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Phrasal verbs, or multi-word verbs, are verbs that are combined with one or two
particles (a preposition or adverb), for example, 'up' or 'down', to make verbs with
new meanings. These new meanings are usually non-literal. For example, to pick means
to select or choose (she picked him for her team) but to pick someone or something up means to lift someone or something using your hands (Dr Laver told Molly to pick up one of the babies).
Pick something or someone up has other meanings too. Some of them are listed here, as well as other phrasal verbs with 'up':
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pick something up / pick up something
1. learn a new skill or language by practising it rather than being taught it
He didn't study German at school but he soon picked it up when he lived in Berlin.
2. catch an illness from someone or something, caused by bacteria or a virus
They picked up malaria when they went on holiday.
3. buy something cheaply
I picked up a real bargain today. These shoes were half-price.
4. start something again after an interruption or return to something
She's going to pick up golf again in the summer.
5. receive a signal (with a piece of electrical equipment)
You can pick up the World Service in almost every country in the world.
pick something or someone up / pick up something or someone
collect, or to go and get, someone or something
I ordered the birthday cake. Can you pick it up when you go into town tomorrow?
He always picks up the kids from school on a Tuesday.
pick somebody up
1. stop someone and take them to a police station to question them or arrest them
She was picked up by the police for driving without a licence.
2. start a sexual or romantic relationship with someone you don't know, by talking to them and giving them a lot of attention
I picked her up in a bar and here we are now celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary! Who would have guessed?
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chat somebody up / chat up somebody
talk to someone in a way that shows them that you are sexually attracted to him or her
He spent all evening chatting me up and then didn't even ask me out!
look something up / look up something
try to find a piece of information by looking in a book or on a computer
If you don't know how to pronounce a word, you should look it up in a dictionary.
bring somebody up / bring up somebody
care for someone from birth until he or she is an adult
My parents brought me up always to tell the truth.
bring something up / bring up something
1. start talking about a particular subject
He's always bringing up the fact that he owns a sports car!
2. vomit or throw up
The food wasn't good at all at that restaurant. Ten minutes after she ate the fish, she brought it up.
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matron
senior nurse who manages and is in charge of other more junior nurses
nerve-wracking
frightening
ward
area of a hospital where patients with similar diseases or needs are looked after together
the rounds
a doctor seeing patients in a hospital ward
creep
(informal) someone who tries to make someone like him or her by being very polite, helpful, friendly or sexy in a way that is not sincere
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