Phrasal Verbs | C
Here is a list of phrasal verbs beginning with the letter C.
Call for = demand or require
- This achievement calls for a big celebration.
- Now that laptops have become ubiquitous, there is not much call for desktop computers.
- This recipe calls for butter, not ghee.
Call off (separable) = cancel something
- Her parents were shocked when she called off her wedding to Peter.
- The meeting has been called off.
- We had to call the picnic off because of bad weather.
Call on = visit; ask somebody to speak in a meeting, classroom etc.
- Whenever he is in Sydney, he makes it a point to call on his old friends and colleagues.
- The teacher called on the boy to answer the question, but he couldn’t.
Call up (separable) = to call somebody up is to telephone them
- I called up to see if she had reached safely.
- I have been calling him up since morning, but he hasn’t answered my calls yet.
Calm down (separable) = make someone relax
- The doctor calmed the patient down with a mild dose of sedatives.
Care for = nurse somebody or something; like somebody or something
- She cared for the stray cat until its legs healed.
- He spent years caring for his sick wife.
- I don’t care for cold coffee. (= I don’t like cold coffee.)
Carry on = continue an activity
- Please carry on. I will wait until you have finished.
Carry on about = continue an activity in an annoying way
- He kept carrying on about his achievements although none of us were keen on listening.
Carry out (separable) = accomplish or complete something
- They couldn’t carry out their plans.
- If you don’t carry out my instructions, you will be sacked.
Catch up with = try to be at the same place as the person in front of you
- You will have to work twice as hard if you want to catch up with her.
Check back = return to see if everything is all right
- We will check back tomorrow to make sure that all arrangements are in proper place.
Check by = go to a place to see if something has happened
- We will have to check by his house to see if he has already left.
Here is a list of phrasal verbs beginning with letter C
Come by = get, receive
- How did you come by that diamond necklace?
Come down with = become sick with
- She has come down with the measles.
Come into = inherit
- He came into a huge sum of money when his grandmother died.
Come off = fall off, break off
- The handle came off the suitcase when I tried to pick it up.
Come out with = produce and sell a product
- Apple is expected to come out with a new version of its iPad tablet next month.
Come over = visit somebody at their place
- Would you like to come over for dinner?
Come to = regain consciousness after fainting
- She came to when they sprinkled cold water on her face.
Come up to = reach a certain level
- Reality doesn’t always come up to expectations.
Come up with = suggest an idea or a plan
- She came up with an interesting proposal.
Come with = include
- This tablet computer doesn’t come with a physical keyboard.
Count in (separable) = include
- Please count me in. (= Please include me.)
- ‘We might go camping this weekend.’ ‘Please count me in.’
- You can count John in. He really likes camping.
- Did you count the expenses in?
Count on = depend on
- You can count on him.
Count out (separable) = exclude
- ‘We are going to the theatre. Would you like to come with us?’ ‘No, you can count me out.’
Crack down on = enforce laws more strictly
- The police have been cracking down on drug trafficking.
Crack up = laugh a lot
- She would crack up at even the silliest jokes.
Cross out = draw a line through something
- Cross out the wrong answer.
Cut down / cut down on = decrease the amount of
- If you want to lose weight, you will need to cut down on your fat intake.
Cut in = interrupt
- She always cuts in while we are discussing something personal.
Cut off (separable) = interrupt someone while they are speaking; sever with a knife or another weapon
- She cut him off before he could say anything.
- They cut his head off.
Cut up = cut into small pieces
- The vegetables have been cut up.
