English Phrasal Verbs
Alphabetical list U-Z of commonly-used phrasal verbs.
Phrasal Verbs beginning with the letters 'U' to 'Z'
- use up
- Finish a product or a supply of something ( so that there's none left).
"What a nuisance! The kids have used up all the toothpaste. "
- Finish a product or a supply of something ( so that there's none left).
- usher in
- To welcome, initiate or
be the beginning of something new.
"A party is a joyful way to usher in the New Year."
"Her appointment as marketing director ushered in fresh ideas."
- To welcome, initiate or
be the beginning of something new.
- veer away from
- Avoid, stay away from.
"I veer away from hypochondriacs if I can."
- Avoid, stay away from.
- vouch for
- Express confidence in, or guarantee something.
"You can give the keys to Andy. I can vouch for him. "
- Express confidence in, or guarantee something.
- wake up
- Stop sleeping.
"Wake up! It's eight o'clock!"
- Stop sleeping.
- ward off
- Keep away or repel (something dangerous or unpleasant).
"I take plenty of vitamin C in winter to ward off colds."
- Keep away or repel (something dangerous or unpleasant).
- warm up
- Reheat something.
"She didn't have time to cook so she warmed up some left-over soup."
- Make more lively or more relaxed.
"He told a few jokes to warm up the atmosphere."
- Reheat something.
- wash up
- Wash the dishes after a meal.
"Who's going to help me wash up?"
- Wash the dishes after a meal.
- wash up
- Be carried onto the land or shore.
"Items from the boat were washed up on the beach."
- Be carried onto the land or shore.
- watch out
- Be careful.
"Watch out! There's a car coming."
- Be careful.
- water down
- Dilute or make weaker by adding water.
"If you water down the medicine it will be easier to take."
- Make less severe.
"He watered down his remarks so as not to offend anyone."
- Dilute or make weaker by adding water.
- wear away
- Disappear after use or over time.
"The words printed on the cover had worn away."
- Disappear after use or over time.
- wear down
- Make someone feel weary or tired.
"Kim is exhausted. The baby's constant crying is wearing her down."
- Make someone feel weary or tired.
- wear off
- Gradually disappear.
"The effect of the painkiller began to wear off."
- Gradually disappear.
- wear out
- Become unusable.
"During the trip Julie wore out her shoes sightseeing.
- Become very tired
"At the end of the every day Julie was worn out."
- Become unusable.
- whip up
- Prepare quickly.
"I can whip up something to eat if you're hungry."
- Prepare quickly.
- wind up
- Finish or put an end to something.
"Before winding up his speech he thanked everyone for their presence."
"Larry decided to wind up his business and retire."
- Arrive finally in a place.
"After a long drive we finally wound up in a village with a spectacular view."
- Finish or put an end to something.
- wipe off
- Clean (board, table).
"The teacher asked one of the children to wipe off the board."
- Clean (board, table).
- wipe out
- Destroy or eliminate something completely.
"One bad harvest could wipe out all of the producer's profits."
"Several villages were wiped out by the earthquake.
- Destroy or eliminate something completely.
- wolf down
- Eat greedily and quickly.
"The boys wolfed down the whole cake in no time!"
- Eat greedily and quickly.
- work out
- Do physical exercise.
"Tanya works out twice a week at the gym club."
- Find a solution or calculate something.
"It's going to be expensive but I haven't worked out the exact cost yet."
- Do physical exercise.
- work up
- Develop
"A good walk will work up an appetite."
- Develop
- wrap up
- Cover; enclose.
"She's busy right now. She's wrapping up her Christmas presents."
- Complete (a task, a discussion).
"The salesman hoped to wrap up a few deals at the end of the demonstration."
- Cover; enclose.
- write back
- Reply to a letter.
"Lucy and Steve sent me an invitation and I wrote back to accept it."
- Reply to a letter.
- write (something) down
- Note something on a piece of paper.
"Richard wrote down the address of the hotel."
- Note something on a piece of paper.
- write off
- Cancel a debt or accept a loss.
"When XYZ company went bankrupt, we had to write off our investment."
- Cancel a debt or accept a loss.
- zero in (on)
- Direct or focus attention on a target and move towards it.
"The police have zeroed in on the escaped prisoner. "
- Direct or focus attention on a target and move towards it.
- zip up
- Fasten a piece of clothing such as a jacket.
"It’s windy outside. You’d better zip up your anorak."
- Fasten a piece of clothing such as a jacket.
- zoom in (on)
- Focus more closely on something
"The camera zoomed in on the crowd to show some famous faces."
- Focus more closely on something
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