Phrasal verb 3 Flashcards
up to date
modern, current, timely
(Hyphens (-) separate the parts of this idiom when it precedes a noun form, as in the third example The verb update derives from this idiom.)
ex: The president insisted that the company bring its aging equipment up to date.
out of date
not modern, not current, not timely; no longer available in published form
(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 The passive verb to be outdated derives from this idiom.)
ex: Many people buy new cars when their old cars become out of date.
ex: I don’t know why Gene likes to wear out-of-date clothing. His clothes are so outdated that even his girlfriend
hesitates to be seen with him.
to blow up
to inflate, to fill with air (S); to explode, to destroy (or be destroyed) by explosion (S)
ex: Daddy, could you please blow up this balloon for me?
ex: When the airplane crashed into the ground, it blew up immediately.
to catch fire
to begin to burn
ex: Don’t stand too close to the gas stove. Your clothes may catch fire.
to burn down
to burn slowly, but completely (usually said of candles); to destroy completely by fire (S)
ex: There was a large amount of wax on the table where the candles had burned down.
ex: The fire spread so quickly that the firefighters could not prevent the whole block of buildings from burning
down.
to burn up
to destroy completely by fire (S); to make angry or very annoyed (S) (also - to tick off)
(To burn up and to burn down share the same definition but also have different definitions.)
ex: She didn’t want anyone to see the letter, so she burned it up and threw the ashes away.
ex: It really burns me up that he borrowed my car without asking me first.
to burn out
to stop functioning because of overuse; to make tired from too much work (S)
ex: This light bulb has burned out. Could you get another one?
ex: Studying all day for my final exams has really burned me out.
to make good
to succeed
ex: He is a hard worker, and I’m sure that he will make good in that new job.
ex: Alma has always made good in everything that she has done.
stands to reason
to be clear and logical
(This idiom is almost always used with the pronoun subject it and is followed by a that clause.)
ex: It stands to reason that a person without experience cannot do the work as well as an experienced one.
to break out
to become widespread suddenly
ex: An epidemic of measles broke out in Chicago this past week.
ex: The news says that a large fire has broken out in a huge chemical plant.
as for
regarding, concerning (also: as to )
ex: As for the money, we will simply have to borrow some more from the bank.
ex: There is no doubt as to her intelligence, she’s the smartest one in the class.
to feel sorry for
to pity, to feel compassion for (also: to take pity on )
ex: Don’t you feel sorry for someone who has to work the night shift?
ex: I helped drive Pierre around when he broke his foot because I took pity on him.
to break down
to stop functioning
(Compare this idiom with to burn out. 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.)
ex: I just bought my new car yesterday and already it has broken down.
to turn out
to become or result; to appear, to attend (also: to come out )
(The noun form turnout derives from the second definition of the idiom.)
ex: Most parents wonder how their children will turn out as adults.
ex: Hundreds of people came out for the demonstration against new taxes.
ex: What was the turnout for the public hearing on the education reforms?
once in a blue moon
rarely, infrequently
ex: Snow falls on the city of San Diego, California, once in a blue moon.
ex: Once in a blue moon my wife and I eat at a very expensive restaurant.
to give up
to stop trying; to stop a bad habit (S); to surrender (S)
ex: I’m sure that you can accomplish this task. Don’t give up yet!
ex: If you give up smoking now, you can certainly live a longer life.
ex: The soldiers gave themselves up in the face of stronger enemy forces.
to cross out
to cancel by marking with a horizontal line (S)
ex: The teacher crossed out several incorrect words in Tanya’s composition.
ex: I crossed the last line out of my letter because it had the wrong tone to it.
to take for granted
not to appreciate fully (S); to assume to be true without giving much thought (S)
(A noun or pronoun often follows the verb take.)
ex: John took his wife for granted until once when he was very sick and needed her constant attention for a week.
ex: He spoke English so well that I took it for granted he was an American.
ex: He took for granted that I wasn’t American because I spoke English so poorly!
to take something into account
to consider a fact while evaluating a situation (S)
ex: The judge took the prisoner’s young age into account before sentencing him to three months in jail.
ex: Educators should take into account the cultural backgrounds of students when planning a school curriculum.
to make clear
to clarify, to explain (S)
ex: Please make clear that he should never act so impolitely again.
ex: The supervisor made it clear to the workers that they had to increase their productivity.
clear-cut
clearly stated, definite, apparent
ex: The president’s message was clear-cut: the company had to reduce personnel immediately.
ex: Professor Larsen is well known for his interesting and clear-cut presentations.
to have on
to be wearing (S)
ex: How do you like the hat which Grace has on today?
ex: When Sally came into the room, I had nothing on except my shorts.
to come to
to regain consciousness; to equal, to amount to
ex: At first they thought that the man was dead, but soon he came to.
ex: The bill for groceries at the supermarket came to fifty dollars.
to call for
to require; to request, to urge
ex: This cake recipe calls for some baking soda, but we don’t have any.
ex: The members of Congress called for new laws to regulate the banking industry.
