A
answer (someone) back (to someone): - talk back to someone; argue with someone e.g. I wish you wouldn't answer back to me that way. // Please don't answer me back like that!
answer for (someone): - [for someone] to speak for someone else e.g. Mary just can't answer for Allen, but she has her own opinion. // OK! I will answer for Peter.
ask (someone) out: - invite someone to go out as on a date e.g. He asked her out to dinner, but she had other plans. // Beth asked Carlos out for dinner.
ask (someone) over: - invite someone to come to your house e.g. Can you ask Mary over? // Paul has been asked over a couple of times.
B
beat (someone) up: - give someone a severe beating e.g. A gang beat Albert up and left him in the street. // Big Willie beat up Jack.
blow [someone or something] up: - explode/destroy e.g. The villians blew up the entire village. // The airplanes blew the big bridge up
blow (something) up: - inflate; enlarge a picture e.g. Alex doesn't have enough breath to blow the balloon up. // How big can you blow up the photograph?
boot (something) up: - start or get a computer ready for use e.g. Helen booted her computer up and went to work. // Jill, try to boot up the computer and try again.
break down : - stop functioning properly e.g. My car broke down in the middle of the highway.
break up with (someone): - end a relationship with someone e.g. Nick broke up with Misty. // "I just knew they would break up," Brian said.
bring (someone) up: - raise a child e.g. Ann brought up Bob the best she could. // He was brought up with the best child-raising methods.
bring (something) up : - introduce or call attention to a topic e.g. Why did you have to bring that up? That has nothing to do with the main issue.
burn down: - be destroyed by fire e.g. There was a big fire on 10th Street and the Post Office building was burned down.
burn (something) down : - destroy by fire e.g. The fire burned down the whole barn.
C
call (someone) back : - return a phone call to someone e.g. Since Daniela is not in her house, I will call her back in half an hour.// I have to call Frank back now.
call (something) off : - cancel something e.g. We had to call off the picnic because of the bad weather. // The meeting was called off.
call on (someone): - ask someone to answer or speak in class; visit someone e.g. My mother's friend call on her every Thursday. // The teacher called on Alex, but she was not ready to sing.
call (someone) up: - telephone e.g. You have to call him up and set an appointment. // I'm going to call her up to see what she has to say!!
catch up with (someone or something) - travel fast enough to overtake someone who is ahead e.g. I know I am a little behind the class, but I'll catch up with it. // Martin is finally catching up with his taller brother.
check (something) out: - borrow a book, video, tape from the library; verify or examine e.g. It sounds good. I'll check it out. // The doctor will check her out. // I need to check these books out.
check out of (a hotel): - leave a hotel after paying the bill e.g. Rachel will check out of the hotel at about noon.
clean (something) out: - clean the inside of something thoroughly e.g. Someone has to clean out the garage.
clean (something) up: - clean thoroughly and remove anything unwanted e.g. Can you clean this place up a little?
clear up : - become fair weather e.g. Suddenly, the sky cleared up.
clear (something) up : - explain a problem e.g. Let me take a few minutes to clear up the confusion for you.
come back : - return e.g. When will the good days come back?.
come over : - visit e.g. Why don't you come over next week?
come up with (something): - think of a plan or reply e.g. I don't have any ideas now, but I'll try to come up with something by Monday.
cross (something) out: - draw a line through e.g. You can cross me out. I'm not going to the picnic.
cut down on (something) : - reduce e.g. The doctor told my dad to cut down on his drinking.
cut (something) up : - cut into little pieces e.g. Amanda cut the carrots up into small cubes.
D
depart for (some place): - leave for some place e.g. When do we depart for the airport?
depart from (some place): - leave from some place e.g. When will you depart from here?
do (something) over : - do something again e.g. I think I'll have to do this room over.
E
eat out : - have a meal in a restaurant e.g. I just love to eat out from time to time.
eat up: - eat everything e.g. They ate the turkey up and there were no leftovers.
F
face up to (something, someone) : - be brave enough to accept or deal e.g. You must face up to the authorities if you have done something wrong.
with
fall for (someone, something: - fall in love with, to believe something without reservation e.g. I fell for her in a big way.// I fell for the story in a big way!
figure (something) out : - solve a problem e.g. It will take me a while to figure this out.
fill (something) out : - write information on a form e.g. Please, fill this form in.
fill (something) up : - fill completely with something e.g. I'll fill the basket up with flowers
find (something) out : - discover information e.g. What did you find out about the new construction site?
G
get away with (doing something) : - not be punished for doing e.g. Alex got away with the lie.
something wrong
get off (something) : - leave a plane, bus, train e.g. After getting off the bus, I went to the supermarket.
get on (something) : - enter a plane, bus, train. e.g. As soon as I got on the train I ran into Bob.
get over (something) : - recover from an illness or a serious life event e.g. It took a long time to get over the flu
get over (with) : - to conclude e.g. What time will the lecture get over?
give (something) back : - return something e.g. Are you going to give that money back with interest?
give up : - stop trying, lose hope e.g. Don't give up. There is always a chance.
give (something) up : - quit something; get rid of something e.g. I gave coffee up because of the caffeine.
go back (to something): - return e.g. I don't go back home. She went back to her husband after a few months.
go down : - (of computers) stop functioning; (of prices or temperature become. The system of all the computer went down.
go off : - stop functioning; (of alarms) start functioning; explode or make a
loud noise e.g. All the fireworks went off as scheduled.// The alarm went off at 7:00 a.m.
go on : - take place; happen (especially in the continuous tenses) e.g. What is going on over there?
go out : - leave one’s house to go to a social event e.g. Mary and I always go out on Fridays.
go out with (someone) : - spend time regularly with someone
go over (something) : - review
grow up : - become an adult
H
hand (something) in : - submit homework, a test, an
application
hand (something) out : - distribute something
hang (something) up : - put on a hook/clothes hanger; end a telephone call
hold on : - wait on the telephone
K
keep on (doing something) : - continue doing something
keep (someone) up : - prevent someone from going to sleep
keep up with : - stay at the same level or position
kick (someone) out : - force someone to leave
L
leave (something) out : - omit
light (something) up: - make light/bright with color; begin to smoke a cigar,
cigarette, or pipe
look out for (something/someone): - be careful of
look (something) over : - examine carefully
look (something) up : - look for information in a book
M
make (something) up: - create or invent something; do work that
was missed
make (something) up to (someone): - return a favor
move out : - stop occupying a residence, especially by removing one’s
possessions
P
pack up : - prepare all of one’s belongings for moving
pay (someone) back : - return money owed to someone
pick (something) out : - choose
pick (something/someone) up : - lift something or someone; stop to get something
or someone
point (something) out : - mention; draw attention to something
put (something) away: - put something in its usual place
put (something) back : - return something to its original place
put (something) down : - postpone
put (something) in : - stop holding something
put (something) off : - install
put (something) on : - get dressed
put (something) out : - extinguish a fire, cigarette, or cigar
put (something) over on (someone): - deceive someone
put up with (something/someone): - tolerate
R
run out : - come to an end; be completely used up
run out of (something): - have no more of something
S
set (something) up : - make something ready for use
show up : - appear, be seen, arrive at a place
shut (something) off : - turn off a machine
sit down : - get into a sitting position
start (something) over : - start again
stay out: - remain out of the house, especially at night
stay up: - remain awake, not go to bed
T
take (something) away : - remove
take off: - leave (usually by plane)
take (a time period) off : - have a break from work or school
take (something) off : - remove
take (someone) out : - accompany someone to the theater; a restaurant, a
movie
take (a dog) out : - walk a dog
take (something) out : - remove something from something else
tear (something) down : - destroy completely
tear (something) off : - detach something
tear (something) up : - tear into pieces
think (something) over : - reflect upon something before making a decision
think (something) up : - invent
throw (something) away : - put something in the trash
throw (something) out : - put something in the trash
tie (someone) up : - bind with rope to keep from escaping
try (something) on : - put on clothing to see how it looks
turn (something) down : - lower the volume; refuse an offer or invitation from
someone
turn (something) in : - return; submit homework, a test, an application
turn (something) off : - stop a machine or light
turn (something) on : - start a machine or light
turn up: - appear
turn (something) up : - increase the volume
U
use (something) up : - use something until no more is left
W
wake up : - stop sleeping
wake (someone) up : - cause someone to stop sleeping
wear (something) out: - cause something to become useless or threadbare through
repeated use
wear (someone) out : - cause someone to become exhausted
write (something) down : - write something on a piece of paper
work out : - exercise vigorously
work (something) out : - solve something
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