Phrasal verb Flashcards
1
Q
TURN OFF
A
- to lose interest
Have u ever been interested in learning Photoshop but are turned off by the steep price? - to cease paying attention to
The student turned off the boring lecture and daydreamed. - to affect with dislike, displeasure or revulsion
That song really turns me off.
2
Q
RAT SOMEONE OUT
A
to inform an authority figure of one’s bad or illegal behaviour.
Eg: I cant believe you ratted me out like that to Mom and Dad- I m never telling you anything ever again !
3
Q
gloss over something
A
to treat or describe something as if it were not important.
eg: when i told my mother about my night, i just glossed over the fact i had gotten a parking ticket.
4
Q
5 alternatives to “scared”
A
1) freaked out
i freaked out when i heard our dog howling in the garden.
2) spooked
i was spooked by someone walking behind me on the way home last night
3) creeped out
i felt creeped out by being alone in the house whole night
4) petrified
my mum’s pretrified of spider
5) quaking in my boots
i was quaking in my boots as i stood waiting to ride the rollercoaster!
6) I was terrified when we saw the alien for the first time/ I m terrified of height.
7) He was scared stiff by the noise
8) I m scared to death of flying.
9) ghost stories scare me silly.
10) It makes my blood run cold.
5
Q
pipe down
A
to become quiet and calm, to stop being loud or boisterous
eg: OK, class, pipe down! Let’s begin our class, shall we?
we piped down when we realise he was trying to tell us something important
6
Q
BRUSH UP
A
improve one’s existing knowledge or skills in a particular area
eg: these private lessons will give them a chance to brush up on their technique
7
Q
TAKE OFF
A
1) remove clothing
eg: It’s warm here. I m going to take my jumper off.
2) something become successful
eg: I never like his music, but it’s taken off quite recently. Everyone is listening to it.
3) Not go to work
eg: I m going to take a day off work tomorrow
8
Q
FORK OVER
A
give someone money or pay, but we really dont want to
eg: I lost the bet and have to fork over rm50.
Come on, u owe me rm10, fork me over.
9
Q
5 phrasal verbs useful for work:
A
1) fit in- feeling that u belong there or fee comfortable within the social group. Eg She was able to find a company where she fits in.
2) Get into- become interested in something. Eg My high-school teacher got me into (here it describes introduction to your profession) science, and that’s why I become chemist.
3) Reach out- He reached out to us after seeing our job annoucement.
4) Keep up with- stayed updated and informed about sth. Eg Her job consists of keeping up with trends.
5) Run into- In work, it means unexpected problem or difficulties appeared. Eg They ran into an issue so they are behind schedule.
10
Q
Bottle something up
A
to not express your feelings
eg: she bottled her feelings up-it ended up making her feel unwell.
11
Q
To take something out on someone
A
to make suffer one suffer, even when it’s not their fault.
eg: He was having a bad day and took his frustration out on me.
12
Q
CHIP IN FOR STH
A
to contibute some amount of money to some group collection or fund
eg: How much am i supposed to chip in for our joint gift?
13
Q
COME INTO STH (money, property, title)
A
If someone come into money/property/title, they rcv it as a result of the death of a relation
eg: She came into a bit of money when her grandfather died
14
Q
tool around
A
wander around some places aimlessly or idly, doing nothing in particular
eg: we had a few hours to kill before we had to catch our train, so we just tool around downtown for a while.
2) to drive around in one’s car with no purpose, direction or end point in mind
eg: I remember spending hours when we were teenagers just tooling around in our parents’ cars or the crappy rust buckets our friends had saved up to buy.
15
Q
wipe out
A
1) to exhaust or fatigue someone
All of that cleaning totally wiped me out- I need a nap
2) to fall or tumble off sth, often a skateboard, surfboard or bicycle
eg: I wiped out on my skateboard today and scraped my leg on the pavement
16
Q
LAY OFF
A
discharge an employee (fire/sack)
eg: They have laid me off, so I dont have any money for christmas presents
another term: made redundant (having lost your job because your employer no longer needs you- chiefly British)
eg: Betty was made redundant last week and she has to tighten her belt.
17
Q
WIND UP
A
to deliberately annoyed
eg: Stop winding me up! I know you are only pretending to have covid
18
Q
WEAR OUT
A
be used until no longer in good condition or working order
eg: My shoes have worn out so my feet are getting wet
19
Q
GET THROUGH
A
to be connected by phone
eg: I was on hold to the bank for 4 hours before I got through to someone who could help me!
20
Q
ASK AFTER
A
to ask for information about someone
eg: I saw your ex boyfriend yesterday. He was asking after you, so I told him you’re still single!
21
Q
PUT
A
Put off: Postpone, delay
Eg: My husband used to put off buying presents until Christmas Eve, but since meeting me he has realised that it’s better to be organised!
Put aside: to keep for later
Eg: I put aside a little bit of money each week so that I’m prepared for a rainy day.
put across: to communicate sth
eg: The political party is trying to put across its view in order to gain more votes.
put up with: to accept a difficult situation or behaviour.
eg: I feel sorry for Cathy. She has to put up with her noisy neighbours. They have a party 3 times a week.
22
Q
PIG OUT
A
Eat an excessive amount
Eg: We always pig out before going out as my mother usually cooks ham with baked potatoes and red cabbage.
23
Q
BLOW
A
1) Blow out
- use air to cause a fire or candle to go out
eg: Anna blew out all the candles on her birthday
2) blow away
- impress greatly
eg: Darius’s performance blew me away. He was fantastic
3) blow off
- fail to keep an appt
eg: we were supposed to meet at the cafe, but i blew her off and went shopping
4) blow through
- use all of sth
eg: Dana blew through all her money in 2 days! Nw she has nothing left!
5) blow up
- Dana blew up lots of balloon in preparation of Anna’s birthday party
- to suddenly become angry: my dad blew up (at me) when he saw the bill.
24
Q
GET
A
1) get on top of
- deal with; take control of
eg: i really need to get on top of my finances. I cant afford to pay all these bills
2) get into
- start enjoying sth
eg: I get into baking during lockdown. I made cakes, biscuits, bread, and everything!
3) get shot of
- dispose of sth that is causing problems or is no longer useful
eg: u need to get shot of that car. Its dangerous to drive it and it’ll cost a fortune to repair
4) get move on
- hurry; do sth quickly
eg: get a move on! The restaurant closes in 10 minuts and havent even got ur coat on!
5) get wind of
- find out about sth that has been kept secret
eg: you broke a glass and hide the pieces? if mum gets wind of that, you’ll will be in so much trouble!
6) get a grip of
- regain ur self control
eg: Get a grip! a tiny little mouse cant hurt u! Now stop screaming and get down off that chair!
7) get over
- recover from
eg: I can’t get over my ex. I still love him.
8) get up to
- do
eg: What did you get up to this weekend?
9) get at
- mean, imply
eg: I don’t know what you’re getting at.
10) get down
- make you feel sad
eg: Dark winters get me down.
11) get in
- to arrive
eg: What time does your train get in? If you’d like, I can pick you up at the station.
25
SIT
1) Sit back
- make no (or limited) effort to do sth
eg: ben sat back while Jan made dinner
2) sit out
- not participate in an activity
eg: Irina had to sit the rest of the game out as she had injured her ankle
3) sit in on
- observe without participating
eg: the trainee teacher sat in on many lessons before she was ready to take her own class
4) sit through
- stay until the end of sth boring
eg: abel sat through all of the film, even though he didnt enjoy it very much
5) sit up
-suddenly pay attention
eg: Khaled sat up when he heard the teacher mention his name
26
RUN
1) Run through
- Quick rehersal
Eg: Let’s run through the songs once more before the show.
2) Run after
- To chase someone or something
Eg: Ciro was late for work, so he had to run after the bus.
3) Run down
- Lose power
Eg: My laptop is quite old, so the battery runs down quite quickly. I need to charge it frequently.
4) Run for
- Try to be elected; compete in an election
Eg: Ursula is running for mayor this year. If she wins, she will be in charge for the next 4 years.
5) Run into
- Meet someone by chance
Eg: Julio ran into Carla at the supermarket. They hadn’t seen each other for ages!
27
BREAK
1) Break up
- end of a relationship
Eg: Kai and Heleen broke up after 5 years together.
2) Break even
- Neither make nor lose money
Eg: The show made 1000 pund but the costs were also 1000 pound. We broker even.
3) Break down
- Suddenly stop working (usually a vehicle or machine)
Eg: Taki’s car broke down on the way to work yesterday, so he had to phone a mechanic.
4) Break into
- enter somewhere using force
Eg: The thieves smashed a window in order to break into the building.
5) Break out
- escape from somewhere
Eg: The prisoners broke out of jail by stealing the guard’s keys.
28
TELEPHONE
TELEPHONE
1) To call back
2) To call up
Eg: We can also say to ring up or to phone up.
3) To cut off
-to lose a telephone connection.
Eg: get cut off
4) To get back to someone
5) To get through
- to get a telephone connection with someone
6) to hang up
- end a telephone conversation (often abruptly)
7) to put someone through
- to connect someone on the phone
8) to pick up
- to answer a phone call
29
TURN
TURN
1) Turn in
- go to bed
Eg: I m really tired. I think I’ll turn in.
2) Turn away
- not allow someone to enter
Eg: Sal was turned away from the club as he is only 17.
3) Turn down
- adjust a control to lower the level of sth
Eg: Your music is too loud! I’m going to turn it down.
4) Turn into
- change or develop into sth new or different
Eg: Although the weather was lovely in the morning, it turned into a rainy day by the afternoon.
5) Turn out
- have an unexpected result
Eg: Gebre thought the exam would be difficult, but it turned out to be easy!
30
MAKE
5 phrasal verbs of make
1) Make of
- opinion about a person or thing
Eg: What do you make of the new guy at work?
2) Make up
- invent a story
Eg: Jan’s daughter has a great imagination. She can make up a story really quickly!
3) Make out
- just able to see or hear sth
Eg: Even though the music was very quiet, I could make out the words of the song.
4) Make off
- Leave in a hurry
Eg: The thieves made off in a hurry when they heard the police sirens.
5) Make off with
- steal
Eg: The thieves tried to make off with over 10,000 pound of jewellery.
31
WEAR
Wear
1) To wear away
- to disappear, to reduce gradually
Eg: a bit of grass was worn away because of spring football practice.
2) To wear down
- to reduce opposition gradually
Eg: The strategy was designed to wear down the enemy’s resistance.
3) To wear off
- to become less intense, to stop gradually
Eg: Your nervousness will wear off once the exams are over.
4) To wear out
- to make someone feel very tired, to exhaust
Eg: I’ve worked so hard today. I’m worn out.
5) To wear something down
- to use to a point where it starts to deteriorate
Eg: I bought this jacket a year ago, but I wear it every day so it is completely worn down.
32
hunker down
1) to sit down on your heels
eg- we hunkered down around the campfire, toasting marshmallows.
2) to make yourself comfortable in a place or situation, or to prepare to stay in a place or position for a long time, usually in order to achieve sth or for protection
eg: The press has hunkered down for the night outside the palace, waiting for news of the royal birth.
3) getting oneself into a safe position or place, often used when talking about weather and ensuring that you are safe indoors
eg:
A: I think we r going to drive up to my wife’s parents house, they are out of the hurricane zone.
B: I dont think we will be leaving, we will just hunker down and hope for the best.
33
Memory
1) flood back
- suddenly rmb experiences from the past
eg: Ah yes, the memories once flood back.
2) Stirs up
- makes one rmb event in the past
eg: the photographs stirred up some painful memories.
3) eat away at
- makes one upset when we think about bad experiences
eg: the rejections are eating away at my self confidence.
4) stick with
- always rmb event
eg: that embarrasing moment has stuck with me for 30 years
5) block out
- stop yourself thinking of sth
eg: he is trying to block out memories of the accident
6) flash back
- get a sudden memory of sth
eg: my mind flashes back to the first day of school
7) summons up
- makes you rmb sth
eg: visiting his old house summoned up memories of his childhood.
34
Look
1) look up to
- admire or respect
eg: Ciro really looks up to his mother. She’s taught him a lot.
2) look forward to
- be excited for a future event
eg: Carla is really looking forward to her summer holiday in Spain
3) look back
- think about the past
eg: Cassie looks back at her time as a DJ with a sense of pride
4) look out
- stay alert, be careful
eg: Mei told her children to look out for danger when visiting NY for the first time
5) look for
- search for sth
eg: Dana used an app to help her look for a nearby cafe
35
come
1) come across
- find sth (usually by accident)
eg: I came across some old letters while tidying my rooms
2) come back
- return
3) come around
- change your mind
eg: more and more people are coming around to the idea of doing their food shopping online.
4) come about
- happen; occur
eg: Carla’s acting career came about after she met an old friend who had become a film director.
5) come on
- appear on tv
eg: My favourite show comes on at 8 o’clock every day. It’s great.
36
eke out
to make the supply of sth last a bit longer, by using it carefully
eg:
Because of the storm, we had to eke out food supplies before we could get to the shops again.
Our crops have failed this year so we can hardly eke out a living.
I've lost my job, so I need to eke out what savings I have to survive.
37
break off
ended
eg: when did you break up?
oh, I broke off our engagement ages ago. He broke down when I told him.
38
Ask
1) ask after
- inquire about someone
eg: Paula asked after my brother. She was worried.
2) ask out
- invite to go somewhere (esp for a date)
eg: After building up his courage, Miguel asked Helena out. She said yes.
3) ask around
Hanlu didnt know a good restaurant in his area, so he asked around.
4) ask back
- invite to return to a place
eg: I m so glad your sister came to visit. we should ask her back again soon
5) ask in
- invite into a building
eg: when Judy saw her neighbours passing by, she asked them in for a coffee.
39
pick up
understand
- learning a new language is hard to pick up, but keep at it.
40
catch on
understand
- Fred didnt catch on at first, but soon began to understand
41
grapple with
hard to deal with
eg: we’ve been grappling with a computer problem all day
42
piece together
put parts of story together
eg- we are trying to piece together the reason the child get lost
43
cotton on
begin to understand
eg: It took me a while, but now I’ve cottoned on to the fact that my boss doesnt like me
44
hit on (an idea)
have a good idea
eg: I have hit on a great idea to make money from old plastic bottles
45
reflect on
think hard about sth
eg- Go to your room, so you can have time to reflect on what you’ve done
46
bounce off
tell someone an idea to get feedback
eg: Lets have a meeting, so we can bounce off some ideas
47
talk through
discuss in order to understand
eg: after ben and sally talk through their problems, they felt better.
48
back
1) back up
- move backwards
eg: Seamus learnt how to back a car up in his driving lesson
2) back away
- retreat: move away (esp in fear)
eg: Sonja backed away from the large, barking dog
3) back onto
- located directly behind somewhere
eg: my house backs onto a park, so I can hear the birds singing in the morning
4) back down
- stops supporting a statement or opinion
eg: after checking the internet, I backed down from my original statement and apologised.
5) back out
- not do sth you agree to do
eg: after saying she’d join the football team, Leyla backed out at the last minute.
49
talk someone out of sth
to persuade someone to do sth
eg: Her parents tried to talk her out of getting engaged
50
fall through
to fail, miscarry
eg: Our plans fell through at the last minute
51
BRING
1) bring up
Eg: Ana brought up her first child by herself.
2) bring out
- Launch a new product or publication
eg: My favourite author is bringing out another book! I m so excited.
3) bring forward
- make an event happen earlier
eg: Ang’s boss is busy this afternoon, so she has brought forward the meeting to this morning.
4) bring along
- take a thing or person somewhere
eg: juan didnt know anyone at the party, so he asked if he can bring a friend along.
5) bring down
- cause somone’s mood to get worse
eg: The sudden downpour of rain really brought Sasha down.
52
Switch off
- To become unfocused, inattentive, or disengaged.
eg:
I could tell my students were starting to switch off during my class, so I brought out the projector and started using old cartoons to illustrate my points.
I like watching trashy TV shows as a way of switching off after a busy day of work.
- To share a role or task with someone, alternating when each person is responsible.
eg:
My wife and I switch off putting the kids to bed each night.
There are too many dishes for one person to clean all of them, so let's just switch off halfway through.
53
Stand
1) stand by
- give support to
eg: Jon’s wife stood by him throughout the trial
2) stand around
-stay in a place doing nothing
eg: callum stood around listening to music as he waited for the bus.
3) stand back
- stay or move a short distance away from sth
eg: salma told the children to stand back as she lits the fireworks.
4) stand out
- be different from the crowd; easily noticeable
eg: Tama’s blue hair really makes her stand out.
5) stand up
- fail to meet for an appointment or date
eg:Frederico supposed to have a blind date last night, but she stood him up
54
get
1) get up to
-do
eg: what did you get up to yesterday?
2) get on/along with someone
- have a good relationship
eg: I get on with my brother really well
3) get over (sth/someone)
- recover from, stop thinking about
eg: I can’t get over their divorce!
4) get away with sth
- be successful in sth, to escape with sth
eg: the thief get away with millions of pound
5) get at someone
- criticise someone repeatedly
eg: stop getting at me! You have been criticising me all day!
55
check
1) check in
- Maria and Jose checked in to their hotel in the early morning.
2) check on
- monitor someone or sth to see if there are problems
eg: Dr Mary checked on her patients multiple times during the night.
3) check off
- to mark items off a list with a tick
eg: As Aisha put each item into her basket, she checked them off her shopping list.
4) check with
- confirm with someone
eg: I’d love to go to the party. I’ll check with my wife whether we are free that night.
5) check out
- try sth for the first time
eg: Dana heard that the new restaurant was great, so she decided to check it out.
56
pay
1) pay for
- receive punishment
eg: Diego will pay for his crimes. He wont get away with it.
2) pay back
- get revenge
eg: after someone embarrasses you, it is natural to want to pay them back somehow.
3) pay off
- bribe someone
eh: the gangsters paid off the security guards so thatcthey didnt investigate the strange noises.
4) pay down
- reduce a debt by giving some money back
eg: I plan to pay down a quarter of my mortgage by the end of the year.
5) pay up
- to pay a debt in full
eg: ferdia has owned me rent for months. It’s time he paid up or moved out
57
conk out
to fall asleep
eg: I conked out on the sofa last night
58
pull
1) pull over
- stop a vehicle by the side of the road
eg: Zainab pulled over so that she could check her tires
2) pull out
- withdraw
eg: afrer breaking her wrist, Davina had to pull out of the tennis tournament.
3) pull through
- survive; recover from illness
eg: Although Petra is really sick, the doctors think she will pull through.
4) pull down
- demolish; destroy
eg: Protestors pull down the statue during the riots.
5) pull in
- (of a train or bus) Arrive into a station
eg: After a long delay, the train finally pulled in at around half past 7.
59
Kick
1) kick off
- start sth
eg: Let’s kick off this meeting with a brainstorming session.
2) kick out
- to eject somone or sth; to remove from a place
eg: after his bad behaviour, Paola was kicked out of the party.
3) kick back
- relax
eg: I dont have any plans for the weekend. I m just going to kick back and watch some TV.
4) kick about
- informally discuss an idea
eg: Stefan and Marla kicked about the idea of opening a cafe for months before they did it.
5) kick in
- for the effects of something
eg: It took a long time for the effect of the painkiller to kick in.
60
HIT
1) hit on
- discover or think of a new idea
eg: while going for a walk, Paul hit on a new business idea.
2) hit out at
- criticise someone
eg: Caleb hit out at his colleagues after they didnt take his ideas seriously.
3) hit up
- contact somone
eg: If you ever come to London, hit me up and we’ll go for a meal together.
4) hit it off
- get on well with someone from first time of meeting
eg: Andrel and Carla hit it off as soon as they met.
5) hit back
- strike someone after they have struck you
eg: Naby hit his older bro but was surprised when his bro hit him back.
61
settle up
to pay someone the money you owe them
- you buy the tickets and I’ll settle up with you later.
- I’ll finish eating-just let me settle up and we can go.
62
perk oneself / sth up
1) To become more lively, cheerful, or attentive:
eg: We perked up when we heard the good news.
The students perked up when the professor began the lecture.
2. To cause someone or something to become more lively, cheerful, or attentive
eg- The morning coffee really perked me up!
eg- I perked up the kitten by feeding it catnip.
63
own up to
to admit that you have done sth wrong
eg: No one has owned up to stealing the money.
64
scrape through
to suceed in difficulty or by a narrow margin
eg: He scraped through by one mark.
65
buckle down
work very hard
eg: If you buckle down, there is still a chance that you can pass the exam.
66
skim through
to read, review, or present sth quickly or superficially, typically by only reading or covering certain parts of it.
eg:
I only had time to skim through your report, but I like what I've seen so far.
67
pop out
exit briefly from home or office
eg: I m just popping out to get some milk. I’ll be back in a minute.
He popped out for a quick coffee break.
68
take after
1) to follow as an example
- John takes after his grandfather.
2) to resemble in appearance, temperament or character
3) to pursue hastily
- the store owner took after the thief.
69
take someone up on sth
take someone on
take sth on
to accept an offer someone has made
eg: That’s a good offer. I’ll take you up on it.
Tom took Sue up on her offer of dinner/ I told Mark I’ll like to take him up on his offer.
She was taken on as a lab assistant (to employ someone).
she took too much on and made herself ill (to accept a particular job or responsibility).
70
hold up
1) noun- a delay that prevent sth from happening
eg: Work is yet to start because of hold-ups in obtaining planning permission.
2) stay strong or well
- the real estate market held up despite a lack of consumer confidence.
3) If information holds up, it is proved to be true.
eg: The evidence may not hold up in court.
4) to continue to operate or be able to do things, esp. after being repaired or being ill
eg:
- I hope the spare tire holds up until we can get to garage.
- she is holding up well despite her problem.
5) a delay
Come on, let’s go. What’s the hold-up?
71
hook up
to meet up
-We agree to hook up after class.
72
taken aback
To startle, astonish, shock, or disconcert one.
It took us all aback a bit to learn that John was moving to England next month.
I'm sure the news of the merger takes everyone aback, but please believe me that this is in the best interest of the company.
When Mary told me the news, I was taken aback for a moment.
When I told my parents I was married, they were completely taken aback.
73
called off
cancel
my manager called off the meeting.
74
draw up
prepare sth in writing eg official document
eg: We need to draw up a contract and send it to our client.
75
knuckle down
start working hard
I have to knuckle down if I want to pass the exam.
76
bring somebody on
to help someone to improve, especially through training or practice
eg: Her new piano teacher has really brought her on.
77
snow under with
to overwhelm
eg: I was snowed under with work.
78
get on
1) To be or continue on harmonious terms: gets on well with the neighbors.
2. To manage or fare: How are you getting on?
3. To make progress; continue: get on with a performance.
4. To grow old: The CEO is getting on and will retire soon.
5. To acquire understanding or knowledge: got on to the con game.
79
caught out
discovered to be doing sth wrong
eg: Johan took the day off work sick but his boss caught him out when he spotted him at the pub later that day.
80
crack up
suddenly laugh a lot
I cracked up when I heard that joke.
81
fritter away sth
to waste money, time or an opportunity
eg:
she fritters so much money on expensive make-up.
If I’ve got money in my pocket, I tend to fritter it away.
He frittered the afternoon away.
I fritter my time away at coffee mornings.
he frittered away his fortune on gambling.
82
whip up
to make food or a meal very quickly and easily.
eg: I have just enough time to whip up an omelette.
to encourage or cause people to have strong feelings about sth.
eg:
She criticized the organization for trying to whip up anti-immigrant prejudice.
He was trying to whip up some enthusiasm for the project.
83
knock off
1) ask someone to lower the price of sth
eg: It’s a nice t - shirt. If you knock off a tenner, I’ll take it.
It’s still too expensive. Could you knock off another rm30?
84
bear on sth
- to be connected or related to sth
eg:
I don’t see how that information bears on this case.
85
to bear against
to approach for attack:
eg: a lion bear against his prey.
86
shore up something
to support a business, system, currency, etc. that is weak and seems likely to fail, especially by providing money:
eg:
They put in an additional $3.6 million for its employee pension fund as part of a four-year plan to shore it up.
India's central bank has spent an estimated $1-2 billion to shore the rupee up since April.
2) to make something stronger by supporting it:
The plan will enable his company to shore up its financial position.
After the earthquake we had to shore up ceilings and walls.
87
sleep in
a. To oversleep: I missed the morning train because I slept in.
b. To sleep late on purpose: After this week's work, I will sleep in on Saturday.
88
fell out
1) to quarrel
Alexa fell out with her partner. She’s down.
The siblings fell out over their inheritance.
2) to happen; occur
What fell out while we were gone?
3) to be readily explainable; follow logically or naturally
These facts fell out nicely from the theory.
89
shrivel up
to lose vitality or intensity; dwindle
eg: the buying power of the dollar shriveled up as the inflation worsened.
Our clients' patience has shriveled up—they want an answer, now!
I could feel my interest in her play shriveling up by the minute.
90
hinge on
If one thing hinges on another, the first thing depends on the second thing or is very influenced by it:
The prosecution's case hinged on the evidence of a witness who died before the trial.
2) If a story or situation hinges on an idea or subject, it develops from that idea or that is the most important subject in it:
The film's plot hinges on a case of mistaken identity.
91
take off
1) to copy the way a particular person speaks or behaves, or the way something is done, usually in order to entertain other people:
She's really good at taking people off.
2) to suddenly leave somewhere, usually without telling anyone that you are going:
When he saw me, he took off in the other direction.
3) to suddenly start to be successful or popular:
Her singing career had just begun to take off.
4) to spend time away from your work:
He took two weeks off in September
92
pertain to
relate to or having connection with something
eg:
seaweed’s properties, as they pertain to skin care, are still in dispute.
93
cut up
upset:
My dad was really cut up about the dead of his dog.
My sister failed her driving test. She’s pretty cut up about it.
to behave in a very active and silly way in order to make people laugh:
There are a couple of kids who are always cutting up in class.
a person who is fond of making jokes or playing the fool.
"she insists she was ‘never a class cut-up’, but her sister was always pretty funny"
94
rub off on someone
To have one's characteristics, mannerisms, or behavior be adopted by someone with whom one has spent a lot of time.
Peter's been very unruly lately. I think that new kid is rubbing off on him.
It seems like your boss's greed is rubbing off on you—is money all you care about now?
95
shore something up
to make something stronger by supporting it:
The plan will enable his company to shore up its financial position.
After the earthquake we had to shore up ceilings and walls.
Even if it doesnt feel good, change is the one thing you can count on. Change will happen, so make contingency plans and emotionally shore yourself up for the experience.
to support or improve an organization, agreement, or system that is not working effectively or that is likely to fail:
The new public relations manager has the difficult task of shoring up the company's troubled image.
96
do up
to wrap something in paper:
She always does her presents up beautifully in gold and silver paper.
to repair or decorate a building so that it looks attractive:
I'd like to buy a run-down house and do it up.
to fasten something or become fastened:
Can you help me to do up my dress?
Do your shoes/laces up before you trip over.
These trousers must have shrunk - I can't do them up.
These trousers won't do up.
97
go on
to talk in an annoying way about something for a long time:
He went on and on until I finally interrupted him and told him I had to go.
I just wish he'd stop going on about how brilliant his daughter is." "Yes, he does go on (a bit), doesn't he?"
I wish you'd stop going on at me (= criticizing me repeatedly) about my haircut.
to start operating:
The spotlights go on automatically when an intruder is detected in the garden.
When does the heating go on?
98
knock back
1. To drink something, usually an alcoholic beverage, quickly. A noun or pronoun can be used between "knock" and "back."
Let's get together and knock back some cold ones tonight.
2. To physically force someone or something backwards. A noun or pronoun can be used between "knock" and "back."
The rumbling of the earthquake knocked us all back.
3. To cost someone a particular amount of money. A noun or pronoun can be used between "knock" and "back."
Geez, how much is this car repair going to knock me back?
99
nod off
fall asleep without intending to
eg: He always nodded off during lectures.
100
get around to (something)
to find time to do something; to do something after a long delay.
I finally got around to buying a new coat.
It took Sally years to get around to visiting her aunt.
To eventually do something when one is able to.
Oh man, I haven't gotten around to printing that document yet—just give me a sec, I'll do it right now.
I've got so much to do today that I don't know when I'll get around to these expense reports.
101
wind/wound down
1) to end gradually or in stages, or to cause something to do this:
The government intends to wind the scheme down in the spring.
Unfortunately, the party was just winding down as we got there.
2) If a business or organization winds down, or if someone winds it down, the amount of work it does is gradually reduced until it closes completely:
They're winding down their operations abroad because they're losing money.
3) to gradually relax after doing something that has made you tired or worried:
When he goes on holiday, it takes him the first couple of days just to wind down.
102
show oneself out
1) to exit some place without the company or assistance of anyone else.
Please show yourself out once you have completed the exam.
No, please remain seated. I can show myself out.
2) To present oneself, especially in a public or performative manner.
The pop star always shows out with incredibly extravagant, often outrageous, outfits.
3). To perform some task with as much energy, enthusiasm, and determination as possible.
It's going to be tough to win today's game, but if we all show out, we can accomplish anything!
She went up on that stage and really showed out. I think her parents would be proud of her.
103
gobble up
to eat hungrily and greedily
i was so hungry i gobble up my plate of sphagetti in 2 minutes.
104
snap back
to quickly return to a previous condition:
snap back from sth The market snapped back last week from its free-fall.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, down more than 37 in the morning, snapped back to gain 7.22.
105
rip off
rip the band-aid off
to cheat someone by making them pay too much money for something:
Bob's tickets cost much less than ours - I think we've been ripped off.
To do something painful or unpleasant very quickly so that the discomfort, while typically more intense, is short-lived.
eg:
You just need to rip the Band-Aid off and tell them the bad news.
I tend to obsess about things if I don't take decisive action, so I try to rip the band-aid off whenever I can.
106
simmer down
to become less angry or excited about something:
Come on kids! Simmer down and get on with your work!
107
run something by someone
1. To explain or describe something to one; to inform one about something.
I have an idea I'd like to run by you.
OK, run the plan by me one more time.
2. To obtain one's permission for something.
You'll need to run that by the boss before you do it.
Please run those kinds of decisions by me next time, OK?
108
squirt out
To cause or force some liquid to eject, flow, or issue forth (from some source) in one or more forceful spurts. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "squirt" and "out."
He took out the bottle from the fridge and squirted out some ketchup onto his burger.
You can fill the water gun in the kitchen sink, but don't squirt any out in the house or I'll take it away!
109
cough sth up
to produce or give something unwillingly, esp. money:
I had to cough up $85 for a parking fine.
110
butter up someone
to please someone, esp. by praising that person in order to get him or her to agree to something:
A company wishing to influence the government must butter up both parties in the House and the Senate.
You'll have to butter them up a bit before they'll agree.
111
bog down
to prevent someone or something from moving on or progressing:
He's a big-picture leader and doesn't get bogged down in the details.
She bogged down many times while she wrote her dissertation.
I m so bogged down with phone calls that I couldnt finish my project.
I m so bogged down with work that I didnt even eat lunch.
112
have a go at someone
to criticize someone:
My Dad's always having a go at me about getting a proper job.
She's been having a go at me about the state of my bedroom.
She was having a go at TV chefs for using too much meat in their dishes.
You seem determined to have a go at her for no good reason.
They're always having a go at the kids for not doing enough homework.
113
tell someone off
to speak angrily to someone because they have done something wrong:
The teacher told me off for swearing.
114
ride sth out
to continue to exist during a difficult situation and until it ends, without serious harm:
Many companies did not manage to ride out the recession.
to stay and experience a difficult situation, rather than trying to escape it.
Some of the children have fears anout riding out another storm.
115
fob off
to persuade someone to accept something that is of a low quality or different from what they really wanted:
eg:
Well, he wants the report ready by tomorrow but I can always fob him off with some excuse.
116
set in
when sth unpleasant sets in, it begins and seems likely to continue in a serious way:
This rain looks as if it has set in for the rest of the day.
if you get bitten by a dog, you have to make sure the wound is cleaned well, or an infection could set in.
Despair seems to have set in among the team.
117
string someone along
to deceive someone for a long time about what you are really intending to do:
She’s been promising to pay back the money for six months, but I think she’s just stringing me along.
He strung her along for years, saying he’d marry her and divorce his wife.
118
zero in on sth
zero in on (something)
1. To aim or direct one's line of vision at something.
Can you have the camera zero in on that tree?
The soldiers zeroed in on the enemy bunker.
2. To get incrementally closer to something, such as a physical location or the understanding of a concept.
Authorities were able to zero in on the compound by using satellite imagery.
It has taken multiple drafts, but I think I'm finally zeroing in on the right tone for my novel.
The fugitive later admitted that he could sense the police zeroing in on him.
3. To focus one's attention on something.
Critics seem to have really zeroed in on a single scene in the film, and I think they're missing some important points elsewhere.
I love how my toddler zeroes in on new words when she hears them.
119
better off
to have more money than you had in the past or more money than most other people:
Obviously we're better off now that we're both working.
When his parents died, he found himself $100,000 better off (= he had $100,000 more than before).
to be in a better situation, if or after something happens:
He'd be better off working for a bigger company.
120
straighten up
to make a place tidy:
Mark and I managed to straighten up the house before our parents got home.
to behave well after behaving badly:
You'd better straighten up or else!
121
tell off
to speak angrily to someone because they have done something wrong:
The teacher told me off for swearing.
122
sit on something
to delay taking action about something:
The company has been sitting on my letter for weeks without dealing with my complaint.
to prevent people from knowing a piece of information:
The city council will presumably sit on the report until after the election.
123
sit on someone
to force someone to be silent or not to do something:
The boss is going to sit on him to make sure he says nothing.
124
make up
to forgive someone and become friends again after an argument or disagreement:
We argue all right, but we always make up before long.
to invent an excuse, a story, etc., often in order to deceive:
I was trying to make up a good excuse for being late.
125
shut someone or sth out
to stop someone or something from entering or getting back inside a house or other building:
The wind blew the door closed behind me and now I'm shut out (of the house).
Don't forget to shut the cat out when you leave for work.
to not include a person or organization in an activity:
Anna felt shut out of the conversation.
What are the chances of peace if we shut the terrorists out of negotiations?
126
hold up
to remain strong or successful:
Will his alibi hold up (= continue to seem true) in court?
I hope the repairs hold up until we can get to a garage.
127
own up
to admit that you have done something wrong:
No one has owned up to stealing the money.
to tell the truth or to admit that you are responsible for something:
A young nurse looked at the two men and waited for one of them to own up.
128
get off
to leave a place, usually in order to start a journey:
If we can get off by seven o'clock, the roads will be clearer.
informal to leave work with permission, usually at the end of the day:
How early can you get off this afternoon?
to leave a train, bus, or aircraft:
Get off at Camden Town.
I tripped as I got off the bus.
UK to start sleeping, or to help a baby to start sleeping:
It was so hot that I didn't get off (to sleep) till three o'clock.
I've been trying to get the baby off (to sleep) for an hour!
to avoid punishment, or to help another person to avoid punishment for something:
She was charged with fraud, but her lawyer managed to get her off.
"Was he found guilty?" "No, he got off."
She got off with (= her only punishment was) a small fine.
129
shake someone/something up
If an unpleasant experience shakes someone up, it makes them feel shocked and upset:
I think she was pretty shaken up by the accident.
to cause large changes in something such as an organization, usually in order to make improvements:
Technological changes have shaken up many industries.
The first thing the new chairman of the company did was to shake up the management.
Several new players have been brought in to shake up the team.
130
pop into
to go into some place very briefly.
I need to pop into my professor's office to drop off the assignment.
Dan just popped into the butcher for some hamburger meat.
131
hit it off
to be friendly with each other immediately:
We had similar ideas about the show, and the two of us hit it off right away.
132
cut up
of a person) very distressed.
"she was pretty cut up about them leaving".
a person who is fond of making jokes or playing the fool.
"she insists she was ‘never a class cut-up’, but her sister was always pretty funny"
133
size up
to examine something in order to make a judgment or form an opinion:
After sizing up the opposition, Abe suggested a strategy.
134
tip sb off
to give someone information, often about something dishonest or illegal that is happening:
Financial authorities have been tipped off and are now beginning a series of investigations.
135
tip sb off
to give someone information, often about something dishonest or illegal that is happening:
Financial authorities have been tipped off and are now beginning a series of investigations.
136
conjured sth up
to make a picture or idea appear in someone's mind:
The glittering ceremony conjured up images of Russia's imperial past.
For some people, the word "England" may still conjure up images of pretty gardens and tea parties.
The Halloween spirit has swept through Pastest, and we’ve conjured up a hauntingly good offer just for you!
to make something good, especially food, quickly and in a skilful way :
How am I expected to conjure up a meal for six of his friends with almost nothing in the fridge?
137
dwell on something
to keep thinking or talking about something, especially something bad or unpleasant:
In his speech, he dwelt on the plight of the sick and the hungry.
to think or talk about something a lot of the time:
"Let’s not dwell on the past," she said
138
stumble across/upon/on sth or someone
to discover something by chance, or to meet someone by chance:
Workmen stumbled upon the mosaic while digging foundations for a new building.
139
beat up
to blame or criticize yourself, usually in a way that is unfair or unnecessary:
If you fail, don't beat yourself up; just try again.
140
pass
pass up- decline an opportunity; Alice passed up the promotion because she didnt want to work longer hour.
141
142
wear one down
to make someone feel tired and less able to deal successfully with a situation:
Both sides are trying to wear the other down by being obstinate in the negotiations.
All the stress and extra travel is beginning to wear him down.
143
144
carve out time
even if you work nine-to-five, carve out time to do what's important to you.
145
