Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs are idiomatic combinations of a verb and adverb, or a verb and a preposition (or a verb with both adverb and preposition).


Be about to: Be on the point of
Be after: Go after; chase
Be against: Be opposed to
Be away: Be absent
Be back: Return; come back
Be in: be at home/in one's office etc
Be in for: be about to experience (usu bad)
Be on: be shown in cinemas, theatres etc
Be over: be finished
Be up to: 1) be equal to 2) depend on
Break down: 1) (of machinery) stop working 2) (of a person) lose control of feelings
Break in: 1) (intr) enter by force 2) (on) interrupt 3) (horses etc) train
Break into: 1) (tr) enter by force 2) burst into (song, laughter etc)
Break of: stop temporarily 2) (tr) end a relashionship
Break out: 1) begin suddenly (war, disease, fire etc) 2) (of) escape from a place
Break up: 1) (intr) separate; split up 2) stop for holidays (schools etc)
Bring about: cause to happen
Bring back: 1) recall 2) reintroduce
Bring down: 1) cause to fall 2) reduce prices
Bring forward: suggest an idea
Bring on: cause, usu sth unpleasant
Bring out: publish
Bring round / Bring to: 1) help sb regain consciousness 2) persuade sb to change opinion
Bring up: 1) raise a child 2) vomit 3) introduce a subject 4) mention
Be/get carried away: be/get excited

Carry off: do sth successfully
Carry on (with): continue esp despite difficulties
Carry out: perform, complete
Carry over: postpone
Carry through: 1) complete despite difficulties 2) help sb survive during troubleb times
Come across: meet/find by chance
Come by: obtain
Come down with: become ill from
Come into: inherit
Come off: 1) happen 2) succeed
Come out: 1) be published 2) bloom
Come on: come along; hurry up
Come through: survive
Come up: be mentioned
Come up to: equal
Come up with: find (an answer, solution etc)
Cut across: take a shorter route
Cut back (on): reduce (production)
Cut down: reduce length of sth
Cut in / into: interrupt (conversation)
Cut off: disconnect
Be cut off: be isolated
Cut out: 1) leave out 2) (for) (passive) be suited for
Cut up: cut into small pieces

Do away with: abolish
Do down: speak badly of sb
Do in: kill
Do out: clean
Do up: 1) fasten; tie 2) redecorate
Do with: 1) need; want 2) have a connection with
Do without: manage to live or continue without

Fall back: move back. retreat
Fall back on: use sth in the absence of sth else; turn to
Fall behind: 1) fail to keep up with 2) be late with payment
Fall for: 1) be tricked 2) faill in love with sb
Fall in with: accept sb's plans, ideas
Fall off: decrease
Fall on: 1) attack 2) eat (food) hungrily
Fall out (with): quarrel
Fall through: fail to be completed
Fell over: Fell to the ground
She fell over when she was running for the bus.
Find out: Learn / Discover
He promised to find out the name of that new restaurant.
Look after: Take care of
Who is going to look after the children when she goes into hospital?

Get about: move around; spread
Get sth across: make sth understood
Get away (from): 1) escape 2) leave
Get along (with): have a friendly relationship
Get at: 1) reach 2) imply, suggest
Get away with sth: avoid being punished for sth
Get sb down: depress
Get off: 1) to avoid punishment 2) to descend from a bus etc
Get on: 1) enter a bus etc 2) manage
Get (a)round: coax; persuade sb by kindness
Get through: 1) finish work 2) reach sb by phone
Get on with: Have a good relashionship; continue, often after interruption
She doesn't get on with her grandparents.
Get over: Get better / Recover from
It took her a long time to get over her illness
Give away: 1) give sth for free 2) reveal
Give off: emit
Give back: return
Give in: 1) surrender 2) hand in
Give out: distribute
Give up: 1) stop (a habit etc) 2) surrender
Go up: increase
The price of petrol, may go up again next month.