Phrasal Verbs - The Meaning - The Example
Abide by - Accept or follow a decision or rule. - All contestants must abide by the competition's official rules.
Account for - To explain. - The treasurer must account for every dollar spent from the club fund.
Ache for - Want something or someone a lot. - After months of touring, the musician ached for the comfort of home.
Act on - To take action because of information received. - The committee decided to act on the recommendations in the report.
Act on - Affect. - This new software acts on the entire network, not just individual computers.
Act out - Perform something with actions and gestures. - The children loved to act out scenes from their favorite animated movies.
Act out - Express an emotion in your behaviour. - His frustration was acted out in constant complaints about minor issues.
Act up - Behave badly or strangely. - The old printer started to act up just as I needed to print my assignment.
Act upon - To take action because of information received. - We should act upon this feedback to improve the product.
Act upon - Affect. - The catalyst acts upon the chemical mixture to speed up the reaction.
Add on - Include in a calculation. - Remember to add on the delivery fee to the total cost.
Add up - To make a mathematical total. - Let's add up our scores to see who won the game.
Add up - Be a satisfactory explanation for something. - His excuses for being late just don't add up.
Add up to - Have a certain result. - Constant stress and poor sleep can add up to serious health problems.
Add up to - Come to a certain amount or figure. - The total expenses for the trip add up to quite a large sum.
Agree with - Affect - usually used in the negative. - Spicy food really doesn't agree with me.
Aim at - To target. - This new line of sportswear is aimed at young professionals.
Aim at - Intend to achieve. - The company is aiming at a 20% increase in sales this quarter.
Allow for - Include something in a plan or calculation. - Always allow for extra time when traveling to the airport.
Allow of - Make possible, permit. - The strict instructions allow of no deviation.
Angle for - Try to get something indirectly. - He kept talking about his busy schedule, clearly angling for an offer of help.
Answer back - Reply rudely to someone in authority. - The student was disciplined for answering the teacher back.
Answer for - Be held responsible for a problem. - The project manager will have to answer for the missed deadline.
Answer for - Speak on behalf of someone. - I can't answer for my colleagues, but I support the idea.
Argue down - Beat someone in a debate. - She skillfully argued down every point he made.
Argue down - Persuade someone to lower a price. - I managed to argue the seller down by another fifty dollars.
Argue down - Persuade people not to accept a proposition. - They tried to argue down the proposal at the town hall meeting.
Argue out - Argue about a problem to find a solution. - We need to sit down and argue this issue out once and for all.
Ask about - Ask how someone is doing. - She called to ask about my mother's recovery.
Ask after - Enquire about someone's health. - Please ask after your grandfather when you see him.
Ask around - Ask a number of people for information. - I'll ask around the office to see if anyone has a spare charger.
Ask around - Invite someone. - We should ask the new neighbors around for coffee.
Ask for - To provoke a negative reaction. - Parking in that spot is just asking for a ticket.
Ask for - Request to have or be given. - I called the front desk to ask for more towels.
Ask in - To invite somebody into your house. - I saw her at the door and immediately asked her in.
Ask out - To invite someone for a date. - He was too nervous to ask her out.
Ask over - Invite. - Let's ask them over for a movie night on Friday.
Ask round - Invite someone. - We decided to ask a few friends round for dinner.
Auction off - Sell something in an auction. - The charity will auction off donated artwork.
Back away - Retreat or go backwards. - The cat backed away slowly from the unfamiliar dog.
Back down - Retract or withdraw your position. - He refused to back down from his demands.
Back into - Enter a parking area in reverse gear. - It's easier to back the van into the driveway.
Back off - Retreat. - The protestors were told to back off from the barrier.
Back out - Fail to keep an arrangement. - She backed out of the weekend plans at the last minute.
Back out of - Fail to keep an agreement. - They tried to back out of the contract.
Back out of - Exit a parking area in reverse gear. - She carefully backed the car out of the tight space.
Back up - Make a copy of computer data. - You should regularly back up your important files.
Back up - Support. - I'll back you up in the meeting if you need it.
Back up - Drive a vehicle backwards. - He had to back up to let the other car pass.
Bag out - Criticise. (Aus Eng) - It's not nice to bag out your teammates.
Bail out - Save, rescue. - The bank was too big to fail, so the government had to bail it out.
Bail out - Remove water from something flooded. - We had to use a bucket to bail out the leaky canoe.
Bail out - Jump from a crashing plane. - The pilot was forced to bail out over the ocean.
Bail out of - Pay to release someone from jail. - His friend had to bail him out of jail.
Bail out on - Stop supporting someone in trouble. - When the scandal hit, many of his allies bailed out on him.
Bail up - Talk to someone and delay them. - My boss bailed me up in the hallway for twenty minutes.
Bail up - Rob someone at gunpoint. (Aus/NZ) - The thieves bailed up the clerk and took the cash.
Ball up - Confuse or make things complicated. - The last-minute changes completely balled me up.
Ball up - Roll into a round shape. - He balled up the piece of paper and threw it.
Balls up - Spoil, ruin. (Slang) - I really ballsed up the presentation.
Bang about/around - Move noisily. - I could hear the kids banging about upstairs.
Bang on - Talk at great length. - He banged on about his golf game for an hour.
Bang on about - Keep talking about something. - He's always banging on about cryptocurrency.
Bang out - Play a musical instrument loudly. - She banged out a tune on the old piano.
Bang up - Put someone in prison. - The judge banged him up for five years.
Bang up - Damage badly. - I banged up my bicycle in the fall.
Bank on - Count or rely on. - We're banking on good weather for the picnic.
Bargain down - Persuade someone to drop a price. - I bargained the merchant down to a fair price.
Bargain for - Expect something to happen (usu. negative). - I hadn't bargained for such a strong reaction.
Bargain on - Expect something to happen (usu. negative). - They hadn't bargained on the sudden price increase.
Barge in - Enter and interrupt rudely. - He barged in without knocking.
Barge into - Enter a place and interrupt. - They barged into the meeting room, talking loudly.
Bash about - Mistreat physically. - Don't bash the equipment about like that!
Bash in - Break or damage by hitting. - The firefighter had to bash the door in.
Bash out - Write something quickly. - I bashed out the report the night before it was due.
Bash up - Break, damage or hurt by hitting. - His car was bashed up in the accident.
Bawl out - Scold, shout at someone. - The coach bawled out the player for missing practice.
Bawl out - Sing or shout unpleasantly loudly. - The sergeant bawled out the orders.
Be after - Try to find or get. - The detective is after the person who stole the jewels.
Be along - Arrive. - The next train should be along in ten minutes.
Be away - Be elsewhere; on holiday. - She'll be away on a business trip next week.
Be cut out for - Be suitable. - I'm just not cut out for this kind of administrative work.
Be cut up - Be upset. - He was really cut up about not getting the promotion.
Be down - Be depressed. - She's been feeling down since her pet died.
Be down - Be reduced or less. - Profits are down compared to last year.
Be down on - Have negative feelings toward. - Why are you so down on the new intern?
Be down with - Be ill. - He's down with the flu.
Be fed up - Be bored, upset or sick of. - I'm fed up with all this rain.
Be in - Be at home or at work. - I'll be in all evening if you need me.
Be in - Be submitted, arrive. - Applications must be in by the deadline.
Be in on - Be involved in. - Are you in on the surprise party plans?
Be not on - Be unacceptable. - That kind of behaviour is just not on.
Be off - Be bad (of food). - This milk smells like it might be off.
Be off - Depart, leave. - Right, I'm off to the shops.
Be on - Be functioning (of machines). - Is the Wi-Fi on?
Be on - Take place. - Is the concert still on for tonight?
Be on - Take medication. - She's on antibiotics for the infection.
Be on - Performing very well. - The goalkeeper is really on today!
Be on about - Mean, try to say. - What are you on about? I don't understand.
Be onto - Pursue, be aware of. - I think the police are onto the thieves.
Be out - Be absent. - Sorry, the manager is out at lunch.
Be out of - Have no more left. - We're out of printing paper.
Be out to - Attempt. - She's out to prove everyone wrong.
Be snowed under - Have too much work. - I'm completely snowed under with marking.
Be taken aback - Be shocked or surprised. - I was taken aback by the unexpected news.
Be taken with - Like something. - I was very taken with the design of the new building.
Be up - Be out of bed. - She's not up yet; she was working late.
Be up - Have increased. - Interest rates are up again.
Be up - When the time for something finishes. - Time's up! Please stop writing.
Be up for - Be enthusiastic about. - Are you up for a hike this weekend?
Be up to - Be good enough. - Do you think he's up to the task?
Be up to - Doing something naughty. - The children are very quiet; I wonder what they're up to.
Bear down on - Move towards. - The storm clouds bore down on the coast.
Bear on - Influence, affect. - Her personal experience bears directly on the case.
Bear out - Confirm something is correct. - The evidence bears out his version of events.
Bear up - Resist pressure. - How is she bearing up under the stress?
Bear up under - Cope with something difficult. - He's finding it hard to bear up under the criticism.
Bear with - Be patient. - Please bear with me while I find the document.
Beat down - Strong sunshine. - The sun was beating down mercilessly.
Beat down - Get someone to lower a price. - I beat the price down by twenty percent.
Beat out - Narrowly win. - Our team beat out the rivals by one point.
Beat up - Attack violently. - He was beaten up in a dark alley.
Beaver away - Work hard. - She's been beavering away at her thesis for months.
Beaver away at - Work hard on something. - He's beavering away at the budget figures.
Bed down - Sleep somewhere uncomfortable. - We had to bed down on the floor in the cabin.
Bed down - Become established. - The new policy has had time to bed down.
Bed out - Move a plant outside. - It's time to bed out the seedlings.
Beef up - Make something stronger. - We need to beef up security around here.
Belong to - Be a member. - He belongs to a local hiking club.
Belong to - Be connected to a time, etc. - These traditions belong to a bygone era.
Belong with - Be in the correct location with other items. - This lid belongs with that pot over there.
Belt out - Sing something loudly. - The crowd belted out the national anthem.
Belt up - Be quiet. (Informal) - Oh, belt up and let me think!
Belt up - Fasten your seatbelt. - Belt up, everyone, we're leaving.
Bend down - Lower the top half of your body. - She bent down to tie her shoelace.
Bend over - Lower the top part of your body. - He bent over to pick up the coin.
Bend over backwards - Do a lot to try to help. - I bent over backwards to accommodate them.
Big up - Exaggerate the importance. - He's always bigging himself up.
Big up - Increase muscle size. - He's been at the gym to big himself up.
Bitch up - Spoil or ruin something. (Slang) - I think I bitched up my chances with that email.
Black out - Fall unconscious. - He blacked out from the heat.
Black out - Lose light. - The screen blacked out for a second.
Blank out - Censor text. - The names were blanked out in the document.
Blank out - Have a temporary memory failure. - I blanked out and forgot my own phone number.
Blare out - A loud sound or music. - Music was blaring out from the open window.
Blast off - Leave the ground (spacecraft). - The rocket is scheduled to blast off at noon.
Blaze away - Fire a gun repeatedly. - The soldiers blazed away at the target.
Bleed out - Cause sufficient blood loss to result in death. - The character in the film tragically bled out.
Bliss out - Be extremely relaxed. - I spent the afternoon blissing out in a hammock.
Block in - Park and obstruct another car. - I can't leave; someone has blocked me in.
Block in - Shade or fill in. - The artist blocked in the basic shapes first.
Block off - Obstruct an exit. - Police blocked off the street after the accident.
Block out - Stop light. - The curtains block out the streetlights.
Block out - Try not to think about. - I try to block out negative thoughts.
Block up - Fill a space. - The sink is blocked up again.
Blow away - Kill. (Slang) - The villain was blown away in the final scene.
Blow away - Beat by a large margin. - Their new product blew the competition away.
Blow away - Impress greatly. - The special effects in the movie blew me away.
Blow away - When wind moves something. - My hat blew away in the gust of wind.
Blow down - When wind forces something to fall. - The hurricane blew down several trees.
Blow in - Arrive suddenly. - He blew in from out of town yesterday.
Blow off - Not keep an appointment. - She blew me off for our coffee date.
Blow off - Ignore, not do. - He blew off his homework to play video games.
Blow off - Expel gas. (Slang) - He rudely blew off at the table.
Blow out - Extinguish candles. - Blow out the candles and make a wish!
Blow out - Defeat decisively. (Sports) - The home team blew out the visitors.
Blow over - When a scandal is forgotten. - The controversy should blow over in a few days.
Blow up - Explode. - The old boiler might blow up.
Blow up - Inflate. - Can you help me blow up these balloons?
Blow up - Enlarge. - Can you blow up this section of the photo?
Blow up - The beginning of a storm. - A quarrel blew up over the decision.
Blow up - Lose your temper. - My dad blew up when he saw the broken window.
Blurt out - Say something quickly without thinking. - He blurted out the secret before he could stop himself.
Board out - Arrange for pets to stay somewhere. - We board our cat out at a cattery when we travel.
Board up - Cover windows/doors with wood. - They boarded up the abandoned house.
Bog down - Slow progress. - The project got bogged down in bureaucracy.
Bog in - Eat enthusiastically. (Aus/NZ) - Dinner's ready, everyone bog in!
Bog into - Eat something enthusiastically. - They bogged into the barbecue.
Bog off! - Get lost. (UK slang) - He told the annoying salesman to bog off.
Boil down - Simplify, reduce to essentials. - The long report boils down to two main points.
Boil down to - Amount to. - It all boils down to a lack of communication.
Boil over - When a hot liquid spills. - The soup boiled over on the stove.
Boil over - When people lose their tempers. - Tensions finally boiled over in the meeting.
Boil up - Feel a negative emotion strongly. - Anger boiled up inside her.
Boil up - Cook or heat to boiling point. - I'll boil up some water for tea.
Bolster up - Give support, strengthen. - We need to bolster up our arguments with more data.
Bone up - Study hard for a reason. - I need to bone up before the exam.
Bone up on - Study hard for a goal. - I should bone up on my Italian before the trip.
Book in - Make a reservation. - I've booked us in at a bed and breakfast.
Book in - Check in at a hotel. - We booked in and went straight to our room.
Book into - Make a reservation. - I've booked into a yoga retreat.
Book into - Check in at a hotel. - They booked into the grand hotel.
Book out - Leave in a hurry. - Things looked bad, so we decided to book out.
Book up - Reserve. - The hotel is fully booked up for the festival.
Boot up - Start a computer. - It takes a minute for my laptop to boot up.
Border on - Be located next to. - Belgium borders on France.
Border on - Be very nearly something. - His rudeness borders on insulting.
Boss about/around - Use excessive authority. - She hates being bossed around.
Botch up - Ruin or spoil. - I completely botched up the repair job.
Bottle away - Store up. - He bottled away his emotions for years.
Bottle out - Lack courage. - I meant to complain, but I bottled out.
Bottle up - Not express your feelings. - Don't bottle up your anger; talk about it.
Bottom out - Pass the lowest point. - The market seems to have bottomed out.
Bounce into - Force someone. - Public opinion bounced the government into action.
Bounce back - Recover. - The economy is bouncing back strongly.
Bounce off - Test ideas. - Let me bounce this idea off you.
Bowl out - Hit someone's wicket in cricket. - The fast bowler bowled him out.
Bowl over - Surprise greatly. - I was bowled over by their generosity.
Bowl over - Knock to the ground. - The cyclist was bowled over by the car.
Box in - Prevent from moving. - I felt boxed in by the tall buildings.
Box up - Pack things in boxes. - We spent the day boxing up our belongings.
Brace up - Feel more confident. - Brace up! Things will get better.
Branch out - Move into a different area. - The company is branching out into online education.
Break away - Leave an organisation. - The faction decided to break away and form a new party.
Break down - End negotiations unsuccessfully. - The peace talks broke down.
Break down - Start crying. - She broke down when she heard the news.
Break down - Stop working. - My car broke down on the motorway.
Break down - Remove a barrier. - We must break down these prejudices.
Break in - Go into a building to steal. - Burglars broke in while we were on holiday.
Break in - Interrupt. - Sorry to break in, but I have an announcement.
Break in - Train a horse. - It takes patience to break in a young horse.
Break in - Carefully use new products. - I'm still breaking in these new hiking boots.
Break off - Break a piece from something. - She broke off a piece of chocolate.
Break off - End a relationship. - They broke off their engagement.
Break out - Start (war, conflict). - Fighting broke out along the border.
Break out in - Sweat heavily, develop a rash. - I broke out in a cold sweat.
Break out of - Escape. - Three prisoners broke out of jail.
Break through - Pass a barrier. - Protestors broke through the police line.
Break up - Break into many pieces. - The iceberg broke up in the warmer water.
Break up - Close for holidays. - School breaks up next Friday.
Break up - Finish a relationship. - They broke up after two years together.
Break up - Become inaudible (phone). - You're breaking up; I can't hear you.
Breeze along - Move easily and quickly. - The first part of the book breezes along nicely.
Breeze in - Enter quickly. - She breezed in ten minutes late.
Breeze into - Enter quickly. - He breezed into the room, full of confidence.
Breeze through - Pass easily. - She breezed through the driving test.
Brick in/up - Close a space with bricks. - They bricked up the old fireplace.
Brighten up - Improve (weather). - The sky brightened up in the afternoon.
Brighten up - Become happier. - He brightened up when he saw the gift.
Brighten up - Make more attractive. - Flowers really brighten up a room.
Bring about - Make something happen. - The new law brought about significant change.
Bring along - Bring to a place. - You can bring along a friend if you like.
Bring along - Help someone improve. - Good coaching has brought her along quickly.
Bring around - Persuade. - I finally brought him around to my point of view.
Bring around - Bring when you visit. - He brought around some homemade cake.
Bring around - Get someone talking. - The journalist managed to bring her around to the topic.
Bring back - Cause to remember. - That song brings back memories of summer camp.
Bring back - Return. - Don't forget to bring back my book.
Bring down - Make a government fall. - The scandal brought the minister down.
Bring down - Make cheaper. - Competition has brought prices down.
Bring forth - Produce, make known. - The investigation brought forth new evidence.
Bring forward - Make something happen earlier. - The meeting has been brought forward to 2 p.m.
Bring in - Earn. - His freelance work brings in extra money.
Bring off - Succeed with something difficult. - It was a risky plan, but they brought it off.
Bring on - Cause to happen. - Stress can bring on headaches.
Bring on - Make appear. - Bring on the main course!
Bring out - Release or publish. - The band is bringing out a new album.
Bring out - Elicit a response. - Teamwork brings out the best in her.
Bring out in - Cause a health reaction. - Nuts bring me out in a rash.
Bring round - Wake from unconsciousness. - The smelling salts brought him round.
Bring up - Mention. - He didn't bring up the subject of money.
Bring up - Raise a child. - She was brought up to be polite.
Bring up - Be charged with a crime. - He was brought up on charges of fraud.
Brush off - Ignore, pay little attention. - She brushed off the criticism.
Brush up - Improve a skill quickly. - I need to brush up on my French.
Bubble over - Become very excited. - The children were bubbling over with excitement.
Buck up - Hurry. - Buck up! We're going to be late.
Buck up - Smarten up, improve. - You need to buck up your ideas.
Bucket down - Rain heavily. - It's absolutely bucketing down outside.
Buckle down - Start working hard. - It's time to buckle down and study.
Buckle under - Accept under pressure. - They had to buckle under to the demands.
Buckle up - Fasten a seatbelt. - Please buckle up for safety.
Budge up - Move to make space. - Budge up so I can sit down.
Buff up - Clean or make shine. - He buffed up his shoes for the interview.
Buff up - Improve (image/knowledge). - I need to buff up on the new regulations.
Bug off! - Go away. (Slang) - Bug off and leave me alone.
Bug out - Open eyes wide. - His eyes bugged out in surprise.
Bug out - Leave in a hurry. (Slang) - When the alarm sounded, we bugged out.
Build up - Develop a company. - He built up the business from scratch.
Build up - Increase. - Traffic builds up here every evening.
Bulk out - Make bigger or thicker. - Add lentils to bulk out the soup.
Bulk up - Gain weight/muscle. - He's bulked up for his new movie role.
Bump into - Meet by chance. - I bumped into an old school friend today.
Bump off - Kill. (Slang) - The mob boss ordered a hit to bump him off.
Bump up - Increase. - They bumped up the offer to secure the deal.
Bundle off - Send someone somewhere. - They bundled the kids off to their grandparents.
Bundle out - Expel. - The bouncer bundled the troublemaker out.
Bundle up - Put on warm clothing. - Bundle up, it's freezing outside!
Bundle up - Wrap or tie together. - I bundled up the old magazines for recycling.
Bunk off - Not go to school. (UK) - We used to bunk off school sometimes.
Buoy up - Make feel more positive. - The good news buoyed us all up.
Buoy up - Keep afloat. - The life jacket buoyed her up.
Burn down - Burn completely. - The old barn burned down last night.
Burn off - Remove by burning/process. - I need to burn off the calories from that cake.
Burn out - Lose enthusiasm. - She burned out after ten years in that high-pressure job.
Burn up - Destroy by fire. - All the documents were burned up.
Burn up - Drive at high speed. (Slang) - He burned up the highway.
Burn up - Cause to be highly annoyed. - His arrogance really burns me up.
Burst into - Catch fire quickly. - The car burst into flames.
Burst into - Laugh, cry or clap loudly. - The audience burst into applause.
Bust up - End a relationship angrily. - They had a huge row and bust up.
Butt in - Interrupt. - Please don't butt in while I'm talking.
Butt out - Not be involved. (Slang) - This is private; butt out!
Butter up - Praise excessively. - He's buttering up the boss for a raise.
Buy in - Force a record into the charts. - Fans bought the single in to get it to number one.
Buy into - Accept an idea. - I don't buy into that conspiracy theory.
Buy off - Pay to stop trouble. - They tried to buy off the whistleblower.
Buy out - Buy somebody's share. - Her partners bought her out.
Buy up - Buy all of something. - Investors bought up all the land.
Buzz around - Move quickly around. - Reporters were buzzing around the celebrity.
Buzz off - Leave. (Slang) - I'm tired, I'm going to buzz off home.
Buzz off! - Go away. - Buzz off, you're annoying me.
Call after - Name after somebody else. - He was called James after his uncle.
Call around - Visit. - I'll call around sometime next week.
Call back - Return a phone call. - I'm busy, can I call you back later?
Call for - Demand. - The union is calling for better pay.
Call for - Go to collect. - A courier will call for the package.
Call for - Telephone for. - Shall I call for a taxi?
Call for - Go and collect someone. - I'll call for you at eight o'clock.
Call for - Require. - This situation calls for tact.
Call forth - Make happen. - Her speech called forth a standing ovation.
Call in - Get someone to do a job. - We had to call in an electrician.
Call in - Stop and visit. - I'll call in on my way home.
Call off - Cancel. - They called off the match due to rain.
Call off - Order to stop attacking. - Call off your dog!
Call on - Ask for help. - The president called on allies for support.
Call on - Visit. - We called on our neighbors yesterday.
Call on - Challenge. - I call on you to prove your claim.
Call on - Ask to do something (formal). - I now call on the chairman to speak.
Call out - Expose wrongdoing. - She was called out for her plagiarism.
Call round - Visit. - Why don't you call round this evening?
Call up - Summon for military service. - He was called up during the war.
Call up - Telephone. - Call me up when you arrive.
Calm down - Stop being angry. - Just calm down and tell me what happened.
Cancel out - Have an opposite effect. - The two arguments cancel each other out.
Cap off - Finish decisively. - He capped off the win with a brilliant goal.
Care for - Like. - I don't really care for modern art.
Carried away - Get emotional and lose control. - Don't get carried away with the decorations.
Carry forward - Include in a later calculation. - Losses can be carried forward to next year.
Carry forward - Make progress. - We must carry the project forward.
Carry off - Win, succeed. - She carried off first prize.
Carry off - Die of a disease. (Archaic) - Cholera carried him off.
Carry on - Continue. - Please carry on with your work.
Carry on - Behave badly. - The children were carrying on something awful.
Carry on with - Have an affair. - He's been carrying on with his secretary.
Carry out - Perform a task. - A survey will be carried out.
Carry out - Food bought to take away. - Let's get carry-out for dinner.
Carry over - Continue past a point. - The debate carried over to the next day.
Carry through - Complete successfully. - They carried the plan through.
Cart off - Take away under arrest. - The police carted them off.
Cart off - Take away, steal. - Thieves carted off the antique furniture.
Carve out - Create a special area. - She carved out a niche in the market.
Carve up - Divide into pieces. - They carved up the company.
Carve up - Overtake dangerously. (Driving) - A motorbike carved me up on the roundabout.
Cash in - Convert into money. - I cashed in my savings bonds.
Cash in on - Benefit unfairly. - He's just cashing in on the trend.
Cash out - Illegally steal money. - Hackers cashed out his bank account.
Cash out - Exchange for money. - He cashed out his poker chips.
Cash up - Count money taken. - The shop assistant cashed up the till.
Cast about/around/round for - Try to find. - She's casting around for a new job.
Cast aside - Dispose, get rid of. - Old habits were cast aside.
Cast off - Dispose, untie a boat. - The sailors cast off and set sail.
Cast out - Expel, reject. - He was cast out from the community.
Cast up - Be left on shore by sea. - Seashells were cast up on the beach.
Catch at - Grab hold of. - He caught at my arm to steady himself.
Catch on - Become popular. - The game didn't catch on as expected.
Catch on - Finally understand. - Eventually, I caught on to the joke.
Catch out - Trick. - The test is designed to catch you out.
Catch out - Prove someone is lying. - He was caught out in a lie.
Catch out - Put in a difficult situation. - We were caught out by the sudden storm.
Catch up - Get work up to date. - I need to catch up on my emails.
Catch up - Reach someone ahead. - I ran to catch up with her.
Catch up in - Become involved unwillingly. - They were caught up in the riots.
Catch up on - Do something missed. - I want to catch up on some sleep.
Catch up with - Do something missed. - I need to catch up with the latest episode.
This response is AI-generated, for reference only.





Change the meaning part so i do not get copy righted


Phrasal Verb - General Sense - New Example
Abide by - Follow or accept a guideline. - All contestants must abide by the competition's official rules.
Account for - Give a reason or justification. - The treasurer must account for every dollar spent from the club fund.
Ache for - Desire strongly. - After months of touring, the musician ached for the comfort of home.
Act on - Use information to do something. - The committee decided to act on the recommendations in the report.
Act on - Have an effect on something specific. - This new software acts on the entire network, not just individual computers.
Act out - Perform a role physically. - The children loved to act out scenes from their favorite animated movies.
Act out - Display feelings through behavior. - His frustration was acted out in constant complaints about minor issues.
Act up - Misbehave or malfunction. - The old printer started to act up just as I needed to print my assignment.
Act upon - Use as a basis for action. - We should act upon this feedback to improve the product.
Act upon - Have a specific effect on. - The catalyst acts upon the chemical mixture to speed up the reaction.
Add on - Include as an extra. - Remember to add on the delivery fee to the total cost.
Add up - Calculate a total. - Let's add up our scores to see who won the game.
Add up - Seem logical or consistent. - His excuses for being late just don't add up.
Add up to - Lead to a particular situation. - Constant stress and poor sleep can add up to serious health problems.
Add up to - Result in a certain total. - The total expenses for the trip add up to quite a large sum.
Agree with - Not cause discomfort (often negative). - Spicy food really doesn't agree with me.
Aim at - Intend for a particular group. - This new line of sportswear is aimed at young professionals.
Aim at - Try to achieve. - The company is aiming at a 20% increase in sales this quarter.
Allow for - Consider or include in planning. - Always allow for extra time when traveling to the airport.
Allow of - Permit or make room for. - The strict instructions allow of no deviation.
Angle for - Try to obtain indirectly. - He kept talking about his busy schedule, clearly angling for an offer of help.
Answer back - Reply defiantly. - The student was disciplined for answering the teacher back.
Answer for - Be accountable. - The project manager will have to answer for the missed deadline.
Answer for - Speak on someone's behalf. - I can't answer for my colleagues, but I support the idea.
Argue down - Win a debate against someone. - She skillfully argued down every point he made.
Argue down - Negotiate a lower price. - I managed to argue the seller down by another fifty dollars.
Argue down - Oppose successfully. - They tried to argue down the proposal at the town hall meeting.
Argue out - Discuss fully to resolve. - We need to sit down and argue this issue out once and for all.
Ask about - Inquire concerning someone's situation. - She called to ask about my mother's recovery.
Ask after - Request news about someone. - Please ask after your grandfather when you see him.
Ask around - Make inquiries of several people. - I'll ask around the office to see if anyone has a spare charger.
Ask around - Extend a casual invitation. - We should ask the new neighbors around for coffee.
Ask for - Invite trouble or a negative response. - Parking in that spot is just asking for a ticket.
Ask for - Make a request. - I called the front desk to ask for more towels.
Ask in - Invite to enter. - I saw her at the door and immediately asked her in.
Ask out - Invite on a social date. - He was too nervous to ask her out.
Ask over - Invite to one's home. - Let's ask them over for a movie night on Friday.
Ask round - Invite to visit. - We decided to ask a few friends round for dinner.
Auction off - Sell to the highest bidder. - The charity will auction off donated artwork.
Back away - Move backwards cautiously. - The cat backed away slowly from the unfamiliar dog.
Back down - Withdraw a claim or demand. - He refused to back down from his demands.
Back into - Reverse into a space. - It's easier to back the van into the driveway.
Back off - Move away or ease pressure. - The protestors were told to back off from the barrier.
Back out - Withdraw from a commitment. - She backed out of the weekend plans at the last minute.
Back out of - Fail to honor an agreement. - They tried to back out of the contract.
Back out of - Reverse out of a space. - She carefully backed the car out of the tight space.
Back up - Create a duplicate for safety. - You should regularly back up your important files.
Back up - Support or defend. - I'll back you up in the meeting if you need it.
Back up - Move a vehicle in reverse. - He had to back up to let the other car pass.
Bag out - Criticize severely. (Aus Eng) - It's not nice to bag out your teammates.
Bail out - Provide financial rescue. - The bank was too big to fail, so the government had to bail it out.
Bail out - Remove water. - We had to use a bucket to bail out the leaky canoe.
Bail out - Eject from an aircraft. - The pilot was forced to bail out over the ocean.
Bail out of - Secure release from jail. - His friend had to bail him out of jail.
Bail out on - Abandon in a difficult situation. - When the scandal hit, many of his allies bailed out on him.
Bail up - Detain in conversation. - My boss bailed me up in the hallway for twenty minutes.
Bail up - Rob, often with a weapon. (Aus/NZ) - The thieves bailed up the clerk and took the cash.
Ball up - Confuse or tangle. - The last-minute changes completely balled me up.
Ball up - Form into a sphere. - He balled up the piece of paper and threw it.
Balls up - Make a mess of. (Slang) - I really ballsed up the presentation.
Bang about/around - Move clumsily and noisily. - I could hear the kids banging about upstairs.
Bang on - Talk incessantly. - He banged on about his golf game for an hour.
Bang on about - Talk repeatedly about a subject. - He's always banging on about cryptocurrency.
Bang out - Play music loudly/quickly. - She banged out a tune on the old piano.
Bang up - Imprison. - The judge banged him up for five years.
Bang up - Damage or dent. - I banged up my bicycle in the fall.
Bank on - Depend on. - We're banking on good weather for the picnic.
Bargain down - Haggle to a lower price. - I bargained the merchant down to a fair price.
Bargain for - Anticipate (usu. negative). - I hadn't bargained for such a strong reaction.
Bargain on - Expect (usu. negative). - They hadn't bargained on the sudden price increase.
Barge in - Enter abruptly and rudely. - He barged in without knocking.
Barge into - Enter a place intrusively. - They barged into the meeting room, talking loudly.
Bash about - Treat roughly. - Don't bash the equipment about like that!
Bash in - Smash or break open. - The firefighter had to bash the door in.
Bash out - Produce quickly. - I bashed out the report the night before it was due.
Bash up - Assault or vandalize. - His car was bashed up in the accident.
Bawl out - Reprimand loudly. - The coach bawled out the player for missing practice.
Bawl out - Shout or sing loudly. - The sergeant bawled out the orders.
Be after - Pursue or seek. - The detective is after the person who stole the jewels.
Be along - Arrive soon. - The next train should be along in ten minutes.
Be away - Be absent or traveling. - She'll be away on a business trip next week.
Be cut out for - Be naturally suited to. - I'm just not cut out for this kind of administrative work.
Be cut up - Be emotionally distressed. - He was really cut up about not getting the promotion.
Be down - Feel sad or low. - She's been feeling down since her pet died.
Be down - Be at a lower level. - Profits are down compared to last year.
Be down on - Have a negative opinion of. - Why are you so down on the new intern?
Be down with - Be suffering from an illness. - He's down with the flu.
Be fed up - Be annoyed or bored. - I'm fed up with all this rain.
Be in - Be present at home/work. - I'll be in all evening if you need me.
Be in - Be received by a deadline. - Applications must be in by the deadline.
Be in on - Be involved in a secret/plan. - Are you in on the surprise party plans?
Be not on - Be unacceptable. - That kind of behaviour is just not on.
Be off - Have spoiled (food). - This milk smells like it might be off.
Be off - Depart. - Right, I'm off to the shops.
Be on - Be operating (machine). - Is the Wi-Fi on?
Be on - Be happening as scheduled. - Is the concert still on for tonight?
Be on - Be taking medication. - She's on antibiotics for the infection.
Be on - Be performing exceptionally well. - The goalkeeper is really on today!
Be on about - Be talking about (often unclear). - What are you on about? I don't understand.
Be onto - Be close to discovering. - I think the police are onto the thieves.
Be out - Not be present. - Sorry, the manager is out at lunch.
Be out of - Have no supply remaining. - We're out of printing paper.
Be out to - Intend or aim to. - She's out to prove everyone wrong.
Be snowed under - Be overwhelmed with work. - I'm completely snowed under with marking.
Be taken aback - Be surprised or shocked. - I was taken aback by the unexpected news.
Be taken with - Be impressed or charmed by. - I was very taken with the design of the new building.
Be up - Be awake and out of bed. - She's not up yet; she was working late.
Be up - Have risen or increased. - Interest rates are up again.
Be up - Be finished (time). - Time's up! Please stop writing.
Be up for - Be willing to participate in. - Are you up for a hike this weekend?
Be up to - Be capable of. - Do you think he's up to the task?
Be up to - Be engaged in (often mischief). - The children are very quiet; I wonder what they're up to.
Bear down on - Approach in a threatening way. - The storm clouds bore down on the coast.
Bear on - Be relevant to. - Her personal experience bears directly on the case.
Bear out - Confirm or support. - The evidence bears out his version of events.
Bear up - Remain resilient. - How is she bearing up under the stress?
Bear up under - Endure hardship. - He's finding it hard to bear up under the criticism.
Bear with - Be patient with. - Please bear with me while I find the document.
Beat down - Shine intensely (sun). - The sun was beating down mercilessly.
Beat down - Force a price reduction. - I beat the price down by twenty percent.
Beat out - Win narrowly. - Our team beat out the rivals by one point.
Beat up - Physically assault. - He was beaten up in a dark alley.
Beaver away - Work diligently. - She's been beavering away at her thesis for months.
Beaver away at - Work persistently on. - He's beavering away at the budget figures.
Bed down - Sleep in makeshift conditions. - We had to bed down on the floor in the cabin.
Bed down - Become established or settled. - The new policy has had time to bed down.
Bed out - Plant outdoors. - It's time to bed out the seedlings.
Beef up - Strengthen or reinforce. - We need to beef up security around here.
Belong to - Be a member of. - He belongs to a local hiking club.
Belong to - Originate from a period. - These traditions belong to a bygone era.
Belong with - Go together with. - This lid belongs with that pot over there.
Belt out - Sing with power. - The crowd belted out the national anthem.
Belt up - Be quiet. (Informal) - Oh, belt up and let me think!
Belt up - Fasten a seatbelt. - Belt up, everyone, we're leaving.
Bend down - Lower the upper body. - She bent down to tie her shoelace.
Bend over - Lean forward at the waist. - He bent over to pick up the coin.
Bend over backwards - Make extreme effort. - I bent over backwards to accommodate them.
Big up - Praise or promote excessively. - He's always bigging himself up.
Big up - Develop muscles through exercise. - He's been at the gym to big himself up.
Bitch up - Ruin or botch. (Slang) - I think I bitched up my chances with that email.
Black out - Lose consciousness. - He blacked out from the heat.
Black out - Lose power/light. - The screen blacked out for a second.
Blank out - Obscure or redact. - The names were blanked out in the document.
Blank out - Have a mental lapse. - I blanked out and forgot my own phone number.
Blare out - Sound loudly. - Music was blaring out from the open window.
Blast off - Launch (spacecraft). - The rocket is scheduled to blast off at noon.
Blaze away - Fire a gun rapidly. - The soldiers blazed away at the target.
Bleed out - Die from blood loss. - The character in the film tragically bled out.
Bliss out - Experience great pleasure/relaxation. - I spent the afternoon blissing out in a hammock.
Block in - Parked so another car cannot leave. - I can't leave; someone has blocked me in.
Block in - Fill in outlines. - The artist blocked in the basic shapes first.
Block off - Obstruct passage. - Police blocked off the street after the accident.
Block out - Prevent light from entering. - The curtains block out the streetlights.
Block out - Suppress mentally. - I try to block out negative thoughts.
Block up - Cause an obstruction. - The sink is blocked up again.
Blow away - Kill with a gun. (Slang) - The villain was blown away in the final scene.
Blow away - Defeat overwhelmingly. - Their new product blew the competition away.
Blow away - Astonish or impress. - The special effects in the movie blew me away.
Blow away - Be carried by wind. - My hat blew away in the gust of wind.
Blow down - Be felled by wind. - The hurricane blew down several trees.
Blow in - Arrive unexpectedly. - He blew in from out of town yesterday.
Blow off - Fail to attend or honor. - She blew me off for our coffee date.
Blow off - Neglect or skip. - He blew off his homework to play video games.
Blow off - Pass gas. (Slang) - He rudely blew off at the table.
Blow out - Extinguish (a flame). - Blow out the candles and make a wish!
Blow out - Win by a huge margin. (Sports) - The home team blew out the visitors.
Blow over - Be forgotten (scandal). - The controversy should blow over in a few days.
Blow up - Explode. - The old boiler might blow up.
Blow up - Inflate with air. - Can you help me blow up these balloons?
Blow up - Enlarge an image. - Can you blow up this section of the photo?
Blow up - Begin suddenly (storm/argument). - A quarrel blew up over the decision.
Blow up - Become very angry. - My dad blew up when he saw the broken window.
Blurt out - Say impulsively. - He blurted out the secret before he could stop himself.
Board out - Place an animal in care. - We board our cat out at a cattery when we travel.
Board up - Seal with wooden boards. - They boarded up the abandoned house.
Bog down - Become stalled or stuck. - The project got bogged down in bureaucracy.
Bog in - Start eating eagerly. (Aus/NZ) - Dinner's ready, everyone bog in!
Bog into - Eat something heartily. - They bogged into the barbecue.
Bog off! - Go away. (UK slang) - He told the annoying salesman to bog off.
Boil down - Reduce to essential points. - The long report boils down to two main points.
Boil down to - Ultimately mean or signify. - It all boils down to a lack of communication.
Boil over - Overflow while boiling. - The soup boiled over on the stove.
Boil over - Erupt into anger or violence. - Tensions finally boiled over in the meeting.
Boil up - Develop strongly (emotion). - Anger boiled up inside her.
Boil up - Heat liquid to boiling. - I'll boil up some water for tea.
Bolster up - Support or reinforce. - We need to bolster up our arguments with more data.
Bone up - Study intensively. - I need to bone up before the exam.
Bone up on - Review a subject thoroughly. - I should bone up on my Italian before the trip.
Book in - Reserve accommodation. - I've booked us in at a bed and breakfast.
Book in - Register at a hotel. - We booked in and went straight to our room.
Book into - Make a reservation at. - I've booked into a yoga retreat.
Book into - Check into. - They booked into the grand hotel.
Book out - Depart hurriedly. - Things looked bad, so we decided to book out.
Book up - Reserve completely. - The hotel is fully booked up for the festival.
Boot up - Start (a computer). - It takes a minute for my laptop to boot up.
Border on - Be adjacent to. - Belgium borders on France.
Border on - Be very close to (a quality). - His rudeness borders on insulting.
Boss about/around - Order domineeringly. - She hates being bossed around.
Botch up - Do badly or clumsily. - I completely botched up the repair job.
Bottle away - Suppress (emotions). - He bottled away his emotions for years.
Bottle out - Lose nerve or courage. - I meant to complain, but I bottled out.
Bottle up - Suppress (feelings). - Don't bottle up your anger; talk about it.
Bottom out - Reach the lowest point. - The market seems to have bottomed out.
Bounce into - Force into action. - Public opinion bounced the government into action.
Bounce back - Recover after setback. - The economy is bouncing back strongly.
Bounce off - Share for discussion/feedback. - Let me bounce this idea off you.
Bowl out - Dismiss a batsman (cricket). - The fast bowler bowled him out.
Bowl over - Overwhelm with surprise/emotion. - I was bowled over by their generosity.
Bowl over - Knock to the ground. - The cyclist was bowled over by the car.
Box in - Trap or confine. - I felt boxed in by the tall buildings.
Box up - Pack into boxes. - We spent the day boxing up our belongings.
Brace up - Prepare emotionally. - Brace up! Things will get better.
Branch out - Diversify activities. - The company is branching out into online education.
Break away - Secede or separate. - The faction decided to break away and form a new party.
Break down - Fail (talks/communication). - The peace talks broke down.
Break down - Lose emotional control. - She broke down when she heard the news.
Break down - Stop functioning. - My car broke down on the motorway.
Break down - Overcome (barrier). - We must break down these prejudices.
Break in - Enter illegally to steal. - Burglars broke in while we were on holiday.
Break in - Interrupt a conversation. - Sorry to break in, but I have an announcement.
Break in - Train (animal). - It takes patience to break in a young horse.
Break in - Use until comfortable. - I'm still breaking in these new hiking boots.
Break off - Snap a piece from. - She broke off a piece of chocolate.
Break off - End (relationship/engagement). - They broke off their engagement.
Break out - Begin suddenly (conflict). - Fighting broke out along the border.
Break out in - Develop (rash/sweat). - I broke out in a cold sweat.
Break out of - Escape from confinement. - Three prisoners broke out of jail.
Break through - Force a way past. - Protestors broke through the police line.
Break up - Shatter into pieces. - The iceberg broke up in the warmer water.
Break up - Begin school holidays. - School breaks up next Friday.
Break up - End a romantic relationship. - They broke up after two years together.
Break up - Become unclear (signal). - You're breaking up; I can't hear you.
Breeze along - Progress easily. - The first part of the book breezes along nicely.
Breeze in - Enter casually. - She breezed in ten minutes late.
Breeze into - Enter in a relaxed manner. - He breezed into the room, full of confidence.
Breeze through - Pass/complete easily. - She breezed through the driving test.
Brick in/up - Seal with bricks. - They bricked up the old fireplace.
Brighten up - Become sunny. - The sky brightened up in the afternoon.
Brighten up - Become more cheerful. - He brightened up when he saw the gift.
Brighten up - Make more attractive. - Flowers really brighten up a room.
Bring about - Cause to happen. - The new law brought about significant change.
Bring along - Accompany or bring with. - You can bring along a friend if you like.
Bring along - Help to develop/improve. - Good coaching has brought her along quickly.
Bring around - Persuade to a viewpoint. - I finally brought him around to my point of view.
Bring around - Bring when visiting. - He brought around some homemade cake.
Bring around - Guide conversation to a topic. - The journalist managed to bring her around to the topic.
Bring back - Evoke memories. - That song brings back memories of summer camp.
Bring back - Return something. - Don't forget to bring back my book.
Bring down - Cause to fall from power. - The scandal brought the minister down.
Bring down - Reduce in price. - Competition has brought prices down.
Bring forth - Produce or reveal. - The investigation brought forth new evidence.
Bring forward - Move to an earlier time. - The meeting has been brought forward to 2 p.m.
Bring in - Earn (income). - His freelance work brings in extra money.
Bring off - Accomplish something difficult. - It was a risky plan, but they brought it off.
Bring on - Cause (illness/symptom). - Stress can bring on headaches.
Bring on - Introduce or present. - Bring on the main course!
Bring out - Publish or launch. - The band is bringing out a new album.
Bring out - Evoke (a quality). - Teamwork brings out the best in her.
Bring out in - Cause a skin reaction. - Nuts bring me out in a rash.
Bring round - Restore to consciousness. - The smelling salts brought him round.
Bring up - Mention a topic. - He didn't bring up the subject of money.
Bring up - Raise (a child). - She was brought up to be polite.
Bring up - Charge with an offense. - He was brought up on charges of fraud.
Brush off - Dismiss casually. - She brushed off the criticism.
Brush up - Refresh one's knowledge/skill. - I need to brush up on my French.
Bubble over - Be exuberantly happy. - The children were bubbling over with excitement.
Buck up - Hurry up. - Buck up! We're going to be late.
Buck up - Improve effort/attitude. - You need to buck up your ideas.
Bucket down - Rain very heavily. - It's absolutely bucketing down outside.
Buckle down - Apply oneself seriously. - It's time to buckle down and study.
Buckle under - Submit to pressure. - They had to buckle under to the demands.
Buckle up - Fasten a seat belt. - Please buckle up for safety.
Budge up - Move over to make room. - Budge up so I can sit down.
Buff up - Polish or shine. - He buffed up his shoes for the interview.
Buff up - Improve knowledge quickly. - I need to buff up on the new regulations.
Bug off! - Go away. (Slang) - Bug off and leave me alone.
Bug out - Open eyes wide in surprise. - His eyes bugged out in surprise.
Bug out - Leave quickly. (Slang) - When the alarm sounded, we bugged out.
Build up - Develop or increase gradually. - He built up the business from scratch.
Build up - Accumulate. - Traffic builds up here every evening.
Bulk out - Make thicker or more substantial. - Add lentils to bulk out the soup.
Bulk up - Increase muscle mass. - He's bulked up for his new movie role.
Bump into - Meet unexpectedly. - I bumped into an old school friend today.
Bump off - Murder. (Slang) - The mob boss ordered a hit to bump him off.
Bump up - Increase or raise. - They bumped up the offer to secure the deal.
Bundle off - Send away quickly. - They bundled the kids off to their grandparents.
Bundle out - Force out roughly. - The bouncer bundled the troublemaker out.
Bundle up - Dress warmly. - Bundle up, it's freezing outside!
Bundle up - Tie or wrap together. - I bundled up the old magazines for recycling.
Bunk off - Skip school/work. (UK) - We used to bunk off school sometimes.
Buoy up - Keep spirits high. - The good news buoyed us all up.
Buoy up - Keep afloat. - The life jacket buoyed her up.
Burn down - Be destroyed by fire. - The old barn burned down last night.
Burn off - Use up (calories/energy). - I need to burn off the calories from that cake.
Burn out - Become exhausted from overwork. - She burned out after ten years in that high-pressure job.
Burn up - Be consumed by fire. - All the documents were burned up.
Burn up - Drive very fast. (Slang) - He burned up the highway.
Burn up - Infuriate. - His arrogance really burns me up.
Burst into - Suddenly start (flames/emotion). - The car burst into flames.
Burst into - Suddenly begin (laughter/applause). - The audience burst into applause.
Bust up - End a relationship acrimoniously. - They had a huge row and bust up.
Butt in - Interrupt intrusively. - Please don't butt in while I'm talking.
Butt out - Stop interfering. (Slang) - This is private; butt out!
Butter up - Flatter excessively. - He's buttering up the boss for a raise.
Buy in - Purchase to influence charts. - Fans bought the single in to get it to number one.
Buy into - Accept as valid or true. - I don't buy into that conspiracy theory.
Buy off - Bribe. - They tried to buy off the whistleblower.
Buy out - Purchase someone's share. - Her partners bought her out.
Buy up - Purchase all available stock. - Investors bought up all the land.
Buzz around - Move busily around. - Reporters were buzzing around the celebrity.
Buzz off - Leave. (Slang) - I'm tired, I'm going to buzz off home.
Buzz off! - Go away. - Buzz off, you're annoying me.
Call after - Name in honor of someone. - He was called James after his uncle.
Call around - Pay a casual visit. - I'll call around sometime next week.
Call back - Return a telephone call. - I'm busy, can I call you back later?
Call for - Demand publicly. - The union is calling for better pay.
Call for - Go to collect something. - A courier will call for the package.
Call for - Order (e.g., a taxi). - Shall I call for a taxi?
Call for - Pick someone up. - I'll call for you at eight o'clock.
Call for - Require or necessitate. - This situation calls for tact.
Call forth - Elicit or produce. - Her speech called forth a standing ovation.
Call in - Request services of. - We had to call in an electrician.
Call in - Visit briefly. - I'll call in on my way home.
Call off - Cancel. - They called off the match due to rain.
Call off - Order to stop. - Call off your dog!
Call on - Appeal to for help. - The president called on allies for support.
Call on - Pay a visit to. - We called on our neighbors yesterday.
Call on - Challenge or invite to speak. - I call on you to prove your claim.
Call on - Invite formally to speak. - I now call on the chairman to speak.
Call out - Publicly criticize. - She was called out for her plagiarism.
Call round - Visit casually. - Why don't you call round this evening?
Call up - Draft into military service. - He was called up during the war.
Call up - Telephone. - Call me up when you arrive.
Calm down - Become less agitated. - Just calm down and tell me what happened.
Cancel out - Neutralize the effect of. - The two arguments cancel each other out.
Cap off - Finish in a notable way. - He capped off the win with a brilliant goal.
Care for - Have a liking for. - I don't really care for modern art.
Carried away - Become overly excited. - Don't get carried away with the decorations.
Carry forward - Transfer to a later time. - Losses can be carried forward to next year.
Carry forward - Advance or progress. - We must carry the project forward.
Carry off - Accomplish successfully. - She carried off first prize.
Carry off - Cause death of. (Archaic) - Cholera carried him off.
Carry on - Continue doing. - Please carry on with your work.
Carry on - Behave disruptively. - The children were carrying on something awful.
Carry on with - Have an illicit relationship. - He's been carrying on with his secretary.
Carry out - Perform or conduct. - A survey will be carried out.
Carry out - Takeaway food. - Let's get carry-out for dinner.
Carry over - Extend beyond a limit. - The debate carried over to the next day.
Carry through - Complete to the end. - They carried the plan through.
Cart off - Take away, often by force. - The police carted them off.
Cart off - Remove, steal. - Thieves carted off the antique furniture.
Carve out - Establish through effort. - She carved out a niche in the market.
Carve up - Divide into portions. - They carved up the company.
Carve up - Overtake aggressively. (Driving) - A motorbike carved me up on the roundabout.
Cash in - Exchange for money. - I cashed in my savings bonds.
Cash in on - Profit unfairly from. - He's just cashing in on the trend.
Cash out - Withdraw funds illegally. - Hackers cashed out his bank account.
Cash out - Convert to cash (e.g., chips). - He cashed out his poker chips.
Cash up - Count the day's takings. - The shop assistant cashed up the till.
Cast about/around/round for - Search for. - She's casting around for a new job.
Cast aside - Discard or reject. - Old habits were cast aside.
Cast off - Release (a boat); discard. - The sailors cast off and set sail.
Cast out - Exile or banish. - He was cast out from the community.
Cast up - Wash ashore. - Seashells were cast up on the beach.
Catch at - Try to grab. - He caught at my arm to steady himself.
Catch on - Become fashionable/understood. - The game didn't catch on as expected.
Catch on - Understand finally. - Eventually, I caught on to the joke.
Catch out - Trick or expose. - The test is designed to catch you out.
Catch out - Discover in a lie. - He was caught out in a lie.
Catch out - Surprise unprepared. - We were caught out by the sudden storm.
Catch up - Become up-to-date. - I need to catch up on my emails.
Catch up - Reach someone ahead. - I ran to catch up with her.
Catch up in - Become entangled in. - They were caught up in the riots.
Catch up on - Do overdue tasks. - I want to catch up on some sleep.
Catch up with - Meet to exchange news. - I need to catch up with the latest episode.