Cambridge CAE - Phrasal Verbs

Back up

To support someone or make a copy of information.

Be/Get carried away

To become so excited or involved in something that you lose control.

Be taken in

To be completely deceived or cheated by someone.

Blow up

To explode or suddenly become very angry.

Break down

To stop working or to become emotionally upset.

Break in

To enter a building illegally or to interrupt a conversation.

Break off

To stop something suddenly, especially a relationship or negotiation.

Break out

To escape or to start suddenly.

Break through

To force a way through a barrier or obstacle.

Break up

To end a relationship or to disperse a crowd.

Bring about

To cause something to happen.

Bring out

To publish or launch a product; to highlight a quality.

Bring up

To raise a child or to mention a topic in conversation.

Build up

To develop or increase something gradually.

Call in

To ask for help from a professional or someone else.

Call off

To cancel an event or arrangement.

Call on

To ask someone to speak or to visit someone.

Care for

To look after someone or to like/want something.

Carry on

To continue doing something.

Catch on

To become popular or to finally understand something.

Catch up with

To reach the same level as someone or to do missed work.

Check on

To ensure someone or something is safe or alright.

Check out

To leave a hotel or to look at someone/something with interest.

Clear away

To remove things and make a space tidy.

Clear up

To tidy a place or to resolve a misunderstanding.

Come across

To find something or meet someone by chance.

Come along

To accompany someone or to make progress.

Come down

To fall or descend to a lower level.

Come down with

To become sick with a particular illness.

Come off

To happen successfully or as planned.

Come on

To start functioning or to encourage someone.

Come out

To be published, released, or become visible.

Come round

To regain consciousness or to pay an informal visit.

Come to

To regain consciousness or to reach a total amount.

Come up

To be mentioned or to happen unexpectedly.

Come up against

To face a difficulty or challenge.

Come up with

To produce an idea, plan, or solution.

Count on

To rely or depend on someone.

Cross out

To draw a line through a word or mistake.

Cut across

To take a shorter route.

Cut down on

To reduce the amount of something.

Cut out

To stop doing or eating something.

Deal with

To handle or take action in a situation.

Do away with

To eliminate or get rid of something.

Do up

To fasten something or to repair/decorate a building.

Do without

To manage or live without something you usually have.

Draw up

To prepare a document or agreement.

Face up to

To accept and deal with a difficult situation.

Fall for

To be tricked into believing a lie or to fall in love.

Fall out

To argue and stop being on good terms.

Fall through

To fail to happen or be completed.

Fit in (with)

To feel comfortable in a group or situation.

Get across

To successfully communicate an idea.

Get at

To imply or mean something.

Get away (from)

To escape.

Get away with

To avoid punishment for doing something wrong.

Get down

To make someone feel sad or depressed.

Get down to

To start doing something seriously.

Get in

To enter a place or a vehicle.

Get into

To become interested in or involved in something.

Get on with

To continue doing or to have a good relationship with someone.

Get out

To leave a place.

Get out of

To avoid doing something you have to do.

Get over

To recover from an illness or a bad experience.

Get round to

To finally find time to do something.

Get through

To complete a task or to survive a difficult time.

Get together

To meet socially.

Get up

To rise from bed.

Give away

To donate or reveal a secret.

Give in

To stop resisting and agree to something.

Give up

To stop trying or doing something.

Go ahead

To proceed or start something.

Go by

To pass (time) or to use a particular name.

Go down with

To catch an illness.

Go for

To try to achieve or choose something.

Go off

To explode, ring, or become spoiled.

Go on

To continue or happen.

Go over

To review or examine something carefully.

Go through

To experience something or to examine something in detail.

Hand in

To submit work or an application.

Hand over

To give control or responsibility to someone else.

Hang on

To wait for a short time.

Head for

To move in the direction of a place.

Hold back

To restrain or keep something under control.

Hold on

To wait or hold something tightly.

Keep away (from)

To stay at a distance.

Keep back

To maintain distance or retain something.

Keep down

To control the level of something.

Keep off

To avoid touching or walking on something.

Keep up with

To maintain the same speed or progress as others.

Knock down

To hit someone/something to the ground or demolish a building.

Knock out

To make someone unconscious.

Knock over

To hit something and cause it to fall.

Leave out

To exclude or omit something.

Let down

To disappoint someone.

Let off

To excuse someone from punishment.

Let out

To allow to leave or make a sound.

Live for

To consider something the most important thing in life.

Live on

To survive using a limited amount of money or food.

Live up to

To reach a standard or expectation.