Phrasal verbs are an important feature in the English language. The meaning of a phrasal verb often bears no relation to the meaning of either the verb or the particle which is used with it. Many phrasal verbs have several different meanings.
Melt down (if you melt down a metal object, you heat it until it changes to liquid)
Stolen gold bangles and rings are often melted down to make new ones.
Merge in (if something merges in, it looks similar to its surroundings)
The new town hall was designed to merge in with the architecture around it.
Merge into (if something merges into its surroundings, it looks similar to them)
Fiona’s dark dress merged into the party held at night.
Mess about (to spend time doing things with no particular purpose)
Sam spends his time messing about in his room.
Mess up (to spoil or damage something badly)
He warned me not to mess up my career.
Mess with (to get involved with someone or something that is dangerous)
Those who mess with drugs are asking for trouble.
Mete out (to punish someone)
A two-year jail term was meted out to the offender.
Militate against (to make something less likely to happen)
The fall in consumer spending militates against economic recovery.
Mill about (to walk around a place waiting for something to happen)
A large number of reporters was milling about the court premises.
Minister to (to care for someone who is ill)
Volunteers were ministering to the children injured in the accident.
Miss out (not to do or get something that you would enjoy)
There are bargains to be had at the annual book exhibition, so don’t miss out.
Mist over (if your eyes mist over, they become filled with tears)
Emma’s eyes misted over as she began to talk about her mother who died in an accident.
Mix up (to confuse two people or things by thinking that one person or thing is the other person or thing)
Ben and Ron were identical twins and I always mixed them up.
Mix up with (to be involved with someone who has a bad influence on you)
Don’t get mixed up with drug addicts.
Model on (to design something by basing it on another)
An Indian businessman put up a mansion modelled on the Taj Mahal.
Monkey around (to behave in a silly way)
The boys were monkeying around the old building.
Moon about (to spend your time in a lazy way)
Liz spent the day mooning about at home.
Moon over (to spend time thinking about someone you love)
Eddie spent several days mooning over a girl he had met at the party.
Mop up (to use a cloth to remove a liquid)
Barbara mopped up the milk spilt on the kitchen floor.
Move ahead (if a plan moves ahead, it develops)
All reforms should move ahead after the election.
Move along (if a police officer moves you along, he asks you to leave a place)
Police officers at the demonstration were asking passers-by to move along.
Move away (to leave a place in order to live somewhere else)
Young people in villages move away to the city looking for jobs.