Phrasal Verbs/Back 12/11/04 2:29 pm Page 2
Back has several different meanings when it is
Main meanings Example verbs
do something as used as part of a phrasal verb. Some of these
1 returning
a response, reply,
meanings are literal, but many are figurative.
or repetition return to a place or position come back go back run back
This diagram shows how all these meanings
drive back head back start back
Come back and visit us again soon f& Put
are connected, and how the figurative
double back move back turn back
that book back where you found it!
meanings develop from the literal ones.
get back put back walk back
return to a
return to an earlier time carry back flash back look back
previous person
cast back go back take back
or owner
Think back to the time when you were a
date back hark back to think back
child. f& That song takes me back to the 1980s.
not get involved
return to a previous state or condition bounce back get back snap back
in what is
bring back go back spring back
return to a return to an
It won t take long for your hair to grow back.
happening
come back grow back
previous state or earlier point in a
f& I couldn t get back to sleep.
condition discussion
return to an earlier point in a discussion
come back look back
go back think back
Let s go back to what you were saying before.
move away from
return to a previous person or owner
buy back give back send back
something that
return to an
claw back hand back take back
I didn t think I d ever get my dog back. f&
is happening
earlier time
get back pay back win back
Give me back my pen.
do something as a response, reply, or
answer back hit back ring back
repetition
bite back phone back shoot back
return to move
call back play back smile back
Write back soon. f& Yes, I hit him, but I didn t
check back push back strike back
a place or away from
expect him to hit me back.
fight back read back talk back
position the front
get back to report back write back
2 moving backwards
moving away from the front draw back pull back sit back
1 returning 2 moving backwards
lean back settle back stand back
Louise settled back into the chair. f& Stand
lie back sink back step back
back please and let the ambulance through!
move away from something that is happening
drop back keep back
BACK
fall back pull back
Army command has decided to pull back the
get back stay back
troops. f& Stay back  it might explode.
not get involved in what is happening
hang back sit back
3 preventing
hold back stand back
Are you just going to stand back and let this
pull back step back
happen?
3 preventing
prevent
prevent someone from moving forward hold back keep back push back
someone
from moving Police struggled to hold back the crowd.
forwards
prevent something from happening or
hold back put back set back
progressing
keep back rein back
She didn t let her family problems hold her
prevent
back. f& The system failure set our work back
something from
a few months.
happening or
prevent something from being expressed
progressing
bite back fight back hold back
choke back force back keep back
He choked back his tears and continued the
story. f& I had the feeling she was holding
something back.
prevent make something
make something smaller in size, amount etc
cut back roll back scale back
something from smaller in size,
We really need to cut back on our use of oil. f&
being expressed amount etc
Plans for new stores have been scaled back.