PHRASAL VERBS LIST

PHRASAL VERB MEANING

abide by To respect or obey a decision, a law or a rule
account for To explain, give a reason
add up To make sense, seem reasonable
advise against To recommend not doing something
agree with To have the same opinion as someone else.
allow for To take into consideration
1. To plead or make a request
appeal to 2. To be attractive or interesting

To make a formal request for something (job, permit, loan

apply for
etc.)
back away To move backwards, in fear or dislike
back down To withdraw, concede defeat
1. To give support or encouragement
back up 2. To make a copy of (file, program, etc.)

bank on To base your hopes on something / someone

black out To faint, lose consciousness
block off To separate using a barrier.
1. To explode
blow up 2. To get angry

boil down to To be summarized as

To start a computer by loading an operating system or
boot up
program
break away To separate from a crowd
1. To go out of order, cease to function
break down 2. To lose control of one’s emotions

break into To enter by force

break out To start suddenly
break out of To escape from a place by force
break up To come to an end (marriage, relationship)
bring up To raise (a child)
brush up on To improve, refresh one’s knowledge of something
bump into To meet by chance or unexpectedly
1. stop (something) working
burn out 2. become exhausted from over-working

call back To return a phone call

call off To cancel
calm down To become more relaxed, less angry or upset
carry on To continue
1. To do something as specified (a plan, an order, a
carry out threat)
2. To perform or conduct (test, experiment)

check in To register at a hotel or airport

1. To pay one’s bill and leave (a hotel)
check out 2. To investigate

clamp up To refuse to speak

clamp down on To act strictly to prevent something
1. To find by chance
come across 2. To appear, seem, make an impression

come forward To present oneself

count on To rely or depend on (for help)
cut down on To reduce in number or size
1. To remove using scissors
cut out 2. To stop doing something

deal with To handle, take care of (problem, situation)

die down To calm down, become less strong
do without To manage without
drag on To last longer than expected
draw up To write (contract, agreement, document)
dress up wear elegant clothes
drop in To visit, usually on the way somewhere
1. To deliver someone or something
drop off 2. To fall asleep

drop out To leave school without finishing

To reduce, become less severe or slow down (pain, traffic,
ease off
work)
end in To finish in a certain way; result in
end up To finally reach a state, place or action
fall through To fail; doesn’t happen
figure out To understand, find the answer
fill out To complete (a form/an application)
find out To discover or obtain information
focus on To concentrate on something
get along (with) To be on good terms; work well with
get at To imply
get away To escape
get by To manage to cope or to survive
get in To enter
get into (+noun) To enter
1. To leave (bus, train, plane)
get off 2. To remove

get on To board (bus, train, plane)

get on with (something) To continue to do; make progress
get on (well) with
To have a good relationship with
(somebody)
get out To leave
get out of To avoid doing something
get over To recover from (illness, disappointment)
get over To recover from (illness, disappointment)
get rid of To eliminate
get together To meet each other
get up To rise, leave bed
1. To cease opposition; yield
give in 2. To hand in; submit

give up To stop doing something

go through To experience
grow up To spend one’s childhood; develop; become an adult
hand in To submit (report, homework)
hand out To distribute
hang out To spend time in a particular place or with a group of friends
hang up To end a phone conversation
hold on 1. To wait
 2. To grip tightly

hurry up To be quick, act speedily

iron out To resolve by discussion, eliminate differences
join in To participate
1. To engage in, become a member of
join up 2. To meet and unite with

keep on To continue doing something

keep up with To stay at the same level as someone or something
kick off To begin, start
leave out To omit, not mention
let down To disappoint
look after To take care of
look down on To consider as inferior
look on To be a spectator at an event
look for To try to find something
look forward to ___ing To await or anticipate with pleasure
look up to To admire
make fun of To laugh at/ make jokes about
make up To invent (excuse, story)
mix up To mistake one thing or person for another
move in To arrive in a new home or office
move out To leave your home/office for another one.
nod off To fall asleep
own up To admit or confess something
pass away To die
pass out To faint
pay back To reimburse
put off To postpone, arrange a later date
put on To turn on, switch on
put out To extinguish
put up To accommodate, give somebody a bed
pick up To collect somebody
point out To indicate/direct attention to something
rely on To count on, depend on, trust
rule out To eliminate
run away To escape from a place or suddenly leave
run into To meet by accident or unexpectedly (also: bump into)
run out of To have no more of something.
set off To start a journey;
set up To start a business
shop around To compare prices
show off To brag or want to be admired
show up To appear/arrive
shut up (impolite) To be silent, stop talking
sit down To take a seat
stand up To rise from a sitting position
stick up for To defend
take after To resemble, in appearance or character
take care of To look after
take off To leave the ground
take on To hire or engage staff
take out To remove; extract
tell off To reprimand/criticize severely
think over To consider
try on To wear something to see if it suits or fits
turn down To refuse
use up To finish a product (so that there’s none left)
watch out To be careful
1. To become unusable
wear out 2. To become very tired

1. To do physical exercise
work out 2. To find a solution or calculate something

wipe off To clean (board, table).