UPPER


Meaning of UPPER in English

I. up ‧ per 1 W2 /ˈʌpə $ -er/ BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]

[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Origin: up ]

1 . in a higher position than something else OPP lower :

the upper lip

2 . near or at the top of something OPP lower :

the upper floors of a building

There is an upper age limit for becoming a pilot.

3 . have/gain the upper hand to have more power than someone else, so that you are able to control a situation:

Police have gained the upper hand over the drug dealers in the area.

4 . more important than other parts or ranks in an organization, system etc:

the upper echelons (=the most important members) of corporate management

5 . further from the sea or further north than other parts of an area:

the upper reaches of the Nile

⇨ a stiff upper lip at ↑ stiff 1 (10)

II. upper 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]

1 . the top part of a shoe that covers your foot:

leather uppers

2 . uppers [plural] informal illegal drugs that make you feel happy and give you a lot of energy SYN amphetamines

3 . be on your uppers British English old-fashioned to have very little money

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.