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All Types idiom phrasal-verb proverb
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phrasal-verb

turn on

Meaning
to start a machine or device
Example
Can you **turn on** the Wi-Fi, please?
idiom

gear down

Meaning
to slow the pace of activity
Example
We can **gear down** after the product launch is stable.
phrasal-verb

stay ahead

Meaning
to continue to be more successful or advanced than others
Example
You have to work hard to **stay ahead** in this competitive program.
idiom

make friends with

Meaning
To become friendly with someone.
Example
It’s easy to **make friends with** kind people.
idiom

leaf through

Meaning
to turn the pages of a book or magazine casually
Example
He likes to **leaf through** catalogs during lunch.
phrasal-verb

lay the groundwork for

Meaning
to prepare the basic foundation for something important in the future
Example
She’s **laying the groundwork for** her next career move.
idiom

out like a light

Meaning
to fall asleep very quickly
Example
He was **out like a light** as soon as his head hit the pillow.
idiom

a cut above

Meaning
better than others; superior in quality or ability
Example
Her work is **a cut above** the rest.
phrasal-verb

wait for

Meaning
to expect or anticipate the delivery of an order
Example
I can’t **wait for** my new shoes to arrive.
phrasal-verb

lay foundations for

Meaning
to set the basic structures needed for success
Example
We **lay foundations for** expansion by documenting every process.
idiom

talk around something

Meaning
to discuss something without addressing it directly
Example
She kept **talking around** the topic instead of answering the question directly.
phrasal-verb

laugh off trouble

Meaning
to stay positive by joking about problems
Example
She **laughs off trouble** when flight delays throw off plans.
phrasal-verb

show up for

Meaning
to be present for someone when they need you
Example
Real friends always **show up for** each other.
idiom

take it with a pinch of salt

Meaning
to not completely believe something
Example
He exaggerates a lot, so **take it with a pinch of salt**.
idiom

smoke and mirrors

Meaning
something that is intended to deceive or confuse
Example
The company’s promises were just **smoke and mirrors**.
idiom

build from the ground up

Meaning
to start something from the very beginning
Example
They **built their business from the ground up** with no investors.
phrasal-verb

pace meetings well

Meaning
to manage the speed of a meeting appropriately
Example
Hosts **pace meetings well** by sticking to the agenda timing.
idiom

on the go

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

type up

Meaning
to write or prepare something using a computer
Example
He quickly **typed up** the message and sent it.
idiom

slip into

Meaning
to gradually enter a state or start wearing something
Example
She quickly **slipped into** a more comfortable outfit.
phrasal-verb

keep offices aligned

Meaning
to ensure different branches follow the same plan
Example
We **keep offices aligned** with a daily global standup call.
idiom

a debt of gratitude

Meaning
a feeling of being grateful to someone who has helped you
Example
We owe **a debt of gratitude** to our mentors.
idiom

bounce back from

Meaning
to recover quickly after a setback
Example
The team needs to **bounce back from** last week's loss.
idiom

hardwired to do something

Meaning
to be naturally inclined or programmed to behave a certain way
Example
Humans are **hardwired to** seek connection and belonging.
idiom

gears in motion

Meaning
the process has started and is progressing
Example
Once the plan was approved, the **gears were in motion**.
phrasal-verb

make do with

Meaning
to manage with something less than ideal
Example
We didn’t have enough chairs, so we had to **make do with** stools.
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

join forces

Meaning
to combine efforts with others for a common purpose
Example
Two companies **joined forces** to create a better product.
phrasal-verb

hold back anger

Meaning
to control one’s temper during conflict
Example
He tried to **hold back anger** while listening to the criticism.
idiom

kick off

Meaning
to start an event or activity
Example
The workshop will **kick off** at 9 a.m. sharp.
phrasal-verb

move along

Meaning
to continue going; to tell someone to keep moving
Example
The police asked the crowd to **move along** and not block the road.
idiom

get it right

Meaning
to do something correctly after making a mistake
Example
It took a few tries, but she finally **got it right**.
phrasal-verb

budget out for

Meaning
to allocate money for a future need
Example
Finance **budgets out for** new laptops in the annual plan.
idiom

silver lining

Meaning
a positive aspect in a bad situation
Example
Every dark cloud has a **silver lining**.
phrasal-verb

read aloud

Meaning
to read something so that other people can hear it
Example
She **read aloud** the story to the whole class.
idiom

weather the storm

Meaning
to survive a difficult situation
Example
Our company managed to **weather the storm** during the crisis.
phrasal-verb

follow up right away

Meaning
to respond immediately after receiving a message
Example
I **follow up right away** when a client shares new requirements.
idiom

spread kindness like wildfire

Meaning
to spread kindness rapidly and uncontrollably
Example
Her acts of kindness **spread like wildfire** in the community.
phrasal-verb

rest up

Meaning
to rest completely to regain energy
Example
You should **rest up** before your long trip tomorrow.
phrasal-verb

open with

Meaning
to begin something by doing or saying something specific
Example
He **opened with** a personal story to connect with the audience.
phrasal-verb

feel torn about

Meaning
to feel conflicted or regretful about a choice or decision
Example
I **feel torn about** leaving my hometown for work.
idiom

Old school

Meaning
Having traditional ideas or values; not modern
Example
My father still prefers handwritten letters; he’s really **old school**.
idiom

machine learning

Meaning
A method of data analysis that automates analytical model building.
Example
We used **machine learning** to predict customer behavior.
idiom

behind the times

Meaning
old-fashioned or not keeping up with modern ideas
Example
My uncle still uses a typewriter—he’s **behind the times**.
idiom

A rising tide lifts all boats

Meaning
When the economy improves, everyone benefits to some extent.
Example
When the new policies boosted trade, people said that **a rising tide lifts all boats**.
idiom

No doubt about it

Meaning
Used to express complete agreement
Example
**No doubt about it**, she deserves the award.
phrasal-verb

buy in on

Meaning
to agree to support a plan or idea
Example
Managers **buy in on** the strategy once they see the cost savings.
phrasal-verb

go over to

Meaning
to switch to another app, tab, or platform
Example
Let’s **go over to** the discussion forum to share our ideas.
idiom

a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor

Meaning
Challenges and difficulties make people stronger and more experienced.
Example
Remember, **a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor**—you’ll learn from tough times.
phrasal-verb

wonder about

Meaning
to be curious or question something
Example
I often **wonder about** what life will be like in ten years.
idiom

honesty is the best policy

Meaning
being honest is always the best way to behave
Example
My parents always taught me that **honesty is the best policy**.
idiom

tell a tall tale

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

make up for

Meaning
to compensate for something
Example
We’ll **make up for** the delay with extra support.
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.
phrasal-verb

break down barriers

Meaning
to remove misunderstandings or divisions between people or cultures
Example
Art and music can **break down barriers** between different cultures.
idiom

fill in for

Meaning
to do someone’s job temporarily
Example
Can you **fill in for** Rosa while she’s on leave?
phrasal-verb

call dibs on tasks

Meaning
to claim responsibility for specific work
Example
New hires **call dibs on tasks** that match their learning goals.
phrasal-verb

burn off

Meaning
to use up energy or fat by exercising
Example
I go jogging every morning to **burn off** extra calories.
idiom

Break bread with someone

Meaning
To share a meal; to bond over food
Example
They decided to **break bread** to celebrate their new partnership.
idiom

go up in smoke

Meaning
to fail completely; to come to nothing
Example
All his dreams **went up in smoke** after the deal collapsed.
idiom

clash of civilizations

Meaning
the conflict between different cultural, religious, or civilizational groups
Example
The debate about cultural differences is often seen as a **clash of civilizations**.
idiom

crack under pressure

Meaning
to lose control or fail when under stress
Example
Some people **crack under pressure**, while others thrive.
idiom

smooth over

Meaning
to make a problem seem less serious
Example
We need to **smooth over** the miscommunication with a quick call.
idiom

a snowball's chance in hell

Meaning
no chance at all
Example
He has **a snowball's chance in hell** of winning the lottery.
idiom

Bet your bottom dollar

Meaning
To be very sure or confident about something.
Example
You can **bet your bottom dollar** that he’ll show up late again.
idiom

fall through the cracks

Meaning
to be overlooked or neglected
Example
I forgot to follow up on his application and it **fell through the cracks**.
idiom

in high spirits

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

fall flat on one’s face

Meaning
to fail completely or embarrass oneself
Example
He **fell flat on his face** trying to start a new business.
idiom

crime doesn't pay

Meaning
doing wrong or illegal things will never bring true success
Example
He learned the hard way that **crime doesn't pay**.
idiom

burst of inspiration

Meaning
a sudden feeling of creativity or motivation
Example
He wrote the poem in a **burst of inspiration**.
idiom

lean on

Meaning
to depend on someone for support
Example
You can always **lean on** me when things get tough.
phrasal-verb

adapt out of necessity

Meaning
to change behavior or plans because circumstances require it
Example
During the crisis, businesses had to **adapt out of necessity**.
phrasal-verb

reach into

Meaning
to access or connect with inner feelings; to explore emotions deeply
Example
She tried to **reach into** her own pain to understand his suffering.
phrasal-verb

rise above fear

Meaning
to act bravely despite being afraid
Example
True courage means learning to **rise above fear**.
phrasal-verb

argue over

Meaning
to have a disagreement or fight about something
Example
They often **argue over** project deadlines in the office.
idiom

from my point of view

Meaning
considering something from one's own perspective
Example
**From my point of view**, the plan makes sense.
phrasal-verb

back up ideas

Meaning
to support or defend someone’s ideas or opinions
Example
During the discussion, teammates **backed up** each other's ideas confidently.
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.
phrasal-verb

reach across barriers

Meaning
to make an effort to connect despite differences
Example
Artists often **reach across barriers** through their creative work.
idiom

cold call

Meaning
to contact a potential customer without prior introduction
Example
He spent all morning making **cold calls** to new clients.
phrasal-verb

step through

Meaning
to pass through something carefully or one stage at a time
Example
Let’s **step through** the process so everyone understands it clearly.
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

let off

Meaning
to release emotions such as anger or frustration safely
Example
Sometimes you just need to **let off** your emotions through a good cry.
idiom

tell tales

Meaning
to gossip or reveal secrets, often to get someone in trouble
Example
Stop **telling tales** about your coworkers.
idiom

keep your head up

Meaning
to remain confident and strong during hardships
Example
**Keep your head up**, better days are coming.
phrasal-verb

rely on

Meaning
to trust or depend on someone or something
Example
We **rely on** local suppliers for daily goods.
idiom

wake up to

Meaning
to become aware of something important
Example
Communities are **waking up to** the impact of noise pollution.
idiom

go the distance

Meaning
to finish something successfully despite difficulties
Example
Only the most determined athletes can **go the distance**.
idiom

pioneer new ideas

Meaning
to introduce or create new concepts or methods
Example
He is always looking to **pioneer new ideas** in his field.
idiom

stand by your principles

Meaning
to remain loyal to your values, even in difficult situations
Example
She always **stands by her principles** in tough times.
phrasal-verb

bounce ideas off

Meaning
to share and discuss ideas with someone to get feedback
Example
I love to **bounce ideas off** my teammates before finalizing a plan.
phrasal-verb

move with

Meaning
to adjust according to changing trends or environments
Example
Companies that **move with** the market survive longer.
phrasal-verb

hold in

Meaning
to control your emotions or not express them
Example
She tried to **hold in** her laughter during the meeting.
idiom

grit your teeth

Meaning
to accept something unpleasant and continue
Example
He had to **grit his teeth** and finish the job.
phrasal-verb

come forward

Meaning
to offer to help or take part in something
Example
Several team members **came forward** to volunteer for the new task.
phrasal-verb

level off

Meaning
to stop rising or falling and remain steady
Example
After a rapid increase, the sales figures **leveled off**.
idiom

have confidence in

Meaning
to trust or believe in someone’s ability
Example
I **have confidence in** your judgment.
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

Keep one’s eye on the ball

Meaning
To stay focused on achieving a goal.
Example
If you **keep your eye on the ball**, you’ll surely succeed.
phrasal-verb

move on

Meaning
to progress to the next stage; to leave something behind
Example
After the breakup, she decided to **move on** with her life.
phrasal-verb

lash out with frustration

Meaning
to suddenly express anger or frustration
Example
He **lashed out with frustration** after failing the exam.
phrasal-verb

pass on to

Meaning
to give information or a message to someone else
Example
Could you **pass this on to** the manager before lunch?
idiom

run someone down

Meaning
to criticize someone unfairly; to speak badly about someone
Example
He always **runs his coworkers down** behind their backs.
idiom

in beta

Meaning
in the testing phase before final release
Example
The app is still **in beta**, so expect some bugs.
phrasal-verb

steer someone toward

Meaning
to guide a person toward a helpful choice
Example
Mentors **steer interns toward** roles that match their strengths.
phrasal-verb

scale back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something you use or do
Example
We've **scaled back on** paper prints to cut waste.
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

my way or the highway

Meaning
used to say that someone must accept your rules or leave
Example
The boss said it's **my way or the highway**.
idiom

The more you know, the less you know

Meaning
The more you learn, the more you realize how little you actually know.
Example
After years of study, he said, '**The more you know, the less you know**.'
phrasal-verb

get down

Meaning
to make someone feel sad; to move to a lower position
Example
Don’t let failure **get you down**.
phrasal-verb

sum up ideas

Meaning
to briefly express or summarize main thoughts
Example
At the end of the class, the teacher asked students to **sum up ideas** from the discussion.
idiom

have steam coming out of your ears

Meaning
to be visibly very angry
Example
He had **steam coming out of his ears** when he saw the damage.
phrasal-verb

hold appreciation for

Meaning
to keep a feeling of thankfulness towards someone
Example
I still **hold appreciation for** my teachers who guided me.
phrasal-verb

mobilize for

Meaning
to organize people for a political or social cause
Example
The leader **mobilized for** a national campaign on climate action.
idiom

source close to the matter

Meaning
an unidentified but informed source
Example
A **source close to the matter** confirmed the rumor.
idiom

pivot

Meaning
to change direction or strategy in response to market feedback or failure
Example
After the initial product launch failed, the team decided to **pivot** to a new business model.
phrasal-verb

cut in on

Meaning
to interrupt someone while they are speaking
Example
He rudely **cut in on** his opponent during the discussion.
idiom

crack the whip

Meaning
to use authority to make people work harder or obey rules
Example
The new manager is **cracking the whip** to improve productivity.
idiom

brainstorm an idea

Meaning
to discuss and think creatively to generate new ideas
Example
The teacher asked the class to **brainstorm ideas** for the project.
phrasal-verb

reach out with

Meaning
to offer help or kindness to someone
Example
The volunteers **reached out with** compassion and care.
idiom

fingers crossed

Meaning
hoping for good luck or a good result
Example
I have my **fingers crossed** for your exam results.