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Phrasal Verbs - Ordered List by Verbs
Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Examples |
act like (inseparable) | behave in a way that's like _____ Note: This phrasal verb is very informal. | What's wrong with Bob? He's acting like an idiot. |
act up (no object) | misbehave (for people); not work properly (for machines) | The baby sitter had a difficult time. The children acted up all evening. "Iguess I'd better take my car to the garage. It's been acting up lately." |
Add up | (make sense) | His evidence just doesn't add up. |
add up (1. no object) | logically fit together Note: This phrasal verb is often negative | His theory is hard to believe, but his research adds up. "His theory seems, at first, to be plausible, but the facts in his research don't add up." |
add up (2.separable) | find the total. | What's the total of those bills? Could you add them up and see? |
add up to (inseparable) | to total. | The bills add up to $734.96. That's more than I expected! |
Ask after | (inquire about) | Jim was asking after you. |
ask out (separable) | ask for a date. | Nancy has a new boy friend. Joe asked her out last night. |
back down (no object) | not follow athreat; yield In an argument | Tom was going to call the police when I told him I'd wrecked his car, but he backed down when I said I'd pay for the damages. Shella was right, so Paul had to back down. |
back off (no object) | not follow a threat | Tom was ready to call the police when I told him I'd wrecked his car, but he backed off when I said I'd pay for the damages. |
back up (1. noobject) | move backward; move in reverse | You missed the lines in the parking space. You'll have to back up and try again. "The people waiting in line are too close to the door. We won't be able to open it unless they back up." |
back up (2. separable) | drive a vehicle backwards (in reverse) | You're too close! Back your car up so I can open the garage door. |
back up (3. separable) | confirma story, facts, or information | If you don't believe me, talk to Dave. He'll back me up. |
back up (4. separable) | make a "protection" copy to use if there are problems with the original | When my computer crashed, I lost many of my files. It's a good thing I backed them up. |
Bargain for | (take into acount) | We hadn't bargained for there being so much traffic, and we missed theplane. |
be off (1) usually used in the present tense (of an event / an arrangement etc.) | to be cancelled | The lead singer of 'The Rolling Beatles' pop group is ill, so tonight's concert is off. The concert is off. |
be off (2) (of food) | to have gone bad | Nick decided to have a fried egg for breakfast, but there was a terrible smell when he cracked the egg. 'This egg is off,' he thought. Ican't eat it.' The egg is off. |
be over | to be finished | The storm is over; it has stopped raining and the sun is shining. The storm is over. |
be taken aback used in the passive | to be surprised and confused | Jeff was taken aback when he opened the door and discovered an elephant. Jeff was taken aback by the discovery of an elephant. Jeff was taken aback. |
Bear out | (confirm thetruth) | Helen's alibi was borne out by her sister. |
beat up | to hurt someone badly by hitting and punching | Two men beat Fred up and left him lying unconscious on the pavement. They beat up Fred. They beat Fred up. They beat him up. |
beg off (no object) | decline an invitation; ask to be excused from doing something | At first Lily said she would be at the party. Later she beggedoff. |
blow up (1) | to destroy (something or someone) by explosion; to explode | Mr Trent hated his house, so he blew it up with dynamite and built a new one instead. Mr Trent blew up his house. Mr Trent blew his house up. Mr Trent blew it up. The house blew up. |
blow up (1. separable) | inflate | We needs lots of balloons for the party. Will you blow them up? |
blow up (2) | a...