Database

Phrasal Verbs

2,452Total

Showing 50 of 2,452.

Abide by#1

Accept or follow a decision or rule

“We have to ABIDE BY whether we like it or not.”

Account for#2

To explain

“They had to ACCOUNT FOR all the money that had gone missing.”

Ache for#3

Want something or someone a lot

“My partner's been away for a fortnight- I am ACHING FOR her.”

Act on#4

To take action because of something like information received

“The police were ACTING ON a tip from an informer.”

Act out#5

Perform something with actions and gestures.

“The children were ACTING OUT stories from the book.”

Act up#6

Behave badly or strangely

“My computer's ACTING UP; I think I might have a virus.”

Act upon#7

To take action because of something like information received

“The police were ACTING UPON a tip from an informer.”

Add on#8

Include in a calculation

“They've ADDED ON extra fees without telling us.”

Add up#9

To make a mathematical total

“We ADDED UP the bill to check it was correct.”

Add up to#10

Have a certain result

“The expenses ADD UP TO more than the budget allows.”

Agree with#11

Affect- usually used in the negative to show that something has had a negative effect, especially is it makes you feel bad

“The seafood didn't AGREE WITH me at all.”

Aim at#12

To target

“They're AIMING AT a summer launch date.”

Aim for#13

To plan for something; Intend to achieve

“When I had my last meeting with Richard we were AIMING FOR 5pm, but it was delayed by half an hour.”

Allow for#14

Include something in a plan or calculation

“We need to ALLOW FOR traffic delays in the schedule.”

Allow of#15

Make possible, permit

“The situation ALLOWS OF no other interpretation.”

Amount to#16

Total

“Their rent bills AMOUNTED TO ten thousand a year.Be successful, achieve”

Amp up#17

Increase the power, excite, arouse

“They've AMPED UP the security after the breach.”

Angle for#18

Try to get something indirectly, by hinting or suggesting

“He's ANGLING FOR a promotion again.”

Answer back#19

To reply rudely to someone in authority

“Don't ANSWER me BACK when I'm explaining something.”

Answer for#20

Be held responsible for a problem

“The government should be made to ANSWER FOR their failure to sort out the problem.”

Argue down#21

Beat someone in a debate, discussion or argument

“The teacher tried to ARGUE the girl DOWN, but she couldn't.Persuade someone to drop the price of something”

Argue out#22

Argue about a problem to find a solution

“We need to ARGUE OUT our differences properly.”

Ask about#23

Ask how someone is doing, especially professionally and in terms of health

“She rang to ASK ABOUT your health.”

Ask after#24

Enquire about someone's health, how life is going

“I suppose we should ASK AFTER before they notice we're late.”

Ask around#25

Ask a number of people for information of help

“I'll ASK AROUND and see if anyone knows a plumber.”

Ask for#26

To provoke a negative reaction

“You're ASKING FOR trouble with that attitude.”

Ask in#27

To invite somebody into your house

“ASK HIM IN for a coffee.”

Ask out#28

To invite someone for a date

“He finally ASKED her OUT after months of hesitation.”

Ask over#29

Invite

“You're ASKING OVER trouble with that attitude.”

Ask round#30

Invite someone

“You're ASKING ROUND trouble with that attitude.”

Auction off#31

Sell something in an auction

“We need to AUCTION OFF before someone notices.”

Back away#32

Retreat or go backwards

“I suppose we should BACK AWAY before they notice we're late.”

Back down#33

Retract or withdraw your position or proposal in an argument

“The police were BACKING DOWN a tip from an informer.”

Back into#34

Enter a parking area in reverse gear

“We need to BACK INTO before someone notices.”

Back off#35

Retreat

“We need to BACK OFF before someone notices.”

Back out#36

Fail to keep an arrangement or promise

“Don't BACK OUT with payments.”

Back out of#37

Fail to keep an agreement, arrangement

“Don't BACK OUT OF with payments.”

Back up#38

Make a copy of computer data

“You should always BACK UP important files and documents so that you won't lose all your work if something goes wrong with the hardware.”

Bag out#39

Criticise

“We need to BAG OUT before someone notices.”

Bail out#40

Save, rescue

“She's BAILG UP OUT for a car.”

Bail out of#41

Pay a bond to release someone from jail

“The investment BAILD OFF OUT OF.”

Bail out on#42

Stop supporting someone when they are in trouble

“I'll BAIL OUT ON your story.”

Bail up#43

Talk to someone and delay them

“They were BAILED UP by the manager for an hour.”

Ball up#44

Confuse or make things complicated

“She's always BALLG UP UP stories.”

Balls up#45

Spoil, ruin

“Don't BALLS UP it.”

Bang about#46

Move in a place making a lot of noise

“I suppose we should BANG ABOUT before they notice we're late.”

Bang around#47

Move in a place making a lot of noise

“I suppose we should BANG AROUND before they notice we're late.”

Bang on#48

Talk at great length

“He BANGED ON for half an hour but no one was listening.”

Bang on about#49

Keep talking about something

“He's always BANGING ON ABOUT football.”

Bang out#50

Play a musical instrument loudly

“The drummer BANGS OUT the rhythm too loudly.”

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