1000 Phrasal Verbs In Context

1000 Phrasal Verbs In Context © Matt Errey 2007

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1000 Phrasal Verbs in Context T t (1/8)

tail off
At first the new software sold very well, but after a few months sales
tailed off and now it hardly sells at all.

tail off

Replies to the newspaper
ad soon tailed off, and
then stopped altogether.

✍  see also:^ die down^

taken aback
When my wife was told she’d been elected captain of her golf club, she
was genuinely taken aback. She really hadn’t expected to be elected.

(be) taken aback
(be) taken aback by
sth/sb
I was taken aback by the
surprising news that I’d
been transferred overseas.

✍ ^

take after

Most people say the boy takes after his father more than his mother.

Even though he has his mother’s blue eyes, he looks more like his father.

take after sb

She takes after mum in

looks, but her personality

is more like dad’s.

✍ 

take apart
Before he painted his bicycle, he took it apart so he could paint each part
separately.

take sth apart

take apart sth

It’s usually easier to take
apart something than to
put it back together.

✍ 

take away
The waiters took away the dirty dishes and wiped down the table before
serving our desserts and coffee.

take away sth

take sth away

Would you like to eat
your meal here or do you
want to take it away?

✍ ^

take back
Have you taken those books back to the library yet, or have you still got
them?

take sth back

take back sth

This shop won’t take back
things they’ve sold, so be
sure it’s what you want.

✍ ^

take back
A boy insulted my son, and my son told him he’d beat him up if he
didn’t take it back. The boy took back what he’d said and apologized.

take sth back

take back sth

I’m sorry I said those
awful things and I take
back everything I said.

✍ ^

take down
My mother was a secretary years ago, and still remembers shorthand.
She can take what I say down as quickly as I say it. She’s amazing!

take sth down

take down sth

The police stopped our car
and took down our names
and addresses.

✍  see also:^ jot down, note

down

take down
Tell the painters to take down the pictures and stick them in one of the
bedrooms while they paint the living room.

take down sth

take sth down

Christmas decorations are
usually taken down
before January starts.

✍ ^

take for
Do you think Robert looks Middle Eastern? He said people in Egypt
took him for an Egyptian and spoke Arabic to him.

take sb/sth for sb/sth

He took me for an idiot,
thinking I’d believe the
watch was a real Rolex.

✍ 