Phrasal verb
angle for
Definition
phrasal verb. to try to get something you want without asking for it directly.
phrasal verb. to use indirect methods or hints to obtain a desired object, information, or outcome; often implies a level of subtle manipulation.
Examples
“He is clearly angling for a promotion.”
“She kept mentioning how much she loved the new project, clearly angling for an invitation to join the team.”
“The diplomat spent the entire evening angling for a private audience with the minister, though he never explicitly requested one.”
Examples
simple
“He is clearly angling for a promotion.”
contextual
“She kept mentioning how much she loved the new project, clearly angling for an invitation to join the team.”
complex
“The diplomat spent the entire evening angling for a private audience with the minister, though he never explicitly requested one.”
Usage
usually followed by a noun or a gerund phrase representing the desired goal.
Teaching tip
the metaphor comes from fishing (angling); just as a fisherman uses bait to lure a fish, the speaker uses hints to lure the desired result.
Pitfall
He is angling to a compliment.
He is angling for a compliment.
the verb 'angle' requires the preposition 'for' to indicate the target of the search.
Phrasal verb
Particles
for
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
angle + for + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/angle-for