Showing 24 of 3,697 lessons.
Ask around
Ask a number of people for information of help
“I have no idea, but I'll ASK AROUND at work and see if anyone can help.”
Ask for
To provoke a negative reaction
“You're ASKING FOR trouble.”
Ask in
To invite somebody into your house
“'Jon's at the door.' 'ASK him IN.”
Ask out
To invite someone for a date
“He wanted to ASK her OUT but was too shy.”
Ask over
Invite
“They have ASKED us OVER for drinks on Friday.”
Ask round
Invite someone
“We ASKED John ROUND for diner.”
Auction off
Sell something in an auction
“They AUCTIONED OFF their property as they were heavily in debt.”
Back away
Retreat or go backwards
“The crowd BACKED AWAY when the man pulled a knife.”
Back down
Retract or withdraw your position or proposal in an argument
“She refused to BACK DOWN and was fired.”
Back into
Enter a parking area in reverse gear
“He prefers to BACK his car INTO the garage.”
Back off
Retreat
“The police told the protesters to BACK OFF.”
Back out
Fail to keep an arrangement or promise
“Don't BACK OUT with payments.”
Back out of
Fail to keep an agreement, arrangement
“She BACKED OUT OF the agreement at the last minute.Exit a parking area in reverse gear( | International English)”
Back up
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
Criticise
“Don't bag out BAG OUT Australian English.”
Bail out
Save, rescue
“The government had to BAIL OUT the airline because it was losing so much money.”
Bail out of
Pay a bond to release someone from jail
“I must BAIL my drunken brother OUT OF jail.”
Bail out on
Stop supporting someone when they are in trouble
“Everybody BAILED OUT ON him when the scandal broke.”
Bail up
Talk to someone and delay them
“I was late because he BAILED me UP on the phone and wouldn't shut up.”
Ball up
Confuse or make things complicated
“The new project has BALLED me UP- I have no idea what to do.”
Balls up
Spoil, ruin
“He BALLSED the presentation UP.”
Bang about
Move in a place making a lot of noise
“He's BANGING ABOUT in the kitchen.”
Bang around
Move in a place making a lot of noise
“I can hear him BANGING ABOUT upstairs.”
Bang on
Talk at great length
“He BANGED ON for half an hour but no one was listening.”