watch out
No objectThis verb takes no object at all.
How to say it
Stress the particle, not the verb: watch OUT. Saying “WATCH out” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.
Link across the gap. The final /tʃ/ of “watch” moves onto the particle and starts its syllable: “watch out” is said “wa-tchout”. Pausing between the words is what makes phrasal verbs sound recited rather than spoken.
What it means
To be careful — usually said as a warning.
- “Watch out — the step is loose.”
- “Watch out for hidden fees.”
Similar: look out, beware