SEMI-IDIOMATIC PHRASAL VERBS
In semi-idiomatic combinations the lexical verb, generally speaking, keeps its literal or metaphorical meaning, while the particle is used as an aspectual marker of various kinds. By this we refer here to the way a particle with a verb in English can express the completion, beginning-point, end-point or high intensity of an event. Continuation, a kind of non-completion, can also be expressed. These notions are explained and discussed under the concepts of perfectivity and imperfectivity, respectively.
Aspect is seen here as the pattern of distribution through time of an action or state, and relates to such questions as its completion, beginning-point, end-point or high intensity, all kinds of perfectivity. Non-completion, which is a type of imperfectivity, can alternatively be expressed.
The following connotations of particles have been suggested:
1 beginning of an activity: doze off, switch on, start out
He sat in an armchair in front of the television and soon dozed off.
2 momentary character of an activity: cry out, sit down, wake up, stand up
Everyone cried out in fear when the boat capsized.
3 the bringing of an activity to an end or getting to a certain limit: eat up, catch up, drink up, fill up, heat up, mix up, use up, sweep up; count out, hear out, knock out, sort out, throw out, wear out; break off, call off, cut off, sell off, switch off
Heat up the milk but don’t let it boil over.
He hit the burglar so hard that he knocked him out.
The two countries have broken off diplomatic relations.
4 the slow completion of an activity: melt down, wind down, die away, fade away, melt away, pine away, waste away; chill out, peter out
The sound of thunder gradually died away/faded away.
We are all stressed out. Let’s go and have a drink to wind down/chill out.
5 the completion of an activity from beginning to end: read through, rush through, think through
I don’t think they have really thought the problem through.
6 reach a different, non-integral or denatured state: break up, burn up, tear up
Their marriage broke up.
She tore up the letter and threw the bits of paper into the fire.
7 the continuation or resumption of an activity: carry on, go on, keep on, work on, stay on, walk on
George carried on the family business.
The orchestra went on/kept on playing as the Titanic sank.
We stopped for a ten-minute break and then worked on until 7 o’clock.
8 the continuation of an activity with dedication or abandon: work away, chat away
They’ll sit gossiping away/chatting away happily for hours.
9 end of motion: settle down
Isn’t it time he got a job and settled down?
10 distribution: give out, share out
What are those leaflets that are being given out?
11 decreased intensity: slow down, die down
Slow down before you reach the crossing. The clamor finally died down.
12 mass character of an activity in progressive sequence: die off, kill off
All the rabbits have died off in this area.
When winter arrives the cold kills off all the flies.
13 reciprocity of an activity: hit back
Tom hit Bill and he hit him back.
In phrasal verbs the notion of completion or bringing to an end is most clear in those cases in which there is a contrast with a single verb, as in use vs use up, eat vs eat up, drink vs drink up, knock vs knock out and so on. Compare I’ve used this detergent (i.e. some of this detergent) with I’ve used up this detergent (= there is none left); He knocked the burglar down the stairs with He knocked him out (= left him unconscious).
