Concrete and Physical Phrasal Verbs: English Vocabulary List

to cause something to happen, especially something undesirable or unpleasant

"Stress can bring on serious illness."

"Eating too much sugar can bring on a headache for some people who are sensitive to it."

to prevent a building or a part of it from falling, by putting large pieces of wood or metal under or against it

"We need to shore up the foundation."

"The government injected money into the struggling bank to shore up its finances and prevent it from collapsing completely."

to transfer something to the next generation or another person

"Traditions are passed down through families."

"The valuable antique necklace has been passed down through five generations of women in our family."

to expand by exploring new areas, options, or opportunities

"The company branched out into new markets."

"The successful restaurant decided to branch out into catering services to reach more customers and increase its revenue."

to remove clothing or covering quickly or completely

"Strip off your wet clothes."

"The dancer had to strip off their costume quickly after the performance ended."

to produce something quickly and in large quantities, often with a focus on quantity over quality

"The factory churns out thousands of units."

"The factory can churn out thousands of car parts every day thanks to its highly efficient automated assembly line."

to manage or function without someone or something that is typically needed or desired

"I can go without coffee for a day."

"During the camping trip we had to go without electricity for three full days."

to start something by turning a handle or lever

"Crank up the engine."

"He had to crank up the old lawnmower several times before it finally sputtered to life and started cutting the grass."

to appear or come into view, often unexpectedly

"The cork bobbed up to the surface."

"The cork bobbed up to the surface of the water after being pushed down by the child's hand."

to pull or draw something in by winding it around a reel or similar device

"He reeled in a huge fish."

"The fisherman felt a strong tug on his line and began to reel in a huge fish."

to clean or remove something by flushing it with water or another liquid

"Rinse out the soapy water thoroughly."

"You should rinse out the soapy water from the bucket before storing it away in the garage."

to remove something completely

"Strip away the unnecessary layers."

"The new law would strip away many of the protections currently enjoyed by workers and make it easier for companies to fire them."

to dominate or push aside something or someone by taking up all the available space, time, or attention

"New businesses crowd out smaller shops."

"Large corporate farms tend to crowd out smaller family farms because they can produce food more cheaply and efficiently."

to gradually decrease in number, amount, or intensity over time

"The rain tapered off by evening."

"The heavy rain began to taper off by late afternoon and eventually stopped completely by the evening."

to make something fuller or fluffier by shaking or adjusting it

"Plump up the pillows on the sofa."

"You should plump up the pillows on the sofa before the guests arrive so they look neat and inviting."

to distribute or divide something into smaller parts or portions for sharing

"He parceled out the remaining food."

"The teacher decided to parcel out the different tasks for the group project fairly among all the team members."

to watch an event or incident without getting involved

"The crowd looked on in amazement."

"The crowd looked on in horror as the building collapsed during the powerful earthquake."

to gradually move away or become distant, often in terms of physical distance or emotional detachment

"The boat drifted away from shore."

"The small boat began to drift away from the shore when the rope came loose from the dock."

to take something away using a vehicle or transport method, often to remove or relocate it

"They hauled off the junk."

"The city council arranged for a special truck to haul off the large piles of debris left after the storm."

to stop using or having something

"Do away with that old car."

"The new CEO plans to do away with many of the old unnecessary rules that were slowing down productivity and creativity in the company."

to start a significant or challenging course of action or journey

"She embarked on a new career."

"After saving enough money she decided to embark on a new exciting career in the film industry."

to fall into pieces or separate

"The old chair broke apart."

"The ancient vase fell off the shelf and broke apart into hundreds of tiny pieces on the floor."

to visit a place or someone briefly, often without a prior arrangement

"She drops by her friend's house."

"Please drop by my office anytime this afternoon so we can discuss the details of your new project."

to remove or separate unwanted items or elements from a group

"Filter out the bad apples."

"The coffee machine has a special paper filter to filter out the small ground particles from the brewed liquid."

to say something suddenly

"He blurted out the secret accidentally."

"The young child blurted out the secret about the surprise party in front of the birthday girl by accident."

to spend much time in a specific place or with someone particular

"I like to hang out with friends."

"Teenagers often hang out at the shopping mall on weekends because there are many entertainment options available."

to stop or close off the flow or passage of something

"Shut off the engine before leaving."

"Please shut off the water main before you attempt to repair the leaking pipe under the kitchen sink."

(of a path or road) to split into another direction, creating a separate route

"The road branches off to the left."

"The main road branches off into two smaller roads just past the old stone bridge over the river."