phone up
A2 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To call someone on the phone.
Meanings
1 A2 informal
To telephone someone.
"Why don't you just phone up the hotel and ask them directly?"
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
A very common informal British English phrasal verb. 'Phone up' is virtually synonymous with 'call' or 'ring', but the addition of 'up' is idiomatic and adds a sense of reaching out to someone. More common in speech than in formal writing. American English speakers are more likely to say 'call someone'.
Commonly used with
friend company office doctor boss customer
Forms
Base
phone up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
phones up
he/she/it
Past simple
phoned up
yesterday
Past participle
phoned up
have + pp
-ing form
phoning up
continuous
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Synonyms
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