Unit 8 Phrasal verbs

drop off phrasal verb (see also drop)

1. to begin to sleep:
She kept dropping off at her desk.
I must have dropped off to sleep.
2. drop somebody/something off to take someone or something to a place by car and leave them there
on your way to another place:
Ill drop you off on my way home.
3. to fall to a lower level or amount:
The number of graduates going into teaching has dropped off sharply.

hand something in phrasal verb

to give something to someone in authority:
Tom has handed in his resignation.
Did you hand your homework in on time?

point something out phrasal verb

1. to tell someone something that they did not already know or had not thought about:
He was always very keen to point out my mistakes.
The murder was obviously well planned, as the inspector had pointed out.
point out that
Some economists have pointed out that low inflation is not necessarily a good thing.
point something out to somebody
Thank you for pointing this out to me.
2. to show something to someone by pointing at it:
Luke pointed out two large birds by the waters edge.
point somebody/something out to somebody
Ill point him out to you if we see him.

sum up phrasal verb (see also sum)

1. to give the main information in a report, speech etc in a short statement at the end SYN summarize:
Gerald will open the debate and I will sum up.
to sum up
To sum up, for a healthy heart you must take regular exercise and stop smoking.
sum something up
In your final paragraph, sum up your argument.
2. when a judge sums up or sums up the case at the end of a trial, he or she explains the main facts of the
case summing-up
3. sum something up to describe something using only a few words SYN summarize:
The citys problem can be summed up in three words: too many people.
4. sum something up to show the most typical qualities of someone or something:
That image sums up the whole film.
5. sum somebody/something up to form a judgment or opinion about someone or something SYN
assess:
Pat summed up the situation at a glance.
6. that (about) sums it up spoken used to say that a description of a situation is correct:
So you want us to help you change but you dont believe change is possible? That about sums it up.
find out phrasal verb (see also find)
1. to get information, after trying to discover it or by chance
find out who/what/how etc
Has anyone bothered to find out how much all this is going to cost?
find out if/whether
Did you find out whether there are any seats left?
find out (that)
I found out that my parents had never been married.
find something out
To find out more, visit our website.
find out (something) about something
I need to find out more about these night courses.
find out from
We could find out from the local council.
I thought it best to let you find out for yourself.
REGISTER
In written English, people usually say that someone discovers something rather than finds out something:
Scientists soon discovered that this was false.
2. find somebody out [usually passive] if you are found out, someone discovers that you have been doing
something dishonest or illegal catch:
What happens if we get found out?

look up phrasal verb (see also look)

1. if a situation is looking up, it is improving SYN improve, get better:
Now the summers here things are looking up!
2. look something up if you look up information in a book, on a computer etc, you try to find it there:
Look the word up in your dictionary.
Ill just look up the train times.
3. look somebody up to visit someone you know, especially when you are in the place where they live
for a different reason:
Dont forget to look me up when you come to Atlanta.

put somebody/something away phrasal verb

1. put something away to put something in the place where it is usually kept:
He put his toys away every night.
2. put something away to save money:
Were putting some money away for expenses.
3. put somebody away informal to put someone in a prison or in a mental hospital:
If you are found guilty, the judge is going to put you away for life.
4. put something away informal to eat or drink a lot:
Its amazing the amount that child can put away.
5. put something away informal to score a goal, especially after other failed attempts:
He seized the opportunity to put the ball away.
6. put something away American English informal to defeat your opponent in a sports competition:
Two plays later, Smith scored to put the game away.

talk something over phrasal verb

to discuss a problem with someone before deciding what to do
talk something over with
Talk over any worries with your GP.
call for somebody/something phrasal verb
1. if a group of people call for something, they ask publicly for something to be done:
Human Rights groups are calling for the release of political prisoners.
2. to need or deserve a particular type of behaviour or treatment:
Dealing with children who are so damaged calls for immense tact and sensitivity.
That kind of abuse is really not called for (=it is unnecessary and unwelcome). uncalled for
3. British English to meet someone at their home in order to take them somewhere:
Ill call for you at eight o'clock.
4. American English to say that a particular kind of weather is likely to happen SYN predict:
The forecast calls for more rain.

call on/upon somebody/something phrasal verb

1. to formally ask someone to do something
call on somebody to do something
The UN has called on both sides to observe the ceasefire.
2. to visit someone for a short time:
Why dont you call on my sister when youre in Brighton?

deal with somebody/something phrasal verb

1. to take the necessary action, especially in order to solve a problem SYN handle:
a strategy for dealing with disruptive pupils
Dont worry, Ill deal with this.
deal with a problem/issue/matter etc
The council has failed to deal with the problem of homelessness in the city.
deal effectively/adequately etc with something
They should deal properly and fairly with any complaint.
2. if a book, speech etc deals with a particular subject, it is about that subject:
These ideas are dealt with more fully in Chapter Four.
3. to do business with someone or have a business connection with someone:
Most travel agents do not deal directly with these companies.
4. to succeed in controlling your feelings about an emotional problem so that it does not affect your life
SYN cope with:
Hows he dealing with the whole thing?

get over
1. ILLNESS get over something to become well again after an illness:
Its taken me ages to get over the flu.
2. UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE get over something to begin to feel better after a very upsetting
experience:
She never got over the death of her son.
3. IDEAS/INFORMATION get something over to succeed in communicating ideas or information to
other people
get something over to
Its important that we get this message over to young people.
4. FINISH SOMETHING get something over (also get something over with) to do and finish something
difficult that you have to do:
Ill be in touch once Ive got my exams over.
I cant wait to get the interview over with.
5. PROBLEM/DIFFICULTY get over something to successfully deal with a problem or difficulty:
I dont know how were going to get over this problem.
Once weve got over the first few months, we should be making a reasonable profit.
6. cant/couldnt get over something spoken used to say that you are very surprised, shocked, or amused
by something:
I cant get over how well you look.
go over phrasal verb (see also go)
1. THINK ABOUT go over something to think very carefully about something:
I had gone over and over what happened in my mind.
2. EXAMINE go over something to search or examine something very carefully:
In the competition, the judge goes over each dog and assesses it.
3. REPEAT go over something to repeat something in order to explain it or make sure it is correct:
Once again I went over exactly what I needed to say.
4. CLEAN go over something to clean something
5. go over well (also go over big American English) if something goes over well, people like it:
That kind of salesman talk doesnt go over very well with the scientists.

look after somebody/something phrasal verb especially British English

1. to take care of someone by helping them, giving them what they need, or keeping them safe SYN take
care of:
Dont worry, Ill look after the kids tomorrow.
Susan looked after us very well. Shes an excellent cook.
You could tell that the horse had been well looked after.
2. to be responsible for dealing with something SYN take care of:
Im leaving you here to look after the business until I get back.
3. look after yourself especially British English spoken used when you are saying goodbye to someone in a
friendly way
4. can look after yourself to not need anyone else to take care of you:
Dont worry about Maisie she can look after herself.

look into something phrasal verb

to try to find out the truth about a problem, crime etc in order to solve it SYN investigate:
Police are looking into the disappearance of two children.

run into somebody/something phrasal verb

1. to start to experience a difficult or unpleasant situation:
He ran into criticism after remarks he made in a television interview.
run into trouble/problems/difficulties
The business ran into financial difficulties almost immediately.
2. run into hundreds/thousands etc to reach an amount of several hundred, several thousand etc:
The cost of repairing the damage could run into millions.
The list ran into hundreds of pages.
3. to hit someone or something with a vehicle SYN crash into:
He ran into the back of another car.
4. informal to meet someone by chance:
Guess who I ran into in town today! run yourself into the ground at ground1(13)