by Liz Walter
We use phrasal verbs a lot, and it’s worth learning as many as you can. In this post, I will look at phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs connected with arguing – there is a surprisingly large number of them! It is often important to know what preposition to use after a phrasal verb, so pay particular attention to the prepositions highlighted in the example sentences.
If people have an argument and stop being friendly, they fall out: Rika and Sam fell out. Rika fell out with Sam. They fell out over money. If an argument has been developing for a period of time, we say it has been brewing up: A nasty row has been brewing up between the two men. It had been brewing up for years. If someone decides to challenge someone about something that annoys or upsets them, we say that they have it out: If Jane’s rudeness upset you, you need to have it out with her.
If two people or groups prepare to argue or fight, we say that they square up (UK)/ off (US): Rival gangs squared up for a fight. Juan squared up to the man. If someone suddenly speaks very angrily, they blow up: Dad blew up at Lexie when he saw the mess. If you criticize someone very strongly and angrily, you rip into them: She ripped into us for ignoring safety regulations. Lay into has a similar meaning but can also refer to physical fights: They pushed him to the ground and laid into him with their boots. Lash out is also used for both verbal and physical attacks: She lashed out at the airline for failing to provide information. The man suddenly lashed out with a metal bar.
If an argument starts suddenly and strongly, it flares up: A huge argument flared up during the lunch break. If it continues for a long time in a less dramatic way, it rumbles on: The feud between the two families rumbled on for years. When people can no longer hide their angry feelings, we say that the feelings boil over: Her feelings of resentment finally boiled over.
During arguments, people sometimes blurt out things that they later regret saying: She was so angry, she blurted out the truth about his mother. People with more self control may be able to bite such comments back: I could tell he was biting back an angry response. Those people may be able to rise above an unpleasant situation and remain calm: Don’t let them upset you. Just rise above it.
That’s plenty of phrasal verbs for one day, but in my next post, I will write about phrasal verbs that describe what happens when other people become involved in an argument and what happens after the argument has finished.
How about squable over sth, like in My children often squabble over breakfast.
i really enjoyed and learned.
I really loved this
That certainly was useful, I liked it.
Thanks so much.
That’s great.
I love it.
I love your way in clearing it out..
awesome, big thank you for it
N
Envoyé depuis mon smartphone Samsung Galaxy.
Excellent.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful article, it’s really helpful for me and my students.
Do you know the meaning of “going cold turkey”. Actually soon I am going to USA and I really don’t know what it means
Hi Anjo
Here is our entry for “cold turkey”: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/cold-turkey
If you go cold turkey, you stop eating, drinking or taking something completely.
Best wishes
Usually associated with withdrawal symptoms when coming off, quickly, drugs?
they are really important ones and worth learning..thank you
Amazing amount of phrasal verbs that I did not know yet. Thank you for posting them!
Loved the info, will try to remember it
Thanks!
Thank you, Liz for producing such an awesome piece!
This kind of post of phrasal verb really helps in daily conversation.Thanks a lot for these phrasal verbs.
It was really helpful. Keep it up!
How is it correct way to say or write: Italy has won the World Cup or Italy have won… ?
Hi Alex
Thanks for your question. Both sentences are correct. “Italy has won.” is more common in American English. “Italy have won.” is more common in British English. The same rule applies when we use other words for groups of people, for example “band” or “family”.
Best wishes
Brilliant
So good
very interesting
It is quite helpful for a person like me who has the hunger to enrich his English communication. All phrasal verbs have been explained in easy to understand manner. Great job..
These phrasal verbs are really helpful in conversation . and personally speaking I learnt so much from them. Send more if it is possible.
Thanks
Neeta Singh
I am very a peaceful woman and all these expressions are not among my cups of tea, especially in the early morning or in the late evening. What really interests me is the amazing similarity between my own language and the English in adopting the contexts to express the same literal meaning of some of these phrasal verbs such as lash out, lay into, and blow up.
It’s really useful for me. Thanks for posting.
It is not easy to see all different
faces of phrasal verbs,and carefully explained,thanks
A very useful collection of phrasal verbs in context.
Thank you
Thanks a lot. Very useful and clearly explained.