Phrasal verbs

IMPORTANT:
Separable verbs (talk * into)
Inseparable verbs (run into +)
Object can be in both positions (look * up +)
act up | behave or function improperly | I think I need to take my car to the mechanic because it's acting up again. |
add * up + | calculate a sum | I added up the receipts and it totaled $135.46. |
add up to + | equal an amount | The total expenses added up to $325.00. |
add up | make sense | Her story doesn't add up. I think she is lying. |
ask * out + | invite on a date | I can't believe that Joe finally asked me out on a date! |
ask * over + | invite to one's home | Why don't we ask the Johnsons over for dinner? |
back * up + | give support | You need examples to back up your opinion.  |
back up | move backwards, reverse | Could you back up alittle so I can open this drawer. |
blow * up + | make explode;destroy using explosives | The terrorists blew the bridge up. |
blow up | explode | The bomb blew up before they could defuse it. |
blow up | suddenly become very angry | When Joan heard the news, she blew up and rushed out of the room. |
break * down + | analyze in detail | We need to break this problem down in order to solve. |break down | stop working properly | The truck broke down in the desert. |
break down | become mentally ill | She broke down after her husband died. |
break * in + | wear or use something new until it is comfortable | I need to break these shoes in before I go hiking. |
break in | interrupt | While we were discussing the situation, Terri broke in to give her opinion. |
break in | enter aplace unlawfully | The burglar broke in between midnight and 3 AM. |
break * up + | break into pieces | I broke the cracker up into pieces and put it in the soup. |
break * up + | disperse (a crowd), stop (a fight) | The police broke the demonstration up before it got out of control. |
break up | end a relationship | Sam and Diane broke up again. What a rocky relationship. |
call * off + |cancel something | They called the picnic off because of the rain. |
call * off + | order to stop (an invasion, guard dogs) | He called off the dogs when he saw it was his neighbor. |
call on + | visit | Mark called on Naomi while he was in town. |
call on + | invite someone to speak in a meeting or a classroom | Professor Tanzer called on Tim to answer the question.  |
call * up + |telephone | I called Sam up to see if he wanted to go to the movies. |
calm * down + | make someone relax | You can calm the baby down by rocking her gently. |
carry * over + | continue on a subsequent day, page, etc. | The meeting carried over into lunch time. |
catch on | slowly start to understand (inf.) | He caught on after a few minutes. |
catch up | make up for lost time | I will nevercatch up. I am too behind in my work. |
catch up with + | speed up to be at the same place as a person or thing in front of you | I had to run to catch up with the others. |
check * out + | investigate, take a look at | He checked out the new restaurant down the street. |
check out | leave a hotel, hospital | It's already eleven. We need to check out. |
come back | return | What time are youcoming back? |
come by +  | get, receive | How did you come by that new Mercedes? |
come by | visit a person at their house | I'll come by later this afternoon. |
dress up | wear elegant clothes | She always dresses up at work. |
drive * back + | repulse | The invaders were driven back by the army. |
drop in | visit someone unexpectedly | Meg dropped in yesterday after dinner. |
dropin on + | visit someone unexpectedly | Let's drop in on Julie since we're driving by her house. |
drop out | quit an organized activity | Yuri isn't on the team any more. He dropped out. |
drop out of + | quit an organized activity (school) | It's difficult to get a good job if you drop out of high school. |
drop over | visit someone casually | Drop over any time you feel like talking. |...