LIST OF ENGLISH PHRASAL VERBS (F)
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B
C
D
E
F
G
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I
J
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P
Q
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Face off:
To go head to head. To engage in a game, competition, etc.
Example: "The two teams will face off again next week."
Face up to (something):
To accept responsibility for (something).
Example: "In order to be a responsible person, you have to face up to what you did."
Fall back on:
To have as a backup; To have in case of an emergency.
Example: "I always have my translating skills to fall back on if my acting career doesn't pan out."
Fall behind:
To fail to keep pace (with someone/something).
Example: "The other runners fell behind."
Fall for:
1) To believe something that isn't true.
Example: "I can't believe you fell for that story! It's obviously a lie!"
2) To fall in love with.
Example: "He fell for her."
Fall off:
To decrease.
Example: "Gold prices fell off last week."
Fall out:
To argue, quarrel.
Example: "They fell out over the administration's handling of the war."
Fall through:
To not happen.
Example: "Our plan to go to Europe last year fell through because we didn't have enough money."
Feel out:
To try to determine.
Example: "Jim's a very moody person. You should feel out his mood before you ask him for any favors."
Feel (someone) up:
To touch someone in a passionate, sexual way.
Feel up to:
To feel good/comfortable/strong enough to.
Example: "Do you feel up to going out tonight?"
Fend off (an attack, etc.):
To successfully resist, fight back; to fight off.
Figure out:
To solve or understand something.
Example: "I can't figure out why she would lie to me like that."
Fill in:
To complete (in writing, etc.)
Example: "Don't forget to fill in all the blanks on the application."
Fill in for:
To substitute for.
Example: "I was unable to go to the meeting yesterday, but Tom filled in for me."
Fill out:
1) To complete (an application, form, etc.)
Example: "Fill out this application and bring it back to me."
2) To gain weight, body mass. etc.
Example: "Mike has really filled out over the past couple of years."
Find out:
To discover.
Example: "He found out that his wife had been cheating on him."
Find your way around:
To have good knowledge of the layout/geography of a place/thing.
Example: "I can find my way around Houston very easily.", "This sitemap will
help you find your way around our website."
Fire away:
Mostly used as a command. "Fire away." = "Ask me what you want to ask me."
Fire off:
To send very quickly, as in an email, a letter, etc.
Example:
"I just have to fire off a couple of quick emails and I'll be with you in a second."
Fit in:
To belong or conform to some group, etc.
Example: "I'm a rebel. I don't fit in."
Fizzle out:
To fade and then end weakly; to peter out.
Example: "The party just kind of fizzled out."
Flick through (the channels):
To channel surf (to go from one TV channel to the next, seeing what's on TV). Also used as a synonym for "to flip through."
Flip through:
To look or glance through very quickly.
Example: "He flipped through the newspaper."
Follow up on (something):
To go back to something that was talked about earlier, usually in order to check progress, discuss details, etc.
Example: "I'm calling to follow up on our conversation this morning."
Fool around:
1) To play, joke around.
Example: "The kids were fooling around outside."
2) To kiss and touch.
Example: "Tom and Rachel were fooling around at the party."
Freak out: (very informal)
To go crazy/wild (because of emotion, anger, etc.)
Example: "My friend freaked out when he found out that his girlfriend was cheating on him."
