Phrasal verb
pump out
Definition
phrasal verb. to remove liquid from a place using a machine. You can also use it when a person or company produces a lot of something very quickly.
phrasal verb. To remove liquid or gas from a container or area using a pump; figuratively, to produce a large quantity of something rapidly and often mechanically. The verb is transitive and allows for object placement between the verb and particle.
Examples
“The workers had to pump out the flooded basement after the storm.”
“The factory continues to pump out thousands of plastic bottles every single hour to meet the high demand.”
“Despite the dwindling resources, the propaganda machine continued to pump out misleading reports to maintain a facade of stability during the crisis.”
Examples
simple
“The workers had to pump out the flooded basement after the storm.”
contextual
“The factory continues to pump out thousands of plastic bottles every single hour to meet the high demand.”
complex
“Despite the dwindling resources, the propaganda machine continued to pump out misleading reports to maintain a facade of stability during the crisis.”
Usage
often used for liquids, but also common when talking about producing music, books, or products in bulk.
Teaching tip
highlight the shift from the literal mechanical action to the figurative sense of 'mass production' where quality might be less important than quantity.
Pitfall
The factory pumps out of hundreds of cars.
The factory pumps out hundreds of cars.
the verb is transitive and takes the product as a direct object without the preposition 'of'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
optional
Pattern
pump + out + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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