Phrasal Verbs with ‘Up’

By Paola

ManuelFelipe P

Back up

Back up:

Give support

Back up: Move backwards,

reverse

Ex:

You need examples to back up your opinion.

Could you back up a little so I can open this drawer

Bear up

Bear up: Withstand

Ex:

I didn’t think he would bear up so well in that situation

Blow Up

Blow up: Explode

Blow up: Suddenly become

very angry

Ex:

The bomb blew up before the could defuse it

When Joan heard the news, she blew up and rushed out of the room

Break up

Break up: Disperse (a crowd),

stop (a fight)

Break up: End a relationship

Ex:

The police broke the demonstration up before it got out of controlSam and Diana broke up again. What a rocky relationship

Burn up

Burn up: Be hot

Burn up: Consume by fire

Burn up: Destroy by fire

Ex:I’m burning up in here! open the window

The papers were burned up in the fire

He burnt up the files

Cheer up

Cheer up: Make someone feel

cheerful

Cheer up: Become cheerful

Chew up: Chew into small

pieces

ExThe party really cheered me up

Cheer up, everything will be all right

The dog chewed up my shoe

Close up

Close up: Close temporarily

Ex:They are closing the ski resort up for the summer

Catch usp

Catch up: Make up for lost time

Catch up with: Speed up to be at the

same place as a person or thing in front of you

Catch up on: Become up to date

Ex:I will never catch up. I am too behind in my work

I had to run to catch up with the others

I need to catch up on world events. I haven't seen the news in ages.

Check up

Check up on: Investigate someone

or something

Ex:The police are checking up on the bomb threats

Come up

Come up to: Approach, to equal

Come up with: Produce or create

(an idea a plan)

Ex:Terry really came through for us in the endThe Job offer didn't come up to her expectation

Count up

Count up: Add

Ex:Count the change up and see how much we have

Dress up

Dress up: Decorate

Dress up Wear elegant clothes

Ex:You could dress this house up with some bright colors

She always dresses up at work

Fill up

Fill up: Fil to the top

Ex:Fill the car up with unleaded gas, please.

Get up

Get up: Couse someone to

rise (from a sitting position or a lying position)

Get up: Rise (from sitting

position r a bed)

Ex:Ahmed got Abdul up at 5:30 in the morning by turning the music up really loud

What time did you get up this morning

Give up

Give up: Surrender something

Give up: surrender

Ex:The police told the thief to give his gun up

Never give up learning English

Grow up

Grow up: Mature

Ex:Your brother needs to grow up and start thinking about his future

Hang up

Hang up: Suspend (clothes on

a hanger)

Hang up: Put down the

telephone receiver

Ex:You can hang your jacket up in the front closet

Don't you hang up. I'm going to change phones

Hold up

Hold up: Delay (a flight,

traffic)

Hold up: Rob (a bank, a

person) with a weapon

Ex:The accident held traffic up for a hour

Five men held the bank up yesterday

Keep up

Keep up: Stay on the required

schedule

Keep up. Continue

Ex:You have to keep up if you want to work here

You are doing a great job! Keep it up

Let up

Let up:Weaken in intensity

Ex:I told her No a thousand times, but she wont let up

Light up

Light up: Illuminate

Light up: To smoke

Ex:Let’s get some candles to light this room up

Do you have to light up another cigarette? I thought you were trying to cut down

Look up

Look up: Search for (in a

dictionary)

Look up: Locate and visit

Look up to: Respect, admire

someone

Ex:I takes time look up new vocabulary words

If you ever travel to California, you should look me up

He looks up to his father

Make up

Make up: Invent (a story)

Make up:Complete what was missed

Make up: Put on cosmetics

Make up: reconcile

Ex:Don't believe anything she always makes things to do

Fortunately, my professor let me make up the exam i missed yesterday

It takes me 10 minutes to make my face up

You two have been friends for so long that i think you should make up

Pass up

Pass up: Not take advantage

(of an opportunity)

Ex:I can’t believe she passed up the opportunity to study in Rome

Pick up

Pick up: Learn something

without effort

Pick up: Come and get

someone in a car

Ex:Its possible to pick up enough English in two weeks to get by on your trip to L.A

What time are you going to pick me up

Put up

Put up: Have a guess stay in

your house for a short time

Ex:Can you put me up while I'm in town

Ring up

Ring up: telephone

Ex:Jack rung me up last night al 3:00 in the morning

Set up

Set up: Arrange a

relationship

Set up: Falsely incriminate a

person

Ex:My mom set me up with her friend’s son

I don't think he killed those men. Somebody set him up

Settle up

Settle up: Pay one’s debts

Ex:We need to settle up before you move

Shut up

Shut up: Make quiet

Ex:Would someone shut him up! He’s talking so loudly that we’re going to get in trouble