Phrasal verbs advanced part I

Catch on

(become popular - colloquial) This new hair style is beginning to catch on

Come about

(happen) Let me explain how the situation came about

Come down to

(be in the end a matter of) It all conies down to whether you are prepared to accept less money

Come in for

(receive - especially criticism, blame) The government has come in for a lot of criticism over the decision

Come off

(take place successfully) Im afraid that deal didnt come off after all

Come out

(appear) All the flowers have come out, When the news came out, everyone was shocked, My photos didnt come out very well

Come up

(occur - usually a problem - colloquial) Look, something has come up, and I cant meet you

Come up against

(meet a difficulty) Weve come up against a bit of a problem

Come up to

(equal - especially expectations, standard) The play didnt come up to expectations

Come up with

(think of - especially an answer, a plan, a solution) We still havent come up with a solution to the problem

Count on

(rely on) Dont worry, you can count on me

Crop up

(happen unexpectedly - colloquial) / cant come to your party, something has cropped up

Do away with

(abolish - colloquial) Dog licences have been done away with

(murder - colloquial)x

What if they do away with the old man?

Do up

(decorate - colloquial) We are having our living room done up

Draw up

(come to a stop) A white sports car drew up outside the door

Draw up

(organise - especially a document) The contract is being drawn up at the moment

Drop in

(pay a visit - colloquial) Drop in any time youre passing

Drop off

(fall asleep - colloquial) The baby has just dropped off

End up

(finish in a certain way, or place) We ended up staying there for lunch, The car ended up in a ditch

Face up to

(have courage to deal with - especially responsibilities) You have to face up to your responsibilities

Fall about

(show amusement - especially laughing - colloquial) Everyone fell about when Jane told her joke

Fall back on

(use as a last resort) If the worst comes to the worst, weve got our savings to fall back on

Fall for

(be deceived by - colloquial) It was an unlikely story but he fell for it

fall for (2)

(fall in love with - colloquial) / fell for you the moment I saw you

Fall out with

(quarrel with) Peter has fallen out with his boss

Fall through

(fail to come to completion) The plan fell through at the last minute

Feel up to

(feel capable of doing) Old Mr Smith didnt feel up to walking all that way

Follow up

(act upon a suggestion) Thanks for the information about that book

Ill follow it up

(take more action) Well follow up this lesson next week

Get across

(be understood - especially get an idea across) I had the feeling I wasnt getting the meaning across

Get at

(imply - about personal matters - colloquial) What are you getting at exactly? Get down to x (begin to seriously deal with) Its time we got down to some real work

Get off with

(avoid punishment) They were lucky to get off with such light sentences

Get on for

(approach a certain age/time/number) He must be getting on for seventy

Get on

(make progress - especially in life) Sue is getting on very well in her new job

Get over

(be surprised) 7 couldnt get over how well she looked

Get over with

(come to the end of something, usually unpleasant) /// be glad to get this awful business over with

Get round to

(find time to do - also around) Sorry, but I havent got round to fixing the tap yet

Get up to

(do something - usually bad when about children - colloquial) The children are getting up to something in the garden, What have you been getting up to lately?

Add up

(make sense) His evidence just doesnt add up

Ask after

(inquire about) Jim was asking after you

Back down

(yield in an argument) Sheila was right, so Paul had to back down

Bargain for

(take into account) We hadnt bargained for there being so much traffic, and we missed the plane

Bear out

(confirm the truth) Helens alibi was borne out by her sister

Break down

(lose control of the emotions) David broke down and wept when he heard the news

Break off

(stop talking) He broke off to answer the phone

Break up

(come to an end) The party finally broke up at 3

Bring about

(cause to happen) The crisis was brought about by Brendas resignation

Bring off

(succeed in doing something) The team tried for years to win the competition and they finally brought it off

Bring on

(cause the onset of an illness) Sitting in the damp brought on his rheumatism

bring on 2

(cause trouble to happen to oneself) You have brought this on/upon yourself

Bring round

(influence someone to your point of view) After much discussion, I brought the committee round to my point of view

Bring up

(mention) / feel I ought to bring up another small matter

Call up

(mobilise for military service) Mark was called up when the war broke out

Carry off

(complete successfully - perhaps despite a problem) Jane had a difficult role to play, but she carried it off

Carry out

(complete a plan) The attack was successfully carried out