A ‣ Phrasal verbs based on set

Since his daughter's birth, Robert had been setting aside¹ money for her wedding. Now he and his wife were setting off² to meet Carl, her new fiancé. Carl was a mountaineer who had set out³ several times to climb Mount Everest but had had to turn back because bad weather had set off⁴ avalanches. Now he was trying to set up⁵ a sports equipment business. Robert didn't altogether like the sound of Carl but he was doing his best to set aside⁶ his negative feelings.

¹ reserving
² beginning a journey
³ begun something with a particular aim in mind
⁴ caused
⁵ establish
⁶ ignore (not think about)

B ‣ Phrasal verbs with put

Note: It would not normally be natural to use all of these expressions together.

Emma put her own name forward¹ for election to the staff committee. Ten other people had also put in² proposal forms but Emma was elected because she is very good at putting her ideas across³. She also has a talent for putting her opponents down⁴. At the first meeting she was largely silent though occasionally she would put in⁵ a remark.

At the next meeting she was more involved. She supported the proposal that central heating should be put in⁶ in the staff canteen and agreed to help put together⁷ some new flat-pack furniture for the canteen. She also voted for the local school being allowed to use the staff club to put on⁸ a play. She insisted that the play would not put staff out⁹ at all provided that the school put all their props away¹⁰ after each performance. She said that she would put up¹¹ relatives coming from other towns to watch the play. She argued that the committee should put off¹² making their decision about putting up¹³ staff club membership subscriptions until they had found out how staff felt about this. She agreed to put up¹⁴ posters encouraging all staff to come to the next committee meeting.

Later that evening Emma made her mother laugh as she imitated other committee members - she's good at putting on¹⁵ all sorts of accents. 'The chairperson really put me off¹⁶ with his constant sniffing,' she said, 'and I don't know how they put up with¹⁷ the secretary's rudeness.'

¹ proposed
² submitted
³ communicating
⁴ making someone look small
⁵ say something
⁶ installed
⁷ assemble
⁸ present
⁹ inconvenience
¹⁰ tidied
¹¹ give accommodation to
¹² postpone
¹³ raising
¹⁴ display
¹⁵ pretending to have
¹⁶ distracted
¹⁷ tolerate

C ‣ Expressions with set and put

He has set his heart/sights on becoming a ballet dancer. [longs to become]

I've set myself a target of losing five kilos by the end of the year. [am aiming to lose]

They sat up till the small hours setting/putting the world to rights. [discussing important problems]

Did someone set fire to the house deliberately? [put a match to]

The prisoner will be set free tomorrow. [released]

Lottie had never set foot in Italy before. [been to]

The Egyptian runner has set a new world record. [established an achievement record]

Teachers have to try to set a good example for young people. [be a good example]

to put your foot down: to be firm about something

to put pressure on someone: to try to force someone to do something

to put your mind to: to direct all your thoughts towards

to put two and two together: to draw an obvious conclusion

to put an end / a stop to something: to cause something to stop

to put someone's back up: to irritate someone

a put-up job: something arranged to give a false impression