Phrasal Verbs Flashcards
BREAK UP
She’s just broken up with her boyfriend.
We broke up for the holidays in June.
I can’t hear you, you’re breaking up.
The plane broke up in mid-air
(End relationship)
if a relationship breaks up, it ends
(Stop classes)
if schools break up, or if students or teachers break up, the students and teachers stop working at the end of term
(Stop being heard) If someone who is talking on a mobile phone is breaking up, their voice can no longer be heard clearly.
if something breaks up, it breaks into smaller pieces
COME ACROSS
Have you ever come across such a horrible person in all your life?
I came across a lovely little restaurant in the village.
They came across as very self-confident
He came across as shy because he spoke so quietly.
to meet someone or find something by chance/Find by accident;
The way other people see you;
COME UP WITH STH
They came up with a plan to make us more efficient.
Next you need to come up with a name for your product.
We’re in big trouble if we don’t come up with the money by 6 o’clock.
to think of something such as an idea, plan or solution;
to produce or provide something that people want;
COME UP
Sorry I´m late. Something came up at work and I had to deal with it
My exams are coming up soon
A position has come up in the accounts department
What points came up at the meeting?
to happen, usually unexpectedly;
to be happening soon;
If a job or opportunity comes up, it becomes available;
to be mentioned or talked about in conversation;
FED UP WITH
I’m fed up with my job.
He was fed up with doing all this work.
God knows, the Scots have every right to be fed up with the English.
Very tired of something : angry about something that has continued for a long time
Unable or unwilling to put up with (tolerate) something any longer;
FIGURE OUT
I can’t figure out why he did it.
I find him really odd - I can’t figure him out at all.
It takes most people some time to figure out new software.
Can you figure out the answer to question 5?
Can you figure out this puzzle?
If they know the cause of the problem, they might be able to figure out how to prevent it happening again.
Let’s figure out a way to help.
to finally understand something or someone;
find the solution to a problem after a lot of thought;
CLEAR UP
Obviously the misunderstanding will have to be cleared up.
They never cleared up the mystery of the missing money.
I hope it clears up in time for the picnic.
Most colds clear up after only a few days.
They started clearing up the mess.
to remove doubts, confusion, or wrong ideas;
If the weather clears up, the cloud and rain disappear;
If an illness clears up, or if medicine clears an illness up, the illness goes away;
to make a place tidy by removing things from it or putting them where they should be;
COME TOGETHER
The convention gives us a chance to come together.
We’d come together to share our thoughts and experiences.
We came together in the park, just as we had agreed.
if people or groups come together, they meet or join in order to do something;
COME APART
I picked up the book and it came apart in my hands.
My boots are coming apart at the seams.
to separate into several pieces;
to break up;
PICK UP
She put her coat on, picked up her bag, and left.
The phone rang and rang and nobody picked up.
The number of applicants will pick up during the autumn.
I have to pick up my kids at school.
Have you picked up the car from the repair shop yet?
I think I picked up [=caught] a cold from someone at work.
to lift up or take up
to answer the phone;
to increase or improve;
to collect someone or something;
to go somewhere in order to get and bring back (someone or something)
to become sick with (an illness) from someone or something
COME OUT
I hope something good can come out of this mess.
When does their new album come out?
The clouds finally parted and the sun came out.
When the truth came out, there was public outrage.
The exam results come out in August.
Coming out to his parents was the hardest part.
If something comes out of a process or event, it is one of the results;
If a book, record, film, etc. comes out, it becomes available for people to buy or see;
When the sun, moon, or stars come out, they appear in the sky;
If something comes out, it becomes known publicly after it has been kept secret;
If information, results, etc. come out, they are given to people;
to tell people that you are gay (come out of the closet);
CHECK OUT
Joan had already checked out of the hotel.
The Gardners checked out early this morning to catch a plane to Toronto.
We’ll need to check out his story
I’m going to check out that new club.
to leave a hotel or a private hospital after paying the bill;
to examine someone or something in order to be certain that everything is correct, true, or satisfactory;
to go to a place in order to see what it is like;
END UP
After two weeks of traveling around Europe, we ended up in Paris.
He always ends up doing what Alan wants to do.
Keep on doing that and you’ll end up in serious trouble.
I ended up spending the night in the airport.
to finally be in a particular place or situation;
LOOK AFTER
It’s hard work looking after three children all day.
If you look after your clothes they last a lot longer.
Who’s looking after the department while you’re away?
to take care of or be in charge of someone or something;
GET OVER
It took Bill nearly a week to get over his cold.
Jim’s doctor told him he would need to stay home and rest for at least a day in order to get over the flu.
Even though Jane and Stuart broke up about three months ago, Jane says she hasn’t gotten over him yet.
It’s been almost two years since Mrs. White’s father passed away, but she hasn’t gotten over his death yet.
to recover from a cold, flu, etc;
to overcome difficult emotional situations;
FREAK OUT
Everyone just freaked out when they heard the news.
He freaked out when he heard he’d got the job.
When the plane started shaking everybody freaked out.
News anchor freak out over earthquake on live TV.
to be very excited or emotional, or to cause someone be this way;
to suddenly become very angry, frightened, or surprised, or to make someone do this;
SHOW UP
It was getting late when she finally showed up.
We were expecting thirty people to come, but half of them didn’t show up.
Why didn’t you show up?
You’re always showing me up in front of my friends.
I wish you wouldn’t show me up in front of my parents by getting so drunk.
to arrive where you have arranged to meet somebody or do something;
to behave in a way that makes someone you are with feel ashamed or embarrassed;
CATCH UP
He was off school for a while and is finding it hard to catch up.
If you hurry, you should catch up with them at the bridge.
She’s staying late at the office to catch up with/on some reports.
Staff are struggling to catch up with/on the backlog of orders.
This weekend I’ll try to catch up on my lost sleep.
Let’s have a coffee next week and catch up.
He used the train journey to catch up with the morning news.
to reach the same quality or standard as someone or something else;
to go faster so that you reach the person or vehicle in front of you;
to do something that should have been done before;
to find out the most recent information or news;
TAKE OVER
Euclides has “taken over from” Camilo, since he has decided to set up his own business.
She “took over as” manager two weeks ago.
He has taken over responsibility for this project.
The company he works for has recently been taken over.
to start doing a job or being responsible for something that another person did or had responsibility for before;
to get control of a company by buying enough of the shares in it;
COME UP TO
The food didn’t come up to my expectations.
The essay didn’t come up to scratch (expression).
A young girl came up to me and asked for money;
The grass in the garden came up to her knees.
to meet expectations;
to reach the expected standard or quality;
to move towards someone, usually because you want to talk to them;
to be tall, deep, or long enough to reach a particular higher point or level;
MAKE UP
Our teacher is sick and tired of Marvin always making up excuses to avoid doing his homework.
If I were you, I wouldn’t believe Rick. He’s always making things up.
You two have been friends for so long that I think you should make up.
Cheryl worries too much about her looks. She never leaves home without first making herself up.
Are you sure that women make up over sixty percent of our country‘s population?
My mind is made up. I’m quitting this job today. I can’t stand it anymore!
I haven’t made up my mind where to go yet.
I’m going to finish early today, and make up the time tomorrow.
He bought me flowers to make up for being so late the day before.
to invent a story, an excuse, etc;
to reconcile, to become friends again after an argument or disagreement;
to put on cosmetics, to put make-up on;
to comprise, to constitute, to form;
to decide;
to work extra time;
to compensate;make up for lost time;
GET RID OF
I can’t wait to get rid of that ugly old couch.
We finally got rid of my little sister by telling her scary stories.
to remove something that you do not want any longer;
to find a way to make someone leave because you do not want the person to be with you any longer;
STAND OUT
His turquoise tie stood out against his black suit.
Her bright clothes always make her stand out from the crowd.
The applicant we hired was so well qualified, she stood out from all the rest.
to be easy to see or notice because of being different;
to be much better than other similar things or people;
TRY ON
What a gorgeous dress! Why don’t you try it on for size ?
If you think that game’s easy, try it on for size.
to put on clothes to see how they look or if they fit;
to try something to see if it is appropriate
TURN DOWN
How could you turn down such a fantastic job?
I wanted to be on your side, but you turned me down.
Could you turn the music down a little?
Ever wondered why hotel staff turn down your bed?
to refuse/reject an offer or request;
to reduce the level of sound or heat that a machine produces;
Turning down the bed is getting it ready to sleep in at night. Turndown Service (Hotel service in which a room is cleaned and bed linen is turned down for sleeping)
CARRY OUT
It was not easy to carry out the research without funding.
Our soldiers carried out a successful attack last night.
Don’t blame me, I’m only carrying out orders/instructions.
I expect my instructions to be carried out to the letter.
to do or complete something, especially that you have said you would do or that you have been told to do;
(to the letter) - exactly as instructed; exactly as written
SET UP
The group plans to set up an import business.
After the war, she set up shop in a quiet Yorkshire town.
We need to set up a meeting to discuss the proposals.
They’ve set up a fund for victims of the earthquake.
While the band is setting up, would you check on the food?
She claims she’s innocent and someone set her up
to start something such as a business, organization, or institution; set up shop (=start a business)
to organize or plan something such as an event or system;
to make a piece of equipment ready for use;
to arrange a situation so that someone is blamed for doing something, especially something illegal;
BLOW UP
Terrorists are threatening to blow up the embassy.
The boiler blew up, wrecking the whole house.
We blew up lots of balloons and hung them around the room.
She just blew up at me.
A storm blew up while we were out walking.
Blow up that photo so we can see his face.
if something blows up, or if someone blows something up, it explodes and is destroyed;
to fill something with air or gas;
to suddenly become angry and shout at someone;
The beginning of a storm;
to enlarge (e.g., photograph);
WORK OUT
He works out at the local gym every day.
If we share the costs, it works out at $10 per person.
In fact the trip worked out cheaper than we’d expected.
I hope your new job works out.
Don’t worry - everything will work out in the end.
to do physical exercise as a way of keeping fit
to be the result of a calculation;
to have a particular result or type of result;
If a problem or difficult situation works out, it gradually becomes better/ to be sucessful;
TURN UP
Can you turn the volume up a bit?
Do you think many people will turn up?
She turned up at my house late one night.
The police haven’t turned up anything new, have they?
He turned up his collar jacket against the cold.
They turned their noses up at the only hotel that was available.
to increase the level of sound or heat that a machine produces;
to arrive or appear somewhere, usually unexpectedly or in a way that was not planned:
to find something lost, hidden, or unexpected by looking for it
to bend or fold something up.
to not accept something because you do not think it is good enough for you:
PULL OVER
We pulled over when the ambulance approached.
Let’s pull over and have a look at the map.
The cops pulled me over because one of my brake lights wasn’t working.
If a vehicle pulls over, it moves to the side of the road and stops
if the police pull a vehicle over, they order its driver to stop at the side of the road
CHEAT ON
He discovered that she’d been cheating on him.
They say she cheated on taxes.
cheat on someone - If you cheat on your husband, wife, or usual sexual partner, you secretly have a sexual relationship with someone else;
cheat on something - to cheat by not obeying the rules on something;
PUT ON
You’d better put your coat on, it’s cold outside.
Melanie was putting on her makeup in front of the mirror.
She put a lot of weight on after the children were born.
I’ve put on 2kg in the last month.
He’s not really upset, he’s just putting it on.
We’re putting on a concert to raise money for cancer charities.
to put clothes or shoes onto your body:
to spread a cream, liquid, powder, or other substance on your skin or hair in order to make it softer and healthier
put on weight - to become fatter and heavier
to pretend to have a particular feeling, or to behave in a way which is not real or natural for you;
to organize an event, show, performance etc;
PULL UP
Their taxi pulled up outside the church.
A dog suddenly ran across the road and I had to pull up short.
She’s always pulling me up for/over my bad spelling.
The question pulled Dany up short.
if a vehicle or driver pulls up, they stop;
to stop suddenly in a vehicle;
pull someone up on something - to criticize someone about something they are not doing well enough;
to make someone unexpectedly stop in surprise and think;
