English Phrasal verbs.txt

invite on a date (i.e.:Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.)

ask many people the same question (i.e.:I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet.)

equal (i.e.:Your purchases add up to $205.32.)

reverse (i.e.:You'll have to back up your car so that I can get out.)

support (i.e.:My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job.)

explode (i.e.:The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence.)

add air (i.e.:We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.)

stop functioning (vehicle

get upset (i.e.:The woman broke down when the police told her that her son had died.)

divide into smaller parts (i.e.:Our teacher broke the final project down into three separate parts.)

force entry to a building (i.e.:Somebody broke in last night and stole our stereo.)

enter forcibly (i.e.:The firemen had to break into the room to rescue the children.)

wear something a few times so that it doesn't look/feel new (i.e.:I need to break these shoes in before we run next week.)

interrupt (i.e.:The TV station broke in to report the news of the president's death.)

end a relationship (i.e.:My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America.)

start laughing (informal) (i.e.:The kids just broke up as soon as the clown started talking.)

escape (i.e.:The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren't looking.)

develop a skin condition (i.e.:I broke out in a rash after our camping trip.)

make unhappy (i.e.:This sad music is bringing me down.)

raise a child (i.e.:My grandparents brought me up after my parents died.)

start talking about a subject (i.e.:My mother walks out of the room when my father brings up sports.)

vomit (i.e.:He drank so much that he brought his dinner up in the toilet.)

phone many different places/people (i.e.:We called around but we weren't able to find the car part we needed.)

return a phone call (i.e.:I called the company back but the offices were closed for the weekend.)

cancel (i.e.:Jason called the wedding off because he wasn't in love with his fianc.)

ask for an answer or opinion (i.e.:The professor called on me for question 1.)

visit someone (i.e.:We called on you last night but you weren't home.)

phone (i.e.:Give me your phone number and I will call you up when we are in town.)

relax after being angry (i.e.:You are still mad. You need to calm down before you drive the car.)

not like (formal) (i.e.:I don't care for his behaviour.)

get to the same point as someone else (i.e.:You'll have to run faster than that if you want to catch up with Marty.)

arrive and register at a hotel or airport (i.e.:We will get the hotel keys when we check in.)

leave a hotel (i.e.:You have to check out of the hotel before 11:00 AM.)

look at carefully

look at (informal) (i.e.:Check out the crazy hair on that guy!)

become happier (i.e.:She cheered up when she heard the good news.)

make happier (i.e.:I brought you some flowers to cheer you up.)

help (i.e.:If everyone chips in we can get the kitchen painted by noon.)

tidy

find unexpectedly (i.e.:I came across these old photos when I was tidying the closet.)

separate (i.e.:The top and bottom come apart if you pull hard enough.)

become sick (i.e.:My nephew came down with chicken pox this weekend.)

volunteer for a task or to give evidence (i.e.:The woman came forward with her husband's finger prints.)

originate in (i.e.:The art of origami comes from Asia.)

rely on (i.e.:I am counting on you to make dinner while I am out.)

draw a line through (i.e.:Please cross out your old address and write your new one.)

consume less (i.e.:My doctor wants me to cut back on sweets and fatty foods.)

make something fall to the ground (i.e.:We had to cut the old tree in our yard down after the storm.)

interrupt (i.e.:Your father cut in while I was dancing with your uncle.)

pull in too closely in front of another vehicle (i.e.:The bus driver got angry when that car cut in.)

start operating (of an engine or electrical device) (i.e.:The air conditioner cuts in when the temperature gets to 22C.)

remove with something sharp (i.e.:The doctors cut off his leg because it was severely injured.)

stop providing (i.e.:The phone company cut off our phone because we didn't pay the bill.)

take out of a will (i.e.:My grandparents cut my father off when he remarried.)

remove part of something (usually with scissors and paper) (i.e.:I cut this ad out of the newspaper.)

beat up

do again (N.Amer.) (i.e.:My teacher wants me to do my essay over because she doesn't like my topic.)

discard (i.e.:It's time to do away with all of these old tax records.)

fasten

wear nice clothing (i.e.:It's a fancy restaurant so we have to dress up.)

move back in a position/group (i.e.:Andrea dropped back to third place when she fell off her bike.)

come without an appointment (i.e.:I might drop in/by/over for tea sometime this week.)

take someone/something somewhere and leave them/it there (i.e.:I have to drop my sister off at work before I come over.)

quit a class

eat at a restaurant (i.e.:I don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's eat out.)

eventually reach/do/decide (i.e.:We ended up renting a movie instead of going to the theatre.)

break into pieces (i.e.:My new dress fell apart in the washing machine.)

fall to the ground (i.e.:The picture that you hung up last night fell down this morning.)

separate from an interior (i.e.:The money must have fallen out of my pocket.)

(of hair

understand

to write information in blanks (Br.E.) (i.e.:Please fill in the form with your name

to write information in blanks (N.Amer.) (i.e.:The form must be filled out in capital letters.)

fill to the top (i.e.:I always fill the water jug up when it is empty.)

discover (i.e.:We don't know where he lives. How can we find out?)

discover (i.e.:We tried to keep the time of the party a secret

communicate

like each other (i.e.:I was surprised how well my new girlfriend and my sister got along/on.)

have mobility (i.e.:My grandfather can get around fine in his new wheelchair.)

go on a vacation (i.e.:We worked so hard this year that we had to get away for a week.)

do without being noticed or punished (i.e.:Jason always gets away with cheating in his maths tests.)

return (i.e.:We got back from our vacation last week.)

receive something you had before (i.e.:Liz finally got her Science notes back from my room-mate.)

retaliate

become interested in something again (i.e.:I finally got back into my novel and finished it.)

step onto a vehicle (i.e.:We're going to freeze out here if you don't let us get on the bus.)

recover from an illness

overcome a problem (i.e.:The company will have to close if it can't get over the new regulations.)

finally find time to do (N.Amer.: get around to something) (i.e.:I don't know when I am going to get round to writing the thank you cards.)

meet (usually for social reasons) (i.e.:Let's get together for a BBQ this weekend.)

get out of bed (i.e.:I got up early today to study for my exam.)

stand (i.e.:You should get up and give the elderly man your seat.)

reveal hidden information about someone (i.e.:His wife gave him away to the police.)

take the bride to the altar (i.e.:My father gave me away at my wedding.)

ruin a secret (i.e.:My little sister gave the surprise party away by accident.)

give something to someone for free (i.e.:The library was giving away old books on Friday.)

return a borrowed item (i.e.:I have to give these skates back to Franz before his hockey game.)

reluctantly stop fighting or arguing (i.e.:My boyfriend didn't want to go to the ballet

give to many people (usually at no cost) (i.e.:They were giving out free perfume samples at the department store.)

quit a habit (i.e.:I am giving up smoking as of January 1st.)

stop trying (i.e.:My maths homework was too difficult so I gave up.)

follow someone (i.e.:My brother tried to go after the thief in his car.)

try to achieve something (i.e.:I went after my dream and now I am a published writer.)

compete

start

return to a place (i.e.:I have to go back home and get my lunch.)

leave home to go on a social event (i.e.:We're going out for dinner tonight.)

date (i.e.:Jesse has been going out with Luke since they met last winter.)

review (i.e.:Please go over your answers before you submit your test.)

visit someone nearby (i.e.:I haven't seen Tina for a long time. I think I'll go over for an hour or two.)

suffer lack or deprivation (i.e.:When I was young

stop being friends over time (i.e.:My best friend and I grew apart after she changed schools.)

regrow (i.e.:My roses grew back this summer.)

become an adult (i.e.:When Jack grows up he wants to be a fireman.)

get too big for (i.e.:Elizabeth needs a new pair of shoes because she has grown out of her old ones.)

grow big enough to fit (i.e.:This bike is too big for him now

give something used to someone else (i.e.:I handed my old comic books down to my little cousin.)

submit (i.e.:I have to hand in my essay by Friday.)

to distribute to a group of people (i.e.:We will hand out the invitations at the door.)

give (usually unwillingly) (i.e.:The police asked the man to hand over his wallet and his weapons.)

stay positive (N.Amer.

wait a short time (informal) (i.e.:Hang on while I grab my coat and shoes!)

spend time relaxing (informal) (i.e.:Instead of going to the party we are just going to hang out at my place.)

end a phone call (i.e.:He didn't say goodbye before he hung up.)

prevent from doing/going (i.e.:I had to hold my dog back because there was a cat in the park.)

hide an emotion (i.e.:Jamie held back his tears at his grandfather's funeral.)

wait a short time (i.e.:Please hold on while I transfer you to the Sales Department.)

hold firmly using your hands or arms (i.e.:Hold onto your hat because it's very windy outside.)

rob (i.e.:A man in a black mask held the bank up this morning.)

continue doing (i.e.:Keep on stirring until the liquid comes to a boil.)

not tell (i.e.:We kept our relationship from our parents for two years.)

stop from entering (i.e.:Try to keep the wet dog out of the living room.)

continue at the same rate (i.e.:If you keep those results up you will get into a great college.)

fail to support or help

allow to enter (i.e.:Can you let the cat in before you go to school?)

take care of (i.e.:I have to look after my sick grandmother.)

think less of

try to find (i.e.:I'm looking for a red dress for the wedding.)

be excited about the future (i.e.:I'm looking forward to the Christmas break.)

investigate (i.e.:We are going to look into the price of snowboards today.)

be careful

be especially vigilant for (i.e.:Don't forget to look out for snakes on the hiking trail.)

check

search and find information in a reference book or database (i.e.:We can look her phone number up on the Internet.)

have a lot of respect for (i.e.:My little sister has always looked up to me.)

invent

forgive each other (i.e.:We were angry last night

apply cosmetics to (i.e.:My sisters made me up for my graduation party.)

confuse two or more things (i.e.:I mixed up the twins' names again!)

die (i.e.:His uncle passed away last night after a long illness.)

faint (i.e.:It was so hot in the church that an elderly lady passed out.)

give the same thing to many people (i.e.:The professor passed the textbooks out before class.)

decline (usually something good) (i.e.:I passed up the job because I am afraid of change.)

return owed money (i.e.:Thanks for buying my ticket. I'll pay you back on Friday.)

be punished for doing something bad (i.e.:That bully will pay for being mean to my little brother.)

choose (i.e.:I picked out three sweaters for you to try on.)

indicate with your finger (i.e.:I'll point my boyfriend out when he runs by.)

put what you are holding on a surface or floor (i.e.:You can put the groceries down on the kitchen counter.)

insult

postpone (i.e.:We are putting off our trip until January because of the hurricane.)

extinguish (i.e.:The neighbours put the fire out before the firemen arrived.)

assemble (i.e.:I have to put the crib together before the baby arrives.)

tolerate (i.e.:I don't think I can put up with three small children in the car.)

put clothing/accessories on your body (i.e.:Don't forget to put on your new earrings for the party.)

meet unexpectedly (i.e.:I ran into an old school-friend at the mall.)

drive a vehicle over a person or thing (i.e.:I accidentally ran over your bicycle in the driveway.)

rehearse

leave unexpectedly

have none left (i.e.:We ran out of shampoo so I had to wash my hair with soap.)

return (usually by mail) (i.e.:My letter got sent back to me because I used the wrong stamp.)

arrange

trick

compare prices (i.e.:I want to shop around a little before I decide on these boots.)

act extra special for people watching (usually boastfully) (i.e.:He always shows off on his skateboard)

stay somewhere for the night (informal) (i.e.:You should sleep over tonight if the weather is too bad to drive home.)

organize

continue doing something

stop the energy flow

start the energy flow

resemble a family member (i.e.:I take after my mother. We are both impatient.)

purposely break into pieces (i.e.:He took the car brakes apart and found the problem.)

return an item (i.e.:I have to take our new TV back because it doesn't work.)

start to fly (i.e.:My plane takes off in five minutes.)

remove something (usually clothing) (i.e.:Take off your socks and shoes and come in the lake!)

remove from a place or thing (i.e.:Can you take the garbage out to the street for me?)

pay for someone to go somewhere with you (i.e.:My grandparents took us out for dinner and a movie.)

rip into pieces (i.e.:I tore up my ex-boyfriend's letters and gave them back to him.)

remember (often + to

consider (i.e.:I'll have to think this job offer over before I make my final decision.)

dispose of (i.e.:We threw our old furniture away when we won the lottery.)

decrease the volume or strength (heat

refuse (i.e.:I turned the job down because I don't want to move.)

stop the energy flow

start the energy

increase the volume or strength (heat

appear suddenly (i.e.:Our cat turned up after we put posters up all over the neighbourhood.)

sample clothing (i.e.:I'm going to try these jeans on

test (i.e.:I am going to try this new brand of detergent out.)

finish the supply (i.e.:The kids used all of the toothpaste up so we need to buy some more.)

stop sleeping (i.e.:We have to wake up early for work on Monday.)

increase the temperature (i.e.:You can warm your feet up in front of the fireplace.)

prepare body for exercise (i.e.:I always warm up by doing sit-ups before I go for a run.)

fade away (i.e.:Most of my make-up wore off before I got to the party.)

exercise (i.e.:I work out at the gym three times a week.)

be successful (i.e.:Our plan worked out fine.)

make a calculation (i.e.:We have to work out the total cost before we buy the house.)