Vocabulary
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Remove someone secretly from a place(separable)
“They SPIRITED her AWAY before the police arrived.”
“They SPIRITED him OFF before any trouble started.”
An informal way of telling someone to say something they are unwilling to say(separable)
“Hurry up, SPIT IT OUT! I can't wait all day for the truth.”
Say something angrily(separable)
“He SPAT her name OUT when he saw her arrive.”
Land in the sea (space capsules)
“Apollo 13 SPLASHED DOWN after a harrowing flight.”
Spend a lot of money on something that is not essential
“We need to SPLASH OUT before someone notices.”
Spend a lot of money on something(inseparable)
“I SPLASHED OUT ON a new camera.”
Divide into groups(separable)
“The teacher SPLIT the class UP into groups of four.”
Really want something(inseparable)
“He's been SPOILING FOR an argument all day.”
Clean something with a sponge(separable)
“I'll SPONGE it DOWN before putting it away.”
Accept free food and support without any shame or qualms(inseparable)
“Let’s go to New York, we can always SPONGE OFF my brother there.”
Accept or get money without doing any work(inseparable)
“A lot of people are SPONGING ON the state by claiming benefits they're not entitled to.”
Return to original position after being bent, forced or when pressure is removed
“The lock SPRINGS BACK when the key is turned.”
Pay for, often generously(inseparable)
“She is going to SPRING FOR all their medical bills.”
Appear suddenly and unexpectedly(inseparable)
“He SPRANG FROM the bushes when I walked past.”
Surprise someone(separable)
“They SPRUNG a birthday party ON me at work.”
Appear suddenly
“Charity shops are SPRINGING UP in the recession.”
Smarten, make something neat and tidy(separable)
“We SPRUCED the flat UP before we put it on the market.”
Encourage someone to continue(separable)
“The thought of the bonus SPURRED her ON to complete the work on time.”
Finish or sort something out(separable)
“There are few things I have to SQUARE AWAY before I can leave.”
Confront someone or prepare to fight them
“The two drunks SQUARED OFF and the barman had to intervene before a fight broke out.”
Confront someone or prepare to fight them(inseparable)
“They SQUARED OFF AGAINST the police when they arrived.”
Pay back a debt
“The companies are SQUARING UP for a fight.”
Accept responsibility or guilt(inseparable)
“They need to SQUARE UP TO what they did wrong if we are to make any progress.”
Match, conform to(inseparable)
“What he said doesn't SQUARE WITH what the others said.”
Get more people into a space than normal or comfortable
“Four of us had to SQUEEZE UP in the back of the car.”
Put things in a pile(separable)
“I STACKED UP the boxes.”
Be as good as something(inseparable)
“The new model doesn't STACK UP AGAINST the old one.”
Employ someone for something specific(separable)
“They haven't STAFFED the project UP yet.”
Get rid of something(separable)
“The government has started a campaign to STAMP OUT drugs in schools.”
Spend time in a place waiting or doing nothing or very little
“We STOOD ABOUT drinking coffee before the lecture.”
“We STOOD AROUND for an hour waiting for them to turn up.”
Leave a position so that someone else can take it
“The prime minister should STAND ASIDE and let a new leader head the party.”
Keep a distance from something
“We STOOD BACK while he lit the firework.”
Support someone(inseparable)
“He STOOD BY her throughout the trial as he believed her to be innocent.”
Leave a job or position so that someone else can take it
“The minister announced her intention to STAND DOWN at the next election.”
Accept or tolerate behaviour(inseparable)
“I'm not going to STAND FOR their rudeness any longer.”
Substitute someone temporarily(inseparable)
“She had to STAND IN FOR the editor while he was on holiday.”
Move or remain at a distance(separable)
“The protesters STOOD OFF when the police arrived.”
Defend, support(inseparable)
“He's the kind of manager who will always STAND UP FOR his staff.”
Keep your principles when challenged by an authority(inseparable)
“She STOOD UP TO the police when they tried to corrupt her.”
Look at someone until they cannot look at you(separable)
“He was angry but I STARED him DOWN and he left without saying much.”
Make something start(separable)
“They STARTED OFF the meeting with an attack on our performance.”
Help someone to start a piece or work or activity(separable)
“I STARTED her OFF ON the project then left her to finish it.”
Begin to use or consume(inseparable)
“It's time to START ON that bottle of wine.”
Criticise or nag(inseparable)
“He STARTED ON AT me for being late.”
Begin life, existence or a career(inseparable)
“What had STARTED OUT AS a protest quickly turned into a full-blown rebellion.”
Intend, plan(inseparable)
“I didn't START OUT TO become the boss- it just happened.”
Begin something again
“It's a mess- I think we should just START OVER.”
Open a business(separable)
“The firm STARTED UP on a shoestring budget.”
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