Phrasal Verbs C - F

This is the phrasal verb reference section. Here there are definitions and examples for hundreds of phrasal verbs found in English.

Don't forget we have a phrasal verb exercise page.

call

Call After

Give the same name as something else.
They called their first son after the father's favorite footballer.

Call In

Manufacturer recalls a faulty product.
The company called in all the toasters because of faulty wiring.

Call In On

To visit for a short time.
If you are in the area, John, call in on me.

Call Off

Cancel, postpone.
The wedding was called off when the bride said she was a man.

Call Up

Ask someone to join the military in wartime.
He was called up even though he was nearly 30 at the time.

calm

Calm Down

Cause a person to become calmer.
She was hysterical at the news, but her sister calmed her down eventually.

care

Care About

Be concerned, worried about something.
He doesn't care about his wife!! He lets her do what she wants.
I wish more people would care about the economic situation in the third world.

Care For

1. Look after, provide food, shelter, etc for someone.
She is caring for her mother while she is ill.
2. Like something.
I don't care for football much. I prefer a good game of golf.

carry

Get/Be Carried Away

To be filled with emotion, lose self-control.
The team won their first two games and were totally carried away, thinking they could win the whole championship.

Carry Back

Cause to remember.
Seeing John at the party carried her back to when they were married.

Carry It Off

To do something very difficult with success.
He got worried when the audience asked him to juggle four dogs, but he carried it off and got a standing ovation.

Carry On

1. Continue
Despite the doctor's advice, he carried on smoking.
2. Complain, moan.
The way you are carrying on, you would think I had slept with your sister!!
3. Have relationship with.
Your brother is carrying on with that friend of his brother.

Carry Out

Do, perform.
We need to carry out more research into cancer.
He carried out his threat and left the company.

Carry Over

Hold for later discussion.
They carried over the discussion on the company's finances until the following week.

Carry Through

Complete a promise, threat.
If you leave me, I will carry through my threat to take the children.

carve

Carve Out

Achieve something using hard work.
He is carving out a great career for himself in journalism.

cash

Cash In

Take advantage of currently favorable circumstances...which may change.
You should cash in on those shares now and not wait any longer.
Some computer shops cashed in on the fear of the Millennium Bug.

cast

Cast Out

Force a person to go away, leave.
The thief was cast out of the village after his second warning.

Cast Round For

To look for, search quickly.
When the tiger entered the village, the hunter cast around for a weapon.

catch

Catch On

1. Become popular.
I don't think those paper shoes will ever catch on.
2. To realize, understand.
He was joking with me all the time but I didn't catch on.

Catch Out

Discover a person doing wrong: lying, stealing, cheating, etc.
If you are cheating at this game, I will catch you out.

Catch Up With

Reach same position as someone.
Go ahead. I have to do something and I will catch up with you later.

Catch Up On

1. Get self up to date with news, friends, etc.
I haven't seen you for a fortnight. I have to catch up on all your news.
2. Do something which you have ignored recently.
When I go on holiday, I like to catch up on my reading.

Phrasal Verbs C - F

call

calm