wind yourself up
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phrasal-verb

wind yourself up

Meaning
to make yourself nervous or upset; to become tense or worried
Example
Try not to **wind yourself up** before the meeting; everything will be fine.
phrasal-verb

cut over

Meaning
to switch from an old system to a new one
Example
We plan to **cut over** to the new cloud platform this weekend.
idiom

pick a fight

Meaning
to start an argument intentionally
Example
Don’t **pick a fight** with him; he’s already angry.
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.
idiom

tear-jerker

Meaning
something that makes you cry, especially a movie or story
Example
That movie was such a **tear-jerker**.
phrasal-verb

stand up after failure

Meaning
to recover and try again after failing
Example
Winners are those who **stand up after failure** and keep trying.
phrasal-verb

find over

Meaning
to review or check something carefully
Example
Let’s **find over** the details before submitting the report.
idiom

hit the nail on the head

Meaning
to be exactly right about something
Example
You **hit the nail on the head** with that analysis.
phrasal-verb

grow closer

Meaning
to gradually become more emotionally connected
Example
Over the years, we’ve **grown closer** as a family.
phrasal-verb

trip over

Meaning
to make a careless mistake while doing something
Example
I **tripped over** my words during the speech.
idiom

hit like a ton of bricks

Meaning
to cause a sudden and strong shock or surprise
Example
The news of his death **hit me like a ton of bricks**.
idiom

kingmaker

Meaning
a person who has great influence in deciding who will hold power
Example
The media mogul became a **kingmaker** in national politics.
idiom

make a fresh start

Meaning
to start something again in a new way
Example
After the failure, she decided to **make a fresh start**.
phrasal-verb

shine a light on

Meaning
to reveal information so people notice it
Example
Podcasts **shine a light on** local heroes balancing community work and study.
idiom

stretch the truth

Meaning
to exaggerate or make something seem more important than it is
Example
He sometimes **stretches the truth** to impress people.
phrasal-verb

learn from others

Meaning
to gain knowledge or understanding from people of different cultures
Example
We can **learn from others** by observing their traditions and values.
phrasal-verb

stay ahead of

Meaning
to be more advanced or prepared than others
Example
Students who review regularly **stay ahead of** the class.
phrasal-verb

step outside comfort zones

Meaning
to try tasks that feel challenging so you can grow
Example
We **step outside comfort zones** by volunteering for bold projects.
idiom

Time heals all wounds

Meaning
Emotional pain will lessen with time.
Example
Don’t worry, time heals all wounds.
idiom

olive branch

Meaning
a gesture of peace or reconciliation
Example
The president extended an **olive branch** by inviting his rival to the summit.
idiom

Spin a story

Meaning
To present a story in a way that is intended to influence people's opinions or beliefs.
Example
The journalist managed to **spin a story** that made the politician look like a hero.
idiom

keep someone at arm’s length

Meaning
to avoid getting too close to someone
Example
After the argument, I **kept him at arm’s length**.
phrasal-verb

embrace your journey

Meaning
to accept and appreciate your personal process of growth and healing
Example
It’s important to **embrace your journey**, even when it’s difficult.
phrasal-verb

keep down

Meaning
to prevent from increasing or growing
Example
We need to **keep down** our expenses this month.
idiom

Pay dividends

Meaning
To bring benefits or rewards later.
Example
Investing in education always **pays dividends** in the long run.
phrasal-verb

sit down with

Meaning
to meet and discuss something seriously or formally
Example
Government officials will **sit down with** community leaders to resolve the conflict.
phrasal-verb

deal away

Meaning
to give up something through a trade or compromise
Example
He **dealt away** his shares for quick cash.
phrasal-verb

phase over to

Meaning
to switch operations gradually to another system
Example
They plan to **phase over to** a paperless office within six months.
idiom

light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
sign of hope after a difficult period
Example
After months of struggle, she finally saw the **light at the end of the tunnel**.
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

look ahead

Meaning
to think about the future instead of the past
Example
Instead of regretting, **look ahead** and plan your next move.
idiom

give someone a leg up

Meaning
to help someone improve their situation or get an advantage
Example
Her mentor **gave her a leg up** in her career.
idiom

silver lining

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

vote for

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

Meaning
to persuade someone to accept your opinion
Example
I finally **brought her around** to my point of view.
phrasal-verb

cut down on sugar

Meaning
to reduce the amount of sugar you consume
Example
I decided to **cut down on sugar** to improve my health.
phrasal-verb

roll in profits

Meaning
to start earning a large amount of money
Example
After launching the new app, profits began to **roll in** quickly.
idiom

drive someone up the wall

Meaning
to make someone very annoyed or angry
Example
Her constant complaints **drive me up the wall**.
idiom

par for the course

Meaning
what is normal or expected in a given situation
Example
Delays are **par for the course** in big projects.
idiom

step up your game

Meaning
to improve your performance or effort
Example
You need to **step up your game** if you want to win.
idiom

cover all the angles

Meaning
to examine a story or issue from every perspective
Example
The journalist tried to **cover all the angles** before publishing the article.
idiom

ease back

Meaning
to relax or slow down the pace of something
Example
After the deadline, we can **ease back** a little.
phrasal-verb

fall under

Meaning
to be included in a category; to be controlled by someone
Example
This issue **falls under** the HR department’s responsibility.
idiom

dump someone

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

grease the wheels

Meaning
to make a process run more smoothly by helping it along or making it easier
Example
Bribing officials is a common way to grease the wheels in international trade negotiations.
phrasal-verb

come down with

Meaning
to become ill with a disease
Example
I think I'm **coming down with** a cold.
phrasal-verb

wind up with

Meaning
to end up in a particular situation or condition; to result in
Example
If you keep skipping breaks, you might **wind up with** burnout.
phrasal-verb

scroll back through

Meaning
to go backward through a feed or list of posts
Example
I **scrolled back through** my messages to find our first conversation.
idiom

get the hang of it

Meaning
to learn or become skilled at something new
Example
Don’t worry, you’ll **get the hang of it** soon.
phrasal-verb

come clean with

Meaning
to be completely honest with someone about something
Example
You should **come clean with** the team about the project delay.
phrasal-verb

bounce back emotionally

Meaning
to recover emotionally from a difficult experience
Example
She took time to **bounce back emotionally** after losing her job.
phrasal-verb

soak up the moment

Meaning
to fully enjoy and appreciate a happy situation
Example
She stood on the beach, **soaking up the moment**.
idiom

The light at the end of the tunnel

Meaning
A sign of hope after a long period of difficulty.
Example
After months of hard work, we finally saw **the light at the end of the tunnel**.
phrasal-verb

come across as

Meaning
to appear or seem to be something
Example
He **came across as** a very confident person.
idiom

Hot off the press

Meaning
Newly printed; very recent news
Example
The report was **hot off the press**, released just minutes ago.
phrasal-verb

do someone in

Meaning
to kill or exhaust someone
Example
The long hike really **did me in**.
phrasal-verb

meet up with

Meaning
to successfully reach or fulfill something like a goal or deadline
Example
We worked all night to **meet up with** the project deadline.
idiom

mama’s boy

Meaning
a man who is excessively attached to his mother
Example
He’s such a **mama’s boy**, always listening to her advice.
phrasal-verb

write to

Meaning
to send a letter or message to express gratitude or appreciation
Example
I plan to **write to** my old professor to thank him for his support.
phrasal-verb

root in

Meaning
to be based on or connected to something deeply
Example
Our customs are **rooted in** ancient beliefs.
idiom

put your faith in someone

Meaning
to trust someone completely
Example
She decided to **put her faith in him** and let him handle the project.
idiom

a lawyer's brief

Meaning
a summary or concise statement of an argument or case
Example
The **lawyer's brief** was submitted to the judge before the trial began.
idiom

head off to

Meaning
to leave for a particular place
Example
We should **head off to** the venue by noon.
idiom

start off on the right foot

Meaning
to begin something well or positively
Example
I want to **start off on the right foot** with my new job.
idiom

rule the roost

Meaning
to be the most powerful person in a group or family
Example
It’s clear that Mary **rules the roost** in that household.
phrasal-verb

start out

Meaning
to begin one’s career or business journey
Example
He **started out** as a small investor before becoming a venture capitalist.
phrasal-verb

call someone out on

Meaning
to point out a person’s mistake or bad behavior
Example
Coworkers **call someone out on** gossip that hurts the team.
phrasal-verb

print out

Meaning
to produce a paper copy from a computer or printer
Example
I need to **print out** the report for tomorrow’s meeting.
phrasal-verb

light up with happiness

Meaning
to look very happy
Example
Her face **lit up with happiness** when she saw the gift.
phrasal-verb

work past

Meaning
to overcome an emotional obstacle or memory
Example
He’s still trying to **work past** his anxiety.
phrasal-verb

work on

Meaning
to spend time improving or developing something
Example
Our team is **working on** an advanced AI model.
phrasal-verb

fit into

Meaning
to become part of a group or situation easily; to adjust to a new environment
Example
It took me a few weeks to **fit into** the new office culture.
idiom

ink in

Meaning
to schedule or confirm something in writing
Example
I’ll **ink in** the interview for Tuesday morning.
idiom

in a tight spot

Meaning
to be in a difficult or tricky situation
Example
He found himself **in a tight spot** when both friends asked for help.
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

coach up

Meaning
to train someone thoroughly to improve their skills
Example
My mentor **coaches me up** before every major presentation.
idiom

get along with

Meaning
to have a good relationship with someone
Example
I really **get along with** my coworkers.
phrasal-verb

build resilience

Meaning
to develop the ability to recover from challenges or stress
Example
Facing hardships helps you **build resilience** for the future.
phrasal-verb

open out to

Meaning
to become more receptive or welcoming toward new cultures or experiences
Example
Traveling helped her **open out to** different perspectives.
phrasal-verb

hold out on

Meaning
to refuse to give information or something to someone
Example
He’s **holding out on** me about the project details.
idiom

cornerstone of success

Meaning
the most important foundation or element for achieving success
Example
Hard work is the **cornerstone of success**.
phrasal-verb

break into phases

Meaning
to divide a project into smaller parts or stages
Example
We decided to **break the project into phases** to manage it more effectively.
idiom

Money talks

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

move around

Meaning
to go from place to place; to change locations often
Example
He loves to **move around** and explore new cities every year.
phrasal-verb

tap into your potential

Meaning
to use your abilities fully to achieve success
Example
You must **tap into your potential** to unlock greater confidence.
phrasal-verb

draw support from

Meaning
to gain backing or approval from a group or population
Example
The leader managed to **draw support from** rural voters with his new policies.
phrasal-verb

hold onto hope

Meaning
to keep believing that good things will happen
Example
No matter how hard life gets, always **hold onto hope**.
idiom

warp speed

Meaning
very high speed; extremely fast progress
Example
The project is moving at **warp speed** now.
phrasal-verb

come round

Meaning
to regain consciousness
Example
She fainted but soon **came round**.
phrasal-verb

look on the bright side of things

Meaning
to focus on the positive aspects of a situation
Example
Try to **look on the bright side of things** when things go wrong.
idiom

forty winks

Meaning
a short nap or brief sleep
Example
He likes to take **forty winks** after work.
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.
idiom

sandboxing

Meaning
A security mechanism used to run applications in an isolated environment to prevent potential damage to the system.
Example
By using **sandboxing**, the malware was contained and couldn't affect the rest of the system.
phrasal-verb

zero out

Meaning
to reduce an amount to nothing
Example
We **zero out** the balance every month to avoid interest.
phrasal-verb

call up on

Meaning
to ask someone formally to do something
Example
The chairman **called up on** all members to vote.
idiom

a happy camper

Meaning
a person who is content and satisfied with life
Example
After getting the job, he’s been **a happy camper**.
idiom

On the breadline

Meaning
Living in poverty or with very little money.
Example
After losing his job, he was almost **on the breadline**.
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

switch over for

Meaning
to change to a different option because of a need
Example
We **switch over for** winter hours to match customer demand.
phrasal-verb

celebrate with others

Meaning
to join in the cultural festivities of people from other backgrounds
Example
We should **celebrate with others** to appreciate their culture and values.
idiom

make peace with

Meaning
to end conflict and become friendly again
Example
She finally **made peace with** her sister after years of misunderstanding.
phrasal-verb

link together

Meaning
to connect or unite people or organizations
Example
The new initiative aims to **link together** researchers from across the globe.
phrasal-verb

look beyond yourself

Meaning
to consider others’ feelings or needs instead of focusing only on yourself
Example
Real emotional growth comes when you **look beyond yourself**.
phrasal-verb

bring closer

Meaning
to strengthen the emotional connection between people
Example
Sharing personal stories can **bring** friends **closer**.
phrasal-verb

stand up for your values

Meaning
to defend what you believe in confidently
Example
True confidence means you **stand up for your values**, even when others disagree.
idiom

take the wind out of someone’s sails

Meaning
To make someone lose confidence or enthusiasm.
Example
Her harsh criticism **took the wind out of his sails**.
phrasal-verb

apologize sincerely

Meaning
to say sorry in a heartfelt and honest manner
Example
If you make a mistake, **apologize sincerely** to the person.
idiom

open channels of communication

Meaning
to establish dialogue or discussion
Example
They tried to **open channels of communication** with the neighboring country.
phrasal-verb

work out with

Meaning
to find a solution or come to an agreement with others
Example
We need to **work out with** the marketing team to align our plans.
idiom

digital brainchild

Meaning
a product or idea created using digital or AI technology
Example
ChatGPT is the **digital brainchild** of OpenAI.
idiom

nod in agreement

Meaning
to show agreement by nodding
Example
Everyone **nodded in agreement** when the plan was explained.
idiom

crazy about someone

Meaning
to be deeply attracted or infatuated with someone
Example
She’s **crazy about** her new boyfriend.
idiom

count on

Meaning
to rely on or trust someone to do something
Example
You can always **count on** me.
phrasal-verb

take inspiration from

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

reach out to partners

Meaning
to contact or make connections with others for cooperation
Example
The NGO is **reaching out to partners** to expand its global projects.
phrasal-verb

smooth out differences

Meaning
to resolve disagreements or make things run more easily
Example
We need to **smooth out differences** between the teams to improve collaboration.
phrasal-verb

show through

Meaning
to be visible through something; to be partly seen
Example
Her red shirt **showed through** the white dress.
phrasal-verb

break down over

Meaning
to become very emotional because of regret or sadness
Example
He **broke down over** losing his best friend.
idiom

a drama queen

Meaning
someone who exaggerates or overreacts to situations
Example
Stop acting like **a drama queen**; it’s not that serious.
idiom

It rings a bell

Meaning
something sounds familiar
Example
That name **rings a bell**, but I can’t remember where I heard it.