| phrasal verb |
| Definition:
A verb that consists of two or more words. Note: Usually it consists of a verb and a preposition. |
| Example:
(1) to rule out a suspect (2) to put on a coat |
| Oxford English Dictionary: The term's first citation is from 1879: "Modern English has made a new phrasal verb, and one that yet waits for a name. In this new verb the pronoun it, referring to no noun, acts as an objective accompaniment, and runs next after the verb." (J. Earle Philol. Eng. Tongue (ed. 3) x. 553) |