19. Focus on: phrasal verbs and the adverb right

The adverb right is often used to intensify the meaning of a phrasal verb. Placed before the particle, right means directly, immediately, or quickly. It is not important whether the phrasal verb is intransitive, separable, or nonseparable. What does matter is whether the action of the verb is something that can logically be done directly, immediately, or quickly. For example, it would be illogical to use right with stand around, or wear down:

She aimed right at me. (She aimed directly at me.)

I'll bring it right over. (I'll bring it over immediately.)

The room warmed right up. (The room warmed up quickly.)

Right can be used when a separable phrasal verb is separated by its object; how­ever, right cannot be used when the object follows the particle:

He brought my radio right back. Ho brought right back my radio.

1. aim ... at p.v. When you point a weapon at people or things, you aim it at them.

The robber aimed the gun right at my head.

He was aiming the arrow at the apple, but he missed.

2. aim at p.v. When you aim at something you want, you do what is necessary to get it.

The manager said she was aiming at a 14 percent increase in sales next year.

The new taw is aimed at reducing crime in the streets.

3. aim ... at p.v. When you do something designed to affect one class or type of people, you aim it at those people.

Cigarette manufacturers were accused of aiming their advertising at young people.

The candidate's speech was aimed at female voters.

1. bring... back p.v. When you take something to another place and then bring it from that place to the place where you were before, you bring it back.

I told Tom to bring my pen right back.

Sally borrowed my blue sweater and brought it back yesterday.

2. bring... back p.v. When something that was popular or current in the past is introduced again, it is brought back.

Many schools are bringing back uniforms for children.

Every few years designers try to bring miniskirts back.

3. bring... back p.v. When something causes you to recall memories and emotions from the past, it brings the memories and emotions back.

Looking at these old pictures brought back wonderful memories.

I had tried to forget that awful incident, but this magazine article has brought it all back.

1. bring... over p.v. When people take something from one place to the place where you are, they bring it over.

I called Frank to ask if I could use his electric drill, and he brought it right over.

Linda is going to bring her wedding pictures over tonight.

1. cool off p.v. When the temperature of a thing or place becomes lower, it cools off.

It was really hot yesterday, but it cooled off in the evening.

This is too hot — I'll eat it after it cools off.

2. cool... off p.v. When people or things cause a thing or place to become cooler, they cool it off.

The coffee was really hot, but he put an ice cube in it and it cooled right off.

This bath is too hot. Put more cold water in it to cool it off.

3. cool off p.v. When you become less angry or less excited, you cool off.

He's furious now, but he'll cool off by morning.

Their passion for each other has cooled off.

1. go back (to) p.v. When you return to a place where you were before, you go back or go back to that place.

That restaurant was terrible. We'll never go back.

Dorothy left the Emerald City and went back to Kansas.

2. go back (to) p.v. When a condition, problem, practice, or custom goes back to a certain time, it began at that time.

The tradition of saluting in the military goes back to the Middle Ages.

His drug problem goes back to his college years.

3. go back (to) p.v. When you are discussing the age of something, you go back or go back to when it was created or started.

This table is very valuable. It goes back to the 1760s.

The archeologist found ruins that go back 5,000 years.

1. hand ...over (to) p.v. When you give something to people because they demand it, because they require it, or because you are not its rightful owner, you hand it over or hand it over to them. Turn over is similar to hand over.

I found some money in the street, and I handed it over to the police.

That's my calculator — hand it right over!

handover n. When you transfer ownership or control of something to someone because that person has demanded it or because you are not its rightful owner, a handover takes place.

The Chinese celebrated Britain's handover of Hong Kong.

The President demanded the immediate handover of the occupied territory.

2. hand ...over p.v. When you give someone responsibility for an important project, duty, or problem, you hand that project, duty, or problem over or hand it over to someone.

Mr. Wilson retired and handed control of the company over to his son.

The TV news anchor handed the show over to the reporter at the White House.

1. pull... over p.v. When you are driving and then move your vehicle to the side of the road, reduce your speed, and then stop, you pull over or pull your vehicle over.

I pulled over to fix a flat tire. We're lost.

Let's pull the car over and ask someone for directions.

2. pull... over p.v. When you are driving and a police officer signals you to move your vehicle to the side of the road, reduce your speed, and stop, the police officer pulls you over or pulls the vehicle over.

Jim was driving on the wrong side of the road, and he got pulled over by the state police.

When the police officer saw the driver go through a red light, he pulled the car right over.

1. warm up p.v. When the temperature of a thing or place becomes higher, it warms up.

It's cold outside. I hope it warms up before the picnic.

I set the thermostat at eighty degrees, and the house warmed right up.

2. warm... up p.v. When people or things cause a thing or place to become warmer, they warm it up.

The fireplace doesn't really warm the house up much.

That soup is cold. You can warm it up in the microwave.

warmed up part.adj. After a thing or place has become warmer, it is warmed up.

Give the baby the bottle with the flowers on it; it's warmed up.

3. warm... up p.v. When you allow a mechanical device to run for a short time before being used, you warm it up. When a mechanical device runs for a short time before being used, it warms up.

You should always warm your car up for a few minutes before you go anywhere.

In the winter I always let my car warm up while I eat breakfast.

warmed up part.adj. After a mechanical device has been allowed to warm up and is ready to be used, it is warmed up.

We have to go — is the car warmed up yet?

4. warm up p.v. When you do light exercises before playing a sport or exercising with greater effort, you warm up. When performers play musical instruments or sing just before a performance in order to be ready, they warm up.

Before a race most runners warm up with stretching exercises.

The singer warmed up in her dressing room before the concert.

warm-up n. Light exercises done before playing a sport or exercising with greater effort are called a warm-up. When a performer plays an instrument or sings just before a performance in order to be ready, this is a warm-up.

The runners got to the stadium early so they would have time for a warm-up.

warm-up n. Warm-up clothes are worn during a warm-up. Warm-up exercises are done before playing a sport or exercising. A warm-up game, round, and so on, is played in order to warm up for the actual game.

The baseball players wore their warm-up jackets when they weren't on the field.