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Phrasal Verbs T - Z

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.

watch

Watch Out

Be careful, cautious.
With all this ice on the roads, watch out when you are driving.

Watch Over

Be responsible for safety, well-being of someone.
We need a new babysitter to watch over the children.

water

Water Down

Dilute, add water to reduce strength of something.
This beer is terrible. I think someone has watered it down.

wear

Wear Away

Use and damage something with constant use, exposure.
The wind has worn away the inscription on the stone.

Wear Down

Cause to become weaker, smaller, etc.
I have worn down these shoes totally. I need new ones.

Wear Off

Reduce the effects of something.
My headache isn't wearing off. I think I will take an aspirin.

Wear On

Time to pass.
As the evening wore on, I got really tired.

Wear Out

Make tired.
The children really wore me out today. I am exhausted.

weigh

Weigh Against

Count against in a decision.
His previous criminal conviction will weigh against him.

Weigh Down

Cause a person to be tired, depressed, stressed.
All this new responsibility is really weighing down on me.

Weigh In

Contribute to a discussion, etc.
Everyone gave money to the cause. Even James weighed in with a hundred dollars.

Weigh On

Cause concern in someone's mind.
His illness weighed on my mind for nearly a year before he recovered.

Weigh Up

Consider the advantages and disadvantages before deciding.
Don't take the job without weighing up everything.

Weigh With

Influence someone.
The new witness's evidence didn't weigh much with the jury.

while

While Away

Pass time in a casual, lazy way.
I spent an hour by the canal just whiling the afternoon away.

win

Win Over

Convince finally.
His final argument won over the jury and the case was won.

Win Round

Gain a person's friendship.
He won his mother-in-law round by buying her a new house.

wind

Wind Down

Cause to slow down.
The party started to wind down at about two o'clock.

Wind Up

1. Excite.
His behavior wound up the crowd and the police told him to calm down.
2. Cause a business to stop.
His company wound up last year due to bankruptcy.
3. Finish, end.
If you drive like that, you'll wind up in hospital.

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