English
Grammar
Phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs are common in everyday spoken
English. They combine a base verb with another word, usually a preposition or
adverb – known as a particle – to create a completely new meaning, for example,
words like “stand up,” “sit down,” and “get up.” In normal spoken English,
about 80 percent of our verbs are phrasal verbs.
Common English Phrasal Verbs and their Meanings
1.
Aim At - To
point a weapon at someone or something.
2.
Ask For - To request something.
3.
Ask Out - When you ask someone to go with you to a
certain place or for a special occasion, to spend time together and have fun.
4.
Back Down - To withdraw your position in a fight, argument,
plan, etc.
5.
Back Off - When
you leave an emotional situation, or to allow someone to handle something
alone.
6.
Back Up - To walk or drive a vehicle backwards.
7.
Beat Up - When someone punches, kicks, or hits someone
repeatedly using fists or with an object.
8.
Beef Up - To make changes or an improvement.
9.
Believe In - To
feel confident about something or someone.
10.
Bite Off - To use your teeth to bite a piece of something.
11.
Blow Away - When
the wind moves an object or person from where it was.
12.
Blow Off - When
the wind removes something from its place.
13.
Blow Out - To
extinguish or make a flame stop burning.
14.
Blow Up - To make something explode.
15.
Boil Down To - To have determined or analyzed the solution or
reason for something.
16.
Break Down - When someone loses self-control and is
emotionally and/or mentally agitated. This meaning has a noun form for a situation
where someone loses self-control.
17.
Break In - To
enter a place illegally and with the use of force.
18.
Break Off - To
remove a part of something with force.
19.
Break Out - To
escape from a place, situation or way of life.
20.
Break Through - To
make a way through a barrier or a surface.
21.
Break Up - To
stop a fight.
22.
Bring Back - To
return something you’ve borrowed.
23.
Bring Over - To
bring someone or something from one place or area to another.
24.
Bring Up - To
bring something from a lower level/place to a higher level/place.
25.
Brush Off - To
remove something (dust particle, insect, etc) with your hand.
26.
Brush Up - To
practice and review your knowledge or a skill that you haven’t used in a while.
27.
Build In/Into - To add a fixture or component to a certain
area or place through construction.
28.
Bump Into - When
you meet people by accident or unexpectedly.
29.
Burn Down - When
someone uses fire to destroy a structure.
30.
Burn Out - When
a candle stops burning because there is nothing left to burn.
31.
Burn Up - To
destroy something with heat or fire.
32.
Burst Out - To
suddenly do or say something.
33.
Butt In - To
interrupt a conversation or activity.
34.
Call Back - To
call someone again.
35.
Call In - To
request that someone come and help.
36.
Call Off - To
cancel an event that has been previously planned.
37.
Call Up - To
be chosen to take part in a military mission.
38.
Calm Down - To
become less violent, nervous, excited or angry.
39.
Care For - To nurture or take care of someone or
something.
40.
Carry Away - To
do something out of the ordinary due to strong emotions.
41.
Carry On - To
continue doing something or to continue on in life despite an obstacle.
42.
Carry Out - To
move something or someone from one place to another using your arms or an
object.
43.
Catch On - To
understand or realize something.
44.
Catch Up - To
move faster to reach someone or something that is ahead of you.
45.
Cheat On - When
you are emotionally and/or sexually unfaithful to your girlfriend/boyfriend or
spouse.
46.
Check In - To
register at a hotel or airport upon arrival.
47.
Check Out - To
leave a hotel or other form of an accommodation after your stay there.
48.
Chicken Out - To
refrain from doing something because of fear.
49.
Chop Up - To
cut something into pieces with a knife.
50.
Clean Out - To
clean or clear the inside of something thoroughly.
51.
Clear Out - To
remove things completely from an area or place.
52.
Clear Up - To
do something to solve a problem or a misunderstanding.
53.
Clog Up - When
something in a drain or valve prevents the flow of water or other liquids.
54.
Close Down - When
the activities or services of a business permanently end.
55.
Close Off - To
block an entrance or pathway.
56.
Come About - When
something happens or occurs.
57.
Come Across - The
way other people perceive something or someone.
58.
Come Apart - When
something breaks or separates piece by piece.
59.
Come Back - To
return to a place.
60.
Come Down - To
move from a higher to a lower position or from north to south.
61.
Come Down – To When
a situation is reduced to a certain outcome.
62.
Come Down With – When
you start to experience the symptoms of a disease or illness.
63.
Come In – When
someone or something enters a place, building, or room.
64.
Come Off – When
something is removed or breaks off from where it was originally attached to.
65.
Come On – To
appear on television or be heard on the radio.
66. Come Out – To leave a place.
67.
Come Over – To
make a visit.
68.
Come Through – When
someone or something expected arrives.
69.
Come Up – When
something appears or happens, either expected or unexpected.
70.
Come Up – With When you think of a solution, idea, plan, or
excuse.
71.
Con Into – To
persuade someone to do something through lies and deception.
72.
Con Out Of – To
persuade someone to give or do something through lies and deception.
73.
Cool Off – To
lose temperature.
74.
Count On – To
rely on someone for support when you need it most.
75.
Count Up – To
count all of something or people in a group.
76.
Cover Up – To
use something to conceal something else.
77.
Crack Down – To
take more action than usual against wrongdoing.
78.
Cross Off – To
remove or delete someone or something from a list.
79.
Cut Back – When
you spend less money on something.
80.
Cut Down – To
do less of something or to use something in smaller amounts.
81.
Cut Off – To
completely remove or separate a part of something by cutting it with something
sharp like a knife or a pair of scissors, etc.
82.
Cut Out – To
remove something using a knife or a pair of scissors.
83.
Cut Up – When
you use a knife or scissors to cut something into several pieces.
84.
Deal With – When
you do everything you must do to solve a problem or complete.
85.
Do Away With – To
dispose of something.
86.
Do Over – To
do something again in order to improve or correct mistakes.
87.
Do With – To
make a connection between two or more things.
88.
Do Without – To
manage well without something or someone.
89.
Doze Off – To
go to sleep unintentionally.
90.
Dress Up – To
wear formal clothes, or a costume for a special occasion.
91.
Drop In – To
visit someone unexpectedly or without making arrangements first.
92.
Drop Off – To
gradually decline/become less.
93.
Drop Out – To
quit a school program or training course.
94.
Dry Off – To
dry something or a surface quickly.
95.
Dry Out – To
remove water or other liquid from a container.
96.
Dry Up – When
all the liquid and/or moisture evaporates.
97.
Eat Up – When
someone consumes all their food.
98.
Empty Out – To
remove everyone or everything from a space.
99.
End Up – The
end result of something planned or unplanned.
100. Fall
Apart – When something breaks all at once or piece by piece.
101. Fall
Behind – To move slower than others.
102. Fall
Down – To fall to the ground.
103. Fall
For – When you have an intense attraction to something or
someone.
104. Fall
Off – When something drops to a lower level.
105. Fall
Out – To fall from or through something.
106. Fall
Over – When someone or something falls from an upright position
to the ground.
107. Fall
Through – If things do not go as planned, or if a plan, deal or
agreement fails.
108. Feel
Up To – When you have/don’t have the energy and confidence to do
something.
109. Fight
Back – When you defend yourself/resist an attack, or make an
effort against an opponent in a competition.
110. Figure
On – To expect or plan for something.
111. Fill
In – To add personal information in the blank spaces of an
official document.
112. Fill
Out – To complete a form.
113. Fill
Up – To fill something completely.
114. Find
Out – To become aware of something or someone.
115. Fix
Up – To make plans or arrangements with someone or for others.
116. Flip
Out – To become very mad or lose control over your emotions.
117. Float
Around – When an object or a person is near, but you cannot
pinpoint the exact location.
118. Follow
Up – To find out more about something, or take further action
in regards to it.
119. Fool
Around – To waste time doing unimportant or silly things.
120. Freak
Out – When someone becomes irrationally upset or angry,
sometimes to the point of confusion.
121. Get
Ahead – To become successful in the professional environment or
make consistent progress in life.
122. Get
Along – To have good interactions with others.
123. Get
Around To – To do something that needed to get done at an
earlier time.
124. Get
Away – To escape from something.
125. Get
Back – To return to a place.
126. Get Back
At – To get revenge.
127. Get
Back To – When you talk to someone at a later time either because
you are busy or you have obtained additional or new information.
128. Get
Behind – To learn, work, or progress more slowly than others.
129. Get
By – To pass someone or something.
130. Get
Down – To move to a lower place or level.
131. Get
In – To arrive or enter a place, room, building, etc.
132. Get
Off – To leave a form of transportation, except a car.
133. Get
Off On – To be excited or to truly enjoy doing something.
134. Get
On – When you move your body and either stand, sit, lie,
kneel, etc. towards something (non-separable).
135. Get
Out – To leave or escape.
136. Get
Out Of – To receive a benefit and/or satisfaction from doing
something.
137. Get
Over – To move past an obstacle to the other side.
138. Get
Over With – To finish something that needs to get done.
139. Get
Through – When a message, meaning, or idea is understood or
accepted.
140. Get
To – To arrive to or assist someone to a place.
141. Get
Together – To meet and spend time together.
142. Get
Up – To move to a higher level/position.
143. Give
Away – To give something for free or without expecting anything
in return.
144. Give
In – To surrender to something.
145. Give
Out – To distribute something.
146. Give
Up – To stop doing something without completing it.
147. Go
About – To take the necessary steps to get something done.
148. Go
After – When you do your best to get something no matter how
difficult it is.
149. Go
Ahead – To proceed to do something that you were hesitant about.
150. Go
Along With – to accept or agree with a decision, rule, opinion,
etc.
151. Go
Around – To follow a circular path.
152. Go
Away – To move or travel from one place to another place.
153. Go
Back – To return to a place, time, activity, or a person.
154. Go
Back On – When you fail to fulfill a promise you made to someone.
155. Go
Beyond – To be more than or better than what is normal or
expected.
156. Go
By – To pass someone or something quickly.
157. Go
Down – To move to a lower position, place, price, level, etc.
158. Go
For – To try to obtain.
159. Go
In – To enter a place, building, room, etc.
160. Go
In For – To enter a place or area for a specific reason.
161. Go
In/Into – To enter a place, room, building, etc. usually through a
door.
162. Go
Off – To leave unannounced.
163. Go
On – When something takes place.
164. Go
Out – To leave a place or area you’re in.
165. Go
Over – To review something.
166. Go
Through With – When you make a decision to do something, and
actually do it.
167. Go
Up – To move or extend to a higher level or farther North.
168. Go
With – To accompany someone to a place.
169. Goof
Around – To waste time doing silly or unimportant things.
170. Gross
Out – To be disgusted with someone or something.
171. Grow
Out Of – To become too big or too tall for your clothes.
172. Grow
Up – When you physically change from a child to an adult.
173. Hand
Back – When you return something to the person who owns it after
the person has given it to you.
174. Hand
In – To give something to a person of authority.
175. Hand
Out – To distribute something free to other people.
176. Hand
Over – To give upon request or demand.
177. Hang
Around – To spend time in a place or an area.
178. Hang
On – When you hold something, often for support of comfort.
179. Hang
Out – To hang something, usually wet clothes, to dry.
180. Hang
Up – To hang clothes or an object on a hook, hanger or rod.
181. Have
On – To wear clothing, cosmetics, perfume, etc.
182. Head
Back – To go to a place where you’ve been before or where you
started from.
183. Head
For – When a situation becomes more likely.
184. Head
Toward – To move in the direction where someone or something is.
185. Hear
About – When you learn details about something or someone.
186. Hear
Of – When you learn about something or someone.
187. Heat
Up – To make something warmer or cause a rise in temperature.
188. Help
Out – To assist people with something.
189. Hit
On – To suddenly have a solution to a problem or an
interesting idea.
190. Hold
Against – When you don’t forgive or have little respect for someone
because of something they did.
191. Hold
Off – To delay something.
192. Hold
On – When you wait for a short time.
193. Hold
Out – To extend your hand or an object in front of you.
194. Hold
Up – To hold someone or something up in the air.
195. Hook
Up – When you connect two electrical devices together.
196. Hurry
Up – To do something quickly.
197. Keep
At – To continue doing an activity even though it may be
difficult.
198. Keep
Away – To avoid getting close to someone or something.
199. Keep
Down – To make sound, music and noise minimal.
200. Keep
From – To stop yourself or other people from doing something.
201. Keep
Off – To avoid discussing a particular subject or topic.
202. Keep
On – To continue doing something.
203. Keep
To – When you don’t share information.
204. Keep
Up – To continue to do something.
205. Kick
Back – To illegally pay extra money to someone as part of the
price.
206. Kick
Out – To force someone to leave an organization or place.
207. Knock
Off – To use force to cause someone or something to fall from
its place, whether intentionally or accidentally.
208. Knock
Out – When someone is struck hard enough to cause them to lose
consciousness.
209. Knock
Over – To make contact with something or someone in such a way
it or they fall.
210. Know
About – To have knowledge of or be familiar with something.
211. Lay
Down – To place something on a surface or an object.
212. Lay
Off – When a company or business ends a worker’s employment.
213. Lead
Up To – When a period of time or a series of events cause an
event, situation or conversation to happen.
214. Leave
Behind – When you don’t take something or someone with you when
you leave.
215. Leave
Off – To accidentally or intentionally not include a person or
thing on a list.
216. Leave
Out – not include someone or something.
217. Leave
Over – When you have a portion that still remains from something
after you have used or eaten the rest of it.
218. Let
Down – To disappoint someone.
219. Let
In – To allow someone or something to enter a place.
220. Let
Off – To allow someone to leave a car, bus, train etc.
221. Let
On – To tell something that is a secret or private.
222. Let
Out – When you give permission for someone to leave or be
released from a place.
223. Let
Up – When someone or something becomes less intense or strong.
224. Lie
Around – To be lazy or to not do anything.
225. Lift
Up – To raise someone or something to a higher level.
226. Light
Up – To illuminate something.
227. Lighten
Up – When a conversation is changed or a person changes to
become less serious.
228. Line
Up – To form in a row one after another or side-by-side.
229. Live
With – To share the same residence.
230. Lock
In – To secure people or things behind a closed door.
231. Lock
Out – When you don’t have the key or passcode to enter a
secured place.
232. Lock
Up – When you shut the windows and doors of a place or
building.
233. Look
Around – To turn your head to see what or who is around you.
234. Look
At – To divert your eyes to someone or something.
235. Look
Down On – When you consider someone or something as unimportant or
with little to no value.
236. Look
Forward To – To anticipate a future event because it
either makes you happy and/or you benefit from it.
237. Look
Into – To investigate or get more facts about something.
238. Look
Out – To remain alert.
239. Look
Over – To examine or inspect something or someone.
240. Look
Up – When a situation becomes better.
241. Look
Up To – This particular phrasal verb is used to say you view
someone with respect and/or admiration.
242. Luck
Out – To have exceptionally good luck.
243. Make
For – To go in a certain direction, typically in a hurry.
244. Make
Of – To understand the meaning of something.
245. Make
Up – To invent a story.
246. Mess
Up – When something is dirty or unorganized.
247. Mix
Up – To put or combine different things together so they’ll
merge successfully.
248. Monkey
Around With – To try to play with or repair a device that
you have no true knowledge about.
249. Move
In – When you bring your personal belongings and stuff to a
new place where you will live.
250. Move
Out – When you permanently remove all your belongings and
personal items from a place where you live or stay.
251. Narrow
Down – To reduce the number of options or possibilities.
252. Pay
Back – When you return money that you owe someone.
253. Pay
For – To purchase merchandise.
254. Pay
Off – To repay money that is owed to a person or entity.
255. Pay
Up – To pay all the money that is owed or asked for.
256. Pick
On – To tease and/or criticize someone over a period of time.
257. Pick
Out – When you are able to recognize something or someone from
a group.
258. Pick
Up – To get someone or something from somewhere.
259. Pile
Up – To put things in a pile or heap.
260. Piss
Off – [Informal] To be angry about something.
261. Plan
Ahead – To prepare for a future event or situation.
262. Plan
For – To prepare for a big event or expectation in the future.
263. Plan
On – When you have the intention to do something.
264. Plug
In – To connect an electrical device to an electrical outlet.
265. Plug
In/Into – To connect an electrical appliance/machine to another
piece of equipment or to a power source.
266. Plug
Up – To block a narrow passage such as a hole, drain, or pipe
so that nothing can flow through.
267. Point
Out – To make someone aware of something.
268. Point
To – When you aim at something or someone using your finger or
hand.
269. Print
Out – To produce a hard copy of a computer document.
270. Pull
Off – To succeed in doing something difficult or tricky.
271. Pull
Out – When something or someone leaves a place.
272. Pull
Over – To drive your vehicle to the side of the road to stop.
273. Pull
Through – To recover from an injury or illness.
274. Punch
In – To enter data or record time on a device.
275. Punch
Out – To record the time you leave the workplace using a
special clock.
276. Put
Away – To place something where it cannot be seen or isn’t in
the way of other things.
277. Put
Back – When something is causing a project to slow down.
278. Put
Down – To place something on a surface or an object.
279. Put
In – When you invest or make a deposit. In this example, the
amount almost always separates the verb.
280. Put
Off – To become offended by someone or something.
281. Put
Out – To extend a part of your body.
282. Put
Past – To not be surprised by a person’s actions. [Always used
with the negative]
283. Put
To – To cause someone or something to be in a certain state or
to do something extra.
284. Put
Together – To assemble or connect the parts of
something.
285. Put
Up – To move an object to a higher level.
286. Put
Up To – To encourage or persuade someone to do something.
287. Put
Up With – To tolerate or accept something that you’d rather not.
288. Ring
Up – To call someone on the phone.
289. Rip
Off – When someone asks for a price for something that is too
high, when someone cheats or steals.
290. Rip
Up – To tear something (i.e., paper, cloth, etc.) into pieces.
291. Rule
Out – When someone or something is excluded as a possibility.
292. Run
Across – To move or run from one side to the other.
293. Run
Around – To go from one place to another in a hurry.
294. Run
Down – To hit someone or something with a vehicle.
295. Run
Into – When something collides with another object by accident.
296. Run
Out – When people exit a place very quickly. Run In/ Run Into
is the opposite of this meaning.
297. Run
Over – When someone is injured or killed by a vehicle.
298. Run
Up – To run from a lower elevation or level to a higher
elevation or level.
299. Screw
On – To ensure the top of a container/bottle is sealed.
300. Screw
Out Of – To cheat or deceive someone.
301. Screw
Up – To make a mistake or do something really bad.
302. See
About – To seriously think about doing something.
303. Sell
Out – When all the inventory of a particular product has been
purchased.
304. Set
Up – To organize or plan for an activity/event to happen.
305. Settle
Down – To begin living a stable and routine life.
306. Settle
For – To accept something even though it’s not what you want or
need.
307. Shake
Up – To mix something in a container by shaking it.
308. Show
Off – To overly display your skills or what you have.
309. Shut
Off – To stop the operation of an electrical or mechanical
device.
310. Shut
Up – To stop talking.
311. Sign
In – To write your name on a list to indicate the day and time
you arrived at a certain place.
312. Sign
Out – To write your name on a list to indicate the day and time
of your departure.
313. Sit
Down – To change from a standing to a sitting position.
314. Slow
Down – To do something slower.
315. Sneak
In/Into – To enter a place quietly to avoid being seen or heard.
316. Sneak
Out – To leave a place without being noticed.
317. Sort
Out – To arrange or separate things into groups according to
similarities.
318. Space
Out – When someone’s attention is not in the present moment.
[Adj.] {spaced out} To describe a person whose attention isn’t in the present
moment.
319. Stand
Around – To stand in one place or area when you should be doing
something.
320. Stand
For – To support or represent an idea, belief, etc.
321. Stand
Up – To rise from sitting or lying down to a vertical
position.
322. Start
Off – The beginning of an event, activity or time period.
323. Start
Out – To begin a trip or venture to some place.
324. Start
Up – To start something.
325. Stay
Off – To avoid discussing a certain subject or topic.
326. Stay
Out – To spend time out of your own home.
327. Stay
Up – To remain in a place that is higher than ground level.
328. Step
On – To place your foot on something or someone.
329. Stick
Around – To stay in a place or with someone for any period of
time.
330. Stick
Out – To extend something outward.
331. Stick
To – When something is attached to another by some form of
adhesive.
332. Stick
Up – To use a weapon, especially a gun, to rob someone.
333. Stick
With – To continue to use or do something.
334. Stop
Off – To make a quick stop on your way to a destination.
335. Stop
Over – To visit someone for a short period of time.
336. Straighten
Out – To make something straight.
337. Stress
Out – To feel very worried, nervous or anxious.
338. Switch
Off – When you move something from the ‘on’ state to the ‘off’
state. Synonymous with “Turn Off.” Yesterday’s “Switch On” is the opposite.
339. Switch
On – When you move something from the ‘off’ state to the ‘on’
state. Synonymous with “Turn On,” while “Switch Off” is the opposite.
340. Take
Apart – To disconnect or separate the parts of an object.
341. Take
Back – To return something or someone.
342. Take
In – To be successfully tricked or deceived by someone.
343. Take
Out – To remove an object from an area, place or container.
344. Take
Out On – To direct your anger towards someone or something when
you’re really upset about someone or something else.
345. Take
Up On – When you accept an invitation or offer from someone.
346. Talk
Down To – To talk to someone as if they are less intelligent. than
you by conveying a tone of voice or attitude that says so.
347. Talk
Into – To convince someone to do something.
348. Talk
Out Of – To convince someone not to do something.
349. Talk
To – To have a conversation with someone.
350. Tear
Down – To deconstruct a building or home.
351. Tear
Off – To remove with force.
352. Tell
Apart – To be able to differentiate something or someone from
something or someone else.
353. Tell
On – To inform an authoritative figure about what someone else
did.
354. Think
About – To consider something prior to making a final decision.
355. Think
Ahead – To think and plan carefully for a future situation or
event.
356. Think
Up – To use your imagination to create a plan, idea, or a
solution.
357. Throw
Away – To dispose of something you no longer find useful in a
waste bin, trash, etc.
358. Throw
Out – When you get rid of something by putting it in a trash
can, bin, etc.
359. Throw
Up – To vomit or puke.
360. Track
Down – To locate someone or something after a long search
361. Trade
In – To exchange something old for something new.
362. Trick
Into – To convince or persuade someone to believe something
untrue or to do something for you.
363. Try
On – To see how something fits or looks before purchasing.
364. Try
Out – To show that you are qualified to do something.
365. Turn
Around – When someone or something moves until it faces the
opposite direction.
366. Turn
Down – To decrease the temperature, sound, etc.
367. Turn
In – To give someone or something to the police or someone of
authority.
368. Turn
Into – To transform.
369. Turn
Off – To stop a device from functioning.
370. Turn
On – To cause someone to feel interested and/or attracted.
371. Turn
Out – To attend an event, meeting, etc.
372. Turn
Over – To move an object so that the part that is on top becomes
the bottom and vice versa.
373. Turn
Up – To increase the controls of an electronic or mechanical
device.
374. Use
Up – To completely consume or use all of a supply.
375. Wake
Up – When you are finished sleeping.
376. Wash
Off – To remove dirt or unwanted markings with soap and water.
377. Wash
Up – To clean your face, hands, body, etc.
378. Watch
Out – To be aware of someone or something.
379. Wear
Down – To make the surface or top of something disappear due to
friction.
380. Wear
Off – To decrease or disappear gradually.
381. Wear
Out – When something is damaged or weakened from use and age.
382. Wind
Up – To operate a mechanical device by turning its handle.
383. Wipe
Off – To completely remove or clean something from a surface or
location.
384. Wipe
Out – To clean the inside of something.
385. Wipe
Up – To remove liquid from a surface using a sponge, towel or
cloth, etc.
386. Work
In – To make time in a busy schedule for a person or an
activity.
387. Work
Out – When a situation, event, plan, or idea is successful.
388. Work
Up – To gradually improve at or make progress in something.
389. Wrap
Up – To cover something with some kind of special paper.
390. Zip
Up – To close an item that has a zipper.
0 Comments