This lesson covers 30 C2 phrasal verbs on Food, Sleep & Comfort. At Proficiency you must distinguish particles that change meaning subtly and match register across formal and informal contexts. Complete the runner, then use the glossary below to consolidate each verb. Detailed explanations appear in Review mode once you finish the set.
keep (sb) off sth
to not eat, drink or use something that can harm you
The doctor told him to keep off fried food for a month.
(not) agree with sb
if a type of food or drink does not agree with you, it makes you feel slightly ill
The rich dessert did not agree with my guest.
get down to sth/doing sth
to start doing something seriously and with a lot of your attention and effort
Let us get down to making dinner before everyone arrives.
drink to sb/sth
to hold up your glass before drinking from it in order to celebrate something or to wish someone success or happiness
The family raised their glasses to the new baby.
spill over (sth)
if the liquid in a container spills over, it flows over the edge of the container
The sauce spilled over the edge of the pan.
nod off
informal to fall asleep when you do not intend to go to sleep
He nodded off on the sofa after dinner.
sleep through sth
to continue sleeping despite noise or an event
She slept through the noise of the early delivery.
eat into sth
to use or take away a large part of something valuable [e.g. savings, profits, leisure time, business]
Late-night snacks can eat into your sleep time.
help sb to sth
to put food onto a plate for yourself
Please help yourself to some salad.
go round
to be enough for everyone to have a share
There was enough soup to go round.
get back into sth
to begin doing something again after not doing it for a period of time
After the holiday, she got back into cooking healthy meals.
take off
if an aircraft, bird, or insect takes off, it moves from the ground and begins to fly
The plane took off just as the passengers finished breakfast.
send out for sth
to telephone a restaurant and ask for food to be delivered to your home
We sent out for pizza when the kitchen was being repaired.
get up
to stand up
He got up from the table to make more coffee.
eat in
to have a meal at home, not in a restaurant
We decided to eat in rather than go to a restaurant.
disagree with sb
if a type of food disagrees with you, it makes you feel slightly ill or uncomfortable
Spicy food disagrees with him if he eats it late.
take sb off sth
to stop giving someone a particular type of medical treatment or food
The doctor took him off dairy products for a few weeks.
go out
if something which is burning [e.g. fire] goes out, it stops burning
The campfire went out before they finished cooking.
drink in
to look at, listen to, or experience something with all your attention and to enjoy it very much
They sat by the window and drank in the cosy atmosphere.
keep sb up
to make someone go to bed later than they usually do
The late coffee kept her up past midnight.
be off
if food is off, it is no longer fresh or safe to eat
The fish was off, so the chef threw it away.
lie in
to stay in bed longer than usual in the morning
On Sunday, they lay in and ate breakfast late.
put on sth or put sth on
if a person or animal puts on weight, they become heavier
He has put on weight since he started eating late at night.
get back to basics
to start again at the beginning
When the recipe failed, they got back to basics with simple ingredients.
live off sb/sth
to get the money or food needed to live from someone or something
Some students live off cheap noodles during term time.
pick at sth
to eat only a small amount of a meal because you are not hungry or because you are feeling ill
She only picked at her meal because she felt ill.
dip sth in (sth)
to quickly put something into something else and then take it out again, especially biscuits in tea or coffee
She dipped the biscuit in her tea.
Eat up!
something that you say to someone, especially a child, in order to tell them to eat their food
“Eat up!” Dad said before the food went cold.
drop off
to fall asleep
He dropped off soon after the long dinner.
get in on sth
informal to start to become involved in an activity that other people are already doing, often without being invited to
The children wanted to get in on the baking.