tone up
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phrasal-verb

tone up

Meaning
to make muscles stronger and more defined
Example
He goes jogging every morning to **tone up** his body.
phrasal-verb

take up

Meaning
to start doing something new, such as a habit, activity, or belief
Example
Many people **take up** meditation as they explore mindfulness culture.
phrasal-verb

think through problems

Meaning
to carefully consider all aspects of an issue before deciding
Example
Before answering, always **think through problems** clearly.
phrasal-verb

thrill at

Meaning
to feel excited and happy about something
Example
Fans **thrilled at** the sight of their favorite singer.
phrasal-verb

talk yourself through

Meaning
to calmly guide yourself with inner talk during anxiety
Example
When your heart races, **talk yourself through** it with reassuring words.
phrasal-verb

team together for

Meaning
to unite or collaborate with others for a common purpose
Example
Countries decided to **team together for** regional growth.
idiom

True blue

Meaning
Loyal and trustworthy.
Example
You can count on her; she’s **true blue**.
phrasal-verb

take up meditation

Meaning
to start practicing meditation
Example
I recently **took up meditation** to reduce stress and feel more peaceful.
idiom

take on board

Meaning
to accept or take responsibility for something
Example
The manager had to **take on board** the new task for the team.
idiom

to have faith in yourself

Meaning
to trust your own abilities and potential
Example
If you want to succeed, you need to **have faith in yourself**.
idiom

the letter of the law

Meaning
following the exact wording of the law
Example
He follows **the letter of the law**, not its spirit.
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.
idiom

touch gold

Meaning
to be very successful or lucky in something
Example
Every project he takes on seems to **touch gold**.
idiom

thank your lucky stars

Meaning
to feel grateful for good fortune
Example
You should **thank your lucky stars** for having such good friends.
idiom

to see eye to eye

Meaning
to agree with someone
Example
We finally **saw eye to eye** on the decision.
phrasal-verb

take on

Meaning
to accept or start dealing with a challenge or responsibility
Example
Developed nations should **take on** more responsibility for climate aid.
idiom

tip of the iceberg

Meaning
a small part of a much bigger problem
Example
The data error we found is just the **tip of the iceberg**.
idiom

the cream of the crop

Meaning
the best among a group of people or things
Example
Only **the cream of the crop** get into that university.
phrasal-verb

throw about

Meaning
to move or scatter things in a disorderly way
Example
The kids **threw about** their toys all over the room.
idiom

to lose your nerve

Meaning
to lose courage and become too afraid to do something
Example
He wanted to jump, but he **lost his nerve** at the last second.
phrasal-verb

throw together

Meaning
to assemble or prepare something quickly and without care
Example
They **threw together** a quick dinner before the guests arrived.
phrasal-verb

talk it through

Meaning
to discuss your worries or feelings with someone to find relief
Example
It often helps to **talk it through** with someone who listens without judging.
idiom

to debug a program

Meaning
to identify and fix errors or problems in a computer program
Example
I spent all day **to debug a program** that was causing crashes.
phrasal-verb

take office

Meaning
to begin an official position or duty
Example
The new prime minister will **take office** next week.
idiom

to be of one mind

Meaning
to have the same opinion
Example
We are **of one mind** about this decision.
phrasal-verb

turn around from

Meaning
to change from a failing situation to a successful one
Example
The company managed to **turn around from** a major loss last year.
phrasal-verb

take interest in

Meaning
to show curiosity or enthusiasm about something
Example
He started to **take interest in** local traditions after moving abroad.
idiom

the world is your oyster

Meaning
you can achieve anything you want in life
Example
With your talent, **the world is your oyster**.
idiom

take it to the bank

Meaning
to be certain that something is true or will happen
Example
You can **take it to the bank** that he’ll deliver on his promise.
idiom

take pride in

Meaning
to feel good about something you have done
Example
You should **take pride in** your achievements.
idiom

the school of hard knocks

Meaning
learning through difficult experiences in life
Example
He didn’t go to college, but he learned from **the school of hard knocks**.
phrasal-verb

turn in

Meaning
to submit something like an assignment or report
Example
Don’t forget to **turn in** your project by Friday.
idiom

Take off

Meaning
To begin to succeed rapidly; to leave the ground.
Example
Her business really **took off** after the new marketing campaign.
idiom

Two heads are better than one

Meaning
Working together gives better results.
Example
**Two heads are better than one**, let’s solve it together.
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.
idiom

trust someone with something

Meaning
to give someone responsibility for something important
Example
I trust you to **take care of the project**.
idiom

the scales of justice

Meaning
the system or symbol representing fairness and equality in law
Example
The judge ensures that **the scales of justice** remain balanced.
phrasal-verb

turn pain into strength

Meaning
to use your emotional pain as a source of motivation or growth
Example
She learned to **turn pain into strength** after losing her job.
idiom

trailblazer

Meaning
a person who is the first to do something innovative
Example
Elon Musk is often seen as a **trailblazer** in the tech industry.
phrasal-verb

tune yourself out

Meaning
to stop paying attention to stressful things
Example
When people argue, I just **tune myself out** to stay calm.
phrasal-verb

top off with

Meaning
to finish something by adding a final touch
Example
We always **top off with** fresh herbs before serving the soup.
idiom

the best of both worlds

Meaning
a situation in which you can enjoy the advantages of two very different things at the same time
Example
She works in the city and lives in the country, so she gets **the best of both worlds**.
phrasal-verb

take over a company

Meaning
to gain control of another company by buying it
Example
A major corporation plans to **take over a company** in the European market.
phrasal-verb

tear up with joy

Meaning
to start crying because of happiness
Example
She **tore up with joy** when she heard the good news.
idiom

The sun will shine again

Meaning
Better times will come after bad ones.
Example
Don’t worry too much — **the sun will shine again**.
idiom

the story breaks

Meaning
when news becomes public or is first reported
Example
When **the story broke**, everyone was shocked.
idiom

to kill two birds with one stone

Meaning
to achieve two things at once
Example
I can **kill two birds with one stone** by listening to a podcast while I exercise.
idiom

take it or leave it

Meaning
showing indifference about accepting or rejecting something
Example
That’s my final offer — **take it or leave it**.
idiom

to see the big picture

Meaning
to understand the larger or more important issue
Example
You need to **see the big picture** when making strategic decisions.
idiom

to tell you the truth

Meaning
used to introduce an honest or surprising opinion
Example
**To tell you the truth**, I didn’t enjoy the party.
idiom

the ball is rolling

Meaning
a process has started and is making progress
Example
Now that **the ball is rolling**, we need to keep working.
phrasal-verb

tie to

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

turn around the business

Meaning
to make a failing business successful again
Example
The new CEO helped **turn around** the company’s declining sales.
idiom

touch and go

Meaning
a risky or uncertain situation where the outcome is doubtful
Example
It was **touch and go** whether he would survive the surgery.
idiom

the human touch

Meaning
a personal or emotional element that technology lacks
Example
Even with AI, customers still appreciate **the human touch** in service.
phrasal-verb

turn failure into

Meaning
to transform a failure into a learning or success opportunity
Example
He tried to **turn failure into** motivation for his next project.
phrasal-verb

tone down for

Meaning
to soften your language or behavior for a situation
Example
She **tones down for** audiences who prefer straightforward facts.
phrasal-verb

trip over oneself

Meaning
to make many small mistakes because of nervousness
Example
He **tripped over himself** trying to explain.
idiom

train your brain

Meaning
to practice and improve one’s cognitive abilities
Example
Use puzzles to **train your brain** like an AI model.
idiom

through thick and thin

Meaning
in good times and bad times
Example
She stood by me **through thick and thin**.
idiom

take stock of

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

the powers that be

Meaning
people or organizations who hold authority or control
Example
The decision depends on **the powers that be**.
phrasal-verb

tie nations together through

Meaning
to link countries through shared economic activities
Example
Free trade agreements **tie nations together through** common benefits.
idiom

take the law into one's own hands

Meaning
to seek justice personally rather than through legal authorities
Example
The villagers decided to **take the law into their own hands** and punished the thief.
phrasal-verb

turn up at

Meaning
to arrive unexpectedly at a place
Example
He **turned up at** my office without any notice.
idiom

two peas in a pod

Meaning
two people who are very similar or close
Example
My sister and I are **like two peas in a pod**.
idiom

The devil is in the details

Meaning
Small details are often the most important or problematic.
Example
The overall concept was great, but **the devil is in the details**.
idiom

to cloud-sync

Meaning
to synchronize data or files between devices via cloud services
Example
I always **to cloud-sync** my documents so that I can access them anywhere.
idiom

talk behind someone's back

Meaning
to say bad things about someone when they are not present
Example
I don’t like people who **talk behind my back**.
idiom

take by surprise

Meaning
to catch someone off guard; to surprise unexpectedly
Example
The sudden rain **took us by surprise**.
idiom

to make a boo-boo

Meaning
to make a small or funny mistake
Example
Oops, I **made a boo-boo** and sent the wrong file!
idiom

to have a clean conscience

Meaning
to feel good about oneself because one has done nothing wrong
Example
After telling the truth, she had **a clean conscience**.
idiom

to wear one's heart on one's sleeve

Meaning
to openly show one's emotions or feelings
Example
He really **wears his heart on his sleeve**, you can tell exactly how he feels.
idiom

take the heat

Meaning
to accept criticism or blame.
Example
The manager **took the heat** for the failed project.
idiom

throw the book at someone

Meaning
to punish someone severely
Example
The judge decided to **throw the book at** the criminal.
idiom

the vision thing

Meaning
the ability to imagine and plan the future clearly
Example
Many politicians lack **the vision thing**.
idiom

to rise to the occasion

Meaning
to show the necessary ability when faced with a challenge
Example
When the team needed him most, he **rose to the occasion** and led them to victory.
phrasal-verb

turn down

Meaning
to reject or refuse something
Example
The minister **turned down** the proposal for increasing taxes.
phrasal-verb

take breaks

Meaning
to pause from work for rest; to stop temporarily for relaxation
Example
You should **take breaks** regularly to stay focused throughout the day.
idiom

to pass with flying colors

Meaning
to succeed with a very high score
Example
He studied hard and passed the exam with **flying colors**.
phrasal-verb

tune into

Meaning
to become aware of or connected with your feelings or environment
Example
You should **tune into** positive energy around you.
idiom

take one for the team

Meaning
to sacrifice for the benefit of others
Example
He **took one for the team** and stayed late to finish the report.
idiom

The more, the merrier

Meaning
Things are more fun or effective with more people involved.
Example
Bring your friends along — **the more, the merrier**!
idiom

take a breather

Meaning
to rest for a short while to relax
Example
Let’s **take a breather** before continuing the meeting.
phrasal-verb

take responsibility for

Meaning
to accept that you are to blame for something
Example
He finally **took responsibility for** the mistake.
idiom

to play fair

Meaning
To act honestly and follow the rules.
Example
In every competition, we must **play fair**.
idiom

the grass is always greener on the other side

Meaning
other situations always seem better than your own
Example
**The grass is always greener on the other side**, but be grateful.
idiom

the nuts and bolts

Meaning
the basic practical details of something
Example
We discussed **the nuts and bolts** of the new software project.
idiom

Throw down the gauntlet

Meaning
To challenge someone to fight or compete.
Example
He **threw down the gauntlet** by questioning his opponent’s honesty.
phrasal-verb

transition into

Meaning
to change from one role or condition to another
Example
She successfully **transitioned into** a leadership role after years of experience.
idiom

teach by example

Meaning
to show others how to do something by demonstrating it yourself
Example
Good mentors always **teach by example**, showing the way with their actions.
idiom

tears of joy

Meaning
crying because of happiness
Example
She shed **tears of joy** when her son returned home.
idiom

take it in stride

Meaning
to accept something calmly without being upset
Example
She **took the criticism in stride**.
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.
idiom

The truth will set you free

Meaning
By being truthful, you can avoid trouble and feel liberated.
Example
Even though it was hard, **the truth will set you free** in the end.
phrasal-verb

take notes on

Meaning
to write down important information while studying
Example
You should **take notes on** every lecture.
idiom

the going gets tough

Meaning
when the situation becomes very difficult or challenging
Example
When **the going gets tough**, the tough get going.
idiom

take a hike

Meaning
to go for a walk or leave; to go away
Example
Let’s **take a hike** in the mountains this weekend.
phrasal-verb

take away

Meaning
to remove something; to make someone learn or remember something
Example
What did you **take away** from the meeting?
phrasal-verb

trip up on

Meaning
to make a mistake when dealing with something difficult
Example
She **tripped up on** the hardest part of the puzzle.
phrasal-verb

toy with

Meaning
to consider an idea casually without serious intention
Example
He’s been **toying with** the idea of developing a creative AI tool.
idiom

take up a hobby

Meaning
to start a new hobby or leisure activity
Example
During the lockdown, many people **took up hobbies** like painting or cooking.
phrasal-verb

train through setbacks

Meaning
to keep practicing even after difficulties
Example
Athletes **train through setbacks** by adjusting their routines.
phrasal-verb

take against

Meaning
to begin to dislike someone or something without clear reason
Example
She suddenly **took against** her new neighbor.
idiom

tie the knot of friendship

Meaning
to start a friendship
Example
They **tied the knot of friendship** during college.
phrasal-verb

tag in

Meaning
to include someone’s username in a post or photo
Example
Don’t forget to **tag in** your friends when you upload the group photo.
phrasal-verb

time out

Meaning
to stop a connection after taking too long to respond
Example
The website **timed out** because the server was too slow.
phrasal-verb

throw over

Meaning
to end a relationship with someone; to abandon
Example
She **threw him over** for another guy.
idiom

the luck of the draw

Meaning
something decided by chance
Example
You can’t choose your team; it’s **the luck of the draw**.
idiom

to push the envelope

Meaning
to go beyond the usual limits; to innovate
Example
In the world of AI, companies must **push the envelope** to stay competitive.
idiom

table the discussion

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

talk over drinks

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

turn setbacks into strengths

Meaning
to use failures or difficulties as a source of learning and confidence
Example
She learned to **turn setbacks into strengths** through self-belief.
idiom

tone down

Meaning
to make something less forceful or intense
Example
Could you **tone down** the colors in that slide?
phrasal-verb

take care of

Meaning
to be responsible for someone or something
Example
My sister **takes care of** our younger brother when our parents are away.
idiom

take heart

Meaning
to feel encouraged or more confident
Example
You should **take heart**; things will get better soon.
phrasal-verb

talk down

Meaning
to speak in a way that shows you think someone is less intelligent
Example
Don’t **talk down** to your colleagues; it’s disrespectful.
phrasal-verb

team up across departments

Meaning
to collaborate with people from different teams
Example
We **team up across departments** to deliver the sustainability report.
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**.
idiom

to my mind

Meaning
in my personal opinion or belief
Example
**To my mind**, this plan will work perfectly.
idiom

turn a blind eye

Meaning
to deliberately ignore something wrong or unpleasant
Example
The manager **turned a blind eye** to employees leaving early on Fridays.