Purpose
Phrasal Verbs are basic verbs which can combine with different prepositions (or articles) to make verbs with completely new (and often unguessable) meanings. They are used more in speaking than in writing.
Articles Related
Meaning
| phrasal verb | meaning | example |
|---|---|---|
| do without | manage without | We'll have to do without a holiday this year as money is so short |
| do away with | abolish | Slavery was not done away with until the nineteemth century |
| do out of | prevent from having (by deceit) | He did me out of my rightful inheritance |
| do up | renovate, punt into a bundle, fasten, | We're planning to do up our bathroom at the week-end. If you do up the newspapers, I'll take them to be recycled |
| make for | move in the direction of | Let's make for the city centre and find a restaurant on the way |
| make of | think (opinion) | What do you make of him ? |
| make off | leave hurriedly | He made off as soon as he heard their car turn into the drive |
| make up for | compensate for | The superb food at the hotel made up for the uncomfortable rooms |
| make up to | be nice to in order to get st | He made up to her until she agreed to help |
| make up | compose, invent, consitute, form, put cosmetics on, prepare by mixing together various ingredients, make something more numerous complete | A human being is made up of many, often conflicting, desires. Take this prescription to the chemist and she'll make it up for you |
| make out | manage to see, understand, claim, write, complete | Can you make out the little grey house on the shore ? I find it impossible to make Jo out. He made out that he had never loved anyone else. |
Most expressions referring to work or duty use do whereas those which lead to an end product (e.g. tea, a cake, a noise, a toy boat, a profit, a noise) use make.
Word forks
| Verb | Word forks |
|---|---|
| make up | a story her face an excuse the prescription |
| make out | a cheque a case for her defence some figures in the distance the outline of the coast a shopping list |
| do with | a cup of thea a cold drink some help some advice something to eat |
| do up | the bedroom your buttons her dress the house your coat |