2. To prevent from getting to or on to (something): ? This umbrella isn't pretty,

but it keeps off rain.

keep to — not to leave or go away from: ? Keep to this side of the park!

keep up — to remain in good condition: ? He was finding it difficult to keep up

the garden.

kneel down — to go into a kneeling position: ? She knelt down to look under the

table.

knock off — to cause to fall off by striking: ? He knocked her hat off with his

umbrella.

knock out — to make unconscious by a blow or (in boxing) unable to recover within

the required time: ? The boxer knocked his opponent out in the third round

lack for — {formal: usually in neg.) not to have enough: ? In any case, they don't

lack for money.

laugh at — to make it obvious that one regards something or someone as humorous,

ridiculous or deserving scorn: ? Не was not sure that it was a good idea, but the

others laughed at his fears.

lay aside — to put away or to one side, especially to be used or dealt with later

time: ? She laid aside several boxes that might be in use, and threw the rest out.

lay out — to spread so as to be easily seen: ? He laid out the contents of the box on

the table.

lean on — to use as a support: ? The lame man leaned on a stick.

leave out — not to include or put in: ? You've left out a word in that sentence.

let down — to disappoint or fail to help when necessary, etc.: ? She felt he had let her

down by not coming.

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lie back — (fig,) to rest, especially after a period of hard work: ? I thought I'd just

lie back and enjoy myself.

light up 1. to make, be or become full of light: о The powerful searchlight lit up

the building.

2. (fig.) to make or become happy: ? Her face lit up when she saw him.

line up 1. to form a line (of): ? The children lined up ready to leave the classroom.

2. to collect, prepare and arrange: ? I have lined up several important people for

you to meet.

live on — to be supported (financially) by: о Не lives on $50 a week.

look after — to attend to or take care of: ? She is paid to look after the children.

look down on — to think of (someone or something) as being inferior: a She has

always looked down on us for not having a car.

look for — to search for: ? She lost her handbag and wasted ten minutes looking

for it.

look forward to — to wait with pleasure for (something which is going to happen):

П I am looking forward to seeing you.

look on 1. to watch something without taking part: ? No, I don't want to play —

I'd rather look on.

2. (with as) to think of or consider: ? I have lived with my aunt since I was a

baby, and look on her as my mother.

look through — to look at or study, usually briefly: ? I've looked through your

report and made some notes on it.

look up — to search for in a book of reference: ? You should look the word up (in

a dictionary).

make for — to go towards: a We're making for Glasgow, via York.

make out — to see, hear or understand: n Can you make out what he's trying to say?

make up 1. to invent: ? He made up the whole story — it's all lies.

2. to compose or be part(s) of: ? Ten poems make up the entire book.

3. to apply cosmetics to (the face) О I don't like to see women making up (then-

faces) in public.

make up for — to supply a reward, substitute, etc. for (disappointment, damage,

loss of money or time, etc.): О This will make up for all the occasions when

you've lost.

marry off — to find a husband or wife for (one's son or daughter): ? He managed to

marry off all his daughters to wealthy or aristocratic young men.

melt down — to melt (metal object) so that it loses its shape: ? He melted down

the stolen silver articles into lumps of metal.

mess about/around — (with with) to meddle or interfere with: ? Who's been

ing about with my papers?

mess up — to spoil; to make a mess of: о My husband's broken leg has really messed

up our holiday plans.

miss out — to omit or fail to include: ? Don't miss out your brother when you send

round the invitation.

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mix up 1. to blend (different things) together: О Put the eggs and sugar in the bowl

and mix them up together.

2. to confuse or muddle (different things): ? I mixed the dates up and arrived on

the wrong day.

mop up — to clean (something) away (using a mop, cloth, piece of paper, etc.): ? He

mopped up the mess with his handkerchief.

move in — to go into and occupy a house, etc.: a We can move in on Saturday.

move off — (of vehicles, etc.) to begin moving away: О The bus moved off just as I got

to the bus stop.

nod off — to fall asleep: о He nodded off while she was speaking to him.

note down — to write down: a He noted down what she said.

open on to (of a door, etc.) to open towards (a garden, etc.): О Our front door opens

(straight) on to the street — we have no front garden.

open up — to open (a shop, etc.): ? They've opened up a new bookshop in the

High Street.

order about — to keep on giving orders (to someone): ? I'm tired of him ordering

me about all the time.

pack off — to send away, usually quickly and without wasting time: о Не packed off

his children to do their homework, П They packed the children off to bed early.

part with — to give away or be separated from: ? He doesn't like parting with money.

pass away — to die: ? Her grandmother passed away last night.

pass by — to go past: о I was passing by when the bride arrived at the church.

pass out — to faint: О I feel as though I'm going to pass out.

pay back — to punish, have revenge on: ? I'll pay you back for that!

pay off — to pay in full and discharge (workers) because they are no longer needed:

О Hundreds of steelworkers have been paid off.

pick at — to eat very little of (something): n He was not very hungry, and just picked

at the food on his plate.

pick on — to speak to or treat (a person) angrily or critically: О Don't pick on me

because we didn't get this finished on time — it wasn't my fault.

pick out — to choose or select: ? She picked out one dress that she particularly liked.

pick up 1. to learn gradually, without formal teaching: П I never studied Italian —

I just picked it up when I was in Italy.

2. to collect (something) from somewhere: о I ordered some meat from the butcher

— I'll pick it up on my way home.

3. to recover (health): ? He has been very ill, but he's picking up again now.

plug in — to connect up or be connected up, by inserting its main plug into a

socket: О Could you plug in the electric kettle, please?

point out — to indicate or draw attention to: ? He pointed out his house to her.

pop up — to appear: ? I never know where he'll pop up next.

profit from/by — to gain profit(s) from: о The business profited from its exports.

pull down — to destroy or demolish (buildings): ? They pulled down the old shop and

built a supermarket.

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pull on — to put on (a piece of clothing) hastily: ? She pulled on a sweater.

pull up — (of a driver or vehicle) to stop: ? He pulled up at the traffic lights.

put aside — to abandon (work , etc.) temporarily: ? She put aside her needlework.

put away — to return (something) to its proper place: о She put her clothes away in

the dresser.

put off 1. to switch off: ? Please, put the light off!

2. to delay; to postpone: ? He put off leaving/his departure till Thursday.

3. to cancel an arranged meeting, etc. with (a person): ? I had to put the Browns

off because I had flu.

put on 1. to switch on: a Put the light on!

2. to dress oneself in: ? Which shoes are you going to put on?

3. to present or produce (a play, etc): a They're putting on "Hamlet" next week.

put out 1. to extinguish (a fire, light, etc.): ? The fire brigade soon put out the fire.

2. to issue: ? They put out a distress call.

put up — to build, to erect: ? They're putting up some new houses.

put up with — to bear patiently; to tolerate: a I cannot put up with all this noise.

puzzle over/about — to think long and carefully about, and try to solve (a problem

etc): a I puzzled over the letter for hours.

quarrel with (formal) to disagree with (something): о I wouldn't quarrel with your

analysis of the situation.

queue up — to form, or stand in a queue: n People are queueing up for tickets for

the concert.

rattle off — to say (something) quickly and usually without any feeling or

expression: ? The boy rattled off the poem as if he was reading a telephone

direc- tory.

reach across/out/over — to try to touch, grasp or take (something) by stretching

out one's hand: ? He reached across/out/over for the last cake.

reason with — to argue with (a person) in order to persuade him to be more

sensible: ? We tried to reason with the worried mother but she went out alone