Learn English Vocabulary: 2000 idioms and Phrasal verbs in English speaking with Example

Come out of = leave a place

The bear came out of the cave

On purpose = intentionally

I didn’t do it on purpose, it just happened so.

At least = not less than

You need to stay in bed for at least three days.

By heart = by memorizing

Learn this poem by heart for tomorrow.

Tell apart = to see the difference

Can you tell the twins apart?

Show up = arrive at a place; turn up.

She showed up three hours late?

All ears = eager to listen.

I am all ears.

As far as I know = if I have correct information

As far as I know, he stayed home all day.

Grow up = become an adult; mature.

I grew up in China and then moved to America.

Let someone know = inform someone.

Let me know if you need anything else.

Right away = immediately.

It’s very important to do it right away.

What for = why

I have to go back to the office.-What for?

For good = forever

After her death he left town for good.

Call off = to cancel something

The open-air concert was called off because of rain.

Pass away = die

My grandmother passed away last year.

Stand up = to rise

He stood up to shake her hand.

As well = also; too

He knows math and physics as well.

On the weekend = on Saturdays and Sundays

I take my son to the park on the weekend.

Go on = to continue

Please go on reading.

Die out = to cease to exist

Dinosaurs died out millions of years ago.

Fall asleep = go to sleep

Don’t fall asleep when you’re driving!

Come back = to return

We were away on vacation. We came back yesterday.

For example = for instance; as an example; say

We are different. I am older, for example.

Word for word = in the same words

Tell me word for word what he said.

All the same = no difference

If it’s all the same to you, let’s start at two.

Can’t afford = be unable to pay for; don’t have enough money

I’d love to buy that house, but I can’t afford it.

Bring up = raise children

They brought up their children in Italy.

Put down = set something on a surface

When he finished letter, he put down his pencil.

Take place = happen

The accident took place on Oak Street.

Find out = to discover

I found out that he lied to me.

Slow down = to reduce the speed of something

The car slowed down before the turn.

Look for = try to find; search for; seek

What are you looking for?

Pass out = to lose consciousness

She passed out. Call the ambulance!

All thumbs = clumsy

He can’t fix anything, he’s all thumbs.

Come down = to fall

The tree came down with a loud crash.

Catch a cold = get a cold; come down with a cold

He caught a cold last weekend.

Keep out = not to enter

Private property! Keep out!

It’s time = should do it right away

Hurry up! It’s time to go!

Have no idea = don’t know; don’t have a clue

She has no idea when the meeting is.

Cut off = remove; cut away

The boy cut off his sister’s hair.

So far = up to now

So far, I have read three book by Stephen King.

Far from = be a long way from a place

The house is far from the city.

Just my luck! = Bad luck! Hard luck!

They lost my job application. Just my luck!

Hurry up = do something quickly

Hurry up! Or we will be late.

Burn with = to want something very much

He’s burning with the desire to get rich.

Write back = reply by letter; answer; acknowledge

I have to write back to my friend.

All of a sudden = suddenly

All of a sudden it became cloudy and began to rain.

Black out = to faint; to lose consciousness

She blacked out, fell down, and hurt her knee.

Give back = to return something

He gave back the money that he owed.

Goodness knows = nobody knows

Goodness knows what will happen next.

Become of = to happen to someone

What will become of him?

Bump into = to meet someone by chance

I bumped into an old friend today

Not at all = not in any way

Do you mind? Not, not at all.

Go away = to leave

Don’t go away, please wait here.

Go together = to match

This scarf and this dress don’t go together.

Wake up = to awake

He wakes up at seven o’clock.

At last = finally; in the end;

At last the Sun came up over the horizon.

Work for = to get a certain pay for work

He agreed to work for 5,000$ a month.

In time = before the limit of some time

He ran, but he didn’t arrive in time to catch the train.

Come into = to enter (some place, position, state)

Mary came into the room.

Take back = to take, return, accept

He took back his words and apologized.

Point at (to)someone or something = to direct (a finger, gun , attention) to someone (something); hint at something

Don’t point a finger at people!

As usual = in the normal way

As usual, he was talking about himself.

At this point = at this time

At this point, we can’t turn back.

No way = I don’t believe it

You are forty years old? No way! You look so young!

clear up = to clean; to tidy up

We need to clear up the living room.

at all = (not) in the smallest degree

He doesn’t know English at all.

by the way = incidentally; in addition

By the way, her father is a doctor.

burst with = to be extremely full of something

The room was bursting with people.

turn into = turn into someone (something); to change into someone (something)

He has turned into a monster.

come to = to reach (some place, result, position, state)

She came to Madrid yesterday.

what’s up? = How are you?

Jim how is it going? — What’s up, Bob?

take someone’s breath away = surprise or impress someone

That great view took my breath away.

zoom by = to speed by with a loud buzzing sound

The cars zoomed by in an endless rapid flow.

clean out = to empty and clean (closet, drawer)

You promised to clean out the closet.

look to A for B = turn and ask A to give B

She usually looks to her parents for support.

go to pieces = get very upset; fall apart

She went to pieces when she heard it.
She’s got very upset when she heard it.
She’s fallen apart when she heard it.

break into = begin some action suddenly

He broke into laughter. She broke into a run.
He suddenly began to laugh. She suddenly began to run away.

so far, so good = everything is fine up to this time

How is your project going? So far, so good.

at odds with = in disagreement with

She is at odds with everyone.
Does she agree or disagree with you? She doesn’t agree with me. Moreover, she is at odds with everyone!

twist someone’s arm = force someone to agree

They twisted his arm to sell the house.
How did they force him to sell his house? Did they beat him? Did they threatened him? Why did they force him to sell the house?

out of breath = breathless;hard to breathe

After running so long he was out of breath.
Was he out of breath after running?
Why was he out of breath after running?
How long was he running to be out of breath? He was running not so long to be out of breath, I think it took a couple of minutes.

graduate from school = to finish school

He graduated from college in 1997.
When did he graduate from college? HE graduated from college in 1997.
When did he finish college? He finished college in 1997

zoom in = to magnify an image

You can zoom in this picture.

in silence = silently; not speaking; without a sound

They walked down the road in silence.
How did they walk down the road? Did they argue? No, they walked down the road in silence. They spoke absolutely nothing.

in silence = silently; not speaking; without a sound

They walked down the road in silence.
How did they walk down the road? Did they argue? No, they walked down the road in silence. They spoke absolutely nothing.

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