to get out of/to get off
to leave or to descend from a vehicle.
To get out of is used for cars; to get off is used for all other forms of transportation.
Why don't we stop and get out of the car for a while?
Helen got off the train at the 42nd Street terminal.
to put on
to place on oneself (usually said of clothes) (S)
Mary put on her coat and left the room.
Put your hat on before you leave the house.
to take off
to remove (usually said of clothes) (S)
John took off his jacket as he entered the office.
Take your sweater off. The room is very warm.
to call up
to telephone (also: to give some one a call) (S)
To call can be used instead of to call up, as in the first example below.
I forgot to call up Mr. Jones yesterday. I'd better call him now.
Call me up tomorrow, Jane. We'll arrange a time to have lunch together.
I promise to give you a call as soon as I arrive in New York.
to turn on
to start or cause to function (also: to switch on) (S)
Please turn on the light; it's too dark in here.
Do you know who turned the air conditioning on?
to turn off
to cause to stop functioning (also: to switch off, to shut off) (S)
Turn on and turn off, as well as their related forms, are used for things that flow, such as electricity, water, gas, etc.
Please turn off the light when you leave the room.
Are you really listening to the radio, or should I turn it off?
right away
very soon; immediately (also: at once)
Dad says that dinner will be ready right away, so we'd better wash our hands and set the table.
Tell Will to come to my office right away. I must see him immediately.
Stop playing that loud music at once!
to pick up
to lift form the floor, table, etc., with one's fingers (S)
Harry picked up the newspaper that was on the front doorstep.
Could you pick your toy up before someone falls over it?
sooner or later
eventually, after a period of time
If you study English seriously, sooner or later you'll become fluent.
I'm too tired to do my homework now; I'm sure I'll do it sooner or later.
to get up
to arise, to rise from a bed; to make someone arise (S)
For the last definition a noun phrase must separate the verb and particle.
Carla gets up at seven o'clock every morning.
At what time should we get the children up tomorrow?
at first
in the beginning, originally
At first English was difficult for him, but later he made great progress.
I thought at first that it was Sheila calling, but then I realized that it was Betty.
to dress up
to wear formal clothes, to dress very nicely
We should definitely dress up to go to the theater.
You don't have to dress up for Mike's party.
to find out
get information about, to determine (S)
This idiom is separable only when a pronoun is used, as in the second example.
Will you please try to find out what time the airplane arrives?
I'll call right now to find it out.
to look at
give one's attention to; to watch
The teacher told us to look at the blackboard and not at our books.
I like to walk along a country road at night and look at the stars.
to look for
to try to find, to search for
An adverb phrase such as all over can be put between the verb and preposition, as in the second example, however, the idiom cannot be separated by a noun or pronoun.
He's spent over an hour looking for the pen that he lost.
So there you are! We've looked allover for you.
all right
acceptable, fine; yes, okay
This idiom can also be spelled alright in informal usage.
He said that it would be all right to wait in her office until she returned.
Do you want me to turn off the TV? Alright, if you insist.
all along
all the time, from the beginning (without change)
She knew all along that we'd never agree with his plan.
You're smiling! Did you know all along that I'd give you a birthday present?
little by little
gradually, slowly (also: step by step)
Karen's health seems to be improving little by little.
If you study regularly each day, step by step your vocabulary will increase.
to tire out
to make very weary due to difficult conditions or hard effort (also: to wear out) (S)
The hot weather tired out the runners in the marathon