| A |
Compare up and down:
put something up (on a wall etc.)
- I put a picture up on the wall.
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take something down (from a wall etc.)
- I didn't like the picture, so I took it down.
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pick something up
- There was a letter on the floor. I picked it up and looked at it.
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put something down
- I stopped writing and put down my pen.
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stand up
- Alan stood up and walked out.
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sit down / bend down / lie down
- I bent down to tie my shoelace.
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turn something up
- I can't hear the TV. Can you turn it up a bit?
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turn something down
- The oven is too hot. Turn it down to 150 degrees.
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| B |
Knock down, cut down etc.
knock down a building, blow something down, cut something down etc.
- Some old houses were knocked down to make way for the new shopping centre.
- Why did you cut down the tree in your garden?
be knocked down (by a car etc.)
- A man was knocked down by a car and taken to hospital.
burn down = be destroyed by fire
- They were able to put out the fire before the house burnt down.
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| C |
Down = getting less
slow down = go more slowly
- You're driving too fast. Slow down.
calm (somebody) down = become calmer, make somebody calmer
- Calm down. There's no point in getting angry.
cut down (on something) = eat, drink or do something less often
- I'm trying to cut down on coffee. I drink too much of it.
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| D |
Other verbs + down
break down = stop working (for machines, cars, relationships etc.)
- The car broke down and I had to phone for help.
- Their marriage broke down after only a few months.
dose down / shut down = stop doing business
- There used to be a shop at the end of the street; it dosed down a few years ago.
let somebody down = disappoint them because you didn't do what they hoped
- You can always rely on Paul. He'll never let you down.
turn somebody/something down = refuse an application, an offer etc.
- I applied for several jobs, but I was turned down for all of them.
- Rachel was offered the job, but she decided to turn it down.
write something down = write something on paper because you may need the information later
- I can't remember Tim's address. I wrote it down, but I can't find it.
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