Phrasal Verb
Phrasal Verb
Phrasal Verb
Bring Into play/ call into play- to make something work for one to
make use of it.
Bring off – to do something successfully
bring on – to cause to lead something generally unpleasant to occur
Bring out – to expose or to make somewthing more evident
bring to life – to make real or to give life to
bring to mind – to recall or to remember
bring up – to present something for discussion to someone
bring up the rear- to be behind in a line
call for – to deserve, to need or to inquire
call in – to summon someone for aid
call off – to cancel something
call on – to visit or to stop by someone’s place
carry off- to take something or someone away by force
carry on - to continue
carry out – to execute or to do something
caution against not caution- to give warning
Charge against – to file a criminal case
- to realize
- to finish a competition
- to be released or to be published
- to lessen
e.g. They did not cut down the workers’ salaries in spite of
high production costs.
• cut in – to interrupt as in a conversation or to interrupt a
dancing couple, to take the place of one partner
e.g. Don’t cut in if you do not have anything sensible to say.
• drop by – to visit
go out
to be extinguished
e.g. The fire will go out only if we have enough water.
go out with
to continue a romantic relationship with someone
e.g. Are you going out with Luis again?
go over
to study, to read, to discuss
e.g. For your test please go over pages 55-66 of your book.
go through
to experienced, to bear
e.g. if you want to be successful, you have to go through difficulties, too.
go through with
to do something even with difficulty
e.g. We will still go through with the plan despite of their unwillingness.
go under
to become bankrupt
e.g. Never will our company go under.
go up
to rise
e.g. the price of meat will go up again this week.
go with
to agree with a proposal
e.g. You may have a point but I will still go with what Regina said
go without
- to suffer from lack of something
e.g. How can one possibly go without water a day?
go apart
- to become separated
e.g. We simply grew apart in time.
grow into
- to become something
e.g. MSA has grown into the best tutiorial.
grow out of
- to be mature to retain a habit
e.g. My mom wants me to grow out of my habit of nail-biting.
grow up
- to mature or to develop
e.g. I want my children to grow up responsible.
hand in
- to turn in
e.g. You must hand in your report on Monday.
hand out
- to circulate
e.g. Please hand out these brochures.
hang around
- to associate with
e.g. Don’t hang around when class starts.
hang back
- to fall behind
e.g. Joe tends to hang back at the door.
hang on
- to hold tightly
e.g. you have to hang on at the bar so that you will not fall.
hang out
- to dry clothes
e.g. The clothes were hung out at the window.
hang together
- to make sense
e.g. When you write, you must make your sentences hang together.
hang up
- to end a telephone conversation
e.g. Don’t hang up yet.
hear out
- to listen to someone
e.g. Please don’t leave yet. You have to hear me out at first.
hint at
- to give a clue
e.g. Ronald hinted at his plan.
hold back
- to hesitate to do something
e.g. Chad is holding back his feelings for Mariz.
hold dear
- to value someone or something
e.g. My family is what I truly hold dear.
hold fast
- to stay tightly secured
e.g. That door is obviously locked. It hold fast as we were trying to open it.
hold forth
- to extensively hold about the subject
e.g. The principal held forth on the value of education today.
hold off
- a challenge
e.g. The sentry held off until dawn.
hold on
- to wait
e.g. the hostages have no choice but to hold on until they are rescued.
hold out
- to refuse to give in
e.g. The martyrs held out until they were eaten by the lions.
hold together
- to remain in unity
e.g. The team must hold together if each member wants to win.
hold true
- to remain true
e.g. The importance of perseverance still holds true today.
hold up
- to stay strong
e.g. Her decision held up despite oppositions.
join forces
- to team up
e.g. We must join forces to win.
keen on
- to be passionate about
e.g. He has been keen on reading ever since.
keep at
- to persist
e.g. You’re doing great. Keep at it.
keep away
- to hold off
e.g. You can’t keep me away from you.
keep back
- to remain at a distance
e.g. Keep back! The snake is deadly.
keep down
- to prevent something from rising
e.g. We must keep down or the enemy will see us.
keep from
- to avoid doing something
e.g. I can’t keep from eating when I’m worried.
keep going
- to continue
e.g. Just keep going.
keep (someone) in
- to confine
e.g. The man was kept in for questioning.
keep (something) in
- to control oneself
e.g. I had to keep it in until we see each other.
keep off
- to prevent something from consuming
e.g. Keep off the grass.
keep on
- to continue doing something
e.g. She keeps on buying things.
keep on about
-to repeatedly speak about something
e.g. She kept on about how she loved her vacation in France.
keep out
- to exclude
e.g. We were keep out of the building until the police.
keep to
- to avoid leaving
e.g. You must keep to the house all night.
keep under
- to make someone stay
e.g. He keeps the nation under oppression.
keep up/ keep up with
- to move at the same rate
e.g. I tried to keep up with my work after I had my leave.
lead (someone) astray
- to make someone act
e.g. Troublesome friends can lead anyone astray.
lead (someone) on
- to mislead
e.g. I thought you like me but you just led me on.
lead on to/ lead up to
- to cause
e.g. Vices will lead on to other vices.
live down
- to make others forget something embarrassing that happened
e.g. The ex-convict tried to live down his past.
live on/ live off
- to depend on something
e.g. If you think you can live off, think again!
live out
- to make something imagined real
e.g. She’s now living out her dream of working in Hollywood.
live together
- to share a home
e.g. Some prefer to live together than to get married.
Live up to– to fulfill expetations or an undertaking
Ex. Gerard has lived up to his family name. He now runs the family business.
Ex. Since we are in the food business, we should make much of the
increase in food commotion.
- to understand
Ex. The couple made off without paying for the meal they ate.
Ex. They cannot make out the symbols on the cave wallls.
- to pretend
Ex. I don’t understand why he made out that he was the owner’s son.
make up – to reconcile
Ex. Stop fighting and make up so that you’ll be friends again.
Ex. Janice said she needed to leave early but she would make up the
time tomorrow.
- to compromise or to continue.
Ex. They make up 90% of the vote.
Pass away – to die.
Ex. My friend passed away last week.
Ex. Just because he’s wearing a formal tuxedo doesn’t mean that he
can easily pass of as one of the guests.
Pass out – to lose consciousness
Ex. You will pass out if you don’t can.
Pass (someone) over – to disregard the claims of someone to advancement.
Ex. I cannot believe that you were passed over for a promotion.
Pass (something) over – to avoid considering or mentioning
Ex. The manager will pass over the matter of the salary raise until next month.
Pass (something) up – to keep away, to leave alone, or to ignore.
Ex. Running for student council president is hard work. But you can’t pass up
the opportunity.
Play (something) back - to produce or play sounds that someone has just
recorded
Ex. Would you please play back the song? It sounds familiar.
Play on – to manipulate
Ex. A few politicians play on the hopes and dreams of the people to secure
positions in the government.
Play (something) up – to give emphasis on the importance of something.
Ex. Our new product has to be known so it must be played up by the media.
Ex. I thought of becoming a news reporter but the thought of working night
shifts put me off.
- To become heavier
Ex. I put on 30 pounds this year!
- to accommodate someone
Ex. Joaquin will take you in and teach you all you need to know about basketball.
- to exercise
Ex. I need to work out to lose weight.