Prepositions Part 43
Combinations
A preposition is a word placed before a noun or a pronoun to show in what relation the person or thing denoted by it stands in regard to something else. There are over 100 prepositions in the English Language. This is a very small number compared with the vast number of nouns, adjectives and verbs. Here are some of the prepositions used in English
Fly to
To travel by plane.
The minister is flying back to Sri Lanka tomorrow.
Fly by
To take goods or people somewhere by plane.
The injured soldier was flown by air ambulance to the Army Hospital.
Fly away
To move through the air using wings.
The robin shook its feathers and flew away.
Fly across
To move somewhere quickly and suddenly.
Susan flew across the room to greet her uncle.
Fob with
To give someone something that is not very good.
He tried to fob me off with a cheap camera.
Focus of
The thing, person or situation that people pay special attention to.
The focus of recent research has been on environmental issues.
Focus on
If your focus is on something that is the thing you are giving most attention to.
The Government’s main focus is on helping poor people.
Foil by
To prevent something bad that someone is planning to do.
A massive arms-smuggling plan has been foiled by the police.
Foist on
To force someone to accept or have to deal with something that they do not want.
I keep getting extra work foisted on me.
Fold over
To bend a piece of paper or cloth by laying or pressing one part over another.
Fold it over and press down the edges.
Fold up
To fold something several times so that it makes a small neat shape.
Fold up your clothes.
Fond of
To like someone very much, especially when you have known them for a long time.
Joe is very fond of her.
Forage for
To go around searching for food.
The people in Lebanon are forced to forage for food.
Forage around
To search for something with your hands in a bag or drawer.
Emma foraged around in her purse and produced her ticket.
Foray into
A short attempt at doing a particular job or activity, especially one that is very different from what you usually do.
Smith is about to make his first foray into politics.
Foreign to
To seem strange to someone as the result of not being known or understood.
The language of finance is quite foreign to me.
Forerunner of
Something or someone that acts as an early and less advanced model for what will appear in the future or a warning or sign of what is to follow.
The drop in the share prices in January was a forerunner of the financial crash that followed in April.
Forget about
To not care about or give attention to someone or something any longer.
Do not forget about your old friends.
Forgetful of
Often forgetting things.
John, forgetful of the time, was still reading in the library.
Fork off
If a road forks, it divides into two parts.
The path forked off in two directions.