Phrasal Verbs Practice – 157

strip somebody of something
to take away something important from someone as a punishment, for example their title, property, or power
.Captain Evans was found guilty and stripped of his rank

strike up

strike up a friendship/relationship/conversation etc
: to start to become friendly with someone, to start talking to them, etc
.I struck up a conversation with the girl sitting next to me

(strike up (something
: to begin playing a piece of music
.The band struck up a tango

strike on/upon something
to discover something or have a good idea about something

strike somebody down
: usually passive to kill someone or make them extremely ill
.Over 50 nurses at the clinic have been struck down with a virus
.They would rob the bodies of those struck down in battle
to hit someone so hard that they fall down
to say that a law, decision etc is illegal and officially end it

straighten out

straighten something out
to deal with problems or a confused situation and make it better, especially by organizing things m:J sort out
.There are several financial problems that need to be straightened out quickly
: to become straight, or to make something straight
.The path soon bends to the right, then straightens out

straighten something out
.She straightened out her legs
to improve your bad behaviour or deal with personal problems, or to help someone do this
.He straightened out when he joined the army

straighten somebody out
.Her parents changed her school, hoping it would straighten her out

.Fill in the blanks with the appropriate phrasal verbs

Strike down(2) / strip of / strike up / straighten out

.N1. He …………………… when he joined the army
.N2. They would rob the bodies of those …………………… in battle
.N3. I …………………… a conversation with the girl sitting next to me
.N4. Captain Evans was found guilty and …………………… his rank
.N5. Over 50 nurses at the clinic have been …………………… with a virus

: ANSWERS

straightened out / struck down / struck up / stripped of / struck down