to buy up: to buy the complete stock of Examples of TO BUY UP Foreign investors are taking advantage of the housing bust to buy up properties. The Treasury would buy up mortgage securities to stabilize the financial system.

to keep up with: to maintain the same speed or rate as Examples of TO KEEP UP WITH Olivia tirelessly worked her garden because she wanted her yard to keep up with her neighbors’. The inexperienced runner wasn’t able to keep up with the champions, even though he tried really hard.

to throw away: to discard, to dispose of Examples of THROW AWAY We’re having leftovers tonight because George can’t bear to throw away food. I didn’t want to throw away the old suit because it might have been possible to donate it to a homeless shelter.

to get through: to finish, to complete Examples of TO GET THROUGH We need a horse or a mule to carry our packs, or we’ll never be able to get through the rough canyon. Jason was determined to get through his last year of college without skipping a single class.

to make fun of: to laugh at, to joke about Examples of TO MAKE FUN OF If you make fun of yourself first, you stop other people from making fun of you. That’s like a fighter on the canvas making fun of his opponent’s knockout punch.

to hold out: to endure, to be sufficient; to survive by resisting; to persist in one’s efforts Examples of TO HOLD OUT If our supply of food and water holds out, we plan to camp here for another week. However, whenever it gives out, we’ll have to leave. That nation’s troops cannot hold out much…