to take a sip

(literally and figuratively) to keep one's distance

(card games) to show one's hand, to show one's cards, to put one's cards on the table / (figuratively) to tip one's hand (to reveal one's intentions)

to settle somewhere, to take up residence somewhere

(figuratively) to watch one's back

(idiomatic) to win one's spurs, to earn one's stripes

to have privileged access to / to have an in with someone, to have a foot in the door with someone, to have someone's ear

to do one's accounts, to do one's sums (to figure out whether one can afford to pay for something)

to attend school (somewhere) / to do one's basic training (somewhere) / to learn the ropes (somewhere)

(of a business or an organization) to open its doors for the first time, to open its doors to the public, to begin operating