Less common phrasal verbs for advanced learners, mostly idiomatic and more than half of them marked formal, informal or slang. Useful for reading, films and exams, where a single phrase can change the meaning of a sentence.
About the levels: Recommended learner level (estimate from two models + word-level floor), not an official CEFR grading.
Advanced phrasal verbs are rarely guessable from their parts. Check the register label before you use one: a slang or informal phrase in a formal essay stands out.
You will meet most of these in reading long before you need to say them, so it is fine to learn them for recognition first.
to help someone and give them what they need, especially as a customer, guest, or patient (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + attend to + person
Wrong: Can you attend to me with my bags? Right: Can you help me with my bags? 'Attend to' is too formal and means serving or waiting on someone, not giving a quick hand with a physical task.
Do not use this in casual, everyday situations with friends or family; use 'help' or 'look after' instead.
to qualify for the playoffs because another team lost, despite your own team losing or performing poorly (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + back into + noun (playoffs/postseason/finals)
Wrong: The team backed into the playoffs because they played so well. Right: The team backed into the playoffs despite losing their final game. This phrase implies backing in 'by default' or by luck due to others' failures, not because of your own good performance.
Do not confuse this sports idiom with the literal meaning of driving a vehicle backward into a space.
to be forced into a difficult situation or decision because you have no other choices left (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + be backed into + a corner / a situation
Wrong: The company backed into a corner to sign the bad contract. Right: The company was backed into a corner and had to sign the bad contract. This sense is almost always used in the passive voice ('be backed into') when the subject is the one facing the pressure.
Do not confuse this figurative meaning with the physical action of driving a car backwards into a space.
to break, fail, or be ruined suddenly and unexpectedly, especially a body part or a piece of equipment (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: subject (knee, engine, tire) + blow out
Wrong: My knee blew out itself during the football match. Right: My knee blew out during the football match. The verb is intransitive here; you do not need to add 'itself' or any other object.
In this intransitive sense, the phrase does not take an object. Do not confuse it with the transitive 'blow something out' (like a candle).
to make someone feel extremely sad, upset, or emotionally devastated (C1, separable, informal)
Pattern: subject (event/news) + break + object (person) + up
Wrong: The sad movie broke up me completely. Right: The sad movie broke me up completely. When the object of a separable phrasal verb is a pronoun (like 'me'), it must go between the verb and the particle.
Do not confuse this with the much more common meaning 'to end a romantic relationship'.
to state, list, or describe something clearly and specifically, especially in a document or plan (C1, separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + call + noun/pronoun + out (or: call out + noun)
Wrong: The manual calls out that you must press the red button. Right: The manual calls out the need to press the red button. In this sense, 'call out' is transitive and takes a direct noun object, not a 'that'-clause.
Do not use this in casual, everyday conversations; it is mainly used in business, design, and technical writing.
to be shown or proved to have a particular result, quality, or value after being tested or examined (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + come up + adjective/prepositional phrase
Wrong: The drug test came up with positive. Right: The drug test came up positive. When 'come up' is followed directly by an adjective to describe a result, do not use the preposition 'with'.
This sense is intransitive and is almost always followed by an adjective or a prepositional phrase like 'as' or 'with'.
to urgently need or require something (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + be + crying out for + noun
Wrong: The garden is crying out to some water. Right: The garden is crying out for some water. The phrasal verb in this sense must be followed by the preposition 'for', not 'to'.
This sense is almost always used in the continuous form (is crying out for) and is followed by the preposition 'for'.
to find or produce money, resources, or help, especially when it is difficult to do so (C1, separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + dig up + noun/pronoun
Wrong: I must dig up my bank account to pay for it. Right: I must dig up some money to pay for it. You 'dig up' the actual resource or money itself, not the place where it is kept.
This is an informal expression; do not use it in formal business contracts or official financial reports.
to throw something away, get rid of it, or destroy it properly (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + dispose of + noun/pronoun
Wrong: How should I dispose this old computer? Right: How should I dispose of this old computer? The phrasal verb 'dispose' always requires the preposition 'of' before the object.
Do not use this in casual, everyday conversations where 'throw away' or 'get rid of' sounds much more natural.
to successfully deal with, solve, or finish a difficult problem, task, or threat (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + dispose of + noun/pronoun
Wrong: The committee disposed the problem in less than ten minutes. Right: The committee disposed of the problem in less than ten minutes. The phrasal verb 'dispose of' is transitive but inseparable, and it always requires the preposition 'of'.
Do not confuse this with the more common meaning 'to throw away trash'; in this sense, it means to settle or defeat something.
to give, sell, or transfer property, assets, or business control to someone else (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + dispose of + noun (property/assets/shares)
Wrong: The court ordered him to dispose his property. Right: The court ordered him to dispose of his property. The phrasal verb 'dispose' always requires the preposition 'of' before the object.
Do not confuse this with the much more common B2 meaning 'to throw away trash'; in business, it means transferring ownership.
to murder someone, often to get rid of a problem or a witness (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + do away with + object (person)
Wrong: The mafia decided to do away him. Right: The mafia decided to do away with him. The phrasal-prepositional verb 'do away with' must always include the preposition 'with' before the object.
This is a euphemism and is too informal and indirect for serious news reports or police investigations.
to ruin, seriously injure, or cause the death of someone (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: subject (often an illness, accident, or hardship) + do for + someone
Wrong: The car accident did him for. Right: The car accident did for him. This phrasal verb is inseparable; the object must always come after 'for'.
This is a highly informal, British English idiom and should not be used in formal writing or medical reports.
to officially charge or prosecute someone for a crime, especially by the police (C1, separable, slang)
Pattern: subject (usually police) + do + someone + for + crime
Wrong: The judge did him for shoplifting and sent him to prison. Right: The police did him for shoplifting, and the judge sent him to prison. This slang phrase is used for the police who catch and charge someone, not for the judge who sentences them.
This is highly informal British slang; do not use it in formal writing, courtrooms, or official reports.
to kill someone, or to defeat and ruin someone completely (C1, separable, slang)
Pattern: subject + do + object (person) + in
Wrong: The police discovered who did in him. Right: The police discovered who did him in. When the object of a separable phrasal verb is a pronoun (like 'him'), it must go between the verb and the particle.
Do not use this in formal writing or serious news reports about actual crimes, as it is highly informal slang.
to stop being valid, logical, or successful because of a flaw or lack of evidence (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject (argument/theory/plan) + fall over
Wrong: His explanation fell over because of he lied. Right: His explanation fell over because he lied. The phrasal verb is intransitive and cannot be followed by 'because of' introducing a clause; it requires a standard conjunction or noun phrase.
Do not confuse this abstract meaning with the physical action of tripping and falling to the ground.
to discover that someone has been dishonest or to uncover their secret weakness (C1, separable)
Pattern: subject + find + person + out (or: subject + be found out)
Wrong: He was lying to us, but we found out him. Right: He was lying to us, but we found him out. When 'find out' is used with a pronoun object to mean uncovering someone's weakness or deceit, the pronoun must go between the verb and the particle.
This phrasal verb is almost always used with a person as the direct object, often in the passive voice ('be found out').
to discover or find out the truth or facts about something after a difficult investigation (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + get at + noun/pronoun
Wrong: We need to get the truth at. Right: We need to get at the truth. The phrasal verb 'get at' is inseparable, so the object cannot go between 'get' and 'at'.
This phrasal verb is inseparable; the object must always come after the preposition 'at'.
to allow yourself to be completely controlled by an emotion, activity, or way of life (C1, separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + give + reflexive pronoun (myself/himself/etc.) + up + to + noun/gerund
Wrong: He gave up himself to his scientific research. Right: He gave himself up to his scientific research. The reflexive pronoun must go between 'give' and 'up' in this structure.
This sense must be used with a reflexive pronoun (myself, himself, etc.) and is followed by the preposition 'to'.
To spread or circulate from person to person, especially of news, rumors, or illnesses. (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject (rumor/illness) + go about
Wrong: A lot of gossips are going about the office. Right: A lot of gossip is going about the office. 'Gossip' is uncountable in English when referring to rumors, so it must take a singular verb.
This sense is intransitive and is often used with a progressive tense (e.g., 'is going about') or with the preposition 'around'.
to help prove, show, or support a particular idea, argument, or conclusion (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + go to support + noun
Wrong: The evidence goes to supporting his innocence. Right: The evidence goes to support his innocence. After 'go to' in this sense, we use the infinitive form of the verb, not the -ing form.
This sense is almost always used in the pattern 'go to show' or 'go to support', rather than as a standalone action.
to officially announce a decision, especially a legal judgment or sentence in court (C1, separable, formal)
Pattern: subject (court/judge) + hand down + object (verdict/sentence/decision)
Wrong: The judge handed down that the man was guilty. Right: The judge handed down a verdict of guilty. You cannot use a 'that' clause directly after 'hand down'; it must be followed by a noun phrase like 'a verdict' or 'a sentence'.
This phrasal verb is very often used in the passive voice (e.g., 'the verdict was handed down').
to enthusiastically start dealing with a task, problem, or food (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + have at + noun/pronoun
Wrong: I have at my homework every afternoon. Right: I do my homework every afternoon. 'Have at' implies starting a task with great energy, enthusiasm, or aggression, and is not used for routine, boring daily habits.
Do not use this in formal business writing, as it is highly informal and can sound slightly aggressive or humorous.
to offer or present a hope, possibility, or promise of something good (C1, separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + hold out + noun (hope/promise) + to + someone
Wrong: The company held out a new job to me yesterday. Right: The company offered me a new job yesterday. We do not use 'hold out' for concrete, everyday offers like a job; it is reserved for abstract concepts like hope or possibilities.
This figurative sense is almost exclusively used with abstract nouns like 'hope', 'promise', 'prospect', or 'possibility' as the object.
to give someone secret or special information that other people do not know (C1, separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + key + person + in + on + noun/gerund
Wrong: I will key in you about the new project. Right: I will key you in on the new project. When the object is a pronoun (like 'you'), it must go between 'key' and 'in', and we use the preposition 'on' (not 'about') to introduce the topic.
This phrasal verb is almost always used with a person as the direct object, and the topic is introduced with the preposition 'on'.
to buy or collect a large supply of something to use in the future (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + lay in + noun (usually food, provisions, or supplies)
Wrong: We need to lay in them before the winter starts. Right: We need to lay them in before the winter starts. Although 'lay in' is generally inseparable when followed by a noun, when using a pronoun like 'them', it must be placed between the verb and the particle, or more commonly, a different verb like 'store them' should be used.
Unlike 'lay aside' or 'lay by', this phrasal verb is inseparable and always followed by the preposition 'in' and a noun.
to apply or enforce a rule, tax, restriction, or pressure on someone (C1, separable)
Pattern: subject + lay + noun/pronoun + on + person/group
Wrong: They laid on a heavy fine to the company. Right: They laid a heavy fine on the company. The preposition 'on' must introduce the person or entity receiving the burden, not 'to'.
Do not confuse this with the informal meaning 'to provide food or entertainment'.
to react to a reaction, suggestion, or event with a specific attitude or behavior (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + meet + noun/pronoun + with + noun
Wrong: The new policy met with a lot of anger from the employees. Right: The new policy was met with a lot of anger from the employees. In this sense, when the subject is the proposal or event itself, we must use the passive voice 'was met with'.
This phrasal verb is inseparable and is very frequently used in the passive voice (e.g., 'the proposal was met with anger').
to experience or experience a particular reaction, reception, or difficulty (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject (usually an idea, plan, or attempt) + meet with + noun (usually success, failure, opposition, or approval)
Wrong: I met with an accident on my way to work. Right: I had an accident on my way to work. While 'meet with an accident' is grammatically correct, it is highly archaic and sounds unnatural in modern everyday English.
Do not use this sense when talking about meeting a person for a pre-arranged social or business talk.
to start talking about a new topic, or to make a subject available for discussion (C1, separable)
Pattern: subject + open + (noun/pronoun) + up / open up + noun
Wrong: We need to open up this question on the next meeting. Right: We need to open up this question at the next meeting. In English, we say 'at a meeting', not 'on a meeting'.
Do not confuse this with the intransitive 'open up' which means to talk about your personal feelings.
to officially complete military or police training and graduate, often celebrated with a parade (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + pass out (+ of/from + institution)
Wrong: He passed out from university with a degree in history. Right: He graduated from university with a degree in history. 'Pass out' is only used for military, police, or emergency services training, not for regular universities or schools.
Do not confuse this with the common informal meaning 'to faint' or 'to lose consciousness'.
to do a job or task with very little effort, care, or enthusiasm (C1, separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + phone + object + in OR subject + phone in + object (or just 'phone it in')
Wrong: He was tired, so he phoned in his homework. Right: He was tired, so he just phoned his homework in. While grammatically possible, when using this figurative sense, we almost always split the verb with a pronoun ('phone it in') or place the noun object before 'in' to sound natural.
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of reporting information or calling your workplace by phone.
To use a word with two meanings, or words that sound similar, to make a joke or clever point. (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + play on + noun (usually 'words', 'a name', or 'the double meaning')
Wrong: The comedian played the words on to make the audience laugh. Right: The comedian played on words to make the audience laugh. The phrasal verb 'play on' is inseparable, so the object 'words' must come after the preposition 'on'.
This phrasal verb is inseparable; you cannot put the object between 'play' and 'on'.
to touch someone or their private body parts in a sexual way (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + play with + person/body part
Wrong: The doctor played with the patient during the physical examination. Right: The doctor examined the patient during the physical examination. Using 'play with' in a medical context implies inappropriate sexual touching rather than a professional medical exam.
Do not use this in formal, medical, or professional contexts, as it is highly informal and intimate.
to suddenly and enthusiastically start doing something, or to jump quickly into water (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + plunge + into + noun/gerund
Wrong: She looked at the pool and plunged herself into. Right: She looked at the pool and plunged into it. The phrasal verb 'plunge into' requires an object directly after 'into' and does not take a reflexive pronoun like 'herself' in this context.
This phrasal verb is inseparable; the object must always come after 'into', even if it is a pronoun.
to stop flying downwards in an aircraft and start flying straight or upwards (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject (aircraft/pilot) + pull out (+ of + noun)
Wrong: The pilot pulled out the plane from the dangerous dive. Right: The pilot pulled the plane out of the dangerous dive. If you use an object (the plane), 'pull out' becomes transitive and must be separated by the object.
In this specific aviation sense, the verb is intransitive, though you can add 'of a dive' or 'of the descent'.
to disagree with or challenge a statement, decision, or fact (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + quarrel with + noun/fact/decision
Wrong: I quarrel with the decision of the committee because it is unfair. Right: I don't quarrel with the decision of the committee, but we need more time. In modern English, 'quarrel with' in this sense is almost always used in negative sentences (e.g., 'cannot quarrel with', 'hard to quarrel with') to show that something is indisputable.
Do not confuse this with 'quarrel with someone', which means to have an angry argument with a person.
to affect other people's opinion of someone or something in a specified way (usually good or bad) (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + reflect + adverb (well/badly) + on + noun
Wrong: His bad behavior reflects on his parents. Right: His bad behavior reflects badly on his parents. In this sense, you must include an adverb (like 'badly' or 'well') to specify what kind of impression is being made.
This sense is almost always used with an adverb like 'well', 'badly', 'poorly', or 'favorably' to show the type of impression made.
to lead up to or approach an important event or point in time (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + run up + to + noun (event/time)
Wrong: We have a lot of work running up the Christmas. Right: We have a lot of work running up to Christmas. You must use the preposition 'to' after 'run up' when it means approaching a point in time.
In this sense, 'run up' is almost always used with the preposition 'to' and is inseparable.
to understand someone's opinion, background, or the reason behind their argument (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + see/understand + where + pronoun + is coming from
Wrong: I see where are you coming from. Right: I see where you are coming from. This is an indirect question, so the word order must be subject-verb ('you are'), not verb-subject ('are you').
This sense is almost always used in the continuous form ('coming from') and often with verbs like 'see' or 'understand'.
to suddenly attack someone physically, or to order dogs to attack someone (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + be + set on + by + attacker
Wrong: The robbers set on him in the dark alley. Right: He was set on by robbers in the dark alley. While active voice is grammatically possible, native speakers almost exclusively use this sense of 'set on' in the passive voice.
This phrasal verb is almost always used in the passive voice (e.g., 'to be set on by...').
to make someone's faults, weaknesses, or bad qualities clearly visible to others (C1, separable)
Pattern: subject + show + object (person/thing) + up
Wrong: The high-quality camera showed up her skin imperfections. Right: The high-quality camera revealed her skin imperfections. While grammatically possible, 'show up' is rarely used today for physical objects or appearance; it is almost always used for revealing flaws in character, skills, or systems.
Do not confuse this with the much more common intransitive meaning 'to arrive' (e.g., 'He didn't show up').
to join a protest where people sit down in a public place and refuse to leave (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + sit in (+ at + place / + to protest + noun)
Wrong: We decided to sit in the lecture to see if we liked the professor. Right: We decided to sit in on the lecture to see if we liked the professor. To 'sit in' means to protest. To attend a class or meeting as an observer, you must use 'sit in on'.
Do not confuse this with 'sit in on' (which means to attend a meeting or class as an observer).
to join a group of musicians for a short time as a guest performer (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + sit in + (with + band) / (on + session)
Wrong: The guitarist sat in the band for the last song. Right: The guitarist sat in with the band for the last song. You must use the preposition 'with' when specifying the band you are joining, or 'on' for the session.
Do not confuse this with 'sit in on' meaning to attend a meeting or class as an observer without participating.
to feel acceptable, agreeable, or harmonious to someone (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject (idea/decision) + does not + sit + well + with + someone
Wrong: His rude comment didn't sit with me. Right: His rude comment didn't sit well with me. In this sense, 'sit with' requires an adverb like 'well' or 'right' to express whether the feeling is positive or negative.
This sense is almost always used in the negative (e.g., 'it doesn't sit well with me') or with adverbs like 'well', 'uneasily', or 'right'.
to show, indicate, or be a clear sign of a particular quality or situation (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject (inanimate thing) + speak of + noun
Wrong: His tired eyes were speaking of a long journey. Right: His tired eyes spoke of a long journey. This sense of 'speak of' is a stative relation and is almost never used in the continuous (progressive) tense.
Do not use this in casual, everyday conversation; it sounds very literary and old-fashioned outside of formal writing.
to have a special meaning for someone or make them feel a strong emotional connection (C1, not separable)
Pattern: something (art, music, idea) + speak to + someone
Wrong: This book speaks to me to change my life. Right: This book speaks to me and makes me want to change my life. The phrase 'speak to' cannot be followed by an infinitive of purpose; it must stand alone as a description of emotional resonance.
Do not confuse this figurative meaning with the literal action of talking to a person.
to show that something is true, or to serve as evidence of a particular quality or situation (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject (fact/evidence/experience) + speak to + noun
Wrong: These results speak to that the method is effective. Right: These results speak to the effectiveness of the method. The phrasal verb 'speak to' must be followed by a noun phrase, not a 'that' clause.
Do not use this in casual, everyday conversation where simpler verbs like 'show' or 'prove' are much more natural.
to insist on following formal rules, ceremonies, or polite behavior strictly (C1, not separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + stand on + noun (usually 'ceremony', 'protocol', or 'dignity')
Wrong: We are close friends, so please do not stand on the ceremony. Right: We are close friends, so please do not stand on ceremony. In the common idiom 'stand on ceremony', the noun 'ceremony' is uncountable and does not take the definite article 'the'.
This is a formal and slightly old-fashioned expression; do not use it in casual, everyday conversations.
to tolerate or endure a difficult or stressful situation that will eventually have a positive result (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + can/could + stand to + noun/pronoun
Wrong: I cannot stand to his constant complaining anymore. Right: I cannot stand his constant complaining anymore. If you just dislike or cannot tolerate something annoying (with no ultimate benefit), use 'cannot stand' without 'to'.
This phrasal verb is almost always used with 'can' or 'be able to' in the negative or in questions, and is less common than 'stand' on its own.
to keep or maintain an erection during sexual activity (C1, not separable, slang)
Pattern: subject (it / his penis) + stay up
Wrong: He took a pill to make his penis stay up it. Right: He took a pill to help him stay up. The phrasal verb 'stay up' is intransitive in this sense and cannot take a direct object.
This is a highly informal, euphemistic slang term that should never be used in polite, formal, or professional contexts.
to gradually decrease or reduce something, such as production, activity, or power (C1, separable)
Pattern: subject + step + noun/pronoun + down (or: step down + noun)
Wrong: The doctor told me to step down my medication. Right: The doctor told me to reduce my medication. While 'step down' is used for activities or production, medical dosages are typically 'reduced', 'tapered off', or 'stepped down' only in very specific medical jargon.
Do not confuse this with the much more common B2 meaning 'to resign from a job or position'.
to trick someone in order to get a lot of money from them (C1, separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + take + person + for + amount of money / everything they have
Wrong: The scammer took me about all my savings. Right: The scammer took me for all my savings. The phrasal verb 'take someone' must be followed by the preposition 'for' to mean 'to defraud'.
This is an informal, colloquial expression; do not use it in formal legal contexts or official police reports.
To go towards or enter a place, especially to escape danger or find safety. (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + take to + noun (usually plural or with 'the')
Wrong: After work, I took to my bed to watch TV. Right: After work, I went to bed to watch TV. 'Take to' in this physical sense implies fleeing or seeking refuge, not just casually going to a place.
This sense is almost always used with specific destinations like 'the hills', 'the streets', 'the boats', or 'the air'.
to have a noticeable, exhausting, or damaging effect on someone or something (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject (stress/age/illness) + tell on + object (person/body/mind)
Wrong: The stress of the new job is telling on himself. Right: The stress of the new job is telling on him. The preposition 'on' is followed by a standard object pronoun (him, her, them), not a reflexive pronoun (himself), unless the subject and object refer to the same entity in a different grammatical structure.
Do not confuse this with the common informal meaning 'to report someone's bad behavior' (e.g., 'Don't tell on me!').
to produce new information, ideas, or problems, especially unexpectedly (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject (process/investigation) + throw up + noun (results/problems)
Wrong: The system threw up it during the test. Right: The system threw it up during the test. Although this sense is rarely separated, if you use a pronoun as the object, it must still go between the verb and the particle.
Be careful: the much more common, informal meaning of 'throw up' is to vomit.
to start working hard or focusing on a task, especially after a distraction (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + turn to
Wrong: We need to turn to the work immediately. Right: We need to turn to immediately. In this specific sense of 'focusing and getting down to work', the phrasal verb is intransitive and cannot take a direct object.
In this sense, 'turn to' is intransitive and is not followed by an object. Do not confuse it with 'turn to someone' (ask for help).
to disappear or be stolen, especially when left unattended (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: subject (the missing object) + walk away
Wrong: Someone walked away my favorite pen from the desk. Right: My favorite pen has walked away from the desk. In this sense, 'walk away' is intransitive and cannot take a direct object. The stolen item itself must be the subject.
This sense is strictly intransitive; the object that disappears is always the subject of the sentence.
to easily run, drive, or cycle much faster than a competitor in a race (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + walk away from + object
Wrong: The runner walked away from his opponents very slowly. Right: The runner walked away from his opponents effortlessly. This sense of 'walk away from' means to outpace someone very quickly and easily, so using 'slowly' contradicts the meaning of the phrase.
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of physically walking away from a person or a difficult situation.
to stop paying a debt, like a mortgage, and let the bank take the property instead (C1, not separable)
Pattern: subject + walk away from + mortgage/debt/home
Wrong: He walked away his mortgage because he couldn't pay. Right: He walked away from his mortgage because he couldn't pay. The phrasal verb requires the preposition 'from' when followed by an object.
Do not confuse this financial meaning with the literal action of physically walking away from a place or a person.
to defeat an opponent very easily in a game, competition, or election (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: subject + walk over + object
Wrong: Our team was so strong that we walked over the cup. Right: Our team was so strong that we walked over the other team. You walk over the opponent or competitor, not the trophy, tournament, or cup itself.
Do not confuse this with the physical action of walking towards someone, or the idiom 'walk all over someone' which means to treat someone badly.
to publicly change your opinion or admit that what you said earlier was wrong or too strong (C1, separable)
Pattern: subject + walk + object (statement/comments/promise) + back OR subject + walk + back + object
Wrong: He walked back his promise to help us. Right: He went back on his promise to help us. 'Walk back' is used for statements, claims, or opinions, usually in public or professional contexts. For personal promises, 'go back on' is the correct idiom.
Do not confuse this figurative meaning with physically walking backwards or returning on foot.
To measure a distance by walking and counting your steps. (C1, separable)
Pattern: subject + walk + noun/pronoun + off
Wrong: We walked off the garden to see how big it is. Right: We walked the garden off to see how big it is. When using this phrasal verb transitively to mean measuring, it is much more natural to place the object before 'off', especially when using pronouns.
Do not confuse this with the more common B1 sense of 'walking off' a heavy meal or an injury to feel better.
used to ask angrily what someone is doing when they are acting stupidly, strangely, or dangerously (C1, not separable, informal)
Pattern: What + be + subject + playing at?
Wrong: What do you play at? You could have caused an accident! Right: What are you playing at? You could have caused an accident! This idiomatic expression must be used in the present continuous tense ('playing at'), not the present simple.
This sense is almost always used in the continuous form as a question, especially 'What are you playing at?' or 'What is he playing at?'
to officially reduce the recorded value of an asset on a company's financial records (C1, separable, formal)
Pattern: subject + write + noun/pronoun + down (or: write down + noun)
Wrong: The company wrote down its assets because of the crisis, which means they wrote them on a piece of paper. Right: The company wrote down its assets because of the crisis, which means they reduced their official value. In a financial context, 'write down' means to reduce an asset's book value, not to physically write text on paper.
Do not confuse this financial meaning with the everyday A2 meaning 'to write something on paper'.
Meanings adapted by MindDory from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0). This list is shared under the same licence.