Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs: Vocabulary Building

What are "Phrasal Verbs"? - A PHRASAL VERB is made up of a Verb and an Adverb or a Preposition or both. Adverbs or prepositions which are used In Phrasal Verbs are called 'Particles'. Verb + adverb = Phrasal verb Verb + preposition = Phrasal verb; Verb + adverb + preposition = Phrasal verb | Examples: break down -- verb + adverb [break= verb; down= adverb]; ward off -- verb + preposition [ward= verb; off= preposition]; keep up with -- verb + adverb + preposition [keep= verb; up= adverb; with=preposition] | 'USUAL' and 'IDIOMATIC' Meanings of Phrasal Verbs. A Phrasal verb may have usual or idiomatic meaning - Phrasal Verb with Usual meaning: Verb and Particle keep their ordinary meaning-- Example: turn around -- to turn around. Phrasal Verb with Idiomatic meaning: Verb and Particle doesn't keep their ordinary meaning- Example: turn down -- to reject an offer | Sample this: English Phrasal Verbs - A - Abide: abide by -- to obey/follow a decision, rule, etc. | Abound: abound with/in -- to be full of | Account: account for -- to explain | to be a definite amount for | to destroy | Accustom: accustom to -- to be familiar | Act: act on -- to affect; act out -- to express a feeling or an emotion in your behavior; act up -- to behave inappropriately; act upon -- to take an action on the basis of particular information, etc.; to execute | Add: add in -- to include; add to -- to increase; add up -- to calculate or count | to be sensible or reasonable; add up to -- to have a particular result | to have a certain total amount | Adhere: adhere to -- to follow a particular rule | Agree: not agree with -- to dislike or disapprove | Aim: aim at -- to Intend to achieve particular goal | Alight: alight on -- to find something by chance | Align: align with -- to support a person, rules, etc, openly or publicly because you agree with them | Allow: allow for -- to take something into consideration; allow of -- to make possible; to permit | Allude: allude to -- to refer to | Amount: amount to -- to be equal to something | to count something as a total | Angle: angle for -- to try to get something indirectly by hinting | Answer: answer back -- to make counter-argument | to give rude reply to your senior, an authority, etc.; answer for -- to be responsible answer to somebody for something -- to explain your decision or action | Appertain: appertain to -- to refer or relate | Argue: argue down -- to beat somebody in an argument or a debate | to persuade people not to accept a proposal or motion | to persuade a seller to reduce the price; argue somebody into doing something -- to give reasons to persuade somebody do or not do something | Arrive: arrive at -- to decide something after deliberation | Arrogate: arrogate to yourself -- to claim/take without having right | Ascribe: ascribe to -- to think or say something is done by somebody | Ask: ask around -- to talk to many people with a view to get information | to invite;| ask for -- to request or demand something | to provoke a negative reaction; ask in -- to invite somebody into your house; ask out -- to invite someone for a date | Attend: attend to -- to deal with somebody/something | Auction: auction off -- to sell something at an auction | Avail: avail yourself of -- to take advantage of an opportunity | Average: average out -- to make even; to calculate the average | to balance or equalize | Awake/Awaken: awake/awaken to -- to be aware of possible effects of something