Phrasal |
Meaning |
Example |
|
abide by |
respect or obey. (the law, a decision, a rule) |
If you want to stay at this school, you must abide by the rules. |
|
account for |
explain, give a reason |
I hope you can account for the money you spent! |
|
|
add up |
make sense, seem reasonable |
Her story just doesn't add up. |
advise against |
recommend not doing something |
The doctor advised him against carrying heavy loads. |
|
agree with |
have the same opinion as somebody else. |
I agree with you. I think she deserves the award too. |
|
aim at |
point something in the direction of |
The policeman aimed his gun at the hijacker. |
|
allow for |
take into consideration, |
You'd better leave early to allow for traffic jams. |
|
answer back |
reply rudely |
Don't answer back your mother! |
|
appeal to |
1) plead or make an earnest request |
1) The organizers appealed to the crowd to stay calm. |
|
apply for |
make a formal request for something |
He applied for the job he saw advertised in the newspaper. |
|
avail (oneself) of |
take advantage of something (an opportunity) |
When the company is privatized, you should avail yourself of |
|
back away |
move backwards, in fear or dislike |
When he saw the dog, he backed away. |
|
back down |
withdraw, concede defeat |
Local authorities backed down on their plans to demolish the building. |
|
back up |
1) give support or encouragement |
1) If I tell the boss we've got too much work, will you back me up? |
|
bail out |
1) pay money to secure someone's release |
1) When he was arrested, his family refused to bail him out. |
|
bank on |
base your hopes on someone/something |
Don't forget the date. I'm banking on your help. |
|
beef up |
improve, make more substantial |
He beefed up his presentation with diagrams and statistics. |
|
black out |
faint, lose consciousness |
When he fell off the horse he blacked out. |
|
block off |
Separate using a barrier. |
The area was blocked off during the demonstration. |
|
blow up |
1) explode; |
1) The terrorists said the bomb would blow up at 9 o'clock. |
|
boil down to |
be summarized as |
The problem boils down to a lack of money. |
|
boot up |
start a computer by loading an |
Just give my a few minutes to boot up the computer. |
|
break away |
escape from captivity |
A few horses broke away from the paddock. |
|
break down |
1) go out of order, cease to function |
1) John's car broke down so he had to take the bus. |
|
|
break into |
enter by force |
Burglars broke into the house around midnight. |
break out |
start suddenly |
Rioting broke out as a result of the strike. |
|
break out of |
escape from a place by force |
Three prisoners broke out of jail. |
|
break up |
come to an end (marriage, relationship) |
After her marriage broke up, Emma went to live in London. |
|
bring up |
raise (a child) |
She stopped working in order to bring up her children. |
|
brush up on |
improve, refresh one's knowledge of something |
Mary had to brush up on her Spanish before going to South America. |
|
bump into |
meet by accident or unexpectedly |
Pedro bumped into his English teacher at the supermarket. |
|
burn out |
1) stop (something) working |
1) The fuse has burnt out. |
|
butt in (on sthg) |
interrupt impolitely |
It's rude to butt in on a conversation like that! |
|
call back |
return a phone call |
I'll call you back as soon as possible. |
|
call off |
cancel |
The meeting was called off because of the strike. |
|
call on/upon sby |
formally invite or request |
I now call upon the President to address the assembly. |
|
calm down |
become more relaxed, less angry or upset |
He was angry at first but he eventually calmed down. |
|
carry on |
continue |
He carried on gardening in spite of the rain. |
|
carry out |
1) do something as specified |
1) The plan was carried out to perfection. |
|
carry over |
postpone until later |
As regards holidays, can you carry over any days from one year |
|
check in |
register at a hotel or airport |
For security reasons you have to check in two hours before your flight. |
|
check out |
1) pay one's bill and leave (a hotel) |
1) Is Mr. Blair still at the hotel? No, he checked out this morning. |
|
clam up |
refuse to speak |
When the teacher arrived she clammed up. |
|
clamp down on |
act strictly to prevent something |
The government has decided to clamp down on smoking in public places. |
|
close down |
stop operating (company, restaurant, cinema). |
When the factory closed down, the employees lost their jobs. |
|
come across |
1) find by chance |
1) Julie came across some photographs of her grandparents in the attic. |
|
come forward |
present oneself |
The police have asked any witnesses to come forward. |
|
come up against |
be faced with or opposed by |
The project came up against a lot of criticism. |
|
conk out |
1) stop working |
1) The car conked out on the motorway. |
|
count on |
rely or depend on (for help) |
I'm counting on the taxi driver to find the theatre. |
|
cross out |
remove by drawing a line through |
In some exercises, you are asked to cross out the incorrect word. |
|
cut down on |
reduce in number or size |
The doctor told him to cut down on cigarettes. |
|
cut out |
1) remove using scissors |
1) She cut out a picture in a magazine. |
|
deal with |
handle, take care of (problem, situation) |
The manager is good at dealing with difficult customers. |
|
die down |
calm down, become less strong |
When the applause died down, she started to sing. |
|
do without |
manage without |
The shops are closed so we'll have to do without sugar. |
|
drag on |
last longer than expected |
We expected a short speech but it dragged on and on! |
|
draw up |
write (contract, agreement, document) |
An agreement was drawn up and signed by the two parties. |
|
dress up |
1) wear elegant clothes |
1) Do people dress up to go to the opera in your country? |
|
drop in |
visit, usually on the way somewhere |
I sometimes drop in to see my grandparents on my way home from school. |
|
drop off |
1) deliver someone or something |
1) I'll drop you off at the bus stop if you like. |
|
drop out |
leave school without finishing |
She decided to go to art school then dropped out after the first term. |
|
ease off |
reduce, become less severe or slow down |
After Christmas the workload generally eases off. |
|
end in |
finish in a certain way; result in |
Their marriage ended in divorce. |
|
end up |
finally reach a state, place or action |
If he continues his misconduct he'll end up in prison. |
|
even out |
1) eliminate differences of opinion. |
1) After a long discussion they managed to even out their differences. |
|
fall through |
fail; doesn't happen |
Our planned boat trip fell through because of the storm. |
|
figure out |
understand, find the answer |
I'm trying to figure out how to assemble the bookshelves. |
|
fill out |
complete (a form/an application) |
Please fill out the enclosed form and return it as soon as possible. |
|
find out |
discover or obtain information |
I'm going to call the cinema to find out what time the film starts. |
|
focus on |
concentrate on something |
The advertising campaign will focus on the quality of the product. |
|
figure out |
understand; find a solution |
We'll have to figure out a way to deliver the goods faster. |
|
get along (with) |
be on good terms; work well with |
I get along (well) with my mother-in-law. |
|
get at |
imply |
What exactly are you trying to get at? |
|
get away |
escape |
The robbers got away in a black car. |
|
get by |
manage to cope or to survive |
It's difficult to get by on a low salary. |
|
get in |
enter |
How did the burglar get in? |
|
get into (+noun) |
enter |
How did the burglar get into the house? |
|
get off |
1) leave (bus, train, plane) |
1) You should get off the bus at Trafalgar Square. |
|
get on |
board (bus, train, plane) |
You can pay when you get on the bus. |
|
get on with (something) |
continue to do; make progress |
Be quiet and get on with your homework. |
|
get on (well) with (somebody) |
have a good relationship with |
I get on very well with my colleagues. |
|
get out |
leave |
How did he get out? |
|
get out of (+noun) |
leave |
How did he get out of the house? |
|
get out of |
avoid doing something |
Some husbands manage to get out of doing any housework. |
|
get over |
recover from (illness, disappointment) |
My grandmother had pneumonia but she got over it. |
|
get rid of |
eliminate |
It's difficult to get rid of old habits. |
|
get together |
meet each other |
Let's get together for lunch on day. |
|
get up |
rise, leave bed |
I usually get up at 7 o'clock. |
|
give up |
stop doing something |
Sarah gave up smoking 5 years ago. |
|
go through |
experience |
Pete went through a lot of pain after the accident. |
|
grow up |
spend one's childhood; develop; become an adult |
He grew up in a small village in the mountains. |
|
hand in |
submit (report, homework) |
All application forms must be handed in before the end of the month. |
|
hand out |
distribute |
Samples will be handed out at the end of the demonstration. |
|
hang out |
spend time in a particular place, |
Where does he hang out these days? |
|
hang up |
end a phone conversation |
"Don't hang up. I haven't finished yet." |
|
hit at |
aim a blow at |
He hit at the wasp with the newspaper. |
|
hit back |
retaliate; reply to an attack |
When he was attacked by the others, the boy hit back. |
|
hit on/upon |
find unexpectedly or by inspiration |
She hit upon an idea for her new collection. |
|
hold on |
-wait |
- 'Hold on please. I'll put you through to Mr. Brown." |
|
hurry up |
be quick, act speedily |
Hurry up! We'll miss the bus. |
|
iron out |
resolve by discussion, eliminate differences |
The meeting tomorrow will be an opportunity to iron out difficulties. |
|
join in |
participate |
She was too shy to join in the game. |
|
join up |
-engage in, become a member of |
- John was in the Army and Tom joined up as soon as he left school. |
|
jot down |
take quick notes |
I jotted down the address while watching the programme on TV. |
|
keep on |
continue doing something |
It told him to be quiet but he kept on making noise. |
|
keep up with |
stay at the same level as someone or |
Bill walks so fast it's difficult to keep up with him. |
|
kick off |
begin, start |
The football match kicked off at 3 o'clock. |
|
leave out |
omit, not mention |
The child's name was left out of the report. |
|
let down |
disappoint |
You promised to come to the party, so don't let me down! |
|
look after |
take care of |
A babysitter looks after the children when they go out. |
|
look ahead |
think of the future |
It's time to forget the past and look ahead. |
|
look down on |
consider as inferior |
He tends to look down on anyone who is not successful. |
|
look on |
be a spectator at an event |
Billy didn't take part in the fight. He just looked on. |
|
look for |
try to find something |
Jane went to the shops to look for a pair of shoes. |
|
look forward to |
await or anticipate with pleasure |
I look forward to seeing you soon. |
|
look up to |
admire |
He was a wonderful teacher and many students looked up to him. |
|
make fun of |
laugh at/ make jokes about |
The old lady dresses so strangely that the kids make fun of her. |
|
make up |
invent (excuse, story) |
Some employees make up excuses when they arrive late for work. |
|
mix up |
mistake one thing or person for another |
I don't know my neighbours' names yet. I keep mixing them up. |
|
move in |
arrive in a new home or office |
You've bought a new house? When are you moving in?. |
|
move out |
leave your home/office for another one. |
My neighbour is leaving. He's moving out next Saturday. |
|
nod off |
fall asleep |
My grandfather often nods off in front of the television. |
|
note down |
write something |
I'll call the station and note down the departure times. |
|
opt out |
leave a system or decide not to participate |
I enjoy tennis but I'm so busy I had to opt out of the tournament. |
|
own up |
admit or confess something |
The boy owned up. He said he kicked the ball through the window. |
|
pass away |
die |
The old lady passed away peacefully. |
|
pass out |
faint |
She passed out when she heard the bad news. |
|
pay back |
reimburse |
I'll lend you 20€ provided you pay me back before the end of the week. |
|
put off |
postpone, arrange a later date |
The meeting was put off because of the strike. |
|
put on |
turn on, switch on |
Could you put on the light please? |
|
put out |
extinguish |
It took a long time to put out the fire. |
|
put up |
accommodate, give somebody a bed |
We can put you up if you'd like to come for a week-end. |
|
pick up |
collect someb |