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
Read more...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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