V+N

to calm or reduce
worries/concerns

Allay fears "The captain allayed the

passengers’ fears by explaining
that it’s perfectly normal to see
flames coming from the engines."

V+N

to cry

"We all shed a few tears when One

shed tears Direction broke up. They were never as
good as Take That, though."
 V+N
to start a discussion about
something sensitive

Broach the subject "As the team leader, it was my

responsibility to broach the
subject of the recent decline in
project productivity with the
entire team."

V+N
to stimulate or cause interest in
something

pique interest "The mysterious book cover and the

enigmatic synopsis were enough to pique
my interest in the novel."
 V+N
to increase sb’s interest in sth
(usually by providing a sample)

whet (sb’s) appetite "The cookbook's vibrant photos

and enticing descriptions were
designed to whet the reader's
appetite for trying new recipes."

V+N
to do sth that’s never been done
(for others to follow)

blaze a trail "The astronaut's historic spacewalk

helped to blaze a trail for future space
exploration missions."
 V+N
to continue to have bad
feelings towards sb because of
sth that happened previously
hold/bear a grudge "Rob stole my pen in primary
school, but I don’t hold a grudge.
I’ll never send him a Christmas
card, though."

V+N
to get positive results from sth
at a later stage
"Regular exercise and a healthy
pay dividends lifestyle can pay dividends in terms of
improved overall well-being and reduced
health risks."
 V+N
to behave in an inappropriately
familiar way (disrepectful)
take liberties "Don’t take liberties, Steven.
We’re glad you could attend the
meeting, but please take your
feet off the president’s desk!"

V+N
to clarify or disprove a widely
held false belief.

dispel myths "It’s time to dispel the myth that all

English food is awful. It’s only 99% of
it that is inedible."
 PV
to gradually reduce the size,
number or amount of sth
Whittle down "The HR department whittled
down the candidates from the
orignal 300 applicants to the
final three."

PV
to avoid doing something you fear,
dislike or feel uncomfortable about.
shy away "Language learners should not shy
away from opportunities to practise
speaking in real situations."