Complete Phrasal Verbs List

A comprehensive selection of phrasal verbs from the transcript focusing on vocabulary terms, meanings, and contextual examples.

Abide by

Accept or follow a decision or rule. Example: We have to ABIDE BY what the court says.

Account for

To explain. Example: They had to ACCOUNT FOR all the money that had gone missing.

Ache for

Want something or someone a lot. Example: My partner's been away for a fortnight- I am ACHING FOR her.

Act on (Action)

To take action because of something like information received. Example: The police were ACTING ON a tip from an informer.

Act on (Affect)

Affect. Example: The medicine only ACTS ON infected tissue.

Act up

Behave badly or strangely. Example: My computer's ACTING UP; I think I might have a virus.

Add up (Explanation)

Be a satisfactory explanation for something. Example: She explained why the work wasn't ready, but her story doesn't ADD UP.

Add up to (Amount)

Come to a certain amount or figure. Example: The total costs ADD UP TO several million euros.

Agree with

Affect- usually used in the negative to show that something has had a negative effect, especially if it makes you feel bad. Example: That food didn't AGREE WITH my stomach.

Aim at (Target)

To target. Example: The magazine is AIMED AT teenagers.

Aim at (Goal)

Intend to achieve. Example: They're AIMING AT reducing costs by $10\%$.

Allow for

Include something in a plan or calculation. Example: You should ALLOW FOR delays when planning a journey.

Back away

Retreat or go backwards. Example: The crowd BACKED AWAY when the man pulled a knife.

Back up (Data)

Make a copy of computer data. Example: You should always BACK UP important files and documents.

Bail out (Rescue)

Save, rescue. Example: The government had to BAIL OUT the airline because it was losing so much money.

Bank on

Count or rely on. Example: I'm BANKING ON your help; I can't do it alone.

Be cut out for

Be suitable, have the necessary qualities. Example: She's not CUT OUT FOR this kind of work.

Be snowed under

Have too much work. Example: We're completely SNOWED UNDER at work because it's the end of the tax year.

Bear with

Be patient. Example: Please BEAR WITH me a moment while I finish this email.

Belt up (Quiet)

Be quiet. Example: She told the students to BELT UP because they were making so much noise.

Blow over

When a scandal gets forgotten. Example: The scandal BLEW OVER within a fortnight.

Break down (Negotiations)

End negotiations unsuccessfully. Example: The talks between management and the unions BROKE DOWN acrimoniously.

Bring about

Make something happen. Example: The changes to the law were BROUGHT ABOUT by the government.

Brush up

Improve a skill quickly. Example: She took a two-week course to BRUSH UP her Spanish.

Buckle down

Start working hard, apply yourself. Example: We had to BUCKLE DOWN and study for the exam.

Call off

Cancel. Example: The concert had to be CALLED OFF because the singer went down with a bad case of flu.

Carry out

Perform a task. Example: The government is CARRYING OUT test on growing genetically modified crops.

Catch on (Popularity)

Become popular. Example: Techno CAUGHT ON in the clubs.

Catch on (Understanding)

Finally understand what is going on. Example: It took Henry ages to CATCH ON.

Check out

Pay the bill when leaving a hotel. Example: She CHECKED OUT and took a cab to the airport.

Chill out

Relax. Example: I'm staying at home and CHILLING OUT this evening.

Close down

Close a shop, branch or business permanently. Example: The banks have CLOSED DOWN a lot of branches.

Come across (Accident)

Find by accident. Example: I CAME ACROSS my old school reports when I was clearing out my desk.

Come up with

Think of a solution, excuse, etc. Example: Nobody could COME UP WITH a satisfactory explanation for the accident.

Count on

Depend, rely. Example: You can COUNT ON them; if they have promised to do something, they'll do it.

Crack down on

Use more authority than usual. Example: The police always CRACK DOWN ON drink-driving offences.

Cut down on

Reduce. Example: Doctors advised her to CUT DOWN ON the amount of saturated fats in her diet.

Do away with

Abolish, get rid of. Example: The United Kingdom DID AWAY WITH the death penalty in $1965$.

Do up

Repair and renovate. Example: It took them six months to DO UP the house.

Doze off

Fall asleep. Example: The movie was a bit boring and I DOZED OFF halfway through.

Draw up (Contract)

Prepare a contract. Example: The contract was DRAWN UP by our solicitor.

Drop out

Quit a course. Example: She DROPPED OUT of college.

Eat into

Use something valuable when you don't want to. Example: We've had to EAT INTO our savings since I lost my job.

End up

Become or do something unplanned. Example: We ENDED UP going to Turkey instead.

Face up to

Accept an unpleasant truth. Example: Many people find it hard to FACE UP TO the fact that they are getting old.

Fall through

Be unsuccessful. Example: The plans FELL THROUGH when planning permission was refused.

Fill in for

Substitute. Example: They had to get someone to FILL IN FOR me.

Get along with

Have a good relationship with someone. Example: Fortunately, I GET ON WITH my boss.

Give in (Submit)

Submit homework, etc. Example: The projects have to be GIVEN IN three weeks before we break up.

Give up (Habit)

Stop doing something that has been a habit. Example: I GAVE UP taking sugar in tea and coffee.

Go ahead

Proceed. Example: The construction of the bypass WENT AHEAD despite the protests.

Hang in there

Persevere, not give up. Example: We HUNG IN THERE till we finished.

Iron out

Remove small problems or irregularities. Example: The management team IRONED OUT the tax problems.

Keep up with

Stay up to date. Example: It's hard to KEEP UP WITH all the latest improvements in technology.

Lay off

Make an employee redundant. Example: The hotel LAID OFF $20$ staff.

Let down

Disappoint, fail to keep an arrangement. Example: She failed to turn up and I felt badly LET DOWN.

Live up to

Meet expectations or standards. Example: The concert didn't LIVE UP TO my expectations.

Look forward to

Wait for or anticipate something pleasant. Example: I'm LOOKING FORWARD TO meeting you.

Make up for

Compensate. Example: I sent her a present to try to MAKE UP FOR my appalling behaviour.