abide by: adhere to

account for: explain

ask for: request
bank on: depend on/counting on
bear with: be patient with
border on: be near, be next to, on
the line

We abided by the rules./We adhered to the rules.

He accounted for the discrepancy./He explained the
discrepancy
They asked for an extension./They requested an
extension.
We are banking on good weather tomorrow.
We are depending on good weather/ We are counting on
good weather.
Please bear with the delay./Please have patience with the
delay.
Their excitement bordered on hysteria.

Thieves broke into the store./ She is trying to break into

the real estate market.
build on: develop from
We want to build on our success.
burst into: suddenly (enter)
He burst into the room./She burst into tears.
call for: demand
This calls for an investigation.
call on: ask, order
We will call on you to give a speech.
come across: find accidentally
She came across some old papers.
come upon: discover
We came upon a small lake.
confide in: share a secret
The two friends confided in each other.
count on: depend on
We are counting on you.
cut across: use a short route
I cut across the parking lot.
dawn on: realize
Finally the truth dawned on him.
deal in: stock, sell
He deals in gold and jewels.
deal with: handle successfully
She can deal with any situation.
decide on: settle on
They decided on a course of action.
dispense with: proceed without
The chairman dispensed with formalities.
dispose of: get rid of
If he moves, he will have to dispose of his furniture.
dwell on: emphasize
He dwelt on the risks involved.
enlarge on: say more about,
Please enlarge on your proposal./Please enhance on your
enhance on
ideas.
enter into: begin, commence
The brothers entered into an agreement.
expand on: say more about
Please expand on what you said before.
frown on: disapprove of
Absenteeism is frowned on.
get at: reach
The store was so crowded, it was hard to get at the food.
get into: become involved with
I don't want to get into an argument.
get over: recover from
Have you got over the flu yet?
get through: survive, finish
I don't know how I can get through all this work.
go against: oppose
Don't go against the rules.
go over: review
I would like to go over the report again.
go through: examine in detail
Have you gone through the evidence?
go with: look good with
Those shoes don't go with that outfit.
grow on: become more attractive to I'm sure the idea will grow on you.
guard against: take precautions
We must guard against possible attack.
hinge on: depend on
Everything hinges on her decision.
break into: enter( by force)

inquire into: investigate, check out

keep to: adhere to
laugh at: mock, make fun of
launch into: start, begin
leaf through: turn the pages, review
briefly, scan
live on: survive using
look after: take care of
look into: investigate, check into
look through: examine quickly
part with: give up reluctantly
pick on: be unkind to, tease
prey on: hunt and eat; disturb
provide for: prepare for
reason with: try to persuade
reckon on: calculate on
rise above: be superior to
run across: find accidentally
run into: meet accidentally
run over: injured by a vehicle
see through: not be deceived by
send for: ask to be sent
settle for: reluctantly accept
side with: support in a dispute
sit through: sit and endure
stand by: support
stand for: represent, mean or
meaning
stick to: adhere to
stumble across: find accidentally
survive on: survive using
take after: resemble an ancestor
tamper with: interfere with
touch on: mention
verge on: approach
wade through: slowly peruse
watch over: guard

Please inquire into the alternatives.

The train will keep to the schedule.
Don't laugh at me!
He launched into an explanation.
She leafed idly through the book.
What did you live on?
I will look after the children.
He will look into the situation.
We looked through the magazines while we were
waiting.
She refused to part with her necklace.
Because he was the youngest, the other boys picked
on him.
Ospreys prey on fish; the idea preys on my mind.
We have provided for any emergency.
It is hard to reason with an angry person.
I hadn't reckoned on being the center of attention.
He rose above his circumstances and managed to
succeed.
They ran across some interesting information.
I ran into my cousin downtown.
Children must be careful not to be run over by cars.
I instantly saw through the disguise.
You will have to send for your transcripts.
Since there was no kale, we had to settle for cabbage.
Why did you side with him?
It was all I could do to sit through the lecture without
falling asleep.
I hope you will stand by me.
What does the abbreviation etc. stand for?
We shall stick to the original plan.
He stumbled across an interesting fossil.
During the winter, we had to survive on turnips and
parsnips.
He takes after his grandfather.
Someone has tampered with the lock.
She touched on many important subjects.
His behavior verges on rudeness.
We had to wade through a pile of documents.
The shepherd watched over the sheep.

Expressions in which the verb has an object

In the case of some phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by a preposition, the
verb and the preposition may each have an object. In the following examples, the
objects are underlined.
e.g. I can make nothing of the situation.
We talked my sister into agreeing.
In the first example, the verb make of the phrasal verb to make of has the
object nothing, and the preposition of has the object situation. In the second example,
the verb talked of the phrasal verb to talk into has the object sister, and the
preposition into has the object agreeing.
The following are examples of phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by a
preposition, where the verb may have an object. The objects of the verbs are
underlined. Each phrasal verb is followed by its meaning and an example of its use.
The last example illustrates the use of the Passive Voice.
Verbs followed by Objects followed by Prepositions
drag into: involve unwillingly
draw into: involve gradually
drum into: teach by repetition
frighten into: control by fear
hold against: blame for
lay before: present to
let into: allow to share
make of: understand
read into: find other meanings
set against: make antagonistic
set on: order to attack
talk into: persuade
thrust upon: force upon
write into: add to in writing

Don't drag me into this discussion!

We managed to draw her into the conversation.
We drummed the safety rules into the children.
The little girl frightened her brother into obeying her.
Please don't hold my mistakes against me.
We will lay the evidence before the court.
Shall we let her into the secret?
Can you make anything of this message?
You are reading too much into her remarks.
She likes to set people against one another.
We will set our dogs on any intruders.
Can you talk him into changing his mind?
We thrust the responsibility upon the treasurer.
The terms were written into the lease.

Phrasal verbs consisting of a verb followed by an adverb

Many phrasal verbs consist of a verb followed by an adverb. Some of these phrasal
verbs are intransitive and some are transitive.
For instance, the intransitive phrasal verb to show up is formed from the verb to
show followed by the adverb up. In the following example, the phrasal verb does not
have an object.
At ten o'clock, her brother showed up.

The following are examples of intransitive phrasal verbs which consist of a verb
followed by an adverb. Each phrasal verb is followed by its meaning and an example
of its use.
Intransitive Verbs followed by Adverbs
blow over: pass
boil away: disappear by boiling
boil over: overflow by boiling
bounce back: recover
buckle down: work seriously
catch on: be widely accepted
cloud over: become overcast
die down: become less
double up: bend over
drop in: visit
fade away: become less
fall off: become less
get away: escape
get by: barely succeed
give in: admit defeat
go on: continue
grow up: become an adult
keep on: persist in
level off: stop rising
log on: contact a computer
log off: break contact with a computer
system
move in: take possession of living
quarters
move out: give up possession of living
quarters
nod off: go to sleep
pass out: faint
pitch in: help
play along: pretend to agree
pull in: arrive (of vehicles)
pull out: leave (of vehicles)
set off: leave
settle down: become peaceful
settle in: become used to

I wonder when the trouble will blow over.

If the water boils away, the stew will burn.
The soup boiled over.
He bounced back from his previous defeat.
You may fail your courses if you don't buckle down to
work.
Do you think the idea will catch on?
Although it clouded over in the afternoon, the rain
held off.
After a few days, the excitement died down.
We were doubled up with laughter.
Please drop in any time.
The sound gradually faded away.
Attendance at the concerts has fallen off.
I hooked a fish, but it got away.
She studied just hard enough to get by.
I will never give in!
Please go on. Don't let me interrupt you.
What do you want to do when you grow up?
He kept on changing the subject.
Prices finally leveled off.
Do you know how to log on?
The system was overloaded, so I had to log off.
When are you moving in?
He moved out yesterday.
Half the bus passengers nodded off.
It was so hot, I almost passed out.
If everyone pitches in, the work will be done in a few
minutes.
Let's play along until we find out what his plans are.
The bus pulled in next to the curb.
The train pulled out at ten o'clock.
They set off at six o'clock in the morning.
After the excitement, the students found it difficult
to settle down.
How are you settling in to your new job?

show up: arrive

stay up: not go to bed
step down: resign
step in: intervene
take off: leave the ground
touch down: land (of planes)
tune in: find a station on the radio
watch out: beware
wear off: gradually disappear

She showed up at noon.

We stayed up until midnight.
He stepped down for health reasons.
The government had to step in to save the business.
The plane took off on time.
The plane touched down.
We tuned in to listen to the hockey game.
Watch out! The roads are icy.
The feeling of excitement gradually wore off.

The following are examples of transitive phrasal verbs which consist of a verb
followed by an adverb. Each phrasal verb is followed by its meaning and an example
of its use.
Transitive Verbs followed by Adverbs
back up: support
bail out: rescue
break in: make something new fit
for use
breathe in: inhale
breathe out: exhale
bring back: return
bring around: persuade
bring up: raise
butter up: flatter
call in: ask to assist
call off: cancel
call up: telephone
cheer on: cheer, encourage
chop down: fell
clean up: tidy
fend off: repel
ferret out: find with difficulty
figure out: solve, understand
fill in: complete
fill out: complete
fill up: make full
give back: return
give off: send out
hand down: give to someone
younger

I will back up your story.

If you run into difficulties, who will bail you out?
I broke in my new hiking boots.
We breathed in the fresh air.
I breathed out a sigh of relief.
She brought back her library books.
We gradually brought her around to our point of view.
Bringing up children is never easy.
We buttered him up, hoping that he would agree to our
proposal.
I think it is time we called in an expert.
We called off the meeting.
Why don't you call him up?
I will be there to cheer you on.
They chopped down the dead tree.
The mayor asked everyone to help clean up the city
streets.
The goalie fended off every attack.
We managed to ferret out the information.
I can't figure out what happened.
Please fill in this form.
I filled out the form.
We filled up the glasses with water.
I gave back the bicycle I had borrowed.
Skunk cabbage gives off an unpleasant odor.
The tradition was handed down from father to son.

hand in: give to person in authority

hand on: give to another person
hand over: transfer
hang up: break a telephone
connection
hold back: restrain, delay
iron out: remove
knock out: make unconscious
lap up: accept eagerly
lay off: put out of work
leave behind: leave, not bring
leave out: omit
let down: disappoint
live down: live so that past faults
are forgotten
look up: find (information)
make up: invent
pass up: not take advantage
pension off: dismiss with a pension
phase in: introduce gradually
phase out: cease gradually
pick up: collect
pin down: get a commitment
play down: de-emphasize
point out: draw attention to
polish off: finish
pull down: demolish
pull off: succeed
put away: put in proper place
put back: return to original
location
put off: postpone
reel off: recite a long list
rope in: persuade to help
rub out: erase
rule out: remove from
consideration
scale down: reduce
sell off: dispose of by selling
set back: delay
shout down: stop from speaking by
shouting
shrug off: dismiss as unimportant

The students handed their assignments in to the teacher.

I am not sorry to hand the responsibility on to you.
We had to hand the evidence over to the police.
After receiving a busy signal, I hung up the phone.
He is so enthusiastic, it is hard to hold him back.
I am sure we can iron out every difficulty.
Boxers are often knocked out.
The public lapped up the story.
The company laid off seventy workers.
I accidentally left my umbrella behind.
Tell me what happened. Don't leave anything out!
We will let him down if we don't arrive on time.
This will be hard to live down!
We looked up the word in a dictionary.
She likes to make up stories.
I couldn't pass up such an opportunity.
He was pensioned off at the age of sixty.
The new program will be phased in over the next six
months.
The practice will gradually be phased out.
You may pick up the papers at the office.
When the guest speaker is pinned down, we can set a date
for the conference.
He played down the importance of the news.
She pointed out the advantages of the proposal.
We polished off the rest of the apple pie.
Many old buildings are pulled down to make way for new
ones.
Do you think she can pull off her plan?
It is time to put the toys away.
Please put the book back on the shelf.
We cannot put off the meeting again.
She reeled off a long list of names.
We roped in everyone we could to help with the work.
Be sure to rub out all the pencil marks.
None of the possibilities can be ruled out yet.
Because of lack of funds, we had to scale down our plans.
We sold off all the books and furniture.
This could set back the project by several years.
The crowd shouted down the speaker.
He attempted to shrug off the mistake.

single out: select from others

size up: assess
sort out: organize
sound out: talk with to learn the
opinion of
stammer out: stammer
sum up: summarize
summon up: gather
take in: absorb
take out: invite to a restaurant
take over: assume control
talk over: discuss
tear up: destroy by tearing
think over: consider
think up: invent
track down: search for and find
trade in: give as part payment

You have been singled out for special attention.

I quickly sized up the situation.
It will take some time to sort out this mess.
We attempted to sound him out.
They stammered out their apologies.
He summed up the discussion in a few well-chosen
words.
I attempted to summon up my courage.
We tried to take in the new information.
May I take you out for supper?
They will take over at the beginning of June.
Let us talk it over before we decide.
She tore up the letter.
I need some time to think it over.
What will they think up next?
We finally tracked him down at the bookstore.
Why don't you trade in your old vacuum cleaner for a new
one?

try on: test clothes by putting them

I tried on the new suit, but it didn't fit me.
on
try out: test by using
Would you like to try out my fountain pen?
The event was so popular that many people had to
turn away: refuse admission
be turned away.
turn back: reverse direction
Every fall the clocks must be turned back by one hour.
turn off: deactivate by using a
I turned off the radio.
switch
turn on: activate by using a switch Please turn on the light.
water down: dilute
The soup has been watered down.
wear out: gradually destroy by
My jacket is wearing out, although it is only a year old.
wearing or using
write down: make a note
I wrote down the instructions.
write off: cancel, regard as
They were forced to write off several irretrievable debts.
write up: compose in writing
I used my notes to write up the report.

More Phrasal Verbs

blare out: make a loud sound
blow up: destroy by an explosion
break up: break into pieces
burn down: destroy by fire
calm down: become calm

The loudspeakers blared out the music.

The music blared out.
Troops blew up the bridge.
The bridge blew up.
The icebreaker broke up the ice.
The ice broke up.
We burned down the old barn.
The old barn burned down.
I calmed down the child.

dry out: become dry

get across: transmit
liven up: become lively
pull through: recover from, survive
roll up: wrap into a cylinder
shut down: close, stop working
wake up: stop sleeping
wash out: remove by washing
wear away: gradually remove
wear out: gradually destroy by using

add up to: amount to

back down from: withdraw, avoid
back out of: not fulfill
boil down to: can be reduced to
bow out of: withdraw
brush up on: refresh knowledge of
carry on with: continue with
catch up to: overtake
clean up after: tidy for
come down to: can be reduced to
come down with: become ill with
come out in: develop
come up against: meet an obstacle
come up with: produce
creep up on: approach undetected
cry out for: urgently require
cut back on: reduce
do away with: abolish
face up to: accept and deal with
fall back on: turn to for help

The child calmed down.

The sun dried out the earth.
The earth dried out.
We got our point across to the audience.
Our point got across to the audience.
He livened up the party.
The party livened up.
The doctor pulled her through the illness.
She pulled through the illness.
I rolled up the window blind.
The window blind rolled up.
They shut down the factory.
The factory shut down.
I woke her up.
She woke up.
We washed out the dye.
The dye washed out.
Water wore away the rock.
The rock wore away.
I wore out the sweater.
The sweater wore out.

It is hard to see what that adds up to.

She never backs down from a challenge.
I wish I could back out of the agreement.
All his arguments boil down to a belief in the
supernatural.
He bowed out of the race.
I must brush up on my English.
We carried on with our conversation.
The boy ran quickly to catch up with his friends.
She spent half her time cleaning up after the children.
Your choices come down to these.
She came down with a cold.
He came out in a rash.
They came up against many difficulties.
She came up with a solution to the problem.
Old age tends to creep up on one.
The education system is crying out for improvement.
The government has cut back on spending.
We want to do away with delays.
It is best to face up to one's problems.
Because of unexpected expenses, we had to fall back

fit in with: be suited to

fool around with: not be serious, have
as a hobby
get away with: not be punished
get down to: begin dealing seriously
with
get in on: manage to participate in
give up on: stop trying
go along with: agree, not resist
go back on: break a promise

on our savings.
You don't fit in with this group.
He likes to fool around with computers.
He got away with being late for school.
It is time to get down to business.

I want to get in on the planning for the new school.

I've given up on the situation.
I'm willing to go along with your idea.
He never goes back on his word.
Are you going to go through with your plan to
go through with: fulfill, carry out
conduct a survey?
grow out of: become too big for
My son has grown out of most of his clothes.
hold out for: not compromise
We want to hold out for better conditions.
keep up with: be on the same level as She has a hard time keeping up with her brother.
The first thirty chapters of the book lead up to the
lead up to: be a preparation for
dramatic conclusion.
live up to: maintain a standard
She has lived up to her reputation as a great singer.
log on to: contact a computer
She logged on to the new system.
look down on: regard as inferior
He looks down on his classmates.
look forward to: anticipate
I'm looking forward to the holidays.
look out for: watch for
Look out for fallen branches.
look up to: admire
We looked up to her.
make up for: compensate for
She tried to make up for her past mistakes.
pull out of: leave (of vehicles)
The train pulled out of the station.
push on with: go ahead, continue
I must push on with my work.
Bus passengers must often put up with crowded
put up with: endure, tolerate
conditions.
Whenever I travel, I like to read up on the place I am
read up on: read about
going to visit.
rub off on: acquire from someone
Some of his enthusiasm has rubbed off on me.
run up against: meet
One runs up against many different kinds of people.
send away for: order by mail
We sent away for warm winter boots.
stick up for: defend, support
Will you stick up for me?
stock up on: lay in supplies
We should stock up on bananas.
talk down to: speak patronizingly
He always talks down to people younger than he is.
walk away with: win easily
They walked away with all the prizes.
watch out for: beware of
Watch out for snakes.
wriggle out of: avoid
She always tries to wriggle out of her responsibilities.
zero in on: focus on
Let us zero in on the heart of the problem.

Verbs followed by Objects followed by Adverbs followed by Prepositions

get over with: undergo,
If I must visit the dentist, I prefer to get it over with as soon as
finish
possible.
let in on: allow to share
We let them in on the secret.
play off against: encourage In the last century, the British weakened their enemies
to fight
by playing them off against one another.
put down to: attribute to
We put his bad temper down to fatigue.
put up to: urge to do wrong She put me up to playing a trick on the teacher.
take out on: vent bad
She took her dissatisfaction with her job out on her neighbors.
feelings on
take up on: accept an offer I would like to take you up on your offer.
talk out of: dissuade from We tried to talk him out of retiring.

Verbs followed by objects followed by words which may function either as

Adverbs or Prepositions
cross off: put a line through
pass around: distribute
show around: conduct on a tour
tide over: provide for temporarily
warn off: warn to leave

I crossed his name off.

I crossed his name off the list.
I passed the papers around.
I passed the papers around the class.
We showed the visitors around.
We showed the visitors around the city.
This money will tide me over.
This money will tide me over the weekend.
We were warned off.
We were warned off the premises.

Intransitive Verbs followed by words which may function either as Adverbs or

Prepositions
break through: appear
do without: survive without
glance off: hit and bounce off
go without: not have

The sun broke through.

The sun broke through the clouds.
We had to do without.
We had to do without electricity.
The ball glanced off.
The ball glanced off the wall.
They went without.
They went without food.

hang around: stay near

join in: become involved in
lounge around: relax in
mill around: (of a crowd) move randomly
pass by: pass
rally round: gather to give support
sail through: succeed easily
scrape through: barely succeed
turn off: leave a road

blare out: make a loud sound

blow up: destroy by an explosion
break up: break into pieces
burn down: destroy by fire
calm down: become calm
dry out: become dry
get across: transmit
liven up: become lively
pull through: recover from, survive
roll up: wrap into a cylinder
shut down: close, stop working
wake up: stop sleeping
wash out: remove by washing

We hung around.
We hung around the movie theater.
I joined in.
I joined in the game.
We lounged around.
We lounged around the living room.
The students milled around.
The students milled around the lobby.
I passed by.
I passed by the house.
We rallied round.
We rallied round our class president.
She sailed through.
She sailed through the exam.
They scraped through.
They scraped through the course.
We turned off.
We turned off the main highway.

The loudspeakers blared out the music.

The music blared out.
Troops blew up the bridge.
The bridge blew up.
The icebreaker broke up the ice.
The ice broke up.
We burned down the old barn.
The old barn burned down.
I calmed down the child.
The child calmed down.
The sun dried out the earth.
The earth dried out.
We got our point across to the audience.
Our point got across to the audience.
He livened up the party.
The party livened up.
The doctor pulled her through the illness.
She pulled through the illness.
I rolled up the window blind.
The window blind rolled up.
They shut down the factory.
The factory shut down.
I woke her up.
She woke up.
We washed out the dye.

wear away: gradually remove

wear out: gradually destroy by using

The dye washed out.

Water wore away the rock.
The rock wore away.
I wore out the sweater.
The sweater wore out.