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1
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abide by
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To accept and obey the law,
rule, etc., e.g. We have to abide by the law even if we
don’t agree with it.
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2
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accede to
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To reluctantly agree to a
demand, etc.
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3
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act … out
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To perform a past event;
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To express one’s feelings
through one’s behaviour.
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act up
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(Children) to behave badly.
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(Machine, etc.) Does not work in
the way it should.
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4
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add … in
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To include something with
something else.
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add … on
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To enlarge something, especially
a building, e.g. They added on an extension to the museum
to house the fossil collection.
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add to
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To increase the amount, cost, or
degree of something.
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add up
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To increase by small amounts to
reach a total.
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To calculate the total of
something, e.g. to add up one’s points, marks, scores,
etc.
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add up to
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To total up.
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To combine small amounts to find
out the total, e.g. When the service charges are taken in, the bill adds
up to an amount greater than expected.
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5
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adhere to
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To conduct oneself in accordance
to a particular rule, etc.
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6
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admit of
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To accept something as capable
of existing or happening.
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7
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agree with
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To have the same view as someone
else.
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8
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aim at
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To try to achieve an outcome,
e.g. She aims at losing 10 kg by the end of the year.
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aim … at
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To point something such as a
weapon, camera, etc. at a target, e.g. He aims his
camera at his group of friends.
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To design something for a
specific class or group of people, e.g. The new radio station aims most
of its programs at a teenage audience.
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9
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allow for
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To consider all factors involved
so the problem can be resolved, e.g. If we allow for inevitable
wastage, the amount of material needed will be greater to meet the
production quota.
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allow of
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To show that something is likely
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10
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allude to
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To refer to someone or something
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11
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amount to
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To equal to something, e.g. The
loss through pilferage amounts to at least 3 % of
production cost.
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To have same effect as something
else, e.g. Her remark amounts to an insult.
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12
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angle for
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To request something in an
indirect way, e.g. Quite obviously, he’s angling for a
date with her.
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13
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answer for
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To explain one’s wrong deed or
to explain on behalf of someone, e.g. The coach must answer for the
team’s poor performance.
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answer to
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To explain something, especially
having done something wrong, to someone, e.g. He answers directly to the
Chief Engineer.
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14
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appertain to
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To belong to or concern
something
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15
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arse around/about
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To waste time, e.g. He has been
warned not to arse about in the park.
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16
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ascribe … to
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To accept that an event comes
about because of someone or something, e.g. They ascribe the
high unemployment rate to the government’s mismanagement
of the economy.
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17
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ask … for
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To say that one wants something,
e.g. We asked at the counter for free
gift vouchers but got none because we have not spent enough.
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To show something as requested,
e.g. I was asked for my identity card which I had not
brought along, so I was not allowed into the office.
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ask … out
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To invite someone out, e.g. This
is the tenth and maybe last time I’ll ask her out after
nine unsuccessful attempts.
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18
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attend to
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To deal with something or help
someone, e.g. He had to attend to more emergency cases
today than any other days.
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19
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attribute to
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To say a situation is caused by
something, e.g. The residents attribute the increase in
burglary cases to lack of regular patrol of the streets by the
police.
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To say that someone is
responsible for something, e.g. They attribute the short
stories to him without having any clear evidence that he
wrote them.
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20
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average out
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To calculate the usual number of
times a thing happens.
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21
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awake to
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To be aware of something and its
possible effects, e.g. People are starting to awake to the
therapeutic value of herbs.
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22
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awaken … to
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To make someone aware of
something and its consequences.
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23
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back away
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To move backwards;
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To become uninterested or cease
participation in something.
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back down
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To concede defeat or stop being
confrontational, e.g. The workers planned to go on strike, but backed
down when the employers threaten to sake them.
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back off
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To move away from someone or
something, usually because of danger or to avoid injury, e.g. He was warned
to back off, but he refused and a fight ensued.
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back onto
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(Building, etc.) To have its
back facing a particular area.
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back up
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To make a copy of data on a
computer program or disc., e.g. He has cultivated a good habit of backing
up every piece of work he does.
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back … up
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To provide evidence to support
one’s statement, claim, etc., e.g. Jack backed up his
claim of winning the jackpot by producing a photocopy of his cheque for the
winning amount.
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To move or move a vehicle in the
reverse direction, e.g. I backed up my car a little in the
parking lot between two cars so we could get out./It was a narrow walkway,
so we had to back up a bit to let other people pass by.
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To support someone in a
situation by agreeing with them or doing something to help them, e.g. He is
doing it not just for himself, so I’ll back him up.
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24
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bag … up
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To put small items into bags.
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25
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bail out
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To deposit money for someone to
be out of prison while awaiting court trial.
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To help someone or a financial
institution out of financial problem by providing financial help.
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26
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ball … up
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To complicate matters.
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27
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band together
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To unite in order to achieve
something.
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28
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bandy … about
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To flaunt or say something
repeatedly with intention to impress.
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29
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bang on
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To talk incessantly in a boring
manner.
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bang … out
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To sing a song or play a tune
loudly and badly.
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bang … up
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To wreck something.
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30
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bank on
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To rely on someone or something
to produce an outcome.
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31
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bargain for
|
To be prepared for something
adverse that may happen to one’s plan.
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32
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barge in
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To go or dash in uninvited.
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barge in on
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To interrupt rudely.
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33
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base … on/upon
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To use something as basis for
development of a course of action.
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34
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bash away at
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To continue working or hitting
hard at something.
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bash on
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To persist in an activity or
process in order to complete something.
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35
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bat … around
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To engage in a discussion about
something.
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36
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bawl … out
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To scold someone for the wrong
they have done.
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37
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bear down
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To appear threatening to someone
in the way one behaves.
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bear … down
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To apply pressure on something.
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bear … out
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To deal successfully with a
difficult person or something.
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To use something to testify to
the existence or truth of something else.
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bear up
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To be undaunted by adverse
conditions.
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bear with
|
To ask someone to be patient
while you are engaged with something. To exercise patience with a difficult
person.
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38
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beat down
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(Sunlight, rain, etc.) To come
down in large quantity.
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beat … down
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To bargain for or persuade
someone to offer a lower price.
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beat off
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To frighten or drive someone or
something away.
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beat out
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To extinguish a fire by beating;
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To beat out a rhythm on a drum.
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beat … out
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To defeat a competition rival.
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beat up
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To cause injury to someone by
physical assault, e.g. Members of the public caught up with the pickpocket
and beat him up until he pleaded for
mercy.
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39
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beaver away
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To be doing some difficult,
tiring work.
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40
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bed down
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To make person or an animal
comfortable for the night.
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41
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beef … up
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To make something better, e.g.
Control in the prison was beefed up after the riot.
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42
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beg off
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To say you cannot do something
as agreed.
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43
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believe in
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To feel sure or accept that
something exists, either good or bad, e.g. He just doesn’t believe
in Nessie.
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To feel someone can be trusted,
e.g. The children always believe in their father despite
adverse rumours being spread about him.
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To have one’s views about
something, e.g. We believe in the equality of the sexes in the
workplace.
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44
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belly out
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To become larger, greater or
full.
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45
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belong to
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To be the property or a member
of a group or organization.
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46
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belt … out
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To sing out loud or play a loud
tune from a musical instrument, e.g. The band was belting out all my
favourites.
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belt up
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To instruct someone bluntly to
keep quiet.
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47
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bind ... over
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To restrain someone from causing
trouble under threat of legal punishment.
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48
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bite back
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To retaliate.
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bite into
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To cut against a surface.
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To start using up something,
especially one’s personal savings.
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bite … off
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To use the teeth to cut off a
piece from a main part, e.g. He bit off a piece of a pizza
and strangely spat it out.
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49
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black out
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To faint, e.g. He blacks
out whenever he sees too much blood.
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(City, etc.) To turn off all the
lights in a wide area.
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50
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blank out
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To cover or erase something so
it cannot be seen or recall.
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51
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blast off
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(Rocket, etc.) To leave the
ground.
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52
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blend in
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To mix or combine something with
its surrounding.
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53
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block in/out
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To make a drawing of something
that gives a general idea but is not exact.
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block … off
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To completely close a place such
as a road, etc.
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block … out
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To prevent light passing
through.
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To erase, especially a bitter
memory.
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54
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blot … out
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To cover or hide something
completely.
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blot … up
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To wipe surface dry with a cloth
or other absorbent material.
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55
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blow away
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To shoot someone to death.
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To be carried away by the wind,
e.g. I put some comic books outside and the wind blew away a
couple of them into the drain.
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blow down
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To cause something to drop on
the ground, usually by the wind.
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blow in
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To blow air into something with
our mouth.
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blow off
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To treat someone or something as
unimportant, e.g. He blew off his overseas assignments by
not accepting them.
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blow … out
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To put out a flame by blowing,
e.g. A strong gust of wind blew out all the candles in the
temple when the keeper opened a window.
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(Car) to blow a tyre, e.g. He
just couldn’t figure out what caused a tyre of his car to blow out.
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To cease to function, e.g. An
electric bulb blew out suddenly while I was reading.
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(Storm) to come to an end, e.g.
After a few hours the storm blew itself out.
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(Electricity) to suddenly stop
working, e.g. The fuse of a piece of electrical equipment blows out
causing it to stop working.
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To destroy or damage something,
e.g. The explosion blew the shelves right out of
the wall.
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blow up
|
To be destroyed by an explosion,
e.g. A bomb planted by a saboteur exploded, blowing up a
power station.
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To make something bigger by
forcing air into it, e.g. He blew up a balloon but it
couldn’t get bigger because it has a tiny hole.
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To make a photograph, picture,
etc. larger, e.g. She blew her photograph up so that the
mole on her left cheek is more noticeable.
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To become very angry with
someone or something, e.g. Jill’s father immediately blew up when
he read the amount on the telephone bill.
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56
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blurt … out
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To say something suddenly
without thinking.
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57
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board … out
|
To pay and arrange for an animal
to stay with someone.
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board … up
|
To cover, e.g. a window,
with wooden boards
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58
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bog down
|
To be too deeply involved in
something to have time to do other thing.
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bog off
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To tell someone to go away.
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59
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boil away
|
To heat liquid so much until it
evaporates.
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boil down
|
To reduce the quantity of food
or liquid due to cooking.
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To edit information so that
unnecessary detail is not included.
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boil down to
|
To be concerned only with the
significant or essential element, e.g. Her wish to continue living with him
despite his abusive behaviour boils down to her fear of
loneliness.
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boil over
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To overflow.
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boil up
|
To start losing one’s temper.
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60
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bomb … out
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To completely destroy a
structure.
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61
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bone up
|
To study hard for an
examination.
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62
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book in
|
To check in a hotel.
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book … on
|
To make arrangements for someone
to travel on a plane or train.
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63
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boot … out
|
To dismiss or expel someone,
especially from a job or organization.
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boot up
|
To get a computer ready for use.
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64
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border on
|
To be on the verge of,
especially on the verge of tears.
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65
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bottle out
|
To withdraw suddenly from an
activity you are engaged in.
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bottle … up
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To hide one’s feelings.
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66
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bottom out
|
To stop getting worse,
especially prices.
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67
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bounce back
|
To get better or recover,
especially from bad times.
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68
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bow down
|
To lower your head slightly by
bending top part of body forward to show respect.
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bow out
|
To withdraw from an activity,
etc. which one has been engaged in for a long time.
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bow to
|
To accede to a request or
demand.
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69
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bowl along
|
To move very quickly, especially
in a vehicle.
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bowl … out
|
To accidentally knock someone
down while dashing.
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70
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box … in
|
To feel you cannot act or move
freely.
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box … off
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To separate a smaller area from
a larger one by partitioning or erecting walls around it.
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71
|
branch off
|
(Road, river, etc.) to separate
from another and go in a different direction.
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To talk something else which is
not related to what is being discussed, conversed, etc.
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72
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brave … out
|
To deal bravely with something
that causes fear or problem.
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73
|
brazen … out
|
To deal confidently with a
difficult or embarrassing situation.
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74
|
break away
|
To leave a group or political
party, usually due to disagreement, to form their own.
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break down
|
To cry, e.g. He broke
down instantly when informed that his terminally ill mother had
passed away in the hospital.
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|
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To gain entry, e.g. Firemen had
to break the door down to rescue an elderly
occupant from the fire.
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(Vehicle, machine, etc.) To stop
working, e.g. A couple of cars broke down in the midst of
a traffic jam, aggravating the situation.
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(Negotiation) to fail, e.g. The
negotiation for the exchange of prisoners broke down because
one side remains uncompromising in its demands.
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(Total amount) to separate into
individual items or amounts.
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break for
|
To leave whatever you are doing
for lunch, etc.
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break in/into
|
To forcibly enter a place such
as a building for an illegal purpose, e.g. Thieves broke into an
office building by breaking a window.
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break off
|
To discontinue a relationship,
diplomatic relations, etc., e.g. Both countries broke off diplomatic
relations after one accused the other’s embassy staff of involvement in
espionage.
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To separate, especially a piece
from a larger one, e.g. He broke off a piece of bun and
threw it into a pond to feed the fishes.
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break out
|
To escape from a place, e.g.
After he broke out of jail once, he was transferred to a
maximum security prison.
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break through
|
To forcibly go through
something, etc., e.g. The burglars broke through a wall to
gain entry to the bank safe.
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break up
|
To stop a fight, e.g. They use
pails and buckets full of water, and hose to splash and spray water to break
up a fight between two dogs.
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|
|
To separate a gathering, e.g.
Police appeared as usual to break up a peaceful
demonstration as expected.
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|
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To end a romantic relationship,
e.g. Their relationship broke up after they accused each
other of being selfish.
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|
|
To cause something to separate
into many small pieces, e.g. Someone broke my mug up,
but no one owns up.
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75
|
breathe in
|
To take in air; to inhale.
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breathe out
|
To send air out from the lungs
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76
|
breeze through
|
To finish or complete something
easily, e.g. a task.
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77
|
brew up
|
To make a drink of tea.
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78
|
brick … off
|
To separate an area from a
bigger one by building a wall of bricks.
|
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brick … up
|
To fill or close a space by
building a wall of bricks in it.
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|
79
|
brighten up
|
(Sky) to become brighter.
|
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brighten … up
|
To make something more beautiful
or colourful.
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|
80
|
brim over
|
(A box, container, etc.) to be
overfilled until it cannot be covered.
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|
81
|
bring about
|
To cause something to happen, or
introduce new ideas.
|
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bring around
|
To make someone regain
consciousness.
|
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|
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To persuade someone to agree.
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bring back
|
To revive something that was
used previously, e.g. More and more people are clamouring for capital
punishment to be brought back.
|
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|
|
To return with something,
especially from abroad or shop, e.g. He went to a pet shop and brought
back a couple of terrapins.
|
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|
|
To make one remember or recall
something, e.g. Listening to these songs brings back fond
memories.
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bring … down
|
To bring bird,
plane, etc. down by shooting.
|
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|
|
To stop a government from
continuing,
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|
|
|
To bring anything high up such
as a kite, helicopter, etc. down to the ground.
|
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|
bring ... down on
|
To cause something bad to happen
to someone, especially financial ruin.
|
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bring … forth
|
To display something or make it
visible.
|
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|
bring … forward
|
To make something happen sooner
rather than later.
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bring in
|
To receive an income or earning,
e.g. He works for a large company and brings in a handsome
salary.
|
|
|
|
To include or invite someone to
participate in a discussion,
etc.
|
|
|
|
To involve someone in something.
|
|
|
bring ... on/upon
|
To cause something bad to happen
to someone, e.g. heavy rain had brought on landslides.
|
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bring out
|
To produce something;
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|
|
|
To make a person display his
best/worst quality.
|
|
|
bring over
|
To move someone or something
from where they are to where one is, e.g. She is bringing her
sister over tonight for a game of cards.
|
|
|
bring ... through
|
To help someone endure a
difficult period of time.
|
|
|
bring ... together
|
To assemble two or more people
for a particular purpose.
|
|
|
bring ... up
|
To raise a question, subject,
etc. at a meeting.
|
|
|
|
To care for a child until he/she
is a grown-up.
|
|
|
|
82
|
bristle with
|
To have a lot of or be full of
something.
|
|
|
|
83
|
broaden out
|
To become wider.
|
|
|
|
84
|
bruit … abroad
|
To spread a report or rumour
widely.
|
|
|
|
85
|
brush … aside
|
To deliberately ignore
something.
|
|
|
brush … down
|
To clean clothes or pet animals
with a bush.
|
|
|
brush … off
|
To refuse to consider someone’s
idea, opinion, etc. by ignoring them or passing unkind remark, e.g. The
police head brushed the whole thing off when
informed that some people are planning a bank robbery right in the city
centre.
|
|
|
brush up on
|
To quickly reread work done
previously that one has forgotten or to improve one’s knowledge, or to
practise and improve on an activity, e.g. I think I’d better brush
up on my singing and resume my singing career.
|
|
|
|
86
|
buck for
|
To attempt at achieving
something.
|
|
|
buck up
|
To make or become more cheerful.
|
|
|
|
87
|
bucket down
|
To rain heavily.
|
|
|
|
88
|
build … in/into
|
To make or include something as
a permanent part of something else, e.g. He had a safe built into the
wall of his house.
|
|
|
build on
|
To add an extension to a
building in order to enlarge it.
|
|
|
|
To improve on something or carry
out more development on it
|
|
|
|
89
|
bulk … out
|
To treat a product so that it
appears bigger or its quantity appears greater than it is.
|
|
|
|
90
|
bum around/about
|
To laze about doing nothing.
|
|
|
|
91
|
bump into
|
To meet someone you know by
chance, e.g. I found it amazing when I bumped into my
neighbour in a shopping centre despite it being packed to capacity.
|
|
|
|
To accidentally knock into
someone or something, e.g. I hurried round the corner of a corridor and
accidentally bumped into a woman carrying drinks on a
tray, knocking them all over the floor.
|
|
|
bump … off
|
To murder someone.
|
|
|
bump … up
|
To make something larger or
appear to be larger.
|
|
|
|
92
|
bundle … off
|
To send someone somewhere in a
hurry, e.g. He was handcuffed and bundled off in a police car.
|
|
|
bundle up
|
To dress in warm clothes.
|
|
|
|
To tie things together to form a
bundle.
|
|
|
|
93
|
bung … up
|
To block something up such as
putting something in a hole.
|
|
|
|
94
|
bunk off
|
To leave early and secretly from
a place such as school or work.
|
|
|
|
95
|
burn away
|
To be completely destroyed or
greatly damaged by fire, e.g. The fire burned away all his
valuable personal possessions.
|
|
|
burn down
|
To be destroyed by fire, e.g.
The whole factory was burned down after an explosion.
|
|
|
|
(Fire) to become weaker, e.g.
The fire burns down as its flame has become weaker and
produced less heat.
|
|
|
burn ... off
|
To get rid of something by
burning it, e.g. She burnt off all his photos.
|
|
|
burn out
|
To become exhausted through
overwork, e.g. He burned himself out by
working three full days with very little rest and sleep.
|
|
|
|
To be partially destroyed by
fire, e.g. The fire burnt out the kitchen and the adjoining
bedroom.
|
|
|
|
(Fire) to stop burning, e.g.
After three hours, the fire burnt itself out.
|
|
|
burn up
|
To be completely destroyed by
fire or physical exercises, etc. e.g. The whole building was
completely burned up; physical exercises burn up fat,
calories, etc.
|
|
|
burn ... up
|
To make someone very angry, e.g.
It really burned her up when the boss
disapproved her application for a long leave.
|
|
|
be burning with
|
To be entirely possessed by (a
desire or emotion).
|
|
|
|
96
|
burst in on/upon
|
To interrupt something at an
embarrassing moment.
|
|
|
burst into
|
To intrude into a place suddenly
without thinking.
|
|
|
|
To suddenly start to cry or
burn, e.g. burst into tears; burst into flames.
|
|
|
|
To appear suddenly in a
location.
|
|
|
burst onto
|
To explode outward.
|
|
|
burst out
|
To suddenly begin to cry, laugh,
or say something in an assertive manner, e.g. The audience burst
out laughing when the clown’s trousers suddenly dropped revealing
a pair of yellow shorts with red polka dots.
|
|
|
|
97
|
bust out
|
To escape from a place,
especially a prison.
|
|
|
bust up
|
To separate as lovers, partners,
friends etc;
|
|
|
bust … up
|
To disrupt something or prevent
it from continuing; to damage or break up something.
|
|
|
|
98
|
butt in
|
To interrupt or intrude rudely
on a conversation or activity, e.g. Whenever Jack talked to a girl at the
party, Jill would butt in.
|
|
|
butt out
|
To tell someone to stop
interfering.
|
|
|
|
99
|
butter … up
|
To flatter someone.
|
|
|
|
100
|
buy in
|
To buy something in bulk.
|
|
|
buy … in
|
To withdraw something at auction
because it fails to reach the reserve price.
|
|
|
buy into
|
To make partial purchase of a
business with aim to control it; to accept or believe an idea.
|
|
|
buy … off
|
To pay someone money to stop
them causing trouble or threatening you.
|
|
|
buy … out
|
To pay someone to give up
ownership, interest, or share of a business.
|
|
|
buy up
|
To pay for one’s release from
the armed services.
|
|
|
|
To buy as much and as quickly as
you can of something.
|
