Phrasal verb
wake up
Meanings
to stop sleeping and become awake
to cause someone to stop sleeping and become awake
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to begin to realize something or to start paying attention
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Definition
To stop sleeping and become awake.
"Wake up" means to stop sleeping and become conscious again. It can also mean to make someone stop sleeping. In everyday speech, people also use it to mean realizing something important or paying attention to a problem.
Examples
- I usually wake up at 6:30 on weekdays.
- You need to wake up if you want to catch the bus.
- She woke up suddenly when the thunder started.
- They wake up to how serious the problem is after seeing the results.
- The noise from the street woke him up in the middle of the night.
Common mistake
Learners often say "wake" instead of "wake up" for the meaning of becoming awake (e.g., "I wake at 7" instead of "I wake up at 7").
More intransitive phrasal verbs
- slow down To slow down means to reduce speed or activity and move or happen less quickly.
- blow up To blow up means to suddenly explode or to become suddenly very angry.
- calm down To calm down means to become less upset, angry, or excited.
- slow up To slow up means to become slower or to make someone or something go more slowly.
- burn down To burn down means to be completely destroyed by fire.