PHRASAL VERBS • Be about to: to be on the point of *The director is about to start shooting his new film • Be after: go after;chase,follow *Police is after the thieves • Be against: be opposed to • Be away: be absent • Be back: return;come back • Be in: be at home/in one’s office • Be in for:be about to experience(usually bad) • Be on: be shown in cinemas;theaters etc • Be over: be finished • Be up to: 1)be equal to 2)depend on _ • Break down: 1)(of machinery)stop working 2)(of a person) lose control of feelings • Break in:1)enter by force 2)(on)interrupt 3)(horses etc.) train 1*The thieves break in through the fire exit (how) 2*The waiter broke in our conversation to take our order • Break into:1)enter by force 2)burst into 1*The thieves broke into the Smiths house.(where) • Break off: 1)stop temporarily 2)end a relationship • Break out: 1)(war,disease,fire etc.)begin suddenly 2) (of)escape from a place 2*The thieves broke out of the prison last night • Break up: 1)seperate,split up 2)stop for holidays,schools 2*School breaks up for the Christmas holidays on 23rd December • Come across: meet/find by chance *Sue came across her favorite doll while she was cleaning out the attic • Come by: obtain *A good assistant is hard to come by • Come down with: become ill from *He stayed in bed after he had come down with measles • Come into: inherit *He came into a large fortune when his uncle died • Come off: 1)happen 2)succeed 1*How did your speech come off? – It came off very well 2* No one is sure if the jazz festival planned for this summer will come off • Come out: 1)be published 2)bloom 1*Her book has just come out 2*Yellow daffodils come out in the spring • Come round: 1)visit casually 2)regain consciousness;come to 3)be persuaded to change opinion 2*The boxer was knocked out, but came round in a few seconds 3*She’ll come round the idea of buying a bigger house if we explain all the advantages • Come on: come along;hurry up • Come through: survive • Come up: be mentioned *The question of expanding the company came up at the meeting • Come up to: equal • Come up with: find(an answer,solution etc.) • Cut across: take a shorter route *If you cut across the field, you’ll save time • Cut back (on): reduce (amount,use,production) *You must cut back on office expeses • Cut down: reduce length of sth * You need to cut your summary down It’s fifty words too long • Cut down (on): reduce amount consumed *We are advised to cut down on smoking • Cut in/into: interrupt (conversation) * She cut in/into the conversation to remind Bob it was time to go • Cut off: disconnect • Be cut off: be isolated • Cut out: 1)leave out ;remove 2)(for)-passive- be suited for 2*I don’t think she’s cut out for this kind of work • Cut up: cut into small pieces • Do away with: abolish • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • *The death penalty was done away with in Britain many years ago Do down: speak badly of sb Do in: kill Do out: clean Do up: 1) fasten;tie 2) redecorate *You’d better your shoes up or you’ll trip over your laces Do with: 1)need;want 2)have a connection with 1*It’s so hot,I could with a nice cool drink Do without: manage to live or continue without _ Fall back: move back;retreat Fall back on: use sth in the absence of sth else;turn to *Once we’d spent all our money,we fell back on our credit cards Fall behind: 1)fail to keep up with 2)be late with payment 1*John fell behind the class after being ill for two weeks Fall for: 1)be tricked 2)fall in love with sb 2*George always falls for girls with blonde hair Fall in with: accept sb’s plans,ideas *After some disagreement,they finally fell in with our suggestions Fall off: decrease *Theater attendance has fallen off because of the rise in ticket prices Fall on: 1) attack 2)eat(food)hungrily Fall out (with): quarrel *I fell out with one of my friends and haven’t spoken to her for weeks Fall through: fail to be completed *Our holiday plans fell through when all the airlines went on strike Get about: move around;spread *I get a lot with my job-last year I visited eleven countries Get sth across: make sth understood *He’s a good speaker and gets his views across very well Get away (from): 1)escape 2)leave 2*I want to get away from the city for a few days • Get along (with): have a friendly relationship • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • *I’m afraid my father and I don’t get along at all Get at: 1)reach 2)imply;suggest Get away with sth: avoid being punished for sth Get sb down: depress *All this bad news really gets me down Get off: 1)to avoid punishment 2)to descend from a bus etc 1*The young boys got off with a caution because it was their first offence Get on: 1)enter a bus etc 2)manage 2*How are you getting on without a cooker? Get on with: continue,often after interruption *Stop talking and get on with your work Get over: 1)return to usual state of health,happiness etc after sth bad 2)overcome 1-2*It took Jenna a long time to get over the breakup of her marriage Get (a)round: coax;persuade sb by kindness Get through: 1)finish work 2)reach sb by phone 1*You have to get through your revision tonight Give away: 1)give sth for free 2) reveal 1*The record shop has a promotion and is giving away free CDs 2*She gave away my secret so I’m terribly hurt Give off: emit *The milk is giving off a terrible smell Give back: return Give in: 1)surrender 2) hand in 2*Please give in your homework by next Friday Give out: distribute Give up: 1)stop (a habit etc.) 2) surrender 2*He stopped resisting and gave himself up to the police • Go about with: Keep company with *My father disapproves of the people I go about with • Go ahead: go in front • Go back on: break a promise,agreement etc *You should never go back on a promise • Go down with: become ill *He stayed in bed after going down with the flu • Go for: 1)attack 2)apply for 2*I decided to go for the teaching job • Go in for: enter a competition *She is so beautiful she is going in for a beauty contest • Go off: 1)explode 2) (of food) go bad 1*The bomb will go off in two minutes • Go out: 1) be extinguished 2)mix socially 1*Bring some wood;the fire is going out • Go over: 1)examine details 2) repeat • Go round: be enough for everyone to have a share *There weren’t enough sandwiches to go round _ • Hold back: 1)hesitate 2) control 3)keep a secret • Hold on: wait • Hold out: 1)endure 2)last 1*Will the car hold out until we get to a garage? • Hold up: 1)delay 2)rob(sb or sth) 2*The bank has been held up twice this year _ • Keep at sth: continue working on sth • Keep away (from): stay away • Keep back: 1)stay back 2)conceal • Keep behind: make sb remain after others have left • Keep sb/sth down: control • Keep (oneself) from: 1)prevent from 2)avoid • Keep in with: remain friendly with *It’s a good idea to keep in with John as he might be helpful to you later • Keep sb/sth off: (cause) to stay at a distance *He put up a “No Trespassing” sign to keep walkers off his land • Keep on: continue • Keep up with: stay level with(sb/sth) • Let sth down: lengthen a garment *The skirt is rather short You’d better let it down • Let sb down: disappoint • Let sb off: not to punish *The judge let the boys off with a warning • Let on: reveal a secret *John didn’t let on that Jim had broken the window • Let out:make (a garment) looser,larger *When she put on weight she had to let out all her clothes • Let up: lessen,stop gradually • Look after: take care of *John looks after the children while Mary goes to work • Look down on: despise *Now that he’s rich,he looks down on all his friends who still work at the factory • Look for: search for *I’ve been looking for my diamond ring everywhere • Look forward to: anticipate • Look into: investigate • Look on: 1)be a spectator 2)regard;consider • Look out (for): watch out *Look out for sharks when you go swimming • Look over: inspect carefully *I must look over this essay before I hand it in tomorrow • Look up: 1)look for an address,name etc in the relevant book or list 2) visit sb after a lapse of time (specially sb living at some distance) 1*Look up her phone number in the directory if you can’t remember it • Look up to: take as a role model,to follow sb’s footsteps *He looks up to his father who he considers to be a hero _ • Make for: move quickly towards • Make up: 1)invent(story,poem etc.) 2)make an amount complete 3)compose 4)reconcile 5)prepare (by mixing) • Make oneself up: put cosmetics on *She spends hours making herself up every morning • Make up for: compensate for • Make out: 1)complete;fill in 2)distinguish 3)understand • Put aside: save(usually money) • Put away: put in the usual place • Put down: 1)suppress by force 2)write down;make a note 3)attribute to 4)criticize • Put forward: propose • Put off: postpone • Put on: 1)switch on 2)increase(weight) 3)pretend to be/have • Put out: 1)entinguish 2)cause inconvenience • Put through: connect by phone • Put up: 1)offer hospitality 2)erect 3)raise prices • Put up with: tolerate _ • Run across: meet or find by chance • Run after: chase • Run away with: steal • Run down: 1)(of a battery)lose power 2)-passive- be exhausted 3)knock down 4)speak badly of sb • Run into: 1)meet unexpectedly 2)collide with • Run out of: come to an end • Run over: read through quickly;review • Run up against: face;encounter • Run through: examine quickly;rehearse • See about: deal with;make arrangements for • See sb off: go with sb to their point of departure • See sb out: accompany sb to the door/exit of a house/building • See over: inspect (a house,flat) • See through sb/sth: not be deceived by sb/sth • See sb through: support sb until the end of a difficult time • See to: 1)make arrangements 2)attend to sth • Set about: 1)begin to 2)attack • Set aside: save for a special purpose • Set back: 1)delay progress of sth 2)delay an event till a later • Set out: 1)begin a journey 2)start a course of action with a • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • clear aim in mind Set in: start and seem likely to continue Set on: (cause to ) attack Set up: 1) start a business 2)build;erect 3)establish _ Stand by: 1)remain loyal esp in a difficult situation 2) watch passively 3) be ready for action Stand for: 1)represent 2)(usually in questions and negations) tolerate;put up with Stand in for: replace sb temporarily Stand out: be very noticeable,prominent Stand up for: support;defend Stand up to: resist;stay in good condition _ Be taken aback: be strongly surprised Take after: look like Take sth back: admit that one was wrong in what one said Take down: 1)lengthen a garment(let down) 2)separate into pieces in order to repair or remove 3)write down Take in: 1)give accomodation 2)deceive Take for: identify sb or sth wrongly Take off: 1)remove clothes 2)copy sb’s speech or manners esp for fun;imitate Take on: 1)undertake responsibility 2)employ Take sb out: take sb to the theater etc Take over: take control or responsibility Take to : like Take up: begin to sth as a hobby Turn away: 1)refuse to let in 2)refuse to help Turn down: 1)reduce to volume,power etc 2)reject Turn in: go to bed Turn into: convert to Turn off: switch off Turn on: switch on Turn out: 1)prove to be in the end 2)force sb to leave 3)produce Turn to: go to sb for help,advice • • Turn over: go to the next page Turn up: increase the volume,pressure etc • • • Work on: be busy with Work out: 1)find by reasoning 2)turn out successfully Work up: develop _ date 3)cost(slang)