Phrasal verbs start with C (Phrasal Verbs With C). A Phrasal verb like Calm down, Cancel out, Cap off, Care for, Carried away, Cart off, Carve out, Carve up, Cash in, and more.
Phrasal Verbs With C
Calm down
Meaning: Stop being angry or emotionally excited
Example: He just needs to calm down a wee bit.
Cancel out
Meaning: Have an opposite effect on something that has happened, taking things back to the beginning
Example: The gains and losses are expected to cancel out.
Cap off
Meaning: Finish or complete, often with some decisive action
Example: I took the lens cap off my camera and waited for a good shot.
Care for
Meaning: Like
Example: Slowly that really care for another often hurt myself.
Carried away
Meaning: Get so emotional that you lose control
Example: The injured were carried away on stretchers.
Cart off
Meaning: Take someone away, usually under arrest or to prison
Example: Please cart off the mountains of rubbish.
Carve out
Meaning: Create or get a area where you can be special or successful
Example: The ones you carve out of marble.
Carve up
Meaning: Divide into smaller pieces
Example: The dark days when imperialism could carve up the world at will are gone for ever.
Cash in
Meaning: Convert shares, bonds, casino chips, etc, into money
Example: Investors were storing up a lot of cash in anticipation of disaster.
Cash in on
Meaning: Benefit or make money on something, especially if done unfairly
Example: The record company was trying to cash in on her fame by releasing early teenage recordings.
Cash out
Meaning: Illegally access a bank account or credit card and steal money
Example: They can pay cash, out of their own reserves or by borrowing.
Cash up
Meaning: Count all the money taken in a shop or business at the end of the day
Example: The club cannot cash up the money needed to train young players.
Cater for
Meaning: To provide what is necessary
Example: Our plans need to be flexible enough to cater for the needs of everyone.
Cater to
Meaning: To provide what is needed, often seen negatively
Example: They only publish novels which cater to the mass market.
Cave in
Meaning: Stop resisting or refusing
Example: The management refused to cave in to their demands.
Chalk out
Meaning: To cut a line of cocaine
Example: The boys chalked out goalposts on the playground wall.
Chalk up
Meaning: To achieve something good
Example: The team has chalked up its fifth win in a row.
Chalk up to
Meaning: Explain the reason for a problem
Example: They chalked the poor sales up to the lower numbers of tourists visiting this year.
Chance upon
Meaning: Find something by accident
Example: Perhaps you might chance upon the dictionary at some old bookstall.
Change over
Meaning: Change a system
Example: She wanted to change over from gas to electricity for her cooking.
Charge up
Meaning: Put electricity into a battery
Example: The reason may be that they charge up the hill while their elders amble.
Charge with
Meaning: Accuse somebody of a crime
Example: They have entered your mind and there they add to the charge with which you are writing your book.
Chase down
Meaning: Try hard to find or get something
Example: The police were trying to chase down all possible clues to the murder.
Chase off
Meaning: Force a person to leave or go away
Example: It does not appear to be particularly aggressive but will chase off any fish that enter the territory surrounding its flowerpot.
Chase up
Meaning: Ensure that someone remembers to do something
Example: The police have been trying to chase up the dead man’s sister, but they have no idea where she lives.
Chat away
Meaning: Talk in a free and friendly manner
Example: They would chat away to her about their day until they got down to the schoolwork.
Chat up
Meaning: Talk to someone you are sexually interested in to get them interested in you
Example: I spent the evening chatting up Liz.
Cheat on
Meaning: Be sexually unfaithful
Example: My brother would never cheat on his wife; he’s not that sort.
Cheat out of
Meaning: Get money from someone under false pretences
Example: I hate him- he cheated me out OF £100.
Cheer on
Meaning: Encourage
Example: The social types turned out en masse to cheer on their friends and to put a little hard cash on the line.
Cheer up
Meaning: Be less unhappy
Example: Cheer up! It can’t be as bad as all that.
Chew off
Meaning: Remove by biting
Example: In the pines squirrels commonly chew off and drop entire cones.
Chew on
Meaning: Thinks about something carefully before deciding
Example: She polished it off and began to chew on the ice.
Chew out
Meaning: Criticize someone angrily
Example: The coach often chews out lazy players.
Chew over
Meaning: Think about an issue
Example: There is plenty of time for us to chew over our plan.
Chew up
Meaning: Cut into small pieces with your teeth
Example: The boy chewed up the book.
Chicken out
Meaning: Be too afraid to do something
Example: I Chickened out of the bungee jumping when I saw how high it was.
Chill out
Meaning: Relax
Example: Chill out, Dad. The train doesn’t leave for another hour!
Chime in
Meaning: Contribute to a discussion
Example: He’s always ready to chime in with his opinion.
Chip away at
Meaning: Gradually reduce something to make it less powerful, effective, etc
Example: The group had hoped to chip away at its debts by selling assets.
Chip in
Meaning: Contribute some money
Example: His grandfather would always chip in while we were talking.
Choke off
Meaning: Stop or restrict
Example: High interest rates have choked off investment.
Choke out
Meaning: Clog or overwhelm
Example: Growth of the reed can choke out native water plants.
Choke up
Meaning: Become tearfully emotional
Example: Our basketball team began to choke up in the last quarter.
Choose up
Meaning: Form groups or teams
Example: The boys chose up sides and then took their positions on the field.
Chop down
Meaning: Fell or cut down a tree
Example: Sometimes they have to chop down a tree for firewood.
Chop up
Meaning: Cut into small pieces
Example: Chop up the onion into small pieces.
Chow down
Meaning: Eat
Example: She had to chow down with the others in the cafeteria.
Chow down on
Meaning: Eat something
Example: Make a wish, take a deep breath, blow out the flames and chow down on the candles.
Chuck away
Meaning: Dispose of something you no longer need or want
Example: I’m not giving you money to chuck away on toys.
Chuck in
Meaning: Quit something
Example: If you buy the freezer and the fridge we’ll chuck in a toaster.
Chuck out
Meaning: Dispose of something you no longer need or want
Example: I really must chuck out all those old books.
Chuck up
Meaning: Vomit, be sick
Example: If we can’t win this war, we will have to chuck up the sponge.
Churn out
Meaning: Produce, usually quickly or in large amounts without much regard to quality
Example: The military bomb boys can churn out their own fissile materials without difficulty.
Clag up
Meaning: Make something sticky
Example: His arteries are clagged up because he eats so much saturated fat.
Clam up
Meaning: Be quiet, refuse to speak
Example: The teacher asked who had thrown the eraser,but the class clammed up.
Clamp down on
Meaning: Restrict or try to stop something
Example: The government intends to clamp down on drug smuggling.
Claw back
Meaning: Get money back
Example: The airline is beginning to claw back some of the business it lost after the bomb explosion.
Clean off
Meaning: Remove dirt or something dirty
Example: First clean off all loose material, then coat the area to be covered by the repair with special primer.
Clean out
Meaning: Tidy up thoroughly and throw away unwanted things.
Example: I hope you will clean out all those sticky old sweet papers and empty envelopes from your drawer this time.
Clean up
Meaning: Tidy and clean
Example: Drastic measures are needed to clean up the profession.
Clear away
Meaning: Leave a place
Example: I’ll help you to clear away after tea.
Clear off
Meaning: Leave somewhere quickly
Example: I don’t think the mist will clear off very soon.
Clear out
Meaning: Tidy up thoroughly and throw away unwanted stuff.
Example: We decided to clear out all the old clothes that we never wear.
Clear up
Meaning: Cure or recover from an infection
Example: They always clear up their bedrooms before they go out.
Click through
Meaning: Open an advertisement on the Internet
Example: The new forum avatars will be each player’s character portrait, with the ability to click through to the paper doll.
Climb down
Meaning: Accept that you are wrong and change your position
Example: The government has been forced to climb down over the issue of increased taxes.
Cling on
Meaning: Hold tight
Example: Some children tend to cling on their first day at school.
Cling on to
Meaning: Try to keep something
Example: She managed to cling on to life for another couple of years.
Cling to
Meaning: Try to maintain beliefs, hopes, etc.
Example: I still cling to the hope that he’s alive.
Clock in
Meaning: Record the time of arriving at work on a machine
Example: The clock in the painting is a symbolic representation of the passage of time.
Clock off
Meaning: Record the time you leave work
Example: The Night Duty Officer was ready to clock off.
Clock on
Meaning: Record the time of arriving at work on a machine
Example: The clock on the church tower said nine o’clock.
Clock out
Meaning: Record the time you leave work
Example: Workers in a factory must clock out when they leave.
Clock up
Meaning: Win, score or achieve results
Example: The company has clocked up record exports this year.
Clog up
Meaning: Block, slow movement right down
Example: Within a few years the pipes began to clog up.
Cloud over
Meaning: Get very cloudy
Example: His miserable manner cast a cloud over the whole proceedings.
Clown about
Meaning: Behave stupidly or waste time
Example: The students were Clowning about all lesson.
Clown around
Meaning: Behave stupidly or waste time
Example: They love to dance, play, have fun, and clown around.
Clue in on
Meaning: Give someone the information they need
Example: She’s new to the team, so please clue her in on the work you’ve done so far.
Coast along
Meaning: Do something without making much effort or trying to improve
Example: They rise up out of nowhere, coast along in the rearview mirror.
Cobble together
Meaning: Make, assemble or produce something quickly, without much care
Example: The essay was cobbled together from some old notes.
Cock up
Meaning: Ruin or spoil something
Example: She cocked up all the arrangements for the party.
Colour (Color) in
Meaning: Fill an area with colour/color
Example: The garden is a blaze of colour in autumn.
Colour (Color) up
Meaning: Blush
Example: He Coloured up when he was caught stealing from the till.
Cone off
Meaning: Close part or all of a road
Example: The police coned off the lane after the accident.
Conjure up
Meaning: Create a picture or memory in someone’s mind
Example: Unfortunately, I can’t just conjure up the money out of thin air!
Conk out
Meaning: Fall fast asleep
Example: The car conked out at the crossroads.
Contract in
Meaning: Become involved or committed to something
Example: Pupils contract in bright light, and dilate in darkness.
Contract out
Meaning: Give a contract for a service outside the company you work for
Example: They put a contract out on him and he’s in hiding.
Contract out of
Meaning: Formally leave and agreement
Example: Employees can contract out of their employer’s occupational pension scheme.
Cool down
Meaning: Get cooler
Example: Let the cookies cool down before you try them.
Cool off
Meaning: Become calmer
Example: Leave her to cool off and then talk to her.
Coop up
Meaning: Confine in a small area
Example: I feel like I’ve been cooped up in this flat for days.
Cop it
Meaning: Get into trouble
Example: You’ll really cop it if your parents find out you’ve been stealing.
Cop off
Meaning: Leave work or school early
Example: Who did he cop off with at the party?
Cop out
Meaning: Choose an easy alternative
Example: Lots of people said they’d help but they’ve all copped out.
Cost up
Meaning: Calculate how expensive some work is going to be
Example: An accident reconstruction can cost up to ￡1,000.
Cotton on
Meaning: To work out the truth
Example: She had already cottoned on to the fact that the nanny was not all she appeared.
Cotton up to
Meaning: Ingratiate
Example: He is very friendly and will cotton up to anyone easily.
Cough up
Meaning: Lose possession of a ball, etc. in a contact sport
Example: I’ll have to cough up $10,000 a year for tuition.
Could do with
Meaning: Need or want something
Example: The whole house could do with a fresh coat of paint.
Cover for
Meaning: Provide an excuse or alibi
Example: I’ll cover for Jane while she’s on holiday.
Cover up
Meaning: Conceal, try to stop people finding out
Example: The company tried to cover up its employment of illegal immigrants.
Cowboy up
Meaning: Not give in when things get difficult
Example: We have to Cowboy up and get this job done.
Cozy up
Meaning: Make yourself comfortable
Example: Come over to the fire and cozy up a bit.
Cozy up to
Meaning: Make yourself popular with someone
Example: Henry is cozying up to John so he can join the club.
Crack down on
Meaning: Use more authority than usual
Example: The government is determined to crack down on terrorism.
Crack on
Meaning: Continue doing something with energy
Example: The rain-water dripped through a crack on the ceiling.
Crack up
Meaning: Have a nervous breakdown
Example: Pressure of life caused him to crack up.
Crank out
Meaning: Produce a lot of something fast
Example: The plant can crank out about 6cars an hour.
Crank up
Meaning: Inject non-medical drugs
Example: Adding a baby to the mix will surely crank up the stress.
Crash out
Meaning: Sleep at someone’s house because you are too tired, drunk, etc. to leave
Example: I just want to crash out on the sofa.
Cream off
Meaning: Take money or divert funds, usually wrongfully or unfairly
Example: The private schools cream off many of the best pupils.
Crop up
Meaning: Appear unexpectedly
Example: Misprints often crop up in the papers.
Cross off
Meaning: Delete, remove from a list
Example: Cross off any items we’ve already got.
Cross out
Meaning: Put as line through some writing to show it is wrong
Example: Cross out any words that are not on the list.
Cross up
Meaning: Confuse, deceive
Example: The treasure map was deliberately drawn to cross us up.
Cruise through
Meaning: Pass or succeed easily
Example: It is the crowning achievement of my recent cruise through the Hawaiian Islands.
Crumb down
Meaning: Clear a table in a restaurant
Example: The waiter Crumbed down before the coffee was served.
Cry off
Meaning: To cancel an arrangement
Example: He tried to cry off after swearing he would do it!
Cry out
Meaning: Shout because you are in pain
Example: The wounded man could not forbear to cry out.
Cuddle up
Meaning: Position your body very closely
Example: The children cuddled up under the warm blankets.
Cuddle up to
Meaning: Position your body very close to someone
Example: One minute something’s there and you can cuddle up to it.
