English Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal Verbs with UP
Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
---|---|---|
Add up | Calculate the total amount | ”Your purchases add up to 95€.” |
Add up | Make sense; be logical | "Her explanation doesn't add up." |
Back up | Copy a computer document as a security measure | "It is recommended to back up all files for safety purposes." |
Back up | Support or defend | "If I tell the boss we've got too much work, will you back me up?" |
Back up | Reverse a vehicle towards or against something | The car beeped as he backed it up against the wall. |
Block up | Fill a passage or opening | “All the windows have been blocked up in the old building.” |
Blow up | Explode | “A bomb blew up outside the bank.” |
Break up | Separate; end a relationship | “Carla and Alex have broken up.” |
Brighten up | Lighten | “The sky is brightening up a little.” |
Brighten up | Become happier | “Jimmy brightened up as soon as his girlfriend arrived.” |
Bring up | Raise a child | “All parents want to bring up their children as best they can.” |
Build up | Develop | “They’ve built up a thriving business over the past 20 years.” |
Burn up | Destroy entirely by heat | “The whole house burned up in the fire.” |
Call up | Telephone | “Let’s call up the Windsors and invite them over.” |
Catch up (with) | Reach the same level or standard | “She ran very fast so that he wouldn’t catch up with her.” "After his illness he had to work hard to catch up with the other pupils." |
Check up | Verify something; make sure that something is ok | "I need to check up on a few things before making a decision." |
Chop up | Cut into small pieces | “Chop up an onion and add it to the other ingredients.” |
Cheer up | Make someone happier | “Emily looks sad. Let’s see if we can cheer her up.” |
Clear up Clean up |
Make a place tidy or clean again | “We need to clear up the place before our parents get back.” |
Close up | Lock the doors of a place | “The beach restaurants all close up in winter.” |
Crack up | Laugh so hard that it hurts | “That child says the funniest things – he cracks me up!” |
Do up | Fasten | "You should do up your jacket. It's cold outside." |
Draw up | Move something closer | "My father drew up a chair for the visitor." |
Draw up | Prepare a document, list or plan | "We must make sure the plans are properly drawn up." |
Draw up | Bring oneself into an erect position | Jack drew himself up when his name was called.” |
Dress up | Wear smarter clothes than usual | “There’s no need to dress up. Just come as you are.” |
Dress up | Wear a costume or disguise | "He dressed up in a skeleton for Halloween." |
Dry up | No longer contain water | "The land dried up so it was impossible to grow any crops." |
Eat up | Finish all your food | "You must eat up all your vegetables if you want dessert!" |
End up | Reach a final result or destination. | "We got on the wrong train and ended up in Brighton!" |
Fix up | Repair or decorate | “They had to fix up the apartment before moving in.” |
Fix up | Arrange something | “I’ll fix you up with a golf partner.” |
Get up | Rise; leave bed | "What time do you usually get up in the morning?" |
Give up | Stop doing something | “You’re coughing a lot. You should give up smoking!” |
Go up | Increase; rise | "The price of petrol is expected to go up." |
Grow up | Spend your childhood | "I grew up in a small village." |
Grow up | Become an adult | "Don't be so childish. You need to grow up!" |
Heat up | Make hotter | "I'm going to heat up some soup." |
Hold up | Delay or make someone wait. | "Don't hold up the group. You can ask your questions later!" |
Hurry up | Move or act more quickly | "Hurry up. We're going to miss the bus!" |
Keep up | Go at the same speed. | "Don't walk so fast! I can"t keep up with you." |
Mix up | Mistake one thing or person for another. | "I don't know all their names yet. I tend to mix them up." |
Pick up | Learn quickly. | "The children picked up the language quickly." |
Screw up | Mishandle or do something badly. | "Sam was annoyed because he screwed up his presentation." |
Set up | Arrange or establish. | "Let's set up camp near the river." "We need to set up a meeting to discuss the problem. |
Take up | Start to do something. | "Dad took up golf when he retired." |
Wake up | Stop sleeping. | "I always wake up early, especially in the summer." |
Warm up | Gradually increase in intensity e.g. physical activity. | "In sports it's important to warm up to avoid injuries." |
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