What is a Phrasal Verb?

Phrasal verbs are idiomatic expressions, combining verbs and prepositions to make new verbs whose meaning is often not obvious from the dictionary definitions of the individual words. They are widely used in both written and spoken English, and new ones are formed all the time as they are a flexible way of creating new terms.

Account (1)

Account for
- To explain

Ache (1)

Ache for
- Want something or someone a lot

Act (3)

Act on
- To take action because of something like information received
Act out
- Perform something with actions and gestures.
- Express an emotion in your behaviour
Act up
- Behave badly or strangely

Add (3)

Add on
- Include in a calculation
Add up
- To make a mathematical total
- Be a satisfactory explanantion for something
Add up to
- Have a certain result
- Come to a certain amount or figure

Aim (1)

Aim at
- To target
- Intend to achieve

Allow (1)

Allow for
- Include something in a plan or calculation

Angle (1)

Angle for
- Try to get something indirectly, by hinting or suggesting

Answer (2)

Answer back
- To reply rudely to someone in authority
Answer for
- Be held responsible for a problem
- Speak on behalf of someone or from knowing them

Argue (2)

Argue down
- Beat someone in a debate, discussion or argument
- Persuade someone to drop the price of something they're selling
- Try to persuade people not to accept a proposition, motion, etc
Argue out
- Argue about a problem to find a solution

Ask (7)

Ask after
- Enquire about someone's health, how life is going
Ask around
- Ask a number of people for information of help
- Invite someone
Ask for
- To provoke a negative reaction
- Request to have or be given
Ask in
- To invite somebody into your house
Ask out
- To invite someone for a date
Ask over
- Invite
Ask round
- Invite someone

Auction (1)

Auction off
- Sell something in an auction