SpeakUp

restart it — turn it off and on

phrasal verbB1IELTS 4+informalcore

To turn a device or app off and on again to fix a glitch.

Pattern: (try to) restart it / just restart it

In use

  • If the screen freezes, just restart it and it usually works.fixing a frozen device
  • A: My laptop's gone really slow.
    B: Have you tried to restart it?
    troubleshooting a glitch

Common mistake

✗ Try to open it again the phone.

✓ Try to restart it.

Use 'restart it' for turning a device off and on; 'open it again' only reopens an app, not the device.

Don't confuse it

'Restart it' = off then on again; 'reset it' = wipe it back to factory settings (much bigger).

Practice speaking with instant AI feedback →