Phrasal verbs

back down

– stop demanding something. I never back down from a challenge.

break down

– stop working. My car broke down on the way to work.

break down

- to lose control. She broke down in tears after hearing the sad news.

break down

- to fail. The negotiations broke down when they couldn't agree on terms.

break down

- to analyze/separate something - to divide something (an idea, budget, data) into smaller, easier-to-understand parts. It’s easier to handle the job if you break it down into several specific assignments.

bring up (a child)

- raise (a child). Her parents brought her up to be polite.

bring up

- to introduce (a matter) for discussion. We have to bring this matter up at the next meeting.

call for

– demand / request. The situation calls for immediate action.

carry on

- continue. Her bravery has given him the will to carry on with his life and his work.

catch on

– to become popular (an idea or a style). Why did the electronic gadgets catch on so fast?

catch on

- to understand, especially after a long time. He doesn't take hints very easily, but he'll catch on (to what you're saying) eventually.

cheer up

- make happier. Why did the electronic gadget catch on so fast?

come across

– find by chance. He came across some old friends.

come into (money)

– inherit. She came into a fortune when her wealthy aunt passed away.

come round

– come to your house. Come round tonight and we'll watch a video.

come up

– be mentioned, arise or appear (in class / an exam / a meeting). The issue of security came up at the meeting yesterday. After the concert, he came up to me to ask for my autograph.

count on

– to rely on. I count on you, don't let me down.

cut down on

– reduce the amount you consume. I’m trying to cut down on the amount of sugar I eat.

cut off

– separate. They were cut off from the rest of the army.

cut out

– stop doing / eating something. I’ve cut out smoking.

do up

- fasten something. Can you help me to do up my dress?

drop by

– to visit informally or unexpectedly. Evening you can drop by for a beer or a drink.

drop out

– stop taking part in (a competition, a university, etc.). She dropped out of university.

fall out with (someone)

– argue and stop being friendly with someone. He left home after falling out with his parents.

follow up

- to find out more about (something). I followed up the news.

get away (for the weekend)

– go away for a period of time for a break or escape from a person or place, often when it is difficult to do this. I'll get away from work as soon as I can.

get away with

– not be punished for doing something. He's lucky he'll get away with just a warning for that.

get by

- to be able to live or deal with a situation with difficulty. I can’t get by on such a small salary.

get together

– meet (usually for social reasons). Jan and I are getting together next week for lunch.

get over (someone or something)

– recover after the end of a relationship with someone or recover from something. She needs time to get over the breakup.

give away (secrets)

– reveal. How could you give my biggest secret away?

give in (homework)

– submit. I gave in my assignment to the teacher.

give in (to someone’s requests)

– agree to something you do not want to. Keep asking and eventually she'll give in.

give off sth

- to produce heat, light, a smell, or a gas. The fire was giving off a lot of smoke.

give out

- to come to an end. My patience gave out.

go along with

- to support an idea, or to agree with someone's opinion. She'll never go along with this idea.

go off

If something that makes a noise goes off, it suddenly starts making a noise. His car alarm goes off every time it rains. If food goes off, it is not good to eat any more because it is too old.

go through with something

- to complete something that you have begun or promised. He’d threatened to quit many times, but I never thought he’d go through with it.

grow apart

If two people in a close relationship grow apart, or if they grow away from each other, they gradually begin to have a less close relationship, usually because they no longer have the same interests and want the same things.

hand in

- submit school work, submit documentation. I'm going to hand in my resignation tomorrow.

hand out

- to give to several people; to distribute. The teacher handed out books to all the pupils.

hang up

– to hang clothes or an object on a hook or line; to end a phone call. I tried to talk to her, but she hung up (on me). Hang up your coat on one of those pegs.

head for

- to go towards a thing or place. I headed for the door.

hold back

- to not do something, often because of fear or because you do not want to make a bad situation worse. He held back, terrified of going into the dark room.

let off

– give someone a lighter punishment than they expected (or not punish at all). The policeman let him off (with a warning).

look something up

– find information about (e.g. a word in a dictionary). If you don't know what the word means, look it up in a dictionary.

look up to somebody

- to respect and admire someone. I look up to my stepdad for being such a great role model.

make up with somebody

- to reconcile after a fight or disagreement, becoming friends again through forgiveness and resolving differences. Have you made up with Tina yet?

make up (something)

- to invent something, such as an excuse or a story, often in order to deceive. I made up an excuse about having to look after the kids.

move on to

- to change from one subject to another when you are talking or writing or to leave the place where you are staying and go somewhere else or to start doing a new activity. Let's move on to the next topic.

move out

– stop living in a house or flat. Her landlord has given her a week to move out.

pay off

- to pay back money that you owe or have a positive result from hard work. We should be able to pay off the debt within two years. All her hard work paid off in the end, and she finally passed the exam.

put away

- to return to its proper place, especially out of sight. She put her clothes away in the drawer.

put off

- to delay; to postpone. I have to put off the meeting.

put on (an event/a show)

- organize an event. The city is putting on a series of free concerts in the park.

put on (weight)

– increase (weight). Laura is putting on weight very fast.

put out

- to extinguish (a fire, light etc) zgasić. The fire brigade soon put out the fire.

put up (for the night)

- accommodate. They decided to put up at a hotel after the long drive.

put up (your hand)

– lift into the air. Put your hand up if you want to answer.

put up with

– tolerate. I can't put up with his behaviour anymore!

set off

– start a journey. What time are you setting off tomorrow morning?

set something up

- to establish, zakładać. I'm planning to set my own restaurant up.

sort out

- to deal successfully with a problem or a situation. Her financial records are a mess, but we’ll sort them out.

stand for

– to represent. This charity stands for helping children in need.

stand out

– be easy to see because of being different. His confidence stands out in any meeting.

take off

– leave the ground (e.g. a plane). The plane is scheduled to take off at 10 AM.

take on

– attempt something new or employ. He took on the job. They are taking on five hundred more men at the factory.

take over

– take control of. The new manager will take over next month.

take to

– start to like, especially after only a short time. The two dogs took to each other immediately and started to play.

take up

– start doing (a hobby). She decided to take up painting.

tell sb off

– speak angrily to someone who has done something wrong. The teacher told the boy off.

turn up

- arrive, usually unexpectedly, early or late. She finally turned up at the party.

use up

– finish a supply of something. He used up all the milk.

wear out

– to use something until it becomes unusable. I’ve worn out my socks.

work out

– think about and find a solution or do exercise. Don't worry - everything will work out in the end. He works out at the gym every day.

turn back

– return towards the place you started from. If we turn back now, we'll never find the trail.