English Phrasal Verbs
Alphabetical list A of commonly-used phrasal verbs.
Phrasal Verbs beginning with the letter 'A'
A phrasal verb is a verb followed by a preposition or an adverb.
The combination creates a meaning different from the original verb.
- abide by
- Respect or obey (the law, a decision, a rule...).
"If you want to stay at this school, you must abide by the rules."
- Respect or obey (the law, a decision, a rule...).
- account for
- Give a reason or an explanation.
"I hope you can account for all the money you spent!"
- Give a reason or an explanation.
- ache for
- Want someone or something very much.
"He was so lonely he ached for the sound of a human voice."
- Want someone or something very much.
- act on
- Take action as a result of something.
"The police decided to act on the anonymous call they received."
- Take action as a result of something.
- act out
- Demonstrate something with gestures and actions.
"The children acted out the scene in the classroom."
- Demonstrate something with gestures and actions.
- act up
- Cause pain or annoyance by functioning badly.
Dad's poor knee is acting up again."
- Cause pain or annoyance by functioning badly.
- add up
- Make sense; seem reasonable.
"She explained what happened but the details she gave just don't add up."
- Make sense; seem reasonable.
- adhere to
- Support; follow; act in accordance with.
"All contestants must adhere to the rules."
- Support; follow; act in accordance with.
- advise against
- Recommend not to do something.
The doctor advised him against carrying heavy loads.
- Recommend not to do something.
- agree with
- Have the same opinion as some else.
"I agree with you entirely. I think she deserves the award too."
- Have the same opinion as some else.
- agree on/about
- Hold the same opinion on or about a topic or plan.
"The parents both agree on/about the way to raise their children."
- Hold the same opinion on or about a topic or plan.
- aim at
- Direct towards a target.
"The policeman aimed his gun straight at the hijacker."
- Direct towards a target.
- allow for
- Take into consideration; include in a calculation.
"It will take longer. You have to allow for heavy traffic at rush hour."
"We must allow for food expenses too. Let's add 20€ per person."
- Take into consideration; include in a calculation.
- allude to
- Mention or make reference to something in an indirect way.
"I don't understand. What problem is she alluding to?"
- Mention or make reference to something in an indirect way.
- amount to
- Reach; be equivalent to.
"The total repair work will amount to 1200€.
"His statement amounted to a confession."
- Reach; be equivalent to.
- angle for
- Try to obtain somethiing by hinting or suggesting.
"From the way he's speaking I suspect Tom is angling for a free ticket."
- Try to obtain somethiing by hinting or suggesting.
- answer back
- Reply rudely to someone in authority when you are expected to remain silent.
"I'm your teacher. Don't answer back !"
- Reply rudely to someone in authority when you are expected to remain silent.
- answer for
- Be held responsible for something.
"Normally parents have to answer for their children's behaviour."
- Speak on behalf of someone.
"I agree to your proposal, but I can't answer for my associate."
- Be held responsible for something.
- answer to
- Be responsible to/be controlled by (someone)
"Who do you answer to in your job?"
- Be responsible to/be controlled by (someone)
- appeal to
- Plead or make an earnest request.
"The organisers appealed to the crowd to stay calm."
- Be attractive or interesting.
"The idea of camping in the woods doesn't appeal to me at all."
- Plead or make an earnest request.
- apply for
- Make a formal request for something (job, permit, loan, etc.)
"When he saw the advertisement he decided to apply for the job."
- Make a formal request for something (job, permit, loan, etc.)
- arrive at
- Reach (an agreement, a decision, a conclusion)
"It is hoped that they will arrive at an agreement at the end of the meeting."
- Reach (an agreement, a decision, a conclusion)
- ask after
- Enquire about someone's well-being.
"My mother worries about you. She's always asking after you."
- Enquire about someone's well-being.
- ask around
- Mention it to people you see or meet.
"I'll ask around and see if anyone has seen your cat."
- Mention it to people you see or meet.
- ask in
- Invite someone to come inside.
"I couldn't leave her standing outside in the cold so I asked her in."
- Invite someone to come inside.
- ask out
- Invite someone to lunch, dinner, the cinema ...
"John has asked Mary out several times."
- Invite someone to lunch, dinner, the cinema ...
- attest to
- Prove to be true; bear witness to
"The number of visitors attest to the popularity of the website."
- Prove to be true; bear witness to
- avail (oneself) of
- Take advantage of something (an opportunity)
"When the sales begin you should avail yourself of the opportunity and buy that coat."
- Take advantage of something (an opportunity)
- average out at
- Result in an average(amount)
"The price of lunch averages out at 10€ per person."
- Result in an average(amount)
More Phrasal Verbs: