[转载]英语短语动词
200 Phrasal Verbs List
Phrasal Verbs List
200 common phrasal verbs, with
- meaning
- example sentence
add up to something
equal
Your purchases add up to $24.
ask around
ask many people the same question
I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet.
ask somebody out
invite on a date
Brian asked Judy out to dinner.
back something up
reverse
You’ll have to back up your car so that I can get out.
back somebody up
support
My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job.
blow up
explode
The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence.
blow something up
add air
We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.
break down
stop functioning (vehicle, machine)
Our car broke down at the side of the highway in the snowstorm.
break down
get upset
The woman broke down when the police told her that her son had died.
break something down
divide into smaller parts
Our teacher broke the final project down into three separate parts.
break in
force entry to a building
Somebody broke in last night and stole our stereo.
break into something
enter forcibly
The firemen had to break into the room to rescue the children.
break something in
wear something a few times so that it doesn’t look/feel new
I need to break these shoes in before we run next week.
break in
interrupt
The TV station broke in to report the news of the president’s death.
break up
end a relationship
My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America.
break up
start laughing (informal)
The kids just broke up as soon as the clown started talking.
break out
escape
The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren’t looking.
break out in something
develop a skin condition
I broke out in a rash after our camping trip.
bring somebody down
make unhappy
This sad music is bringing me down.
bring somebody up
raise a child
My grandparents brought me up after my parents died.
bring something up
start talking about a subject
My mother walks out of the room when my father brings up sports.
bring something up
vomit
He drank so much that he brought his dinner up in the toilet.
call around
phone many different places/people
We called around but we weren’t able to find the car part we needed.
call somebody back
return a phone call
I called the company back but the offices were closed for the weekend.
call something off
cancel
Jason called the wedding off because he wasn’t in love with his fiancé.
call on somebody
ask for an answer or opinion
The professor called on me for question 1.
call on somebody
visit somebody
We called on you last night but you weren’t home.
call somebody up
phone
Give me your phone number and I will call you up when we are in town.
calm down
relax after being angry
You are still mad. You need to calm down before you drive the car.
not care for somebody/ something
not like (formal)
I don’t care for his behaviour.
catch up
get to the same point as somebody else
You’ll have to run faster than that if you want to catch up with Marty.
check in
arrive and register at a hotel or airport
We will get the hotel keys when we check in.
check out
leave a hotel
You have to check out of the hotel before 11:00 AM.
check somebody/ something out
look at carefully, investigate
The company checks out all new employees.
check out somebody/ something
look at (informal)
Check out the crazy hair on that guy!
cheer up
become happier
She cheered up when she heard the good news.
cheer somebody up
make happier
I brought you some flowers to cheer you up.
chip in
help
If everyone chips in we can get the kitchen painted by noon.
clean something up
tidy, clean
Please clean up your bedroom before you go outside.
come across something
find unexpectedly
I came across these old photos when I was tidying the closet.
come apart
separate
The top and bottom come apart if you pull hard enough.
come down with something
become sick
My nephew came down with chicken pox this weekend.
come forward
volunteer for a task or to give evidence
The woman came forward with her husband’s finger prints.
come from some place
originate in
The art of origami comes from Asia.
count on somebody/ something
rely on
I am counting on you to make dinner while I am out.
cross something out
draw a line through
Please cross out your old address and write your new one.
cut back on something
consume less
My doctor wants me to cut back on sweets and fatty foods.
cut something down
make something fall to the ground
We had to cut the old tree in our yard down after the storm.
cut in
interrupt
Your father cut in while I was dancing with your uncle.
cut in
pull in too closely in front of another vehicle
The bus driver got angry when that car cut in.
cut in
start operating (of an engine or electrical device)
The air conditioner cuts in when the temperature gets to 22°C.
cut something off
remove with something sharp
The doctors cut off his leg because it was severely injured.
cut something off
stop providing
The phone company cut off our phone because we didn’t pay the bill.
cut somebody off
take out of a will
My grandparents cut my father off when he remarried.
cut something out
remove part of something (usually with scissors and paper)
I cut this ad out of the newspaper.
do somebody/ something over
beat up, ransack (BrE, informal)
He’s lucky to be alive. His shop was done over by a street gang.
do something over
do again (AmE)
My teacher wants me to do my essay over because she doesn’t like my topic.
do away with something
discard
It’s time to do away with all of these old tax records.
do something up
fasten, close
Do your coat up before you go outside. It’s snowing!
dress up
wear nice clothing
It’s a fancy restaurant so we have to dress up.
drop back
move back in a position/group
Andrea dropped back to third place when she fell off her bike.
drop in/ by/ over
come without an appointment
I might drop in/by/over for tea sometime this week.
drop somebody/ something off
take somebody/ something somewhere and leave them/it there
I have to drop my sister off at work before I come over.
drop out
quit a class, school etc
I dropped out of Science because it was too difficult.
eat out
eat at a restaurant
I don’t feel like cooking tonight. Let’s eat out.
end up
eventually reach/do/decide
We ended up renting a movie instead of going to the theatre.
fall apart
break into pieces
My new dress fell apart in the washing machine.
fall down
fall to the ground
The picture that you hung up last night fell down this morning.
fall out
separate from an interior
The money must have fallen out of my pocket.
fall out
(of hair, teeth) become loose and unattached
His hair started to fall out when he was only 35.
figure something out
understand, find the answer
I need to figure out how to fit the piano and the bookshelf in this room.
fill something in
to write information in blanks, as on a form (BrE)
Please fill in the form with your name, address, and phone number.
fill something out
to write information in blanks, as on a form (AmE)
The form must be filled out in capital letters.
fill something up
fill to the top
I always fill the water jug up when it is empty.
find out
discover
We don’t know where he lives. How can we find out?
find something out
discover
We tried to keep the time of the party a secret, but Samantha found it out.
get something across/ over
communicate, make understandable
I tried to get my point across/over to the judge but she wouldn’t listen.
get along/on
like each other
I was surprised how well my new girlfriend and my sister got along/on.
get around
have mobility
My grandfather can get around fine in his new wheelchair.
get away
go on a vacation
We worked so hard this year that we had to get away for a week.
get away with something
do without being noticed or punished
Jason always gets away with cheating in his maths tests.
get back
return
We got back from our vacation last week.
get something back
receive something you had before
Liz finally got her Science notes back from my roommate.
get back at somebody
retaliate, take revenge
My sister got back at me for stealing her shoes. She stole my favourite hat.
get back into something
become interested in something again
I finally got back into my novel and finished it.
get on something
step onto a vehicle
We’re going to freeze out here if you don’t let us get on the bus.
get over something
recover from an illness, loss, difficulty
I just got over the flu and now my sister has it.
get over something
overcome a problem
The company will have to close if it can’t get over the new regulations.
get round to something
finally find time to do (AmE: get around to something)
I don’t know when I am going to get round to writing the thank you cards.
get together
meet (usually for social reasons)
Let’s get together for a BBQ this weekend.
get up
get out of bed
I got up early today to study for my exam.
get up
stand
You should get up and give the elderly man your seat.
give somebody away
reveal hidden information about somebody
His wife gave him away to the police.
give somebody away
take the bride to the altar
My father gave me away at my wedding.
give something away
ruin a secret
My little sister gave the surprise party away by accident.
give something away
give something to somebody for free
The library was giving away old books on Friday.
give something back
return a borrowed item
I have to give these skates back to Franz before his hockey game.
give in
reluctantly stop fighting or arguing
My boyfriend didn’t want to go to the ballet, but he finally gave in.
give something out
give to many people (usually at no cost)
They were giving out free perfume samples at the department store.
give something up
quit a habit
I am giving up smoking as of January 1st.
give up
stop trying
My maths homework was too difficult so I gave up.
go after somebody
follow somebody
My brother tried to go after the thief in his car.
go after something
try to achieve something
I went after my dream and now I am a published writer.
go against somebody
compete, oppose
We are going against the best soccer team in the city tonight.
go ahead
start, proceed
Please go ahead and eat before the food gets cold.
go back
return to a place
I have to go back home and get my lunch.
go out
leave home to go on a social event
We’re going out for dinner tonight.
go out with somebody
date
Jesse has been going out with Luke since they met last winter.
go over something
review
Please go over your answers before you submit your test.
go over
visit somebody nearby
I haven’t seen Tina for a long time. I think I’ll go over for an hour or two.
go without something
suffer lack or deprivation
When I was young, we went without winter boots.
grow apart
stop being friends over time
My best friend and I grew apart after she changed schools.
grow back
regrow
My roses grew back this summer.
grow into something
grow big enough to fit
This bike is too big for him now, but he should grow into it by next year.
grow out of something
get too big for
Elizabeth needs a new pair of shoes because she has grown out of her old ones.
grow up
become an adult
When Jack grows up he wants to be a fireman.
hand something down
give something used to somebody else
I handed my old comic books down to my little cousin.
hand something in
submit
I have to hand in my essay by Friday.
hand something out
to distribute to a group of people
We will hand out the invitations at the door.
hand something over
give (usually unwillingly)
The police asked the man to hand over his wallet and his weapons.
hang in
stay positive (informal)
Hang in there. I’m sure you’ll find a job very soon.
hang on
wait a short time (informal)
Hang on while I grab my coat and shoes!
hang out
spend time relaxing (informal)
Instead of going to the party we are just going to hang out at my place.
hang up
end a phone call
He didn’t say goodbye before he hung up.
hold somebody/ something back
prevent from doing/going
I had to hold my dog back because there was a cat in the park.
hold something back
hide an emotion
Jamie held back his tears at his grandfather’s funeral.
hold on
wait a short time
Please hold on while I transfer you to the Sales Department.
hold onto somebody/ something
hold firmly using your hands or arms
Hold onto your hat because it’s very windy outside.
hold somebody/ something up
rob
A man in a black mask held the bank up this morning.
keep on doing something
continue doing
Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil.
keep something from somebody
not tell
We kept our relationship from our parents for two years.
keep somebody/ something out
stop from entering
Try to keep the wet dog out of the living room.
keep something up
continue at the same rate
If you keep those results up you will get into a great college.
let somebody down
fail to support or help, disappoint
I need you to be on time. Don’t let me down this time.
let somebody in
allow to enter
Can you let the cat in before you go to school?
log in (or on)
sign in (to a website, database etc)
I can’t log in to Facebook because I’ve forgotten my password.
log out (or off)
sign out (of a website, database etc)
If you don’t log off somebody could get into your account.
look after somebody/ something
take care of
I have to look after my sick grandmother.
look down on somebody
think less of, consider inferior
Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your dad has looked down on me.
look for somebody/ something
try to find
I’m looking for a red dress for the wedding.
look forward to something
be excited about the future
I’m looking forward to the Christmas break.
look into something
investigate
We are going to look into the price of snowboards today.
look out
be careful, vigilant, and take notice
Look out! That car’s going to hit you!
look out for somebody/ something
be especially vigilant for
Don’t forget to look out for snakes on the hiking trail.
look something over
check, examine
Can you look over my essay for spelling mistakes?
look something up
search and find information in a reference book or database
We can look her phone number up on the Internet.
look up to somebody
have a lot of respect for
My little sister has always looked up to me.
make something up
invent, lie about something
Josie made up a story about why we were late.
make up
forgive each other
We were angry last night, but we made up at breakfast.
make somebody up
apply cosmetics to
My sisters made me up for my graduation party.
mix something up
confuse two or more things
I mixed up the twins’ names again!
pass away
die
His uncle passed away last night after a long illness.
pass out
faint
It was so hot in the church that an elderly lady passed out.
pass something out
give the same thing to many people
The professor passed the textbooks out before class.
pass something up
decline (usually something good)
I passed up the job because I am afraid of change.
pay somebody back
return owed money
Thanks for buying my ticket. I’ll pay you back on Friday.
pay for something
be punished for doing something bad
That bully will pay for being mean to my little brother.
pick something out
choose
I picked out three sweaters for you to try on.
point somebody/ something out
indicate with your finger
I’ll point my boyfriend out when he runs by.
put something down
put what you are holding on a surface or floor
You can put the groceries down on the kitchen counter.
put somebody down
insult, make somebody feel stupid
The students put the substitute teacher down because his pants were too short.
put something off
postpone
We are putting off our trip until January because of the hurricane.
put something out
extinguish
The neighbours put the fire out before the firemen arrived.
put something together
assemble
I have to put the crib together before the baby arrives.
put up with somebody/ something
tolerate
I don’t think I can put up with three small children in the car.
put something on
put clothing/ accessories on your body
Don’t forget to put on your new earrings for the party.
run into somebody/ something
meet unexpectedly
I ran into an old school-friend at the mall.
run over somebody/ something
drive a vehicle over a person or thing
I accidentally ran over your bicycle in the driveway.
run over/ through something
rehearse, review
Let’s run over/through these lines one more time before the show.
run away
leave unexpectedly, escape
The child ran away from home and has been missing for three days.
run out
have none left
We ran out of shampoo so I had to wash my hair with soap.
send something back
return (usually by mail)
My letter got sent back to me because I used the wrong stamp.
set something up
arrange, organize
Our boss set a meeting up with the president of the company.
set somebody up
trick, trap
The police set up the car thief by using a hidden camera.
shop around
compare prices
I want to shop around a little before I decide on these boots.
show off
act extra special for people watching (usually boastfully)
He always shows off on his skateboard
sleep over
stay somewhere for the night (informal)
You should sleep over tonight if the weather is too bad to drive home.
sort something out
organize, resolve a problem
We need to sort the bills out before the first of the month.
stick to something
continue doing something, limit yourself to one particular thing
You will lose weight if you stick to the diet.
switch something off
stop the energy flow, turn off
The light’s too bright. Could you switch it off.
switch something on
start the energy flow, turn on
We heard the news as soon as we switched on the car radio.
take after somebody
resemble a family member
I take after my mother. We are both impatient.
take something apart
purposely break into pieces
He took the car brakes apart and found the problem.
take something back
return an item
I have to take our new TV back because it doesn’t work.
take off
start to fly
My plane takes off in five minutes.
take something off
remove something (usually clothing)
Take off your socks and shoes and come in the lake!
take something out
remove from a place or thing
Can you take the garbage out to the street for me?
take somebody out
pay for somebody to go somewhere with you
My grandparents took us out for dinner and a movie.
tear something up
rip into pieces
I tore up my ex-boyfriend’s letters and gave them back to him.
think back
remember (often + to, sometimes + on)
When I think back on my youth, I wish I had studied harder.
think something over
consider
I’ll have to think this job offer over before I make my final decision.
throw something away
dispose of
We threw our old furniture away when we won the lottery.
turn something down
decrease the volume or strength (heat, light etc)
Please turn the TV down while the guests are here.
turn something down
refuse
I turned the job down because I don’t want to move.
turn something off
stop the energy flow, switch off
Your mother wants you to turn the TV off and come for dinner.
turn something on
start the energy, switch on
It’s too dark in here. Let’s turn some lights on.
turn something up
increase the volume or strength (heat, light etc)
Can you turn the music up? This is my favourite song.
turn up
appear suddenly
Our cat turned up after we put posters up all over the neighbourhood.
try something on
sample clothing
I’m going to try these jeans on, but I don’t think they will fit.
try something out
test
I am going to try this new brand of detergent out.
use something up
finish the supply
The kids used all of the toothpaste up so we need to buy some more.
wake up
stop sleeping
We have to wake up early for work on Monday.
warm somebody/ something up
increase the temperature
You can warm your feet up in front of the fireplace.
warm up
prepare body for exercise
I always warm up by doing sit-ups before I go for a run.
wear off
fade away
Most of my make-up wore off before I got to the party.
work out
exercise
I work out at the gym three times a week.
work out
be successful
Our plan worked out fine.
work something out
make a calculation
We have to work out the total cost before we buy the house.
Phrasal Verbs List from A-Z - Most Common Phrasal Verbs with Examples
List of Common Phrasal Verbs with Meanings and Examples:
A complete collection of over 1000 Phrasal Verbs in English with their definitions and examples are provided below:
(S = Separable, IS = Inseparable, T = Transitive, IT – Intransitive)
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter A.
| account for | explain, be the reason for | His lack of interest accounts for his poor grades. | IS | T |
| act on | take an action | Tom acted on the information. | IS | T |
| add to | increase the size | This chair will add to the furniture we already have. | S | T |
| add up | make sense | Your guess adds up based on all the facts. | IS | IT |
| agree with | have the same opinion as someone | I agree with Tom about the need for better schools. | IS | T |
| allow something for | provide time, money, or other resource for something | You need to allow two hours for traffic. | S | T |
| answer for something | be responsible for something | The director answers for the drop in sales last quarter. | IS | T |
| argue something out | discuss all the details to come to an agreement | We argued our differences out and signed a contract. | S | T |
| arrive at something | agree upon something | We arrived at a contract last week. | IS | T |
| ask after somebody | ask how someone is doing | I asked after Kate last week and her mother told me she was doing well. | IS | T |
| attend to something | take care of something you need to do | Peter attended to preparations for the party while his wife cooked the dinner. | IS | T |
| average something out | arrive at the average figure | I average the contracts out and we’ll make a profit of $250,000. | S | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter B.
| back away from doing something | avoid doing something unpleasant | She backed away from taking on the responsibility | IS | T |
| back down | take back what you have said | Tom backed down and Peter went away without a fight. | IS | IT |
| back off | stop doing something annoying | OK, I’ll back off this week, but next week you owe me the money! | IS | IT |
| back up | go in reverse direction | I’ll back the car up and we’ll leave. | S | T |
| bail somebody out | help someone in a difficult situation | Peter bailed Tom out last week when he offered his apartment as a place to stay. | S | T |
| band together | create a group | We banded together three years ago and performed all over Oregon. | S | T |
| bang away at something | do repeatedly | Keep banging away at the grammar and you’ll soon be a master! | IS | T |
| bank on someone or something | rely on someone or something | You can back on Tim to always do the right thing. | IS | T |
| bandy something about | discuss | The men bandied their past about as they sipped their beers in a pub. | S | T |
| barge in | enter a place or a conversation unexpectedly | I hate to barge in, but I think you’re wrong! | IS | IT |
| bash on | continue working hard | Let’s bash on and get this done. | IS | IT |
| be in for something | experience soon | I’m in for taking a trip to Florida. | IS | T |
| be into | enjoy very much | I’m into jazz music from the 1950s. | IS | T |
| be onto something | discover something with a lot of potential | He’s onto some new stock and he thinks he’ll make a million. | IS | T |
| be up to something | be busy doing something, usually bad | Kevin, what are you up to?! | IS | T |
| beg off | excuse yourself from doing | I have to beg off tonight. I’m just too tired. | IS | T |
| belt out | sing | Let’s belt out a song for the old times! | S | T |
| black out | become unconscious | Mary blacked out last night, so she is visiting the doctor today. | IS | IT |
| blow over | eventually finish | These problems will blow over with time. Don’t worry so much. | IS | IT |
| blunder around | move about clumsily | Stop blundering about the room. Turn on the light. | IS | T |
| blurt out | say suddenly | I blurted out the answer without raising my hand in class. | S | T |
| bomb along | move very quickly | We bombed along the highway at 100 miles per hour! | IS | T |
| bounce back | recover from | Tom bounced back well and is at work this week. | IS | IT |
| bounce something off someone | discuss an idea with someone | I bounced a few ideas off Doug for his opinion. | S | T |
| break off | separate form | We broke off some chocolate because we were hungry. | S | T |
| break through | overcome difficulties to achieve success | We finally broke through and the company started to do well. | IS | T |
| bring something about | make happen | Susan brought about the various changes at school. | S | T |
| bring off | manage to do something difficult | We brought off the project though it wasn’t easy. | S | T |
| bring someone around | convince someone of something | It took me some time, but I brought Jennifer around to my point of view. | S | T |
| buckle down | become serious about something | We need to buckle down and get the work done. | IS | IT |
| bugger something up | make a failure out of something that should be a success | Don’t bugger it up! You’ll only get one chance. | S | T |
| build on | continue to improve on something | The company wants to build on its success in Asia. | IS | T |
| bum around | waste time | Let’s bum around today at the house. I don’t want to go anywhere. | IS | IT |
| bump into | meet unexpectedly | I bumped into Fred last week at the supermarket. | IS | T |
| buy into | believe | I don’t buy into that story. I think there are some major problems. | IS | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter C.
| call for something or someone | require something or someone | This situation calls for someone with a good understanding of politics. | IS | T |
| call something off | cancel | We called the meeting for Friday off because no one could come. | S | T |
| capitalize on something | take advantage of something | Let’s capitalize on this opportunity. | IS | T |
| care for something or someone | like something or someone | Do you care for Earl Grey Tea? | IS | T |
| carry on with something | continue | Let’s carry on with our discussion of the market. | IS | T |
| carry something out | do something that was requested of you | Have you carried out my requests? | S | T |
| cash in (on something) | profit form something | We cashed in on the interest in social media. | IS | T |
| cast something aside | throw away | We cast the trash aside and continued the hike with a much lighter load. | S | T |
| catch someone out | find a mistake that someone else makes | He caught you out last week, didn’t he? | S | T |
| catch up | talk about what has happened to you since you’ve seen someone | We spent the day catching up. It was great. | IS | IT |
| catch up on something | do necessary work that was left undone | I need to catch up on my homework tonight. | IS | T |
| cave in | admit defeat | He caved in and let his daughter travel to Europe. | IS | IT |
| change into / out of | put on new clothing | Let me change into something more comfortable. | IS | T |
| chase something or someone down | find | Did you chase down that book at the library? | S | T |
| chat someone up | flirt with someone | Tom went to the bar to try to chat up a pretty woman. | S | T |
| check something out | look at, examine | Check out the flowers in the garden. They’re beautiful! | S | T |
| cheer someone up | make someone happier | Let me cheer you up with a beer at the bar. | S | T |
| chime in (on something) | make a comment about something | Peter chimed in on the new project. | IS | T |
| chicken out | not do something in the end | I chickened out and didn’t go bungee jumping. | IS | IT |
| choke up | become sad | I choked up when I heard the news about the poor dog. | IS | IT |
| clamp down (on something) | become strict about something | The teacher clamped down on cheating during the test. | IS | T |
| clear out | leave quickly | The students cleared out and began the long weekend. | IS | IT |
| clog up something | block, make difficult to move | The traffic clogged up the entire city yesterday. | S | T |
| close out | sell everything at a low price | The store closed out and moved away. | IS | IT |
| clown around | have fun, joke | The boys are clowning around in the back yard. | IS | IT |
| come about | happen | I guarantee your wishes will come about soon. | IS | IT |
| come across | appear to be | He comes across as a very friendly man. | IS | IT |
| come by something | manage to get something | He came by the money through lots of hard work. | IS | T |
| come into | inherit | She came into a lot of money last year. | IS | T |
| cook something up | invent | They cooked the invention up while they were drinking beer. | S | T |
| cost something out | estimate costs | I’d like you cost production out to see if we can afford to invest. | S | T |
| cough something up | pay for | I’d like you to cough the fee up for this club. | S | T |
| crash out | sleep | I crashed out at ten last night. | IS | IT |
| crop up | appear, start to happen | A number of problems cropped up as we worked on the project. | IS | IT |
| cut back (on something) | reduce | We need to cut back on smoking. | IS | T |
| cut something down | reduce | I think you should cut your drinking down to one drink per day. | S | T |
| cut out | quit working | The engine cut out and we had to push the car to a gas station. | IS | I |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter D.
| dawn on someone | realize something | It dawned on me that I had left my books at home. | IS | T |
| deal something out | share with others | They dealt the responsibilities out and began to work on the project. | S | T |
| deal with something or someone | solve a problem | Sarah dealt with the problem and went home. | IS | T |
| decide on something | choose | I decided on the blue shorts. | IS | T |
| delve into something | explore something in detail | Peter delves into lots of different philosophies. | IS | T |
| depend on someone or something | need, require the assistance of | Diana depends on her tutor to help her get good grades. | IS | T |
| die out | be no more remaining | Unfortunately, too many species of animals have died out. | IS | IT |
| dip into something | read or watch | I enjoy dipping into a little Shakespeare from time to time. | IS | T |
| dispose of something | throw away | Please dispose of any litter before you leave. | IS | T |
| dive into something | learn with enthusiasm | My son dove into math and did very well. | IS | T |
| do away with something | prohibit, stop using | The government tried to do away with the high taxes but was unsuccessful. | IS | IT |
| do for something | need to have, desire something | I could do for a steak tonight. | IS | T |
| do something over | repeat | Please do exercise two over on page 124. | S | T |
| do without something | not use, abstain from using | We should do without alcohol for a week. | IS | T |
| double back | return | Let’s double back to the cabin to get something to eat. | IS | IT |
| drag on | continue for a very long time | This meeting has dragged on too long! | IS | IT |
| draw something out | continue for a longer period of time | Tom shouldn’t have drawn out the meeting so long. | S | T |
| dream something up | invent | The man dreamt up the invention and became a millionaire. | S | T |
| dress someone down | criticize strongly | The boss dressed him down, so he quit. | S | T |
| drive at | mean | He’s driving at the need to change. | IS | T |
| drop by | visit by surprise | Let’s drop by Tom’s house and see if he wants to have a picnic. | IS | T |
| drop in | visit by surprise | Our son dropped in for a moment yesterday. | IS | T |
| drum something up | find | Can you drum up some dishes for dinner? | S | T |
| dry up | not be available any more, run out | I think the rice has dried up. Let’s go to the store. | IS | IT |
| dumb down something | make easy on purpose | Many new devices have been dumbed down so more people can use them. | IS | T |
| dwell on something | continue speaking or thinking about | I don’t want to dwell on the past, but I can remember when I was a young man … | IS |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter E.
| ease into something | start slowly | Let’s ease into the day with a few stretches. | IS | T |
| ease up | slow down | I’ve been working hard all day. Let’s ease up. | IS | IT |
| eat away at someone | bother | Not knowing whether I won or not is eating away at me. | IS | T |
| eat in | eat at home | Let’s eat in tonight. | IS | IT |
| end in something | finish with | The story ended in tragedy. | IS | T |
| enter into something | agree | We entered into a contract on July 2nd. | IS | T |
| even something out | make smooth | Even the sheets out when you make a bed. | S | T |
| expand on something | give more detail | Could you expand on the theory of relativity? | IS | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter F.
| face off | compete against | The Lions and the Reds face off next week. | IS | IT |
| factor something in | include | You need to factor the manufacturing costs in before you make an estimate. | S | T |
| fade away | slowly disappear | Physical abilities fade away over many years. Exercise will help you keep them. | IS | IT |
| fall apart | become ruined | The lawn mower is falling apart. | IS | IT |
| fall behind | need to do more work to keep up | I’m falling behind in class. Can you help me? | IS | IT |
| fall for someone or something | be attracted to | Susan fell for Anna when they first met. | IS | T |
| fall through | fail to happen | The job fell through and she had to find another position. | IS | IT |
| farm something out | ask another company to do, outsource | The corporation farmed its customer service out to three companies. | S | T |
| fart around | waste time | Stop farting around and let’s get going! | IS | IT |
| feel for someone | have sympathy for someone | I feel for Viki because she’s having a difficult week at work. | IS | T |
| fend for someone | take of someone financially | I can only fend for myself. It’s a tough job market out there! | IS | T |
| fiddle around | spend time on no specific task, waste time | I like to fiddle around on Saturdays. It’s relaxing. | IS | IT |
| fight something down | repress, not show | Many people fight down tears. They should just have a good cry! | S | T |
| figure something out | understand over time | You will figure the problem out in five minutes. | S | T |
| fill something out | complete in written form | Please fill this survey out for our research. | S | T |
| find against someone | rule against someone in a court of law | The court finds against Mr. Smith and fines him $1,000. | IS | T |
| find something out | discover, hear of | She found out the news just last week. | S | T |
| finish with something | no longer need | He swore he was finished with beer. | IS | T |
| fire away | ask | Go ahead and fire away. What are your questions? | IS | IT |
| fit in | belong to a group, feel comfortable | Do you fit in at school? | IS | IT |
| flare up | begin to happen in a bad situation | My pain flared up last week. | IS | IT |
| flash back to something | remember | Let’s flash back to the 1960s. | IS | T |
| flesh something out | provide details | Please flesh your ideas out in your body paragraphs. | S | T |
| flood back | return suddenly | The memories come flooding back when you hear certain songs. | IS | IT |
| flunk out (of something) | fail in a class | Tim flunked out of math last year. | IS | T |
| fly by | go quickly | Last year flew by! | IS | IT |
| follow up (on something) | report back to a group or person | I’d like to follow up on our meeting last week. | IS | T |
| fool around | waste time | Please don’t fool around. Eat your dinner! | IS | IT |
| force something on someone | require someone to do something | Dan forced the extra work on Tom last week. | S | T |
| forge ahead | continue | Let’s forge ahead and discuss last quarter’s results. | IS | IT |
| fork money over | pay | Please fork over the money for the meal. | S | T |
| foul something up | make mistakes | Peter fouled up the directions, so we have to start again. | S | T |
| frown on / upon something or someone | disapprove of | The pastor frowns upon any kind of fun. | IS | T |
| fuss over someone or something | pay much attention to | Stop fussing over your hair. You look fine. | IS | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter G.
| get something across | make something understood | He got his point across and he won the debate. | S | T |
| get along (with someone) | have a good relationship | The children get along very well. | IS | T |
| get away | escape | The thieves got away during the night. | IS | IT |
| get away with something | do something wrong but not be punished | The boy got away with skipping school. | IS | T |
| get back at someone | take revenge | I’ll get back at you for doing that! | IS | T |
| get by | mange to survive, have just enough money | We’re getting by at the moment, but it isn’t easy. | IS | IT |
| get down on something or someone | criticize | Stop getting down on George. He’s doing his best. | IS | T |
| get in | arrive | We got in at midnight last night. | IS | IT |
| get into somewhere | be accepted at an institution | My daughter got into her first choice university. | IS | T |
| get on / off something | board or leave | I got on the bus on 50th street and got off at 83rd street. | IS | T |
| get out | be released from | School gets out at three o’clock. | IS | IT |
| get over something | recover from sad news or illness | It’s taken him three months to get over his illness. | IS | T |
| get through | make a connection on the telephone | I got through to Tom at four o’clock yesterday. | IS | IT |
| get together | meet | Let’s get together on Saturday. | IS | IT |
| give something away | not ask payment for, provide for free | He gave his bike away to another boy! | S | T |
| give off something | emit, send out from | The garbage can gives off a distinct order of trash. | IS | T |
| give something up | stop doing something | Alan gave up tennis a few years ago. | S | T |
| gloss over something | spend very little time doing | The teacher glossed over the more difficult grammar. | IS | T |
| go about something | continue to do | She went about her work as if nothing had happened. | IS | T |
| go after something | try to achieve | I think you should go after a career in football. | IS | T |
| go along | progress, move forward | Go along this street to 52nd Avenue. | IS | IT |
| go back to somewhere | return to somewhere | We went back to our high school and met some friends. | IS | T |
| go for something | choose something | I’ll go for two slices of pizza. | IS | T |
| go in / into | enter | Please go in the room and sit down. | IS | T |
| go on | continue | Please go on. I’m listening. | IS | IT |
| go out | date | They have been going out for three years. | IS | IT |
| go through something | experience, often difficulties | John went through a difficult divorce, but he was fine in the end. | IS | T |
| go together | need to be together, match | Her clothes go together well. | IN | IT |
| gobble something up | eat quickly | Jack gobbled up his breakfast and left for work. | S | T |
| grow into something | become | He grew into a very responsible young man. | IS | T |
| grow up | become older, become more mature | I grew up in Olympia, Washington. | IS | IT |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter H.
| hand something back | return | Please hand the books back at the end of class. | S | T |
| hand something in | give to the teacher or other authority | Please hand the assignment in before the end of class. | S | T |
| hand something out | give to others | The volunteers handed food out to everyone who wanted a lunch. | S | T |
| hang around | wait | I’m going to hang around until eight o’clock. | IS | IT |
| hang on | not give up | Hang on. Life will get better. | IS | IT |
| hang out | spend time | Teenagers like to hang out at the shopping mall. | IS | IT |
| hang up | stop a telephone call | Please hang up and call back in three hours. | IS | IT |
| happen along something | find by chance | Mary happened along the book at a garage sale. | IS | T |
| hash something out | argue about | The hashed over the problems during dinner. | S | T |
| have someone on | joke with someone | I don’t believe you. You’re having me on. | S | T |
| have someone over | invite to dinner or to meet at your house | We’re having guests over on Friday. | S | T |
| head for something or somewhere | go in the direction of, be on the way to doing something | We’re heading for breakfast. Would you like to join us? | IS | T |
| hear about / of something | hear news concerning something | I heard of the issue, but I don’t know much. | IS | T |
| heat something up | make warm | I’ll heat the pasta up. | S | T |
| help someone out | provide help | Let me help you out with that. | S | T |
| hinge on something | be dependent upon something | The election hinges on his popularity. | IS | T |
| hire something out | find consultants or another outside the company source for help | We’re hiring out our customer service department. | S | T |
| hold someone back | keep someone from doing something | He said his parents held him back, but I think it’s his fault. | S | T |
| hold off on something | wait to do something | We’re holding off on buying the house for a few months. | IS | T |
| hold out for something | insist that something happen before you agree | I’m holding out for $20,000 before I sell. | IS | T |
| hold up | remain healthy | Peter’s holding up well these days. | IS | IT |
| home in on something | concentrate on, come close to finding | I’m holding in on this math problem, but it’s difficult! | IS | T |
| horse around | not be serious, have fun | Stop horsing around and get to work! | IS | IT |
| hurry someone or something up | encourage to go faster | Try to hurry Susan up. It’s getting late. | S | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter I.
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter J.
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter K.
| keel over (from something) | fall over from exhaustion | I got home and keeled over. I was so tired! | IS | T |
| keep up (with something or someone) | stay at the same rate with another | I can’t keep up with my math class! | IS | T |
| keep at something or someone | continue doing, or bothering a person | You need to keep at your homework if you want to get good grades. | IS | T |
| keep away (from something or someone) | not go near | Keep away from Tom. He’s not good for you! | IS | T |
| keep someone from doing something | not allow someone to do something | All the extra work is keeping John from taking a vacation. | S | T |
| keep on | continue | Keep on,. You’ll be successful one day. | IS | IT |
| keep off something | stay away from | Keep off my property! | IS | T |
| keep out (of something) | not go into | Keep out of this room! | IS | T |
| keep up | continue | If the snow keeps up we’ll never leave! | IS | IT |
| keep something up | take care of | Barbara keeps the garden up beautifully. | S | T |
| kick somethign around | consider | We’re kicking his ideas around this weekend. | S | T |
| kick something off | begin | We’re kicking off the sale this weekend. | S | T |
| kick someone out | exclude, not allow to participate | They boys kicked Johnny out of their club. | S | T |
| knit someone together | have in common | Our love of nature knits us together. | S | T |
| knock something about / around | treat poorly | The schoolboys knocked the books about. | S | T |
| knock somethign back | drink | Let’s knock back a few beers after class. | S | T |
| knock something off | stop doing | Would you please knock all the noise off?! | S | T |
| knock someone off | kill | The gangsters knocked four people off on Saturday. | S | T |
| knock something together | prepare quickly | Let’s knock some lunch together. | S | T |
| knuckle down | become serious about working, studying, etc. | We need to knuckle down and prepare for the test. | IS | IT |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter L.
| lace something up | tighten with string, usually with shoes | Lace up your shoes and let’s go. | S | T |
| land up | finish in a place or situation | I landed up buying the new house. | IS | IT |
| lead off with something | begin a meeting, presentation, discussion | Let’s lead off with the new project in Chicago. | IS | T |
| lead to something | finish in | The discussions might lead to a new position. | IS | T |
| lean on someone or something | rely on | I lean on my parents for emotional support through the hard times. | IS | T |
| leave something aside | not discuss | Let’s leave the proposition aside for the moment and discuss last week’s decision. | S | T |
| leave off | stop | Let’s leave off here and meet again tomorrow. | IS | IT |
| leave something out | not include | He left out the part about the dragon in the story. | S | T |
| let someone down | disappoint someone | I’m afraid she let me down last week. | S | T |
| let someone off | not punish severely | The teacher let the students off with a make-up test even though they skipped class. | S | T |
| let out | finish a session or a period of time | School lets out at three o’clock. | IS | IT |
| let up | become less | The rain is letting up, let’s run to the car! | IS | IT |
| level with someone | be honest with someone | I need to level with you. I’m in love with your wife! | IS | T |
| lie ahead | be in the future | Many tests lie ahead of you in the path to success. | IS | IT |
| lie in | stay in bed | I lay in this morning until 9. It was great. | IS | IT |
| light on / upon someone or something | find by chance | Walking down the road I lit upon a piece of gold! | IS | T |
| lighten something up | make more comfortable, more relaxed | Let’s lighten the mood up by listening to some jazz. | S | T |
| line someone or something up | to arrange for someone or something | I lined two new employees up this week, | S | T |
| linger on something | spend more time on something | I’d like to linger on the topic for a few moments. | IS | T |
| listen up | pay attention | Listen up! Let’s talk about the problem. | IS | IT |
| live off of something | use to make a living, or to survive | They lived off just $1,000 a month for two years. | IS | T |
| live it up | have a fun time | Let’s live it up this weekend! | S | Set phrase |
| liven something up | make more fun to do | This is boring! Let’s liven the party up with some music. | S | T |
| loaf around | waste time, do nothing | I loafed around on Saturday. It was good to relax. | IS | IT |
| lock someone out | not allow to in a room, not allow to join | They locked the students out of the classroom. | S | T |
| log in / on (to something) | make a network connection on a computer | I logged in and started work. | IS | T |
| long for something | want very much | I long for some good chocolate ice-cream. | IS | T |
| look after someone or something | take care of | Please look after my cat while I’m away on vacation. | IS | T |
| look ahead | think about the future | It’s a good idea to look ahead every once in a while. | IS | IT |
| look forward to something | enjoy the idea of something in the future, anticipate | I look forward to meeting you soon. | IS | T |
| look in (on someone or something) | check, make sure everything is OK | I’ll look in on you on Thursday. | IS | T |
| look something over | inspect, make sure everything is OK | I looked the car over and could find no problems. | S | T |
| look through something | read quickly, skim | I looked through the essay and everything looks fine. | IS | T |
| look something up | find in a reference book or source | Look the word up in the dictionary. | S | T |
| look up to someone | think highly of someone, respect someone | John looks up to his father. | IS | T |
| lug something around | carry with you | I lugged my baggage around the airport. | S | T |
| luxuriate in something | enjoy very much | He luxuriates in all the attention from his daughter when she visits. | IS | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter M.
| major in something | work towards getting a degree in at university | Peter majors in economics at U of P. | IS | T |
| make for something | move in the direction of | I’m going to make for the parking lot. | IS | T |
| make something out | see in the distance | Can you make the building out over there? | S | T |
| make out | kiss | The young couple made out all evening. | IS | IT |
| make something up | invent, tell an untrue story | He made the story up about his aunt. | S | T |
| make up | become friends / boyfriend / girlfriend again | They made up last week. It’s so sweet. | IS | IT |
| make up for something | balance the lack of something else | His strength makes up for his stupidity. | IS | T |
| mark something down | write | Mark October 5th down on your calendar. | S | T |
| mark something up | make the price higher | The company marks up its products by 20%. | S | T |
| marvel at something | be surprised or impressed by | I marvel at his ability to make friends. | IS | T |
| match something up | put together | Match the pictures up to find a prize. | S | t |
| max something out | reach a financial or other limit | I’ve maxed out my bank account this week. | S | T |
| measure up to someone or something | be of the same high quality as someone or something | I’m afraid she doesn’t measure up to our standards. | IS | T |
| mess around / about | waste time | Don’t mess around. We’ve got work to do. | IS | T |
| mess something up | fail at doing something | Study hard and don’t mess your grades up. | S | T |
| mess with something or someone | interfere with | Please don’t mess with those jars on the table. | IS | T |
| mix something or someone up | confuse | He mixed Mary up when he told her the news. | S | T |
| mock something up | make a model of | Please mock the web page up for our director. | S | T |
| move along (on something) | make progress | We moved ahead on the project last week. | IS | T |
| move away | leave the place where you live forever | We moved away from Seattle three years ago. | IS | IT |
| move forward (with something) | take the next step in a process | Let’s move forward with the proposal. | IS | T |
| move on | continue in a journey | The tourists moved on and the square become empty. | IS | IT |
| move up | improve in position | Peter moved up three ranks in the tennis list last week. | IS | IT |
| muck about / around | spend time in a relaxed way with no specific purpose | I mucked around on Saturday. | IS | IT |
| mull something over | think about, consider | I’ll mull your suggestions over this weekend. | S | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter N.
| nag at someone | continue to complain | Stop nagging at me. I’ll get the job done when I can! | IS | T |
| nail something down | get an agreement on something | Did you nail down the contract? | S | T |
| narrow down something | reduce the number of choices | We’ve narrowed down our choices to just three homes. | IS | T |
| nose around | try to find out information, intrude | Why are you nosing around here? | IS | IT |
| number among something | belong to a group | Sarah numbers among my best friends. | IS | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter O.
| occur to someone | have an idea | It occurred to Tom that we should you over to dinner next week. | IS | T |
| ooze out | come out of slowly a | Water is oozing out of the wall. | IS | IT |
| open out (onto something) | become wider | The living room opens out onto the dining room. | IS | T |
| open up to something | become willing to explore | Here husband has opened up to visiting a therapist. | IS | T |
| opt for something | choose something | We’ll opt for two weeks in Hawaii over work! | IS | T |
| opt out (of something) | choose not to do | We’ve decided to opt out of all mailing lists. | IS | T |
| order something in | have food delivered to your home | Let’s order in Chinese food this evening. | S | T |
| own up (to something) | admit doing something wrong | The boy owned up to stealing the candy. | IS |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter P.
| pack something away | put into storage | Pack away those boxes in the attic. | S | T |
| pack someone off | send to live elsewhere | The parents pack their children off to private school. | S | T |
| page through something | browse, skim through | You can page through a magazine while you wait | IS | T |
| paint something out | remove from by putting point over something | Can you paint out that graffitti? | S | T |
| pair up (with someone) | find a partner | Please pair up and begin the exercise. | IS | T |
| palm something off | convince people about an explanation that is not true | You can’t palm that story off on me! | S | T |
| pander to someone or something | try to please | Angie panders to the director thinking she can get a promotion. | IS | T |
| paper over something | hide a problem | The government is trying to paper over its ineptitude. | IS | T |
| part with something | let go | She parted with her old toys with tears in her eyes. | IS | T |
| pass away / on | die | Mr. Smith passed away last week. | IS | IT |
| pass for something or someone | function as something else, be like someone else | She could pass for Marilyn Monroe. | IS | T |
| pass out | become unconscious | Tim passed out and had to be taken to the hospital. | IS | IT |
| pass something up | not take advantage of something | George decided to pass the opportunity up even though it looked like fun. | IS | T |
| pay for something | need to suffer or hurt for something | You’ll pay for your crimes! | IS | T |
| pay someone off | bribe, give money to do or not do something | The man tried to pay Peter off. | S | T |
| pencil something in | make an appointment | Please pencil the meeting in for next week. | S | T |
| pepper something with | include a large a number of with some other main component | She peppered her talk with jokes about her college days. | S | T |
| pertain to something | be about | This meeting pertains to last quarter’s fall in profit. | IS | T |
| pick on someone | treat badly, bully | Don’t pick on Jimmy! | IS | T |
| pick something out | choose | Which dress have you picked out? | S | T |
| pick someone up | drive to a place and give a ride | I picked Tim up at the airport. | S | T |
| pick something up | learn a little bit | I picked some Italian up in Rome. | S | T |
| pick up on something | understand from a conversation | Did you pick up on how he wanted to find a new job? | IS | T |
| pig out | eat lots of food | Let’s pig out on Saturday! | IS | IT |
| pin someone down | get a commitment from | He finally pinned his boss down on his raise. | S | T |
| pipe down | be quiet | Pipe down in this room. I can’t hear myself think. | IS | IT |
| piss off | get out of here! | Piss off! I don’t want to talk to you. | IS | IT |
| pitch in | help with money or physically | Let me pitch in. That looks heavy. | IS | IT |
| plan ahead (for something) | make arrangements for a situation in the future | We need to plan ahead for our trip to Arizona. | IS | T |
| plan something out | make plans very carefully | They planned the week out hour by hour. | S | T |
| play around | not be serious | Stop playing around. This is a workplace! | IS | IT |
| play out | happen to the end | Let’s see how this plays out next week. | IS | IT |
| play something up | talk a lot about | He is playing the new product up at the meeting. | S | T |
| plug away (on something) | continue working on | I plugged away on the report until three o’clock. | IS | T |
| plug something up | repair by filling a hole | I plugged the leak up on the faucet. | S | T |
| plunk down (on something) | spend money on | I plunked down $500 on the computer. | IS | T |
| point something out | mention, inform someone that something exists | He pointed the problem out during the meeting. | S | T |
| polish something off | finish | Would you like to polish the cake off? | S | T |
| pop up | appear suddenly | The deer popped up and the driver almost hit it. Luckily, he missed! | IS | IT |
| pour something down | consume | He poured the glass of whiskey down like it was water. | S | T |
| power something up | turn on | Power up your computer and let’s get to work. | S | T |
| press for something | urge someone be done | He pressed for more quality controls in negotiations. | IS | IT |
| provide against something | make plans for the bad times | They’ve purchased many goods to provide against disaster. | IS | T |
| prowl around | move around very quietly | She prowled around the room to not wake her sleeping child. | IS | IT |
| pull away | begin to move | The train pulled away from the station. | IS | IT |
| pull something off | take off clothing | She pulled her sweater off and put on a blouse. | S | T |
| pull something out | present meting, take out of another place | Anna pulled the money out of her purse. | S | T |
| pull over | move to the side of the road | The policeman asked the truck drive to pull over. | IS | IT |
| pull through | survive | The injured man pulled through in the end. | IS | IT |
| pull together | work together well as a group to achieve something | If we pull together, we can win this match. | IS | IT |
| pull something up | get information onto a computer screen | Let me pull your file up from last month. | S | T |
| punch in | start work | I punch in at seven o’clock. | IS | IT |
| push ahead / forward / on | continue working hard on a task | Let’s push ahead with the project. | IS | IT |
| push for something | to try to convince others to do | The president pushed for reform, but was unsuccessful. | IS | T |
| push towards something | move in the direction of a goal | Let’s push towards finishing the project by April. | IS | T |
| put something across | make understood | He put his ideas across at the meeting. | S | T |
| put something away | return to its proper place | Please put your clothes away. | S | T |
| put someone down | criticize | Don’t put Debby down. She’s nice. | S | T |
| put something forward | suggest | I put forward that we find a new director. | S | T |
| put something off | postpone, delay | Let’s put the meeting off until next week. | S | T |
| put someone on | joke with someone | Stop putting me on! | S | T |
| put something on | dress | I put the shirt on and left the house. | S | T |
| put someone through | make someone experience | I’m sorry I put you through such a difficult week. | S | T |
| put someone through | pay for | The father put her daughter through college. | S | T |
| put up with someone or something | tolerate | I’m tired of putting up with your stupid jokes. | IS | T |
| put upon someone | inconvenience | I don’t want to put upon you, but could you make a cup of coffee? | IS | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter Q.
| queue up | stand with other people in a line | We queued up two hours before the concert began. | IS | IT |
| quiet down | be quiet | Quiet down. Let’s get to work. | IS | IT |
| quit on someone | stop helping or working for someone | I had to quit on Tom. He just wasn’t trying hard enough. | IS | T |
Phrasal verbs in English star with the letter R.
| rack something up | make profit, get more of | We’re racking the dollars up with our new invention. | S | T |
| rake something up | talk about something unpleasant or bad news from the past | He keeps raking up his difficulties in Paris. | S | T |
| ramble on (about something) | continue speaking for a long time in a disorganized manner | He keeps rambling on. I can’t understand him. | IS | T |
| rat on someone | tell the authorities that someone did something bad | Don’t rat on Tom. He’ll kill you! | IS | T |
| ration something out | give out very slowly | We have to ration the cookies out. There are too many of us! | S | T |
| rattle something off | say very quickly, often with lists | He rattled the list off in less than a minute. | S | T |
| reach out to someone | contact | I’d like to reach out to anyone who needs help with the exam. | IS | T |
| read something into another thing | make a connections between, understand from the context | I read an opportunity into this offer. Tell me more. | S | T |
| reek of something | smell very strongly of something | You reek of garlic! | IS | T |
| refer to someone or something | speak about in context | I refeed to his comments from earlier. | IS | T |
| reflect on something | consider, think about | I’d like you to reflect on all the good times we’ve had. | IS | T |
| rein something in | reduce, limit | We need to rein our spending. | S | T |
| resort to something | do as a last effort to accomplish something | I had to resort to candy treats to get her to do her homework. | IS | T |
| revolve around | put all of your attention towards | My life revolves around her. I can’t live without her! | IS | T |
| ring off | hang up the telephone | I rang off and went back to work. | IS | IT |
| ring something up | charge someone at the cash register | Let’s ring the clothes up and go home. | S | T |
| rip someone off | cheat someone out of their money with a poorly made product, steal | The ripped me off on this shirt. It tore after two days. | S | T |
| rip into someone | become very angry with | He ripped into John about the problems at school. | IS | T |
| rise up (against someone) | fight against | The employees rose up and demanded a raise. | IS | T |
| roll in | arrive | We rolled in after midnight. | IS | IT |
| roll something out | introduce a product | We rolled the new computer out last month. | S | T |
| rope someone into something | convince someone to do | I roped Peter into helping me with my presentation. | S | T |
| rub off (on someone) | influence behavior | I hope something rubbed off on him and he becomes more serious. | IS | T |
| rule something out | exclude, refuse to do | I’m ruling moving out. I love this city. | S | T |
| run across something | find by chance | I ran across this article yesterday. | IS | T |
| run away with (something or someone) | take from, steal | He ran away with my heart. | IS | T |
| run into someone | meet by accident | I ran into Doug at the market yesterday. | IS | T |
| run off / on something | use as power | This machine runs off / on gasoline. | IS | T |
| run out of something | not have any more of | We ran out of milk. I’ll go to the supermarket. | IS | T |
| run through something | practice something from beginning to end | Let’s run through the piece one more time. | IS | T |
| run up something | add up to an amount of money | We ran up a large bill last night at the restaurant. | IS | T |
Phrasal verbs in English star with the letter S.
| safeguard against something | do something to prevent harm | We safeguarded against freezing weather. | IS | T |
| save on something | keep the cost of something low | We’re trying to save on vegetables by growing our own. | IS | T |
| sail through something | complete something very quickly | We sailed through the meeting and left for lunch. | IS | T |
| scare someone off | make someone not want to do something by speaking about negatives | She scared him off talking about the big insects you can see on hikes. | S | T |
| save (money) up | Save money to purchase something | I’m saving up to buy a new watch. | S | T |
| scope something out | find out detailed information about | Let’s scope the situation out before we decide. | S | T |
| scrape by | survive with great difficulty | We’re just scraping by in this economy. | IS | IT |
| scrape something together | find enough of | Let me scrape together twenty dollars and then we’ll go. | S | T |
| screen something out | decide not to include in | We screen a number of applicants out before we had the final interviews. | S | T |
| screw something up | make a serious mistake, fail at something | I’m afraid I screwed the job interview up. I’ll never get the job. | S | T |
| scrounge around (for something) | look in many places for something | I always need to scrouge around for my keys! | IS | T |
| see something in | celebrate the beginning of something | Let’s see in the New Year with a few drinks. | S | T |
| see through something or someone | understand the hidden truth | I can see through your tricks. | IS | T |
| see to something | take responsibility for | I’ll see to the beer if you cook dinner. | IS | T |
| seek someone or something out | make a great effort to find | He sought the guru out by hiking 200 miles to a remote area. | S | T |
| sell out | betray an ideal for a lot of money | Many people accuse their favorite rock stars of selling out. | IS | IT |
| send someone away | tell someone to leave | I sent the boy away with a note to his mother. | S | T |
| send for someone | have someone come to you | Please send for a doctor. I’m not feeling well. | IS | T |
| send someone off | give a party for someone who is leaving | We sent him off with a proper celebration. | S | T |
| serve something up | give food to people who are waiting to eat | She served lasagna up and it was delicious. | S | T |
| set about something | begin to do a task | She set about writing the report. | S | T |
| set someone apart | make different from others | His intelligence sets him apart. | S | T |
| set aside | save | I’m setting aside $1,000 every month. | S | T |
| set off (on something) | leave for a destination | We set off on our journey on Saturday. | IS | T |
| set to something | begin doing an activity | We set to work at seven in the morning. | IS | T |
| set someone up | put someone into a difficult situation | She set him up for a broken heart. | S | T |
| settle down | stop making noise, come calm | Please settle down children. We need to do our homework. | IS | IT |
| shake someone down | get money from someone by threats | The mobster tried to shake him down, but he refused to pay a penny. | S | T |
| shake something off | stop worrying about something negative that happened | You need to shake your failed marriage off and start a new life. | S | T |
| shape up | improve | You need to shape up. You’ve been a very bad boy lately. | IS | IT |
| shell out | spend money | I shelled out over $4,000 for the car. | IS | T |
| shoot something down | not approve of something | My boss shot my idea down. I hate working here. | S | T |
| show off | do something that you are very good at in conceited manner | Stop showing off. I know you can golf well. | IS | IT |
| show something off | make other people try to notice something you have | He’s showing his Porsche off this week. | S | T |
| show up | arrive | He showed up late for the meeting. | IS | IT |
| shrug something off | not worry about something bad that has happened | He shrugged off the failure and continued on his way. | S | T |
| shut someone out | not include | They tried to shut him out of discussions, but he insisted. | S | T |
| shut up | do not talk | Please shut up! | IS | IT |
| shy away from something | try not to do | Mary shied away from looking for a new job. | IS | T |
| sift through something | to consider a large amount of information, or objects | We sifted through the data trying to fine a clue. | S | T |
| sign up (for something) | register to do | I signed up for the health club last week. | IS | T |
| sign something over | give the ownership of something to someone | He signed over the car and bought a new one. | S | T |
| sink in | realize, understand completely | The reality sank in and he tried to go back to his old life. | IS | IT |
| sit down | take a seat | Please sit down and let’s begin. | IS | IT |
| sit something out | not participate in something | He sat the match out last Saturday. | S | T |
| size someone or something up | take time to understand a person or situation | I sized him up and decided we could be friends. | S | T |
| slave away | work without rest, work very hard | I slaved away all day today. I’m exhausted | IS | IT |
| sleep in | get up later than usual | I slept in this morning. | IS | IT |
| slim down | lose weight | You need to slim down and get in shape. | IS | IT |
| slip away | leave | Let’s slip away. I’m tired. | IS | IT |
| smell of something | seem to be influenced by | The situation smells of corruption. | IS | T |
| snuggle down | become comfortable in bed and get ready to sleep | I snuggled down for a long night’s sleep. | IS | IT |
| soften someone up | make someone willing to do something | His daughter soften him up with her sweet smile. | S | T |
| sound off (about something) | complain | He employees are sounding off about the poor health benefits. | IS | T |
| speak out (against / in favor of something) | take a strong position on something and tell others | She spoke out against the corruption in her company. | IS | T |
| spell something out | say exactly what needs to be done | Let me spell everything out for you. | S | T |
| spice something up | make more interesting, improve the looks of | I’d like to spice our relationship up with a nice dinner in a romantic restaurant. | S | T |
| spin something off | create a new business from | We want to spin off two new products. | S | T |
| splash out | spend a lot of money to have a good time | They splashed out and went to New York for the weekend. | IS | IT |
| sponge off someone | Take advantage of the money of someone else | Stop sponging off your parents and get a good job. | IS | T |
| spring for | pay for something, invite someone and pay | I’ll spring for dinner tonight. | IS | T |
| square something away | finish all the details of something | We squared away the contract and began the project. | S | T |
| stake something out | watch very carefully | The police staked the bar out waiting for the criminal. | S | T |
| stand about / around | waste time | We stood around waiting for a table. | IS | IT |
| stand in for someone | take the place of someone | The actor had a stunt man stand in for him in the scene. | IS | T |
| stand up for something or someone | defend, say something positive about | She stood up for her rights. | IS | T |
| stand up to someone | defend yourself against | Don stood up to Peter and never had a problem again. | IS | T |
| start off something | begin doing | Let’s start off by introducing ourselves. | IS | T |
| starve for something | want to do very much | We’re starving for some fun this weekend. | IS | T |
| stay away (from something) | avoid, try not to do | She stayed away from beef all last week. | IS | T |
| stay up | not go to sleep | We stayed up late last night. | IS | IT |
| step down | quit a position of leadership | The president stepped down over the scandal. | IS | IT |
| stop by | visit | We stopped by their house on our way home. | IS | T |
| storm off | leave angrily | She stormed off. I don’t know what happened. | IS | IT |
| subscribe to something | believe, agree with | I subscribe to his views on religion. | IS | T |
| sum (something) up | conclude, make a summary of | I’d like to sum up by saying how much I enjoyed this meeting. | IS | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter T.
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter U.
| urge someone on | encourage someone to continue doing something | Ted urged his daughter on at the race last week. | S | T |
| use something up | use completely until there is no more | I used the toothpaste up last night. | S | T |
| usher something or someone in | welcome, mark the beginning of | The decision ushered in a new era of happiness. | S | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter V.
| veer off | move away from, change direction | The airplane veered off to the west. | IS | IT |
| veg out | waste time, do nothing | I vegged out over the weekend. | IS | IT |
| verge on something | be very close to or similar to something | HIs desire to succeed verges on madness. | IS | T |
| vote something down | not approve by election | Citizens voted the measure down last week. | S | T |
| vouch for something or someone | tell someone that something or someone is good, reliable | I can vouch for Peter. He’s an excellent employee. | IS | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter W.
| wait on someone | bring food to | She waited on the businessmen until three o’clock. | IS | T |
| wait something out | stay in a place or position until something stops | Let’s wait the storm out in the barn. | S | T |
| wake up | stop sleeping in the morning | I woke up at seven o’clock. | IS | IT |
| walk away from something | leave, never do again | She walked away from her job last year. | IS | T |
| walk out (on something) | leave suddenly and in a disapproving manner | They walked out as they hated the music. | IS | T |
| want in on something | desire to be a part of | He wants in on the opportunity. | IS | T |
| warm up | do exercises to get ready | I do a few stretches to warm up before a race. | IS | IT |
| wash something up | clean | Wash the plates up and let’s eat dinner. | S | T |
| water something down | make something easier to understand | He watered the information down so everyone could understand. | S | T |
| wave someone aside / away | instruct to go around, avoid | He waved the people away from the scene of the crime. | S | T |
| wean off something | slowly reduce | I’m weaning myself off cigarettes this month. | IS | T |
| wear something out | use so much that a replacement needs to be bought | She wore the blouse out and has to go shopping. | S | T |
| weed someone or something out | remove from a group | I’d like you to weed the applicants out and find two people to interview. | S | T |
| weigh in on something | give an opinion about | Susan weighed in on the conversation. | IS | T |
| whizz through something | do quickly | I whizzed through the book in two days. | IS | T |
| wimp out | decide you can’t do something in the end because you are afraid | Jack wimped out and didn’t come on the hike. | IS | IT |
| win someone over | convince someone | His presentation won everyone over to the project. | S | T |
| wind something down | bring to a close, finish something | Let’s wind the meeting down for today. | S | T |
| wipe something out | destroy something | the tornado wiped the town out. | S | T |
| wolf something down | eat very quickly | Don’t wolf your dinner down. Enjoy it. | S | T |
| work something in | include | I think we can work your presentation in this afternoon. | S | T |
| work out | do exercise | I worked out until five o’clock. | IS | IT |
| work something out | calculate, complete the details of | Let’s work the deal out tomorrow. | S | T |
| work towards something | move towards a goal | We’re working towards ending hunger in the inner cities. | IS | T |
| work someone up | make angry, nervous | Be careful what you say so you don’t work her up. | S | T |
| wrap something up | finish | Let’s wrap the meeting up for today. | S | T |
| wrestle with something | work hard to understand or do | We’re wrestling with the scheduling this week. | IS | T |
| write something off | cancel a debt | They wrote $3,000 off. | S | T |
| write something up | report on something in written form | Can you write the report up for next week? | S | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter X.
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter Y.
| yearn for something or someone | want someone or something very much | I’m yearning for some chocolate today. | IS | T |
| yield to something | be replaced by something | Cars must yield to bicycles on this road. | IS | T |
Phrasal verbs in English start with the letter Z.
| zero in on something | concentrate on something, find the most important part | We’re zeroing in on the cause of the problem. | IS | T |
| zip something up | close using a zipper | Zip your coat up and let’s go. | S | T |
| zone out | not pay attention, not think about anything | I often zone out if I’ve worked more than eight hours. | IS | IT |
| zonk out | fall asleep | I zonked out as soon as I got home. | IS | IT |
| zoom off | leave quickly | He zoomed off after the meeting finished. | IS | IT |
Phrasal Verbs List | Common Phrasal verbs - Hitbullseye
List of Phrasal Verbs – 1
Phrasal verbs starting with letter A
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Examples |
| 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 a target | The policeman aimed his gun at the hijacker. |
| Allow for | take into consideration, include in a calculation | You’d better leave early to allow for traffic jams. |
| Appeal to | 1. plead or make an earnest request 2. be attractive or interesting |
1. The organizers appealed to the crowd to stay calm. 2. A trekking holiday doesn’t appeal to me. |
| Apply for | make a formal request for something, (job, permit, loan etc.) | 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 the opportunity and buy some shares. |
List of Phrasal Verbs – 2
Phrasal verbs starting with letter B
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Examples |
| 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 2. make a copy of (file, program, etc.) |
1. If I tell the boss we’ve got too much work, will you back me up? 2. It is recommended to back up all files in a secure location. |
| Bail out | 1. pay money to secure someone’s release 2. rescue from financial difficulties |
1. When he was arrested, his family refused to bail him out. 2. The government bailed out the bank. |
| Bank on | base your hopes on someone/something | Don’t forget the date. I’m banking on your help. |
| Boil down to | be summarized as | The problem boils down to a lack of money. |
| Boot up | start a computer by loading an operating system or program. | Just give me 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 2. lose control of one’s emotions |
1. Nitish’s car broke down so he had to take the bus. 2. The parents broke down when they heard the bad news. |
| 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, Seema 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 | Meena had to brush up on her English before going to America. |
| Bump into | meet by accident or unexpectedly | Padma bumped into her English teacher at the supermarket. |
| Burn out | 1. stop (something) working 2. become exhausted from over-working |
1. The fuse has burnt out. 2. Tom will burn himself out if he doesn’t slow down. |
List of Phrasal Verbs – 3
Phrasal verbs starting with letter C
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Examples |
| 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 | 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 (a plan, an order, a threat) 2. perform or conduct (test, experiment) |
1. The plan was carried out to perfection. 2. Tests are carried out to determine the efficiency of a new drug. |
| Carry over | postpone until later | As regards holidays, can you carry over any days from one year to the next? |
| 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) 2. investigate |
1. Is Mr. Kumar still at the hotel? No, he checked out this morning. 2. I don’t know if the address is still valid. I’ll check it out. |
| 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. |
| Come across | 1. find by chance 2. appear, seem, make an impression |
1. Veena came across some photographs of her grandparents in the store room. 2. The candidate came across as a dynamic person during the interview. |
| 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. |
| 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 2. stop doing something |
1. She cut out a picture in a magazine. 2. I’m going to cut out eating between meals. |
List of Phrasal Verbs – 4
Phrasal verbs starting with letters D-F
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Examples |
| 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 2. disguise oneself |
1. Do people dress up to go to the opera in your country? 2. Children love to dress up at Halloween. |
| 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 2. fall asleep |
1. I’ll drop you off at the bus stop if you like. 2. Granddad often drops off in front of the TV. |
| Drop out | leave school without finishing | She decided to go to art school then dropped out after the first term. |
| End in | finish in a certain way; result in | Their marriage ended in divorce. |
| Ease off | reduce, become less severe or slow down (pain, traffic, work) | After Christmas the workload generally eases off. |
| 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. 2. become level or regular |
1. After a long discussion they managed to even out their differences. 2. The road was evened out to make it safer. |
| 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. |
List of Phrasal Verbs – 5
Phrasal verbs starting with letter G
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Examples |
| 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 thief get in? |
| Get into (+noun) | enter | How did the thief get into the house? |
| Get off | 1. leave (bus, train, plane) 2. remove |
1. You should get off the bus at the main market of the town. 2. She can’t get the stain off her sweater. |
| 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 | Rajesh gave up smoking 5 years ago. |
| Go through | experience | Priya 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. |
List of Phrasal Verbs – 6
Phrasal verbs starting with letters H-L
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Examples |
| 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 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 | 1. wait 2. grip tightly |
1. “Hold on please. I’ll put you through to Mr. Khanna” 2. She held on to the railing as she crossed the bridge. |
| 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 | 1. engage in, become a member of 2. meet and unite with |
1. Deven was in the Army and Shekher joined up as soon as he left school. 2. The two groups of tourists joined up at the hotel. |
| 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 something | Karan 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 their parents 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 | Billu didn’t take part in the fight. He just looked on. |
| Look for | try to find something | Seema 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. |
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List of Phrasal Verbs – 7
Phrasal verbs starting with letters M-P
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Examples |
| 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 Rs. 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 somebody | I’ll pick you up at the station when you arrive. |
| Point out | indicate/direct attention to something | She pointed out the mistake. |
List of Phrasal Verbs – 8
Phrasal verbs starting with letters R-T
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Examples |
| Rely on | count on, depend on, trust | Don’t worry. You can rely on me. I can keep a secret. |
| Rule out | eliminate | The police ruled out political motives. |
| Run away | escape from a place or suddenly leave | He ran away from home at the age of fourteen. |
| Run into | meet by accident or unexpectedly (also: bump into) | Sheetal ran into Meera at the shopping centre. |
| Shop around | compare prices | It’s always wise to shop around before buying anything. |
| Show off | brag or want to be admired | There’s Devesh showing off in his new sports car! |
| Show up | appear/arrive | We expected Deepak to come but he didn’t show up. |
| Shut up (impolite) | be silent, stop talking | Oh shut up, you idiot! |
| Sit down | take a seat | Please come in and sit down. |
| Stand up | rise from a sitting position | The pupils stood up when the headmaster arrived. |
| Stick up for | defend | It’s important to stick up for one’s principles. |
| Take after | resemble, in appearance or character | Jagat really takes after his dad. |
| Take care of | look after | I’ll take care of your plants while you’re away. |
| Take off | leave the ground | The plane took off at 6 a.m. |
| Take on | hire or engage staff | Business is good so the company is taking on extra staff. |
| Take out | remove; extract | She took out a pen to note the address. |
Vocabulary Preparation Series - Vocab Guide - Basic Word Lists - Advanced Word Lists - Phrasal Verbs - Word Roots - Word Groups - Synonyms & Antonyms - List of Manias - List of Collective Nouns - Idioms List - Foreign Words - Foreign-Origin Words - List of Phobias - Top Books - Confusing Words - One Word Substitutions