English Expressions, Idioms & Phrasal Verbs | Meanings, Examples & Usage
To try to do too many things at once, leaving no energy for any.
"She’s spread too thin between her job, family, and studies."
to start doing new and independent things
"After graduation, she wanted to spread her wings."
to pay for something, especially as a treat for others
"I'll spring for dessert since it's your birthday."
to appear or grow suddenly, like plants in spring
"New flowers sprang up after the first rain of spring."
to appear or grow quickly like plants
"New trees have sprouted up after the monsoon rain."
to encourage or accelerate economic expansion
"Tax cuts were introduced to spur growth in the private sector."
an unplanned or spontaneous decision or action
"The idea came on the spur of the moment during lunch."
to encourage someone to continue or try harder
"Her mentor’s feedback spurred her on to apply for the grant."
to encourage or accelerate economic development
"Digital innovation is expected to spur on growth in the service sector."
to encourage or stimulate creativity and new ideas
"Government incentives have spurred on innovation in the tech sector."
to organize or finish something neatly
"We need to square away the paperwork before the audit."
to prepare to compete or argue directly with someone
"Two teams square off with each other in tonight's final."
someone or something that doesn't fit or belong in a particular place or situation
"Putting a modern building in a historical district is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole."
to betray someone who trusts you
"I can’t believe he stabbed me in the back after all I did for him."
to reach a point where something becomes steady
"The unemployment rate has stabilized at 5% after years of fluctuation."
to prevent large fluctuations in the value of a currency
"Central banks intervene to stabilize currency during financial crises."
to make prices steady and prevent large fluctuations
"Regulations were imposed to stabilize prices in the food market."
to build momentum by completing quick successes
"We stack small wins early in the day to feel accomplished."
to hire additional people in preparation for something
"We need to staff up for the remote support launch."
nervousness before performing in front of an audience
"Even experienced actors sometimes get stage fright."
to completely stop something bad or harmful
"The movement aimed to stamp out political corruption."
to oppose or resist something strongly
"He decided to stand against the unfair law."
to support or defend someone as part of a group
"True teammates stand alongside each other in difficult times."
to spend time standing and doing nothing
"We were just standing around waiting for the bus."
to step to one side; to withdraw and let others take charge
"He stood aside to let her pass."
to move away from something; to distance yourself from involvement
"Please stand back from the edge of the platform."
to support or defend someone or something publicly
"Many nations stand behind the new global peace initiative."
to remain loyal or supportive to someone in difficult times
"True friends always stand beside you when life gets tough."
to support or remain loyal to someone, especially in difficult times
"She always stands by her brother no matter what happens."
to support friendly nations during difficult times
"The country promised to stand by allies during the crisis."
to remain loyal or supportive
"True friends stand by each other in hard times."
to remain loyal to your values, even in difficult situations
"She always stands by her principles in tough times."
to keep a promise or commitment even when it is difficult
"He’s the kind of person who always stands by his word."
to withdraw from an argument or position to avoid conflict
"He decided to stand down instead of continuing the argument."
to remain strong and not give up under pressure or doubt
"He decided to stand firm in his beliefs despite opposition."
to remain supportive and steady for someone or something you believe in
"She stood firm for her friend even when others doubted him."
to remain strong in one's beliefs or decisions
"True leaders stand firm on their principles even under pressure."
to stay confident in your values or opinions even when others disagree
"Leaders must stand firm on beliefs to earn respect."
to represent or support a particular idea or principle
"The party stands for equality and justice."
to be a candidate in an election
"She decided to stand for election as a member of parliament."
to represent or support the idea of equal rights for all
"We must stand for equality in every part of the world."
to defend your beliefs or actions confidently
"Always stand for yourself even when others disagree."
to replace an actor temporarily in a scene
"A stunt double stood in for the actor during the dangerous scene."
to take someone’s place temporarily
"Lisa will stand in for me during the client meeting tomorrow."
to be independent and self-supporting
"He worked hard to stand on his own two feet after college."
to refuse to change one's position or opinion
"She stood her ground even when everyone disagreed."
to be very noticeable; to be better than others
"Her bright dress really stood out at the party."
to be noticeable or recognized as having a particular quality
"She really stood out as a confident and fair leader."
to be recognized for leadership qualities or achievements
"She stood out as a leader because of her integrity and vision."
to be noticeably different or better than others
"Her confidence makes her stand out from the rest of the team."