(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
If you ~ someone who is going somewhere, you move along behind them because you want to go to the same place.
We ~ed him up the steps into a large hall...
Please ~ me, madam...
They took him into a small room and I ~ed.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V n, V, also V after n
2.
If you ~ someone who is going somewhere, you move along behind them without their knowledge, in order to catch them or find out where they are going.
She realized that the Mercedes was ~ing her...
I think we’re being ~ed.
= trail
VERB: V n, V n
3.
If you ~ someone to a place where they have recently gone and where they are now, you go to join them there.
He ~ed Janice to New York, where she was preparing an exhibition.
VERB: V n to n
4.
An event, activity, or period of time that ~s a particular thing happens or comes after that thing, at a later time.
...the rioting and looting that ~ed the verdict...
Other problems may ~...
Eyewitnesses spoke of a noise ~ed by a huge red light.
VERB: V n, V, V-ed
5.
If you ~ one thing with another, you do or say the second thing after you have done or said the first thing.
Her first major role was in Martin Scorsese’s ‘Goodfellas’ and she ~ed this with a part in Spike Lee’s ‘Jungle Fever’.
VERB: V n with n
•
Follow up means the same as ~ .
The book proved such a success that the authors ~ed it up with ‘The Messianic Legacy’.
PHRASAL VERB: V n P with n, also V P n (not pron) with n
6.
If it ~s that a particular thing is the case, that thing is a logical result of something else being true or being the case.
Just because a bird does not breed one year, it does not ~ that it will fail the next...
If the explanation is right, two things ~...
It is easy to see the conclusions described in the text ~ from this equation.
VERB: it V that, V, V from n
7.
If you refer to the words that ~ or ~ed, you are referring to the words that come next or came next in a piece of writing or speech.
What ~s is an eye-witness account...
There ~ed a list of places where Hans intended to visit...
General analysis is ~ed by five case studies.
VERB: V, there V n, be V-ed by n
8.
If you ~ a path, route, or set of signs, you go somewhere using the path, route, or signs to direct you.
If they ~ed the road, they would be certain to reach a village...
I ~ed the signs to Metrocity.
VERB: V n, V n prep/adv
9.
If something such as a path or river ~s a particular route or line, it goes along that route or line.
Our route ~s the Pacific coast through densely populated neighbourhoods...
VERB: V n
10.
If you ~ something with your eyes, or if your eyes ~ it, you watch it as it moves or you look along its route or course.
Ann’s eyes ~ed a police car as it drove slowly past.
VERB: V n
11.
Something that ~s a particular course of development happens or develops in that way.
His release turned out to ~ the pattern set by that of the other six hostages.
VERB: V n
12.
If you ~ advice, an instruction, or a recipe, you act or do something in the way that it indicates.
Take care to ~ the instructions carefully...
VERB: V n
13.
If you ~ what someone else has done, you do it too because you think it is a good thing or because you want to copy them.
His admiration for the athlete did not extend to the point where he would ~ his example in taking drugs...
Where eastern Germany goes the rest will surely ~.
VERB: V n, V
14.
If you ~ someone in what you do, you do the same thing or job as they did previously.
He ~ed his father and became a surgeon...
Anni-Frid’s son has ~ed her into the music business.
VERB: V n, V n into n
15.
If you are able to ~ something such as an explanation or the story of a film, you understand it as it continues and develops.
Can you ~ the plot so far?...
I’m afraid I don’t ~.
= understand
VERB: V n, V
16.
If you ~ something, you take an interest in it and keep informed about what happens.
...the millions of people who ~ football because they genuinely love it...
She was ~ing Laura’s progress closely.
VERB: V n, V n
17.
If you ~ a particular religion or political belief, you have that religion or belief.
‘Do you ~ any particular religion?’—‘Yes, we’re all Hindus.’
VERB: V n
18.
see also ~ing
19.
You use as ~s in writing or speech to introduce something such as a list, description, or explanation.
The winners are as ~s: E. Walker; R. Foster; R. Gates; A. Mackintosh...
This can be done if you proceed as ~s.
PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v
20.
You use ~ed by to say what comes after something else in a list or ordered set of things.
Potatoes are still the most popular food, ~ed by white bread.
PHRASE: PHR n
21.
After mentioning one course of a meal, you can mention the next course by saying what you will have to ~ or what there will be to ~.
He decided on roast chicken and vegetables, with apple pie to ~.
PHRASE: n PHR
22.
to ~ in someone’s footsteps: see footstep
to ~ your nose: see nose
to ~ suit: see suit