Phrasal verbs

Terms	Definitions
plug sth in
look out for	pay attention in order to try to notice something For example: When I'm writing, I need to _____ ____ ____ silly mistakes and try to avoid them.
come by	to manage to get something (with some effort/by chance) For example: Jobs are hard to ____ ____ these days. I _____ ___ this teddy when I was looking in my mum's house last year.
work out (1)	do some exercise (often at the gym) For example: I ____ ____ for 3 hours every day.
work out (2)	to find the answer to something For example: We ____ed ____ the answers very easily.
take up	begin doing sth (hobby) For example: I ______ ____ ice hockey last year.
hand in	give something to a person in authority, especially a piece of work or something that is lost For example: Somebody _____ed in my glasses when I lost them at the station.
turn up	(of a person) to arrive For example: The students ____ed ___ late for class.
get across	to be communicated or understood; to succeed in communicating something For example: The teacher always _____s her ideas ______ very well.
stay on	to continue studying, working, etc. somewhere for longer than expected or after other people have left For example: She's _____ing ____ at university to do research.
get down to	to begin to do something; to give serious attention to something For example: Let's ____ ____ ____ business. I like to ____ ____ ____work by 9.
pick sb up	to go somewhere in your car and collect somebody who is waiting for you Synonym = collect For example I'll ____ you ____ at five.
keep up with (1)	to know what is happening in the news For example: It's difficult to _____ ___ ____ the news without a TV.
keep up with (2)	to stay level with / move at the same pace as For example: Slow down—I can't ____ _____ _____ you! I can't ____ _____ _____ all the changes.
carry out	to do and complete a task For example: to ___ ____ an inquiry/an investigation/a survey We ______ed ___ a survey on staff attitudes.
go over	to examine or check something carefully For example: ____ _____ your work before you hand it in.
run out	if a supply of something runs out, it is used up or finished For example: Time is ____ing ____ for the trapped miners.
drop out (of)	1. to no longer take part in or be part of something For example: He has _____ed _____ of active politics. 2. to leave school, college, etc. without finishing your studies She started a degree but _____ed _____ after only a year.
give up	to stop doing or having something For example: She didn't ____ ___ work when she had the baby. I want to ____ ____ smoking.
turn down	to reject or refuse to consider an offer, a proposal, etc. or the person who makes it Synonym = reject For example: Why did she _____ _____ your invitation? He has been ______ed _____ for ten jobs so far.
get over	recover from + illness / a person you have ended a relationship with For example: Medecine will help you ____ ____ your cold faster. It took me ages to ____ ____ my last boyfriend, but now I'm happy with David.
fall apart	to break into pieces because the object is old or badly made For example: I bought a new table, but when I got it into my house it ____ _____. The house is _____ing apart.
sell out	to be all sold For example: The tickets _____ ____ within hours. This week's performances are completely _____ _____.
clear away	to remove something because it is not wanted or needed, or in order to leave a clear space For example: It's time your toys were _____ed ______.
improve on	to make sth better For example: I need to _____ ___ my speaking if I want to pass the exam.
help sb out	to assist For example: Tell me if I can ___ you ____ in any way.
enter into	to begin something or become involved in something For example: to _____ _____ an agreement to _____ _____ negotiations
meet up	to meet somebody, especially by arrangement (often about social situations) For example: We will _____ ____ again later for a drink.
make out	to say that something is true when it may not be Synonym = claim For example: She's not as rich as people _____ ____.
get through	to manage to do or complete something For example: Let's start—there's a lot to _____ _____.
put yourself out	to make a special effort to do something for somebody For example: Please don't ____ ____ ____ on my account. She's always ready to _____ _______ _____ for other people.
split up	to stop having a relationship with somebody For example: My parents ____ ___ last year.She's ____ ___ with her boyfriend.
live on	to have enough money for the basic things you need to live For example: You can't _____ _____ forty pounds a week.
pick sth up (1)	learn / to get information or a skill by chance rather than by making a deliberate effort For example: She _____ed _____Spanish when she was living in Mexico.
take away	minus For example: _____ two ____ from six and you get four.
put up with	to accept somebody/something that is annoying, unpleasant, etc. without complaining Synonym = tolerate For example: I don't know how she ____s ___ ____ him.
fall out	to have an argument with somebody so that you are no longer friendly with them For example: When I was a kid, I used to ____ ____ WITH my best friend at least once a week!
come down with	to get an illness that is not very serious For example: I think I'm _____ing _____ ____ flu.
come across	to meet or find somebody/something by chance For example: I _____ ______ a man sleeping on the stairs.
fall through	to not be completed, or not happen (of plans) For example: Our plans _____ _______ because of lack of money.
pick sth up (2)	lift For example: I'd advise you not to _____ that heavy suitcase ______.
put off	to make somebody lose interest in or enthusiasm for something/somebody For example: He was _____ _____ science by bad teaching.
take place	to happen, especially after previously being arranged or planned Synonym = be held For example: The film festival _____s ______ in October.
set up	to create something or start it For example: to _____ ____ a business A fund will be _____ ____ for the dead men's families.
set back	to delay the progress of something/somebody by a particular time (often used with plans / projects) For example: The bad weather _____ ______ the building programme by several weeks.
hold up	to delay or block the movement or progress of somebody/something (often used with vehicles e.g. place, car, train) For example: An accident is _____ing ____ traffic.
get round to	to find the time to do something For example: I meant to do the ironing but I didn't ____ ______ _____ it.
come up with	to find or produce an answer, a sum of money, etc For example: She _____ ______ _____ a new idea for increasing sales.
be fed up	bored or unhappy, especially with a situation that has continued for too long For example: People are _____ ____ WITH all these traffic jams. She was _____ _____ WITH her job at the supermarket.
get sb down	to make somebody feel sad or depressed For example: Don't let it ____ you ______ too much.
take back	return sth to the place/person you bought/borrowed it from For example: Don't forget to _____ _____ the broken clock - we need to get our money back.
cut back	to reduce something For example: If we don't sell more we'll have to _____ _______ production. to ____ ______ ON spendING I really need to _____ ______ ON the amount I'm drinking.
bring up	to mention a subject or start to talk about it SYNONYM=raise For example: ______ it ____ at the meeting.
bring forward	to move something to an earlier date or time Also = move forward For example: The meeting has been _______ ________ from 10 October to 3 October.
pack up	to put your possessions into a bag, etc. before leaving a place For example: Are you ______ing ____ already? It's only 4 o'clock. We arrived just as the musicians were ______ing _____ their instruments.
send off	...TO sb FOR sth to write to somebody and ask them to send you something by post/mail For example: I've _____ ____ for some books for my course.
catch up with	to reach the same level as someone else For example: I found out really hard to _____ ____ _____ everyone in the class after I was off sick. I couldn't _____ ____ _____ him.