phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
ask someone out
invite on a
date
Brian askedJudy out
to dinner and a
movie.
ask around
ask many
people the
same
question
I asked aroundbut
nobody has seen my
wallet.
add up
to something
equal
Your purchasesadd
up to$205.32.
back something up
reverse
You'll have toback
up your car so that I
can get out.
back someone up
support
My
wife backedme up o
ver my decision to
quit my job.
blow up
explode
The racing carblew
up after it crashed
into the fence.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
blow something up
add air
We have toblow 50
balloons up for the
party.
break down
stop
functioning
(vehicle,
machine)
Our car broke
down at the side of
the highway in the
snowstorm.
break down
get upset
The womanbroke
downwhen the police
told her that her son
had died.
break somethingdo
wn
divide into
smaller parts
Our teacherbroke the
final
project downinto
three separate parts.
break in
force entry
to a building
Somebodybroke
in last night and stole
our stereo.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
break
into something
enter
forcibly
The firemen had
to break intothe
room to rescue the
children.
break something in
wear
something a
few times so
that it
doesn't
look/feel
new
I need to breakthese
shoes inbefore we
run next week.
break in
interrupt
The TV stationbroke
in to report the news
of the president's
death.
break up
end a
relationship
My boyfriend and
I broke upbefore I
moved to America.
break up
start
laughing
(informal)
The kids justbroke
up as soon as the
clown started talking.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
break out
escape
The prisonersbroke
out of jail when the
guards weren't
looking.
break out
insomething
develop a
skin
condition
I broke out in a rash
after our camping
trip.
bring someone do
wn
make
unhappy
This sad music
isbringing medown.
bring someone up
raise a child
My
grandparentsbrought
me upafter my
parents died.
bring something u
p
start talking
about a
subject
My mother walks out
of the room when my
fatherbrings
upsports.
bring something u
p
vomit
He drank so much
that hebrought his
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
dinner up in the
toilet.
call around
phone many
different
places/peopl
e
We called
around but we
weren't able to find
the car part we
needed.
call someone back
return a
phone call
I called the
company backbut the
offices were closed
for the weekend.
call something off
cancel
Jason called the
wedding offbecause
he wasn't in love with
his fianc.
call on someone
ask for an
answer or
opinion
The professorcalled
on me for question 1.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
call on someone
visit
someone
We called onyou last
night but you weren't
home.
call someone up
phone
Give me your phone
number and I
will callyou up when
we are in town.
calm down
relax after
being angry
You are still mad. You
need to calm
downbefore you
drive the car.
not care
forsomeone/somet
hing
not like
(formal)
I don't care forhis
behaviour.
catch up
get to the
same point
as someone
else
You'll have to run
faster than that if you
want to catch
up with Marty.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
check in
arrive and
register at a
hotel or
airport
We will get the hotel
keys when we check
in.
check out
leave a hotel
You have tocheck
out of the hotel
before 11:00 AM.
checksomeone/so
methingout
look at
carefully,
investigate
The companychecks
out all new
employees.
check
outsomeone/somet
hing
look at
(informal)
Check out the crazy
hair on that guy!
cheer up
become
happier
She cheered
upwhen she heard
the good news.
cheer someone up
make
happier
I brought you some
flowers
tocheer you up.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
chip in
help
If everyonechips
in we can get the
kitchen painted by
noon.
clean something u
p
tidy, clean
Please clean upyour
bedroom before you
go outside.
come
acrosssomething
find
unexpectedl
y
I came acrossthese
old photos when I
was tidying the
closet.
come apart
separate
The top and
bottom come
apart if you pull hard
enough.
come down
withsomething
become sick
My nephewcame
down with chicken
pox this weekend.
come forward
volunteer for
a task or to
The womancame
forwardwith her
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
give
evidence
husband's finger
prints.
come
fromsomewhere
originate in
The art of
origami comes
from Asia.
count
onsomeone/someth
ing
rely on
I am counting
on you to make
dinner while I am
out.
cross something o
ut
draw a line
through
Please cross
out your old address
and write your new
one.
cut back
onsomething
consume
less
My doctor wants me
to cut back
on sweets and fatty
foods.
cut something dow
n
make
something
We had to cutthe old
tree in our
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
fall to the
ground
yard downafter the
storm.
cut in
interrupt
Your 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 in
start
operating (of
an engine or
electrical
device)
The air
conditioner cuts
in when the
temperature gets to
22C.
cut something off
remove with
something
sharp
The doctors cut
off his leg because it
was severely injured.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
cut something off
stop
providing
The phone
company cut offour
phone because we
didn't pay the bill.
cut someone off
take out of a
will
My
grandparentscut my
fatheroff when he
remarried.
cut something out
remove part
of something
(usually with
scissors and
paper)
I cut this ad outof
the newspaper.
dosomeone/someth
ingover
beat up,
ransack
(BrE,
informal)
He's lucky to be alive.
His shop was done
overby a street gang.
do something over
do again
(AmE)
My teacher wants me
to domy
essay overbecause
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
she doesn't like my
topic.
do away
withsomething
discard
It's time to do away
with all of these old
tax records.
do something up
fasten, close
Do your
coat upbefore you go
outside. It's snowing!
dress up
wear nice
clothing
It's a fancy
restaurant so we
have to dress up.
drop back
move back
in a
position/gro
up
Andrea dropped
back to third place
when she fell off her
bike.
drop in/by/over
come
without an
appointment
I might drop
in/by/over for tea
sometime this week.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
dropsomeone/some
thingoff
take
someone/so
mething
somewhere
and leave
them/it
there
I have to dropmy
sister off at work
before I come over.
drop out
quit a class,
school etc
I dropped outof
Science because it
was too difficult.
eat out
eat at a
restaurant
I don't feel like
cooking tonight.
Let's eat out.
end up
eventually
reach/do/de
cide
We ended uprenting
a movie instead of
going to the theatre.
fall apart
break into
pieces
My new dressfell
apart in the washing
machine.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
fall down
fall to the
ground
The picture that you
hung up last
night fell downthis
morning.
fall out
separate
from an
interior
The money must
have fallen outof my
pocket.
fall out
(of hair,
teeth)
become
loose and
unattached
His hair started
to fall out when he
was only 35.
figure something o
ut
understand,
find the
answer
I need to figure
out how to fit the
piano and the
bookshelf in this
room.
fill something in
to write
information
in blanks, as
Please fill in the form
with your name,
address, and phone
number.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
on a form
(BrE)
fill something out
to write
information
in blanks, as
on a form
(AmE)
The form must
be filled out in
capital letters.
fill something up
fill to the top
I always fill the water
jug upwhen it is
empty.
find out
discover
We don't know where
he lives. How can
we find out?
find something out
discover
We tried to keep the
time of the party a
secret, but
Samanthafound it ou
t.
get somethingacro
ss/over
communicat
e, make
I tried to get my
pointacross/over to
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
understanda
ble
the judge but she
wouldn't listen.
get along/on
like each
other
I was surprised how
well my new girlfriend
and my sistergot
along/on.
get around
have
mobility
My grandfather
can get aroundfine
in his new
wheelchair.
get away
go on a
vacation
We worked so hard
this year that we had
toget away for a
week.
get away
withsomething
do without
being
noticed or
punished
Jason alwaysgets
away withcheating
in his maths tests.
get back
return
We got backfrom our
vacation last week.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
get something bac
k
receive
something
you had
before
Liz finally gother
Science
notes back from my
room-mate.
get back
at someone
retaliate,
take revenge
My sister got back
at me for stealing her
shoes. She stole my
favourite hat.
get back
intosomething
become
interested in
something
again
I finally got back
into my novel and
finished it.
get on something
step onto a
vehicle
We're going to freeze
out here if you don't
let usget on the bus.
get over something
recover from
an illness,
loss,
difficulty
I just got overthe flu
and now my sister
has it.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
get over something
overcome a
problem
The company will
have to close if it
can't get over the
new regulations.
get round
tosomething
finally find
time to do
(AmE: get
around
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
stand
You should get
up and give the
elderly man your
seat.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
give someone awa
y
reveal
hidden
information
about
someone
His
wife gavehim away t
o the police.
give someone awa
y
take the
bride to the
altar
My
father gaveme away
at my wedding.
give something aw
ay
ruin a secret
My little
sistergave the
surprise
partyaway by
accident.
give something aw
ay
give
something to
someone for
free
The library wasgiving
away old books on
Friday.
give something bac
k
return a
borrowed
item
I have to givethese
skatesback to Franz
before his hockey
game.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
give in
reluctantly
stop fighting
or arguing
My boyfriend didn't
want to go to the
ballet, but he
finally gave in.
give something out
give to many
people
(usually at
no cost)
They weregiving
out free perfume
samples at the
department store.
give something up
quit a habit
I am giving
upsmoking as of
January 1st.
give up
stop trying
My maths homework
was too difficult so
Igave up.
go after someone
follow
someone
My brother tried
to go after the thief
in his car.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
go after something
try to
achieve
something
I went after my
dream and now I am
a published writer.
go
against someone
compete,
oppose
We are going
against the best
soccer team in the
city 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 outfor
dinner tonight.
go out
with someone
date
Jesse has beengoing
out withLuke since
they met last winter.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
go over something
review
Please go overyour
answers before you
submit your test.
go over
visit
someone
nearby
I haven't seen Tina
for a long time. I
think I'llgo over 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 changed schools.
grow back
regrow
My roses grew
back this summer.
grow up
become an
adult
When Jackgrows
up he wants to be a
fireman.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
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
grow big
enough to fit
This bike is too big
for him now, but he
shouldgrow into it
by next year.
hand somethingdo
wn
give
something
used to
someone
else
I handed my old
comic booksdown to
my little cousin.
hand something in
submit
I have to hand in my
essay by Friday.
hand something ou
t
to distribute
to a group of
people
We will hand out the
invitations at the
door.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
hand something ov
er
give (usually
unwillingly)
The police asked the
man tohand over his
wallet and his
weapons.
hang in
stay positive
(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/some
thingback
prevent from
doing/going
I had to holdmy
dog backbecause
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
there was a cat in the
park.
hold something ba
ck
hide an
emotion
Jamie held backhis
tears at his
grandfather's funeral.
hold on
wait a short
time
Please hold onwhile I
transfer you to the
Sales Department.
hold
ontosomeone/some
thing
hold firmly
using your
hands or
arms
Hold onto your hat
because it's very
windy outside.
holdsomeone/some
thingup
rob
A man in a black
mask held the
bank up this
morning.
keep on
doingsomething
continue
doing
Keep on stirring until
the liquid comes to a
boil.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
keep something fro
msomeone
not tell
We kept our
relationshipfrom our
parents for two years.
keepsomeone/som
ethingout
stop from
entering
Try to keep the wet
dog out of the living
room.
keep something up
continue at
the same
rate
If you keepthose
results upyou will get
into a great college.
let someone down
fail to
support or
help,
disappoint
I need you to be on
time.
Don'tlet me downthi
s time.
let someone in
allow to
enter
Can you let the
cat in before you go
to school?
log in (or on)
sign in (to a
website,
I can't log in to
Facebook because
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
database
etc)
I've forgotten my
password.
log out (or off)
sign out (of
a website,
database
etc)
If you don't log
off somebody could
get into your account.
look
aftersomeone/som
ething
take care of
I have to look
after my sick
grandmother.
look down
onsomeone
think less of,
consider
inferior
Ever since we stole
that chocolate bar
your dad haslooked
down on me.
look
forsomeone/somet
hing
try to find
I'm looking fora red
dress for the
wedding.
look forward
tosomething
be excited
about the
future
I'm looking forward
to the Christmas
break.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
look
into something
investigate
We are going tolook
into the price of
snowboards today.
look out
be careful,
vigilant, and
take notice
Look out! That car's
going to hit you!
look out
forsomeone/somet
hing
be especially
vigilant for
Don't forget tolook
out forsnakes on the
hiking trail.
look something ov
er
check,
examine
Can you look
over my essay for
spelling mistakes?
look something up
search and
find
information
in a
reference
book or
database
We can look her
phone numberup on
the Internet.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
look up
to someone
have a lot of
respect for
My little sister has
alwayslooked up to
me.
make something u
p
invent, lie
about
something
Josie made up a
story about why we
were late.
make up
forgive each
other
We were angry last
night, but we made
up at breakfast.
make someone up
apply
cosmetics to
My
sisters mademe up f
or my graduation
party.
mix something up
confuse two
or more
things
I mixed up the
twins' names again!
pass away
die
His unclepassed
awaylast night after
a long illness.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
pass out
faint
It was so hot in the
church that an elderly
ladypassed out.
pass something ou
t
give the
same thing
to many
people
The
professorpassed the
textbooks outbefore
class.
pass something up
decline
(usually
something
good)
I passed up the job
because I am afraid
of change.
pay someone back
return owed
money
Thanks for buying my
ticket.
I'll payyou back on
Friday.
pay for something
be punished
for doing
something
bad
That bully willpay
for being mean to my
little brother.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
pick something out
choose
I picked outthree
sweaters for you to
try on.
pointsomeone/som
ethingout
indicate with
your finger
I'll point my
boyfriend outwhen
he runs by.
put something dow
n
put what you
are holding
on a surface
or floor
You can put the
groceries downon
the kitchen counter.
put someone down
insult, make
someone
feel stupid
The studentsput the
substitute
teacher downbecaus
e his pants were too
short.
put something off
postpone
We are putting
off our trip until
January because of
the hurricane.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
put something out
extinguish
The
neighboursput the
fire outbefore the
firemen arrived.
put somethingtoge
ther
assemble
I have to putthe
cribtogether before
the baby arrives.
put up
withsomeone/some
thing
tolerate
I don't think I
can put up
withthree small
children in the car.
put something on
put
clothing/acc
essories on
your body
Don't forget toput
on your new earrings
for the party.
run
intosomeone/somet
hing
meet
unexpectedl
y
I ran into an old
school-friend at the
mall.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
run
oversomeone/some
thing
drive a
vehicle over
a person or
thing
I accidentallyran
over your bicycle in
the driveway.
run
over/throughsom
ething
rehearse,
review
Let's run
over/throughthese
lines one more time
before the show.
run away
leave
unexpectedl
y, escape
The child ran
away from home and
has been missing for
three days.
run out
have none
left
We ran out of
shampoo so I had to
wash my hair with
soap.
send something ba
ck
return
(usually by
mail)
My letter gotsent
back to me because I
used the wrong
stamp.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
set something up
arrange,
organize
Our boss set a
meeting up with the
president of the
company.
set someone up
trick, trap
The 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 these
boots.
show off
act extra
special for
people
watching
(usually
boastfully)
He alwaysshows
off on his skateboard
sleep over
stay
somewhere
for the night
(informal)
You shouldsleep
overtonight if the
weather is too bad to
drive home.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
sort something out
organize,
resolve a
problem
We need to sortthe
bills outbefore the
first of the month.
stick to something
continue
doing
something,
limit yourself
to one
particular
thing
You will lose weight if
youstick to the diet.
switch something
off
stop the
energy flow,
turn off
The light's too bright.
Could
you switch itoff.
switch something
on
start the
energy flow,
turn on
We heard the news
as soon as
we switched onthe
car radio.
take
after someone
resemble a
family
member
I take after my
mother. We are both
impatient.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
take something ap
art
purposely
break into
pieces
He took the car
brakes apartand
found the problem.
take something ba
ck
return an
item
I have to takeour
new TVback because
it doesn't work.
take off
start to fly
My plane takes off in
five minutes.
take something off
remove
something
(usually
clothing)
Take off your socks
and shoes and come
in the lake!
take something out
remove from
a place or
thing
Can you takethe
garbage outto the
street for me?
take someone out
pay for
someone to
go
My
grandparentstook us
out for dinner and a
movie.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
somewhere
with you
tear something up
rip into
pieces
I tore up my exboyfriend's letters
and gave them back
to him.
think back
remember
(often + to,
sometimes +
on)
When I think
back on my youth, I
wish I had studied
harder.
think something ov
er
consider
I'll have to thinkthis
job offerover before I
make my final
decision.
throw somethinga
way
dispose of
We threw our old
furnitureaway when
we won the lottery.
turn something do
wn
decrease the
volume or
strength
Please turn the
TV down while the
guests are here.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
(heat, light
etc)
turn something do
wn
refuse
I turned the
jobdown because I
don't want to move.
turn something off
stop the
energy flow,
switch off
Your mother wants
you toturn the
TV offand come for
dinner.
turn something on
start the
energy,
switch on
It's too dark in here.
Let's turnsome
lights on.
turn something up
increase the
volume or
strength
(heat, light
etc)
Can you turnthe
music up? This is my
favourite song.
turn up
appear
suddenly
Our cat turned
up after we put
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
posters up all over
the neighbourhood.
try something on
sample
clothing
I'm going to trythese
jeans on, but I don't
think they will fit.
try something out
test
I am going totry this
new brand of
detergent out.
use something up
finish the
supply
The kids usedall of
the toothpaste up so
we need to buy some
more.
wake up
stop sleeping
We have towake
up early for work on
Monday.
warmsomeone/so
methingup
increase the
temperature
You can warmyour
feet up in front of the
fireplace.
phrasal verb
meaning
example sentence
warm up
prepare
body for
exercise
I always warm up by
doing sit-ups before I
go for a run.
wear off
fade away
Most of my makeup wore off before I
got to the party.
work out
exercise
I work out at the
gym three times a
week.
work out
be
successful
Our planworked
outfine.
work something ou
t
make a
calculation
We have towork
out the total cost
before we buy the
house.