PHRASAL VERBS

ABIDE BY sth
/əˈbaɪd/
Definition:
ACCEPT, OBEY, OR FOLLOW A DECISION OR RULE. Formal Word.

Examples:

Students should abide by the School rules.

Competitors must abide by the judge's decision.

 ACCOUNT FOR STH
/əˈkaʊnt/
Definition:
to explain the reason for something or the cause of something. Formal.
Examples:

They were unable to account for the missing ítems. (They couldn’t explain the missing ítems)

How do you account for your success? (How can you explain your success?)

This accounts for the missing cupcakes! The dog ate them.

Careful! You can’t say “Could you account for me the question, please?”. WRONG!
 ACT ON STH
Definition:
to do something because you have been advised, recommended or told to do it. (order)
Examples:

There have been concerns as to why the Board didn't act on a recommended pay raise.

The board of directors will act on the findings in the report.

I’m not acting on your advice on the dress. It looks terrible on me!
 ADD ON
Definition:
to include and extra thing or amount.

Examples:

When you add on the amount you have to spend to earn Air Miles, the savings are dubious.

The referee added on eight minutes of injury time.

 ADD UP
Definition:
to increase gradually until there is a large amount.
To make a mathematical total.

Examples:
The changes in air quality are small, but after a while they do add up and affect people's health.
The fees were adding up and we couldn’t afford them.

Definition:
Be a satisfactory explanation for something. To seem reasonably or likely, to make sense.

Examples:
His story didn’t add up to the evidence.
 AGREE WITH SB
Definition:
If a situation or new conditions agree with you, they make you feel healthy and happy

Examples:

You look well - the mountain air must agree with you.
Holidays agree with you!
Being pregnant agrees with you.

Debra is not feelling well, the fish we ate last night didn’t agree with her.
 AIM AT sb/sth
Definition:
to produce something for a particular purpose or a particular group of people.
To target.

Examples:

Was that comment aimed at me?

The new budget aims at providing extra support for the unemployed.
The new photo editing software is being aimed at mobile application developers.
 ALLOW FOR SB/STH
Definition:
to consider someone or something when you are planning something

Examples:
You should allow for the plane being delayed.
We have to allow for the possibility that we might not finish on schedule.
You have to allow for a time lag between order and delivery.

Time lag: a period between two related events

There's a time lag of about a week between having the blood test and getting the results.
 ARGUE DOWN

Definition:
1. Beat. Persuade someone ion a debate, discusión or argument.

Examples:
They opposed my project for so long that I'm amazed we were finally able to argue them down.

Definition:

2. Persuade someone to drop the price of something they’re selling.

Examples:

A: "He's asking $20 for it." B: "Try to argue him down to $10."
At a flea market, you can always try to argue the prices down.