Phrasal verbs Flashcards
back out (of sth)
[to decide not to do something that you had said you would do]
- The buyer backed out of the deal the day before they were due to sign the contract.
back [sth] up
[to drive backward]
[PROVIDE SUPPORT: to support or help someone]
- My family backed me up throughout the court case.
[GATHER: to gradually collect or gather in one place, esp. traffic or a liquid]
[congestionada, atascada]
- There’s a ton of traffic. The highway is backed up for miles
blow [sth] up
[to destroy something or kill someone with a bomb, or to be destroyed or killed by a bomb]
- They threatened to blow up the plane if their demands were not met.
[FILL WITH AIR: to fill something with air]
- Would you help me blow up these balloons?
[STORM: When a storm blows up, it begins]
[ANGER: to suddenly become very angry]
- My dad blew up (at me) when he saw the bill.
bounce back
[to start to be successful again after a difficult period, for example after experiencing failure, loss of confidence, illness, or unhappiness]
[recuperarse]
- Stock prices bounced back after a steep plunge earlier this week.
- Children often seem to bounce back from illness more quickly than adults do.
break away
[ESCAPE: to leave or to escape from someone who is holding you]
- He grabbed her, but she managed to break away.
- The cyclist decided to break away from the peloton and take the lead in the race.
- (figurative) One or two of the tourists broke away from the tour group.
[NOT AGREE: to stop being part of a group because you begin to disagree with the people in the group]
- One or two of the tourists broke away from the tour group.
- Some members of the party broke away to form a rival party.
Break in
[ENTER ILLEGALLY: to enter a building illegally, usually by damaging a door or window, esp. for the purpose of stealing something]
- Thieves broke into our office downtown and stole the computers.
brush [sth] off
[CLEAN: to clean something or make it neat by rubbing your hand over it]
- He brushed the snow off his coat.
[NOT CONSIDER: to refuse to consider what someone says, or to not admit that something may be true or important]
[no hacer caso, restarle importancia]
- He just brushed off all their criticisms.
build on something
[to use a success or achievement as a base from which to achieve more success]
- We must build on our reputation to expand the business.
- A good relationship is built on trust.
build up something
[INCREASE: to cause something to increase or become greater]
- This will help you slowly build up an amount of money that you have for a rainy day in the future
- She does exercises daily to build up her strength.
- We tried to build his confidence up.
call somebody up
(mainly US)
[to use the phone to talk to someone]
- My dad called me up to tell me the good news.
call [sb] up
[to use the phone to talk to someone]
- My dad called me up to tell me the good news.
call [sth] off
[CANCEL: to decide that a planned event, especially a sports event, will not happen, or to end an activity because it is no longer useful or possible]
- The police have called off the search for the missing child until dawn tomorrow.
- They’ve called off the wedding.
care for someone
[PROTECT/PROVIDE FOR: to protect someone or something and provide the things they need, especially someone who is young, old, or ill]
- The children are being cared for by a relative.
- She can’t go out to work because she has to stay home to care for her elderly mother.
- It’s good to know that the dogs will be well cared for while we’re away.
carve out
/kɑːrv aʊt/
[to achieve or gain (something)]
[forjarse, hacerse]
- He carved out a career for himself as a graphic designer.
catch on
[BECOME POPULAR: to become fashionable or popular]
- I wonder if the game will ever catch on with young people?
[UNDERSTAND: to understand, especially after a long time]
- He doesn’t take hints very easily, but he’ll catch on (to what you’re saying) eventually.
catch up with [sb]
[to communicate with someone by talking in person or on the phone or by exchanging messages, and learn or discuss what has been happening in their life]
She spends hours on the phone, catching up with old friends.
chase someone up
(informal)
[to ask someone to do something that they promised to do but that have not yet done]
- If you don’t hear from the builders this week, make sure you chase them up.
- I must chase my flatmate up about those bills and see if she paid them.
clean [sth] off
[to remove something from something by brushing, rubbing, etc]
I cleaned the mud off my shoes
close [sth] off
[to put something across the entrance of a place to stop people from entering]
- They closed Pennsylvania Avenue off to vehicles.
come about
[to happen, or start to happen]
- How did the problem come about in the first place?
- How did such a confused situation come about?
come about
[to happen, or start to happen]
- How did the problem come about in the first place?
- She was late again, but I’m not sure how it came about this time.
- How did such a confused situation come about?
come along
[ARRIVE: to arrive or appear at a place]
- Go now and I’ll come along later.
- You wait half an hour for a bus, then three come along at once!
[GO WITH SOMEONE: to go somewhere with someone]
- We’re going to the movies. Do you want to come along?
[EXIST: to start to exist]
- I gave up climbing when my first child came along.
[DEVELOP: If something is coming along, it is developing or improving]
- How’s your English coming along?
- Hassan’s English is really coming along.
come away (with something)
[to leave a place or situation with the stated feeling, idea, condition, etc.]
- I recently spent about 90 minutes shopping on the Internet, and I came away empty-handed.
- Some 39 percent said they came away with a more favorable view of the candidate.
come down to [sth]
[se reduce a, ser esencialmente]
[If a situation or decision comes down to something, that is the thing that influences it most]
- It all comes down to money in the end.
[If a situation or problem comes down to something, it can be described or explained most simply in that way]
- What this strike comes down to is a failure to communicate with your staff.
come to someone
[If a thought or idea comes to you, you suddenly remember or start to think about it]
- I can’t remember his name - it’ll come to me in a minute.
come together
[If people or groups come together, they join or meet in order to do something]
- Once a year we all come together and celebrate our family.
- After lunch the groups came together and presented their conclusions.
- Following this disaster the nation must come together as a genuine community.
[If something comes together, its different parts combine, making it good or effective]
- At last, his plan was coming together.
- Several strands of her political thought come together in this essay.
- The project is a bit disorganized at the moment, but I’m sure things will come together eventually.
come up
[MOVE TOWARD: to move toward someone]
- A young girl came up to me and asked for money.
[HAPPEN: to happen, usually unexpectedly]
- I have to go - something has just come up at home and I’m needed there.
[BE MENTIONED: to be mentioned or talked about in conversation]
- What points came up at the meeting?
count someone in
[to include someone in an activity or arrangement]
- “Do you want to go swimming with us tomorrow?” “Yes, count me in.”
crack up
[partirse de risa]
[to suddenly laugh a lot, or to make someone suddenly laugh a lot]
- I took one look at her and cracked up.
- There’s something about that guy’s face that just cracks me up.
creep up
[If the value or amount of something creeps up, it slowly increases]
- Over the last year, the rate of inflation has crept up to almost seven percent.
cut back on something
[to reduce something]
- Now that I am unemployed we are going to have to cut back on our spending.
- If we don’t sell more, we’ll have to cut back production.
cut down something
[REDUCE: to reduce the number, amount, or size of something]
- Patients were asked if they had cut down their use of painkillers.
- I need to cut this section down to 500 words.
[CUT PLANT: to make a tree or other plant fall to the ground by cutting it near the bottom]
- They are cutting down forests to clear land for cattle.
cut something out
[REMOVE: to remove something or form a shape by cutting, usually from paper or cloth]
- She cut out his picture from the magazine.
[STOP EATING: to stop eating or drinking something, usually to improve your health]
- Since my heart attack, I’ve cut fatty foods out altogether.
date back to [sth]
[to have existed for a particular length of time or since a particular time]
[data de]
- This house dates back to 1780
dispense with something/someone
[to get rid of something or someone, or stop using them because you do not need them]
- Electronic records can dispense with 80% of paper files and reduce the need for office space.
- The new chairman has said he will dispense with any directors who can’t accept radical change.
do without something/someone
[to manage, work, or perform successfully without having someone or something present]
- The country cannot do without foreign investment.
- There are a great number of things that he can easily do without.
drift apart
[If two people drift apart, they gradually become less friendly and their relationship ends]
- Sometimes friends will drift apart over time
drive off
[to leave in a car]
I got in the car and drove off
drop [sb] off
/
drop off [sb]
[to take someone or something to a particular place, usually by car, as you travel to a different place]
[dejar a, llevar a]
Can you drop me off at work?
fall off
[to get lower in amount or level]
- Orders have definitely fallen off in the past quarter.
fit in
[BE ACCEPTED: to feel that you belong to a particular group and are accepted by that group]
[encajar]
- It’s no surprise she’s leaving - she never really fit in.
[If one thing fits in with another thing, they look pleasant together or are suitable for each other]
[pegar con]
- It’s a very nice couch but it doesn’t fit in with the rest of the room.
get around
[desplazarse]
- I like to get around the city by bicycle.
- She gets around a lot for her job.
get around to something
[to do something that you have intended to do for a long time]
- I still haven’t got around to fixing that tap.
- I wanted to see that movie but never got around to it.
get around [sth]
[DEAL WITH: to find a way of dealing with or avoiding a problem]
[evitar, sortear, esquivar]
- You can’t get around the problem by pretending it doesn’t exist.
- The company changed its name to get around the law.
- The committee is looking for ways to get around the funding problem.
get away
[to leave or escape from a person or place, often when it is difficult to do this]
[huir]
- We walked to the next beach to get away from the crowds.
- I’ll get away from work as soon as I can.
[to go somewhere to have a vacation, often because you need to rest]
[desconectar]
- I just need to get away for a few days.
- I had to get away from the party. It was awful.
More examples:
- They got away from burning car before it exploded.
- I finally got away from work at eight o’clock.
- We’re getting away in January for a skiing vacation.
- By the time the police arrived, the robbers had gotten away.
get away with [sth]
[AVOID PUNISHMENT: to succeed in avoiding punishment for something]
- By jumping over the barriers, he got away without paying for a ticket.
It’s time they put a stop to his bad behavior. He’s been getting away with it for too long.
- She’s determined that her students will not get away with plagiarism.
[SUCCEED: to do something successfully although it is not the best way of doing it]
- Do you think we could get away with just one coat of paint on that wall?
get back at someone
[to punish someone because that person has done something wrong to you]
- I think he’s trying to get back at her for what she said in the meeting.
get back to someone
[to talk to someone again, usually on the phone, in order to give them some information or because you were not able to speak to them before]
[llamar de vuelta]
- I’ll get back to you later with those figures.
get behind sb/sth
[to support somebody or something]
- If every member of the top management team doesn’t get behind this project, it’s never going to work.
get down to something
[to start to direct your efforts and attention to something, esp. work]
[ponerse manos a la obra]
- We’ve got to get down to business, folks, or we’ll never get the newsletter out on time.
- The meeting’s not due to start for another five minutes but we’re all here, so let’s get down to business.
get in
[ENTER: to succeed in entering a place, especially by using force or a trick]
- They must have got in through the bathroom window]
[ARRIVE: to arrive at your home or the place where you work]
- What time did you get in last night?
[ARRIVE: If a train, plane, or other vehicle gets in at a particular time, that is when it arrives]
- What time is the plane expected to get in?
get [sth] over with
[to do or finish an unpleasant but necessary piece of work or duty so that you do not have to worry about it in the future]
[quitarse de en cima, sacarse de encima]
It’s best to get it over with now, rather than leave it to the last minute.
I’ll be glad to get these exams over with.
get on with [sth]
[ponerse con, ponerse a]
Don’t watch TV. Just get on with your homework!
get through to [sb] (telephone)
[localizar a alguien, comunicarse con alguien, ubicar a alguien (telefono)]
After several attempts to call Yolanda, I eventually managed to get through.
get [sth] out of the way
[to finish something]
[quitarse de encima/en medio]
Let’s get the cleaning out of the way: then we can do something fun.
give in
[AGREE: to finally agree to what someone wants, after refusing for a period of time]
- The government cannot be seen as giving in to terrorists’ demands.
- After a heated debate, the employers gave in to the union’s demands.
- Keep asking and eventually she’ll give in.
[ADMIT DEFEAT: to accept that you have been defeated and agree to stop competing or fighting]
- You’ll never guess the answer - do you give in?
- She wouldn’t give in until she received a full apology.
go away
[LEAVE: to leave a place]
- Go away and leave me alone!
[LEAVE: to leave your home in order to spend time somewhere else, usually for a vacation]
- We usually go away for the summer.
- He goes away on business a lot.
- She’s gone away for six months, but strangely/oddly/funnily enough , her boyfriend doesn’t seem too unhappy about it.
- I really didn’t want to go away this weekend but, oh well, it can’t be helped.
- It’s just possible that we might be going away that weekend.
Go by
[time: pass]
“Time went by too quickly”
go off
[STOP WORKING: If a light or a machine goes off, it stops working]
- The lights went off in several neighborhoods because of the storm.
[EXPLODE: If a bomb goes off, it explodes]
[EXPLODE: If a gun goes off, it fires]
- His gun went off accidentally.
[LEAVE: to leave a place and go somewhere else]
- She’s gone off on vacation with Tony.
[HAPPEN: to happen in a particular way]
- The protest march went off peacefully.
go over something
[EXAMINE: to examine or look at something in a careful or detailed way]
- Remember to go over your paper for grammar and spelling mistakes before you hand it in to me.
- I’ve gone over the problem several times, but I can’t think of a solution.
[to study or explain something]
- I always go over my notes just before I go into an exam.
- Could you go over the main points of your argument again, Professor?
grow on someone
[to become increasingly liked or enjoyed by someone]
- Living in a small town was tough at first, but the place grows on you.
- I wasn’t sure about this album when I bought it, but it’s really grown on me.
hammer out
[to reach an agreement or solution after a lot of argument or discussion]
- Three years after the accident the lawyers finally managed to hammer out a settlement with the insurance company.
hammer [sth] out
/
hammer out [sth]
[To decide on an agreement or a contract after a lot of discussion and disagreement]
The two companies hammered out an agreement after days of tough negotiations.
hand something out
[to give something to each person in a group or place]
- The teacher asked her to hand out the worksheets.
- They stood on the street corner handing out leaflets.
hang up
[colgar (llamada)]
I am going to hang up now! I have a class in about 5 minutes.
head out
[LEAVE: start a journey]
[partir]
- Henry was getting impatient to head out on his own.
hear [sb] out
[to listen to someone until they have said everything they want to say]
At least hear me out before making up your mind
help [sb] out
/
help out [sb]
[ayudar, echar una mano]
Alberto helped me out yesterday with that problem
hold off
[to not do something immediately]
- [ + -ing verb ] Let’s hold off making a decision until next week.
- (US) They’ve decided to hold off on buying a car until they’re both working.
hold on/tight
[to continue doing something or staying somewhere although it is difficult or unpleasant to do so]
- Hold on and I’ll go and get some help.
- Hold tight, we’ll be there in no time
hold [sb] back
[STOP DEVELOPMENT: to stop someone or something developing or doing as well as they should]
- She felt that having children would hold her back.
[STOP MOVEMENT: If you hold someone or something back, you stop him, her, or it from coming or moving forward]
- Sandbags will hold the flood waters back for a while.
hold [sth/sb] up
[to make something or someone slow or late]
[retrasar]
- Sorry I’m late. I got held up in traffic.
hold [sth] back
[to stop yourself showing an emotion], [reprimir, contener]
- He spoke slowly, to hold back his growing anger.
iron out something
[to put something into a finished state by solving problems, removing differences, or taking care of details]
- They met to iron out the details of the contract.
jot [sth] down
/dʒɑːt/
[to write something quickly on a piece of paper so that you remember it]
[apuntar, anotar]
- I always carry a notebook so that I can jot down any ideas.
keep up
[seguir el ritmo/paso]
Real Madrid is in such good form that the other teams are struggling to keep up
lean on [sb]
/
lean upon [sb]
[to use someone or something to help you, especially in a difficult situation]
[contar con, apoyarse en]
You can always lean on me.
live up to something
[to be as good as something]
- The concert was brilliant - it lived up to all our expectations.
- He never managed to live up to his parents’ expectations.
- David’s cooking was brilliant - we’ll never live up to that.
- I feel it’s impossible to live up to his mother.
- The Niagara falls lived up to all the publicity.
- Did the vacation live up to your expectations?
live with [sth]
[ACCEPT: to experience and accept an unpleasant event, decision, or situation]
[aprender a vivir con algo]
When you get arthritis at your age, it’s just something you just have to live with.
look around something/somewhere
[to visit a place and look at the things in it]
- She spent the afternoon looking around the town.
- When we went to Boston, we only had a couple of hours to look around.
lose sleep over/about [sht]
[to worry about something]
I wouldn’t lose any sleep over what happened.
make for somewhere/something
[to go in the direction of a place or thing]
(syn: make towards somewhere)
They made for the centre of town.
make something/someone out
[to see, hear, or understand something or someone with difficulty]
- The numbers are too small - I can’t make them out at all.
- I can’t make out your writing.
- She’s a strange person - I can’t make her out at all.
- [ + question word ] Nobody can make out why you should have been attacked.
stay in
[to stay in your home]
- Let’s stay in tonight and watch a movie.
- I’m going to stay in tonight and catch up on some sleep.
- We could always stay in and cook something nice.
miss out
[to fail to use an opportunity to enjoy or get an advantage from something]
- Don’t miss out on the fantastic bargains in our summer sale.
- We didn’t have a TV at home when I was young, and I felt as though I missed out.
miss [sb/sth] out
[to fail to include someone or something that should be included]
[pasar por alto]
Oh, I’m sorry, Tina, I’ve missed you out. What would you like to drink?
mix up someone/something
[MISTAKE: to mistake someone or something for someone or something else; to confuse two people or things]
- It’s easy to mix up the twins.
- I mix them up all the time.
move in
[to go to a different place and begin to live or work there]
[mudarse (entrar a vivir)]
I’ve found a new flat, and I’m moving in next week.
move out
[to leave a place where you have lived or worked in order to go somewhere else]
- One hundred and fifty jobs were lost as a result of the company moving out of the area.
- I moved out of Madrid last year.
move up
[to get a more important job in a company or organization]
[obtener un ascenso, ascender]
He gave his first interview since moving up to the role of chairman.
narrow something down
/ˈner.oʊ/
[to make a number or list of things smaller, by removing the things that are least important, necessary, or suitable]
- We narrowed the list of candidates down from ten to three.
pack up
[recoger, guardar todo]
It is getting dark, so the workmen are packing up for the day.
pass something up
[to fail to take advantage of an opportunity]
[dejar pasar una oportunidad]
- I can’t believe she passed up the change to go to South America
- Ha’s never one to pass up a free meal
peel away/off
[When vehicles, people, or animals peel away/off, they separate from the group or structure they were part of and move away in a different direction]
- One motorbike peeled away from the formation and circled round behind the rest.
pencil something/someone in
[to arrange for something to happen or for someone to do something on a particular date or occasion, knowing that the arrangement might be changed later]
- We’ll pencil in the dates for the next two meetings and confirm them later.
pick someone/something out
[RECOGNIZE: to recognize, find, or make a choice among different people or things in a group]
- Can you pick out the three deliberate mistakes in this paragraph?
- The critics picked him out as the outstanding male dancer of the decade.
pick [sb] up
/
pick up [sb]
[recoger (persona)]
I’ll pick up the kids from school today
pick [sth] up
[LIFT: to lift someone or something using your hands]
I went to pick up the phone/receiver, but it had stopped ringing.
[COLLECT: to collect, or to go and get, someone or something]
When you’re in town could you pick up the books I ordered?
[LEARN: to learn a new skill or language by practising it rather than being taught it]
When you live in a country you soon pick up the language.
plan something out
[to make careful and detailed arrangements for the different stages of a process or event]
- An outside group of experts helped us plan out the project.
play out
(mainly US)
[to develop in a particular way]
- Let’s see how things play out.
play something out
[to pretend that an imaginary situation or event is really happening]
- In the psychotherapy group, patients were free to play out their fantasies.
play up to someone
[to try to make someone like you and treat you well by behaving in a way you think will please them]
- Julia knows how to play up to the supervisors - she can always get time off work when she wants it.
polish up something
/ˈpɑl·ɪʃ/
[to improve something]
- I write a rough draft on the computer and then polish it up a bit.
provide for [sb/sth]
[to give someone the things they need, such as money, food, or clothes]
[mantener]
He had a family to provide for, and couldn’t waste money.
pull away
[VEHICLE: If a vehicle pulls away, it starts moving]
- There was a roar and a cloud of smoke as the car pulled away from the traffic lights.
pull over
[If a vehicle pulls over, it moves to the side of the road and stops]
- Just pull over here, and I’ll get out and walk the rest of the way.
pull through (something)
[to become well again after a serious illness, especially when you might have died]
They said the operation had been successful and they expected his wife to pull through.
pull [sth] off
[to succeed in doing something difficult or unexpected]
- He won five straight games and pulled off one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
put in (something)
[to spend a lot of time or effort doing something]
[dedicar]
- If I put in some extra hours today, I can have some time off tomorrow.
- We’ve put a lot of time into redesigning the packaging.
put on
[OPERATE: to make a device operate, or to cause a device to play something, such as a CD or DVD, by pressing a switch]
- Could you put the light on?
[COVER BODY: to cover part of the body with clothes, shoes, makeup, or something similar]
- He put on his jacket.
- She puts face cream on every night.
[GET HEAVIER: If people or animals put weight on, they become heavier]
- I’d expected to put weight on when I gave up smoking, but I didn’t.
- He’s put on ten pounds in the last month.
put something/someone forward
[to state an idea or opinion, or to suggest a plan or person, for other people to consider]
- The proposals that you have put forward deserve serious consideration.
- I wasn’t convinced by any of the arguments that he put forward.
- Many suggestions have been put forward, but a decision is unlikely until after next year’s general election.
put up with something/somebody
[to accept or continue to accept an unpleasant situation or experience, or someone who behaves unpleasantly]
[soportar a alguien/algo]
- I don’t know how he puts up with their constant complaining.
- 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.
put [sb] through [sth]
[BAD EXPERIENCE: to make someone experience something unpleasant or difficult]
- I’m sorry to put you through this ordeal.
[PAY EDUCATION: to pay for someone to study at school, college, or university]
- It’s costing them a lot of money to put their children through school.
- He put himself through college by operating a forklift at night.
put [sth] away
[STORE: to put something in the place or container where it is usually kept]
- My dad told me to put away my clothes.
[EAT: to eat a large amount of food], [atiborrarse]
- He put away a whole box of chocolates in one evening.
put something off
/
put off something
[to decide or arrange to delay an event or activity until a later time or date]
[posponer, aplazar, retrasar]
- The meeting has been put off for a week.
- [ + -ing verb ] I can’t put off going to the dentist any longer.
- I’m busy this afternoon; can we put our meeting off until tomorrow?
read something over/through
[to read something quickly from the beginning to the end, especially to find mistakes]
- I read your proposal through last night and I think we’ll agree to it.
- Always read over your work when you’ve finished.
read up (on/about) something
[to spend time reading in order to find out information about something]
- It’s a good idea to read up on a company before going for an interview.
rent [sth] out
/
rent out [sth]
[offer for rental], [poner en alquiler]
I’ve decided to rent out my flat
rip somebody 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.
run away from [sth]
[to leave a place or person secretly and suddenly]
He ran away from home when he was only twelve
/
[to avoid dealing with a problem or difficult situation]
She accused him of running away from his responsibilities
run over someone/something
[If a vehicle or its driver runs over someone or something, the vehicle hits and drives over him, her, or it]
- I think we’ve just run a rabbit over.
run something by/past someone
[to tell someone about something, to make sure they understand or approve]
- I would like to run some ideas by you before we agree to the deal.
- Could you run that past me again?
dig (something) into someone/something
[to press or push, or to press or push an object, hard into someone or something]
[clavarse]
- A stone was digging into my heel.
- She dug her fingernails into my wrist.
see someone off
[SAY GOODBYE: to go to the place that someone is leaving from in order to say goodbye to them]
- My parents saw me off at the airport.
sell (someone) out
(informal)
[to not do what you have promised someone you will do or what you should do because you will get more advantages for yourself if you do something else]
[vender a alguien]
- French farmers feel they’ve been sold out by their government in the negotiations.
- They’ve sold out to the oil lobby (= done what these people wanted).
send something back
[to return something to the person who sent it to you, especially because it is damaged or not suitable]
- I had to send the shirt back because it didn’t fit me.
- If the pants are too small just send them back.
- Nick didn’t like the sweater so I sent it back.
set off
/
set off on [sth]
/
set off for [sth]
[salir (de viaje)]
We’ll have to set off very early to avoid the rush-hour traffic.
/
[salir hacia algo, salir para algo, partir hacia algo]
That morning, we set off on our trip to California.
/
[irse para]
I usually set off for work at 8 a.m.
set something aside
[PURPOSE: to save something, usually money or time, for a special purpose]
- He had some money in an account that he’d set aside for his kids.
- [ + to infinitive ] I set aside half an hour every evening to hear Erik read.
- I set aside some of the soup for Jim to have later.
- We set aside a few dollars a month to buy furniture.
[IGNORE: to ignore or not think about a particular fact or situation while considering a matter]
- In times of war people tend to set aside political differences.
- Setting aside the question of cost, what do you think of the idea in principle?
set something/someone apart
[If a quality or characteristic sets someone or something apart, it shows him, her, or it to be different from, and usually better than, others of the same type]
- What set her apart from the other candidates for the job was that she had a lot of original ideas.
- Her original ideas set her apart from other students.
shop around
[to compare the price and quality of the same or a similar object in different shops before you decide which one to buy]
- When you’re buying a flight, you should always shop around for the best deal.
shuffle something off
[to get rid of something unwanted, usually by giving it to someone else]
[endosar]
- Not until this turbulent region can shuffle off the burdens of the past will it be able to settle peacefully into the community of nations.
- The state may then try to shuffle these responsibilities off onto the cities.
sleep in
[to sleep until later in the morning than you usually do]
- I usually sleep in on Saturdays.
sober (someone) up
/ˈsoʊ.bɚ/
[to become less drunk, or to make someone become less drunk]
- I went for a walk to try to sober up.
- Have some black coffee - that should sober you up!
sort [sth] out
[to separate one type of things from a group of things]
- Sort out any clothes you want to throw away and give them to me.
[to deal successfully with a problem, a situation, or a person who is having difficulties]
- We’ve sorted out the computer system’s initial problems.
sound [sb] out
[to discover informally what someone thinks or intends to do about a particular thing, so that you can be prepared or take suitable action]
[tantear]
Perhaps you could sound the chairwoman out before the meeting, to see which way she’s going to vote?
speak up
[speak a little louder], [talk more loudy]
I cannot hear you! Can you speak up?
/
[decir lo que se piensa]
I always hated to speak up in class, so I got poor grades for oral participation.
stand for [sth]
[ACCEPT or TOLERATE: If you will not stand for something, you will not accept a situation or a particular type of behaviour]
- I wouldn’t stand for that sort of behaviour from him, if I were you.
stand out
[to be very noticeable]
- The black lettering really stands out on that orange background.
[to be much better than other similar things or people]
- We had lots of good applicants for the job, but one stood out from the rest.
- The applicant we hired was so well qualified, she stood out from all the rest.
stand someone up
[to intentionally fail to meet someone when you said you would, especially someone you were starting to have a romantic relationship with]
- I don’t know if I’ve been stood up or if she’s just late - I’ll wait another half hour.
stand up for [sth/sb]
[to defend or support a particular idea or a person who is being criticized or attacked]
[dar la cara por]
The experience also taught me to be assertive and stand up for myself
step in
[to become involved in a difficult situation or argument in order to help find a solution]
- [ + to infinitive ] An outside buyer has stepped in to save the company from going out of business.
- When the leading actress broke her leg, Isobel stepped in and took over.
step out on someone
[If you step out on your husband, wife, or usual sexual partner, you have sexual relationships with people other than them.]
- Did you step out on me?
step up
[to take action when there is a need or opportunity for it]
- Investors have to step up and assume more responsibility for their assets.
stick to [sth]
[to continue with a subject, activity, or plan without changing]
[ceñirse, seguir a rajatabla]
- Would you stick to the point, please?
stock up (on something)
[to buy a large quantity of something]
- There are genuine reductions to take advantage of, and it could be worth stocking up.
- [stock up on sth] Before the storm arrived, Jamaicans rushed to stores to stock up on bottled water.
stop over
[to stay at a place for one night or a few nights on the way to somewhere else or before returning home]
- They’re stopping over in Malaysia for a couple of nights on the way to Australia.
strike up something
[to start a relationship or conversation with someone]
- He gets really jealous if his girlfriend strikes up a friendship with another man.
- It can be difficult to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger.
strike up something with somebody
[START FRIENDSHIP: to create or establish a relationship or conversation with someone]
[entablar]
- She struck up a relationship with an artist soon after she arrived in Paris.
- It can be difficult to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger.
[START MUSIC: to start to play music]
- When the applause had died down, a band struck up the national anthem.
tag along
/
tag along with [sb]
[to go somewhere with a person or group, usually when they have not asked you to go with them]
[acoplarse a alguien]
I don’t know her, she just tagged along with us
take (something) over
[START DOING: to start doing a job or being responsible for something that another person did or had responsibility for before]
- He took over from the previous headmaster in February.
- She took over as manager two weeks ago.
- Jason Lamb has taken over responsibility for this project.
- Do you know who’s taking over the restaurant?
[GET CONTROL: to get control of a company by buying enough of the shares in it]
- The company he works for has recently been taken over.
[BECOME MORE POWERFUL: to become more successful or powerful than something or someone else that is involved in the same type of activity]
- It’s only a matter of time before they take over completely.
take advantage of [sth/sb]
[to use the good things in a situation], [aprovechar]
I took advantage of my boss’s absence to catch up with some correspondence
[to treat someone badly in order to get something good from them], [aprovecharse de]
Her son was a kind boy, and she worried that people would take advantage of him
take something in
[to understand completely the meaning or importance of something]
- I had to read the letter twice before I could take it all in.
- It was an interesting exhibition, but there was too much to take in at once.
take something on
[to accept a particular job or responsibility]
[asumir]
- She took too much on and made herself ill.
- She has taken on far too much work.
- You can’t take on responsibility for the whole event.
take something up
[START: to start doing a particular job or activity]
- He’s taken up the position of supervisor.
- [ + -ing verb ] Have you ever thought of taking up acting?
take something away
[REMOVE: to remove something]
- Take these chairs away - we don’t need them
- Supermarkets are taking business away from family-run groceries.
take something out
[to remove something from somewhere]
- I need to get this tooth taken out
[to arrange and pay for insurance, a loan, an advertisement, etc.]
- (take out a loan/mortgage) He took out a $44,000 startup loan.
- (take out an ad/advertisement) They took out an ad in USA Today.
[to remove money from a bank account]
- I had to take $10,000 out of a savings account in order to pay for the car.
take something up
[FILL: to fill an amount of space or time]
- This desk takes up too much room.
- Half the letter is taken up with her complaining about her neighbors.
[START: to start doing a particular job or activity]
- [ + -ing verb ] Have you ever thought of taking up acting?
- I’m thinking of taking up tai chi.
talk someone out of something
[to persuade someone not to do something]
- [ + -ing verb ] Her parents tried to talk her out of getting engaged.
talk something over
[to discuss a problem or situation with someone, often to find out their opinion or to get advice before making a decision about it]
- I’d like to talk it over with my wife first.
tell [sb] off
/
tell off [sb]
[regañar, echar la bronca]
Mi mother told me off for being late.
think something over
[to consider an idea or plan carefully before making a decision]
- I’ll think it over and give you an answer next week.
throw something away/out
[to get rid of something that you do not want any more]
- So when are you going to throw away those old magazines?
to look up to [sb]
[to admire and respect someone]
He’d always looked up to his uncle
toss something around
[If you toss ideas, suggestions, or phrases around, you mention them and discuss them with other people]
- Some of us have been tossing around suggestions for improving the show
touch on [sth]
[to speak briefly about something]
- Of course, we only touched on how much I would be paid.
trip (someone) up
[FAIL: to make a mistake, or to cause someone to make a mistake]
- (trip up on) The exam went quite well, until I tripped up on the last question.
- In the interview, they kept trying to trip me up.
turn up somewhere
[to arrive or appear somewhere, usually unexpectedly or in a way that was not planned]
- Do you think many people will turn up?
wait around
[to stay in a place and do nothing while you wait for someone to arrive or something to happen. It often implies that the waiting feels unnecessary or unproductive.]
- We spent the whole day waiting around for something exciting to happen, but nothing did.
- I don’t want to wait around all day for a package that might never arrive.
walk in on someone
[to go into a room and see what someone is doing, when they did not want to be seen]
- She walked in on me when I was getting undressed.
walk [sb] through [sth]
[to slowly and carefully explain something to someone or show someone how to do something]
[guiar, explicar]
- She walked me through the six-page document.
- He’ll walk you through the procedure.
weigh something up
[to think carefully about the advantages or disadvantages of a situation before making a decision]
[sopesar]
- I’m weighing up my options before I decide to apply for the job.
whip something up
(FOOD: to make food or a meal very quickly and easily]
- I have just enough time to whip up an omelette.
wind down
/waɪnd/
[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.
work [sth] off
[If you work off an unpleasant feeling, you get rid of it by doing something energetic]
- She works off stress by running for at least half an hour every day.
wrap something up
[to dress in warm clothes, or to dress someone in warm clothes]
- Wrap up well - it’s cold outside.
[to cover or surround something in paper, cloth, or other material]
- Have you wrapped up Jenny’s present yet?
[to complete something such as an agreement or a meeting in an acceptable way]
- That just about wraps it up for today.
wrap something up
[COVER: to cover or surround something in paper, cloth, or other material]
- Have you wrapped up Jenny’s present yet?
[FINISH: to complete something successfully]
- I’ve just wrap it up for today
write something up
[to write something in a complete or final form using notes that you have made]
- Have you written up that report yet?
write something up
[to write something in a complete or final form using notes that you have made]
- Have you written up that report yet?
play to someone’s strength
[to use the advantages that you or another person or thing already have in order to achieve something]
[sacar partido/aprovechar a tus puntos fuertes]
- The globalization of services in international business has played to India’s strengths.
wipe something off something
[to remove something from something]
- All their customer information was wiped off the computer by a virus.
- $8 billion has been wiped off share prices worldwide.
wear off
[If a feeling or the effect of something wears off, it gradually disappears]
- Most patients find that the numbness from the injection wears off after about an hour.
bump into someone
[to meet someone you know when you have not planned to meet them]
- We bumped into Amy when we were in town last week.
scare someone/something away/off
[to make a person or an animal so frightened that he, she, or it goes away]
- Don’t make too much noise or you’ll scare away the birds.
- She scared off her attacker by screaming.
stick together
(informal)
[If people stick together, they support and help each other]
- The country’s foreign minister said that it was important for small nations to stick together.
kick something off (with something)
[to begin an event or period of time, esp. with an activity]
- We like to kick off the summer with a barbecue.
follow through (on/with sth)
[to do something as the next part of an activity or period of development]
- Given the success of our initiative, we decided to follow it through with further investment.
- He was taken to court because he failed to follow through with a payment plan for the taxes he owed for 1999 through 2004.
eat in
[to have a meal at home rather than in a restaurant]
eat out
[to eat in a restaurant]
- When I lived in Spain, I used to eat out all the time.
order out (for something)
[to order food that is ready to eat to be brought to your home or to the place where you work]
- We stayed home, ordered out for pizza, and watched a movie on demand.
tuck in/tuck into something
[to start eating something eagerly]
- Judging by the way they tucked into their dinner, they must have been very hungry.
- There’s plenty of food, so please tuck in.
take after someone
[to be similar to an older member of your family in appearance or character]
- He takes after his mother/his mother’s side of the family.
liven (something) up
[to become more interesting and exciting, or to make something become like this]
- A new coat of paint would liven the kitchen up.
- Liven up your meals with fresh herbs and spices.
cheese someone off
[to annoy someone]
- Her attitude to the whole thing really cheeses me off!
double down (on sth)
(mainly US)
[to continue to do something in an even more determined way than before]
- Expect to see Fox double down on its marketing efforts to give the movie a big boost.
- Instead of learning from his mistakes, he’s doubling down
sleep something off
[If you sleep off something, especially a hangover, you go to sleep so that you will feel better when you wake up.]
bundle (someone) up
[to put warm clothes on yourself or someone else]
- The kids were bundled up in coats and scarves.
hand something in
[to give something to an authority or responsible person]
- She handed her term paper in late.
hand something off
(UK hand something over)
[to pass or give something to someone]
- “Look over there!” he said, handing off his binoculars to the woman standing next to him.
[to give another person control of something, or responsibility for dealing with him, her, or it]
- The work could be handed off to another firm.
- Sayles wrote the original draft, then handed it off to a screenwriter.
file for something
[to make an official request for something such as divorce or bankruptcy]
- Is it true that Tina filed for divorce?
ask around
[to ask a lot of different people in order to get information or help]
- Our babysitter’s just moved away, so we’re asking around for a replacement.
bring something up
[to start to talk about a particular subject]
- She’s always bringing up her health problems.
call for something
[to need or deserve a particular action, remark, or quality]
- This calls for a celebration!
- It’s the sort of work that calls for a high level of concentration.
- He told you that you were an idiot? Well, I don’t think that was called for (= I think it was rude and not deserved)!
fall through
[to fail to happen]
- The sale of the house fell through.
opt out
[to choose not to be part of an activity or to stop being involved in it]
- Within any society, there will usually be people who decide to opt out (= choose not to live the way most people do)
- Employees can choose to opt out of the pension scheme.
sit on something
[to delay taking action about something]
- The company has been sitting on my letter for weeks without dealing with my complaint.
speak out
[to say in public what you think about something such as a law or an official plan or action]
- He spoke out against the school’s admissions policy.
