phrasal verbs

phrasal verbs: ◊ GRAMMAR

A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and an adverb, a verb and a preposition, or a verb, an adverb, and a preposition, which together have a single meaning. Phrasal verbs extend the usual meaning of the verb or create a new meaning.

The pain gradually wore off.

I had to look after the kids.

They broke out of prison.

Kroop tried to talk her out of it.
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◊ position of objects

With phrasal verbs consisting of a transitive verb and an adverb, the object of the verb can usually be put in front of the adverb or after it.

Don't give the story away, silly!

I wouldn't want to give away any secrets.
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However, when the object of the verb is a pronoun, the pronoun must go in front of the adverb.

He cleaned it up.

I answered him back and took my chances.
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With phrasal verbs consisting of a transitive verb and a preposition, the object of the verb is put after the verb, and the object of the preposition is put after the preposition.

They agreed to let him into their little secret.

The farmer threatened to set his dogs on them.
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With phrasal verbs consisting of a transitive verb, an adverb, and a preposition, the object of the verb is usually put in front of the adverb, not after it.

Multinational companies can play individual markets off against each other.

I'll take you up on that generous invitation.
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phrasal verbs — 1. A phrasal verb is a combination of verb and adverb or preposition (or both) such as come about, draw up, put up with, and work out. Phrasal verbs formed with adverbs can be either transitive (i.e. take an object, as in He drew up a chair) or… … Modern English usage
Phrasal verbs — ◊ GRAMMAR A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and an adverb, a verb and a preposition, or a verb, an adverb, and a preposition, which together have a single meaning. Phrasal verbs extend the usual meaning of the verb or create a new meaning … Useful english dictionary
phrasal verbs — is a somewhat ungainly term for what is unquestionably one of the more versatile features of English namely, the ability to extend the meaning of verbs by attaching a particle to them. Thus in English we can break up, break off, break down,… … Dictionary of troublesome word
verbs — 1. A verb is traditionally regarded as a word that describes the action or state which the sentence seeks to convey and is normally an essential element in a clause or sentence: She locked the door / She was angry. Verbs are either transitive… … Modern English usage
phrasal verb — n a group of words that is used like a verb and consists of a verb with an adverb or ↑preposition after it, for example set off or look after . In this dictionary, phrasal verbs are marked phr v … Dictionary of contemporary English
Phrasal verb — A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition, a verb and an adverb, or a verb with both an adverb and a preposition, any of which are part of the syntax of the sentence, and so are a complete semantic unit. Sentences, however, may… … Wikipedia
phrasal verb — noun an English verb followed by one or more particles where the combination behaves as a syntactic and semantic unit turn out is a phrasal verb in the question how many turned out to vote? • Hypernyms: ↑verb * * * noun, pl ⋯ verbs [count]… … Useful english dictionary
phrasal verb — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms phrasal verb : singular phrasal verb plural phrasal verbs linguistics a combination of words that is used like a verb and consists of a verb and an adverb or preposition, for example give in or come up with … English dictionary
phrasal verb — [[t]fre͟ɪz(ə)l vɜ͟ː(r)b[/t]] phrasal verbs N COUNT A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and an adverb or preposition, for example shut up or look after , which together have a particular meaning … English dictionary
phrasal typology — noun The study of phrasal verbs, idioms, hyphenated nouns adjectives, and rhetorical and literary terminology, and how they are categorized or typed … Wiktionary

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phrasal verbs

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phrasal verbs

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