Phrasal Verbs from A-C

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ASK (someone) OUT

Invite on a date

Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.

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ASK AROUND

Ask many people the same question.

I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet

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ADD UP TO (something)

Total.

Your purchases add up to $205.32.

It doesn't add up.

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BACK UP (something)

Reverse/ Repeat

You'll have to back up your car so that I can get out.

You're talking so fast. Can you back up a little? I couldn't catch what you said.

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BACK UP (someone)

Support.

My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job.

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BLOW UP

Explode

The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence.

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BREAK DOWN

Stop functioning (vehicle/machine).

Divide into parts.

Our car broke down at the side of the highway in the snowstorm.

Our teacher broke the final project down into three separate parts.

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BREAK IN

Enter forcibly.

To interrupt.

Somebody broke in last night and stole our stereo.

The TV station broke in to report the news of the president's death.

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BREAK UP

End a relationship.

Start laughing (informal).

My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America.

The kids just broke up as soon as the clown started talking.

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BRING (someone) DOWN

Make unhappy.

This sad music is bringing me down.

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BRING (something) UP

Start talking about a subject.

Vomit.

My mother walks out of the room when my father brings up sports.

He drank so much that he brought his dinner up in the toilet.

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CALL AROUND

Phone many different places/people.

We called around but we weren't able to find the car part we needed.

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CALL BACK

Return a phone call.

I called the company back but the offices were closed for the weekend.

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CALL OFF

Cancel.

Jason called the wedding off because he wasn't in love with his fiancé.

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CALL ON

Ask for an answer or opinion.

Visit somebody.

The professor called on me for question 1.

We called on you last night but you weren't home.

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CALL UP

Phone.

Give me your phone number and I will call you up when we are in town.

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CATCH UP

Get to the same point as somebody else.

You'll have to run faster than that if you want to catch up with Marty.

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CHECK someone/ something OUT

Look at carefully, investigate.

Look at (informal).

The company checks out all new employees.

Check out the crazy hair on that guy!

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CHEER UP

Become happier.

Make happier.

She cheered up when she heard the good news.

I brought you some flowers to cheer you up.

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CHIP IN

Help.

If everyone chips in we can get the kitchen painted by noon.

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COME ACROSS

Find unexpectedly.

I came across these old photos when I was tidying the closet.

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COME APART

To separate.

The top and bottom come apart if you pull hard enough.

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COME DOWN WITH

Become sick.

My nephew came down with chicken pox this weekend.

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COME FORWARD

Volunteer for a task or to give evidence.

The woman came forward with her husband's finger prints.

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COME FROM

Originate in.

The art of origami comes from Asia.

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CUT BACK ON

Consume less.

My doctor wants me to cut back on sweets and fatty foods.

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CUT (something) DOWN

Make something fall to the ground.

We had to cut the old tree in our yard down after the storm.

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CUT IN

Interrupt.

Pull in too closely in front of another vehicle.

Start operating (of an engine or electrical device).

Your father cut in while I was dancing with your uncle.

The bus driver got angry when that car cut in.

The air conditioner cuts in when the temperature gets to 22°C.

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CUT (something) OFF

Remove with something sharp.

Stop providing.

The doctors cut off his leg because it was severely injured.

The phone company cut off our phone because we didn't pay the bill.

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CUT (someone) OFF

Take out of a will.

My grandparents cut my father off when he remarried.

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CUT (something) OUT

Remove part of something (usually with scissors and paper).

I cut this ad out of the newspaper.