Meaning
- To force someone or something to leave a place or position.
- To physically move something outward.
- To produce or release something quickly.
Today's Sentences
- Do you think I’m trying to push you out of the group?
- I’m trying to push the water out with a broom.
- Writer's Note
01
Do you think I’m trying to push you out of the group?
Situation
Why didn’t you invite me to game night?
Wait, do you think I’m trying to push you out of the group?
Sure feels like it.
Relax.
You’re too dramatic to replace.
02
I’m trying to push the water out with a broom.
Situation
What’s all that noise in the kitchen?
The dishwasher exploded.
I’m trying to push the water out with a broom.
You’re serious?
Yea.
If this works, I’m adding "water engineer" to my resume.
Writer's Note
"Back up" is a phrasal verb that is transitive, intransitive, and can also be separable.
- Transitive - A transitive phrasal verb needs an object to complete its meaning. In the examples below ask yourself what is being "backed up". If you can answer, that’s your object.
Example 1: You need to back up your argument with solid evidence.
Example 2: I always back up my files during a big project.
Example 3: She refused to back up his story because it simply wasn’t true. - Intransitive - An intransitive phrasal verb doesn’t need an object. The meaning is complete on its own.
Example 1: The driver backed up slowly to avoid hitting the elderly pedestrian.
Example 2: When I saw the bear, I instinctively backed up a few steps.
Example 3: As the crowd grew aggressive, the security guards backed up toward the exit. - Separable - Some phrasal verbs are separable, meaning you can put the object in the middle.
Example 1: He slowly backed the car up into the driveway.
Example 2: Can you back that claim up with real data?
Example 3: Our coach has always backed his team up when things go wrong.
*Tip: But if the object is a pronoun, like "them" or "it", you must put it in the middle.
For example:❌ Incorrect:I’ll back up them.✅ Correct: I’ll back them up.
Related Words: Analyze, collapse, crumble, decompose, disassemble, disintegrate, divide, explain, fail, malfunction, partition, separate, simplify, stop working, unravel
