| back down | stop defending your opinion in a debate | Jane never backs down. She always wins arguments. |
| back out | not keep (a promise, agreement,deal) | Sam backed out at the last second. |
| back out of + | not keep (a promise, agreement, deal) | Sam backed out of the agreement at the last second. |
| back * up + | give support | You need examples to back up your opinion. |
| back up | move backwards, reverse | Could you back up a little so I can open this drawer. |
| bawl * out | criticize, reprimand (inf.) | She bawled him out for arriving late. |
| bear down on + | bite | The soldier had to bear down on the leather strap while the doctor removed a bullet from the soldier’s arm. |
| bear down on + | take strong measures against | The U.S.A. is bearing down on drug traffickers. |
| bear on + | have to do with | This information may bear on this case. |
| bear up | withstand | I didn’t think he would bear up so well in that situation. |
| bear up under + | withstand | How did he bear up under such extreme pressure. |
| bear with + | be patient | Please bear with me while I fill out the paperwork. |
| blow in | visit unexpectedly (inf.) | My cousin blew in unexpectedly with his entire family. |
| blow over | pass without creating a problem | All this negative publicity will blow over in a couple of weeks. |
| blow * up + | make explode;destroy using explosives | The terrorists blew the bridge up. |
| blow up | explode | The bomb blew up before they could defuse it. |
| blow up | suddenly become very angry | When Joan heard the news, she blew up and rushed out of the room. |
| break * down + | analyze in detail | We need to break this problem down in order to solve. |
| break down | stop working properly | The truck broke down in the desert. |
| break down | become mentally ill | She broke down after her husband died. |
| break * in + | wear or use something new until it is comfortable | I need to break these shoes in before I go hiking. |
| break in | interrupt | While we were discussing the situation, Terri broke in to give her opinion. |
| break in | enter a place unlawfully | The burglar broke in between midnight and 3 AM. |
| break in on + | interrupt (a conversation) | Jane broke in on the conversation and told us to get back to work. |
| break into + | enter a house unlawfully | The burglar broke into the house between midnight and 3 AM. |
| break into + | interrupt (a conversation) | Jane broke into the conversation and told us what she knew. |
| break * off + | end something | Sally broke her engagement to John off. |
| break out | appear violently | Violent protests broke out in response to the military coup. |
| break out + | use something extravagant for celebration | He broke out the champagne to celebrate his promotion. |
| break out of + | escape | The murderer broke out of the prison. |
| break * up + | break into pieces | I broke the cracker up into pieces and put it in the soup. |
| break * up + | disperse (a crowd), stop (a fight) | The police broke the demonstration up before it got out of control. |
| break up | end a relationship | Sam and Diane broke up again. What a rocky relationship. |
| bring * about + | cause to happen | Democracy brought about great change in the lives of the people. |
| bring * along + | bring with | When we go to the forest, bring your wildlife guide along. |
| bring * around | change someone’s mind, convince someone | She doesn’t want to go, but we’ll eventually bring her around. |
| bring * away | learn or gain (from an experience) | My trip across the Sahara was difficult, but I brought a new appreciation for life away from the experience. |
| bring * off + | succeed at something difficult or unexpected | You robbed the bank! I can’t believe you brought that off. |
| bring * on + | cause something | I can’t believe she got so angry. What brought that on? |
| bring * out + | highlight, stress | Your new shirt brings out the color of your eyes. |
| bring * over + | bring to someone’s house | When you visit me, why don’t you bring over your son. |
| bring * to | revive consciousness | We used smelling salts to bring her to after she fainted. |
| bring * up + | mention | I didn’t want to bring up the fact that she was unemployed. |
| bring * up + | raise ( a child) | Sam was brought up in South Carolina. |
| brush * off + | ignore something or someone (inf.) | Mary brushed her ex-boyfriend off at the party. |
| burn * down + | destroy by setting fire to | The children burned the house down while playing with matches. |
| burn down | burn until completely gone (building) | Two buildings burnt down in the fire. |
| burn up | be hot | I am burning up in here – open the window. |
| burn up | consume by fire | The papers were burned up in the fire. |
| burn * up + | destroy by fire | He burnt up the files. |
| buy * out + | buy the shares of a company or the shares the other person owns of a business | Pacific Inc. was bought out by a company from Oregon. |
| buy * up + | purchase the entire supply of something | We bought up all the beer in the store. |
