
idiom

call to mind

Meaning
to remember or recall something
Example
This song **calls to mind** my childhood days.
idiom

as wise as an owl

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

let in

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

nod off

Meaning
to fall asleep suddenly, especially when sitting
Example
He **nodded off** during the boring lecture.
phrasal-verb

deal against

Meaning
to act or compete against someone in a transaction
Example
He **dealt against** his rival in the stock market.
idiom

tear one’s hair out

Meaning
to be extremely worried or upset
Example
She was **tearing her hair out** trying to find her lost keys.
idiom

A team player

Meaning
Someone who works well with others in a group.
Example
John is **a team player** who always supports his colleagues.