English: Phrasal Verbs Set 2

Important Phrasal Verbs for IBPS exams – IBPS PO/Clerk, SBI, IBPS RRB, NIACL, NICL, RBI Grade B, UIICl, OICL, BoB and other competitive exams.

Each phrasal verb is followed by its meaning/s and related usage.

1. Back Down
   Meaning: (i) withdraw a claim or assertion in the face of opposition.
   Example: Party leaders backed down
   Meaning: (ii) to go down something backwards, such as a ladder or inclined driveway.
   Example: Harry backed down the ladder safely.
   Meaning: (iii) to yield something in an argument. 
   Example: She backed down on her demands.
   Meaning: (iv) to decide not to do something because others say you should not do it
   Example: Most of the speakers opposed the budget cuts, but the mayor said she would not back down.
2. Back Out
   Meaning: (i) withdraw from a commitment
   Example: If he backs out of the deal they’ll sue him
   Meaning: (ii) to move out of something backwards.
   Example: The rabbit tried to back out of its burrow.
   Meaning: (iii) to withdraw from something, such as an agreement, negotiations, an argument, etc.
   Example: Are you going to try to back out of our agreement?
   
3. Back Up
   Meaning: (i) to move backwards.
   Example: Back up, you’re standing too close to me! Will you back your car up a little?
   Meaning: (ii) to save copies of computer files in another place, in case the original files become inaccessible.
   Example: If you didn’t back up your files before the computer crashed, they may be lost forever.
   Meaning: (iii) to become clogged and impassable.
   Example: Traffic is totally backed up, due to all that construction.
   Meaning: (iv) to return to an item previously mentioned.
   Example: Whoa, back up—Janet and Jim are getting married?
   Meaning: (v) to support or assist someone. A person’s name or a pronoun is used between “back” and “up” in this usage.
   Example: Please back me up on this, so the boss doesn’t think I’m an idiot.
   Meaning: (vi) an alternate to be used if it becomes necessary for some reason, typically the failure, ineffectiveness, or the absence of the original.
   Example: I brought three backup pens, in case this one runs out of ink during the exam.
   Meaning: (vii) appearing in the background in support of a main act or performer.
   Example: She’s auditioning backup dancers for her world tour today.
4. Bail Out
   Meaning: (i) to pay for someone’s release from jail.
   Example: Bailing my son out from jail was the low point of the year.
   Meaning: (ii) to remove water from an unwanted place, typically by using a bucket.
   Example: After all that rain, my dad and I have been bailing out our basement all day. We’ll sink if we don’t bail out the boat now!
   Meaning: (iii) to leave or abandon something.
   Example: We had been working on this project for months, and then John just bailed out on us.
   Meaning: (iv) To jump from an airplane with a parachute.
   Example: I bailed out at the last second, just before the plane crashed.
5. Bank On
   Meaning: rely on confidently.
   Example: I’ve really been banking on a holiday bonus this year.
6. Bear Down 
   Meaning: (i) to advance in a threatening manner. 
   Example: The ship bore down on our canoe.
   Meaning: (ii) to apply maximum effort and concentration: 
   Example: If you really bear down, you will finish the task.
7. Bear Out
   Meaning: to prove to be right or justified; confirm
   Example: The test results bear out our claims.
8. Bear Up
   Meaning: to withstand stress, difficulty, or attrition
   Example: The patient bore up well during the long illness.
9. Beat Down
   Meaning: to force or persuade (a seller) to accept a lower price
   Example: I beat him down 500 rupees.
10. Beat Up
    Meaning: to strike or kick (a person), usually repeatedly, so as to inflict severe physical damage
    Example: The child was sent to see the principal after threatening to beat up a smaller boy on the playground.

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