phrasal veb 2.pdf

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Contributors:Allen Brizee.Summary:

Provides an overview and lists of phrasal/two part verbs.

Many verbs in English are followed by an adverb or a preposition (also called a particle),and these two-part verbs, also called phrasal verbs, are different from verbs with helpers.The particle that follows the verb changes the meaning of the phrasal verb in idiomaticways:

drop off - decline gradually

The hill dropped off near the river

drop off(2) - fall asleep

While doing his homework, he dropped off.

drop off(3) - stop and give something to someone

Would you drop this off at the post office?

drop out - cease to participate

After two laps, the runner dropped out.

Some particles can be separated from the verb so that a noun or pronoun can be inserted,and some particles can't be separated from the verb. In addition, some phrases areintransitive, meaning they cannot take a direct object.

Separableadd up (meaning: to add)

Correct: She added up the total on her calculator.Correct: She added it up on her calculator.

Inseparableget around (meaning: to evade)

Correct: She always gets around the rules.Incorrect: She always gets the rules around (This construction makes

Purdue OWL http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/630/

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no sense in English.)

Intransitivecatch on (meaning: to understand)

Correct: After I explained the math problem, she began to catch on.Incorrect: She began to catch on the math problem. (catch on cannottake a direct object in this meaning.)Correct: She began to catch on to the math problem. (the word tomakes the math problem an indirect object, which is acceptable in thismeaning.)

Unfortunately, there is usually no indicator whether an idiomatic phrase is separable,inseparable, or intransitive. In most cases the phrases must simply be memorized. Below isa partial list of each kind of phrase.



add upadd

back upcause to movebackwards; support

blow upcause toexplode;destroy byexplosives

break downanalyze; list the partsof separately

bring aboutcause to happen

bring offaccomplish

bring oncause

bring outpublish; emphasize

bring overbring

bring torevive

bring upraise; care for fromchildhood

brush outbrush the inside of

burn downdestroy byburning

burn upconsume by fire

buy outby the other person'sshare of a business

buy upbuy thewhole supplyof

call offcancel; order away

call uptelephone; summon formilitary service

calm downbecome calm

carry oncontinue

carry outfulfill; complete;accomplish; perform

carry overcarry;continue atanother timeor place

cheer upcause to becomecheerful

chew upchew thoroughly

chop upchop intosmall pieces


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clean offclear the surface of

clean outclean the inside of

clean uptidy

clear outclear the inside of

clear upclarify; clear the insideof

close downclosepermanently

close upclose temporarily

count ininclude

count outexclude

count upcalculate; count; add toa total

cross outeliminate

cut offinterrupt;sever;amputate

cut outeliminate; delete

cut downreduce in quantity

draw upwrite;compose (adocument)

dress upput clothes on; adorn

dust outdust the inside of

eat upeatcompletely

figure outinterpret; understand

figure upcompute

fill incomplete (aprinted form)

fill outcomplete (a printedform)

fill upfill completely (acontainer)

find outdiscover

fix uprepair; arrange in asuitable manner

get acrosscause to be understood

give backreturn

give outdistribute; announce

give upsurrender something

hand downdeliver;pronounceformally;leave as aninheritance

hand overyield control of

hang upsuspend

have onbe dressed in

have overentertain someoneinformally at one'shome

hold offdelay; restrain

hold updelay; rob;threaten witha weapon

keep upcontinue; keep thesame pace

leave outomit

let downdisappoint

let outrelease fromconfinement; makelarger (in sewing)

light uplight; illuminatethoroughly

live downlive in such away as tocausesomething tobe forgotten

make overremake

move overmove to the side

pass outdistribute


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pass upnot take advantage of(as an opportunity)

pass ontransmit

pay backrepay

pay offdischarge a debtcompletely; givesomeone his final pay

pick upcome to meet an escort;lift with hands or fingers;learn casually;initiate anassociation publicly

play downminimize

play upemphasize

point outindicate

pull downpull in adownwarddirection;raze

push acrosscause to be understoodor accepted

put offpostpone

put ondress in;deceive orfool

put uppreserve (food); receiveas an overnight guest

quiet downbe quiet

ring upthe telephone

rinse offrinse the surface of

rinse outrinse the inside of

rule outeliminate

run downtrace; disparage; hitwith a vehicle

run offcause to depart;reproduce mechanically

save upaccumulate

see throughcomplete; in spite ofdifficulties

see offaccompany someone tothe beginning of a trip

send backsend to aplace whereformerlylocated

send oversend to where someoneis

set uparrange

show offexhibitostentatiously

shut offcause to ceasefunctioning

slow upcause to move moreslowly

spell outenumerate;state in detail

stand upfail to keep anappointment with

sweep outsweep the inside of

take backreturn;retract astatement

take downremove from a highposition; write fromdictation

take inunderstood; fool;deceive; make smaller(in sewing)

take overtake; assumecommand of

tear downdestroy

tear uptear into small pieces

tell offscold;reprimand

think overconsider

think throughconsider from beginningto end

think upcreate; invent


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throw awaydiscard

throw overreject

tie uptie securelyor tight

tire outcause to be exhausted

touch uprepair

try onput on agarment toverify the fit

try outtest

turn downrefuse; lower the volume

turn outproduce;force intoexile,extinguish (alight)

wash offwash the surface of

wash outwash the inside of

wear outuse until nolongerusable; tiregreatly

wind upfinish, tighten the springof a watch or machine

wipe offwipe the surface of

wipe outwipe theinside of;decimate

work outsolve

write downrecord

write outwrite downevery detail;spell out

write upcompose; prepare (adocument)Contributors:Allen Brizee.Summary:


back out ofdesert; fail to keep a promise

bear down onlean on; browbeat

bear onhave to do with

bear up underendure

break in oninterrupt

break intointerrupt

call forcome to get; require

care forlike; guard; supervise;maintain

carry on withcontinue

catch up withcover the distance betweenoneself and

check up onexamine; verify

come acrossfind accidentally

come along withaccompany; make progress

come byfind accidentally

come down withbecome ill with


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come out withutter; produce

come up withutter; produce

count onrely on

cut in oninterrupt

disagree withcause illness or discomfort to

do away withabolish

do withoutdeprive oneself of

drop in at/onvisit casually withoutplanning

drop out ofleave; quit

face up toacknowledge

fall behind inlag; not progress at requiredpace

fall back onuse for emergency purpose

fall out withquarrel with

fill in forsubstitute for

get ahead ofsurpass; beat

get aroundevade; avoid

get away withdo without being caught orpunished

get by withmanage with a minimum ofeffort

get down tobecome serious about;consider

get inenter (a vehicle)

get offdescend from; leave

get onenter (a vehicle); mount

get on withproceed with

get through withterminate, finish

go back ondesert; fail to keep (apromise)

go forlike a great deal

go in forbe interested in; participatein

go on withcontinue

go overreview

go withharmonize with; lookpleasing together

go withoutabstain from

hang aroundremain idly in the vicinity of

hear fromreceive a communicationfrom

hear oflearn about (sometimesaccidentally)

hit ondiscover accidentally

hold on tograsp tightly

hold out againstresist

keep atpersevere at

keep topersist in; continue

keep up withmaintain the pace of

lie down onevade; fail to do

live onsupport or sustain oneself bymeans of

live up tomaintain the standarddemanded of

look aftertake care of

look back onremember nostalgically

look down onfeel superior to

look forward toanticipate

look up torespect; admire

make up forcompensate for

pass ontransmit

pick ontease; bully

play up toflatter for personaladvantage

put up withtolerate

read up onsearch out information on


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run againstcompete against in anelection

run away withleave; escape from

run forcampaign for

see aboutconsider; arrange

see toarrange; supervise

settle ondecide on; choose

stand forrepresent; permit

stand up forsupport; demand

stand up toresist

stick topersist

stick up forsupport; defend

take afterresemble

talk back toanswer impolitely

talk overdiscuss

tell onreport misbehavior toauthority

touch onmention briefly

turn intobecome

wait onserve

wait up fornot go to bed while waitingfor

watch out forbe careful for



back downretreat from a position in anargument

back outdesert; fail to keep a promise

back upmove backwards

bear upendure

blow indrop in to visit unexpectedly

blow overpass without doing harm

blow upexplode; lose one's temper

call uptelephone

calm downbecome calm

carry oncontinue as before;misbehave

catch onunderstand

catch upcover the distance betweenoneself and a moving goal

check upinvestigate

check outleave; pay one's bill

cheer upbecome cheerful

clear outleave

clear upbecome clear

close downclose permanently

close upclose temporarily

came abouthappen

come alongaccompany; make progress

come backreturn

come byvisit someone in his home

come outappear; make a social debut

come overcome to someone's house, towhere someone is

come throughsucceed

come toregain consciousness

cut ininterrupt

die awayfade; diminish

die downfade; diminish


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die off/outdisappear; become extinct

dress updon fancy or unusual clothes

drive backreturn by car

drop invisit someone casuallywithout planning

drop outabandon some organizedactivity; leave; quit

drop overvisit someone casually

fall behindnot progress at required pace fall off

decrease; lose weight

fall throughfail; not be accomplished

fill insubstitute

find outlearn

fly backreturn by air

fly overfly to where someone is

get aheadmake progress

get alonghave a friendly relationship

get aroundcirculate; move about

get awayescape

get bymanage; either just barely orwith a minimum of effort

get inenter

get offdescend from leave

get onenter (a vehicle); mount (ahorse, etc.)

get on/alongprogress; be compatible

get uprise

get throughfinish

give outbecome exhausted

give upsurrender; fail to finish

go backreturn

go offexplode

go onhappen; continue

go outstop burning; leave one'sresidence

go overgo; succeed

grow upmature

hang aroundremain idly; dawdle

hang upreplace a telephone receiveon its hook

hold ongrasp tightly; persevere; waitwhile telephoning

hold outcontinue to resist; persevere;persist

keep oncontinue

keep upmaintain the required pace orstandard; continue

let updiminish in intensity

lie downrecline

look onbe a spectator

make outprogress; succeed

make upbecome reconciled

move overmove to the side

pan outturn out well; be successful

pass outbecome unconscious

pass ondie

pick upgrow; increase

pull inarrive

pull outdeport

pull throughsurvive (barely)

ride override to where someone is

run awayescape; leave; leave quicklywithout permission

run downslowly lose power so as tostop functioning

run offdepart running; drain

sell outsell the ownership orresponsibility

settle uppay one's bills or debts

show offboast by words or actions

show uparrive; appear unexpectedly

shut upstop talking


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slow upreduce speed

stand bywait; be prepared to assist

stand upstand; rise from sitting; last;endure

stay overremain at someone's houseovernight or longer

step asidemove to one side

take offleave the ground

take overassume command

talk backanswer impolitely

throw upvomit

turn aroundturn so that one is facinganother direction

turn ingo to bed

turn outsucceed; come; appear, as ata public meeting

turn uparrive; be foundunexpectedly

wait upremain awake in anticipation

wake upawaken

walk backreturn on foot to where onewas

walk overwalk to where someone is

wash outfade or disappear fromwashing

watch outbe careful

wear offfade; disappear through useor time

wear outbecome unusable throughuse; become used up

work outbe successful

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phrasal veb 2.pdf

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