Business phrasal verbs PHRASAL VERB DEFINITION EXAMPLE ask around ask many people the same question I need a good real estate agent. Could you ask around and see if anyone knows one? back * up support Thanks for backing me up in the meeting. call * back return a phone call We have a bad connection. I'll call you back in a few minutes. call * off cancel Management is going call the meeting off because so many people are out sick day. check in arrive and register at a hotel or airport We checked in around 5 p.m. and then got something eat. check in (with someone) talk with someone ensure things are going okay As a manager, I feel it's important check in with everyone on my team at least once a day. check out leave a hotel We checked out a few hours late and had pay an extra fee.
check * out look at carefully, investigate I'm not sure why the copier isn't working. I'll check it out. in chip/pitch help We should be able finish quickly if everyone pitches in. across come unexpectedly find I was reading last night and I came across a couple of phrasal verbs I had never seen before. count on rely on We have a great team. I can count on everyone do their best. cut back on consume less It's a ugh economy. We're trying cut back on unnecessary expenses. cut in interrupt Can I cut in and say something, please? do * over do again I can't believe I closed the document without saving. Now I'm going have do the whole thing over. do away with discard; put an end They did away with bonuses last year because their profits were so low.
drop * off take someone/somethi ng somewhere and leave them/it there My car was in the shop, so Kevin dropped me off at my house. by drop/sp come without an appointment; visit briefly John dropped by my office talk about last month's sales figures. end up eventually reach, do, or decide At first I thought I wanted be an accountant. Then, I studied finance. I ended up getting my degree in management, though. figure * out understand; find the answer I can't figure out why the printer isn't working. I've tried everything, and it still won't work. fill * out write information in blanks Please fill out these forms and bring them on your first day of work. find out gain knowledge about something I just found out how forward my email from one account another.
get * back receive something that you had before It's a secure area, so you have leave your cell phone with the guard. You'll get it back when you exit the building. get back at retaliate; take revenge on someone He might get back at you for asking him so many ugh questions during his presentation. get in 1. enter 2. arrive 1. Get in the car. I'll give you a ride. 2. I worked late last night and didn't get in until after 9 p.m. get over recover I was upset that I didn't get the promotion, but I got over it after a while. get gether gather, assemble This weekend I'm going get gether with some friends from college. get up 1. get out of bed 2. stand 1. I get up late on the weekends because I have get up really early during the week. 2. He got up and walked the podium give his speech.
give in reluctantly sp fighting or arguing Management didn't want give in the union's demands, but in the end they had no choice. give * up quit a habit or quit doing a certain activity I gave up checking Facebook at work. I'm trying be more productive. give up sp trying Just because we failed the first time doesn't mean we should give up. We just need a new approach. go after 1. follow someone 2. try achieve something 1. Pam will give her talk first, and Scott will go after her. 2. If we got their business, they would be our biggest client. I'm really going go after the account. go against compete; oppose We're going against three or four other contracrs. Be sure bid low. go over review I want go over last month's numbers with you.
hand * in submit (a report, a paper, etc) I forgot hand in my expense reports. Now I won't get reimbursed until next month. hand * out distribute the same thing a group of people I'll start explaining the changes while Jason hands out a copy of the new policy. on hang/hold wait for a short time (informal) Could you hang on for a second? I'll be right there. keep * up continue doing something You're doing a fantastic job. Keep it up! let * down disappoint; not help or support Our suppliers promised us we'd have the shipment yesterday. We still haven't received our order. They really let us down. let * in allow enter I forgot my badge again. Hopefully someone else is in the office and can let me in. look * over check; examine Could you look over this report make sure there are no mistakes? look forward be excited about something in the future I'm looking forward the three-day weekend.
look in investigate We're looking in ways cut costs. look out for be careful, vigilant, and take notice look up have a lot of respect for someone You must always look out for new business opportunities. I look up Madeline. She has been with the company for many years and is extremely knowledgeable. make * up 1. invent (a sry, lie, excuse, reason, etc.) 2. compensate for something 1. I don't believe their sry. I think they made it up. 2. I didn't get anything accomplished yesterday. I'm going have work extra hard day make up for it. make up resolve an argument or quarrel Are they still fighting about that? I thought they had made up a while ago? mix * up confuse two or more things I always mix their names up. Which one is Bob, and which one is Brad? not care for not like (formal) I don't care for team building activities. I think they are a waste of time.
pass * out give the same thing many people Carly is passing out a schedule of day's events. pass * up decline (usually something good) Don't pass up on this great opportunity. Place your order day. put * off postpone I haven't done my taxes yet. I've been putting it off for a long time. put * gether assemble How long will it take put gether a proposal? run in encounter someone unexpectedly I ran in Stacey from Accounting in the supermarket yesterday. send * back return The product was defective. We're sending it back. set * up arrange; organize I'll set up the conference call and send you the invite. around shop compare prices We should bid low on this one. They always shop around.
sort * out organize or resolve a problem There was some confusion with the schedule. No one is sure who is on call this weekend. We're calling a meeting sort it out. take * back 1. return an item 2. retract a statement 1. This product isn't what I expected. I'm going take it back the sre. 2. I didn't mean it. I take it back. think * over consider Honestly, I don't know what I'm going do. The job offer is great, but I'm not sure I want leave my current position. I'll have think it over. try * out test or use something experimentally We're going try it out for a few weeks and let you know what we think. If we like it, we'll place an order. turn * down 1. decrease the volume or strength of something (volume, heat, etc.) 2. reject an offer 1. Could you turn your music down so I can take this call? 2. They turned down our proposal. use * up finish the supply I can't believe it's only May and I've already used up all my sick days.