Work Up
To stimulate, feel strongly
excited, angry or worried
My Jass was all worked up
about the exam
IDIOMS AND PHRASAL VERBS FOR JOB
Work In
Work Into
To include, fit in.
It works in quite well with our
plans
To add or include something in
something
She tried to work her question
into the conversation
Work at
Work out
Burn Out
work at something] to try hard to
develop or improve something
To work out means to deal with a
problem satisfactorily OR do physical
exercise OR to end in a particular way:
To burn out means to work too
hard, so that you become completely
If she works at improving her
game, she could be a champion.
Successful relationships don’t just
happen – you have to work at
them.
(Not) Measure Up
If something doesn’t measure
up; it means it is not
satisfactory; it doesn’t compare
well with the standards.
stressed and exhausted. The noun
form, burnout, is also used.
We have worked out our differences
He works out at the local gym every
day
I cant work out what to do.
If you keep working 16-hour days,
you’ll burn out within a month.
Zero In On
Lay Off
To zero in on something means
to focus closely on it.
If an employee is laid off, he/she
loses her job; the company
terminates their employment.
We’ve tried a lot of strategies,
but we need to zero in on
what’s actually working.
The R&D department had to lay off
a couple of people.
Pencil In
Close Down
Run By/Past
To pencil in an appointment
means to set the appointment,
but not confirm it as final.
If a company, program, factory,
etc. closes down, it means it
stops operating.
To run something by/past
someone means to show an idea
or proposal to that person and ask
for their approval or feedback.
Let’s pencil in a lunch meeting
next Wednesday – but I’ll call
you later to confirm it.
The company closed down the
factory because it wasn’t
meeting production quotas.
Sign Off On
Draw Up
Get Ahead
To sign off on something
means to give official
approval for it.
To draw up an agreement, a
contract, a list, etc. means to
compose the document and put
it in written form.
To get ahead means to be
successful in your career or life; to
make more progress than others:
This designer’s work just
doesn’t measure up to the
quality we’ve come to expect.
The manager signed off on
the revised budget for 2015.
My lawyer will draw up a
contract and send it for your
review.
That’s an interesting idea. Let’s run
it by the boss and see what she
thinks.
You need to make lots of
connections in order to get ahead
in this industry.