Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs: Vocabulary Building
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Useful English phrasal verbs and their meanings in simple words | Alphabetical list of English phrasal verbs
1500 Useful phrasal verbs for daily use
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What are “Phrasal Verbs”?
A PHRASAL VERB is made up of a Verb and an Adverb or a Preposition or both.
Adverbs or prepositions which are used in Phrasal Verbs are called ‘Particles’.
Verb + adverb = Phrasal verb
Verb + preposition = Phrasal verb
Verb + adverb + preposition = Phrasal verb
Examples:
break down -- verb + adverb [break= verb; down= adverb]
ward off -- verb + preposition [ward= verb; off= preposition]
keep up with -- verb + adverb + preposition [keep= verb; up= adverb; with=preposition]
‘USUAL’ and ‘IDIOMATIC’ Meanings of Phrasal Verbs
A Phrasal verb may have a usual or idiomatic meaning -
Phrasal Verb with Usual meaning:
Verb and Particle keep their ordinary meaning
Example: turn around -- to turn around
Phrasal Verb with Idiomatic meaning:
Verb and Particle don’t keep their ordinary meaning
Example: turn down -- to reject an offer
Following is the detailed list of useful Phrasal Verbs and their meanings:
English Phrasal Verbs -- A
Abide
abide by -- to obey/follow a decision, rule, etc.
Abound
abound with/in -- to be full of
Account
account for -- to explain | to be a definite amount for | to destroy
Accustom
accustom to -- to be familiar
Act
act on -- to affect
act out -- to express a feeling or an emotion in your behavior
act up -- to behave inappropriately
act upon -- to take an action on the basis of particular information, etc.; to execute
Add
add in -- to include
add to -- to increase
add up -- to calculate or count | to be sensible or reasonable
add up to -- to have a particular result | to have a certain total amount
Adhere
adhere to -- to follow a particular rule
Agree
not agree with -- to dislike or disapprove
Aim
aim at -- to Intend to achieve a particular goal
Alight
alight on -- to find something by chance
Align
align with -- to support a person, rules, etc, openly or publicly because you agree with them
Allow
allow for -- to take something into consideration
allow of -- to make possible; to permit
Allude
allude to -- to refer to
Amount
amount to -- to be equal to something | to count something as a total
Angle
angle for -- to try to get something indirectly by hinting
Answer
answer back -- to make counter-argument | to give a rude reply to your senior, an authority, etc.
answer for -- to be responsible
answer to somebody for something -- to explain your decision or action
Appertain
appertain to -- to refer or relate
Argue
argue down -- to beat somebody in an argument or a debate | to persuade people not to accept a proposal or motion | to persuade a seller to reduce the price
argue somebody into doing something -- to give reasons to persuade somebody to do or not do something
Arrive
arrive at -- to decide something after deliberation
Arrogate
arrogate to yourself -- to claim/take without having the right
Ascribe
ascribe to -- to think or say something is done by somebody
Ask
ask around -- to talk to many people with a view to getting information | to invite
ask for -- to request or demand something | to provoke a negative reaction
ask in -- to invite somebody into your house
ask out -- to invite someone for a date
Attend
attend to -- to deal with somebody/something
Auction
auction off -- to sell something at an auction
Avail
avail yourself of -- to take advantage of an opportunity
Average
average out -- to make even; to calculate the average | to balance or equalize
Awake/Awaken
awake/awaken to -- to be aware of possible effects of something
