Phrasal verbs Flashcards
add up
to fine the total of
The shop assistant added up what I’d bought and told me the total
blow up
to explode
Luckily, the bomb didn’t blow up
break down
to stop working (For a machine, etc)
Our car broke down on the motorway
break in(to)
to enter illegally
A house in Brecon Place was broken into last night
bring up
to take care of a child until he or she becomes an adult
She brought up three sons on her own
built up
to increase
These excercises are good for building up leg strength
call back
to ring again on the phone
I’ll call you back later when you’re not so busy
call off
to cancel
The concert has been called down and explained what had happened
carry on
to continue
The phone rang, but Mark just carried on watching TV
catch up (with)
to reach the same point/level as
He’s missed so much school that he’s going to find it hard to catch up
cheer up
to become/make happier
I started to cheer up when the s un came out
clear up
to tidy
I’ll clear up if you want to go to bed
came across
to find something by chance
I came across a word I’d never seen before
come back (from)
to return (from)
Give me a call when you come back from Greece
come on
to be quicker
Come on, or we’ll be late!
come out
to be published
When does her new book come out?
cross out
to draw a line through something written
Just cross it out and rewrite it correctly
cut down (on)
to do less of something (smoking, etc)
I’m trying to cut down on the amount of sugar I eat
cut off
to disconnect (phone, electricity, etc)
Pay the electricity bill tomorrow or they might cut us off
cut off
to completely remove by cutting
Keep your roses healthy by cutting off any dead flowers
do up
to button/zip up a piece of clothing
It’s very windy, so do your coat up
eat out
to eat at a restaurant
Would you like to stay in or eat out tonight?
fall down
to trip and fall
I fell down and hurt my knee
fall out (with)
to have an argument with someone and stop being friends
Have you two fallen out?
fill in a form, etc
to add information in the spaces on
Just fill in this application form, please
fill up
to make something completely full
Just fill in this bowl up with sugar and put in an the table
find out
to discover information, etc
I don’t want Jerry to find out about this
get away with
to escape punishment for
They have repeatedly broken the law and got away with it
get in(to)
to enter a car
I hurt my head as I was getting into the car
get off
to leave a bus/train/etc
You need to get off the bus opposite the supermarket
get on (with)
to have a good relationship (with)
She seems to get on with every body
get on(to)
to enter a bus/train/etc
You can buy a ticket when you get on the bus
get out (of)
to leave a car/building/room/etc
Quick! Get out of the car!
get over
to recover from (an illness, etc)
It can take weeks to get over an illness like that
get up
to leave your bed
He never gets up before nine
give away
to give something you’ve taken/borrowed
Could you give my CDs back because you’ve had them for two weeks
give up
to stop doing something you do regularly
You should give up smoking
go away
to leave a place/someone
Why don’t you just go away and leave me alone?
go back (to)
to return (to)
I can’t wait to go back to Italy
go off
to no longer be fresh
Has this milk gone off?
go on
to continue happening or doing something
Please go on with your work while I speak to the head teacher
go on
to happen
There isn’t much going on in this town in the evening
go out
to stop burning
the fire must have gone out during the night
go out with
to be the boyfriend/girlfriend of
Greg used to go out with Katy
grow up
to become older (for children)
He rarely saw his father while he was growing up
hang on
to wait
Just hang on - I’ll be ready in a minute
hang up
to put clothes in a wardrobe, etc
The women hung up their coats and sat down
hang up
to put the receiver down to end a phone call
I can’t believe that Jessica hung up without saying goodbye
have on
to wear (a piece of clothing)
The man had a strange hat on
hurry up
to do something more quickly
We haven’t got much time, so hurry up!
join in
to participate in, take part in
Ask them if you can play - I’m sure they’ll let you join in
keep out
to prevent from entering
Cars should be kept out of the city centre
leave out
to not include
Don’t leave your brother out - let him play with you and your friends
let down
to disappoint
You’ve really let me down
lie down
to start lying (on a bed.etc)
I;m going to go and lie down for a while
log off
to disconnect from the Internet/a website
Don’t forget to log off when you’ve finished checking your e -mail
log on(to)
to connect to the internet/a website
You need your password to log on
look after
to take care of
It’s hard work looking after three children all day
look up
to try to find information in a book, etc
I had to look the word up in a dictionary
make up
to invent an explanation, excuse, etc
He made up some excuse about the dog eating his homework
move in
to start living in a new house, etc
We’ve moving in next week
pay back
to return money (to someone)
Did you pay Denise back?
pick up
to lift something from the floor, a table, etc
Please pick those toys up and put them away
point out
to tell someone important information
He pointed out that we had two hours of free time before dinner
print out
to make a paper copy of something on a computer
Let me print those photographs out for you
pull off
to break by pulling
I pulled off the arm of my sunglasses by mistake
put away
to return something to where it belongs
He put the notebook away and stood up
put back
to return something to where it was
Can you put the book back when you’ve finished with it?
put down
to stop holding
Emma put her bag down and went upstairs
put off
to delay to a later time
Can we put the meeting off until tomorrow?
put on
to gain (weight)
I don’t want to put on any more weight!
put on
to start wearing (a piece of clothing)
Put your gloves and scarf on - it’s cold outside
put out
to make something stop burning
It took three firefighters to put the fire out
put up
to put something on a wall (eg a picture)
The teacher will put a notice up about the new courses
read out
to say something out loud which you are reading
He read the list of names out
rip up
to tear into pieces
Rip up this piece of paper when you’ve finished reading it
rub out
to remove with a rubber
I can’t rub it out because I wrote it in pen
run away (from)
to escape by running
The thief ran away from the police officers
run out (of)
to not have any left
Many hospitals are running out of money
save up (for)
to save money (for a specific purpose)
I’m saving up for a new electric guitar
send off (eg football)
to make a player leave a game
It was a very bad foul and the referee sent the player off
set off
to start a journey
Go to sleep because we’re setting off early in the morning
set up
to start (a business, organization,etc)
My dad is going to set up a taxi company
share out
to give a part of something to a group of people
The money will be shared out between 30 different environmental organizations
shut up
to stop talking, stop making a noise
Just shut up a minute and let me tell you what happened!
sit down
to (start to) sit
Please, sit down and make yourselves comfortable
sort out
to solve a problem
Investigators are still trying to sort out why the accident happened
speak up
to talk more loudly so someone can hear you
You have to speak up a bit because my gran’s a bit deaf
split up
to end a relationship
Tommy and Liz have just split up. It’s very sad!
stand up
to (start to) stand
You have the chair. I don’t mind eating standing up
stay up
to go to bed late
We stayed up until two o’clock last night
take away
to remove
Have they taken the rubbish away yet?
take back
to return something to the place it came from
I’m going to take my library books back
take down
to remove (from a high place)
The old man took a large book down from a shelf
take off
to leave the ground
Let’s go and watch the planes taking off while we wait
take off
to remove (a piece of clothing)
It felt good to finally take my shoes off after a long day
take over
to take control of (a business, etc)
* The shopping centre has been taken over by an American company*
take up
to start (a hobby, sport, etc)
I’ve taken up stamp collecting and it’s really interesting
throw away
to put something in a rubbish bin
Have you thrown the papers away?
try on
to put on (a piece of clothing) to see how it looks and if it fits
You should try it on to see if it’s the right size
turn down
to lower the volume of
We asked our teacher to turn the CD up, so that we could hear it
wake up
to stop being asleep
Wake up! It’s nearly ten o’clock!
wash up
to wash plates, cups, cutlery, etc
I can help to cook and wash up
watch out
to be careful
Watch out - you’re going to hit that car!
work out
to find the solution to a problem, etc
We can’t work out how to get the Internet connection going
write down
to write information on a piece of paper
Do you want to write down my phone number?
