to put together

to put together: to assemble (S)

A noun or pronoun usually divides this idiom. The preposition back is used when something has been broken or disassembled and then is being reassembled, as in the second example.

• Todd followed the directions on the box but he couldn't manage to put the bicycle together properly.
• After the teenager took the broken video game apart and fixed it, he was unable to put it back together again.

to take apart

to take apart: to disassemble, to separate the parts of something (S)

A noun or pronoun usually divides this idiom.

• It is much easier to take a watch apart than it is to assemble it.
• The engine had a serious problem, so the mechanic had to take it apart completely in order to fix it.

in case

in case: in order to be prepared if (something happens)

When the idiom occurs at the end of the sentence (as in the second example), then the meaning is in order to be prepared if something happens. The "something" might be an accident, a delay, etc.

• You'd better close the windows in case it rains.
• We should be sure to leave for the airport early, just in case.

to hand in

to hand in: to submit or deliver something that is due (S)

• Every student has to hand in an original composition each week of the semester.
• All the salespeople hand their weekly reports in on Friday.

to go up to

to go up to: to approach (also: to come up to, to walk up to, to run up to, to drive up to, etc.)

The related forms have the same meaning, but the type of movement is different.

• After the lecture, several people in the audience went up to the speaker to congratulate her.
• The little girl came up to me and talked to me as if she had known me for years.
• Bill's friend didn't want to admit that they had gotten lost, but finally he agreed to drive up to a gas station and inquire about the correct route.

to go up

to go up: to increase; to be constructed, to be erected

The second definition is the same as the one for to put up, except that to go up is not used with a noun object.

• Economists are predicting that consumer prices are going up.
• A new office is going up in the downtown area. A major construction company is putting it up.

no wonder

no wonder: it's no surprise that, not surprisingly

This idiom derives from reducing it is no wonder that ...

• No wonder the portable heater doesn't work. It's not plugged into the electrical outlet!
• Jacques has been out of town for several weeks. No wonder we haven't seen him recently.

to see off / to send off

to see off: to say good-bye upon departure by train, airplane, bus, etc. (also: to send off) (S)

A noun or pronoun must divide the idiom.

• We are going to the airport to see Peter off on his trip to Europe.
• When I left for Cincinnati on a business trip, no one came to the train station to send me off.

by far

by far: by a great margin, clearly

• Jacquie is by far the most intelligent student in our class.
• This is by far the hottest, most humid summer we've had in years.

to rule out

to rule out: to refuse to consider, to eliminate(S)

• Heather ruled out applying to college in Texas because she would rather go to school in Canada.
• I'd like to watch a good movie on TV tonight, but a ton of homework rules that out.