shop around (for something)
Definition: to search (for something) until one finds the best value for money
Example: You'd better shop around (for the best deal).
Usage note: informal phrasal verb
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come down with something
Definition: to become ill with something
Example: My brother has come down with flu.
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detract from
detract from something
Definition: to reduce or diminish something
Example: Bad reviews of the movie detracted from my eagerness to see it.
Usage note: formal phrasal verb
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head for
head for something
Definition: to be on the way to something
Example: You're heading for disaster now.
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measure up (to)
measure up (to somebody/something)
Definition: to reach the required standard (when compared with somebody/something)
Example: To be honest, your essay doesn't measure up (to what I expected).
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habituate to
habituate somebody/oneself to something
Definition: to make somebody/oneself used to something
Example: You are expected to habituate yourself to the cold climate.
Usage note: formal phrasal verb
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insist on/upon
insist on/upon (doing) something
Definition: to demand something, not accepting alternatives
Example: The customer insisted on seeing the manager.
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look down on
look down on somebody/something
Definition: to regard somebody/something as being inferior
Example: Her father looks down on the working class.
Usage note: opposite of look up to
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peter out
peter out
Definition: to decrease gradually
Example: The movement petered out in the 1970s.
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trade off (against)
trade something off (against something)
Definition: to exchange something (for something)
Example: Is it really necessary to trade your reputation off against the money?
Usage note: trade-off (noun)
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whittle away
whittle something away
Definition: to reduce something gradually
Example: My earnings have been whittled away by increased expenses.
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dwell on/upon
dwell on/upon something
Definition: to think, speak or write a lot about something
Example: It's better not to dwell on your disadvantages.
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eat out
eat out
Definition: to eat at a restaurant rather than at home
Example: Let's eat out tonight.
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fetch up
fetch up
Definition: to arrive in a place, often by chance
Example: It was strange that they all fetched up in the same place.
Usage note: British English, informal phrasal verb
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edit out (of)
edit something out (of something)
Definition: to remove something (from something) during editing
Examples: Whole paragraphs were edited out of the script. ○ They edited several scenes out.
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bring through
bring somebody/something through (something)
Definition: to help somebody/something to survive (something)
Examples: The doctors were able to bring the injured driver through. ○ We must make a concerted effort to bring the firm through this crisis.
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piece together
piece something together
Definitions: 1. to join parts to form a whole/to form a whole by joining parts 2. to join pieces of information to compose a story/to compose a story by joining pieces of information
Examples: 1. These bits of paper have to be pieced together to make a picture/A picture has to be pieced together from these bits of paper. 2. The police are still trying to piece together the clues/piece together a full account of what really happened.
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rake in
rake something/it in
Definition: to earn something/a lot of money
Examples: If things go on like this, we'll rake in more than we did last month. ○ As a successful businessman, he's really raking it in.
Usage note: informal phrasal verb
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whistle for
whistle for something
Definition: to hope for something with no chance of getting it
Example: You can whistle for your money now - the firm's gone bankrupt.
Usage note: informal phrasal verb
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lose out (to)
lose out (to somebody/something)
Definition: to be defeated (by somebody/something)
Example: In this era of fierce competition, many small businesses are losing out (to multinationals).
Usage note: informal phrasal verb
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put about
put (something) about
Definition: (of a ship) to (cause a ship to) change direction
Example: The captain put the ship about as soon as he saw the approaching ferry.
Usage note: nautical phrasal verb
put something about
Definition: (of news) to circulate something
Example: I've got no idea who put it/the story about that the union was going to be dissolved.
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get down to
get down to (doing) something
Definition: to begin (to do) something seriously
Examples: It's time to get down to business. ○ I must get down to writing this report.
Usage note: informal phrasal verb
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figure out
figure somebody/something out
Definition: to understand somebody/something
Examples: He's a difficult man to figure out. ○ I can't figure out why he behaved in that way.
figure something out
Definition: to calculate something
Example: Let's figure out how much we'll have to pay.
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gamble on
gamble (something) on something
Definition: to bet (something) on something
Examples: Many people gamble on the horses. ○ He gambled all his money on the London side.
gamble on (doing) something
Definition: to act in the hope of something happening
Examples: The president gambled on (winning) public support. ○ Don't gamble on the weather being fine.
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look up to
look up to somebody
Definition: to respect somebody
Example: He is one of the politicians most looked up to in this country.
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put up
put up something
Definitions: 1. to show something in a fight or contest 2. to present something 3. to provide something
Examples: 1. Faced with our attack, the enemy put up very little resistance and quickly surrendered. 2. He's putting up his proposal at tomorrow's meeting. 3. It was the chairman who put up all the money required to hold this event.
put something up
Definitions: 1. to put something in a high position 2. to display something 3. to build something 4. to increase something
Examples: 1. A flag was put up at the top of the building. 2. World Cup posters have been put up everywhere in the city. 3. These houses were put up hundreds of years ago. 4. Prices are usually put up during this time of the year.
put (somebody) up
Definition: to obtain food and accommodation/to provide somebody with food and accommodation
Examples: We put up at a small hotel. ○ We're glad to put you up for the night.
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hang back (from)
hang back (from something)
Definition: to hesitate (to do something) because of nervousness or timidity
Example: We asked him to join us but, as usual, he hung back (from group work).
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sell off
sell something off
Definition: to sell something at a reduced price to get rid of it
Example: We have a stock of DVD players to sell off.
Usage note: sell-off (noun)
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pass as/for
pass as/for somebody/something
Definition: to be accepted as somebody/something
Example: At 35 and with many years' working experience, John could still pass as/for a new graduate.
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turn against
turn (somebody) against somebody
Definition: to (cause somebody to) oppose somebody
Examples: I was shocked when my closest friend turned against me. ○ He tried to turn his colleagues against the new manager.
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carry off
carry off something
Definition: to win something
Example: The Kenyan athletes carried off most of the medals.
carry off somebody
Definition: to cause somebody to die; to kill somebody
Example: The plague carried off tens of thousands of people.
Usage note: formal phrasal verb
carry it/something off
Definition: to handle something difficult successfully
Example: She was a little nervous but finally carried her presentation off.
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do with
could do with something
Definition: need or want something
Example: I could do with a good night's sleep.
Usage note: informal phrasal verb, only used with could
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take up on
take somebody up on something
Definition: to get somebody to prove something they have claimed
Examples: 'I'm sure I can do this much better than you.' 'I'd like to take you up on that.' ○ 'I'll be glad to look after your kids when you're away.' 'Thanks. I might take you up on it some time.'
Usage note: informal phrasal verb
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set out
set out to do something
Definition: to begin to do something, with the intention of achieving it
Example: He set out to climb the mountain.
set something out
Definitions: 1. to arrange or display something 2. to present or state something
Examples: 1. She caught sight of several necklaces, which were attractively set out in the window of a boutique. 2. He set out his ideas very clearly in the essay.
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make off
make off
Definition: to leave hurriedly, especially to escape
Example: Tom had made off, just when we needed him most.
Usage note: informal phrasal verb
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look over
look over something
Definition: to inspect something to assess its quality
Example: We need to look over the house before deciding whether to buy it or not.
Usage note: look-over (noun): We gave the house a quick look-over.
look something/somebody over
Definition: to examine something/somebody carefully
Examples: Remember to look the agreement over before signing it. ○ The guard looked the woman over and waved her in.
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yank off
yank something off (something)
Definition: to pull something off (something) suddenly
Example: She yanked the letter off (my hand) and tore it in half.
Usage note: informal phrasal verb
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verge on/upon
verge on/upon something
Definition: to be or come very close to something
Examples: He bought a company verging on bankruptcy. ○ The atmosphere of the festival verged upon hysteria.
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unite (in)
unite (in something/doing something)
Definition: to join together (in something/doing something)
Example: The president called on the people to unite in the fight against poverty (unite in fighting poverty).
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quarrel with
quarrel with something
Definition: to disagree with or complain about something
Examples: There's not much to quarrel with in your report. ○ I won't quarrel with your conclusions.
Usage note: often used in negative sentences
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jog along/on
jog along/on
Definition: to continue in a steady manner, without any excitement
Example: Our relationship just kept jogging along/on.
Usage note: informal phrasal verb
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eat up
eat (something) up
Definition: to eat all (of something)
Examples: We've prepared enough food for everyone, so eat up! ○ Let's eat up these apples.
eat something up
Definition: to use a large part of something
Example: The project is eating up our limited budget.
eat somebody up
Definition: to preoccupy somebody
Example: My manager is eaten up by/with envy/jealousy.
Usage note: used of a feeling, usually in the passive
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opt out (of)
opt out (of something)
Definitions: 1. to choose not to be involved (in something) 2. (especially in the UK) to choose not to be controlled (by something)
Examples: 1. It's difficult to opt out (of this situation). 2. Hospitals have the right to opt out (of local authority control).
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go without
go without (something)
Definition: to manage without (something)
Examples: I wanted to have breakfast but with so little money left, I had to go without. ○ The manager went without sleep for three days outlining a new marketing plan.
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build on
build on something
Definition: to use something as a basis for further progress
Example: The team is determined to build on their previous success/achievements.
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narrow down (to)
narrow something down (to something)
Definition: to reduce the scope of something (to something)
Example: You need to narrow the topic down (to a more manageable one).
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keep off
keep off
Definition: not to begin
Example: Fortunately, the rain kept off until we reached home.
Usage note: used of rain, snow, etc.
keep off something
Definitions: 1. not to eat, drink or smoke something 2. not to mention something
Examples: 1. To lose weight, you must keep off fattening foods. 2. Please keep off politics when you talk to him.
keep somebody off something
Definitions: 1. to prevent somebody from eating, drinking or smoking something 2. to prevent somebody from mentioning something
Examples: 1. All patients are kept off cigarettes and alcohol. 2. During the conversation, I was kept off the subject of football because her father preferred to talk about basketball.
keep off somebody/something
Definition: not to approach somebody/something
Example: Keep off the grass.
keep somebody/something off (somebody/something)
Definition: to prevent somebody/something from approaching (somebody/something)
Example: Is there a way to keep the wild animals off (the camp)?
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allow for
allow for somebody/something
Definition: to include somebody/something in one's calculations
Examples: The club lost the game because many factors were not allowed for. ○ We should arrive in two hours, allowing for delays.
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run out
run out
Definition: to become no longer valid; to expire
Example: The contract runs out next month and needs to be renewed.
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zero in (on)
zero in (on somebody/something)
Definition: to aim at somebody/something
Example: The artillery zeroed in on several enemy positions.
Usage note: military phrasal verb
zero in (on somebody/something)
Definition: to concentrate on somebody/something
Example: It's high time we zeroed in (on the really important issues).
Usage note: informal phrasal verb
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issue from
issue from something
Definition: to come from something in a stream
Examples: Blood was issuing from his wound. ○ From the chimney issued a column of smoke.
Usage note: formal phrasal verb
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linger on
linger on
Definitions: 1. to continue to live, although very weak or ill 2. to remain
Examples: 1. The injured driver lingered on for a week. 2. Sarah had gone but the smell of her perfume lingered on.
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weigh down
weigh somebody/something down
Definition: to make somebody/something bend
Examples: 'Look at that poor husband. All the luggage is weighing him down.' ○ The branches were weighed down with ripe fruit.
weigh somebody down
Definition: to make somebody depressed
Example: She looks weighed down by the responsibilities of her new position.
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marry in/into
marry in/into something
Definition: to become part of a family or group by marrying one of its members
Examples: He wasn't born into the aristocracy but married in. ○ She married into the royal family.
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