Phrasal verbs are an important feature of 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.
Stake out (to state your opinion clearly and publicly)
The Opposition is staking out its position on human rights violations.
Stamp on (to use force to get rid of something that you disapprove of)
The Government has stamped on all attempts by the opposition to discredit it.
Stamp out (to get rid of something that is considered wrong or harmful)
The Government has brought in new legislation to stamp out terrorism.
Stand about (to spend time standing in a place waiting for something or doing very little)
Swarna stood about at the bus halt waiting for her daughter’s arrival.
Stand aside (to leave a job or position so that someone else can do it instead)
It’s time that the minister stood aside allowing someone else to do the job.
Stand back (to move a short distance away from someone or something)
Stand back when you light fire crackers.
Stand by (to wait and be ready to do something to help someone)
Armed police stood by in case the demonstration got out of control.
Stand down (to leave an important position so that someone else can do it instead)
Two ministers have announced that they would be standing down at the next election.
Stand for (if a letter stands for a word, it is the first letter of that word and it is used to represent it)
UFO stands for unidentified flying objects.
Stand in (to do someone else’s job for a short period of time)
The Prime Minister will be standing in for the President at the state funeral.
Stand off (to stop someone who might attack you)
The villagers armed themselves with clubs and knives to stand off the robbers.
Stand out (to be much better than other similar things or people)
The company received many applications for the job advertised, but one application stood out from the rest.
Stand over (to stand close to someone in order to watch what they are doing)
Thelma stood over her son while he was doing his homework.
Stand up (to rise from a sitting or lying position to standing position)
The children stood up to greet the teacher.
Stand up for (to defend something that you believe is important)
There are very few people who will stand up for what they believe.
Stand up to (if you stand up to a powerful person, you state your opinion forcefully)
He has been criticised for his failure to stand up to the powerful party leader.
Start off (to start happening or to make something start happening)
I am going to start off my speech by giving a short introduction.
Start on (to start to deal with something)
She is about to start on her thesis.
Start on at (to start complaining angrily to someone about something that they have done)
Beatrice started on at her husband about the way he is treating his children.
Start out (to start a life or profession in a particular way)
I started out as a freelancer and became a full-time journalist.
Start up (if a business starts up, it starts to operate)
I am starting up a drama group next month.
Starve for (if you are starving for something, you have not had it for a long time)
The prisoner was starving for conversation with someone.
Starve into (to force someone to do what you want by not giving them any food)
The rebels were starved into submission by the government.
Starve of (to not let someone have something that they want for a long time)
I think I have been starved of your pleasant company.
Stash away (to store something in a secret place)
My grandfather has got plenty of money stashed away in bank accounts.