Verbs and prepositions/adverbs in junior high school:
account
account for
(tr) (for something) give full reasons, satisfactorily explain (an action or an expenditure), and make an account:
a treasurer must.
He has behavd in the most extraordinary way； I can't account for his actions at all/I can't account for his being like that.
His behavior is so strange that I can't explain his actions at all.
allow
allow for(tr) to leave room for something in advance, taking into account (often referring to some extra needs, expenses, delays, etc.):
—it is 8 kilometrics and i drive at 1 k.p.h., So I'll be there in eight hours.
—But you'll have to allow for delays going through towns and for stops for refueling.
—The distance is 8 kilometers, and my speed is 1 kilometers per hour, so I can get there in eight hours.
-but you have to take into account the delay in passing through the town and stopping to refuel.
allow for depreciation your car should be worth 2, this time next year.
if depreciation is taken into account, your car should be worth 2, pounds this time next year.
answer
answer back(intr), answer somebody back to refute other people's accusations and answer back:
father: why are you so late last night? You were in till 2a.m.
Father: Why did you come home so late last night? You didn't come back until two o'clock in the morning.
son: you should have been asleep.
son: you should have fallen asleep then.
father: Don't answer me back. Answer my question.
Father: Don't talk back to me. Answer my question.
ask
ask after/for someone to inquire about ... and ask (to a third party) about someone's health:
I met Tom at the party; He asked after you.
I met Tom at the party; He asked after you. (Ask how you are healthy/how you are doing)
ask for
(a) Find someone and want to talk to him/her, and ask to see someone:
Go to the office and ask for my secretary.
Go to the office and ask for my secretary.
(b) demand:
The men asked for more pay and shorter hours.
The workers demanded higher wages and shorter working hours.
ask someone in (the object comes before in) and invite someone in:
He didn't ask me in; He kept me standing at the door while he read the message.
He didn't let me in; He looked at the note and told me to stand at the door and wait.
ask someone out (the object comes before out) to invite someone out for entertainment or eating (especially in public places):
she had a lot of friends and was actually asked out in the events, So she seldom spends an evening at home.
She has many friends and is often invited out at night, so she seldom stays at home at night.
back
back away(intr) slowly retreat (because of something dangerous or unpleasant):
When he took a gun out everyone backed away nervously.
When he took out his gun, everyone stepped back nervously.
back out(intr) to quit (a joint action that has been agreed in advance) and stop or refuse to give the promised help or support:
He agreed to help but backed out when he found how difficult it was.
He agreed to help, but he backed out after discovering how difficult it was.
back someone up supports:
the headmaster never backed up his staff. (backed them up) If a parent complained about a teacher he assured that the teacher was in the wrong.
The headmaster never supports the teachers. Whenever a parent gives advice to a teacher, he always thinks that the teacher must be wrong.
be
be against(tr) (often leading nouns):
I'm for doing nothing till the police arrive./I'm against doing anything till the police arrive.
I'm in favor of not taking action. /I object to taking any action before the police arrive.
be away(intr) (at least one night) is not at home or somewhere
be back(intr) returns to the original place after a long or short absence:
—I want to see Mrs Pitt. Is she in?
—No，I’m afraid she’s out at the moment．／No，I’m afraid she’s awayfor the weekend．
—When will she be back？
—She'll be back in half an hour/next week.
—I want to see Mrs. Pitt. Is she here?
-no, I'm afraid she's not in now. /No, I think she is away for the weekend.
-when will she come back?
-she will be back in half an hour/next week.
be for(tr) agrees (often drives nouns)
be in(intr) at home or in a building
be in for(tr) will meet (often with something unpleasant):
did you listen to the weather forecast? I'm afraid we're in for a bump flight.
Did you listen to the weather forecast? I'm afraid our flight will be bumpy.
if you think that the work is going to be easy, you're in for a shock.
If you think this work will be easy, you'll be surprised.
be out(intr) is not at home/in a building for a short time, but not staying out for the night
be over(intr) ends:
the storm is over now; We can go on.
The storm has passed; We can keep walking.
be up(intr) get up:
Don't expect her to answer the door bell at eight o'clock on Sunday morning. She won't be up.
Don't expect her to open the door when the doorbell rings at 8 o'clock on Sunday morning. She hadn't got up yet.
be up to(tr) physical or mental enough ... (object is often used it, but it can also be used as gerund):
After his illness the minister continued in office through he was no longer up to the work/up to doing the work.
The minister continued to serve after his illness, but he was no longer competent.
be up to something/some mistake/some trick/no good:
Don't trust him; He is up to something/something trick.
Don't believe him; He's up to something/playing tricks.
the boys are very quiet. I wonder what they are up to.
The boys are silent. I don't know what they are up to.
note: the object of up to here is often a very uncertain word, as shown in the above example. This idiom is never used with a specific thing.
it is up to someone (often infinitive) It is someone's duty:
It is up to the government to take action on violence.
It is the government's duty to take action against violence.
I have helped you as much as I can. Now it is up to you.
I have tried my best to help you. Now it's up to you. You have to work on your own. )
bears
bears out (tr) to prove:
This report bears out my theory. (bears my theory out/bears it out)
This report confirms my theory.
bear up(intr) can still support bravely when hearing bad news. Cover up feelings or sadness:
The news of her death was a great shock to him but he bore up brave and none of us realized how much he felt it.
The news of her death was a blow to him, but he bravely supported it, and none of us realized how strong his feelings should be.
blow out (tr):
the wind blows out the candle. (blow out the candle/blow out)
the wind blows out the candle.
blow up (tr/intr)
(a) destroy by explosion:
they blow up the bridges so that the enemy can't catch up with them.
Just as we got to the bridge it blew up.
No sooner had we reached the bridge than the bridge blew up.
(b) inflate:
The children blow up their balloons and three them into the air. (blow up the balloons/blow up)
The children blew up the balloons and threw them into the air.
boil
boil away(intr) (liquid) is completely volatilized due to boiling, and boiled to dryness:
I put the kettle on the gas ring and the smell away and.