Vocabulary
100 Most Common Phrasal Verbs used for Commands
Following is the list of most common phrasal verbs that can be used as a command:
| Bend over! | lean forward from the waist |
| Stand up! | stand |
| Smarten up! | become more intelligent and aware of what’s happening around you |
| Hurry up! | do whatever you are doing quickly, whether it’s physical or mental |
| Wait up! | wait for me to catch up with you |
| Queue up! | Make or form a line |
| Fess up! | (slang) confess/admit what you did; tell the truth about what you did |
| Gear up! | get ready to do something |
| Bend down! | lean forward and over; commonly conveyed as lean down |
| Go back! | return to where you were |
| Move back! | move to a place in the back |
| Listen up! | listen carefully |
| Get down! | come down from a high place |
| Speed up! | move faster |
| Sit up! | sit straight in your chair, bed, etc. |
| Get in! | go inside something, like a car or bus |
| Hang up! | end the phone call |
| Lie down! | put your body in a horizontal position; relax on a bed or sofa |
| Stand up! | stand |
| Go on! | continue what you were saying |
| Move along! | keep moving; don’t stop in this spot |
| Cover up! | put on more clothes |
| Butt out! | (slang – rude) don’t interfere |
| Get out! | (slang – rude) Leave this place! (used when angry at someone) |
| Buckle down! | Initiate work, initiate something such as studying, cooking, etc |
| Bugger off! Buzz off! | Go away – it is a rude slang |
| Straighten up! | stand straight; do not bend |
| Go away! | leave the place where you are |
| Quiet down! | stop being noisy |
| Move on! | continue your life; go on with your life |
| Come up! | move to a higher place |
| Come over! | come to my house; come to where I am |
| Finish up! | finish what you have been doing |
| Pull back! | move backward |
| Saddle up! | Get ready to ride a horse by putting the saddle on the horse |
| Turn over! | move your body so that the other side faces up |
| Line up! | make or form a line |
| Come back! | return to where you were |
| Clean up! | clean yourself or your surroundings |
| Open up! | Open the door! |
| Lighten up! | cheer up; don’t be so serious or worried |
| Cheer up! | be happier; don’t be sad |
| Work away! | continue working |
| Loosen up! | (slang) relax; don’t be so stressed |
| Turn back! | turn at your backside |
| Breathe out! | take a breath out; push air out of the lungs |
| Get up! | become awake; don’t sleep |
| Eat up! | finish your food |
| Back up! | move backward; step backward; drive backward |
| Sum up! | summarize |
| Speak up! | talk louder |
| Walk away! | leave a difficult situation |
| Close down! | Business or shop to close (Not operational) |
| Get off! | go out of something, like a bus or train |
| Bear down! | push or press down hard |
| Watch out! | be very careful |
| Brighten up! | be cheerful; be happier |
| Buddy up! | find a partner |
| Keep out! | stay outside; do not enter |
| Take off! | leave fast |
| Grow up! | behave in a mature way; don’t act like a child |
| Cooldown! | Relax; don’t be upset or angry |
| Carry on! | keep doing what you were doing |
| Back away! | move backward, away from something frightening or dangerous |
| Perk up! | cheer up; not to be sad |
| Drink up! | finish your drink |
| Go Away! | (slang – very, very rude) Go away! |
| Chill out! | relax; don’t be upset or angry |
| Dream on! | Things may not happen as one dream off (slang) |
| Wake up! | don’t sleep anymore; become awake |
| Write back! | reply to a letter or email |
| Bugger off! | (slang – rude) Go away! |
| Move forward! | move to a place in the front |
| Double up! | form pairs because space or resources are limited |
| Hold on! | wait to hold this tight or you might fall |
| Go around! | To bypass a certain path or object or subject |
| Lace-up! | tie your shoelaces; put on your shoes |
| Keep away! | stay away; do not go near |
| Stretch out! | lie down comfortably |
| Come in! | enter a closed space |
| Back off! | (slang – rude) stop bothering or threatening someone |
| Gather around! | make a group and come together in one place |
| Breathe in! | take a breath in; take air into the lungs |
| Scoot over! | (slang) move to make space for someone else |
| Get on! | climb on board something moving or about to start moving, like a train |
| Press on! | Try not to give up on a thing you are pressing on |
| Lay off! | (slang – rude) stop doing something that bothers someone |
| Come out! | leave a closed space |
| Tidy up! | clean the place; put things in the right places |
| Getaway! | move away; run away; escape |
| Shut up! | Halt talking (A rude slang) |
| Stay away! | don’t go near |
| Sit down! | sit; be seated |
| Calm down! | relax, don’t be angry, don’t be upset, don’t be worried |
| Come down! | move down off something high |
| come south | |
| Come on! | (encouraging someone) do what I am telling you to do |
| (not believing someone) I don’t believe you | |
| (rushing someone) move faster | |
| Give up! | stop doing what you’re doing |
| give yourself to the police or authorities | |
| Hang on! | wait to |
| hold tight | |
| Walkout! | Isolate yourself from some strange situation |
| To break up, to leave from somewhere |
