bear on + have to do with This information may bear on this
Phrasal Verb Definition Example case.
act up behave or function I think I need to take my car to the mechanic bear up withstand I didn't think he would bear up so well
improperly because it's acting up again. in that situation.
add * up + calculate a sum I added up the receipts and it totaled $135.46. bear up under + withstand How did he bear up under such
extreme pressure.
add up to + equal an amount The total expenses added up to $325.00.
bear with + be patient Please bear with me while I fill out the
add up make sense Her story doesn't add up. I think she is lying. paperwork.
ask * out + invite on a date I can't believe that Joe finally asked me out on a blow in visit unexpectedly (inf.) My cousin blew in unexpectedly with
date! his entire family.
ask * over + invite to one's home Why don't we ask the Johnsons over for dinner? blow over pass without creating a All this negative publicity will blow
problem over in a couple of weeks.
B
blow * up + make explode;destroy using The terrorists blew the bridge up.
back down stop defending your opinion Jane never backs down. She always
explosives
in a debate wins arguments.
blow up explode The bomb blew up before they could
back out not keep (a promise, Sam backed out at the last second.
defuse it.
agreement,deal)
blow up suddenly become very angry When Joan heard the news, she blew
back out of + not keep (a promise, Sam backed out of the agreement at
up and rushed out of the room.
agreement, deal) the last second.
break * down + analyze in detail We need to break this problem down
back * up + give support You need examples to back up your
in order to solve.
opinion.
break down stop working properly The truck broke down in the desert.
back up move backwards, reverse Could you back up a little so I can
open this drawer.
break down become mentally ill She broke down after her husband
died.
bawl * out criticize, reprimand (inf.) She bawled him out for arriving late.
break * in + wear or use something new I need to break these shoes in before I
bear down on + bite The soldier had to bear down on the
until it is comfortable go hiking.
leather strap while the doctor removed
a bullet from the soldier's arm.
break in interrupt While we were discussing the
situation, Terri broke in to give her
bear down on + take strong measures against The U.S.A. is bearing down on drug
opinion.
traffickers.
,break in enter a place unlawfully The burglar broke in between experience) difficult, but I brought a new
midnight and 3 AM. appreciation for life away from the
experience.
break in on + interrupt (a conversation) Jane broke in on the conversation and
told us to get back to work. bring * off + succeed at something difficult You robbed the bank! I can't believe
or unexpected you brought that off.
break into + enter a house unlawfully The burglar broke into the house
between midnight and 3 AM. bring * on + cause something I can't believe she got so angry. What
brought that on?
break into + interrupt (a conversation) Jane broke into the conversation and
told us what she knew. bring * out + highlight, stress Your new shirt brings out the color of
your eyes.
break * off + end something Sally broke her engagement to John
off. bring * over + bring to someone's house When you visit me, why don't you
bring over your son.
break out appear violently Violent protests broke out in response
to the military coup. bring * to revive consciousness We used smelling salts to bring her to
after she fainted.
break out + use something extravagant for He broke out the champagne to
celebration celebrate his promotion. bring * up + mention I didn't want to bring up the fact that
she was unemployed.
break out of + escape The murderer broke out of the prison.
bring * up + raise ( a child) Sam was brought up in South
Carolina.
break * up + break into pieces I broke the cracker up into pieces and
put it in the soup.
brush * off + ignore something or someone Mary brushed her ex-boyfriend off at
(inf.) the party.
break * up + disperse (a crowd), stop (a The police broke the demonstration up
fight) before it got out of control.
burn * down + destroy by setting fire to The children burned the house down
while playing with matches.
break up end a relationship Sam and Diane broke up again. What
a rocky relationship.
burn down burn until completely gone Two buildings burnt down in the fire.
(building)
bring * about + cause to happen Democracy brought about great
change in the lives of the people.
burn up be hot I am burning up in here - open the
window.
bring * along + bring with When we go to the forest, bring your
wildlife guide along.
burn up consume by fire The papers were burned up in the fire.
bring * around change someone's mind, She doesn't want to go, but we'll
convince someone eventually bring her around. burn * up + destroy by fire He burnt up the files.
bring * away learn or gain (from an My trip across the Sahara was buy * out + buy the shares of a company Pacific Inc. was bought out by a
, or the shares the other person company from Oregon. carry * out + complete and/or accomplish The secret agent carried out his
owns of a business something orders exactly as planned.
buy * up + purchase the entire supply of We bought up all the beer in the store. carry * over + continue on a subsequent day, The meeting carried over into
something page, etc. lunch time.
C
catch on slowly start to understand He caught on after a few minutes.
call for + require (as in a recipe) This recipe calls for milk, not (inf.)
water.
catch up make up for lost time I will never catch up. I am too
call * off + cancel something They called the picnic off because behind in my work.
of the rain.
catch up with + speed up to be at the same I had to run to catch up with the
call * off + order to stop (an invasion, He called off the dogs when he place as a person or thing in others.
guard dogs) saw it was his neighbor. front of you
call on + visit Mark called on Naomi while he catch up on + become up-to-date I need to catch up on world
was in town. events. I haven't seen the news in
ages.
call on + invite someone to speak in a Professor Tanzer called on Tim to
meeting or a classroom answer the question. check back return to see if everything is We will check back tomorrow to
OK make sure the project is finished.
call * up + telephone I called Sam up to see if he wanted
to go to the movies. check by + go to a place to see if We need to check by the office to
everything is OK see if the documents are ready.
calm * down + make someone relax You can calm the baby down by
rocking her gently. check for + try to find They checked for termites before
they bought the house.
care for + nurse someone or something He cared for the bird until its
wing healed. check in enter a hospital, hotel etc. They need to check in before
noon.
care for + like someone or something I don't care for sour cream on my
potato. check into + enter a hospital, hotel etc. They checked into the hotel at
11:00 AM.
carry on + continue (a conversation, a Please, carry on. I didn't mean to
game) interrupt you. check into + investigate, look for (often We are checking into discount
through a service) flights to London.
carry on about + continue in an annoying way He kept carrying on about how
much money he makes. check * off + make a mark next to (an item Check each name off the list.
on a list)
carry on with + continue I want you to carry on with the
project while I am out of town. check on + make sure something is OK Let's check on the baby again
before we go to sleep.
Phrasal Verb Definition Example case.
act up behave or function I think I need to take my car to the mechanic bear up withstand I didn't think he would bear up so well
improperly because it's acting up again. in that situation.
add * up + calculate a sum I added up the receipts and it totaled $135.46. bear up under + withstand How did he bear up under such
extreme pressure.
add up to + equal an amount The total expenses added up to $325.00.
bear with + be patient Please bear with me while I fill out the
add up make sense Her story doesn't add up. I think she is lying. paperwork.
ask * out + invite on a date I can't believe that Joe finally asked me out on a blow in visit unexpectedly (inf.) My cousin blew in unexpectedly with
date! his entire family.
ask * over + invite to one's home Why don't we ask the Johnsons over for dinner? blow over pass without creating a All this negative publicity will blow
problem over in a couple of weeks.
B
blow * up + make explode;destroy using The terrorists blew the bridge up.
back down stop defending your opinion Jane never backs down. She always
explosives
in a debate wins arguments.
blow up explode The bomb blew up before they could
back out not keep (a promise, Sam backed out at the last second.
defuse it.
agreement,deal)
blow up suddenly become very angry When Joan heard the news, she blew
back out of + not keep (a promise, Sam backed out of the agreement at
up and rushed out of the room.
agreement, deal) the last second.
break * down + analyze in detail We need to break this problem down
back * up + give support You need examples to back up your
in order to solve.
opinion.
break down stop working properly The truck broke down in the desert.
back up move backwards, reverse Could you back up a little so I can
open this drawer.
break down become mentally ill She broke down after her husband
died.
bawl * out criticize, reprimand (inf.) She bawled him out for arriving late.
break * in + wear or use something new I need to break these shoes in before I
bear down on + bite The soldier had to bear down on the
until it is comfortable go hiking.
leather strap while the doctor removed
a bullet from the soldier's arm.
break in interrupt While we were discussing the
situation, Terri broke in to give her
bear down on + take strong measures against The U.S.A. is bearing down on drug
opinion.
traffickers.
,break in enter a place unlawfully The burglar broke in between experience) difficult, but I brought a new
midnight and 3 AM. appreciation for life away from the
experience.
break in on + interrupt (a conversation) Jane broke in on the conversation and
told us to get back to work. bring * off + succeed at something difficult You robbed the bank! I can't believe
or unexpected you brought that off.
break into + enter a house unlawfully The burglar broke into the house
between midnight and 3 AM. bring * on + cause something I can't believe she got so angry. What
brought that on?
break into + interrupt (a conversation) Jane broke into the conversation and
told us what she knew. bring * out + highlight, stress Your new shirt brings out the color of
your eyes.
break * off + end something Sally broke her engagement to John
off. bring * over + bring to someone's house When you visit me, why don't you
bring over your son.
break out appear violently Violent protests broke out in response
to the military coup. bring * to revive consciousness We used smelling salts to bring her to
after she fainted.
break out + use something extravagant for He broke out the champagne to
celebration celebrate his promotion. bring * up + mention I didn't want to bring up the fact that
she was unemployed.
break out of + escape The murderer broke out of the prison.
bring * up + raise ( a child) Sam was brought up in South
Carolina.
break * up + break into pieces I broke the cracker up into pieces and
put it in the soup.
brush * off + ignore something or someone Mary brushed her ex-boyfriend off at
(inf.) the party.
break * up + disperse (a crowd), stop (a The police broke the demonstration up
fight) before it got out of control.
burn * down + destroy by setting fire to The children burned the house down
while playing with matches.
break up end a relationship Sam and Diane broke up again. What
a rocky relationship.
burn down burn until completely gone Two buildings burnt down in the fire.
(building)
bring * about + cause to happen Democracy brought about great
change in the lives of the people.
burn up be hot I am burning up in here - open the
window.
bring * along + bring with When we go to the forest, bring your
wildlife guide along.
burn up consume by fire The papers were burned up in the fire.
bring * around change someone's mind, She doesn't want to go, but we'll
convince someone eventually bring her around. burn * up + destroy by fire He burnt up the files.
bring * away learn or gain (from an My trip across the Sahara was buy * out + buy the shares of a company Pacific Inc. was bought out by a
, or the shares the other person company from Oregon. carry * out + complete and/or accomplish The secret agent carried out his
owns of a business something orders exactly as planned.
buy * up + purchase the entire supply of We bought up all the beer in the store. carry * over + continue on a subsequent day, The meeting carried over into
something page, etc. lunch time.
C
catch on slowly start to understand He caught on after a few minutes.
call for + require (as in a recipe) This recipe calls for milk, not (inf.)
water.
catch up make up for lost time I will never catch up. I am too
call * off + cancel something They called the picnic off because behind in my work.
of the rain.
catch up with + speed up to be at the same I had to run to catch up with the
call * off + order to stop (an invasion, He called off the dogs when he place as a person or thing in others.
guard dogs) saw it was his neighbor. front of you
call on + visit Mark called on Naomi while he catch up on + become up-to-date I need to catch up on world
was in town. events. I haven't seen the news in
ages.
call on + invite someone to speak in a Professor Tanzer called on Tim to
meeting or a classroom answer the question. check back return to see if everything is We will check back tomorrow to
OK make sure the project is finished.
call * up + telephone I called Sam up to see if he wanted
to go to the movies. check by + go to a place to see if We need to check by the office to
everything is OK see if the documents are ready.
calm * down + make someone relax You can calm the baby down by
rocking her gently. check for + try to find They checked for termites before
they bought the house.
care for + nurse someone or something He cared for the bird until its
wing healed. check in enter a hospital, hotel etc. They need to check in before
noon.
care for + like someone or something I don't care for sour cream on my
potato. check into + enter a hospital, hotel etc. They checked into the hotel at
11:00 AM.
carry on + continue (a conversation, a Please, carry on. I didn't mean to
game) interrupt you. check into + investigate, look for (often We are checking into discount
through a service) flights to London.
carry on about + continue in an annoying way He kept carrying on about how
much money he makes. check * off + make a mark next to (an item Check each name off the list.
on a list)
carry on with + continue I want you to carry on with the
project while I am out of town. check on + make sure something is OK Let's check on the baby again
before we go to sleep.
