Lexique de ‘Phrasal Verbs’ de A au G
Les verbes qui se servent de plusieurs mots
'A' Phrasal Verbs
To add up: to calculate a sum; to make sense
Ex1: I added up all the money our clients owe us and it’s more than 20,000 €!
Ex2: He said he had to go to Paris urgently but I saw him an hour ago in the car park; it doesn’t add up
To ask out : to invite somebody on a date
Ex: He asked her out but she said no because they work in the same department.
'B' Phrasal Verbs
A-D | E-H |
To back down: to withdraw a claim, demand or commitment made everywhere
Ex: The government announced increased taxation for next year but they backed down when people protested in the streets
To back up: to support (1)
Ex: When John asked the finance department for a bigger budget, his team backed him up by confirming more money was needed to complete the project on time.
To back up: to make a copy of a computer file (2)
Ex2: His computer crashed and as he hadn’t backed up any of his files, he lost everything!
To back out of : to withdraw from an enterprise or business deal
Ex: We were ready to sign but we backed out of the merger following a news report on bribery in their company.
To break down: to stop working properly
Ex: His car broke down on the way to the airport so he missed his flight.
To break into: to enter by force
Ex: Somebody broke into the company and stole four laptops
To break up: to end a relationship (1)
Ex: Andy and Betty broke up when she accepted a job in New York and left London
To break up: to disperse a crowd (2)
Ex: The police broke up the protesters after they received complaints about the noise
To bring up : to raise
Ex: Many people prefer to bring their children up in the countryside instead of in a big city.
To bring off: to do something difficult successfully
Ex: ‘If you bring off this deal, you’ll get a huge bonus at the end of the year!’
To bring about: to cause something to happen
Ex: His recent health scare brought about a huge change in his attitude – he’s much nicer than he used to be
To bring back: to re-introduce
Ex: People are worried that the government will bring back higher taxes
To bring down: to lower; to destroy / remove from power
Ex1: Following months of protests, the government promised to bring down the taxes next year.
Ex2: The economic crisis brought down the government and elections will take place next month
To bring out: to produce and place on the market
Ex1: ‘Don’t change your car yet – Peugeot are bringing out a new model in six months’
To bring around: to persuade
Ex1: ‘Although my manager didn’t like my proposal at first, I managed to bring her round and now she loves it!’
To buy out: to purchase the ownership or controlling shares of a company
Ex: Multinational companies can buy out the shareholders of smaller companies
To buy up: to purchase all that is available of something (FR: acheter en bloc ⧫ rafler)
Ex: After the farmers announced a month – long strike, people started buying up as many vegetables as they could find
To buy into: to believe that an idea is valid because other people believe it
Ex: Everybody bought into the idea of trying to a make a huge profit quickly and easily
'C' Phrasal Verbs
To call for: require
Ex: The current crisis calls for strong leadership (1)
To call for: to demand that something happen (2)
Ex: Following reports of financial scandals, the newspapers called for the Minister’s resignation
To call off: to cancel
Ex: The meeting was called off as most people were unable to attend due to the bad weather
To call up: to telephone
Ex: I called him up and invited him to dinner
To carry out: to do a particular piece of work or research
Ex: The building work was carried out by a very good construction company
To carry over: to take something from one period of time into the next one
Ex: Any holiday allowance not used this year can be carried over into the next year
To catch on: to become popular or fashionable
Ex: The company launched a range of organic meals which quickly caught on as more and more people are trying to eat healthily
To catch up with: to move faster in order to reach the person / vehicle in front of you
Ex: He stopped to buy a bottle of water and caught up with them later
To catch up on: to do something that should have been before
Ex: I’ve been on holiday for three weeks so I have to catch up on a lot of work
To check in: to arrive at a hotel or hospital and give your details to the receptionist (1)
Ex: The hotel reception is open 24 hours so we can check in late at night
To check in: to arrive at an airport and show your ticket to the person at the airline counter (2)
Ex: You must check in at least 50 minutes before your flight
To check off: to put a ✓ next to something on a list to show that you have done it
Ex: I always check off every task I complete so that I don’t forget anything
To check on somebody: to make sure somebody is safe or okay
Ex: The team leader checked on the new employee to see if he needed any help
To check out: to return the key of your hotel room to reception at the end of your stay (1)
Ex: We have to check out before 11 am or we will be charged for an extra day
To check out: to investigate something or somebody (2)
Ex2: There have been complaints regarding late deliveries so we need to check out the delivery system to find the problem
To check with somebody: to ask for confirmation
Ex: I think we can postpone the meeting for tomorrow but I need to check with my manager first
To come out: to be published
Ex1: The audit company said that the result of this years’ audit will come out next week
To come up: to happen unexpectedly (usually a problem)
Ex: His business trip was cancelled because something came up in the factory and he had to stay to fix it
To come between: to separate, to act as a barrier
Ex: He watches all the PSG matches – nothing can come between him and football
To come off: to succeed
Ex: Jane’s plans to open a Bed & Breakfast came off and she’s now making a lot of money!
To cut down on something: to reduce the quantity
Ex: If you want to lose weight you should cut down on fried food
To cut in: to interrupt somebody while they are talking
Ex: ‘If I can I just cut in here, there is something important you should know’
To cut up: to cut something like fabric or paper into pieces
Ex: You should cut up your credit card when it expires
'D' Phrasal Verbs
To do away with: to stop something completely – to abolish
Ex: Most schools did away with uniforms years ago
To do up: to renovate or completely change (1)
Ex: the offices need doing up because they are very old-fashioned
To do up: to fasten (2)
Ex: I always do up my jacket before leaving the house in winter
To do without: to manage without something
Ex: We had no coffee and as the shops were closed we just had to do without for the evening
To drive at: to mean
Ex: It was obvious that he was driving at getting a bonus
To drive away: to make someone leave
Ex: Despite the good food, the rude and inefficient staff drove customers away from the restaurant
To drive up: to cause to increase
Ex: rumours of a merger drove up the price of the company’s shares
To drop in: to visit someone unannounced
Ex: Jim was in Toulouse for business and he dropped in to see his cousin which was a lovely surprise
To drop out: to quit school or university before graduating
Ex: He dropped out of university to get a job and make money and now he owns three restaurants
To drop off: to take someone to a place by car and leave them there (1)
Ex: I dropped him off at the airport on my way home
To drop off: to become fewer / less (2)
Ex: Air-conditioning sales dropped off in the winter months
'F' Phrasal Verbs
To fall back on: to do or use something after other things have failed
Ex:‘When the shop started doing badly and the banks refused to give them a loan, the owners fell back on their savings
To fall behind: to not make as much progress as other people
Ex: Construction work fell behind because of the builders’ strike
To fall off: to separate from something and fall to the ground; to decrease in size or number
Ex1: He was laughing so hard, he fell off his chair
Ex2: The economic crisis caused sales to fall off
To fall through: to fail to happen
Ex: The deal fell through because the two client didn’t accept the new, higher prices the supplier charged
To fall out with to: have an argument with someone
Ex: The two business partners fell out with each other and spoke to each other only when absolutely necessary
To fill in: to complete a form
Ex: You need to fill in this form to apply for a passport
To fill in for: to replace someone (at work)
Ex: A temporary employee fills in for the receptionist when she goes on holiday
To fill in on: to update someone
Ex: I filled him in on what was decided at the meeting yesterday as he was absent
To fill up: to make something full
Ex: I filled up my water bottle this morning
'G' Phrasal Verbs
To get away with: to do something wrong without being caught
Ex: He gave our competitors inside information for years and he almost got away with it!
To get by: to manage financially
Ex: I wonder how Jim is getting by now that he has lost his job
To get down to: to give serious attention to something
Ex: My holiday in Australia was fantastic but it’s hard to get down to work after a month away from the office
To get on: to manage
Ex: The new guy in the accounting department is getting on very well despite his lack of experience
To get out of: to avoid a responsibility
Ex: I need to cancel lunch with my friend because I have a meeting I can’t get out of
To get over: to recover
A: Tom is still absent as he needs time to get over the flu
To get through: to successfully complete something
Ex: Jane got through her final exams last week so she’s feeling relieved!
To give in: to agree to so something you do not want to do; to be defeated
Ex: Following a lot of pressure by the trade unions, the CEO gave in and gave the employees a bonus
To give away: to offer something for free
Ex: She decided to give away the clothes she didn’t need any longer
To give away: to reveal secrets
Ex: ‘Be careful you don’t give away any company secrets when talking to our competitors!’
To give back: to return something to its owner
Ex: ‘You can borrow my book but make sure you give it back when you finish reading it’.
To go on: to happen; to continue; to pass (for time); to go in advance; to complain
Ex1: I wonder what’s going on outside…it’s very noisy!
Ex2: We had to go on working despite the noise from the building next door
Ex3: As time went on, we all started feeling bored listening to him talk
Ex4: I need to finish this email so you go on and I’ll meet you at the canteen
Ex5: Our manager is always going on at us about using too much paper
To go through: to experience; to check; to spend / use; to not be completed / approved
Ex1: The company went through a massive restructuring last year which was very stressful for all the employees
Ex2: External auditors went through all the accounts to check the company’s finances
Ex3: We go through a packet of coffee every week as we all drink a lot of coffee
Ex4: A few projects were late and as a result a big business deal didn’t go through.
To go for: to attack; to choose
Ex1: They fired Tim after he went for his manager when she told him she wasn’t happy with his work
Ex2: ‘I hear they interviewed two people for Tim’s position. Which candidate did they go for in the end?’
To go back on: to break a promise
Ex: Despite promising to help me, my manager went back on his word and didn’t support my idea in the meeting so it was rejected