This lesson covers 30 C2 phrasal verbs on Travel, Transport & Movement. 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.
clear out
informal to leave a place
The travellers were told to clear out of the terminal.
stumble on sth/sb
to find or meet by chance
We stumbled on a quiet beach while exploring the island.
pile out (of)
to leave a place or vehicle quickly and not in an organised way
The tourists piled out of the coach at the viewpoint.
make for sth
to move or travel towards a particular place
The travellers made for the nearest shelter when it began to rain.
dash off
informal to leave a place quickly
We dashed off to catch the last train.
be set back
if a building is set back, it is a little distance from the road
The house is set back from the road behind a small garden.
pile into swh
to enter a place or vehicle quickly and not in an organised way
Passengers piled into the bus when it arrived.
be steeped in sth
to have a lot of (particularly tradition or history)
The old port is steeped in maritime history.
branch off
if a road or path branches off, it goes in another direction
A narrow path branches off from the main road.
draw up
if a vehicle draws up, it comes to a stop
The bus drew up outside the station.
pick up sth
if you pick up speed, you suddenly start to go faster
The driver picked up speed after leaving the city.
reduce sth to sth
to destroy something that has been built [e.g. building, city]
The fire reduced the old station to ruins.
stow away
to hide on a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle, in order to travel secretly or without paying
The teenager tried to stow away on the ferry.
see off sb
to go to a station, airport, or similar place to say goodbye to someone
We went to the airport to see our friends off.
walk in on sb
to go into a room and see what someone is doing when they did not want anyone to see them
She walked in on her brother while he was packing.
open off sth
if an area opens off another area, you can enter one from the other directly
The café opens off the hotel lobby.
be bursting with sth
to be very full with something
The tourist coach was bursting with passengers at the start of the trip.
stand back
to move a short distance away from something or someone
Stand back from the platform edge as the train arrives.
be cast away
to be on an island with no other people after swimming from a ship that is sinking
After the ship sank, the sailors were cast away on a remote island.
back onto sth
if a building backs onto something, its back faces that thing
The hotel backs onto the railway line.
cut in
to suddenly drive in front of someone, not leaving enough space between the two vehicles
A driver cut in without leaving enough space.
trip over (sth)
to fall or almost fall because you have accidentally hit your foot against something while walking or running
He tripped over his suitcase in the hotel corridor.
branch off
to leave a main road by turning onto a smaller road
Turn left where the smaller road branches off.
push on
to continue travelling somewhere
We pushed on despite the heavy rain.
call at sth
if a ship, train, or bus calls at a place, it stops there briefly
The night train calls at several small towns.
drop back
if you are moving forward in a group of people and you drop back, you move to a position nearer the back
She dropped back to walk with the slower hikers.
stretch out
if an area of land stretches out, it continues over a long distance
The desert stretches out for hundreds of kilometres.
go up
if a building or sign goes up, it is built or it is fixed into position
A new terminal building is going up beside the airport.
fall in
if a structure [e.g. roof, ceiling] falls in, it drops to the ground because it is weak or damaged
Part of the old roof fell in during the storm.
blow out
if a car tyre blows out, it suddenly bursts
One tyre blew out on the motorway.