Phrasal Verbs (S - T)

see someone off

to say goodbye to someone who is going on a journey at the place (e.g. airport, station etc.) where the journey begins; go to station, airport, etc to say goodbye to someone

Bill arranged to go to Scotland to stay with his grandmother for a few days. His father, Frank, drove him to the railway station and saw him off. Frank saw Bill off. Frank saw him off. I went to the station to see them off.

See through

(realise the truth about)

I saw through his intentions at once.

Send up

(make fun of by Imitating)

Jean is always sending up the French teacher.

Set about

(start working)

We must set about re-organising the office.

set back (1. separable)

cause a delay in scheduling

We've had some problems with the project that have set us back at least two days . We'll give you a progress report tomorrow.

set back (2. separable)

cost

I wonder how much Bill's new car set him back?

Set in

(establish itself-especially weather)

/ think this ram has set infer the day.

set off

to start a journey

Barry set off on his camping holiday at six o'clock in the morning and reached the campsite, in France, at midday. Barry set off. Barry set off at six o'clock. Barry set off on a camping holiday. Barry set off for France.

Set on / set (up) on

(attack)

We were set upon by a gang of hooligans.

Set out (1)

(give in detail in writing)

This document sets out all the Union demands.

Set out (2)

(arrange)

I've set out the refreshments in the hall.

Set out (3)

(start an action)

Sue set out to write a biography hut it became a novel.

set up (separable)

make arrangements for something; establish

An inquiry into the accident has been set up. You'll see Mr. Thomas tomorrow. I've set a meeting up for 9:30 AM.

show up (1. no object)

arrive; appear

The boss was very upset when you didn't show up for the meeting. What happened?

show up (2. separable)

do a noticeably better job (often unexpectedly) than someone else

Everyone thought Marsha would win, but Jean did. Actually, Jean really showed Marsha up.

Sink in

(realise slowly - colloquial, Intransitive)

Slowly the realisation that I had won began to sink in.

slip up (no object)

make a mistake (colloquial)

Someone slipped up and my application was lost. You slipped up here. The amount should be $135.28, not $132.58.

soak up a liquid / information / knowledge / punishment etc.

to absorb; to become filled with (something)

The sponge soaked up the spilt milk. The sponge soaked up the milk. The sponge soaked the milk up. The sponge soaked it up.

Sort out

(find a solution - colloquial)

Don't worry, Mary will sort out your problem.

speak up often used in the imperative

to speak louder

Terry was talking to his grandfather. 'Speak up, Terry,' his grandfather said. I'm a bit deaf and I can't hear you.' Grandfather told Terry to speak up. Grandfather said, 'Speak up'.

Stand by

(keep to an agreement)

The company agreed to stand by its original commitment.

stand for (1)

to represent or mean; to be a sign or short form of something else; initials

The letters B.B.C. stand for the British Broadcasting Corporation. B.B.C. stands for British Broadcasting Corporation. What do the letters B.B.C. stand tor? e.g. stands for exempli gratia, it's Latin.

stand for (1. no object)

represent

These letters seem to be an abbreviation. Do you know what they stand for?

Stand for (2)

(tolerate)

/ will not stand for this kind of behaviour in my house!

stand for (2. inseparable)

tolerate; permit (usually negative)

I'm not surprised that Mrs. Johnson rejected your report. She won't stand for shoddy work.

Stand in for

(take the place of)

Carol has kindly agreed to stand in for Graham at the monthly meeting.

stand out (no object)

be noticeably better than other similar people or things

Good job, Ann! Your work really stands out!

stand up (1. no object)

rise to a standing position

When the Chairperson entered the room, everyone stood up.

stand up (2. separable)

make a date but not keep it

Angela was supposed to go to the dance with Fred, but she stood him up and went with Chuck instead.

Stand up to

(resist, bear stress)

The engine won 't stand up to the strain.

Step down

(resign - colloquial)

The Chairman has stepped down after criticism from shareholders.

Step up

(increase)

Production at the Leeds plant has been stepped up.

Stick up for

(defend- especially yourself, your rights -colloquial)

You must learn to stick up for yourself.

Take (it) out on

(make someone else suffer because of one's own sufferings)

/ know you are unhappy, but don't take it out on me!

take / bring back (separable)

return

This book is due tomorrow. I guess I should take it back to the library. "Yes, you can borrow my pen, but don't forget to bring it back to me when you're finished."

take after (inseparable)

resemble; favor (in appearance) Note: used for people

Both my sister and I take after our father.

take after someone

to look or be like an older relative

Little Christopher takes after his father. He has black hair, big feet and a bad temper just like his dad. Christopher takes alter his father. Christopher takes after him.

take care of (1. inseparable)

provide care for; watch one's health

Lois has been taking care of her father since he returned home from the hospital. "You've been working too hard lately. You'd better take care of yourself!"

take care of (2. inseparable)

make arrangements (for something to happen); take responsibility for

Will you take care of making reservations for our flight to Boston?

take down a statement / a telephone number / some information etc.

to record in writing

When the policeman arrived at the scene of the accident he took down the witness's statement. He took down the statement. He took the statement down. He took it down.

take in (often used in the passive)

to deceive (someone); to cheat (someone)

Don't be taken in by her apparent shyness. The hungry wolf had a problem: all the sheep in the neighbourhood knew him and ran away when they saw him. After some thought he decided to disguise himself as a sheep. The neighbourhood sheep were taken In by th

take off (1) (of an aeroplane)

to rise from the ground

At the beginning of a journey an aeroplane takes off. At the end of a journey an aeroplane lands. The aeroplane took off.

take off (1. separable)

remove (something you're wearing)

Please take your hat off when you go inside a building.

take off (2)

to remove anything that is worn on the body (especially clothes)

Nick took off his jacket because he was feeling very hot. Nick took off his jacket. Nick took his jacket off. Nick took it off.

take off (2. no object)

leave; depart (often suddenly or quickly)

Was something wrong with Jill? She took off without saying goodbye. "When does your plane take off?"

take off (3. separable)

make arrangements to be absent from work

Susan isn't here today. She's taking today and tomorrow off.

Take off (4)

(imitate - colloquial)

Dave takes off the Prime Minister really well.

Take on (1)

(acquire a new characteristic)

My grandmother has taken on a new lease of life since her operation.

Take on (2)

(do something extra)

She has taken on too much with a full-time job as well.

Take out

(insurance - sign an insurance agreement)

Ann has taken out life insurance.

take over

gain control of; to assume responsibility for, or control of, (something or a situation) from someone else

The army tried to take over the country. Simon took over the manager's job from Mr Jones when he retired. Simon took over the manager's job from Mr Jones. Simon took over the manager's job. Simon took the manager's job over. Simon took it over. Simon too

Take to someone

(develop a liking for)

You'll soon take to your new boss, I'm sure.

Take up

(time - occupy time)

The meeting took up a whole morning

take up (separable)

begin (a hobby or leisure-time activity)

A: "Do you like to ski?" B: "I've never been skiing, but I think I'd like to take it up."

take up a hobby / a sport / a job / a habit etc.

to begin to Study, practice, or do (something)

Tim wanted to take up painting, so he joined an evening class at the local College of Art. He took up painting. He took painting up. He took it up. He took up a new hobby.

Talk out of or into

(dissuade from, persuade into)

Paul talked me into going skiing, against my better judgement.

tall through

to fail to happen or be completed (of plans, arrangements, schemes etc.)

Eric's plan to go on a skiing holiday fell through because he broke his leg. His plan fell through.

tear up a piece of paper / a letter / a newspaper etc.

to destroy completely by tearing.

Brian tore up the letter angrily.Brian tore up the letter. Brian tore the letter up. Brian tore it up.

tell (someone) off (separable)

speak to someone bluntly and negatively, saying exactly what she/he did wrong; to speak angrily to someone who has done something wrong; to find fault with someone

Our teacher told us off for being late. Julie was really angry at Bob; she told him off in front of all of us. Howard told his son oH for breaking a window with his football. Howard told oil his son. Howard told his son off. Howard told him off. Howard to