Phrasal Verbs 2

Abide by
Meaning:
To obey a rule or accept a decision
Examples:
 If you do not abide by the school
rules, you will be punished
 The contestants have to abide by the
judges’ decision which is final.
Panitia Bahasa Inggeris

SMK Serendah
Account for
Meaning:
To give a reason for something that
happens
Example:
 The pain in his tummy may account
for the child’s constant crying.

SMK Serendah
Agree to
Meaning:
To accept a suggestion or proposal
Example:
 The principal agreed to the students’
request for a subsidy for their
weekend camp.

SMK Serendah
Agree with
Meaning:
To have the same opinion as someone
else; to believe that a decision or idea is
correct.
Examples:
 The two brother cannot agree with
each other so they often quarrel.
 Some parent do not agree with any
form of corporal punishment for their
children.

SMK Serendah
Answer back
Meaning:
To reply rudely to someone with
authority
Example:
 Tony’ s grandmother was very angry
when he answered her back.

SMK Serendah
Answer for
Meaning:
To be responsible or blamed for
something
Example:
 If you insist on going against the
management, you’ll have to answer
for it.

SMK Serendah
Answer to
Meaning:
To give an explanation to someone
especially about something you have
done wrong
Examples:
 The teachers must ensure that
nothing happens to the pupils during
the excursion or else they have to
answer to the parent.

SMK Serendah
Apply for
Meaning:
To make a formal request for something
Example:
 Please fill up the form to apply for
the passport.

SMK Serendah
Apply to
Meaning:
To make a formal request (usually
written) for something; to be relevant to
somebody or something
Example:
 Seng Hin applied to three universities
to study dentistry but none of them
offered him a place.

SMK Serendah
Approve of
Meaning:
To accept a plan, proposal or decision
Examples:
 His parent approve of his idea of
getting a part-time job but at the
same time, warn him not to neglect
his studies.

SMK Serendah
Argue against
Meaning:
To give reasons for something thst
should not be done
Example:
 At the forum, the speakers argue
against public caning of pupils.

SMK Serendah
Argue for
Meaning:
To give reasons for something thst
should be done
Example:
 The worker argue for an increase in
their pay.

SMK Serendah
Arrive at
Meaning:
To reach a conclusion or make a decision
after discussion.
Examples:
 After talking over the matter, the
family finaly arrived at the decision
to put their aged mother in a
retirement home.

SMK Serendah
Ask about
Meaning:
To request information
Example:
 As the temple is more than a hundred
years old, many tourists like to ask
about its history.

SMK Serendah
Ask around
Meaning:
To ask many people or in many places
for information.
Example:
 Being new to the place, Mrs Chong
has to ask around for a good tutor for
his son.

SMK Serendah
Attend to
Meaning:
To do what needs to be done
Examples:
 The nurse is very busy as she has to
attend to many patients during the
cholera outbreak.

SMK Serendah
Back out (of)
Meaning:
To avoid doing something that you have
promised to do
Example:
 It was very wrong of Tim to back out
of the deal at the last minute.

SMK Serendah
Back up*
Meaning:
To give support; to make a copy of the
information on a computer..
Example:
 To evidence on the videotape backed
Azmi up so he was acquitted of the
crime.
 Maniam is careful to back up his file
on the computer before loggong off.

SMK Serendah
Bank on
Meaning:
To rely on
Example:
 You can always bank on Zaidi as he
will never let you down.

SMK Serendah
Beat up*
Meaning:
To hit someone severely
Example:
 The robbers beat up the man before
taking his cash and jewellery.

SMK Serendah
Black out
Meaning:
To lose consciousness
Example:
 When Ah Seng was hit on the head
with a blunt instrument, he blacked
out.

SMK Serendah
Believe in
Meaning:
To have confidence in someone that he
or she is right or sensible, or something
is good
Example:
 You have to believe in yourself if you
want to succeed in life.
 The dealer in skin care products is
able to make good sales because she
believes in the quality of her goods.

SMK Serendah
Blow over
Meaning:
To end
Example:
 The hikers took shelter in the cave
until the storm blew over.

SMK Serendah
Blow up*
Meaning:
To destroy; to explode
Example:
 The bandits blew up the bridge
before the convoy of trucks could
across it.

SMK Serendah
Break down
Meaning:
To stop working because of a fault ( e.g.
in machinery, electricity, etc )
Example:
 My computer broke down so I could
not get my assignment done.

SMK Serendah
Break in/into
Meaning:
To enter a building by force in order to
steal something
Example:
 The manager discovered that thieves
had broken into the bank and taken
all the money in the vault.

SMK Serendah
Break up
Meaning:
To stop; to end
Example:
 The teacher heaved sighs of relief
when the three-hour meeting finally
broke up.

SMK Serendah
Bring up*
Meaning:
To care for a child; to talk about a
subject.
Example:
 When Lisa’s parent died, her aunt
brought her up.
 Hussein and Kim Lee were afraid to
bring up the subject of marriage to
their parents because they
expectedstrong objections from
them.

SMK Serendah
Brush aside
Meaning:
To pay no attention to or to ignore
Example:
 The boss simply brushed aside the
worker’s suggestions for
improvements to the factory.

SMK Serendah
Brush up (on)
Meaning:
To improve one’s knowledge of
something
Example:
 Andy has to brush up on his
Mandarin before his trip to China.

SMK Serendah
Burst into
Meaning:
To start suddenly; to enter a place
suddenly.
Example:
 The car crashed into the building and
burst into flames.
 The family were watching a film on a
television when two masked men
burst into the room.

SMK Serendah
Call off
Meaning:
To cancel; to stop doing something (e.g a
search or a match) after it has officially
started
Example:
 The netball match was called off
because of heavy rain.

SMK Serendah
Call on
Meaning:
To visit
Example:
 Mary decided to call on Pakcik Ali
who was ill in order to cheer him up.

SMK Serendah
Calm down
Meaning:
To become more relaxed or quiet
Example:
 During the emergency landing, the air
stewards and tewardesses calmed
down the frightened passengers.

SMK Serendah
Care for
Meaning:
To look after
Example:
 The woman had to care for her young
children single-handedly after her
husband died.

SMK Serendah
Carry on
Meaning:
To continue
Example:
 The teacher told the pupils to carry
on working while she went for the
staff meeting.

SMK Serendah
Catch up
Meaning:
To reach a standard of work
Example:
 When Kim Seng came back to school
after a long absence, he had a lot of
assignments to catch up on.

SMK Serendah
Check in (at)
Meaning:
To go to a hotel or airport to report your
arrival.
Check out
Meaning:
To pay your bill and leave
Example:
 At the Hibiscus Hotel, guests are
asked to check in at three o’clock in
the afternoon abd check out at noon
the following day.
SMK Serendah
Close down
Meaning:
To stop operating
Example:
 Due to poor business, the
supermarket was forced to close
down.

SMK Serendah
Come across
Meaning:
To find or see somebody or something
by chance
Example:
 While Siti was tidying up her drawer,
she came across some old
photographs.

SMK Serendah
Come apart
Meaning:
To break or separate into pieces
Example:
 This book is so badly bound that it is
coming apart as I turn the pages.

SMK Serendah
Come up with
Meaning:
To suggest or propose
Example:
 You have to come up with a better
idea if you want to be selected.


SMK Serendah
Cope with
Meaning:
To deal with something successfully
Example:
 Helen Keller coped with her
disabilities very well. She obtained a
university degree despite being blind
and deaf.

SMK Serendah
Count on
Meaning:
To rely it
Example:
 it is reassuring for the elderly couple
to know that they can count on their
children to provide for them during
their old age.

SMK Serendah
Crop up
Meaning:
To happen
Example:
 I’m sorry l can’t go for the party
tonight, something unexpected has
cropped up.

SMK Serendah
Cut off
Meaning:
To stop the supply of something
(e.g. water, electricity, funds,etc)
Example:
 We could not watch the live telecast
of the football match because the
electricity was cut off.

SMK Serendah
Dash off
Meaning:
To leave a place hurriedly
Example:
 I’m late! I must dash off to the bus
station immediately.

SMK Serendah
Date back from/to
Meaning:
To have happened since a particular
time
Example:
 It is believed that an ancient Malay
kingdom which existed in the Bujang
Valley in Kedah, Malaysia dates back
to the fifth century.

SMK Serendah
Deal with
Meaning:
To do what needs to be done
Example:
 At the meeting, the chairman deals
with every item on the agenda
thoroughly.

SMK Serendah
Decide on
Meaning:
To choose something
Example:
 Norma and her fiancé have decided
on the date of their wedding.

SMK Serendah
Depend on/upon
Meaning:
To need the help of something or
someone
Example:
 Singapore has no natural resources
so it depends on it people to become
a successful nation.

SMK Serendah
Die out
Meaning:
To stop existing
Example:
 The ancient custom of foot-binding in
China has died out.

SMK Serendah
Dip into
Meaning:
To spend money
Example:
 During the charity dinner, many
people dipped into their pockets and
a lot of money was raised.

SMK Serendah
Dispose of
Meaning:
To get rid of something
Example:
 We must dispose of rubbish by
throwing it into litter bins.

SMK Serendah
Do without
Meaning:
To manage without someone or
something
Example:
 The television has broken down. You
have to do without it until it’s
repaired.

SMK Serendah
Drag on
Meaning:
To go on for too long
Example:
 As the lecture dragged on, the bored
audience fidgeted in their seats.

SMK Serendah
Dress up
Meaning:
To wear smart or special clothes
Example:
 At the fancy dress party, Aini dressed
up as the Tooth Fairy

SMK Serendah
Drink to
Meaning:
To express good wishes to somebody by
drinking
Example:
 At the wedding banquet, the guests
drank to happiness of the newly
weds.

SMK Serendah
Drop off*
Meaning:
To begin to sleep; to take somebody
somewhere; to take something to
someone
Example:
 The bus drops off all the passengers
at the ferry terminal.

SMK Serendah
Dry up
Meaning:
To lose moisture; to be no longer
available
Example:
 We cannot continue the project
because our funds have dried up.

SMK Serendah
Dwell on/upon
Meaning:
To think or talk too long on something
Example:
 It is unwise to dwell on unpleasant
things that had happened in the past.

SMK Serendah
Eat into
Meaning:
To use a great deal of
Example:
 All the expenses on our new house
have eaten into our retirement
savings.

SMK Serendah
Eat out
Meaning:
To have a meal outside the home
Example:
 To relieve Mrs Ong of the cooking,
the family eat out every Sunday.

SMK Serendah
Eat up*
Meaning:
To finish eating the food
Example:
 In the story Goldilocks, Goldilocks ate
up the last bowl of porridge which
tasted just right.

SMK Serendah
Egg on*
Meaning:
To encourage somebody to do
something
Example:
 Although the runner was exhausted,
he finally arrived at the finishing line
because the spectators egged him
on.

SMK Serendah
End in
Meaning:
To finish in a particular way
Example:
 The players of both teams played
very well and the match ended in
draw.

SMK Serendah
End up
Meaning:
To reach a certain place or state that you
did not plan
Example:
 We made plans to go overseas for the
holidays but ended up travelling to
Penang instead.

SMK Serendah
Engage in
Meaning:
To take part in an activity
Example:
 Although Helen has retired from
nursing, she is actively engaged in
volunteer work in the Palliative Care
Group.

SMK Serendah
Enter into
Meaning:
To become involved in something
Example:
 Everyone entered into the spirit of
the party and had a very good time.

SMK Serendah
Even out
Meaning:
To spread things equally
Example:
 The manager is a very fair man. He
tries to even out the work among his
staff.

SMK Serendah
Even up*
Meaning:
To make a situation more equal
Example:
 At the Kindergarten Sports, the
younger children were allowed to run
as shorter distance to even up the
competition

SMK Serendah
Expand on/upon
Meaning:
To give more details or information to a
subject
Example:
 Your story is too brief, please expand
on it to make it more interesting.

SMK Serendah
Face up to
Meaning:
To accept a difficult situation and deal
with it
Example:
 The amily realise that their father’s
illness is reminal but they are facing
up to it bravely.

SMK Serendah
Fade away
Meaning:
To end gradually
Example:
 Hashim waited until the sounds of
the footsteps faded away before
coming out of his hiding place.

SMK Serendah
Fall back on
Meaning:
To hav something to use or somebody to
go to for help when all else have failed
Example:
 I always have a torchlight to fall back
on in case the electricity is cut off.

SMK Serendah
Fall behind
Meaning:
To progress less quickly than other
people; to fail to pay back money on
time
Example:
 The mountaineers started their climb
together, bt the older ones gradually
fell behind.

SMK Serendah
Fall through
Meaning:
To fail
Example:
 Their plans to go for a vacation in the
United States fell through because
they could not obtain visas.

SMK Serendah
Feed on
Meaning:
To eat
Example:
 Herbivores are animal that feed on
plant.

SMK Serendah
Feel up to
Meaning:
To consider oneself able to do
something
Example:
 After her convalescence, Mrs Wong
feels up to a trip to her daughter home
in the next town.

SMK Serendah
Fight back
Meaning:
To defend oneself; to show retaliation
Example:
 Ahmad is a quiet boy but he will fight
back if he bullied.

SMK Serendah
Fight off*
Meaning:
To try to stop somebody or to get rid of
something
Example:
 Many people believe that taking
Vitamin C can help fight off the flu.

SMK Serendah
Figure out*
Meaning:
To understand somebody or something
by thinking about it; to calculate
Example:
 Have you figured out how much your
grand wedding will cost you?

SMK Serendah
File away*
Meaning:
To keep papers or documents in order
Example:
 The teacher filed away the test
papers in a special cabinet.

SMK Serendah
Fill-in up/out
Meaning:
To write the information on a form or
document
Example:
 Before applying for the job, you must
fill in this application form.

SMK Serendah
Fill in for
Meaning:
To do somebody’s job for a short time
Example:
 While Mrs Ramesh is on maternity
leave, a temporary teacher fills in for
her.

SMK Serendah
Finish up
Meaning:
To end up after a series of events
Example:
 The bus driver swerved to avoid the
oncoming traffic and finished up in
the ravine.

SMK Serendah
Finish with
Meaning:
To sop using something; to end a
relationship with someone
Example:
 Irene is now finished with Paul. Their
engagement is over.

SMK Serendah
Fish out*
Meaning:
To find something after searching or to
pull somebody out of water
Example:
 The little boy dug into his pocket and
fished out a sweet.

SMK Serendah
Fit in/Fit into
Meaning:
To feel you belong to a group
Example:
 At first, the boy felt awkward in his
new school, but he soon learned to
fit in.

SMK Serendah
Fix up*
Meaning:
To arrange a meeting; to improve
something
Example:
 Thank you for fixing up the room so
nicely for my stay here.

SMK Serendah
Flare up
Meaning:
To begin to burn suddenly and brightly;
to become angry or violent
Example:
 It only takes a spark to make the dry
grass flare up.

SMK Serendah
Follow up
Meaning:
To take further action on something you
have found out
Example:
 The detective follows up the
evidence he has collected over the
years and finally brings the murderer
to justice

SMK Serendah
Force into*
Meaning:
To d something against one’s will
Example:
 In the past, the rubber tappers were
forced into accepting daily wages.

SMK Serendah
Gain on
Meaning:
To get closer to somebody especially a
rival that you are chasing
Example:
 Although Peng Sim was leading in the
race, he could feel that the other
runner were gaining on him.

SMK Serendah
Gather round*
Meaning:
Bring somebody together in one place
Example:
 The old man gathered the children
round him and told them a story.

SMK Serendah
Get about
Meaning:
To be able to travel to different places
Example:
 Despite her age, the 80-year old
woman gets about a great deal.

SMK Serendah
Get across
Meaning:
To succeed in communicatitng ideas,
information, etc. to someone else.
Example:
 Professor Bahrin gets his point across
very well and his student have no
difficulty understanding him.

SMK Serendah
Get along with
Meaning:
To have a friendly relationship
Example:
 Linda enjoys going to work as she
gets along very well with her
collages.

SMK Serendah
Get down to
Meaning:
To finally begin to do something that
needs to be done
Example:
 Dad said that he had been taking things
easy for too long, he would get down
to tidying the store room today.

SMK Serendah
Get off
Meaning:
To leave work with permisson
Example:
 I managed to get off work to settle my
housing loan payments today.

SMK Serendah
Get off/on
Meaning:
To arrive out of or into a vehicle
Example:
 When the bus arrived at the bus
station, many passengers got off but
a few got on.

SMK Serendah
Get over
Meaning:
To recover from an illness or unpleasant
experience
Example:
 Some villagers still cannot get over the
terrible shock of the collapse of the
bridge that killed thirty people last
year.

SMK Serendah
Give away*
Meaning:
To let people have things for free
Example:
 During the promotion of the new
product, the company gave away
many free samples.

SMK Serendah
Give up
Meaning:
To stop doing or having something
Example:
 It was hard for Chee Keong to give up
drinking at first, but he finally kicked
the habit.

SMK Serendah
Go ahead
Meaning:
To do something as planned
Example:
 Nasir’s leave has been approved so he
can go ahead and book the flight for
his vacation.

SMK Serendah
Go off
Meaning:
To make aloud noise; to explode
Example:
 The car alarm went off suddenly in the
middle of the night and everyone woke
up.

SMK Serendah
Go through
Meaning:
To examine carefully
Example:
 The examiner went through the test
papers twice and found no mistakes.

SMK Serendah
Go under
Meaning:
To fail; to sink
Example:
 It was claimed that the Titanic was
unsinkable, yet it went under after
hitting an iceberg in 1912.

SMK Serendah
Grasp at
Meaning:
To try to hold on to something
Example:
 When Amin lost his footing while
climbing the tree, he grasped at a
branch.

SMK Serendah
Grow out of
Meaning:
To become too big to wear
Example:
 Mum has to buy new clothes for my
two-year old brother, he is growing
out of his clothes.

SMK Serendah
Grow up
Meaning:
To become an adult
Example:
 Hanif’s children have grown up so fast
that I can hardly recognize them.

SMK Serendah
Guard against
Meaning:
To prevent something from happening
Example:
 Parent should guard against
smothering their children with too
much love.

SMK Serendah
Hand down
Meaning:
To leave something to people by
tradition or inheritance
Example:
 You can’t find this recipe in any book;
it’s handed down from my great
grandmother.

SMK Serendah
Hand over*
Meaning:
To give power or responsibility to
someone
Example:
 When DJ Mickey was signing off at the
end of the programme, he handed
over to Lucy Leong, the next deejay.

SMK Serendah
Hang on
Meaning:
To tell someone to wait
Example:
 Please hang on while I get my car keys.

SMK Serendah
Hang on to
Meaning:
To hold on to something tightly; to keep
something
Example:
 The old lady hangs on to the railings
as she climbs up the stairs.

SMK Serendah
Hang out
Meaning:
To spend time with a group of people in
a particular place.
Example:
 During the weekend, many youths
hang out at shopping mall.

SMK Serendah
Hang up
Meaning:
To end a phone conversation by putting
back the receiver
Example:
 It is not polite to hang up on a caller
before he or she has finished speaking.

SMK Serendah
Harp on
Meaning:
To talk repeatedly and annoyingly about
something
Example:
 Soon Lee gets turned off when his
parents harp on about how difficult
their lives were when they were
growing up.

SMK Serendah
Have on*
Meaning:
To be wearing cothes; to have arranged
to do something
Example:
 Mrs. Chan had on on a beautiful red
brocade cheongsam when she
celebrated her ruby wedding
anniversary.

SMK Serendah
Head for
Meaning:
To go towards a place; to be in a
particular situation
Example:
 If the salesman does not improve his
sales, he will be heading trouble.

SMK Serendah
Hear from
Meaning:
To gets news from someone by phone,
letter or e-mail.
Example:
 We are delighted to hear from our
uncle who has lost touch with us.

SMK Serendah
Hear out*
Meaning:
To listen until somebody has finished
speaking
Example:
 Could you please hear me out until I’ve
explained the whole matter?

SMK Serendah
Heat up
Meaning:
To make something hot
Example:
 You must heat up the oil before you
sauté the onions.

SMK Serendah
Help out
Meaning:
To give help especially in a difficult
situation
Example:
 Mrs. Lai asked her mother to help out
with the children when her maid
went on leave.

SMK Serendah
Hinge on/upon
Meaning:
To depend on something
Example:
 The scholarship hinges on the
students’ examination results and co-
curricular activities

SMK Serendah
Hire out
Meaning:
To allow temporary use of something in
exchange for money
Example:
 The company hires out crockey, tables,
chairs as well as tents for parties.

SMK Serendah
Hit out at
Meaning:
To criticize strongly
Example:
 Motorists hit out at the government
for increasing the toll along the
highways.

SMK Serendah
Hold up
Meaning:
To delay; to prevent from collapsing by
giving support.
Example:
 Due to the stormy weather, the flight
was held up for more than an hour.

SMK Serendah
Hunt down
Meaning:
To search for something with intention
to punish, harm or kill it
Example:
 The zookeepers are hunting down the
king cobra that has escaped.

SMK Serendah
Hurry up
Meaning:
To make someone do something more
quickly; to make something happen
more quickly.
Example:
 We have to hurry up or else we will
be late for the start of the play.

SMK Serendah
Identify with*
Meaning:
To be able to understand or share the
feelings of another person
Example:
 Mrs Chan enjoys Catherine Lim’s books
because she can identify herself with
many of the characters in Lim’s novels.

SMK Serendah
Improve on/upon
Meaning:
To do or make something better than
before
Example:
 The basketball coach says that if Alan
improves on his conditioning and the
other players play better, the team has
a good chance to do well at the next
national tournament.

SMK Serendah
Inform on*
Meaning:
To give information about someone that
will harm them
Example:
 Despite being under torture, the
prisoner of war refused to inform his
captors in the whereabouts of his
friends.

SMK Serendah
Insist on
Meaning:
To demand that you must have or do
something
Example:
 As it was her parents’ golden wedding
anniversary, Nicole insists on
celebrating the event at the best
restaurant in town.

SMK Serendah
Interfere with
Meaning:
To disturb or spoil something
Example:
 The toddler interfered with the
buttons on the television set and the
picture is now fuzzy.

SMK Serendah
Invite along
Meaning:
To ask someone to accompany you
Example:
 Pakcik Adnan is often lonely so we
invited him along when we went to
the beach.

SMK Serendah
Invite over*
Meaning:
To ask somebody to visit your home
usually for a meal
Example:
 Let’s invite our new neighbor over for
tea so that we can get to know her
better.

SMK Serendah
Join in
Meaning:
To take part in
Example:
 The new girl at the school was pleased
when her classmates invited her to join
in their games during recess.

SMK Serendah
Join up with
Meaning:
To team up with other people to do
something
Example:
 We joined up with the Lohs to make
the trip to Lake Kenyir for holiday.

SMK Serendah
Jot down*
Meaning:
To write down something briefly and
quickly
Example:
 During the talk on “Healthy Living”,
many people jot down notes.

SMK Serendah
Jump at
Meaning:
To accept the chance to do something
eagerly
Example:
 When Lina’s rich uncle asked her if she
would like to go on a cruise she
jumped at the invitation.

SMK Serendah
Jump on
Meaning:
To criticize someone unfairly
Example:
 When we were in Primary School, our
Arithmetic teacher would jump on us
if we did not know our multiplication
tables.

SMK Serendah
Keel over
Meaning:
To collapse suddenly
Example:
 During the annual parade of the Red
Crescent Society, some member
keeled over from the heat of the hot
sun.

SMK Serendah
Keep off
Meaning:
To stay away from; to avoid do
something
Example:
 In many public gardens, the public are
asked to keep off the grass.

SMK Serendah
Keep on
Meaning:
To continue doing something; to talk
continuously in an annoying way
Example:
 Oh Mum! Don’t keep on telling me
about the state of my room. I will tidy
it up soon.

SMK Serendah
Keep put(of)
Meaning:
To prevent somebody/something from
entering a place; to not expose
somebody to something
Example:
 We have to keep pets out of public
libraries.

SMK Serendah
Keep to
Meaning:
To stay on a particular course; to do
what you have promised
Example:
 To if you keep to the terms and
conditions of the contract, you will
not have any problems.

SMK Serendah
Keep up*
Meaning:
To continue to do something well
Example:
 The piano teacher is very pleased
with Richard’s progress and she told
him to keep it up.

SMK Serendah
Keep up with
Meaning:
To progress at the same level as
someone
Example:
 Since Kim Heoh joined the course late,
she had work extra hard to keep up
with her course mates.

SMK Serendah
Kick off
Meaning:
To start ( a football match, meeting,
event, etc )
Example:
 Please be here early because the
meeting will kick off at 8.00 a.m.

SMK Serendah
Kick out*
Meaning:
To make somebody leave
Example:
 Due to his bad conduct, the man was
kicked out of the country club.

SMK Serendah
Kill off*
Meaning:
To destroy; to get rid of
Example:
 If the teachers are too critical of their
students’ work, they may kill off any
interest the students have.

SMK Serendah
Knock down
Meaning:
To hit while driving a vehicle; to destroy;
to reduce the price
Example:
 The vase is too expensive, I can only
afford it if they knock down the price.

SMK Serendah
Knock off*
Meaning:
To stop working; to reduce price
Example:
 These shoes cost RM150.00 but I
managed to knock 20% off.

SMK Serendah
Land somebody
with
Meaning:
To give somebody something unpleasant
to do
Example:
 As usual, poor Wati was landed with
the washing-up after the party.

SMK Serendah
Laugh at
Meaning:
To ridicule somebody; to show that you
are amused by somebody or something
Example:
 Mother, you can’t come to my school
sports in the get-up. People will laugh
at you!

SMK Serendah
Lay down
Meaning:
To put down tools or weapons to show
you’re not using them; to state rules or
procedures that must be obeyed
Example:
 The workmen laid down their tools
and went for their lunch break.

SMK Serendah
Lay off*
Meaning:
To stop employing workers for a period
in which there is not much work to do
Example:
 We hope to get more orders for our
products so that we do not have to lay
off our workers.

SMK Serendah
Lay off
Meaning:
To stop doing or using something
Example:
 The doctor advised Mr. Woo to lay
off alcohol since it would interfere
with his medication.

SMK Serendah
Leak out
Meaning:
To make information known
Example:
 The royal wedding was to be a hush-
hush affair but news of it soon leaked
out.

SMK Serendah
Lean on
Meaning:
To depend on someone for guidance or
support
Example:
 The widow said that she was lucky to
have friends and relatives to lean on
during her bereavement.

SMK Serendah
Leave behind*
Meaning:
To progress less well than others ( when
used in passive form ); to forget to take
something with you
Example:
 Zara attends classes even though she
is ill because she is afraid to be left
behind.

SMK Serendah
Leave out
Meaning:
To exclude someone or something in a
group or activity
Example:
 Ranjit was very disappointed when he
was left out of the basketball team.

SMK Serendah
Let down*
Meaning:
To lower something; to disappoint
someone by not doing what you
promised
Example:
 The villagers draw water from the well
by letting down a bucket tied to a
rope.

SMK Serendah
Let on/let (in) on
Meaning:
To reveal a secret
Example:
 Allow me to let you in on a secret.
Hazlina is going to be our new Head
Perfect.

SMK Serendah
Let off*
Meaning:
To not punish someone; to make
something explode
Example:
 The hunter let off the shotgun
accidentally and hurt his leg.

SMK Serendah
Let up
Meaning:
To become less serious; to stop
Example:
 The motorcyclists took shelter under
the overhead bridge until the heavy
rain let up.

SMK Serendah
Lie down
Meaning:
To let your body rest on a flat surface
Example:
 Mother feels tired after working the
whole morning so she lied down for a
while.

SMK Serendah
Lift off
Meaning:
To rise into the air
Example:
 The helicopter lifted off the ground
to join in the search-and-rescue
operation in the mountains.

SMK Serendah
Light up
Meaning:
To make something bright; to show
pleasure
Example:
 Oh dear! the electricity is cut off. I
must find the candles to light up the
room.

SMK Serendah
Line up
Meaning:
To arrange in rows
Example:
 The pupils have to line up along the
corridor before entering the
classroom.

SMK Serendah
Live on
Meaning:
To continue to exist; to have only a
particular food as a source of energy
Example:
 Vincent van Gogh is dead but his art
lives on.

SMK Serendah
Lock in/ lock out
Meaning:
To prevent someone from leaving or
entering by locking a door
Example:
 It is dangerous to lock children in a
house without any adults to supervise
them even for a few minutes.

SMK Serendah
Lock up
Meaning:
To make a building secure by locking up
the doors or windows
Example:
 The security guard made sure that
the warehouse was properly locked
up before he went off-duty.

SMK Serendah
Log in/on or log
off/out
Meaning:
To begin r stop using computer system
Example:
 After you log out the computer, it is
advisable to turn off all the switches.

SMK Serendah
Look after
Meaning:
To take care of somebody or something
Example:
 Minah asked her mother to look after
her toddlers when she went overseas
on an assignment.

SMK Serendah
Look forward to
Meaning:
To expect something with pleasure
Example:
 Mr. Samy and his family are looking
forward to their long-awaited holiday
in India.

SMK Serendah
Look into
Meaning:
To investigate
Example:
 It was a freak accident and the police
are looking into the cause of it.

SMK Serendah
Look on
Meaning:
To watch something happening without
getting involved
Example:
 Whle the man was being attacked in
the alley, passers-by just looked on
without lifting a finger to help him.

SMK Serendah
Look up*
Meaning:
To visit a person; to find information
Example:
 Let’s look up the train departure
times in this timetables that KTM
gives out.

SMK Serendah
Look through*
Meaning:
To examine or read something quickly
Example:
 Ali looked through the times of the
TV programmes before deciding
which sitcom to watch.

SMK Serendah
Make for
Meaning:
To move in a particular direction
Example:
 The thristy animals ran down the
slope and made for the pool.

SMK Serendah
Make out
Meaning:
To be only just able to hear, see or
understand something; to claim or
pretend that something is true when it is
not
Example:
 Mr. Windbag makes himself out to
be very clever but he knows very
little.

SMK Serendah
Make up
Meaning:
To invent a story or excuse in order to
entertain or to trick
Example:
 I refuse to believe your explanation;
you’re making it up.

SMK Serendah
Make up for
Meaning:
To improve a bad situation; to
compensate
Example:
 Bee Lian’s intelligence makes up for
her lack of good looks.

SMK Serendah
Map out
Meaning:
To plan something carefully
Example:
 Dr. Yong has already mapped out his
six-year old daughter’s career, she
will become a neurosurgeon like him.

SMK Serendah
Mark
down*/mark
up*
Meaning:
To decrease or increase the price of
something
Example:
 I refused to buy things from that shop
because all the prices have been
marked up.

SMK Serendah
Marry into
Meaning:
To join a family or social group by
marrying
Example:
 The actress Grace Kelly married into
the royal family of Monaco and
became a princess.

SMK Serendah
Meet up
Meaning:
To meet someone to do something
together
Example:
 Zainal and Arul meet up at the club
every Sunday for a round of golf.

SMK Serendah
Mess
about/around
Meaning:
To spend time lazily; to behave in a silly
way
Example:
 “Stop messing around and get to
work!” the teacher scolded her class.

SMK Serendah
Miss out*
Meaning:
To not include something
Example:
 Oh dear! I missed out my name on my
examination paper. Will that affect my
grade?

SMK Serendah
Mix up*
Meaning:
To be unable to distinguish between
people
Example:
 I often mix Aini and Anim up because
they are identical twins and they
always dress alike.

SMK Serendah
Mop up*
Meaning:
To remove liquid by wiping it
Example:
 Please mop up the coffee you’ve spilt
before someone steps on it and falls.

SMK Serendah
Move in/into
Meaning:
To start to live in a place
Example:
 When the Koh moved into their new
home, they held a house-warming
party.

SMK Serendah
Move on
Meaning:
To deal with something else; to continue
a journey
Example:
 Now that we’re decided on the
venue, let’s move on to the date
when the concert should be held.

SMK Serendah
Move up
Meaning:
To change position to make more space;
to be in a higher class
Example:
 The usher told the spectators in Row
F to move up so that two more
people could sit there.

SMK Serendah
Narrow down
Meaning:
To reduce the number of choices
Example:
 There were seventy-six contestants for
the Miss Universe Pageant but the
judges narrowed down the finalists to
ten.

SMK Serendah
Nip off*
Meaning:
To remove a small part of something by
hand or with tools
Example:
 She nipped off the shoots of the
kaffir lime leaves to cook curry.

SMK Serendah
Nod off
Meaning:
To fall sleep
Example:
 I was so tired that I nodded off during
the film so I missed the most exciting
part.

SMK Serendah
Notch up*
Meaning:
To achieve something
Example:
 The swimmer notches up a world
record in the 100-metres breaststroke
final at the Olympics Swimming Trials
to earn a place at the next Olympic
Games.

SMK Serendah
Occur to
Meaning:
To come to someone’s mind
Example:
 It never occurred to Amy that her
frequent headaches could be a
symptom of something serious.

SMK Serendah
Open into
Meaning:
To give access to; to lead to
Example:
 The adventurous boys found a
trapdoor that opened into a secret
tunnel.

SMK Serendah
Open out/in
Meaning:
To become wider; to talk freely and
openly (to somebody)
Example:
 At the major toll booths, the highway
opens out into eight lanes.

SMK Serendah
Opt out
Meaning:
To decide not to be involved in
something
Example:
 Some of the union members opted
out of the strike when they realised
that it would be to their
disadvantage.

SMK Serendah
Order somebody
about/around/off
Meaning:
To keep telling someone to do things in
an annoying and bossy manner
Example:
 The referee ordered Kim Huat off
the field for foul play.

SMK Serendah
Own up (to)
Meaning:
To admit to doing something wrong.
Example:
 If the person who broke the test tubes
does not own up, the whole class will
be detained.

SMK Serendah
Part with
Meaning:
To give something away
Example:
 The older miser does not donate to
charity because he cannot bear to
part with his money.

SMK Serendah
Pass away
Meaning:
To die
Example:
 When the wealthy man passed away,
his family gave him a grand funeral.

SMK Serendah
Pass off as*
Meaning:
To make people think that something is
not what it seems to be
Example:
 The trader at the night market tried to
pass the compact discs off as originals
but the customers were not fooled.

SMK Serendah
Pass out
Meaning:
To faint
Example:
 Mee Yin can never become a nurse
because the sight of blood makes her
pass out.

SMK Serendah
Pay back*
Meaning:
To return money owed to someone
Example:
 The students took a loan for their
studies and they have to pay it back
when they start working.

SMK Serendah
Phone in
Meaning:
To telephone a radio or television show
Example:
 During the radio show, many listeners
phone in to answer questions in order
to win prizes.

SMK Serendah
Pick on
Meaning:
To bully or criticise someone unfairly
Example:
 Mrs. Fernandez is afraid that the
children at Bobby’s new school may
pick on him because he is such a
timid boy.

SMK Serendah
Pick out
Meaning:
To choose someone or something
carefully
Example:
 The clever child could pick out the
correct shapes and complete the
jigsaw puzzle quickly.

SMK Serendah
Pick up
Meaning:
To lift something off a surface; to collect
or buy something; to learn a new skill by
chance
Example:
 When the phone rings, you pick up the
receiver to answer it.

SMK Serendah
Pile up
Meaning:
To become larger in quantity
Example:
 Ajit has to stay back at the office
because work is piling up.

SMK Serendah
Pitch in
Meaning:
To offer help or support in the form of
money or work
Example:
 All the students pitched in and the
new field was cleared of weeds in no
time.

SMK Serendah
Point out*
Meaning:
To direct attention to something
Example:
 I tried pointing out her illogical
reasoning but she is still adamant that
she will not attend her sister’s
wedding.

SMK Serendah
Pop on
Meaning:
To wear a piece of clothing
Example:
 The lonely old man popped on a
shirt, grabbed his keys and headed
for the bowling alley upon receiving
an invitation from his nephew for a
game.

SMK Serendah
Pour out*
Meaning:
To serve a drink; to tell someone your
thoughts and feelings
Example:
 Could you please pour out some
water into this glass?

SMK Serendah
Prey on*
Meaning:
To hunt and eat another animal; to make
a victim of someone
Example:
 Eagles swooped down and preyed on
the title animals on the hillside.

SMK Serendah
Pull down*
Meaning:
To destroy or demolish a building
Example:
 The dilapidated cinema has been
pulled down to make way for a new
business centre.

SMK Serendah
Pull through
Meaning:
To get better after being very ill or badly
injured
Example:
 In spite of his severe injuries, the
accident victim pulled through and
attended his son’s graduation.

SMK Serendah
Push
about/around*
Meaning:
To order someone to do thing in a
bullying way
Example:
 Everyone dislikes the new boss
because he pushes the workers
around to get things done.

SMK Serendah
Push in
Meaning:
To join in a queue unfairly; to cut line
Example:
 I’m sorry you can’t push in. You must
line up from the back like everybody
else.

SMK Serendah
Put aside*
Meaning:
To save money regularly; to make
something available for use; to disregard
something
Example:
 Kenny put aside one hundred ringgit
every month for his holiday at the
end of the year.

SMK Serendah
Put back*
Meaning:
To return something to its proper place;
to cause a delay
Example:
 The librarian told us to put the books
back on the shelf after we have read
them.

SMK Serendah
Put down*
Meaning:
To humiliate someone
Example:
 Students get very discouraged if
teacher keep putting them down.

SMK Serendah
Put down for*
Meaning:
To put somebody’s name on a list for an
activity
Example:
 The teachers have put Hooi Young’s
name down for the Inter-school
Debate because of her oratorical
skills.

SMK Serendah
Put off*
Meaning:
To make someone dislike doing
something; to postpone
Example:
 The laksa at the roadside stall is
supposed to be delicious but the smell
from the nearby drains put us off the
food.

SMK Serendah
Put through*
Meaning:
To allow someone to speak to another
on the telephone; to pay for someone to
study
Example:
 Please hold on while I put you
through to the registrar.

SMK Serendah
Quarrel with
Meaning:
To disagree with
Example:
 After their father’s death, Joseph
quarreled with his brother, Jansen
over the family property.

SMK Serendah
Queue up
Meaning:
To line up for something they desire
Example:
 When word got around that the
famous movie star was coming to
town, the crowd queued up for hours
outside the cinema to get his
autograph.

SMK Serendah
Rally round
Meaning:
To group together to help someone in a
difficult situation
Example:
 I was very touched when my friends
rallied round to help me during my
illness.

SMK Serendah
Read
over/through
Meaning:
To read something carefully
Example:
 The teacher advised the students to
read over their essays carefully
before handing them in.

SMK Serendah
Reason with
Meaning:
To argue in order to convince pr
persuade someone
Example:
 Emily tried to reason with her
stubborn husband but he refused to
listen to her.

SMK Serendah
Refer to
Meaning:
To turn to something for information; to
speak of somebody or something
Example:
 You must refer to an atlas if you want
to know the location of these islands.

SMK Serendah
Rely on/upon
Meaning:
To depend on someone or something
Example:
 The orphanage relies entirely on
donations to house and feed the
orphans.

SMK Serendah
Revel in
Meaning:
To take delight in something
Example:
 When Karen won the Beauty Contest,
she revelled in all the attention she
was getting.

SMK Serendah
Ring up
Meaning:
To enter cost of goods into cash register
Example:
 Could you please ring up these food
items quickly? I’m in rush to get
home and start dinner.

SMK Serendah
Roll in
Meaning:
To come in large quantities
Example:
 When the appeal to help the flood
victims was announced in the media,
donations in cash and kind rolled in.

SMK Serendah
Roll up
Meaning:
To make a long, narrow tube (of
something); to close (a car window)
Example:
 Annie rolled up the windows before
locking the car doors.

SMK Serendah
Round off
Meaning:
To end something in a satisfactory way
Example:
 The cook served us a delicious three-
course meal which she rounded off
with her special cheesecake.

SMK Serendah
Round up
Meaning:
To gather together a group of people or
animals
Example:
 The cowboy used well-trained dogs
to help round up the cattle and the
sheep.

SMK Serendah
Rule out*
Meaning:
To decide that something is not possible
Example:
 Although the cause of the fire is not
known, the police have not ruled out
arson.

SMK Serendah
Run away
Meaning:
To leave without intending to return
Example:
 The child ran away from his foster
home because he was not well-
treated there.

SMK Serendah
Run into
Meaning:
To meet someone by chance; to
experience problems
Example:
 If you run into difficulties, just give
me a call and I’ll come and help you..

SMK Serendah
Run out of
Meaning:
To finish the supply of something
Example:
 We have to stop at the next petrol
station because our car is running out
of petrol.

SMK Serendah
Run through
Meaning:
To repeat or practice something
Example:
 The film director was not satisfied with
the first take so the crew had to run
through the whole scene again.

SMK Serendah
Scrape through
Meaning:
To succeed with difficulty (especially an
exam)
Example:
 Sue do not study steadily during her
university course but she managed to
scraped through her final examination.

SMK Serendah
Search for
Meaning:
To spend time looking for someone or
something
Example:
 The search party went into the jungle
to search for the missing hikers.

SMK Serendah
See to
Meaning:
To deal with something
Example:
 Mr. Yang asked the travel agent to
see to his visa application before his
trip to Shanghai.

SMK Serendah
Seek out*
Meaning:
To look for and find someone or
something
Example:
 We went to the far-flung village to
seek out the reputable acupuncturist.

SMK Serendah
Sell off*
Meaning:
To sell someone (often cheaply) to get
rid of it or because you need the money
Example:
 When the towkay went bankrupt, he
was forced to sell off his bungalow.

SMK Serendah
Sell out
Meaning:
To have no more of a product to sell
Example:
 When the world-famous pianist came
to Malaysia to give a concert, the
tickets sold out fast.

SMK Serendah
Sent for
Meaning:
To ask someone to come and help
Example:
 There is a nasty accident down the
road; please send for the doctor and
an ambulance.

SMK Serendah
Sent off
Meaning:
To order a sports player to leave the
field for breaking a rule; to send
someone to another place
Example:
 The referee sent the player off the
field for deliberately kicking his
opponent.

SMK Serendah
Set aside
Meaning:
To keep something (especially time or
money) for a particular purpose
Example:
 Despite his busy schedule, the
executive sets aside an hour each day
for his family.

SMK Serendah
Set off
Meaning:
To go somewhere; to cause something
to explode
Example:
 The technicians are already prepared
to set off the five-minute fireworks
display.

SMK Serendah
Set out
Meaning:
To start journey; to begin a task with a
particular aim
Example:
 Many athletes set out to break records
when they participate in the Olympic
Games

SMK Serendah
Settle down
Meaning:
To become calm after being full of
activity; to adopt a more stable way of
life
Example:
 The kindergarten teacher told the
children to settle down before she
began her story.

SMK Serendah
Settle for
Meaning:
To meet someone by chance; to
experience problems
Example:
 If you run into difficulties, just give
me acall and I’ll come and help you..

SMK Serendah
Shine through
Meaning:
To be clearly seen
Example:
 Rozi’s caring attitude shine through in
all dealings with the handicapped
people she works with.

SMK Serendah
Shop around
Meaning:
To compare the price and quality of
goods and services from various sources
before picking the best.
Example:
 It is wise to shop around before
deciding which car to buy for a
family.

SMK Serendah
Show somebody
around
Meaning:
To show someone new the main or
interesting features of a place
Example:
 Mr. Khoo showed his overseas guest
around Penang, bringing them to the
various museums and temples.

SMK Serendah
Show off
Meaning:
To do things to impress people
Example:
 Naidu has very good command of the
English language but we wish he would
not show off by using bombastic words
when he speaks.

SMK Serendah
Shut down
Meaning:
To stop operating
Example:
 We went to the store only to find
that it has been temporarily shut
down for shock-taking.

SMK Serendah
Shut up
Meaning:
To tell someone rudely to keep quiet
Example:
 We told Sukdev to shut up when kept
on complaining about how unfairly he
had been treated.

SMK Serendah
Sign off
Meaning:
To end a radio or television programme;
to end a letter
Example:
 My sister always signs off her letter
with: Love, Anita.

SMK Serendah
Sign up
Meaning:
To enroll for a course
Example:
 So many students have signed up for
the Japanese language course that
the number is overwhelming.

SMK Serendah
Sit back
Meaning:
To relax into a comfortable position
Example:
 After serving the government for
thirty-five years, Encik Rahman says
that it is now time for him to sit back
and take things easy.

SMK Serendah
Sit through
Meaning:
To attend a meeting or performance
until the end even if it is boring
Example:
 The concert was a disappointment but
we sat through it anyway.

SMK Serendah
Sketch out*
Meaning:
To give an outline of something
Example:
 During the meeting, the President of
the Town Council sketched out
proposals for a new traffic system in
the town.

SMK Serendah
Slow down
Meaning:
To do something or move more slowly
Example:
 Granpa’s osteoarthritis of his knee is
slowing down his movements a great
deal.

SMK Serendah
Soak up*
Meaning:
To absorb liquid; to take in (a view or
atmosphere) with your senses
Example:
 The cook soaked up the split oil with a
paper towel

SMK Serendah
Sort out
Meaning:
To organise things into groups; to deal
with a problem
Example:
 I must sort out the clothes in
cupboard and give some away to the
Jumble Sale.

SMK Serendah
Speak for
Meaning:
To express the feelings and thoughts of a
group of people
Example:
 Rama said that he was speaking for
all the guests when he praised the
committee members for organising
the event so successfully.

SMK Serendah
Speak up (for)
Meaning:
To speak freely and clearly in support or
defence of someone
Example:
 Through his book Oliver Twist, Charles
Dickens was speaking up for boys who
were badly treated in workhouses.

SMK Serendah
Speed up
Meaning:
To make something move or happen
faster
Example:
 Books used to be handwritten but the
invention of the printing press has
speeded up the production of books.

SMK Serendah
Spell out*
Meaning:
To explain something clearly and in
detail
Example:
 If the instructions had been brief and
simple, you won’t have to spell them
out the students again.

SMK Serendah
Spill over
Meaning:
To influence or affect another area
nearby
Example:
 World Vision’s Child Sponsorship
Programme hopes that the good
response from one country will spill
over to neigbouring countries.

SMK Serendah
Split up
Meaning:
To end a marriage or relationship; to
divide into groups
Example:
 The tour leader split up his group into
two when they entered the museum.

SMK Serendah
Spring up
Meaning:
To suddenly appear or exist
Example:
 Many fruit stalls spring up along the
trunk road during the fruit season.

SMK Serendah
Stand out
Meaning:
To be easily seen
Example:
 Letter-boxes are painted red so that
they stand out in public places.

SMK Serendah
Stand up for
Meaning:
To defend someone
Example:
 A true friend will stand up for you
through thick and thin.

SMK Serendah
Start off
Meaning:
To begin something; to begin moving
Example:
 The tutor started off the tutorial by
quoting a famous saying from
Shakespeare.

SMK Serendah
Stay up
Meaning:
To stay awake
Example:
 During the Euro Cup 2004, many
people stayed up to watch the
matches and could hardly keep awake
in their workplaces the next.

SMK Serendah
Step down
Meaning:
To leave one’s job or official position
Example:
 When Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
stepped down as prime minister of
Malaysia in 2003, Dato Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badwi took over the reins.

SMK Serendah
Step up
Meaning:
To increase the speed or amount of an
activity
Example:
 In order to protect the athletes,
officials and spectators, the
organisers of the Athens Olympics
stepped up security measures.

SMK Serendah
Stop off
Meaning:
To make a short visit to a place during
journey
Example:
 On the way home for the holidays, Lily
stopped off at a popular store to get
her mother’s favourite butter cookies.

SMK Serendah
Sum up
Meaning:
To summarise; to form an opinion about
someone or something
Example:
 During a debate, the first speaker of
each team sums up the points after
all the speakers have spoken.

SMK Serendah
Swallow up
Meaning:
To use something (usually money) up
completely
Example:
 Even though Rizal obtained a pay rise,
it was swallowed up by the increase
in the price of petrol.

SMK Serendah
Take away
Meaning:
To buy cooked food and take it
somewhere else to eat
Example:
 We ordered a pizza to take away for
our pot-luck party.

SMK Serendah
Take down*
Meaning:
To write something down
Example:
 Sarojini asked the professor for
permission to tape his lecture but he
told her to take down notes instead.

SMK Serendah
Take off
Meaning:
To begin to fly (of aircraft); to suddenly
become successful or popular (of ideas,
product, etc)
Example:
 Due the stormy weather, the plane
could not take off and the flight was
delayed by two hours.

SMK Serendah
Take over
Meaning:
To gain control of something; to replace
in terms of importance or popularity
Example:
 When Mr. Loh retired from the family
business, his son took over.

SMK Serendah
Talk back
Meaning:
To reply in a rude manner
Example:
 Pupils who talk back to their teachers
ought to be reprimanded, otherwise,
they will continue the bad habit.

SMK Serendah
Talk over*
Meaning:
To discuss a problem or situation
thoroughly with someone
Example:
 Before making the decision to
immigrate, Mr. and Mrs. Foo talked
over the matter at great length.

SMK Serendah
Team up
Meaning:
To join someone to work on something
Example:
 Danny and Eugene have teamed up to
work on the new and challenging
project.

SMK Serendah
Tear away
Meaning:
To leave somebody or something
reluctantly
Example:
 When the Cantonese serial is on, my
mother cannot tear herself away
from the television.

SMK Serendah
Tear down
Meaning:
To demolish (a building)
Example:
 When news got around that the 125-
year-old school building was going to
be torn down, many former students
of the school turned up for the
demonstration to save their alma
mater.

SMK Serendah
Think back
Meaning:
To remember something from the past
Example:
 When I think back to my school days, I
am filled with nostalgia.

SMK Serendah
Think over*
Meaning:
To consider carefully
Example:
 It is the wise of Yun Chen to think
over the pros and cons of the new
pay scheme before deciding to accept
or reject it.

SMK Serendah
Thirst for
Meaning:
To want or crave for something
Example:
 The 93-year-old reverend still thirsts
for knowledge at his age and is
currently studying Aramaic, the
language of Jesus.

SMK Serendah
Throw away*
Meaning:
To get rid of something you do not want
Example:
 Instead of throwing away leaves and
grass clippings, we should allow them
to rot so that they could become
compost.

SMK Serendah
Thumb through
Meaning:
To look through a book or magazine
quickly
Example:
 While waiting for my friend, I spent a
few minutes thumbing through the
pages of recipe book at the new
bookshop.

SMK Serendah
Tick off
Meaning:
To speak angrily to someone; to mark
the entries on a list with a (√)
Example:
 The receptionist ticked off the names
of the interviewees as they came in.

SMK Serendah
Tidy up
Meaning:
To make a place tidy; to arrange
something so it is finished accurately
Example:
 You’d better tidy up this mess
before Mama comes home or
she’ll have a fit!

SMK Serendah
Tie down*
Meaning:
To stop someone from being free to do
their own thing
Example:
 Swee Eng’s mother told her that she
would help out with the
grandchildren whenever she needed
her but she would not want to be
tied down on a regular basis.

SMK Serendah
Tip off
Meaning:
To give someone secret information or
warning
Example:
 The customs officers caught the
smugglers red-handed at the border
town because the former had been
tipped off.

SMK Serendah
Tire out*
Meaning:
To make someone very tired
Example:
 It is impossible for Granny to look after
two hyperactive toddlers by herself;
they will tire her out.

SMK Serendah
Top up
Meaning:
To add more liquid to a container; to add
more of something, e.g. money
Example:
 The petrol in the car is rather low; we
must top it up before we begin our
journey.

SMK Serendah
Touch on
Meaning:
To deal with a particular subject briefly
Example:
 During the talk, the speaker did not
touch on religion because he
considered it a sensitive topic.

SMK Serendah
Track down*
Meaning:
To find or trace someone or something
that is difficult
Example:
 The hunter followed the trail and
tracked down the tigress and her cubs
at the lair.

SMK Serendah
Trade in*
Meaning:
To give a used article to a seller as partial
payment for a new one
Example:
 Betty was happy to be able to trade
in her old car for a new one.

SMK Serendah
Traffic in
Meaning:
To buy and sell illegal goods
Example:
 People who enter Malaysia are
warned not to traffic in drugs as the
penalty is death by hanging.

SMK Serendah
Try out*
Meaning:
To test something
Example:
 I know they have tried out the new
drugs on rats but they safe for human
consumption?

SMK Serendah
Tune in
Meaning:
To watch or listen to a broadcast
Example:
 On 31th August 2004, million of
viewers around the worlds tuned in
to watch the opening of the Olympic
Games in Athens.

SMK Serendah
Turn down
Meaning:
To decide not to accept; to lower the
volume
Example:
 The radio is too loud; please turn
down the music.

SMK Serendah
Turn off/on
Meaning:
To leave one road to travel on another
Example:
 This is where we part; I’m Going to
turn off here and take the road to the
village.

SMK Serendah
Turn up*
Meaning:
To suddenly appear; to make a machine
produce more heat, sound
Example:
 Although we did not invite Vicky to
our party, she turned up anyway.

SMK Serendah
Urge on
Meaning:
To encourage a person to do something
Example:
 Urged on by monetary rewards, the
golfer won the tournament and
brought home the much coveted
prize.

SMK Serendah
Use up*
Meaning:
To use all of something
Example:
 I’m sorry I’ve used up all the milk. all
the milk. You’ll have to use the non-
dairy creamer for your coffee.

SMK Serendah
Usher in
Meaning:
To mark the new start of something
Example:
 The revellers stayed up until midnight
to usher in the New Year.

SMK Serendah
Venture into/on
Meaning:
To dare to attempt something
Example:
 The inexperienced hikers ventured
into the thick forest with just a
flashlight and a day’s worth of
supplies.

SMK Serendah
Vouch for
Meaning:
To express confidence in a person; to
confirm a claim
Example:
 The dean of the university can vouch
for the honesty of his student who was
accused of plagiarism.

SMK Serendah
Wait up
Meaning:
To wait for someone to return before
you go to bed
Example:
 Mrs. Lingam always waits up for her
15-year old daughter whenever the
teenager goes for a late party.

SMK Serendah
Wake up
Meaning:
To start to be more interested; to make
you more lively or alert
Example:
 I’m so sleepy; I’d better have a cold
shower to wake me up.

SMK Serendah
Wake up to
Meaning:
To start to realise and understand a
danger, an idea, etc
Example:
 It’s time employers woke up to the fact
that if they did not employ new
graduates, the latter would never get
experience.

SMK Serendah
Walk out
Meaning:
To leave a place suddenly because you
dis approve of something
Example:
 As the VIP’s speech droned, half the
audience fell asleep while the other
half walked out.

SMK Serendah
Walk out on
Meaning:
To leave somebody you have a
relationship with or have a commitment
to
Example:
 It was irresponsible of Luke to walk
out on Rita when she told him she
was pregnant.

SMK Serendah
Waltz through
Meaning:
To achieve or do something without
difficulty
Example:
 Ramu hardly ever Studies yet he
always waltzes through his
examinations.

SMK Serendah
Wander off
Meaning:
To move away without telling anyone in
the group
Example:
 Please hold the children’s hands
when we are at the fun-fair; we don’t
want them to wander off and get
lost.

SMK Serendah
Want for
Meaning:
To not have something you need
Example:
 Encik Kassim provides well for his
family; his children never want for
anything.

SMK Serendah
Ward off
Meaning:
To protect against an illness or danger
Example:
 When his son’s illness went from bad
to worse, Mr. Soo consulted a medium
in the temple to ward off spirits that
he believed were causing his son’s
condition.

SMK Serendah
Warm up
Meaning:
To reheat food; to do gentle exercises
before dancing, sport; to start to
become enjoyable
Example:
 This soup is cold. I’ll warm it up in the
microwave oven.

SMK Serendah
Wash up
Meaning:
To wash dishes after a meal or cooking
Example:
 I enjoy cooking but I dislike to
washing up after it.

SMK Serendah
Watch out for
Meaning:
To be careful of something
Example:
 When you drive up to the highlands
during the rainy season, you have to
watch out for landslides.

SMK Serendah
Watch over
Meaning:
To take care of someone or something
Example:
 The sentry watches over the palace
grounds throughout the day and
night.

SMK Serendah
Wave down*
Meaning:
To signal to a motorists to stop
Example:
 The workmen along the partially
closed road waved down the
motorists on one side so that those
coming from the other direction
could go through.

SMK Serendah
Wear away/down
Meaning:
To remove the surface of something
gradually by continual rubbing or use
Example:
 When you drive up to the highlands
during the rainy season, you have to
watch out for landslides.

SMK Serendah
Wear off
Meaning:
To gradually stop or cease
Example:
 After the operation, the patient
began to feel pain when the
anaesthetic wore off.

SMK Serendah
Wear out*
Meaning:
To make someone feel tired; to spoil
something through usage
Example:
 The clock has stopped, the battery
must have worn out.

SMK Serendah
Weigh down*
Meaning:
To feel tired under a heavy load; to feel
worried about a problem or difficulty
Example:
 Many of our school children are
weighed down by heavy bags of books.

SMK Serendah
Weigh up
Meaning:
To compare choices or possibilities
before making a choice
Example:
 Fiona weighed up the pros and cons
of the new job before deciding
whether to take it or not

SMK Serendah
Win back
Meaning:
To regain someone or something that
you have lost
Example:
 The choir is practicing very hard to
win back the trophy which they had
lost the year before.

SMK Serendah
Wipe out
Meaning:
To destroy completely
Example:
 Although tuberculosis has not been
completely wiped out, research
institutes are focusing more on global
diseases like AIDS and cancer.

SMK Serendah
Work on
Meaning:
To spend time dealing with something
Example:
 Nizam could not come with us to
Pedu Lake because he still working
on his project.

SMK Serendah
Work out
Meaning:
To solve a problem by thinking; to do
physical exercises
Example:
 My sister is a health freak who works
out at the gym every day

SMK Serendah
Wrap up*
Meaning:
To complete a job, meeting, etc.
Example:
 The committee wrapped up the
meeting with a special note of thanks
to the outgoing chairman.

SMK Serendah
Write off*
Meaning:
To decide that someone or something is
unimportant or a failure; to cancel a
debt
Example:
 Hai Sin was grateful to his rich aunt
for writing off his father’s debts to
her after the old man passed away.

SMK Serendah
Write up
Meaning:
To write a report, article, etc. in full,
using notes you made earlier
Example:
 Since the secretary was absent, the
assistant secretary was asked to
write up a report of the proceedings
of the Historical Society.

SMK Serendah
Yearn for
Meaning:
To have a strong desire for something
Example:
 After having stayed abroad for five
years, Mui Kim missed her relatives
and friends and yearned for the sights
and sound of Malaysia.

SMK Serendah
Yield up
Meaning:
To show something that has been
hidden for a long time.
Example:
 Gradually, the mysterious family that
Kathy married into yielded up its dark
secrets.

SMK Serendah
Zero in on, zoom
in on
Meaning:
To direct all your attention towards a
particular person or thing
Example:
 My camera zeroed in on the mother
bird feeding her nestlings in the nest.

SMK Serendah
Zip up*
Meaning:
To fasten something with a zip
Example:
 It is important to zip up your bag
properly and lock it up before you
check it in at the airport.

SMK Serendah

Phrasal Verbs 2

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