Chapter 12 - Competition

Question 1

back … up …

backed up

Answer 1

support, help, be loyal to (= stand up for)

ex. Whenever I have Guests who are bad, my manager always backs me up.

Question 2

beat … out …

beat out

Answer 2

win against (in competition), defeat in a close contest (informal)
ex. Taller athletes do not always beat out shorter ones.

Question 3

carry … off …

carried off

Answer 3

win (a prize, a victory, an honor, etc.)

ex. The Canadians carried off their trophy altogether.

Question 4

catch up

caught up

Answer 4

become even with, come up to someone else in a competition

ex. The runner is catching up with the first line runner.

Question 5

cheer … up …

cheered up

Answer 5

support by cheering (yelling, shouting, clapping, etc.)

ex. The cheer team is cheering up the guys on the field.

Question 6

come through

came through

Answer 6

be successful, win, last successfully to the end

ex. Did your favorite team come through?

Question 7

face … with …

faced with

Answer 7

meet, encounter (especially something difficult or unpleasant) (generally used as a passive: [be] faced with)
ex. Has she ever been faced with serious problems?

Question 8

fight … off …

fought off

Answer 8

keep (someone or something) away or behind, fight successfully against
ex. The leader fought off the runner in second place.

Question 9

get behind

got behind

Answer 9

let (someone else) move in front, fail to get or hold the leading position (= fall behind)
ex. When the team gets behind, the team tries hard to catch up.

Question 10

hang on

hung on

Answer 10

continue to try hard

ex. Hang on! I know you can do it!

Question 11

hold … against …

held against

Answer 11

object to, be unhappy about, be displeased with (often in the phrase hold it against [someone])
ex. Will you hold it against me if I tell you I forgot the cake?

Question 12

laugh … off …

laughed off

Answer 12

fail to consider seriously, dismiss by laughing

ex. She laughed it off! She didn’t even consider my proposition at all!

Question 13

let up

let up

Answer 13

try less hard, go more slowly

ex. Sometimes the leader in a contest lets up too soon.

Question 14

make … up …

made up

Answer 14

gain (in a competition), reduce a difference (in distance or time)
ex. I made up to you in the race! I was far behind but got to you!

Question 15

nose … out …

nosed out

Answer 15

defeat in a close contest, defeat by a small distance, amount, total, etc
ex. Charles-Edouard nosed out Alexis in the election. He got 5 more votes than Alexis.

Question 16

pull ahead

pulled ahead

Answer 16

move in front, take the lead

ex. Did you see that? Youbie pulled ahead in the race!

Question 17

push on

pushed on

Answer 17

make a continuing effort, continue in difficult conditions

ex. A good athlete pushes on even when he knows he will probably lose.

Question 18

root for __

rooted for

Answer 18

support by cheering, etc. (informal) (= cheer on)

ex. The cheer team is rooting for the guys on the field.

Question 19

show … off …

showed off

Answer 19

display boastfully (one's good qualities, appearance, ability, etc.), make a show of
ex. You are just showing off again! Stop it!

Question 20

side with __

sided with

Answer 20

agree with, support

ex. In an argument with my mom, my dad sided with me.

Question 21

slow down

slowed down

Answer 21

go more slowly than before (= slow up)

ex. Drivers slow down when the first snow appears!

Question 22

speed up

speeded up

Answer 22

go faster than before

ex. Some sports drivers go crazy on the highway and speed up.

Question 23

stand up for __

stood up for

Answer 23

support, talk in favor of (= back up)

ex. Stand up for what you believe is what you always told me!

Question 24

stir … up …

stirred up

Answer 24

start, cause, put into motion

ex. Don’t stir up trouble if you can avoid it!

Question 25

take … on …

took on

Answer 25

start to compete against, challenge (in a contest)

ex. Aquilon will take on Cama in volleyball again!

Question 26

turn against __

turned against

Answer 26

stop helping, take one’s support away from, stop being in favor of, become hostile or unfriendly toward
ex. Some of the players turned against their manager.