English Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs are idiomatic expressions, combining verbs and prepositions to make new verbs whose meaning is often not obvious from the dictionary definitions of the individual words. They are widely used in both written and spoken English, and new ones are formed all the time as they are a flexible way of creating new terms.

A reference page of 2,570 current English Phrasal Verbs (also called multi-word verbs) with definitions and examples is here.

Phrasal Verbs beginning with E :

Ease off : Reduce pressure

She EASED OFF the accelerator to let the car slow down.


Ease up : Relax, calm down

She asked her teacher to EASE UP because she was feeling very stressed.


Eat away : Destroy slowly

The disease EATS the liver AWAY.


Eat in : Eat at home

We didn't feel like going to a restaurant so we ATE IN.


Eat into : Use something valuable when you don't want to

We've had to EAT INTO our savings since I lost my job.


Eat out : Eat in a restaurant

We couldn't be bothered to cook so we ATE OUT last night.


Eat up :

1. Eat all of something

If you don't EAT UP your greens, you won't get any dessert.


2. Consume

This car EATS UP petrol.


3. Consume something you don't want to be consumed

The graphics EAT UP our bandwidth- they're costing us a fortune.


Ebb away : Disappear gradually

His life was EBBED AWAY as the illness progressed.


Edge out : Gradually push someone or something out of their position

The shareholders EDGED the CEO out because results were getting worse.


Edge up : Approach slowly

She EDGED UP behind the bus at the red light.


Egg on : Encourage

The other students EGGED him ON when he started arguing with the teacher.


Eke out : Make something like money last as long as possible

Most students have to EKE OUT their income because they have so little money to live on.


Embark on : Start a project or venture

Piere EMBARKED ON an MBA at Instead last autumn.


Embark upon : Start a project or venture

Fernando has just EMBARKED UPON a new professional challenge.


Empty out :

1. empty something completely

I must EMPTY OUT the rubbish before I leave for work.


2. remove some things or everything from a container

I EMPTIED some of the coffee OUT so I could pour more milk in.


End in : Finish a certain way

It will END IN tears


End up : Become or do something unplanned

We couldn't get tickets for Egypt so we ENDED UP going to Turkey instead.


End up with : Get as a result of something

He tried hard but ENDED UP WITH a poor grade.


Enter for : Join or enter a competition

They ENTERED FOR the national championship but weren't good enough.


Enter into : Become involved in or accept

They ENTERED INTO an agreement with their rivals.


Eye up : Look carefully at someone

The guy EYED the other man UP because he was behaving suspiciously.


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