phrasal verbs cae

7/27/2019 Phrasal Verbs CAE

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CAE PHRASAL VERBS

Most phrasal verbs consist of two words, but a few consist of three words, which always stay together.

Verb Meaning Example

asksomeoneout invite on a date Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.

ask around ask many people the same question I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet.

add up tosomething equal Your purchases add up to $205.32.

backsomethingup reverseYou'll have to back up your car so that I can getout.

backsomeoneup supportMy wife backed me up over my decision to quitmy job.

blow up explodeThe racing car blew up after it crashed into thefence.

blowsomethingup add air We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.

break down stop functioning (vehicle, machine)Our car broke down at the side of the highway inthe snowstorm.

break down get upsetThe woman broke down when the police told herthat her son had died.

breaksomethingdown divide into smaller partsOur teacher broke the final project down into threeseparate parts.

break in force entry to a building Somebody broke in last night and stole our stereo.

break intosomething enter forciblyThe firemen had to break into the room to rescuethe children.

breaksomethinginwear something a few times so that it doesn'tlook/feel new

I need to break these shoes in before we run nextweek.

break in interruptThe TV station broke in to report the news of thepresident's death.

break up end a relationship

My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to

America.

break up start laughing (informal)The kids just broke up as soon as the clown startedtalking.

break out escapeThe prisoners broke out of jail when the guardsweren't looking.

break out insomething develop a skin condition I broke out in a rash after our camping trip.

bringsomeonedown make unhappy This sad music is bringing me down.

bringsomeoneup raise a childMy grandparents brought me up after my parentsdied.

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bringsomethingup start talking about a subjectMy mother walks out of the room when my fatherbrings up sports.

bringsomethingup vomitHe drank so much that he brought his dinner up inthe toilet.

call around phone many different places/peopleWe called around but we weren't able to find thecar part we needed.

callsomeoneback return a phone callI called the company back but the offices wereclosed for the weekend.

callsomethingoff cancelJason called the wedding offbecause he wasn't inlove with his fianc.

call onsomeone ask for an answer or opinion The professor called on me for question 1.

call onsomeone visit someone We called on you last night but you weren't home.

callsomeoneup phoneGive me your phone number and I will call you up

when we are in town.

calm down relax after being angryYou are still mad. You need to calm down beforeyou drive the car.

not care forsomeone/something

not like (formal) I don't care for his behaviour.

catch up get to the same point as someone elseYou'll have to run faster than that if you want tocatch up with Marty.

check in arrive and register at a hotel or airport We will get the hotel keys when we check in.

check out leave a hotelYou have to check out of the hotel before 11:00AM.

checksomeone/somethingout

look at carefully, investigate The company checks out all new employees.

check outsomeone/something

look at (informal) Check out the crazy hair on that guy!

cheer up become happier She cheered up when she heard the good news.

cheersomeoneup make happier I brought you some flowers to cheer you up.

chip in helpIf everyone chips in we can get the kitchen paintedby noon.

cleansomethingup tidy, cleanPlease clean up your bedroom before you gooutside.

come acrosssomething find unexpectedlyI came across these old photos when I was tidyingthe closet.

come apart separateThe top and bottom come apart if you pull hard

enough.

come down withsomething become sick My nephew came down with chicken pox this

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weekend.

come forward volunteer for a task or to give evidenceThe woman came forward with her husband'sfinger prints.

come from somewhere originate in The art of origami comes from Asia.

count on

someone/something rely on

I am counting on you to make dinner while I am

out.

crosssomethingout draw a line throughPlease cross out your old address and write yournew one.

cut back onsomething consume lessMy doctor wants me to cut back on sweets andfatty foods.

cutsomethingdown make something fall to the groundWe had to cut the old tree in our yard down afterthe storm.

cut in interruptYour father cut in while I was dancing with your

uncle.

cut in pull in too closely in front of another vehicle The bus driver got angry when that car cut in.

cut instart operating (of an engine or electricaldevice)

The air conditioner cuts in when the temperaturegets to 22C.

cutsomethingoff remove with something sharpThe doctors cut offhis leg because it was severelyinjured.

cutsomethingoff stop providingThe phone company cut offour phone because wedidn't pay the bill.

cutsomeoneoff take out of a willMy grandparents cut my father offwhen heremarried.

cutsomethingoutremove part of something (usually withscissors and paper)

I cut this ad out of the newspaper.

dosomeone/somethingover beat up, ransack (Br.E., informal)He's lucky to be alive. His shop was done over by astreet gang.

dosomethingover do again (N.Amer.)My teacher wants me to do my essay over becauseshe doesn't like my topic.

do away withsomething discardIt's time to do away with all of these old taxrecords.

dosomethingup fasten, closeDo your coat up before you go outside. It'ssnowing!

dress up wear nice clothing It's a fancy restaurant so we have to dress up.

drop back move back in a position/groupAndrea dropped back to third place when she felloff her bike.

drop in/by/over come without an appointment I might drop in/by/over for tea some time thisweek.

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dropsomeone/somethingoff

take someone/something somewhere andleave them/it there

I have to drop my sister offat work before I comeover.

drop out quit a class, school etcI dropped out of Science because it was toodifficult.

eat out eat at a restaurant I don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's eat out.

end up eventually reach/do/decide We ended up renting a movie instead of going tothe theatre.

fall apart break into pieces My new dress fell apart in the washing machine.

fall down fall to the groundThe picture that you hung up last night fell downthis morning.

fall out separate from an interior The money must have fallen out of my pocket.

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

figuresomethingout understand, find the answer I need to figure out how to fit the piano and thebookshelf in this room.

fillsomethingin to write information in blanks (Br.E.)Please fill in the form with your name, address, andphone number.

fillsomethingout to write information in blanks (N.Amer.) The form must be filled out in capital letters.

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

find out discoverWe don't know where he lives. How can we findout?

findsomethingout discoverWe tried to keep the time of the party a secret, butSamantha found it out.

getsomethingacross/over communicate, make understandableI tried to get my point across/over to the judge butshe wouldn't listen.

get along/on like each otherI was surprised how well my new girlfriend and mysister got along/on.

get around have mobilityMy grandfather can get around fine in his newwheelchair.

get away go on a vacationWe worked so hard this year that we had to getaway for a week.

get away withsomething do without being noticed or punishedJason always gets away with cheating in his mathstests.

get back return We got back from our vacation last week.

getsomethingback receive something you had beforeLiz finally got her Science notes back from myroom-mate.

get back atsomeone retaliate, take revenge My sister got back at me for stealing her shoes. Shestole my favourite hat.

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get back intosomething become interested in something again I finally got back into my novel and finished it.

get onsomething step onto a vehicleWe're going to freeze out here if you don't let us geton the bus.

get oversomething recover from an illness, loss, difficulty I just got over the flu and now my sister has it.

get oversomething overcome a problem

The company will have to close if it can't get over

the new regulations.

get round tosomethingfinally find time to do (N.Amer.: getaround tosomething)

I don't know when I am going to get round towriting the thank you cards.

get together meet (usually for social reasons) Let's get together for a BBQ this weekend.

get up get out of bed I got up early today to study for my exam.

get up standYou should get up and give the elderly man yourseat.

givesomeoneaway reveal hidden information about someone His wife gave him away to the police.

givesomeoneaway take the bride to the altar My father gave me away at my wedding.

givesomethingaway ruin a secretMy little sister gave the surprise party away byaccident.

givesomethingaway give something to someone for free The library was giving away old books on Friday.

givesomethingback return a borrowed itemI have to give these skates back to Franz before hishockey game.

give in reluctantly stop fighting or arguingMy boyfriend didn't want to go to the ballet, but hefinally gave in.

givesomethingout give to many people (usually at no cost)They were giving out free perfume samples at thedepartment store.

givesomethingup quit a habit I am giving up smoking as of January 1st.

give up stop trying My maths homework was too difficult so I gave up.

go aftersomeone follow someone My brother tried to go after the thief in his car.

go aftersomething try to achieve somethingI went after my dream and now I am a publishedwriter.

go againstsomeone compete, opposeWe are going against the best soccer team in thecity tonight.

go ahead start, proceed Please go ahead and eat before the food gets cold.

go back return to a place I have to go back home and get my lunch.

go out leave home to go on a social event We're going out for dinner tonight.

go out withsomeone dateJesse has been going out with Luke since they metlast winter.

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go oversomething reviewPlease go over your answers before you submityour test.

go over visit someone nearbyI haven't seen Tina for a long time. I think I'll goover for an hour or two.

go withoutsomething suffer lack or deprivation When I was young, we went without winter boots.

grow apart stop being friends over time My best friend and I grew apart after she changedschools.

grow back regrow My roses grew back this summer.

grow up become an adult When Jack grows up he wants to be a fireman.

grow out ofsomething get too big forElizabeth needs a new pair of shoes because she hasgrown out ofher old ones.

grow intosomething grow big enough to fitThis bike is too big for him now, but he shouldgrow into it by next year.

handsomethingdown give something used to someone elseI handed my old comic books down to my littlecousin.

handsomethingin submit I have to hand in my essay by Friday.

handsomethingout to distribute to a group of people We will hand out the invitations at the door.

handsomethingover give (usually unwillingly)The police asked the man to hand over his walletand his weapons.

hang in stay positive (N.Amer., informal) Hang in there. I'm sure you'll find a job very soon.

hang on wait a short time (informal) Hang on while I grab my coat and shoes!

hang out spend time relaxing (informal)Instead of going to the party we are just going tohang out at my place.

hang up end a phone call He didn't say goodbye before he hung up.

holdsomeone/somethingback

prevent from doing/goingI had to hold my dog back because there was a catin the park.

holdsomethingback hide an emotion

Jamie held back his tears at his grandfather's

funeral.

hold on wait a short timePlease hold on while I transfer you to the SalesDepartment.

hold ontosomeone/something

hold firmly using your hands or arms Hold onto your hat because it's very windy outside.

holdsomeone/somethingup robA man in a black mask held the bank up thismorning.

keep on doingsomething continue doing Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil.

keepsomethingfrom not tell We kept our relationship from our parents for two

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someone years.

keepsomeone/somethingout

stop from entering Try to keep the wet dog out of the living room.

keepsomethingup continue at the same rateIf you keep those results up you will get into agreat college.

letsomeonedown fail to support or help, disappoint I need you to be on time. Don't let me down thistime.

letsomeonein allow to enter Can you let the cat in before you go to school?

look aftersomeone/something

take care of I have to look after my sick grandmother.

look down onsomeone think less of, consider inferiorEver since we stole that chocolate bar your dad haslooked down on me.

look for

someone/somethingtry to find I'm looking for a red dress for the wedding.

look forward tosomething be excited about the future I'm looking forward to the Christmas break.

look intosomething investigateWe are going to look into the price of snowboardstoday.

look out be careful, vigilant, and take notice Look out! That car's going to hit you!

look out forsomeone/something

be especially vigilant forDon't forget to look out for snakes on the hikingtrail.

looksomethingover check, examine Can you look over my essay for spelling mistakes?

looksomethingupsearch and find information in a referencebook or database

We can look her phone number up on the Internet.

look up tosomeone have a lot of respect for My little sister has always looked up to me.

makesomethingup invent, lie about somethingJosie made up a story about about why we werelate.

make up forgive each otherWe were angry last night, but we made up atbreakfast.

makesomeoneup apply cosmetics to My sisters made me up for my graduation party.

mixsomethingup confuse two or more things I mixed up the twins' names again!

pass away dieHis uncle passed away last night after a longillness.

pass out faintIt was so hot in the church that an elderly ladypassed out.

passsomethingout give the same thing to many people

The professor passed the textbooks out before

class.

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passsomethingup decline (usually something good) I passed up the job because I am afraid of change.

paysomeoneback return owed moneyThanks for buying my ticket. I'll pay you back onFriday.

pay forsomething be punished for doing something badThat bully will pay for being mean to my littlebrother.

picksomethingout choose I picked out three sweaters for you to try on.

pointsomeone/somethingout

indicate with your finger I'll point my boyfriend out when he runs by.

putsomethingdownput what you are holding on a surface orfloor

You can put the groceries down on the kitchencounter.

putsomeonedown insult, make someone feel stupidThe students put the substitute teacher downbecause his pants were too short.

putsomethingoff postponeWe are putting offour trip until January because of

the hurricane.

putsomethingout extinguishThe neighbours put the fire out before the firemenarrived.

putsomethingtogether assembleI have to put the crib together before the babyarrives.

put up withsomeone/something

tolerateI don't think I can put up with three small childrenin the car.

putsomethingon put clothing/accessories on your bodyDon't forget to put on your new earrings for the

party.

run intosomeone/something

meet unexpectedly I ran into an old school-friend at the mall.

run oversomeone/something

drive a vehicle over a person or thingI accidentally ran over your bicycle in thedriveway.

run over/throughsomething

rehearse, reviewLet's run over/through these lines one more timebefore the show.

run away leave unexpectedly, escapeThe child ran away from home and has been

missing for three days.

run out have none leftWe ran out of shampoo so I had to wash my hairwith soap.

sendsomethingback return (usually by mail)My letter got sent back to me because I used thewrong stamp.

setsomethingup arrange, organizeOur boss set a meeting up with the president of thecompany.

setsomeoneup trick, trapThe police set up the car thief by using a hidden

camera.

shop around compare prices I want to shop around a little before I decide on

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these boots.

show offact extra special for people watching(usually boastfully)

He always shows offon his skateboard

sleep over stay somewhere for the night (informal)You should sleep over tonight if the weather is toobad to drive home.

sortsomethingout organize, resolve a problem We need to sort the bills out before the first of themonth.

stick tosomethingcontinue doing something, limit yourself toone particular thing

You will lose weight if you stick to the diet.

switchsomethingoff stop the energy flow, turn off The light's too bright. Could you switch it off.

switchsomethingon start the energy flow, turn onWe heard the news as soon as we switched on thecar radio.

take aftersomeone resemble a family member I take after my mother. We are both impatient.

takesomethingapart purposely break into piecesHe took the car brakes apart and found theproblem.

takesomethingback return an itemI have to take our new TV back because it doesn'twork.

take off start to fly My plane takes offin five minutes.

takesomethingoff remove something (usually clothing)Take offyour socks and shoes and come in thelake!

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

takesomeoneout pay for someone to go somewhere with youMy grandparents took us out for dinner and amovie.

tearsomethingup rip into piecesI tore up my ex-boyfriend's letters and gave themback to him.

think back remember (often + to, sometimes + on)When I think back on my youth, I wish I hadstudied harder.

thinksomethingover considerI'll have to think this job offer over before I make

my final decision.

throwsomethingaway dispose ofWe threw our old furniture away when we won thelottery.

turnsomethingdowndecrease the volume or strength (heat, lightetc)

Please turn the TV down while the guests are here.

turnsomethingdown refuseI turned the job down because I don't want tomove.

turnsomethingoff stop the energy flow, switch offYour mother wants you to turn the TV offand

come for dinner.

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

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turnsomethingupincrease the volume or strength (heat, lightetc)

Can you turn the music up? This is my favouritesong.

turn up appear suddenlyOur cat turned up after we put posters up all overthe neighbourhood.

trysomethingon sample clothingI'm going to try these jeans on, but I don't thinkthey will fit.

trysomethingout test I am going to try this new brand of detergent out.

usesomethingup finish the supplyThe kids used all of the toothpaste up so we need tobuy some more.

wake up stop sleeping We have to wake up early for work on Monday.

warmsomeone/somethingup

increase the temperatureYou can warm your feet up in front of thefireplace.

warm up prepare body for exerciseI always warm up by doing sit-ups before I go for a

run.

wear off fade awayMost of my make-up wore offbefore I got to theparty.

work out exercise I work out at the gym three times a week.

work out be successful Our plan worked out fine.

worksomethingout make a calculationWe have to work out the total cost before we buythe house.

PhrasalVerb

Meaning Example

A abide byrespect or obey. (the law, a decision, arule)

If you want to stay at this school, you mustabide by the rules.

account for explain, give a reasonI hope you can account for the money you

spent!

add up make sense, seem reasonable Her story just doesn't add up.

advise against recommend not doing somethingThe doctor advised him against carrying heavy

loads.

agree withhave the same opinion as somebodyelse.

I agree with you. I think she deserves theaward too.

aim atpoint something in the direction ofa target

The policeman aimed his gun at the hijacker.

allow fortake into consideration,include in a calculation

You'd better leave early to allow for traffic jams.

answer back reply rudely Don't answer back your mother!

appeal to1) plead or make an earnest request2) be attractive or interesting

1) The organizers appealed to the crowd to staycalm.2) A trekking holiday doesn't appeal to me.

apply formake a formal request for something(job, permit, loan etc.)

He applied for the job he saw advertised in thenewspaper.

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avail (oneself) oftake advantage of something (anopportunity)

When the company is privatized, you shouldavail yourself ofthe opportunity and buy some shares.

B back away move backwards, in fear or dislike When he saw the dog, he backed away.

back down withdraw, concede defeatLocal authorities backed down on their plans to

demolish the building.

back up1) give support or encouragement2) make a copy of (file, program, etc.)

1) If I tell the boss we've got too much work, willyou back me up?2) It is recommended to back up all files in a

secure location.

bail out1) pay money to secure someone'srelease2) rescue from financial difficulties

1) When he was arrested, his family refused tobail him out.2) The government bailed out the bank.

bank on base your hopes on someone/something Don't forget the date. I'm banking on your help.

beef up improve, make more substantialHe beefed up his presentation with diagrams

and statistics.

black out faint, lose consciousness When he fell off the horse he blacked out.

block off Separate using a barrier.The area was blocked off during the

demonstration.

blow up1) explode;2) be destroyed by an explosion

1) The terrorists said the bomb would blow upat 9 o'clock.2) The car blew up but luckily there was nobody

in it.

boil down to be summarized as The problem boils down to a lack of money.

boot up

start a computer by loading an

operating system or program.

Just give my a few minutes to boot up the

computer.

break away escape from captivity A few horses broke away from the paddock.

break down1) go out of order, cease to function2) lose control of one's emotions

1) John's car broke down so he had to take thebus.2) The parents broke down when they heard

the bad news.

break into enter by force Burglars broke into the house around midnight.

break out start suddenly Rioting broke out as a result of the strike.

break out of escape from a place by force Three prisoners broke out of jail.

break up come to an end (marriage, relationship)After her marriage broke up, Emma went to live

in London.

bring up raise (a child)She stopped working in order to bring up her

children.

brush up onimprove, refresh one's knowledge ofsomething

Mary had to brush up on her Spanish beforegoing to South America.

bump into meet by accident or unexpectedlyPedro bumped into his English teacher at the

supermarket.

burn out

1) stop (something) working

2) become exhausted from over-working

1) The fuse has burnt out.

2) Tom will burn himself out if he doesn't slowdown.

butt in (on sthg) interrupt impolitely It's rude to butt in on a conversation like that!

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C call back return a phone call I'll call you back as soon as possible.

call off cancelThe meeting was called off because of the

strike.

call on/upon sby formally invite or requestI now call upon the President to address the

assembly.

calm downbecome more relaxed, less angry orupset

He was angry at first but he eventually calmeddown.

carry on continue He carried on gardening in spite of the rain.

carry out1) do something as specified

(a plan, an order, a threat)2) perform or conduct (test, experiment)

1) The plan was carried out to perfection.2) Tests are carried out to determine theefficiency of a new drug.

carry over postpone until laterAs regards holidays, can you carry over any

days from one yearto the next?

check in register at a hotel or airportFor security reasons you have to check in two

hours before your flight.

check out1) pay one's bill and leave (a hotel)2) investigate

1) Is Mr. Blair still at the hotel? No, he checkedout this morning.2) I don't know if the address is still valid. I'll

check it out.

clam up refuse to speak When the teacher arrived she clammed up.

clamp down on act strictly to prevent somethingThe government has decided to clamp down

on smoking in public places.

close downstop operating (company, restaurant,cinema).

When the factory closed down, the employeeslost their jobs.

come across1) find by chance2) appear, seem, make an impression

1) Julie came across some photographs of hergrandparents in the attic.2) The candidate came across as a dynamicperson during the interview.

come forward present oneselfThe police have asked any witnesses to come

forward.

come up against be faced with or opposed by The project came up against a lot of criticism.

conk out1) stop working2) stop or fall asleep (from exhaustion)

1) The car conked out on the motorway.2) He was so exhausted, he conked out in front

of the TV.

count on rely or depend on (for help)I'm counting on the taxi driver to find the

theatre.

cross out remove by drawing a line throughIn some exercises, you are asked to cross out

the incorrect word.

cut down on reduce in number or size The doctor told him to cut down on cigarettes.

cut out1) remove using scissors2) stop doing something

1) She cut out a picture in a magazine.2) I'm going to cut out eating between meals.

D deal with handle, take care of (problem, situation)The manager is good at dealing with difficult

customers.

die down calm down, become less strong When the applause died down, she started tosing.

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do without manage withoutThe shops are closed so we'll have to do

without sugar.

drag on last longer than expectedWe expected a short speech but it dragged on

and on!

draw up write (contract, agreement, document)An agreement was drawn up and signed by the

two parties.

dress up1) wear elegant clothes

2) disguise oneself

1) Do people dress up to go to the opera inyour country?

2) Children love to dress up at Halloween.

drop in visit, usually on the way somewhereI sometimes drop in to see my grandparents on

my way home from school.

drop off1) deliver someone or something2) fall asleep

1) I'll drop you off at the bus stop if you like.2) Granddad often drops off in front of the TV.

drop out leave school without finishingShe decided to go to art school then dropped

out after the first term.

E ease offreduce, become less severe or slowdown

(pain, traffic, work)

After Christmas the workload generally easesoff.

end in finish in a certain way; result in Their marriage ended in divorce.

end up finally reach a state, place or actionIf he continues his misconduct he'll end up in

prison.

even out1) eliminate differences of opinion.2) become level or regular

1) After a long discussion they managed toeven out their differences.2) The road was evened out to make it safer.

F fall through fail; doesn't happenOur planned boat trip fell through because of

the storm.

figure out understand, find the answerI'm trying to figure out how to assemble the

bookshelves.

fill out complete (a form/an application)Please fill out the enclosed form and return it

as soon as possible.

find out discover or obtain informationI'm going to call the cinema to find out what

time the film starts.

focus on concentrate on somethingThe advertising campaign will focus on the

quality of the product.

figure out understand; find a solutionWe'll have to figure out a way to deliver the

goods faster.

G get along (with) be on good terms; work well with I get along (well) with my mother-in-law.

get at imply What exactly are you trying to get at?

get away escape The robbers got away in a black car.

get by manage to cope or to survive It's difficult to get by on a low salary.

get in enter How did the burglar get in?

get into (+noun) enter How did the burglar get into the house?

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get off1) leave (bus, train, plane)2) remove

1) You should get off the bus at TrafalgarSquare.2) She can't get the stain off her sweater.

get on board (bus, train, plane) You can pay when you get on the bus.

get on with(something)

continue to do; make progress Be quiet and get on with your homework.

get on (well) with

(somebody)have a good relationship with I get on very wellwith my colleagues.

get out leave How did he get out?

get out of(+noun) leave How did he get out of the house?

get out of avoid doing somethingSome husbands manage to get out of doing

any housework.

get over recover from (illness, disappointment)My grandmother had pneumonia but she got

over it.

get rid of eliminate It's difficult to get rid of old habits.

get together meet each other Let's get together for lunch on day.

get up rise, leave bed I usually get up at 7 o'clock.

give up stop doing something Sarah gave up smoking 5 years ago.

go through experiencePetewent through a lot of pain after the

accident.

grow upspend one's childhood; develop; becomean adult

He grew up in a small village in the mountains.

H hand in submit (report, homework)All application forms must be handed in before

the end of the month.

hand out distributeSamples will be handed out at the end of the

demonstration.

hang outspend time in a particular place,or with a group of friends

Where does he hang out these days?Who does he hang out with?

hang up end a phone conversation "Don't hang up. I haven't finished yet."

hit at aim a blow at He hit at the wasp with the newspaper.

hit back retaliate; reply to an attack When he was attacked by the others, the boyhit back.

hit on/upon find unexpectedly or by inspiration She hit upon an idea for her new collection.

hold on-wait-grip tightly

- 'Hold on please. I'll put you through to Mr.Brown."- She held on to the railing as she crossed thebridge.

hurry up be quick, act speedily Hurry up! We'll miss the bus.

I iron outresolve by discussion, eliminatedifferences

The meeting tomorrow will be an opportunity toiron out difficulties.

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J join in participate She was too shy tojoin in the game.

join up-engage in, become a member of- meet and unite with

- John was in the Army and Tomjoined up assoon as he left school.- The two groups of touristsjoined up at thehotel.

jot down take quick notes Ijotted down the address while watching theprogramme on TV.

K keep on continue doing somethingIt told him to be quiet but he kept on making

noise.

keep up withstay at the same level as someone orsomething

Bill walks so fast it's difficult to keep up withhim.

kick off begin, start The football match kicked off at 3 o'clock.

L leave out omit, not mention The child's name was left out of the report.

let down disappointYou promised to come to the party, so don't let

me down!

look after take care ofA babysitter looks after the children when they

go out.

look ahead think of the future It's time to forget the past and look ahead.

look down on consider as inferiorHe tends to look down on anyone who is not

successful.

look on be a spectator at an event Billy didn't take part in the fight. He just lookedon.

look for try to find somethingJane went to the shops to look for a pair of

shoes.

look forward to await or anticipate with pleasure I look forward to seeing you soon.

look up to admireHe was a wonderful teacher and many students

looked up to him.

M make fun of laugh at/ make jokes aboutThe old lady dresses so strangely that the kids

make fun of her.

make up invent (excuse, story)Some employees make up excuses when they

arrive late for work.

mix up mistake one thing or person for anotherI don't know my neighbours' names yet. I keep

mixing them up.

move in arrive in a new home or officeYou've bought a new house? When are you

moving in?.

move out leave your home/office for another one.My neighbour is leaving. He's moving out next

Saturday.

N nod off fall asleep My grandfather often nods off in front of thetelevision.

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note down write somethingI'll call the station and note down the departure

times.

O opt outleave a system or decide not toparticipate

I enjoy tennis but I'm so busy I had to opt out ofthe tournament.

own up admit or confess somethingThe boy owned up. He said he kicked the ball

through the window.

P pass away die The old lady passed away peacefully.

pass out faint She passed out when she heard the bad news.

pay back reimburseI'll lend you 20 provided you pay me back

before the end of the week.

put off postpone, arrange a later date The meeting was put off because of the strike.

put on turn on, switch on Could you put on the light please?

put out extinguish It took a long time to put out the fire.

put up accommodate, give somebody a bedWe can put you up if you'd like to come for a

week-end.

pick up collect somebody I'll pick you up at the station when you arrive.

point out indicate/direct attention to something She pointed out the mistake.

R rely on count on, depend on, trustDon't worry. You can rely on me. I can keep a

secret.

rule out eliminate The police ruled out political motives.

run away escape from a place or suddenly leave He ran away from home at the age of fourteen.

run intomeet by accident or unexpectedly (also:bump into)

Sophie ran into Maria at the shopping centre.

run out of have no more of something. What a nuisance! We've run out of coffee.

S set off start a journey;Early Saturday morning we set off for the ski

slopes .

set up start a business She set up her own company 10 years ago.

shop around compare pricesIt's always wise to shop around before buying

anything.

show off brag or want to be admiredThere's David showing off in his new sports

car!

show up appear/arriveWe expected David to come but he didn't show

up.

shut up(impolite)

be silent, stop talking Oh shut up, you idiot!

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sit down take a seat Please come in and sit down.

stand up rise from a sitting positionThe pupils stood up when the headmaster

arrived.

stick up for defend It's important to stick up for one's principles.

T take after resemble, in appearance or character Jamie really takes after his dad.

take care of look after I'll take care of your plants while you're away.

take off leave the ground The plane took off at 6 a.m.

take on hire or engage staffBusiness is good so the company is taking on

extra staff.

take out remove; extract She took out a pen to note the address.

tell off reprimand/criticize severely

The teacher told her off for not doing her

homework.

think over considerI'll have to think over the proposal before I

decide.

try on wear something to see if it suits or fits I'm not sure about the size. Can I try it on?

turn down refuse I couldn't turn down an offer like that!

U use up finish a product (so that there's none left) The kids have used up all the toothpaste.

V vouch forexpress confidence in, or guaranteesomething

You can give the keys to Andy. I can vouchfor him.

W watch out be careful Watch out! There's a car coming.

wear out1) become unusable2) become very tired

1) Juliewore out her shoes visiting the city.2) At the end of the day Julie wasworn out.

work out 1) do physical exercise2) find a solution or calculate something

1) Iwork out twice a week at the gym club.

2) It's expensive but I haven'tworked out theexact cost yet.

wipe off clean (board, table). The teacher asked Lee towipe off the board.

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phrasal verbs cae

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