vacuum up: Consume: He VACUUMED UP all of the food. vamp up: Make something more exciting, attractive: The place is dull and you need to VAMP it UP. veg out: Relax, do nothing: I’m going to VEG OUT in front of the TV tonight. venture forth: Leave somewhere safe or comfortable: If the storm has…

Urge on: Encourage: The crowd URGED the players ON. Urge upon: Persuade or pressure to accept something: They URGED the contract UPON us. Use up: Finish or consume all of something: We USED UP all the olive oil. Usher in: Be at, mark or celebrate an important point in time: We always give a party…

Tail back: Form a traffic jam: The traffic TAILED BACK for several miles after the accident. Talk into: Persuade someone to do something: She didn’t want to let me go, but I finally managed to TALK her INTO it. Tap into: Use or exploit a plentiful resource for your benefit: The company is hoping to…

sack out|Fall asleep|I SACKED OUT in front of the TV.|1 saddle up|Put a saddle on and prepare an animal to ride|She SADDLED UP the horse and rode off.|_ saddle with|Give someone a task or responsibility that is difficult or hard work|They SADDLED me WITH preparing the visit.|_ sag off|Not go to school or work, or…

Rain down on: Fall in large numbers: Bombs RAINED DOWN ON the city all night. Rake in: Earn, make money easily: She’s RAKING IN thousands a day. Ramp up: Increase amount, price, speed or power of something: The company has RAMPED its prices UP because of higher oil prices. Rat on: Inform authorities about someone’s…

Quarrel out: Argue with someone about a specific subject: The girl’s mother was QUARRELING OUT with her daughter about the party. Quarrel with: Dispute or disagree with something: I am not QUARRELLING WITH their idea, but I think there are other possibilities. Queer up: Mess up, ruin: I QUEERED the exam UP. Quieten down: Fall…

Pack up: Stop doing something: You should PACK UP smoking. Pair off: Begin a romantic relationship: They PAIRED OFF shortly after starting university. Pal up: Become friends: We PALLED UP when I started working with her. Palm off: Get someone to accept something that isn’t true: He tried to PALM me OFF with a pathetic…

Occur to: Enter one’s mind: Didn’t it OCCUR TO you to help me when you saw how much trouble I was in? Open up: Start to talk freely about something: She hates to OPEN UP and discuss her feelings. Operate on: Perform surgery: She was OPERATED ON for eight hours. Opt for: Choose: I OPTED…

Nail down: Succeed in getting, achieve: They are having trouble NAILING DOWN the contract. Name after: Give someone a name to remember another person: I was NAMED AFTER my uncle who died in the war. Narrow down: Remove less important options to make it easier to choose: I am not sure which university to apply…

Make it: Arrive or get a result: I thought you weren’t coming, so I was really pleased you MADE IT. Man up: Behave with courage or conviction: She told her anonymous critics to MAN UP and speak publicly. Mark down: Give a student a lower grade for a particular reason: Students who gave obviously rehearsed…