Destination C1 & C2 Phrasal verbs

add up to

combine to produce a particular result or effect. These new measures do not _ genuine reform.

add up to

if separate amounts … to a total amount, together they form that total. His business expenses _ around £4,000 a year.

answer back

reply rudely to someone who has more authority than you. I got into trouble for _ the teacher _.

ask out

invite someone to go with you to a cinema, restaurant, etc because you want to start a romantic or sexual relationship with them. Fred _ Vanessa to go out with him but she said no.

back down

stop asking for something or stop saying that you will do something, because a lot of people oppose you. I’m not going to _ just because a few people disagree with me.

back up

give support to someone by telling other people that you agree with them. I didn’t believe Simon’s story until Janice … him …

back up

make a copy of information on your computer. Make sure you … all your data …, just in case you get a virus.

black out

make a place dark by turning off all the lights, for example so that the enemy cannot see a place at night. The whole city was _ for nights on end during the war.

black out

suddenly become unconscious. He had _ as his car hit the tree.

blend in

if someone or something …, they are similar to the other people, objects, buildings, etc around them, and so they seem appropriate or you do not notice them. The building doesn’t really _ very well with the others around it.

blurt out

say something suddenly and without thinking about the effect it will have, usually because you are nervous or excited. She _ his name, then gasped as she realised what she’d done.

board up

cover a window or door with wooden boards. We _ the house … because we knew a bad storm was coming.

break down

divide something such as a total amount into separate parts. The amount doesn’t seem quite so bad when you _ it … into monthly payments.

break up

break something to make smaller pieces. _ that old wardrobe …; then I can put it on the fire.

break up

if a meeting or other event …, or if you … it …, it ends and people leave. The meeting finally _ after three hours.

break up

if two people …, they end their relationship. When did Diana and James _ ?

brighten up

if the weather …, it becomes sunnier. It’s _ , at last.

brighten up

start looking or feeling happier. Sarah _ considerably as she thought of Emily’s words.

brighten up

start to have more colour or light, give something more colour or light. You could _ that skirt … with a red blouse.

bring about

make something happen, especially to cause changes in a situation. It’s not something we can _ overnight.

bring out

make someone or something show a quality that they have. That dress really _ the green in your eyes.

bring out

produce a new product and start to sell it. They’ve _ a new 3D video camera.

brush up (on)

practise and improve your skills or knowledge of something. I took a class to _ my German before the trip.

build up

gradually develop. Many popular writers _ their reputations during the war.

build up

increase or make something increase. The food industry needs to _ consumer confidence again.

build up

make someone bigger, healthier and stronger, especially by making them eat more. You need lots of fresh fruit to help _ you …

build up

talk about someone or something in a very positive way so that people are impressed with them. They’ve _ him … to be something that he isn’t.

bump into

accidentally hit against something. It was dark and I _ the table.

bump into

meet someone unexpectedly. Guess who I _ in town?

buy off

give someone money so that they do not act against you. Efforts to _ her … have failed.

buy out

pay money to your business partner so that you can control all of a business you previously owned together. The other directors have offered to _ me …

buy up

buy large amounts of something or all of it that is available. Developers have been _ old theatres and converting them into cinemas.

cancel out

stop something from having any effect. These headphones _ any other noise so all you can hear is the music.

carry over

take something that you earn or are given in one year or period of time into the next one. You are not allowed to _ holiday entitlement from one year into the next.

catch on

become popular or fashionable. Sports drinks have _ as consumers have become more health-conscious.

catch on

understand. He didn’t _ at first.

centre around

if something centres around someone or something, or you centre something around them, they are its main subject of attention or interest. The book _ a woman who becomes an astronaut.

chance upon

find or see someone or something when you did not expect to. We _ a charming little restaurant.

change around

move things so that they are in different places or positions. My friends had _ all the furniture in my room around as a joke.

change into

stop being in one state, condition or form and start being in another, or make something do this. The film was about a man who _ a werewolf during the full moon.

change into

take off the clothes or a piece of clothing you are wearing and put on different ones. Let me just _ something a bit more comfortable.

change out of

take off the clothes or a piece of clothing you are wearing and put on different ones. Come inside and _ those wet things.

check out

examine someone or something in order to be certain that everything is correct, true or satisfactory. I’ve been taking loads of photographs, just to _ the camera.

check out

if information checks out, you feel that it is true after examining it. Their story just didn’t _ .

clock up

reach a particular number or amount. Dawson has _ 34 years as a police officer.

close up

lock the doors of a building or business. The newsagent was _ for the evening.

club together

if people …, each of them gives some money so all the money collected can be used to buy something. Let’s all _ and get her a nice present.

come across

meet someone or find something by chance. I _ a reference to my grandfather in an old book.

come (around) to

change your opinion or decision because someone has persuaded you to agree with them. I didn’t agree at first but I’ve _ the idea now.

come between

cause a disagreement or argument between people. I would never let anything _ us.

come out

be removed from something such as clothing or cloth by washing or rubbing. The stain finally _ , but I had to wash the T-shirt three times.

come out

be spoken, heard or understood in a particular way. That _ wrong. Let me rephrase it.

come out

become available to buy or see. The magazine _ every Thursday.

come out

become easy to notice. These differences don’t _ until you put the two groups in a room together.

come out

become known. He said it’ll all _ in court.

come out

have a particular result or end in a particular way. Everything _ all right in the end.

come out in

become covered in spots because you are ill or your body reacts to a food or medicine. She can’t eat shellfish without _ spots.

come out with

say something suddenly, usually something that surprises or shocks people. You never know what the children are going to _ .

come round

become conscious again after being unconscious. I felt sick when I _ after the operation.

come round

change your opinion or decision because someone has persuaded you to agree with them. We were sure she’d _ in the end.

come round

go to a place where someone is, especially their house, in order to visit them. Why don’t you _ after work?

come round

if a regular event …, it happens again. Jean’s annual garden party must be _ again soon.

come up with

think of something such as an idea or a plan. Is that the best you can _ ?

cool down

become cooler, or make something cooler. It’s _ a lot in the last couple of days.

cordon off

stop people from entering an area by putting something such as a rope around it. Why have they _ the city centre?

cotton on

begin to realise or understand something. Suddenly I _ . She’d been lying from the start.

crack down on

start dealing with someone or something much more strictly. It’s about time they _ people who drop litter.

crease up

laugh a lot, or make someone laugh a lot. You really _ me …!

creep up on

move towards someone quietly and slowly, especially because you want to surprise them. I watched a cat as it _ a bird.

crop up

appear or happen suddenly or unexpectedly. Ben had to go back to work – something’s _ there.

crowd around

move to a particular place at the same time as a lot of other people. Everyone _ the actor as he signed autographs.

cut back on

reduce the amount of something, especially money that you spend. I’m trying to _ groceries.

cut out

remove something from a larger piece by cutting. _ the material you need and make sure it’s the right size.

cut out

stop eating something or doing something, especially because it is bad for your health. I’m going to have to _ coffee … because it gives me indigestion.

die out

become weaker or less common and then disappear completely. There used to be wolves here but they’ve _ .

dig up

dig holes in an area of land. Police have _ the garden … looking for evidence.

dig up

find information by searching carefully. See what you can _ on the Internet on Mr Anderson.

dig up

remove something from under the ground by digging. Archaeologists have _ a bag of coins from Roman times.

dive in

start doing something in a very enthusiastic way. Sometimes you’ve just got to take a chance and _ .

do away with

get rid of. Did you hear that they’re going to _ private universities altogether?

do up

fasten an item of clothing. _ your coat … or you’ll catch cold.

do up

repair, paint and improve an old building, car, boat, etc. We bought an old farmhouse in France, intending to _ it …

drum up

try to make people support you or buy something from you. Advertisements should help to _ some business.

dry up

if something dries up, all the water comes out of it. The river has completely _ .

dry up

stop being available. I’m a TV repairman, but work seems to have _ lately.

dry up

stop talking because you have forgotten what you were going to say. I hope I don’t _ in the middle of my speech.

end up

be in a particular place or state after doing something or because of doing it. Keep on doing that and you’ll _ in serious trouble.

face up to

accept something and try to deal with it. He was the only one who _ the problem.

fade away

disappear slowly. To my amazement, the letters on the page slowly _ .

fall behind

make less progress or be less successful than other people who are doing a similar job or activity. I was off school for two months with my illness and I _ the others.

fall behind

move more slowly than other people so that you are behind them. I got tired on the walk and gradually _ the rest.

figure out

be able to understand something or solve a problem or understand what someone is like and why they behave in the way they do. We had to _ the connection between the two events.

fix up

clean, repair or decorate something. Why don’t we try to _ that old bike of yours?

follow up

check the health of someone who has received medical treatment in order to be certain that it was effective. The study _ over 200 heart patients.

follow up

try to find out more about something or do something more to deal with it. The police are now _ some new leads.

get across

make people understand something. We’ve got to _ the message … more clearly.

get around

if news …, a lot of people hear it. The rumours _ town very quickly, didn’t they?

get down

make someone feel sad or lose hope, start feeling sad or losing hope. Doing the same thing every day can _ you ...

get in

be elected for a political job. If I _ , there’ll be a few changes around here.