Verb
Meaning
Example
ask someone out
invite on a date
Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a movie.
ask around
ask many people the same question
I asked around but nobody has seen my wallet.
add up to something
equal
Your purchases add up to $205.32.
back something up
reverse
You'll have to back up your car so that I can get out.
back someone up
support
My wife backed me up over my decision to quit my job.
blow up
explode
The racing car blew up after it crashed into the fence.
blow something up
add air
We have to blow 50 balloons up for the party.
break down
stop functioning (vehicle, machine)
Our car broke down at the side of the highway in the snowstorm.
get upset
The woman broke down when the police told her that her son had died.
break something down
divide into smaller parts
Our teacher broke the final project down into three separate parts.
break in
force entry to a building
Somebody broke in last night and stole our stereo.
break into something
enter forcibly
The firemen had to break into the room to rescue the children.
break something in
wear something a few times so that it doesn't look/feel new
I need to break these shoes in before we run next week.
interrupt
The TV station broke in to report the news of the president's death.
break up
end a relationship
My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved to America.
start laughing (informal)
The kids just broke up as soon as the clown started talking.
break out
escape
The prisoners broke out of jail when the guards weren't looking.
break out in something
develop a skin condition
I broke out in a rash after our camping trip.
bring someone down
make unhappy
This sad music is bringing me down.
bring someone up
raise a child
My grandparents brought me up after my parents died.
bring something up
start talking about a subject
My mother walks out of the room when my father brings up sports.
vomit
He drank so much that he brought his dinner up in the toilet.
call around
phone many different places/people
We called around but we weren't able to find the car part we needed.
call someone back
return a phone call
I called the company back but the offices were closed for the weekend.
call something off
cancel
Jason called the wedding off because he wasn't in love with his fiancé.
call on someone
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