C2.1. Unit 1-4 Phrasal verbs

Question 1

bring about something

Harold’s working to bring about changes in the industry.

Answer 1

to cause something to happen

Question 2

bring something about

He brought about his company’s collapse by his reckless spending.

Answer 2

to cause something to happen

Question 3

catch up with sb.

I ran after her and managed to catch up with her.

Answer 3

to reach someone in front of you by going faster than them

Question 4

cheer (someone) up

She was sick so I sent her some flowers to cheer her up.

Answer 4

If someone cheers up, or something cheers someone up, they start to feel happier/better

Question 5

cheer sth up

A coat of paint and new curtains would really cheer the kitchen up.

Answer 5

to make a place look brighter or more attractive

Question 6

come about

How did the problem come about in the first place?

Answer 6

to happen, or start to happen

Question 7

come up with sth

She’s come up with some amazing plan to double her income.

Answer 7

to suggest or think of an idea, plan or solution

Question 8

cut down

I’m trying to cut down on caffeine.
She used to work 50 hours a week, but recently she’s cut down.

Answer 8

to do or use less of something

Question 9

double down on sth

Expect to see Fox double down on its marketing efforts to give the movie a big boost.

Answer 9

to continue to do something in an even more determined way than before

Question 10

end up

Answer 10

to finally be in a particular place or situation.

Sth unexpected happened, there is an unexpected outcome.

Question 11

get in with someone

He’s trying to get in with the teachers.

Answer 11

to be or become popular or friendly with someone

to start socializing with (formal register)/to start hanging out (informal register)

Question 12

go about something

What’s the best way of going about this?

Answer 12

to begin to do something or deal with something

Question 13

hang around (somewhere)

I spent most of my youth hanging around the bars of Dublin.

Answer 13

to wait or spend time somewhere, usually for no particular reason

Question 14

hang around

Go and pack but don’t hang around - we have to go in an hour.

Answer 14

to move or do things slowly

Question 15

help sb out

Her parents helped (her) out with a $500 loan.

Answer 15

If you help out, you do a part of someone’s work or give someone money. To help sb to get out from a bad/delicate/dramatic situation.

Question 16

jump at something

She jumped at the chance of a trip to Paris.

Answer 16

to accept something (an/the opportunity, chance) eagerly

Question 17

move along

Answer 17

to proceed, continue, go forward, to progress.

Question 18

pay off

All her hard work paid off in the end, and she finally passed the final exam.

Answer 18

If something you have done pays off, it is successful.

If sth. pays off = it’s worth it.

Question 19

pay sb off

Answer 19

to bribe sb

Question 20

pay sth off

We should be able to pay off the debt within two years.

Answer 20

to pay back money that you owe

to finish paying

Question 21

plow through something

informal

We ploughed through the mud.

I’ve got an enormous pile of papers to plough through.
You’ll never manage to plough through all that food.

Answer 21

to go through a substance or an area of something with difficulty

to finish reading, eating, or dealing with something with difficulty

Question 22

put something up

Why don’t you put up your hood/umbrella?
I put my hand up to ask the teacher a question.

Answer 22

to raise something, or to fix something in a raised position

Question 23

run out of sth

Answer 23

There is no more of sth

Question 24

set about something

[ + -ing verb ] I have no idea how to set about changing a tire on a car.
I tried to apologize, but I think I set about it the wrong way.

Answer 24

to start to do or deal with something

Question 25

settle in

Once we’ve settled in, we’ll have you over for dinner.

Answer 25

to become familiar with somewhere new, such as a new house, job, or school, and to feel comfortable and happy there.

Adjust, adapt, make yourself comfortable.

Question 26

take sb on

She was taken on as a laboratory assistant.

Answer 26

to employ or hire someone

Also: to compete against or fight someone (e.g. The government took on the unions and won).

Question 27

take sth on

She took too much on and made herself sick.

Answer 27

to accept a particular job or responsibility

Question 28

track something/someone down

He finally managed to track down the book he wanted.

Answer 28

to find something or someone after looking for it, him, or her in a lot of different places

Question 29

turn up (somewhere)

She turned up at my house late one night.

Answer 29

to arrive or appear somewhere, usually unexpectedly or in a way that was not planned

Question 30

come across

I came across an old photo album while cleaning the attic.

Answer 30

to find or encounter something or someone by chance.

Question 31

come around

Come around tonight and we’ll watch a movie.

Answer 31

to visit someone in their home or to change one’s opinion.

Question 32

come down

A lot of trees came down in the storm.

Answer 32

to fall and land on the ground

Question 33

come down with something

I think I’m coming down with the flu.

Answer 33

to start to suffer from an illness, especially one that is not serious

Question 34

come in

Please come in and take a seat.

Answer 34

to enter a place or to be useful

Question 35

come off

There was some sort of property deal that didn’t come off.

Answer 35

to happen as planned, or to succeed

Question 36

come on

The heat comes on at six in the morning.

Answer 36

to start to happen or work

Question 37

come over

Why don’t you come over this weekend?

Answer 37

To visit someone’s house.

Question 38

carry something out

The hospital is carrying out tests to find out what’s wrong with her.

Answer 38

to do or complete something, especially that you have said you would do or that you have been told to do

Question 39

make off

The burglars made off before the police arrived.

Answer 39

to leave quickly, usually in order to escape

Question 40

make up for something

No amount of money can make up for the death of a child.
This year’s good harvest will make up for last year’s bad one.

Answer 40

to take the place of something lost or damaged or to compensate for something bad with something good

Question 41

get something across

We tried to get our point across, but he just wouldn’t listen.
This is the message that we want to get across to the public.

Answer 41

to manage to make someone understand or believe something

Question 42

get around

Spain last week and Germany this week - he gets around, doesn’t he!

get around (somewhere)

News of her pregnancy soon got around (the office).

Answer 42

to travel to a lot of places

If news or information gets around, a lot of people hear about it

Question 43

get down

1) The cat got down from the tree.

2) The gloomy weather really gets me down.

3) Let’s get down to business.

Answer 43

1) To descend or move to a lower position.

2) To depress or sadden someone.

3) To concentrate or write something down.

Question 44

get in

1) She got in the car and drove away.

2) What time did you get in last night?

3) He got in to his dream university.

Answer 44

1) To enter a place, vehicle, or group.

2) To arrive at a destination.

3) To be accepted into a school, organization, etc.

Question 45

get off

1) We got off the train at the next station.

2) He got off with just a warning.

3) What time do you get off work?

Answer 45

1) To leave a vehicle, place, or situation.

2) To avoid punishment.ç

3) To stop work (for the day).

Question 46

come up against something

If you come up against difficulties, let me know and I’ll help out.

Answer 46

to have to deal with a problem