ultimate phrashal verb

come up with

. come up with p.v. When you think of an idea, plan, or solution, you come up with it. It took me all night, but I came up with the answer. Lydia wants to come up with a great idea for the party.

Be caught up

...

Over the hill

... (adj.) old; too old; more than halfway through one's life describes someone who is old and no longer useful or attractive

backup

1. back... up p.v. When you walk backward, you backup. When you drive a vehicle in reverse, you back up or back the vehicle up. The fire was so hot that we had to back up. I put the car in reverse and backed it up. 2. back up p.v. When you are explaining something, and you repeat something that you already said, you back up. You're going too fast. Can you back up a little and explain your plan again? Sorry, I forgot part of the story. Let me back up a little. 3. back... up p.v. When you make a claim or statement and then show people evidence or give them information proving that the claim or statement is true or correct, you back it up. No one believed Jim's accusations because he couldn't back them up with any evidence. The IRS asked me for some receipts to back up my deductions. 4. back... up p.v. When you support people in a conflict or a confrontation, you back them up. When you support people by doing some work or a difficult assignment, you back them up. Linda said she would back me up if I complained about our supervisor. The general backed up his threats with 400,000 soldiers. Jerry is the bar's main bartender, and Tanya backs him up when it gets busy. backup n. Someone or something that supports or is ready to provide support in a conflict or a confrontation by doing some work or a difficult assignment is a backup. When the rioters grew more violent, the police called for backup. The firefighter entered the burning building without a backup. 5. back... up p.v. When you duplicate important information, such as a computer program or data, so that you will still have it if the original information is lost or damaged, you back it up. If you're going to install that new software, be sure you back up your entire hard disk first. I back my work up every day before I go home. backup n. A duplicate of important information, such as a computer program or data, is a backup. / keep a backup of my important computer files on floppy disks. The major gave a backup copy of the battle plan to his secretary. 71 backed up part.adj. After you duplicate important information/such as a computer program or data, the original is backed up. / accidentally erased your book from your computer. I hope your work was backed up. 6. back... up p.v. When a piece of equipment or machinery is very important and another is kept available in case the one that is normally used fails, the second piece of equipment or machinery backs up the first. The hospital bought a generator to back up the unreliable city power supply. We kept the old computer to back the new one up. backup n. When a piece of equipment or machinery is very important and another is kept available in case the one that is normally used fails, the second piece of equipment or machinery is a backup. The skydiver checked his main parachute and his backup before the flight. The school had to dose when the main power and the backup both failed. 7. back... up p.v. When something backs up, it is being prevented from moving, progressing, or flowing normally. An accident backed up traffic for three miles. The assembly line is going to back up if Erik doesn't get the parts he needs soon. backup n. A backup is a situation in which something is being prevented from moving, progressing, or flowing normally. / sat in that backup for three hours without moving an inch. The huge number of Christmas cards and packages caused a backup at the post office. backed up part.adj. When something is being prevented from moving, progressing, or flowing normally, it is backed up. Let's take the train downtown. Traffic is always backed up at this time of the morn in a.

cut up

1. cut... up p.v. When you use a knife or pair of scissors to cut something so that there are many small pieces, you cut it up. The boy's mother is cutting a piece of meat up for him. I was so angry at her that I cut her picture up and flushed it down the toilet. cut up part.adj. After something has been cut up, it is cut up. This steak is for Aunt Kathy, but give the cut-up one to Uncle Fred — he doesn't have any teeth.

look for

1. look for p.v. When you look for things or people, you try to find them. / looked for you at the party, but I didn't see you. Excuse me, can you help me? I'm looking for 303 Main St.

tear down

1. tear... down p.v. When you tear down a building, you deliberately and completely destroy it. They tore so many old buildings down in my hometown that I barely recognize it. A lot of smaller homes in the suburbs are being torn down and replaced with larger ones

feel up to

feel up to & feels up to feeling up to felt up to feel up to 1. feel up to p.v. When you feel up to doing something, you have the confidence or energy to do it. I'm sorry to cancel, but I just don't feel up to going dancing tonight. The top of the mountain is only 1,000 feet away — do you feel up to it?

hook you up again

hook up phrasal verb of hook 1. link or be linked to electronic equipment. "Ali was hooked up to an electrocardiograph" 2. informal (of two people) meet or form a relationship. "he hooked up with a friend in Budapest" engage in or form a casual sexual relationship. "hooking up with total strangers can be very dangerous"

screw out of

screw... out of p.v. [informal] When you get money or something valuable from people in a dishonest way, you screw them out of it. That con man screwed me out of my life savings. Their sleazy son-in-law screwed them out of thousands of dollars.

stay off

stay off p.v. When you stay off something, you don't walk or sit on it. You kids can play in the living room, but stay off the Persian rug. What can I do to get my cat to stay off the kitchen counter?

back off

1. back off p.v. When you move away from danger or a person you are arguing or fighting with in order to avoid injury or a more serious fight or argument, you back off. When you tell people to back off, you are warning them that you are becoming angry and that a fight or argument is likely. I'm warning you! You'd better back off. Tom backed off when he saw that Jake had a gun

boil down to

1. boil down to p.v. When you say that something boils down to something else, you are saying that it is the basic cause of a more complicated situation or problem. Most of the crime in this city boils down to drugs. My decision to stay at this awful job boils down to one thing — money.

break out

1. break out (of) p.v. When you escape from a place where you are a prisoner, you break out or break out of that place. Bubba broke out of prison last month. The police have been looking for him ever since he broke out. breakout n. An escape from prison is a breakout. There hasn't been a successful breakout from the state prison in more than twenty-five years. 1. breakout p.v. When fighting begins suddenly, it breaks out. Rioting broke out after the general canceled the election. Millions wilt be killed if nuclear war breaks out.

burn out

1. burn out p.v. When a fire, candle, or other flame stops burning because it has no more fuel, it burns out. We need more wood; the fire has burned out. Don't worry; the sun won't burn out for another four billion years. burned-out part.adj. After a fire, candle, or other flame stops burning because it has no more fuel, it is burned-out. The burned-out rocket landed in the ocean. burned-out part.adj. When people are extremely tired, either physically or psychologically, because of stress or hard work, they are burned-out. Teaching those awful students for so many years has left him burned-out. Taking care of four small children day after day would leave any mother burned-out. 2. burn out p.v. When a light bulb stops producing light because it has reached the end of its useful life, it burns out. These new bulbs are guaranteed not to burn out for ten years. I can't see what I'm doing because this bulb has burned out. burned-out part.adj. A light bulb that no longer produces light because it has reached the end of its useful life is burned-out. / climbed the ladder and unscrewed the burned-out bulb. 3. burn ...out p.v. When people are forced to leave their home or some other shelter or hiding place because of fire or fire damage, they are burned out. The only way to get the enemy soldiers out of the tunnels was to burn them out. Seven families were burned out of their homes by the huge fire. burned-out part.adj. Something that has been damaged or destroyed by fire is burned-out. After the war, nothing was left but burned-out cars and buildings.

come down with

1. come down with p.v. When you are starting to get sick, you are coming down with something or coming down with an illness. / don't feel well. Maybe I'm coming down with something. My grandmother said, "If you don't wear an undershirt, you'll come down with pneumonia."

come off

1. come off p.v. When something comes off, it becomes detached from what it was attached or fastened to. Be careful with this old book. The cover's coming off. That paint won't come off your hands unless you use turpentine. 2. come off p.v. When an event comes off, it is successful. The party came off well. Everyone had a lot of fun. The attack didn't come off the way the general planned it. 3. come off p.v. When you say "Come off it" to people, you are saying that you think something they have said is untrue or foolish. It's 2:00 A.M., you come home smelling like beer, and you say you were working late at the office? Oh, come off it! 9

cut off

1. cut... off p.v. When you completely remove part of something with a knife, saw, or pair of scissors, you cut it off. He cut off a piece of cheese so that I could taste it. One of the kings of England had his head cut off. 2. cut... off p.v. When you stop the supply or flow of something, such as water, electricity, or money, you cut it off or you cut off the people receiving it. / won't be surprised if my electricity is cut off— I haven't paid the bill in three months. The bartender told the drunk guy that she was cutting him off. 72 cutoff n. The time when something, such as water, electricity, or money, is cut off is the cutoff, cutoff point, or cutoff date. / got a notice saying that if I don't pay my water bill soon, the cutoff date will be March 10. Ninety is the cutoff— students with lower scores on the exam won't be accepted into the advanced program. 3. cut... off p.v. When you abruptly and rudely drive a vehicle in front of other people's vehicles, causing them to suddenly slow down or stop, you cut them off. / had to slam on the brakes when some jerk cut me off on the way to work. The lady in the red car tried to cut me off, but I wouldn't let her get in front of me. 4. cut... off p.v. When someone is cut off while speaking on the telephone, the connection is accidentally broken. / was in the middle of an important call when I was cut off. Getting cut off happens all the time when you're on the phone to China. 5. cut ...off p.v. When you create a physical or psychological barrier between yourself and other people, you cut yourself off from them. When you are separated from other people because of a barrier or a great distance, you are cut off from them. After Dan joined a cult, he completely cut himself off from his family and friends. A flash flood cut us off from the rest of the expedition. cutoff part.adj. When you are separated from other people because of a barrier or a great distance, you are cutoff.

drop off

1. drop... off p.v. When you take things or people to another place and leave them there, you drop them off. Can you drop me off at the train station on your way to work? Luis dropped off his laundry at the cleaners. drop-off n. Something that has been dropped off is a drop-off. The place where something or someone is dropped off is a drop-off point, drop off window, and soon. Luis left his laundry at the drop-off window. The north side of the train station parking lot is for drop-offs. 2. drop off p.v. When a business's sales, the occurrence of some event, or the interest some people have in something declines, it drops off. Attendance at baseball games has been dropping off in the last few years. After CDs were introduced, sales of records dropped off sharply. 73 drop-off n. A decline in a business's sales, in the occurrence of an event, or in the interest some people have in something, is a drop-off. There has been a drop-off in traffic deaths thanks to strict drunk driving laws. The drop-off in car sales was explained by the recession. 3. drop off p.v. When the level of the ground declines steeply, it drops off. Be careful hiking this trail, it drops off steeply on the other side of the mountain. The island has no beach at all. The land drops off straight into the sea. drop-off n. A steep decline in the level of the ground is a drop-off. The bus driver didn't see the drop-off, and the bus plunged into the gorge. It was hard to see the drop-off because of the dense jungle

fall over

1. fall over p.v. When people or things fail over, they fall to the ground from an upright position. That tree has been dead for fifty years, but it still hasn't fallen over. I almost fell over when I heard the terrible news. 2. fall over p.v. When you fall over yourself or (usually) fall all over yourself, you try so hard to serve someone or to make someone like you that you appear foolish. The supervisor fell all over himself trying to satisfy the customer. Mike was falling all over himself trying to impress Heather.

fill in

1. fill... in p.v. When you fill in a form, you put information in the correct spaces. Fill out is the same as fill in. Maria filled in the job application and gave it to the secretary. The teacher gave us the quiz and told us to fill the blanks in with the correct answers. filled in part.adj. After you write all the information in the correct spaces of a form, the form is filled in. Are those forms blank or filled in? This check isn't any good — the amount isn't filled in. 2. fill... in p.v. When people want or need more information about a plan, situation, or occurrence and you supply that information, you fill them in. Something interesting happened while you were gone. I'll fill you in later. I fell asleep during the meeting. Can you fill me in? 3. fill in (for) p.v. When you temporarily do someone else's job, you fill in for that person. The regular bartender is on vacation, so Todd is filling in. She's the star of the show. No one can fill in for her. fill-in n. Someone who temporarily does someone else's job is a fill-in. Jerry is Ann's fill-in while she's on vacation. The regular driver is in the hospital, and the fill-in doesn't know the route.

find out

1. find ... out p.v. [not usually separated — the object can be a noun, a noun clause, or a complete sentence] When you find out information or a fact, you learn or become aware of that information or fact. If you don't know when the movie starts, look in the newspaper to find out. I met a nice man at the party, but I never found out his name. I met a nice man at the party, but I never found out what his name was. I was surprised when I found out that he can speak fourteen languages. I was surprised when I found out he can speak fourteen languages. I tried to get the information, but I couldn't find it out.

get along

1. get along (with) p.v. When you get along with people, you have peaceful, harmonious relations with them. Get on is similar to get along. Jim and his cousin aren't good friends, but they get along. I haven't gotten along with my neighbors for years. 2. get along p.v. When you are able to do some sort of work without any serious problems, you get along. How are you getting along in your new job? Oh, I'm getting along okay, thank you.

get around to

1. get around to p.v. When you do something after waiting for some time because you are lazy, inefficient, or do not want to do it, you get around to it. I didn't get around to doing my taxes until April 14. Don't worry about the broken window. I'll get around to it one of these days.

get over with

1. get... over with p.v. [always separated] When you want to get something over with, it is because it is something unpleasant that you want to finish so that you can stop worrying about it or dreading it. Let's fix both cavities today, doctor; I just want to get it over with. I think it's better to get the exam over with first period than to be nervous about it all day long.

give up

1. give up (on) p.v. When you stop trying to do something because you think you will never succeed, you give up or give up on it. Forget it! This is impossible — I give up! I've tried for years to have a nice looking lawn, but I've just given up on it. 2. give... up p.v. When you are running from or fighting with the police or enemy soldiers and you surrender, you give up or give yourself up. When the bank robbers realized they were surrounded by police, they gave up. The suspect got tired of hiding from the police, and he gave himself up. 3. give ...up p.v. When you stop doing something you do regularly, such as a sport or a job, you give it up. My father didn't give sky diving up until he was eighty-two. I had to give up my second job because I was so exhausted all the time.

go after

1. go after p.v. When you chase and try to physically stop or to attack people, you go after them. A policeman saw him stealing the car and went after him. Captain Morgan was ordered to go after the enemy soldiers. 2. go after p.v. When law enforcement officials try to prosecute people through a legal procedure, they go after them. Federal prosecutors are now going after the top drug dealers. The senator introduced a bill designed to go after deadbeat dads. 3. go after p.v. When a business tries to increase its profits by trying to increase its market share or its number of customers, it goes after them. The tobacco company denied going after the teenage market. The CEO said he wanted to go after new customers in China. 4. go after p.v. When you go after something, you try to obtain it even though it may be difficult to do. Sofia went after a degree in accounting. Todd trained for a year before going after the record in the 100-yard dash

go ahead

1. go ahead (with) p.v. When you take an action you have already considered doing, you go ahead with the action. I've decided to go ahead with my plan to reorganize the company. After she learned about Jim's drug problem, Raquel went ahead with the marriage anyway. 62 2. go ahead p.v. When you tell people to go ahead, you tell them to do something without any further delay or hesitation. If you are in a position of authority and you tell someone to go ahead with an action, you give permission for that action. What are you waiting for? Go ahead. Yes, go ahead and leave work early. It's no problem. go-ahead n. When you give people permission to perform an action, you give them the goahead. We approved his plan and gave him the go-ahead. The Food and Drug Administration gave the pharmaceutical company the go-ahead to test the drug on humans.

go along with

1. go along with p.v. When you agree with people or agree with what they are saying, you go along with them. I understand your concern, Linda, but I have to go along with Maria on this matter. What's my opinion? I go along with Omar. 14 2. go along with p.v. When you obey a rule or follow a decision, you go along with it. Mrs. Taylor wasn't happy about the committee's decision, but she went along with it anyway. I don't care what the boss says — I'm not going along with any changes that will mean longer hours for less money.

go in for

1. go in for p.v. When you go in for a certain activity, you like it and do it regularly. Bryan really goes in for any kind of outdoor activity. When I was a kid I went in for football, but I don't watch it much anymore.

grow up

1. grow up p.v. When you grow up, you gradually change from a child to an adult. I grew up on a small farm in North Dakota. Growing up without a father wasn't easy. grown-up part.adj. [informal — used primarily by children] When children behave in a mature way, they are grown-up. Something that relates to adults, and not children, is grown-up. Susie is only eleven, but she acts very grown-up. Timmy doesn't like grown-up books because they don't have any pictures. grown-up n. [informal — used primarily by children] A grown-up is an adult. There were children and grown-ups at the party. Only grown-ups are allowed to sit in the front seat of the car. 2. grow up p.v. When you tell people to grow up, you are saying that their behavior is childish and immature. You're acting like a baby. Why don't you grow up! When he put his fist through the wall, I said, "Oh, grow up!"

hand out

1. hand ... out p.v. When you distribute something to other people, you hand it out. Give out is similar to hand out. The teacher handed the tests out to the class. Emergency loan applications were handed out to the flood victims. handout n. Something given free to people in need to help them is a handout. Handouts of food and clothing were given to the homeless people. Even though my father was poor, he was too proud to ask for a handout. handout n. Printed material given to students or other people to provide them with important information. The teacher prepared a handout for his students. There are several handouts on a table by the library entrance.

hand back

1. hand... back (to) p.v. When you return things to people by holding them in your hand and extending your arm, you hand them back or hand them back to them. The teacher will hand the tests back in third period. The guard handed my ID card back to me. The management handed back his few possessions. He took a saxophone from the Salvation Army but was caught and had to hand it back. He handed the book back to her. He unlocked her door and handed her back the key.

hear of

1. hear of p.v. When you learn about something for the first time, you hear of it. Do I know Fred Smith? No, I've never heard of him. I told my real estate agent, "If you hear of a good deal on a three-bedroom house, please call me right away." 2. hear of p.v. When you learn information about something that makes you angry and you say you will not hear of it, you mean that you will not tolerate or allow it. Our daughter wants to fly to Mexico with her boyfriend? I won't hear of it! I told him that his scheme was outrageous and that I wouldn't hear of such a thing.

kick back

1. kick back (to) p.v. When you kick back money or kick back money to businesspeople or government officials, you illegally and secretly give them a percentage of the money that they spend with your company as a reward for giving you the business. The prosecutor said that 5 percent of every contract was kicked back to the head of the purchasing department. She offered to kick back 10 percent if I'd switch to her company. kickback n. Money you illegally and secretly give to businesspeople or government officials as a reward for giving you business is a kickback. The FBI agent heard the governor asking for a kickback. The reporter discovered that the loan was really a kickback. 2. kick back p.v. [informal] When you kick back, you relax. It's been a tough week. Tonight I'm going to buy a case of beer and kick back. Let's kick back and watch the football game tonight.

let out

1. let ...out p.v. When you allow animals or people to leave a place by giving permission or opening a door, you let them out. The guard lets the prisoners out of their cells every day at 1:00. I opened the door and let the dog out2. let... out p.v. When you make an item of clothing bigger by changing the seams, you let it out. After I gained twenty pounds, I had to have all my pants let out. The tailor let her old dress out so that she could wear it again. 3. let... out p.v. When you reveal secret or sensitive information, you let it out. This information is secret. Don't let it out. I was furious when my secretary let out that I had interviewed for a new position. 4. let out p.v. When you make a sound that shows your emotion or feelings, you let out that sound. Heather knew Jim was lying again, and let out a sigh. The lion let out a loud roar before he attacked the hunter

look up

1. look... up p.v. When you get information from a reference book, such as a word from a dictionary or a telephone number from a telephone book, you look the word or number up. The teacher told the students to look the new words up in a dictionary. I looked up his number, but it's not in the phone book. 2. look... up p.v. When you locate and visit people you have not seen for a long time, you look them up. / was in Dallas on business, and I looked up Dan Jones, my old college roommate. If you're ever in Kempton, look me up. 3. look up p.v. When a situation is looking up or starting to look up, it is improving. Business was pretty bad for a while, but things are starting to look up. I'm much happier than I was last year. Things are looking up.

pay for

1. pay... for p.v. When you give someone money in exchange for something, you pay for it or pay someone for it. Can I pay for this stuff with a credit card? Alfonso paid the waiter for his dinner. paid for part.adj. After you have paid for something, it is paid for. My car is old, but at least it's paid for. 2. pay for p.v. When you are punished for something, you pay for what you have done. I caught the guy who's spreading these false rumors about me, and he paid for ruining my reputation. Young people think that drugs are harmless, but they'll pay for their foolishness someday.

pick out

1. pick... out p.v. When you choose something from a group because you prefer it to the others in the group, you pick it out. Have you picked out a dress to wear to the party yet? Mike's dog had puppies, and he asked me to pick one out. 2. pick... out p.v. When you are able to find and recognize something in a group, you pick it out. Even though the class photo was fifty years old, I picked my father out easily. The police detective asked me if I could pick the mugger out from a group of photos

pile up

1. pile... up p.v. When things increase in number and start to form a pile, they pile up. When people add things to a pile, they pile them up. The snow piled up so high that I couldn't open my door. In the fall we pile the dead leaves up in the driveway and burn them. piled up part.adj. When things are in a pile, they are piled up. A lot of dirty laundry is piled up in the basement. 2. pile up p.v. When work or something else that must be done increases faster than you can do it, it piles up. I'm really worried about money. My bills are piling up faster than I can pay them. My work really piled up white I was on vacation.

point out

1. point... out p.v. When you bring things or people to someone's attention or indicate the location of things or people with your hand or index finger, you point them out. As we walked through the museum, the tour guide pointed several famous paintings out. General Johnston showed the satellite photo to the reporter and pointed out the enemy tanks. 2. point ...out p.v. When you are writing or speaking and you stress or emphasize some important information you think the reader or listener needs to know, you point out the information. I pointed several flaws out in Prof. Childress's theory. He said that he thought my plan was basically good but that he wanted to point out several possible problems

put up with

1. put up with p.v. When you put up with something you do not like or are not happy about, you accept it and do not try to change it. Her neighbors have loud parties every night, but she doesn't complain. She just puts up with it. My husband said, "I've put up with your brother long enough!"

put on

1. put... on p.v. When you place something on or apply something to your body, you put it on. I put on my new dress before going to the party. Eric forgot to put suntan lotion on, and now he's as red as a lobster. 2. put... on p.v. When you place something on or apply something to another surface, you put it on. I put the book on the table. Jerry put too much fertilizer on his lawn, and now he has to cut it twice a week. 3. put... on p.v. When you attach or affix something to another thing, you put it on. The Wilson's put a new roof on their house last year. I told the tailor to put red buttons on the dress he's making for me. 4. put... on p.v. When you put on weight, you gain weight.Did you see Mike? He's put on so much weight that I didn't recognize him. I need to go on a diet. I've been putting on a lot of weight lately. 5. put ...on p.v. When you organize or perform something for other people's entertainment, such as a play or a concert, you put it on. The club put on a show to raise money for the party. That opera hasn't been put on in more than 200 years. 6. put.. .on p.v. [informal] When you put people on, you kid or tease them. You won the lottery? You're putting me on! Don't put me on — tell me the truth. put-on n. Something done with the intention of fooling or deceiving people is a put-on. He didn't really win the lottery. It was all a big put-on to impress his girlfriend.

put to

1. put... to p.v. When you confront people with a difficult or thought-provoking question, accusation, or proposition, you put it to them. He didn't want to tell me the truth, but I really put it to him, and he finally told me the whole story. When Prof. Kline put his theory to me like that, I realized what he was talking about. 2. put... to p.v. When you put people to trouble or put them to an expense, you cause them to do extra work or to spend money. Thanks for helping me with my flat tire. I'm sorry to put you to so much trouble. I know my father would pay my dental bill if I asked him, but I hate to put him to such an expense. 3. put ...to p.v. When you put part of your body or something in your hand to something, you touch or press it to something. The neighbors were arguing again, so we put our ears to the wall to try to hear what they were saying. When he put a gun to my head, I realized he wasn't joking

ring up

1. ring ... up p.v. When you want to buy something in a store, a cashier uses a cash register to ring up what you want to buy in order to determine how much money you must pay. Well, I guess I'll take this one. Can you ring it up please? I couldn't believe it when the clerk finished ringing it all up — $946! 2. ring ... up p.v. (mainly British) When you call people on the telephone, you ring them up. He rang up Nancy and asked her to go to the dance. If you need a ride, ring me up when you arrive at the airport

run into

1. run into p.v. When you are driving and hit another vehicle or something near the road, such as a tree or a telephone pole, you run into it. Ali was driving too fast, and he ran into a telephone pole. I was run into by a drunk driver. 2. run into p.v. When you meet people unexpectedly or unintentionally, you run into them. Bump into is the same as run into. We ran into Karen and her new boyfriend at the supermarket yesterday. I owe Frank $300, so I hope I don't run into him. 3. run into p.v. When you unexpectedly encounter difficulties or problems, you run into them. / thought it would be easy to fix my car, but I've been running into problems. Janice ran into one problem after another at work today. 4. run into p.v. When the total of something grows to a large amount or number, it runs into that amount or number

run over

1. run over (to) p.v. When you run from where you are to where someone else is, you run over or run over to that person. I saw a man hitting a child, and I ran over and stopped him. When I saw Melanie, I ran over to her and gave her a big hug. 2. run... over p.v. When you drive over people or things with a car, truck, or other vehicle causing damage, injury, or death, you run them over. John was run over by a bus and killed. I ran over a glass bottle and got a flat tire. 3. run over p.v. When liquid in a container fills the container and goes over the top, it runs over. Keep on eye on the bathtub so that it doesn't run over. There's too much water in this pot. It's going to run over the side. 4. run over p.v. When you go beyond a limit, you run over or run over the limit. I hope the 11:00 meeting doesn't run over; I'm meeting a client for lunch at 12:00. The speaker was given fifteen minutes for her speech, but she ran over.

screw

1. screw... up p.v. [informal] When you damage something or do something wrong or badly, you screw up or you screw up what you are doing. / tried to fix my computer, but I couldn't do it, and I just screwed it up instead. Mark sent his wife a letter that he wrote to his girlfriend. He sure screwed up. screwed up part.adj. When people or things are screwed up, they are damaged or confused. My back is so screwed up I can't even walk. George was a nice guy, but a little screwed up in the head. screwup n. A problem or confused situation caused by someone's mistake is a screwup. Two babies were switched because of a screwup in the maternity ward. There was a screwup in the finance department, and the bill was paid twice. 2. screw... up p.v.[informal] When people make a mistake that causes a problem for you, they screw you up. The travel agent forgot to reconfirm my flight, and it really screwed me up. You really screwed me up when you lost my car keys.

show up

1. show up p.v. When you appear somewhere, you show up. Turn up is similar to show up. / was supposed to meet my sister for lunch, but she hasn't shown up yet. Over a hundred people showed up for the news conference. 2. show up p.v. When something appears or becomes visible, it shows up. It's hard to photograph polar bears because they don't show up well against the snow. The spots won't show up until the last stages of the disease.

take apart

1. take ... apart p.v. When you completely separate the parts of something, you take it apart. Take apart is the opposite of put together. I had to take my bike apart when I moved. The mechanic took the engine apart.

take in

1. take ... in p.v. When you bring a car or other household appliance to a mechanic or repair person, you take it in. Sally took her car in to have the oil changed. The VCR is broken again. I need to take it in. 2. take ... in p.v. When you take in a play, movie, museum, or other attraction, you go to it or see it. We stopped in Charleston and took in the sights. After dinner we took in a movie. 40 3. take... in p.v. When you allow people to live with you, you take them in. Judy's brother had nowhere to go, so she took him in. The Ortegas offered to take their neighbors in after the fire. 4. take... in p.v. [usually passive] When you are taken in by someone, that person successfully tricks or deceives you. Stalin was taken in by Hitler's assurances. They were completely taken in by Jake's elaborate hoax. 5. take ... in p.v. When you make an item of clothing smaller by changing the seams, you take it in. Т.е. противоположно Let out. She likes some of her maternity clothes so much that she's going to take them in after the baby is born. If I lose any more weight, I'll have to have all my pants taken in. EXERCISE 7a — Complete the sentences with phrasal verbs from this section. Be sure the phrasal verbs are in the correct tense.

take out

1. take ... out (of) p.v. When you take something out or take it out of a container, storage place, or building, you remove it. Put in/into is the opposite of take out. / want to take some books out of the library tonight. Jake took out a gun and shouted, "This is a holdup!" Nancy took $500 out of the bank. takeout n. Takeout is food that is taken from a restaurant to be eaten at another location. Carryout and carry-out food are the same as takeout and take-out food. / don't feel like cooking tonight. Let's get takeout. That take-out chicken is good, but it sure is greasy. 74 2. take ...out (of) p.v. When you remove something because you do not want it or because it is damaged, you take it out or take it out of something. Put in/into is the opposite of take out. The teacher said my story would be a lot better if! took this part out of the third paragraph. The school will be closed while the asbestos insulation is being taken out and replaced. 3. take... out (of) p.v. When you take money out or take money out of a bank or a bank account, you withdraw the money. Put in is the opposite of take out. / had to take money out of my savings account to pay for my medical bills. Nicole's at the bank taking $ 1,000 out. 4. take.. .out p.v. When you take people out/you go with them to do something enjoyable — dinner in a restaurant, a movie, and so on — and pay for it yourself. What do you think about taking Mom out for Mother's Day? Jim took his girlfriend out last Friday. 5. take.. .out p.v. [informal] When you take people out, you kill them. The snipers will try to take out the kidnapper when he opens the door. The hit man took Vito out with a shotgun blast to the head

talk down to

1. talk down to p.v. When you talk down to people, you use a tone of voice or an attitude that shows you think they are less intelligent, less educated, or from a lower level of society than you. / was furious about the way he talked down to me! Bob hates Jane because of the way she talks down to him.

try... out

1. try... out p.v. When you try something out, you try it to see if you want to buy it or to see if you want to start using it regularly. I'm not going to spend $2,000 on a bicycle unless I try it out first. You can try it out for thirty days without any obligation. tryout n. When you give something a tryout,you test it to see if you want to buy it or start using it regularly. / gave Betty's new diet a tryout, but I actually gained weight. The airline gave the new plane a thorough tryout before making a decision. 2. try... out p.v. When you try people out, you give them a chance to show that they can perform a job well before hiring them or before giving them more difficult work to do. The manager agreed to try him out for a week. I told the supervisor that if she tried me out, she'd see that I could do the job. tryout n. When you give people a tryout, you give them a chance to show that they can perform a job well before giving them more difficult work to do. Tryouts for the football team will be next Saturday and Sunday. If you give Mike a tryout, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. 3. try out (for) p.v. When you try out or try out for something, you try to show that you can perform a job well in order to get hired. A lot of guys will try out, but only a handful will make the team. Daniela's mother told her, "Trying out for the cheerleading squad isn't as important as doing your homework."

work up

1. work up (to) p.v. When you gradually improve at something difficult that you do regularly, you work up to that improvement. You can't lift 200 pounds on your first day of weight training. You have to work up to it. When I started running, I couldn't go more than a mile, but now I've worked up to five miles. 2. work up p.v. When you gradually develop the energy, confidence, courage, and so on, to do something difficult or something you do not want to do, you work up the energy, confidence, courage, and so on. When you gradually develop a feeling, you work up the feeling. It took me a long time to work up the nerve to ask my boss for a raise. If I work up some energy, I'll wash the car. I really worked up a sweat in the gym today. Raking leaves all day sure works up an appetite. worked up part.adj. [informal] When you are anxious, worried, or upset about something, you are worked up or worked up about it. Mark has been acting nervous all day. What's he all worked up about? Relax, we're only a few minutes late. It's nothing to get worked up about.

work in

1. work... in p.v. When you make room, with some difficulty, for something in a schedule or plan, you work it in. We're going to be in Chicago for only a couple of days, but I'll try to work in a Cubs game. I told him my schedule was pretty tight, but that I'd try to work the meeting in.

wrap up

1. wrap... up p.v. When you enclose an object in some kind of paper, usually gift wrapping paper or packaging paper, you wrap it up. / have to wrap this gift up before I go to the party. The movers wrapped up the china with newspapers. wrapped up part.adj. After you enclose an object in some kind of paper, usually gift wrapping paper or packaging paper, it is wrapped up. 2. wrap... up p.v. When you conclude an event that has been happening for some time, you wrap it up. Wind up is similar to wrap up. We wrapped up the meeting around 4:00 and went home. The salesman blabbered for two hours before I finally told him to wrap it up.

11. FOCUS ON: phrasal verbs used in compound nouns

As we saw in Section 10, many two-word phrasal verbs can be used as nouns. Many. of these nouns formed from two-word phrasal verbs can be combined with ordinary nouns to form compound nouns: noun: backup compound noun: backup disk noun: follow-up compound noun: follow-up call Like ordinary compound nouns, the first noun has a function similar to that of an adjective: question: What kind of clothes? answer: Dirty clothes. adjective question: What kind of clothes? answer: Workout clothes. noun The adjective dirty and the noun workout serve the same function: modifying the noun clothes. Always accent the first word in a compound noun: noun: BACKup compound noun: BACKupdisk noun: FOLLOW-up compound noun: FOLLOW-up call

FOCUS ON: present and past continuous phrasal verbs

Like one-word verbs, phrasal verbs can normally be used in the continuous tense (also called the progressive tense) using the -ing form of the verb (also called the present participle) and a form of be: The principal told me you'd been cheating on the test. I've been going after my master's for nearly five years. Which dictionary is he looking up the words in? How will she be paying for her tuition bill? The compass needle couldn't be pointing to the south. We would be planning for a bigger crowd if the weather weren't so bad. They should be wrapping the meeting up in a few minutes. Thanks for all your help. I'm sorry for putting you to so much trouble.

phrasal verbs and do, does, and did

Like ordinary verbs, phrasal verbs form negatives and questions with do, does, and did. Present tense questions In the present tense, questions are formed with do (except when the subject is he, she, it, or the name of one person or thing): Why do. I always fall for losers? Do you sometimes doze off in class? Do we ever give in to pressure? How do these bottle tops come off? When the subject is he, she, it, or the name of one person or thing, does is used. Remember that the -s form of the verb is not used in questions: Does this welding torch throw sparks up into the air? Present tense negatives In the present tense, negatives are formed with do not or don't (except when the subject is he, she, it, or the name of one person or thing): 8 / used to doze off while driving, but I don't anymore. I think he has the flu because you don't usually throw up when you have a cold. We don't usually fall for crazy stories like that. If his dogs do not stay off our lawn, I'm going to call the dogcatcher. When the subject is he, she, it, or the name of one person or thing, does not or doesn't is used. Remember that the -s form of the verb is not used in negatives: If Mark doesn't pull through, five children will be without a father. Past tense questions In the past tense, questions are formed with did. Remember to use the infinitive form of the verb: I'm so embarrassed. Why did I fall for his lies? Did the patient pull through? How many times did he throw up? Did we give in to their demands? Did they hear about the explorer who was eaten by piranhas? Past tense negatives In the past tense, negatives are formed with did not or didn't. Remember to use the infinitive form of the verb: / was really sick, but I didn't. throw up. You didn't fall for that nonsense, I hope. He pulled and pulled, but the bowling ball did not come off. We didn't hear about the half-price sale until it was too late. I'm sorry. We tried everything, but she didn't pull through.

FOCUS ON: phrasal verbs used as nouns, 1

Many two-word phrasal verbs can be used as nouns. All the verbs in this section have a noun form. Notice that the two-word noun is sometimes written with a hyphen: verb: go ahead noun: go-ahead and sometimes as one word: verb: lay off noun: layoff Unfortunately, there is no rule that will help you to always know which form to use. Also, not everyone agrees which nouns should be hyphenated and which should be written as one word, so you will occasionally see a noun written both ways. Infinitive present tense -ing form past tense past participle fall off fall off & falls off falling off fell off fallen off 1. fall off p.v. When people or things drop to a lower level from a higher place, they fall off the place where they were. The dish fell off the table and broke. Be careful you don't fall off your bicycle. 61 2. fall off p.v. When the quality, degree, or frequency of something decreases, it falls off. Sales of fountain pens fell off after the ballpoint pen was invented. The quality of his work has fallen off as he has gotten older. falloff n. A decrease in the quality, degree, or frequency of something is a falloff. The chairman was asked to explain the falloff in the company's sales. Egypt experienced a big falloff in tourism after several terrorist incidents.

FOCUS ON: pronunciation of two-word phrasal verbs

Nonseparable phrasal verbs Intransitive nonseparable phrasal verbs (verbs that do not allow an object) are usually accented on the particle: The barn got hit by lightning, and it burned DOWN. Ned drank so much that he passed OUT on the bathroom floor. Transitive nonseparable phrasal verbs (verbs that require an object) are usually accented on the verb: Hank's been CHEATING on his wife for years. I told the teacher my dog ate my homework, but she didn't FALL for it. Separable phrasal verbs Separable phrasal verbs (which are always transitive) are usually accented on the particle: The British soldiers tried to burn DOWN the White House. The teacher passed them OUT. As the examples above show, a single phrasal verb can belong to more than one category depending on its meaning.

Incontinence

The most common types of urinary incontinence in women are stress urinary incontinence and urge urinary incontinence. Women with both problems have mixed urinary incontinence. After menopause, estrogen production decreases and in some women urethral tissue will demonstrate atrophy with the tissue of the urethra becoming weaker and thinner.[2] Stress urinary incontinence is caused by loss of support of the urethra which is usually a consequence of damage to pelvic support structures as a result of childbirth. It is characterized by leaking of small amounts of urine with activities which increase abdominal pressure such as coughing, sneezing and lifting. Additionally, frequent exercise in high-impact activities can cause athletic incontinence to develop. Urge urinary incontinence is caused by uninhibited contractions of the detrusor muscle . It is characterized by leaking of large amounts of urine in association with insufficient warning to get to the bathroom in time.

8. FOCUS ON: present perfect phrasal verbs

The present perfect is used to talk about the past and the present at the same time: They have torn down the building. (The building is not there now because they tore it down in the past.) or to say that something is completed: She has picked out some library books. The present perfect is formed with have, or when the subject is he, she, it, or the name of one person or thing, has, and the past participle of the verb: present: The tree falls over. past: The tree fell over. present perfect: The tree has fallen over. Remember that have can be combined with pronouns as 've: They've never heard of him. and has with nouns and pronouns as's: The tree's fallen over. He's never heard of her. Be careful not to confuse the's contraction of has and the's contraction of is: She's picked out some library books. (She has...) She's picking out some library books. (She is...)

FOCUS ON: separable phrasal verbs with long objects

We have seen that the object of separable verbs can be placed between the verb and the particle or after the particle: clear: I looked up the word. clear: I looked the word up. When the object is short — one word or just a few words in length — the meaning is clear either way. However, when the object is several words long, it can be awkward and confusing to place the object between the particles: clear: I looked up the words that our teacher said were really important and would probably be on the fiunal exam. confusing: / looked the words that our teacher said were really important and would probably be on the final exam up. It boils down to the following. Short objects can be placed between the verb and the particle or after the particle: She put on her dress. She put her dress on. pronouns, such as him, her, and it must be placed between the verb and the particle: She put it on. and long objects should be placed after the particle to avoid confusion: She put on the new dress with the red, yellow, and blue flowers that she bought last week for 40 percent off.

9. FOCUS ON: two-word phrasal verbs that require an additional particle when used with an object,

With some two-word verbs you must use a second particle when the verb has an object: The criminal broke out. The criminal broke out prison. The criminal broke out of prison. Tom and Jerry don't get along. Tom and Jerry don't get along each other. Tom and Jerry don't get along with each other. Sometimes, as with break out and break out of, there is no change in meaning. Sometimes, as with hang up and hang up on, there is a small change in meaning. And sometimes, as with hook up and hook up to, the second particle is necessary not when there is one object but only when there are two: I hooked up my new CD player. I hooked up my new CD player my stereo. I hooked up my new CD player to my stereo. There is no good way to always know which second particle must be used or if and how it will change the meaning of the verb. The best thing to do is to simply memorize each case. Throughout this book, two-word phrasal verbs that require an additional particle when used with an object are shown with the second particle in parentheses: break out (of). Do not confuse two-word phrasal verbs that require an additional particle when used with an object with three-word phrasal verbs. Three-word phrasal verbs always have three words — there is no two-word version, or if there is a phrasal verb with the same verb and first particle, it has a different meaning and is classified as a different verb. For example, break out and break out (of) are included in one definition because they have the same meaning, but put up and put up with have different meanings and are classified separately.

break down

breaking down broke down broken down 1. breakdown p.v. When something mechanical breaks down, it does not function. / was late for work because my car broke down. This photocopier is a piece of junk — it breaks down every day. broken-down part.adj. When something is old, in bad condition, or not functioning properly, it is broken-down. My car is a broken-down piece of junk. breakdown n. A breakdown is a situation in which something mechanical has broken down. After that last breakdown, I decided it was time for a new car. 2. breakdown p.v. When an arrangement, agreement, negotiation, plan, or marriage breaks down, one or more persons involved is not cooperating or participating because of a disagreement or problem. After he started drinking heavily, their marriage started to break down. The peace negotiations broke down because neither side was willing to compromise. breakdown n. A situation in which an arrangement, agreement, negotiation, plan, or marriage has broken down is a breakdown. Neither side would give an inch, and there was a breakdown in the negotiations. 3. breakdown p.v. When you break down, you lose self-control and become emotionally or mentally confused. When the judge sentenced Jones to life in prison, he broke down and begged for mercy. Tom breaks down whenever he thinks of the tragedy. breakdown n. A situation in which someone has broken down and is very upset or confused is a breakdown. Marvin had a complete mental breakdown and started to see invisible people. 4. break down p.v. When something decomposes or reduces to its smallest parts or is reduced by someone to its smallest parts, it breaks down. After the poison breaks down, it's quite harmless. Anticoagulant drugs are used to break down blood clots. 5. break... down p.v. When you reduce a process, situation, problem, plan, or idea to its basic parts to make it easier to understand, you break it down. The professor's plan seemed really complicated, but after he broke it down for us, we understood it a little better. If you break the manufacturing process down into steps, it's easier to train new workers. 6. break ... down p.v. When you use force to go through a door that is locked, you break it down. The police broke the door down and arrested the bank robbers. A door had to be broken down to rescue the people trapped by the fire.

burn down

burn down & burns down burning down burned down burned down 1. burn ... down p.v. When a building or other structure burns down or someone burns it down, it is completely destroyed by fire. Though most of Chicago burned down in 1871, a few buildings survived. The owner was arrested for deliberately burning his factory down.

call in

call in & calls in calling in called in called in 1. call in p.v. When you call your place of employment to say you cannot work that day because you are sick, you call in or call in sick. The manager was angry when her secretary called in three days in a row. Calling in sick too often is a good way to get fired. 2. call... in p.v. When you request the help of people or of an organization with more experience, power, or knowledge to help with a problem or difficult project, you call them in. When the local police couldn't handle the riot, the National Guard was called in. The local police chief considered calling the FBI in to help solve the crime.

catch up

catch up & catches up catching up caught up caught up 1. catch up (with) p.v. When you move faster and reach the same level or place as people who had been moving faster or doing better than you were, you catch up or catch up with them. We left an hour before Luis, but he drove fast and quickly caught up. After missing several weeks of class, Raquel is so far behind that she'll never catch up. Pepsi has caught up with Coca-Cola in some markets. The mugger was running so fast that the angry mob couldn't catch up with him. caught up part.adj. After you have moved faster and reached the same level or place as people who had been moving faster or doing better than you are, you are caught up. When I was sick, I missed a lot of schoolwork, but I worked hard and now I'm caught up. 1. catch up (on) p.v. When you study or learn something you are interested in but have not had time for, you catch up on it. I wonder what the latest gossip is. Let's call Michael so we can catch up. After I returned from vacation, I read the newspaper to catch up on the local news. caught up part.adj. After you have studied or learned something you are interested in but have not had time for, you are caught up. Now that I've read the newspapers I missed while I was on vacation, I'm caught up.

cheat on

cheat on & cheats on cheating on cheated on cheated on 1. cheat on p.v. When you cheat on your sexual partner, you have sex or a romantic relationship with another person. Sarah filed for divorce after she caught George cheating on her. Can you believe it? She was cheating on me with my best friend! 2. cheat on p.v. When you do something dishonest so that you can do better on a test, you cheat on the test. The teacher caught Ali cheating on the exam. If I didn't cheat on the tests, I'd never pass any of my classes

chicken out

chicken out & chickens out chickening out chickened out chickened out 1. chicken out (of) p.v. [informal] When you do not do something because you are afraid, you chicken out or chicken out of it. / was going to ask Heather to go to the dance with me, but I chickened out. Miguel's mad at himself because he chickened out of asking his boss for a raise yesterday.

fall for

fall for p.v. When someone successfully tricks or deceives you, you fall for the trick or deception or you fall for it. I feel like an idiot. The salesman promised me it was a real diamond, not glass, and I fell for it. Your girlfriend told you that guy she was dancing with at the party was her brother? How could you fall for a story like that? 2. fall for p.v. When you suddenly feel a strong attraction to someone or something, you fall for that person or thing. Jim met Sam's sister last week, and now he calls her every day. I guess he really fell for her in a big way. When I saw this house, I fell for it immediately, and I made an offer the same day.

fight back

fight back & fights back fighting back fought back fought back 1. fight back p.v. When you fight back, you fight, either physically or with words, someone or something that attacked you first. The soldiers fought back bravely, but the situation was hopeless. After being accused of corruption, the senator said she would fight back and prove her innocence. 2. fight back p.v. When you fight back an emotional response, such as tears or fear, you try very hard to overcome the emotion. The mother fought back tears when she saw the little white coffins. I had to fight back the urge to punch him in the nose.

follow up

follow up & follows up following up followed up followed up 1. follow up (on) p.v. When you follow up on something, you return to something that was important to you previously because you now have more information or more time or because you want to make sure some effort you made previously is correct or effective. / saw a beautiful house with a "for sale" sign and I followed up on it when I got home. The doctor told me I'd need to follow up the treatment with physical therapy. follow-up n. A follow-up, follow-up call, follow-up visit, and so on, is a return to something that was important to you previously because you now have more information or more time or because you want to make sure some effort you made previously is correct or effective. The customer service manager made a follow-up call to make sure I was happy with the repair job. The doctor asked me to see him two months after the operation for a follow-up.

get out of

get out of & gets out of getting out of got out of gotten/got out of 1. get out of p.v. When you get out of something or get out of doing something you must do but do not want to do, you find a way to avoid it. Sam got out of gym class by pretending to be sick. The boss wants me to work a double shift, but I'll get out of it. I got out of going to church with my parents by pretending to be sick. 2. get... out of p.v. If an activity gives you pleasure, satisfaction, or some other benefit, you get pleasure, satisfaction, or some other benefit out of it. I sat through that boring class for three months and didn't learn a thing. I didn't get anything out of it. The judge didn't get any pleasure out of imposing such a harsh penalty. 3. get... out of p.v. When you use force, pressure, or deceit to get something, such as information or money, from people, you get it out of them. They tortured him for days, but they couldn't get any information out of him. It took me a while, but I got the whole story out of her.

give back

give back & gives back giving back gave back given back 1. give ... back (to) p.v. When you return something to someone, you give it back. Can I use your pen? I'll give it back after the test. Timmy, give that toy back to your sister right now!

give in

give in & gives in giving In gave in given in 1. give in (to) p.v. When someone pressures or forces you to do something or allow something even though you do not want to, you give in. My son drove me crazy asking me to buy him a new bicycle, and I finally gave in.

go back on

go back on p.v. When you make a promise, but you do not do what you promised to do, you go back on your promise. I promised to take my son to a baseball game, and I'm not going back on my word. The President went back on his pledge not to raise taxes.

go through with

go through with & goes through with going through with went through with gone through with 1. go through with p.v. When you do something that you have decided to do even though it may be dangerous or unpleasant or others may object, you go through with it. The spokeswoman said the company would go through with its plan to move the company to Mexico. Despite his family's opposition, Erik went through with his decision to quit his job and start his own business. monkey around with monkey around with & monkeys around monkeying around with monkeyed around with monkeyed around 1. monkey around with p.v. [informal] When you adjust or try to repair mechanical devices even though you do not have permission or do not have the skill to do it properly, you monkey around with them. I monkeyed around with my camera, and I think maybe I fixed it. Frank was monkeying around with my printer, and now it doesn't work.

Hang up

hang from a hook. "your dressing gown's hanging up behind the door" 2. end a telephone conversation by cutting the connection. "'Thanks,' she says, and hangs up" end a telephone conversation with (someone) by abruptly and unexpectedly cutting the connection. "somebody called up and the reporter hung up on him" hang-up ˈhɑːŋʌp/ noun informal noun: hang-up; plural noun: hang-ups; noun: hangup; plural noun: hangups an emotional problem or inhibition. "people with hang-ups about their age" synonyms:neurosis, preoccupation, fixation, obsession, phobia, mania; More inhibition, mental block, psychological block, block, difficulty; idée fixe; informalcomplex, thing, bee in one's bonnet "people with hang-ups about their

hang up

hang up & hangs up hanging up hung up hung up 1. hang up (on) p.v. When you stop talking on the telephone and put down the receiver, you hang up the telephone. When you are angry and hang up the telephone without saying good-bye to someone, you hang up on the person you are talking to. After I finished talking to her, I said good-bye and hung up. When he called me a moron, I got so mad I hung up on him. 2. hang ... up p.v. When you hang something in a high place so that it cannot touch the ground, you hang it up. When I get home, the first thing I do is hang my coat up. Timmy never hangs anything up; he just leaves it on the floor. hung up part.adj. After you have hung something in a high place so that it cannot touch the ground, it is hung up. Timmy, why are your clothes on the floor and not hung up?

hold up

hold up & holds up holding up held up held up 1. hold... up p.v. When a wall, column, or other structure supports the weight of something above it, such as a ceiling, it holds it up. The workers were killed when they removed a column holding the roof up. The house was held up by jacks the foundation was repaired. 2. hold... up p.v. When you prevent something from happening or cause it to happen late, you hold it up. When things or people delay you, they hold you up. The band hasn't arrived yet, and they're holding up the whole wedding. I'm sorry I'm late. I was held up by traffic. holdup n. Something that prevents something else from happening or causes it to happen late is a holdup. Why haven't you finished this work yet? What's the holdup? 3. hold... up p.v. When you use a gun or other weapon to rob a person, bank, or store, you hold it up. Stick up is the same as hold up. The jewelry store owner was held up by three men wearing ski masks. Some idiot tried to hold the bank up with a squirt gun. holdup n. When someone uses a gun or other weapon to rob a person, bank, or store, it is a holdup. A stickup is the same as a holdup. The robber fired his gun in the air and yelled, "This is a holdup." There was a holdup at First National Bank this morning. 4. hold up p.v. When an object remains in good condition after heavy use, it holds up. These cheap shoes won't hold up more than six weeks. Some Roman aqueducts have held up for 2,000 years. 5. hold up p.v. When a plan, idea, or agreement is still believed in or respected after a period of time, it has held up. Einstein's theories have held up despite occasional challenges. The ceasefire is holding up longer than anyone expected

hook up

hook up & hooks up hooking up hooked up hooked up 1. hook... up (to) p.v. When you connect one electronic device to another, you hook it up or hook it up to something. / bought a new printer, but I haven't hooked it up yet. I hooked my sound system up to my TV, and now the TV is in stereo. hooked up part.adj. After one electronic device has been connected to another, it is hooked up. There's a VCR on my TV, but don't try to use it because it's not hooked up. hookup n. A hookup is an electrical connection. The cable TV hookup usually costs $20, but it's free this month. 1. hook up (with) p.v. [informal] When you meet people somewhere, usually after you have done some things separately, you hook up or hook up with them. You do your shopping, I'll go to the post office, and we'll hook up around 2:30, okay? I'll hook up with you at 12:00 at the corner of State and Madison, and we'll have lunch.

lay off

lay off & lays off laying off laid off laid off 1. lay... off p.v. When a company no longer needs workers because it does not have enough business, it temporarily or permanently lays off the workers. Ford laid off 20,000 workers during the last recession. My wife had to go back to work after I was laid off from my job. layoff n. Jobs cut by a company because it does not have enough business are layoffs. The company said there wouldn't be any layoffs, despite the decline in profits. 2. lay off p.v. [informal] When you lay off people, you stop criticizing, teasing, or pressuring them. You've been bugging me all day. If you don't lay off, you're going to be sorry. Lay off Nancy — she's having a bad day. 64 3. lay off p.v. When you lay off something, such as a food or an activity, you stop consuming the food, or doing the activity. Listen to the way you're coughing. You've got to lay off cigarettes. After Ned had a heart attack, he laid off cheese and butter sandwiches.

look at

look at & looks at looking at looked at looked at 1.look at p.v. When you focus your eyes on people or things, you look at them. / looked at her and told her I loved her. Look at me when I talk to you! 2. look at p.v. When you examine something or a situation and decide what to do about it, you look at it. The mechanic looked at my car but couldn't find anything wrong with it. Your finger might be broken; you should have Dr. Smith look at it. 3. look at p.v. When you think a certain way or have an opinion about something, that is the way you look at it. The way I look at it, Congress is to blame for this mess, not the President. What should be done about this situation depends on how you look at it. 4. look at p.v. [informal — always continuous] When you say that people are looking at an amount of money or a length of time, you mean that this is how much they think something will cost or how long something will take. That was a serious injury. You're looking at months and months of physical therapy. Putting a new roof on this house isn't going to be cheap. You're looking at at least $15,000

look forward to

look forward to p.v. When you look forward to something or look forward to doing something, you are excited about something in the future because you enjoy it or because it will benefit you in some way. It's been four years since my brother went overseas. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. I look forward to an opportunity to meet with you in person.

plan for

plan for p.v. When you make preparations for something in the future, you plan for it. The festival was a disaster because they didn't plan for such a huge crowd. It's never to early too start planning for retirement.

pull through

pull through & pulls through pulling through pulled through pulled 1. pull through p.v. When you recover from a serious illness or injury, you pull through. The doctor didn't think his chances were very good, but he pulled through. Erik is very sick, but he's young and strong, so I'm sure he'll pull through.

see about

see about & sees about seeing about saw about seen about 1. see ... about p.v. When you talk to someone to get permission for something or to arrange something, you see about it or see someone about it. Is Luis going to see about changing his flight from the fifth to the sixth? The carpet in my office is filthy. I need to see the maintenance guy about getting it shampooed. 2. see about p.v. When you are upset about a change or a new policy, and you want to say that you will take some action or talk to someone in authority to prevent or reverse the change or new policy, you say "I'll see about that" or "We'll see about that." Now they're saying I can't even smoke in my own office. I'll see about that! Those crooks in City Hall want to double my real estate taxes. We'll just see about that.

setup

set up & sets up setting up set up set up 1. set... up p.v. When you arrange the parts of something so that they are in their proper position and can function, you set it up. The kids got a swing set for Christmas, and Dad had to set it up in the snow. When you're camping, be sure to set your tent up before it gets dark. set up part.adj. After the parts of something are in their proper position and function properly, they are set up. The party is starting in one hour. Are the tables set up? setup n. A collection or arrangement of parts or equipment necessary for a certain procedure or task is a setup. The nurse prepared setups for the hospital emergency room. 2. set... up p.v. When you plan and organize an activity or project, you set it up. I set up a 4:00 meeting with Jones and his lawyer. Setting up a meeting of all fifty governors took a lot of planning. set up part.adj. When an activity or project is planned, arranged, or organized, it is set up. The arrangements for the wedding were very complicated, but everything is set up now. setup n. How an activity or project is planned or arranged is the setup. What's the setup for the Fourth of July picnic? 3. set... up p.v. [informal] When you commit a crime but make it appear that another, innocent person is guilty of the crime, you set the innocent person up. Joe robbed the bank and tried to set me up by leaving some of the stolen money in my apartment and then telling the police about it. The detective didn't believe me when I told him I was set up. setup n. [informal] An attempt by someone to make it appear that an innocent person is guilty of a crime is a setup. / told the detective it was a setup and that I could prove I had been at the racetrack when the bank was robbed.

take off

take off & takes off taking off took off taken off 3 1. take ...off p.v. When you remove something from your body, you take it off. / was so tired when I got home that I took my clothes off and went straight to bed. Take off your shoes. You're getting mud on the carpet. 2. take ...off p.v. When you remove something from a surface, you take it off. I took the book off the table. You need to take the old wax off the floor before you wax it again. 3. take ...off p.v. When you remove something from something it is attached or affixed to, you take it off. Alfonso always takes the skin off chicken before he cooks it. After Jane took the flat tire off her bicycle, she put on the new one. 4. take ... off p.v. When you take time off from work or study, you do something different, in stead of working or studying. I can't work tomorrow. I have to take the day off for some tests at the hospital. Our company always lets us take the week between Christmas and New Year's Day off. 5. take off p.v. When an airplane leaves the ground and flies up into the air, it takes off. Our plane took off an hour late because of the snow. Put on your seat belt; we're taking off now. takeoff n. Takeoff is when an airplane leaves the ground and flies up into the air. The takeoff was delayed because of the snow. 6. take off p.v. When a business or other organized activity becomes very successful, it takes off. The new restaurant's business is taking off because it got a good review in the newspaper. If this business takes off, we could make a lot of money. 7. take off p.v. [informal] When you leave suddenly or quickly, you take off. 4 After he found out the FBI was looking for him, he took off in a hurry. This party's boring — let's take off. 8. take ... off p.v. When you reduce the price of something that is for sale by a certain amount, you take that amount off the price. The sign in the store window said, "Every Monday take 10 percent off all marked prices." The car dealer took $2,000 off the list price.

throw up

throw up & throws up throwing up threw up thrown up 1. throw up p.v. When people throw up, they vomit. Alex was so sick that he threw up all over my shoes. I feel like I'm going to throw up. 1. throw... up p.v. When something causes small particles of dirt, dust, or a liquid to rise into the air, it throws them up. Be careful with that chain saw — It'll throw sawdust up in your eyes. Don't stand too close to the fire; it's throwing up sparks.

Trip over or Trip on

usually hear people use "over" whether they mean to say that they hit the ground or just tripped or stumbled. Sometimes I hear people use "I tripped/stumbled on something", but I don't hear it as often as I hear "I tripped/stumbled over something". There may be some regional variations here, CA, so you should collect a few opinions before you make up your mind.