Phrasal verbs database ask for news about: Tony was asking after you and Itold him you ask after back down back out bank on break down break out break out bring forward bringin bring on bring out bring up bring up aallfor call for all off carryon carry out catch on catch on catch up with chase after were fin stop demanding sth, stop saying that you will do sth: it seemed asif theman was going to start a fight with the manager but he eventually backed down. decide not to do sth you agreed to do: But you promised to help me this weekend - you can't back out now! depend on sth happening: m really banking on getting that ob at the supermarket. stop working (for a machine, etc): That's the third time our car's broken down this month! escape (from prison): Reports are coming in that fie prisoners have broken out of Pentonwood Prison. start suddenly (for a war, fire, etc): Itseems that the fire broke outin the kitchen, change the date/time of an event so it happens earlier:Because of recent events themeeting hasbeen brought forward to the 2% introduce a new law or system: The governmentare planning to bring in @ law banning hunting, Cause (an illness, etc): Being out in the fog always brings on my asthma, produce and start tosell anew product: Did you hear that REI 1ave just brought outa new album? look after a child until he or she becomes an adult: Both Sarahis parents died when she was young ‘and shewas brought up by her grandmother. start discussing a subject! hate to bringit up, butdo you have that ‘money you owe me? require, need: The manager said that the situation called for some difficult decisions. demand: The farmersare calling for assistance from the government. cancel:/hope they don't call the concert off because ofthis rain, continue: You carry on painting this wall and i'l go and get some more brushes. perform an experiment, etc: The Investigators have been carrying out tests on the pieces of plane recovered after the accident. become popular or fashionabl Yougreen hai great. but don't think i'l catch ont understand: Greg is ely clever and always catches on in class very quickly. reach the same point/level as:/ran aiitile faster to try to catch up with the others. follow sb/sth quickly in orderto catch them: The shopkeeper ran ‘out of the shop and chased after the shoplifter as he ran down the street. check in check out check out clear up close down come (a)round come (a)round (to) come across ‘come by come down with come forward come into come off come out come round/to come up with count on cross out cut down (on) cut down (on) cut off ted)ster at ahotel or an atport: Give me your passport and Fil go to thedeskto checkin. leave a hotel: Allquests must check outby midday. investigate:Let’s check out that new website Bill was talking about. become brighter and better for weather): (Ft doesn’t clear up,then I'm afraid we may have tocancel the race. stop operating (for companies): What is the government doin about the fact that dozens of local businesses are closing down every month? happen again (for regular events): Christmas soon comes around, doesn't it? be persuaded to change your mind (about): That's a good point. ‘Maybe Im coming round to your way of thinking. find sth or meet sb by chané came across some old photographs while I vas clearing out my desk. get sth especially sth that is hard to get: How did you comeby that painting? Start to suffer from a minor illness: After being out in the storm, Alice came down with a cold, offer help or information: After the Police appealed for help from the ‘public, a numberof people came forward with useful information. inherit: At the age of eighteen, Roger suddenly came into a fortune. succeed: Well think it's astupid lan and Fle amazed it comes off. develop or make progress: Your piano playing i really coming on, isntit start to be broadcast: Thot quiz show you wanted to watch comes onin half an hour. be published: | can't wait untilthe next Hairy Potter book comes out. become conscious: After a worrying fewminutes,Sean started to come round and opened his eyes. think of (an idea, a plan, etc): Who do you think came up with theidea of the bicycle? tely on, trust: Don't worry you can count an meto help if you need it draw a line through sth written: Danny realised that he'd madea spelling mistake and crossed the word out. do less of (smoking, ete):!fyou can't give up smoking, you could at east try tocut down, reduce an amount of: My doctor has advised me to cutdown on fat. make a place difficult or impossible to enter, leave or communicate with: The snow ‘meant that the village was cut off for overa month, 198DES ren cut off cut off dawn on deal with die down do away with doup do without drawup dress up dropin (on) drop off drop off drop out (of) drown out face up to fall for fall for fall out (with) feel upto stop the supply of sth: When we move, don’t forget to tell them to cut the water and electricity off. disconnect: | was talking to Gordon on the phonewhen we were suddenly cut off if something dawns on you, you reais itfor the frst time: 't suddenly dawned on me that Sharon loved Oscar and that was why she was behaving so strangely. handle, cope with: Myjob mostly involves dealing with complaints from members of the public. become less noisy, powerful or active: The actor waited for the laughter to die down before continuing get rid of: think they should do away with. double yenow lines and just let people park where they want to. repair, paint or improve: You should have your house done up before you sell it live without (sth you can't afford): if there's one thing I could never do without, it's my mobile phone, create (plans, etc): The architect started to draw up the plans for the new house. puton fency or unusual clothes: used to love dressing up inmy mums clothes when I was a little gir. visit unexpectedly: hope you don't mind medropping in on you lke this, only wa ust passing and thought we could have a quick cup of coffee. let someone get out of a vehicle: Ler’s get the taxi driver to drop us off outside the supermarket. fall asleep: After along day at work, Henry dropped offin front of the TV. leave school, etc before you have finished a course: Dave's parents were ven discppointed when he dropped out of university. event a sound from being heard by making a louder noise:/he shouts from the audience drowned the politician out and no one could heara word he was saying. accept sth and try to deal with it: You need to face up to your responsibilities. fall in love with: Romeo really fell for Juliet when he first kissed her. believe (a lie/trick/joke, ete)! told Sam thatwe had the day off school, ‘and he fel forit! have an argument with and stop being friends: Pamela hasn't spoken to herfather since they fell out eight years ago. feel well enough to do: know! should go to the gym today, but! don'treally feel upto it. fill in find out flick through get (sb) down get along (with) getat get away with get back getby get on (with) get on for get on with get over get round to get through get up to giveaway give away give give off giveup add information in the spaces on a document: Just fil in this form and then hand itin atreception, discover information, etc:/ve ‘always wanted to findout more about the ancient Egyptians. turn and look at the pages of a magazine, etc quickly: was flicking through amagazine when, suddenly, I sav a photograph of the ‘man who had stolen the money! make sb feel sad or lose hope: This rainy weather really gets me down. have a good relationship (with): dont know why, but don'treally get along with my girfriend!s parents. try to express: The man pointed at his shoulder, but I couldn't understand what he was getting at. escape punishment for: The police promised that the thieves would not be allowed to get away with the robbery. return from a place: When did you get backfrom holiday? manage to survive (financially): don't make @ huge amount o money, but we get by. have a good relationship (with): I get on with most of my teachers ~except Mr Mills! be almost a particular time, number,age,etc:!’m not sure what timeitis,but it must be getting on for midnight. continue doing: i had lunch and thengoton with revising for her exanis. recover from (an illness, etc):lttook Mary a long time to get over her illness. start (after planning to do sth for a ong time): When do you think you'll get round to fxing the bathroom use all of finish: can't believe we've got through ten pints of milk ina week! do; do sth you should not do: My brother and lused to get up to lots of things our parents didn't know about when were young. give free of charge: Did you hear that they're giving away free tickets to the concert tonight? reveal sth you are trying to hide: know you haven'tseen the film yet Sol won'tgive theending away. stop making an effort to achieve sth difficult:/couldn’t nish the crossword, soin the end I gave in and had a look at the answers. produce sth suchas heat or a smell: The fridge gets hot next to the cooker because the cooker gives off alotof heat. stop doing sth you do regulariy:/ seca sh youd ada, 4nd started playing the guitar. 199bu ert go away go down (as) goin for goin for go into go off go off go off goon go/come round grow on grow out of grow out of grow up hand down hand in hand out holdup holdup go on holiday: We go away eve Summer and this year we'e thinking about Russia. be remembered for having done something: Churchill went down as a great war-time leader. enter (a competition, etc): You should go in for the talent contest. they're holding at the youth club this weekend. like: could never go infor windsurfing.tts just not my kind of sport. deal with sth in detail: The head teacher asked me to go tothe school to talk about Alexander's behaviour, butshe wouldn’tgo into iton the phone. beno longer fresh: Milk goes off very quickly if you don't put it in the fridge. explode; be fired (fora gun, usually accidentally): Bomb went off outside the Syrian embassy in London today, injuring five people. ‘stop liking: Will used to really like Jazz music, but he’s gone off it lately. continue happening or doing sth: Eventhough everyone said they had heard it,Carol went on telling the joke, do sth after doing sth else: He started by criticising me, and then went onto offer me promotion! repeat or think about agai order to understand completely: fd Tike to begin by going over what we didn last weex’ lesson. jo/come to sb’s house to visit them: We were wondering ifyoutd like to come round for dinner one night this week, if sth grows on you, you start to like it more: dida'tiike reality TV at first, butit really grows on you after awhile. develop from: My ambition tobe a computer programmer grew out of playing computer games. become too big for: Tracy's grown gut of her shoes so we'll have to buy her some new ones. become older: like to be a bus driver when I grow up. give something valuable to your children or grandchildren, usually when you die: This necklace was handed down to me by my grandmother. que toa person in authority: / took the wallet had foundand handed it in at thepolice station, jive things to people in a group: johnnie,please hand these out to everyone in the class. rob while threatening Two men held upa security van today and then escaped on motorbikes. delay: was held up ina traffic jam. knock out leave out let down let off let off lineup liveon look after look down on look into look out look round look upto look up make off make out ate, take part: You'll feel ter if you join in, instead offust watching everyone elsehave jun continue doing sth: if you keep on bbeing late for work, you're going tO bein trouble with the manager. slay at the same point/level as: Gordon walks so fast thatno one can keep upwith him! defeat and remove froma competition: Steve Wilson, the British number one, has been knocked out of the US Open tennis championship by Peter Collingwood, make unconscious: When | fell off mybike my head hit the ground and 1 was completely knocked out for about five minutes! not include: f you don't like cinnamon, then simply leave it out and add sugar to the apples instead. disappoint: Voters feel really et down by the government. ive little or no punishment: | cant ‘lieve that the teacher let Ben off with just a warning! make a bomb, etc explode: Be very careful if you're going to let off those fireworks, eeu wut into lines: The soldiers all lined up, ready to be inspected by theofficer. use as a source of money: / wanted the ob, but I wouldn't be able to live on the salary. take care of: Could you look ater my cat while I'm on holiday? think that you are better than: ¢ annoys ‘me the way Vera looks down on other people. investigate:Police are ooking into thethel be careful: Look out! You're going to fall! examine (a place): We looked round the house but decided that it was too expensive for us. admire and respect: 've always looked up tomy elder brother because he never gives up. try to find information ina book or ist,etc: Just a second - I'l 1ook faye ‘number up in the phone bo. escapeilt seems that the burglars made off without being seen by dressing as postmen, pretend that something is true: Neil tried to make out that hed won thelottery, but we all knew it wasn't true. see hear or understand sb or sth with difficulty: Someone was Waving at me in the distance but | couldn't make out who it was, write all the necessary information on a cheque, ete: Could you please make the cheque out to Eurofinance Limited? 200ee Le make up make up make up make up for make/head for name after narrow down pass away passout pickon pickup plugin popin(to) pullin pullout pull through put by put down put down put down to become friends again after an argument: / had an argument with my best iriend, but we soon made up. invent an explanation, excuse et; AAs got to school,! knew that | would have to make up an excuse for being late. create a story, poem, etc: leo ‘made up a poem about the English teacher. provide sth good, so that sth bad seems less important: When the concert was cancelled my dad took us to thecinema to make up for it. go in the direction of it started to,ain so wemade for a nearby farmhouse. give sb or sth the same nameas sb Or sth else: My dad namedhis boat after his grandmother. reduce the number of possi Istill haven't decided which university to.go to, but I'venarrowed it down to about four. die:! was sorry to hear that your grandfather passed away. suddenly become unconscious: t was so hot that several members of the crond passed out and had to be taken to hospital. keep treating someone badly or unfairly:It’s not fair when some of the bigger boys pick on the little ones, stop ine vehicle to give someonea lift: pick you up from outside your house and we'll drive into town. connect to the electricity supply: Teouldnt understand why the vacuum cleaner wasn't working and then I realised | hadn't pluggedit in visit quickly or for a short time: ‘Mum popped into the cake shop to get something forafter dinner. stop by the side ofthe road in a car: Could you just pull in for 4 second so that Ican buy some chewing gum? stop being involved in an activity: Theother company pulledout of the deal at the last minute. survive (a serious illness, etc):The doctors were really worried about ‘Simon, but in theend he pulled through. save an amount of money forthe future:/try to puta litle by each ‘month for emergencies. criticise, make someone feel stupid: jwish you wouldnt ke putting me down in front of other people! kill a sick/old animal): We used to have a horse, but he fell and broke his leg so he had to be put down. suggest that sth is the result of: The minister put the recent economic problems down to the risein oil prices, put forward put off put off put on put on put out put through put up with run into run out of run over sail through save up (for) see off see through see through (to) seeto set in set out set out suggest: A number of suggestions were put forward during the ‘meeting but none of them were very useful. delay, postpone: Wendy told me that the wedding has been putoff until next January. make sb not want to do or not like sthz!'ve never tasted blue cheese because the smell hasalways put me off. gain (weight):/ put on so much Weight orer Citta hold, perform (a show, play, etc):/ read that they're putting Macbeth on at the Luwies Theatre. make something stop burning: Tm afraid you'll have to put your cigarette out before you enter the buaing. connect by phone:'ljust put, youthroughto the superior, Mrs ‘dwards. tolerate: You have to put up with a lot in this job, butits worth itin the end, meet by chance: Youll never ‘guess who I1an into in town this {fternoon! nothave any left:’m afraid we've run out of time, so Id like to thank ‘my guests and I hopewell see you next week on ‘Discussion Time! hit with a car:Andrea wasrunover outside her house and she’s been taken to hospital. do something or deal with something very easily: With a litte bit of revision, you should sail through the exam. ‘save money little by litte (fora specie purpose):Pm saving up for ‘my holiday in India. go to atrain station, etc to see Someone leave: We all went to the bus station to see Grandma off. recognise that sth isnot true and not be tricked by it: The guard saw through the woman's disguiseand immediately arrested her. continue (or help to continue) to the end of sth unpleasant or difficult:!m not enjoying my computer course any more, but Ill seeit through to the end. deal with: Could you answer the door while isee to the baty? start and be likely to continue fora while (for rain, winter, an economic depression, etc): Many birds fy ‘south before winter sets in explain, describe or arrange sth ine clear and detailed way: liked ‘your composition, but | think you need to set your ideas out more clearly by using paragraphs. start working on sthin order to achieve an aim:in the beginning, we set out to build a successful company, but we never expected to become millionaires. 201a a Lee set out/off start a journey: As the sun rose, we took down our tents and set out across the desert. setto start doing sth in a determined or enthusiastic way: We only had a few hours to get the party ready so we y. set to work quich set up start (a business, organisation etc): You're such a good cook that | think you should sei up a restaurant. settledown, become calm after being upset, etc: When his mum lefthimat school on the first day, Charlie was quite upset but he soon setled fown and started to enjoy himself. settle down stay in one place or get married and ive quietly: she spent her twenties travelling round the world and then settled down in a quiet village in Sussex. show(a)round take sb on a tour ofa place: Let me show you round the garden, show off try to attract people's attention and make them admire you (Usually used negatively My sister thinks she's a good singer and she’s always showing off when people come to vate. slow down decrease speed: The tran started to Slow down as approached the sation. speed up increase speed: realised that might not have enough time to finish theexam so! started to speed up. stand for represent (for abbreviations and imbols): BBC stands for ‘British roadeasting Corporation: stand for put up with:/ wouldn't stand for it if. Someonespoke that rudely to me. standin for do sb’s job for them while they are not available: Mr Howard will be Sanding n for Mrs O'Connell while shesil. standout be easy to see because of being different: Molly has bright red hati, Soshe alvays stands out ing crowd! stand up for support in an argument or fight: nol that my bestfriend will always stand up for me. take aback surpise (usually in passive voice): Welwere ll taken aback by the news take after look or behave like an older relative: George really takes after his grandfather doesnt he? take down write down what someone says: Could I just take down your details? take in trick b into believing sth that isnot true: The mon atthe door daimed to be a policeman, but the old woman wasn't taken in. take off become successful or popular very fast: The iPod has really taken off over the last couple of years. take off leave: She gene the plane took off looked down at the houses below us. take off remove (a piece of clothing): Carl took off his coat and started to warm himself by the fire. take on take on take over taketo taketo take up take up tear down tearup think over throw away tryon try out turn down. turn into turn off turn out turn over turn round turn up wear off wearout workout startto employ: There’ so much work to do in the office that maybe we should take ona secretary. accept (workor responsibilty): Thaven'tgot time totake on any more projectsat the moment. take control of (a business, etc): When MrBarker retired, his daughter took over the family business, begin to like:The class took to Mrs Openshaw straight away. start (as a habit): Ive taken to going for afive-milerun every morning. start (a hobby, sport, etc): Why don’t you take up ahobby, like collecting ‘something? fill an amount of space/time: Studying takes up most of my time at the moment. destroy or remove (for buildings, statues, etc): That beautiful old building was torn down to make way for anew supermarket. tip into pieces: Robin suddenly grabbed the letter out of my hand and tore it up. consider: When | asked Theresa to. marry me, she said shed have to think it over. get rid of discard: The CD wouldn't play any more, so ithrew it away. put on (apiece of clothing) to See how it looks and whether it fits: Debra took the skirt into the changing room totry iton. experiment with: England need to try out a few new players before the forld Cup starts. not accept (an offer, request, etc): lapplied to join the Air Force, but they turned me down because of my eyesight. change into sth different it started a5 the holiday of alifetime but soon turned into a nightmare. stop a machine working: Would you please tum that stereo off and get your homework done? develop in a particular way or have a particular result:/ was late for the interview, butit tuned out all right intheend and got thejob. turna page so that the other side is towards yout you al turn over, you'llseea table that shows how sales have gone this year. goybackin the opposite direction: realised 'd forgotten my phone so! turned round and went back toget appear unexpectedly or without making a firm arrangement: Victor hadrit been invited to the party but ‘he just turned up anyway. stop being effective (for adrug, etc: My arm started tohurt again as the effects of the painkiller wore ff. become old and unusable: had to get anew pair of trainers because my old pair had worn out. find the solution to a problem, etc: ‘you look at the context, maybe you can work out what the word means. 202