| Phrasal Verb |
Definition |
Example |
| wait on + |
serve, service (a table) |
Each waitress waits on three different tables in the restaurant. |
| wait up |
not sleep because you are waiting for something or someone |
Don't wait up. |
| wait up for + |
not sleep because you are waiting for someone or something |
Let's wait up for Mary to see how her date went. |
| wake * up + |
awaken someone |
The car alarm woke me up at 6:00 in the morning. |
| wake up |
awaken |
Wake up. It's time to get ready for work. |
| wash up |
clean oneself |
Make sure you wash up before dinner. |
| wash * up + |
clean |
If we work together, we can wash the kitchen up in a few minutes. |
| watch out |
be careful |
Watch out - there's a rattlesnake! |
| watch out for + |
be careful of |
Watch out for snakes while you are hiking in the desert. |
| wear off |
disappear after a period of time |
The affects of the medicine will wear off after a few hours. |
| wear * out |
use until something is not useable anymore |
If you wear the same shoes everyday, you'll wear them out. |
| wear * out |
cause to be very tired |
Her three kids wore me out. |
| wind up + |
finish (inf.) |
If he doesn't get his act together, he is going to wind up in jail. |
| wind * up + |
tighten the spring of a watch or similar machine |
He wound up the toy dog and set it on the floor. |
| wind * up + |
cause an animal or a child to behave wildly |
The kids always get wound up when Uncle Henry comes over. |
| wipe * out + |
massacre or destroy |
The tidal wave wiped out the small fishing village. |
| wipe * out |
cause to be very tired |
After surfing all day, I was completely wiped out. |
| work * out + |
solve |
I hope you two can work out your problems. |
| work out |
exercise |
I work out three times a week at the fitness center. |
| work out |
be successful |
I am glad your new catering business is working out. |
| write * down + |
record |
Write down the directions so you don't forget them. |
| write * out + |
write down every word or letter |
He wrote out the lyrics so I could understand what the singer was
saying. |
| write * up + |
prepare a report |
He wrote up a business proposal in order to get a loan. |