Phrasal Verbs 3 (Intermediate)
back up – to say that someone is telling the truth; to support or help someone; if a musician backs up another musician, they play music or sing with them; to prove that something is true; to drive a car backwards; to make a copy of computer information so that you do not lose it; if traffic backs up, the vehicles have to wait in a long line because there are too many of them.
keep up – to go at the same speed as someone or something that is moving forward, so that you stay the same level with them; to increase or to make progress at the same speed as something or someone else so that you stay the same level with them; to be able to understand or deal with something that is happening or changing very fast; to continue without stopping or changing, or to continue something without allowing it to stop or change; to not allow something that is at a high level to fall to a lower level; to practice a skill that you learned in the past so that you continue to be good at it; to keep a building in good condition, usually by providing money to repair it; to make someone go to bed later than they usually do; to continue to do something, especially to work hard or to do good work.
update – to bring up to date.
build up – to increase in amount, size, or strength, or to make something increase in amount, size, or strength; to develop and improve something; to gradually make or create something; to praise someone or something and say that they are very important or special; to make someone healthier and stronger after an illness, especially by making sure they eat a lot.
set up – to start a company or organization; to make arrangements that something can happen or exist; to trick someone in order to make them do something, or in order to make them seem guilty of something that they have not done; to give someone the money that they need to start a business; to start working for yourself in your own company; to get all the necessary equipment ready for a particular activity; the way in which equipment for a particular activity is set up; if something (e.g. sleep, breakfast) sets you up, it prepares your body for the day by making you feel healthy and energetic.
upgrade – to improve, raise to a higher grade or level.
catch up – to reach someone in front of you by going faster than them; to reach the same quality or standard as someone or something else; to learn the newest facts about something.
start up – if a business or other organization starts up, or if someone starts one up, it is created and starts to operate; if a vehicle or engine starts up, or if someone starts it up, it starts to work; if a sound or activity starts up, or if someone starts it up, it starts to happen; to sit up or stand up suddenly because you are surprised; to begin to work or to manage a business.
free up – to make time or money available for a particular use by not using it in another way; to do something for someone so that they are available to do something else.
*** Definitions from: Cambridge International Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs (except update and upgrade: Geddes & Grosset New English Dictionary and Thesaurus)
Exercises
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate phrasal verb from the Intermediate Phrasal Verb list.
I along with my brother, were able to _________ enough money to create a _________ in computer software. As we wanted to _________ our words to our potential clients, we poured all of our time and effort into making the company succeed. We were eventually able to _________ a huge clientele, _________ a sister company based on customer service, and hire hundreds of employees. The sister company was able to _________ our clients servers with one click of a button. Soon, we were so successful, that every new competitor was trying to emulate us and trying to _________ with our advances. When we felt that we could not _________ our business empire anymore, we decided to sell the business and start to _________ on some well deserved leisure time.
Answer Key
I along with my brother, were able to free up enough money to create a start-up in computer software. As we wanted to back up our words to our potential clients, we poured all of our time and effort into making the company succeed. We were eventually able to build up a huge clientele, set up a sister company based on customer service, and hire hundreds of employees. The sister company was able to update our clients servers with one click of a button. Soon, we were so successful, that every new competitor was trying to emulate us and trying to keep up with our advances. When we felt that we could not upgrade our business empire anymore, we decided to sell the business and start to catch up on some well deserved leisure time
