Phrasal Verbs (N - R)

nod off (no object)

fall sleep (usually unintentionally)

The speech was so boring that several people in the audience nodded off before it was finished.

own up

confess - colloquial; to tell (someone) that you have done something wrong, or that you are at fault

James owned up to drawing a silly picture of his teacher on the board. None of the children would own up to breaking the window.

Pack in

(stop an activity - colloquial)

John has packed in his job.

pan out (no object)

succeed; happen as expected (for plans). (Note: almost always negative when in statements.)

I'll be here next week after all. My trip to Chicago didn't pan out.

pass away pass on pass over (usually of a person) (no object)

to die

Fred Bloggs passed away (passed on/passed over) in 1985afteralong illness. Fred passed away. Fred passed on. Fred passed over. I was very sorry to hear that your grandfather passed away.

pass out (1. no object)

faint; lose consciousness

When Ella heard that she'd won a million dollars, she was so shocked that she passed out. When the air-conditioning stopped working, James found it difficult to breathe and passed out. He passed out.

pass out (2. separable)

distribute

Everyone in the room needs one of these information sheets. Who will help me pass them out?

Pay back

(take revenge - colloquial)

She paid him back for all his insults.

pick on (inseparable)

bully; intentionally try to make someone upset

You should be ashamed of teasing your little brother, Bob! Pick on someone your own size!

pick out (separable)

choose; select

Billy's grandmother especially liked her birthday card because Billy had picked it out himself.

pick up (1. separable)

lift; take up

Those books don't belong on the floor. Will you help me pick them up?

pick up (2. separable) something or someone

arrange to meet someone and give her/him a ride; to collect someone or something (sometimes in a vehicle)

Of course we can go there together. What time should I pick you up? Jeff was driving home when he saw a hitchhiker. He stopped the car and picked the hitchhiker up. Jeff picked up the hitchhiker. Jeff picked the hitchhiker up. Jeff picked him up.

pick up (3. separable)

get; buy

The children just drank the last of the milk. Could you pick some more up on your way home this evening?

pick up (4. separable)

refresh; revitalize; improve (colloquial)

The weather seems to be picking up. He was feeling a little tired, so he drank a glass of orange juice. It picked him up enough to finish his work.

Pin someone down

(force to give a clear statement)

I asked Jim to name a suitable day, but I couldn't pin him down.

pitch in (no object)

help; join together to accomplish something

We'll be finished soon if everyone pitches in.

Play up

(behave or work badly)

The car is playing up again. It won't start.

point out something or someone

to draw attention to something or someone

I pointed out that I would be on holiday anyway. My uncle showed me the building he used to work in and he pointed out his old office on the sixth floor. He pointed out his office. He pointed his office out. He pointed it out.

Pull off

(manage to succeed)

It was a tricky plan, but we pulled it off.

pull over (no object)

drive a vehicle to the side of the rode

When the policeman indicated that I should pull over, I knew he was going to give me a ticket.

Push on

(continue with some effort - colloquial)

Let's push on and try to reach the coast by tonight.

put (someone) out (separable)

inconvenience someone

I hate to put you out, but I need a ride to the train station and hope you can take me.

Put across

(communicate ideas)

Harry is clever but he can't put his ideas across.

put away (separable)

return something to the proper place

I just took these clothes out of the dryer. Will you help me put them away?

put back (separable)

return something to the proper place

I've finished with these books. Do you want me to put them back on the shelves?

Put down to

(explain the cause of)

Diane's poor performance was put down to nerves.

put forward a proposal / a plan / a suggestion / an idea etc.

to offer (a proposal / a plan etc.) for consideration

Mr Smith put forward the idea of introducing traffic lights at the crossroads as a way of preventing traffic jams. The planning committee thought his idea was very good. He put forward the idea. He put the idea forward. He put it forward.

Put in for

(apply for a job)

Sue has put in for a teaching job.

Put off (1) an event / doing something etc.

to delay doing something until a late date; to delay an event or arrangement until a later date

Martin v/as very unhappy when he saw the huge pile of dirty dishes in the kitchen. He felt a little happier after deciding to put off the washing-up until the next day. Martin put off the washing-up until the next day. Martin put the washing-up off till t

put off (1. separable)

postpone; delay; avoid

I can't put this work off any longer. If I don't do it soon, it'll be impossible to finish it in time. "When will Mr. Smith agree to a meeting? I keep asking for an appointment, but he keeps putting me off."

put off (2) / put (someone) off (2)

to discourage, or distract, (someone) from doing doing, upset

The crowd put the gymnast off, and be fell. Ron was trying to read, but the noise from the television put him off and he had to stop. The noise from the TV put Ron off his book. The noise from the TV put him off his bOOK. The noise from the TV put Ron oft

put on (1. separable) clothes / glasses I a ring / a necklace etc.

begin to wear; don; to dress oneself

It's a little bit chilly outside. You'd better put a sweater on. Perry put on his nevi' sweater because he wanted to wear it for work. Perry put on his sweater. Perry put his sweater on. Perry put it on.

put on (2. separable)

try to make someone believe something that is ridiculous or untrue

Don't believe a word of what Jim was saying. He was just putting us on.

Put oneself out

(take trouble - to help someone)

Please don't put yourself out making a meal. A sandwich will do.

put out a cigarette / a light / a fire etc.

to extinguish

Steve put out the light in the lounge before going upstairs to bed. Steve put out the light. Steve put the light out. Steve put it out.

put through

to connect a telephone caller to the number he or she wants

Mr Pratt phoned the offices of Gunn and Company. 'Who would you like to speak to?' asked the switchboard operator. 'Put me through to Mr Guhn please,' Mr Pratt replied. She put Mr Pratt through to Mr Gunn. She put him through to Mr Gunn. She put through M

put up (1. separable)

return something to the proper place

Your toys are all over the floor, Timmy. Please put them up.

put up (2. separable)

offer accommodation; provide someone with a place to sleep

There's no need for you to check into a hotel. I'll be happy to put you up. We can put you up for a few days.

put up with

to suffer (a difficult situation or person) without complaining

When Uncle Mike comes to visit us, the children behave very badly. They hit him, they play tricks on him and they make a lot of noise. Uncle Mike must love them very much because he puts up with everything they do, and he never gets annoyed with them. Unc

put up with (inseparable)

tolerate; bear

I can 't put up with all this noise! It's really important to come to work on time. The boss won't put up with tardiness.

rip off (separable)

cheat; take advantage of; charge too much; charge too much (colloquial)

Don't even think about buying a car there. They'll rip you off. You paid £50? They really ripped you off!

round off (separable)

change from a fraction to the nearest whole number

Round all prices off to the closest whole-dollar amounts. For example, round $33.73 off to $34.00.

Run down (1)

(criticise)

She's always running down her husband.

Run down (2)

(lose power, allow to decline)

/ think the batteries are running down.

run in a motor cycle / a new car / a machine etc.

to use a new (or reconditioned) engine carefully until it is ready for normal use

George is running in his new car. so he can't drive fast. George is running in his hew car. George is running it in. Running in, please pass. (a notice sometimes seen on new cars)

run into (inseparable) someone

meet by chance

Guess who I ran into at the supermarket! Yesterday at the supermarket, Jan ran into her former roommate. Before yesterday, they hadn't seen each other for nearly five years. I was on my way to work when I ran into Jeremy Thomas. It was a lovely surprise b

run out of (inseparable) coffee / sugar / money /' patience / time etc.

to use all of (something) and have no more left

On the way home from work, Art ran out of gas. Howard has run out. of bread, so he can't make himself a sandwich. If he wants a sandwich, he'll have to go to the baker's shop and buy some more bread. Howard has run out of bread. Howard has run out of it.

Run over

(check - also run through)

Let's run over the plan once more.

Run to

(have enough money)

I don't think we can run to a holiday abroad this year.

Run up

(a bill - let a bill get longer without paying)

I ran up a huge telephone bill at the hotel.

Run up against

(encounter - usually a problem)

We've run up against a slight problem.