| ask somebody out |
invite on a date |
Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie. |
| ask around |
ask many people the same question |
I asked around but nobody has seen my book and pen. |
| add up to something |
Equal |
Your purchases add up to $192.32. |
| back up something |
Reverse |
You'll have to back up your car so that I can get out. |
| back somebody up |
Support |
My wife backed me up over my decision to buy a house. |
| blow up |
Explode |
The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence. |
| blow something up |
add air |
I have to blow 20 balloons up for her birthday party. |
| break down |
get upset |
The woman broke down when the police told her that her son had died. |
| break down |
stop functioning (vehicle,machine) |
The bus broke down at the side of the highway in the snowstorm. |
| break something down |
divide into smaller parts |
Our teacher broke the final project down into three separate parts. |
| break in |
force entry to a building |
Somebody broke in last night and stole our TV. |
| break into something |
enter forcibly |
The firemen had to break into the room to rescue the family. |
| break up |
end a relationship |
We broke up before I moved out of country. |
| break out |
Escape |
The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren't looking. |
| bring somebody down |
make unhappy |
The newspaper report on hunger is bringing me down. |
| bring somebody up |
raise a child |
My grandparents brought me up after my parents went abroad. |
| bring up |
start talking about a subject |
She was walking out of the room when my father brought up sports. |
| call somebody back |
return a phone call |
I called him back but the offices were closed for the weekend. |
| call off |
Cancel |
The wedding was called off when the bride fell sick. |
| catch up |
get to the same point as somebody else |
You'll have to work harder than that if you want to catch up with Ben. |
| check in |
arrive and register at a hotel |
We will get the hotel keys once we check in. |
| check out |
leave a hotel |
You have to check out of the hotel by 11 AM. |
| chip in |
Help |
If you chip in we can get the room painted by noon. |
| clean up |
tidy, clean |
Please clean up your bedroom before going out to play. |
| come across |
find unexpectedly |
I came across my childhood photos when I was tidying the closet. |
| come apart |
Separate |
The top and bottom usually come apart if you pull hard enough. |
| come down with something |
become sick |
My nephew came down with a cold last weekend. |
| count on |
rely on |
Our team was counting on me during our last match. |
| cut back on something |
consume less |
My doctor wants me to cut back on sugar and fatty foods. |
| cut in |
Interrupt |
He cut in while I was presenting to the board. |
| cut in |
pull in too closely in front of another vehicle |
The accident was caused when a truck driver car cut in the bus. |
| cut off |
stop providing |
The internet company cut us off due to unpaid bills. |
| do something over |
do again |
I had to do my essay over because the teacher was not satisfied with my topic. |
| do away with something |
Discard |
It's time to do away with all of these old phones. |
| drop in/ by/ |
come without an appointment |
I might drop in/by/ your office sometime this week. |
| drop out |
Quit |
Mark dropped off college to start the company. |
| end up |
eventually reach/do/decide |
We ended up eating at the restaurant. |
| fall apart |
break into pieces |
My nee cabinet fell apart during delivery. |
| figure out |
understand, find the answer |
I need to figure out how my book was put in her locker. |
| find out |
Discover |
How can we find out where he lives? |
| get along |
like each other |
We get along with my father-in-law. |
| get around |
have mobility |
My grandfather can get around fine in his wheelchair. |
| get away with something |
do without being noticed or punished |
Jason did not get away with cheating in his math tests. |
| get back |
Return |
We got back from the trip very late. |
| get something back |
receive something you had before |
I finally got my English textbook back from Jack. |
| get back at somebody |
retaliate, take revenge |
My brother got back at me for taking his phone by wearing my favorite pair of shoes. |
| get back into something |
become interested in something again |
I finally got back into my book after 2 months. |
| get over something |
Recover from an illness, loss. Overcome a problem |
The company will have to close if it can't get over the new regulations. |
| get together |
meet (usually for social reasons) |
We usually get together during the summer holidays. |
| give somebody away |
reveal hidden information about somebody |
Once he was caught by his teacher, he gave away his friend as the bully. |
| look after |
take care of |
I have to look after my sick grandmother this weekend. |
| look down on |
think less of, consider inferior |
Ever since I failed the test, my teacher has looked down on me. |
| look forward to |
be excited about a certain time in the future |
I'm looking forward to the summer holiday. |
| look into |
Investigate |
The school promised to look into the parents' concerns on bullying. |
| look out |
be careful, vigilant, and take notice |
Look out! The car is rolling towards you! |
| look out for |
be especially vigilant for something/somebody |
The guide advised us to look out for snakes on the trail. |
| look something up |
search and find information in a reference book or database |
We can look her phone number up on the office directory. |
| look up to |
have a lot of respect for. |
My little sister has always looked up to me. |
| make something up |
invent, lie about something |
Susie made up a story about why we were late to class. |
| make up |
forgive each other |
They made up after arguing last night. |
| pass away |
Die |
His uncle passed away last week after a long illness. |
| pass out |
Faint |
It was so hot in the church that an elderly lady passed out. |
| pass something out |
give the same thing to many people |
The teacher passed the exam results out before class. |
| pass something up |
decline (usually something good) |
She passed up the promotion because she had found a better job offer elsewhere. |
| pick something out |
Choose |
The store manager picked out three packets of milk from the shelf. |
| put something down |
put what you are holding on a surface or floor |
You can put the groceries down on the kitchen counter. |
| put somebody down |
insult, make somebody feel stupid |
The students put the new student down because his shirt was wrinkled. |
| put something out |
Extinguish |
The firefighters put the fire out before it spread to the neighbors houses. |
| put something together |
Assemble |
I have to put the cabinet together before noon. |
| put up with somebody/ something |
Tolerate |
I don't think I can put up with the new manager at the office. |
| put something on |
put clothing/ accessories on |
She put on her new earrings for the party. |
| run into somebody/ something |
meet unexpectedly |
I ran into an old school-friend at the market today. |
| run over somebody/something |
run over somebody/ drive a vehicle over a person or something |
I accidentally ran over your toy in the driveway. |
| run out |
have none left |
We ran out of eggs so I had get some from the shop in the morning. |
| set something up |
arrange, organize |
I had to set up a meeting with him. |
| sort something out |
organize, resolve a problem |
We need to sort the bills out before the end of the week. |
| take after somebody |
resemble somebody |
I take after my mother. We are both impatient. |
| take something apart |
purposely break into pieces |
He took the computer apart and found the problem. |
| take off |
start to fly |
The plane took off minutes after getting on it. |
| think back |
remember |
When I think back on the conversation, I believe he lied to me. |
| think something over |
Consider |
I'll have to think this promotion over before I make my final decision. |
| turn something down |
Refuse |
I turned the job down because I don't want to relocate. |
| turn up |
appear suddenly |
The dog turned up after we put posters up all over the neighborhood. |
| use something up |
finish the supply |
The chef used all of the cooking oil up for this meal. |
| wear off |
fade away / lose effectiveness or intensity |
My interest wore off after a week of putting the meeting off severally. |
