Word Phrasal verb
look up
phrasal verb.
A2 Elementary Oxford
Definition
phrasal verb.to search for information in a book, list, or online.
phrasal verb.to consult a reference source (book, database, website) in order to find specific information.
Examples
“I look up new words in my dictionary.”
“She looked up the train times on her phone before leaving the house.”
“During the lecture, he discreetly looked up the etymology of the term on his tablet.”
Usage
se/when the object is a pronoun it must come between verb and particle.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'find out' (to discover a fact) and 'search for' (ongoing process); 'look up' implies using a specific reference.
Pitfall
I looked up it in the dictionary.I looked it up in the dictionary.
pronoun objects must be placed between the verb and the particle.
This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Very common
Updated