Page 300 - English Grammar in Use

Unit
144 Phrasal verbs 8 up (2)

A bring up a topic etc. = introduce it in a conversation
I don’t want to hear any more about this. Please don’t bring it up again.

come up = be introduced in a conversation
Some interesting things came up in our discussion yesterday.
come up with an idea, a suggestion etc. = produce an idea
Sarah is very creative. She’s always coming up with new ideas.

make something up = invent something that is not true
What Kevin told you about himself wasn’t true. He made it all up.

B cheer up = be happier, cheer somebody up = make somebody feel happier
You look so sad! Cheer up!
Helen is depressed. What can we do to cheer her up?

save up for something / to do something = save money to buy something
Dan is saving up for a trip to New Zealand.

clear up = become bright (for weather)
It was raining when I got up, but it cleared up later.

C blow up = explode, blow something up = destroy it with a bomb etc.
The engine caught fire and blew up.
The bridge was blown up during the war.

tear something up = tear it into pieces
I didn’t read the letter. I just tore it up and threw it away.

beat somebody up = hit someone repeatedly so that they are badly hurt
A friend of mine was attacked and beaten up. He had to go to hospital.

D break up, split up (with somebody) = separate
I’m surprised to hear that Kate and Paul have split up. They seemed very happy together.
do up a coat, a shoelace, buttons etc. = fasten, tie etc.
It’s quite cold. Do up your coat before you go out.
do up a building, a room etc. = repair and improve it
The kitchen looks great now that it has been done up.

look something up in a dictionary/encyclopaedia etc.
If you don’t know the meaning of a word, you can look it up (in a dictionary).

put up with something = tolerate a difficult situation or person
We live on a busy road, so we have to put up with a lot of noise from the traffic.

hold up a person, a plan etc. = delay
Don’t wait for me. I don’t want to hold you up.
Plans to build a new factory have been held up because of financial problems.
mix up people/things, get people/things mixed up = you think one is the other
The two brothers look very similar. People often mix them up.
or … People often get them mixed up.

Phrasal verbs 1 (Introduction) ➜ Unit 137 More verbs + up ➜ Units 142–143
288 American English ➜ Appendix 7