Understanding Phrasal Verbs with "Up"

Phrasal verbs are combinations of a verb and one or more particles (such as "up," "off," "out") that create a meaning different from the original verb alone. The particle "up" often adds a sense of completion, increase, or enhancement to the meaning of the verb. This guide explores some common phrasal verbs with "up," explains their meanings, and provides examples of their usage.

Common Phrasal Verbs with "Up"

• wake up - to stop sleeping
  Example: "I need to wake up early tomorrow."
• cheer up - to become more cheerful or positive
  Example: "Try to cheer up, things will get better."
• dress up - to put on formal or fancy clothing
  Example: "I'm going to dress up for the party tonight."
• give up - to stop trying or to stop doing something
  Example: "I'm not going to give up, I'll keep trying until I succeed."
• show up - to arrive at a place
  Example: "I'm sorry I'm late, I had trouble finding the place and ended up showing up an hour late."
• turn up - to increase the volume or intensity of something
  Example: "Can you turn the music up a bit? It's too quiet."
• warm up - to make or become warm
  Example: "I need to warm up before I start exercising."
• blow up - to explode or destroy
  Example: "The old building was blown up to make way for a new one."
• break up - to end a relationship or partnership
  Example: "I'm sorry to hear that you two broke up, I hope you're doing okay."
• bring up - to raise or mention a topic
  Example: "Can we bring up the topic of salaries at the next meeting?"
• build up - to gradually increase or improve
  Example: "She's been working hard to build up her strength and endurance."
• catch up - to reach the same level as someone or something
  Example: "I'm behind on my work, I need to catch up."
• clear up - to make something more understandable or to solve a problem
  Example: "Can you please clear up the misunderstanding? I don't want there to be any hard feelings."
• close up - to shut or lock a place
  Example: "It's getting late, we should close up shop for the night."
• come up - to occur or be mentioned
  Example: "An idea for the project just came up, let me write it down."
• cut up - to cut into small pieces
  Example: "Can you help me cut up these vegetables for the salad?"
• fill up - to make something full
  Example: "I need to fill up my car with gas before I go on my road trip."
• give in - to surrender or yield
  Example: "I tried to hold out, but I eventually gave in and had a piece of cake."
• give out - to distribute or supply
  Example: "The teacher gave out the exam papers to the students."
• grow up - to become an adult
  Example: "I can't believe you're all grown up now, it feels like just yesterday you were a little kid."
• hang up - to end a phone call or to put something in a vertical position
  Example: "Can you hang up the coat on the hook by the door?"
• hold up - to support or delay
  Example: "The new bridge is designed to hold up to heavy traffic."
• keep up - to maintain or continue
  Example: "I'm having trouble keeping up with the pace of the class."
• lay off - to stop using or consuming something
  Example: "I'm trying to lay off caffeine for a while."
• look up - to search for information about someone or something
  Example: "I need to look up the address for the restaurant."
• make up - to invent or fabricate something
  Example: "She made up an excuse for not coming to the meeting."
• pass out - to lose consciousness or to distribute
  Example: "She fainted and passed out for a few minutes."
• pick up - to lift or carry something
  Example: "Can you pick up the box and put it in the car?"
• put up - to erect or display something
  Example: "We need to put up a tent before it gets dark."
• run out - to use up all of something
  Example: "I'm sorry, we're all out of coffee."
• set up - to prepare or arrange something
  Example: "I'll set up the table for dinner."
• speak up - to speak louder or more clearly
  Example: "Can you speak up a bit, I can't hear you."
• stand up - to rise to a standing position
  Example: "Stand up and stretch your legs for a bit."
• stay up - to remain awake past bedtime
  Example: "I'm going to stay up late and finish this movie."
• take off - to remove or leave
  Example: "I'm going to take off my shoes and relax for a bit."
• tear up - to tear into small pieces
  Example: "She tore up the letter and threw it away."
• work up - to build up or develop something
  Example: "It took me a while to work up the courage to ask her out."
• back up - to support or provide additional evidence
  Example: "I need to back up my argument with some evidence."
• bear up - to endure or withstand something
  Example: "He's been bearing up well under the stress of the situation."
• brush up - to refresh or improve upon something
  Example: "I'm going to brush up on my French before my trip to Paris."
• buy up - to acquire a large amount of something
  Example: "They bought up all the tickets to the concert, it's sold out."
• calm down - to become less agitated or upset
  Example: "Take a deep breath and try to calm down, everything will be okay."
• clean up - to tidy or organize something
  Example: "I'll clean up the kitchen after dinner."

Why Adding "Up" Changes the Meaning

The particle "up" can significantly alter the meaning of the base verb. In many cases, it adds a sense of completion, increase, or intensity. For instance:

• wake up implies the end of sleep (completion).
• turn up suggests increasing the volume (intensity).
• give up indicates stopping an effort (completion).

Without "up," the verb's meaning might be less specific or different. For example:

• wake alone does not convey the idea of ending sleep; it simply means to become aware or to rouse.
• turn alone does not specify increasing; it just means to change direction.
• give alone is about transferring something, not stopping an effort.

Understanding these nuances helps in using phrasal verbs correctly and adds depth to your communication.

Conclusion

Mastering phrasal verbs with "up" can enhance your English vocabulary and make your communication more precise. By recognizing how "up" changes the meaning of verbs, you can better understand and use these expressions in various contexts.