This lesson covers 25 C2 phrasal verbs on Management & Leadership. At Proficiency you must distinguish particles that change meaning subtly and match register across formal and informal contexts. Complete the runner, then use the glossary below to consolidate each verb. Detailed explanations appear in Review mode once you finish the set.
go by
to use information or experience that you have of someone or something in order to help you decide what to do or what to think about that person or thing
When making the final decision we will have to _____ the latest market research.
butter up
to be very nice to someone so that they will do what you want them to do
The sales team tried to _____ the potential client _____ before making their final pitch.
go around
if an illness goes around, a lot of people get it
A nasty rumour about the merger began to _____ the entire department.
water down
to make an idea or opinion less strong in order to make more people agree with it, or to make a plan or suggestion more acceptable
The final version of the report had been noticeably _____ to avoid offending any stakeholders.
get down
to manage to write down a series of spoken points
Could you please _____ the key points of the presentation for the minutes?
loosen up
to relax mentally
The team tried to _____ with some light conversation before the important presentation.
stake on
to risk losing money or harming something important [e.g. reputation] if a plan does not succeed
The company decided to _____ its entire reputation on the success of the new product.
look at
to focus on somebody/ something
We need to carefully _____ the latest data before making a final decision.
play along
to pretend to agree with someone, or to do what someone wants for a short time, in order to get something from them or to avoid making them angry
The research team decided to _____ with the proposal for the time being.
run over
to quickly read something or repeat something in order to remember it or to make sure that it is correct
Let's quickly _____ the main points one more time before the meeting.
balance out
to make things equal
The gains in one division should _____ the losses in another by the end of the year.
break up
if an occasion when people meet [e.g. meeting, party] breaks up, or if someone breaks it up, it ends and people start to leave
The board meeting finally _____ at 11 p.m. after more than six hours of discussion.
move away
to leave the place or area where you live and go and live in another place
Many researchers are choosing to _____ from the city to more affordable areas.
cash up
to count all the money taken by a shop or business at the end of the day
The shop assistant must _____ the till _____ at the end of every trading day.
fit in with
if one activity or event fits in with another, they exist or happen together in a way which is convenient
The new meeting time must perfectly _____ the international time zones of all participants.
steal away
to leave a place quietly without anyone knowing
The exhausted researcher tried to _____ unnoticed after the long and difficult meeting.
fly into
if someone flies into a particular state [e.g. rage, temper, panic] they are suddenly in that state
The CEO suddenly _____ a rage when he heard about the data breach.
come off better
to end up in a good or bad position because of an argument or some kind of struggle
The smaller company surprisingly _____ in the merger negotiations.
type up
to rewrite in full using a computer
The assistant was asked to quickly _____ the handwritten notes from the meeting.
cash in on
to make money from an event or situation, or to get some other advantage from it, often in an unfair way
Some companies tried to _____ the global health crisis by selling overpriced masks.
fall through
if a plan or agreement falls through, it fails to happen
The proposed merger unfortunately _____ at the last minute due to regulatory concerns.
go on at
to criticise someone continuously
The manager kept _____ the team about missing the deadline.
toy with
to consider something or doing something, but not in a very serious way and without making a decision
The board has been _____ the idea of a major restructuring for several months.
rebound on
if a negative action rebounds on someone, it has a bad effect on the person who did it and they do not achieve what they were trying to achieve
The aggressive marketing strategy eventually _____ the company itself.
draw back
to move away from someone or something, usually because you are surprised or afraid
The negotiator instinctively began to _____ when the opposing side made an unreasonable demand.