Movement & Travel

Phrasal verbs for getting around

Introduction

Life is motion, and phrasal verbs capture every type of movement. We "set off" on journeys, "head out" for the evening, "drop by" friends' houses, and eventually "get back" home.

This chapter covers the phrasal verbs of physical movement and travel. From daily commutes to grand adventures, these expressions will help you describe where you're going and how you're getting there.

Themes

All Phrasal Verbs in This Chapter (98)

• set off To begin a journey
• head out To leave and go somewhere
• come back To return to a place
• drop by To visit briefly and informally
• pick up To collect someone or something
• drop off To deliver someone or something somewhere
• get in To enter a vehicle or arrive
• get off To leave a bus, train, or plane
• run into To meet someone by chance
• see off To accompany someone to their point of departure
• check in To register arrival at a hotel or airport
• check out To leave a hotel or look at something
• pull over To stop a vehicle at the side of the road
• take off To leave quickly or suddenly
• turn around To reverse direction
• get away To escape or go on holiday
• slow down To reduce speed or pace
• hang around To wait or spend time somewhere without purpose
• wander off To walk away without direction or purpose
• storm out To leave angrily
• rush off To leave quickly and hurriedly
• sneak out To leave quietly without being noticed
• pull up To stop a vehicle
• turn back To return the way you came
• make off To leave quickly, especially to escape
• set out To begin a journey; to intend
• pass by To go past without stopping
• swing by To visit briefly
• pop over To visit someone briefly
• cut through To take a shorter route
• press ahead To continue moving forward despite obstacles
• get on To board a vehicle
• get out To exit a vehicle or building
• run away To escape by running
• chase after To pursue someone or something
• shoot off To leave quickly
• clear out To leave or remove everything
• move along To continue moving
• step aside To move out of the way
• draw back To move backward or retreat
• edge forward To move slowly and carefully
• pull out To depart or withdraw
• pull in To arrive at a station or stop
• slip away To leave quietly
• storm off To leave angrily
• dash off To leave quickly
• nip out To go out briefly
• pop round To visit someone's home
• stop by To visit briefly
• stop off To break a journey
• stop over To stay briefly during a journey
• tear off To leave very quickly
• zoom off To leave very quickly
• whizz by To pass very quickly
• breeze in To enter casually and confidently
• breeze through To pass through easily
• sail through To pass through easily
• waltz in To enter casually without permission
• barge in To enter rudely without invitation
• barge into To bump into forcefully
• bump into To meet unexpectedly
• stumble across To find accidentally
• stumble upon To discover by accident
• wander around To walk without a specific destination
• stroll around To walk leisurely
• amble along To walk slowly and relaxed
• trudge along To walk slowly with effort
• plod along To walk heavily and slowly
• march on To continue walking determinedly
• stomp off To walk away heavily and angrily
• sneak in To enter secretly
• slip out To leave quietly or accidentally say something
• edge away To move away slowly and carefully
• inch forward To move very slowly
• squeeze through To pass through a tight space
• squeeze past To pass by in a tight space
• push past To move past by pushing
• muscle in To force one's way into a situation
• elbow through To push through using elbows
• fight through To struggle to get through
• plough on To continue with determination
• troop off To leave in a group
• pile in To enter in large numbers
• pile out To exit in large numbers
• stream out To exit continuously
• pour in To arrive in large numbers
• flood in To arrive in overwhelming numbers
• filter through To pass through gradually
• trickle in To arrive slowly in small numbers
• roll up To arrive casually
• rock up To arrive casually
• bowl along To move quickly and smoothly
• bundle into To push hurriedly into
• usher in To lead or guide into
• show out To escort someone to the exit
• wave off To wave goodbye as someone leaves
• scoot over To move sideways to make room
• race off To leave in a great hurry