PHRASAL VERB
Definition: Phrasal verbs are idiomatic expressions, combining verbs and prepositions to make new verbs whose meaning is often not obvious from the dictionary definitions of the individual words.
A phrasal verb is also called verb-particle construction, verb phrase, multi-word verb, or compound verb.
For example:
- "give up" is a phrasal verb that means "stop doing" something, which is very different from "give".
- look up – consult a reference book.
* Look a word up in a dictionary
- look for – seek
* Look for her ring
- look forward – anticipate with pleasure
* Look forward to meeting someone
There are no rules that might explain how phrasal verbs are formed correctly, all you can do is look them up in a good dictionary and study their meanings.
Examples:
- Turn down: refuse
* I thought I could borrow some money from Joe, but when I asked, he turned me down.
- Pick up: refresh; revitalize.
* He was feeling a little tired, so he drank a glass of orange juice. It picked him up enough to finish his work.
- Look up to: respect
* Everyone looks up to Joyce because she always makes time to help others.
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