Phrasal verb - Sheet1 Flashcards
Phrasal Verb
Definition and Example
act up
behave or function improperly; Example: I think I need to take my car to the mechanic because it’s acting up again.
add up
calculate a sum; Example: I added up the receipts and it totaled $135.46.
add up to
equal an amount; Example: The total expenses added up to $325.00.
add up
make sense; Example: Her story doesn’t add up. I think she is lying.
ask out
invite on a date; Example: I can’t believe that Joe finally asked me out on a date!
ask over
invite to one’s home; Example: Why don’t we ask the Johnsons over for dinner?
back down
stop defending your opinion in a debate; Example: Jane never backs down. She always wins arguments.
back out
not keep (a promise, agreement, deal); Example: Sam backed out at the last second.
back out of
not keep (a promise, agreement, deal); Example: Sam backed out of the agreement at the last second.
back up
give support; Example: You need examples to back up your opinion.
back up
move backwards, reverse; Example: Could you back up a little so I can open this drawer.
bawl out
criticize, reprimand (inf.); Example: She bawled him out for arriving late.
bear down on
bite; Example: The soldier had to bear down on the leather strap while the doctor removed a bullet from the soldier’s arm.
bear down on
take strong measures against; Example: The U.S.A. is bearing down on drug traffickers.
bear on
have to do with; Example: This information may bear on this case.
bear up
withstand; Example: I didn’t think he would bear up so well in that situation.
bear up under
withstand; Example: How did he bear up under such extreme pressure.
bear with
be patient; Example: Please bear with me while I fill out the paperwork.
blow in
visit unexpectedly (inf.); Example: My cousin blew in unexpectedly with his entire family.
blow over
pass without creating a problem; Example: All this negative publicity will blow over in a couple of weeks.
blow up
make explode; destroy using explosives; Example: The terrorists blew the bridge up.
blow up
explode; Example: The bomb blew up before they could defuse it.
blow up
suddenly become very angry; Example: When Joan heard the news, she blew up and rushed out of the room.
break down
analyze in detail; Example: We need to break this problem down in order to solve it.
break down
stop working properly; Example: The truck broke down in the desert.
break down
become mentally ill; Example: She broke down after her husband died.
break in
wear or use something new until it is comfortable; Example: I need to break these shoes in before I go hiking.
break in
interrupt; Example: While we were discussing the situation, Terri broke in to give her opinion.
break in
enter a place unlawfully; Example: The burglar broke in between midnight and 3 AM.
break in on
interrupt (a conversation); Example: Jane broke in on the conversation and told us to get back to work.
break into
enter a house unlawfully; Example: The burglar broke into the house between midnight and 3 AM.
break into
interrupt (a conversation); Example: Jane broke into the conversation and told us what she knew.
break off
end something; Example: Sally broke her engagement to John off.
break out
appear violently; Example: Violent protests broke out in response to the military coup.
break out
use something extravagant for celebration; Example: He broke out the champagne to celebrate his promotion.
break out of
escape; Example: The murderer broke out of the prison.
break up
break into pieces; Example: I broke the cracker up into pieces and put it in the soup.
break up
disperse (a crowd), stop (a fight); Example: The police broke the demonstration up before it got out of control.
break up
end a relationship; Example: Sam and Diane broke up again. What a rocky relationship.
bring about
cause to happen; Example: Democracy brought about great change in the lives of the people.
bring along
bring with; Example: When we go to the forest, bring your wildlife guide along.
bring around
change someone’s mind, convince someone; Example: She doesn’t want to go, but we’ll eventually bring her around.
bring away
learn or gain (from an experience); Example: My trip across the Sahara was difficult, but I brought a new appreciation for life away from the experience.
bring off
succeed at something difficult or unexpected; Example: You robbed the bank! I can’t believe you brought that off.
bring on
cause something; Example: I can’t believe she got so angry. What brought that on?
bring out
highlight, stress; Example: Your new shirt brings out the color of your eyes.
bring over
bring to someone’s house; Example: When you visit me, why don’t you bring over your son.
bring to
revive consciousness; Example: We used smelling salts to bring her to after she fainted.
bring up
mention; Example: I didn’t want to bring up the fact that she was unemployed.
bring up
raise (a child); Example: Sam was brought up in South Carolina.
brush off
ignore something or someone (inf.); Example: Mary brushed her ex-boyfriend off at the party.
burn down
destroy by setting fire to; Example: The children burned the house down while playing with matches.
burn down
burn until completely gone (building); Example: Two buildings burnt down in the fire.
burn up
be hot; Example: I am burning up in here - open the window.
burn up
consume by fire; Example: The papers were burned up in the fire.
burn up
destroy by fire; Example: He burnt up the files.
buy out
buy the shares of a company or the shares the other person owns of a business; Example: Pacific Inc. was bought out by a company from Oregon.
buy up
purchase the entire supply of something; Example: We bought up all the beer in the store.
call for
require (as in a recipe); Example: This recipe calls for milk, not water.
call off
cancel something; Example: They called the picnic off because of the rain.
call off
order to stop (an invasion, guard dogs); Example: He called off the dogs when he saw it was his neighbor.
call on
visit; Example: Mark called on Naomi while he was in town.
call on
invite someone to speak in a meeting or a classroom; Example: Professor Tanzer called on Tim to answer the question.
call up
telephone; Example: I called Sam up to see if he wanted to go to the movies.
calm down
make someone relax; Example: You can calm the baby down by rocking her gently.
care for
nurse someone or something; Example: He cared for the bird until its wing healed.
care for
like someone or something; Example: I don’t care for sour cream on my potato.
carry on
continue (a conversation, a game); Example: Please, carry on. I didn’t mean to interrupt you.
carry on about
continue in an annoying way; Example: He kept carrying on about how much money he makes.
carry on with
continue; Example: I want you to carry on with the project while I am out of town.
carry out
complete and/or accomplish something; Example: The secret agent carried out his orders exactly as planned.
carry over
continue on a subsequent day, page, etc.; Example: The meeting carried over into lunch time.
catch on
slowly start to understand (inf.); Example: He caught on after a few minutes.
catch up
make up for lost time; Example: I will never catch up. I am too behind in my work.
catch up with
speed up to be at the same place as a person or thing in front of you; Example: I had to run to catch up with the others.
catch up on
become up-to-date; Example: I need to catch up on world events. I haven’t seen the news in ages.
check back
return to see if everything is OK; Example: We will check back tomorrow to make sure the project is finished.
check by
go to a place to see if everything is OK; Example: We need to check by the office to see if the documents are ready.
check for
try to find; Example: They checked for termites before they bought the house.
check in
enter a hospital, hotel etc.; Example: They need to check in before noon.
check into
enter a hospital, hotel etc.; Example: They checked into the hotel at 11:00 AM.
check into
investigate, look for (often through a service); Example: We are checking into discount flights to London.
check off
make a mark next to (an item on a list); Example: Check each name off the list.
check on
make sure something is OK; Example: Let’s check on the baby again before we go to sleep.
check out
leave a hotel, hospital; Example: It’s already eleven. We need to check out.
check out
investigate, take a look at; Example: Check out that cute guy by the door!
check out of
leave a hotel, hospital; Example: We checked out of the hotel before ten.
check over
closely examine the condition of something; Example: He checked over the old car to see if it was worth buying.
check up on
investigate someone or something; Example: The police are checking up on the bomb threats.
check with
ask a person for confirmation; Example: He needs to check with his parents before he goes.
cheer up
make someone feel cheerful; Example: Cheer up. Everything will be all right.
chew up
chew into small pieces; Example: The dog chewed up my shoe.
clean up
tidy; Example: Susan cleaned the mess up before she left.
clear out
leave (inf.); Example: Everybody clear out! We’re closed.
clear up
tidy; Example: Susan cleared up the mess before she left.
clear up
clarify, explain; Example: I need to clear up a few things before I can decide.
close down
close a place permanently; Example: The corner market closed down because they didn’t have many customers.
close up
close temporarily; Example: They are closing the ski resort up for the summer.
come about
occur, happen; Example: How did you idea for the book come about.
come across
discover by accident; Example: They came across some lost Mayan ruins in the jungle.
come across
initially seem or have the appearance; Example: He comes across as rather rude, but he isn’t.
come along
accompany someone; Example: If you want, you can come along.
come along
progress; Example: How’s the research paper coming along.
come along with
accompany; Example: Sam came along with us to the beach.
come away
leave a place with a particular feeling or impression; Example: I came away from the meeting feeling like the presentation was a success.
come back
return; Example: What time are you coming back.
come by
get, receive; Example: How did you come by that new Mercedes.
come by
visit a person at their house; Example: I’ll come by later this afternoon.
come out
appear; Example: I didn’t see the car at first. It came out of nowhere.
come out
reveal you are homosexual; Example: Sam finally came out last month.
come out
turn out, end up; Example: The pictures came out great.
come out with
produce and distribute a product; Example: Microsoft is coming out with a new operating system in the fall.
come over
visit someone at their house; Example: Why don’t you come over after work for dinner.
come to
regain consciousness; Example: Don’t worry! She faints all the time. She always comes to after a few minutes.
come through
do what is needed or expected; Example: Terry really came through for us in the end.
come up
arise; Example: The subject kept coming up during the meeting.
come up with
produce or create (an idea, a plan); Example: She came up with a great proposal for the new advertising campaign.
come with
include (an accessory); Example: The computer system doesn’t come with a printer.
count on
depend on, rely on; Example: You can really count on Sarah.
count out
eliminate; Example: You can count James out. He hates playing poker.
count up
add; Example: Count the change up and see how much we have.
crack down on
become tougher on, better enforce laws on; Example: The police have been cracking down on drunk driving.
cross out
draw a line through something, eliminate; Example: Why did you cross my name out on the list.
cut back
reduce (expenses); Example: We need to cut back on our spending.
cut down
decrease the amount of; Example: You eat too much fat. You need to cut down.
cut in
interrupt; Example: She suddenly cut in and delivered the news.
cut in on
interrupt; Example: She cut in on the conversation and delivered the news.
cut off
interrupt someone while they were speaking; Example: She cut him off before he said something he would regret.
cut off
sever (with a knife); Example: His finger was accidentally cut off in an industrial accident.
cut out
remove; Example: She cut the bone out of the steak.
cut out
stop an action; Example: Cut it out! You’re bothering me.
cut up
cut into small pieces; Example: He cut the beef up and put the pieces in the soup.
