CLRC Writing Center

A SHORT DICTIONARY OF PHRASAL VERBS:

Verbs paired with a preposition or adverb

Separable: you may insert a noun or pronoun draw up - write; compose (a document)
between these verbs and their prepositions/adverbs. dress up - put clothes on; adorn
dust out - dust the inside of
Correct: Sam passed on the news to Jay. eat up - eat completely
Correct: Sam passed the news on to Jay. figure out - interpret; understand
figure up - compute
add up - add fill in - complete (a printed form)
back up - cause to move backwards; support; blow up; fill out - complete (a printed form)
cause to explode; destroy by explosives fill up - fill completely (a container)
break down - analyze; list the parts of separately find out - discover
break into - go into a house or room forcibly; suddenly; fix up - repair; arrange in a suitable manner
begin; bring about - cause to happen get across - cause to be understood
bring off - accomplish give back - return
bring on - cause give out - distribute; announce
bring out - publish; emphasize give up - surrender something
bring over - bring hand down - deliver; pronounce formally; leave as an
bring to - revive inheritance
bring up - raise; care for from childhood hand over - yield control of
brush out - brush the inside of hang up - suspend
burn down - destroy by burning have on - be dressed in
burn up - consume by fire have over - entertain someone informally at one's home
buy out - by the other person's share of a business hold off - delay; restrain
buy up - buy the whole supply of hold up - delay; rob; threaten with a weapon
call off - cancel; order away keep up - continue; keep the same pace
call up - telephone; summon for military service leave out - omit
calm down - become calm let down - disappoint
carry on - continue let out - release from confinement; make larger (in
carry out - fulfill; complete; accomplish; perform sewing)
carry over - carry; continue at another time or place light up - light; illuminate thoroughly
cheer up - cause to become cheerful live down - live in such a way as to cause something to be
chew up - chew thoroughly forgotten
chop up - chop into small pieces make over - remake
clean off - clean the surface of move over - move to the side
clean out - clean the inside of pass out - distribute
clean up - clarify; tidy pass up - not take advantage of (as an opportunity)
clear out - clear the surface of pass on - transmit
clear up - clear the inside of pay back - repay
close down - close permanently pay off - discharge a debt completely; give someone his
close up - close temporarily final pay
count in - include pick up - come to meet an escort; lift with hands or
count out - exclude fingers; learn casually;
count up - calculate; count; add to a total initiate an association publicly
cross out - eliminate play down - minimize
cut off - interrupt; sever; amputate play up - emphasize
cut out - eliminate; delete point out - indicate
cut down - reduce in quantity
pull down - pull in a downward direction; raze write out - write down every detail; spell out
push across - cause to be understood or accepted write up - compose; prepare (a document)
put off - postpone
put on - dress in; deceive or fool Inseparable: you cannot separate these verbs from
put up - preserve (food); receive as an overnight guest their prepositions/adverbs with any words.
quiet down - be quiet
ring up - the telephone Correct: Becky is reliable; you can count on her.
rinse off - rinse the surface of Incorrect: You can count her on.
rinse out - rinse the inside of
rule out - eliminate back out of - desert; fail to keep a promise
run down - trace; disparage; hit with a vehicle bear down on - lean on; browbeat
run off - cause to depart; reproduce mechanically bear on - have to do with
save up - accumulate bear up under - endure
see through - complete; in spite of difficulties break in on - interrupt
see off - accompany someone to the beginning of a trip break into - interrupt
send back - send to a place where formerly located call for - come to get; require
send over - send to where someone is care for - like; guard; supervise; maintain
set up - arrange carry on with - continue
show off - exhibit ostentatiously catch up with - cover the distance between oneself and
shut off - cause to cease functioning check up on - examine; verify
slow up - cause to move more slowly come across - find accidentally
spell out - enumerate; state in detail come along with - accompany; make progress
stand up - fail to keep an appointment with come by - find accidentally
sweep out - sweep the inside of come down with - become ill with
take back - return; retract a statement come out with - utter; produce
take down - remove from a high position; write from come up with - utter; produce
dictation count on - rely on
take in - understood; fool; deceive; make smaller cut in on - interrupt
(in sewing) disagree with - cause illness or discomfort to
take over - take; assume command of do away with - abolish
tear down - destroy do without - deprive oneself of
tear up - tear into small pieces drop in at/on - visit casually without planning
tell off - scold; reprimand drop out of - leave; quit
think over - consider face up to - acknowledge
think through - consider from beginning to end fall behind in - lag; not progress at required pace
think up - create; invent fall back on - use for emergency purpose
throw away - discard fall out with - quarrel with
throw over - reject fill in for - substitute for
tie up - tie securely or tight get ahead of - surpass; beat
tire out - cause to be exhausted get around - evade; avoid
touch up - repair get away with - do without being caught or punished
try on - put on a garment to verify the fit get by with - manage with a minimum of effort
try out - test get down to - become serious about; consider
turn down - refuse; lower the volume get in - enter (a vehicle)
turn out - produce; force into exile, extinguish (a light) get off - descend from; leave
wash off - wash the surface of get on - enter (a vehicle); mount
wash out - wash the inside of get on with - proceed with
wear out - use until no longer usable; tire greatly get through with - terminate, finish
wind up - finish, tighten the spring of a watch or machine go back on - desert; fail to keep (a promise)
wipe off - wipe the surface of go for - like a great deal
wipe out - wipe the inside of; decimate go in for - be interested in; participate in
work out - solve go on with - continue
write down - record go over - review

A version of this list can be found at Purdue Universitys OWL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/eslphrasal.html.

go with - harmonize with; look pleasing together Intransitive: these phrasal verbs cannot take a direct
go without - abstain from object. They may be separated by a noun or pronoun.
hang around - remain idly in the vicinity of
hear from - receive a communication from Correct: We are having dinner. Come over.
hear of - learn about (sometimes accidentally) Incorrect: Come over dinner.
hit on - discover accidentally Correct: Come over for dinner.
hold on to - grasp tightly (for makes dinner an indirect object)
hold out against - resist
keep at - persevere at back down - retreat from a position in an argument
keep to - persist in; continue back out - desert; fail to keep a promise
keep up with - maintain the pace of back up - move backwards
lie down on - evade; fail to do bear up - endure
live on - support or sustain oneself by means of blow in - drop in to visit unexpectedly
live up to - maintain the standard demanded of blow over - pass without doing harm
look after - take care of blow up - explode; lose one's temper
look back on - remember nostalgically call up - telephone
look down on - feel superior to calm down - become calm
look forward to - anticipate carry on - continue as before; misbehave
look up to - respect; admire catch on - understand
make up for - compensate for catch up - cover the distance between oneself and a
pass on - transmit moving goal
pick on - tease; bully check up - investigate
play up to - flatter for personal advantage check out - leave; pay one's bill
put up with - tolerate cheer up - become cheerful
read up on - search out information on clear out - leave
run against - compete against in an election clear up - become clear
run away with - leave; escape from close down - close permanently
run for - campaign for close up - close temporarily
see about - consider; arrange came about - happen
see to - arrange; supervise come along - accompany; make progress
settle on - decide on; choose come back - return
stand for - represent; permit come by - visit someone
stand up for - support; demand come out - appear; make a social debut
stand up to - resist come over - come to someone's house, to where
stick to - persist someone is
stick up for - support; defend come through - succeed
take after - resemble come to - regain consciousness
talk back to - answer impolitely cut in - interrupt
talk over - discuss die away - fade; diminish
tell on - report misbehavior to authority die down - fade; diminish
touch on - mention briefly die off/out - disappear; become extinct
turn into - become dress up - don fancy or unusual clothes
wait on - serve drive back - return by car
wait up for - not go to bed while waiting for drop in - visit someone casually without planning
watch out for - be careful for drop out - abandon some organized activity; leave; quit
drop over - visit someone casually
fall behind - not progress at required pace
fall off - decrease; lose weight
fall through - fail; not be accomplished
fill in - substitute
find out - learn
fly back - return by air
fly over - fly to where someone is

A version of this list can be found at Purdue Universitys OWL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/eslphrasal.html.

get ahead - make progress stay over - remain at someone's house overnight or
get along - have a friendly relationship longer
get around - circulate; move about step aside - move to one side
get away - escape take off - leave the ground
get by - manage; either just barely or with a minimum of take over - assume command
effort talk back - answer impolitely
get in - enter throw up - vomit
get off - descend from leave turn around - turn so that one is facing another direction
get on - enter (a vehicle); mount (a horse, etc.) turn in - go to bed
get on/along - progress; be compatible turn out - succeed; come; appear, as at a public meeting
get up - rise turn up - arrive; be found unexpectedly
get through - finish wait up - remain awake in anticipation
give out - become exhausted wake up - awaken
give up - surrender; fail to finish walk back - return on foot to where one was
go back - return walk over - walk to where someone is
go off - explode wash out - fade or disappear from washing
go on - happen; continue watch out - be careful
go out - stop burning; leave one's residence wear off - fade; disappear through use or time
go over - go; succeed wear out - become unusable through use; become used
grow up - mature up
hang around - remain idly; dawdle work out - be successful
hang up - replace a telephone receive on its hook
hold on - grasp tightly; persevere; wait while telephoning
hold out - continue to resist; persevere; persist
keep on - continue
keep up - maintain the required pace or standard;
continue
let up - diminish in intensity
lie down - recline
look on - be a spectator
make out - progress; succeed
make up - become reconciled
move over - move to the side
pan out - turn out well; be successful
pass out - become unconscious
pass on - die
pick up - grow; increase
pull in - arrive
pull out - deport
pull through - survive (barely)
ride over - ride to where someone is
run away - escape; leave; leave quickly without
permission
run down - slowly lose power so as to stop functioning
run off - depart running; drain
sell out - sell the ownership or responsibility
settle up - pay one's bills or debts
show off - boast by words or actions
show up - arrive; appear unexpectedly
shut up - stop talking
slow up - reduce speed
stand by - wait; be prepared to assist
stand up - stand; rise from sitting; last; endure

A version of this list can be found at Purdue Universitys OWL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/eslphrasal.html.