50 Phrasal Verbs, Meanings and Example Sentences
Read sth off
Meaning; to read sth. aloud from a list
Example; When he read your name off, come up to the stage.
Read (sth) back ( to sb)
Meaning; to read some information back or again to the person who has just given it
Example; I will read the telephone number back to you to make sure.
Read into
Meaning; to believe that an action, remark, or situation has a particular importance or meaning, often when this is not true
Example; Her speech is very clear. Don’t try to read anything else into it.
Read over/through
Meaning; to read something quickly from the beginning to the end
Example; You should read over your exam paper when you have finished.
Read for sth
Meaning; to study for something
Example; We are reading for our exams.
Read up on/about sth
Meaning; to spend time reading in order to find out information about something
Example; You should read up on this issue before going for an interview.
Read sth out
Meaning; to read something aloud
Example; Please read the names out so everyone can hear you.
Let in
Definition; Let someone come in
Example Sentence; She opened the window to let in the air.
Let on
Definition; Make clear, evince
Example Sentence; You don’t want to let on how rich you really are.
Let off
Definition; Cause to explode or release
Example Sentence; Stand back when you let off fireworks.
Let down
Definition; Fail to support or help
Example Sentence; My friend, don’t let me down this time.
Let out
Definition; Make bigger
Example Sentence; I need to let out this skirt.
Let down
Definition; Lengthen
Example Sentence; My father is a tailor, so he can let my pants down.
Look after sb/sth
Meaning; to watch or take care of someone or something
Example; I look after my friend’s fish when she is away.
Look ahead
Meaning; to think about what may happen in the future
Example; They need to look ahead to make a decision for their company.
Look round/around somewhere/sth
Meaning; to visit a place and look at the things in it.
Example; I will spend all day looking around the city.
Look at sth
Meaning; to think about a subject carefully
Example; We are looking at the various possibilities.
Look back
Meaning; to think about something that happened in the past
Example; When I look back, I’m filled with happiness.
Look down on sb
Meaning; to regard oneself as superior to somebody
Example; He looks down on her because he has a good job.
Look forward to sth
Meaning; to anticipate something with pleasure
Example; She is looking forward to visiting her family this weekend.
Look for
Meaning; to search for someone or something, to seek
Example; I am looking for Susan. Have you seen her?
Look in ( on sb/sth )
Meaning; to check briefly on someone or something
Example; I can look in on the child before I go to the bed.
Look into sth
Meaning; to try to discover the facts about something such as a problem or an issue.
Example; The president has promised to look into the case.
Look on
Meaning; to watch what is happening without participating.
Example; The mother cat is just looking on while the kittens are playing each other.
Go about sth
Meaning; to deal with something
Example; I want to solve this problem but I don’t know how to go about it.
Go after sth
Meaning; to try to get something
Example; He is planning to go after his friend’s project.
Go after sb
Meaning; to try to catch or stop someone
Example; We should go after her and tell her the truth.
Go against sth/sb
Meaning; to oppose or to disagree with someone or something
Example; The people’s votes went against us.
Go ahead
Meaning; to start or to continue to do something, especially after waiting for permission
Example; Why don’t you go ahead and eat it?
Go ahead with
Meaning; to start or to continue with plans to do something
Example; It is good idea. We should go ahead with the plan and see what happens.
Get (sth) across
Meaning; to make people understand something
Example; The teacher couldn’t get her ideas across to the students.
Get along / Get on / Get on with
Meaning; If people get along, they like each other and they have a good relationship.
Example; I can’t get along with the neighbors any more.
Get ahead
Meaning; to be successful in the work
Example; I will get ahead at work with this project.
Get at sth
Meaning; to touch or to reach something
Example; The child can’t get at the books on the high shelf.
Get at sb
Meaning; to criticize someone repeatedly
Example; The boss always get at me. I don’t know why he behaves like that.
Get away
Meaning; to leave or to escape from a place or a person
Example; She usually gets away from the crowds.
Make off
Definition;Hurry away, escape
Example Sentence; The thieves made off before the police arrived.
Make up
Definition; Forgive each other
Example Sentence; Alex and Mary angry yesterday, but they made up this morning.
Make for
Definition; Move towards
Example Sentence; He already made for home when I arrived.
Make of
Definition; Understand, find a reason
Example Sentence; I don’t know what to make of his behaviour.
Make out
Definition; Decipher
Example Sentence; Anybody can’t make out her handwriting.
Make up
Definition; Invent, lie about something
Example Sentence; Mary made up a story about why she was late.
Make up for
Definition; Compensate for something
Example Sentence; I don’t eat dinner but I make up for it at breakfast.
Set (sth) down
Meaning; to write or print something
Example;
- The rules of this place are set down in this handbook.
Set about sth/doing sth
Meaning; to begin or start doing something
Examples:
- We set about organizing a party.
- I don’t know how to set about the work.
Set about sb
Meaning; to attack someone
Example;
- The crowd began to set about him with stones.
Set forth
Meaning ; to begin travelling
Example;
- We set forth at noon.
Set off
Meaning; to start a journey or trip
Example;
- We will set off next week.
Set off sth
Meaning; to cause a signal to start something
Example;
- The loud sound set off the baby’s crying.
Set out
Meaning; to leave a place and begin a journey
Example;
- We set out on a lonely journey.
Set out ( to do something )
Meaning; to start an activity or something with a special aim or intend
Example;
- She set out to protect her kids.
Set aside
Meaning; to seperate or to reserve something for a particular aim.
Examples;
- They should set aside some time to discuss this issue.
- John set aside some money fo his kid’s future.
