Phrasal verb
cross up
Definition
phrasal verb. to confuse someone or make them fail by doing something they do not expect.
phrasal verb. to confuse, mislead, or thwart someone, often by providing contradictory information or making an unexpected move.
Examples
“The sudden change in plans really crossed me up.”
“The pitcher tried to cross up the batter by throwing a slow ball when he expected a fast one.”
“The witness's conflicting statements were clearly intended to cross up the prosecution during the cross-examination.”
Examples
simple
“The sudden change in plans really crossed me up.”
contextual
“The pitcher tried to cross up the batter by throwing a slow ball when he expected a fast one.”
complex
“The witness's conflicting statements were clearly intended to cross up the prosecution during the cross-examination.”
Usage
often used in sports or competitive situations; frequently used in the passive voice or with a direct object.
Teaching tip
this is a relatively rare phrasal verb compared to 'confuse' or 'mix up'; it often implies a deliberate attempt to trick someone.
Pitfall
He crossed up to me.
He crossed me up.
this phrasal verb is transitive and does not take the preposition 'to' before the object.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
cross + (object) + up
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/cross-up