Common Phrases and Their Meanings

Study Notes

Phrasal Verbs and Their Meanings

Go over: Means to review or examine something thoroughly; useful for preparations like meetings or assessments.
Tighten up: Refers to making rules or practices stricter or more efficient, particularly in security or financial contexts, to increase safety and control.
Keep an eye on: Indicates the act of monitoring or watching something closely, often to provide support or ensure compliance.
Eating up: Describes the consumption of a large resource, typically money, highlighting financial burdens such as rent that take up significant portions of income.
Cut back: Implies reducing the quantity of something, especially expenses or activities, to save resources or manage budgets better.
Set aside: Refers to reserving or saving money or time for specific purposes, emphasizing the importance of financial planning and discipline.
Draw up: Means to prepare a detailed document or plan, often associated with legal or official contexts such as contracts.
Boost: Involves increasing or enhancing something, like efforts in marketing, to improve performance and results.
Stay ahead of the curve: Describes being proactive and innovative to maintain a competitive advantage, especially in business through continuous improvement.
Shortchange: Means to provide less than what is deserved, particularly in financial or resource contexts, which can lead to dissatisfaction among employees or stakeholders.
Look into: Involves investigating or exploring opportunities further, indicating a proactive approach towards problem-solving or resource management.
Free up: Refers to making resources available by eliminating restrictions, often used for managing space or time efficiently in a workplace.
Above board: Describes actions that are honest, legal, and transparent; crucial for maintaining trust in business and financial dealings.

Phrasal Verbs and Their Meanings

Go over: To review or examine something in detail. Example: Used in the context of reviewing a financial report prior to a meeting.
Cut back: To reduce expenses or activities. Example: Implies the necessity to lower electricity usage to decrease bills.

Document Preparation and Improvement

Draw up: Refers to preparing a document or plan meticulously. Example: A lawyer creating a detailed contract is a typical scenario.
Boost: To enhance or improve a particular aspect. Example: Increasing marketing efforts is essential for attracting more customers.

Fairness and Resource Management

Shortchange: To provide less than what is deserved, especially regarding financial resources or support. Example: Insufficient training for employees may lead to feelings of being shortchanged.
Free up: To make something accessible by removing limitations or prior commitments. Example: Creating additional office space for new equipment reflects this action.

Ethical Practices

Above board: Denotes actions that are honest, legal, and transparent. Example: Maintaining transparency in financial transactions ensures practices are above board.

Description

Explore common phrases used in everyday language and their meanings. This quiz tests your understanding of expressions used to convey specific actions or behaviors. Perfect for improving your language skills and comprehension.