This series of posts is designed to attempt to introduce some phrasal verbs which commonly appear in the legal context. Phrasal verbs consist of a verb together with an adverb or a preposition. The problem is that the verbs may have an ordinary meaning on its own which changes with the addition of the adverb or preposition when forming the phrasal verb.

There are many thousands of phrasal verbs and we will already know quite a few. We must try to focus on the phrasal verbs which we are likely to use in our work and then try to learn a few as often as we can.

Match the following phrasal verbs with the correct definition:

1. To exclude, eliminate or make impossible ………….
2. To give the details of something or to explain it, especially in writing, in a clear, organised way………….
3. If a company or business does this, it fails financially………….
4. To do or complete something, especially something important………….
5. If someone does this somewhere, they arrive at that place ………….

Complete the sentences with the phrasal verbs so that they make sense:

1. The company’s Articles of Association ………….  the duties expected of its directors.
2. Only a handful of shareholders bothered to …………. for the Extraordinary General Meeting.
3. The recent amendments to The Companies Act (1985) …………. many tax concessions previously available to businesses.
4. Enron and World.com …………. in the summer of 2003 amidst widespread scandal.
5. Before their collapses, Enron’s and World.com’s annual audits …………. by Arthur Anderson.

Answers: 1) rule out 2) set out 3) go under 4) carry out 5) turn up

1) …sets out 2) …to turn up 3) …rule out 4) …went under 5) …had been carried out