phrasal verb meaning example sentence

1. ask somebody out invite on a Brian asked Judy out to dinner

date and a movie.

2. back something up reverse You'll have to back up your car

so that I can get out.

3. back somebody up support My wife backed me up over my

decision to quit my job.

4. break down stop Our car broke down at the side

functioning of the highway in the
(vehicle, snowstorm.
machine)

5. break something divide into Our teacher broke the final

down smaller parts project down into three
separate parts.

6. call somebody back return a I called the company back but

phone call the offices were closed for the
weekend.

7. call something off cancel Jason called the wedding off

because he wasn't in love with
his fiancé.

8. call somebody up phone Give me your phone number

and I will call you up when we
are in town.

9. check somebody/ look at The company checks out all

something out carefully, new employees.
investigate

10. cheer make happier I brought you some flowers to

 somebody up cheer you up.

11. clean tidy, clean Please clean up your bedroom

something up before you go outside.

12. cross draw a line Please cross out your old

something out through address and write your new
one.

13. cut something make We had to cut the old tree in

down something our yard down after the storm.
fall to the
ground

14. cut something remove with The doctors cut off his leg
off something because it was severely
sharp injured.

15. cut something stop The phone company cut off

off providing our phone because we didn't
pay the bill.

16. cut something remove part I cut this ad out of the

out of something newspaper.
(usually with
scissors and
paper)

17. do something do again My teacher wants me to do my

over essay over because she
doesn't like my topic.

18. drop take I have to drop my sister off at

somebody/ somebody/ work before I come over.
something off something
somewhere
 and leave
them/it there

19. fall out (of hair, teeth) His hair started to fall out
become loose when he was only 35.
and
unattached

20. figure understand, I need to figure out how to fit

something out find the the piano and the bookshelf in
answer this room.

21. fill something to write Please fill in the form with

in information in your name, address, and
blanks, as on phone number.
a form

22. fill something to write The form must be filled out in

out information in capital letters.
blanks, as on
a form

23. fill something fill to the top I always fill the water jug up
up when it is empty.

24. find something discover We tried to keep the time of

out the party a secret, but
Samantha found it out.

25. get something receive Liz finally got her Science

back something notes back from my room-
you had mate.
before

26. give something give The library was giving away

away something to old books on Friday.
 somebody for
free

27. give something return a I have to give these skates

back borrowed back to Franz before his
item hockey game.

28. give something quit a habit I am giving up smoking as of

up January 1st.

29. hand submit I have to hand in my essay by

something in Friday.

30. hand to distribute We will hand out the

something out to a group of invitations at the door.
people

31. hand give (usually The police asked the man to

something over unwillingly) hand over his wallet and his
weapons.

32. hold prevent from I had to hold my dog back

somebody/ doing/going because there was a cat in the
something back park.

33. hold something hide an Jamie held back his tears at

back emotion his grandfather's funeral.

34. hold rob A man in a black mask held

somebody/ the bank up this morning.
something up

35. keep not tell We kept our relationship from

something from our parents for two years.
somebody

36. keep stop from Try to keep the wet dog out of
 somebody/ entering the living room.
something out

37. let somebody fail to support I need you to be on time. Don't

down or help, let me down this time.
disappoint

38. let somebody in allow to enter Can you let the cat in before
you go to school?

39. look something check, Can you look over my essay

over examine for spelling mistakes?

40. look something search and We can look her phone

up find number up on the Internet.
information in
a reference
book or
database

41. make invent, lie Josie made up a story about

something up about why we were late.
something

42. make apply My sisters made me up for my

somebody up cosmetics to graduation party.

43. mix something confuse two I mixed up the twins' names

up or more again!
things

44. pay somebody return owed Thanks for buying my ticket. I'll
back money pay you back on Friday.

45. pick something choose I picked out three sweaters for

out you to try on.
46. put something put what you You can put the groceries
down are holding down on the kitchen counter.
on a surface
or floor

47. put something postpone We are putting off our trip until
off January because of the
hurricane.

48. put something extinguish The neighbours put the fire out
out before the firemen arrived.

49. put something assemble I have to put the crib together

together before the baby arrives.

50. put something put clothing/ Don't forget to put on your new
on accessories earrings for the party.
on your body

51. send return My letter got sent back to me

something back (usually by because I used the wrong
mail) stamp.

52. set something arrange, Our boss set a meeting up

up organize with the president of the
company.

53. set somebody trick, trap The police set up the car thief
up by using a hidden camera.

54. sort something organize, We need to sort the bills out

out resolve a before the first of the month.
problem

55. switch stop the The light's too bright. Could

 something off energy flow, you switch it off.
turn off

56. switch start the We heard the news as soon as

something on energy flow, we switched on the car radio.
turn on

57. take something purposely He took the car brakes apart

apart break into and found the problem.
pieces

58. take something return an item I have to take our new TV back
back because it doesn't work.

59. take something remove Take off your socks and shoes
off something and come in the lake!
(usually
clothing)

60. take something remove from Can you take the garbage out
out a place or to the street for me?
thing

61. take somebody pay for My grandparents took us out

out somebody to for dinner and a movie.
go
somewhere
with you

62. tear something rip into pieces I tore up my ex-boyfriend's

up letters and gave them back to
him.

63. think consider I'll have to think this job offer

something over over before I make my final
decision.
64. throw dispose of We threw our old furniture
something away away when we won the lottery.

65. turn something decrease the Please turn the TV down while
down volume or the guests are here.
strength
(heat, light
etc)

66. turn something refuse I turned the job down because

down I don't want to move.

67. turn something stop the Your mother wants you to turn
off energy flow, the TV off and come for
switch off dinner.

68. turn something start the It's too dark in here. Let's turn
on energy, some lights on.
switch on

69. turn something increase the Can you turn the music up?
up volume or This is my favourite song.
strength
(heat, light
etc)

70. try something sample I'm going to try these jeans on,
on clothing but I don't think they will fit.

71. try something test I am going to try this new

out brand of detergent out.

72. use something finish the The kids used all of the
up supply toothpaste up so we need to
buy some more.
73. warm increase the You can warm your feet up in
somebody/ temperature front of the fireplace.
something up

74. work make a We have to work out the total

something out calculation cost before we buy the house.