Meaning: to decide not to do something because of

opposition, or because of pressure from authorities

For example:

back down Thousands of people protested against the

government's decision to allow logging in the forest, so the
government had to back down.

back down on sth The workers didn't back down on their

demands for higher wages even though the company
threatened to sack them.

Meaning: If you back out of something like an agreement or

a deal, you decide not to follow through on it.

Synonym: pull out

For example:

back out Our boss had agreed to increase our wages this
year, but the economy went bad and he backed out,
claiming his profits had fallen too much.

back out of sth The government backed out of its pledge

to build more schools, saying it needed the money for war
we

Meaning: If you back up what you say, you use evidence or

examples to show that it's true.

Synonym: support

For example:

back sth up When making a claim, you should be able to

use evidence to back it up.
 back up sth They'll back up her story with photos, video
clips and witness statements to prove that what she's
saying is true.

back sth up with sth When writing an essay, you should

state your main idea and then back it up with supporting
evidence.

Nouns often used as objects with

back up (2): claim, thesis, hypothesis, belief, contention,
idea
back up with: evidence, examples, proof

Meaning: to help out someone or something that's in serious

trouble, especially financial trouble

For example:

bail out sb/sth The government had to bail out many

banks and financial institutions in the 2008 financial crisis.

bail sb/sth out Why do we have to bail them out with

taxpayer's money? Why not just let them go bankrupt?

Nouns often used as objects with

bail out (1): company, bank, lenders, borrowers, creditors

Meaning: to give money to a court so that an accused

person doesn't have to stay in jail until their trial begins

For example:

bail sb out My son was arrested so I went to the police

station to bail him out.

bail sb out How much will it cost to bail her out?

Meaning: If you bank on something happening or someone
doing something, you depend on it or count on it.

Synonym: count on

For example:

bank on sb/sth We're banking on FedEx to get the parcel

to them tomorrow. If they don't, we're in trouble.

bank on doing sth I'm banking on getting this job. I don't

know what I'll do if I don't get it.

bank on sb doing sth They're banking on Keith to finish

the job on time.

Meaning: to use something as source material

For example:

be based on sth His latest film is based on a novel by

Hunter S. Thompson.

base sth on sth The whole thing is based on a popular

Japanese TV show from the nineties.

Meaning: to have relevance to, or influence on, something

For example:

bear on sth The judge wouldn't allow the evidence

because he said that it didn't bear on the case.

bear on sth If you're applying for a job, don't forget that

grooming and appearance will definitely bear on the final
result.
Nouns often used as objects with
bear on: case, issue, result, outcome, decision, verdict

Note: also "bear upon"

Meaning: to show that someone is correct or that something

is true

Synonym: support

For example:

bear out sb/sth The latest evidence bears out Al Gore's

belief that global warming is really happening and that it's
a very serious problem.

bear sb/sth out I've always said that the economic

bubble would burst, and my students will be bear me out
on that.

Meaning: to make something stronger or more powerful

Synonym: strengthen, boost

For example:

beef up sth The government decided to beef up security

after a terrorist attack on the country's biggest airport.

beef sth up We've been letting the opposition teams score

too many goals, so we need to beef our defence up a bit.

Nouns often used as objects with

beef up: security, armed forces, police force, workforce,
sales department, defence, attack

Meaning: to be sure that something will happen

For example:

bet on sth Whatever James does in life, you can bet on it

being interesting and exciting.

bet on sth These share prices could go up, but I wouldn't

bet on it. They could just as easily go down

Meaning: to lose consciousness

Synonym: pass out, faint

For example:

black out Jack drank so much whiskey that he blacked out

and fell off his bar stool.

black out It was so hot that one of the soldiers in the

parade blacked out and had to be taken to the infirmary.

Meaning: to surprise or amaze someone

Synonym: amaze, astonish, astound

For example:

be blown away When I saw Tarantino's film Pulp Fiction I

was totally blown away. It was brilliant.

blow sb away The start of the show will blow you away.

Meaning: If something like an action or an attitude borders

on something more extreme, it is close to being that extreme.

Synonym: verge on, come close to

For example:
 border on sth His fear of the government borders on
paranoia.

border on sth The fanatical excitement you see at some

political rallies in the south borders on mass hysteria.

Note: Almost always used in relation to a negative extreme,

though occasionally it's used in a more positive context, as in
"his talent borders on genius".

Meaning: to resign from a job, or to end a career, usually

after a long time

Synonym: retire

For example:

bow out After being captain for many years, Paul bowed
out so that a younger member of the team could take over.

bow out Some politicians don't seem to know when it's

time to bow out, and they cling to power for too long.

Meaning: to become happier and feel more cheerful

Synonym: cheer up

For example:

brighten up Makiko was feeling homesick, but she

brightened up when she got a call from her brother.

brighten sb up Whenever she feels a bit down, Paris goes

to see a funny movie and it always brightens her up.

Meaning: to make something from the past come back, such

as a memory, a feeling, an idea, etc.
Synonym: evoke

For example:

bring back sth Hearing these old songs really brings back
the old days, doesn't it?

bring sth back The letters she'd found brought some

wonderful memories back.

Meaning: to change the date or time of an event so that it

happens earlier than originally planned

For example:

bring sth forward Let's bring the wedding forward to

October so it'll be a spring wedding.

be brought forward The meeting had to be brought

forward by two weeks.

Meaning: to succeed in doing something that's difficult

Synonym: pull off

For example:

bring off sth Nobody expected the Saints to win the game,
but they brought off one of the most amazing victories of
the year.

bring sth off You got the top score in the exam! How did
you bring that off?

Meaning: to cause something like an illness or a painful

emotion

Synonym: cause
For example:

bring sth on I just saw Maria crying. I wonder what

brought that on?

bring on sth The pollution brought on my daughter's

asthma, so we had to move to a place with cleaner air.

Meaning: to raise a new topic for discussion, or to mention a

particular subject or issue in a conversation

Synonym: introduce, raise

For example:

bring sth up You should bring that issue up in the next

staff meeting.

bring up sth When travelling in a foreign country, you

shouldn't bring up topics like religion or politics.

Nouns often used as objects with

bring up (2): topic, subject, issue, matter, point

Meaning: to meet somebody by chance

Synonym: run into

For example:

bump into sb Did you know Kerry was back from her
holiday? I just bumped into her in the street.

bump into sb I have so many friends in this town that

whenever I go out I bump into someone I know.

Meaning: to say nice things to someone before asking them

to do something for you or to give you something
Synonym: flatter

For example:

butter sb up If my daughter wants something, she butters

me up with a hug and a few nice words before asking me
for it.

butter up sb You'll probably have to butter up the guys

who run the place before they'll agree to help you out.