Def Phrasal Verb Flashcards
be finished
BE OVER
The party is over. You should all go home now.
stop working
tomber en panne
BREAK DOWN
The car broke down in the middle of an intersection.
enter illegally
BREAK IN
The thieves broke in and stole all the equipment.
end a relationship or marriage
BREAK UP
It’s very difficult to break up with someone who you still love.
take care of a child’ until it is an adult
BRING UP
When her husband died, she had to bring up her son alone.
go somewhere to take someone to another place / to pick up someone in order to go somewhere (UK) / to publicly ask for something to happen
CALL FOR
I’ll call for you at 6.
They called for the immediate release of the hostages.
The senator called for an investigation.
The judge’s bailiff called for silence in the courtroom.
continue doing something
CARRY ON
He moved to Brighton to carry on his work.
do and complete something
effectuer⇒, réaliser
CARRY OUT
The police are carrying out a very extensive investigation.
to leave a hotel after paying
CHECK OUT
I checked out of the hotel early to catch my plane to New York.
used to encourage someone to do something
Allez ! interj
COME ON
Come on, we’ll be late.
Come on, you can do this!
draw a line through words
CROSS OUT
He wrote ‘Yes’ but then crossed it out and wrote No’:
cut something into small pieces
CUT UP
She cut up the cake into small pieces.
give your attention, often to solve a problem
s’occuper de, se charger de
DEAL WITH
She has to deal with lots of angry customers and complaints.
be determined by sth need the support of sb
DEPEND ON
We might go. It depends on the price.
Children depend on their parents.
be in a situation or place after some events
Se retrouver, finir
END UP
A dog attacked them, and they both ended up in hospital.
add information in
the spaces of a document
FILL IN
Please, fill in this contact form.
fill completely
FILL UP
Fill up the car before you start your trip.
discover, get information
Trouver, découvrir
*FIND OUT (S)
He couldn’t find out the identity of his biological parents.
Can you find out what time the restaurant opens?
I found out that we need to submit our essays next Tuesday.
I don’t know what the weather forecast is for tomorrow, but I’ll find out.
like and be friendly with someone, to associate or work well with
*GET ALONG
He doesn’t get along with his father.
return to a place, position or activity
*GET BACK
When did you get back from Paris?
lower your body
write down
GET DOWN
We heard shots and got down.
I got some notes down.
enter a place
enter a vehicle (car, taxi)
*GET IN
We managed to get in through a broken window.
descend from a bus, train, etc.
Descendre, sortir
*GET OFF
We have to get off at the next stop.
start or continue doing something
used to say how well someone is doing
GET ON
Stop playing around and get on with your homework!
How are you getting on at school?
She’s getting on well with Spanish.
get free from something or someone.
GET RID OF
We need to get rid of all this rubbish.
return (something to someone)
GIVE BACK
When are you going to give me back my jacket?
hand in (a piece of work)
surrender, abandon a fight, argument, etc.
GIVE IN
I have to give in my English essay by Friday.
He was so insistent that his mother gave in and got him an ice cream.
I give in; it's just too difficult.
distribute sth to
each person in a group,
GIVE OUT
Please, can you give out these papers to the rest of the class?
stop doing or taking arrêter (de faire) [qch] (habitude) UK
renoncer à, abandonner
GIVE UP
I’m going to give up smoking.
I give up - you’re far better than me at this game!
allow a vehicle to go past
GIVE WAY
A car didn’t give way to an ambulance, and they crashed.
try to have or achieve
viser
GO FOR
When you want something, you should go for it.
That athlete is going for the gold medal.
Cet athlète vise la médaille d’or.
stop working / be activated / explode
s’abîmer/se déclencher/exploser
GO OFF
The lights/The alarm/The bomb went off.
happen / continue to happen or exist
Continuer, poursuivre
GO ON
I don’t know what is going on.
It’s very sad, but life goes on.
go somewhere to have fun
GO OUT
I like to go out with my friends at the weekend.
look or taste good with
aller avec
GO WITH
This wine goes well with this cheese.
look good together
GO TOGETHER
These colors don’t really go together.
to become an adult gradually
grandir
GROW UP
She grew up in the countryside.
give to a person of authority
Remettre
HAND IN
You must hand in your passport and can’t leave the country.
begins suddenly (such as war, fighting, or disease) éclater
to escape from prison s’évader
BREAK OUT
I was in a nightclub in Brixton and a fight broke out.
They broke out of prison and fled the country
give one thing to each in a group
distribuer
HAND OUT
The teacher handed out the exams.
to place clothes on a hook or hanger (S);
to replace the receiver on the phone at the end of a conversation (S)
*HANG UP
Sorry, I must hang up. I have another call.
Would you like me to hang up your coat for you in the closet?
make someone or something be late
retarder
HOLD UP
I’m sorry to hold you up. I was at a meeting.
make someone stay in a place
Retenir, garder
KEEP IN
He’s been arrested, and they can keep him in for 72 hours.
continue doing something
KEEP ON
We were scared, so we kept on running.
don’t stop doing something
Poursuivre
KEEP UP
You need to train hard if you want to keep up winning.
make sb fall down especially with a car
renverser, faucher
KNOCK DOWN
He was knocked down by a bus, but he survived.
get into horizontal position to rest
*LIE DOWN
When I arrive home, I lie down on the sofa.
take care
LOOK AFTER
Her mother is very old, and she has to look after her.
to be careful to notice someone or something interesting
faire attention à
WATCH OUT FOR
Watch out for his latest movie, out next month.
Watch out for pickpockets when you’re in a crowd. In this neighborhood you need to watch out for children playing in the street.
to reconcile your differences, to become friends (with someone) again
to make up (with somebody)
Why don’t you two kiss and make up?
spend time in a place, or with people; to spend time, usually being idle or unproductive
traîner, glander
*HANG OUT
You shouldn’t hang out with these people. They are mean.
I spent all weekend hanging out at home. I didn’t do anything exciting.
Return to a place (the speaker is in that place)
COME BACK
She came back around 10pm last night
produce an idea, to find, to discover.
Trouver, imaginer, inventer, concocter, penser à
*COME UP WITH
Julie came up with a great idea.
He came up with an answer to the question very quickly.
Can you come up with a better solution?
return to a place (the speaker isn’t in that place)
GO BACK
He finished his work and went back to his flat.
When is she planning to go back to Japan?
I’ll go back to the library later.
appear from a place
COME OUT
She came out of the kitchen.
He went to the cafe and came out with a coffee.
Please come out of the bedroom.
show / mention
Indiquer
POINT OUT
She pointed out the beautiful paintings on the walls.
Please point out to the students that they must attend all the lectures.
‘We’ll miss the bus if we don’t hurry’, he pointed out.
in the end we discover
S’avérer
TURN OUT
The maid turned out to have stolen the money.
He turned out to be a friend of Alex’s.
The party turned out to be a big success.
leave a room / building / car
*GET OUT
I need to get out of the house!
She got out of the car and went into the shop.
Get out! There’s a fire in the kitchen!
enter (the speaker is in that place)
COME IN / INTO
Please come in! It’s great to see you.
She came into the living room and sat down.
Don’t come in! I’m not ready yet!
to be responsible for
Assumer, prendre en charge
TAKE ON
He’s going to take on the new project.
She isn’t taking on any new students at the moment.
Could you take on some extra work?
Try to find and get
Chercher, rechercher
*LOOK FOR
She is looking for a job.
feel excited about sth or doing something
LOOK FORWARD TO
I’m really looking forward to the party.
used to warn sb about a danger
*LOOK OUT (Watch out!)
Look out! He’s got a gun!
check information in a dictionary, book, etc.
Chercher
*LOOK UP
Transitive
I looked up his name on Wikipedia, but he’s not there.
give sb sth that you have been given
PASS ON
Could you read the note and pass it on?
1-collect somebody somewhere
2-Lift with one’s fingers or hands
3-to learn
*PICK UP
I’ll pick you up at the station.
Harry picked up the newspaper that was on the front doorstep
Marc picks up math easily, but he is not good at reading
put sth into the place where it’s kept, to remove from sight, to put in the proper place.
Ranger
*PUT AWAY
I need to put away all the laundry.
write your name on a list/piece of paper.
PUT DOWN
Can you put my name down for the tournament?
postpone, arrange sth for a later time
*PUT OFF
The government has put off the decision until Tuesday.
put sth on your body to wear it (also weight)
Mettre
*PUT ON
She puts on makeup every morning.
Mary put on her coat and left the room.
extinguish, make sth stop burning
Éteindre
PUT OUT
Put out that cigarette and come with me.
connect one person to another on the phone
PUT THROUGH
Can you put me through to the manager, please?
to increase the price
PUT UP
They had to put up the price of their products.
return a call
RING BACK/CALL BACK
I can’t talk now. Can I ring you back later?
phone someone
RING UP/CALL
She rang up yesterday to say ‘hello’
use all of something, until there is no more
RUN OUT OF
I want to eat cereal, but we’ve run out of milk.
start a journey, depart
Cause to explode
SET OFF
What time do we set off tomorrow?
He set off an alarm when he opened the back door.
start an activity with a particular aim
SET OUT
When Tom was 18, he set out to become a successful novelist.
start a business, organisation, etc.
SET UP
He set up an import and distribution business.
arrive somewhere to join other people
SHOW UP
John was supposed to be at the party, but he didn’t show up.
To have a seat
*SIT DOWN
We sat down and relaxed for an hour.
end relationship
SPLIT UP
Her parents split up two years ago.
She has split up with her boyfriend.
remain in a place after everyone’s left
STAY BEHIND
He stayed behind to make sure that everyone was evacuated.
remove (clothes
that you are wearing)
Enlever
*TAKE OFF
The Japanese take off their shoes before entering their home.
start flying
Décoller
TAKE OFF
Our flight was at 7 am, but we took off at 8 am.
start doing a job or activity
TAKE UP
He has taken up yoga to relieve stress.
She took up a new job last year.
get rid of sth, put sth in a trash container
THROW AWAY
His house is a mess. He never throws anything away.
put things in order
TIDY UP
When you finish your homework, tidy up your room.
put on clothes to see if you like them
*TRY ON
These shoes are nice. Can I try them on?
decrease the level or volume of something
TURN DOWN
Can you turn down the TV, please?
I’ll turn down the heating.
change and become sth or someone different,
TURN INTO
The argument turned into a fight.
They turned the house into a hotel.
make sth stop working
Éteindre, fermer
*TURN OFF / SWITCH OFF / SHUT OFF
Can you turn the music off?
Please turn off the lights.
make sth start working
Allumer, ouvrir
*TURN ON / SWITCH ON
The first thing I do in the morning is turn on the radio?
increase the level or volume of sth
TURN UP
We were cold, so we turned up the heating.
stop sleeping or make sb stop sleeping
WAKE UP
They woke me up with their loud music.
wash hands/face wash plates, pans, etc,
WASH UP
Go wash up before dinner.
use sth until it can’t be used any longer
WEAR OUT
If you run long distances every day,
do exercise to get fit and strong
WORK OUT
I work out at the gym next to my house 5 days a week.
cover sth using a paper, etc. around it.; conclure
WRAP UP
Can you wrap this up for me? It’s a gift.
Let’s wrap the meeting up - I have a plane to catch.
write sth on a piece of paper
WRITE DOWN
When I have a good idea, I always write it down.
to accept or continue to accept an unpleasant situation or experience, or someone who behaves unpleasantly
put up with something/someone
I can put up with the house being messy, but I hate it if it’s not clean.
He’s so moody - I don’t know why she puts up with him.
They have a lot to put up with (= they have a lot of difficulties).
To regard oneself as superior to someone or something and thus act in a haughty or snobbish manner.
prendre [qqn] de haut vtr
LOOK DOWN ON
It is wrong to look down on people less fortunate than yourself.
enter (bus, train etc.)
Monter
*GET ON
The next person who gets on the bus will have to stand, because there are no seats left.
To make an impertinent or insolent reply.
TALK BACK
Don’t talk back to your parents!
To speak with insulting condescension (prendre [qqn] de haut)
Talk down to
I hate it when my teacher talks down to me.
to defend or support a particular idea or a person who is being criticized or attacked
To defend yourself verbally
STAND UP FOR
We should all stand up for our rights.
A-I was so proud to see her stand up for herself against her father!
I was so proud to see her stand up to her father!
to finish something quickly and easily, especially a lot of food or work
Engloutir
POLISH something OFF
He polished off the whole pie.
I polished off three essays in one week
to eat a lot or too much (se goinfrer)
PIG OUT
We pigged out on all the delicious cakes and pastries.
You caught me pigging out
to quickly drink something, especially a lot of alcohol
KNOCK BACK
She was knocking back the champagne at Maria’s party.
to admit that you were wrong or that you have been defeated:
BACK DOWN
Eventually, Roberto backed down and apologized.
Local residents have forced the local council to back down from its plans to build a nightclub on their street.
Very soon, immediately
Immédiatement
*RIGHT AWAY / AT ONCE
Stop playing that loud music at once!
Tell Tim to come to my office right away!
Eventually, after a period of time
*SOONER OR LATER
If you study English seriously, sooner or later you’ll become fluent.
To arise, to rise from a bed, to make someone arise.
Se lever
*GET UP (S)
Carla gets up at seven o’clock every morning.
At what time should we get the children up?
In the beginning, originally
*AT FIRST
I thought at first that it was Sheila calling, but then I realized that it was Beth
To wear formal clothes, to dress very nicely
*DRESS UP
We should definitely dress up to go to the theater.
Finally, after a long time
Enfin
*AT LAST
We wait for hours and then the train arrived at last.
As is the general case, as is typical
*AS USUAL
George is late for class as usual.
Give one’s attention, to watch
Regarder, envisager
*LOOK AT
The teacher told us to look at the board.
Acceptable, fine, yes, okay
*ALL RIGHT (alright)
He said that it would be all right to wait in her office until she returned.
All the time, from the beginning without change.
Depuis le début
*ALL ALONG
She knew all along that we’d never agree with his plan.
Step by step, gradually
*LITTLE BY LITTLE
Karl’s health seems to be improving little by little
To make very weary due to difficult conditions or hard effort
*TO TIRE OUT/ TO WEAR OUT (S)
The hot weather tired out the runners in the marathon.
Does studying for final exams wear you out?
To do an activity over a period of time
*TO SPEND TIME (S)
Adrian would rather spend time watching tv than doing homework.
Don’t be concerned about it, ignore what was just said
*NEVER MIND
So you weren’t listening to me again. Never mind; it wasn’t important.
To choose, to select
*PICK OUT
Ann picked out a good book to give to her brother.
If you want me to buy you a toy, then pick one out now.
To do without rush, not to hurry
Prendre son temps
*TO TAKE ONE’S TIME
William never works rapidly, he always takes his time.
To discuss or consider a situation with others.
*TALK OVER
Before I accepted the new job offer, I talked the matter over with my wife.
We talked over our ideas about redecorating the room.
To rise from a sitting or lying position
*STAND UP (get up)
When the president entered the room, everyone stood up
The entire day, week…
*ALL (day, week, month, year) LONG
It’s been raining all week long
Alone, without assistance
*BY ONESELF
Francis translated that French novel by himself
For reason, deliberately
*ON PURPOSE
do you think that she didn’t come to the meeting on purpose?
To affect, to be of importance
*TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE (to matter to)
It makes a big difference to me whether he likes the food I serve.
It doesn’t matter.
To remove, extract; to go on a date with
Sortir
*TAKE OUT
Did you take Sue out last night?
Take out your books and open them to page 12.
To be involved in, to participate
Participer
*TO TAKE PART IN (to be in on)
Mark was sick and couldn’t take part in the meeting yesterday.
I didn’t want to be in on their arg, so I remained silent.
To any degree (it’s use with the negative to add emphasis to a statement) - Du tout
Cela ne me dérange pas du tout si vous voulez fumer.
*AT ALL (in the least)
I don’t mind at all if you want to smoke
Larry isn’t at all shy about expressing his opinion.
When I asked Dona whether she was tired, she said «Not in the least, I’m full of energy!»
To serve in a store or restaurant
*TO WAIT ON
A very pleasant clerk waited on me in that shop.
À minimum of, no fewer than
*AT LEAST
I spend at least two hours every night studying.
Until now
*SO FAR (up to now, as of yet)
As of yet we haven’t an answer from him.
So far, this year has been excellent for business.
To go for a walk, hike…
*TAKE A WALK, hike…
Let’s take a hike up Coeles mountain!
Last evening I took a walk.
To go on a journey, to travel
Faire un voyage
*TO TAKE A TRIP
I’m too busy, I have no time to take a trip.
To consider carefully before deciding
Y réfléchir
*TO THINK OVER
I’d like to think over your offer first.
To occur, to happen according to plan
Avoir lieu
*TO TAKE PLACE
I thought that the celebration was taking place at John’s house.
To exchange greetings by clasping hands
*TO SHAKE HANDS
When people meet for the first time, they usually shake hands
To become sick with a cold of nose and throat
*TO CATCH A COLD
Every winter I catch a terrible cold
To recover from an illness; To accept a loss or sorrow
*GET OVER
It took me over a month to get over my cold.
It seems that Mason will never get over the death of his wife.
To reach a decision, to decide finally.
Prendre sa décision
*TO MAKE UP ONE’S MIND
When are you going to make up your mind about your vacation plans
To alter one’s decision or opinion
Faire changer d’opinions.
*TO CHANGE ONE’S MIND
Matt has changed his mind several times about buying a new car
Temporarily
*FOR THE TIME BEING (For now)
We’re living in an apartment for now, but soon we’ll be looking for a house to buy
Permanently, forever
Pour de bon
*FOR GOOD
Ruth has returned to Canada for good.
To cancel
*CALL OFF
The president called the meeting off because had to leave town
Hurried, rushed
*IN A HURRY (In a rush)
Alex seems in a hurry; he must be late for his train again.
begin to suffer from a specified illness.
COME DOWN WITH
I came down with influenza
to trust someone in time of need
*TO COUNT ON (also: to depend on)
I can count on my parents to help me in an emergency.
Don’t depend on Frank to lend you any money; he doesn’t have any.
to become friendly with others
*TO MAKE FRIENDS
Patricia is a shy girl and doesn’t make friends easily.
During the cruise Ronald made friends with almost everyone on the ship.
not in working condition
*OUT OF ORDER
The elevator was out of order, so we had to walk to the tenth floor of the
building.
We couldn’t use the soft drink machine because it was out of order.
to be able to do something special;
to arrive at a place, such as home, work, etc.
For the second definition, do not use the preposition to with the words home or there.
*TO GET TO
The children got to stay up late and watch a good movie for the family.
I missed the bus and couldn’t get to the office until ten o’clock.
When are you planning to get home tonight?
To examine, to inspect closely
Examiner, verifier
*TO LOOK OVER (also: to go over, to read over, to check over) (S)
Go over is different from the other forms because it is not separable.
I want to look my homework over again before I give it to the teacher.
The politician went over his speech before the important presentation.
You should never sign any legal paper without checking it over first.
To have free time, not to have to work
*TO HAVE TIME OFF (also : to take time off (S))
The related form (S) to take time off is used when someone makes a decision to have free time, usually to go on vacation or to relax.
Every morning the company workers have time off for a coffee break.
Several workers took the afternoon off to go to a baseball game.
to show, to indicate, to bring to one’s attention
*to point out: (S)
What important buildings did the tour guide point out to you?
The teacher pointed out the mistakes in my composition.
A friend pointed the famous actor out to me.
to expire, to be finished (time)
*to be up:
This idiom is used only with the word time as the subject.
“The time is up,” the teacher said at the end of the test period.
We have to leave the tennis court because our hour is up; some other people want to use it now.
to be finished, to end
*to be over: (also: to be through)
This idiom is used for activities and events.
After the dance was over, we all went to a restaurant.
The meeting was through ten minutes earlier than everyone expected.
exactly at the correct time, punctually
*on time:
I thought that Margaret would arrive late, but she was right on time.
Did you get to work on time this morning, or did rush hour traffic delay you?
before the time necessary to do something
*in time to:
We entered the theater just in time to see the beginning of the movie.
The truck was not able to stop in time to prevent an accident.
to become better, worse, etc.
*to get better, worse, etc.:
This idiom is often used with adjectives such as any and much.
Heather has been sick for a month, but now she is getting better.
I hope the economy doesn’t get any worse than it is now.
to become sick, well, tired, busy, wet, etc.
*to get sick, well, tired, busy, wet, etc
This idiom consists of a combination of get and various adjectives.
Ilhan got sick last week and has been in bed since that time.
Every afternoon I get very hungry, so I eat a snack.
should, ought to, be advisable to
- had better:
This idiom is most often used in contracted form (I’d better).
I think you’d better speak to Mr. White right away about this matter.
The doctor told the patient that he’d better go home and rest.
prefer to
*would rather: (also: would just as soon)
Would you rather have the appointment this Friday or next Monday?
I would just as soon go for a walk as watch TV right now.
to stop working for the rest of the day/night
*to call it a day/night:
Ian tried to repair his car engine all morning before he called it a day and went fishing.
We’ve been working hard on this project all evening; let’s call it a night.
to solve, to find a solution (S); to understand (S)
*to figure out:
How long did it take you to figure out the answer to the math problem?
I was never able to figure it out.
to have a (good or bad) opinion
*to think of:
This idiom is often used in the negative or with adjectives such as much and highly.
I don’t think much of him as a baseball player; he’s a slow runner and a poor hitter.
James thinks highly of his new boss, who is a kind and helpful person.
to be at the moment of doing something, to be ready
*to be about to:
This idiom is often used with the adverb just.
I was about to leave when you called me.
Oh, hi, John. We’re just about to eat dinner
to move or face in the opposite direction (S); to completely change the condition of (S)
*to turn around:
She turned around to wave goodbye before getting on the airplane.
The man turned his car around and drove back the way he came.
The company has been very successful since the new business manager was able to turn it around.
to alternate, to change people while doing something
Alterner
*to take turns:
During the trip, Darlene and I took turns driving so that neither of us would tire out.
I have to make sure that my two sons take turns playing the video game.
to look at and listen to someone while they are speaking, to
concentrate
*to pay attention (to):
Please pay attention to me while I’m speaking to you!
You’ll have to pay more attention in class if you want to get a good grade.
to review something in order to refresh one’s memory
*to brush up on:
Before I travelled to Mexico, I brushed up on my Spanish; I haven’t practiced it since high school.
In order to take that advance math class, Sidney will have to brush up on his algebra.
repeatedly
*over and over (again): (also: time after time, time and again)
The actress studied her lines over and over until she knew them well.
Children have difficulty remembering rules, so it’s often necessary to repeat them over and over again.
Time and again I have to remind Arturo to put on his seatbelt in the car.
to use something until it has no value or worth anymore, to make
useless through wear (S)
*to wear out:
When I wear out these shoes, I’ll have to buy some that last longer.
What do you do with your clothes after you wear them out?
to discard, to dispose of (S)
*to throw away:
I generally throw away my clothes when I wear them out.
Don’t throw the magazines away; I haven’t read them yet.
to begin to love
*to fall in love:
This idiom is used with the expression at first sight to indicate a sudden love for
someone not known well.·
Ben and Sal fell in love in high school, and got married after graduation.
Have you ever fallen in love at first sight?
to go on a date (with); to date repeatedly
*to go out (with):
Andre and I are going out on Saturday. We are going to have dinner at my favorite restaurant.
Eda went out with Rick for six months, but now she is going out with someone else
to stop functioning; to stop burning; to leave home or work
Sortir, cesser, s’éteindre
(also: to step out)
*to go out:
The lights went out all over the city because of an electrical problem.
The campers didn’t have to put out the fire because it went out by itself.
Gary isn’t here right now; he went out to the store for a moment.
I have to step out of the office briefly to pick up a newspaper.
to stop dating
*to break up (with):
Leo and Heidi just broke up after dating for three years.
Tai broke up with his girlfriend because he fell in love with someone else.
to arise from sleep, to awaken (S)
*to wake up:
Compare wake up and get up (Lesson 1) as used in
the first example.
Maggie woke up this morning very early, but she did not get up until about ten o’clock.
My alarm clock wakes me up at the same time every day.
to manage, to have responsibility for
*to be in charge of:
Jane is in charge of the office while Mrs. Haig is on a business trip.
Who is in charge of arrangements for the dance next week?
to enjoy oneself
*to have a good time:
We all had a good time at the class reunion last night.
Did you have a good time at the park? I really enjoyed it.
very quickly, rapidly
*in no time:
This idiom can be used with the idiom at all to add emphasis to the certainty of the statement.
Mac said that he’d be ready to leave in no time.
We thought that the meeting would take two hours, but it was over in no time at all.
to reduce, to lessen (diminuer)
*to cut down on (also: to cut back on for money and cost)
In order to lose weight, you have to cut down on your intake of sugar.
The doctor told me to cut back on exercise until my back injury heals.
to enforce or punish strictly
*to crack down on:
The school has started to crack down on smoking. Students who smoke on campus will be suspended.
Maura is finally cracking down on her son and making him help with the housework
many
*quite a few:
Quite a few students were absent yesterday; in fact, more than half of them were not there.
We did not expect many people to attend the affair, but quite a few of our friends actually came
formerly did, had the habit of
*used to:
This idiom is used to indicate a post situation, action, or habit that does not exist in the present. The idiom is always followed by a simple verb form.
I used to live in New York, but I moved to California two years ago.
Kim used to smoke cigarettes, but she stopped the habit last month.
be accustomed to
*to be used to:
This idiom refers to a situation, action, or habit that continues in the present. The idiom is always followed by a noun or gerund phrase.
He is used to this climate now, so the changes in temperature do not affect him much.
I am used to studying in the library, so it’s difficult for me to study at home now.
to become used to, to become adjusted to
*to get used to:
This idiom describes the process of change that allows someone to be used to a situation, action, or habit.
It took Yoshiko a long time to get used to the food that her American host family served her.
Mark can’t seem to get used to wearing contact lenses; recently he’s been wearing his glasses a lot.
in a backward and forward motion
*back and forth:
The restless lion kept pacing back and forth along the front of its cage.
Grandmother finds it relaxing to sit in her rocking chair and move back and forth.
to be sure, to ascertain
*to make sure: (also: to make certain)
Please make sure that you turn off the radio before you go out.
Could you make certain of the time? I don’t want to miss that TV show.
occasionally, sometimes
De temps en temps, ici et là
*now and then: (also: from.time to time, once in a while)
Both now and then and once in a while can be preceded by the adjective every.
Another idiom with the same meaning and form is every so often.
I don’t see him very often, but (every) now and then we arrange to have lunch together.
Gary gets a cold (every) once in a while even though he takes good care of himself.
Every so often my brother and I get together for a camping trip.
I like to sleep late in the morning from time to time
to remove; to discard, to throw away
*to get rid of: to eliminate,
Jerry tried hard to get rid o f the stain on his shirt, but he never succeeded.
The stain was so bad that Jerry finally had to get rid o f his shirt.
every second (one), alternate (ones)
*every other (one):
I play tennis with my father every other Saturday, so I usually play twice a month.
There were twenty problems in the exercise, but the teacher told us only to do every other one. Actually, doing ten problems was difficult enough
to match, to compare well in color or design often used with this idiom.
*to go with: (also: to go together)
Adverbs such as well and poorly are often used with this idiom.
That striped shirt goes well with the gray pants, but the pants go poorly with those leather shoes.
Both of those paintings are nice, but they don’t go together at
excellent, superb
*first-rate:
The food served in that four-star restaurant is truly first-rate.
The Beverly Hills Hotel provides first-rate service to its guests.
to originate from
*to come from
This idiom is commonly used in discussions of one’s hometown, state, or country.
What country in South America does she come from? She comes from Peru.
I just learned that he really comes from Florida, not Texas.
Where did this package come from? It was just sitting on our doorstep.
to travel a sufficient distance at a reasonable speed
*to make good time:
The adjective excellent can also be used.
It rained during our entire hike up Mt. Hood, so we didn’t make good time.
We made excellent time on our trip to Florida; it only took five hours to drive there.
to stir or shake well (S); to confuse, to bewilder (S)
*to mix up:
For the second definition, the passive forms to be mixed up or to get mixed up are often used.
You should mix up the ingredients well before you put them in the pan.
The teacher’s poor explanation really mixed the students up.
The students think it’s their fault that they are mixed up so often.
to give attention or time to
S’occuper à faire, y voir…
Qui va s’occuper d’obtenir une salle plus grande pour la réunion ?
*to see about: (also: to attend to, to see to)
Who is going to see about getting us a larger room for the meeting?
I’ll see to arranging music for the wedding if you attend to the entertainment.
to influence another person’s opinion of oneself
*to make an impression: (also: to leave an impression) (S)
This idiom is usually separated by an adjective such as good or bad.
Abigail made a good impression during her job interview, so they offered her the position.
With his awful manners and personality, Karsten leaves a bad impression on everyone he meets.
by memorizing
*by heart:
He knows many passages from Shakespeare by heart.
Do you know all the idioms you have studied in this book by heart?
Just after, when
Aussitôt
*As soon as
As soon as it started to snow, the children ran outside with big smiles on their faces.
I’m busy now, but I’ll meet you as soon as I’ve finished this work
not to enter, not allow to enter (S)
*to keep out:
There was a large sign outside the door that said, “Danger! Keep out!”
I’ve told you to keep the dog out of the house
to stay at a distance (from)
*to keep away (from):
(S); to avoid use of (also: stay away from)
Please be sure to keep the children away from the street!
The signs on the burned-out house said, “Keep Away! Danger Zone.”
It’s important to stay away from dangerous drugs
to criticize, to complain about something
*to find fault with:
It is very easy to find fault with the work of others, but more difficult to accept criticism of one’s own work.
Mrs. Johnson is always finding fault with her children, though they really try to please her.
to be dependent on the decision of another; to be doing as a regular
activity; to feel able to do something
*to be up to:
The second definition is most often used in a question as a form of greeting.
I don’t care whether we go to the reception or not. It’s up to you.
Hi, Evan. I haven’t seen you in a while. What have you been up to?
Alexi isn’t up to going on a hike; his broken foot is still holding.
uncomfortable or worried in a situation
*ill at ease:
Speaking in front of a large audience makes many people feel ill at ease.
My wife and I were ill at ease because our daughter was late coming home from a date.
to revise, to do again (S)
*to do over:
A noun or pronoun must separate the two parts of this idiom.
You’d better do the letter over because it is written so poorly.
Jose made so many mistakes in his homework that the teacher made him do it over.
to investigate, to examine carefully (also: to check into)
*to look into:
The police are looking into the matter of the stolen computers.
The congressional committee will check into the financial dealings of the government contractor.
to grasp, to grip with the hands
*to take hold of (formel) to grab
Liz grabbed the ball and ran to the goal
You should take hold of the railing as you go down those steep stairs.
The blind man took hold of my arm as I led him across the street.
to finish, to complete
(Terminer, passer au travers)
*to get through:
This idiom is followed either by the -ing form of a verb (a gerund) or by the preposition with.
I didn’t get through studying last night until almost eleven o’clock.
At what time does your wife get through with work every day?
from this time into the future
*from now on:
Mr. Lee’s doctor told him to cut down on eating fatty foods from now on, or else he might suffer heart disease.
I’m sorry that I dropped by at a bad time. From now on I’ll call ahead
of time.
to keep or maintain a record of; to remember the location or status of
*to keep track of:
Steve keeps track of all the long-distance telephone calls related to his business that he makes from his home or cell phone.
With seven small children, how do the Wilsons keep track of all of them?
to act in an extreme manner
se laisser emporter
Sophia s’est laissée submerger par l’émotion et a éclaté en sanglots.
*to get carried away:
A related idiom is to go overboard.
Even if you have an awful day at work, you shouldn’t get carried away and quit your job.
James went overboard while shopping for his wife’s birthday present. He spent way too much money
Sophia got carried away by the emotion of the occasion and burst into tears
modern; current, timely
*up to date:
Hyphens (-) separate the parts of this idiom when it precedes a noun form, as in the third example. The verb to update derives from this idiom.
The president insisted that the company bring its aging equipment up to date.
This catalog is not up to date. It was published several years ago.
The news program gave an up-to-date account of the nuclear accident. The newscaster said that he would update the news report every half hour.
not modern; not current, not timely; no longer available in published form
*out of date:
Again, hyphens separate the parts of this idiom when it precedes a noun form as, in the second example. The passive verb to be outdated derives from this idiom.
Many people buy new cars when their old cars become out o f date.
I don’t know why Gene likes to wear out-of-date clothing. His clothes are so outdated that even his girlfriend hates to be seen with him.
This book can’t be ordered any more because it is out of date.
to inflate, to fill with air (S); to explode, to destroy (or be destroyed) by explosion (S)
*to blow up:
Daddy, could you please blow up this balloon for me?
When the airplane crashed into the ground, it blew up immediately.
The military had to blow the missile up in midair when it started to go the wrong way.
to begin to burn
*to catch fire:
Don’t stand too close to the gas stove. Your clothes may catch fire.
No one seems to know how the old building caught
to destroy completely by fire; to burn slowly, but completely (usually said of candles) (S)
*to burn down:
The fire spread so quickly that the firefighters could not prevent the whole block of buildings from burning down.
There was a large amount of wax on the table where the candles had burned down.
to destroy completely by fire (S); to make angry or very annoyed (S)
*to burn up: (also: to tick off)
To burn up and to burn down (previous idiom) share the first definition but also have different definitions.
She didn’t want anyone to see the letter, so she burned it up and threw the ashes away.
It really burns me up that he borrowed my car without asking me first.
Mike got ticked off that his friends never offered to help him move to his new apartment. He had to do everything himself.
to stop functioning because of overuse; to make tired from too
much work (S)
*to burn out:
This light bulb has burned out. Could you get another one?
Studying all day for my final exams has really burned me out.
to be clear and logical
Ça tien debout!
*stands to reason:
This idiom is almost always used with the pronoun subject it and is followed by a that clause.
It stands to reason that a person without experience cannot do the work as well as an experienced one.
It stands to reason that he isn’t going to pass the course if he never studies
to become widespread suddenly
*to break out:
An epidemic of measles broke out in Chicago this past week.
If a nuclear war ever breaks out, it is unlikely that many people will survive.
The news says that a large fire has broken out in a huge chemical plant.
regarding, concerning
Concernant…
*as for (also: as to)
As for the money, we will simply have to borrow some more from the bank.
There is no doubt as to her intelligence; she’s the smartest one in the class.
for example, for instance
*for one thing:
This idiom is used when giving a detail to support a statement or opinion.
My dog is my best friend. For one thing, he is always there when I need him.
Why don’t you like your new roommate?
Because she’s very messy, for one thing. She leaves her things all over our apartment
to pity, to feel compassion for
*to feel sorry for: (also: to take pity on)
Don’t you feel sorry for someone who has to work the night shift?
I helped drive Pierre around when he broke his foot because I took pity on him.
to stop functioning
*to break down
Compare this idiom with to burn out in Lesson 12. To burn out means that electrical equipment becomes hot from overuse and stops functioning. To break down means that something stops functioning mechanically, whether from overuse or not.
I just bought my new car yesterday and already it has broken down.
The elevator broke down, so we walked all the way up to the top floor
to become or result; to appear, to attend
*to turn out: (also: to come out)
The noun form turnout derives from the second definition of the idiom.
Most parents wonder how their children will turn out as adults.
Hundreds of people came out for the demonstration against new taxes.
What was the turnout for the public hearing on the education reforms?
rarely, infrequently 🐓🌙
*once in a blue moon:
Snow falls on the city of San Diego, California, once in a blue moon.
Once in a blue moon my wife and I eat at a very expensive restaurant.
to stop trying; to stop a bad habit (S); to surrender (S)
*to give up: to stop trying; to stop a bad habit (S); to surrender (S)
I’m sure that you can accomplish this task. Don’t give up yet!
If you give up smoking now, you will probably live a longer life.
The soldiers gave themselves up in the face of stronger enemy forces.
to cancel by marking with a horizontal line (S)
*to cross out:
The teacher crossed out several incorrect words in Tanya’s composition.
I crossed the last line out of my letter because it had the wrong tone to it.
not to appreciate fully (S); to assume to be true without giving
much thought (S)
*to take for granted:
A noun or pronoun often follows the verb take.
Bruno took his wife for granted until once when he was very sick and needed her constant attention for a week.
He spoke English so well that I took it for granted he was an American.
He took for granted that I wasn’t American because I spoke English so poorly!
to consider a fact while evaluating a situation (S)
Prendre en consideration en compte
*to take into account:
A noun or pronoun often follows the verb take.
The judge took the prisoner’s young age into account before sentencing him to three months in jail.
Educators should take into account the cultural backgrounds of students when planning a school curriculum.
to clarify, to explain (S)
Mettre au clair
*to make clear:
Please make it clear to Josef that he should never act so impolitely again.
The supervisor made it clear to the workers that they had to increase their productivity.
clearly stated, definite, apparent
*clear cut:
The president’s message was clear cut: The company had to reduce personnel immediately.
Professor Larsen is well known for his interesting and clear-cut presentations.
to be wearing (S)
*to have on:
H o w do you like the hat that Grace has on today?
When Sally came into the room, I had nothing on except my shorts.
to regain consciousness; to equal, to amount to
*to come to:
At first they thought that the man was dead, but soon he came to.
The bill for groceries at the supermarket came to fifty dollars.
to require; to request, to urge
*to call for:
This cake recipe calls for some baking soda, but we don’t have any.
The members of Congress called for new laws to regulate the banking industry.
go ahead (and do something)
*feel free:
Please feel free to borrow my dictionary any time.
feel slightly ill, feel uncomfortable
*feel funny
I’ve been feeling funny ever since I ate the fish.
I feel funny about turning down that invitation for dinner.
want to have or do something
*feel like (something):
I feel like eating Indian food tonight.
I don’t feel like going to a movie.
move quickly
*get going:
We’d better get going if we’re going to make the next train.
It’s been a wonderful visit, but I really need to get going or I’ll miss my train.
make sense of something
(Piger, comprendre)
*get it:
Suichi just didn’t get it when Lily told the joke.
no longer useful or modern
*out of date:
Your map is so out o f date that it shows some countries that don’t even exist.
impossible to guide or direct; in a rage
*out of control:
The car went out of control and hit the fence.
Diego really went out o f control after he missed the penalty kick.
not permitted; not workable
*out of the question:
Taking vacation now is out of the question because we have to meet that deadline.
To open a door…
To create a new opportunity or possibility
A-Open up
Open up! It’s me!
Could you open up the window?
Learning a second language would open up new possibilities for you.
to eat at home/to eat in a restaurant
*to eat in/to eat out:
I feel too tired to go out for dinner. Let’s eat in again tonight.
When you eat out, what restaurant do you generally go to?
predictable, known beforehand; boring
*cut and dried:
The results of the national election were rather cut and dried; the Republicans won easily.
A job on a factory assembly line is certainly cut and dried
to watch, to supervise, to protect
*to look after: (also: to take care of, to keep an eye on)
Grandma will look after the baby while we go to the lecture.
Who is going to take care o f your house plants while you are away?
I’d appreciate it if you’d keep an eye on my car while I’m in the store
to have the desire to, to want to consider
*to feel like This idiom is usually followed by a gerund (the -ing form of a verb used as a
noun).
I don’t feel like studying tonight. Let’s go to a basketball game.
I feel like taking a long walk. Would you like to go with me?
finally, absolutely
Pour de bon
*Once and for all:
My daughter told her boyfriend once and for all that she wouldn’t date him anymore.
Once and for all, John has quit smoking cigarettes.
to receive news or information from
*to hear from:
To hear from is used for receiving a letter, telephone call, etc., from a person or
organization.
I don’t hear from my brother very often since he moved to Chicago.
Have you heard from the company about that new job?
to know about, to be familiar with; to consider
Lorsque j’ai demandé mon chemin pour aller à Mill Street, l’officier de police m’a dit qu’elle n’en avait jamais entendu parler de cette rue.
J’ai essayé de payer le billet de cinéma à l’oncle Byron, mais il n’a pas voulu en entendre parler.
*to hear of: The second definition is always used in the negative.
When I asked for directions to Mill Street, the police officer said that she had never heard of it.
I tried to pay Uncle Byron for the movie ticket, but he wouldn’t hear of it.
to laugh at, to joke about
*to make fun of:
They are making fun of Carla’s new hair style. Don’t you think that it’s really strange?
Don’t make fun of Jose’s English. He’s doing the best he can.
to become reality, to prove to be correct
*to come true:
The weatherman’s forecast for today’s weather certainly came true.
Everything that the economists predicted about the increased cost of living has come true.
really, actually
*as a matter of fact: (also: in fact)
Hans thinks he knows English well but, as a matter o f fact, he speaks very poorly.
I didn’t say that. In fact, I said quite the opposite.
to arrange matters the way one wants (especially when someone else doesn’t want the
same way)
Parvenir à ses fins, obtenir ce que l’on veut …
Si Sheila n’obtient pas ce qu’elle veut, elle se met en colère.
*to have one’s way: (also: to get one’s way)
My brother always wants to have his way, but this time our parents said that we could do
what I wanted.
If Sheila doesn’t get her way, she becomes very angry.
to expect or anticipate with pleasure
*To look forward to: This idiom can be followed by a regular noun or a gerund.
We’re greatly looking forward to our vacation in Mexico.
Meg never looks forward to going to work
with the inside facing the outside
*Inside out
Someone should tell that man that his shirt is inside out.
The high winds ruined the umbrella by blowing it inside out.
with the upper side turned toward the lower side
- upside down
The accident caused one car to turn upside down,
its wheels spinning in the air.
One of the students was only pretending to
read her textbook; the teacher could see that
the book was actually upside down.
to write answers in (S); to inform, to tell (S) For the second definition, the idiom can be followed by the preposition on and the information that someone is told.
*to fill in
You should be careful to fill in the blanks on the registration form correctly.
Barry was absent from the meeting, so I’d better fill him in.
Has anyone filled the boss in on the latest public relations disaster?
to complete a form (S)
*to fill out:
This idiom is very similar to the first definition above. To fill in refers to completing various parts of a form, while to fill out refers to completing a form as one whole item.
Every prospective employee must fill out an application with her name, address, previous jobs, etc.
The teenager had some trouble filling the forms out by himself, so his mother helped him.
to use well, to profit from; to use another person’s weaknesses to gain what one wants
(Prendre avantage)
*to take advantage of:
I took advantage o f my time off from work and went shopping.
Teddy is such a small, weak child that his friends take advantage of him all the time by demanding money and making him do things for them.
This idiom is a shortened form of it doesn’t matter. It is followed by a question word such as how, where, when, who, etc
.
*no matter: regardless of
No matter how much money he spends on his clothes, he never looks well dressed.
No matter where that escaped prisoner tries to hide, the police will find him.
to begin to do or study, to undertake (S); to occupy space, time, or energy (S)
.
*To take up
For the second definition, in instances of time and energy, take up is often shortened
to take
I’m going to take up sailing. I would have taken it up when I was younger, but I didn’t have the money.
The piano takes up too much space in our living room. However, it would take too much time to move it right now; so we’d better wait until later.
to consult someone about an important matter (S)
Puis-je vous parler de ce problème tout de suite ? C’est assez urgent.
Je ne peux pas vous aider. Vous devez en parler au directeur.
.
*to take up with
The important matter follows the verb take, while the person consulted follows with
Can I take the problem up with you right now? It’s quite urgent.
I can’t help you with this matter. You’ll have to take it up with the manager
to resemble a parent or close relative (also: to look like, for physical appearance only)
*to take after
Which of your parents do you take after the most?
Sam looks like his father, but he takes after his mother in personality
eventually, after a long period of time
À la longue
*in the long run:
This idiom is similar in meaning to sooner or later (Lesson 1). The difference is that in the long run refers to a more extended period of time.
In the long run, the synthetic weave in this carpet will wear better than the woolen one. You won’t have to replace it so soon.
If you work hard at your marriage, you’ll find out that, in the long run, your spouse can be your best friend in life.
having contact. This idiom is often followed by get, be, keep, or stay.
*in touch
I haven’t been in touch with Sabrina since her baby was born. I should get in touch with her soon.
I certainly enjoyed seeing you again after all these years. Let’s be sure to keep in touch.
not having contact; not having knowledge of
*out of touch:
Sonia and I had been out of touch for years, but then suddenly she called me the other day.
Larry has been so busy that he is out of touch with world events.
