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In terms of word count, what is the longest phrasal verb in the language? (The longest that I can think of is only three words long, but there must be longer ones, right?)

Take "bend over backward" for instance. It's my understanding that "bend over backward" is a phrasal verb, because "over" and "backward" are not simply functioning as adverbs—the three words combined have a meaning that is distinct from any definition of the word "bend."

The winner of this competition shall earn the title Honored Champion of the Phrasal Verb.

herisson
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Paul
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    The term 'phrasal verb' has conflicting definitions. Claridge (In 'Multi-word Verbs in Early Modern English ...') gives an overview of terminology, and lists the subset of verbo-nominal multi-word verbs such as put an end to. – Edwin Ashworth Oct 02 '17 at 21:48
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    Can you give an example of what you mean? (what is this one that you can think of?) – Mitch Oct 02 '17 at 23:03
  • @Mitch Happy to! Take "bend over backward" for instance. It's my understanding that "bend over backward" is a phrasal verb, because "over" and "backward" are not simply functioning as adverbs—the three words combined have a meaning that is distinct from any definition of the word "bend." – Paul Oct 02 '17 at 23:28
  • 'Bend over' is a phrasal verb because 'over' is not the head of a prepositional phrase. 'Backward' is not part of that multi-word verb. You could similarly say 'bend over to the left'. Does that count as five? I don't think so. – Mitch Oct 03 '17 at 02:37
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    Plus which, why? How could it matter, Paul? – Robbie Goodwin Oct 03 '17 at 22:59
  • Reminded me of: “The sentence with the most prepositions at its end — does it really work?” – MetaEd Oct 04 '17 at 21:29
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    @Robbie Goodwin It was my impression that everything about the English language matters here. Because this is a question that I've been thinking about a lot lately—for weeks—I thought I would open up the question to the rest of the forum. My apologies if the question is somehow beneath you. – Paul Oct 05 '17 at 00:25
  • Thanks Paul. If you want to be argumentative, please count me out.

    If you didn't see the Question as strange, you wouldn't have offered the title Honored Champion of the Phrasal Verb, now would you?

    Either way still, why? How could it matter? Since you're asking, what apart from bend over is your best candidate thus far?

     – Robbie Goodwin Oct 05 '17 at 20:14
  • Upvoted. Why the downvote? It's an interesting question. – Roy Tinker Feb 21 '18 at 18:36
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    "Bend over backwards" is an verb-idiom with a distinct meaning -- to "make every effort (to do something)". The meaning is completely distinct from "bend over in the direction of one's back" . – Roy Tinker Feb 21 '18 at 18:42

3 Answers3

1

I just got

Make it up to

Four words.

CS cubing
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0

I found

Plump yourself down

For a tie with

Bend over backward

If your not counting spaces

Camden
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-1

Get away with something (Cambridge Dictionary). For example:

I think I just got away with this; counting something as the fourth word. ;)

JJJ
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