50 Phrasal Verbs, Meanings and Example Sentences

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.