Grammar

Verbs
Multi-word verbs

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Multi-word verbs are made up of a verb, an adverb and a preposition. Because they end with a preposition, multi-word
verbs always take a direct object. Also, the three words that combine to form multi-word verbs cannot be separated.
We have selected ten multi-word verbs, which are defined below. You will see that, as with many phrasal verbs, some of
the multi-word verbs can have more than one meaning.
All definitions and examples are from the Cambridge Online Dictionary.
Catch up on/with something
to do something you did not have time to do earlier

I'm hoping to catch up on some sleep.

I need a couple of days in the office to catch up with my paperwork.

Come up with something

to think of or to suggest a plan or idea, a solution to a problem, or an answer to a question
A team of advertisers is hard at work trying to come up with a slogan for the product.

Experts have failed to come up with an explanation of why the explosion happened.

to get or produce something which someone needs or which they have asked you for
Each member of the expedition needs to come up with 3,000 to fund their trip.

We need someone to create a new software program.

Can Bob come up with the goods? (= create what we want)

Do away with something

to get rid of something, or to stop using something
These ridiculous rules and regulations should have been done away with years ago.
Do away with somebody (informal)
to kill someone
I tried to do away with myself but I couldn't. [often reflexive]
Get on to something
to start talking about a subject after discussing something else
It didn't take long before we got on to the subject of babies.

How did we get on to that subject?

to be elected as a member of an organization

Taylor has threatened to resign if she gets on to the committee.
if someone gets on to the television or radio, they are invited to appear or speak on the television or radio
He got on to local radio with the story.
Get on to somebody
to speak or write to a person or organization, especially because you want them to help you in some way

We'd better get on to a plumber about that leak in the bathroom.

Did you get on to the passport office?

if someone in authority gets on to you, they find out about something that you have done that you were trying to keep
secret
It only took a couple of months before the Immigration Office got on to her.
Keep on at somebody
to talk to someone about something many times, usually because you want to complain about something they have done
or not done
I wish she wouldn't keep on at me, it's not my fault.

He keeps on at me about the kind of clothes I wear. [often + about]

The boss keeps on at me to sort out the filing system. [sometimes + to do something]

Look out for somebody/something

to carefully watch the people or things around you so that you will notice a particular person or thing
Remember to look out for Anna - she said she'd be there.

Can you look out for a present for Ed while you're out shopping?

Look out for somebody

to take care of someone and do what will be best for them
I come from a large family and we all look out for each other.

Tom just looks out for himself. (= he only does what will be good for himself) [often reflexive]

Put up with somebody/something

to accept unpleasant behaviour or an unpleasant situation, even though you do not like it
He's not easy to live with - I think Jo puts up with a lot.

I can put up with a house being untidy but I don't like it to be dirty.
He's impossible! How do you put up with him?

Run up against something

if you run up against problems or difficulties, you begin to experience them
The community scheme has run up against local opposition.
Stand up for something/somebody
to defend something that you believe is important [e.g. principle, right], or to defend a person who is being criticized
She always stands up for what she believes in.

The Prime Minister has promised to stand up for British interests abroad.
You've got to stand up for yourself if you want people to respect you. [often reflexive]

Watch out for something

to be careful to notice something, especially something that might cause you problems
Drivers were told to watch out for black ice on the road.

Vegetarians should watch out for animal fat in biscuits.

Watch out for somebody/something

to be careful to notice someone or something interesting
Watch out for his latest movie which comes out next month.

Tony Pritchard should be running in this race so watch out for him.

To see examples of the use of these expressions, see the Web Concordancer. Type any of the verbs in their present,
past, future or perfect forms into the 'search string' field, select any corpus in the 'select corpus' field, and then click on the
'search for concordances' button.

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