English phrasal verbs

A list of English phrasal verbs with meanings, transcription, examples, and practice.

Phrasal verb	Transcription	Meaning	Example
act up	/ækt ʌp/	To behave badly or cause problems, especially about children or machines	The child acted up during the long trip.
adhere to	/ədˈhɪə tuː/	To follow or obey rules, beliefs, or instructions	We must adhere to the rules of the road.
ask around	/ɑːsk əˈraʊnd/	To ask several people for information or help	I asked around to find a good mechanic in town.
ask out	/ɑːsk aʊt/	To invite someone to go on a date	He finally asked her out to dinner.
back down	/bæk daʊn/	To withdraw from a position or argument, especially to avoid conflict	He finally backed down after arguing for hours.
back up	/bæk ʌp/	To make a copy of data; also to move backwards; also to support someone	My friends backed me up when I needed help.
be into	/biː ˈɪntuː/	To be very interested in or enthusiastic about something	I’m really into jazz music these days.
blow over	/bləʊ ˈəʊvə/	To end or be forgotten without serious consequences	The storm blew over by the next morning.
blow up	/bləʊ ʌp/	To explode; also to become very angry	He blew up when he saw the broken window.
boil down to	/bɔɪl daʊn tuː/	To be the most basic or essential part of something	The argument boils down to who will pay the rent.
bounce back	/baʊns bæk/	To recover quickly after difficulties or illness	She bounced back quickly after the flu.
break down	/breɪk daʊn/	To stop working (about a machine); also to lose control emotionally	Our car broke down on the way to the mountains.
break in	/breɪk ɪn/	To enter a building illegally; also to wear or use something new until comfortable	Thieves broke in while the family was on holiday.
break into	/breɪk ˈɪntuː/	To enter a building or car by force; also to suddenly start doing something	Someone broke into the house while they were away.
break out	/breɪk aʊt/	To suddenly start, often about conflict, fire, or disease	Fire broke out in the kitchen during dinner.
break up	/breɪk ʌp/	To end a relationship or gathering; also to separate into smaller pieces	They broke up after three years together.
bring about	/brɪŋ əˈbaʊt/	To cause something to happen or make something change	The new law will bring about major changes in education.
bring forward	/brɪŋ ˈfɔːwəd/	To present or suggest something for consideration; also to move something to an earlier time	They brought forward the wedding because of family reasons.
bring up	/brɪŋ ʌp/	To mention a topic in conversation; also to raise a child	She brought up the idea of moving to another city.
brush up on	/brʌʃ ʌp ɒn/	To review or practice something to improve knowledge or skills	I need to brush up on my French before the trip to Paris.
bump into	/bʌmp ˈɪntuː/	To meet someone by chance	I bumped into an old friend at the train station.
call back	/kɔːl bæk/	To return a phone call	I’ll call you back after dinner.
call in	/kɔːl ɪn/	To request someone to come for help or service; also to report by phone	We called in to see our grandmother on the way home.
call off	/kɔːl ɒf/	To cancel an event, meeting, or arrangement	They called off the picnic because it started raining.
call up	/kɔːl ʌp/	To phone someone; also to summon someone for duty	I called up my cousin to wish her a happy birthday.
calm down	/kɑːm daʊn/	To become less angry, excited, or upset, or make someone do so	He calmed down after taking a short walk.
carry on	/ˈkæri ɒn/	To keep doing something, even if it is difficult or after being interrupted	It was raining, but they carried on working outside.
carry out	/ˈkæri aʊt/	To do or complete a task, plan, or order	They carried out repairs on the old bridge.
catch up on	/kætʃ ʌp ɒn/	To do something you have not had time to do earlier	I need to catch up on sleep this weekend.
check in	/tʃek ɪn/	To register at a hotel or airport	They checked in at the airport two hours before the flight.
check out	/tʃek aʊt/	To pay the bill and leave a hotel; also to examine something	We checked out of the hotel early in the morning.
check over	/tʃek ˈəʊvə/	To look at something closely to find mistakes or problems	She checked over the bike before going on a ride.
cheer up	/tʃɪə ʌp/	To become or make someone happier	She cheered up when her friend brought ice cream.
chicken out	/ˈtʃɪkɪn aʊt/	To decide not to do something because of fear	She was going to try bungee jumping but chickened out.
clam up	/klæm ʌp/	To suddenly stop talking, usually because of shyness or fear	He clammed up when they asked about his past.
clamp down on	/klæmp daʊn ɒn/	To take strict action to stop or control something	The police clamped down on illegal street racing.
come across	/kʌm əˈkrɒs/	To meet or find something or someone by chance	I came across an old photo album in the attic.
come back	/kʌm bæk/	To return to a place	She came back to see her family for the holidays.
come by	/kʌm baɪ/	To obtain something, often with difficulty; also to visit someone	Good jobs are hard to come by these days.
come down with	/kʌm daʊn wɪð/	To start showing signs of an illness	She came down with the flu last weekend.
come in	/kʌm ɪn/	To enter a room or building; also to arrive for work or a meeting	Come in, the door is open!
come out	/kʌm aʊt/	To be released, published, or made known; also to appear from somewhere	Her new book will come out next month.
come over	/kʌm ˈəʊvə/	To visit someone at their place	Why don’t you come over for dinner tomorrow?
come up with	/kʌm ʌp wɪð/	To think of or produce an idea, plan, or solution	She came up with a funny story to cheer us up.
cover up	/ˈkʌvər ʌp/	To hide the truth about something; also to conceal something physically	They tried to cover up the mistake with excuses.
cut back	/kʌt bæk/	To reduce the amount or size of something	They cut back the bushes in the garden.
cut back on	/kʌt bæk ɒn/	To reduce the use or consumption of something	I’m cutting back on coffee for my health.
cut down	/kʌt daʊn/	To reduce the amount or number of something	I’m trying to cut down on sugar these days.
cut in	/kʌt ɪn/	To interrupt a conversation or activity; also to move suddenly in front of someone	She cut in while we were talking.
cut off	/kʌt ɒf/	To disconnect or stop the supply of something; also to interrupt someone	Our house was cut off by the heavy snow.
deal with	/diːl wɪð/	To handle or manage a situation, problem, or person	I had to deal with a flat tire on my way home.
do over	/duː ˈəʊvə/	To repeat something, usually because it was not done well the first time	I made a mistake, so I had to do the cake over.
drag on	/dræɡ ɒn/	To continue for too long in a slow or boring way	The meeting dragged on for three hours.
draw up	/drɔː ʌp/	To prepare a document, plan, or list; also to stop a vehicle	The lawyer drew up the contract yesterday.
dress up	/dres ʌp/	To wear special or formal clothes	They dressed up for the wedding ceremony.
drop by	/drɒp baɪ/	To visit someone informally and without planning	I’ll drop by your place after work.
drop off	/drɒp ɒf/	To fall asleep; also to deliver someone or something somewhere	I’ll drop you off at the station on my way to work.
drop out	/drɒp aʊt/	To quit school, a course, or an activity before completion	He dropped out of high school at sixteen.
drop out of	/drɒp aʊt ɒv/	To quit school, a course, or an activity before finishing	He dropped out of college after the first year.
ease off	/iːz ɒf/	To become less strong, intense, or severe	The rain eased off by the afternoon.
end up	/end ʌp/	To finally be in a particular place or situation, often unexpectedly	We ended up in a small village after getting lost.
face up to	/feɪs ʌp tuː/	To accept and deal with something difficult	He faced up to his mistakes and apologized.
fall apart	/fɔːl əˈpɑːt/	To break into pieces; also to lose emotional or organizational control	My old shoes are falling apart after so many years.
fall behind	/fɔːl bɪˈhaɪnd/	To fail to keep up with others in progress or schedule	He fell behind in class after being sick for a week.
fall for	/fɔːl fɔː/	To be tricked and believe a lie; also to fall in love with someone	He fell for her the first time they met.
feel up to	/fiːl ʌp tuː/	To have the energy or strength to do something	I don’t feel up to going out tonight, I’m too tired.
figure on	/ˈfɪɡər ɒn/	To expect or plan for something to happen	We didn’t figure on so many people coming to the picnic.
figure out	/ˈfɪɡər aʊt/	To understand or solve something after thinking about it	I finally figured out how to fix the coffee machine.
fill in	/fɪl ɪn/	To write needed information in empty spaces; also to temporarily replace someone	Please fill in your name on this list.
fill out	/fɪl aʊt/	To complete a form by writing information in it	I filled out the visa application yesterday.
fill up	/fɪl ʌp/	To make something completely full, especially with liquid or gas	He filled up the tank before the long drive.
find out	/faɪnd aʊt/	To discover information or learn something for the first time	I just found out that my neighbor is moving to Canada.
follow through	/ˈfɒləʊ θruː/	To finish an action or plan that was started, making sure it is completed	He promised to paint the room and actually followed through.
get across	/ɡet əˈkrɒs/	To communicate an idea so that it is understood	She tried to get her feelings across in the letter.
get ahead	/ɡet əˈhed/	To be successful, especially in work or life, and make progress	She worked hard to get ahead in her studies.
get along	/ɡet əˈlɒŋ/	To have a friendly or good relationship with someone	My neighbors get along really well with each other.
get around	/ɡet əˈraʊnd/	To move from place to place; also to avoid or overcome a problem	She gets around town by bike easily.
get around to	/ɡet əˈraʊnd tuː/	To finally do something after delaying it for a while	I finally got around to fixing the broken shelf.
get away with	/ɡet əˈweɪ wɪð/	To escape punishment for doing something wrong	He cheated on the test but got away with it.
get back	/ɡet bæk/	To return to a place; also to regain something you had before	We got back home late at night.
get by	/ɡet baɪ/	To manage to survive or cope, usually with limited resources	We didn’t have much money, but we got by somehow.
get down	/ɡet daʊn/	To make someone feel sad or depressed; also to lower oneself physically	Cold, dark days always get me down in winter.
get down to	/ɡet daʊn tuː/	To start focusing seriously on a task or work	Let’s get down to business and finish this report.
get in	/ɡet ɪn/	To arrive at a place, especially home or work; also to enter a vehicle	We got in late from our trip last night.
get off	/ɡet ɒf/	To leave a bus, train, or plane; also to avoid punishment	She got off the bus at the wrong stop.
get on	/ɡet ɒn/	To board a bus, train, plane, etc.; also to have a good relationship with someone	We got on the train just before it left.
get out	/ɡet aʊt/	To leave a place or escape; also to remove something from inside	He got out of the car and stretched his legs.
get over	/ɡet ˈəʊvə/	To recover from an illness, disappointment, or shock	It took her months to get over the breakup.
get over with	/ɡet ˈəʊvə wɪð/	To finish something unpleasant so it is no longer a concern	Let’s get the dentist appointment over with quickly.
get through to	/ɡet ˈθruː tuː/	To succeed in making someone understand or realize something	I finally got through to my brother about eating healthier.
give away	/ɡɪv əˈweɪ/	To give something to someone for free; also to reveal a secret	She gave away her old clothes to charity.
give back	/ɡɪv bæk/	To return something to its owner	She gave back the scarf she had borrowed.
give in	/ɡɪv ɪn/	To stop resisting and finally agree to something	She finally gave in and let the kids eat ice cream.
give up	/ɡɪv ʌp/	To stop doing something, often because it is too difficult; also to surrender	He gave up smoking after ten years.
go after	/ɡəʊ ˈɑːftə/	To try to catch, get, or achieve something	He went after his dream of becoming a pilot.
go ahead	/ɡəʊ əˈhed/	To proceed with something, often after permission or when there is no reason to wait	Go ahead, open the box and see what’s inside.
go ahead with	/ɡəʊ əˈhed wɪð/	To start or proceed with a plan, decision, or activity, usually after getting approval or making up one’s mind	They will go ahead with the new project next week.
go back	/ɡəʊ bæk/	To return to a place or a previous state	We decided to go back to the same café as yesterday.
go by	/ɡəʊ baɪ/	To pass (about time); also to go past a place	The summer went by so quickly this year.
go on	/ɡəʊ ɒn/	To continue happening or to keep doing something, especially after a pause or when something unexpected occurs	Please, go on with your story.
go out	/ɡəʊ aʊt/	To leave home for social activities; also when lights stop shining	They went out for dinner at a small restaurant.
go over	/ɡəʊ ˈəʊvə/	To examine, review, or discuss something carefully	I went over my notes before the exam.
go without	/ɡəʊ wɪˈðaʊt/	To manage without having something	We had to go without electricity for two days.
grow up	/ɡrəʊ ʌp/	To change from being a child to an adult; also to become more mature	I grew up in a small village by the sea.
hand back	/hænd bæk/	To return something directly into someone’s hands, giving it back to the owner	He handed back the book he had borrowed.
hand in	/hænd ɪn/	To give something to a person in authority, like homework or a report	He handed in his homework late again.
hand out	/hænd aʊt/	To distribute something to a group of people	The teacher handed out apples to the children.
hang on	/hæŋ ɒn/	To wait for a short time; also to hold tightly	Hang on a minute, I need to tie my shoes.
hang out	/hæŋ aʊt/	To spend time relaxing or socializing casually	We used to hang out at the park after school.
head for	/hed fɔː/	To move in the direction of a place	We headed for the beach as soon as the sun came out.
hold back	/həʊld bæk/	To stop yourself or someone else from acting or expressing something	She couldn’t hold back her tears during the movie.
hold on	/həʊld ɒn/	To wait for a short time; also to keep a firm grip	Hold on, I’ll get my coat and come with you.
hold on to	/həʊld ɒn tuː/	To keep something and not let go of it	Hold on to your ticket, you’ll need it later.
iron out	/ˈaɪən aʊt/	To resolve small problems or difficulties	They finally ironed out their differences after a long talk.
jot down	/dʒɒt daʊn/	To write something quickly so you don’t forget it	I jotted down her phone number on a napkin.
jump in	/dʒʌmp ɪn/	To enter a conversation, activity, or situation quickly and without hesitation	She jumped in and answered the question first.
keep away	/kiːp əˈweɪ/	To stay at a distance from someone or something	Keep away from the fire, it’s dangerous.
keep on	/kiːp ɒn/	To continue doing something repeatedly or for a long time, often in a persistent way	He keeps on calling me every hour.
keep out	/kiːp aʊt/	To prevent someone or something from entering	Keep out of the garden, the flowers are fragile.
keep up	/kiːp ʌp/	To continue at the same level or pace	You’re doing great, keep up the good work!
keep up with	/kiːp ʌp wɪð/	To stay at the same level as someone or something	He walks so fast that I can’t keep up with him.
kick in	/kɪk ɪn/	To start working or having an effect, often after some delay	The medicine kicked in after half an hour.
kick off	/kɪk ɒf/	To begin an event, meeting, or activity, often in a lively way	The concert will kick off at 8 p.m.
laugh off	/lɑːf ɒf/	To dismiss something as not serious by joking about it	He laughed off the mistake as if it was nothing.
lay off	/leɪ ɒf/	To stop employing someone, usually for economic reasons	The factory had to lay off fifty workers.
leave out	/liːv aʊt/	To exclude or not include something or someone	Don’t leave out sugar, it’s important for the recipe.
let down	/let daʊn/	To disappoint someone by failing to do what was expected	She felt let down when he forgot her birthday.
light up	/laɪt ʌp/	To become bright or illuminated; also to show excitement or happiness in one’s face	His face lit up when he saw his old friend.
live up to	/lɪv ʌp tuː/	To meet expectations or standards	The film didn’t live up to the reviews.
look after	/lʊk ˈɑːftə/	To take care of someone or something	She looks after her little brother in the afternoons.
look around	/lʊk əˈraʊnd/	To explore or inspect a place casually	We looked around the old castle before heading home.
look for	/lʊk fɔː/	To try to find someone or something	I’m looking for my keys, have you seen them?
look forward to	/lʊk ˈfɔːwəd tuː/	To feel excited and happy about something that will happen in the future	I’m really looking forward to our trip to Italy next month.
look into	/lʊk ˈɪntuː/	To investigate or examine something carefully	The police are looking into the cause of the fire.
look out	/lʊk aʊt/	To watch carefully for possible danger or problems	Look out! There’s a car coming.
look up	/lʊk ʌp/	To search for information in a book, list, or online; also to visit someone after a long time	I looked up the train times online before leaving.
make for	/meɪk fɔː/	To move in the direction of something; also to help produce a result	She made for the nearest shop to buy some water.
make out	/meɪk aʊt/	To understand or see something with difficulty; also to pretend or claim something	I could barely make out the sign in the fog.
make up	/meɪk ʌp/	To invent a story or excuse; also to reconcile after a quarrel	They made up after having a big argument.
mix up	/mɪks ʌp/	To confuse two or more things or people	I always mix up their twins’ names.
move in	/muːv ɪn/	To start living in a new house, apartment, or place	They moved in last month and already feel at home.
move out	/muːv aʊt/	To leave the place where one lives, especially permanently	They moved out of their apartment last month.
narrow down	/ˈnærəʊ daʊn/	To reduce the number of possibilities or options	We narrowed down the list to just three candidates.
nod off	/nɒd ɒf/	To fall asleep unintentionally, especially while sitting	He nodded off while watching TV on the sofa.
pass away	/pɑːs əˈweɪ/	To die (used as a polite expression)	Her grandfather passed away peacefully last night.
pass by	/pɑːs baɪ/	To go past someone or something without stopping	We watched the boats pass by on the river.
pass on	/pɑːs ɒn/	To give something to someone else; also to decline an offer	I’ll pass on the message when I see her.
pass out	/pɑːs aʊt/	To faint or lose consciousness	He passed out from the heat during the concert.
pick out	/pɪk aʊt/	To choose or select something from a group	She picked out a blue scarf from the shop window.
pick up	/pɪk ʌp/	To lift something; also to learn something new or improve at it; also to collect someone or something	I picked up some fresh bread at the bakery this morning.
play down	/pleɪ daʊn/	To make something seem less important or serious than it really is	He tried to play down his injury so no one would worry.
point out	/pɔɪnt aʊt/	To indicate or draw attention to something	He pointed out the mistake in the map.
pull out	/pʊl aʊt/	To move away from a place, especially a vehicle; also to withdraw from an activity	The car pulled out of the driveway slowly.
pull over	/pʊl ˈəʊvə/	To move a vehicle to the side of the road and stop	The police asked him to pull over on the highway.
put away	/pʊt əˈweɪ/	To put something in its usual place; also to save money; also to send someone to prison	She put away the dishes after dinner.
put down	/pʊt daʊn/	To place something on a surface; also to criticize or humiliate someone	He put down the heavy bag on the floor.
put down to	/pʊt daʊn tuː/	To believe that something is caused by a particular reason or factor	We can put his success down to hard work and patience.
put off	/pʊt ɒf/	To delay doing something until later; also to make someone lose interest	We had to put off the trip until next month.
put on	/pʊt ɒn/	To dress oneself in clothes; also to organize or present a show or event	He put on his jacket before going outside.
put out	/pʊt aʊt/	To extinguish a fire or light; also to inconvenience someone	They put out the fire before it spread further.
put up with	/pʊt ʌp wɪð/	To tolerate something unpleasant or annoying	I can’t put up with this noise any longer.
rip off	/rɪp ɒf/	To cheat someone by charging too much; also to steal something	That market stall really ripped us off on souvenirs.
rule out	/ruːl aʊt/	To decide that something is not possible or not an option	The doctor ruled out allergies after the tests.
run into	/rʌn ˈɪntuː/	To meet someone unexpectedly	I ran into my teacher at the supermarket.
run off	/rʌn ɒf/	To leave quickly, often unexpectedly; also to reproduce copies of a document	The dog ran off when it heard the fireworks.
run out	/rʌn aʊt/	To have no more of something left	We ran out of milk this morning.
run over	/rʌn ˈəʊvə/	To hit someone or something with a vehicle; also to quickly review or explain something	The driver almost ran over a cat on the street.
see off	/siː ɒf/	To go with someone to say goodbye before they leave	We went to the station to see off our friends.
set aside	/set əˈsaɪd/	To reserve something for a purpose; also to decide not to consider something	She set aside some money for her holiday.
set off	/set ɒf/	To begin a journey; also, to trigger something like an alarm or reaction	They set off early to avoid the traffic.
set out to	/set aʊt tuː/	To begin doing something with a clear purpose or intention	She set out to learn Spanish in one year.
set up	/set ʌp/	To arrange or organize something; also, to establish a business or system	They set up a new company last year.
show off	/ʃəʊ ɒf/	To display something proudly, often to attract attention	He was showing off his new bike to his friends.
show up	/ʃəʊ ʌp/	To arrive at a place or event, often when expected; also to become noticeable	Only five people showed up at the meeting.
shut down	/ʃʌt daʊn/	To close a business, machine, or system so it stops working	The shop shut down after twenty years of business.
sit down	/sɪt daʊn/	To take a seat	Please sit down and make yourself comfortable.
slip up	/slɪp ʌp/	To make a small mistake or error, usually by accident	I slipped up and missed the last train home.
slow down	/sləʊ daʊn/	To move, work, or happen at a slower speed	Slow down, there’s a sharp turn ahead.
sort out	/sɔːt aʊt/	To organize or resolve something that is confusing or difficult	We need to sort out the clothes we don’t wear anymore.
speak up	/ˈspiːk ʌp/	To talk louder or express your opinion clearly	Please speak up, I can’t hear you well.
split up	/splɪt ʌp/	To end a partnership or relationship; also to divide into groups	The band split up after their last concert.
stand by	/stænd baɪ/	To be ready to help or support; also to stay loyal in difficult times	I’ll stand by you no matter what happens.
stand out	/stænd aʊt/	To be very noticeable or easy to see	Her red dress really stood out in the crowd.
stand up	/stænd ʌp/	To rise to a standing position; also to defend oneself or support a principle	Everyone stood up when the speaker entered the hall.
step in	/step ɪn/	To become involved in a situation to help, solve a problem, or stop something	The manager had to step in to resolve the conflict.
stick out	/stɪk aʊt/	To extend beyond something; also to be very noticeable	His ears stick out a little, but it makes him look cute.
take after	/teɪk ˈɑːftə/	To resemble a parent or relative in appearance or behavior	She really takes after her mother in looks and character.
take away	/teɪk əˈweɪ/	To remove something from a place; also to subtract in math	She took away the empty plates after dinner.
take back	/teɪk bæk/	To admit you were wrong; also to return something to a shop	I take back what I said, it wasn’t fair.
take in	/teɪk ɪn/	To absorb or understand information fully; also to allow someone to stay in your home	It was hard to take in all the details of the story at once.
take off	/teɪk ɒf/	To rise into the air (about an aircraft); also to become successful quickly; also to remove clothing	He took off his shoes as soon as he got home.
take on	/teɪk ɒn/	To accept responsibility, a challenge, or new work	She took on extra work to help her team.
take out	/teɪk aʊt/	To remove something from inside; also to invite someone out socially	I need to take out the trash tonight.
talk into	/tɔːk ˈɪntuː/	To persuade someone to do something	He talked me into joining the hiking trip.
talk out of	/tɔːk aʊt ɒv/	To persuade someone not to do something	She talked him out of buying an old car.
talk over	/tɔːk ˈəʊvə/	To discuss something carefully with someone	They talked over their travel plans before booking.
talk someone into	/tɔːk ˈsʌmwʌn ˈɪntuː/	To persuade someone to do something	He talked me into trying sushi for the first time.
talk someone out of	/tɔːk ˈsʌmwʌn aʊt ɒv/	To persuade someone not to do something	She talked her friend out of buying a very expensive bag.
tear down	/teə daʊn/	To demolish or destroy a building or structure	They tore down the old cinema last year.
tear up	/teər ʌp/	To rip something into small pieces; also to start crying strongly	She tore up the letter and threw it away.
think over	/θɪŋk ˈəʊvə/	To consider something carefully before making a decision	I need some time to think over your suggestion.
throw away	/θrəʊ əˈweɪ/	To get rid of something you don’t need	He threw away the broken umbrella.
throw up	/θrəʊ ʌp/	To vomit	The little boy threw up after eating too much candy.
touch on	/tʌtʃ ɒn/	To mention or discuss something briefly	The teacher touched on climate change during the lesson.
track down	/træk daʊn/	To find someone or something after searching for a while	I finally tracked down the book I wanted in a second-hand shop.
try on	/traɪ ɒn/	To put on clothes to see if they fit or look good	She tried on three pairs of shoes before choosing one.
try out	/traɪ aʊt/	To test or use something to see if it works well or suits	I tried out a new recipe for dinner yesterday.
turn around	/tɜːn əˈraʊnd/	To change direction physically; also to make a big positive change in a situation	She turned around when someone called her name in the street.
turn down	/tɜːn daʊn/	To refuse an offer or request; also to reduce the volume or intensity	She turned down the job offer because of the low pay.
turn off	/tɜːn ɒf/	To switch something to a non-active state; also to make someone lose interest or dislike something	Don’t forget to turn off the lights before bed.
turn on	/tɜːn ɒn/	To switch on a machine, device, or light; also, to make someone feel interested, excited, or attracted	She turned on the lights when it got dark.
turn up	/tɜːn ʌp/	To arrive or appear, often unexpectedly; also to increase the volume, heat, or intensity	He finally turned up after we waited an hour.
use up	/juːz ʌp/	To consume something completely	She used up all the flour baking bread.
wake up	/weɪk ʌp/	To stop sleeping and become awake	I woke up early to watch the sunrise.
watch out	/wɒtʃ aʊt/	To be careful because of possible danger	Watch out for the wet floor, it’s slippery.
watch over	/wɒtʃ ˈəʊvə/	To guard or take care of someone or something	The grandmother watched over the children while they played.
wind up	/waɪnd ʌp/	To finally finish or end something; also to find oneself in a situation	We wound up the evening with a walk by the river.
wipe out	/waɪp aʊt/	To destroy or remove something completely	The tsunami wiped out the whole village.
work on	/wɜːk ɒn/	To spend time and effort trying to improve, develop, or complete something	I’m working on my guitar skills every evening.
zero in on	/ˈzɪərəʊ ɪn ɒn/	To direct all attention or focus on a particular person or thing	She zeroed in on the book she wanted in the shop.
zone out	/zəʊn aʊt/	To stop paying attention and become mentally absent	I zoned out during the long bus ride and missed my stop.