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English Phrasal Verbs > S > Flashcards

S Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

saddle with

A

Leave someone a large responsibility, burden.

I’ve been saddled with paying all these bills.

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2
Q

sand down

A

Make a surface smooth.

We will need to sand down those old doors.

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3
Q

scare off

A

Frighten away.

We heard a burglar in the garden but the dog scared him off.

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4
Q

scrape along / by

A

Survive financially with difficulty.

We just scraped by once my husband lost his job.

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5
Q

scrape through

A

Just about qualify, pass an exam, etc.

She scraped through her chemistry exam with 51%.

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6
Q

scrape together

A

Collect with care and effort.

We managed to scrape together enough money for a new fridge.

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7
Q

screw out of

A

(Informal) Force money out of.

The gang screwed protection money out of the neighborhood’s businesses.

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8
Q

screw up

A

(Informal) Make a disaster of something.

I only asked him to book the restaurant and he even screwed that up!

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9
Q

see by

A

Use something to help you see.

We used candles to see by.

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10
Q

see off

A

Go to airport, station to say goodbye.

Will you come to see me off tomorrow at the airport?

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11
Q

see someone out

A

Accompany someone to the door.

You don’t have to see me out. I know the way.

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12
Q

see through

A
  1. Understand the real nature of someone.
    You may be able to convince the others but I see through you.
  2. Continue an activity until it’s finished.
    We have to see this project through. We have spent too much money to stop now.
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13
Q

see to

A

Take care of, deal with.

I’ll see to it that the boss understands our feelings on this.

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14
Q

sell off

A

Sell things cheaply.

The government was accused of selling off the country’s nationalized industries.

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15
Q

sell out

A

Sell all tickets, etc.

I’m sorry, we don’t have any more apples left. We sold out an hour ago.

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16
Q

sell up

A

Sell house, business and leave town.

The harassment got so bad that he decided to sell up.

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17
Q

send down

A

Send someone to prison.

The judge sent him down for ten years.

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18
Q

send off

A
  1. Send a letter.
    He sent off his application form for the job.
  2. Say goodbye to someone at a station, airport.
    All his friends went to the port to send him off.
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19
Q

send on

A

Send letters to new address.

The letters will be sent on to you at your new house.

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20
Q

send up

A

Ridicule someone, something.

The comedian sent up the President and made everyone laugh.

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21
Q

set about

A

Begin a job, task.

They set about cleaning the house with great enthusiasm.

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22
Q

set back

A
  1. Cost.
    The wedding set me back a huge amount of money.
  2. Cause delay, problems.
    The weather set the building work back by two days.
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23
Q

set by

A

Use something to help you set a watch.

I always set my watch by Channel 2 news.

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24
Q

set down

A

Allow passenger to leave vehicle.

The driver set me down just outside the house.

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25
Q

set in

A

Become established, likely to last a long time.

The snow has really set in now. We can’t leave till tomorrow.

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26
Q

set off

A
  1. Cause to explode.
    The earthquake set off the old bomb.
  2. Leave on a journey.
    We have to set off tomorrow very early.
  3. To make something more attractive by comparison.
    Your dress really sets off your hair.
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27
Q

set up

A
  1. Prepare.
    They carefully set up the experiment.
  2. Start a business.
    This company was set up in 1955.
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28
Q

shake off

A

Free self from something.

Thanks to all that vitamin C, he shook off his cold in just a day.

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29
Q

shake up

A
  1. Disturb or shock someone.
    The car crash really shook him up.
  2. Get a person to perform, behave better.
    Stopping all his privileges will shake him up a bit.
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30
Q

show off

A

Draw attention to self to impress people.

She often showed off about all her jewelry.

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31
Q

show through

A

To be visible under a cover.

That black bra shows through your blouse too much!

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32
Q

show up

A
  1. (Informal) Arrive.
    He showed up drunk and two hours late!
  2. Embarrass.
    You showed me up at that dinner last night.
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33
Q

shut down

A

Stop production, working.

That factory shut down nearly five years ago.

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34
Q

shut off

A

Stop a supply of gas, water, etc.

Shut off the gas, otherwise it may explode.

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35
Q

shut out

A

Stop, block.

You need to shut out all memories of that accident.

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36
Q

shut up

A

Stop talking.

Can you shut your sister up. I can’t hear the news.

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37
Q

sign away / over

A

Sign paper which gives possessions away.

He signed all his old cars over to his brother.

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38
Q

sign off

A

End a letter, TV program saying goodbye.

I would like to sign off by wishing you a wonderful evening.

39
Q

sign up

A

Join something by signing a paper.

He has signed up to the army.

40
Q

single out

A

Choose someone for special attention.

I was singled out for praise in front of the rest of the school.

41
Q

sink in

A

Become absorbed.

The news of his promotion took a long time to sink in.

42
Q

sit back

A

Not to get involved.

How can you sit back while thousands are dying in Africa every day from hunger.

43
Q

sit in

A

Stay in factory, university and refuse to work, study.

Students at the local university are sitting in until the authorities promise better studying conditions.

44
Q

sit out

A
  1. Not to participate.
    This game looks a bit rough. I’ll sit it out.
  2. Stay until the end.
    The play was terrible but I sat it out.
45
Q

slam on

A

Apply quickly, abruptly.

I saw the old lady crossing the road and managed to slam on the brakes just in time.

46
Q

sleep around

A

(Informal) Have many sexual relationships.

She doesn’t know her boyfriend sleeps around. She’ll be heartbroken if she finds out.

47
Q

sleep in

A

Stay in bed longer than usual.

It’s Sunday today so you can sleep in for a while.

48
Q

sleep off

A

Recover from effects of something by sleeping.

He drank too much whiskey and has gone to bed to sleep it off.

49
Q

sleep on

A
  1. Continue sleeping.
    Let him sleep on - it’s only seven o’clock.
  2. Leave a decision till the next day.
    I can’t make up my mind which one I want. I will sleep on it.
50
Q

slip up

A

(Informal) Make a mistake.

He really slipped up buying that car. It’s falling to pieces!

51
Q

snap out of

A

Stop acting in a stupid, immature way.

Stop feeling so sorry for yourself so much. Come on - snap out of it!

52
Q

snap up

A

Take possession of something quickly and enthusiastically.

That car is a great bargain. You should snap it up.

53
Q

soak through

A

Wet totally, completely.

That rain storm last night soaked me through.

54
Q

soak up

A

Absorb information, atmosphere, etc.

We spent two weeks in Paris soaking up the culture, the language, the food. It was marvelous.

55
Q

sort out

A

Arrange, deal with.

I need to sort something out and then I can come with you.
Sort out your room will you please.

56
Q

speak for itself

A

To be obvious, clear.

The conclusions written in the board’s report speak for themselves.

57
Q

speak out

A

Oppose a plan, proposal vehemently.

We need to speak out against the treatment of women is certain states.

58
Q

speak up

A
  1. Speak louder.
    Speak up Bill, we can’t hear you!
  2. Express an opinion.
    If you disagree so much with the manager, you should speak up and say something.
59
Q

spell out

A

Make details clearer.

You need to spell out exactly what you have in mind.

60
Q

spin out

A

Make something last a long time.

You will have to spin out that money for another week.

61
Q

splash out

A

Spend a lot of money on.

He really splashed out for their holiday.

62
Q

split up

A

Break a relationship with somebody.

Have you heard that Joe has split up with Mandy?

63
Q

stake out

A

Watch a place carefully.

The police are staking out that café across the street looking for the suspect.

64
Q

stake something on

A

Gamble something on.

I staked my whole life on building that house.

65
Q

stand by

A
  1. Be ready for action.
    The British aircraft carrier HMS Dougal is standing by awaiting government orders.
  2. Not act in a situation.
    Don’t stand by while someone is insulting your wife.
  3. Support, agree with somebody.
    If it comes to an argument, you know I will stand by you.
66
Q

stand down

A

Resign from a job, position.

After the scandal, the minister had no option but to stand down.

67
Q

stand for

A
  1. Represent, support.
    This company stands for family values.
  2. Mean (abbreviations)
    NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
  3. Tolerate.
    I won’t stand for your bad attitude any longer.
  4. Contest an election.
    Max Miller is standing for mayor in the city elections.
68
Q

stand in

A

Substitute someone.

Henry is standing in for Edward who is ill today.

69
Q

stand out

A

Be obvious in comparison with something else.

Her great work this year has helped her to stand out from the rest of the office.

70
Q

stand somebody up

A

(Informal) Not to go on a date with someone.

I waited for an hour before I accepted that he had stood me up.

71
Q

start back

A

Start journey home.

It’s time we started back. Look at the time.

72
Q

start off

A

Begin.

I want to start off by talking about the history of this building.

73
Q

start out

A

Start on a journey.

We started out from Boston.

74
Q

stay away

A

Keep distant from.

Stay away from my daughter. I don’t trust you.

75
Q

stay in

A

Not to go out.

I don’ feel well tonight. I think I will stay in.

76
Q

step up

A
  1. Approach something.
    Step up to the microphone Derek. Sing us a song.
  2. Increase.
    We need to step up your vitamin intake, Mrs. Jones.
77
Q

stick at

A

Keep working, etc at an activity.

You can’t quit another job. You never stick at anything!

78
Q

stick out

A
  1. Be obvious in comparison to something else.
    You really stick out in those pink trousers.
  2. Put something out, outside.
    Stick your hand out of the window and see if you can catch a snowflake.
  3. Keep doing something until conditions improve.
    I hate my job but I will stick it out until I can get a better one.
79
Q

stick to

A

Stay to an agreed contract, decision.

Please stick to our agreed deal, Mr. Jones. We never said I would have to pay extra as you are saying now!

80
Q

stick up

A

Give support for somebody.

I will stick up for you if they accuse you of doing it.

81
Q

stop by

A

Visit a person.

If I have time, I will stop by and see you tomorrow.

82
Q

stop in

A

Stay at home.

Look at the terrible weather, let’s stop in tonight.

83
Q

stop over

A

Break your journey.

On the way to Melbourne, we stopped over for a day in Bangkok.

84
Q

stop up

A

Block a hole with something.

We can stop up that hole with a bit of cloth.

85
Q

strike off

A

Remove someone from a professional body.

The doctor was struck off for serious malpractice.

86
Q

strike up

A

Begin, start.

I struck up a great friendship with a man in Paris last year.

87
Q

string along

A

Deceive a person repeatedly.

He won’t give you that job - he is stringing you along.

88
Q

string out

A

Make last longer than necessary.

I hate it when he strings out his jokes like that.

89
Q

string together

A

Join together.

He was so drunk that he couldn’t even string together three words.

90
Q

strip down

A

Take a machine to pieces.

I had to strip down the engine completely before finding the problem.

91
Q

suck up to

A

(Informal) Ingratiate oneself to figure of authority.

Of course he gets the best marks. He is always sucking up to the teacher.

92
Q

swear by

A

Believe in something very much.

I swear by Tea Tree Oil for curing all my skin problems.

93
Q

swear on

A

Ask as a witness for your honesty, promise.

I swear on my son’s life that I never killed her.

English Phrasal Verbs (11 decks)

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