Phrasal Verb |
Definition | Example |
act up | behave or function improperly |
I think I need to take my car to the mechanic because it's acting up again. |
add * up + | calculate a sum | I added up the receipts and it totaled $135.46. |
add up to + | equal an amount | The total expenses added up to $325.00. |
add up | make sense | Her story doesn't add up. I think she is lying. |
ask * out + | invite on a date | I can't believe that Joe finally asked me out on a date! |
ask * over + invite to one's home | Why don't we ask the Johnsons over for dinner? |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
back down | stop defending your opinion in a debate | Jane never backs down. She always wins arguments. |
back out | not keep (a promise, agreement,deal) | Sam backed out at the last second. |
back out of + | not keep (a promise, agreement, deal) | Sam backed out of the agreement at the last second. |
back * up + | give support | You need examples to back up your opinion. |
back up | move backwards, reverse | Could you back up a little so I can open this drawer. |
bawl * out | criticize, reprimand (inf.) | She bawled him out for arriving late. |
bear down on + | bite | The soldier had to bear down on the leather strap while the doctor removed a bullet from the soldier's arm. |
bear down on + | take strong measures against | The U.S.A. is bearing down on drug traffickers. |
bear on + | have to do with | This information may bear on this case. |
bear up | withstand | I didn't think he would bear up so well in that situation. |
bear up under + | withstand | How did he bear up under such extreme pressure. |
bear with + | be patient | Please bear with me while I fill out the paperwork. |
blow in | visit unexpectedly (inf.) | My cousin blew in unexpectedly with his entire family. |
blow over | pass without creating a problem | All this negative publicity will blow over in a couple of weeks. |
blow * up + | make explode;destroy using explosives The terrorists blew the bridge up. | |
blow up | explode | The bomb blew up before they could defuse it. |
blow up | suddenly become very angry | When Joan heard the news, she blew up and rushed out of the room. |
break * down + analyze in detail | We need to break this problem down in order to solve. | |
break down | stop working properly | The truck broke down in the desert. |
break down | become mentally ill | She broke down after her husband died. |
break * in + | wear or use something new until it is comfortable | I need to break these shoes in before I go hiking. |
break in | interrupt | While we were discussing the situation, Terri broke in to give her opinion. |
break in | enter a place unlawfully | The burglar broke in between midnight and 3 AM. |
break in on + | interrupt (a conversation) | Jane broke in on the conversation and told us to get back to work. |
break into + | enter a house unlawfully | The burglar broke into the house between midnight and 3 AM. |
break into + | interrupt (a conversation) | Jane broke into the conversation and told us what she knew. |
break * off + | end something | Sally broke her engagement to John off. |
break out | appear violently | Violent protests broke out in response to the military coup. |
break out + | use something extravagant for celebration | He broke out the champagne to celebrate his promotion. |
break out of + | escape | The murderer broke out of the prison. |
break * up + | break into pieces | I broke the cracker up into pieces and put it in the soup. |
break * up + | disperse (a crowd), stop (a fight) | The police broke the demonstration up before it got out of control. |
break up | end a relationship | Sam and Diane broke up again. What a rocky relationship. |
bring * about + cause to happen | Democracy brought about great change in the lives of the people. | |
bring * along + bring with | When we go to the forest, bring your wildlife guide along. | |
bring * around | change someone's mind, convince someone |
She doesn't want to go, but we'll eventually bring her around. |
bring * away | learn or gain (from an experience) | My trip across the Sahara was difficult, but I brought a new appreciation for life away from the experience. |
bring * off + | succeed at something difficult or unexpected |
You robbed the bank! I can't believe you brought that off. |
bring * on + | cause something | I can't believe she got so angry. What brought that on? |
bring * out + | highlight, stress | Your new shirt brings out the color of your eyes. |
bring * over + | bring to someone's house | When you visit me, why don't you bring over your son. |
bring * to | revive consciousness | We used smelling salts to bring her to after she fainted. |
bring * up + | mention | I didn't want to bring up the fact that she was unemployed. |
bring * up + | raise ( a child) | Sam was brought up in South Carolina. |
brush * off + | ignore something or someone (inf.) | Mary brushed her ex-boyfriend off at the party. |
burn * down + | destroy by setting fire to | The children burned the house down while playing with matches. |
burn down | burn until completely gone (building) | Two buildings burnt down in the fire. |
burn up | be hot | I am burning up in here - open the window. |
burn up | consume by fire | The papers were burned up in the fire. |
burn * up + | destroy by fire | He burnt up the files. |
buy * out + | buy the shares of a company or the shares the other person owns of a business | Pacific Inc. was bought out by a company from Oregon. |
buy * up + | purchase the entire supply of something |
We bought up all the beer in the store. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
call for + | require (as in a recipe) | This recipe calls for milk, not water. |
call * off + | cancel something | They called the picnic off because of the rain. |
call * off + | order to stop (an invasion, guard dogs) | He called off the dogs when he saw it was his neighbor. |
call on + | visit | Mark called on Naomi while he was in town. |
call on + | invite someone to speak in a meeting or a classroom | Professor Tanzer called on Tim to answer the question. |
call * up + | telephone | I called Sam up to see if he wanted to go to the movies. |
calm * down + | make someone relax | You can calm the baby down by rocking her gently. |
care for + | nurse someone or something | He cared for the bird until its wing healed. |
care for + | like someone or something | I don't care for sour cream on my potato. |
carry on + | continue (a conversation, a game) | Please, carry on. I didn't mean to interrupt you. |
carry on about + | continue in an annoying way | He kept carrying on about how much money he makes. |
carry on with + | continue | I want you to carry on with the project while I am out of town. |
carry * out + | complete and/or accomplish something | The secret agent carried out his orders exactly as planned. |
carry * over + | continue on a subsequent day, page, etc. | The meeting carried over into lunch time. |
catch on | slowly start to understand (inf.) | He caught on after a few minutes. |
catch up | make up for lost time | I will never catch up. I am too behind in my work. |
catch up with + | speed up to be at the same place as a person or thing in front of you | I had to run to catch up with the others. |
catch up on + | become up-to-date | I need to catch up on world events. I haven't seen the news in ages. |
check back | return to see if everything is OK | We will check back tomorrow to make sure the project is finished. |
check by + | go to a place to see if everything is OK | We need to check by the office to see if the documents are ready. |
check for + | try to find | They checked for termites before they bought the house. |
check in | enter a hospital, hotel etc. | They need to check in before noon. |
check into + | enter a hospital, hotel etc. | They checked into the hotel at 11:00 AM. |
check into + | investigate, look for (often through a service) |
We are checking into discount flights to London. |
check * off + | make a mark next to (an item on a list) | Check each name off the list. |
check on + | make sure something is OK | Let's check on the baby again before we go to sleep. |
check * out + | investigate, take a look at | He checked out the new restaurant down the street. |
check out | leave a hotel, hospital | It's already eleven. We need to check out. |
check out of + | leave a hotel, hospital | We checked out of the hotel before ten. |
check * over + | closely examine the condition of something | He checked over the old car to see if it was worth buying. |
check up on + | investigate someone or something | The police are checking up on the bomb threats. |
check * through | send luggage through (to a destination) | Your luggage will be checked through to Paris. |
check with + | ask a person for confirmation | He needs to check with his parents before he goes. |
cheer * up | make someone feel cheerful | The party really cheered me up. |
cheer up | become cheerful | Cheer up. Everything will be all right. |
chew * up + | chew into small pieces | The dog chewed up my shoe. |
chop * down + | fell/cut ( a tree) | The lumberjack chopped the tree down. |
chop * up + | chop/cut into small bits | He chopped the meat up into little pieces. |
clean * up + | tidy | Susan cleaned the mess up before she left. |
clear out | leave ( inf.) | Everybody clear out! We're closed. |
clear * up + | tidy | Susan cleared up the mess before she left. |
close * down + | close a place permanently | The corner market closed down because they didn't have many customers. |
close down | close permanently | The bar was closed down because they served alcohol to minors. |
close in on + | approach and threaten | The rebels were closing in on the capital, so the government called in the army. |
close * up + | close temporarily | They are closing the ski resort up for the summer. |
close up | close temporarily | The ski resort is closing up for the summer. |
come about | occur / happen | How did you idea for the book come about. |
come across + | discover by accident | They came across some lost Mayan ruins in the jungle. |
come across + | initially seem or have the appearance | He comes across as rather rude, but he isn't. |
come along | accompany someone | If you want, you can come along. |
come along with + | accompany | Sam came along with us to the beach. |
come along | progress | How's the research paper coming along. |
come along with + | progress | How are you coming along with the research paper. |
come away | leave a place with a particular feeling or impression |
I came away from the meeting feeling like the presentation was a success. |
come back | return | What time are you coming back? |
come by + | get, receive | How did you come by that new Mercedes? |
come by | visit a person at their house | I'll come by later this afternoon. |
come down with + | become sick with | He came down with the flu. |
come into + | inherit | He came into a large sum of money when his aunt died. |
come off + | fall off, break off | The handle came off the suitcase when I picked it up. |
come out | appear | I didn't see the car at first. It came out of nowhere. |
come out | reveal you are homosexual | Sam finally came out last month. |
come out | turn out, end up | The pictures came out great. |
come out with + | produce and distribute a product | Microsoft is coming out with a new video game system next month. |
come over | visit someone at their house | Why don't you come over after work for dinner. |
come to | regain consciousness | Don't worry! She faints all the time. She always comes to after a few minutes. |
come through | do what is needed or expected | Terry really came through for us in the end. |
come up to + | approach; to equal | The job offer didn't come up to her expectations. |
come up with + | produce or create (an idea, a plan) | She came up with a great proposal for the new advertising campaign. |
come with + | include (an accessory) | The computer system doesn't come with a printer. |
count * in + | include | Did you count expenses in? |
count on + | depend/rely on | You can really count on Sarah. |
count * out + | exclude | You can count James out. He hates playing poker. |
count * up + | add | Count the change up and see how much we have. |
crack down on + | become tougher on, better enforce laws on | The police have been cracking down on drunk driving. |
crack up | laugh uncontrollably, laugh a lot | When I told the joke, they all cracked up. |
crack up at + | laugh uncontrollably about, laugh a lot about | I cracked up at his joke. |
cross * out + | draw a line through something, eliminate Why did you cross my name out on the list? | |
cut down | decrease the amount of | You eat too much fat. You need to cut down. |
cut down on + | decrease the amount of | You need to cut down on your fat intake. |
cut in | interrupt | She suddenly cut in and delivered the news |
cut in on + | interrupt | She cut in on the conversation and delivered the news. |
cut * off | interrupt someone while they were speaking |
She cut him off before he said something he would regret later. |
cut * off + | sever ( with a knife) | His finger was accidentally cut off in an industrial accident. |
cut * out + | remove | He cut the bone out of the steak. |
cut * out | stop an action | Cut it out! You're bothering me. |
cut * up + | cut into small pieces | He cut the beef up and put the pieces in the soup. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
die away | diminish in intensity | The applause died away after 5 minutes. |
die down | diminish in intensity | The controversy about the president's affair finally died down. |
die off/out | become extinct | Whales are in danger of dying off. |
disagree with + | cause to feel sick due to food or drink | Spicy food disagrees with me. |
do away with + | abolish | Some Americans want to do away with the death penalty. |
do * over + | repeat | You made many mistakes, so I want you to do the report over. |
do without + | manage without something one wants or needs | I couldn't do without a car in California. |
draw * up + | create ( a contract) | Let's draw an agreement up before we go any further with this project. |
dress * down | reprimand severely | The mother dressed her son down for skipping school. |
dress down | dress casually | I am dressing down because we're going to a barbecue by the beach. |
dress * up + | decorate | You could dress this house up with some bright colors |
dress up | wear elegant clothes | She always dresses up at work. |
drive * back + | repulse | The invaders were driven back by the army. |
drop in | visit someone unexpectedly | Meg dropped in yesterday after dinner. |
drop in on + | visit someone unexpectedly | Let's drop in on Julie since we're driving by her house. |
drop out | quit an organized activity | Yuri isn't on the team any more. He dropped out. |
drop out of + | quit an organized activity (school) | It's difficult to get a good job if you drop out of high school. |
drop over | visit someone casually | Drop over any time you feel like talking. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
eat away | gradually destroy, erode | The heavy rains ate away at the sandstone cliffs. |
eat * up + | devour | Ken ate the cookies up. |
eat in | eat inside the home | We usually eat in instead of going out for dinner. |
eat out | eat outside the home | They eat out once a week. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
face up to + | acknowledge something difficult or embarrassing |
I'll never be able to face up to my colleagues after getting so drunk last night at the work party. |
fall back on + | be able to use in case of emergency |
Yuki can fall back on her degree in biology if she doesn't succeed in her acting career. |
fall behind | go slower than scheduled, lag | Hurry up or you will fall behind! |
fall behind in + | go slower than scheduled, lag | Cheryl has missed several days of school and now she is falling behind in her homework. |
fall off | decrease | Interest in the project fell off when they realized it wouldn't be profitable. |
fall out with + | have an argument with | I had a falling out with my sister last month and we haven't talked to each other since. |
fall through | fail to happen | Unfortunately, my trip to Indonesia fell through because I couldn't save enough money. |
feel * up + | grope | She sued her boss for sexual harassment after he felt her up. |
feel up to + | have the energy to do something |
I don't feel up to going out tonight because I had a long day at work. |
figure on + | expect | Where do you figure on living when you move to the the U.S.A.? |
figure * out + | solve something, understand | I finally figured the joke out. Now I understand why everybody was laughing. |
figure * up + | calculate | I need to figure my expenses up before I give you an estimate. |
fill * in + | complete | Don't forget to fill in all the blanks on the application. |
fill in | substitute | Who is going to fill in while you're gone? |
fill in for + | substitute for | Miguel filled in for me at the meeting yesterday because I was sick. |
fill * out + | complete (an application) | I filled out an application to rent the apartment last week. |
fill out | mature, get breasts | Now that you're filling out honey, we need to get you a bra. |
fill * up + | fill to the top | Fill the car up with unleaded gas, please. |
find out + | discover | You will never find out all my secrets! |
find out | discover | Vicky's parents are going to be so mad when they find out she got a tattoo. |
fix * up + | repair, renovate, remodel | My neighbors are fixing their house up. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
get * across + | cause to be understood | It's difficult to get humor across in another language. |
get ahead | make progress | I can't get ahead even though I work two jobs. |
get ahead of + surpass | You need to work overtime in order to get ahead of schedule. | |
get along | have a good relationship | Do you and your sister get along? |
get along with + | have a good relationship | Giovanna doesn't get along with her two brothers. |
get around + | avoid someone or something | Some people get around paying taxes by hiring a good accountant. |
get around | go many places | It's easy to get around town with public transportation. |
get away | escape | The bank robbers got away. |
get away with + | do something against the rules or illegal and not get caught or punished |
My sister gets away with everything! |
get by | survive without having the things you need or want | I lost my job, so I am having a hard time getting by this year. |
get by on + | survive with minimal resources | It's nearly impossible to get by on making minimum wage. |
get by with + | manage with | You don't need a computer. You can get by with the typewriter. |
get down to + | get serious about a topic | Enough small talk. Let's get down to business. |
get in + | enter ( a car, a small boat) | Get in the front seat. You will have more leg room. |
get in | enter | Get in. I will give you a ride to school |
get * off + | send (a package) | I finally got my sister's birthday present off yesterday. |
get * off | remove ( a spider from your shirt) | Can you get this spider off my shirt? |
get off + | leave (a bus, plane, train, boat) | We need to get off the bus at the next stop. |
get off | leave | It's dangerous to sit on the roof. Get off! |
get off | idiomatic phrase - How does he justify saying that?! | Where does he get off saying that?! |
get * on | put on (clothes) | You should get your jacket on because it's going to be cold. |
get on | enter (a bus, train), mount (a horse, a bike) |
The train is leaving. Quick, get on! |
get on + | enter (a bus, train), mount ( a horse, a bike) | Get on my bike and I will give you a ride home. |
get on | have a good relationship | Natasha doesn't get on with her co-workers. |
get on with + | have a good relationship | Do you get on with your neighbors? |
get on with + | continue an activity | Now that the police have left, let's get on with the party! |
get out of + | exit (a small boat, car, an enclosed area) | I fell into the water when I tried to get out of the canoe. |
get over + | recover (a cold, a disease, an ex- boyfriend/ex-girlfriend) | Jennifer still hasn't gotten over her breakup with Peter. |
get through + | complete | We will never get through all of these boxes by 9:00 PM. |
get through + | penetrate | We need a stronger drill to get through this wall. |
get through | penetrate | The door was jammed, so we couldn't get through. |
get through (with) + |
finish | Have you gotten through with your homework yet? |
get through to + | make contact | It's hard to get through to Janet because her telephone line is always busy. |
get * up | cause someone to rise (from a sitting position or a lying position) | Ahmed got Abdul up at 5:30 in the morning by turning the music up really loud. |
get up | rise (from sitting position or a bed) | What time did you get up this morning? |
give * away + | give something without asking for anything in exchange | Why did Nancy give all of her furniture away? |
give * away + | betray (a secret) | We are having a surprise party for Susan next Saturday, so don't give our surprise away by acting suspicious. |
give * back + | return something you borrowed | When are you going to give that book back to your teacher? |
give in | stop trying | Never give in! You can do it! |
give off + | release (a smell, light) | That white flower gives off a beautiful smell. |
give * out + | distribute | I earn extra money by giving out brochures on the street. |
give out | become very tired (inf.) | I hope this car doesn't give out in the middle of the desert. |
give * up + | surrender something | The police told the thief to give his gun up. |
give up | surrender | Never give up learning English! |
go away | leave | I yelled at the dogs to make them go away. |
go back | return | When are you going back to your house? |
go by + | go past, go close to, visit quickly | We go by the coffee shop everyday. |
go back on + | not keep (one's word, a promise) | Don't trust him. He always goes back on his promises. |
go down | decrease | The cost of flight tickets is going down. |
go for + | try to achieve | Our team is going for the gold medal in the Olympics. |
go for | idiomatic phrase - I am craving pepperoni pizza. |
I could go for pepperoni pizza. |
go in for + | participate ( inf.) | Are you going to go in for soccer this year at school? |
go into + | discuss in detail | I really don't want to go into that now. |
go off | explode | The bomb could go off at any moment. |
go off | begin, start (used with signals, alarms, warning sounds) | The alarm clock went off at 6:00 AM. |
go off | stop (said of a machine) | The DVD player goes off automatically if you are not using it. |
go off | become angry | Maria went off last night after I told her about losing her bike. |
go on | continue | Please, go on. Don't let me interrupt you. |
go on | happen | This place is a mess! What went on here last night? |
go on with + | continue ( a plan, a conversation) | I think we should go on with the meeting and stop wasting time. |
go out | stop burning ( a fire) | The fire went out after three days. |
go out | take part in social activities (usually at night) |
They love to go out every Saturday night. |
go over + | review | Do you usually go over your notes before class? |
go over | be well received, succeed | That didn't go over well. |
go through + | examine in detail, study carefully | I need to have my lawyer go through this contract before I sign it. |
go through + | endure; experience challenges, difficulties or traumas |
She has gone through so much in her life. |
go through with + |
continue or proceed despite difficulties or fears |
I have decided to go through with the operation. |
go with + | match (clothing) | That shirt doesn't go with those pants. |
go with + | accompany a person | I am going with Alejandro to the party. |
go with + | have a boyfriend/girlfriend | I am going with Yuri. |
go without + | abstain from something you want or need |
A person can go without water for three days. |
grow under | go out of business | The restaurant went under after it lost its liquor license. |
grow up | mature | Your brother needs to grow up and start thinking about his future. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
hand * back + | return | Is the teacher going to hand back our tests today? |
hand * down + | pronounce formally | The president is going to hand his decision down on health care tonight. |
hand * down + | give as an inheritance | When my clothes got too small for me as a child, I handed them down to my sister. |
hand * in + | submit | I have to hand in an offer by March 12. |
hand * out + | distribute | We should hand the concert fliers out at school. |
hand * over + | relinquish control of | Hand your car keys over. You're too drunk to drive. |
hang around + | stay in a place for fun ( inf.) | Maria and Salvador usually hang around the beach after school. |
hang around | stay in a place for fun | Those guys just hang around all day. |
hang * up + | suspend (clothes on a hanger) | You can hang your jacket up in the front closet. |
hang up | put down the telephone receiver | Don't hang up. I'm going to change phones. |
hang out + | stay in a place for fun (inf.) | Let's go hang out at the mall tonight. |
hang out | stay in a place for fun | What are you doing? - - I'm just hanging out. |
have * on + | wear | Do you have your hiking boots on? |
have * over | invite guests to your home | Why don't we have Mr. and Mrs. Jones over for dinner tonight. |
hear from + | receive news from (a letter, an e-mail) | Have you heard from Steve lately? |
hear of + | know about something or somebody | Have you heard of chocolate covered ants? |
hit on + | find on accident | I hit on the idea while watching the Simpsons show. |
hit on + | flirt with | Jay's friend Marc was trying to hit on my sister last night. |
hold * back + | restrain | The police held the demonstrators back while the politicians entered the building. |
hold back | not allow to advance in school | The teacher held Frank back a year, so he couldn't enter fifth grade. |
hold * off + | restrain | Mr. Johnson held the dog off while we crossed the yard. |
hold off on + | delay | We should hold off on making dinner until your parents arrive. |
hold on | grasp tightly | Hold on tight! The roller coaster is about to take off. |
hold on | tell someone to wait on the telephone | Hold on a minute. I'll get Carol. |
hold on to + | grasp tightly | Make sure you hold on to the hand rail as you walk down the stairs. |
hold out | not give in, continue to resist | Stop holding out and tell us where you found all of these old records. |
hold out against + | not give in, resist | They held out against enemy attack. |
hold * up + | delay (a flight, traffic); | The accident held traffic up for an hour. |
hold * up + | rob (a bank, a person) with a weapon | Five men held the bank up yesterday. |
hook * up + | make the electrical connections required for a machine or information service | Can you hook up the fax machine for me? |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
iron * out | eliminate | We need to have a meeting this week in order to iron out the distribution problems. |
Phrasal Verb |
Definition | Example |
jack up + | to raise | We need to jack up the car before we change the tire. |
joke around to be humorous | Mike is always joking around at work. | |
jump in | enter a conversation | Feel free to jump in at any moment while we are talking. |
jump to + | make a quick, poorly thought out decision | You shouldn't jump to conclusions. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
keep * around |
have handy, have accessible | I always keep a dictionary around to translate new words. |
keep at + | not give up (an activity), to persevere | You should keep at your studies. |
keep * away | prevent access to, hold back | Keep the kids away from the cookies. |
keep * back | maintain a safe distance, cause to maintain a safe distance |
Keep back! The burning building is about to collapse. |
keep * down | not vomit, not throw up, keep in one's stomach | If I ate that, I down know if I could keep it down. |
keep * in | keep in a particular place, have something in a specific location |
When I am not using it, I keep my passport in this drawer. |
keep * off | prevent from stepping or climbing on to something | Keep the cat off the couch. |
keep on | continue | He kept on talking after everybody asked him to stop. |
keep * out | prevent from entering | Keep the dog out of the garden; he keeps digging up the flowers. |
keep * over | cover something with, put something above |
I keep a tarp over my bicycle at night to prevent it from getting wet. |
keep to + | continue, persist in (an activity) | Everybody said she would never finish the puzzle, but she kept to it until it was done. |
keep up | stay on the required schedule | You have to keep up if you want to work here. |
keep * up + | continue | You are doing a great job! Keep it up. |
keep up with + | stay on schedule with (a person, the workload, homework) | I have so much reading that I can't keep up with the writing exercises. |
kick back | sit or lie back (to relax) | After work, I like to kick back in front of the TV and relax. |
kick in | begin taking effect | The medicine takes one hour to kick in. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
lay away + | save for the future | Why don't you lay away your wedding outfit? |
lay down + | establish (laws, rules) | Lori lays down the law in her class. English only! |
lay in on + | scold or criticize severely | My mom really laid in on me when I got home at 4:00 in the morning last night. |
lay into + | scold or criticize severely | I saw Reto's mom lay into him when he came home late last night. |
lay * off + | suspend someone from a job (during a slow period) |
The company was losing money, so they had to lay off 100 workers. |
lay * out + | arrange | Why don't we lay the pieces of the table out before we put it together. |
leave * out + | not include, omit | Why did your parents leave you out of their vacation plans? |
let * down | disappoint | I felt let down when I didn't receive a birthday card from my sister. |
let * down | lengthen (pants in sewing) | My uncle is a tailor, so he can let your pants down. |
let * out | release | I am happy my brother was let out of prison early. |
let * out | make bigger (in sewing) | I need to let out this skirt because I have gained weight. |
let up | weaken in intensity | I told her NO a thousand times, but she won't let up. |
lie down | rest, recline | I need to lie down before we go out tonight. |
lie down on + | rest, recline ( on a couch, bed) | I'm going to lie down on the sofa for a while. |
lie with + | be decided by | Whether or not you can go to the party lies with your father. |
light * up + | illuminate | Let's get some candles to light this room up. |
light up + | to smoke | Do you have to light up another cigarette? I thought you were trying to cut down. |
live * down + | live in a way that a shameful or embarrassing event is forgotten |
Jose will never live down singing that song at the karaoke bar. |
live on + | survive from | I could live on bread and cheese. |
live up to + | keep a standard | It would be hard to live up to her parent's expectations. They are so demanding. |
look after + | take care of (a child, a house, a pet) | When my sister goes on vacation, I look after her dog. |
look back on + | to remember nostalgically | When I look back on my childhood, I often feel angry. |
look down on + see as inferior | She's so conceited. She looks down on everybody else. | |
look for + | to seek or search for | I'm looking for my keys. Have you seen them? |
look forward to + | anticipate with pleasure | I am looking forward to traveling to New York next year. |
look into + | investigate | The police are looking into the murder. |
look on | observe as a spectator | Everybody just looked on as the two men fought. |
look out | be careful, pay attention, heed a certain danger | Look out, there's a black widow spider on the wall. |
look * over + | examine, review | When I'm camping, I look my shoes over before I put them on. |
look * up + | search for (in a dictionary) | I takes time to look up new vocabulary words. |
look * up + | locate and visit | If you ever travel to California, you should look me up. |
look up to + | respect, admire someone | He looks up to his father. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
make * out | decipher | I can't make out your handwriting. What does this say? |
make * out + | write a check or other document |
Who should I make this check out to? |
make out | succeed | He really made out in the stock market last year. |
make out | progress | How is your son making out in his new job? |
make out | kiss passionately | I saw Benno and Isabelle making out in the movie theater last night! |
make out with + | kiss someone passionately Did you make out with Sally? | |
make * over | do again | The teacher made me do my homework over. |
make * up + | invent ( a story) | Don't believe anything she says. She always makes things up. |
make * up + | complete what was missed | Fortunately, my professor let me make up the exam I missed yesterday. |
make * up + | put on cosmetics | I takes me 10 minutes to make my face up. |
make up | reconcile | You two have been friends for so long that I think you should make up. |
make up for + | compensate for | Allen made up for being late by getting me flowers. |
mix * up + | confuse | I sometimes mix the verb tenses up. |
mix * up + | blend | We need to mix up these different kinds of nuts before we put them in a bowl. |
mix * up + | make lively (a party) | Let's mix up this party with a little disco music. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
name * after + | name a child using another family member's name |
I was named after my grandfather. |
nod off | fall asleep | The movie was so boring that I nodded off before it was finished. |
nose around + | sneak around | I hate it when my mother noses around my room. |
Phrasal Verb |
Definition | Example |
occur to + | pop into one's mind, come to one's mind | It didn't occur to us that we had left the iron on. |
open up | share feelings | I'm glad that John feels comfortable enough around me to open up. |
out to + verb |
try to | She is out to get revenge now that her husband left her for another woman. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
pan out | be successful, turn out well | The trip to Vegas didn't pan out. |
pass away | die | After battling cancer for several years, he finally passed away at the age of 87. |
pass * off + | try to convince someone that something is real |
He tried to pass the fake watch off as a real Rolex. |
pass * on + | transmit | Please pass this message on to your co-workers. |
pass on + | not accept (an invitation to eat or do something) | Jennifer passed on the invitation to join us for dinner. |
pass on | die | I am afraid Professor Johnson has passed on. |
pass * out + | distribute | We need to pass out these flyers for the concert tomorrow. |
pass out | become unconscious | He passed out because the room was too hot. |
pass * up + | not take advantage (of an opportunity) | I can't believe she passed up the opportunity to study in Rome. |
pay * back + repay | If I loan you money, will you pay me back. | |
pay * off + | complete payment on a debt | It took me ten years to pay off my credit card debt. |
pay * off + | to bribe | Don't try to pay the police officer off if you get pulled over for speeding. |
pick on + | to tease, bully | She keeps picking on me! Make her stop. |
pick * out + | choose | Diane picked out a lovely dress for the dance. |
pick * up + | to lift an object with the hands | Keep your back straight when you lift the TV up. |
pick * up + | come and get someone in a car | What time are you going to pick me up. |
pick * up + | learn something without effort | It's possible to pick up enough English in two weeks to get by on your trip to Los Angeles. |
pick * up + | try to initiate a relationship with someone (often in a bar) | Some weird guy tried to pick Patricia up at the bar. |
pick up | grow, increase (inf.) | Business is really picking up this quarter. |
play * down + | make less important (inf.) | The President played down his affair with the intern. |
play * up | highlight something (inf.) | She played up her part in the new movie, but it was actually a very small role. |
play up to + | flatter someone for your personal advantage |
She has been playing up to the boss because she wants a promotion. |
point * out + | indicate | I'd like to point out that figures in column two might be outdated. |
pull down | earn | He pulls down about $300,000 a year. |
pull in | park (a vehicle) | Mark pulled in too quickly and crashed into the wall. |
pull out | depart (a vehicle) | Our train pulls out at 8:00, so don't be late. |
pull through | barely survive | I didn't think she was going to make it, but she pulled through in the end. |
put * across + | communicate (an idea or suggestion) clearly so that it is understood |
I thought Ms. Smith put her ideas across rather clearly in the meeting. |
put * away + | return to the proper place of storage | I told you kids to put your toys away. |
put * down + | insult, say bad things about | She always puts down people who don't share her opinions. |
put in + | officially submit a request (in the armed forces or public services) | He put in for a transfer to the division in Los Angeles. |
put * off + | postpone | Don't put off your work - do it now! |
put * on + | wear | Make sure you put on a sweater before you go outside. |
put * on + | deceive | I didn't believe a thing he said. I think he was putting me on. |
put * out + | extinguish (a fire) | Don't use water to put out a grease fire. |
put * out + | inconvenience someone | I don't want to put you out, but could you pick me up at the airport. |
put out + | spend (usually used with unreasonably large sums of money) |
I can't put out that much money each month. |
put * up | have a guest stay in your house for a short time | Can you put me up while I'm in town. |
put up with + tolerate | Sandy will not put up with smoking in her house. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
quiet * down + | be quiet, or cause to be quiet | The neighbors told us to quiet down last night or they would call the police. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
read up on + | research a topic for a reason | I need to read up on the company before I go on the job interview. |
ring * up | telephone | Jack rung me up last night at 3:00 in the morning. |
rule * out + | eliminate | I wouldn't rule out the possibility of moving to another country if I get a good job offer. |
run across + | find or meet unexpectedly | I ran across some old photos while I was cleaning my house. |
run against + | compete in an election | Gore ran against Bush in the 2000 elections in the U.S.A. |
run away | leave home permanently before you are a legal adult | The child ran away because her parents beat her. |
run away from + | escape from | The child ran away from its parents. |
run * down | Trace | Have you run down those phone numbers I asked for last week? |
run * down | criticize | My boss runs everyone down. |
run * down | hit with a car | My dog was run down by a bus. |
run down | loose power, be very tired | You need to wind your watch so it doesn't run down. |
run for + | campaign for a government position | Gore is running for president of the U.S.A. |
run into + | meet unexpectedly | I ran into my English teacher at the movies last night. She's so nice! |
run * off + | make leave | The new government is trying to run the drug traffickers off. |
run * off | reproduce (photocopies) | Would you mind running off 10 copies of this document for me? |
run off | leave quickly | Why did you run off after the party? |
run off | Waste water | You shouldn't swim where the sewage runs off into the ocean. |
run out of + | not have any more of something | We ran out of milk this morning, so we need to go to the store. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
save * up + | accumulate (money) | I hope I will be able to save up enough money to go to school. |
see about + | Arrange or consider something | My dad said he was going to see about buying me a car. |
see * off | say good-bye to someone at the beginning of their trip (at the airport, train station) | Did you see your sister off at the train station? |
see to + | make sure something happens, arrange | I'll see to it that Mr. Ramirez gets your message. |
see * through |
finish something despite difficulties | Are you going to be able to see your studies through now that you have a baby? |
sell * out | tell on someone | My partner in crime sold me out for a reduced jail sentence. |
set * up | Arrange a relationship | My mom set me up with her friend's son. |
set * up | falsely incriminate a person | I don't think he killed those men. Somebody set him up. |
set up + | arrange (an appointment, a meeting,etc.) | I set up an appointment with my doctor at 3:30 this afternoon. |
settle on + | make a decision after a period of time | I settled on the job at the oil company. |
settle up | pay one's debts | We need to settle up before you move. |
show * off + | show to everybody with a lot of pride | He always shows off his new things. |
show off | boast, draw attention to oneself | Young boys show off in order to impress girls. |
show * up | make someone seem inferior | He's always trying to show up his co workers in order to get ahead. |
show up | arrive without previous notice | I hadn't seen my cousin for years, and all of a sudden, he showed up at my workplace yesterday! |
shut * off | stop from functioning | If you don't pay your electric bill, your power is going to get shut off. |
shut * up | make quiet | Would someone shut him up! He's talking so loudly that we're going to get in trouble. |
slow * down + | make move more slowly | Because Mary's level in English is lower than the rest of the students, she slows the class down. |
slow * up + | make move more slowly | Because Mary's level in English is lower than the rest of the students, she slows the class up. |
spell * out + | to explain something in a detailed way so that the meaning is clearly understood |
He's so stupid that you have to spell everything our for him. |
stand by | wait | I need you to stand by and answer the phone when my broker calls. |
stand for + | represent | SCUBA stands for "self contained underwater breathing apparatus." |
stand for + | Tolerate | I won't stand for people criticizing me. |
stand out | be very noticeable | Soledad is so beautiful! She really stands out in a crowd. |
stand * up | not arrive to a date or an appointment (inf.) | I arranged to meet Joe at the library at 8:00, but he stood me up. I hope he has a good excuse. |
stand up for + | defend (something one believes in) | Every individual must stand up for what they believe in. |
stand up to + | defend oneself against someone or something |
I think you should stand up to your older brother and tell him to stop pushing you around. |
stay over | spend the night at a person's house | It takes you so long to take the bus home, so why don't you just stay over? |
stick it to + | Severely criticize a person (inf.) | My boss really stuck it to me when I arrived late to work for the third time this week. |
stick to + | persevere, keep trying | Even though English is a hard language to master, you must stick to it! |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
take after + | resemble a parent or relative | I take after my father. Who do you take after? |
take * away + | remove, seize or capture | The soldiers took the captives away. |
take * back + | retract something you said | I demand that you take back what you said. |
take * back + | return an item to a store | The dress my grandmother bought for me didn't fit, so I took it back and exchanged it for a pair of pants. |
take * down + | write down what is said | Would you mind taking down my messages while I am on vacation? |
take * down + | remove (from a high place) | The city government made the shop take down their bright, neon sign. |
take * for | consider, view as | Do you take me for an idiot? |
take * in + | learning | Are you taking in all of these phrasal verbs? |
take * in + | deceive a person | He was taken in by the con artist. |
take * in + | Make smaller when sewing | I lost weight, so I need to take some of my skirts to the tailor to have them taken in. |
take * off | when a plane or rocket leaves the ground | My stomach felt funny when the plane took off. |
take * off + | remove | In many cultures, it is appropriate to take off your shoes when entering a house. |
take * off + | leave work or school for a period of time |
I was sick last week, so I took a few days off of work. |
take off | Leave | We took off after dinner. |
take on + | accept (responsibilities, work) | She has taken on too much responsibility in this project. |
take * over + | take control of | Who is going to take over the family business when Aretha's father dies? |
take over | take control of | If the President is assassinated, the Vice president will take over. |
take * out + | accompany a person on a date (for dinner, the movies) | I can't meet you tonight because I am taking Fernanda out to dinner. |
take * up + | Begin a new hobby | Have you taken up any new hobbies since you moved here? |
take * up + | discuss (at a later date) | We should take this issue up in the meeting tomorrow. |
take * up + | shorten a garment when sewing | This dress is too long, I am going to take it up. |
take up + | occupy space | This couch takes up too much space in the living room. |
talk back | respond in an impolite way to an adult | Don't talk back! |
talk back to + | respond in an impolite way to an adult | Children should not talk back to their parents. |
talk * over + | discuss | I hope my parents talk their relationship problems over before they get divorced. |
tear * down + | destroy | The county decided to tear down the dilapidated school and build a new one. |
tear * up + | tear or rip into small pieces | I always tear up my personal papers before I throw them out. |
tell * off + | criticize a person severely, reprimand (inf.) |
Carolina told me off when she found out I was gossiping about her date with Martin. |
tell on + | report a crime to the police or bad behavior to a parent | Every time I did something wrong when I was a child, my sister would tell on me. |
think * over + | consider | Think over the offer before you sign the contract. |
think * through + | consider carefully | You need to think this through carefully before you make a decision. |
think * up + | create or invent a false story | I need to think up an excuse for not going to her party. |
throw * away + | discard | Don't throw away those bottles; we can recycle them. |
throw * out + | discard | I asked him not to throw out the Sunday newspaper because I wanted to save an article. |
throw * out + | remove by force from (a room, school, a house, etc.) | Mary threw out her roommate because she stopped paying rent. |
throw up | Vomit | If you drink too much alcohol, you might throw up. |
tie * up + | tie securely | When we dock, make sure you tie the boat up. |
tire * out | cause someone to be very tired | Speaking English all day tires me out. |
touch on + | talk about for a short time | The presidential candidates touched on the subject of health care during the debates. |
touch * up | Make the final improvements | We didn't paint the whole kitchen, we just touched up the cabinets. |
try * on + | put on to make sure a piece of clothing fits | Try on the pants before you buy them. |
try * out | Test | Try out this massage chair - it feels great! |
turn * away | refuse to deal with or give service | They turned us away at the border because we didn't have visas. |
turn * around | change or reverse direction | Turn the car around and go back home. |
turn * down + | refuse an offer; reject an application | She turned down the new job in New York, because she didn't want to move. |
turn * down + | lower the volume or intensity of a TV, radio, or other machine | I'm studying! Please turn down the TV. |
turn * in | submit | You need to turn your essays in next week. |
turn in | go to bed (inf.) | It's getting late. I think it is about time to turn in. |
turn into + | become something different, transform | When she kissed the frog, it turned into a handsome prince. |
turn * off + | stop the function of (a stove, a water faucet, a car, etc.) | Don't forget to turn off the iron before you leave the house. |
turn on + | attack unexpectedly | The pit bull suddenly turned on the small child. |
turn * on | cause to be excited sexually | Scientists have discovered that the smell of cinnamon turns many people on. |
turn * on + | start the function of a TV, a radio, a machine |
Turn on the TV. The baseball game starts in a few minutes. |
turn * out | produce | The weavers can turn out two or three rugs a month. |
turn * out | switch off a light | Turn out the light before you go to bed. |
turn out | audience members to a function | Over 100,000 people turned out for the concert. |
turn out | end up being | She turned out to be the murderer after all. |
turn * over | give to authorities (said of evidence or stolen / lost property) |
They turned the wallet over to the police. |
turn * up + | increase the volume or intensity of a TV, radio, or other machine | Turn up the TV. I can't hear what they're saying. |
turn up | find unexpectedly | My keys turned up in the bedroom. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
use * up | use all of something | I used up all of the soap, so we need to buy some more. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
veer away from + | stay away from, avoid | I veer away from the same old summer blockbuster films. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
wait on + | serve, service (a table) | Each waitress waits on three different tables in the restaurant. |
wait up | not sleep because you are waiting for something or someone | Don't wait up. |
wait up for + | not sleep because you are waiting for someone or something | Let's wait up for Mary to see how her date went. |
wake * up + | Awaken someone | The car alarm woke me up at 6:00 in the morning. |
wake up | Awaken | Wake up. It's time to get ready for work. |
wash up | clean oneself | Make sure you wash up before dinner. |
wash * up + | Clean | If we work together, we can wash the kitchen up in a few minutes. |
watch out | be careful | Watch out - there's a rattlesnake! |
watch out for + | be careful of | Watch out for snakes while you are hiking in the desert. |
wear off | disappear after a period of time | The affects of the medicine will wear off after a few hours. |
wear * out | use until something is not useable anymore | If you wear the same shoes everyday, you'll wear them out. |
wear * out | cause to be very tired | Her three kids wore me out. |
wind up + | finish (inf.) | If he doesn't get his act together, he is going to wind up in jail. |
wind * up + | tighten the spring of a watch or similar machine | He wound up the toy dog and set it on the floor. |
wind * up + | cause an animal or a child to behave wildly | The kids always get wound up when Uncle Henry comes over. |
wipe * out + | massacre or destroy | The tidal wave wiped out the small fishing village. |
wipe * out | cause to be very tired | After surfing all day, I was completely wiped out. |
work * out + | Solve | I hope you two can work out your problems. |
work out | exercise | I work out three times a week at the fitness center. |
work out | be successful | I am glad your new catering business is working out. |
write * down + | Record | Write down the directions so you don't forget them. |
write * out + | write down every word or letter | He wrote out the lyrics so I could understand what the singer was saying. |
write * up + | Prepare a report | He wrote up a business proposal in order to get a loan. |
Phrasal Verb | Definition | Example |
yak on | to continue talking in an annoying way ("on" can be repeated for emphasis) | He just yakked on and on and on. |
yak on about + | to continue talking in an annoying way about something ("on" can be repeated for emphasis) | She just yakked on and on about her husband's new job. |
yammer on | to talk in an annoying way or complain ("on" can be repeated for emphasis) | They yammered on and on and on. |
yammer on about + | to talk in an annoying way about something or complain about ("on" can be repeated for emphasis) | He just yammered on and on about how horrible the waiter was. |
Phrasal Verb |
Definition | Example |
zero in on + discover, pinpoint | I think I have zeroed in on what has been causing the problem. | |
zip around + | move quickly from place to place | I zipped around town after work today. |
zone out | stop paying attention | He zoned out during class. |
zonk out | fall asleep | Jill was so exhausted after taking the TOEFL test that she zonked out before dinner. |
zoom in | Focus | You need a telephoto lens to zoom in. |
zoom in on + | focus on something, pinpoint |
She zoomed in on his face while taking the picture. |
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