An Extensive List of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

To respect or obey a decision, If you want to keep your job here,
abide by
a law or a rule you must abide by our rules.
I hope you can account for the time
account for To explain, give a reason
you were out!
To make sense, seem The facts in the case just don’t add
add up
reasonable up.
To recommend not doing I advise against walking alone in
advise against
something this neighborhood.
To have the same opinion as I agree with you. I think you should
agree with
someone else. go as well.
We need to allow for unexpected
allow for To take into consideration
charges along the way.
1. To plead or make a 1. He appealed to the court to
request change its decision.
appeal to 2. To be attractive or 2. A vacation of sunbathing
interesting doesn’t appeal to me.

To make a formal request for

He applied for a scholarship for next
apply for something (job, permit, loan
semester.
etc.)
To move backwards, in fear or When he saw the bear, he backed
back away
dislike away in fright.
Local authorities backed down on
back down To withdraw, concede defeat their threats to build on that part of
the beach.
1. I’m going to be very strict
1. To give support or with him. I hope you’ll back
encouragement me up on this?
back up 2. To make a copy of 2. You should back up all your
(file, program, etc.) computer files in a secure
location.

To base your hopes on I’m banking on you to help with the

bank on
something / someone charity event.
Jenna fell in the parking lot and
black out To faint, lose consciousness
blacked out.
The police blocked off the street
block off To separate using a barrier.
after the explosion.
1. To explode
1. Tommy blew up the red
blow up 2. To get angry
balloon.

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Phrasal Verb Meaning Example
2. Don’t blow up at me. It’s not
my fault.

It all boils down to who has more

boil down to To be summarized as
power.
To start a computer by loading
You need to boot up your computer
boot up an operating system or
before you begin to work.
program
One of the wolves broke away from
break away To separate from a crowd
his pack.
1. The washing machine broke
1. To go out of order,
down so we had to call in the
cease to function
repair technician.
break down 2. To lose control of one’s
2. John broke down when he
emotions
heard the news.

Burglars broke into my car last

break into To enter by force
night.
Rioting broke out after the
break out To start suddenly government raised the fuel prices
again.
To escape from a place by
break out of Several prisoners broke out of jail.
force
To come to an end (marriage, She broke up with Daniel after
break up
relationship) dating him for five years.
Sara is bringing up her children by
bring up To raise (a child)
herself.
To improve, refresh one’s I must brush up on my French
brush up on
knowledge of something before going to Paris next month.
To meet by chance or I bumped into Adam at the bank. He
bump into
unexpectedly says “hello”.
1. The light bulb burnt out.
1. stop (something)
Please change it.
working
2. She needs to work fewer
burn out 2. become exhausted from
hours. Otherwise she will
over-working
burn out.

Could please call back in ten

call back To return a phone call
minutes?
The game was called off because of
call off To cancel
bad weather.
To become more relaxed, less It took Kylie several hours to calm
calm down
angry or upset down after she saw the accident.

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Phrasal Verb Meaning Example
The soldiers carried on walking in
carry on To continue
order to get to their post before dark.
1. To do something as
1. His orders were carried out
specified (a plan, an
to the letter.
order, a threat)
carry out 2. That company does not carry
2. To perform or conduct
out tests on animals.
(test, experiment)

They said I must check in at least

check in To register at a hotel or airport
three hours before my flight.
1. Donna checked out of the
1. To pay one’s bill and hotel this morning.
leave (a hotel) 2. I don’t know if this price is
check out
2. To investigate correct. I’ll check it out
online.

When the police started asking

clam up To refuse to speak
questions, the suspect clammed up.
The local authorities have decided to
To act strictly to prevent
clamp down on clamp down on illegal parking in
something
handicapped parking places.
1. I was cleaning up and came
across some old photos of
1. To find by chance
you.
2. To appear, seem, make
come across 2. The politician came across as
an impression
a complete fool during the
TV interview.

Has the owner of the winning lotto

come forward To present oneself
ticket come forward?
You can count on me to keep your
count on To rely or depend on (for help)
secret.
I’ve decided to cut down on the
cut down on To reduce in number or size
amount of sweets I eat.
1. To remove using 1. She cut out a coupon from
scissors the newspaper.
cut out 2. To stop doing 2. You need to cut out all red
something meat from your diet.

To handle, take care of Catherine is not good at dealing with

deal with
(problem, situation) stress.
After the storm died down, we went
To calm down, become less
die down outside to see the damage it had
strong
caused.

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Phrasal Verb Meaning Example
She didn’t get a salary this month, so
do without To manage without she’ll have to do without extra
treats.
The suspect’s trial dragged on
drag on To last longer than expected
longer than we had expected!
To write (contract, agreement, They drew up a contract and had me
draw up
document) sign it.
Their wedding gave us a chance to
dress up wear elegant clothes
dress up and get out of the house.
To visit, usually on the way Why don’t you drop in to see us on
drop in
somewhere your way home?
1. I’ll drop off the papers later
1. To deliver someone or
today.
something
drop off 2. I often drop off in front of
2. To fall asleep
the TV.

To leave school without Zack dropped out of college and

drop out
finishing joined the army.
To reduce, become less severe
ease off or slow down (pain, traffic, Traffic usually eases off about 7pm
work)
To finish in a certain way;
end in Her marriage ended in divorce.
result in
To finally reach a state, placeIf you don’t improve your work
end up
or action habits, you’ll end up being fired.
His plans to trek through South
fall through To fail; doesn’t happen America fell through when he got
sick.
He’s trying to figure out how to earn
figure out To understand, find the answer enough money to go on the trip to
Spain.
To complete (a form/an Please fill out the enclosed form and
fill out
application) return it as soon as possible.
To discover or obtain I’m going to to find out who’s
find out
information responsible for the power cut.
Tom had difficultty focusing on
focus on To concentrate on something work the day before his holiday
started.
get along To be on good terms; work It’s important to get along with your
(with) well with team supervisor.
What are you getting at? Do you
get at To imply
think I’m to blame?
I think we should get away for the
get away To escape
weekend.

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Phrasal Verb Meaning Example
To manage to cope or to Students without jobs have a hard
get by
survive time getting by.
get in To enter When did you get in last night?
get into How did you get into your car
To enter
(+noun) without the keys?
1. You should get off the train
1. To leave (bus, train,
in Kings Heath.
plane)
get off 2. I can’t get the ink stain off
2. To remove
my shirt.

I’m trying to get on the flight to

get on To board (bus, train, plane)
Brussels.
get on with To continue to do; make After they split up, she had a hard
(something) progress time getting on with her life.
get on (well)
To have a good relationship He doesnt get on very well with the
with
with other members of the committee.
(somebody)
He had a hard time getting out of
get out To leave
Newark because of the snow?
Edna’s trying to get out of working
get out of To avoid doing something
the night shift.
To recover from (illness,
get over Has she gotten over the flu?
disappointment)
To recover from (illness, Mary had the chickenpox last week
get over
disappointment) but she got over it.
Please get rid of that old t-shirt. It’s
get rid of To eliminate
so ragged.
Let’s get together for your birthday
get together To meet each other
on Saturday.
Will you please get up? You’ve got a
get up To rise, leave bed
class in 20 minutes.
1. We will never give in to the
1. To cease opposition;
terrorists’ demands.
yield
give in 2. I’ll give in my paper
2. To To hand in; submit
tomorrow.

Morris gave up drinking 10 years

give up To stop doing something
ago.
Andy went through a lot of pain
go through To experience
after his mother died.
To spend one’s childhood; He’s like Peter Pan. He never really
grow up
develop; become an adult grew up at all.

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Phrasal Verb Meaning Example
Please hand in your papers before
hand in To submit (report, homework)
Friday.
Susan volunteered at the shelter
hand out To distribute
where she handed out warm clothes.
To spend time in a particular
Which pub does the team hang out
hang out place or with a group of
at after the game?
friends
If you hang up now, I’ll never speak
hang up To end a phone conversation
to you again.
1. Please hold on and a
representative will answer
1. To wait your call.
hold on 2. To grip tightly 2. She was so scared on the
rollercoaster ride that she
held on for dear life.

Hurry up and finish your lunch or

hurry up To be quick, act speedily
we’ll miss the train.
The two countries met at the
To resolve by discussion,
iron out conference to iron out their
eliminate differences
differences.
Yes David, you can join in the
join in To participate
discussion any time you like.
1. There was a war on, so some
1. To engage in, become a kids were only sixteen when
member of they joined up.
join up
2. To meet and unite with 2. Let’s separate now and join
up later at the restaurant.

If you keep on making that noise I

keep on To continue doing something
will get annoyed.
To stay at the same level as I read the paper every day to keep up
keep up with
someone or something with the news.
The rugby match kicked off at 3
kick off To begin, start
o’clock.
Please check your form again and
leave out To omit, not mention
make sure nothing is left out.
I feel so let down because they
let down To disappoint promised me a puppy but all I got
was a doll.
Andy can you look after your sister
look after To take care of
until I get back?
She’s such a snob. She always looks
look down on To consider as inferior
down on anyone who is poor.

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Phrasal Verb Meaning Example
If you don’t want to take part in the
look on To be a spectator at an event
game you can look on for now.
Harry went to the shop to look for a
look for To try to find something
new computer.
look forward To await or anticipate with I’m looking forward to my birthday.
to pleasure It’s in two days time.
I always looked up to my father. He
look up to To admire
was a great man.
It’s not nice to make fun of people
make fun of To laugh at/ make jokes about
in wheelchairs.
That’s a good excuse. Did you make
make up To invent (excuse, story)
up it up yourself?
To mistake one thing or person She had so many cats that she kept
mix up
for another mixing up their names.
To arrive in a new home or Did you hear? Our new neighbors are
move in
office moving in this afternoon.
To leave your home/office for When are you moving out? We need
move out
another one. your office for the new guy.
You were so tired after the game that
nod off To fall asleep
you nodded off on the couch.
Come on. Own up. We know you
own up To admit or confess something
did it!
Your grandfather passed away
pass away To die
peacefully in his sleep last night.
He didn’t drink enough water so he
pass out To faint
passed out at the end of the race.
I’ll pay you back as soon as I get the
pay back To reimburse
loan.
To postpone, arrange a later Don’t put off until tomorrow, what
put off
date you can do today.
It’s very dark in here. Please put on
put on To turn on, switch on
the light on.
The fire fighters were able to put out
put out To extinguish
fire in ten minutes.
To accommodate, give I can put you up until the weekend
put up
somebody a bed but then I’m going away.
I’ll pick you up at around 7:00 to
pick up To collect somebody
take you to the airport.
To indicate/direct attention to As I already pointed out, there was a
point out
something mistake in your calculation.
You can rely on me. I always arrive
rely on To count on, depend on, trust
on time.

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Phrasal Verb Meaning Example
Since he had a sound alibi, the police
rule out To eliminate
ruled him out as a suspect.
To escape from a place or He ran away from home and joined
run away
suddenly leave the circus.
To meet by accident or I’m so glad I ran into you. I need to
run into
unexpectedly (also: bump into) ask you something.
We’ve run out of milk. I’ll just pop
run out of To have no more of something.
next door to borrow some.
Let’s set off early to miss the rush
set off To start a journey;
hour traffic.
They set up their own company
set up To start a business
when they were still in high school.
Don’t buy that. Let’s shop around
shop around To compare prices and see if we can find something
cheaper.
He’s such a show off. He has to tell
show off To brag or want to be admired
everybody about his new computer.
I don’t think she’ll show up tonight.
show up To appear/arrive
Her daughter is sick.
shut up
To be silent, stop talking Shut up, you’re spoiling the movie!
(impolite)
I think you should sit down. It’s bad
sit down To take a seat
news.
The whole stadium stood up for the
stand up To rise from a sitting position
national anthem.
My big brother always stuck up for
stick up for To defend
me when I got into a fight.
To resemble, in appearance or Angie really takes after her
take after
character grandmother.
Please take care of my cat when I’m
take care of To look after
away.
The plane will take off as soon as the
take off To leave the ground
fog lifts.
I hear they’re taking on extra staff
take on To hire or engage staff
for this event.
Please take out your mobile phones
take out To remove; extract
and turn them off.
The coach told her off for not trying
tell off To reprimand/criticize severely
hard enough.
Take your time and think it over
think over To consider
before you decide.
To wear something to see if it
try on Go ahead, try it on and see if it fits?
suits or fits

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Phrasal Verb Meaning Example
I asked her out but she turned me
turn down To refuse
down flat.
To finish a product (so that
use up Your parents used up all the coffee!
there’s none left)
Watch out! There’s a dog in the
watch out To be careful
road.
1. Julie wore out her shoes
1. To become unusable running the marathons.
wear out 2. To become very tired 2. Julie was worn out after all
that running.

1. You should work out twice a

1. To do physical exercise
week at the gym.
2. To find a solution or
work out 2. Can you work this out? I’m
calculate something
no good at math.

wipe off To clean (board, table). I’ll wash up if you wipe off the table.