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Exercises>Phrasal
Verb List |
List of English Phrasal Verbs beginning with B
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Phrasal verbs starting with: A--B--C--D
B
Choose a phrasal verb and click on it to go directly
to the explanation and example.
Back away,
Back down, Back off,
Back out, Back
up
Be away, Be back,
Be in, Be out,
Be over, Be up
Beg off
Blow up
Blurt out
Boil down to
Bone up on
Boss around
Bounce back
Brass off
Break down,
Break in, Break
up, Break out
Brighten up
Bring about,
Bring back,
Bring off,
Bring in, Bring out,
Bring up
Brush up on
Build up
Burn down, Burn
up
Butt in
Butter up
Buzz off
Back away
(no object)
MEANING: step or move back slowly
EXAMPLE:
When he took a snake out of his pocket everyone backed
away and stood watching it from a safe distance.
Back down
(no object)
MEANING: not follow a threat.
EXAMPLE:
"John was going to call the police when I told him I'd
wrecked his car, but he backed down when I said I'd pay
for the damages."
Back off
(no object)
MEANING: not follow a threat.
EXAMPLE:
"Tom was ready to call the police when I told him I'd
wrecked his car, but he backed off when I said I'd pay for
the damages."
Back out
(no object)
MEANING: withdraw, discontinue or refuse to provide
previously promised help or support:
EXAMPLE:
He agreed to help but backed out when he found how difficult
it was.
Back up (1.
no object)
MEANING: move backward
EXAMPLE:
"The people waiting in line are too close to the door.
We won't be able to open it unless they back up."
Back up (2. separable)
MEANING: drive a vehicle backwards (in reverse).
EXAMPLE:
"You're too close! Back your car up so I can open the
garage door."
Back up (3. separable)
MEANING: confirm a story, support facts, or information.
EXAMPLE:
"If you don't believe me, talk to Dave. He'll back me
up."
Back up (4. separable)
MEANING: make a "protection" copy to use if there
are problems with the original.
EXAMPLE:
"When my computer crashed, I lost many of my files. It's
a good thing I backed them up."
Be away (no
object)
MEANING: to be away from home/from this place for
at least a night.
EXAMPLE:
"Dad is away at the moment but is coming back on Friday."
Be back (no
object)
MEANING: to have returned after a long or short absence
EXAMPLE:
"It’s great to be back again after all those years."
Be in (no object)
MEANING: be at home/in this building.
EXAMPLE:
"There was no one in when I went by earlier."
Be out (1.
no object)
MEANING: be away from home/from this building for
a short time but not overnight
EXAMPLE:
"Everyone must have been out when I went by earlier."
Be out (2. no object)
MEANING: When something is out, it's available to
the public
EXAMPLE:
"They tried to keep it secret but the story is out now."
Be over (no
object)
MEANING: be finished
EXAMPLE:
"The storm is over now; we can go out now.”
Be up (no object)
MEANING: be out of bed
EXAMPLE:
Don't expect her to answer the door bell at eight o'clock
on Sunday morning. She won't be up.
Beg off (no
object)
MEANING: to decline an invitation; ask to be excused
from doing something.
EXAMPLE:
"At first Lily said she would be at the party. Later
she begged off."
Blow up (1.
separable)
MEANING: to inflate.
EXAMPLE:
"We need lots of balloons for the party. Will you blow
them up?"
Blow up (2. separable)
MEANING: to explode; destroy by exploding.
EXAMPLE:
A: "That old building really came down quickly!"
B: "That's because the construction company used dynamite
to blow it up."
Blow up (3. no object)
MEANING: suddenly become very angry.
EXAMPLE:
"When I told Jerry that I'd had an accident with his
car, he blew up."
Blurt out
(object)
MEANING: suddenly say something without thinking
EXAMPLE:
"Don't blurt out your answers without thinking.”
Boil
down to (inseparable)
MEANING: When a situation, question or issue boils
down to something else, this is the most important thing.
Something is so, because of something else.
EXAMPLE:
“A lot of his mistakes boil down to his lack of education.”
Bone up
on (inseparable)
MEANING: review / study thoroughly for a short time.
EXAMPLE:
"If you're going to travel to Peru, you'd better bone
up on your Spanish."
Boss around (object)
MEANING: treat somebody unpleasantly, giving unnecessary
orders all the time.
EXAMPLE:
The new manager made a big mistake when he started bossing
the staff around.
Bounce
back (inseparable)
MEANING: recover from something unpleasant.
EXAMPLE:
The company went bankrupt, but managed to bounce back
with new management.
Brass off
(no object)
MEANING: to be angry, upset or fed up
EXAMPLE:
I’m really brassed off because I didn’t get paid in full.
Break
down (1. separable)
MEANING: to separate something into component parts.
EXAMPLE:
"We spent a lot of money at the supermarket. When we
broke the total cost down, we spent more on cleaning supplies
than food."
Break down (2. no object)
MEANING: 1. stop working / functioning. 2. for people
– to start crying
EXAMPLE:
"She will be late for work today. Her car broke down
on the freeway."
“She broke down when she heard the bad news.”
Break in
(1. often no object; with an object, break into--inseparable)
MEANING: enter by using force (and breaking a lock,
window, etc.)
EXAMPLE:
"Jane's apartment was burglarized last night. Someone
broke in while Jane was at the movies." / "Somebody broke
into Jane's apartment while she was at the movies.
Break in (2. separable)
MEANING: wear something new until it's / they're
comfortable.
EXAMPLE:
"These are nice shoes, but they're too stiff. I hope
it doesn't take too long to break them in."
Break in (3. separable)
MEANING: train; get someone / something accustomed
to a new routine.
EXAMPLE:
"I hope I can learn my new job quickly. The manager hasn't
scheduled much time for breaking me in."
Break up
(1. no object)
MEANING: disperse; scatter.
EXAMPLE:
"What time did the party break up last night?"
Break up (2. usually no object;
with an object, break up with (inseparable))
MEANING: end a personal relationship.
EXAMPLE:
"Tim and Julie aren't going steady any more. They got
really angry with each other and broke up."
"Have you heard the news? Julie broke up with Tim!"
"I'm sorry to hear that their marriage broke up. I'm sure
the divorce will be difficult for the children."
Break out
(1.inseperable)
MEANING: to escape
EXAMPLE:
"The two criminals broke out of prison yesterday.”
Break out (2.inseperable)
MEANING: Riots, violence, row, fire, epidemic, war,
rash, spots, sweat or tears suddenly or violently start
EXAMPLE:
“Riots broke out after the government increased taxes
again.”
Brighten
up (inseperable)
MEANING: To get brighter, to give someone or something
a boost.
EXAMPLE:
1. “The new paint on the walls really brightens up the
room”
2.“Meeting my friend on the street has really brightened
up my day.”
Bring
about (object)
MEANING: to make something happen
EXAMPLE:
"The new law brought about a slight decrease in petty
crime"
"The new lifestyle brought about a huge change in her personality"
Bring
back (1. separable)
MEANING: return something.
EXAMPLE:
"Yes, you can borrow my pen, don't forget to bring it
back to me when you're finished."
Bring back (2. separable)
MEANING: think about something that happened a long
time ago, to bring back memories.
EXAMPLE:
"Looking at the photos brought back a lot of memories
of the place."
Bring off
(separable)
MEANING: accomplish something difficult; accomplish
something people had considered impossible or unlikely.
EXAMPLE:
"No one thought Chuck could get an A in that course,
but he brought it off."
Bring in
(object)
MEANING: to introduce a bill, law, regulation, rule,
system or scheme
EXAMPLE:
"The government are bringing in a new tax bill."
Bring out
(object)
MEANING: to make it available to the public.
EXAMPLE:
"John Grisham is bringing out a new novel."
"Madonna has just brought out a great new album.”
Bring up
(1. separable)
MEANING: mention (as a topic of discussion).
EXAMPLE:
"We planned to discuss overtime pay in the meeting. Why
didn't someone bring that topic up?"
Bring up (2. separable)
MEANING: to raise; rear.
EXAMPLE:
"Lucy's parents died when she was a baby. Her grandparents
brought her up."
Brush
up on (inseparable)
MEANING: review / study thoroughly for a short time.
EXAMPLE:
"If you're going to travel to Peru, you'd better brush
up on your Spanish."
Build up
(object)
MEANING: increase the amount of muscles, strength,
stamina, reputation, sales, speed, collection, profits.
EXAMPLE:
"Over the years the company built up a reputation for
technological innovation”
“You need to build up your confidence.”
Burn down
(no object)
MEANING: become destroyed / consumed by fire.
Note: For upright things--trees, buildings, etc.--only.
EXAMPLE:
"Lightning struck Mr. Kennedy's barn last night. It burned
down before the fire fighters arrived."
Burn up (1.
no object)
MEANING: become destroyed / consumed by fire.
Note: For people and non-upright things only.
EXAMPLE:
"All of Mr. Kennedy's hay burned up when his barn burned
down."
Burn up (2. separable)
MEANING: cause someone to become very angry.
EXAMPLE:
"Did you hear how rudely Fred talked to me? That really
burned me up!"
Butt in (no
object)
MEANING: impolitely interrupt (a conversation, an
action).
EXAMPLE:
"Hey you! Don't butt in! Wait for your own turn!"
Butter
up (separable)
MEANING: praise someone excessively with the hope
of getting some benefit.
EXAMPLE:
"I guess Marty really wants to be promoted. He's been
buttering his boss up all week."
Buzz off
(inseparable, informal)
MEANING: go away
EXAMPLE:
"Buzz off! You are annoying me."
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