SCHOOL SKILLS "English Phrasal Verbs Part 2"

Come across = find by accident
I CAME ACROSS my old school reports when
I was clearing out my desk.
Come across = agree to have sex with someone
I was surprised when she CAME ACROSS on the first night.
Come across = the way other people see you
He CAME ACROSS as shy because he spoke so quietly.
Come apart = break into pieces
It CAME APART when I tried to lift it off the
floor and I had to glue it back together.
Come before = appear in court charged with a crime or offence
He CAME BEFORE the court on charges of speeding.
Come down = rain
Just look at the rain COMING DOWN! I’m not going out in that.
Come down = travel
When you’re next in London, COME DOWN and see us.
Come down on = criticise heavily
The management really CAME DOWN ON
him for losing the contract.
Come from = country or town where you were born
She COMES FROM Somalia.
Come in = arrive for flights
The plane CAME IN at two-thirty in the morning.
Come in = place or ranking in a competition, etc.
I did my best but CAME IN in last but one in the race.
Come in = receive news
Reports are just COMING IN of an
assassination attempt on the President.
Come into = be important or relevant
Money doesn’t COME INTO IT; I simply
will not do it under any circumstances.
Come into = inherit
She CAME INTO a lot of money when
her grandmother died.
Come into use = start being used
The computerised system CAME INTO
USE at the end of last year.
Come off = when something breaks off
I picked it up and the handle CAME OFF in my hand.
Come off it = I don’t believe what you’re saying
COME OFF IT; tell me the truth for goodness’ sake.
Come on = encouragement
COME ON; don’t give up now when
you’re so close to finishing.
Come on = start an illness
I’ve got a bit of a headache.
I hope it doesn’t mean I’ve got flu COMING ON.
Come on = start functioning (machines, etc.)
The central heating COMES
ON automatically an hour before I have to get up.
Come out = a secret is revealed
The details of the scandal CAME OUT
in the press and she had to resign.
Come out = be published or otherwise
available to the public
The band’s new CD is COMING OUT in September.
Come out = disappear when washed
The red wine I spilt just will not COME
OUT of the carpet no matter what
I try to clean it with.
Come out = let people know that you are lesbian or gay
She CAME OUT at university and has been
living with her partner, Jane, for the last couple of years.
Come out = when the sun appears
It started cloudy, but then the sun CAME OUT
and we all went to the park.
Come out in = have a rash or similar skin problem
She CAME OUT IN a nasty rash after touching
the poisonous plant by mistake.
Come over = feel strange
I CAME OVER all faint and weak because my
sugar level was too low. (British)
Come round = become conscious, wake up
from anaesthetic
She CAME ROUND and learned that the operation
had been a complete success.
Come round = change your opinion
Ate first she didn’t like the idea, but she
CAME ROUND to our way of thinking in the end.
Come through = arrive (messages and information)
News is COMING THROUGH of a major accident
on the M25, where freezing fog has been making
driving conditions extremely dangerous.
Come to = become conscious, wake up from anaesthetic
She CAME TO an hour after the operation.
Come to = result in
The two men started arguing but they soon
CAME TO blows and started fighting in earnest.
Come up = appear
I’ll be late home tonight because something’s
COME UP at work has to be ready for tomorrow morning.
Come up = rise (the sun)
The sun CAME UP just as we reached the
outskirts of the town.
Come up against = encounter problems or difficulties
They CAME UP AGAINST a lot of opposition
to their plans for an out-of-town supermarket development.
Come up with = think of a solution, excuse, etc.
Nobody could COME UP WITH a satisfactory
explanation for the accident.
Come upon = find by chance
I CAME UPON the book in a little second-hand
bookshop in Dorset.
Conk out = fall fast asleep
I was exhausted and CONKED OUT on the sofa.
Cool down = get cooler
I left the tea for a minute until it had COOLED
DOWN enough to drink.
Cool down = become calm
It took me ages to COOL DOWN after the argument.
Cop it = get into trouble
They really COPPED IT when they got caught
shoplifting..
Cop off = leave work or school early
We COPPED OFF early on Friday because there
was nothing to do..
Cop off = kiss, pet or have sex with someone
She COPPED OFF with Damian at the end-of-term party..
Cop out = choose an easy alternative
She was going to take a Master’s degree but
COPPED OUT and chose the Diploma course instead.
Could do with = need or want something
I COULD really DO WITH a cup of tea.
Count in = include or involve
If you’re going on that skiing holiday, you can
COUNT me IN; I’d love to go.
Crack down = use more authority than usual
The police always CRACK DOWN on drink-driving
offences over the Christmas period.
Crack up = have a nervous breakdown
He CRACKED UP after his son died and had to take
a couple of months off work.
Crack up = have bad reception on a mobile phone
You’ll have to talk louder- you’re CRACKING UP.
Crash out = sleep at someone’s house because
you are too tired, drunk, etc. to leave
Dave CRASHED OUT at a friend’s flat after the end-of-term party.
Crop up = appear unexpectedly
I’m going to be late tonight as something has
just CROPPED UP at work.
Cross out = put as line through some writing to
show it is wrong
She CROSSED OUT her mistakes and wrote the
correct answers above them.
Cut back = reduce
The firm CUT BACK production because sales were sluggish.
Cut back on = reduce
spending on the armed forces.
Cut down = consume less
I’m trying to CUT DOWN the amount of coffee
I drink during the day.
Cut down = shoot
A lot of soldiers were CUT DOWN by enemy
fire as they stormed the airport.
Cut down on = reduce
Doctors advised her to CUT DOWN ON the
amount of saturated fats in her diet.
Cut it out = stop your unfair or unreasonable behaviour
Will you two idiots CUT IT OUT and keep quiet.
Cut off = disconnect
The telephone’s been CUT OFF because
we didn’t pay the bill.
Cut off = isolate or make inaccessible
The heavy snow has blocked many roads and
CUT OFF a number of villages.
Cut out = exclude
I’m CUTTING OUT salt from my diet.
Cut out = when an engine or motor stops
The car CUT OUT at the traffic lights just
as they went green.
Dawn on = finally realise or understand something
The truth only DAWNED ON me much later.
Die away = become quieter or inaudible (of a sound)
The last notes DIED AWAY and the audience
burst into applause.
Die down = decrease or become quieter
It was on the front pages of all the papers for a few days,
but the interest gradually DIED DOWN.
Die out = become extinct or disappear
Some scientists say that the dinosaurs DIED OUT when a
comet hit the earth and caused a nuclear winter.
Dig in = start eating greedily
We were starving so we really DUG IN when the
food finally did arrive.
Dig into = reach inside to get something
She DUG INTO her handbag and pulled out
a bunch of keys.
Dig up = find something secret
The reporters eventually DUG UP the truth about the affair.
Do away with = abolish, get rid of
The United Kingdom DID AWAY WITH
the death penalty in 1965.
Do out of = cheat somebody out of something
that is rightfully theirs
They lied on the reference and DID me OUT OF
any chance of getting the job.
Do up = close or fasten clothes, etc.
You must DO UP your safety belt in the
back of cars and taxis now.
Do up = repair and renovate
It took them six months to DO UP the house before
they could actually move in.
Doze off = fall asleep
The movie was a bit boring and I DOZED OFF halfway through.
Drag on = be unnecessarily long
The meeting DRAGGED ON for two and a half hours.
Draw up = prepare a contract
The contract was DRAWN UP by our solicitor.
Draw up = when a vehicle stops
The police car DREW UP alongside him at the red lights
and asked him to pull over.
Dream of = not think or consider
I wouldn’t even DREAM OF telling her that.
Dream up = invent something, have an idea
They DREAMED UP the scheme for the improvements
and it was accepted by the board.
Dredge up = discover things about someone’s past
The newspapers DREDGED UP the details of his affair
with his research assistant.
Dress up = dress very smartly
It’s an informal party so there’s no need to DRESS UP.
Drink up = finish a drink
DRINK UP, please; it’s closing time.
Drive by = do domething out of a car
He was killed in a DRIVE-BY shooting.
Drive off = drive away from a place
She slammed the car door shut and DROVE OFF
without saying a word.
Drive up = make something increase
The market uncertainty has DRIVEN prices UP.
Drop by = pay a brief visit
He DROPPED BY on his way home from work.
Drop in = visit without having made arrangements
I was in the area so I DROPPED IN at the office to see her.
Drop out = quit a course
She DROPPED OUT of college and went
straight into a good job.
Dwell on = spend a lot of time on something
The programme DWELLED ON little other than the scandal.
Dwell upon = spend a lot of time on something
She DWELT UPON the economic situation in her speech.
Ease off = reduce pressure
She EASED OFF the accelerator to let the car slow down.
Ease up = relax, calm down
She asked her teacher to EASE UP because
she was feeling very stressed.
Eat out = eat in a restaurant
We couldn’t be bothered to cook so we ATE OUT last night.
Eat up = eat all of something
If you don’t EAT UP your greens, you won’t get any dessert.
Edge up = approach slowly
She EDGED UP behind the bus at the red light.
Egg on = encourage
The other students EGGED him ON when
he started arguing with the teacher.
Eke out = make something like money last as long as possible
Most students have to EKE OUT their income
because they have so little money to live on.
Embark on = start a project or venture
Piere EMBARKED ON an MBA at Insead last autumn.
Embark upon = start a project or venture
Fernando has just EMBARKED UPON a completely
new direction professionally.
End up = become or do something unplanned
We couldn’t get tickets for Egypt so we ENDED
UP going to Turkey instead.
Enter for = join or enter a competition
They ENTERED FOR the national championship
but weren’t good enough.
Eye up = look carefully at someone
The guy EYED the other man UP because
he was behaving suspiciously.
Face up to = accept an unpleasant truth
Many people find it hard to FACE UP TO
the fact that they are getting old.
Fall back = retreat
The army FELL BACK after losing the battle.
Fall down = fall on the ground
I slipped on the ice and FELL DOWN.
Fall down = have a weak point
The argument FALLS DOWN when you look at
how much it’ll cost.
Fall for = be attracted to somebody, fall in love
He FELL FOR her the moment their eyes met.
Fall for = believe a lie or a piece of deception
He FELL FOR my story and allowed me yet another
extension for the submission of my thesis.
Fall in = collapse
The ceiling FELL IN hurting a lot of people.
Fall off = decrease
The membership fell off dramatically when the
chairperson resigned.
Fall out = argue and be on bad terms with someone
They FELL OUT over the decision and hardly
speak to each other any more.
Fall out = lose hair
He’s started getting worried about baldness
because his hair is FALLING OUT rather quickly.
Fall over = fall on the ground
I slipped on the ice and FELL OVER.
Fall through = be unsuccessful
The plans FELL THROUGH when planning
permission was refused.
Fathom out = understand something
I couldn’t FATHOM OUT what she wanted from me. (British)
Feel up to = feel capable of doing something
I’m so tired. I don’t think I FEEL UP TO going out tonight.
Fight off = fight an attacker and force them back
The old lady managed to FIGHT the muggers
OFF and they didn’t get her purse.
Figure out = find the answer to a problem
The police couldn’t FIGURE OUT how the burglars
had got into the warehouse.
File away = put a document in the correct place
for storage in a filing system
I FILED a copy of the letter AWAY for my records.
Fill in = complete a form (UK)
I FILLED IN the application form and posted it off.
Fill in on = give someone information
I’m sorry I missed the meeting; could you FILL me
IN ON what happened.
Fill out = complete a form (US)
I FILLED OUT the application form and mailed it.
Fill up = fill something completely
I stopped at the garage and FILLED UP with petrol.
Filter out = remove something unwanted
It FILTERS OUT all the impurities and chemicals in
tap water so that it tastes better.
Find out = discover
I went to the library to FIND OUT all I could
about the life and work of Joe Meek.
Finish off = finish completely
They FINISHED OFF all the chocolates and had
to go to the all-night garage to buy some more.
Fire away = ask questions
What do you want to know? FIRE AWAY and I’ll tell you.
Fire up = Start a computer
She FIRED UP the computer and printed out
a hard copy of the files.
Fit in = get on in a group of people
I didn’t FIT IN with the other people working
there so I left and found another job.
Fit in = have enough time or space for something
I didn’t have time to FIT IN another appointment.
Fix up = make an arrangement
He FIXED UP an appointment for me to see a specialist.
Flesh out = add more details or information
The recent government report FLESHED OUT the draft proposals.
Flog off = sell something cheaply to get rid of it
The council FLOGGED OFF the land cheaply to a
developer who had close links to a few of the councillors. (British)
Focus on = concentrate
The report FOCUSES ON the company’s weak points.
Fold up = make a sheet of paper smaller
Darren FOLDED UP the letter and put it in an envelope.
Freak out = become very disturbed or angry
She FREAKED OUT completely when she didn’t
get the grades to get into university.