Emotions – phrasal verbs
If something ‘gets you down’, it makes you feel unhappy.
- This uncertainty is beginning to get me down.
- The way everybody keeps complaining really gets me down
If somebody or something makes you feel upset or unhappy, they ‘get to’ you. This is an informal expression.
- The way he whistles all the time when we are working really gets to me.
- The heat is really getting to me. We need air conditioning.
If something makes you very unhappy, it ‘tears you apart’.
- It tears me apart to know that I lost that job because of my own stupidity.
- It would tear me apart if something I said made you leave.
If you are ‘put out’, you are annoyed.
- I was really put out when he turned down the job.
- He seemed a bit put out that we hadn’t invited him to speak.
If you ‘cheer up’, you start to feel happier.
- Cheer up. Things are not so bad.
- I bought a new Ipod to cheer myself up.
If you ‘perk up’, you suddenly become happier, cheerful or more energetic. It is also possible to ‘perk someone up’.
- Your visit really made him perk up.
- He was being miserable but he perked up when Mary arrived.
If you ‘brighten up’, you suddenly look or feel happier.
- She brightened up when she heard the good news.
- You need to brighten up. Your long face is putting off the customers.
If you ‘liven up’, you become more energetic or cheerful. You can also ‘liven up’ a place, event or person.
- You need to liven up a bit. You’re so miserable it is making everybody feel unhappy.
- We need to liven up the party. Everyone looks miserable.
If you ‘calm down’, you stop feeling angry, upset or excited. It’s also possible to ‘calm someone down’.
- You need to calm down a bit. You’re too excited.
- Calm down. Let me explain.
If you have had an experience that has made you feel unhappy, you need to ‘get over’ it.
- It took me a year to get over being made redundant.
- You need to get over your disappointment and move on with your life.
If you are feeling sad or unhappy, you can force yourself out of this mood – you can ‘snap out of it’. This is an informal expression.
- You need to snap out of this mood and do something positive.
- I hope he snaps out of this soon.
If you have been acting emotionally and unreasonably because you are upset or angry, you need to ‘pull yourself together’ and act reasonably.
- Pull yourself together and stop this stupid mood.
- I need some time alone to pull myself together.
If you are so excited about something that you behave in a silly or hasty way, you are ‘carried away’ by the idea.
- I got carried away reading my book and didn’t get any sleep.
- We mustn’t get carried away with our enthusiasm. We must exercise reasonable judgment.
If you ‘freak out’, you start behaving in a very strange or violent way. This is an informal expression. You can also ‘freak someone out’.
- I freaked out when I saw my boyfriend kissing another girl.
- It freaked me out to discover that the woman I was talking to was really a man.
If you ‘flip out’, you start to behave in a very excited or strange way. This is informal and mainly American.
- He flipped out when they wouldn’t let him on the flight because he was too late.
- The children flipped out when they met Mickey Mouse.
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7 Comments
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Parviz Valadkhan
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