Phrasal Verbs 183

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PHRASAL VERBS

INTRODUCTION
Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and a particle that, together, give you single
independent unit of meaning. For example 'The wedding was put off until January' means it was
postponed and 'Anita turned up at the party with a friend' means that she arrived with a friend
You can form many phrasal verbs by adding different particles to the same verb, for example'cut
off', 'cut into', 'cut out', 'cut through', 'cut up'.

The particle in a phrasal verb is either a preposition, such as 'in' or 'on', or an adverb,such
as 'up' or 'out' or an adverb and a preposition, such as 'out of'. Look at the pairs of sentencesbelow
for examples of verbs followed by an adverb or preposition and of phrasal verbs.

She ran out to play. (used in its literal sense of verb + adverb)

He came into the room. (used in its literal sense of verb + preposition)

She ran out of sugar. (phr. Verbmeaning 'not have enough of something')

He came into some money recently. (phr. verb meaning 'to get money / property after
someone'sdeath')

In the first pair of sentences above, we understand 'run out' and 'come into' by combining
the meanings of the two words. But it is not possible to do this with the phrasal verbs in the
second pair, and we will have to look up their meanings, which are idiomatic, in a dictionary
Phrasal verbs—which are sometimes less formal than a single verb (e.g. 'put off' for 'postpone
and 'turn up' for 'arrive') and also more economical than longer expressions (e.g. '100kup to'for
'admire and respect someone' and 'talk down' for 'talk to someone as if they were less cleverthan
you')—therefore need special attention when you are building your vocabulary in English•
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184

Lookat some examples of currently used phrasal verbs. Note their meanings and how they
sentences.
greusedin

s.No. Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

Abideby Adhere to, accept I shall certainly abide by my promise.

l.

2.
Account for Explain Her illness accounts for her absence.

You will have to account to me if

3. Account to Give explanation anythinghappens to this child while
he is in your care.

Perform the role or I don't understand their language;

4. Act as functions of somebody/ you will have to act as interpreter.
something
During his illness, his solicitor has
5. Act for Represent somebody been acting for him in his business
affairs.

Move backwards in fear or The frightened child backed away

6. Back away from the horse.
dislike

Give up a claim to I proved that I was right and my

Back down something critics had to back down.

8.
He has decided to back out of the
Back out Withdraw from project.

9. Support or encourage I always back up my friends.

Back up
somebody/something

10. I shall surely bail you out of the

Bail out Help in an emergency problem.

11.
Cage in Make somebody feel that In that office, I felt terribly caged in.
he is in a cage

12.
Cover something thickly
Cake in /with with something that His shoes were caked with mud.
becomes hard when dry
13. We cannot calculate on having good
Calculateon Depend or rely on weather for the party.
 Phrasal Verbs

I have been asked by

Visit somebodyto discuss manager to call about
14. Call about something outstanding debt on the cooker

I shall call at your

15. Call at Visit a place at 4.30 p.m.

Apply or remove The maid dabbed the dirt IF

16. Dab off something with light thebook
quick strokes

Dab on or onto Apply in small quantities He dabbed paint on the

Take part in something

18. Dabble in/at without becoming He just dabbles in politic
seriously involved
The governmenthas been
somebody/ with
19. Dally with
Treat the idea of building
something frivolously station down here.

20. Dam up Suppress He did his best to dam up his

21. Earth up Cover with earth The gardener conscier.cur

earthed up the young plants

Ease across/ Move across, etc. slowly He eased himself along the
22.
along/away/into and carefully reach the terrified boy-

23. Ease down Reduce speed There is a narrow bridge ahea

you should ease down.

24. Ease of Free somebody from The doctor promised

suffering medicinehe had prescribed
easeher of her suffering„
25. Ease off Become less severe The tension between tse
countries has eased OE
26. Face away Look or point in the
opposite direction She faced away with

Face about Turn completelyround The offcer told the

28. Face out Resist, oppose
You should face "€34
your
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Accept and deal with

something unpleasant or Youmust face up to the fact that you
Face up to demanding honestly and are no longer young.
, 29.
bravely; confront

Fade away(of Die That old man is just fading away,

30. people)

Gad about/ Go from place to place for While they gad around the world,
31. around pleasure and excitement their children are neglected at home.

The leader of the CPI (M) in the Lok

Acquire more of a moral Sabha gained significantly in stature
32.
Gain in or intellectual quality as a result of his speech on Jammu
and Kashmir.

Come closer to somebody/ You will have to drive faster—they

, 33. Gain on something pursued are gaining on us.

Yearby year, the sea gained upon

the shore, and finally took toll of the
34. Gainon/upon Erode houses that had once been the pride
of the town.

Go from place to place for He gallivantsabout as if he had all

35. Gallivantabout pleasure; gad about the time and money in the world.

Change and cut parts of a His book has been hacked about
36. Hackabout written matter terribly by the editor.

He hammered away at a very difficult

37. Hammer away at Work hard at something problem till he got a solution.

38,
Hammerdown
Cause something to fall He hammered the door down.
down, etc. by hammering

Force somebody to learn They have had English grammar

something by repeating it hammered into them.
39.
Hammerin/into
many times.
After much discussion, the
40.
Hammerout Achieve something by negotiators hammered out a
great effort compromise settlement.
Phrasal Verbs 187

Give support to refused to identify myself

I withthe
41. Identify with somebody; be associated new political party.
with something

about/ Do nothing; be inactive Stop idling about and help me clean

Idle
42 • up.
around

Idle away Wastetime He idles away his time watchingTV.

43.
Strong impression or effect Her speech made a tremendous
44. Impact on/upon on somebody/something impact on everyone.
Obtain a favour from I hope it is not imposingonyour
45. Impose on/upon somebody by using undue hospitality, but could I stay to dinner?
pressure

Fall over; collapse, lose After a couple or drinks, he just

46. Keel over one's balance and fall keeled over on the floor.

The police kept after the banditstill

Not abandon the pursuit they finally trapped them in cul-de-
Keep after of sac(street open at one end only).

If you want to keep aheadofyour

Not lose one's position in rivals, you will have to workvery
48. Keep ahead of front of others
hard.

Continue persistently in The only way to get a goodbook

49. Keep at one's efforts; not abandon written is to keep at it, day afterday.

50. Keep away Not go near Keep away from the players.

Practice Exercises

I. Replace the bold word in the sentence with one of the phrasal verbs given below to
same meaning.

1. Youare inviting trouble ifyou quarrel with the house owner.

a. asking after b. asking for c. asking on d. ask against
2. He promised to contribute towards thefund but later withdrew.
a. backed out b. backed on c. backed away d. backed off
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88

I am depending on the loan for my higher education.

b. banking away c. banking on
d. banking off
a, banking up

Iwas surprised when I won the lottery.

b. taken of c. taken away d. taken aback
a, taken on

Modern researches prove that yoga cures diseases.

b. bear down c. bear up d. bear off
a. bear out

6. Please tolerate the pain.

b. bear down c. bear with d. bear off
a. bear out

7. Shyla is determined to become a lawyer.

b. bent over c. bent at d. bent on
a. bent upon
from abroad.
8. Yourtroubles will soon end when your father returns
b. blow out c. blow up d. blow away
a. blow over

9. Youwill suffer ifyou drink.

b. break down c. break off d. break away
a. break up

10.Afew under trials escaped from prison last night.

a. broke off b. broke away c. broke in d. broke out

11. Your negligence has caused this great loss.

a. brought in b. brought out c. brought about d. brought round

12. The incident has exposed the victimization of women.

a. brought out b. brought by c. brought round d. brought up

13.Our parents have raised us to be good citizens.

a. brought round b. brought aside c. brought up d. brought about

14. Throughperseverance and hard work, he developed his business.

a. brushed up b. broke up c. built up d. carried up

Phrasal Verbs

15. His crimes deserve a severe punishntent.

a. call about b. call for c. call in d. call out

16. Whenever you need help you can visit me at any time.

a. call at b. call on c. call for d. call in

17. Many people pray to godfor help rather than for thanking him.

a. call upon b. call at c. call on d. call about

18. Wemust obey his orders.

a. carry off b. carry on c. carry away d. carry out

19. Now that winter is over, we can remove the woolen clothes.

a. cast up b. cast away c. cast down d. cast off

20. Naturopathy is a popularity now.

a. catching out b. catching on c. catching off d. catching away

21. The violence started through a small quarrel.

a. came on b. came off c. came about d. came along

22. When I was searching my drawer, I saw an old photograph.

a. came on b. came by c. came to d. came across

23. The nib of my pen separated when I opened the cap.

a. came out b. came off c. came away d. came down

24. A career woman has to manage with her family and offce work.
a. cope up with b. cope up c. cope with d. cope on
25, I can't trust my brother for any help.
a. count out b. count by c. count down d. count on
26. Many problems arose when I started on a new business.

a. came up b. cropped up c. built up d. brought up

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27.Everyalternate Saturday, power supply will be stopped for
seven hours.
a. cut up b. cut off c. cut away d. cut down
28.Assoon as she saw the handbag, my sister was attracted to it.
a. fell on b. fell by c. fell off d. fell for
29.Rajesh'splan failed.
a. fell through b. fell off c. fell for d. fell away
30.Guru'sincome is small, but hisfamily somehow manages.

a. gets off b. gets along c. fell for d. fell away

31.Raju has not overcome his grief.

a. got on b. got back c. got over d. got by

32.Thesalesman somehow persuaded the lady to buy the perfume.

a. got along b. got off c. got over d. got around

33.Radium emits light.

a. gives in b. gives up c. gives off d. gives out

34.Abandon smoking.

a. give to b. give in c. give out d. give up

35.Don'ttrust my watch; it's always slow.

a. goby b. go in for c. go ahead d. go out

36.TheInspector promised to examine the report.

a. go without b. go through c. go on d. go off

37.Waitfor a moment.

a. Hold up b. Hold by c. Hold off d. Hold on

38.
w e must avoid any bags or parcels in public places. They may be explosives.

a. keep out c. keep on d. keep by

b. keep off
 drink milk and eatfish.
c. live at d. live on
a, live by b. live off
in wonder.
40. The children watched the peacock
c. looked at d. looked onto
a. looked for b. looked on

41. Raghul is searching for his key.

b. looking on c. looking out d. looking into
a. looking for

42. Kishore accepted hisfault.

a. made up b. owned up c. took up d. looked up

43. I selected a red gown for the party.

a. picked on b. picked off c. picked out d. picked away

44. Wehad to stop seeing the red signal.

a. pull up b. pull aside c. pull down d. pull through

45. Save your energyfor thefinal match.

a. set in b. set apart c. set off d. set up

46. The Olive branch represents peace.

a. stands by b. stands in c. stands for d. stands up

47. My sister resembles my mother.

a. takes up b. takes for c. takes on d. takes after

48. Thepain will decrease gradually.

a. wear in b. wear out c. wear off d. wear away

49. Weended the party at 9 p.m.

a. wound in b. wound up c. bring in d. bring on

50. The speedingjeep ignored the traffc signal.

a. winked at b. looked at c. winked up d. looked off