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Phrasal Verb Meaning Example Sentence

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phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

ask someone out

invite on a
date

Brian askedJudy out


to dinner and a
movie.

ask around

ask many
people the
same
question

I asked aroundbut
nobody has seen my
wallet.

add up
to something

equal

Your purchasesadd
up to$205.32.

back something up

reverse

You'll have toback


up your car so that I
can get out.

back someone up

support

My
wife backedme up o
ver my decision to
quit my job.

blow up

explode

The racing carblew


up after it crashed
into the fence.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

blow something up

add air

We have toblow 50
balloons up for the
party.

break down

stop
functioning
(vehicle,
machine)

Our car broke


down at the side of
the highway in the
snowstorm.

break down

get upset

The womanbroke
downwhen the police
told her that her son
had died.

break somethingdo
wn

divide into
smaller parts

Our teacherbroke the


final
project downinto
three separate parts.

break in

force entry
to a building

Somebodybroke
in last night and stole
our stereo.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

break
into something

enter
forcibly

The firemen had


to break intothe
room to rescue the
children.

break something in

wear
something a
few times so
that it
doesn't
look/feel
new

I need to breakthese
shoes inbefore we
run next week.

break in

interrupt

The TV stationbroke
in to report the news
of the president's
death.

break up

end a
relationship

My boyfriend and
I broke upbefore I
moved to America.

break up

start
laughing
(informal)

The kids justbroke


up as soon as the
clown started talking.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

break out

escape

The prisonersbroke
out of jail when the
guards weren't
looking.

break out
insomething

develop a
skin
condition

I broke out in a rash


after our camping
trip.

bring someone do
wn

make
unhappy

This sad music


isbringing medown.

bring someone up

raise a child

My
grandparentsbrought
me upafter my
parents died.

bring something u
p

start talking
about a
subject

My mother walks out


of the room when my
fatherbrings
upsports.

bring something u
p

vomit

He drank so much
that hebrought his

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence
dinner up in the
toilet.

call around

phone many
different
places/peopl
e

We called
around but we
weren't able to find
the car part we
needed.

call someone back

return a
phone call

I called the
company backbut the
offices were closed
for the weekend.

call something off

cancel

Jason called the


wedding offbecause
he wasn't in love with
his fianc.

call on someone

ask for an
answer or
opinion

The professorcalled
on me for question 1.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

call on someone

visit
someone

We called onyou last


night but you weren't
home.

call someone up

phone

Give me your phone


number and I
will callyou up when
we are in town.

calm down

relax after
being angry

You are still mad. You


need to calm
downbefore you
drive the car.

not care
forsomeone/somet
hing

not like
(formal)

I don't care forhis


behaviour.

catch up

get to the
same point
as someone
else

You'll have to run


faster than that if you
want to catch
up with Marty.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

check in

arrive and
register at a
hotel or
airport

We will get the hotel


keys when we check
in.

check out

leave a hotel

You have tocheck


out of the hotel
before 11:00 AM.

checksomeone/so
methingout

look at
carefully,
investigate

The companychecks
out all new
employees.

check
outsomeone/somet
hing

look at
(informal)

Check out the crazy


hair on that guy!

cheer up

become
happier

She cheered
upwhen she heard
the good news.

cheer someone up

make
happier

I brought you some


flowers
tocheer you up.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

chip in

help

If everyonechips
in we can get the
kitchen painted by
noon.

clean something u
p

tidy, clean

Please clean upyour


bedroom before you
go outside.

come
acrosssomething

find
unexpectedl
y

I came acrossthese
old photos when I
was tidying the
closet.

come apart

separate

The top and


bottom come
apart if you pull hard
enough.

come down
withsomething

become sick

My nephewcame
down with chicken
pox this weekend.

come forward

volunteer for
a task or to

The womancame
forwardwith her

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

give
evidence

husband's finger
prints.

come
fromsomewhere

originate in

The art of
origami comes
from Asia.

count
onsomeone/someth
ing

rely on

I am counting
on you to make
dinner while I am
out.

cross something o
ut

draw a line
through

Please cross
out your old address
and write your new
one.

cut back
onsomething

consume
less

My doctor wants me
to cut back
on sweets and fatty
foods.

cut something dow


n

make
something

We had to cutthe old


tree in our

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

fall to the
ground

yard downafter the


storm.

cut in

interrupt

Your father cut


in while I was
dancing with your
uncle.

cut in

pull in too
closely in
front of
another
vehicle

The bus driver got


angry when that
car cut in.

cut in

start
operating (of
an engine or
electrical
device)

The air
conditioner cuts
in when the
temperature gets to
22C.

cut something off

remove with
something
sharp

The doctors cut


off his leg because it
was severely injured.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

cut something off

stop
providing

The phone
company cut offour
phone because we
didn't pay the bill.

cut someone off

take out of a
will

My
grandparentscut my
fatheroff when he
remarried.

cut something out

remove part
of something
(usually with
scissors and
paper)

I cut this ad outof


the newspaper.

dosomeone/someth
ingover

beat up,
ransack
(BrE,
informal)

He's lucky to be alive.


His shop was done
overby a street gang.

do something over

do again
(AmE)

My teacher wants me
to domy
essay overbecause

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence
she doesn't like my
topic.

do away
withsomething

discard

It's time to do away


with all of these old
tax records.

do something up

fasten, close

Do your
coat upbefore you go
outside. It's snowing!

dress up

wear nice
clothing

It's a fancy
restaurant so we
have to dress up.

drop back

move back
in a
position/gro
up

Andrea dropped
back to third place
when she fell off her
bike.

drop in/by/over

come
without an
appointment

I might drop
in/by/over for tea
sometime this week.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

dropsomeone/some
thingoff

take
someone/so
mething
somewhere
and leave
them/it
there

I have to dropmy
sister off at work
before I come over.

drop out

quit a class,
school etc

I dropped outof
Science because it
was too difficult.

eat out

eat at a
restaurant

I don't feel like


cooking tonight.
Let's eat out.

end up

eventually
reach/do/de
cide

We ended uprenting
a movie instead of
going to the theatre.

fall apart

break into
pieces

My new dressfell
apart in the washing
machine.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

fall down

fall to the
ground

The picture that you


hung up last
night fell downthis
morning.

fall out

separate
from an
interior

The money must


have fallen outof my
pocket.

fall out

(of hair,
teeth)
become
loose and
unattached

His hair started


to fall out when he
was only 35.

figure something o
ut

understand,
find the
answer

I need to figure
out how to fit the
piano and the
bookshelf in this
room.

fill something in

to write
information
in blanks, as

Please fill in the form


with your name,
address, and phone
number.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

on a form
(BrE)

fill something out

to write
information
in blanks, as
on a form
(AmE)

The form must


be filled out in
capital letters.

fill something up

fill to the top

I always fill the water


jug upwhen it is
empty.

find out

discover

We don't know where


he lives. How can
we find out?

find something out

discover

We tried to keep the


time of the party a
secret, but
Samanthafound it ou
t.

get somethingacro
ss/over

communicat
e, make

I tried to get my
pointacross/over to

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

understanda
ble

the judge but she


wouldn't listen.

get along/on

like each
other

I was surprised how


well my new girlfriend
and my sistergot
along/on.

get around

have
mobility

My grandfather
can get aroundfine
in his new
wheelchair.

get away

go on a
vacation

We worked so hard
this year that we had
toget away for a
week.

get away
withsomething

do without
being
noticed or
punished

Jason alwaysgets
away withcheating
in his maths tests.

get back

return

We got backfrom our


vacation last week.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

get something bac


k

receive
something
you had
before

Liz finally gother


Science
notes back from my
room-mate.

get back
at someone

retaliate,
take revenge

My sister got back


at me for stealing her
shoes. She stole my
favourite hat.

get back
intosomething

become
interested in
something
again

I finally got back


into my novel and
finished it.

get on something

step onto a
vehicle

We're going to freeze


out here if you don't
let usget on the bus.

get over something

recover from
an illness,
loss,
difficulty

I just got overthe flu


and now my sister
has it.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

get over something

overcome a
problem

The company will


have to close if it
can't get over the
new regulations.

get round
tosomething

finally find
time to do
(AmE: get
around
tosomething
)

I don't know when I


am going to get
round towriting the
thank you cards.

get together

meet
(usually for
social
reasons)

Let's get
together for a BBQ
this weekend.

get up

get out of
bed

I got up early today


to study for my
exam.

get up

stand

You should get


up and give the
elderly man your
seat.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

give someone awa


y

reveal
hidden
information
about
someone

His
wife gavehim away t
o the police.

give someone awa


y

take the
bride to the
altar

My
father gaveme away
at my wedding.

give something aw
ay

ruin a secret

My little
sistergave the
surprise
partyaway by
accident.

give something aw
ay

give
something to
someone for
free

The library wasgiving


away old books on
Friday.

give something bac


k

return a
borrowed
item

I have to givethese
skatesback to Franz
before his hockey
game.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

give in

reluctantly
stop fighting
or arguing

My boyfriend didn't
want to go to the
ballet, but he
finally gave in.

give something out

give to many
people
(usually at
no cost)

They weregiving
out free perfume
samples at the
department store.

give something up

quit a habit

I am giving
upsmoking as of
January 1st.

give up

stop trying

My maths homework
was too difficult so
Igave up.

go after someone

follow
someone

My brother tried
to go after the thief
in his car.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

go after something

try to
achieve
something

I went after my
dream and now I am
a published writer.

go
against someone

compete,
oppose

We are going
against the best
soccer team in the
city tonight.

go ahead

start,
proceed

Please go ahead and


eat before the food
gets cold.

go back

return to a
place

I have to go
back home and get
my lunch.

go out

leave home
to go on a
social event

We're going outfor


dinner tonight.

go out
with someone

date

Jesse has beengoing


out withLuke since
they met last winter.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

go over something

review

Please go overyour
answers before you
submit your test.

go over

visit
someone
nearby

I haven't seen Tina


for a long time. I
think I'llgo over for
an hour or two.

go
withoutsomething

suffer lack or
deprivation

When I was young,


we went
without winter
boots.

grow apart

stop being
friends over
time

My best friend and


I grew apart after
she changed schools.

grow back

regrow

My roses grew
back this summer.

grow up

become an
adult

When Jackgrows
up he wants to be a
fireman.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

grow out
ofsomething

get too big


for

Elizabeth needs a
new pair of shoes
because she
has grown out
of her old ones.

grow
into something

grow big
enough to fit

This bike is too big


for him now, but he
shouldgrow into it
by next year.

hand somethingdo
wn

give
something
used to
someone
else

I handed my old
comic booksdown to
my little cousin.

hand something in

submit

I have to hand in my
essay by Friday.

hand something ou
t

to distribute
to a group of
people

We will hand out the


invitations at the
door.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

hand something ov
er

give (usually
unwillingly)

The police asked the


man tohand over his
wallet and his
weapons.

hang in

stay positive
(informal)

Hang in there. I'm


sure you'll find a job
very soon.

hang on

wait a short
time
(informal)

Hang on while I grab


my coat and shoes!

hang out

spend time
relaxing
(informal)

Instead of going to
the party we are just
going tohang out at
my place.

hang up

end a phone
call

He didn't say
goodbye before
he hung up.

holdsomeone/some
thingback

prevent from
doing/going

I had to holdmy
dog backbecause

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence
there was a cat in the
park.

hold something ba
ck

hide an
emotion

Jamie held backhis


tears at his
grandfather's funeral.

hold on

wait a short
time

Please hold onwhile I


transfer you to the
Sales Department.

hold
ontosomeone/some
thing

hold firmly
using your
hands or
arms

Hold onto your hat


because it's very
windy outside.

holdsomeone/some
thingup

rob

A man in a black
mask held the
bank up this
morning.

keep on
doingsomething

continue
doing

Keep on stirring until


the liquid comes to a
boil.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

keep something fro


msomeone

not tell

We kept our
relationshipfrom our
parents for two years.

keepsomeone/som
ethingout

stop from
entering

Try to keep the wet


dog out of the living
room.

keep something up

continue at
the same
rate

If you keepthose
results upyou will get
into a great college.

let someone down

fail to
support or
help,
disappoint

I need you to be on
time.
Don'tlet me downthi
s time.

let someone in

allow to
enter

Can you let the


cat in before you go
to school?

log in (or on)

sign in (to a
website,

I can't log in to
Facebook because

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

database
etc)

I've forgotten my
password.

log out (or off)

sign out (of


a website,
database
etc)

If you don't log


off somebody could
get into your account.

look
aftersomeone/som
ething

take care of

I have to look
after my sick
grandmother.

look down
onsomeone

think less of,


consider
inferior

Ever since we stole


that chocolate bar
your dad haslooked
down on me.

look
forsomeone/somet
hing

try to find

I'm looking fora red


dress for the
wedding.

look forward
tosomething

be excited
about the
future

I'm looking forward


to the Christmas
break.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

look
into something

investigate

We are going tolook


into the price of
snowboards today.

look out

be careful,
vigilant, and
take notice

Look out! That car's


going to hit you!

look out
forsomeone/somet
hing

be especially
vigilant for

Don't forget tolook


out forsnakes on the
hiking trail.

look something ov
er

check,
examine

Can you look


over my essay for
spelling mistakes?

look something up

search and
find
information
in a
reference
book or
database

We can look her


phone numberup on
the Internet.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

look up
to someone

have a lot of
respect for

My little sister has


alwayslooked up to
me.

make something u
p

invent, lie
about
something

Josie made up a
story about why we
were late.

make up

forgive each
other

We were angry last


night, but we made
up at breakfast.

make someone up

apply
cosmetics to

My
sisters mademe up f
or my graduation
party.

mix something up

confuse two
or more
things

I mixed up the
twins' names again!

pass away

die

His unclepassed
awaylast night after
a long illness.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

pass out

faint

It was so hot in the


church that an elderly
ladypassed out.

pass something ou
t

give the
same thing
to many
people

The
professorpassed the
textbooks outbefore
class.

pass something up

decline
(usually
something
good)

I passed up the job


because I am afraid
of change.

pay someone back

return owed
money

Thanks for buying my


ticket.
I'll payyou back on
Friday.

pay for something

be punished
for doing
something
bad

That bully willpay


for being mean to my
little brother.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

pick something out

choose

I picked outthree
sweaters for you to
try on.

pointsomeone/som
ethingout

indicate with
your finger

I'll point my
boyfriend outwhen
he runs by.

put something dow


n

put what you


are holding
on a surface
or floor

You can put the


groceries downon
the kitchen counter.

put someone down

insult, make
someone
feel stupid

The studentsput the


substitute
teacher downbecaus
e his pants were too
short.

put something off

postpone

We are putting
off our trip until
January because of
the hurricane.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

put something out

extinguish

The
neighboursput the
fire outbefore the
firemen arrived.

put somethingtoge
ther

assemble

I have to putthe
cribtogether before
the baby arrives.

put up
withsomeone/some
thing

tolerate

I don't think I
can put up
withthree small
children in the car.

put something on

put
clothing/acc
essories on
your body

Don't forget toput


on your new earrings
for the party.

run
intosomeone/somet
hing

meet
unexpectedl
y

I ran into an old


school-friend at the
mall.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

run
oversomeone/some
thing

drive a
vehicle over
a person or
thing

I accidentallyran
over your bicycle in
the driveway.

run
over/throughsom
ething

rehearse,
review

Let's run
over/throughthese
lines one more time
before the show.

run away

leave
unexpectedl
y, escape

The child ran


away from home and
has been missing for
three days.

run out

have none
left

We ran out of
shampoo so I had to
wash my hair with
soap.

send something ba
ck

return
(usually by
mail)

My letter gotsent
back to me because I
used the wrong
stamp.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

set something up

arrange,
organize

Our boss set a


meeting up with the
president of the
company.

set someone up

trick, trap

The police set up the


car thief by using a
hidden camera.

shop around

compare
prices

I want to shop
around a little before
I decide on these
boots.

show off

act extra
special for
people
watching
(usually
boastfully)

He alwaysshows
off on his skateboard

sleep over

stay
somewhere
for the night
(informal)

You shouldsleep
overtonight if the
weather is too bad to
drive home.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

sort something out

organize,
resolve a
problem

We need to sortthe
bills outbefore the
first of the month.

stick to something

continue
doing
something,
limit yourself
to one
particular
thing

You will lose weight if


youstick to the diet.

switch something
off

stop the
energy flow,
turn off

The light's too bright.


Could
you switch itoff.

switch something
on

start the
energy flow,
turn on

We heard the news


as soon as
we switched onthe
car radio.

take
after someone

resemble a
family
member

I take after my
mother. We are both
impatient.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

take something ap
art

purposely
break into
pieces

He took the car


brakes apartand
found the problem.

take something ba
ck

return an
item

I have to takeour
new TVback because
it doesn't work.

take off

start to fly

My plane takes off in


five minutes.

take something off

remove
something
(usually
clothing)

Take off your socks


and shoes and come
in the lake!

take something out

remove from
a place or
thing

Can you takethe


garbage outto the
street for me?

take someone out

pay for
someone to
go

My
grandparentstook us
out for dinner and a
movie.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

somewhere
with you

tear something up

rip into
pieces

I tore up my exboyfriend's letters


and gave them back
to him.

think back

remember
(often + to,
sometimes +
on)

When I think
back on my youth, I
wish I had studied
harder.

think something ov
er

consider

I'll have to thinkthis


job offerover before I
make my final
decision.

throw somethinga
way

dispose of

We threw our old


furnitureaway when
we won the lottery.

turn something do
wn

decrease the
volume or
strength

Please turn the


TV down while the
guests are here.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

(heat, light
etc)

turn something do
wn

refuse

I turned the
jobdown because I
don't want to move.

turn something off

stop the
energy flow,
switch off

Your mother wants


you toturn the
TV offand come for
dinner.

turn something on

start the
energy,
switch on

It's too dark in here.


Let's turnsome
lights on.

turn something up

increase the
volume or
strength
(heat, light
etc)

Can you turnthe


music up? This is my
favourite song.

turn up

appear
suddenly

Our cat turned


up after we put

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence
posters up all over
the neighbourhood.

try something on

sample
clothing

I'm going to trythese


jeans on, but I don't
think they will fit.

try something out

test

I am going totry this


new brand of
detergent out.

use something up

finish the
supply

The kids usedall of


the toothpaste up so
we need to buy some
more.

wake up

stop sleeping

We have towake
up early for work on
Monday.

warmsomeone/so
methingup

increase the
temperature

You can warmyour


feet up in front of the
fireplace.

phrasal verb

meaning

example sentence

warm up

prepare
body for
exercise

I always warm up by
doing sit-ups before I
go for a run.

wear off

fade away

Most of my makeup wore off before I


got to the party.

work out

exercise

I work out at the


gym three times a
week.

work out

be
successful

Our planworked
outfine.

work something ou
t

make a
calculation

We have towork
out the total cost
before we buy the
house.

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