New Definitions (LOL)

--Atom Bomb: ...... An invention to end all inventions.
--Boss:............... Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early.
--Cigarette: .............. A pinch of tobacco rolled in paper with fire at one end and a fool on the other.
--Classic: ............... A book which people praise, but do not read.
--Committee:............. Individuals who can do nothing individually and sit to decide that nothing can be done together.
--Compromise: .......... The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece.
--Conference Room: .. A place where everybody talks, nobody listens and everybody disagrees later on.
--Criminal: ............ A guy no different from the rest except that he got caught.
--Dictionary: ............ A place where success comes before work.
--Diplomat: ............ A person who tells you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.
--Doctor: ............. A person who kills your ills by pills, and kills you with his bills.
--Etc.: .............. A sign to make others believe that you know more than you actually do.
--Experience: ............ The name men give to their mistakes.
--Father: ............. A banker provided by nature.
--Lecture: ............. An art of transferring information from the notes of the lecturer to the notes of the students without passing through the minds of either.
--Miser: .............. A person who lives poor so that he can die rich.
--Office: .............. A place where you can relax after your strenuous home life.
--Philosopher: ......... A fool who torments himself during life, to be spoken of when dead.
--Smile: .............. A curve that can set a lot of things straight.
--Tears: .............. The hydraulic force by which masculine will-power is defeated by feminine water power.
--Yawn: .............. The only time some married men ever get to open their mouth.

Source/Fonte: Received by email

Translation/Tradução: Heinz Claudius (when applicable)

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V - Z

*wake up and get up*
Definition: wake up: to stop sleeping
get up : to leave your bed after waking up
E.g.1: Jean always gets up as soon as she wakes up.
E.g.2: On Sundays, I often wake up at 9 o’clock. I have breakfast in bed and read a book. Then I get up at about 12 o’clock.
E.g.3: Alice woke the baby up first to feed her. Then she got the other children up.
These phrasal verbs can be separated.

*wind (someone) up*
Definition: (informal) to deliberately tell someone something which is not true in order to make a joke or in order to annoy the person.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: Fred: Bill told me that he learned English in 5 days!
Sue: He was winding you up!
E.g.2: They sometimes wound their teacher up by pretending they didn’t know the answers.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2)

*wash (something) down*
Definition: to drink something after eating, or while eating.(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)E.g.1: My favourite meal is grilled kidneys and beans, washed down with a nice glass of Chianti.
E.g.2: If you’re going to the shops, could you buy me a sandwich and a can of lemonade to wash it down?
This phrasal verb can be separated.

*wrap (something) up*
Definition: to completely cover something in paper or cloth.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He wrapped her birthday present up using pretty pink paper.
E.g.2: The parcel was wrapped up in brown paper.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*write (a debt / money) off*
Definition: to accept that you are not going to receive the money someone owes you.
E.g.1: That company has serious financial problems. I don’t think they will pay us the money they owe us, so we should write it off.
E.g.2: Many people think that the World Bank should write off the debts of developing countries.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 1)

*write (something) up*
Definition: to write a complete and final version of a document, using notes that you have made.
E.g.1: After the lecture, she went home and wrote up the notes she had made.
E.g.2: The journalist interviewed her, wrote his notes up and gave the finished article to his editor before the end of the day.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)


*zip (something) up *
Definition: to fasten something using a zip. (N.B. the opposite is ‘unzip’, not ‘zip down’)
E.g.1: The teacher wondered why the class was laughing until he noticed that he had forgotten to zip his trousers up.
E.g.2: Her suitcase was so full that she couldn’t zip it up without sitting on it.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2)

S - U

*scan in*
Definition: to use a scanner to enter pictures into a computer.
E.g.1:Could you show me how to scan this photo in, please?
E.g.2: I scanned in the photos of the party because I wanted to e-mail them to my friends.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*screw (something) up*
Definition: to tighten and twist the muscles around your eyes, nose, or face.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: She screwed up her nose because there was a terrible smell in the room.
E.g.2: He screwed his face up and grunted as he tried to lift the heavy box.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*see off*
Definition: to go to the airport, station or car with someone who is leaving and say good bye to them
E.g.1: When Kim’s friend left, she took her to the airport to see her off safely.
E.g.2: The car was packed, the visit was over. With sadness we all went outside to see off our cousins. We waved until the car had disappeared round the corner.
This phrasal verb can be separated (e.g.1)

*see out*
Definition: to stay until the end of an event, project or task even though you may not want to
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: This is the worst match I’ve ever seen. Let’s see the first half out and then go home.
E.g.2: I have to see the fun fair day out – after all I organised it.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 + 2)

*see to (someone)*
Definition: to deal with someone that needs your help or attention.
E.g.1: If you’d like to take a seat in the waiting room, the doctor will see to you soon.
E.g.2: That’s a nasty cut – I think you should go to the hospital and have it seen to by a doctor.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*see round*
Definition: to visit a building, town or exhibition etc and see its different parts.
(‘look round’ can have the same meaning)
E.g.1: I saw round a flat this morning, but I didn’t like it.
E.g.2: We put our bags in the room at the hotel before seeing round the facilities on offer.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*see through*
Definition: to realise what someone’s intentions are, even though they are trying to hide them.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: Most people can see through the commercialisation of Easter and appreciate its real meaning.
E.g.2: He was being unusually nice to her, but she could see through him and realised it was because he wanted her to help him.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*send off for (something)*
Definition: to write to someone and ask them to send you something by post.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: I sent off for a brochure.
E.g.2: I like buying things by mail-order. It’s so easy; you just look in the catalogue, choose something and then send off for it.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*send (something) on*
Definition: to send a letter or parcel to another person after you have received it.
E.g.1: When I moved house I asked the new occupants to send my mail on to my new address.
E.g.2: When she sends me the photographs I’ll send them on to you.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 1 and 2).

*send (something) off*
Definition: to post something somewhere.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: They sent the artefact off to a university for further tests.
E.g.2: I sent it off last week – it should have arrived by now!
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2)

*set (something) up
Definition: to start a business.
E.g.1: They thought about setting up a business together.
E.g.2: He set the company up in 1972
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*sell out (of something)*
Definition: If a shop sells out of something, it is no longer available because the shop has sold them all.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: I went to the computer shop to buy PlayStation 2, but they had sold out. They said that they would get some more in January.
E.g.2: They were so cheap that the shop quickly sold out of them.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*settle down*
Definition: to start living a quiet life in one place, often demonstrated by buying a house and / or getting married.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: At the age of 32, he decided to stop travelling and settle down in a quiet town in England.
E.g.2: You shouldn’t still be going to discos and nightclubs at your age! Don’t you think it’s time to settle down?
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*settle in*
Definition: to become used to living in a new house / flat / place, to begin to feel comfortable in a new home
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g. 1) Sue moved to her new flat last week and is beginning to settle in.
E.g. 2) My sister never really settled into her flat, so she started looking for a new one.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*shoot off*
Definition: to leave very quickly
This phrasal verb has more than one meaning
E.g.1: “Oh, my goodness! Is that the time? I have to shoot off.”
E.g.2: When they released the animal back into the wild, it shot off to the safety of the high grass.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated

*shop around*
Definition: to visit a number of shops in order to find the cheapest price.
E.g.1: You can save a lot of money if you shop around.
E.g.2: I didn’t have time to shop around, but I managed to do all my Christmas shopping in one afternoon.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*shrug (something) off*
Definition: to ignore something or show that it is not important to you. The verb ’shrug’ means to raise and lower your shoulders. It is used to indicate that you are not concerned about or interested in something, or that you don’t know about it.
E.g.1: I told him that it was impolite, but he just shrugged it off.
E.g.2: The company spokesperson shrugged off criticism about the environmental damage they had caused and talked about the amount of profit they had made.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*sift through (something)*
Definition: to examine a large collection of things because you want to organise them or find something.
E.g.1: She sifted through the rubbish bin looking for the letter from the bank that she’d lost.
E.g.2: He went to the British Library so that he could sift though their large collection of historical records.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*sign for (something)*
Definition: to sign your name on a form to show that you have received a letter or parcel.
E.g.1: It was sent by recorded delivery, so the postman asked me to sign for the parcel.
E.g.2: When you buy something by mail order, you usually have to sign for it when it arrives.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*sign (someone) off*
Definition: (only done by doctors) to write a note to your employer, saying that you are unable to work for a particular period of time because you are sick.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: The doctor signed me off for two weeks.
E.g.2: I’m afraid I can’t sign you off work Mr. Smith. A hangover is not a recognised illness.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2).

*sit back*
Definition: to do nothing when something is happening or someone is doing something.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: You can’t just sit back and let him take advantage of you.
E.g.2: It’s your birthday – sit back and let me do the housework today.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*size (someone/something) up*
Definition: to look at a person or situation in order to judge him/ her/ it in some way.
E.g.1: Before the fight he sized up his opponent and decided that he would probably win.
E.g.2: She sized the situation up and decided it would be better if she asked for help.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g.2)

*skive off*
Definition: to avoid work or study by not going to the place where you should do it. (informal)
E.g.1: I don’t feel like working today. I’m going to skive off and spend the day at the beach.
E.g.2: I skived off college yesterday, but my tutor saw me drinking in the bar!
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*sleep (something) off*
Definition: to recover from the effects of eating or drinking too much by sleeping.E.g.1: Oh! I really shouldn’t drink at lunch time – I’ll have to sleep it off before I can do any work.
E.g.2: After sleeping off the effects of the meal, he made a strong cup of coffee.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*sleep over*
Definition: to sleep at another person’s house for the night.
E.g.1: Don’t drive home – you’ve drunk too much beer. We have a spare bed so you can sleep over.
E.g.2: Where were you last night? The party ended very late so I slept over at John’s house.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*snap (something) up*
Definition: to buy something quickly before other people buy it, because it is cheap.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: These new toys are very popular, so I snapped one up before the shop sold them all.
E.g.2: My friend is very mean; he goes on holiday at Christmas then snaps up all the cheap gifts in the January sales and gives them to his friends as late Christmas presents.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*snow under (usually passive)*
Definition: to have too much work to do.
E.g.1: I’m sorry but I can’t help you today. I’m snowed under with paperwork.
E.g.2: We were snowed under with e-mails and couldn’t answer them all.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*snowed in (passive)*
Definition: to be prevented from leaving your house because there is too much snow.
E.g.1: During the winter we have a lot of snow. In fact, last winter we were snowed in for a week!
E.g.2: There’s too much snow to get the car out of the garage – I’ll have to phone work and tell them I’m snowed in.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*sort (something) out*
Definition: to arrange things so that they are ready or organised.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He didn’t know what to do because his secretary usually sorted out his travel arrangements for him.
E.g.2: Could you sort these documents out alphabetically?
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g.2)

*speed up / speed (something) up*
Definition: to do something more quickly than before / to make something go more quickly than before.
E.g.1: If you don’t speed up, you’ll be late.
E.g.2: If you turn this dial, you can speed the machine up.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 2)

*spit (words) out*
Definition: to say something in an angry way.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He spat his words out while shaking his fist at the other man.
E.g.2: She spat out “I hate you!” and picked up a knife.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*stay up*
Definition: to go to bed later than usual
E.g.1: Many children stay up to see the New Year in.
E.g.2: I am really tired. I stayed up until 2 o’clock in the morning.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated

*stick (something) out*
Definition: to continue with a difficult or unpleasant activity or situation.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: I’m not sure I can stick this job out much longer.
E.g.2: I was exhausted but I stuck it out and eventually won the race.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2

*stir in*
Definition: to add an ingredient to a liquid while stirring it.
E.g.1: Gently heat the sauce and stir in the cream.
E.g.2: Sir in the cooked vegetables then leave the mixture to cool.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*storm out (of somewhere)*
Definition: to leave a place suddenly, because you are very angry.
E.g.1: He was so angry he stormed out of the room, shouting that they were all idiots.
E.g.2: Where’s Bill? I don’t know – we had a row and he stormed out.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*sweep up*
Definition: to clean the floor or ground using a broom.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: She swept the leaves up and put them in the compost heap.
E.g.2: The garden path is covered in dirt – I’ll sweep it up.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2)

*take (somebody) in*
Definition: to deceive or trick someone.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning.)
E.g.1: Why do leaders believe that people will be taken in by their lies and misinformation?
E.g.2: I didn’t realise he had taken me in until after I had given him the money.
This phrasal verb can be separated, but is usually passive.

*take (yourself) off*
Definition: to go away, usually suddenly and unexpectedly, informal
This phrasal verb has more than one meaning
E.g.1: David wanted to stop travelling, marry Bianca and buy a house, but after 6 months he took off again to travel round South America.
E.g.2: I was fed up with everything, so I thought I’d take myself off to Spain for a week.
This phrasal verb can be separated, but only by a reflexive pronoun.

*take (some time) off*
Definition: not go to work for a period of time.
(this phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He has taken the day off because he has to go to the hospital
E.g.2: He took 2 weeks off and flew to Spain for a relaxing holiday on the beach.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2)

*take (someone) on*
Definition: to employ someone.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: The company is doing so well that we’ll have to take on more staff.
E.g.2: They took me on as a part-time worker, but now I’ve been given a full-time contract.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 2).

*take (money) out*
Definition: to withdraw money from a bank account.
E.g.1: I took £20 out of my current account because I needed to pay cash for something.
E.g.2: I have to go to the bank to take some money out.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 1 and 2

*take (something) over*
Definition: to gain control of a company by buying it or buying a majority of its shares.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: There’s a rumour that CRT Ltd. is about to be taken over by their rival RTC Ltd.
E.g.2: A multinational company wanted to take my father’s business over, but he rejected their offer.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g.2)

*take to (someone)*
Definition: to begin to like someone.
E.g.1: I didn’t think I’d take to him, but now I’ve spent some time with him I think he’s very nice.
E.g.2: She took to her new class mates immediately – they were all so friendly and helpful.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*take (something) up*
Definition: to start doing a new sport or hobby.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: Often, taking up a sport is a better way to lose weight than just eating less.
E.g.2: The Olympic gold medalist only took cycling up 4 years ago.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 2).
*take up*
Definition: to use a particular amount of time, space or effort.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: You can’t put those boots it your suitcase; they take up too much space.
E.g.2: Her 3 small children took all her time and energy up.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*talk down to (someone)*
Definition: to talk to someone in a way that shows that the speaker thinks he or she is superior to the person he or she is talking to.
E.g.1: Parents who talk down to their teenage children rarely have a peaceful life.
E.g.2: I hate the way he talks down to me – I know at least as much as he knows about it, probably more!
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*talk (something) over*
Definition: to discuss something in an informal way.
E.g.1: I talked the problem over with my best friend.
E.g.2: I’ll talk it over with Marcia tonight and let you know the answer tomorrow.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2)

*tell (someone) off*
Definition: to speak to someone in an angry way because they have done something wrong.
E.g.1: I came home late and my mother told me off.
E.g.2: When I was a school boy my teachers often told me off because I preferred talking to my friends to studying.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g.1 and 2)

*tie (something) up*
Definition: to secure something using string or rope.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He tied the box up so that nothing would fall out.
E.g.2: She had to carry some books but she didn’t have a bag so she tied them up with some string.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*think (something) over*
Definition: to consider something carefully before making a decision.
E.g.1: It’s an interesting offer, but I’ll have to think it over.
E.g.2: I’ve thought over what you said, and I’ve decided not to do it.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*top (something) up*
Definition: to re-fill a glass or cup when it still contains some liquid.E.g.1: I didn’t like the wine so I only drank half of it. Unfortunately, the host topped the glass up so I had to drink some more.
E.g.2: In some cafes the waitress will keep topping your coffee cup up until you don’t want any more, but you only pay for one cup.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2)

*throw up*
Definition: to vomit (informal).
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He threw up after eating 6 chocolate eggs in 10 minutes.
E.g.2: The smell was so disgusting that I nearly threw up.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*turn in*
Definition: (informal) to go to bed.(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)E.g.1: I think I’ll turn in for the night. Goodnight!
E.g.2: I like to turn in at about 10 o’clock and read for a while.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*turn (something) up*
Definition: to increase the volume or power produced by a machine. (Opposite: turn (something) down)
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: Could you turn the TV up? I can’t hear it.
E.g.2: I’ve turned up the heating because it’s a little cold in here.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*urge on*
Definition: to encourage someone to do something.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: The crowd urged the athletes on.
E.g.2: I though about stopping the course, but my teacher urged me on and I passed the exam.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 1 and 2).

P - R

*pass out*
Definition: to become unconscious.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: She felt dizzy and then passed out but luckily someone caught her before she hit the ground.
E.g.2: I remember climbing the ladder, but I can’t remember the accident. I guess I must have passed out, because the next thing I remember was the paramedic looking down at me.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated by a pronoun

*pay (money) in*
Definition: to put money into a bank account.
E.g.1: The company pays my wages directly into my bank account.
E.g.2: I have to pay some money into my account before I can write any more cheques.
This phrasal verb is separated (E.g. 1 and 2)

*pay up*
Definition: to give someone the money that you owe them, even if you don’t want to.
E.g.1: He told me that if I didn’t pay up soon I would be in serious trouble.
E.g.2: They didn’t pay up until they got a letter from the company lawyers.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*pick on (someone)*
Definition: to treat someone who is less powerful than you badly and unfairly, often repeatedly.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: I hate that teacher. He’s always picking on me but I’m not the naughtiest student in the class.
E.g.2: His classmates picked on him because he was a little overweight.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*pay (a debt) off*
Definition: to give someone all the money you owe them so that you are not in debt.
E.g.1: I owe the bank a lot of money, so I’m paying the debt off a little every week.
E.g.2: He won so much money in the card game that he was able to pay off his debts.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 1)

*pick (something) out*
Definition: to select the thing or things that you want from a group.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He looked at the oranges and picked out 2 of the biggest and juiciest ones.
E.g.2: The police showed her some photographs of suspects and asked her if she could pick her attacker out.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g.2)

*pick up*
Definition: (Concerning business, trade or the economy of a country) to increase or improve after a period of inactivity or decline.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: Profits were down last year, but in the first quarter of this year it seems that business has picked up.
E.g.2: Sales of the product have picked up in recent weeks.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*play up*
Definition: (informal) If part of your body is playing up, or plays you up, it is painful. This is used with chronic or long-term illnesses or injuries.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: I can’t come to work today – my back is playing me up again.
E.g.2: When he was younger he injured his knee playing football. Now, during cold weather, it sometimes plays up and then he can’t walk.
This phrasal verb can be separated by a pronoun (E.g. 1)

*play (something) down*
Definition: to try to persuade people that something is less important or significant than it really is.
E.g.1: Politicians always play down the negative consequences of their decisions.
E.g.2: Everyone agreed that he had helped a lot, but he was modest and played it down.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*plug (something) in*
Definition: to connect a machine to an electricity supply by pushing its plug into an electric socket. (Opposite: unplug something)
E.g.1: If you switch a computer on and nothing happens, check that you have plugged it in.
E.g.2: Do you have an adapter? I can’t plug my hairdryer in because it has a British 3 pin plug.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 & 2)

*pour (something) out*
Definition: to fill a glass or cup with a liquid.(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)E.g.1: He poured out 6 glasses of wine and gave one to each of his guests.
E.g.2: She poured a fresh cup of coffee out and sat down to read her book.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*pull over*
Definition: to stop a vehicle temporarily at the side of the road.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: The police car signalled that I should pull over. When we had stopped the policeman asked me why I had been driving so fast.
E.g.2: Could you pull over? – I feel sick.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*push (someone) around*
Definition: to tell someone what to do in a rude and insulting way because you are more powerful.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: Just because he’s big he thinks that he can push people around.
E.g.2: I’m sick of being pushed around – the next time she tells me to do something like that I’m going to say no.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g.1)

*push into*
Definition: to use your influence to persuade or force someone to do something
E.g.1: The protesters are trying to push the government into reducing fuel tax.
E.g.2: Give me time to think. I don’t like being pushed into things.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 1).

*push on*
Definition: to continue doing something with a lot of energy, often because it is important or because there is not a lot of time to do it.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: The weather is getting bad – we should push on if we want to home before it gets dark.
E.g.2: I should push on with this work – the boss wants it by 3 p.m.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*put (someone) down*
Definition: to criticise someone and make them seem unimportant and foolish.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: I don’t think their marriage will last long – he’s always putting her down.
E.g.2: She’s not very nice; she finds it much easier to put people down than to praise them.
This phrasal verb can be separated.(E.g.1 and 2)

*put forward*
Definition: to give an opinion, idea or proposal so that others can consider and discuss it.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He put forward the idea that all employees should pay to park in the company car park, but the idea was rejected at the meeting.
E.g.2: He put his plan forward so the others could think about it.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 2).

*put (something) off*
Definition: to postpone or delay an event, appointment or decision. (This phrasal verb has more than one meaning) E.g.1: You can’t put the decision off much longer. They need to know your answer by the end of the week.
E.g.2: He put off doing the work until the night before it was due.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g.1)

*put (weight) on*
Definition: to gain weight; to become heavier.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: I must stop eating chocolate biscuits – I’ve put 5kg on since the beginning of the year.
E.g.2: Why is it that putting weight on is so easy, but losing weight is so difficult?
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 1 & 2).

*put (money) up*
Definition: to provide the money that is needed.
E.g.1: If you want to join in the game of poker, you’ll have to put up £100 stake money.
E.g.2: The government will not put all the money up to build the new road.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*roll (something) up*
roll (something) up (N.B. the opposite is ‘unroll’, not ‘roll down’)
Definition: to wrap something, such as paper or cloth, around itself several times so that it looks like a cylinder.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He rolled up his newspaper and used it to kill the spider which was crawling up the wall.
E.g.2: If you roll the carpet up it will be easier to carry.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*round (something) off

(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
Definition: to complete an activity or task in a satisfactory way.
E.g.1: If you make the conclusion more dramatic, it will round your story off better.
E.g.2: To round off the day, I suggest we go to the local pub and have a few beers.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*run out of*
Definition: to not have enough of something that you usually have.
E.g.1: Your computer crashed because it ran out of memory.
E.g.2: The printer has run out of paper.
E.g.3: I want to work on my computer all night, but I’ve run out of coffee and cigarettes.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated

M - O

*make (something) up*
Definition: to prepare something so that it is ready for someone to use it or have it.(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)E.g.1: You can’t go to bed yet – I haven’t made the bed up.
E.g.2: He made some beds up in the lounge so that his friends could spend the night in his house.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 & 2)

*move in*
Definition: to start living in a new house / flat / place
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g. 1) I’m really happy. Last week, I found a new flat and yesterday I moved in.
E.g. 2) When Peter lost his job and could not pay his rent, he moved in with his brother.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated

*move out (of)*
Definition: to stop living in a particular place and start living somewhere else.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He used to share a flat with Bill but they argued a lot so he moved out.
E.g.2: She lost contact with her childhood friends when she moved out of the area.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*nod off*
Definition: (informal) to go to sleep, usually unintentionally, while sitting down.E.g.1: After dinner he nodded off in the armchair.
E.g.2: The lesson was so boring that one of the students nodded off.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*note (something) down*
Definition: to write important information on paper so that you can remember it or refer to it later.
E.g.1: She noted the answers down so that she could try the exercise again later in the week.
E.g.2: The teacher noted down their mistakes to help him prepare for the next lesson.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*open up*
Definition: to begin to reveal what you really think or feel about something or someone.
(This phrasal Verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: I knew she was unhappy but she wouldn’t tell me about it. However, after we had drunk a few glasses of wine she opened up and told me why she was feeling depressed
E.g.2: Don’t be so defensive – if you can’t open up to your best friend, who can you open up to?
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*own up (something)
Definition: to admit that you have done something wrong.
E.g.1: What you did was wrong, but because you owned up to it I won’t punish you.
E.g.2: After 3 days in the police station he finally owned up and admitted that he had committed the crime.
This phrasal verb can’t be separated.

J - L

*keep (something) back*
Definition: to make sure that you do not use or give away all of something, in case you need it later.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: Because we have so many visitors over Easter, I always keep some eggs back in case someone arrives unexpectedly.
E.g.2: Don’t forget to keep some strawberries back so that you can decorate the cake when it is baked.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2)

*keep (something) down*
Definition: to not vomit after eating. This verb is usually used with “can’t” to express the idea that you are unwell and vomit after eating.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: Oh doctor, I’m not well. I can’t keep anything down.
E.g.2: I’m feeling a little better today. I had a little food earlier and I managed to keep it down.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 2)

*knock (something) back*
Definition: to drink an alcoholic drink very quickly.(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)E.g.1: He realised that he was late, so he knocked back his drink and left the pub.
E.g.2: She gave me a glass of Tequila and told me to take a bite of lemon before knocking the drink back in one go.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*laugh (something) off*
Definition: to pretend that a situation or comment is amusing and unimportant, when in reality it is serious or upsetting.
E.g.1: Bill laughed off the insult, but Jane knew that it had hurt him.
E.g.2: When he was accused of corruption, the politician tried to laugh the matter off by saying that he wasn’t important enough to be bribed.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*lay (someone) off*
Definition: to dismiss someone from their job, either temporarily or permanently.
E.g.1: The company is not doing well. We may have to lay some of our staff off.
E.g.2: Many workers in the manufacturing sector have been laid off because of the strong pound.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 1).

*lay (something) out*
Definition: to put one or more things in a place so that they are spread out and neatly arranged.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He laid out his photographs on the table so that everyone could see them.
E.g.2: When the customs officer laid the contents of her suitcase out in front of her, it was clear that she had a lot of explaining to do.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*let (someone) down*
Definition: to disappoint someone by not doing what they were relying on you to do.
E.g.1: Ted said he would drive me to the airport but he let me down at the last minute and I had to get a taxi.
E.g.2: We’re relying on you to do it. You won’t let us down, will you?
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 1 & 2).

*line (something) up*
Definition: to put things in a row.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: Could you line up according to your age? The oldest should stand at the front, and the youngest at the back.
E.g.2: He was bored so he spent the afternoon lining his books up on the shelf.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g.2)

*look down on (someone)*
Definition: to regard someone with contempt.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He’s so arrogant! He looks down on anyone who hasn’t been to university.
E.g.2: She looked down on her classmates because their parents were not as wealthy as hers were.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*look out for*
Definition: to pay attention to things around you so that you notice the thing or things you want to see.
E.g.1: It’s a rare flower, but if you look out for it when you’re walking in the forest you might see it.
E.g.2: When you’re reading English texts, look out for interesting or useful phrases that you can use later in your own writing.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*look (something) up*
Definition: to try to find information in a reference book, or on a timetable or map.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: If you look the word up in a good dictionary you’ll find its meaning, pronunciation and information on how to use it.
E.g.2: He looked up the phone number of a local plumber and rushed to the phone.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*look up to (someone)*
Definition: to admire and respect someone.
E.g.1: He has a great relationship with his father, he really looks up to him.
E.g.2: Will you talk to him? I’m sure he’ll listen to you because he’s looked up to you since he was a child.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

G - I

*get in*

Definition: to enter a car or lorry. [opposite: get out of]

E.g.1. She got in the car and started the engine.
E.g.2.  It’s pouring with rain! Get in or you’ll get soaked!

This phrasal verb can’t be separated.

*get into*
Definition: to become involved in a difficult situation, often without intending to.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: Don’t use your credit card too much or you’ll get into debt.
E.g.2: He got into trouble with the police because he forgot to pay for his shopping before he left the shop.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*get up and wake up*
Definition: wake up: to stop sleeping
get up : to leave your bed after waking up
E.g.1: Jean always gets up as soon as she wakes up.
E.g.2: On Sundays, I often wake up at 9 o’clock. I have breakfast in bed and read a book. Then I get up at about 12 o’clock.
E.g.3: Alice woke the baby up first to feed her. Then she got the other children up.
These phrasal verbs can be separated.

*give in*
Definition:
1) to admit that you are defeated or cannot do something.
2) to be persuaded to do something you don’t want to do.
3) to surrender, because you have been defeated or because the task is too difficult, tiring or frustrating.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: She wanted a new dress and asked her father to buy it for her. Every time she asked him he said no, but she continued to ask him every day. Eventually he gave in and bought her the dress.
E.g.2: The government refused to give in to the terrorists’ threats.
E.g.3:You can’t give in now – you’ve nearly finished!
E.g.4: He’s very stubborn. He won’t give in no matter how much you try to persuade him.

This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*give up*
Definition: to stop doing something or believing something.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: She wanted a new dress and asked her father to buy it for her. Every time she asked him he said no, but she continued to ask him every day. Eventually she gave up asking him and never got the dress.
E.g.2: My doctor tried to persuade me to give smoking up.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*give (something) up*
Definition: to stop doing something.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: If you want to lose weight you’ll have to give up eating sweets.
E.g.2: He put on a lot of weight when he gave tennis up.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 2).

*go in for*
Definition: to enter a competition.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: When I was at school I always went in for athletics events, but I never won.
E.g.2: There’s a poetry competition being advertised in the newspaper. Are you going to go in for it?
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*go on (at someone, about something)*
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
Definition: to continue talking to someone about the same thing, in an annoying or boring way.
E.g.1: She went on at her father until he agreed to buy her a new dress.
E.g.2: It was a very boring talk – he went on about his theories for over an hour!
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*go over (something)*
Definition: to look carefully at something while checking that you understand it, or that there are no mistakes in it.
E.g.1: When you’ve finished, you should go over your work before giving it to your teacher.
E.g.2: The teacher went over the main points of the lesson again, checking that all the students understood.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*go under*
Definition: (concerning a business) to become bankrupt.
E.g.1: That company doesn’t exist any more; they went under last year.
E.g.2: The company is in danger of going under. We must do something.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*gobble (something) up (also ‘gobble (something) down’)*
Definition: to eat all of something very quickly. (Informal)
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He felt sick because he had gobbled up all his chocolate Easter eggs before breakfast.
E.g.2: She gobbled all the sweets up before her brother got home.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*have (someone) on*
Definition: to make someone believe that something is true when it is not in order to amuse yourself or others.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: It can’t be true! Are you having me on?
E.g.2: He didn’t know whether she was having him on or not, so he just smiled and said nothing.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2)

*have (something) out (with someone)*
Definition: to talk to someone about something that has been causing disagreement or unhappiness between you for some time.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: She couldn’t stand it any longer – when her husband arrived home from work she would have it out with him.
E.g.2: He was so angry he wanted to go to her office and have the matter out with her, but he knew he would probably lose his job if he did.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2)

*hunt for*
Definition: to try to find something by searching very carefully and thoroughly
E.g.1: Our community always organises an Easter Egg Hunt. This year about 70 children will be hunting for Easter eggs in the park.
E.g.2: My Mummy always hides a lot of Easter eggs for us. My brother and sister and I have to hunt for them in the garden and in the house.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

D - F

*dig over*
Definition: to break the ground into smaller pieces with a spade or fork so that plants can grow.
E.g.1: He spent the morning digging over the vegetable patch.
E.g.2: We can’t grow anything here until we dig it over; the ground is too hard.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 2) and needs an object.

*dig up*
Definition: to remove something from the ground using a fork or spade.
E.g.1: I don’t like that plant – I think I’ll dig it up.
E.g.2: When she moved house she dug up some of her favourite plants from the garden and took them with her.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 1).

*do (something) up*
Definition: to fasten something.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: I think I need to go on a diet – I can’t do my trousers up.
E.g.2: When she tried to do up her skirt, the zip broke.
This phrasal verb can be separated (E.g. 1).

*doze off*
Definition: to fall into a light sleep
E.g.1: Judy dozed off while she was watching television.
E.g.2: “What’s the time? I must have dozed off. Sorry, I haven’t been sleeping well. I’ll be ready to go in a minute”
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*drag (something) out*
Definition: to make something last longer than is necessary.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: The class didn’t want to do the last exercise of the lesson, so
they tried to drag out the exercise they were doing.
E.g.2: They didn’t really want to reach an agreement, so they tried to
drag the meeting out in the hope that they would run out of time.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*drink (something) up*
Definition: to finish the drink that you currently have.E.g.1: Drink up! The bar is going to close in 10 minutes!
E.g.2: You can have some chocolate cake if you drink your milk up.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 2)

*dress up*
This phrasal verb has more than one meaning
Definition: to put on clothes you don’t normally wear as a disguise, or to look smarter than usual because you are going somewhere special
E.g.1: For Christmas dinner, everyone dressed up in their finest clothes.
E.g.2: Little Anna had a fancy dress party for her birthday and she dressed up as a princess.
This phrasal verb can be separated

*drop off*
Definition: to go to sleep
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He was so tired that he dropped off to sleep immediately.
E.g.2: Sarah couldn’t sleep and when she finally dropped off, she had bad nightmares
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*get round to* (something) (or ‘get around to’)
Definition: to do something after a long delay because you were too busy, reluctant or lazy to do it earlier. E.g.1: By the time she got round to applying for the job, it was too late – they had given it to someone else.
E.g.2: He had lived in the house for 15 years but had never got round to decorating it. This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*fall for (someone)*
Definition: to begin to love someone.
E.g.1: He fell for her the moment he first saw her, and they got married 6 months later.
E.g.2: Life can be difficult if you fall for someone who is not suitable.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*fall out (with someone)*
Definition: to have an argument with someone and stop being friends.
E.g.1: Sarah and Jane fell out when Jane started a relationship with Sarah’s ex-boyfriend. They haven’t spoken to each other since.
E.g.2: I don’t like Bill – I fell out with him when he sold me a car that didn’t work.
This phrasal verb cannot be separated.

*findo (someone) out
Definition: to discover that someone has been dishonest or done something wrong.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: He downloaded a virus onto the company’s computer network, but his boss found him out and he was fired.
E.g.2: I wouldn’t do that if I were you; you’ll be found out.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1)

*fold (something) up*
Definition: to make something smaller by bending or turning it so that one part of it lies on another part.
(This phrasal verb has more than one meaning)
E.g.1: When he had finished writing the letter he folded it up and put it in the envelope.
E.g.2: Don’t leave your clothes on the floor! Fold them up neatly and put them in the chest of drawers.
This phrasal verb can be separated. (E.g. 1 and 2)