Common Phrasal Verbs Alphabetical List A

Abide by

 

Respect or obey (the law, a decision, a rule...)

If you want to stay at this school, you must abide by the rules.

Account for

Give a reason or an explanation

I hope you can account for all the money you spent.

Data show delta variant accounted for some 22.7% of cases.

Ache for

Want someone or something very much

He was so lonely he ached for the sound of a human voice.

 

Act on

Take action as a result of something

The police decided to act on the anonymous call they received.

Act out

 

Demonstrate something with gestures and actions

The children acted out the scene in the classroom.

Act up

Cause pain or annoyance by functioning badly

Dad’s poor knee is acting up again.

Add up

Make sense; seem reasonable

She explained what happened but the details she gave just don’t add up.

Adhere to

Support; follow; act in accordance with

All contestants must adhere to the rules.

Advise against

Recommend not to do something

The doctor advised him against carrying heavy loads.

Agree with

Have the same opinion as some else

I agree with you. I think she deserves the award too.

Aim at

Direct towards a target

The policeman aimed his gun at the hijacker.

 Allow for

 Take into consideration;  include in a calculation

It will take longer. You have to allow for heavy traffic at rush hour.” “We must allow for food expenses too. Let’s add 20€ per person.” 

 Allude to

 Mention or make reference to something in an indirect way

I don’t understand. What problem is she alluding to? 

 Amount to

 Reach; be equivalent to

The total repair work will amount to 1200€.” “His statement amounted to a confession.

 Angle for

Try to obtain something by hinting or suggestin

From the way he’s speaking I suspect Tom is angling for a free ticket.

 Answer back

 Reply rudely to someone in authority when you are expected to remain silent

I’m your teacher. Don’t answer back!

 Answer for

 Be held responsible for something

Normally parents have to answer for their children’s behaviour.

Speak on behalf of someone. 

I agree with your proposal, but I can’t answer for my associate.”

 Answer to

 Be responsible to/be controlled by (someone)

Who do you answer to in your job?”

 Appeal to

 Plead or make an earnest request

The organisers appealed to the crowd to stay calm.

Be attractive or interesting.

The idea of camping in the woods doesn’t appeal to me at all.

 

 Apply for

 Make a formal request for something (job, permit, loan, etc.)

When he saw the advertisement he decided to apply for the job.

 Arrive at

 Reach (an agreement, a decision, a conclusion)

It is hoped that they will arrive at an agreement at the end of the meeting.

 

 Ask after

 Enquire about someone’s well-being

My mother is always asking after you.

 

 Ask around

 Mention it to people you see or meet

I’ll ask around and see if anyone has seen your cat.

 

 Ask in

 Invite someone to come inside

I couldn’t leave her standing outside in the cold so I asked her in.

 

 Ask out

 Invite someone to lunch, dinner, the cinema

John has asked Mary out several times.

 

 Attest to

Prove to be true; bear witness to

The number of visitors attests to the popularity of the website.

 

 Avail (oneself) of

 Take advantage of something (an opportunity)

When the sales begin you should avail yourself of the opportunity and buy that coat.

 

 Average out at

 Result in an average (amount)

The price of lunch averages out at $10 per person.

 

 

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