Phrasal verb
block up
Definition
phrasal verb. to fill a space or a pipe so that nothing can pass through it.
phrasal verb. to obstruct an opening, passage, or pipe completely, preventing the flow of liquids, air, or traffic.
Examples
“Leaves often block up the drains in autumn.”
“The sink is taking a long time to empty because hair and soap have started to block up the pipes.”
“Heavy snowfall during the night threatened to block up the narrow mountain passes, effectively isolating the small village from the rest of the valley.”
Examples
simple
“Leaves often block up the drains in autumn.”
contextual
“The sink is taking a long time to empty because hair and soap have started to block up the pipes.”
complex
“Heavy snowfall during the night threatened to block up the narrow mountain passes, effectively isolating the small village from the rest of the valley.”
Usage
often used in the passive voice or with physical objects like pipes, noses, or roads.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'block' (the simple verb); adding 'up' emphasizes the completeness of the obstruction or the gradual process of it becoming totally filled.
Pitfall
The drain is block up.
The drain is blocked up.
when describing the state of the object, you must use the past participle 'blocked' as an adjective.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
block + (object) + up
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/block-up