abandon to: They abandoned the village to the advancing army.

abide by: They have to abide by the health and safety regulations. abound in: The cave abounds in bats. abstain from: The delegates decided to abstain from voting. accede to: She would not accede to parental pressure to get married. acclimate to: The sooner she acclimates to living in this big city the better it is for her. account for: Increasing disappearance of icebergs in the Arctic is accounted for by global warming. accuse of: They accuse him of not telling the truth. accustom to: It took quite a while for him to accustom himself to the cold climate. acquaint with: Fred would like to get acquainted with the new neighbour's daughter. acquit of: The jury acquitted him of murder. act for: John is looking for an experienced lawyer to act for him. act on: Acting on a tip-off, police launched a pre-dawn raid on a house. adapt to: I find it hard to adapt myself to my new workplace. adapt for: Shakespeare's plays have been adapted for children. adapt from: The play had been adapted from a novel. add to: Increase in fuel prices will add to the cost of the project. adhere to: We have to make sure the guidelines are strictly adhered to. adjust to: She took a while to get herself adjusted to her new surroundings. admit to: He admitted to eating my pizza. admit into: Those without tickets will not be admitted into the stadium. advance towards: The army advanced rapidly towards the capital. advise on: We appointed him to advise us on all financial matters. advise to: The group members were advised to arrive early affix to: Wong affixed the stamp to the wrong corner of the envelope. afflict with: He's severely afflicted with an unknown disease. agree on: They belong to different political parties, but they agree on almost everything. agree to: She agreed to meet me only after I've apologized to her. agree with: I don't like you but I agree entirely with what you have said. aim at: The hunter aimed his gun at the elephant but did not shoot. allude to: John often alluded to his difficulties with his mother-in-law. alternate with: Jack and Jill alternated with each other in bathing the dog. amazed at: We were amazed at her sudden change in attitude. amount to: His decision amounts to an outright refusal. answer for: David will have to answer for his impoliteness. apologize for: He apologized for the awful thing he said. appeal to: The organization appealed to the public for blood donation. appear from: It appears from what he says that he did all the work. apply to: The restrictions do not apply to foreigners. approve of: His mother does not approve of his smoking. argue against: He argued against inviting her to the party. argue for: She argued for having her at the party. argue with: Why do you argue with everybody including me? arrange for: We have arranged for Bob to meet you at the airport. arrive at: By the time we arrived at his place, he had already left. ascribe to: Some ascribed his exemplary behaviour to his religious upbringing.

ask for: Paul got drunk and asked the police for money to take a taxi home. aspire to: He aspired to a better position in life. assent to: The members assented to the proposal without much debate. assist in: He volunteered to assist me in organizing the festival. associate with: His parents have been advising him to stop associating with those loafers. atone for: She felt that she should do more good deeds to atone for her sin. attend to: There were not enough salespersons to attend to the customers. attribute to: He attributed his success to his wife's constant encouragement. avail of: He always avails himself of every opportunity to complain about other people. back down: The government backed down over the issue after widespread protests. back off: They told him to back off after he put too much pressure on them. back out: We were shocked when he backed out of the project at the last minute. back up: The witnesses backed up his account of the incident. balk at: Jim balked at doing what he has to do. band against: The workers banded against the takeover of the business by an outsider. bank on: We can bank on him leading us on the long trek. bargain for: The union intends to bargain for a minimum wage. bargain with: The retailer bargained with the wholesaler for bulk discounts. base on/upon: The film is based on an actual event. bear with: You should bear with his tempers while you are staying with him. become of: I've not heard from her for quite sometime; what has become of her I wonder. beg for: I beg for forgiveness from God for all the sins I've committed. beg with: I beg with her that she will leave me for good. begin by: The comedian began the show by performing the pigeon mating dance. believe in: He believes in ghosts but does not believe in God. benefit from: The whole of mankind has benefited from the advancements in science. bequeath to: What her father bequeathed to her included a collection of rare stamps. beset with: His journey across the desert was beset with all sorts of danger. bestow on: The President bestowed a medal for bravery on him. betray to: The leader was betrayed to the police by gang members. beware of: We should always beware of pickpocket in crowded places. blame for: He was unfairly blamed for something he did not do. blow out: One of our tyres blew out while we were on our way to catch a train. blow over: We waited until the storm blew over before continuing our journey. blow up: A suicide bomber blew up a van carrying soldiers. blush at: He blushes at the thought of befriending her. boast about: Crocket always boasts about his knowledge of crocodiles. boast of: He keeps boasting of his new wife. boil away: The soup really boiled away; it's so much less now. boil down to: What his endless arguments boil down to is that he wants others to believe him. boil over: The discussion boiled over into a shouting match. border on: His attitude towards foreigners often borders on hostility.

borrow from: Each time I borrow six books from the library. bother about: I'm not really bothered about getting along with my mother-inlaw. bother with: Let's don't bother with waiting for a bus. Let's go by taxi. brag about: He's always bragging about his newfound wealth. brag of: Brain likes to brag of having the most beautiful girlfriend. break away: Smaller pieces of ice broke away from the main iceberg and floated away. break down: After ten years, their marriage broke down irretrievably leading to a divorce. break into: They broke into a research laboratory and removed all the animals. break of: She found it hard to break herself of biting nails. break off: Jack broke off with Jill after only three months. break out: A plan by some prisoners to break out of the prison was foiled by the prison guards. break up: The police used tear gas to break up the protest demonstration. bring about: Global warming will bring about changes in man's attitude towards the environment. bring back: More and more people are advocating that the death penalty be brought back. bring down: Corruption and bribery scandal had brought down the government. bring forth: High-level corruption within the government brought forth deep shame. bring forward: The matches have been brought forward to avoid the bad weather. bring in: The police had to be brought in to settle a seemingly private dispute. bring on/upon: There are people who bring misfortune upon themselves. bring out: Disasters bring out the best in human nature when they volunteer in rescue operations. bring together: What brought them together is their common interests. bring up: The divorcee brought up her six children single-handedly. brood over: She's still brooding over the separation between her and her husband. brush off: The film star brushed off a rumour of his impending divorce. brush up: I must brush up on my driving before I get a car. build of: One of the three little pigs' houses was built of straw. burden with: Mary burdens me with her troubles as if I have no problems of my own. burn away: Fire burnt away the building leaving only the pillars standing. burn down: By the time the firemen arrived, the fire had burnt the houses down. burn out: The fire was too huge to be extinguished and had to be left to burn itself out. burn up: The forest fire burnt up vast tracts of woodland. burst into: The audience burst into laughter when the clown's foot slipped and he fell. burst out: When the clown fell down, the audience of children burst out laughing. buy into: That's your personal belief; I'm not buying into it. buy off: The accused man's father tried to buy the judge off but was arrested. buy out: He bought out some shareholders and now he has a controlling interest in the business.

buy up: Lee bought up a huge quantity of a scarce commodity in anticipation of its price increase. call back: I have already called her ten times and she hasn't called back. call for: The people are calling for a change of government. call in: They tried to settle the matter without calling in the police. call off: The couple called off their engagement by mutual consent. call on: She's never in when I called on her. call up: That was the first time he was called up to play for the national tem. capitalize on: We capitalized on the opportunity to learn French when we were in France. care about: All she cares about is talking about other people. care for: Gray cared for her aged parents when they were alive. carry on: When the rain started to fall, we carried on playing football as if nothing happened. carry out: She got into trouble for not carrying out her assignment. carry over: Leave not used up may be carried over into next year. catch on: He became popular when his new song caught on very fast. catch up: Having been ill for the last few days, I now have got to catch up on my studying. catch up with: After all these years the law finally caught up with him. cater to: That boutique caters to wealthy people. caution about: The policeman cautioned him about his fast driving. caution against: The zookeeper cautioned them against feeding the animals. cede to: Alaska was ceded to the United States by Russia. celebrated for: The country celebrated for its scenery, food and wine. chagrin at: The football coach was chagrined at losing the match to a weaker team. chance on/upon: I was very shocked to chance upon a decaying human body. change for: There was joy when the weather took a sudden change for the better. change into: The magician claimed he could change a man into a woman. characterize by: Must we always characterize people by their appearances? charge against: We are not allowed to charge personal expenditure against profits. charge at: Last night I dreamed about ten rhinoceroses charging at me in a shopping mall. charge for: I will not buy it if they charge for delivery. charge in: A woman has been charged in connection with the bank robbery. charge into: She charged into my room uninvited. charge of: The son has charge of the factory while his father is away. charge to: My wife charged all her shopping to my account. charge with: They finally arrested the man and charged him with multiple murders. check up on: He begins checking up on his wife after suspecting her unfaithfulness. cheer up: Being with her cheers me up a lot. choose between: She had to choose between giving up her career or hiring a nanny. cite for: Lack of sleep was cited as the main reason for her frequent feelings of

exhaustion. clamour for: The crowd clamoured noisily for his instant resignation. clean out: They have to clean out the attic before they move out. clean up: The group of volunteers gathered to clean up the beach. clear away: The children quickly cleared away all their toys before mum reached home. clear of: We are clearing the blocked drain of debris. clear off: Could you clear that clutter off your desk? clear out: It's time to clear your bedroom out; it's cluttered up with piles of books and magazines. clear up: The weather cleared up and we went for a drive along the coast. cling to: The villagers still cling to old habits and traditions. close down: The factory was forced to close down by falling demand for its products. close in: The police are closing in on the gang's hideout. close off: Two lanes were closed off due to an accident. close out: The store is closing out a particular brand of shoes. close up: The supermarket is closed up for renovation. clutter up: My desk is always cluttered up with piles of papers, books and stationery. coincide with: My view on this case coincides exactly with yours. collect for: So far they have collected only a few signatures for the petition. collide with: Her car collided with a taxi. combine with: She successfully combines her career with family responsibilities. come across: I came across a life-size bronze statue of a horse in an antique shop. come about: How did it come about that we didn't meet when we're both there at the same time? come along: I wanted to go to the cinema but nobody wanted to come along with me. come apart: My glasses came apart when I accidentally dropped them. come around: He came around after I showed him all the evidence. come at: I dreamed he came at me with a dagger and demanded my wallet. come back: He comes back from five-nil down to level at seven-all. come between: He doesn't allow anything, not even his wife, to come between him and his work. come by: Plum jobs are hard to come by these days. come down: He just came down with a cold, so we have to postpone the trip. come down on: Her parents really came down hard on her for playing truant. come down to: When it comes down to her political beliefs, she is not prepared to compromise. come for: You had better hide; they are coming for you. come forward: No one has come forward to claim the first prize. come from: He comes from a long line of actors. come in: These small tools come in handy when we need them. come into: She came into my life just at the right time. come into being: It is believed the custom came into being some five hundred years ago. come of: His persistent cough comes of smoking heavily.

come off: Despite all our efforts, the social gathering did not come off very well. come upon: We came upon a headless corpse when we stepped into a disused mine. come out: Despite the torture to extract information from him, not a word came out of his mouth. come out of: The police combed the entire area for evidence, but nothing came out of it. come out with: He came out with his own interpretation which is not entirely accurate. come over: If you come over next week, we can do it together. come round: I expected you to come round for the drinking session, but you didn't. come to: She came to about an hour after he was admitted to the hospital. come under: The politician came under widespread criticism for what he proposed. come up: They intend to come up with a solution soon. come up against: In parliament, he had to come up against experienced opposition members. come up for: The proposal will come up for revision next week. come upon: The police finally came upon the spot where the murder supposedly took place. come up with: We welcome anybody who can come up with an alternative plan. comment on: People are always commenting on my big ears. commit to: He ought to be committed to a mental asylum for the way he behaves. communicate with: I've learnt how to use sign language to communicate with the chimpanzee. commute between: People commute daily between their home and workplace. commute from:. His sentence was later commuted from death sentence to life imprisonment. compare to: Compared to the monkey, our bodies are less hairy. compensate for: The company will compensate you for the loss of a thumb. compete with: Small independent shops find it hard to compete with the large supermarkets. compete against: Businesses have to compete against each other to survive. complain about: My mother-in-law always complains about the weather. compliment on: Many members of the audience complimented her on her speech. comply with: Most of the time we have to comply with regulations. compose of: How many letters does the longest word compose of? conceal from: He had to conceal the truth from his wife. concede to: The candidate conceded victory to his opponent. conceive of: It is rather difficult to conceive of a crime-free environment. concentrate on: It is hard to concentrate on my reading with the dogs barking loudly outside. concern about: Some parents do not show concern about what their children do. concern with: She does not concern herself with other people's problems. conclude by: He concluded his speech by thanking everyone for being present. concur with: After the discussion, they concurred with each other on this issue.

condemn to: The criminal was condemned to death. confer with: The councilors are conferring with each other to find a solution to the problem. confer on: An honorary degree was conferred on him by the university. confess to: He confessed to being a double agent. confide in: She doe not trust anyone, so she confides in no one. confine to: Dr Quack was confined to his room by a bout of flu. confirm by: The public negative perception of the crisis was confirmed by the latest poll results. conform to: The imported toys conform to the official safety standards. confuse with: The teacher always confused one twin with the other they look so alike. congratulate on: They congratulate her on her superb performance on stage. consent to: Her mother would not consent to her marriage. consign to: The cases of wine have already been consigned to the wine merchant. consist of: My life nowadays consists almost entirely of eating and sleeping. consort with: He was suspected of consorting with the enemy. consult about: She consulted her doctor about the painful lump on her nose. contend with: Jack has to contend with a few others for the gold medal. contract for: The company contracted for the supply of fuel. contrast with: He contrasted his present girlfriend with his former one. contribute to: Many people contributed generously to the building fund. converge on: A huge crowd converged on the palace ground to listen to the President. converse with: They find it hard to converse with each other as each holds a different view. convert from: John was converted from paganism to Christianity at an early age. convert into: We were shown the process of converting iron into steel. convince by: He was not easily convinced by her arguments. convince of: She tried to convince me of her non-involvement. convulsed with: They were convulsed with laughter to see the circus clown perform. cooperate with: The accused's colleagues are cooperating fully with police investigation. cope with: Although a single mother, she has no problem coping with a baby and a full-time job. correlate with: Meagre wages were found to correlate with high staff turnover. correspond to: Information on the first copy does not correspond to that on its duplicate copy. correspond with: I still correspond regularly with her although we are both married. count in: If you are having a drinking session this evening, you can count me in. count on: You can count on my help whenever you need it. count out: If you are going on a shopping spree this weekend, count me out. couple with: Heavy drinking coupled with late nights caused his health to deteriorate rapidly. crack down: The public are demanding police action to crack down hard on vandalism. cram for: Study throughout the year and you avoid cramming for the exam at the

last minute. cram with: She crammed her attic with a lot of worthless stuff. crave for: Since the death of her mother, she has been craving desperately for affection. credit to: The refund was credited to my account. crop up: Unexpected problems cropped up and caused the delay. cross off: As you perform each task, cross it off the list. cross out: When you make a mistake, cross it out. crow about: I still think passing my exam is nothing to crow about. cry over: Why waste our time crying over him? cry out: She finally cried out to him not to act so stupidly. cure of: His doctor assured him that he would be completely cured of his illness. cut across: We'd better cut across the park and get home before it rains. cut away: We spend the whole afternoon cutting away the dead branches. cut back: Businesses are cutting back on staff to remain profitable. cut down: You ought to cut down on the number of cigarettes you smoke. cut in: His annoying habit is to cut in whenever a conversation is going on. cut off: He tried to explain but they cut him off and warned him not to be late again. cut out: Can you fellows cut it out? I'm trying to read. cut up: The murderer cut up the victim's body into eight pieces dabble in: When I was little I used to dabble in water. dance to: As soon as the music was played, couples got up and danced to it. dash off: He dashed off a quick note and left it on the table for the family. date from: Some of these coins date from the 12th century. dawn on: The truth finally dawned on him that she really meant what she said. deal in: My uncle's shop deals in genuine antiques. deal with: They seem unable to deal with the long-standing problem. debate on: People are unhappy that there has been no public debate on these issues. debate with: I see no point in debating with someone who holds extremist views. decide on: Have you decided on the dress you will be wearing for the occasion? declare to: He declared to us that he will be unable to chair the meeting. declare war on: The African nation has declared war on locusts which destroyed crops. decrease from: The prison population has decreased from ten thousands to nine thousands. decrease in: Human beings decrease in size as they grow older. dedicate to: He has dedicated his entire life to helping the homeless. deduce from: The police deduced from the evidence that more than one person were involved. defeat by: Our team was defeated by two goals to one. defer to: Young people are expected to defer to the wishes of their elders. defraud of: The accountant defrauded his company of tens of thousands of dollars. delegate to: An able administrator should be able to delegate authority to the right person. deliberate about/on: They spent hours deliberating on the matter. delight in: Jack delights in telling stories about his days in the army. deliver to: The postman delivered the letter to her house.

demand from: They demanded an apology from me for something I said. demote from: The soldier was demoted from sergeant to corporal. denounce for: He was widely denounced for his deviant religious teachings. depart from: The first train departs from Birmingham at 6.00 a.m. tomorrow. depend on/upon: Their future depends on their hard work, and not on their teachers. deprive of: The prisoners of war were deprived of proper medical attention. derive from: The country derived enormous benefit from direct foreign investments. descend from: The plane started to descend from high altitude as it approached its destination. describe to: The main witness described briefly to the police what happened. desist from: He was warned to desist from such undesirable behaviour. despair of: She despaired of reviving the relationship that existed between her and Jack. destined to: The emperor's son is destined to succeed him. detect in: He detected a change in her attitude towards her. deter from: Heavier penalties may deter motorists from committing more traffic offences. detract from: A blemish detracts from the beauty of her skin. deviate from: We had to deviate from our usual route due to a fallen tree across it. devolve on: When the leader is away, his responsibility devolves on his assistant. devote to: Jane wants to devote herself entirely to caring for the elderly people. dictate to: It is often difficult to refuse to be dictated to by rule or principle. die away: I could only sleep after the noise caused by thunderstorm died away. die down: The storm has died down and the sea become calmer. die from: My dog died from its wounds sustained in a fight with another dog. die of: More and more people are dying of cancer of various parts of their bodies. die out: The old French custom of serving the vegetables separate from the meat has died out. differ from: Humans differ from monkeys in their not having a tail. digress from: The story-teller digressed from his story for a while. direct to: He directed the traveler to the railway station. disabuse of: I didn't say anything to disabuse him of that belief. disagree with: Jack disagrees with Jill on almost everything. disapprove of: Mother strongly disapproves of her daughter dying her hair red and blue. discharge from: He was certified clinically insane and discharged from the army. disconcert by: We were disconcerted by her statement. discourage by: She is easily discouraged by adverse criticisms. discourage from: Incentives have been cited to discourage students from playing truant.. discriminate against: You should not discriminate against people from ethnic minorities. discriminate between: We were unable to discriminate between fake and genuine goods. disguise as: He disguised as a clown to entertain children.

disgusted by: They were disgusted by her antisocial behaviour. dismiss from: She was unfairly dismissed from her job. dispense with: We will have to dispense with the question-and-answer session to save time. dispose of: To dispose of nuclear waste is a major challenge to the countries concerned. dispossess of: The captors dispossessed the captives of their valuables. disqualify from: He was disqualified from participating for flouting a rule. dissent form: John dissented from the majority opinion. dissociate from: Jack dissociated himself from the views expressed by Jill. dissuade from: His mother dissuaded Mike from taking up car racing. distance from: He distanced himself from all the remarks made by her. distinguish between: It is important to distinguish between fact and fiction in the film. distinguish from: It's difficult to distinguish one of the twins from the other. distinguish by: He distinguished himself by scoring the highest number of goals in the season. distract from: He is easily distracted from whatever he's doing by the slightest noise. diverge from: The path diverges from here and we don't know which one to follow. divert from: Traffic had to be diverted from the main road due to a major accident. divest of: Sons of aristocrats were divested of their power. divide between/among: The money was to be divided equally among the children. do away with: My wife wants me to do away with my vast collection of old magazines. do for: Employing a temporary worker will do for the time being. do in: Painting the house really did me in./It is believed a hired killer did his boss in. do out of: She was done out of $100 by a door-to-door salesman this morning. do over: The report contains errors and the boss wants him to do it over. do up: He bought an old car and did it up./She looks more beautiful when she did her hair up. do with: With this warm weather, I could do with a cold drink. do without: I wish she would keep quiet; I can do without all this grumbling. double as: The secretary doubled as the receptionist just for that day. doze off: I dozed off when I was watching television. drag into: I had nothing to do with it but was dragged into the embarrassing situation. draw on: Luckily I have a savings to draw on to buy her a present. draw up: Thinking he's going to die soon, he drew up a will./The taxi drew up in front of me. dream away: At times, I couldn't help but dream away the hours. dream of: He told me he had always dreamed of striking the first prize of the lottery. dream on: When I asked if she's going to help me with the cooking, she told me to dream on. drive at: He didn't say exactly what he meant. But I knew what he was driving at.

drive for: You look tired; why not let him drive the car for you? drive to: I always like to drive to the sea-side. drive away: His bossiness has driven his friends away. drive off: He was probably angry when without a word, he just got into his car and drove off. drive up: The rise in oil price drives up other prices. drop in: He always drops in for a chat without prior notice. drop out: He shouldn't have dropped out of school, but he did. dry out: Our washing dried out very quickly in this hot weather. dry up: The prolonged drought had caused all the rivers to dry up. dwell on/upon: Nobody likes to be with Bobbie because she always dwells on the past. eat in: I am cooking tonight so we are eating in. eat into: The high bills are eating into my savings. eat out: It's your birthday; let's eat out and celebrate tonight. eat up: Who ate up all my potato chips? egg on: The boys didn't want to fight but their friends kept egging them on. elaborate on: He refused to elaborate on his next course of action. eliminate from: Jack was eliminated from the competition by a stronger opponent. embark on/upon: John has finally decided to embark on a career in banking. embody in: The ideals of equality and freedom are embodied in the country's constitution. embroil in: Bob found himself unexpectedly embroiled in a heated argument. emerge from: When the deer emerged from behind the bush, the hunter shot it dead. emigrate from: When his family emigrated from their homeland, he was only five years old. employ as: Ryan was employed as a security officer at the airport. encompass by: The entire area was encompassed by a dense forest. encourage by: We were greatly encouraged by the massive support for our proposal. encroach on/upon: The expansion of farmland is encroaching on animals' habitat. end in: Their argument ended in a fist fight. end up: The driver took a wrong road and we ended up somewhere else. end with: We ended our tour of the area with a visit to the souvenir shops. endear to: Her friendly attitude endeared her to everybody she met at the social gathering. endow with: Ronnie is certainly endowed with a good sense of humour. endue with: She seems to be endued with a good sense of direction. engage in: I tried to engage her in conversation. engage to: Jill is engaged to my brother./I engaged a private tutor to improve my written work. engross in: Granny often engrossed herself in her writing. enjoin from: He was enjoined by law from stalking her. enlarge on/upon: Could you please enlarge on your last statement? enrage by: She was enraged by his derogatory comments. enrich by: My life has certainly been enriched by extensive reading. entitle to: Everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion.

entrust to: The parents entrusted their baby to a nanny when they had to go overseas. entrust with: I entrusted her with the responsibility to manage the business while I was away. envelope in: The mountain peaks were enveloped in clouds. equip for: I think we are well equipped for the climb. escape from: To date many prisoners have escaped from that prison. escape into: The enemy soldiers escaped into the forest. escape with: She was very lucky to escape with her life. estimate at: The crowd of protesters was estimated at three thousands. excel in: Johnny excels in a number of things including swimming. exclude from: They exclude us from the trip. excuse from: We requested to be excused from participating. expatiate on: Once again he is expatiating on his favourite topic of communism. expect from: Wives expect faithfulness from their husbands. expect of: Faithfulness is expected of a husband. expend on: The government has to date expended two million dollars on the housing project. explain to: The mystery was not fully explained to the viewers. export to: The country exports huge quantities of military wares to third world countries. expose to: His behaviour exposes himself to ridicule and criticism. extract from: After five hours of interrogation, the police extracted a confession from him. extricate from: Finally he managed to extricate himself from a very difficult situation. face up to: He has to face up to the fact that he has to study hard to pass the exam. face with: The scientist was faced with many unknown factors. fall back on: She has her big savings to fall back on if need be. fall behind: I'd better hide the car as I have fallen behind in my payments. fall in: Poor construction let the roof and ceiling fall in after a few years. fall into: He fell into the habit of talking to himself. fall in with: He falls in love with every girl he meets. fall off: Business along the main road fell off after a series of public demonstrations. fall out: Sarah fell out with her boyfriend after knowing her for only two months. fall through: The plan fell through and they agreed to renegotiate. fall to: It fell to the eldest son to manage the business after the death of his father. familiarize with: The new guard familiarized himself with the internal layout of the building. find with: They find fault with everything the new staff does. feel for: We certainly feel for the victims of the plane crash. feel like: Sometimes I feel like taking a walk in the rain. feel toward: I can't describe how I feel toward that girl but I think I like her. fend for: Everyone has to fend for himself in this world. ferret out: The police managed to ferret out his motive for the killing. fight against: The defending champion is going to fight against the challenger

tonight. fight for: Freedom is something that is always worth fighting for. fight off: The leader of the party has to fight off his image as a dictator. figure on: I was figuring on meeting him tomorrow. figure out: We spent the whole night figuring out how to make him change his mind. fill in: We found someone to fill in for Sarah when she was away on medical leave. fill out: I have to fill out the form and hand it in as soon as possible. fill with: We have filled all the glasses with wine and are now ready to propose a toast. find out: We were shocked when we found out that he was a man and not a woman. fit in: The new member has learned quickly to fit in with the others. fit out: The entire building was fitted out with air conditioners but they were not working. fix on: They haven't fixed on a venue for the next match. fix up: We have to fix the spare room up for our guests. focus on: The astronomer focused his telescope on the comet. follow around: Quit following me around, will you? follow through: Ensure the report is followed through so that all amendments are included. follow up: The investigation was followed up with the arrest of the gang leader. fool around: You want to fool around; it's up to you, but surely not in the office. fool with: He fooled with his neighbour's dog once too often and got badly bitten on the hand. force on/upon: He forced another big pizza on us when we already had more than enough. forget about: James drank a bit too much and forgot about catching the train home. forgive for: I will not forgive him for not forgiving me for what I said about him. foul up: Heavy rain fouled up our trip to the mountain. freeze over: Whatever the lake freezes over, there's bound to be people skating on it. fret about: She always has something to fret about. frighten by: Mrs. Muffet was frightened by a hairy spider while sitting on a park bench. frighten away: Rumours of a big white shark frightened many people away from the beach. fritter away: The boy frittered away whatever money he had on the gaming machine. frown at: The lady frowned at him for talking very loudly on his cell phone. frown on/upon: She can't help frowning on those who sport multi-coloured hair. furnish with: Each of the six bedrooms is furnished with a big desk, swivel chair and soft rug. fuss over/about: Their only child fussed about not having a window seat on the plane. get about: She's an old woman now and doesn't get about much any more. get across: Somehow or other, I just couldn't get my message across to them. get ahead: We can't afford to stall; we must get ahead in order to meet the deadline.

get ahead of: Instead of getting ahead of others, we are actually falling further behind. get along: They are trying to get along but they are arguing all the time. get around: Rumour is getting around that I'll be marrying a wealthy man's daughter. get at: We still think he's the one who stole it; somehow, we will get at the truth. get away: I want to know who deliberately opened the cage and let the bird get away? get away from: It'd be nice to get away from the office for a few days and not to return to it. get away with: He must have thought he could get away with murder; he's now in prison for life. get back to: I'll get back to him after he has calmed down completely. get by: He has to stop smoking and drinking as his old age pension is barely enough to get by. get down: These pills are a bit too big to swallow; I have a hard time getting them down. get down to: It's time you got down to clearing out your bedroom. get even with: I'll get even with you sooner or later for eating my pizza. get in: The lift was full and we couldn't get in. get off: The post office has just closed; now how am I going to get this letter off? get off of: At bus stop I sometimes get off of a bus while it's still moving. get on: I got on a wrong bus the other day and ended up somewhere else. get out: I am getting the next edition of my book out by the end of the month. get out of: We're having dinner with my mother-in-law tonight, but I'm planning to get out of it. get over: I still haven't got over the death of my parrot. get through: I nearly killed myself when I failed to get through my final exam. get to: When she got to talking about politics, nothing could stop her. get together: We always end up arguing when we get together for a drink. get up: Everybody gets up when the national anthem is played. give away: It is the bride's father, mother or eldest brother who gives the bride away? give back: He hasn't given back the money I lent him two years ago. give in: A henpecked husband always gives in to his wife. give out: Santa Claus gives out presents once a year. give rise to: A bomb explosion in the city gave rise to speculation as to who was responsible. give up: They searched for their missing puppy, but eventually gave up. give up to: The family of the deceased gave up his organs to research. give way: All the other vehicles gave way to the ambulance. given to: He is given to occasional outbursts of temper. gladden by: Harry was gladdened by the birth of his first child. glance at: John glanced at his watch and realized his watch had stopped working. glance off: The bullet glanced off the side of a metal bin and struck a car. glance through: He had just enough time to glance through the paper at breakfast. gloat over: The miser gloated over his money.

gloss over: Mike glossed over the loss of his job and started talking something else. glow with: He entered the interview room glowing with confidence. go about: I think we should discuss how to go about imposing discipline in the workplace. go against: She went against her mother's advice when she divorced her husband. go ahead: We went ahead with the project despite strong objection. go along: You go along with him now; I'll be late. go along with: I'm afraid I can't go along with your idea. go around: A rumour is going around that someone is going to commit suicide. go at: He went throwing punches at his opponent. go back: I left my wallet at home and now I've to go back for it. go back on: She promised to marry me, but now it appears she has gone back on her word. go by: Go by the rules or I am not playing/You go by that old map and now we are lost. go far: He is a smart person and will go far in what he does. go for: Jenny goes for tall and handsome men with considerable wealth. go in for: The rodent was injured and the hawk went in for the kill. go off: The bomb went off prematurely and killed the bomber. go off with: She has gone off with her brother-in-law. go on: As time went on, I became more attracted to her. go on to: Can you go on to the next topic? This one is very boring. go over: I saw the horrific accident and it kept going over and over in my mind. go through: She went through the terrible five-hour ordeal. go through with: Jane feels she isn't ready yet to go through with the wedding. go under: Many small businesses go under in the first year of operation. go with: Ivan's baldness does not go with his bushy beard. go without: Little Jonny went out without his parents' permission. gossip about: Mrs. Goss loves to gossip about other people, especially her neighbours. graduate from: He graduated from university with a degree in palmistry. grapple with: Let the Govt grapple with the problem of wages not keeping pace with inflation. grasp at: Let us grasp at every opportunity that comes along to make money. grasp of: All the students have already got a good grasp of the basic principles of mathematics. grieve about: She still grieves deeply about the loss of her father. grind out: That author has been grinding out short hard-luck stories non-stop. ground on/upon: You should ground your analysis on facts. ground in: The new students were grounded in the basic principles of mathematics. grow out of: Children grow out of many bad habits such as biting nails, etc. grow up: This boy wants to be superman or spiderman when he grows up. grumble about/at: My mother-in-law, like the farmers, is always grumbling about the weather. guard against: We should guard against pickpocket in crowded places. guess at: I have not studied hard, so I guess I have to guess at the answers in the

exam. gun down: Rival gang members gunned each other down in broad daylight. haggle over/about: I haggled over the price with the car salesman. hand back: We handed back the form after filling it. hand down: These stories and legends have been handed down from generation to generation. hand in: The students handed in their homework without being told to. hand out: I helped to hand out parcels of food to people in need. hand over: They handed over power to the new government after their defeat in the election. hang around: He spends his time hanging around with friends in the shopping centre. hang back: He is often advised not to hang back but to mix freely at school. hang on to: We all hung on to the strap when the subway train was moving. hang out: After school, he hangs out with his classmates in a snooker hall. hang together: They hung together while waiting for the rescue team to find them. hang up: She was so angry she hung up before I could explain. happen on/upon: We happen on our former lecturer in a restaurant.: happen to: I just don't know what is happening to me. harp on: My mother-in-law is always harping on about my laziness. head for: We've been driving around for hours; let's turn here and head for home. hear about: Did you hear about the latest mass killing? hear from: We haven't heard from John since he left port to sail round the world. hear of: I'm very sorry to hear of your mother's death. help with: I helped her with the application form. help out: He helped the old lady out of the taxi. hide from: John would always hide under the bed from his drunk father. hinder from: He's hindered from a good night sleep by the constant noise from the expressway. hint at: The spokesman hinted at the possible change of leadership. hit on: He hit on the idea of mechanization when thinking about how to solve the problems. hold back: She struggled to hold back her tears. hold down: Mick seems unable to hold down a job for longer than a month. hold forth: The speaker held forth on the inevitable end of the world. hold off: He always holds off making decisions until the very last moment. hold on: How long more do you want me to hold on? hold on to: We held tightly on to the rail as the bus sped on. hold out: The supermarket held out the chance for customers to win a brand new car. hold out on: Why do you hold out on me all the things I need to know? hold over: The match was held over because of the snowy conditions. hold to: The home team held the away team to a 2-2 draw. hold together: The different factions within the party are held together by a charismatic leader. hold up: We arrived late as we were held up by traffic jam. hold up as: The Governor was held up as a model of integrity and decency. hunt for: The police are hunting nationwide for the serial killer. hurry up: I don't quite like the way she's always hurrying me up.

identify with: I can't identify myself with men like him. identify by: He was identified at an identity parade by a witness as the culprit. imbue with: The coach imbued the players with a sense of team work. immerse in: For months the novelist totally immersed herself in her work. impart to: The barman was happy to impart his knowledge of taming lions to me. impose on/upon: A ban has been imposed on the sale of cigarettes to those below 18 years old. impress by: We were impressed by the beauty of the rural landscape. impress on: Father impressed on me the value of hard work. impress with: We were really impressed with the craftsmanship. improve by: His musical skill can be improved by engaging a professional coach. improve in: It is very advantageous to improve in whatever we are do. improve on: The second edition greatly improves on the first edition. include in: Labour charges are included in the bill for the repairs. incorporate in: Not all the proposals and up-to-date information are incorporated in the report. increase from: Budget for the welfare program has been increased from $500,000 to $800,000. increase in: The sharp increase in crime is attributed to the current state of the economy. inculcate in: Parents should inculcate a sense of discipline in their children. indict for: The suspect was indicted for the crime of arson. indulge in: I think we shouldn't indulge in too much lunchtime drinking. infect with: Some insects can infect human beings with deadly diseases. infer from: One can reasonably infer from the evidence presented that insanity is hereditary. infest with: The whole wasteland was heavily infested with rats. inflate with: The egos of some people are really inflated with self-importance. inflict on/upon: He's found guilty for deliberately inflicting grievous bodily harm on his granny. inform of: The doctor will immediately inform you of any changes in her condition. inform against/on: He was summarily arrested when his comrades informed on him. infringe on: Discussing a politician's divorce is tantamount to infringing on his private life. infuse with: The good news infused her with happiness. inherit from: He inherited his loud and powerful voice from his grandfather. inhibit from: The fear of ridicule inhibited students from raising questions. initiate into: Last evening he was initiated into a religious cult. inquire after: I think Amy likes you; she's always inquiring after you. insert in/into: Nick inserted a coin into the vending machine for some cigarettes. insist on: She insisted on keeping a baby armadillo as a pet. inspire by: The movie was really inspired by an actual event. inspire to: Her dogged perseverance to succeed inspires others to do likewise. instigate against: Foreigners were blamed for instigating a revolt against the government. instill in/into: The parents instilled ethical values into their children at an early age.

instruct in: Ms. Olive instructed students in Latin. insure against: My uncle insured against damage to or loss of his yacht. intend for: The author's second book was intended for golfing enthusiasts. intercede with: The organization interceded with the authorities on my behalf. interfere with: Lack of confidence has seriously interfered with his performance at school. interpolate in: Mary interpolated a casual remark in our conversation. interrupt in: The leader was rudely interrupted in his speech by loud jeers. intervene in: The police don't usually intervene in what was essentially a private dispute. introduce into: New subjects will be introduced into the syllabus next year. intrude on/upon: We deeply resented her intruding on our conversation. inure to: In his early life Simon soon became inured to the considerable hardship of life. invest in: The company invests heavily in research and development. invite to: We have always been invited to her birthday. involve in: I don't see why I should involve myself in their affairs. irritate by: He was irritated by the frequently loud argument that went on next door. isolate from: The exceptionally violent child is isolated from other children. issue from: From a long distance, we could see smoke issuing from a lone cottage chimney. jack up: The storekeeper dare not jack up prices because of a supermarket nearby. jam with: The entrance was jammed with crowds trying to get in. jar on: The constantly loud music from next-door neighbour is starting to jar on my nerves. jeer at: The spectators jeered at their own team for their poor performance. jockey for: The riders jockeyed for the best position. join in: We join them in clearing up the beach. joke with: The more we joked with each other, the closer we became. jot down: I jotted her telephone number down on a piece of paper but I lost it on my way home, judge by: We do not judge a book by its cover, do we? judge from: Judging from the look on his face, we suspected he's the one who took it. jumble up: I arranged those things in a neat order but someone came along and jumbled them up. jump at: I jumped at the chance to visit the Niagara Falls. jump on: My mother never failed to jump on me whenever I was home late. justify to: He tried to justify his decision to us by saying that he had no alternative. jut out: We marveled at the huge rocks jutting out from the steep side of the cliff. keep at: We kept at it until we completed it ahead of schedule. keep away from: You should keep away from the dangers of heavy smoking. keep back: I think she is keeping something back that she does not want us to know. keep from: He has only two months to live and we should keep him from knowing. keep off: Keep your hands off my pizza.

keep on: She keeps harping on the one little mistake I made. keep out: She should keep the puppy out instead of sleeping with it. keep out of: Why don't they keep out of the politician's personal affair. keep to: Why did you beat about the bush? Keep to what you wanted to say. keep to (oneself): He trusts no one and so keeps to himself most of the time. keep up: The furious barking of the neighbour's dog kept me up the whole night. keep up with: She's always trying to keep up with her siblings. keep/bear in mind: These are well-known sayings; keep them in mind. knock down: The speeding car knocked down a villager's goat. knock off: James can't knock off work at the same time every day. knock over: His dog was knocked over by a motorcyclist when it was running across the street. knock out: The underdog knocked out his opponent in the last round. know about: Nobody in the area knows much about the accident. know of: I know of one policeman who always receives bribe. knuckle down: He had better knuckle down soon or else he'll never get through those exams. lapse into: He lapsed into a coma and died two days later. laugh at: Everybody will laugh at a funny clown. lay off: Mark was laid off after working for the company for twenty years. lead to: We took the wrong way which led us to the cemetery. leaf through: Bob leafed through many magazines while waiting at the clinic. lean on: In times of difficulty it would be great to have someone to lean on for support. learn about: When we were children we learned about the birds and the bees. leave for: We're leaving for funfair. leave off: Let's continue from where we left off, shall we? leave out: This is the first time he is left out of the squad for the World Cup. lecture about/on: He lectures on the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome. lend to: I lent the lawn mover to my neighbour. let in: Let's open the windows and let the air in. let off: If you pluck my apples again, I'll not let you off. let out: Every evening we let the dog out. let up: It looks like the rain is not going to let up, so what shall we do? level at: All he can do is level criticism at others. level with: The developer leveled the old building with an explosive charge. levy (a tax/fine/charge, etc.) on: The state government has levied a new tax on gasoline. lie down: He was told to lie down for the doctor to examine him. lie on: Joe likes to lie on a bench in the park. liken to: I can never forgive him for likening me to an old turkey. limit to: Each customer is limited to two packets. listen for: John must listen for the right signal before he can respond. listen in: He listened in to their whispering. listen to: We listened in silence to his cock-and-bull stories. live at: As far as I know, he still lives at the same address. live in: I would like to live in an igloo one day. live off: They were a weird bunch who lived off welfare live on: I live on a street where there are many stray dogs.

lock out: This is the second time I've locked myself out. long for: Bob longed for an exciting experience at Antarctic. long to: He longed desperately to be with her. look after: Who is going to look after our parrots when we go on vacation? look ahead: Let's forget the past and look ahead. look around: We were looking around for a public toilet. look at: The officer looked at my passport and waved me through. look away: When I smiled at her again, she looked away again. look back on: When I look back on those moments, I realize how foolish I was. look down: She often looks down to avoid meeting her eyes. look down on: He looks down on anyone whom he thinks is not successful. look for: Police are looking for a man with a heavily tattooed face. look forward to: I look forward to seeing that clown again. look in: Every other day we look in on grandpa and see if he needs anything. look into: We had better look into the high turnover of staff. look like: It looks like she is going to demand an explanation from him. look on: Only one person helped him, the others just looked on. look out for: Look out for pickpocket while we are at the airport. look over: I looked the shorts over and found they had no pockets. look through: I looked through your drawers but I couldn't find your bunch of keys. look to: They are looking to the last runner to win the relay. look up: I enjoy enormously looking words up in the dictionary. look up to: He is the kind of man most people look up to. lure away: The company tried to lure the salesman away from their competitor. lurk around: They called the police when they saw a man lurking around outside their house. make (a fool) of: Whenever he is drunk, he is certain to make a fool of himself. make (a fuss) about/over: She made a big fuss about not being offered a drink. make away with: When no one was looking, I made away with a bar of chocolate. make for: We quickly made for the river bank when our boat started to leak. make (fun) of: The kids always make fun of Mick's big ears. make (love) to: He tried to make love to every girl he met. make of: His last word before he died was about poison; what do you make of that? make off: He made off when the alarm sounded. make off with: A pickpocket made off with my wallet. make out: She whispered angrily in my ear, but I could not make it out. make over: He made over his entire estate to his children. make towards: She made towards the exit when she had made all her purchases. make up: It's pretty obvious she made that story up. make up: An indecisive leader, he often finds it hard to make up his mind. make up to: Jill made up to Jack in hopes of getting him to help her. mark down: The store attracts a big crowd as most items on sale have been marked down. mark off: She marked off all the items she has bought. mark out: They have marked out the area for vehicles to park.

marvel at: I marvel at his ability to maintain composure in any given situation. matter to: I'll buy it, the colour does not matter to me. meditate on/upon: He meditated on the different solutions to the problem. mention to: She didn't mention it to me when I met her last night. migrate between: Some whales migrate between one part of the ocean and another. migrate from: Some species of birds migrate from Europe to Africa. make up: Can't you make up your mind to buy the blue or red one? mingle with: Participants from various nations mingled freely with each other after the events. minister to: Volunteers minister to the injured. mix up: I called the wrong number when I mixed your telephone number up with another. mix with: He does not mix well with other members. model on: This system is modeled on the one that originated in the United States. move out: We decided to move out when the landlord increased the rent again. mull over: We mulled over the procedure for possible adoption. multiply by: Two multiplied by two is four. muse on/over: He sat musing over the sudden change of attitude of his girlfriend. muster up: He failed to muster up the minimum support required to stand for election. name after: The street is named after the Prime Minister's son. narrow down: The judges have narrowed the finalists down to the last five. news break (the news) to: The doctor had to break the news to his family. nibble away at: She likes to nibble away at something when she watches television. nod off: He often nods off while watching television. object to: I object to your casual comments about my hair. obtain from: All this false information was obtained from the Internet. occur to: It never occurred to me that you really believe the world is flat. operate on: The doctors had to operate on him immediately to save his life. oppress by: Ethnic minorities had been oppressed by the occupying forces for years. originate in: This crazy idea could only originate in your head. outrage by: Women nationwide were outraged by his sexist remarks. overcome by: His stammering was eventually overcome by speech therapy. overrun by: The wasteland was overrun by rodents. overwhelm by: He was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response pan out: At this moment, no one can tell how the enterprise will pan out. parallel to: There's never been any close parallel elsewhere to China's rate of economic growth. part from: I had to part from Jill before the game ended. part with: Our dog has given birth to six puppies; we're not going to part with any of them. partake of: The guests partook of the ample food available at the gathering. participate in: Everyone present was encouraged to participate in the discussions. pass away: Grandpa passed away in his sleep. pass by: The small child watched open-mouthed the parade passing by.

pass down: The centuries-old tradition still passes down from generation to generation. pass for: My mother-in-law in mini-skirt could easily pass for a young girl. pass in: He passes in his authorization card before leaving the office for the day. pass off: There is no reason for me to pass myself off as anyone else. pass on: You passed your cough on to me; see, I'm coughing now. pass out: During a heavy drinking session, he suddenly passed out. pass over: Jane threatened to resign when she was passed over for promotion. pass up: I regret passing up the opportunity for promotion. patch up: He's going to die so you had better patch up your quarrel with him. pattern after: An ardent fan of Elvis Presley, he patterned his behaviour after him. pay back: I'll pay him back for the highly critical comments he made about me. pay for: Let's hope he will pay for the evil deed he committed. pay off: I had to pay him off substantially to keep quiet about something I did. pay out: A huge sum of money was paid out to the winner of the football pools jackpot. pay up: I was told to pay up by Monday or have my car repossessed. pep up: A brief round of aerobics pepped the participants up before the discussion. perk up: They did some singing to perk up the atmosphere before they started the discussion. perpetrate about: They perpetrated all sorts of malicious rumours about him persevere in: She persevered in her studies to achieve the result she had hoped for. persist in: Why do many people persist in believing mistakenly that UFOs are alien spaceships? pertain to: Documents pertaining to the illegal transactions have been seized by police. petition for: Local residents petitioned for better bus services. pick off: The captive soldiers were picked off one by one for interrogation. pick on: I don't think she likes me; she's always picking on me. pick out: It's easy to pick out Rose's father in a crowd because he is exceptionally tall. pick up: Andy picked up a number at random and won the first prize. piece together: Investigators are piecing together evidence to uncover what caused the accident. pile up: His debts piled up but he made no attempt to settle any of them. pin down: He hints at his resignation but no one can pin him down on the exact date yet. pin on: They pinned the blame on me although I didn't do anything wrong. pine away: After his grandmother died, his grandfather pined away and died shortly after. pine for: Months after their separation, Jill still pines for Jack. pit against: Dean is ready to pit his skills against any serious competitors. pitch in: Bob pitched in to help complete the project before the deadline. pitch into: He would pitch into anyone who commented that he was uncooperative. plan for: She plans for the future by saving considerably.

plan on: He planned on becoming the first athlete to win a gold medal for his school. play along: He played along with her so as to gain a special favour. play at: Children love to play at being Cowboys and Red Indians. play back: I played back the tape-recorder to listen to my voice with a view to improving it. play on: He's always playing on his friends' generosity to get free treats. play up: A pro-government newspaper played up the resignation of an opposition's active member. play up to: Many politicians are expert at playing up to voters' sentiments to gain their votes. play with: Every day he spends at least an hour playing with his dog. plead with: Jack pleaded with Jill not to leave her. plunge into: A sudden blackout plunged the whole place into total darkness. ply with: Our host plied us with excess food and drinks. point at: It is not respectable to point at someone. point out: The leader pointed out the things we should or shouldn't do while jungle trekking. point to: The government pointed to the measures taken to lift the living standards of the people. poke fun at: The kids at school poked fun at Adam's clothes. polish off: David could easily polish off five sandwiches at one sitting. polish up: I had better polish up my English before I visit London. pore over: He spends hours poring over his vast collection of stamps. pounce on/upon: The teacher was ever ready to pounce on any little mistake anyone of us made. pray to: Every night the family prayed to God for good health and happiness. predicate on: His success in his exams is predicated on his determination to succeed. prefer to: I prefer red colour to any of the other colours for my car. prepare for: How many of us prepare ourselves for every eventuality in life? present to: They presented the best actress award to her before a live audience. present with: They presented him with an outstanding achievement award. preserve for: The large number of historical records is preserved for posterity. preserve from: The tribe preserved corpses from decomposition by wrapping them in cloth. preside over: A clergyman friend of the family presided over the funeral gathering. press for: The opposition pressed the government for the release of the political detainees. press on: Reporters pressed him further on the issue. prevail on/upon: Jill finally prevailed on Jack to attend the dog show. prevent from: The new legislation was to prevent whistleblowers from being publicly identified. prey on/upon: It was so moving to watch on television a lion preying on a deer. price out: The dentist has priced himself out of business by charging too heavily for his services. pride (oneself) on: The parents prided themselves on their child's achievement.

proceed with: The protesters were not allowed to proceed with their political speeches. produce from: They produce wine from grapes. profit from: I profit immensely from reading biographies of famous people. prohibit from: Nowadays people are prohibited from smoking in many areas. propose to: At the meeting, he proposed measures to enlarge the club membership. protect from: The legislation is to protect public property from vandalism. protest against: The demonstration was organized to protest against police brutality. prove to: Prove to me what you said that you can make a rabbit disappear. provide for: Many people have not taken measures to provide for their old age. provide with: The evacuees were provided with tents, blankets, and other necessities. provoke to: What he did is certain to provoke them to retaliate. pry into: Continual prying into other people's private affairs will get him into trouble soon. pull ahead: He was leading all the way until a fellow competitor pulled ahead of him. pull apart: They pulled the two fighting cocks apart to end the cockfighting contest.. pull at: She pulled at her mother's coat sleeve. pull away: He pulled away from the car park and sped down the highway. pull down: They had to pull down the old disused crumbling building. pull in: The train pulled in just as we arrived at the station. pull off: Three men pulled off the biggest bank robbery in town. pull out: They pulled out of the business deal when they sensed something amiss. pull over: The policeman waved me to pull my car over. pull through: He was badly injured in a road accident but he finally pulled through. pull up: He pulled up at the side of the road to park. punish for: The serial killer will be severely punished for his crimes. purchase from: We purchased some statuettes from a souvenir shop at the tourist resort. purge from: All dissidents were purged from the party. put across: The leader put his proposals across to the grass roots members. put aside: Every month she puts aside a little money for future use. put away: The boys rushed to put away the scattered toys when they heard their mummy is home. put by: I'm putting some money by each month for a new camera. put down: The public demonstration was brutally put down by troops. put in: Every day I have to put in extra time to complete it before the deadline. put off: Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today. put on: Despite her hurt feelings she put on a smiling face. put out: The firemen took hours to put out the huge fire. put through: John's parents managed to put him and his siblings through university. put to: After the speeches were delivered, we were allowed to put questions to the speakers.

put up: Despite being an underdog, the team put up an outstanding performance. put up with: I think I'm not going to put up with my nagging wife any longer. puzzle about/over: We were puzzled about her enigmatic remark. puzzle out: We can't puzzle out why she left suddenly and has not called. qualify for: So far, only three teams have qualified for the finals. quarrel about: No one knows what the twins are quarrelling about. quarrel with: These twins can never stop quarrelling with each other. query about: The auditors queried the company's accountants about their financial statement. question about: The police questioned him about his whereabouts on the night of the murder. rage about/against: Joe raged against the bureaucratic and corrupt system. rail against/at: Mary has been railing against the unjust system. range from: The bookstore is selling books at prices ranging from about $5 to $500. rank as/with: His performances rank him as one of the top five players in the country. rate as: He is generally rated as one of the best writers of this century. reach for: He was shot dead by the police before he could reach for his gun. react to: Her boss reacted favourably to her decision to resign. read about/of: Have you read the latest news about a man with three eyes? read in: I read that rags-to-riches story in a magazine. read to: I used to read to you when you were a child. read for: She's reading for a degree in economics at one of the universities. read out: He read out the speech on behalf of the Prime Minister who is overseas. read through/over: I read through the passage for him and discovered some mistakes. read up: I have to read up on the subject before the discussion tomorrow. reason with: I tried to reason with her but she wouldn't listen. rebel against: Those who rebelled against the government were captured and executed. reckon on: We didn't reckon on the shop charging handling charges. reckon with: They didn't reckon with a puncture when they went for a drive. recommend to: I definitely recommend this book to those of you interested in raising hamsters. reconcile to: You must reconcile yourself to the death of your daughter. recover from: Mrs. Dean has yet to recover fully from her husband's death. recuperate from: She went to stay with her daughter to recuperate from her operation. reduce to: Modern medical treatment has reduced death from tuberculosis to a minimum. reel off: May reels off a list of things to buy. refer to: We had to refer to our map when we lost our way in the city. reflect on: A series of burglaries at the building reflects on its lax security against break-ins. refrain from: The nurse asked me to refrain from using my cell phone. regard as: The team's last performance was regarded as the best ever . reign over: The king reigned over the country for many years. relate to: Can we relate an aging population to a low economic growth?

release from: He was released unconditionally from police detention. relieve of: The officer was relieved of his command on disciplinary grounds. rely on/upon: Landlocked countries rely on other countries for their export and import of goods. remark on: Friends at the party remarked on her new hairstyle. remind of: The song reminds him of his former girlfriend. remove from: He was removed from office for sexual misconduct. reply to: Why should I reply to those baseless allegations? report back: He reported back that the violence had escalated. report on: His newspaper sent him to Africa to report on the situation in Zimbabwe. report to: We were told to report to the new manager tomorrow. reprimand for: He was reprimanded for his negligence in duty. reproach for: The teacher reproached them for not completing their homework. request for: She likes to request for songs to be played on some radio programs rescue from: Dogs and cats were also rescued from the burning building. reserve for: They reserved the three front rows of seats for VIPs. reside in: The family resides in the suburb. resort to: Ben became desperate and resorted to begging for money. respond to: His illness failed to respond to the treatment. rest on: The success in selling rests solely on the marketing manager. restrain from: Many times I had to restrain myself from arguing with her. result from: The accident resulted from his own carelessness. result in: The new policy will result in the high turnover of staff. result of: The tragedy was the result of failure to plan carefully. retire from: He retired from his job for health reason. return to: She never returned to me or to anybody any of the books she borrowed. reveal to: Jan never revealed her origins to anybody. revenge on: Jane seems intent on revenging herself on her husband for his disloyalty. revert to: Now we are talking about something else; let's revert to the original subject. revolt against: A revolt against the leadership in the party has broken out. reward for: He was rewarded for providing information that led to the arrest of the culprit. reward with: She rewarded me with a kiss. rid of: She made a police report, hoping to rid herself of the stalker. ring back: I've called her ten times and she has yet to ring back. ring in: He rang in to inform that he had broken his leg. ring off: After a long conversation, we agreed to ring off. ring up: I ring her up at least twice a week. rise against: The people rose in rebellion against the dictatorial government. rise from: From a distance, we could see smoke rising from chimneys. rival in: Our best players simply cannot rival our opponents in stamina. rob of: The bus was hijacked and the passengers were robbed of all their possessions. root in: The plants were rooted firmly in the hard earth and it wasn't easy to just pull them out.

rope in: We roped in a few more guys to help with the campaign. round out: We rounded out the drinking session by having supper at a restaurant. round up: Police rounded up the remaining troublemakers. rub in: I know I've made an embarrassing mistake, so why has he to keep rubbing it in? rule on: The judge will shortly rule on who will get custody of the child. rule out: The government has ruled out the abolition or even revision of the Act. rule over: The absolute ruler ruled over a large empire. run across: Unfortunately, I ran across my ex this morning. run after: She is so attractive that I can't help wanting to run after her. run against: He intends to run against his father in the by-election. run along: I've something to do; I'd better run along. run away: We decide to run away together to get married. run down: He habitually runs you down - probably out of jealousy. run for: The villagers ran for their lives when there was a sudden volcanic eruption. run into: I ran into my former wife last night. run off: Her husband ran off with a younger woman. run on: The practice session was supposed to end at 10 o'clock, but ran on until 11 o'clock. run out: I felt like screaming at him when my patience ran out. run out of: I can't post my letters now; I've run out of stamps. run out on: She deeply regrets running out on her parents a few months ago. run over: My dog was run over by a taxi and died shortly after. run through: Let's run through the solutions to the exercises again. run to: The mechanic is overcharging me; how could my car repair bill run to a hundred dollars? run up: Have to get rid of the phone; they have run up the phone bill to such a huge amount. run up against: They have to stop work as they ran up against some unforeseen problems. rush around: We rushed around informing all the members of the last-minute cancellation. rush into: John regrets rushing into that venture without careful thought. rush out: The manufacturer is rushing out the novelties for the festive season. rush through: The staff rushed through the paper work to meet the deadline. saddle up: We have to saddle up and ride out of here now. saddle with: I'm not even an assistant manager, but I'm saddled with his duties while he's away. sail from: We'll be sailing from this harbour to Calais next week. sail into: Mary sailed into the hall where a party was going on. satisfy with: Anne is still not satisfied with his explanation. save for: Pam saved a piece of pizza for my supper. save from: Firemen saved the occupants of the building from being burnt to death. say about: She wasn't pleased when she overheard what I said about her. say to: What do you want to say to her now that she has left you? scare of: Those crows are not really scared of the large scarecrow.

scare off: That big human-like scarecrow failed to scare off the crows. scare up: See if I can scare up enough money to buy you a nice Christmas present. scoff at: He scoffed at my suggestion that we renovate the clubhouse. scrape up: She scraped up whatever money she has to pay off the car. screw up: The negotiation failed because you really screwed it up. search for: The police searched the whole woodland for the escaped convict. secede from: Why did the state secede from the Union in 1816? see about: I asked if she would join me for dinner tonight, she said she would see about it. see after: We chose him to see after the organization of the party. see into: The accountant will see into the discrepancies in the books. see off: Of course, I would be most grateful to see my mother-in-law off at the airport. see through: He is determined to see the whole project through. see to: When I was staying with them, Mary saw to all my needs. sell for: Jack has been selling tickets for the concert at a higher price. sell out: Their new batch of Hawaiian shirts is completely sold out send for: An accident has occurred and someone has already sent for an ambulance. separate from: Her father is separated from her mother. serve as: This spare room will serve as a bedroom while they are staying with us. serve under: He is serving under his father-in-law as an assistant manager. set about: We set about clearing up the whole garage. set against: The increases in our salaries have to be set against the rising cost of living. set aside: Every month we set aside a portion of our salaries for the purchase of a car. set back: The raining season will set back the completion of the building project. set down: I woke up and set down in detail the dream I just had. set forth: Together, they set forth for an unknown destination. set off: Someone set the bomb off with remote control. set in: Global warming has set in and with it more problems will arise. set on: The farmer threatened to set his dogs on the trespassers. set out: They set out on a journey to the Far East. set up: Jack and Jill have set up a retail business. settle down: She felt she would settle down only when she was ready to. settle for: John felt his compensation claim was justified and would not settle for anything less. settle on: They have settled on the date for the next meeting. settle up: We decided to settle up and leave this bar for home. sever from: He severed branches from the tree with a chainsaw. shake with: At the reunion we shook hands warmly with each other. share in: The wife does not share in her husband's enthusiasm for jogging. shell out: I had to shell out three dollars just for one parking place. shield from: New import tariffs will be introduced to shield local firms from foreign competition. shoot up: Prices of most kinds of food for small children have shot up. shop for: I have been shopping for a Mexican hat, but haven't found anything I like.

shout at: Please don't shout at the dogs; it will not stop them from barking. shout for: Why do you shout for help when you are not in danger? show off: Tim showed off his new toys to his friends. show up: He has just shown up when he was supposed to have done so two hours ago. shrink from: Bob shrank from the first sight of blood. shudder at: I shudder at the thought of the child dying from injuries in the crash. shut off: Mum always remembered to shut off the stove when she finished cooking. shut up: She's done all the talking since we started; she should shut up and give others a chance. side against/with: The two sisters always side with each other against their mother. sin against: I feel I've sinned against my religion by raising doubts and querying about it. sit around: He would sit around quietly for hours and watch was happening. sit at: He would sit at the table without eating but watch other people eating. sit in: As the show has to go on, Joe agreed to sit in for Bozo the clown who is absent. sit on: Sometimes we would sit on a long bench in the park and chatted away to each other. sit through: Our boss delivered a lengthy boring speech and we had to sit through it. sit up: Whenever there's a late football match on television, we would sit up and watch. slack off: Tourism business at the resort slacks off during the winter. slide on: The kids enjoyed themselves sliding on the ice. slip up: The police slipped up when the wrong person was arrested. slow down: The police roadblock had slowed down traffic to a big snarl-up. smile at: I mistakenly smiled at her, thinking I knew her, but she looked away. snap at: I don't understand why she often snapped at me for no good reason. snap off: She stopped reading, snapped off the light and closed her eyes to sleep. snap on: She snapped on the light when she entered the bedroom. sneer at: They sneered at his ludicrous suggestion. sound off: Mike is always sounding off about every current issue. speak about: His grandfather would speak to you about anything under the sun. speak of: He had his reason for never ever speaking of his ex. speak on: George loved to speak to women on women's issues. speak to: Frankly, if I could help it I wouldn't want to speak to her. specialize in: The store specialized in coffins for dogs and cats. spring at: The showman touched the head of a cobra with a stick and it sprung at him. spur on: His initial success spurred him on. stamp out: The government is determined to stamp out corruption. stand against: Her daughter will be standing against her in the parliamentary election. stand around: The crowd just stood around waiting for the ambulance to arrive. stand by: Two calls were received for ambulance, but only one ambulance is standing by.

stand for: He is not going to stand for her personal insult much longer. stand on: She stood on tiptoe to pluck a pear. stand out: Your dyed red hair will certainly make you stand out in any crowd. stand up: He looks taller if he stands up straight. stand up for: We have to stand up for our rights. stand up to: He wouldn't dare stand up to his boss when he knew he's right. star in: She will star in a new movie whose title is yet to be announced. stare at: They just stared at each other not believing they had not seen each other for forty years. start for: The weather turned bad and we had no choice but to start for home. start off: He started off as a postman and now he's postmaster. start on: I've finished reading the first chapter, so now I can start on the second chapter. start with: Let's start our training session with doing some warm-up exercises. stay at: His wife resents his staying late at the office almost every night. stay up: Sometimes I stay up late to watch television. stay with: I prefer staying at home with my dog to going out. steal from: Two policemen were arrested for stealing from the police station. stem from: The high volume of sales of ice cream stemmed from the exceptionally hot weather. step up: The police are stepping up their regular patrols of the area. stick around: Stick around until he arrives, then we will go for a meal. stick to: Stick to the point, otherwise our meeting will never end. stick up: A stranger tried to stick him up, but he fought him off. stick up for: Will you stick up for me? There are too many of them. stir up: You like to stir up her emotions. Look how excited she is now. stoop to: You don't have to stoop to his level and quarrel with him. stop from: His parents tried to stop him from smoking excessively. straighten out: We managed finally to straighten out our differences before he passed away. straighten up: You'd better straighten yourself up if you want to gain respect. stricken with: One wonders how long he will live now that he's stricken with a fatal disease. strike against: The ship sank after its side struck against an iceberg. strike for: The workers unanimously decided to strike for higher wages. strike up: I have struck up a friendship with her after meeting her a few times in the library. strip from: Some members of a tribe stripped the bark from the trees to use as medicine. strip of: The president had been completely stripped of his power in a military coup. strive after: Artists continuously strive after artistic beauty. strive against: Man has to constantly strive against the elements. strive for: We must always strive for perfection in whatever we do. struggle with: Alone, he had to struggle furiously with his attackers till help arrived. study for: She knows she has only two weeks left to study hard for her A level exam. submit to: Both parties agreed to submit their dispute to arbitration. subscribe to: There are still people who subscribe to the flat-earth theory.

subsist on: They subsisted on canned food during the winter. subtract from: He thought he could subtract his personal expenses from his gross profit. succeed in: The escaped prisoner succeeded in evading capture for several months. sue for: The minister threatened to sue the opposition member for slander. suffer from: Millions of children in the world today suffer from malnutrition. suggest to: She suggested to me that I should buy her more fresh flowers. suit to: I think you did not suit your dress to the occasion. sum up: He finally summed up his speech to the relief of the audience. supplement by: Jack supplemented his income by training parrots to sing. supply with: Only two companies supply the hospital with medical equipment. surpass in: Mary surpasses her sister in beauty. surround by: He emerged from the conference centre and was surrounded by noisy reporters. swarm with: On weekends the zoo is swarmed with visitors. sweat it out: The boxer is sweating it out in the gym until his next fight. swerve off: Driving quickly on a wet road caused his car to swerve off the road into a ravine. switch over: They are going to switch over to the new teaching method. sympathize with: I sympathize deeply with the bereaved family. take aback: I was taken aback by what he said. take after: Jenny certainly takes after her mother. take back: OK, I take back what I just said. Now, don't you curse me anymore. take down: Please take down what I'm going to say. take for: Now, don't you take me for a fool. take in: Jill was taken in by the company's false claims about its products. take off: I was late and the plane took off without me. take on: After a new coat of paint, the old house takes on a new look. take out: It's your turn to take out the rubbish. take out on: It's your own fault, why take it out on the children? take over: When you take over the driving, don't sound the horn unnecessarily. take stock of: You should take stock of your bad habits and eliminate them. take to: Jim took to excessive drinking when his girlfriend left him. take up: Since my retirement, I've taken up stargazing. take up with: He's taken up with his new neighbour's kids. take upon: Mark took it upon himself to paint the whole house. talk about: Will you stop talking about me behind my back? talk around: She doesn't agree with me; do you think you can talk her around? talk back: This kid will never hesitates to talk back to her mother. talk down: Mike often talked down the good things Betty did for him. talk down to: It's wrong to talk down to them like that; they are cleverer than you think. talk into: I didn't want to get involved in the robbery, but he talked me into joining them. talk out of: She talked me out of seeking work overseas. talk over: I think we'd better talk it over before we decide to buy a yacht. talk to: I talked to his parents about his throwing stones at my dogs.

talk with: I talked with her on the telephone, but she suggested we talk in person. tally with: The two witnesses' accounts of the accident don't tally with each other. tamper with: The defence lawyer is going to prove that the evidence had been tampered with. tantamount to: His statement is tantamount to a confession. taste like: The new sauce tasted exactly like sour milk. taste of: The soup tasted strongly of water. tear down: Several houses were torn down to make way for the new highway. tear into: I said she might be wrong and she tore into me. tear up: She tore up the letter after reading it. tease about: We teased her about her many childhood fights with boys. tell about: She never told me about the big money she won in a lottery. tell off: John ran for a bus but bumped against a woman who told him off. tell on: Her constant worrying is beginning to tell on her face. tend toward: Joe tends towards obesity. terms come to (terms) with: He felt he had to come to terms with being a prisoner. thank for: I thanked her warmly for not grumbling the whole day. think about: Money is what I think about all the time. think of: Jack thinks often of Jill. think over: Jillian prefers to think it over for a while, before deciding on his proposal. think through: George thought through the possible consequences of his action. think up: It was Paul who thought up the plan to raise more money. thirst for: A new entrant in the art world, he is already thirsting for fame. threaten with: Many fish species are threatened with extinction due to over fishing. thrive on: Many marine creatures still thrive on coastal mangrove swamps. throw at: Tom threw a rotten egg at the speaker's face. throw away: He threw away his old books and magazines. throw in: With blood coursing down the boxer's face, they realized they'd to throw in the towel. throw out: Jane refused to throw out the old books and magazines which cluttered the lounge. throw to: You are supposed to throw the ball to me, not him. throw up: Bob, as usual, threw up after he had overeaten. tie down: She wants to get married, but she doesn't want to be tied down. tie in: It was a disaster when the two events were supposed to tie in, but they didn't. tie up: The accident tied traffic up for hours. tip off: The police must have been tipped off when they made a sudden raid on the warehouse. touch at: Our ship touched at Cape Town for a few hours. touch down: The big crowd cheered when the spacecraft touched down safely. touch on: In his lecture on the subject, he touched on the writer. touch up: She touched her face up before she appeared on stage. toy with: He was toying with his fork and knife while thinking about skiing in Colorado.

trade in: The seller allowed him to trade in his old refrigerator so that he could buy a new one. traffic in: John was arrested by the police for trafficking in stolen goods. trample on/upon: Despite the "keep off the grass" sign, the visitors trampled on the grass. transfer to: We can only transfer a skill from one person to another through training. transform into: The once sleepy fishing village has been transformed into a popular tourist centre. translate into: Ideas remain ideas unless they are translated into action. trespass on: As it's late now, let's leave and not trespass on their hospitality trick into: They were tricked into investing in a dishonest scheme for making money. trip over: He nearly tripped over the toys. triumph over: With perseverance she would ultimately triumph over adversity. trust in: I trust in God. trust with: Not all the banks can be trusted with people's money. try for: I'm going to try for that jackpot. try on: She tried it on but it didn't fit her. try out: They tried her out for the role. tuck in: I forgot to tuck in my shirt when I took that photo. tune in: He tunes in to the radio nightly. turn against: His supporters turned against him when he defected to the opposition party. turn around: A new general manager was appointed to turn around the ailing company. turn away: The circus turned people away as all the seats were taken. turn down: She turned down his proposal for the tenth time. turn in: I lost my passport at the airport and someone turned it in to the police. turn into: The audience applauded when the magician turned a carrot into a rabbit. turn off: Her heavy makeup really turned me off. turn on: Girls with long hair really turns me on. turn out: It turned out that the butler was the one who committed the murder. turn out for: An estimated ten thousand people turned out for the fireworks display. turn out to be: The burglar who stole the diamond turned out to be the police inspector. turn over: The abandoned baby was turned over to the welfare department. turn to: She turned to taking drugs for her depression. turn up: A woman who was reported missing a few weeks ago turned up at the press office. undertake to: The new government undertook to reduce personal income tax. unite behind: The leader called upon the people to unite behind him to deter foreign aggression. urge on: Urged on by his supporters, he ran the fastest race of his life. use up: Someone has used up all my discs. usher in: There were fireworks and people were reveling to usher in the new year.

value at: His wealthy uncle bought paintings valued at over $300,000. vary from: As a street vendor, his takings vary from day to day. veer off: The car veered off the road into a ravine. verge on: Her extreme anxiety at times verges on a nervous breakdown. vie in: John and Johnny have been vying in the same contest for the past four years. vie for: Only three contestants vied for the top prize. vouch for: His long-time friend vouched for him in his application for a new licence. vote on: As the men couldn't agree on the most beautiful lady, they decided to vote on it. vow to: She vowed to devote the rest of her life to caring for the poor. vaccinate against: Nowadays children are vaccinated against a variety of diseases. wager on: Bob wagered one hundred dollars on the white horse. wait for: They waited in vain for her to turn up. wait on: She waits on customers with utmost courtesy and patience. wait up: Sean waits up for her every night. warn about: I warned the kids about the danger of playing with fire. warn against: I was warned against buying the house which was supposedly haunted. warn of: They warned us of the risks involved in investments in stocks and bonds. wash down: We had venison steak washed down with red wine. wash off: Robert washed the dirt and dust off the wall before painting it. wash out: The match was completely washed out by the unexpected weather. wash up: The carcass of a whale was washed up the beach. watch for: We watched the screen for the flight schdules. weed out: Those not so physically fit were the first to be weeded out. whisk away: The police arrested the suspect and whisked him away in the police car. wipe out: The recent earthquake wiped out the entire village. wish for: I wish for the luck to strike the lottery jackpot. withdraw from: She withdrew from the beauty contest due to death threats made against her. work for: She was told that she had been working for a crook. work off: Janet always uses swearing words whenever she tries to work off her anxiety. work on: Tommy spent weeks working on the sculpture. work out: The burglars have worked out how they're going to sneak into the whisky warehouse. work up: I certainly worked up a big appetite after a marathon jog. work with: I find it utterly impossible to work with her unless she changes her attitude. worry about: She worries more about me than I worry about her. worry over: I habitually worry over the slightest thing. write back: I've written her ten letters in the past weeks, but she has not written back. write down: You don't have a good memory, so you'd better write down whenever you need to. write in: Hundreds of viewers wrote in to complain after the show.

write out: He couldn't speak due to a bad sore throat, so he wrote it out instead. write up: Each one of us had to write up a report on human rights for the meeting. yank on: He kept yanking on the dog's tail and before long he got bitten. yearn for: Joan yearns for Mr. Right to appear. yearn to: He couldn't get used to life in a boarding school and every day he yearned to go home. yell at: They yelled at him not to get into the bullring. yield to: The victim's family agreed to yield to the kidnappers' demand for ransom.