PHRASAL VERBS DICTIONARY

Verb Meaning Example

Brian asked Judy out to dinner

ask someone out invite on a date
and a movie.

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

Your purchases add up

add up to something equal
to $205.32.

You'll have to back up your car so

back something up reverse
that I can get out.

My wife backed me up over my

back someone up support
decision to quit my job.

The racing car blew up after it

blow up explode
crashed into the fence.

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

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

The woman broke down when the

break down get upset police told her that her son had
died.

Our teacher broke the final

divide into
break somethingdown project downinto three separate
smaller parts
parts.

force entry to a Somebody broke in last night and

break in
building stole our stereo.

The firemen had to break into the

break into something enter forcibly
room to rescue the children.

wear
something a
I need to break these
break something in few times so
shoes in before we run next week.
that it doesn't
look/feel new

The TV station broke in to report

break in interrupt
the news of the president's death.
 end a My boyfriend and I broke
break up
relationship up before I moved to America.

start laughing The kids just broke up as soon as

break up
(informal) the clown started talking.

The prisoners broke out of jail

break out escape
when the guards weren't looking.

develop a skin I broke out in a rash after our

break out insomething
condition camping trip.

This sad music

bring someone down make unhappy
is bringing me down.

bring someone up raise a child My

grandparents brought me up after
my parents died.

start talking My mother walks out of the room

bring something up
about a subject when my father brings up sports.

bring something up vomit He drank so much that

he brought his dinner up in the
toilet.

call around phone many We called around but we weren't

different able to find the car part we
places/people needed.

call someone back I called the company back but the

return a phone
offices were closed for the
call
weekend.

call something off cancel Jason called the

wedding off because he wasn't in
love with his fiancé.

call on someone ask for an

The professor called on me for
answer or
question 1.
opinion

We called on you last night but

call on someone visit someone
you weren't home.

call someone up phone Give me your phone number and I

willcall you up when we are in
town.

calm down You are still mad. You need

relax after
to calm down before you drive the
being angry
car.

not care not like I don't care for his behaviour.

forsomeone/something (formal)

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

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

You have to check out of the hotel

check out leave a hotel
before 11:00 AM.

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

look at Check out the crazy hair on that

check outsomeone/something
(informal) guy!

become She cheered up when she heard

cheer up
happier the good news.

I brought you some flowers

cheer someone up make happier
to cheer youup.

If everyone chips in we can get

chip in help
the kitchen painted by noon.

Please clean up your bedroom

clean something up tidy, clean
before you go outside.

find I came across these old photos

come acrosssomething
unexpectedly when I was tidying the closet.

The top and bottom come apart if

come apart separate
you pull hard enough.

My nephew came down

come down withsomething become sick
with chicken pox this weekend.

volunteer for a
The woman came forward with
come forward task or to give
her husband's finger prints.
evidence

The art of origami comes

come fromsomewhere originate in
from Asia.

I am counting on you to make

count onsomeone/something rely on
dinner while I am out.

draw a line Please cross out your old address

cross something out
through and write your new one.

cut back onsomething consume less My doctor wants me to cut back

 onsweets and fatty foods.

make
We had to cut the old tree in our
cut something down something fall
yarddown after the storm.
to the ground

Your father cut in while I was

cut in interrupt
dancing with your uncle.

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

start operating
(of an engine The air conditioner cuts in when
cut in
or electrical the temperature gets to 22°C.
device)

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

The phone company cut off our

cut something off stop providing phone because we didn't pay the
bill.

take out of a My grandparents cut my

cut someone off
will father off when he remarried.

remove part of
something
cut something out (usually with I cut this ad out of the newspaper.
scissors and
paper)

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

My teacher wants me to do my
do again
do something over essayover because she doesn't like
(N.Amer.)
my topic.

It's time to do away with all of

do away withsomething discard
these old tax records.

Do your coat up before you go

do something up fasten, close
outside. It's snowing!

wear nice It's a fancy restaurant so we have

dress up
clothing todress up.

drop back move back in a Andrea dropped back to third

 position/group place when she fell off her bike.

come without
I might drop in/by/over for tea
drop in/by/over an
sometime this week.
appointment

take
someone/some
thing I have to drop my sister off at
dropsomeone/somethingoff
somewhere work before I come over.
and leave
them/it there

quit a class, I dropped out of Science because

drop out
school etc it was too difficult.

eat at a I don't feel like cooking tonight.

eat out
restaurant Let's eat out.

eventually
We ended up renting a movie
end up reach/do/decid
instead of going to the theatre.
e

break into My new dress fell apart in the

fall apart
pieces washing machine.

fall to the The picture that you hung up last

fall down
ground nightfell down this morning.

separate from The money must have fallen

fall out
an interior out of my pocket.

(of hair, teeth)

His hair started to fall out when he
fall out become loose
was only 35.
and unattached

I need to figure out how to fit the

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

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

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

I always fill the water jug up when

fill something up fill to the top
it is empty.

We don't know where he lives. How

find out discover
can we find out?
 We tried to keep the time of the
find something out discover party a secret, but
Samantha found it out.

get somethingacross/over communicate, I tried to get my

make point across/over to the judge
understandable but she wouldn't listen.

get along/on like each other I was surprised how well my new
girlfriend and my sister got
along/on.

My grandfather can get

get around have mobility
around fine in his new wheelchair.

go on a We worked so hard this year that

get away
vacation we had to get away for a week.

get away withsomething do without

Jason always gets away
being noticed
with cheating in his maths tests.
or punished

We got back from our vacation

get back return
last week.

get something back receive

Liz finally got her Science
something you
notes backfrom my room-mate.
had before

get back at someone My sister got back at me for

retaliate, take
stealing her shoes. She stole my
revenge
favourite hat.

become I finally got back into my novel

interested in and finished it.
get back intosomething
something
again

step onto a We're going to freeze out here if

get on something
vehicle you don't let us get on the bus.

get over something recover from

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

overcome a The company will have to close if it

get over something
problem can'tget over the new regulations.

finally find time I don't know when I am going

to do to get round to writing the thank
get round tosomething (N.Amer.:get you cards.
around
to something)
 meet (usually
Let's get together for a BBQ this
get together for social
weekend.
reasons)

I got up early today to study for

get up get out of bed
my exam.

You should get up and give the

get up stand
elderly man your seat.

give someone away reveal hidden

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

take the bride My father gave me away at my

give someone away
to the altar wedding.

My little sister gave the surprise

give something away ruin a secret
partyaway by accident.

give something away give something

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

give something back I have to give these

return a
skates back to Franz before his
borrowed item
hockey game.

give in reluctantly stop

My boyfriend didn't want to go to
fighting or
the ballet, but he finally gave in.
arguing

give something out give to many They were giving out free
people (usually perfume samples at the
at no cost) department store.

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

My maths homework was too

give up stop trying
difficult so I gave up.

My brother tried to go after the

go after someone follow someone
thief in his car.

try to achieve I went after my dream and now I

go after something
something am a published writer.

compete, We are going against the best

go against someone
oppose soccer team in the city tonight.

Please go ahead and eat before

go ahead start, proceed
the food gets cold.
 return to a I have to go back home and get
go back
place my lunch.

go out leave home to

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

go out with someone date Jesse has been going out

with Luke since they met last
winter.

Please go over your answers

go over something review
before you submit your test.

go over I haven't seen Tina for a long time.

visit someone
I think I'll go over for an hour or
nearby
two.

suffer lack or When I was young, we went

go without something
deprivation withoutwinter boots.

grow apart stop being

My best friend and I grew
friends over
apart after she changed schools.
time

grow back regrow My roses grew back this summer.

become an When Jack grows up he wants to

grow up
adult be a fireman.

grow out ofsomething get too big for Elizabeth needs a new pair of
shoes because she has grown out
of her old ones.

grow into something This bike is too big for him now,
grow big
but he should grow into it by next
enough to fit
year.

hand something down give something

I handed my old comic
used to
books down to my little cousin.
someone else

I have to hand in my essay by

hand something in submit
Friday.

hand something out to distribute to

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

give (usually The police asked the man to hand

hand something over
unwillingly) overhis wallet and his weapons.

hang in stay positive Hang in there. I'm sure you'll find

(N.Amer., a job very soon.
 informal)

wait a short Hang on while I grab my coat and

hang on
time (informal) shoes!

spend time Instead of going to the party we

hang out relaxing are just going to hang out at my
(informal) place.

end a phone He didn't say goodbye before

hang up
call he hung up.

I had to hold my
prevent from
holdsomeone/somethingback dog back because there was a cat
doing/going
in the park.

hide an Jamie held back his tears at his

hold something back
emotion grandfather's funeral.

wait a short Please hold on while I transfer you

hold on
time to the Sales Department.

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

A man in a black mask held the

holdsomeone/somethingup rob
bank upthis morning.

Keep on stirring until the liquid

keep on doingsomething continue doing
comes to a boil.

keep something fromsomeon We kept our relationship from our

not tell
e parents for two years.

stop from Try to keep the wet dog out of the

keepsomeone/somethingout
entering living room.

continue at the If you keep those results up you

keep something up
same rate will get into a great college.

fail to support
I need you to be on time.
let someone down or help,
Don't let medown this time.
disappoint

Can you let the cat in before you

let someone in allow to enter
go to school?

I have to look after my sick

look aftersomeone/something take care of
grandmother.

think less of, Ever since we stole that chocolate

look down onsomeone consider bar your dad has looked down
inferior on me.
 I'm looking for a red dress for the
look forsomeone/something try to find
wedding.

look forward tosomething be excited

I'm looking forward to the
about the
Christmas break.
future

We are going to look into the price

look into something investigate
of snowboards today.

look out be careful,

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

look out be especially Don't forget to look out

forsomeone/something vigilant for for snakes on the hiking trail.

Can you look over my essay for

look something over check, examine
spelling mistakes?

search and find

information in
We can look her phone
look something up a reference
number up on the Internet.
book or
database

have a lot of My little sister has always looked

look up to someone
respect for up to me.

make something up invent, lie

Josie made up a story about why
about
we were late.
something

forgive each We were angry last night, but

make up
other we made up at breakfast.

apply My sisters made me up for my

make someone up
cosmetics to graduation party.

confuse two or I mixed up the twins' names

mix something up
more things again!

His uncle passed away last night

pass away die
after a long illness.

It was so hot in the church that an

pass out faint
elderly lady passed out.

pass something out give the same

The professor passed the
thing to many
textbooks outbefore class.
people

pass something up decline (usually I passed up the job because I am

something afraid of change.
 good)

return owed Thanks for buying my ticket.

pay someone back
money I'll pay youback on Friday.

be punished for
That bully will pay for being mean
pay for something doing
to my little brother.
something bad

I picked out three sweaters for

pick something out choose
you to try on.

indicate with I'll point my boyfriend out when

pointsomeone/somethingout
your finger he runs by.

put what you

You can put the
are holding on
put something down groceries down on the kitchen
a surface or
counter.
floor

insult, make The students put the substitute

put someone down someone feel teacherdown because his pants
stupid were too short.

We are putting off our trip until

put something off postpone
January because of the hurricane.

The neighbours put the

put something out extinguish
fire out before the firemen arrived.

I have to put the

put somethingtogether assemble crib together before the baby
arrives.

I don't think I can put up

put up
tolerate with three small children in the
withsomeone/something
car.

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

meet I ran into an old school-friend at

run intosomeone/something
unexpectedly the mall.

drive a vehicle
I accidentally ran over your
run oversomeone/something over a person
bicycle in the driveway.
or thing

Let's run over/through these

rehearse,
run over/throughsomething lines one more time before the
review
show.
 leave The child ran away from home
run away unexpectedly, and has been missing for three
escape days.

We ran out of shampoo so I had to

run out have none left
wash my hair with soap.

return (usually My letter got sent back to me

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

arrange, Our boss set a meeting up with

set something up
organize the president of the company.

The police set up the car thief by

set someone up trick, trap
using a hidden camera.

I want to shop around a little

shop around compare prices
before I decide on these boots.

act extra He always shows off on his

special for skateboard
people
show off
watching
(usually
boastfully)

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

organize, We need to sort the

sort something out resolve a bills out before the first of the
problem month.

stick to something continue doing

something,
You will lose weight if you stick
limit yourself to
to the diet.
one particular
thing

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

start the
We heard the news as soon as
switch something on energy flow,
weswitched on the car radio.
turn on

resemble a I take after my mother. We are

take after someone
family member both impatient.

take something apart purposely He took the car brakes apart and
break into found the problem.
 pieces

I have to take our new

take something back return an item
TV back because it doesn't work.

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

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

remove from a Can you take the garbage out to

take something out
place or thing the street for me?

pay for
someone to go My grandparents took us out for
take someone out
somewhere dinner and a movie.
with you

I tore up my ex-boyfriend's letters

tear something up rip into pieces
and gave them back to him.

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

I'll have to think this job

think something over consider offer overbefore I make my final
decision.

We threw our old

throw somethingaway dispose of furniture away when we won the
lottery.

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

I turned the job down because I

turn something down refuse
don't want to move.

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

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

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

Our cat turned up after we put

appear
turn up posters up all over the
suddenly
neighbourhood.

I'm going to try these jeans on,

try something on sample clothing
but I don't think they will fit.

I am going to try this new brand of

try something out test
detergent out.

The kids used all of the

finish the
use something up toothpaste up so we need to buy
supply
some more.

We have to wake up early for

wake up stop sleeping
work on Monday.

increase the You can warm your feet up in

warmsomeone/somethingup
temperature front of the fireplace.

prepare body I always warm up by doing sit-ups

warm up
for exercise before I go for a run.

Most of my make-up wore

wear off fade away
off before I got to the party.

I work out at the gym three times

work out exercise
a week.

work out be successful Our plan worked out fine.

make a We have to work out the total cost

work something out
calculation before we buy the house.
Br.E.: British English; N.Amer.: North American