| Abide by |
Obey or follow a decision or rule. |
We must abide by the court’s ruling. |
| Account for |
Provide an explanation for something. |
They had to account for all the missing money. |
| Ache for |
Strongly desire something or someone. |
I’m aching for my partner who’s been away for two weeks. |
| Act on |
Take action based on received information. |
The police acted on a tip from an informant and caught the gang. |
| Act out |
Perform with actions and gestures. |
They acted out the story on stage. |
| Act out |
Express an emotion through behavior. |
Their anger is acted out in their antisocial behavior. |
| Act up |
Behave badly or strangely. |
My computer is acting up; I suspect a virus. |
| Act upon |
Take action because of received information. |
The police acted upon a tip-off. |
| Add on |
Include in a calculation. |
Don’t forget to add the VAT on to the given price. |
| Add up |
Calculate a mathematical total. |
We added up the bill to verify its accuracy. |
| Add up |
Make sense; be a satisfactory explanation. |
Her story doesn’t add up. |
| Add up to |
Result in a certain amount or outcome. |
Train delays and high fares add up to misery for commuters. |
| Add up to |
Come to a certain amount or figure. |
The total costs add up to several million euros. |
| Agree with |
Have a negative effect, usually in the negative. |
That food didn’t agree with my stomach; I feel terrible. |
| Aim at |
Target something or someone. |
The magazine is aimed at teenagers. |
| Aim at |
Intend to achieve a specific goal. |
They’re aiming at reducing costs by ten percent. |
| Allow for |
Include something in a plan or calculation. |
Allow for delays when planning your journey. |
| Allow of |
Permit; make possible. |
The rules don’t allow for any exceptions. |
| Angle for |
Try to indirectly obtain something. |
He’s been angling for an invitation, but I’m hesitant to invite him. |
| Answer |
Reply rudely to someone in authority. |
She shocked her mother by answering her back and refusing to help. |
| Answer for |
Be held responsible for a problem. |
The government should answer for their failure to resolve the issue. |
| Answer for |
Speak on behalf of someone or from knowledge. |
I can answer for my partner; I know her stance on this matter. |
| Argue down |
Defeat someone in a debate or discussion. |
The teacher attempted to argue the girl down, but was unsuccessful. |
| Argue down |
Persuade someone to lower the price. |
She argued him down by ten percent. |
| Argue down |
Persuade against accepting a proposition. |
They tried to argue down the proposed solution. |
| Argue out |
Discuss a problem to find a solution. |
If we can’t argue out our differences, we may need to seek legal intervention. |
| Ask about |
Inquire about someone’s well-being. |
He asked about my father’s health. |
| Ask after |
Inquire about someone’s health or life. |
Jenny called and asked after you; I assured her you’re doing well. |
| Ask around |
Request information from several people. |
I’ll ask around at work to see if anyone can help. |
| Ask around |
Invite someone to your house. |
We asked them around for dinner. |
| Ask for |
Provoke a negative reaction. |
You’re asking for trouble with that attitude. |
| Ask for |
Request to have or be given something. |
I asked for the menu when we sat down. |
| Ask in |
Invite somebody into your house. |
“Jon’s at the door.” “Ask him in.” |
| Ask out |
Invite someone on a date. |
He wanted to ask her out but was too shy. |
| Ask over |
Invite someone to your house. |
They’ve asked us over for drinks on Friday. |
| Ask round |
Invite someone to your house. |
We asked John round for dinner. |
| Auction off |
Sell something in an auction. |
They auctioned off their property to settle their debts. |
