Phrases & Expressions

To join someone as a partner when starting or running a business.

• Instead of opening the café on her own, she decided to go in with her cousin, who had restaurant experience.
• I'd love to start a design agency, but I'd rather go in with a partner than take all the risk myself.

(UK) to spend a lot of time with someone as a friend.

• When I was at school, I used to knock around with a group of kids who loved skateboarding.
• His parents were worried about the older teenagers he had started knocking around with.

To stay alone in a room or place for a long time, avoiding other people.

• The author locked herself away in a remote cottage for six months to finish her novel.
• It isn't healthy to lock yourself away for days, so try to see friends even when you're busy.

To go quickly to the next topic or point, especially in a talk or meeting.

• The presenter apologised for the technical problem and moved swiftly on to her next slide.
• The interviewer could see I was nervous about the gap in my CV, so she kindly moved swiftly on.

To spend money, especially when you are unwilling to do so.

• Online shops make it so easy to pay with one click that we part with our money without really thinking.
• My grandfather hates parting with his money, so he always repairs things instead of buying new ones.

To keep going with a plan or activity with determination, despite problems or opposition.

• Despite strong protests from local farmers, the government pressed on with its plans to build a new motorway.
• Although half her team had left, she pressed on with her research and published the results two years later.

To cut off some branches of a tree or bush so that it grows better.

• You should prune the roses back in early spring.
• We pruned back the apple tree because its branches were touching the roof.

To move quickly and violently through a place, causing serious damage.

• A huge fire ripped through the factory overnight, destroying equipment worth millions of pounds.
• A stomach virus ripped through the boarding school, and nearly half the pupils were ill within a week.

To print or photocopy one or more copies of a document quickly.

• I'll run off a few extra copies of the handout in case more students turn up.
• The teacher ran off extra worksheets for the students who had been absent.

To block unwanted items, such as junk emails or calls, before they get to you.

• The new email system screens out messages from unknown senders and puts them in quarantine.
• I use an app that screens out nuisance calls from companies trying to sell me things.