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Phrasal Verb

What is a phrasal verb?
It's the combination of a verb + a particle (preposition or adverb) resulting in a new word. The new unit is different from the two separate words.

Phrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting of verb + adverb or verb + preposition. Think of them as you would any other English vocabulary. Study them as you come across them, rather than trying to memorize many at once. Use the list below as a reference guide when you find an expression that you don't recognize. The examples will help you understand the meanings. If you think of each phrasal verb as a separate verb with a specific meaning, you will be able to remember it more easily. Like many other verbs, phrasal verbs often have more than one meaning.

This list shows about 200 common phrasal verbs, with meanings and examples. Only the most usual meanings are given. Some phrasal verbs may have additional meanings.

As well as learning their meanings, you need to learn how to use phrasal verbs properly. Some phrasal verbs require a direct object (someone/something), while others do not. Some phrasal verbs can be separated by the object, while others cannot. Review this phrasal verbs grammar from time to time so that you don't forget the rules!

Verb	Meaning	Example
ask someone out	invite on a date	Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.
ask around	ask many people the same question	I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet.
add up to something	equal	Your __________ add up to _________.
back something up	reverse	You'll have to back up your car so that I can get out.
back someone 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 someone down	make unhappy	This sad music is bringing me down.
bring someone 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 someone 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 someone	ask for an answer or opinion	The professor called on me for question 1.
call on someone	visit someone	We called on you last night but you weren't home.
call someone 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 someone/something	not like (formal)	I don't care for his behaviour.
catch up	get to the same point as someone 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 someone/something out	look at carefully, investigate	The company checks out all new employees.
check out someone/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 someone 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 somewhere	originate in	The art of origami comes from Asia.
count on someone/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 someone 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 someone/something over	beat up, ransack (Br.E., informal)	He's lucky to be alive. His shop was done over by a street gang.
do something over	do again (N.Amer.)	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 some time this week.
drop someone/something off	take someone/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 (Br.E.)	Please fill in the form with your name, address, and phone number.
fill something out	to write information in blanks (N.Amer.)	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 room-mate.
get back at someone	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 (N.Amer.: 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 someone away	reveal hidden information about someone	His wife gave him away to the police.
give someone 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 someone 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 someone	follow someone	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 someone	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 someone	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 someone 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 up	become an adult	When Jack grows up he wants to be a fireman.
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 into something	grow big enough to fit	This bike is too big for him now, but he should grow into it by next year.
hand something down	give something used to someone 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 (N.Amer., 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 someone/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 someone/something	hold firmly using your hands or arms	Hold onto your hat because it's very windy outside.
hold someone/somethingup	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 someone	not tell	We kept our relationship from our parents for two years.
keep someone/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 someone down	fail to support or help, disappoint	I need you to be on time. Don't let me down this time.
let someone in	allow to enter	Can you let the cat in before you go to school?
look after someone/something	take care of	I have to look after my sick grandmother.
look down on someone	think less of, consider inferior	Ever since we stole that chocolate bar your dad has looked down on me.
look for someone/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 someone/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 someone	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 about why we were late.
make up	forgive each other	We were angry last night, but we made up at breakfast.
make someone 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 someone 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 someone/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 someone down	insult, make someone 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 someone/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 someone/something	meet unexpectedly	I ran into an old school-friend at the mall.
run over someone/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 someone 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 someone	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 someone out	pay for someone 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 someone/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 Verb	Meaning	Example
A	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.
	answer back	reply rudely	Don't answer back your mother!
	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.

B	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.
	beef up	improve, make more substantial	He beefed up his presentation with diagrams and statistics.
	black out	faint, lose consciousness	When he fell off the horse he blacked out.
	block off	Separate using a barrier.	The area was blocked off during the demonstration.
	blow up	1) explode; 2) be destroyed by an explosion	1) The terrorists said the bomb would blow up at 9 o'clock. 2) The car blew up but luckily there was nobody in it.
	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 my a few minutes to boot up the computer.
	break away	escape from captivity	A few horses broke away from the paddock.
	break down	1) go out of order, cease to function 2) lose control of one's emotions	1) John'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, Emma went to live in London.
	bring up	raise (a child)	She stopped working in order to bring up her children.
	brush up on	improve, refresh one's knowledge of something	Mary had to brush up on her Spanish before going to South America.
	bump into	meet by accident or unexpectedly	Pedro bumped into his English teacher at the supermarket.
	burn out	1) stop (something) working 2) become exhausted from over-working	1) The fuse has burnt out. 2) Tom will burn himself out if he doesn't slow down.
	butt in (on sthg)	interrupt impolitely	It's rude to butt in on a conversation like that!

C	call back	return a phone call	I'll call you back as soon as possible.
	call off	cancel	The meeting was called off because of the strike.
	call on/upon sby	formally invite or request	I now call upon the President to address the assembly.
	calm down	become more relaxed, less angry or upset	He was angry at first but he eventually calmed down.
	carry on	continue	He carried on gardening in spite of the rain.
	carry out	1) do something as specified (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. Blair 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.
	close down	stop operating (company, restaurant, cinema).	When the factory closed down, the employees lost their jobs.
	come across	1) find by chance 2) appear, seem, make an impression	1) Julie came across some photographs of her grandparents in the attic. 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.
	conk out	1) stop working 2) stop or fall asleep (from exhaustion)	1) The car conked out on the motorway. 2) He was so exhausted, he conked out in front of the TV.
	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.

D	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.

E	ease off	reduce, become less severe or slow down (pain, traffic, work)	After Christmas the workload generally eases off.
	end in	finish in a certain way; result in	Their marriage ended in divorce.
	end up	finally reach a state, place or action	If he continues his misconduct he'll end up in prison.
	even out	1) eliminate differences of opinion. 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.

F	fall through	fail; doesn't happen	Our planned boat trip fell through because of the storm.
	figure out	understand, find the answer	I'm trying to figure out how to assemble the bookshelves.
	fill out	complete (a form/an application)	Please fill out the enclosed form and return it as soon as possible.
	find out	discover or obtain information	I'm going to call the cinema to find out what time the film starts.
	focus on	concentrate on something	The advertising campaign will focus on the quality of the product.
	figure out	understand; find a solution	We'll have to figure out a way to deliver the goods faster.

G	get along (with)	be on good terms; work well with	I get along (well) with my mother-in-law.
	get at	imply	What exactly are you trying to get at?
	get away	escape	The robbers got away in a black car.
	get by	manage to cope or to survive	It's difficult to get by on a low salary.
	get in	enter	How did the burglar get in?
	get into (+noun)	enter	How did the burglar get into the house?
	get off	1) leave (bus, train, plane) 2) remove	1) You should get off the bus at Trafalgar Square. 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	Sarah gave up smoking 5 years ago.
	go through	experience	Pete went through a lot of pain after the accident.
	grow up	spend one's childhood; develop; become an adult	He grew up in a small village in the mountains.

H	hand in	submit (report, homework)	All application forms must be handed in before the end of the month.
	hand out	distribute	Samples will be handed out at the end of the demonstration.
	hang out	spend time in a particular place, or with a group of friends	Where does he hang out these days? Who does he hang out with?
	hang up	end a phone conversation	"Don't hang up. I haven't finished yet."
	hit at	aim a blow at	He hit at the wasp with the newspaper.
	hit back	retaliate; reply to an attack	When he was attacked by the others, the boy hit back.
	hit on/upon	find unexpectedly or by inspiration	She hit upon an idea for her new collection.
	hold on	-wait -grip tightly	- 'Hold on please. I'll put you through to Mr. Brown." - She held on to the railing as she crossed the bridge.
	hurry up	be quick, act speedily	Hurry up! We'll miss the bus.

I	iron out	resolve by discussion, eliminate differences	The meeting tomorrow will be an opportunity to iron out difficulties.

J	join in	participate	She was too shy to join in the game.
	join up	-engage in, become a member of - meet and unite with	- John was in the Army and Tom joined up as soon as he left school. - 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.

K	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	Bill walks so fast it's difficult to keep up with him.
	kick off	begin, start	The football match kicked off at 3 o'clock.

L	leave out	omit, not mention	The child's name was left out of the report.
	let down	disappoint	You promised to come to the party, so don't let me down!
	look after	take care of	A babysitter looks after the children when they go out.
	look ahead	think of the future	It's time to forget the past and look ahead.
	look down on	consider as inferior	He tends to look down on anyone who is not successful.
	look on	be a spectator at an event	Billy didn't take part in the fight. He just looked on.
	look for	try to find something	Jane went to the shops to look for a pair of shoes.
	look forward to	await or anticipate with pleasure	I look forward to seeing you soon.
	look up to	admire	He was a wonderful teacher and many students looked up to him.

M	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.

N	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.

O	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.

P	pass away	die	The old lady passed away peacefully.
	pass out	faint	She passed out when she heard the bad news.
	pay back	reimburse	I'll lend you 20€ provided you pay me back before the end of the week.
	put off	postpone, arrange a later date	The meeting was put off because of the strike.
	put on	turn on, switch on	Could you put on the light please?
	put out	extinguish	It took a long time to put out the fire.
	put up	accommodate, give somebody a bed	We can put you up if you'd like to come for a week-end.
	pick up	collect somebody	I'll pick you up at the station when you arrive.
	point out	indicate/direct attention to something	She pointed out the mistake.

R	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)	Sophie ran into Maria at the shopping centre.
	run out of	have no more of something.	What a nuisance! We've run out of coffee.

S	set off	start a journey;	Early Saturday morning we set off for the ski slopes .
	set up	start a business	She set up her own company 10 years ago.
	shop around	compare prices	It's always wise to shop around before buying anything.
	show off	brag or want to be admired	There's David showing off in his new sports car!
	show up	appear/arrive	We expected David 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.

T	take after	resemble, in appearance or character	Jamie 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.
	tell off	reprimand/criticize severely	The teacher told her off for not doing her homework.
	think over	consider	I'll have to think over the proposal before I decide.
	try on	wear something to see if it suits or fits	I'm not sure about the size. Can I try it on?
	turn down	refuse	I couldn't turn down an offer like that!

U	use up	finish a product (so that there's none left)	The kids have used up all the toothpaste.

V	vouch for	express confidence in, or guarantee something	You can give the keys to Andy. I can vouch for him.

W	watch out	be careful	Watch out! There's a car coming.
	wear out	1) become unusable 2) become very tired	1) Julie wore out her shoes visiting the city. 2) At the end of the day Julie was worn out.
	work out	1) do physical exercise 2) find a solution or calculate something	1) I work out twice a week at the gym club. 2) It's expensive but I haven't worked out the exact cost yet.
	wipe off	clean (board, table).	The teacher asked Lee to wipe off the board.

Last Updated: September 1, 2018