1000 Phrasal Verbs In Context

1000 Phrasal Verbs In Context © Matt Errey 2007

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1000 Phrasal Verbs in Context C c (10/13)

contract out
When we take on a big job like building a dam, we contract out some of
the work, such as road and bridge construction, to other companies.

contract out sth

contract sth out

It’s cheaper to contract
some work out than to do
it all ourselves.

✍ 

contribute
to

Many factors contributed to the government’s defeat, including

increasing crime rates, rising prices and unemployment.

contribute to sth

Al Gore’s film contributed
to the growing awareness
of global climate change.

✍ ^ see also:^ add to^

cook up
(informal)

He wanted to have the day off work, so he cooked up a story about

having to visit his aunt in hospital.

cook up sth

cook sth up

I was late to work, so I
cooked up a story about
problems with my car.

✍  see also:^ come up with,^

make up, think up

cool down
If your car overheats, let the engine cool down before you open the
hood to check it.

cool down
cool sth down
cool down sth
If the soup’s too hot, is it
impolite to blow on it to
cool it down?

✍ 

cool off

If you get angry, stop, count to ten, and try to cool off before you say

anything.

cool off

I wouldn’t bother him

while he’s angry. Wait

until he’s cooled off.

✍  see also: calm down

cop out
(informal)

He had the talent to become a great writer, but he copped out and

became a writing teacher instead because it was more secure financially.

cop out

I should’ve set up my own
business, but I copped out
and kept my job instead.

✍ ^

correspond
to / with

The work the women had to do didn’t correspond to the job description

given in the newspaper ads. It was very different work.

correspond to/with

sth

Did the material’s quality
correspond with that of
the sample they sent?

✍ ^

cosy up to
(informal)

Some businessmen cosy up to corrupt politicians and do them ‘favours’,

and then get ‘favours’ in return.

cosy up to sb

People cosy up to those
with power in order to get
benefits from them.

✍ ^

cotton on
(informal)

At first I didn’t know why he was smiling at me, but I soon cottoned on

when he winked as well.

cotton on

cotton on to sth

He didn’t understand at
first, but it didn’t take him
long to cotton on.

✍  see also:^ catch on^

cough up
When the boy coughed up blood, his father drove him straight to the
hospital.

cough up sth

cough sth up

Most smokers cough more
phlegm up from their
lungs than non-smokers.

✍ ^