Phrasal verb Meaning Example

Ask someone out Invite on a date James asked Sarah out to dinner

Back someone up Support My husband backed me up over my decision to

change job.

Break down Get upset The man broke down when he was told his son
had had a car accident.

Break up End a relationship I broke up with my girlfriend before I moved

abroad.

Break out Escape The criminal broke out of jail when the guard
wasn’t looking.

Bring someone down Make unhappy This music is breaking me down.

Bring something up Start talking about a topic My father walks out the room when my mum
brings up fashion.

Call something off Cancel They called the match off because of the
weather

Catch up Get to the same point as someone You have to run faster if you want to catch up
else. with the rest.

Check someone out Investigage The company checks out all new employees.

Clean something up Tidy, clean Clean up your bedroom before you go out

Come across something Find unexpectedly I came across these photos when I was tidying
up.

Count on somebody Rely on I count on you to look after the baby while I’m
out.

Cut back on something Consume less My doctor wants me to cut back on fast food.

Cut something off Stop providing The phone company cut off our phone because
we didn’t pay the bill.

Drop in / by / over Come without an appointment I might drop over for tea sometimes this week

Drop someone off Take someone or something I have to drop my brother off at work before I
somewhere and leave them / it there come here.

End up Eventually reach /do / decide We emded up renting a flat instead of going to
a hotel.

Fall apart Break into pieces My new skirt fell apart in the washing
machine.

Figure out Understand, find the answer I need to figure out how to fit the piano and the
 table in this room.

Fill something in To fill infomation in blanks Please fill in the form with your information

Get away Go on vacation I worked so hard this October I need to get

away for a week at Christmas.

Get back at someone Take revenge My sister got back at me for stealing her bag.
She borrowed a dress without permission

Get together Meet for social reasons Let’s get together for a drink.

Give something away Give something to someone for free The library was given away old books on
Monday.

Give something up Quit a habit I’m giving up smoking this year.

Go against Compete, oppose We are going against the best basketball team
this weekend.

Go over Review Please go over your answers before you submit

your test

Grow apart Stop being friends over time My best friend and I grew apart after primary
school

Hand something in Submit I will hand in my essay by Wednesday

Hand something out Distribute to a group of people I will hand out my birthday invitations at the
door

Hang on Wait for a minute Hang on while I grab my coat

Hold something back Hide emotions Claire held back her tears at her grandma’s
funeral.

Keep something from Not tell We kept our relationship from our parents for 1
someone year.

Let someone down Fail to suport or help You need to be on time. Don’t let me down!

Look down on somebody Consider inferior His classmates looked down on him because he
hit a classmate.

Look into Investigate We are looking into the price of a smartphone

today

Look out Be careful , take notice Look out! That car is going to hit you

Look something over Check, examine Can you look over my article for spelling
mistakes?

Look up to someone Admire , have a lot of respect I have always look up to my grandfather.
Make something up Lie about something, invent Nick made up a story for his delay.

Mix something up Confuse two or more things I mix up the students’ names in class.

Pass away Die My grandpa passed away last summer.

Pass out Faint An old lady passed out during the meeting.

Pick something out To choose I picked out two pairs of trousers to try on.

Put something off Postpone We are putting off our trip cause of the
weather.

Put something out Extinguish The neighbours put the fire out before it was
too late.

Run into someone Meet unexpectedly I ran into an old friend from school

Run out of something Have no left I ran out of milk and had to go to the shop last
night.

Show off Act extra special for people watching He always shows off on his motorbike.
( usuall boastfully)

Take someone out Pay for someone to go somewhere My best friend took me out for dinner.
with you

Tear something up Rip into pieces I tore up my friend’s letter after our argument.

Think something over Consider I have to think it over before my final

decision.

Throw something away Dispose of I threw old clothes away to buy new ones.

Turn something down Refuse I turned his offer down because I didn’t want to
change job.

Turn up Appear sudeenly Our dog turned up after a few days he had been
lost.

Try something out Test I’m going to try out this new brand of
shampoo.

Use something up Finish the supply We used all the toothpaste up so we need to
buy.

Work out Exercise I work out at the gym twice a week

Work something out Make a calculation Can you work out the total cost of the
holidays?