Important Phrasal Verbs for SSC

Important Phrasal Verbs for SSC

• abide by
  • Respect or obey (the law, a decision, a rule...).
    "If you want to stay at this school, you must abide by the rules."
• account for
  • Give a reason or an explanation.
    "I hope you can account for all the money you spent!"
• ache for
  • Want someone or something very much.
    "He was so lonely he ached for the sound of a human voice."
• act on
  • Take action as a result of something.
    "The police decided to act on the anonymous call they received."
• act out
  • Demonstrate something with gestures and actions.
    "The children acted out the scene in the classroom."
• act up
  • Cause pain or annoyance by functioning badly.
    Dad's poor knee is acting up again."
• add up
  • Make sense; seem reasonable.
    "She explained what happened but the details she gave just don't add up."
• adhere to
  • Support;  follow;  act in accordance with.
    "All contestants must adhere to the rules."
• advise against
  • Recommend not  to do something.
    The doctor advised him against carrying heavy loads.
• agree with
• Have the same opinion as some else.
  "I agree with you. I think she deserves the award too.

• aim at
  • Direct towards a target.
    "The policeman aimed his gun at the hijacker."
• allow for
  • Take into consideration;  include in a calculation.
    "It will take longer. You have to allow forheavy traffic at rush hour."
    "We must allow for food expenses too. Let's add 20€ per person."
• allude to
  • Mention or make reference to something in an indirect way.
    "I don't understand. What problem is she alluding to?"
  • 
    
• amount to
  • Reach; be equivalent to.
    "The total repair work will amount to1200€.
    "His statement amounted to a confession."
• angle for
  • Try to obtain somethiing by hinting or suggesting.
    "From the way he's speaking I suspect Tom is angling for a free ticket."
• answer back
  • Reply rudely to someone in authority when you are expected to remain silent.
    "I'm your teacher. Don't answer back !"
• answer for
  • Be held responsible for something.
    "Normally parents have to answer fortheir children's behaviour."
  • Speak on behalf of someone.
    "I agree to your proposal, but I can't answer for my associate."
• answer to
  • Be responsible to/be controlled by (someone)
    "Who do you answer to in your job?" 
• appeal to
  • Plead or make an earnest request.
    "The organisers appealed to the crowd to stay calm."
  • Be attractive or interesting.
    "The idea of camping in the woods doesn't appeal to me at all." 
• apply for
  • Make a formal request for something (job, permit, loan, etc.)
    "When he saw the advertisement he decided to apply for the job."
• arrive at
  • Reach (an agreement, a decision, a conclusion)
    "It is hoped that they will arrive at an agreement at the end of the meeting." 
• ask after
  • Enquire about someone's well-being.
    "My mother is always asking after you." 
• ask around
  • Mention it to people you see or meet.
    "I'll ask around and see if anyone has seen your cat."
• ask in
  • Invite someone to come inside.
    "I couldn't leave her standing outside in the cold so I asked her in."
• ask out
  • Invite someone to lunch, dinner, the cinema ...
    "John has asked Mary out several times." 
• attest to
  • Prove to be true; bear witness to
    "The number of visitors attest to the popularity of the website." 
• avail (oneself) of
  • Take advantage of something (an opportunity)
    "When the sales begin you should avail yourself of the opportunity and buy that coat."
• average out at
• Result in an average(amount)
  "The price of lunch averages out at 10€ per person."
• back away
  • Move backwards, in fear or dislike
    "When he saw the dog, he backed away."
• back down
  • Withdraw; concede defeat
    "Local authorities backed down on their plans to demolish the cinema."
• back down
  • Stop defending your opinion
    "Jenny never backs down. She loves debating and usually wins."
• back into
  • Reverse a vehicle into a space
    "Tom backed his car into a parking space."
• back into
  • Hit something when reversing a vehicle
    "Lisa backed into the fire hydrant that she couldn’t see in the rear view mirror."
• back off
  • Retreat; abandon an intention; become less aggressive
    "The thugs backed off when they saw the police."
• back onto
  • Reverse a vehicle onto something
    "Jack backed the van onto the gravel path." 
• back onto
  • Overlook something from the back.
    "They have a beautiful house that backs onto the beach." 
• back out
  • Not keep a promise; decide not to do something agreed on
    "You promised to help. Please don't back out now!" 
• back out of
  • Withdraw from an agreement
    "He backed out of the Paris agreement." 
• back out of
  • Drive out of a place in reverse gear.
    "She backed the car out of the garage." 
• back up
  • Give support or encouragement
    "If I tell the boss we've got too much work, will you back me up? "
• back up
  • Make a copy of (file, document, program...) for security purposes.
    "It is recommended to back up all files for safety." 
• bail out
  • Pay money to secure someone's release from jail.
    "When he was arrested his family refused to bail him out."
• bail out
  • Rescue from financial difficulties.
    "The government bailed out the bank."
• band together
  • Unite in a group.
    "Consumers banded together to protest against the measures."
• bank on
  • Base your hopes on something/someone.
    "Don't forget the date. I'm banking on your help."
• bargain for
  • Expect; be prepared for.
    "The interview was more difficult than he had bargained for."
• bear out
  • Confirm.
    "The other witnesses will bear out my testimony."
• bear with
  • Be patient.
    "Please bear with me please while I finish my explanation."
• beef up
  • Improve or make more substantial.
    "He beefed up his presentation with diagrams and statistics."
• black out
  • Faint; lose consciousness.
    "When he fell off the horse, he blacked out."
• block off
  • Separate using a barrier.
    "The area was blocked off during the demonstration."
• blow up
  • Be destroyed by an explosion.
    "The car blew up but luckily there was nobody in it."
  • 
    
• bog down
  • Get caught up in something and be unable to make progress.
    "Try not to get bogged down with/in unimportant details."
• boil down to
  • Be reduced to the main reason or the essential part.
    "The problem boils down to a lack of money."
• boot up
  • Start a computer by loading an operating system or program.
    "Just give me a few minutes to boot upthe computer."
• break away
  • Escape from captivity.
    "The horses were enclosed in a paddock but a few of them managed to break away."
• break away from
  • Leave and become independent.
    "He broke away from the organisation and set up his own agency."
• break down
  • Go out of order; stop functioning.
    "John's car broke down on the way to the airport."
  • Lose control of one's emotions.
    "The parents broke down when they heard the news."
• break something down
  • Divide into smaller or simpler parts.
    "The lesson will be easier to learn if you break it down into small sections."
• break free
  • Detach from a physical hold.
    "He broke free from his attacker's grasp."
• break in/into
  • Enter by force in order to steal something.
    "I saw a man outside the shop trying to break in.
    "The burglars broke into the house around midnight."
• break in on
  • Interrupt unexpectedly.
    "An operator  suddenly broke in on our telephone conversation." 
• break off
  • Stop, disdiscontinue.
    "It has been decided to break offdiplomatic relations with that country."
  • Stop speaking.
    "She broke off in the middle of a sentence."
• break out
  • Start suddenly or erupt.
    "Rioting broke out as a result of the strike."
    "He was in such a nervous state that sweat started to break out on his forehead."
• break out of
  • Escape from captivity by force.
    "Three prisoners broke out of the central prison last night."
• break through
  • Force a way through something.
    "The car broke through the barrier set up by the police." 
• break up
  • Come to an end (marriage, a relationship ...).
    "After her marriage broke up, Caroline went to live in London."
  • Separate into small pieces.
    "Pablo had to use a fork to break up the soil."
• break with
  • Discontinue something or do something in a different way.
    "He broke with tradition and invented new methods."
• bring about
  • Cause something to happen.
    "The arrival of electricity in rural areasbrought about a huge change." 
• bring off
  • Succeed in doing something difficult.
    "You pretended to be a journalist and he believed you? I never thought you'd bringit off!"
• bring up
  • Raise (a child).
    "She stopped working for a few years in order to bring up her children."
  • Mention something.
    "His friends knew he had lost his job but they decided not to bring up the subject."
• brush up on
  • Improve; refresh one's knowledge of something.
    Mary decided to brush up on her Spanish before going to South America."
• bump into
  • Meet by accident or unexpectedly.
    "Rafael bumped into his English teacher at the supermarket." 
• burn out
  • Stop (something) working.
    "These electric bulbs seem to burn outmore quickly than the old ones."
    "The lawn mower has broken down. I think the motor has burnt out."
  • Become exhausted from too much work or stress.
    "Tom will burn himself out if he doesn't slow down and stop working such long hours.."
• butt in (on)
• Interrupt impolitely.
  "It's rude to butt in on a conversation."
• call after
  • Give a child the same name as someone else.
    "His name is Charles. He's called after his grandfather."
• call at
  • Stop at a place briefly (harbour, port, station...)
    "The train calls at Newbridge and Glenville on the way to the capital."
• call back
  • Return a phone call.
    "I'll call you back as soon as possible."
• call for
  • Go somewhere to get someone.
    "I'll call for you at 8 o'clock. Make sure you're ready!"
  • Demand that something be done.
    "The opposition has called for an investigation into the misuse of public funds."
  • Be required or necessary.
    "The job calls for excellent computer skills."
  • Be an appropriate occasion for something.
    "The happy announcement calls forchampagne."
• call forth
  • Produce a reaction or result; evoke.
    "The politician's statement called forth a hostile reaction from the crowd."
    "That song calls forth sad memories."
• call in
  • Make a telephone call to a place.
    "Caroline called in to say that her plane had been delayed and that she would arrive late."
  • Ask someone to come and do a job.
    "The dishwasher has stopped working. I don't know whether to call in an electrician or a plumber."
• call in (on)
  • Stop and pay a visit to someone.
    "I'm going to call in on my parents on my way home from work this evening."
• call off
  • Cancel.
    "The meeting was called off because of the strike."
• call on/upon
  • Formally request or invite.
    "I now call upon the President to address the assembly."
• call out
  • Shout something.
    "The  child disappeared from the playground. His mother called out his name but he didn't answer."
• call round
  • Go to a place to see someone.
    "The nurse said she would call round this afternoon to check on my mother."
• call up
  • Phone someone.
    "The secretary called up all the area manageres to arrange a meeting."
  • Summon someone for military service.
    "My father was called up to active duty as soon as the war broke out."
• calm down
  • Become more relaxed or less angry/upset.
    "He was angry at first, but he eventuallycalmed down."
• carry on
  • Continue.
    "Charlie carried on gardening in spite of the rain."
• carry out
  • Do something as specified (plan, order, threat...)
    "The plan was carried out to perfection."
  • Perform or conduct (test, experiment ...)
    "Tests are carried out to determine the efficiency of a new drug."
• carry over
  • Postpone until later.
    "As regards holidays, can we carry overdays from one year to the next?


• catch up on
  • Acquire information you have missed. 
    "I must call my mother to catch up on the latest family events."
• catch up with
  • Reach the same stage as someone else. 
    "I've missed some classes so I'll have to work hard to catch up with the others."
• check in
  • Register at a hotel or an airport. 
    "For security reasons, you have to check in two hours before your flight."
• check out
  • Pay one's bill and leave (a hotel)
    "Is Mr. Brown still at the hotel? No, hechecked out this morning.
  • Investigate or verify something.
    "I don't know if the address is still valid. I'll check it out. "
• cheer up
  • Put someone in a better mood. 
    "I told her a joke to try and cheer her up. 
• chip in
  • Contribute to or participate in something done by a group. 
    "Bob has decided to retire and we're going to buy him a present. Do you want to chip in? "
• clam up
  • Refuse to speak. 
    "When the police arrived, the boy clammed up."
• clamp down on
  • Act strictly to prevent something. 
    "The government decided to clamp down on smoking in public areas. "
• close down
  • Stop operating (company, restaurant, cinema ...)
    "When the factory closed down, the employees lost their jobs."
• come about
  • Happen or occur. 
    "How did such a complicated situation come about?"
• come across
  • Find by chance, encounter.
    "Julie came across some photographs of her grandparents in the attic."
    
  • Appear, seem, make an impression.
    "The candidate came across as a dynamic person during the interview."
• come along
  • Go somewhere with someone. 
    "I wanted to watch the parade and Alex decided to come along with me."
  • Tell someone to hurry.
    "Come along Emily. You don't want to be late for school!"
  • Arrive, appear.
    "Tony needs a job. If an opportunity comes along he's determined to seize it."
  • Improve, develop or make progress.
    "How's your mother coming along since she broke her leg?"
• come apart
  • Separate into pieces. 
    "I need to get my glasses repaired. Theycame apart when they fell off the table."
• come before
  • Be more important. 
    "She always says that her family comes before her career."
• come by
  • To get, especially something that is difficult to obtain or find.
    "How did you come by such a beautiful location to build your house?"
• come down with
  • Become ill with.
    "The architect planned to attend the inauguration but unfortunately he came down with the flu yesterday."
• come forward
  • Present oneself; volunteer.
    "The police have asked any witnesses to come forward. "
• come out
  • Become known.
    "The truth will come out sooner or later. It's just a matter of time."
• come to
  • Regain consciousness.
    "She fainted when the news was announced but she came to quite quickly."
• come up against
  • Be faced with or opposed by.
    "The plan to demolish the old theatrecame up against a lot of criticism."
• come up with
  • Produce an idea or plan. 
    "Sacha came up with a great idea for the party."
• come upon
  • Find or discover. 
    "The police came upon a stock of firearms in a disused mine."
• conk out
  • Stop working.
    "The car conked out on the motorway."
  • Fall asleep (from exhaustion).
    "He was so exhausted, he conked out in front of the television. "
  • 
    
• consist in
  • Have something as its principal or only feature. 
    "The elegance of the building consists inits simplicity. "
• consist of
  • Be composed or made up of.  
    "The jury consists of five members."
• count on
  • Rely or depend on. 
    "I'm counting on the taxi driver to find the theatre."
• cross out
  • Remove by drawing a line through.  
    "In some exercises you are asked to cross out the incorrect word."
• cut across/through
  • Go across to shorten one's route.  
    "I usually cut across the park on my way to work."
• cut back
  • Reduce or decrease.
    "It was decided to cut back production."
• cut down
  • Strike down, cut at the base. 
    "A number of trees were cut down before the construction work started."
  • Kill or cause to die.
    "He was cut down by pneumonia."
• cut down on
  • Reduce in number or size.  
    "The doctor told him to cut down oncigarettes."
• cut in
  • Interrupt somebody speaking.  
    "During his presentation of the project a journalist cut in."
• cut off
  • Discontinue; interrupt.
    "The operator cut off our conversation before we had finished."
  • Be separated or isolated.
    "Our group was cut off from the others so we got lost!."
• cut out
• Remove using scissors.
  "She cut out a picture of the actor in a magazine."
• Stop doing something.
  "I'm going to cut out eating sweet food."
• deal with
  • Handle, take care of, address (problem, situation). 
    "The manager is good at dealing withdifficult customers."
• deck out (in/with)
  • Dress; decorate.
    "The women were all decked out in beautiful dresses."
    "The exhibition hall will be decked out in the colours of Europe."
• die down
  • Calm down, become less strong. 
    "When the applause died down, she started to sing."
• dig into
  • Plunge your hands deep inside something, especially to look for something. 
    "He dug into his pocket and found the key."
  • Press hard into something.
    "The strap of her bag dug painfully intoher shoulder."
  • Start to do something.
    "It was time to dig into the work that had accumulated on her desk."
  • Take from something.
    "Dad had to dig into his savings to repair the roof."
• dig up
  • Break up the soil/remove by digging.
    "Tom tried to dig up the tree by its roots."
  • Discover or reveal information. 
    "Some newspapers often try to dig upscandalous information."
• dish out
  • Distribute or give away a lot. 
    "He spent the day dishing out invitations to tourists."
• dispense with
  • Decide to do without something.  
    "They've dispensed with the paper version so you'll have to download it."
• do away with
  • Get rid of;  abolish. 
    "Some people think it's time to do away with the monarchy."
• do over
  • Clean or redecorate. 
    "My parents will need to do over their living-room soon. The paintwork needs refreshing."
• do up
  • Fasten (a garment). 
    "Good boy Charlie! You know how to do up your coat now!" 
• do without
  • Manage without. 
    "The shops are closed so I'm afraid we'll have to do without sugar."
  • 
    
• drag on
  • Last longer than expected.
    "We expected a short speech but it dragged on and on!"
• drag out
  • Make something longer than necessary.
    "Let's decide quickly and not drag out this discussion."
  • Make someone reveal information that they are unwilling to give.
    "The police finally dragged out a confession from the suspect. "
• draw up
  • Write (contract, agreement, document). 
    "An agreement was drawn up and signed by the two parties."
• dress up
  • Wear elegant clothes. 
    "Do people dress up to go to the opera in your country?"
  • Disguise oneself. 
    "You know how children love to dress upat Halloween. It's part of the fun!"
• drift apart
  • Become less and less close. 
    "We were childhood friends but we drifted apart over the years."
• drift off
  • Gradually fall asleep. 
    "Once he was on the train he sat back, closed his eyes and drifted off."
• drive at
  • Insinuate;  be trying to say.  
    "I'm not sure I understand. What exactly are you driving at?"
• drop behind
  • Fall into a position behind others. 
    "Our sales have dropped behind those of our competitors."
• drop by/in
  • Pay a brief visit, usually on the way somewhere.
    "I don't see her often but she promised to drop by one day for a cup of coffee."
    "Jimmy sometimes drops in to see his grandparents on his way home from school."
• drop off
  • Deliver someone or something.
    "I'll drop you off at the bus stop if you like. I'm going that way."
  • Fall asleep. 
    "Granddad often drops off in front of the television."
• drop out
  • Stop going to classes before finishing a course of study or the school year.
    "Emily decided to go to art school, then dropped out after the first term."
• drown out
• Be louder in order to cover another sound.  
  "They turned up the music to drown outthe noise of the children outside.
• ease off/up
  • Reduce, become less severe or slow down (pain, traffic, work ...)
    "After Christmas, the workload generally eases off."
• egg on
  • Encourage someone to do something..
    "Egged on by his friends, the boy climbed over the wall"
• embark on/upon
  • Start or engage in something.
    "Lily embarked on a career that lead her to fame."
• end in
  • Finish in a certain way/result in.
    "Their tumultuous marriage ended in divorce."
• end up
  • Finally reach a state, place or action. 
    "If Jack continues his misconduct, he'll end up in prison."
• even out
  • Eliminate differences of opinion.  
    "After a long discussion they managed to even out their differences."
  • Become level or regular.
    "The old road was evened out to make it safer."
• explain away
  • Find an excuse or plausible explanation.  
    "How are you going to explain away the missing money?"


• face up (to)
  • Accept to deal with something unpleasant.  
    "Sam will have to face up to the fact that Jenny is not in love with him. 
• factor in
  • Include when calculating or trying to understand something.  
    "We must factor in the age of the patients."
• fall apart
  • Disintegrate; break; fall into pieces.
    "My car is so old it's falling apart."
    "Their marriage fell apart after they both lost their jobs."
• fall back on
  • Be able to use something in an emergency.  
    "We were lucky to have some tinned food to fall back on."
• fall behind
  • Fail to maintain a certain level.  
    "As a result of the accident she fell behind at school and had to study harder."
• fall down
  • Lose one's balance and fall to the ground or floor.
    "The baby tried to walk but fell down several times."
• fall for
  • Be attracted to somebody or begin to be in love.
    "While on holiday she fell for a handsome young man."
  • Be deceived into believing something.
    "Steve fell for the story about free tickets for the football match."
• fall in
  • Collapse inwards
    "The roof of the supermarket fell in and many customers were injured."
• fall off
  • Become detached or separate from something.
    "The handle fell off the door as he tried to open it."
• fall out
  • Become loose and drop.
    "When you grow old your hair starts to fall out."
  • Stop being friends because of a disagreement or argument.
    "Emma is not speaking to Julie anymore. They fell out during the school trip. " 
• fall through
  • Fail; not happen as planned.
    "Our planned boat trip fell throughbecause of the storm."
• fall to
  • Become the duty or responsibility of someone (for example, a task) .
    "It fell to me to announce the bad news."
• figure out
  • Understand;  find the answer.
    "I've bought a new oven. Now I'm trying to figure out how to set the timer. 
• fill in for
  • Temporarily substitute for another person.
    "Eva is absent this morning and Julie is going to fill in for her."
• fill out
  • Complete (a form/application).
    "Please fill out the enclosed form and send it back as soon as possible."
• find out
  • Discover or obtain information.
    "I'm going to call the cinema to find outwhat time the film starts."
• fire away
  • Ask questions in quick succession.
    "May we ask some questions? Sure, fire away!"
• fire back
  • Shoot back.
    "The policemen fired back at the robbers."
• fit in (with)
  • Feel comfortable or be in harmony with. 
    "He has difficulty making friends. He just doesn't seem to fit in with the others." 
• fix up
  • Repair or renovate.
    "They're going to fix up the house before moving in. "
• fizzle out
  • Gradually end.    
    "They used to be very close but over the years their friendship fizzled out. 
• focus on
  • Concentrate on something.
    "The advertising campaign will focus onthe quality of the product. "
• fold in
  • Mix one ingredient with another.
    "Beat the eggs then fold in the sugar." 
• freak out
  • Panic or go crazy.
    "She nearly freaked out when she saw the colour of her hair. It was a disaster!"
• frown on/upon
  • Disapprove.
    "My parents always frowned on smoking."
• fuss over
• Pay excessive attention to somebody or somebody.
  "She's forever fussing over her grandson. It's just too much!"
• get about/around
  • Move from place to place.
    "It's not easy to get around the city without a map."
  • Spread, circulate.
    "News of their separation soon got about."
• get along (with)
  • Be on good terms; work well with.
    "I must say I get along (well) with my mother-in-law. 
• get at
  • Imply; insinuate.
    "I don't understand. What exactly are you trying to get at?
• get away
  • Escape.
    "According to the news report, the robbers got away in a black car."
• get by (on)
  • Manage to cope or have enough to survive.
    " It's difficult to get by on a low salary."
• get down to
  • Start to actually do something.
    "That's enough chatting. It's time to get down to some serious work!"
• get into
  • Enter a place.
    "How did the burglar get in?"
• get off
  • Leave (bus, train, plane).
    "Your best option would be to get off the bus at Trafalgar Square."
  • Leave work (at the end of the day).
    "I'll pick you up after work. What time do you get off ?"
  • Remove something (clothes, stains).
    "I don't know how I'm going to get this stain off my dress!"
• get off with
  • Receive almost no punishment.
    "He was lucky. He got off with a small fine."
• get on
  • Board (bus, train, plane).
    "You can pay when you get on the bus."
• get on with
  • Continue to do something ; make progress.
    "Be quiet and get on with your homework."
• get on (well) with
  • Have a good relationship with.
    "Do you get on well with your colleagues?"
• get out
  • Spend some free time out of the house.
    "Her husband is very ill so she doesn't get out much."
  • Leave or go away.
    "We don't want you here. Get out!"
• get out of
  • Leave a place.
    "The window was closed. How did he get out of the house?"
  • Avoid doing something.
    "Some husbands manage to get out ofdoing any housework."
  • Receive; learn; gain from something.
    "What are you hoping to get out of the seminar?"
• get over
  • Recover from (illness, disappointment).
    "Charlie had the 'flu but he got over it."
• get rid of
  • Eliminate.
    "It's difficult to get rid of old habits."
  • 
    
• get round/around (to)
  • Finally do something.
    "He finally got round to tidying the garage."
• get together
  • Meet each other.
    "Let's get together for lunch one day next week."
• get up
  • Rise; leave bed.
    "Tony usually gets up at 7 o'clock."
• give away
  • Give something free of charrge.
    "The artist gave away most of his paintings."
  • Reveal something.
    "The names of the witnesses will not begiven away."
• give back
  • Return something to its owner.
    "He promised to give back the book he borrowed."
• give in
  • accept defeat; surrender
    "The authorities refused to give in to the demands of the population."
• give over!
  • Stop doing something irritating
    "Give over complaining! It doesn't help at all!"
• give up
  • Stop doing something.
    "Sarah gave up smoking five years ago."
  • Admit defeat; capitulate.
    "Have you found the answer? No, I give up."
• gloss over
  • Treat something briefly (make it seem unimportant).
    "The director glossed over the recent drop in sales."
• go after
  • Pursue (an object or a goal).  
    "She went after her dream and is now an actress."
• go along (with)
  • Agree with; accept.  
    "Alex tends to go along with anything his wife says."
• go away
  • Leave a place.
    We decided to go away for a few days. 
  • Disappear; fade.
    "I've washed it twice but the stain still hasn't gone away."
• go back
  • Return.
    "Children go back to school after the holidays."
• go by
  • Pass.
    "A bus went by without stopping."
    "Time goes by so quickly!"
• go down
  • Decrease, reduce.
    "The price of property has gone down a bit."
• go down with
  • Become ill with an infectious disease.
    "The match will be difficult . Half of the team has gone down with the flu."
• go for
  • Try to gain or attain.
    "He trained hard and went for the gold medal."


• go in
  • Enter.
    "There's a nice restaurant. Let's go in and book a table for tonight." 
• go into
  • Go inside.
    "Go into the bakery and see if they sell croissants."
• go in for
  • Have something as an interest or hobby.
    "She doesn't really go in for sports."
• go off
  • Explode.
    "A bomb went off in a crowded restaurant"
  • Ring or make a loud noise.
    "The alarm clock was set to go off at 6 a.m."
  • Stop working
    "The heating has gone off. It's freezing!"
  • No longer be good to eat or drink.
    "The milk has gone off. Don't drink it."
  • No longer like or enjoy.
    "My grandmother has gone off crosswords."
• go on
  • Continue.
    "Sorry for interrupting. Please go on."
• go out
  • Leave one's home to attend a social event.
    "Many young people go out a lot."
• go out
  • Stop burning; be extinguished
    "The lights went out before we got to the door."
• go out
  • Be sent
    "The letter went out yesterday."
• go (out) with
  • Have someone as a boyfriend/girlfriend.
    "Is Julie going (out) with Tom?"
• go over
  • Review.
    "Please go over your answers before handing in your test."
• go through
  • Experience  or undergo something.
    "Pete went through a lot of pain after the accident."
  • Examine or study carefully.
    "I need time to go through the contract before I sign it."
• go through with
  • Proceed with something difficult.
    "Bill and Amy finally went through with the divorce."
• go up
  • Increase, rise.
    "According to the news report the price of petrol is likely to go up."
• go together/with
  • Match; look good or combine well with
    "The curtains don't go with the carpet."
    "The curtains and carpet don't go together."
• go without
  • Abstain from something; not have something.
    "I had to go without lunch to finish the report."
    "Camels can go without water for many days."
• grow up
• Spend one's childhood; become an adult.   
  "He grew up in a small village."
  "Don't be so childish. You need to grow up!"
• hand back
  • Return.
    "She read the article and then handed it back."
• hand down
  • Pass on (by tradition, inheritance...).
    "My clothes were handed down to me by my older sister."
• hand in
  • Submit (report, homework).
    "All application forms must be handed inbefore the end of the month."
• hand out
  • Distribute.
    "Samples will be handed out at the end of the demonstration."
• hand over
  • Give to someone in authority.
    "The boy was forced to hand over the mobile phone he had stolen."
• hang back
  • Be reluctant to do something.
    "All the children rushed towards the clown except one boy who hung back."
• hang on
  • Wait.
    "Hang on a minute. I'm nearly ready."
• hang on to
  • Keep a hold on something.
    "Be careful. Hang on to that rope and you'll be ok.
• hang out
  • Spend time in a particular place or with a group of friends.
    "Where does Danny hang out these days?"
    "Who does he hang out with?" 
• hang up
  • End a telephone conversation.
    "Please don't hang up. I haven't finished yet.
  • 
    
• head off
  • Start to go somewhere.
    "The group of tourists headed off to the train station."
• head for
  • Go towards or move in a certain direction.
    "We all started to shout because the boat was heading for the rocks."
• hit at
  • Aim a blow at something.
    The customer hit at the wasp with a newspaper."
• hit back
  • Retaliate; reply to an attack.
    "When he was attacked, the boy hit backwith all his strength." 
• hit on/upon
  • Find unexpectedly or by inspiration.
    "As she watched the news she hit uponan idea for her new collection."
• hold off
  • Delay something until a later time.
    "Could you hold off your decision until after the meeting?
• hold on
  • Wait for a short time.
    "Hold on a moment please. I'll put you through to Mr. Brown."
  
  
  • Grip tightly.
    "She held on to the railing as she crossed the bridge."
• hold up
  • Show as a example.
    "The teacher held up the diagram for all to see."
• hook up
  • Fasten (a garment).
    "Can you help me to hook up my dress? It's a bit complicated."
• hook up (with)
  • Link broadcasting facilities.
    "Many networks are hooked up by satellite."
• hurry up
• Be quick; act speedily.
  "Come on Harry. Hurry up! We're going to miss the bus!
• idle away
  • Waste time doing nothing much.
    "He idles away hours every day watching television."
• iron out
  • Resolve by discussion; eliminate differences.
    "The meeting tomorrow will be an opportunity to iron out difficulties."
• impose on/upon
  • Ask too much of someone.
    "Is it alright if I stay? I don't want toimpose upon your hospitabity."
• improve on/upon
  • Make better.
    The runner trained regularly to improve on his previous performance.
• indulge in
  • Allow yourself to enjoy something.
    "I’ve been dieting all week but today I'm going to indulge in a dessert."
• insure against
  • Guarantee compensation for damage, injury, etc.
    "The passengers on the boat are all fully insured."
• invite out
  • Ask someone to join you for lunch, dinner, etc.
    "Harry invited her out for dinner." 
  • 
    
• join in
  • Participate in something.
    "We couldn't persuade Eva to join inthe game. She was too shy."
• join up
  • Engage in, become a member of.
    "John was in the army and Tom joined upas soon as he left school."
  • Meet and unite with.
    "The two groups of tourists joined up at the hotel."
• jot down
  • Take quick notes.
    "I jotted down the address while watching a documentary on television. "
• keep at
  • Persevere.
    "His father encouraged him to keep at his studies."
• keep back
  • Retain; force to stay back.
    "A barrier will be installed to keep backthe fans."
• keep on
  • Continue doing something.
    "I told the children to be quiet but theykept on making noise."
• keep up with
  • Stay at the same level as someone or something.
    "Bill walks so fast it's difficult to keep up with him."
• kneel down
  • Go down on your knees.
    "Most people kneel down to pray."
• kick off
  • Begin; start.
    "The football match is planned to kick off at 3 p.m."
• knock back
  • Drink quickly (usually alcohol).
    "He knocked back a pint of beer and then went home."
• knock down
  • Strike someone or something to the ground.
    "The child was knocked down by a car on the way to school."
    "The tree was knocked down during the storm."
• knock out
  • Cause someone to fall unconscious.
    "The boxer was knocked out in the first round."
• know of
• Have heard of; have knowledge about.
  "Do you know of anyone else attending the conference?"
• idle away
  • Waste time doing nothing much.
    "He idles away hours every day watching television."
• iron out
  • Resolve by discussion; eliminate differences.
    "The meeting tomorrow will be an opportunity to iron out difficulties."
• impose on/upon
  • Ask too much of someone.
    "Is it alright if I stay? I don't want toimpose upon your hospitabity."
• improve on/upon
  • Make better.
    The runner trained regularly to improve on his previous performance.
• indulge in
  • Allow yourself to enjoy something.
    "I’ve been dieting all week but today I'm going to indulge in a dessert."
• insure against
  • Guarantee compensation for damage, injury, etc.
    "The passengers on the boat are all fully insured."
• invite out
  • Ask someone to join you for lunch, dinner, etc.
    "Harry invited her out for dinner." 
  • 
    
• join in
  • Participate in something.
    "We couldn't persuade Eva to join inthe game. She was too shy."
• join up
  • Engage in, become a member of.
    "John was in the army and Tom joined upas soon as he left school."
  • Meet and unite with.
    "The two groups of tourists joined up at the hotel."
• jot down
  • Take quick notes.
    "I jotted down the address while watching a documentary on television. "
• keep at
  • Persevere.
    "His father encouraged him to keep at his studies."
• keep back
  • Retain; force to stay back.
    "A barrier will be installed to keep backthe fans."
• keep on
  • Continue doing something.
    "I told the children to be quiet but theykept on making noise."
• keep up with
  • Stay at the same level as someone or something.
    "Bill walks so fast it's difficult to keep up with him."
• kneel down
  • Go down on your knees.
    "Most people kneel down to pray."
• kick off
  • Begin; start.
    "The football match is planned to kick off at 3 p.m."
• knock back
  • Drink quickly (usually alcohol).
    "He knocked back a pint of beer and then went home."
• knock down
  • Strike someone or something to the ground.
    "The child was knocked down by a car on the way to school."
    "The tree was knocked down during the storm."
• knock out
  • Cause someone to fall unconscious.
    "The boxer was knocked out in the first round."
• know of
• Have heard of; have knowledge about.
  "Do you know of anyone else attending the conference?"
• laugh off
  • Make light of something; minimise.
    "The author laughed off the unflattering review of his latest book."
• lay off
  • Fire, dismiss, let go.
    "Many factories have had to lay offworkers." 
• leaf through
  • Turn over pages quickly.
    "Sophie leafed through a magazine in the waiting room."
• leak out
  • Become known to the public unofficially (information).
    "News of the planned merger leaked outbefore the end of the negotiations."
• leave out
  • Omit; not mention.
    "Tom's name was left out of the report so he got no credit for his work."
• let down
  • Disappoint.
    "You promised to come to the party, so don't let me down!
  • Lengthen (skirt, pants).
    "The skirt is too short? We can have it let down for you if you like."
• light up
  • Illuminate.
    "1 watched the floodlights light up the castle."
    "Her face always lights up when she sees her grandson."
    "The screen lights up when you turn on a computer."
• line up
  • Stand in a row.
    "The books were lined up neatly on the shelves."
• live through
  • Experience something and survive.
    "My grandparents lived through two wars and learned to survive."
• liven up
  • Make something livelier or more attractive.
    "We've got to find a way to liven up the presentation somehow. "
• log in/on (to)
  • "Access a program or database using a password."
    "You need to log in to your account before you can use our services."
• log off
  • End access to a database.
    "First log off the system and then turn off the computer."
• look after
  • Take care of.
    "A baby sitter looks after the children when their parents go out."
• look ahead
  • Think of the future.
    "Don't keep thinking about the past . It's time to look ahead and plan the future.


• look at
  • Pay attention to something you see.
    "Look at this picture of my grandfather when he was young."
• look at
  • Read in order to give an opinion.
    "Have you got time to look at my business plan?"
• look at
  • Examine closely.
    "That's a nasty bruise. You should ask a doctor to look at it."
• look at
  • Examine or study carefully.
    "We are going to look at all possible options."
• look away
  • Turn your head away so as not to see.
    "The scene was so horrible that I had to look away."
• look back on
  • Remember the past.
    "My parents and their friends like to look back on "the good old days"."
• look down on
  • Consider as inferior.
    "He tends to look down on anyone who is not successful."
• look for
  • Try to find something.
    "Jane went shopping to look for an outfit for the wedding."
• look forward to
  • Await or anticipate with pleasure.
    "I look forward to seeing you next week-end."
• look into
  • Examine or investigate.
    "Our after-sales service will look into the matter and call you back."
• look on
  • Be a spectator at an event.
    "Billy didn't take part in the fight. He justlooked on. "
• look out
  • Be careful; pay attention.
    "Look out! There's a car coming."
• look over
  • Examine; review.
    "The editor will look over the article before it is published.
• look through
  • Examine, usually quickly.
    "I'll look through my mail to see if I can find your message."
• look up to
  • Admire.
    "He was a wonderful teacher and many students looked up to him."
• lose out
  • Be unsuccessful; suffer a loss.
    "I'm the one who will lose out if our plan goes wrong."
• lose out on
  • Miss or be deprived of something.
    "I watched the documentary until the end so as not to lose out on anything."
    "Because I left before the end of the year I lost out on the annual bonus."
• lose out to
• Be less successful than another.
  "Jose was called for an interview but he lost out to a candidate who spoke fluent English."
• make do with
  • Use something less satisfactory as an alternative.
    "There were no chairs to sit on so we had to make do with a pile of boxes."
• make for
  • Move in the direction of; head for.
    "Let's make for the exit before the crowd starts to leave."
• make fun of
  • Laugh at ; make jokes about.
    "The old lady dresses so strangely that the children make fun of her."
• make (something) into
  • Convert or change into.
    "We're going to make our garage into a playroom."
• make of
  • Have an opinion about something.
    "What do you make of his latest suggestion?"
• make off with
  • Steal and hurry away.
    "A young man made off with my briefcase while I was checking the timetable."
• make out
  • Be able to hear or read something.
    "I need glasses!  I can't make out what's written on the board."
  • Fill in the details (e.g. cheque).
    "Please make out the cheque to ABC Wizards."
• make oneself out (to be)
  • Claim to be/pretend to be.
    "In an attempt to find more details, he made himself out to be a journalist ."
• make over
  • Legally make someone the owner of something.
    Before she died she made over all her property to her children.
• make up
  • Invent (excuse, story).
    "Some employees make up excuses when they arrive late for work."
  • Prepare a bed for use.
    "You can stay here tonight. I'll make up a bed for you in the spare room."
  • Form, constitute.
    "In your opinion what qualities make uphis character?
  • Put on powder, lipstick, etc.
    "Cynthia spends ages making herself up/putting on make-up
• make up (with)
  • End a quarrel and become friends again.
    "Come on you two! It's time to shake hands and make up." 
• make up for
  • Compensate for.
    "If I work longer the next few days I canmake up for the time I was absent."
• mark down
  • Reduce the price.
    "The coat was marked down by 40% - a real bargain!"
• miss out on
  • Lose an opportunity to do something.
    "What a shame. If you leave before Saturday you'll miss out on the party."
• mix up
  • Mistake one thing or person for another.
    "I don't know the members' names yet. I tend to mix them up."
• move in
  • Arrive in a new home or office.
    "You've bought a new house? When are you moving in?"
• move out
  • Leave your home/office for another one.
    "My neighbour is leaving. He's moving outnext Saturday."
  • 
    
• nail down
  • Make someone say something precisely.
    "Alex promised to come for a week-end but we'll have to nail him down to a date."
• name after
  • Give the same name as another person.
    "My husband wanted William to be named after his grandfather."
• narrow down
  • Reduce a list or a number of options.
    "The list of suspects has been narrowed down to three people."
• nod off
  • Fall asleep.
    "My grandfather very often nods off in front of the television."
• nose about/around
  • Try to discover by searching.
    "The boss hates people nosing aroundhis desk."
• note down
• Write something down.
  "I'll call the station and note down the departure times."
• opt out (of)
  • Leave a system or decide not to participate.
    "I enjoy tennis but I'm so busy I had to opt out of the tournament. "
• own up
  • Admit or confess something.
    "The boy owned up. He said he kicked the ball through the window."
• pass away
  • Die.
    "The old lady passed away peacefully."
• pass on
  • Transmit.
    "Don't forget to pass on the information to all the members."
• pass out
  • Faint; lose consciousness.
    "She passed out when she received confirmation that the plane had crashed."
• pay back
  • Reimburse.
    "I will lend you 20€ provided you pay me back before the end of the week. "
• phase in/out
  • Introduce or discontinue something gradually.
    "The government decided to phase in the new regulations."
• pick on
  • Choose someone to blame, punish, bully, etc.
    "The other children were always picking on Charlie because of his red hair."
• pick out
  • Select; choose.
    "Will you help me pick out a handbag to go with my outfit?"
• pick up
  • Learn.
    "Children are quick to pick up a new language."
  • Collect somebody/something; give someone a lift.
    "James is coming to pick me up at the station.."
• play up
  • Cause pain or discomfort.
    "My stomach is starting to play up again after all that heavy food."
  • Emphasise the value or make something seem more important.
    "Donald always plays up his achievements."
• play down
  • Minimise the value or make something appear less important.
    "The government tried to play down the gravity of the situation."
• pop across/over/down/out
  • Come or go quickly in the direction specified.
    "She popped over to the shop to buy a sandwich."
• pop in
  • Make a brief visit.
    "My daughter sometimes pops in for a cup of coffee."
• pop up
  • Arise, occur.
    "The question of security popped upduring the meeting."
• pull in
  • Move to a designated place at the side of the road.
    "A police car signalled to me to pull in."
• pull off
  • Leave the road momentarily.
    "I was tired from driving so I pulled off for a rest and a cup of coffee."
• pull out
  • Move out from the roadside onto the road.
    "A motorbike suddenly pulled out in front of me."
• pull over
  • Move over to the side of the road.
    "She pulled over to make way for the ambulance."
• pull up
  • Stop.
    "All vehicles must pull up at the traffic lights."
• pull through
  • Overcome difficulties or illness.
    "My grandmother caught pneumonia last winter but she pulled through."
• put away
  • Return something to the place where it is usually kept.
    "Please put away the dictionary when you've finished using it.
• put back
  • Replace, return to its proper place.
    "Please put the dictionary back on the shelf beside the others."
• put forward
  • Propose or recommend something.
    "The chairman put forward a proposal to move to bigger offices."
• put off
  • Postpone; delay; arrange a later date.
    "The meeting has been put off until next week because of the strike."
• put on
  • Turn on / switch on.
    Could you put on the light please?
  • Wear a garment or piece of clothing.
    "You'd better put on your coat - it's cold outside today."


• put out
  • Extinguish.
    "It took the fire fighters a long time to put out the fire."
• put (yourself) out
  • Go to a lot of trouble; be inconvenienced.
    "Please don't put yourself out for us."
• put (something) out
  • Leave or place something outside the house.
    "Don't forget to put out the dustbin this evening".
• put through
  • Connect two people (on the phone).
    "Just a moment please. I'll put youthrough to Mr. Brown."
• put up
  • Erect, build.
    Danny put up a tent in the garden to keep the children happy."
• put (someone) up
  • Accommodate; give someone a bed
    "We can put you up if you'd like to come for the week-end."
• put up with
  • Tolerate.
    "I don't know how you can put up with the noise of all that traffic."
• point out
• Indicate; direct attention to something.
  "My mother pointed out the house where she grew up."
• reel off
  • Recite without effort or pause.
    "Stella amazed everyone by reeling off all the phrasal verbs she had learned."
• rely on
  • Count on; depend on; trust
    "Don't worry. You can rely on me. I can keep a secret."
• rig out (verb)
  • Dress or equip.
    "The old lady arrived all rigged out in her best clothes."
• ring back (also: call back)
  • Return a phone call.
    "John rang this morning and asked if you could ring him back."
• ring off
  • End a phone call.
    "The caller gave his name and then rang off."
• rub out
  • Erase.
    Write it in pencil so that you can rub it outlater if you want to change it.
• rule out
  • Eliminate.
    "The police are still investigating but they have ruled out political motives."
• run away
  • Escape from a place or suddenly leave.
    "He ran away from home at the age of fourteen."
• run about/around
  • Be busy doing many different things.
    "Julie has been running about/around all week getting ready for the wedding."
• run across
  • Run to the other side of something (a road, a bridge...).
    "The pickpocket ran across the road and jumped onto a bus."
• run after
  • Chase something.
    "Tom threw the ball along the beach and the dog ran after it."
• run into (also : bump into)
  • Meet by accident or unexpectedly .
    "Sophie ran into Maria at the shopping centre."
• run on
  • Continue without interruption.
    "We didn’t expect the chairman's speech to run on for so long.”
• run out
  • Expire, come to an end.
    "Let’s order now before the offer runs out.”
• run out of
  • Have no more of something.
    "What a nuisance! We've run out ofcoffee."
• run up
  • Accumulate a debt.
    "James ran up a large amount in hotel expenses at the trade fair."
  • Make something quickly.
    "My mother can run up a pair of curtains in no time.”
• run up against
  • Encounter difficulties or problems.
    "The property developer ran up againststrong local opposition."


• scale back/scale down
  • Make something smaller than originally intended.
    "Due to the crisis the company had to scale down the size of the plant."
• scrape together/scrape up
  • Manage to find or collect enough of something you need, usually money.
    "We finally scraped together enough money to buy an old car."
• scrape through
  • Succeed with difficulty.
    "How I scraped through the exam is still a mystery to me!"
• set off
  • Start a journey.
    "Early Saturday morning we set off for the ski slopes."
• set up
  • Start a business.
    "Victoria set up her own company 10 years ago."
• settle for
  • Accept something not quite satisfactory
    "I was hoping for a better proposal but I'llsettle for the amount you offer."
• shop around
  • Compare prices.
    "It's always wise to shop around before buying anything."
• show off
  • Brag or want to be admired.
    "There's Donald showing off in his new sports car!"
• show up
  • Appear; arrive.
    "We expected William to come but he didn't show up."
• shut up (impolite)
  • Be silent, stop talking.
    "Oh shut up you idiot!"
• sign away
  • Give up one's rights or ownership.
    "He signed away his property and joined a religious community."
• sign in
  • Register (e.g. at a hotel).
    "As soon as we've signed in we'll go and get something to eat ."
• sign out
  • Pay your bill and leave (e.g. a hotel).
    "At 9 o'clock he signed out and left for the airport."
• sign over (to)
  • Transfer ownership of something.
    "He signed over the house to his two children."
• sign up (for)
  • Enroll in an activity.
    Emma signed up for a computer course.
• sign up (with)
  • Sign an agreement to work for somebody.
    "Paul has signed up with a news agency."
• single out
  • Select for special attention.
    "Two of the boys were singled out for extra coaching.
• sink in
  • Be fully understood.
    "In spite of the detailed news reports, it took a while for the scale of the disaster to sink in."
• sit down
  • Take a seat.
    "Please come in and sit down."
• sleep in
  • Sleep later than usual.
    "Tomorrow is Saturday, so I can sleep in!"
• sleep over
  • Stay overnight at someone else's home.
    "You're welcome to sleep over if you don't want to drive in this weather."
• slip up
  • Make a mistake.
    "You slipped up there! His name is Alex, not Alan!"
• slow down
  • Decelerate; go more slowly.
    "George! You're going to cause an accident. Slow down!"
• sober up
  • Get rid of the effects of too much alcohol.
    "Jack decided to go for a long walk to sober up."
• sort out
  • Organise, resolve a problem.
    "There was a misunderstanding but Lea sorted it out."
    "Students should sort out their books at the end of the school year."
• speed up
  • Accelerate; go faster.
    "We need to speed up the registration procedure."
• stand for
  • Represent, mean.
    "VAT stands for value added tax."
  • Tolerate.
    "There's no way I'm going to stand for such bad behaviour!"
• stand up
  • Rise from a sitting position
    "The pupils stood up when the headmaster arrived."
• stand up for
  • Support or defend someone or something.
    "You must learn to be assertive and stand up for your personal views."
• stick around
  • Stay somewhere for some time.
    "I'll stick around until the end of the parade."
• stick out
  • Come out.
    "The speaker's shirt was sticking out from his trousers."
  • Become noticeable.
    "With that dress you'll really stick out!"
• stick (something) out
  • Tolerate, accept to continue.
    "Lunch with my girlfriend's colleagues was boring but I had to stick it out - I had no choice!"
• stick to
  • Continue without changing anything.
    "We must decide on a plan of action and stick to it."
• stick together
  • Support each other.
    "Good friends always stick together."
• stick with
• Continue using or doing something.
  "I'll stick with this grammar book because it has everything I need."
• take after
  • Resemble in appearance or character.
    " Jamie really takes after his dad."
• take apart
  • Dismantle or separate the components.
    "The technician has to take the machineapart in order to repair it."
• take away
  • Cause something to disappear.
    "The doctor gave my father tablets to take away the pain."
  • Buy food at a restaurant and carry it elsewhere to eat it.
    "Two beef curries to take away please."
• take back
  • Agree to receive back/ be returned.
    "We will take back the goods only if you can produce the receipt."
  • Retract or withdraw something said.
    "I take back what I said about cheating. I didn't mean it."
• take care of
  • Look after.
    "I'll take care of your plants while you're away."
• take off
  • Leave the ground.
    "The plane took off at 7 o'clock."
• take in
  • Allow to stay in one's home.
    "The old lady next door is always taking in stray cats and dogs!"
  • Note with your eyes and register.
    "Amanda took in every detail of her rival's outfit."
  • Understand what one sees, hears or reads; realise what is happening.
    "The man immediately took in the scene and called the police."
• take on
  • Hire or engage staff.
    "Business is good so the company is taking on extra staff."
• take out
  • Remove ; cause to disappear.
    "Try this. It should take out the stain."
  • Extract from somewhere.
    "She took out a pen to note down the supplier's address."
  • Invite someone to dinner, the theatre, cinema, etc.
    "Her boyfriend took her out for a meal on her birthday."
  • Obtain a service or document (insurance, mortgage ...).
    "Many homeowners take out a mortgage when they buy  property."
• take to
  • Begin to like someone or something.
    "My parents took to James immediately."
  • Make a new habit of something.
    "Dad had taken to walking in the park every morning.' 
• take up
  • Fill or occupy space or time.
    "There's not much space here. The big table takes up too much room.
  • Adopt as a hobby or pastime.
    "My father took up golf when he retired."
  • Start something e.g. a job.
    "While writing his first book he took up a job as a teacher."
  • Make something shorter.
    "That skirt is too long for you. It will need to be taken up.
  • Continue something interrupted.
    "She took up the story where Bill had left off."
• talk into
  • Persuade someone to do something.
    "Caroline talked John into buying a new car."
• talk out of
  • Persuade someone not to do something.
    "Her parents tried to talk Amy out of leaving her job."
• tear up
  • Rip into pieces
    "Tear up the pizza boxes before you put them in the bin."
• tell off
  • Reprimand; criticise severely
    "The teacher told her off for not doing her homework."
• test out
  • Carry out an experiment.
    "The theory hasn't been tested out yet."
• think over
  • Consider something fully.
    "I'll have to think over your proposal before I decide."
• think up
  • Invent, find, produce by thought.
    "The kids put the cat in the oven because it was cold. What are they going to think up next!" 


• throw away/out
  • Discard as useless or unwanted.
    "You can throw away that book - it's a load of rubbish! "
• throw up
  • Vomit ; be sick.
    "I nearly threw up when I saw the injured passengers."
• tire out
  • Exhaust completely.
    "The children were so turbulent they tired out their grandmother."
• touch down
  • Land on the runway.
    "There were no delays. The plane touched down exactly on time."
• toy with
  • Think about, without serious intent.
    "I've been toying with the idea of walking to work, but it would mean getting up earlier."
• track down
  • Search until found.
    "The police finally tracked down the main suspect."
• trade in
  • Give as part payment for a new article.
    "I traded in my old car for a new model."
• try on
  • Put on or wear something to see if it suits or fits.
    "I'm not sure about the size. Can I try it on?"
• turn away
  • Refuse entrance to someone.
    "Tickets were sold out and hundreds of fans were turned away from the football stadium."
• turn down
  • Lower the volume.
    Please turn down the music; it's too loud.
  • Refuse.
    "It would be silly to turn down a generous offer like that!
• turn off
  • Stop by turning a switch, tap or knob.
    "Please remember to turn off the lights before you leave."
• turn up
• Arrive; appear.
  "Her train was delayed so she turned upan hour late at the meeting.
• Raise the volume.
  Could you turn up the radio please? I'd like to listen to the news.
• use up
  • Finish a product ( so that there's none left).
    "What a nuisance! The kids have used up all the toothpaste. "
• veer away from
  • Avoid, stay away from.
    "I veer away from hypochondriacs if I can."
• vouch for.
  • Express confidence in, or guarantee something.
    "You can give the keys to Andy. I can vouch for him. "
• ward off
  • Keep away or repel (something dangerous or unpleasant).
    "I take plenty of vitamin C in winter to ward off colds."
• warm up
  • Reheat something.  
    "She didn't have time to cook so she warmed up some left-over soup."
  • Make more lively or more relaxed.
    "He told a few jokes to warm up the atmosphere."
• wash up
  • Wash the dishes after a meal.
    "Who's going to help me wash up?"
• wash up
  • Be carried onto the land or shore.
    "Items from the boat were washed up on the beach."
• watch out
  • Be careful.
    "Watch out! There's a car coming."
• water down
  • Dilute or make weaker by adding water.
    "If you water down the medicine it will be easier to take."
  • Make less severe.
    "He watered down his remarks so as not to offend anyone."
• wear away
  • Disappear after use or over time.
    "The words printed on the cover had worn away."
• wear down
  • Make someone feel weary or tired.
    "Kim is exhausted. The baby's constant crying is wearing her down."
• wear off
  • Gradually disappear.
    "The effect of the painkiller began to wear off."
• wear out
  • Become unusable.
    "During the trip Julie wore out her shoes sightseeing.
  • Become very tired
    "At the end of the every day Julie was worn out."
• whip up
  • Prepare quickly.
    "I can whip up something to eat if you're hungry."
• wolf down
  • Eat greedily and quickly.
    "The boys wolfed down the whole cake in no time!"
• work out
  • Do physical exercise.
    "Tanya works out twice a week at the gym club."
  • Find a solution or calculate something.
    "It's going to be expensive but I haven'tworked out the exact cost yet."
• wind up
  • Finish or put an end to something.
    "Before winding up his speech he thanked everyone for their presence."
    "Larry decided to wind up his business and retire."
  • Arrive finally in a place.
    "After a long drive we finally wound up in a village with a spectacular view."
• wipe off
  • Clean (board, table).
    "The teacher asked one of the children to wipe off the board."
• wrap up
  • Cover; enclose.
    "She's busy right now. She's wrapping up her Christmas presents."
  • Complete (a task, a discussion).
    "The salesman hoped to wrap up a few deals at the end of  the demonstration."
• write back
  • Reply to a letter.
    "Lucy and Steve sent me an invitation and I wrote back to accept it."
• write (something) down
• Note something on a piece of paper.
  "Richard wrote down the address of the hotel."