/ ˈʌpə(r); NAmE / adjective , noun
■ adjective [ only before noun ]
1.
located above sth else, especially sth of the same type or the other of a pair :
the upper lip
the upper deck
2.
at or near the top of sth :
the upper arm
the upper slopes of the mountain
a member of the upper middle class
salaries at the upper end of the pay scale
There is an upper limit of £20 000 spent on any one project.
3.
( of a place ) located away from the coast, on high ground or towards the north of an area :
the upper reaches of the river
OPP lower
•
IDIOMS
- gain, get, have, etc. the upper hand
—more at stiff adjective
■ noun [ usually pl. ]
1.
the top part of a shoe that is attached to the sole :
shoes with leather uppers
—picture at loafer
2.
( informal ) a drug that makes you feel excited and full of energy
—compare downer
•
IDIOMS
- on your uppers
••
WORD ORIGIN
adjective and noun sense 1 Middle English : from the adjective up + -er .
noun sense 2 1960s: from the verb up + -er .