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Phrasal verbs

Terms in this set (57)

add up: His evidence just doesn't add up.
to make sense
ask after: Jim was asking after you.
ask for news of
back down: Sheila was right, so Paul had to back down.
yield in an argument
bargain for: We hand't bargained for there being so much traffic, and we missed the plane.
to take into account
bear out: Helen's alibi was borne out by her sister.
confirm the truth
break down: David broke down and wept when he heard the news.
to lose control emotionally or mentally
break off (sth.): He broke off to answer the phone.
end sth suddenly
break up: The party finally broke up at 3.00 A.M.
to end; to separate (a marriage / a family / a relationship / etc.)
bring about: The crisis was brought about by Brenda's resignation.
cause to happen
bring off: The team tried for years to win the competition and they finally brought it off.
to succeed in doing something
bring on: Sitting in the damp brought on his rheumatism.
cause the onset of an illness
bring round:
After much discussion, I brought the committee round to my point of view.
influence someone to your point of view
bring up:
I feel I ought to bring up another small matter.
to mention
call up: Mark was called up when the war broke out.
mobilise for military service
carry off:
Jane had a difficult role to play, but she carried it off.
succeed in doing sth difficult
carry out:
The attack was successfully carried out.
complete, accomplish
catch on: This new hair style is beginning to catch on.
to become popular (colloquial)
come about:
Let me explain how the situation came about.
to happen
Come down to: It all comes down to whether you are prepared to accept less money.
be in the end a matter of
come in for:
The government has come in for a lot of criticism over the decision.
receive - especially criticism, blame
come off:
I'm afraid that deal didn't come off after all
take place successfully
come out: All the flowers have come out.
When the news came out, everyone was shocked.
My photos didn't come out very well.
appear or become visible
come up:
Look, something has come up, and I can't meet you.
occur - usually a problem (colloquial)
come up against: We've come up against a bit of a problem.
meet a difficulty
come up to: Their play didn't come up to expectations.
equal - especially expectations, standard
come up with:
We still haven't come up with a solution to the problem.
to think of; to produce.
an idea / a plan / a suggestion etc.
count on:
Don't worry, you can count on me.
to rely on
Crop up:
I can't come to Your party. something has cropped up.
happen unexpectedly (colloquial)
do away with: Dog licences have been done away with.
to abolish (colloquial)
do up: We are having our living room done up.
to decorate (colloquial)
Draw up:
A white sports car drew up outside the door.
to come to a stop
draw up: The contract is being drawn up at the moment.
organize - especially a document
drop in: Drop in any time you're passing.
to pay a visit (colloquial)
drop off:
The baby has just dropped off.
to fall asleep (colloquial)
End up:
We ended up staying there for lunch.
The car ended up in a ditch.
finish in a certain way or place
Face up to:
You have to face up to your responsibilities.
accept sth and try to deal with it
fall about:
Everyone fell about when Jane told her joke.
show amusement - especially laughing (colloquial)
to fall back on: If the worst comes to the worst, we've got our savings to fall back on.
use as a last resort
Fall for:
It was an unlikely story but he fell for it.
to be deceived by
fall out with:
Peter has fallen out with his boss.
to quarrel with
to fall through:
Their holiday plan fell through when the children became ill.
to fail to happen or be completed (plans, arrangements, schemes, etc.).
Feel up to: Old Mr Smith didn't feel up to walking all that way.
feel capable of doing
follow up: Thanks for the information about that book. I'll follow it up.
act upon a suggestion
get across: I had the feeling I wasn't getting the meaning across.
make people understand something
get at: What are you getting at?
imply about personal matters (colloquial)
Get down to:
It's time we got down to some real work.
begin to seriously deal with
to get off with: They were lucky to get off with such light sentences.
avoid punishment
Get on for:
He must be getting on for seventy.
approach a certain age/time/number
get on:
Sue is getting on very well in her new job.
to make progress
Get over:
I couldn't get over how well she looked.
be surprised
to get over with: I'll be glad to get this awful business over with.
come to the end of something, usually unpleasant
Get round to: Sorry, but I haven't got round to fixing the tap yet.
find time to do
Get up to:
The children are getting up to something in the garden.
What have you been getting up to lately?
do something bad (colloquial)
bring on: You have brought this on/upon yourself.
cause trouble to happen to oneself
do away with: What if they do away with the old man?
murder
fall for: I fell for you the moment I saw you.
fall in love with (colloquial)
follow up: We'll follow up this lesson next week.
take more action
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