This lesson covers 33 C2 phrasal verbs on Health, Body & Physical Condition. 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.
swing around/round
to move a body part in a circular movement
She swung her arms around to loosen her shoulders.
build-up n
when something increases in amount, size or strength
The doctor monitored the build-up of fluid around the joint.
wash down sth or wash sth down
to drink something while you are eating food or taking medicine in order to help you swallow it
She washed the tablets down with a glass of water.
work off sth or work sth off
to do something energetic to stop yourself becoming fat after eating a lot of food
A brisk walk helped him work off the heavy lunch.
turn around/round (sb/sth) or turn (sth/sb) around/round
to make someone much healthier or more successful after a difficult period
The new treatment turned the patient around within a month.
worn-out adj
weak and damaged through much use
The physiotherapist advised her to replace her worn-out running shoes.
throw off sth or throw sth off
to succeed in getting rid of a slight illness
With rest, he soon threw off the infection.
predispose sb to/towards sth
formal predisposing someone to something makes it more likely that that thing will happen
Poverty can predispose people to poorer health outcomes.
washed out adj
if someone looks washed out, they look tired, pale and ill
After the virus, he looked washed out and pale.
keep up sth or keep sth up
to not allow something that is at a high level to fall to a lower level
Try to keep up your daily stretching routine.
tire out sb or tire sb out
to make someone very tired
The long shift tired the nurse out.
bunged-up adj
slightly informal having a blocked nose
With a bunged-up nose, she found it hard to sleep.
stretch out sth or stretch sth out
to hold a part of your body straight out in front of you
Stretch out your legs after sitting for a long time.
keep sth to yourself
to keep something secret
He kept his health worries to himself.
double (sb) over/up
to suddenly bend your body forwards because you are laughing a lot or you are in pain
A sudden cramp doubled her over during the run.
breakout n
when something dangerous and unpleasant, like war, disease or fire, suddenly starts
The clinic responded quickly to a breakout of infection in the ward.
loosen up (sth) or loosen (sth) up
to prepare your body muscles for a physical activity by stretching and doing simple exercises
Gentle movements helped loosen up his stiff shoulders.
spread out sth or spread sth out
to open, arrange, or lay something over a larger area
Spread out the yoga mat before you begin.
build up sb or build sb up
to make a person or part of the body stronger, often after illness or inactivity
Regular exercise can build up your muscles gradually.
outstretched adj
if someone’s arms are outstretched they are held out in front of the person’s body, often in order to greet someone
The therapist asked him to hold his arms outstretched.
stick out sth or stick sth out
to push part of your body forward or out from the rest of your body
The doctor asked her to stick out her tongue.
onset n
the moment at which something unpleasant starts
At the onset of the illness, she developed a high fever.
wear out (sth) or wear (sth) out
to damage something through repeated use or strain
Running on hard surfaces can wear out your joints.
brush down/off sb/sth or brush sb/sth down
to use a brush or your hand to remove something
The nurse brushed the dirt off the patient’s knee.
do in sb or do sb in
informal to make someone extremely tired
The long illness completely did him in.
pick yourself up
to stand up again after you have fallen
After the fall, she picked herself up and continued slowly.
pass on sth or pass sth on
to give a disease to another person or animal
Wash your hands so that you do not pass the infection on.
wear out sb or wear sb out
to make someone very tired
Too much overtime can wear you out.
burn out or burn yourself out
informal to have to stop working because you have become ill or very tired from working too hard
Training every day without rest can burn you out.
nose about/around (swh)
informal to look around a place, often in order to find something
The child nosed around the medicine cabinet until an adult stopped him.
wipe out sb or wipe sb out
informal to make someone extremely tired
The illness wiped her out for several days.
outbreak n
a sudden beginning of something, especially something unpleasant
The hospital introduced precautions after an outbreak of norovirus.
ease off/up
to become less severe, intense, or frequent
The pain eased off after the treatment.