Phrasal Verbs

Unit 4.5 - "Down": Other Meanings

Guess the meanings of the phrasal verbs from context:
- We need to finish this report by the end of the week so let's get down to work.
- He is a bit of a snob: He looks down on people who are poor or uneducated.
- There is something wrong with him but I can't pin down the reason.
- I was devastated when the vet told me that he had to put down my cat because she was suffering too much from her disease.
- I was so mad at my boss because he put me down in front of my colleagues.
See Explanations ê
Explanations:

Get down to (inseparable)	To become serious about doing something >>I have to finish this report by the end of the week but I don't seem to be able to *get down to* doing it. >>Let's *get down to* business.
Look down on (inseparable)	To feel someone or something is inferior or contemptible >>You shouldn't *look down on* him just because he has no money. >>She always looks down on products which are made in China.
Pin down (separable)	To understand something clearly and completely, or to describe something accurately; to find out the exact details of something >>After a series of tests, the doctor was finally able to pin down the cause of his disease. >>Police are working hard to *pin down* the cause of the explosions.
Put down (separable)	To kill an animal out of mercy (usually because it is sick or injured) >>The poor dog had to be put down because it was so badly injured. To insult someone; to make someone feel stupid or unimportant by criticizing them >>I don't like John because he always *puts down* his wife in front of everybody.

Exercise:
- Complete each of the short dialogs with a suitable phrasal verb:
  - A: You look mad! What's wrong?
  - B: It's Jim. He me in front of his friends.
  - A: Yeah? Why?
  - B: Oh, he people who don't have a university degree.
  - A: That's not nice.
  - Boss: Hey, Mary, what's wrong? Why the tears?
  - Mary: My ... my dog ...
  - Boss: What's wrong with your dog?
  - Mary: The vet had to her .
  - Boss: Oh dear! I am so sorry to hear that. But why?
  - Mary: There was something wrong with her heart, but the vet couldn't exactly the cause.
  - Boss: Look, I'm really sorry about your loss, but can we work? I need to get this report done by the end of the day.
  - Mary: OK.

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