thank politely
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phrasal-verb

thank politely

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

get along

Meaning
to have a good relationship with someone
Example
I really **get along** well with my colleagues.
idiom

Bootstrap the business

Meaning
To build a company using only personal finances.
Example
They decided to **bootstrap the business** instead of seeking investors.
idiom

cross the line

Meaning
to do something that is considered unacceptable
Example
He **crossed the line** when he insulted her in front of everyone.
idiom

keep up with the times

Meaning
to stay updated or adapt to modern trends
Example
In the fast-moving tech industry, companies must **keep up with the times**.
phrasal-verb

build relations with

Meaning
to develop a friendly or cooperative connection with others
Example
We aim to **build relations with** investors from different regions.
phrasal-verb

tune your mind to positivity

Meaning
to intentionally think positive thoughts to reduce tension
Example
Each morning, I **tune my mind to positivity** before starting work.
phrasal-verb

allocate to

Meaning
to assign or distribute resources to a specific task or person
Example
The manager decided to **allocate** more funds **to** the marketing team.
phrasal-verb

get over hurt

Meaning
to recover emotionally from pain or sadness
Example
It took him months to **get over** the hurt from the breakup.
idiom

in the same league

Meaning
comparable in quality or ability
Example
Those two companies aren’t **in the same league**.
idiom

keep someone’s word

Meaning
to do what you promise to do
Example
You can trust him; he always **keeps his word**.
phrasal-verb

join up for

Meaning
to enroll or participate in a collective action
Example
Thousands **join up for** the beach cleanup drive.
phrasal-verb

pull back on

Meaning
to reduce or stop doing something, especially spending or investment; to withdraw effort or commitment
Example
During the economic crisis, many companies **pull back on** new projects to save money.
phrasal-verb

fall off

Meaning
to drop from a higher place; to decrease
Example
Sales have **fallen off** since last month.
phrasal-verb

sign off on an agreement

Meaning
to officially approve a trade deal or document
Example
Both leaders **signed off on an agreement** to strengthen bilateral trade.
idiom

word of mouth

Meaning
information spread by people talking to each other
Example
The news spread quickly by **word of mouth**.
idiom

cross your heart and hope to die

Meaning
to swear that something is true, often said with sincerity
Example
I **cross my heart and hope to die** that I will never lie to you.
phrasal-verb

drag into conflict

Meaning
to involve someone unwillingly in a dispute or war
Example
The smaller nation was **dragged into conflict** by its allies.
B2 idiom

wrap your head around it

to understand or accept something
Meaning
to understand or accept something
Example
It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.
It's hard to wrap your head around it, but that's just how the system works.
idiom

come back to earth

Meaning
to return to reality after being excited or daydreaming
Example
After the vacation, it’s time to **come back to earth**.
idiom

have a brainwave

Meaning
to suddenly have a clever idea
Example
I **had a brainwave** and solved the puzzle.
idiom

beam me up

Meaning
to leave a place quickly or escape an unpleasant situation
Example
This meeting is so boring—someone please **beam me up**!
phrasal-verb

back away

Meaning
to move backward from something frightening
Example
They **backed away** from the angry dog.
phrasal-verb

hold back

Meaning
to stop yourself from expressing something
Example
He wanted to tell her everything but **held back** his words.
idiom

brain like a computer

Meaning
to have an extremely analytical and efficient mind
Example
She remembers every detail; she has a **brain like a computer**.
idiom

bail out

Meaning
to release someone from jail after paying bail money
Example
His family managed to **bail him out** after two days.
phrasal-verb

ramp up production

Meaning
to increase the amount or level of production
Example
Factories are trying to **ramp up production** to meet growing demand.
phrasal-verb

walk away

Meaning
to leave a situation or place calmly; to move away by walking
Example
She **walked away** without saying a word.
phrasal-verb

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.
phrasal-verb

step forward with confidence

Meaning
to take action or speak up boldly without fear
Example
He decided to **step forward with confidence** and share his idea.
idiom

put one on the map

Meaning
to make someone or something famous or well-known
Example
His groundbreaking research **put him on the map** in the scientific community.
idiom

go off the rails

Meaning
to start behaving in an unusual or uncontrolled way
Example
After losing his job, his life seemed to **go off the rails**.
phrasal-verb

look back at

Meaning
to think about something that happened in the past
Example
When I **look back at** my college days, I realize how much I’ve learned.
phrasal-verb

reach back to

Meaning
to reconnect with someone from the past
Example
She decided to **reach back to** her old mentor for advice.
idiom

sound off

Meaning
to express an opinion loudly or strongly
Example
Feel free to **sound off** during the feedback session.
idiom

in the mood

Meaning
feeling like doing something or having a particular attitude
Example
I'm **in the mood** for some chocolate cake today.
idiom

have words with

Meaning
to argue or disagree with someone
Example
She **had words with** her boss about the new schedule.
idiom

Bury yourself in books

Meaning
To spend all your time studying
Example
He **buried himself in books** before the finals.
phrasal-verb

freeze over

Meaning
when water turns into ice due to cold temperature
Example
The lake **froze over** completely during the winter.
idiom

power play

Meaning
a strategic move to gain or maintain control
Example
The alliance between the two countries is seen as a **power play**.
idiom

blast off

Meaning
to take off or start with great energy or enthusiasm
Example
The project is ready to **blast off** next week.
idiom

on the go

Meaning
always busy or active; traveling a lot
Example
She's always **on the go** with her work trips.
idiom

data lake

Meaning
a large storage repository that holds raw, unprocessed data
Example
All raw data is stored in the **data lake** for further analysis.
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.
idiom

ring a bell with someone

Meaning
to sound familiar or remind someone of something
Example
That name doesn't **ring a bell with** me at all.
idiom

play hardball

Meaning
to be firm and tough in negotiation
Example
He decided to **play hardball** during the contract talks.
phrasal-verb

tie innovation to strategy

Meaning
to connect innovation plans with business strategy
Example
The manager wants to **tie innovation to strategy** for better results.
idiom

bury your head in the sand

Meaning
to ignore a problem hoping it will go away
Example
We can’t **bury our heads in the sand** about climate change any longer.
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

the bottom line

Meaning
the most important fact or result
Example
The **bottom line** is that we need to increase our profits.
phrasal-verb

keep the market afloat

Meaning
to prevent the market from collapsing or declining
Example
The stimulus package helped **keep the market afloat** during the crisis.
phrasal-verb

lean toward

Meaning
to show preference or support for one option or side
Example
Most countries **lean toward** multilateral cooperation.
phrasal-verb

join hands with

Meaning
to collaborate or work together for a cause
Example
Several organizations **joined hands with** the ministry to organize the cultural festival.
idiom

break the chains

Meaning
to free oneself from restrictions or limitations
Example
She wanted to **break the chains** of social expectations.
idiom

As old as the hills

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

Cross my heart

Meaning
I swear or promise sincerely.
Example
I will help you, **cross my heart**.
phrasal-verb

sprout up

Meaning
to appear or grow quickly like plants
Example
New trees have **sprouted up** after the monsoon rain.
idiom

nitpick

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

bottle up emotions

Meaning
to keep feelings inside and not express them
Example
He tends to **bottle up his emotions**, which isn't healthy in the long run.
idiom

to have a clean bill of health

Meaning
to be declared healthy by a doctor
Example
After the checkup, she got **a clean bill of health**.
phrasal-verb

level off at

Meaning
to stop increasing or decreasing and stay at a steady level
Example
After a sharp rise, GDP growth **leveled off at** around 6%.
idiom

bust someone

Meaning
to arrest or catch someone doing something illegal
Example
The officer was able to **bust someone** for selling drugs.
phrasal-verb

fix up

Meaning
to arrange or plan something; to repair or prepare something
Example
She offered to **fix up** a lunch meeting for next week.
idiom

keep body and soul together

Meaning
to manage to stay alive or survive
Example
He worked day and night just to **keep body and soul together**.
phrasal-verb

set up a committee

Meaning
to establish a group to discuss or manage an issue
Example
Parliament **set up a committee** to investigate the allegations.
phrasal-verb

vote through reform

Meaning
to officially approve a change by voting
Example
Parliament successfully **voted through reform** aimed at transparency.
phrasal-verb

open hearts to

Meaning
to show kindness and acceptance toward people of other cultures
Example
We should **open our hearts to** people who are different from us.
idiom

a whole new ball game

Meaning
a completely new or different situation; something that changes the way things are done.
Example
Starting a business from scratch is **a whole new ball game**.
idiom

a thing of the past

Meaning
something that no longer exists or happens
Example
With smartphones, landline phones are **a thing of the past**.
idiom

Bide one’s time

Meaning
To wait patiently for the right opportunity.
Example
She decided to **bide her time** before making a move.
phrasal-verb

cut short

Meaning
to end something earlier than planned
Example
We had to **cut short** the meeting due to a technical issue.
idiom

market forces

Meaning
the economic factors affecting the supply and demand of goods and services in a market
Example
The price increase is driven by **market forces**, as demand for the product rises.
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.
phrasal-verb

boost up sales

Meaning
to increase the number of products sold
Example
The new marketing plan aims to **boost up** sales during the holiday season.
idiom

dream big

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

beat oneself up

Meaning
to blame yourself too much for something
Example
Don’t **beat yourself up** over one mistake.
phrasal-verb

lock up

Meaning
to become completely unresponsive or stuck
Example
The app **locked up** and I had to restart my phone.
idiom

soft power

Meaning
a country's ability to influence others through culture or values rather than force
Example
Japan uses **soft power** to promote its culture worldwide.
phrasal-verb

stabilize currency

Meaning
to prevent large fluctuations in the value of a currency
Example
Central banks intervene to **stabilize currency** during financial crises.
idiom

a chatterbox

Meaning
someone who talks a lot, especially a child
Example
My little sister is **a chatterbox**; she never stops talking.
idiom

walking on air

Meaning
to feel very happy and excited
Example
After winning the match, he was **walking on air**.
phrasal-verb

jump on a call

Meaning
to quickly join an online voice or video call
Example
Let’s **jump on a call** to discuss the issue in detail.
phrasal-verb

roll forward

Meaning
to move plans or activities into the next period
Example
The project has been **roll forward** to the next fiscal year.
idiom

make the grade

Meaning
to reach the desired standard or level
Example
Only a few students **made the grade** in the final test.
idiom

thanks a million

Meaning
a very strong expression of gratitude
Example
You really helped me out, **thanks a million**!
idiom

the smoking gun

Meaning
a piece of evidence that clearly proves guilt
Example
The email was **the smoking gun** in the corruption case.
phrasal-verb

bring before

Meaning
to present someone or something for judgment or discussion
Example
The case was **brought before** the court yesterday.
phrasal-verb

feel bad about

Meaning
to feel sorry or regretful about something
Example
I really **feel bad about** what happened.
phrasal-verb

push aside doubts

Meaning
to ignore fears or uncertainties and keep moving
Example
She **pushed aside doubts** and followed her instincts.
idiom

a brave face

Meaning
to pretend to be brave when you are actually scared or worried
Example
She put on **a brave face** despite feeling nervous inside.
idiom

golden opportunity

Meaning
a very good chance; rare opportunity
Example
This is a **golden opportunity** to show your talent.
idiom

jury is still out

Meaning
a decision or opinion has not yet been reached
Example
The **jury is still out** on whether the new law will be effective.
idiom

Meet your Waterloo

Meaning
To face a final and decisive defeat.
Example
After years of success, the company finally **met its Waterloo** when sales plummeted.
idiom

come clean

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you have been hiding
Example
He finally **came clean** about what happened.
idiom

connect the dots

Meaning
to make connections between ideas or information
Example
Once you **connect the dots**, the whole picture will make sense.
phrasal-verb

come on board

Meaning
to join a team or project
Example
We’re excited for you to **come on board** our project.
idiom

have butterflies in your stomach

Meaning
to feel very nervous about something
Example
She always **has butterflies in her stomach** before exams.
idiom

peel off

Meaning
to remove something, especially a layer, from a surface
Example
**Peel off** the label before recycling the jar.
phrasal-verb

find common ground with

Meaning
to identify shared interests so cooperation is easier
Example
Negotiators **find common ground with** each side before drafting terms.
idiom

air out

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

catch out

Meaning
to trick someone into making a mistake; to discover someone doing something wrong
Example
The reporter tried to **catch out** the politician with a tricky question.
idiom

yellow-bellied

Meaning
very cowardly
Example
He’s too **yellow-bellied** to stand up for himself.
idiom

in layman's terms

Meaning
to explain something in simple, non-technical language
Example
Can you explain the theory **in layman's terms**?
idiom

to weigh the pros and cons

Meaning
to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of something
Example
Before making a final decision, it's important to **weigh the pros and cons**.
idiom

zone off

Meaning
to divide an area into sections
Example
They’ll **zone off** part of the hall for workshops.
idiom

square peg in a round hole

Meaning
someone or something that doesn't fit or belong in a particular place or situation
Example
Putting a modern building in a historical district is like trying to fit a **square peg in a round hole**.
phrasal-verb

strive for

Meaning
to make great efforts to achieve or obtain something
Example
She always **strives for** excellence in her work.
idiom

lose your marbles

Meaning
to become crazy or mentally unstable
Example
My boss must have **lost his marbles** to approve such a risky project.
phrasal-verb

stretch out

Meaning
to extend your body or limbs to relax or prepare for exercise
Example
Don’t forget to **stretch out** before starting your workout.
idiom

carry on luggage

Meaning
small bags taken with you on a plane or trip
Example
She packed all her essentials in her **carry on luggage**.
phrasal-verb

bring in investment

Meaning
to attract money from investors
Example
Tax incentives are designed to **bring in investment** from abroad.
phrasal-verb

draw aside

Meaning
to move something to one side; to separate from a group
Example
He **drew aside** the curtain to see who was outside.
phrasal-verb

settle on

Meaning
to choose something after considering other options
Example
After hours of discussion, they **settled on** a final plan.
idiom

tough it out

Meaning
to endure a difficult situation with strength and determination
Example
Even though it was a tough day, she managed to **tough it out** and finish the project.
idiom

grassroots movement

Meaning
a political movement started and driven by ordinary people
Example
The campaign grew into a powerful **grassroots movement** for change.
idiom

open up

Meaning
to become willing to share thoughts or to start operating
Example
He finally **opened up** about the challenges he’s facing.
idiom

new lease on life

Meaning
a chance to live or start something again after a period of difficulty
Example
Winning the award gave her a **new lease on life**.
idiom

machine learning to the rescue

Meaning
using machine learning algorithms to solve complex problems that humans can't easily handle
Example
When the data was too large for traditional methods, **machine learning to the rescue** helped us find patterns.
idiom

crystal ball

Meaning
the ability to predict the future
Example
I don’t have a **crystal ball**, so I can’t tell what will happen.
phrasal-verb

give way

Meaning
to collapse; to yield under pressure
Example
The old bridge **gave way** during the heavy storm.
phrasal-verb

throw back

Meaning
to return something; to remind someone of the past
Example
The smell of the ocean **threw him back** to his childhood memories.