(inseparable) to explain
George's wife was angry at him because he could not account for the lipstick on his collar.
(separable) to make someone aware of or familiar with someone or something
You should acquaint yourself with cultures from around the world.
(inseparable) to behave poorly(human);to reoccur(disease);to malfunction(machine)
I think I'll stand rather than sit because my hemorrhoids are acting up again
(separable) to increase or enhance something by joining or uniting something to it
We've decided to add on another bedroom to the house.
(inseparable) to result in a certain total
I've calculated that over and over, but it just doesn't add up.
(inseparable) to result in a total
The money I lost in the slot machines added up to over three hundred dollars.
(inseparable) to deserve a negative consequence
George is asking for trouble.
(separable) to request someone to come in
At the end of the date, I asked Mary in.
(separable) to request someone to go on a date with you
I asked Mary out again. She refused.
(inseparable) to retreat backwards
The crowd backed away as the terrorist blew himself up.
(inseparable) to concede in a disagreement
The mugger backed down when he saw that Max was carrying a 9mm handgun.
(separable) to go in reverse
When Steve passed the beautiful girl hitchhiking on the freeway, he immediately stopped the car, backed up, and offered her a ride.
(separable) to help or support
I will back my friends up no matter what they do.
(separable) to make copies of computer files just in case something happens to the original files
Please back up your files before you go home each day.
(inseparable) to jump out of an airplane (usually when it's going to crash)
Luckily, the pilot bailed out before his plane hit the side of the mountain.
(inseparable) to quit or stop doing something (usually when experiencing difficulties)
The congressional candidate bailed out of the race because there was no hope that he could raise enough money to win.
(separable) to rescue someone from a difficult situation
Max's uncle bailed him out of the financial problems he was having.
(separable) to roll or form something into a round shape
When Max does his laundry, instead of folding everything nicely when it's done, he just balls everything up and throws it in a bag.
(separable) to damage something by hitting it violently
Vandals bashed in the windows of my new Lamborghini.
(separable) to hurt someone by hitting and/or kicking them repeatedly
The bully beat the other kids up for their lunch money.
(inseparable) to lose consciousness momentarily
Max had a very severe headache and blacked out several times, so his doctor admitted him to the hospital.
(inseparable) to match or look the same as the surroundings
In Max's neighborhood, you'll get beat up if you don't blend in.
(separable) to remove with powerful force
The bomb blew the roof off the house.
(separable) to inflate
Al's job was to sell the balloons. Jim's job was to blow them up.
(separable) to explode or to destroy something with an explosion
Mary was arrested for blowing up Max's car with a homemade bomb.
(inseparable) to suddenly become angry
The teacher blew up when she discovered that the students hadn't done their homework.
(inseparable) to review, study, or practice a subject for a short period of time
I need to bone up on my math as I have a university entrance exam at the end of the month.
(separable) to tell someone what to do repeatedly
Mary likes to boss people around.
(inseparable) to lose control of one's emotions
Max broke down in tears when he heard that Mary had been arrested.
(inseparable) to stop functioning
John had to learn to become a good mechanic as his car was always breaking down.
(inseparable) to forcibly enter a building
Max called the police when he thought he heard someone breaking in.
(separable) to work or repeatedly use something so that it becomes comfortable or easily usable
Max's shoes hurt him as he had not yet broken them in.
(inseparable) to forcibly enter
Mary broke into the car to steal the stereo.
(inseparable) to suddenly develop or erupt
A riot broke out in Los Angeles today.
(separable) to cause to disperse or scatter
What time did the cops break the party up last night?
(separable) to end a relationship
The Beatles broke up a long time ago.
Max broke up with Mary.
(inseparable) to make happen
Max's new girlfriend brought about some positive changes in his behavior.
(separable) to persuade, to cause someone to do something through persuasion
Mary's passionate speech brought Max around to donate to her organization.
(separable) to guide someone or convey something
I will bring the new intern around the office when she gets here.
(separable) to cause to fall
Michael Moore is hoping to bring the Bush administration down.
(separable) to produce or give rise to
The eager new intern brought forth many new ideas on how to run the company.
(separable) to earn money
Jill hates her new job, but she's bringing in a lot of money.
(separable) to reach a verdict
The judge declared a mistrial because the jury could not bring in a verdict.
(separable) to arrest someone; to bring someone to the police station (usually for questioning)
The police brought Max in for robbing the bank.
(separable) to cause to appear
Bring on the birthday cake!
(separable) to mention
When talking to Mary, Max never brings up her criminal record.
(separable) to raise or rear
Mowgli was a boy brought up by wolves.
(inseparable) to practice; to improve your skill or knowledge
Max went back to school to brush up on mathematics.
(separable) to destroy by fire
Pleaes don't play with matches. You could burn the house down.
(inseparable) to enter a conversation uninvited
Excuse me for butting in
(separable) to return a phone call
I’ll call you back later.
(separable) to cancel
Mary decided to call off her wedding with Max.
(separable) to telephone
Mary called the priest up to tell him the wedding was off.
(separable) to stop being emotionally distressed
Max was so upset that nothing could calm him down.
(inseparable) to continue
Max was not sure if he could carry on any longer.
(inseparable) to become popular
Max hopes that being short, fat, and bald will catch on.
(separable) to register(usually at a hotel, airport, or hospital)
The terrorist sweated nervously as he checked his baggage in.
(inseparable) to leave a hotel
Mary checked out of the hotel at noon.
(separable) to try or examine something
Let’s check out that new restaurant.
(separable) to support or encourage with shouts of praise
The crowd at the marathon cheered the runners on.
(inseparable) to become happier or less miserable
Max cheered up at the end of the night.
(separable) to make someone become happier or less miserable
We tried very hard to cheer Mary up, but nothing we did worked.
(inseparable) not to do something because of fear
Max wanted to ask Mary out on a date, but he chickened out.
(separable) to clean completely
When living with others, it is essential to clean up after yourself.
(separable) to fill with color (usually an outline)
Max happily colored in the pictures in his textbook.
(inseparable) to happen
How did that come about?
(inseparable) to find by chance
As Max cleaned his room, he came across Mary's phone number.
(inseparable) to progress
Things are coming along well at work these days.
(inseparable) to accompany someone who takes the lead
Ralph asked me to come along on the trip, but I decided not to.
(inseparable) to appear
Max was quite happy until Mary came along.
(inseparable) to change one's opinion or position
After our long debate, Max finally came around to my point of view.
(inseparable) to return to a place one has been before; to return to a previous activity
Max left our office but quickly came back after discovering he had left his keys here.
(inseparable) to be restored
I was sick and weak, but now I feel better, and my strength is coming back.
(inseparable) to recall
I think I remember that story. It's all coming back to me now.
(inseparable) to even the score (sports)
France came back to beat England after being down 1-0 all game.
(inseparable) to reply, retort
When Max criticized Mary, Mary came back with some very sharp criticism of Max.
(inseparable) to visit informally
I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I would come by to see how you were doing.
(inseparable) to obtain (accidentally)
I don't know how I came by this hat, but I've had it for years.
(inseparable) to descend, fall, go down
It's been hot all day. Finally the temperature is starting to come down a bit.
(inseparable) to precipitate, fall from clouds
Snow has been coming down for about 2 hours now.
(inseparable) to reduce to the essential element
In politics everything often comes down to the economy.
(inseparable) to become sick
Max came down with the flu.
(inseparable) to criticize
Max came down on Mary for not washing the dishes after dinner.
(inseparable) to arrive, get in
The news came in that next year's car models have just come in.
(inseparable) to place in a race or contest
Frank came in second in the Boston Marathon.
(inseparable) to be received (signal)
No matter how much Max adjusted the antenna, the radio station didn't come in very well.
(inseparable) to acquire
Mary came into a lot of money when her grandfather passed away.
(inseparable) to appear
George doesn't come off as being very intelligent.
(inseparable) to fare, happen in a particular manner
The meeting came off as well as could be expected.
(inseparable) to have recently completed or recovered from
After coming off a nasty hip injury, Andre went on to win the US Open.
(inseparable) to advance progressively
Our soccer game ended as darkness came on.
(inseparable) to project a particular personal image
Mary comes on as a very serious person but is actually quite fun.
(inseparable) to start running, become available
I wish the electricity would come on again. It's dark in here
(inseparable) to become known, to come into public view, to debut
The news of the candidate's past misconduct came out just before the election.
(inseparable) to turn out, result
Everything came out fine in the end
(inseparable) to declare one's position publicly
The senator came out against gay marriage.
(inseparable) to reveal that oneself to be homosexual
After years of trying to act straight, Max finally came out.
(inseparable) to change sides
Mary has finally come over to our way of seeing things.
(inseparable) to visit casually
Max and Mary are coming over to watch football tonight.
(inseparable) to do what is expected or required
I really needed to get tickets to the show, and Max, my buddy, came through for me and got me a pair.
(inseparable) to be communicated
Mary's displeasure with Max came through when she smacked him upside the head.
(inseparable) to be mentioned
In Max's conversation with Mary, the topic of their wedding never came up.
(inseparable) to approach, draw near
Mary came up and introduced herself.
(inseparable) think of
Max came up with a brilliant idea.
(inseparable) to meet or discover by accident
Max came upon a twenty-dollar bill while walking down the street.
(separable) to record in writing
Max told Mary about the idea. She copied it down and sold it to the highest bidder.
(separable) to increase the power or volume
Every time that song comes on the radio, I crank it up.
(separable) to draw a line through something
I didn't have an eraser, so I had to cross out my mistakes instead.
(inseparable) to reduce
Max decided to cut down his alcohol consumption.
(inseparable) to decrease
The noise from the party finally died down around four in the morning.
(separable) to look for and find hidden things or information
Mary was paid thousands of dollars to dig up some dirt on that promising politician.
(separable) to allocate, dispense, or distribute food from a container
After dinner, Max dished out some delicious fruit salad for dessert.
(inseparable) to get rid of something
They should do away with unnecessary regulations.
(separable) to repeat something
You made a mistake—please do it over.
(inseparable) to fall asleep
You know you're a boring speaker when your entire audience dozes off.
(inseparable) to continue for what seems to be an extremely long time
The politician's speech dragged on and on.
(separable) to prepare
Lee Harvey was happy to have the Soviets draw up the assassination plans.
(separable) to think of (something new)
The CIA and the KGB were always dreaming up new ways of keeping tabs on each other.
(separable) to put on formal or very nice clothing
Mary likes to dress her son up to go to church.
(separable) to finish a drink
Bobby drank his juice up and went to bed.
(separable) to unload or deliver (on the way to somewhere else)
If you're going to the store, could you drop me off at Mary's house on the way?
(inseparable) to decline (in number)
University enrollment numbers drop off a little towards the end of the school year.
(inseparable) to quit school or a program
Max dropped out of college.
(separable) to make a sound inaudible with a louder sound
Max uses his iPod to drown out all of the people's voices around him.
(inseparable) to go out to a restaurant to eat
Max was tired of eating out, so he stayed home and had a TV dinner.
(separable) to finish a meal
You must eat up all of your vegetables before you can have cake.
(separable) to remove everything from a container, making it empty
Max emptied the refrigerator out.
(inseparable) to be vacated by people
The concert hall emptied out as soon as the concert was over.
(inseparable) to arrive at a destination or result which may be unplanned or unexpected
Max drank so much last night that he ended up in a strange bed in a strange apartment.
(separable) to make something measure the same as something else
Max has trouble evening out his sideburns since one ear is lower than the other.
(inseparable) to come apart, disintegrate
My new Ford fell apart soon after I got it.
(inseparable) to suffer an emotional breakdown
Mary fell apart soon after the divorce.
(inseparable) to lag or fail to keep pace
Max fell behind in his rent payments.
(inseparable) to fall to the ground or floor
Mary fell down and hurt her left knee.
(inseparable) to be deceived or to suddenly become attracted to someone or something
Mary fell for the trick that Max played on her.
(separable) to keep something or someone away
Bill had trouble fighting all of the young ladies off.
(separable) to understand or solve a problem
I need to figure out how to fix this issue.
(separable) to complete where needed
Please fill in the blanks.
(separable) to fill completely
You can borrow my car, but please fill up the tank before you return it.
(separable) to learn or discover
Mary was mad when she found out that she was adopted.
(inseparable) to get along with others in a group
Bill decided to go into politics when he discovered he didn't fit in anywhere else.
(separable) to make something available (it was previously unavailable)
Getting fired from my job freed up my schedule. Now I can go to the beach anytime I want.
(inseparable) to go from place to place
Mary gets about quite well without a car.
(separable) to communicate clearly or convincingly
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the message across to her that I cared.
(inseparable) to be convincing or clear
Max has trouble getting across to members of the opposite sex.
(inseparable) to make progress in becoming successful
Max compliments his boss constantly in order to get ahead.
(inseparable) to advance (especially in years)
George is getting along in years. Is he going to retire soon?
(inseparable) have a congenial relationship with someone
Jane and John get along quite well, but Mary and Max can't even stand to be in the same room.
(inseparable) to manage or fare reasonably
Max is able to get along each day on just two slices of bread and a glass of water.
(inseparable) to evade, circumvent
George hired many lawyers to help him find ways to get around various laws.
(inseparable) to go from place to place
Since my car broke down, I've been getting around by bicycle.
(inseparable) to become known, circulate
Word got around that Mary was pregnant.
(inseparable) to access or reach
Could you please scratch my back? I have this itch that I just can't quite get at.
(inseparable) to hint, suggest, convey, or try to make understandable
I think I know what you are getting at, but I'm not certain.
(inseparable) to escape
Max had a dream that a huge monster was attacking him, and he couldn't get away.
(inseparable) to return
Max got back late from the soccer match.
(separable) to have something returned
When Mary called her engagement with Max off, Max tried to get the ring back.
(inseparable) to succeed with minimum effort and minimum achievement
Since George was a student, he has made a habit of just getting by.
(inseparable) to survive or manage
We were able to get by on just a few dollars per week.
(inseparable) to proceed unnoticed, ignored, or without being criticized or punished
The tainted meat got by the inspectors.
(inseparable) to descend or lower
Max got down on his knees and prayed.
(inseparable) give one's consideration or attention (used with to)
Now that we've finished lunch, I am ready to get down to business.
(separable) to depress, exhaust or discourage
Talking about politics really gets me down.
(separable) to put in writing
Did you get everything I said down?
(inseparable) to arrive
When did you get in from Paris?
(inseparable) to be involved with
You will likely get into a lot of trouble if you get into the wrong crowd.
(inseparable) to dismount
Max got off his bicycle to tie his shoe
(inseparable) to receive a lesser punishment than what might be expected
Mary got off with only two years in prison for the attempted murder of Max.
(inseparable) to receive extreme pleasure
Max gets off on burning ants with his magnifying glass.
(separable) to give great pleasure
Playing with fire gets Max off.
(inseparable) to become known
The news about Mary got out very quickly.
(inseparable) to escape or leave
Sam wouldn't stop talking, so we asked him to get out.
(separable) cause to escape or leave
Please get that cat out of here.
(inseparable) to overcome, recover from
Max finally got over the flu.
(inseparable) to eliminate or remove something
I need to get rid of these old clothes.
(inseparable) to finish something completely; to arrive at the end of something
It took me almost two weeks to get through that book.
(inseparable) to annoy
That buzzing sound gets to me.
(inseparable) to arrive at, to progress to
I can't wait to get to school.
(inseparable) to meet
Let's get together tomorrow night.
(inseparable) to rise to one's feet or arise from bed; to climb
Mary gets up at sunrise to go jogging every morning.
(separable) to cause to rise
Mary got Max up early this morning so that he could make her breakfast.
(separable) to return something
Mary did not want to give Max the wedding ring back.
(inseparable) to surrender or yield
Max finally gave in to the pressure.
(inseparable) to distribute
Mary is thrilled that they give free samples out at Costco.
(separable) to stop, quit, or abandon
Max gave up smoking ten years ago.
(inseparable) to cooperate
To go along with the crowd is the easiest thing but not always the wisest thing.
(inseparable) to satisfy a demand or need
While there are certainly more jobs now, there are still not enough to go around.
(inseparable) to circulate
There are some rumors about Mary going around.
(inseparable) to leave
Max and Mary went away for the summer.
(inseparable) to pass; elapse
As the years go by, I grow older but not wiser.
(inseparable) to act in accordance
If you go by the rules, you shouldn't have any trouble.
(inseparable) to go under; to drop below the horizon; to sink
I hope to get to the beach before the sun goes down.
(inseparable) to ingest
Water goes down exceptionally well after a long, hard soccer match.
(inseparable) to explode; detonate
Bombs went off all around the city.
(inseparable) to happen in a particular manner
Mary's dinner party last night went off very well.
(inseparable) to gain approval
How did your request for a pay raise go over with your boss?
(inseparable) to check; examine
The mechanic went over the engine to see if there were any problems.
(inseparable) to experience; endure
Mary and Max went through a lot to make their business a success.
(inseparable) to fail; to be defeated
Jack and Jill's drinking water business went under almost right away.
(inseparable) to change from child to adult
Mary thinks that Max will never grow up.
(separable) to turn in or give work you have done
Max was embarrassed about handing in his homework late.
(separable) to distribute
Lee Harvey often handed out leaflets on the street corner.
(inseparable) to spend time
Max likes to hang around with his friends at the local bar.
(separable) to place something on something (usually a hook or hanger) so that it doesn't touch the ground; to terminate a phone call
Max gets irritated with Mary for not hanging up her clothes after she does the laundry.
(separable) to pull up or raise (usually clothing)
Max hiked up his pants when he crossed the flooded street.
(separable) to suddenly raise an amount
Every summer, oil companies hike up gas prices. Once Boxmart has destroyed all of its competition in a certain area, they hike up their prices.
(separable) to restrain
When I saw Max's new haircut, I had difficulty holding back my laughter.
(separable) to keep a job
Mary has never been able to hold down a job.
(inseparable) to wait
Hold on a moment. I need to tie my shoes.
(separable) to rob using a gun or weapon
Max held up a bank to get money to buy Mary a ring.
(separable) to delay or obstruct
The traffic jam held us up for three hours.
(separable) to pursue to find or capture someone or something
Max hunted the waitress down so that he could order dinner.
(inseparable) to do faster
Hurry up. We are running late.
(inseparable) to become quiet
After the teacher screamed at the top of her lungs, the children hushed up.
(separable) to make someone become quiet
The teacher hushed up the kids.
(separable) to copy down or make a note of
Max jotted down a few notes as the professor spoke.
(inseparable) to join an activity while it's in progress; to interrupt
I was telling the story to Mary, but Max kept jumping in.
(separable) to not allow to come near
Max was so popular with the girls that he couldn't keep them away.
(separable) to control; subdue; repress
You can have a party, but please keep the noise down as much as possible.
(inseparable) to not walk on
Please keep off the grass.
(inseparable) to not consume
Scott is having a difficult time keeping off drugs.
(inseparable) to continue
No matter how many times you fail, you must keep on trying.
(separable) to maintain in good condition; to persist; persevere in
Excellent work! Keep it up.
(separable) to prevent from going to sleep
The neighbor's barking dog kept me up all night.
(inseparable) to stay informed
Max reads the newspaper to keep up with current events.
(inseparable) maintain a required pace or level in competition (often in lifestyle)
Max spent all his money and time trying to keep up with his neighbors.
(separable) to force to leave
The bouncers kicked Max out of the bar for starting a fight.
(inseparable) to go down on your knees
Before he goes to bed, Max kneels down to pray.
(inseparable) to make someone unconscious
That last drink I had knocked me out.
(separable) to dismiss from a job
General Motors usually lays workers off before Christmas so that the CEO can get a large bonus.
(separable) to not include
A margarita is not a margarita if you leave the tequila out.
(separable) to disappoint
The team let the coach down.
(inseparable) to recline
I like to lie down in my hammock and read.
(separable) to elevate something
Max could not lift Mary up because she was too heavy.
(inseparable) to stand in a line
The prisoners had to line up before they could enter the dining hall.
(separable) to put in a row
Max likes to line up his dominos and then knock them down.
(separable) to lock the door so that someone can't leave
Mary was afraid that Max might flee, so she locked him in.
(separable) to lock the door so that someone can't enter
Jane locked Jack out of the bathroom because she wanted some privacy.
(inseparable) to take care of or protect
She looks after her younger brother.
(inseparable) to consider inferior
The wealthy woman looked down on the poor, homeless people in the park.
(inseparable) to anticipate with pleasure
I look forward to our meeting.
(inseparable) to investigate
The grand jury is looking into the allegations that bribes influenced the mayor's actions.
(inseparable) to be careful; watchful; to protect someone's interests
Most politicians just look out for themselves and their wealthy constituents. They have little regard for the average person.
(separable) to inspect or examine (swiftly)
I looked over the contract this morning, and everything seems fine.
(separable) to find information in a book or booklike source
Mary decided to look up her ex-boyfriend's phone number
(separable) to cut something off (a limb or branch of a tree)
The carpenter accidentally lopped off two of his fingers when cutting wood.
(separable) to invent (a story)
Bill is good at making up stories to get himself out of trouble.
(inseparable) to compensate for something
Max tried to make up for his mistake.
(separable) to reduce prices
K-mart often marks its prices down.
(separable) to write or make a note on something
Max marked the phone number down so that he wouldn't forget it.
(inseparable) to reach a standard or expectation
Mary would not marry Max because she felt he didn't measure up.
(separable) to make disorganized or messy
Please do not mess up the house. We are having guests over tonight.
(inseparable) to progress onwards
Let's move on. I'm tired of talking about that.
(inseparable) to fall asleep (usually not intending to)
Mary nodded off in English class.
(inseparable) to talk openly
Max was the only one that Mary would ever open up to.
(inseparable) to die
Her grandfather passed away last year.
(separable) to distribute
The teacher passed the assignment out.
(inseparable) to lose consciousness
Mary was so tired that she passed out as soon as she got home.
(separable) to give money back that you borrowed
Max is avoiding Mary because he doesn't have the money to pay her back.
(separable) to reciprocate a bad deed
Al paid George back by punching him in the nose.
(separable) to pay all of the money you owe
Some day I hope to pay off my student loans.
(inseparable) to become more cheerful or lively
The movie perked up a little at the end, but overall, it was pretty dull.
(separable) to cause to be more cheerful or lively
Tom brought some flowers to Mary in the hospital. He was hoping to perk her up with them. Unfortunately, she is allergic to flowers.
(separable) to choose
When shopping for watermelon, I like to pick out the biggest.
(separable) to make something seem less important
Max played down his car accident so that his mother wouldn't get worried.
(separable) to print something from a computer
I need to buy more paper for my printer so I can print out my report for history class.
(separable) to pull something so that it comes down
When Max drinks too much, he sometimes pulls his pants down in public.
(separable) to communicate; convey effectively
During the meeting, management put across the message that our concerns were insignificant.
(separable) to discard; renounce
Let's put away our worries and live for the moment.
(separable) to consume
I watched Max put away several hamburgers in just a few minutes.
(separable) to confine; incarcerate; imprison
The government put Sherman away for a year for having the wrong information on his website.
(separable) to place something where it was previously
When you finish the milk, please don't return the empty container to the fridge.
(separable) to kill a sick or injured animal (usually out of mercy)
The vet said it was necessary to put the racehorse down because of its broken leg.
(separable) to insult or make disparaging remarks about someone
I feel sorry for Max. Every time he and Mary get together with their friends, Mary puts him down in front of everybody.
(separable) to postpone
Many students put off doing their homework until it is almost too late.
(separable) to dress oneself with; to wear; to don
Mary put her best dress on.
(separable) to produce; perform
The theater group put on a great show.
(separable) to fool; mislead for amusement
You're putting me on!
(separable) to extinguish
The firefighters put the fire out.
(separable) to publish; issue
The government put out a news brief to misinform the public.
(separable) to exert, extend
The workers put out considerable effort to get the job done on time.
(separable) to expel
Please put the cat out.
(separable) to implement; bring to a successful conclusion
The committee was unable to put through any reforms on campaign financing.
(separable) to make a telephone connection for
Operator, put me through to the president!
(separable) to raise; erect; build
The construction workers put the buildings up in just a few days.
(separable) to accommodate; provide food a shelter to
The government put the refugees up in temporary housing.
(inseparable) to tolerate
Max has great difficulty putting up with noisy children.
(separable) to be less noisy
Class, please quiet down. I'm trying to think.
(separable) to accumulate in number (score)
You'd better watch where you park. You're racking up the parking tickets.
(separable) to steal something
Max ripped twenty dollars off from that old lady.
(separable) to tear something into pieces
The teacher ripped Max's test up because he caught Max cheating.
(inseparable) to escape from one's guardians
Mary ran away at the age of thirteen.
(inseparable) to meet unexpectedly
I was surprised when I ran into Bill on the way to the store yesterday.
(inseparable) to use all of something
We ran out of milk, so I need to buy more.
(separable) to hit with a vehicle
Bill ran over a cat on his way to work.
(inseparable) to enter quickly
The students rushed in because they were eager to learn.
(inseparable) to exit quickly
The workers all rushed out because it was time to go home.
(separable) to collect money for future use
Max is saving up for a brand-new car.
(separable) to make a mistake or do something wrong
Max screwed up his relationship with Mary.
(separable) to sell everything in the store
We can't go to the concert. The tickets have been sold out
(separable) to compromise one's values for personal gain
Catherine sold out. Power and money mean more to her than what she said were her values.
(separable) to return something
I sent the soup back to the kitchen because there was a fly in it.
(separable) to start, organize, or configure
Max asked Mary to set up his computer.
(separable) to get someone to become calm
Settle John down. The neighbors are trying to sleep.
(inseparable) to become calm; to start living a quiet family life
Max started to look for a wife because he thought it was time to settle down.
(separable) to remove hair by shaving
Michael Jordan first shaved off all of his hair in his twenties.
(separable) to make something hit the ground by shooting it
yugoslavia shot down one US warplane.
(separable) to speak very loudly; to announce
Max shouted her name out and then cried himself to sleep.
(separable) to try to impress by doing or showing
When Bill did that trick with the cigar, he was just showing off.
(inseparable) to appear or arrive
Max showed up late to the party.
(separable) to dismiss something as unimportant
The president shrugged off his extremely low poll numbers.
(inseparable) to become less angry
Bill allowed his wife to simmer down before he asked for forgiveness.
(inseparable) to just sit and not do much
Max likes to sit around and watch videos on the weekends.
(separable) to arrange or separate by type, class, category, etc.
Max sorted his socks out.
(separable) to resolve problems or difficulties
Max tried to sort out the misunderstanding he had with Mary.
(inseparable) to speak more loudly
Speak up. I can't hear you.
(separable) to divide
The bank robbers split the money up equally.
(inseparable) to take someone's place
Mary stood in for her boss while he was away.
(inseparable) to be prominent or conspicuous
Max's car stands out among all the cars in the parking lot because of its florescent green paint job.
(inseparable) to rise to an erect position
All of the people in the courtroom stood up when the judge entered.
(inseparable) to not go out
Bill decided to stay in this weekend because he was tired of going out.
(inseparable) to not return home past the regular time
Bill got angry when his wife stayed out all night.
(inseparable) to stop for a brief visit (usually on the way to somewhere else)
Max stopped by Mary's house on his way home from school.
(inseparable) to resemble a family member
She takes after her mother in looks.
(separable) to dismantle or disassemble
Max took his car's engine apart but couldn't put it back together.
(separable) to retrieve something you gave or said
I take it back. Mark isn't nearly as dumb as I said.
(separable) to return
Max took the defective radio back to the store where he bought it.
(separable) to lower
Max took his pants down so that the nurse could give him an injection.
(separable) to dismantle; disassemble; take apart
Max took down his tent and went home.
(separable) to lower one's self-esteem
Mary's constant criticism has taken Max down considerably.
(separable) to reduce in size; make smaller
Max lost a lot of weight and had to have all of his pants taken in.
(separable) to give shelter to; to receive as a guest or lodger
The Smiths took Barney in while he was in town.
(separable) to see for enjoyment
We took in the sights in the morning and took in a movie later in the evening.
(separable) to remove from something
I'm going to take my jacket off. It's hot in here. Take your hand off my knee.
(inseparable) to depart (aircraft)
When the plane takes off, you must have your seatbelt on and your seat must be upright.
(separable) undertake; assume; acquire
Max took on a lot of new responsibilities.
(separable) to contend against an opponent
I think I can take on Mike Tyson.
(separable) to take someone on a date
Max took Mary out to a fancy restaurant.
(separable) to extract; remove
Max takes out the trash every night.
(separable) to gain control of
Someday, I will take over the world.
(separable) to pursue; turn one's interest to
Max decided to take up golfing.
(separable) to consume or fill time or space
Homework takes up all of my time.
(separable) to persuade to do something
Max talked Mary into going to Mexico with him.
(separable) to persuade not to do something
Bill talked his wife out of divorcing him.
(separable) to twist and mix into a confused mass
Max accidentally tangled the electrical cords up.
(separable) to remove something by tearing
Chastain made headlines when she tore off her jersey after scoring the winning goal.
(inseparable) to change from a frozen state to a non-frozen state
The ice-covered lakes thaw out in the springtime.
(separable) to cause something to change from a frozen state to a non-frozen state by warming it
The warm sun thawed out the icy sidewalk.
(separable) to give something a lot of thought
Before you make a big decision, you should think it over.
(separable) to discard as trash
Lee threw away the parking ticket soon after he received it.
(separable) to discard
Mary threw out all of her old clothes.
(separable) to vomit
Mary ate so many cookies that she threw up.
(separable) to inform
Max tipped off the police about the imminent terrorist attack.
(separable) to exchange something (usually used) for payment or partial payment for something else.
Max traded his old jalopy in as a down payment on a new BMW.
(separable) to put clothes on to see if it fits
Be sure to try athletic shoes on before you buy them.
(separable) to test to see if something is suitable
I'm going to try out some new recipes for dinner this week.
(separable) to reject; refuse; dismiss
The church turned away the people with no money to pay.
(separable) to repel; deflect
His sheer arrogance turned away many potential friends.
(inseparable) to move so that you are not facing someone
When Max entered the room, Mary turned away. She could not face him after what he had done.
(inseparable) to return; revert; backtrack
We started on our trip, but the weather was so bad that we decided to turn back.
(separable) to drive away; to halt the advance of
The soldiers tried with all of their might to turn back the invading forces.
(separable) to reject
Bill asked 100 girls to go out on a date with him. All but one turned him down.
(separable) to decrease
Please turn the radio down. It's too loud.
(separable) to submit or give work done for someone
Max turns in his homework almost always on time.
(separable) to switch a machine or electrical device to the off position
Please turn off the lights when you leave the room.
(separable) to disgust
Selfish people turn me off.
(separable) to switch on ; to cause to operate or flow
Max was bored, so he turned the TV on.
(separable) to excite pleasurably
Mathematics turns me on.
(separable) to switch off
Please turn out the lights.
(separable) to invert; rotate
Once the pancake is done on one side, please turn it over to cook the other side.
(separable) to increase
Please turn the radio up. I can hardly hear it.
(inseparable) to appear unexpectedly
He turned up late to the party.
(separable) to use all of
Mary got mad at Max for using all of the toothpaste.
(inseparable) to leave as a sign of protest
The workers walked out to protest the low wages.
(separable) To cause something to rise in temperature to a suitable level
Max warmed the leftovers up in the microwave oven.
(inseparable) to rise in temperature to a suitable level
My office warms up nicely on sunny afternoons.
(separable) to make weaker
Don't go to that bar. The bartender waters down all of the drinks.
(separable) to cause to be worn or weak
Your nagging is wearing me down.
(separable) to no longer affect someone
Oh no, call the doctor. The drugs are wearing off.
(separable) to become exhausted or damaged
The shoes wore out after a year.
(separable) to clean a surface by dragging a towel or sponge across it
After dinner, please wipe off the table and wash the dishes.
(inseparable) to focus on improving
She’s working on her English skills.
(inseparable) to exercise
Max works out at the gym every morning.
(separable) to solve a problem
It was a difficult problem, but Max worked it out.
(separable) to record in writing
In that class, you should write down everything that the professor says. It's likely to be on the test.
(separable) to close with a zipper
Everyone was staring because Max forgot to zip up his pants.