TIPS for English (n) Phrasal Verbs at a glance! (1)

     Phrasal verbs at a glance!

       Common phrasal verbs 

        (alphabetically)

 

• Break down = (phrasal verb) (of a machine or motor vehicle) suddenly cease to function, e.g., Her car broke down./// (of a person) Have the vehicle they are driving cease to function, e.g., He broke down on the highway./// (of a relationship, agreement, or process) Cease to continue; collapse, e.g., Pay negotiations with management broke down./// Lose control of one's emotions when in a state of distress, e.g., The woman broke down in tears.// e.g., If she had tried to utter a word, she would have broken down./// (of a person's health or emotional control) Fail or collapse, e.g., His health broke down under the strain of overwork./// Undergo chemical decomposition, e.g., Waste products that break down into low-level toxic materials.

• Break into = (phrasal verb) Enter or open (a place, vehicle, or container) forcibly, especially for the purposes of theft, e.g., I had my car broken into.// Two men broke into the house./// Succeed in winning a share of a market or a position in a profession, e.g.,  Chinese companies failed to break into the US personal-computer market./// Interrupt a conversation, e.g., They were all trying to find a way to break into the conversation./// (of a person) Suddenly or unexpectedly burst forth into laughter or song, e.g., He interrupts conversations by breaking into song.// e.g., The girl broke into sudden and unexpected laughter./// (of a person's face or mouth) Relax into a smile, e.g., He then breaks into a big smile, as if to reassure me he is only teasing.///  Change one's pace to a faster one, e.g., George broke into a sprint.
• Break out = (phrasal verb) (of war, fighting, or similarly undesirable things) Start suddenly, e.g., When war broke out he willingly fought for Britain.// e.g., A violent fight broke out between the two groups of residents, with the brawl lasting for an hour and a half.// e.g., Forest fires have broken out across Spain.///  (of physical discomfort) Suddenly manifest itself, e.g., Prickles (= several thin, sharp points that stick out (*)) of sweat had broken out along his backbone. Break out of = Escape, e.g., A prisoner broke out of his cell.
• Catch on = (phrasal verb) (informal)(of practice or fashion) Become popular, e.g., His music never caught on in the South.// e.g., Christmas markets are popular in Europe and have recently begun to catch on in Britain./// Understand what is meant or how to do something, e.g., ‘I caught on to what it was the guy was saying’
• Catch up with = (phrasal verb) Succeed in reaching a person who is ahead of one, e.g., ‘You go with Kathrine and Ann, and I'll catch up with you.’ /// Talk to someone whom one has not seen for some time in order to find out what he or she has been doing in the interim ((pronounced ˈɪn.t(ə)r.ɪm) = the intervening time), e.g., The party was a chance to catch up with old friends./// Begin to have a damaging effect on, e.g., The physical exertions began to catch up with Vicky.
• Come along = (phrasal verb) to accompany someone who leads the way, e.g., He asked me to come along on the trip./// To make progress, e.g., Work is coming along well./// To make an appearance, e.g., ‘Won't just marry the first man that comes along!’ (***).
• Come off = (phrasal verb) (of an action) succeed; be accomplished, e.g., This was a bold experiment which did not come off./// e.g., It always came off well; he was so well respected that they greeted his little flourish with cheers./// Fare (= perform in a specified way in a particular situation or over a particular period of time) in a specified way in a contest, e.g., George always came off worse in an argument./// Become detached or be detachable from something, e.g., A wheel came off the tractor./// Fall from a horse or cycle that one is riding, e.g., The horse reared up and George came off./// Stop taking or being addicted to a drug or form of medication, e.g., ‘I think I'll come off the pill’ // e.g., He works with people coming off heroin./// (UK English)(informal) Have an orgasm.
• Cut down (on) = (phrasal verb) reduce in scope or length, e.g., ‘I’ve cut down on my smoking.’ // e.g., You need to cut down on the money you spend.// e.g., It's a cut-down version of a DTP program.// e.g.,  Left with a cutdown staff./// A procedure of cutting into a vein in order to insert a needle or cannula, e.g., Dr. Smith delivered the placenta while I was engaged in assisting Dr. Jones during the resuscitation of the infant and the umbilical cutdowns.
• Cut up = (phrasal verb) cut into small pieces, e.g., ‘Cut up the meat into 4 pieces.’ /// (informal) (US English) Behave in a mischievous (pronounced ˈmɪs.tʃɪ.vəs; = causing or showing a fondness for playfully causing trouble) or unruly manner, e.g., Kids cutting up in a classroom.///  (of a horse race) Have a particular selection of runners, e.g., The race has cut up badly with no other opposition from England.
• Drink to = (phrasal verb) wish someone success with an alcoholic drink, e.g., ‘Let us drink to the married couple’
• Drink up = (phrasal verb) finish what are you drinking, e.g., ‘Come on, drink up; it’s time to leave’
• Get along (with) = (phrasal verb) Have a harmonious or friendly relationship, e.g., They seem to get along pretty well./// Manage to live or survive, e.g., ‘Don't worry, we'll get along without you.’ /// (UK English) (informal) (in imperative) Used to express skepticism or disbelief or to tell someone to go away, e.g., ‘Oh, get along with you!’
• Get by = (phrasal verb) Manage with difficulty to live or accomplish something, e.g., He had just enough money to get by.// e.g., ‘We knew it would be a difficult season, and basically, we did enough to get by.’
• Get on = (phrasal verb) Perform or make progress in a specified way, e.g., ‘How are you getting on?’ // e.g., It was interesting to know how things were getting on with him and his life./// Continue doing something, especially after an interruption, e.g., ‘I've got to get on with this job.’ /// (UK English) Be successful in one's life or career.///Get on (well/ pretty well) with someone = (UK English) Have a harmonious or friendly relationship, e.g., They seem to get on pretty well.// e.g., She was a very pleasant and friendly lady and got on well in her job.// e.g., Although we didn't have much in common, we got on like old friends./// Be getting on = (informal) Be old or comparatively old, e.g., Therefore, most participants were getting on in years.// e.g., ‘We are both getting on a bit.’
• Go ahead = (phrasal verb) start doing something that we have planned to do, e.g., We decided to go ahead with our vacation plans despite (or ‘in spite of’) the bad weather. 
• Go by = (phrasal verb) (for time) pass, e.g., Time goes by really fast.
• Go off = (phrasal verb) (of a gun, bomb, or similar device) Explode or fire, e.g., When the first atomic bomb went off as some scientists had predicted it would, another bit of truth about the empirical world was revealed.// e.g., The pistol suddenly went off.///  (of an alarm) begin to sound, e.g., ‘I hadn't even smelled the smoke when the alarm went off.’ /// (UK English) (of food or drink) Begin to decompose and become inedible (= not fit or suitable for eating), e.g., Milk went off so quickly in hot weather./// (UK English) (informal) Begin to dislike, e.g., ‘I went off chocolate when I was pregnant.’ /// Go to sleep, e.g., He decides to put the jukebox away and go off to sleep./// Gradually cease to be felt, e.g., ‘I had a bad headache, but it's going off now.’
• Go on = (phrasal verb) (often with present participle) Continue or persevere, e.g., The debate goes on, appeals continue, and the outcome remains in doubt.// e.g., ‘I can't go on protecting you.’ ///  Talk at great length, especially tediously ((pronounced ˈtiː.di.əs.li) = in a boring way that continues for a long time (*)) or angrily, e.g., The kids were always going on about him.// e.g., Mum started going on about retiring in 3 years./// Continue speaking or doing something after a short pause, e.g., (with direct speech) ‘I don't understand,’ he went on./// (informal) Said when encouraging someone or expressing disbelief, e.g., ‘Go on, tell him!’ /// Happen, e.g., ‘I still don't know what went on there.’ /// (often with infinitive) Proceed to do, e.g., He went on to do postgraduate work./// (informal) (usually with negative) Have a specified amount of care or liking for something, e.g., ‘I heard this album last month and didn't go much on it.’
• Go through = (phrasal verb) Undergo a difficult period or experience, e.g., The country is going through a period of economic instability./// Search through or examine methodically, e.g., He started to go through the bundle (= a collection of things, or a quantity of material, tied or wrapped up together) of letters./// (of a proposal or contract) Be officially approved or completed, e.g., The sale of the building is set to go through.// e.g., Mr. Smith was concerned about the effect in terms of staff and morale if these proposals went through.///  (informal) Use up or spend available money or other resources, e.g., Many children these days go through enough money to support a family 20 years ago, but still, have little fun compared with our childhood./// (of a book) Be successively published in a specified number of editions, e.g., Within two years it went through thirty editions./// (Australian English) (informal) Leave hastily ((pronounced ˈheɪ·stə·li) = (with excessive speed or urgency; hurriedly)) to avoid an obligation; abscond ((pronounced æbˈskɒnd)= leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to avoid detection of or arrest for an unlawful act such as theft), e.g., The first few times she went through on him nearly broke his heart.
• Go through with = (phrasal verb) Perform an action to completion despite difficulty or unwillingness, e.g., ‘I was going to marry him, so I'm glad I found out about it before I went through with it.’ // e.g., He bravely went through with the ceremony.
• Hang around (hang round or hang about in British English) = (phrasal verb) Loiter (= stand or wait around idly or without apparent purpose); wait around, e.g., Undercover officers spent most of their time hanging around bars./// Hang about = (UK English) (informal) Wait, e.g., (in imperative) ‘Hang about, you see what it says here?’ /// Hang around with= (phrasal verb) Associate with someone, e.g., He never hangs around with that gang (= a group of people, especially young people, who regularly associate together).// e.g., ''There's this guy named John who I hang around with.''
• Knock-down (or knockdown) = (phrasal verb) (usually UK English) (informal) (attributive) (of a price) very low, e.g., ‘I took the car off his hands, and he gave it to me at a knock-down price.’/// (attributive) Capable of knocking down or overwhelming someone or something, e.g., Repeated knock-down blows (of a boxer)./// (of furniture) Easily dismantled and reassembled, e.g., Toyota has decades of experience shipping knock-down components by container to assembly plants (plant = a place where an industrial or manufacturing process takes place) around the world.
• Pull down = (phrasal verb) demolish; destroy, e.g., A powerful storm pulled down the old fishing shack (= a roughly built hut or cabin).// e.g., An ugly billboard (= a large outdoor board for displaying advertisements) was eventually pulled down./// To hunt down; overcome./// To bring to a lower level; reduce./// To depress in health, strength, or spirits (= the nonphysical part of a person that is the seat of emotions and character; the soul)./// To draw or earn wages or salary (***). 
• Put up = (phrasal verb) Stay temporarily in accommodation other than one's own home, e.g., We put up at a hotel in the city center.// e.g., We put up in a hotel full of flies.///  To place in a container or receptacle ((pronounced rɪˈsep.tə.k(ə)l) =a container used for storing or putting objects in (*)), e.g., He put his lunch up in a bag./// To put away a sword in a scabbard (= a sheath for the blade of a sword or dagger, typically made of leather or metal); sheathe.//// To prepare so as to preserve for later use./// To put in storage./// To start game animals from cover./// To nominate for election./// To offer up something, such as a prayer./// To make available; especially  to offer for public sale, e.g., They put their possessions up for auction./// To give food and shelter to; accommodate.///  To arrange a plot, a scheme, etc. with others, e.g., He put up a job to steal the jewels./// Build, erect, e.g., The builders put up the walls before starting on the roof.// e.g., The are going to put up a new office block.// e.g., They have plans to put up a pavilion (pronounced pəˈvɪljən; = a building near a sports field, especially one where cricket is played, used by the players and sometimes by people watching the game (*)).// e.g., In downtown Detroit, crews at Campus Martius Park planned to put up the city's holiday tree.//// To make a display of, e.g., He put up a brave front./// To engage in, e.g., He put up a struggle./// Contribute (pronounced kənˈtrɪb.juːt); pay, e.g., He put up bail money./// To offer as a prize or stake./// (mainly in British      English) To increase the amount of; raise./// To succeed in producing or achieving, e.g., An athlete who has put up big numbers.// e.g., He continues to put up incredible numbers./// Score, e.g., He put up 20 points./// (transitive verb) Lodge./// To take direct action —phrase:  put up or shut up.///  Put one up to = to incite ((pronounced ɪnˈsaɪt) = to encourage someone to do or feel something unpleasant or violent (*)) one to a course of action, e.g., They put him up to playing the prank (***)
• Set off = (phrasal verb) Begin a journey, e.g., They set off together in the small car.// e.g., The notion that one can set off on a journey and arrive at the promised time is regarded as a joke.
• Set out = (phrasal verb) Begin a journey, e.g., Canoes were also set to begin searching, but strong winds prevented them from setting out.///  Aim or intend to do something, e.g., He drew up a grandiose (pronounced ˈɡræn.di.əʊs) = larger and containing more detail than necessary, or intended to seem important or great(*)) statement of what his organization should set out to achieve.
• Take down = (phrasal verb) to lower without removing, e.g., He took down his pants./// To pull to pieces, e.g., They took down the building./// Disassemble, e.g., Take the rifle down.// e.g., Electricians will take down all the lights for the set after the play has finished its run./// To lower the spirit or vanity of, e.g., There’s no need to take us down by making fun of our clothes./// To write down, e.g., He took down some note./// To record by mechanical means.//// (intransitive verb) To become seized or attacked especially by illness (***)./// (mainly US English) to defeat or kill someone or stop someone from causing harm, e.g., The Indiana Pacers took down Cleveland, 83-71 (*).
• Take on (so) = (phrasal verb) (UK English) (informal)Become very upset, especially needlessly, e.g., ‘Don't take on so—no need to upset yourself.’ // e.g., ‘Don't take on so, it will all turn out right in the end.’
• Take something over = (phrasal verb) Assume control of something, e.g., British troops had taken over the German trenches.// e.g., On December 17, 1943, residents were forced to leave the village near Warminster when it was taken over for training U.S. troops in the Second World War./// (of a company) Buy out another, e.g., His new company took over his old one.// e.g., The management team had been together for a good number of years and we felt it was an appropriate time to take it over./// Become responsible for a task in succession ((pronounced səkˈseʃ.(ə)n) = a number of similar events or people that happen, exist, etc. after each other (*)) to another, e.g., He will take over as chief executive in April.// e.g., City's finances were taken over by the State Financial Control Board./// (Printing) Transfer text to the next line, e.g., A syllable of two letters must not be taken over to the next line.
• Take up = (phrasal verb) pick up; lift, e.g., He took up the carpet./// To begin to occupy a land./// To gather from a number of sources, e.g., He took up a collection./// To accept or adopt for the purpose of assisting./// To accept or adopt as one's own, e.g., He took up the life of a farmer./// To absorb or incorporate into itself, e.g., Plants taking up nutrients./// To enter upon something, such as a business, hobby, or subject of study, e.g., She took up skiing.// e.g., He took up the trumpet./// To proceed to consider or deal with, e.g., You should take up one problem at a time./// To establish oneself in, e.g., He took up residence in town./// To occupy entirely or exclusively; fill up, e.g., The meeting was taken up with old business./// To make tighter or shorter, e.g., ‘I need to take up the slack (= loose).’ /// To respond favorably to a person offering a bet, challenge, proposal, etc., e.g., ‘It took me up on it.’ /// To begin again or take over from another, e.g., We must take the good work up again./// (intransitive verb) To make a beginning where another has left off./// To become shortened; draw together – shrink.///  Take up the cudgels  (cudgel (pronounced ˈkʌdʒ.(ə)l) = a short, thick stick used as a weapon) = (phrase)To engage vigorously in defense or dispute./// Take up with =To become interested or absorbed in.// To begin to associate or consort with (***).
• Throw something up = (phrasal verb) Produce new problems or ideas (*), e.g., The meeting threw up some interesting ideas (**).// e.g., Studies in genes have thrown up amazing results.
• Throw up a job = (phrasal verb) Choose to leave or stop doing a job (*), e.g., She has thrown up her job and gone off to India to work for a charity (**)
• Throw up = (phrasal verb) Vomit, e.g., ‘I leaned over and threw up again.’
• Wash down = (phrasal verb) to move or carry downward by the action of a liquid; especially to facilitate the passage of food down the gullet ((pronounced ˈɡʌl.ət) = the esophagus) with accompanying swallows of liquid, e.g., The pizza we ate was washed down with beer./// To wash the whole length or extent of, e.g., He washed down and scrubbed the front porch (= a covered shelter projecting in front of the entrance of a building) (***).

 

          Other common phrasal verbs

 

• Catch on = (phrasal verb) (informal) (of practice or fashion) Become popular, e.g., The idea of linking pay to performance has caught on./// Understand what is meant or how to do something, e.g., ‘I caught on to what it was the guy was saying.
• Sack out = (phrasal verb) to go to bed, e.g., ‘It's late - I'm going to sack out’ (*).
• Stump up something = (phrasal verb) to pay an amount or type of money for something, especially unwillingly, e.g., It can be cheaper to stump up for a new washing machine than to get your old one repaired.// e.g., Western governments should stump up the cash to fund land distribution (^^).
• Shoot up = (phrasal verb) (informal) Inject oneself with a narcotic drug, e.g., She went home and shot up alone in her room./// (phrasal verb) (especially of a child) grow taller rapidly, e.g., When he hit thirteen he shot up to a startling 5 foot 9./// (of a price or amount) rise suddenly, e.g., The number of emergency patients admitted to the hospital has shot up, reaching a figure of 1,700 in March./// Note: we often use the term ‘shoot up’ to describe the jump at the values of a figure in the graph.
• Tuck something away = (phrasal verb) Store something in a secure place, e.g., Employees can tuck away a percentage of their pretax salary.
• Tuck in (or into) = (phrasal verb) eat food heartily, e.g., ‘I tucked into the bacon and eggs.’
• Reckon with (or without) = (phrasal verb) take (or fail to take) into account, e.g., They had not reckoned with a visit from Alice./// Reckon with = (phrasal verb) settle accounts with.
• Lounge about/ around something = (phrasal verb) spend your time in a relaxed way, sitting or lying somewhere and doing very little, e.g., We spent our days lounging around the pool (^^).
• Come across (mnemonic trick: a + cross) = (phrasal verb) Meet or find by chance, e.g., ‘I came across these old photos recently.’
• Ferret something out = (phrasal verb) To find out a piece of information or find someone or something, after looking in many places or asking many questions, e.g., (+ question word) ‘I know this name, but I haven't managed to ferret out where he lives’ (*).
• Flick through = (phrasal verb) To look quickly at the pages of a book, magazine, etc., e.g., She was flicking through a copy of ‘Vogue.’// e.g., Probably just a researcher flicking through an occult book (occult (pronounced əˈkʌlt in British English and ˈɑː.kʌlt in North American English) = Involving or relating to mystical, supernatural, or magical powers, practices, or phenomena).
• Muddle through = (phrasal verb) Cope more or less satisfactorily despite lack of expertise, planning, or equipment, e.g., While the children were young, we managed to muddle through.// e.g., ‘When I left my husband I knew it would be tough, and I told myself we'd have to muddle through.’
• Muddle something up = (phrasal verb) Confuse two or more things with each other, e.g., The words seemed to have got muddled up.// e.g., ‘I think a lot of people muddle celebrities up with soaps.’
• Cleave to something = (phrasal verb) To stick or hold firmly onto something, e.g., The ancient ivy cleaved to the ruined castle walls./// To continue to believe firmly in something, e.g., People in the remote mountain villages still cleave to their old traditions (^^)
• Drop out = (phrasal verb) Not to do something that you were going to do, or to stop doing something before you have completely finished, e.g., He dropped out of the race after 2 laps (^^).// e.g., The Iranian candidate dropped out.// Quit a class school etc., e.g., ‘I dropped out of Math (in North American English; ‘maths’ in British English) because it was too difficult.’// e.g., He dropped out of education and wound up sleeping rough for a few months./// Reject conventional society to pursue an alternative lifestyle, e.g., A child of the sixties who had temporarily dropped out.// e.g., ‘I can't keep my kids away from the bad influences of junk food and junk toys without dropping out of society.’ /// (Rugby) Restart play with a dropkick. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKDjYHkVloY and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNpqYbAb9rA // e.g., It was, however, Smith who finished the game on top, forcing play to the try line with a long drop out from the restart./// Score a drop goal, e.g., A quick 22 drop out was followed by a quick tap penalty.
• Set in = (phrasal verb) (of something unpleasant or unwelcome) Begin and seem likely to continue, e.g., Tables should be treated with a preservative before the bad weather sets in.// e.g., There must be a commitment to continuous improvement. Otherwise, complacency (=a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements) sets in.
• Fling something on/off = (phrasal verb) To quickly put on/ remove something, especially a piece of clothing, e.g., We were so hot we flung off our clothes and dived into the swimming pool.
• Fling something/somebody out = (phrasal verb) To get rid of something you don’t want, or to make someone leave a place when they don’t want to, e.g., They were flung out of the pub for fighting.// e.g., I think it’s about time we flung out these old magazines.
• Mow somebody down = (phrasal verb) to kill people, usually in large numbers, by shooting them or driving a vehicle into them, e.g., Four shoppers were mown down this afternoon when a drunken driver lost control of his car (^^).
• Saw something down = (phrasal verb) to make something fall to the ground by cutting it with a saw (^^).
• Get along with = (phrasal verb) Have a harmonious or friendly relationship, e.g., They seem to get along pretty well./// Manage to live or survive, e.g., ‘Don't worry, we'll get along without you.’
• Come along = (phrasal verb) Arrive, e.g., A chance like this doesn't come along every day./// (in imperative) Said when encouraging someone or telling them to hurry up, e.g., ‘That's our man, Peter! Come along!’
• Remark on something = (phrasal verb) to notice something and make a remark about it, e.g., All her friends remarked on the change in her since her marriage.
• Take over = (phrasal verb) An act of assuming control of something, especially the buying out of one company by another, e.g., As the company suffers from such a low valuation, it could also be a target for a takeover.
• Wind (pronounced wʌɪnd) (wind – wound - wound) (not to be confused with ‘wind’ that is pronounced wɪnd (= air current)) down = (phrasal verb) (of a mechanism, especially one operated by clockwork) Gradually lose power./// (usually as wind down) (informal) (of a person) Relax after stress or excitement, e.g., ‘I sank into a hot bath in order to wind down.’// e.g., ‘When I go on holidays, it takes me the first couple of days just to wind down ((^^^) for this example).
• Tap into something = (phrasal verb) to manage to use something in a way that brings good results, e.g., If only we could tap into all that energy and creativity.
• Fall out = (phrasal verb) happen; turn out, e.g., The subject matter falls out as irrelevant, the different views on the same thing are what it's about.// e.g., ‘I have a rather fascinating result that falls out of the trust experiments.’// Leave one's place in a military formation, or on parade, e.g., The two police officers at the rear fell out of the formation.// For falling out of formation See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c0dE0J8VGk  /// Have an argument, e.g., She had fallen out with her family.// e.g., Sadly the sheer (= nothing other than; unmitigated (used for emphasis)) size of the commission proved too much for Papworth; client and architect fell out over money./// (Of the hair, teeth, etc.) become detached and drop out.
• Sack out = (phrasal verb) go to bed or go to sleep. See https://i.pinimg.com/originals/df/22/61/df22615ad8d0775a0e91710474b2437f.jpg   and   https://i.pinimg.com/736x/57/ed/aa/57edaa62e70193c52acc778a6992acf4--silk-sheets-sleepsack.jpg  // e.g., Everyone was sitting, staring at their laptops, at bridge tables or completely sacked out on couches.
• Hold off = (phrasal verb) (of bad weather) fail to occur , e.g., Fortunately, the rain held off until the evening.// e.g., Luckily the rain held off until the last game was played.// e.g., Provided the rain holds off, England should today complete one of their biggest ever win./// Delay or postpone action or decision , e.g., ‘If I were in their shoes, I'd hold off for a couple of days.’ // e.g., ‘Perhaps they're all holding off until next week when I'll have finished for the year.’ // e.g., The group agrees to hold off on any real decisions until replacements are hired. 
• Atone for something = (phrasal verb) make amendmens (amendment = a minor change in a document) or reparation (= payment for harm or damage), e.g., A human sacrifice to atone for the sin.// e.g., He is desperate to be given a chance to atone for the worst experience of his fledgling career.
• Fetch up = (phrasal verb) arrive or come to rest somewhere, typically by accident or unintentionally, e.g., All of them fetched up in the saloon bar of the Rose.
• While (or wile) (pronounced wʌɪl) away something = (phrasal verb) To spend time in a relaxed way, sometimes when waiting for something else to happen, e.g., ‘I used to knit a lot when I was pregnant just to while away the time’ (*) // e.g., The gang had played monopoly as they wiled away the hours.
• Tag along = (phrasal verb) (informal) to go somewhere with a person or group, usually, when they have not asked you to go with them, e.g., ‘I don't know her, she just tagged along with us’ (*).
• Forge ahead = (phrasal verb) take the lead or make good progress, e.g., It may be that exports are forging ahead whilst home sales sag.
• Sag off = (phrasal verb) (informal Northern English) play truant from school.
• Bump someone off = (phrasal verb) murder someone, e.g., He would try and bump the blackmailer off.
• Bump something up = (phrasal verb) increase something, e.g., The hotel may well bump up the bill.
• Plow (or plough) something in/ back = (phrasal verb) a) Plow grass or other material into the soil to enrich it, e.g., In 1933 alone, $100 million was paid out to cotton farmers to plough their crop back into the ground.  b) Invest money in a business or reinvest profits in the enterprise producing them, e.g., Savings made through greater efficiency will be plowed back into the service.
• Plow under = bury in the soil by plowing, e.g., Straw can be plowed under, but that costs about $8 to $10 an acre.
• Plow up = till (=prepare and cultivate land for crops) soil completely or thoroughly, e.g., My father would borrow a tiller (= an implement (= a tool, utensil, or another piece of equipment, especially as used for a particular purpose) or machine for breaking up soil; a plow or cultivator) from a friend and plow up the patch making room for two rows of twelve plants each./// Uncover by plowing.
• Talk something over = (phrasal verb) to discuss a problem or situation with someone, often to find out their opinion or to get advice before deciding about it , e.g., ‘I would like to talk it over with my wife first’ (*).
• Ship out = (phrasal verb) send goods to a distributor or customer, especially by ship (My comment: we say ship, but not always literally, as today goods from retailers, including online retailers such as Amazon, are ‘shipped’ with planes and recently with drones!), e.g., A week later, the company assembles the ingredients into sauce and ships it out.
• Carve something out = (phrasal verb) a) Take something from a larger whole, especially with difficulty, e.g., Carving out a 7% share of the overall vote. b) Establish or create something through painstaking effort, e.g., He managed to carve out a successful photographic career for himself.
• Carve someone up = (phrasal verb) slash someone with a knife or other sharp object, e.g., ‘I'll go straight to wherever you're lying, asleep, and use that knife to carve you up!’  b) Divide something ruthlessly into separate areas or domains, e.g., West Africa was carved up by the Europeans.
• Shove off = (phrasal verb) (usually in imperative) Go away, e.g., ''Shove off! - You're bothering the customers.'' /// Push away from the shore or another vessel in a boat, e.g., ‘I suddenly made up my mind, and with a few quick steps, I was beside the boat, tossing in my buckets and shoving off.’
• Accustom yourself to something = (phrasal verb) To make yourself familiar with new conditions , e.g., ‘It’ll take time for me to accustom myself to the changes (^^).// e.g., ‘I was accustomed to being lapped in luxury (lap = to enfold or swathe (1) a person or thing, especially a part of the body, in something soft). (1) Swathe (pronounced sweɪð) = wrap in several layers of fabric.
• Chalk something up = (phrasal verb) achieve something noteworthy, e.g., He has chalked up a box-office success.// e.g., He's even chalked up one of the country's top biology marks./// Ascribe (1) something to a particular cause, e.g., ‘I chalked my sleeplessness up to nerves.’// e.g., ‘I thanked my relative for her advice and chalked up the tears to her having a melodramatic midlife crisis. (1) Ascribe = attribute something to a cause. 
• Cave in/ into = (phrasal verb) (of a roof or similar structure) subside or collapse. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNHnEtAcUCA and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUx-JLkFngU  // e.g., The tunnel walls caved in./// Capitulate (= cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; surrender) or submit under pressure , e.g., The manager caved into his demands.// e.g., She won't cave into his demands that she admit the marriage was fraudulent.
• Set down = (phrasal verb) Record something in writing, e.g., Thoughts come fast, so fast that it is difficult to set them down in words.// e.g., Some of the writing had faded (fade = gradually grow faint and disappear; pronounced feɪd) and the writer would know the breed, size, color, age, and many other details without having to set them down.// e.g., ‘I have yet to set them down, so am unable to defend my dreams and vision.’/// Establish something as a rule or principle to be followed, e.g., The Association set down codes of practice for all members to comply with.// e.g., ‘I’ll just have to set ground rules down in terms of what time I leave the office.’ // e.g., Some new rules have been set down as a result of this year’s congress meeting.
• Stake something out = (phrasal verb) Mark an area with stakes so as to claim ownership of it , e.g., The boundary between the two manors (manor = a large country house with lands) was properly staked out./// Be assertive (= someone who is assertive behaves confidently and is not frightened to say what they want or believe (*)) in defining and defending a position or policy , e.g., He was staking out a role for himself as a formidable political force.
• Stake someone/something out = (phrasal verb) keep a person or place under surveillance, e.g., They'd staked out Jim's flat for a day.
• Geek out = (phrasal verb) engage in or discuss computer-related tasks obsessively or with great attention to technical detail, e.g., ‘I geeked out for a bit and exchanged website information.’
• Fob somebody off/ Fob something off on somebody = (phrasal verb) Deceitfully attempt to satisfy someone by making excuses or giving them something inferior, e.g., Secretaries fob off most unwanted callers by saying their boss is in a meeting.// e.g., ‘Well, he wants the report ready by tomorrow, but I can’t always fob him off with some excuse’ ((^^^) for this example).
• Trickle down = (phrasal verb) (of wealth) gradually benefit the poorest as a result of the increasing wealth of the richest (My comment: this has never happened, and it is not expected to occur!). , e.g., In many cases, there is a little trickle-down benefit to the wider population in these countries.
• Churn something out = (phrasal verb) produce something mechanically, and in large quantities, e.g., Artists continued to churn out uninteresting works.
• Chuck someone out = (phrasal verb) force someone to leave a building, e.g., Their landlord chucked them out last night.
• Chuck up = (phrasal verb) vomit, e.g., ‘I nearly chucked up.’
• Chime in = (phrasal verb) interject (pronounced ˌɪn.təˈdʒekt) = to say something while another person is speaking (*)) a remark, e.g., ‘Yes, you do that,’ David chimed in eagerly (= used to emphasize a strong desire to do or have something)
• Turn out = (phrasal verb) Prove to be the case, e.g., The job turned out to be beyond his rather limited abilities./// Go somewhere in order to attend a meeting, vote, play in a game, etc., e.g., Over 70 percent of the electorate turned out to vote.
• Haul off = (phrasal verb) Leave; depart, e.g., ‘Rather than hurrying to finish my last doodle (= a picture or pattern that someone has drawn while thinking about something else or when they are bored (*)), I carefully pack it away in my bag and, along with the rest of my gear, haul off to my locker.’ /// Withdraw a little before doing something, e.g., He hauled off and smacked the kid (smack = strike someone or something, typically with the palm of the hand and as a punishment).
• Haul out = (phrasal verb) (of a seal or similar marine mammal) come out of the water to spend time on land. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDhprG-COtc and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWWLFm8Z9UU // e.g., Seals haul out to bask (= enjoy the sun) in areas where they can see and smell approaching predators.
• Fuss over something/ somebody = (phrasal verb) to give something or somebody too much attention because you want to show that you like them, e.g., She’s always fussing over that son of hers as if he were a little boy (^^).
• Hit on somebody = (slang) (phrasal verb) to show someone that you are sexually attracted to them, e.g., Some guy hit on me while I was standing at the bar (^^).
• Engage to (infinitive) / with/ (engage someone) in/ of  = engage in something = (phrasal verb) to take part in something, e.g., The 2 governments have agreed to engage in a comprehensive (= complete; including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something) dialogue to resolve the issue./// Engage someone in a conversation = to start a conversation with someone , e.g., ‘Once Mr. Smith engages you in conversation, you are stuck with him for half an hour!’ ((^^) for the previous 2 meanings).// e.g., They attempted to engage George in conversation./// Engage with = (verb; no object) Participate or become involved in, e.g., Organizations engage in a variety of activities.// e.g., Some are actively engaged in crime./// Engage with = establish a meaningful contact or connection with, e.g., The teams needed to engage with local communities.
• Dredge something up = (phrasal verb) to talk about something bad or unpleasant that happened in the past, e.g., The article dredged up details of his unhappy childhood (^^).
• Tow something away/off = (phrasal verb) To lift a vehicle that has been parked illegally onto an official truck and take it to a place from which you have to pay to collect it, e.g., ‘You are not allowed to park here – your car will be towed away/ off.’
• Settle down = (phrasal verb) (or settle into somewhere) to become familiar with a place and to feel happy and confident in it , e.g., He quickly settled down in his new house/ job/ school./// To start living in a place where you intend to stay for a long time, usually with your partner, e.g., ‘Eventually, I’d like to settle down and have a family, but not yet.’/// Settle somebody down = (phrasal verb) To become quiet and calm, or make someone become quiet and calm, e.g., ‘Come on kids, stop chatting and settle down please!’// e.g., They settled down on the couch (= sofa) to watch the movie (^^).
• Come down = (phrasal verb) To fall and land on the ground, e.g., A lot of trees came down in the storm.// e.g., The plane came down in a field.// e.g., The snow came down during the night./// If a price or a level comes down, it becomes lower, e.g., Inflation  is coming down.// e.g., Houses prices have come down recently./// To feel less excited after a very enjoyable experience, e.g., ‘The whole weekend was so wonderful I haven’t come down yet!’ /// To decide that you support a particular person or a side in an argument, etc. , e.g., The government has come down on the side of military action./// Stop feeling the effects of a drug./// To go to a place that is south of where you live, e.g., ‘My girlfriend is coming down (here in London where I live) from Scotland this weekend.’ /// Come down on somebody/ something = to punish or criticize a person or activity very strongly, e.g., They are coming down heavily on people for not paying their licence fees.// e.g., The authorities plan to come down hard on truancy (= the action of staying away from school without good reason; absenteeism) in future./// Come down to something = (phrasal verb) a) If a decision or situation comes down to something, that is the thing that influences it more, e.g., ‘What it all comes down to you is your incredible insecurity.’ // e.g., It all comes down to money in the end.//  b) If a decision or situation comes down to something, it can be described or explained most simply in that way, e.g., What the problem comes down to is whether the consumer will be willing to pay more for a higher quality product./// Come down with something = (phrasal verb) To start to suffer from an illness, especially one that is not serious, e.g., ‘I think I’m coming down with flu’ (^^).
• Pawn someone/something off = (phrasal verb) pass off someone or something unwanted, e.g., Newly industrialized economies are racing to pawn off old processes in poorer countries.
• Ward someone/ something off = (phrasal verb) prevent someone or something from harming or affecting one , e.g., She put up a hand as if to ward him off.// e.g., These behaviors generally are intended to ward off harm to the person with OCD      (obsessive-compulsive disorder) or others.// e.g., Armor is used to shield, but not solely to ward off physical harm.
• Tail off  = (phrasal verb) to reduce in amount or become lower in level,  e.g., His voice tailed off as he drifted (= move passively, aimlessly, or involuntarily into a certain situation or condition) into sleep.// e.g., The profits tailed off after a few years./// To become gradually less or smaller, e.g., Profits tailed off in the last half of the year (^^).
• Hang up the phone = (phrasal verb) to end a phone conversation , e.g., ‘He started shouting so I hung up (on him).’// e.g., ‘Let me speak to Tania before you hang up’ (*).// e.g., ‘Don’t hang up on me!’
• Hang something up = (phrasal verb) to stop using and needing something because you have given up the sport or activity it used for; e.g., ‘So when did you hang up your boxing gloves/ golf clubs/ ballet (1)shoes?’ (1) Ballet is pronounced ˈbæl.eɪ in British English and bælˈeɪ in North American English.
• Hang out = (phrasal verb) To spend a lot of time in a place or with someone, e.g., ‘Do you still hang out at the pool hall?’// e.g., ‘I’ve been hanging out backstage with the band’ (^^).
• Stand for = (phrasal verb) be an abbreviation of or symbol for; e.g., NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.// e.g., He also showed me which Arabic symbol stood for Allah, and which stood for Mohammad.//// (informal with negative) Refuse to endure (= suffer something painful or difficult patiently) or tolerate; e.g., ‘I won't stand for any nonsense.’ // e.g., It is getting to the point where hunt supporters will not stand for it./// Support a cause or principle, e.g., ‘We stand for animal welfare.’ // e.g., If parties need cash, let them go out and convince people that they stand for something worth supporting.  
• Stand up = (phrasal verb) (of an argument, claim, evidence, etc.) remain valid after close scrutiny (1) or analysis, e.g., ‘You need to have hard evidence that will stand up in court.’ // e.g., The argument does not stand up to analysis. (1) Scrutiny = critical observation or examination. 
• Stand up for = (phrasal verb) speak or act in support of; e.g., She learned to stand up for herself.// e.g., The larger man began pushing the smaller man, who seemed hesitant to stand up for himself.//// Act as best man for in a wedding; e.g., ‘I must confess it was with real surprise that they asked me to stand up for them like this’ // e.g., ‘After being asked to stand up for your brother or best friend, you may feel you need a best man guide to help you.’
• Stand up to = (phrasal verb) make a spirited defense against; e.g., Giving workers the confidence to stand up to their employers.// e.g., Covertly (= secretly, or in a hidden way (*)), then with more confidence, he stands up to the school bully.//// Be resistant to the harmful effects of prolonged wear ((pronounced weə(r)) = to become weaker, damaged, or thinner because of continuous use) or use; e.g., But unfortunately he has had problems and I don’t really think his legs would stand up to any more racing.// e.g., Cotton can also be ironed at relatively high temperatures and stands up to abrasion. 
• Insist on = (verb; no object) demand forcefully to have something, e.g., He insisted on answers to his allegations.’ // e.g., In fact, it is seen as an act of idiocy if a filmmaker insists on having all of them present to get a ‘good effect.’ //// Persist in doing something, e.g., Despite his business commitments, Mike insists on milking his 40 cows at least once per day./// e.g., The press insists on telling us how many soldiers have died since March 1^st.  
• Conform = (verb; no object) Conform to/ with something = comply with rules, standards, or laws; e.g., The kitchen does not conform to hygiene ((pronounced ˈhaɪ.dʒiːn) = conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially through cleanliness) regulations.// e.g., Because such publications do not conform to any standardized rules, this information is not computer-readable.// e.g., The changes were introduced to conform with international classifications.// e.g., If our practices and doctrines do not conform with the teachings of the Scriptures then we must eliminate them.// e.g., The usual excuse is that it does not conform with the European law./// (of a person) behave according to socially acceptable conventions or standards, e.g., ‘I could never conform to what other people wanted me to be for the sake of fitting in.’ // e.g., There’s an increasing passion to make men conform to a male pattern.//// Be similar in form or type; agree, e.g., The countryside should conform to a certain idea of the picturesque (= visually attractive, especially in a quaint or pretty style).// e.g., They will not conform to the academic worldview or the organizational development paradigm ((pronounced ˈpær.ə.daɪm) = a typical example or pattern of something; a model).
• [Note: NOUNS with hang (that are NOT phrasal verbs):
• a) Hangover (1 word) = (noun) A severe headache or other after-effects caused by drinking an excess of alcohol, e.g., ‘Being the great friend that I am, I go to the mini-fridge and go mix up a special drink for hangovers.’ /// A custom, habit, feeling, etc. that survives from the past, e.g., This feeling of insecurity was in part a hangover from her school days.
• b) Hang-out (it is also a noun) = (noun) (informal) A place one lives in or frequently visits, e.g., A club notorious in the area as a hang-out for the criminally inclined.
• c) Hang-up = (noun) a permanent and unreasonable feeling of anxiety about a particular future of yourself./// Obsessed with or worried about./// Emotionally confused or disturbed, e.g., Guys are so hung up about the way they look (My comment: some aren’t at all!).// e.g. ‘Why are so many women so hung up about food?’ ((*) for this example).// e.g., Sexual hang-ups.// e.g., He’s one of these men who went bald very young and has a terrible hang-up about this (^^).// e.g., People with hang-ups about their age.// e.g., People are hung up in all sorts of ways.