Verbal phrase- laugh at/look down upon

[Barman]

1) He laughs at me.

2) He looks down upon me.

In case of the above sentences, can the term 'verbal phrase' be used for group verbs 'laugh at', 'look down upon' respectively?

[PaulMatthews]

1) He laughs at me.

2) He looks down upon on me.


I would avoid the term 'verbal phrase' (or 'phrasal verb'). It is misleading. In your examples it is not the whole expressions "laughs at" and "looks down on" that are verbs; it is just the words "laughs" and "looks".

"Laughs" is best called a prepositional verb, and "looks down on" a verbal idiom.

[Barman]

2) He looks down upon on me.

But I found that 'look down upon' and 'look down on' are equally used.

[Rover_KE]

Where?

[teechar]

I don't think so, Barman. Take a look at this:
https://books.google.com/ngrams/grap...20upon%3B%2Cc0

[Barman]

I don't think so, Barman. Take a look at this:
https://books.google.com/ngrams/grap...20upon%3B%2Cc0

I understand. But don't they have the same meaning and usage?

Link: https://www.merriam-webster.com/thes... on or upon%29

[Barman]

Where?

To express one's hatred of someone.

[GoesStation]

To express one's hatred of someone.

Rover was asking where you "found that 'look down upon' and 'look down on' are equally used". Where did you see evidence of that?