PHRASAL VERBS included in the story RED HERRING : All definitions are from the Oxford Phrasal Verbs Dictionary (Oxford:OUP 2001) IMPORTANT NOTE FOR STUDENTS: the definitions below are not the only ones for many of these verbs, but relate to how the verbs are used in the story. Look in the dictionary above to see more definitions and examples. beat somebody to something - to achieve something or reach a place before somebody else. eg. Go now, before somebody beats you to it! be mixed up in something - to be involved in something dangerous or illegal. eg. They were mixed up in the shoplifting. be out of something - to have used up a supply of something and have nothing left. eg We are out of milk. break down - If a vehicle,etc. breaks down, it stops working because of a fault. eg. My washing machine broke down yesterday. break off something - to end something such as a relationship. eg. They decided to break off the engagement. break into something - to enter a building illegally and by force. eg. The thieves broke into the school and stole the computers. bring back - to return something to the place it came from. eg. 'Has she brought the book back to the library.' bring out something - to take something out of something. eg. He brought a bottle of water out of his bag. bring up something - to mention a subject and start to talk about it. eg. 'Did you bring up the plan for Saturday night?' bump into somebody - to meet somebody by chance. eg I bumped into uncle Jack yesterday. call up somebody - make a phone call to a person or a place. eg. She called her mother up. calm down - to stop being angry or excited. eg. He tried to calm the children down. carry on doing something - to continue doing something, or moving in a particular direction, without stopping. eg. he carried on walking until the end of the street. catch up with (1) somebody - If the police catch up with someone, they finally find out that they have done something wrong and punish them. eg. They were involved with burglary for a long time before the police caught up with them. catch up with (2) somebody - to meet somebody you have not seen for a while and hear about their news. eg. Catch up with you later! check into somewhere - to arrive at a hotel, hospital, etc. to begin your stay there. eg. We didn't check in until ten p.m. check out something - to look at something because it seems interesting or attractive. eg. He checked out the new computer. clear up something - to solve a problem, to find an explanation for. eg. Did you clear up that problem at work? come across something/somebody - to meet or find something or somebody by chance, without having planned or thought about it. eg. Of all the web pages in the world,you came across this one... come back - to return to the place where the speaker is. eg. 'Come back later and we'll talk about it.' come in - to enter a room or a building. eg They came in from the cold. come out - to leave a place, or appear from inside a place. eg. I saw her come out of the bank. come up (1) - to move from a lower place or position to a higher one, or upstairs in a building. eg. 'Would you like to come up for a coffeee?' come up (2) - to happen, especially when you do not expect it. eg. I'll apply for lots of jobs and see what comes up. cross off somebody/something - to remove somebody's name or an item from a list by drawing a line through it. eg. 'Robert isn't coming to the party, so you can cross him off the list.' cut across somewhere - to take a short route across a place instead of going round it. eg To get there quickly, she cut across the field cut off - to interrupt a telephone conversation by breaking the connection. eg. 'I'm sorry - I think we were cut off the last time you rang.' drop by - to pay a short, informal visit to somebody, often without arranging this in advance. eg. He dropped by the supermarket on his way home. feel up to something - to feel capable of doing something, physically or mentally. eg. 'If you feel up to it,we could go for a walk in the hills.' find out - to learn a fact, a piece of information, or the truth about something. eg. When he found out about the job it was too late. get away - to succeed in leaving a place. eg . It was nine p.m. before they managed to get away get back - to return, especially to your home. eg. When we get back, I'll make you a cup of tea. get by - to manage to live or do a particular thing using the money, knowledge, equipment, etc. you have. eg. 'How do you get by without a television?' get in/into somewhere - to succeed in entering a place, especially a building. eg. Although she had left her key, she got into the flat through an open window. get something out - to remove something out of a place. eg. She got her credit card out. get out of somewhere - to leave a place.eg. We got out of there as quickly as possible. get rid of something - to remove something unpleasant. eg. The company got rid of their waste ecologically. give out something - to tell people something or broadcast something. eg. They gave out the names of the winners over the radio. give up something - to stop trying to do something, usually because it is too difficult. eg. Why don't you give up trying to finish before nine o´clock? go after somebody - to chase or follow a person or animal to try to catch them. eg. She went after the cat to stop it from leaving the house. go away - to leave home, or another place, for a period of time. eg. She is going away on business again. go back - to return to something. eg. Let's go back to the original version. go into somewhere - to enter a room, house, etc. eg. They went into the supermarket. go over something - to examine the details of something. eg. Could we go over the plan one more time? hand over something - to give something officially to somebody else, especially somebody in authority. eg. She handed over the car keys to the policewoman. hang around - to spend time somewhere, without doing very much. 'What are you hanging around here for? Get to work!' hang up - to end a telephone conversation. eg. I'll just get a pen - don't hang up. hang up - to go to place. eg. She headed for the station . head for somewhere - to be going in a particular direction or to a particular place. eg. They were heading for the coast. hold on - to wait or stop for a short time. eg. 'Can you hold on a minute?' hurry up - used to tell somebody to move or do something more quickly. eg. Hurry up! We have to go in five minutes. involve in something - to make somebody experience something, especially something unpleasant. eg. Was she involved in the accident? keep on doing something - to continue doing what you were doing. eg. Keep on walking until the end of the street. keep out of - to avoid something. eg. She kept out of the kitchen because of the mouse. let somebody into - to allow somebody to enter a room or building. eg. He let me into his house. light up - If a person's eyes or face light up, or something lights them up, they become bright with excitement. eg. His eyes lit up with surprise. listen in (on/to) somebody/something - to listen to something or somebody secretly. eg. He has been listening in on my phone call. look around - to turn your head in various directions so you can see what is there. eg. I looked around the room. look for something - to search for something. I spent the afternoon looking for books in the library. look through something - to read something quickly. eg He looked through his address book before. make for somewhere - to move in the direction of. eg They made for the hills. make out something - to claim something is true that may not be. eg. He made out he was from Scotland, although his accent was clearly French. map out something - to plan or arrange something in detail. eg. Her career was mapped out. pick up something - to take hold of and lift something. eg. I picked up my book and left the library. pass out - to lose consciousness. eg He passed out when they gave him an injection. push past somebody - to use force to go past other people, rudely making them move to one side. eg. He pushed past me and walked in. push through something - to use force to cross a barrier, especially one formed by a crowd of people. eg. They had to push through the crowd to get out of the nightclub. put away - to send somebody to prison. eg. He was put away for 25 years. put back something - to return something to its usual place. eg. 'Could you put the book back on the shelf?' put down something - to place something you are holding onto the floor or another surface. eg. She put her bag down on the table. put on something - to put an item of clothing on your body. eg. She put her skirt on quickly. put somebody through - to connect somebody to somebody else by telephone. eg. Putting you through to reception now. put something up - to raise something from a lower to a higher position. eg. 'Put your hand up if you have a question.' put somebody up - Let somebody stay at your home. eg Could you put me up for the night? ring somebody back - to telephone somebody again or to telephone somebody who telephoned you earlier. eg. 'Could you ring me back later?' run away from something - to try to avoid dealing with or thinking about something because it is unpleasant. eg. He wanted to run away from all of his problems. run out of something - to have used up a supply of something and have nothing left. eg We have run out of milk. run over something - to read through or think about something quickly. eg. She ran over the schedule during breakfast. sit down - to lower your body until you are sitting on chair, etc. eg. 'Please sit down.' talk somebody into/out of something - persuade somebody to do /not to do something. eg. I was talked out of leaving my job by my boss. talk something over - to discuss something thoroughly with somebody in order to find a solution. eg 'I need your help to talk it over.' talk your way out of something (idiom) - to manage to get yourself out of a difficult situation. eg. They talked their way out of paying the fine. take somebody out to/for - to invite somebody to go with you to the theatre, a restaurant, etc. eg. She took him out for a meal. take somebody up on something - to accept an offer. eg. I think I'll take you up on that offer of help. throw something away / out - to get rid of something that you no longer need or have no use for, or to fail to make good use of something, to waste. eg. He threw away the broken television instead of having it repaired. throw somebody out - to force somebody to leave a place, their home, a job, etc. eg. Because he failed his exams, he was thrown out of university tie up - to connect or link something to something else. eg. His behaviour was tied up with what had happened at home. turn down something/somebody - to reject or refuse something or somebody. eg. I was turned down for the job. turn in - to go to bed. eg. 'It's late - I think I'll turn in' turn on something - to start the flow of electricity, gas, water, etc. by moving a switch or a button. eg. Could you turn the light on? turn up - to arrive. eg. What time did he eventually turn up? walk out - to leave a meeting, etc. suddenly before the end because you do not like it or are angry. eg. I walked out of the cinema in the middle of the film. work out - to happen or develop in a particular way, especially a successful way. eg. It all worked out and we had a wonderful Christmas.