- Phrasal Verbs (Sentence examples: identify with – knock up)
- Phrasal Verbs (Sentence examples: lie around – look up to)
Phrasal Verb |
Meaning |
Example Sentence |
lapse into |
To pass gradually into a worse state or condition. |
He lapsed into a coma after suffering a brain hemorrhage. |
lay about |
To beat violently on all sides.+ |
He laid about his would-be pickpocket with his walking stick. |
lay aside |
To temporarily suspend doing something. |
They may decide to lay aside the building project until the rainy season ends. |
To save for future use. |
The couple lay/lays aside an amount of money for a summer holiday. |
|
lay away |
To reserve for future use. |
The land has been laid away for a housing project. |
lay down |
To stop fighting. |
A call for ceasefire was ignored as both sides refused to lay down their arms. |
To formulate rule, principle, etc. |
The document lays down clear guidelines on the use of chemicals. |
|
To store wine in a cellar for drinking in the future. |
It is an underground cellar where they lay down wine. |
|
lay in |
To store away a supply of something for future use. |
Residents in this remote region usually lay in sufficient food in case they are cut off by adverse weather conditions. |
lay into |
To carry out a physical or verbal attack against someone. |
No one knew why she suddenly laid into him. |
lay off |
To discharge a worker temporarily or permanently |
Mark was laid off after working for the company for twenty years. |
To stop doing or using something |
She warned him to lay off excessive alcohol or she would leave him. |
|
lay on |
To provide something such as food, entertainment, etc. |
They laid on a generous buffet for visitors to their sales promotion. |
lay out |
To arrange or spread out something. |
Miniature models of houses and buildings in a new housing estate were laid out for viewing. |
To spend large amount of money. |
He has no hesitation in laying out hundreds of dollars on a hotel room for a night. |
|
To knock unconscious. |
He was laid out for a few minutes when a ball struck him on the head. |
|
lay over |
To make a stopover when going on a journey. |
He usually lays over when driving on a long journey. |
lead off |
To start or begin. |
He led off by thanking those present for joining in the discussion. |
lead on |
To deceive. |
How long is he going to let her lead him on before the truth dawns on him? |
lead to |
To join directly to some place. |
We took a wrong turn which led us to an old cemetery. |
To result in something happening |
A reward for information led to the capture of the murderer. |
|
lead up to |
To give an account of something. |
The television documentary recounted the events leading up to the bombing of the airport. |
leaf through |
To turn pages quickly without serious reading. |
Bob leafed through many magazines while waiting at the clinic. |
lean against |
To rest something against something else so that it is supported. |
He leaned a ladder against the gutter to reach the roof. |
lean on |
To derive support from. |
In times of difficulty it would be great to have someone to lean on for support. |
lean towards |
To have a tendency. |
Police believe the group is leaning towards terrorism. |
leave aside |
To not include something. |
Let’s leave that aside as it is not relevant in this discussion. |
leave behind |
To forget to take something with you. |
I have this feeling that I have left something behind, but can’t figure out what it is. |
To have surviving relatives after one’s death. |
The deceased left behind a wife and two children. |
|
To go away from a place without taking something along. |
The tourists left behind a trail of litter. |
|
To go away and cause something such as damage and destruction to remain. |
The storm has passed, leaving behind a trail of devastation. |
|
To lag or fall behind. |
You will get left behind if you don’t work as hard as the others. |
|
leave off |
To stop doing something. |
Let’s continue from where we left off. |
leave out |
To not include someone or something. |
This is the first time he is left out of the squad for the World Cup. |
let down |
To disappoint someone. |
He really let us down by not turning up to show us how to do it. |
To withdraw support. |
The few of them let the candidate down by switching their support to his opponent. |
|
let in |
To allow something to enter. |
Let’s open the windows and let the air in. |
To allow someone to enter. |
She believed the house was haunted as the bedroom door once opened by itself to let her in. |
|
To place oneself in a difficult situation. |
He’s beginning to realize how much trouble he is letting himself in by borrowing heavily from different sources. |
|
let in on |
To trust someone. |
She’s prepared to let me in on her secret recipe if I promised not to tell other people about it. |
let into |
To allow someone to enter. |
They only let certain individuals into the building. |
let off |
To not punish someone. |
If you pluck my apples again, I’ll not let you off. |
To make something explode. |
Someone tied a string of firecrackers to a dog’s tail and let them off. |
|
let on |
To reveal something. |
He made her promise not to let on that he did it. |
let out |
To allow someone or something to leave. |
It usually barks when it wants to be let out. |
To utter a sound. |
When she heard the news, she let out a sigh of relief. |
|
To make an item of clothing looser. |
She’s letting some of her clothes out as she has put on weight. |
|
let up |
To stop or abate. |
It looks like the rain is not going to let up, so what shall we do? |
To become less determined. |
The rescuers will not let up in their effort to find the missing victims. |
|
level against |
To direct accusation at someone. |
They have yet to prove the charges relating to embezzlement leveled against him. |
level at |
To aim something such as criticism, accusation, etc. at someone. |
All he can ever do is level criticism at others for their mistakes. |
level off |
To not fluctuate. |
Prices of houses in the area have leveled off after recent hike. |
level out |
To move horizontally. |
After reaching the height of 20,000 feet, the plane leveled out. |
level with |
To speak frankly. |
The candidate’s aides will level with him about what the voters are saying about him. |