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For You
Stephen Lau
For You
Stephen Lau
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BLOW
Blow in: visit unexpectedly.
e.g. What a surprise! What blows you in?
Blow over: end without causing harm.
e.g. The Mayor expected the riot would blow over in a day or two.
Blow up: become very angry.
e.g. As soon as he heard the bad news, he blew up and started shouting and screaming.
NOISE
Noise about: gossip.
e.g. Please don’t noise about my being fired by my boss.
APPEAL
Appeal against: ask a court to cancel something.
e.g. The lawyer appealed against the court’s decision.
Appeal for: demand as a right.
e.g. I think we should appeal for justice.
e.g. They are appealing for our help.
Appeal to: attract or please someone.
e.g. The proposal appealed to many of us.
e.g. Her personality appeals to everybody around her.
e.g. Does this food appeal to your taste?
POKE
Poke one’s nose into: pry into.
e.g. Don’t poke your nose into my affairs; it’s none of your business.
ARGUE
Argue about: dispute or quarrel with someone over.
e.g. They often argue about racial injustice over the dinner table.
Argue against: make a case against someone or something.
e.g. The police discovered new evidence that argued against the criminal charge.
Argue back: answer back.
e.g. I wish he would not argue back so much.
Argue down: defeat someone in a debate.
e.g. He tries to argue down everyone who has opposite views.
Argue for: make a case for someone.
e.g. My lawyer will argue for me in court.
Argue into: convince someone to do something.
e.g. I could not argue myself into helping you in this project.
Argue with: challenge someone or something.
e.g. I won’t argue with what you do; after all, it is your choice.
INCLUDE
Include among: choose or classify.
e.g. He included himself among the top writers of science fiction.
Include in: invite.
e.g. I think we’ll include him in the party.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
Blow in: visit unexpectedly.
e.g. What a surprise! What blows you in?
Blow over: end without causing harm.
e.g. The Mayor expected the riot would blow over in a day or two.
Blow up: become very angry.
e.g. As soon as he heard the bad news, he blew up and started shouting and screaming.
NOISE
Noise about: gossip.
e.g. Please don’t noise about my being fired by my boss.
APPEAL
Appeal against: ask a court to cancel something.
e.g. The lawyer appealed against the court’s decision.
Appeal for: demand as a right.
e.g. I think we should appeal for justice.
e.g. They are appealing for our help.
Appeal to: attract or please someone.
e.g. The proposal appealed to many of us.
e.g. Her personality appeals to everybody around her.
e.g. Does this food appeal to your taste?
POKE
Poke one’s nose into: pry into.
e.g. Don’t poke your nose into my affairs; it’s none of your business.
ARGUE
Argue about: dispute or quarrel with someone over.
e.g. They often argue about racial injustice over the dinner table.
Argue against: make a case against someone or something.
e.g. The police discovered new evidence that argued against the criminal charge.
Argue back: answer back.
e.g. I wish he would not argue back so much.
Argue down: defeat someone in a debate.
e.g. He tries to argue down everyone who has opposite views.
Argue for: make a case for someone.
e.g. My lawyer will argue for me in court.
Argue into: convince someone to do something.
e.g. I could not argue myself into helping you in this project.
Argue with: challenge someone or something.
e.g. I won’t argue with what you do; after all, it is your choice.
INCLUDE
Include among: choose or classify.
e.g. He included himself among the top writers of science fiction.
Include in: invite.
e.g. I think we’ll include him in the party.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
MOVE
Move ahead: advance beyond.
e.g. If you wish to move ahead in you career, you need a higher degree.
Move along: continue to move.
e.g. Come on! Move along; there's nothing to see here
Move around: walk around a bit here and there.
e.g. Can you sit still, instead of moving around?
Move aside: step out of the way.
e.g. Please move aside so that the crowd can get through.
Move away: withdraw from someone or something.
e.g. Let's move away from those smokers.
Move back: move back and away.
e.g. Please move back! We need more space here.
Move on something: do something about something.
e.g. This is an issue we must move on.
e.g. You must move on this matter and give it your top priority.
Move up: advance; go higher.
e.g. She is trying to move her son up the social ladder/
TOUCH
Touch on: mention briefly.
e.g. The professor barely touched on the subject of Civil War.
Touch up: repair.
e.g. Can you touch up the scratches on the door?
REMAIN
Remain ahead of :keep up with.
e.g. I don't think we can remain ahead of all the orders coming in.
Remain away: stay away from.
e.g.. I wonder how long he would remain away from drugs.
Remain in: stay within something.
e.g. Please remain in the house until I come back.
Remain on: stay on (a medication)
e.g. Doctor, how long will I remain on this medication?
TALK
Talk back: answer impolitely.
e.g. It's rude to talk back to your parents like that.
Talk over: discuss.
e.g. We'll talk over the matter before we see your parents.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
Move ahead: advance beyond.
e.g. If you wish to move ahead in you career, you need a higher degree.
Move along: continue to move.
e.g. Come on! Move along; there's nothing to see here
Move around: walk around a bit here and there.
e.g. Can you sit still, instead of moving around?
Move aside: step out of the way.
e.g. Please move aside so that the crowd can get through.
Move away: withdraw from someone or something.
e.g. Let's move away from those smokers.
Move back: move back and away.
e.g. Please move back! We need more space here.
Move on something: do something about something.
e.g. This is an issue we must move on.
e.g. You must move on this matter and give it your top priority.
Move up: advance; go higher.
e.g. She is trying to move her son up the social ladder/
TOUCH
Touch on: mention briefly.
e.g. The professor barely touched on the subject of Civil War.
Touch up: repair.
e.g. Can you touch up the scratches on the door?
REMAIN
Remain ahead of :keep up with.
e.g. I don't think we can remain ahead of all the orders coming in.
Remain away: stay away from.
e.g.. I wonder how long he would remain away from drugs.
Remain in: stay within something.
e.g. Please remain in the house until I come back.
Remain on: stay on (a medication)
e.g. Doctor, how long will I remain on this medication?
TALK
Talk back: answer impolitely.
e.g. It's rude to talk back to your parents like that.
Talk over: discuss.
e.g. We'll talk over the matter before we see your parents.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau