phrasal verb meaning example sentence

Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a

ask sby out invite on a date
movie.
ask many people the I asked around but nobody has seen
ask around
same question my wallet.
add up to sthg equal Your purchases add up to $205.32.
You'll have to back up your car so that
back sthg up reverse
I can get out.
My wife backed me up over my
back sby up support
decision to quit my job.
The racing car blew up after it crashed
blow up explode
into the fence.
We have to blow 50 balloons up for the
blow sthg up add air
party.
stop functioning Our car broke down at the side of the
break down
(vehicle, machine) highway in the snowstorm.
The woman broke down when the
break down get upset
police told her that her son had died.
divide into smaller Our teacher broke the final
break sthg down
parts project down into three separate parts.
force entry to a Somebody broke in last night and stole
break in
building our stereo.
The firemen had to break into the room
break into sthg enter forcibly
to rescue the children.
wear sthg a few
I need to break these shoes in before
break sthg in times so that it
we run next week.
doesn't look/feel new
The TV station broke in to report the
break in interrupt
news of the president's death.
My boyfriend and I broke up before I
break up end a relationship
moved to America.
start laughing The kids just broke up as soon as the
break up
(informal) clown started talking.
The prisoners broke out of jail when
break out escape
the guards weren't looking.
develop a skin I broke out in a rash after our camping
break out in sthg
condition trip.
bring sby down make unhappy This sad music is bringing me down.
My grandparents brought me up after
bring sby up raise a child
my parents died.
 phrasal verb meaning example sentence
start talking about a My mother walks out of the room when
bring sthg up
subject my father brings up sports.
He drank so much that he brought his
bring sthg up vomit
dinner up in the toilet.
phone many different We called around but we weren't able
call around
places/people to find the car part we needed.
I called the company back but the
call sby back return a phone call
offices were closed for the weekend.
Jason called the wedding off because he
call sthg off cancel
wasn't in love with his fiancé.
ask for an answer or The professor called on me for question
call on sby
opinion 1.
We called on you last night but you
call on sby visit sby
weren't home.
Give me your phone number and I
call sby up phone
will call you up when we are in town.
relax after being You are still mad. You need to calm
calm down
angry down before you drive the car.
not care for sby/
not like (formal) I don't care for his behaviour.
sthg
get to the same point You'll have to run faster than that if you
catch up
as sby else want to catch up with Marty.
arrive and register at We will get the hotel keys when
check in
a hotel or airport we check in.
You have to check out of the hotel
check out leave a hotel
before 11:00 AM.
look at carefully, The company checks out all new
check sby/ sthg out
investigate employees.
check out sby/ sthg look at (informal) Check out the crazy hair on that guy!
She cheered up when she heard the
cheer up become happier
good news.
I brought you some flowers
cheer sby up make happier
to cheer you up.
If everyone chips in we can get the
chip in help
kitchen painted by noon.
Please clean up your bedroom before
clean sthg up tidy, clean
you go outside.
I came across these old photos when I
come across sthg find unexpectedly
was tidying the closet.
 phrasal verb meaning example sentence
The top and bottom come apart if you
come apart separate
pull hard enough.
come down My nephew came down with chicken
become sick
with sthg pox this weekend.
volunteer for a task The woman came forward with her
come forward
or to give evidence husband's finger prints.
come from some
originate in The art of origami comes from Asia.
place
I am counting on you to make dinner
count on sby/ sthg rely on
while I am out.
Please cross out your old address and
cross sthg out draw a line through
write your new one.
My doctor wants me to cut back
cut back on sthg consume less
on sweets and fatty foods.
make sthg fall to the We had to cut the old tree in our
cut sthg down
ground yard down after the storm.
Your father cut in while I was dancing
cut in interrupt
with your uncle.
pull in too closely in
The bus driver got angry when that
cut in front of another
car cut in.
vehicle
start operating (of an
The air conditioner cuts in when the
cut in engine or electrical
temperature gets to 22°C.
device)
remove with sthg The doctors cut off his leg because it
cut sthg off
sharp was severely injured.
The phone company cut off our phone
cut sthg off stop providing
because we didn't pay the bill.
My grandparents cut my
cut sby off take out of a will
father off when he remarried.
remove part of sthg
cut sthg out (usually with scissors I cut this ad out of the newspaper.
and paper)
beat up, ransack He's lucky to be alive. His shop
do sby/ sthg over
(BrE, informal) was done over by a street gang.
My teacher wants me to do my
do sthg over do again (AmE) essay over because she doesn't like my
topic.
It's time to do away with all of these
do away with sthg discard
old tax records.
 phrasal verb meaning example sentence
Do your coat up before you go outside.
do sthg up fasten, close
It's snowing!
It's a fancy restaurant so we have
dress up wear nice clothing
to dress up.
move back in a Andrea dropped back to third place
drop back
position/group when she fell off her bike.
come without an I might drop in/by/over for tea
drop in/ by/ over
appointment sometime this week.
take sby/ sthg
I have to drop my sister off at work
drop sby/ sthg off somewhere and leave
before I come over.
them/it there
quit a class, school I dropped out of Science because it
drop out
etc was too difficult.
I don't feel like cooking tonight.
eat out eat at a restaurant
Let's eat out.
eventually We ended up renting a movie instead
end up
reach/do/decide of going to the theatre.
My new dress fell apart in the washing
fall apart break into pieces
machine.
The picture that you hung up last
fall down fall to the ground
night fell down this morning.
separate from an The money must have fallen out of my
fall out
interior pocket.
(of hair, teeth)
His hair started to fall out when he was
fall out become loose and
only 35.
unattached
understand, find the I need to figure out how to fit the piano
figure sthg out
answer and the bookshelf in this room.
to write information
Please fill in the form with your name,
fill sthg in in blanks, as on a
address, and phone number.
form (BrE)
to write information
The form must be filled out in capital
fill sthg out in blanks, as on a
letters.
form (AmE)
I always fill the water jug up when it is
fill sthg up fill to the top
empty.
We don't know where he lives. How can
find out discover
we find out?
We tried to keep the time of the party a
find sthg out discover
secret, but Samantha found it out.
 phrasal verb meaning example sentence
get sthg across/ communicate, make I tried to get my point across/over to
over understandable the judge but she wouldn't listen.
I was surprised how well my new
get along/on like each other
girlfriend and my sister got along/on.
My grandfather can get around fine in
get around have mobility
his new wheelchair.
We worked so hard this year that we
get away go on a vacation
had to get away for a week.
do without being Jason always gets away with cheating
get away with sthg
noticed or punished in his maths tests.
We got back from our vacation last
get back return
week.
receive sthg you had Liz finally got her Science
get sthg back
before notes back from my room-mate.
retaliate, take My sister got back at me for stealing
get back at sby
revenge her shoes. She stole my favourite hat.
become interested in I finally got back into my novel and
get back into sthg
sthg again finished it.
We're going to freeze out here if you
get on sthg step onto a vehicle
don't let us get on the bus.
recover from an
I just got over the flu and now my sister
get over sthg illness, loss,
has it.
difficulty
The company will have to close if it
get over sthg overcome a problem
can't get over the new regulations.
finally find time to
I don't know when I am going to get
get round to sthg do (AmE: get
round to writing the thank you cards.
around tosthg)
meet (usually for Let's get together for a BBQ this
get together
social reasons) weekend.
I got up early today to study for my
get up get out of bed
exam.
You should get up and give the elderly
get up stand
man your seat.
reveal hidden
give sby away information about His wife gave him away to the police.
sby
take the bride to the My father gave me away at my
give sby away
altar wedding.
give sthg away ruin a secret My little sister gave the surprise
 phrasal verb meaning example sentence
party away by accident.
give sthg to sby for The library was giving away old books
give sthg away
free on Friday.
return a borrowed I have to give these skates back to
give sthg back
item Franz before his hockey game.
reluctantly stop My boyfriend didn't want to go to the
give in
fighting or arguing ballet, but he finally gave in.
give to many people They were giving out free perfume
give sthg out
(usually at no cost) samples at the department store.
I am giving up smoking as of January
give sthg up quit a habit
1st.
My maths homework was too difficult
give up stop trying
so I gave up.
My brother tried to go after the thief in
go after sby follow sby
his car.
I went after my dream and now I am a
go after sthg try to achieve sthg
published writer.
We are going against the best soccer
go against sby compete, oppose
team in the city tonight.
Please go ahead and eat before the food
go ahead start, proceed
gets cold.
I have to go back home and get my
go back return to a place
lunch.
leave home to go on
go out We're going out for dinner tonight.
a social event
Jesse has been going out with Luke
go out with sby date
since they met last winter.
Please go over your answers before you
go over sthg review
submit your test.
I haven't seen Tina for a long time. I
go over visit sby nearby
think I'll go over for an hour or two.
suffer lack or When I was young, we went
go without sthg
deprivation without winter boots.
stop being friends My best friend and I grew apart after
grow apart
over time she changed schools.
grow back regrow My roses grew back this summer.
grow big enough to This bike is too big for him now, but he
grow into sthg
fit should grow into it by next year.
grow out of sthg get too big for Elizabeth needs a new pair of shoes
 phrasal verb meaning example sentence
because she has grown out of her old
ones.
When Jack grows up he wants to be a
grow up become an adult
fireman.
give sthg used to sby I handed my old comic books down to
hand sthg down
else my little cousin.
hand sthg in submit I have to hand in my essay by Friday.
to distribute to a We will hand out the invitations at the
hand sthg out
group of people door.
give (usually The police asked the man to hand
hand sthg over
unwillingly) over his wallet and his weapons.
stay positive Hang in there. I'm sure you'll find a job
hang in
(informal) very soon.
wait a short time Hang on while I grab my coat and
hang on
(informal) shoes!
spend time relaxing Instead of going to the party we are just
hang out
(informal) going to hang out at my place.
He didn't say goodbye before he hung
hang up end a phone call
up.
prevent from I had to hold my dog back because
hold sby/ sthg back
doing/going there was a cat in the park.
Jamie held back his tears at his
hold sthg back hide an emotion
grandfather's funeral.
Please hold on while I transfer you to
hold on wait a short time
the Sales Department.
hold firmly using Hold onto your hat because it's very
hold onto sby/ sthg
your hands or arms windy outside.
A man in a black mask held the
hold sby/ sthgup rob
bank up this morning.
Keep on stirring until the liquid comes
keep on doing sthg continue doing
to a boil.
We kept our relationship from our
keep sthg from sby not tell
parents for two years.
Try to keep the wet dog out of the
keep sby/ sthg out stop from entering
living room.
continue at the same If you keep those results up you will
keep sthg up
rate get into a great college.
fail to support or I need you to be on time.
let sby down
help, disappoint Don't let me down this time.
 phrasal verb meaning example sentence
Can you let the cat in before you go to
let sby in allow to enter
school?
sign in (to a website, I can't log in to Facebook because I've
log in (or on)
database etc) forgotten my password.
sign out (of a
If you don't log off somebody could get
log out (or off) website, database
into your account.
etc)
I have to look after my sick
look after sby/ sthg take care of
grandmother.
think less of, Ever since we stole that chocolate bar
look down on sby
consider inferior your dad has looked down onme.
I'm looking for a red dress for the
look for sby/ sthg try to find
wedding.
look forward be excited about the I'm looking forward to the Christmas
to sthg future break.
We are going to look into the price of
look into sthg investigate
snowboards today.
be careful, vigilant,
look out Look out! That car's going to hit you!
and take notice
look out for sby/ be especially vigilant Don't forget to look out for snakes on
sthg for the hiking trail.
Can you look over my essay for
look sthg over check, examine
spelling mistakes?
search and find
information in a We can look her phone number up on
look sthg up
reference book or the Internet.
database
have a lot of respect My little sister has always looked up to
look up to sby
for me.
Josie made up a story about why we
make sthg up invent, lie about sthg
were late.
We were angry last night, but we made
make up forgive each other
up at breakfast.
My sisters made me up for my
make sby up apply cosmetics to
graduation party.
confuse two or more
mix sthg up I mixed up the twins' names again!
things
His uncle passed away last night after a
pass away die
long illness.
pass out faint It was so hot in the church that an
 phrasal verb meaning example sentence
elderly lady passed out.
give the same thing The professor passed the
pass sthg out
to many people textbooks out before class.
decline (usually sthg I passed up the job because I am afraid
pass sthg up
good) of change.
Thanks for buying my ticket.
pay sby back return owed money
I'll pay you back on Friday.
be punished for That bully will pay for being mean to
pay for sthg
doing sthg bad my little brother.
I picked out three sweaters for you to
pick sthg out choose
try on.
indicate with your I'll point my boyfriend out when he
point sby/ sthg out
finger runs by.
put what you are
You can put the groceries down on the
put sthg down holding on a surface
kitchen counter.
or floor
The students put the substitute
insult, make sby feel
put sby down teacher down because his pants were
stupid
too short.
We are putting off our trip until
put sthg off postpone
January because of the hurricane.
The neighbours put the fire out before
put sthg out extinguish
the firemen arrived.
I have to put the crib together before
put sthg together assemble
the baby arrives.
put up with sby/ I don't think I can put up with three
tolerate
sthg small children in the car.
put clothing/
Don't forget to put on your new
put sthg on accessories on your
earrings for the party.
body
I ran into an old school-friend at the
run into sby/ sthg meet unexpectedly
mall.
drive a vehicle over a I accidentally ran over your bicycle in
run over sby/ sthg
person or thing the driveway.
run over/ Let's run over/through these lines one
rehearse, review
through sthg more time before the show.
leave unexpectedly, The child ran away from home and has
run away
escape been missing for three days.
We ran out of shampoo so I had to
run out have none left
wash my hair with soap.
 phrasal verb meaning example sentence
return (usually by My letter got sent back to me because I
send sthg back
mail) used the wrong stamp.
Our boss set a meeting up with the
set sthg up arrange, organize
president of the company.
The police set up the car thief by using
set sby up trick, trap
a hidden camera.
I want to shop around a little before I
shop around compare prices
decide on these boots.
act extra special for
show off people watching He always shows off on his skateboard
(usually boastfully)
stay somewhere for You should sleep over tonight if the
sleep over
the night (informal) weather is too bad to drive home.
organize, resolve a We need to sort the bills out before the
sort sthg out
problem first of the month.
continue doing sthg,
You will lose weight if you stick to the
stick to sthg limit yourself to one
diet.
particular thing
stop the energy flow, The light's too bright. Could
switch sthg off
turn off you switch it off.
start the energy flow, We heard the news as soon as
switch sthg on
turn on we switched on the car radio.
resemble a family I take after my mother. We are both
take after sby
member impatient.
purposely break into He took the car brakes apart and found
take sthg apart
pieces the problem.
I have to take our new
take sthg back return an item
TV back because it doesn't work.
take off start to fly My plane takes off in five minutes.
remove sthg (usually Take off your socks and shoes and
take sthg off
clothing) come in the lake!
remove from a place Can you take the garbage out to the
take sthg out
or thing street for me?
pay for sby to go My grandparents took us out for dinner
take sby out
somewhere with you and a movie.
I tore up my ex-boyfriend's letters and
tear sthg up rip into pieces
gave them back to him.
remember (often + When I think back on my youth, I wish
think back
to, sometimes + on) I had studied harder.
 phrasal verb meaning example sentence
I'll have to think this job
think sthg over consider offer over before I make my final
decision.
We threw our old furniture away when
throw sthg away dispose of
we won the lottery.
decrease the volume
Please turn the TV down while the
turn sthg down or strength (heat,
guests are here.
light etc)
I turned the job down because I don't
turn sthg down refuse
want to move.
stop the energy flow, Your mother wants you to turn the
turn sthg off
switch off TV off and come for dinner.
start the energy, It's too dark in here. Let's turn some
turn sthg on
switch on lights on.
increase the volume
Can you turn the music up? This is my
turn sthg up or strength (heat,
favourite song.
light etc)
Our cat turned up after we put posters
turn up appear suddenly
up all over the neighbourhood.
I'm going to try these jeans on, but I
try sthg on sample clothing
don't think they will fit.
I am going to try this new brand of
try sthg out test
detergent out.
The kids used all of the
use sthg up finish the supply toothpaste up so we need to buy some
more.
We have to wake up early for work on
wake up stop sleeping
Monday.
increase the You can warm your feet up in front of
warm sby/ sthg up
temperature the fireplace.
prepare body for I always warm up by doing sit-ups
warm up
exercise before I go for a run.
Most of my make-up wore off before I
wear off fade away
got to the party.
I work out at the gym three times a
work out exercise
week.
work out be successful Our plan worked out fine.
We have to work out the total cost
work sthg out make a calculation
before we buy the house.