Group Verbs (Phrasal Verb)

Group Verbs are very interesting to learn. You can express several thoughts using same word with different prepositions. They are important to learn appropriate prepositions as well.

Group Verbs

Act

Act for - Meaning: Represent or work on behalf of someone.   Example: The attorney acts for his client in legal matters.

Act on - Meaning: Implement or follow through based on advice or information.   Example: I wisely acted on my brother's insightful advice.

Act upon - Meaning: Take action based on a suggestion or information.   Example: He consistently acts upon my strategic suggestions.

Act upto - Meaning: Meet or fulfill expectations.   Example: Unfortunately, the new software does not act up to our expectations.

Act from - Meaning: Behave or make decisions based on a particular principle or motive.   Example: It is essential to act from a sense of duty rather than personal gain.

Act under - Meaning: Follow orders or directives from a higher authority.   Example: The team acted under the explicit orders of their leader.

Act Against - Meaning: Take actions opposing or contrary to someone's interests.   Example: The officer's decision to reveal sensitive information was seen as acting against the company's interests.

Bear

Bear away - Meaning: Win or achieve victory.  Example: He skillfully bore away the prize.

Bear down - Meaning: Suppress or crush forcefully.  Example: The government decisively bore down on the sedition.

Bear off - Meaning: Carry off or win (a prize).  Example: With great skill, he bore off the prize.

Bear out - Meaning: Confirm or support.  Example: His evidence does not bear out the charge against you.

Bear up - Meaning: Endure or withstand.  Example: I cannot bear up under such insult.

Bear up against - Meaning: Endure or withstand difficulties.  Example: The poor have to bear up against all miseries.

Bear up on - Meaning: Have relevance or influence.  Example: The point has no bearing up on the matter under discussion.

Bear with - Meaning: Tolerate or endure.  Example: I cannot bear with such conduct.

Bear up - Meaning: Be supported or sustained, especially in challenging times.  Example: Honesty bore him up during rainy days.

Bear on - Meaning: Have an impact or influence.  Example: The character and behavior of parents bear on their children.

Blow

Blow away - Meaning: Remove forcefully by the wind.  Example: Wind blows away dry leaves.

Blow down - Meaning: Cause to fall by the force of the wind.  Example: The storm blew down many trees.

Blow out - Meaning: Extinguish by blowing.  Example: The child blew out the candle.

Blow over - Meaning: Pass by or cease, especially in the context of a storm.  Example: A storm blew over the city.

Blow off - Meaning: Emit forcefully.  Example: An engine blows off steam.

Blow up - Meaning: Explode or destroy by an explosion.  Example: Several bombs were blown up.

Blow in - Meaning: Enter casually and informally.  Example: The students casually blew in the classroom.

Break

Break away - Meaning: Escape or forcefully leave.  Example: The thief broke away from the jail.

Break off - Meaning: Interrupt or stop suddenly.  Example: He broke off in the middle of the story.

Break out - Meaning: Begin suddenly or erupt.  Example: Cholera has broken out in the village.

Break up - Meaning: Disperse or end.  Example: Our school breaks up at 7 pm.

Break into - Meaning: Enter forcibly or illegally.  Example: Last night, a thief broke into my room.

Break down - Meaning: Collapse or fail, especially in health.  Example: His health has broken down.

Break with - Meaning: Sever ties or relations with someone.  Example: I broke with him for his misconduct.

Break in upon - Meaning: Interrupt suddenly.  Example: The angry mob broke in upon the meeting.

Break through - Meaning: Penetrate or overcome a barrier.  Example: The army broke through the main gate.

Break forth - Meaning: Emerge suddenly and forcefully.  Example: The tiger broke forth from the bush.

Break in - Meaning: Train or accustom, especially in the case of an animal.  Example: The farmer broke the bull in.

Bring

Bring about - Meaning: Cause or lead to.  Example: His laziness has brought about his own ruin.

Bring down - Meaning: Cause to fall or lower.  Example: His defeat has brought down his pride.

Bring forth - Meaning: Give birth to or produce.  Example: The woman brought forth a child.

Bring up - Meaning: Raise or nurture.  Example: He was brought up by his uncle.

Bring on - Meaning: Cause to happen or induce.  Example: Smoking brings on various diseases.

Bring in - Meaning: Generate or earn.  Example: His business brings in a large income.

Bring off - Meaning: Accomplish successfully.  Example: A lifeboat brings off the crew of a lost ship.

Bring out - Meaning: Publish or release.  Example: He has brought out a new edition of his book.

Bring round - Meaning: Revive or recover.  Example: The patient was brought round through proper treatment.

Bring to - Meaning: Revive from unconsciousness.  Example: Hearing the result, the boy fainted but was brought to.

Bring under - Meaning: Gain control or subdue.  Example: The wild horse was brought under.

Call

Call at - Meaning: Visit a place briefly.  Example: Yesterday, he called at my office.

Call in - Meaning: Request the services of someone, especially a professional.  Example: They called in a doctor.

Call on - Meaning: Visit someone, usually for a specific purpose.  Example: He called on me.

Call over - Meaning: Read out a list of names.  Example: The teacher called over the rolls.

Call up - Meaning: Recall or remember.  Example: I cannot call up his name.

Call out - Meaning: Shout loudly.  Example: The girl called out at the top of her voice.

Call off - Meaning: Cancel or terminate.  Example: The workers called off their strike.

Call forth - Meaning: Summon or evoke.  Example: The leader called forth his supporters to work together.

Call for - Meaning: Demand or request.  Example: The officer called for an explanation from me.

Call upon - Meaning: Request or demand, often for assistance.  Example: The poor boy called upon me for help.

Call upon - Meaning: Visit or ask to come.  Example: I shall call upon you tomorrow.

Call off - Meaning: Distract or divert attention.  Example: The noise calls off my attention.

Carry

Carry away - Meaning: Be swept away or captivated, especially by emotion.  Example: The boat was carried away by a strong current.

Carry on - Meaning: Continue or pursue.  Example: He failed to carry on his studies due to poverty.

Carry out - Meaning: Execute or fulfill.  Example: Students should carry out their teachers' advice.

Carry away - Meaning: Enthuse or captivate.  Example: The audience was carried away by her sweet songs.

Carry off - Meaning: Win or achieve, often a prize.  Example: He will carry off the prize.

Carry through - Meaning: Successfully complete or navigate through difficulties.  Example: His honesty will carry him through adversities.

Carry about - Meaning: Have or possess on one's person.  Example: One should not carry about a lot of money.

Cast

Cast about for - Meaning: Search or look for, especially with uncertainty.  Example: I have been casting about for a suitable job for my brother.

Cast away - Meaning: Discard or throw away.  Example: He cast away the pen.

Cast away - Meaning: Reject or dismiss.  Example: He cast away their proposal.

Cast down - Meaning: Depress or demoralize.  Example: He was cast down by his failure.

Cast off - Meaning: Get rid of or discard.  Example: I have cast off my old shoes.

Cast out - Meaning: Expel or reject.  Example: If he comes to me for help, I will not cast him out.

Cast into - Meaning: Form or shape by casting.  Example: Iron is cast into different things.

Cast out - Meaning: Expel or banish, often due to misconduct.  Example: They cast him out from the party for his misconduct.

Come

Come about - Meaning: Occur or happen.  Example: The quarrel came about over a piece of land.

Come across - Meaning: Encounter or meet unexpectedly.  Example: I came across him in the college.

Come by - Meaning: Obtain or acquire.  Example: The beggar came by a purse of gold on the way.

Come off - Meaning: Take place or happen.  Example: The marriage ceremony of my sister comes off today.

Come round - Meaning: Recover consciousness or health.  Example: The patient will come round soon.

Come upon - Meaning: Encounter unexpectedly, often from behind.  Example: The enemies came upon him from behind.

Come upon - Meaning: Encounter or meet unexpectedly.  Example: I came upon him in the college.

Come out - Meaning: Be revealed or published.  Example: The results of the S. S. C. Examination will come out very soon.

Come over - Meaning: Change or transform.  Example: A change came over him after his father's death.

Come over - Meaning: Switch allegiance or join.  Example: Our opponent party has come over to our side.

Come to - Meaning: Add up to or reach a total of.  Example: The fees realized today came to 20,000 taka.

Come to - Meaning: Regain consciousness or awareness.  Example: The fainted boy came to his senses.

Come to - Meaning: Reach a conclusion or decision.  Example: They could not come to a conclusion over the problem.

Come down - Meaning: Collapse or fall suddenly.  Example: The roof came down suddenly.

Come down - Meaning: Decrease or reduce.  Example: The price of rice has come down.

Cut

Cut down - Meaning: Fell or chop down, especially a tree.  Example: Jerry cut down the tree with an axe.

Cut down - Meaning: Reduce or decrease.  Example: I shall cut down my expenses.

Cut off - Meaning: Disconnect or isolate.  Example: He is cut off from his family.

Cut off - Meaning: Isolate or separate, often due to disease.  Example: He was cut off by cholera.

Cut off - Meaning: Remove by cutting.  Example: Della cut off her hair.

Cut off - Meaning: Isolate or separate, especially due to natural calamities.  Example: Sometimes villages are cut off from the cities during natural calamities.

Cut out - Meaning: Eliminate or exclude.  Example: I shall cut out coffee for the next two weeks.

Cut out - Meaning: Surpass or outperform.  Example: I shall cut him out in the competition.

Cut into - Meaning: Divide or slice.  Example: Cut the mango into pieces.

Cut in - Meaning: Interrupt or join suddenly.  Example: He cut in in the middle of our talk.

Cut up - Meaning: Distressed or upset.  Example: I was cut up by his remark.

Cut up - Meaning: Slice or chop into pieces.  Example: The maid cut up the meat.

Do

Do away with - Meaning: Eliminate or abolish.  Example: The dowry system should be done away with.

Do for - Meaning: Face ruin or be defeated.  Example: I am done for due to my wrong decision.

Do for - Meaning: Serve a purpose or be suitable.  Example: This pen will do for a pencil.

Do into - Meaning: Translate.  Example: Do the English passage into Bengali.

Do off - Meaning: Remove or take off.  Example: Do off your shirt.

Do on - Meaning: Put on or wear.  Example: Do on your shirt.

Do without - Meaning: Manage or survive without.  Example: We cannot do without paper for a single day.

Do up with - Meaning: Exhausted or worn out.  Example: I am done up with the journey.

Do with - Meaning: Associate or deal with.  Example: A politician has to do with all sorts of people.

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Draw

Draw away - Meaning: Divert attention or cause distraction.  Example: The noise has drawn away his attention from reading.

Draw aside - Meaning: Move to the side or aside.  Example: The lady drew the waiter aside for secret news.

Draw up - Meaning: Prepare or compose, as in a document.  Example: He drew up a petition.

Draw up - Meaning: Arrange or organize in a formation.  Example: The forces were drawn up.

Draw to - Meaning: Attract or approach.  Example: The teacher drew to the boy because of his merit.

Draw on - Meaning: Approach or come nearer.  Example: Our examination is drawing on.

Draw back - Meaning: Retreat or recoil, especially from a commitment.  Example: A man of word cannot draw back from his word.

Draw off - Meaning: Withdraw or move away.  Example: The enemy drew off.

Draw out - Meaning: Extend or prolong.  Example: The leader drew out his speech.

Draw out - Meaning: Extract or remove.  Example: The dentist drew out my aching teeth.

Draw out - Meaning: Elicit or cause to be revealed.  Example: His miseries drew out others' attention.

Fall

Fall away - Meaning: Desert or abandon, especially in a time of need.  Example: My friends fell away in my danger.

Fall off - Meaning: Decrease in quantity or quality.  Example: The number of students has fallen off.

Fall back - Meaning: Retreat or withdraw.  Example: At last, the enemy fell back.

Fall back upon - Meaning: Rely on or turn to for support.  Example: The poor man has none to fall back upon in his old days.

Fall upon - Meaning: Attack suddenly or violently.  Example: The tiger fell upon the lamb.

Fall out - Meaning: Quarrel or have a disagreement.  Example: They fell out over a trivial matter.

Fall through - Meaning: Fail to happen or be completed.  Example: The project fell through for lack of proper care.

Fall to - Meaning: Begin or start.  Example: He fell to eating.

Fall in with - Meaning: Agree or comply with.  Example: I cannot fall in with your proposal.

Fall in with - Meaning: Meet or encounter unexpectedly.  Example: I fell in with one of my school friends in the coach.

Fall on - Meaning: Attack suddenly or unexpectedly.  Example: He fell on me without any reason.

Fall in - Meaning: Collapse or cave in.  Example: The roof of the house fell in.

Get

Get at - Meaning: Reach or achieve.  Example: He could not get at his goal.

Get into - Meaning: Enter or board.  Example: We got into a second-class compartment.

Get into - Meaning: Become involved in or face.  Example: He got into trouble.

Get to - Meaning: Arrive at or reach.  Example: We got to the meeting in time.

Get off - Meaning: Alight or disembark.  Example: We all got off from the bus.

Get off with - Meaning: Escape punishment or consequences with.  Example: The thief got off with the goods.

Get about - Meaning: Spread or circulate.  Example: The news of his failure got about.

Get above - Meaning: Surpass or overcome.  Example: I have got above my danger.

Get ahead - Meaning: Progress or succeed.  Example: He got ahead in his business.

Get over - Meaning: Overcome or recover from.  Example: He tried to get over his initial difficulties.

Get through - Meaning: Complete or finish successfully.  Example: I got through the book.

Get through - Meaning: Complete a task or work.  Example: Get through the work in a week.

Get on - Meaning: Progress or advance.  Example: I get on early in the morning.

Get up - Meaning: Rise or awaken.  Example: The get up of the book is fine.

Get beyond - Meaning: Exceed or surpass.  Example: The boy got beyond the depth and was drowned.

Get away - Meaning: Escape or depart.  Example: The diver got away before our eyes.

Get out - Meaning: Leave or exit.  Example: Don't get out in the rain.

Get out - Meaning: Be revealed or disclosed.  Example: The secret will get out one day.

Get by - Meaning: Manage or survive.  Example: I cannot get by with such a small salary.

Get down - Meaning: Write down or record.  Example: Get down what I say.

Get down to - Meaning: Start or begin to focus on.  Example: Let us get down to our job.

Get in - Meaning: Arrive or reach a destination.  Example: When does the train get in?

Get in - Meaning: Enter or infiltrate.  Example: The rain can get in the room through the window.

Go

Go about - Meaning: Move around or engage in activities.  Example: He is too weak to go about.

Go about - Meaning: Continue or proceed with.  Example: Go about your business.

Go about - Meaning: Circulate or spread.  Example: A rumor goes about that he will resign.

Go abroad - Meaning: Travel to another country.  Example: He will go abroad.

Go after - Meaning: Pursue or chase.  Example: The tiger went after the deer.

Go against - Meaning: Oppose or act contrary to.  Example: So I cannot go against my boss.

Go ahead - Meaning: Proceed or move forward.  Example: I cannot go ahead with my studies due to poverty.

Go aside - Meaning: Move to the side or away from the main path.  Example: We should not go aside from the right path.

Go at - Meaning: Attack or approach with force.  Example: The mob went at the barricade and removed it.

Go at - Meaning: Attack verbally or physically.  Example: They go at one another at the slightest fury.

Go away - Meaning: Leave or depart.  Example: He has gone away from the country forever.

Go back upon/from - Meaning: Break a promise or go against one's word.  Example: A true Muslim cannot go back upon his word.

Go beyond - Meaning: Exceed or surpass.  Example: The teacher went beyond his discussion, and the students failed to understand him. The little girl went beyond her depth and was drowned.

Go by - Meaning: Be known or identified as.  Example: He goes by a nickname here.

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Grow

Grow up - Meaning: Mature or reach adulthood.  Example: The boy will be a great leader when he grows up.

Grow to - Meaning: Develop into or attain.  Example: A well-educated man grows to name and fame.

Hand

Grow up - Meaning: Mature or reach adulthood.  Example: The boy will be a great leader when he grows up.

Grow to - Meaning: Develop into or attain.  Example: A well-educated man grows to name and fame.

Hang

Hang down - Meaning: Lower or drop downward.  Example: The student hung down his head with shame.

Hang upon - Meaning: Depend on or be contingent upon.  Example: The supporters hung upon their leader's speech.

Hang up - Meaning: Suspend or attach to a higher place.  Example: He hung up the picture in his reading room.

Hang over - Meaning: Be undecided or pending.  Example: The decision was hung over.

Hang about - Meaning: Linger or stay around without a clear purpose.  Example: A suspicious mind always hangs about.

Hang back - Meaning: Hesitate or be reluctant to move forward.  Example: I cannot hang back from my decision.

Hang on - Meaning: Depend on or cling to.  Example: An active man does not like to hang on others for his livelihood.

Hang on - Meaning: Wait or hold on.  Example: Please, hang on for some minutes.

Hang on - Meaning: Cling or grasp tightly.  Example: He hangs on the rope.

Hold

Hold back - Meaning: Conceal or keep secret.  Example: He tried to hold back the secret from me.

Hold by - Meaning: Adhere to or support.  Example: None held by me in my danger.

Hold in - Meaning: Restrain or control.  Example: He failed to hold in his temper.

Hold off - Meaning: Keep aloof or stay away.  Example: A good boy holds off from bad boys.

Hold on - Meaning: Stick to or remain committed.  Example: An honest man holds on to his principles.

Hold out - Meaning: Extend or offer.  Example: He did not hold out his hands to me.

Hold out - Meaning: Resist or endure.  Example: The enemy held out for many days.

Hold out - Meaning: Have a capacity for.  Example: This tank does not hold out much water.

Hold over - Meaning: Postpone or defer.  Example: The meeting was held over.

Hold to - Meaning: Stick to or maintain.  Example: I shall hold to my plan.

Hold together - Meaning: Remain united or cohesive.  Example: The two friends held together for many days.

Keep

Keep away/off - Meaning: Avoid or stay clear of.  Example: A good boy keeps himself away from evil company.

Keep at/to - Meaning: Maintain or adhere to.  Example: He could not keep at his principle.

Keep back - Meaning: Withhold or conceal.  Example: Do not keep back anything from me.

Keep down - Meaning: Suppress or control.  Example: He kept down his anger.

Keep from - Meaning: Avoid or refrain from.  Example: He keeps from evil company.

Keep in - Meaning: Stay indoors or restrain oneself.  Example: One should keep in at the time of biting cold.

Keep on - Meaning: Continue or persist.  Example: I am keeping on well with my studies.

Keep up - Meaning: Sustain or maintain.  Example: The boy kept up the honor of his family.

Keep up with - Meaning: Stay on par with or match the pace of.  Example: I cannot keep up with my friends.

Knock

Knock down - Meaning: Hit and cause to fall.  Example: The truck knocked down the passer-by.

Knock off - Meaning: Remove or detach.  Example: We should not knock off anything.

Knock out - Meaning: Defeat or render unconscious.  Example: He knocked out his opponent in one round.

Knock up - Meaning: Wake up or make someone pregnant.  Example: My mother knocked me up at six a.m. (Note: In some regions, "knocked up" can have a different colloquial meaning, so the context matters.)

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Lay

Lay about - Meaning: Strike or hit violently.  Example: The wrestler began to lay about his rival.

Lay aside - Meaning: Save or reserve for future use.  Example: We should lay aside something for rainy days.

Lay by - Meaning: Save or set aside for future use.  Example: We should lay by something for rainy days.

Lay down - Meaning: Surrender or relinquish.  Example: Many soldiers laid down their lives in the Independence War.

Lay out - Meaning: Plan or arrange.  Example: The minister laid out the foundation of the school.

Lay up - Meaning: Incapacitate or confine to bed due to illness.  Example: He is laid up with dysentery.

Look

Look about for/Look for - Meaning: Search or seek.  Example: I am looking for a good job.

Look after - Meaning: Take care of or attend to.  Example: I look after my parents.

Look down upon - Meaning: Disapprove or regard with disdain.  Example: The poor are generally looked down upon.

Look forward - Meaning: Anticipate or await eagerly.  Example: I look forward to receiving your answer.

Look into - Meaning: Investigate or examine.  Example: The chairman looked into the matter.

Look in - Meaning: Visit briefly.  Example: I shall look in when I pass by your house.

Look on/upon - Meaning: Regard or consider.  Example: I look upon him as my brother.

Look out - Meaning: Be cautious or watchful.  Example: Della looked out of the window.

Look out for - Meaning: Be on the lookout for or search for.  Example: I am looking out for a good job.

Look over/through - Meaning: Examine or review.  Example: The examiner looked over the scripts.

Make

Make after - Meaning: Pursue or chase.  Example: The dog made after the thief.

Make away with - Meaning: Kill oneself or steal.  Example: He made away with his life by gambling.

Make for - Meaning: Head toward or be intended for.  Example: The ship is made for Jeddah.

Make of - Meaning: Understand or interpret.  Example: The ring is made of pure gold.

Make off with - Meaning: Steal and escape with.  Example: The pickpocket made off with my money bag.

Make over - Meaning: Transfer or assign.  Example: He made over the charge of Headmaster to me.

Make up - Meaning: Decide or resolve.  Example: I made up my mind to go abroad.

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Pass

Pass away - Meaning: Die or expire.  Example: The patient passed away at night.

Pass by - Meaning: Ignore or overlook.  Example: The judge passed by his fault.

Pass for - Meaning: Be accepted or considered as.  Example: He is passed for an honest man in the office.

Pass off - Meaning: Happen or come to an end.  Example: The density of fog passed off with the sun rising.

Pass on - Meaning: Move forward or transfer.  Example: Let us pass on to another subject.

Pass over - Meaning: Disregard or ignore.  Example: My claim was passed over.

Pass through - Meaning: Experience or endure.  Example: I passed through much bitter experience in my life.

Pick

Pick at - Meaning: Criticize or find fault with.  Example: Don't pick at others.

Pick off - Meaning: Shoot or remove one by one.  Example: The police picked off the thief.

Pick out - Meaning: Identify or choose.  Example: The man failed to pick out his son from the mammoth gathering.

Pick up - Meaning: Learn or acquire.  Example: Where does he pick up French?

Pick up - Meaning: Obtain or collect.  Example: He picked up a ticket.

Pick up - Meaning: Improve or recover.  Example: Share prices have picked up.

Pick up - Meaning: Accelerate or increase speed.  Example: The train picked up speed and began to run fast.

Pick up with - Meaning: Associate with or befriend.  Example: Where did you pick up with the mad man?

Pick up - Meaning: Arrest or apprehend.  Example: The police picked up the gang of robbers.

Pull

Pull at - Meaning: Exert force or effort on.  Example: The workers are pulling at the heavy engine.

Pull down - Meaning: Demolish or destroy.  Example: They pulled down the old complex.

Pull down - Meaning: Cause to look worn or tired.  Example: He appears to be much pulled down.

Pull in - Meaning: Earn or attract.  Example: They think that he pulls in a lot of money.

Pull in - Meaning: Apprehend or arrest.  Example: The police pulled in the boy for interrogation.

Pull in - Meaning: Arrive or stop.  Example: The train pulled in on time.

Pull in - Meaning: Attract or draw.  Example: The friendly match pulled in many spectators.ators