Page 298 - English Grammar in Use

Unit
143 Phrasal verbs 7 up (1)

A go up, come up, walk up (to …) = approach
A man came up to me in the street and asked me for money.
catch up (with somebody), catch somebody up = move faster than people in front of you
so that you reach them
I’m not ready to go yet. You go on and I’ll catch up with you / I’ll catch you up.
keep up (with somebody) = continue at the same speed or level
You’re walking too fast. I can’t keep up (with you).
You’re doing well. Keep it up!

B set up an organisation, a company, a business, a system, a website etc. = start it
The government has set up a committee to investigate the problem.
take up a hobby, a sport, an activity etc. = start doing it
Laura took up photography a few years ago. She takes really good pictures.

fix up a meeting etc. = arrange it
We’ve fixed up a meeting for next Monday.

C grow up = become an adult
Amy was born in Hong Kong but grew up in Australia.
bring up a child = raise, look after a child
Her parents died when she was a child and she was brought up by her grandparents.

D clean up, clear up, tidy up = make something clean, tidy etc.
Look at this mess! Who’s going to tidy up? (or … to tidy it up)
wash up = wash the plates, dishes etc. after a meal
I hate washing up. (or I hate doing the washing-up.)

E end up somewhere, end up doing something etc.
There was a fight in the street and three men ended up in hospital.
(= that’s what happened to these men in the end)
I couldn’t find a hotel and ended up sleeping on a bench at the station.
(= that’s what happened to me in the end)

give up = stop trying, give something up = stop doing it
Don’t give up. Keep trying!
Sue got bored with her job and decided to give it up. (= stop doing it)
make up something, be made up of something
Children under 16 make up half the population of the city.
(= half the population are children under 16)
Air is made up mainly of nitrogen and oxygen. (= Air consists of …)

take up space or time = use space or time
Most of the space in the room was taken up by a large table.
turn up, show up = arrive, appear
We arranged to meet David last night, but he didn’t turn up.
use something up = use all of it so that nothing is left
I’m going to make soup. We have a lot of vegetables and I want to use them up.

286 Phrasal verbs 1 (Introduction) ➜ Unit 137 More verbs + up ➜ Units 142, 144