A phrasal verb are usually two-word phrases consisting of preposition or adverb which creates a meaning different from the original verb.
Phrasal Verb |
Meaning |
Sentence |
Back away | Retreat or go backwards. | |
Bail out of |
Pay a bond to release someone from jail. | |
Bail out on | Stop supporting someone when they are in trouble. | |
Bail up | Talk to someone and delay them. | |
Bail up | Rob someone at gunpoint. | |
Ball up |
Confuse or make things complicated. | |
Ball up | Roll or form into a round shape. | |
Balls up | Spoil, ruin. | |
Bang about | Move in a place making a lot of noise. | |
Back down | Retract or withdraw your position or proposal in an argument. |
|
Back into | Enter a parking area in reverse gear | |
Back off | Retreat. | |
Back out | Fail to keep an arrangement or promise. |
|
Back out of | Fail to keep an agreement, arrangement. | |
Back out of | Exit a parking area in reverse gear. | |
Back up |
Make a copy of computer data. | |
Back up | Support. | |
Back up | Drive a vehicle backwards. | |
Bag out | Criticise. | |
Bail out | Save, rescue. | |
Bail out | Remove water from something that is flooded. |
|
Bail out | Jump out of a plane because it is going to crash. | |
Bang around |
Move in a place making a lot of noise. | |
Bang on |
Talk at great length. | |
Bang on about | Keep talking about something. | |
Bang out | Play a musical instrument loudly. | |
Bang up | Put someone in prison. | |
Bang up | Damage badly. | |
Bargain down | Persuade someone to drop the price of something they're selling. |
|
Bargain on |
Expect something to happen (usually negative). |
|
Barge in / into |
Enter a place and interrupt people rudely. | |
Bash about | Mistreat physically. | |
Bash in | Break, damage or injure by hitting. | |
Bash out |
Write something quickly without much preparation. |
|
Bash up | Break, damage or hurt by hitting. | |
Bawl out | Scold, shout at someone. | |
Bawl out | Sing or shout unpleasantly loudly. | |
Be after | Try to find or get. | |
Be along |
Arrive. | |
Be away | Be elsewhere; on holiday, etc.. | |
Be cut out for | Be suitable, have the necessary qualities. | |
Be cut up | Be upset. | |
Be down | Be depressed. | |
Be down | Be reduced or less. | |
Be down on | Have negative feelings toward someone. | |
Be down with | Be ill. | |
Be fed up | Be bored, upset or sick of something. | |
Be in | Be at home or at work. | |
Be in | Be submitted, arrive. | |
Be in on | Be involved in. | |
Be not on |
Be unacceptable. | |
Be off | Be bad (of food). | |
Be off | Depart, leave. | |
Be on | Be functioning (of machines). | |
Be on | Take place. | |
Be on | Take medication or drugs, especially when they affect the person badly. | |
Be on | Be at the top of one’s game, performing very well. | |
Be on about | Mean, try to say. | |
Be on to | Pursue, be aware of someone's true nature. | |
Be out | Be absent from a place. | |
Be out to |
Have no more left or Attempt. | |
Be snowed under |
Have too much work. | |
Be taken aback | Be shocked or surprised. | |
Be taken with | Like something. | |
Be up |
Be out of bed. | |
Be up | Have increased or risen. | |
Be up | When the time for something finishes or expires. | |
Be up for | Be enthusiastic about an upcoming event. | |
Be up to | Be good enough. | |
Be up to |
Doing something naughty or wrong. | |
Bear down on | Move towards. | |
Bear on | Influence, affect. | |
Bear out |
Confirm that something is correct. | |
Beat down | Get someone to lower the price of something. |
|
Beat out | Narrowly win in competition. | |
Beat up | Attack violently. | |
Beaver away | Work hard. | |
Beaver away at | Work hard doing something. | |
Bear up | Resist pressure. | |
Bear up under | Cope with something difficult or stressful. | |
Bear with | Be patient. | |
Bed down | Sleep somewhere less comfortable than normal. | |
Bed down | Become established or successful over time. |
|
Bed out |
Move a plant outside. | |
Beef up | Make something stronger or more solid. | |
Belong to |
Be a member. | |
Belong to | Be connected to a time, place, belief, thing, etc. |
|
Belong with | Be in the correct or appropriate location with other items. | |
Belt out | Sing something loudly. | |
Belt up | Be quiet. | |
Belt up |
Fasten your seatbelt. | |
Bend down | Lower the top half of your body. | |
Bend over | Lower the top part of your body. | |
Bend over |
Do a lot to try to help or please someone. | |
Big up |
Exaggerate the importance. | |
Big up | Increase the size of muscles by exercise. | |
Bitch up | Spoil or ruin something. | |
Black out | Fall unconscious. | |
Black out | Lose light. | |
Black out | Censor text so that words cannot be read. | |
Black out | Have a temporary memory failure. | |
Blare out | A loud sound or music. | |
Blast off | Leave the ground- spaceship or rocket. | |
Blaze away | Fire a gun repeatedly. | |
Bleed out |
Cause sufficient blood loss to result in death. |
|
Bliss out | Be extremely relaxed and happy. | |
Block in | Park a car and obstruct another car. | |
Block in |
Shade or fill in. | |
Block off | Obstruct an exit to prevent people from leaving. | |
Block out | Try not think about or feel something because it is upsetting or painful. |
|
Block up | Fill a space so that nothing can pass. | |
Blow away | Kill | |
Blow away | Beat rivals or competitors by a large margin. |
|
Blow away | Impress greatly. | |
Blow away | When the wind moves something from a place. | |
Blow down |
When the wind forces something to fall. | |
Blow in | Arrive, sometimes suddenly or unexpectedly. |
|
Blow off | Not keep an appointment. | |
Blow off | Ignore, not do something. | |
Blow off | Expel gas from the anus. | |
Blow out | Defeat decisively. | |
Blow over |
When a scandal gets forgotten. | |
Blow up | Explode. | |
Blow up | Inflate. | |
Blow up | Enlarge (e.g., photograph).. | |
Blow up | The beginning of a storm. | |
Blow up | Lose your temper, become angry. | |
Blurt out |
Say something quickly without thinking, especially if you shouldn't. |
|
Board out | Arrange for pets to stay somewhere while you're away. | |
Board up | Cover windows or doors with wood, metal, etc.. |
|
Bog down |
Slow make progress. | |
Bog in / into | Eat something enthusiastically. | |
Bog off! | Get lost. | |
Boil down | Simplify, reduce to the essentials. | |
Boil down to | Amount to. | |
Boil over | When people lose their tempers and things get nasty. |
|
Boil up | Feel a negative emotion strongly. | |
Bolster up | Give support, reinforce, strengthen. | |
Bone up | Study hard for a reason. | |
Book in |
Check in at a hotel. | |
Book into | Make a reservation in advance. | |
Book out | Leave a place in a hurry. | |
Book up | Reserve. | |
Boot up | Start a computer. | |
Border on | Be very nearly something. | |
Boss about / around | Use excessive authority to control people. | |
Botch up |
Ruin or spoil something. | |
Bottle away | Store up. | |
Bottle out | Lack of courage to do something. | |
Bottle up | Not express your feelings. | |
Bottom out | Pass the lowest point and start rising. | |
Bounce into | Force someone. | |
Bounce back |
Recover. | |
Bounce off |
Test ideas. | |
Bowl out | Hit someone's wicket in cricket with the ball. |
|
Bowl over | Surprise someone greatly. | |
Bowl over | Knock someone to the ground. | |
Box in | Prevent something from moving, especially vehicles. |
|
Box up | Pack things in boxes to move them. | |
Brace up | Feel more confident or optimistic about something. |
|
Branch out |
Move into a different area of business, etc.. |
|
Break away | Leave an organisation, usually to form a new one. | |
Break down | End negotiations unsuccessfully. | |
Break down | Start crying. | |
Break down | Stop working. | |
Break down | Remove a barrier or obstacle. | |
Break in | Go into a building to steal something. | |
Break in | Interrupt something. | |
Break in | Train a horse to be ridden. | |
Break in | Carefully use new products until they are fully functional.. | |
Break off | Break a piece from something. | |
Break out |
Start (war, conflict). | |
Break out in | Sweat heavily, develop skin sores or irritation. |
|
Break out of | Escape. | |
Break through | Pass a barrier or obstacle. | |
Break up | Break into many pieces. | |
Break up |
Close an educational institution for the holidays. |
|
Break up / off | To Finish or End a relationship. | |
Break up | Become inaudible over the telephone because of interference. |
|
Breeze along | Move easily and quickly. | |
Breeze into / in | Enter a place quickly. | |
Breeze through | Pass easily, succeed. | |
Brick in / up | Close or fill a space with bricks. | |
Brighten up | Improve (weather). | |
Brighten up | Become happier. or Make something more attractive or pleasant. | |
Bring about | Make something happen. | |
Bring along | Bring someone or something to certain place. Or Help someone improve |
|
Bring around |
Persuade or convince someone. | |
Bring around | Bring something with you when you visit. | |
Bring around |
Get someone talking about something. |
|
Bring back | Cause someone to remember. | |
Bring back | Return | |
Bring down | Make something cheaper. | |
Bring forth | Produce something, make it known or visible. |
|
Bring forward | Make something happen earlier than originally planned. |
|
Bring in | Earn. | |
Bring off | Succeed with something difficult. | |
Bring on | Cause something to happen or speed up | |
Bring on | Make something appear. | |
Bring out | Release or publish. | |
Bring out | Elicit a response. | |
Bring out in | Cause a health problem or reaction. | |
Bring round | Make someone wake up from unconsciousness or an anaesthetic. |
|
Bring Up | Mention. | |
Bring Up |
Raise a child. | |
Bring Up | Be officially charged with a crime. | |
Brush off | Ignore, pay little attention. | |
Brush up | Improve a skill quickly. | |
Bubble over | Become very excited. | |
Buck up | Hurry (either transitive or reflexive). | |
Buck up | Smarten up, improve. | |
Bucket down | Rain heavily. | |
Buckle down | Start working hard, apply yourself. | |
Buckle under | Accept something under pressure, against your will. | |
Buckle up | Fasten a seatbelt. |
|
Budge up | Move to make space for someone. | |
Buff up | Clear, clean or make something shine. | |
Buff up | Improve. | |
Buff up on | Improve your knowledge quickly. | |
Bug off! | Go away. | |
Bug out | Open your eyes wide in surprise. | |
Bug out | Leave somewhere in a hurry. | |
Build up | Develop a company. | |
Build up | Increase. | |
Bulk out |
Make something bigger or thicker. | |
Bulk up | Gain weight, develop bigger muscles. |
|
Bump into | Meet by chance. |
|
Bump off | Kill. | |
Bump up | Increase. | |
Bundle off | Send someone somewhere. | |
Bundle out | Expel. | |
Bundle up | Put on warm clothing. | |
Bundle up | Wrap or tie things together. | |
Bunk off | Not go to school when you should. | |
Buoy up | Make someone feel more positive. | |
Buoy up | Keep afloat. | |
Burn down | Burn completely. | |
Burn off | Remove by burning or similar process. | |
Burn out | Lose enthusiasm and energy to continue in a demanding job. | |
Burn up | Destroy completely by fire. | |
Burn up | Drive at high speed. | |
Burn up |
To be or cause to be highly annoyed. | |
Burst into | Catch fire very quickly. | |
Burst into | Laugh, cry or clap loudly. | |
Bust up | End a relationship, usually angrily or after arguing. | |
Butt in | Interrupt | |
Butt out |
Not be involved in other people's business. | |
Butter up | Praise or flatter someone excessively. | |
Buy in | Force | |
Buy into | Accept an idea. | |
Buy off | Pay someone to stop them causing trouble. | |
Buy out | Buy somebody's share in a company. | |
Buy up |
Buy all of something. | |
Buzz around |
Move quickly around a place. | |
Buzz off | Leave somewhere | |
Buzz off! | Go away (imperative). |