tighten up
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phrasal-verb

tighten up

Meaning
to make rules or policies stricter
Example
The government decided to **tighten up** regulations on foreign investments.
phrasal-verb

take notes

Meaning
to write down important information during a lesson or meeting
Example
He always **takes notes** when the teacher explains a new topic.
idiom

patch up

Meaning
to repair something or improve a damaged relationship
Example
They managed to **patch up** their friendship after the argument.
idiom

a penny for your thoughts

Meaning
a way of asking someone what they are thinking about
Example
You look lost in thought — **a penny for your thoughts**?
phrasal-verb

calm down after

Meaning
to relax or become less angry after being upset
Example
It took him a while to **calm down after** the argument.
idiom

hit the airwaves

Meaning
to start being broadcast on television or radio
Example
The new talk show will **hit the airwaves** next week.
phrasal-verb

phase through

Meaning
to move gradually through stages of change
Example
The company plans to **phase through** several steps to modernize its operations.
phrasal-verb

storm in

Meaning
to enter suddenly and angrily, like a storm
Example
The teacher **stormed in** as the students were shouting loudly.
phrasal-verb

back away from blame

Meaning
to avoid putting blame on others or oneself during a disagreement
Example
It’s wise to **back away from blame** and focus on solutions.
idiom

go in one ear and out the other

Meaning
to hear something but quickly forget it
Example
Whatever I tell him **goes in one ear and out the other**.
idiom

separate the wheat from the chaff

Meaning
to distinguish valuable things from worthless ones
Example
It’s time to **separate the wheat from the chaff** in this project.
idiom

keep your word

Meaning
to honor a promise or commitment
Example
You must always **keep your word** if you want to gain trust.
idiom

in high spirits

Meaning
feeling cheerful and happy
Example
Everyone was **in high spirits** during the festival.
idiom

beat a dead horse

Meaning
to waste time on a topic that has already been resolved
Example
Stop **beating a dead horse**; the decision is final.
idiom

reach for the stars

Meaning
to aim for something very ambitious or difficult to achieve
Example
She always tells her students to **reach for the stars** and never give up.
phrasal-verb

draw back

Meaning
to move away; to hesitate or retreat from a situation
Example
She **drew back** when she realized how dangerous it was.
phrasal-verb

chart out for

Meaning
to map a path or schedule for something
Example
We **chart out for** peak-season shipping routes in advance.
idiom

a go-getter

Meaning
someone who is very energetic and determined to succeed
Example
He’s **a go-getter** who never gives up on his goals.
idiom

hash it out

Meaning
to discuss a problem thoroughly to find a solution
Example
Let’s sit down and **hash it out** instead of fighting.
phrasal-verb

journal through sadness

Meaning
to write in a journal while processing sad feelings
Example
She **journals through sadness** to understand what the day is teaching her.
phrasal-verb

step forward for opportunities

Meaning
to volunteer or take initiative when opportunities arise
Example
Ambitious employees often **step forward for opportunities** to learn and grow.
idiom

penny pincher

Meaning
someone who is very careful about spending money
Example
My uncle is such a **penny pincher** that he reuses tea bags.
idiom

to hit it off

Meaning
to quickly become good friends
Example
We **hit it off** the moment we met.
idiom

mix up

Meaning
to confuse two or more things
Example
I always **mix up** their names during meetings.
phrasal-verb

bring together nations

Meaning
to unite countries for a common purpose or goal
Example
The conference helped **bring together nations** for global development.
idiom

know the ropes

Meaning
to be very familiar with something; to have a thorough understanding of something
Example
He really **knows the ropes** in this field of work.
phrasal-verb

file on deadline

Meaning
to submit a story right at the required time
Example
Reporters **file on deadline** even when storms slow travel.
idiom

break even

Meaning
to have equal income and expenses, neither profit nor loss
Example
The company finally **broke even** after three years.
phrasal-verb

cut someone off emotionally

Meaning
to stop communicating or showing feelings to someone
Example
After their argument, she **cut him off emotionally**.
phrasal-verb

build optimism around you

Meaning
to create a positive environment with hopeful energy
Example
Try to **build optimism around you** through your words and actions.
phrasal-verb

fire yourself up

Meaning
to make yourself feel excited or motivated about something
Example
He **fired himself up** before the race by listening to his favorite music.
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

tell a tall tale

Meaning
to tell an exaggerated or false story
Example
He loves to **tell tall tales** about his adventures.
idiom

on all fours

Meaning
crawling on hands and knees
Example
The baby moved **on all fours** across the floor.
idiom

hang back

Meaning
to remain behind or hesitate to act
Example
If you **hang back**, you might miss the opportunity.
phrasal-verb

stay on

Meaning
to remain connected or continue working
Example
Can you **stay on** the call until we finish the report?
idiom

have a short fuse

Meaning
to get angry easily
Example
Be careful what you say; he **has a short fuse**.
idiom

a bitter pill to swallow

Meaning
an unpleasant fact or situation to accept
Example
Losing the championship was **a bitter pill to swallow** for the team.
phrasal-verb

tie to

Meaning
to connect closely with something
Example
Many local festivals are **tied to** historical events.
phrasal-verb

let in positivity

Meaning
to allow positive thoughts and emotions to enter your mind
Example
She tries to **let in positivity** every morning.
idiom

zone out

Meaning
to stop paying attention and mentally drift away
Example
I completely **zoned out** during the long presentation.
idiom

A blurred line

Meaning
An unclear distinction between two things
Example
There’s often **a blurred line** between work and personal life.
idiom

beyond a reasonable doubt

Meaning
without any logical reason to doubt; with full certainty
Example
The evidence proved his guilt **beyond a reasonable doubt**.
phrasal-verb

aim at

Meaning
to have a particular goal or purpose
Example
This research **aims at** improving online education quality.
idiom

steal the show

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

a couch potato

Meaning
a person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV
Example
He’s become **a couch potato** since he lost his job.
idiom

adapt to the changing times

Meaning
to adjust to new conditions or circumstances
Example
In order to survive in this fast-paced world, you must **adapt to the changing times**.
idiom

in stitches

Meaning
laughing uncontrollably
Example
His joke had everyone **in stitches**.
idiom

carry on about

Meaning
to speak at length in an excited or annoyed way
Example
He kept **carrying on about** the missed deadline all morning.
idiom

under the stars

Meaning
in the open air, outside, especially at night
Example
We slept **under the stars** by the lake.
idiom

set in stone

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

in the cloud

Meaning
stored or managed on remote servers via the internet
Example
All our data is now **in the cloud**.
idiom

give it a shot

Meaning
to try something, even if you are not sure of success
Example
You should **give it a shot**; you might surprise yourself.
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

kick up a fuss

Meaning
to make a big complaint or protest about something
Example
They **kicked up a fuss** when the restaurant ran out of food.
idiom

iron out the kinks

Meaning
to resolve small problems or imperfections
Example
We’ll **iron out the kinks** before launch day.
idiom

a drop in the ocean

Meaning
a very small amount compared to what is needed
Example
The money they raised was just **a drop in the ocean** compared to the total cost.
phrasal-verb

take inspiration from

Meaning
to get creative ideas or motivation from something
Example
Many fashion designers **take inspiration from** nature.
idiom

eye on the prize

Meaning
to stay focused on achieving your goal
Example
She always keeps her **eye on the prize** no matter what.
idiom

The sun is shining

Meaning
A metaphor for happiness or positivity, often used when things are going well.
Example
After all the hard work, things finally seemed to be **shining**.
idiom

a loose cannon

Meaning
A person who behaves unpredictably and may cause problems.
Example
Be careful with him — he’s **a loose cannon**.
phrasal-verb

relate to

Meaning
to understand and identify with someone’s experiences or emotions
Example
I can really **relate to** your situation because I went through something similar.
idiom

have stars in one’s eyes

Meaning
to be full of excitement and dreams about the future
Example
Young artists **have stars in their eyes** when they start their careers.
idiom

split decision

Meaning
a decision where people are divided in opinion
Example
The committee made a **split decision** on the proposal.
idiom

cast in stone

Meaning
fixed and unchangeable
Example
The script isn’t **cast in stone**; we can make changes.
idiom

A Scrooge

Meaning
A very stingy or miserly person.
Example
Don’t be **a Scrooge**—it’s Christmas!
idiom

keep it together

Meaning
to stay composed during difficult times
Example
Even after hearing the bad news, he managed to **keep it together**.
idiom

a game plan

Meaning
a strategy or plan of action
Example
We need a clear **game plan** before we start the meeting.
phrasal-verb

shake out

Meaning
to relieve stress or tension by moving or stretching
Example
Before continuing your work, take a moment to **shake out** your hands and shoulders.
idiom

The longest journey begins with a single step

Meaning
Any big task starts with a small action.
Example
Don't worry about the entire project, **the longest journey begins with a single step**.
phrasal-verb

vote for

Meaning
to choose someone or something in an election
Example
Everyone should **vote for** candidates who value honesty.
idiom

knock it out of the park

Meaning
to do something extremely well or successfully
Example
Her presentation **knocked it out of the park**.
phrasal-verb

lock in focus

Meaning
to give complete attention to the task at hand
Example
I **lock in focus** before presenting the quarterly strategy.
idiom

cut and paste

Meaning
to copy something with little change
Example
You can't just **cut and paste** ideas from others.
idiom

blow a fuse

Meaning
to suddenly become very angry or lose control
Example
He **blew a fuse** when he saw the mess.
phrasal-verb

bungle up

Meaning
to spoil or ruin something through clumsiness
Example
The workers **bungled up** the whole paint job.
idiom

A leap of faith

Meaning
Believing in something even without evidence or proof.
Example
When she took the job offer, it was truly **a leap of faith**.
phrasal-verb

break in

Meaning
to interrupt; to force entry into a place
Example
Sorry to **break in**, but can I add something?
phrasal-verb

break barriers

Meaning
to overcome obstacles that divide people or cultures
Example
Education helps **break barriers** between communities.
phrasal-verb

get rid of

Meaning
to remove or eliminate something unwanted
Example
I need to **get rid of** these old clothes.
phrasal-verb

break through pain

Meaning
to overcome emotional suffering or struggle
Example
She managed to **break through pain** and start a new chapter in life.
phrasal-verb

stumble upon

Meaning
to find something by accident
Example
We **stumbled upon** a hidden waterfall in the forest.
idiom

hit the trail

Meaning
to start traveling or begin an adventure
Example
We’ll **hit the trail** early in the morning.
phrasal-verb

stamp out

Meaning
to completely stop something bad or harmful
Example
The movement aimed to **stamp out** political corruption.
phrasal-verb

hold fast to

Meaning
to remain firmly committed to a belief or value
Example
She **holds fast to** transparency even under pressure.
idiom

build brand loyalty

Meaning
to create long-term trust and attachment to a brand
Example
Consistent quality helps **build brand loyalty** among customers.
phrasal-verb

ring in

Meaning
to call by phone to report information
Example
Listeners were asked to **ring in** with their opinions.
phrasal-verb

keep up with studies

Meaning
to stay at the same level as others in your academic progress
Example
It's important to **keep up with studies** to avoid falling behind in class.
idiom

caught between two stools

Meaning
to fail because of trying to do two things at once
Example
He was **caught between two stools**—trying to please both his boss and his team.
idiom

on your last legs

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

dump someone

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

rise from within

Meaning
to recover emotionally using one’s inner power or resilience
Example
After every setback, she found a way to **rise from within**.
phrasal-verb

bring in revenue

Meaning
to generate income or money for a company or government
Example
The new industrial zone is expected to **bring in revenue** for the region.
phrasal-verb

appreciate for

Meaning
to recognize the value of someone or something
Example
I really **appreciate you for** staying late to finish the work.
idiom

hair stands on end

Meaning
to feel intense fear or horror
Example
The ghost story made my **hair stand on end**.
idiom

Flying high

Meaning
To be very successful or happy.
Example
After getting promoted, she's **flying high**.
idiom

face the world

Meaning
to deal with life and its challenges confidently
Example
After recovering, she was ready to **face the world** again.
phrasal-verb

deal with customs

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

runway left

Meaning
the amount of time before a startup runs out of money
Example
We only have six months of **runway left** to make this work.
idiom

heart-to-heart

Meaning
an honest and open conversation between friends
Example
We had a **heart-to-heart** last night about everything.
idiom

change one's tune

Meaning
to change one's opinion or attitude
Example
After hearing the good news, he decided to **change his tune**.
idiom

encrypted

Meaning
data that is converted into a secure format to prevent unauthorized access
Example
All sensitive communications are **encrypted** to ensure privacy.
phrasal-verb

align with

Meaning
to agree with or support the goals or principles of others
Example
Many countries **align with** global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
idiom

iron fist in a velvet glove

Meaning
a gentle outward appearance hiding strong control
Example
Her leadership style is an **iron fist in a velvet glove**.
idiom

Money talks

Meaning
Money has great influence and power.
Example
He got the deal because **money talks**.
idiom

garbage in, garbage out

Meaning
flawed input data will produce flawed results
Example
If the training data is poor, the AI model will fail — **garbage in, garbage out**.
idiom

make yourself clear

Meaning
to express yourself so that others understand you easily
Example
Could you **make yourself clear**, please?
phrasal-verb

open your mind to

Meaning
to start considering or accepting new ideas or opinions
Example
Studying anthropology can help you **open your mind to** cultural diversity.
idiom

tide over

Meaning
to help someone through a difficult period
Example
A short-term loan will **tide us over** until the invoices are paid.
idiom

give someone a piece of your mind

Meaning
to express your opinion strongly, especially when criticizing someone
Example
She **gave him a piece of her mind** after the argument.
phrasal-verb

bring down tariffs

Meaning
to reduce taxes on imports or exports
Example
The new agreement aims to **bring down tariffs** between the two nations.
phrasal-verb

think back on

Meaning
to remember or recall something from the past
Example
When I **think back on** that day, I realize how careless I was.
phrasal-verb

get feelings across

Meaning
to make someone understand your emotions clearly
Example
It's hard to **get your feelings across** in an email.
phrasal-verb

get along together

Meaning
to have a friendly and harmonious relationship
Example
Despite their differences, they **get along together** quite well.
phrasal-verb

wander around

Meaning
to move about without a fixed purpose or direction
Example
We spent the afternoon **wandering around** the old town.
phrasal-verb

burst into flames

Meaning
to suddenly start burning
Example
The car **burst into flames** after the collision.
phrasal-verb

work on weaknesses

Meaning
to make efforts to improve the areas where you are lacking
Example
He is trying to **work on his weaknesses** to become more confident.
phrasal-verb

set aside differences

Meaning
to ignore disagreements so cooperation can continue
Example
Partners **set aside differences** to finish the joint project.
idiom

piece of the puzzle

Meaning
a part of the complete solution or understanding
Example
This information is just **a piece of the puzzle**.
idiom

ace the test

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

protect against downturns

Meaning
to take measures to avoid negative effects during economic decline
Example
Diversifying investments can **protect against downturns** in the economy.