Phrasal verbs and expressions

compensate for

"The superb food at the hotel made up for the uncomfortable rooms."

can mean: fasten, renovate, put into a bundle

can mean: claim, manage to see, understand, write, complete

can mean: compose, invent, constitute, form, put cosmetics on, prepare by mixing together various ingredients, make something more numerous or complete

the housework, some gardening, the washing up, homework, your best, the shopping, the cooking, business with etc. (most expressions referring to work or duty use do)

arrangements, an agreement, a suggestion, a decision, a cup of tea, war, an attempt, a phone call, the best of ... , an effort, an excuse, a mistake, a profit, a loss, love, the most of, a noise, a good or bad impression, a success of ... , a point of ... , allowances for ... , a gesture, a face, fun of ... , a fuss of ... , a go (a success) of ... etc. (expression which lead to an end product)

- receive, obtain or buy something: e.g. "Please get me a newspaper when you're in town." "I got a letter from John today." "She got top marks in her exam."

- change poistion > move or be moved: e.g. "How are you getting home tonight?"

- change state > become or make: e.g. "We are all getting older if not wiser."

othe specific meanings of get:

- get dinner (prepare a meal)

- I don't get it. (don't understand)

- His behaviour really gets me at times. (annoy)

- get to know each other (become acquainted)

reach, find

"I hope the enquiry will get at the truth."

do wrong without being caught

"The robbers got away with several thousand pounds."

fail to do something by a certain time

"I've got terribly behind with my work."

manage (financially)

"We couldn't get by on my slary alone."

depress

"This weather is really getting me down."

begin to give some serious attention to

"It's time you got down to some work."

manage

"However will we get on without you?"

or

advance, develop

"Jo is getting on very well at school now."

avoid a responsibility

"I'll try to get out of my lesson tomorrow."

recover from

"She's getting over a bad attack of flu."

spread

"The news soon got round the village."

come to a successful end

"I'm glad she got through all her exams!"

or

use up all of

"He got through his mounth's salary in just one weekend."

to do (especially something bad)

"They're very quiet. I wonder what they're getting up to?"

"You seem to have got out of bed on the wrong side today." (be in a bad mood)

"The meeting got off to a good/bad start with JR's speech." (started well/badly)

"I'm organising a little get-together. I hope you can come." (informal meeting/party)

"When they broke up he got rid of everything of hers." (threw away/destroyed)

"I'm going to get my own back on her somehow." (take my revenge)

raise for example a child

"My father's parents brought him up in the country because they thougth that country lifre was better for children."

succeed

"Don't give up. I'm sure you'll bring it off in the end."

cause to start

"Cold winds always bring on her cough."

cause to happen

"The strike brought about a change of government."

re-introduce

"I hope they don't bring back capital punishment."

lower

"They promised to bring down taxes but they have actually raised them."

or

destroy, remove from power

"Inflation will probably bring down the government."

persuade

"Keep trying to persuade him and you'll bring him round to your point of view."

resemble

"Doesn't he take after his father! They even sound the same."

withdraw

"I wish I could take back what I said to her."

absorb, understand

"It's hard to take in his lecture - he speaks in such an abstract way."

or

deceived

"She was completely taken in by him and agreed to give him all her money."

start to improve

"Sales have really taken off now - we should make a good profit this year."

or

left the ground

"The plane took off two hours ago."

or

imitating

"She's very good at taking off her teacher - she sounds just like her."

employ, accept

"We'll have to take on more staff if we're to take on more work."

form an immediate liking for

"She took to him at once and they soon became close friends."

start (a hobby)

"When did you take up golf?"