bring someone

down
bring someone
up
call something
off
cross something
out
hand something
in
make something
up
put something
off

make unhappy

This sad music is bringing me down.

raise a child

My grandparents brought me up after my parents died.

cancel

Jason called the wedding off because he wasn't in love

with his fianc.
Please cross out your old address and write your new
one.
I have to hand in my essay by Friday.

draw a line
through
submit
invent, lie about
sth
postpone

Josie made up a story about why we were late.

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

time so that you don't forget the rules!

Verb

Meaning

Example

ask someone 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 wallet.

add up to something

equal

Your purchases add up to

$205.32.

back something up

reverse

You'll have to back up your car

so that I can get out.

back someone up

support

My wife backed me up over my

decision to quit my job.

blow up

explode

The racing car blew up after it

crashed into the fence.

blow something up

add air

We have to blow 50 balloons up

for the party.

break down

stop functioning (vehicle,

Our car broke down at the side

machine)

of the highway in the

snowstorm.

get upset

The woman broke down when

the police told her that her son
had died.

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 stereo.

break into something

enter forcibly

The firemen had to break into

the room to rescue the children.

break something in

wear something a few times so

that it doesn't look/feel new

I need to break these shoes in

before we run next week.

break in

interrupt

The TV station broke in to

report the news of the president's
death.

break up

end a relationship

My boyfriend and I broke up

before I moved to America.

break up

start laughing (informal)

The kids just broke up as soon

as the clown started talking.

break out

escape

The prisoners broke out of jail

when the guards weren't looking.

break out in
something

develop a skin condition

I broke out in a rash after our

camping trip.

bring someone down

make unhappy

This sad music is bringing me

down.

bring someone up

raise a child

My grandparents brought me
up after my parents died.

start talking about a subject

My mother walks out of the

room when my father brings up
sports.

break down

bring something up

bring something up

vomit

He drank so much that he

brought his dinner up in the
toilet.

call around

phone many different

places/people

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 back but

the offices were closed for the
weekend.

call something off

cancel

Jason called the wedding off

because he wasn't in love with
his fianc.

call on someone

ask for an answer or opinion

The professor called on me for

question 1.

call on someone

visit someone

We called on you last night but

you weren't home.

call someone up

phone

Give me your phone number and

I will call you up when we are
in town.

calm down

relax after being angry

You are still mad. You need to

calm down before you drive the
car.

not care for

someone/something

not like (formal)

I don't care for his 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.

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 to check out of the

hotel before 11:00 AM.

check
someone/something
out

look at carefully, investigate

The company checks out all

new employees.

check out
someone/something

look at (informal)

Check out the crazy hair on that

guy!

cheer up

become happier

She cheered up when she heard

the good news.

cheer someone up

make happier

I brought you some flowers to

cheer you up.

chip in

help

If everyone chips in we can get

the kitchen painted by noon.

clean something up

tidy, clean

Please clean up your bedroom

before you go outside.

come across
something

find unexpectedly

I came across these old photos

when I was tidying the closet.

come apart

separate

The top and bottom come apart

if you pull hard enough.

come down with

something

become sick

My nephew came down with

chicken pox this weekend.

come forward

volunteer for a task or to give

evidence

The woman came forward with

her husband's finger prints.

come from
somewhere

originate in

The art of origami comes from

Asia.

count on
someone/something

rely on

I am counting on you to make

dinner while I am out.

cross something out

draw a line through

Please cross out your old

address and write your new one.

cut back on
something

consume less

My doctor wants me to cut back

on sweets and fatty foods.

cut something down

make something fall to the

ground

We had to cut the old tree in our

yard down after 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

The bus driver got angry when

another vehicle

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.

cut something off

stop providing

The phone company cut off our

phone because we didn't pay the
bill.

cut someone off

take out of a will

My grandparents cut my father

off when he remarried.

cut something out

remove part of something

(usually with scissors and paper)

I cut this ad out of the

newspaper.

do someone/something
over

beat up, ransack (Br.E.,

informal)

He's lucky to be alive. His shop

was done over by a street gang.

do something over

do again (N.Amer.)

My teacher wants me to do my
essay over because she doesn't
like my topic.

do away with
something

discard

It's time to do away with all of

these old tax records.

do something up

fasten, close

Do your coat up before 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/group

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.

drop
someone/something off

take someone/something
somewhere and leave them/it
there

I have to drop my sister off at

work before I come over.

drop out

quit a class, school etc

I dropped out of 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/decide

We ended up renting a movie

instead of going to the theatre.

fall apart

break into pieces

My new dress fell apart in the

washing machine.

fall down

fall to the ground

The picture that you hung up last

night fell down this morning.

fall out

separate from an interior

The money must have fallen out

of my pocket.

fall out

(of hair, teeth) become loose and

unattached

His hair started to fall out when

he was only 35.

figure something out

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

(Br.E.)

Please fill in the form with your

name, address, and phone
number.

fill something out

to write information in blanks

(N.Amer.)

The form must be filled out in

capital letters.

fill something up

fill to the top

I always fill the water jug up

when 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 Samantha
found it out.

get something
across/over

communicate, make
understandable

I tried to get my point

across/over to the judge but she
wouldn't listen.

get along/on

like each other

I was surprised how well my

new girlfriend and my sister got
along/on.

get around

have mobility

My grandfather can get around

fine in his new wheelchair.

get away

go on a vacation

We worked so hard this year that

we had to get away for a week.

get away with

something

do without being noticed or

punished

Jason always gets away with

cheating in his maths tests.

get back

return

We got back from our vacation

last week.

get something back

receive something you had

before

Liz finally got her Science notes

back from my room-mate.

get up

get out of bed

I got up early today to study for

my exam.

give something up

quit a habit

I am giving up smoking as of
January 1st.

give up

stop trying

My maths homework was too

difficult so I gave up.

go after someone

follow someone

My brother tried to go after the

thief in his car.

go after something

try to achieve something

I went after my dream and now

I am a published writer.

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 out for dinner

tonight.

go over something

review

Please go over your answers

before you submit your test.

go over

visit someone nearby

I haven't seen Tina for a long

time. I think I'll go over for an
hour or two.

grow up

become an adult

When Jack grows up he wants

to be a fireman.

hand something in

submit

I have to hand in my essay by

Friday.

hand something out

to distribute to a group of people

We will hand out the invitations

at the door.

hang out

spend time relaxing (informal)

Instead of going to the party we

are just going to hang out at my
place.

keep on doing
something

continue doing

Keep on stirring until the liquid

comes to a boil.

keep something up

continue at the same rate

If you keep those results up you

will get into a great college.

let someone down

fail to support or help, disappoint

I need you to be on time. Don't

let me down this time.

let someone in

allow to enter

Can you let the cat in before you

go to school?

look after
someone/something

take care of

I have to look after my sick

grandmother.

look for
someone/something

try to find

I'm looking for a red dress for

the wedding.

look forward to
something

be excited about the future

I'm looking forward to the

Christmas break.

look into something

investigate

We are going to look 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 for

someone/something

be especially vigilant for

Don't forget to look out for

snakes on the hiking trail.

look something over

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 number

up on the Internet.

look up to someone

have a lot of respect for

My little sister has always

looked up to me.

make something up

invent, lie about something

Josie made up a story about

why we were late.

pass away

die

His uncle passed away last night

after a long illness.

pass out

faint

It was so hot in the church that

an elderly lady passed out.

pay someone back

return owed money

Thanks for buying my ticket. I'll

pay you back on Friday.

pay for something

be punished for doing something

bad

That bully will pay for being

mean to my little brother.

pick something out

choose

I picked out three sweaters for

you to try on.

put something down

put what you are holding on a

surface or floor

You can put the groceries down

on the kitchen counter.

put something off

postpone

We are putting off our trip until

January because of the
hurricane.

put something out

extinguish

The neighbors put the fire out

before the firemen arrived.

put up with
someone/something

tolerate

I don't think I can put up with

three small children in the car.

put something on

put clothing/accessories on your

body

Don't forget to put on your new

earrings for the party.

run into
someone/something

meet unexpectedly

I ran into an old school-friend at

the mall.

send something back

return (usually by mail)

My letter got sent back to me

because I used the wrong stamp.

set something up

arrange, organize

Our boss set a meeting up with

the president of the company.

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 always shows off on his

skateboard

stick to something

continue doing something, limit

yourself to one particular thing

You will lose weight if you stick

to the diet.

switch something off

stop the energy flow, turn off

The light's too bright. Could you

switch it off.

switch something on

start the energy flow, turn on

We heard the news as soon as we

switched on the car radio.

take after someone

resemble a family member

I take after my mother. We are

both impatient.

take something back

return an item

I have to take our new TV back

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 take the garbage out to

the street for me?

take someone out

pay for someone to go

somewhere with you

My grandparents took us out for

dinner and a movie.

tear something up

rip into pieces

I tore up my ex-boyfriend'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 over

consider

I'll have to think this job offer

over before I make my final
decision.

throw something

dispose of

We threw our old furniture

away

away when we won the lottery.

turn something down

decrease the volume or strength

(heat, light etc)

Please turn the TV down while

the guests are here.

turn something down

refuse

I turned the job down because I

don't want to move.

turn something off

stop the energy flow, switch off

Your mother wants you to turn

the TV off and come for dinner.

turn something on

start the energy, switch on

It's too dark in here. Let's turn

some lights on.

turn something up

increase the volume or strength

(heat, light etc)

Can you turn the music up?

This is my favourite song.

try something on

sample clothing

I'm going to try these jeans on,

but I don't think they will fit.

try something out

test

I am going to try this new brand

of detergent out.

use something up

finish the supply

The kids used all of the

toothpaste up so we need to buy
some more.

wake up

stop sleeping

We have to wake up early for

work on Monday.

work out

exercise

I work out at the gym three

times a week.

work out

be successful

Our plan worked out fine.

work something out

make a calculation

We have to work out the total

cost before we buy the house.