I. (|)əp adverb
Etymology: partly from Middle English up upward, from Old English ūp; partly from Middle English uppe on high, from Old English; both akin to Old High German ūf up, Old Norse upp up, upward, uppi on high, Gothic iup upward, uf under, Latin sub under, below, Greek hypo under, Sanskrit upa towards, near to, at, under, upari over — more at over
1.
a.
(1) : toward the sky : toward a higher position : away from the center of the earth
pushes the boy up to the top of the fence so he can see
the oil shoots up 200 feet
has breakfast brought up to her bedroom
ordered up searchlights to stab the sky — Noel Houston
— often used as an intensive
lift up your eyes
raised up the ceiling a few feet
— often used in commands or exclamations calling for upward motion
hands up
up periscope — E.L.Beach
— formerly used in combination with a verb, especially an auxiliary
we will, fair Queen, up to the mountain's top — Shakespeare
(2) : from beneath the ground or water to the surface
digs up arrowheads in his backyard
the fish swim up for crumbs
(3) : from below the horizon
sees the moon come up
(4) : toward a slightly higher level
fishermen pulling boats up onto a beach
specifically : to or near the putting green of a golf course
hits the ball well up
(5) : toward a point (as on a river) that is farther away from the ocean
must time everything exactly — up with the flood tide, arriving … precisely at slack water — C.S.Forester
(6) : from a prone, sitting, slanting, or stooped position to an upright position
helps up a man who has fallen
draws himself up to his full height
specifically : out of bed
stayed up all night long
— sometimes used in commands or exclamations
up , up , my friend, and quit your books — William Wordsworth
b. : upward from the ground or other surface so as to be detached
pulls up all the tulips
c. archaic : to a condition of being open
have broken up my packet again to insert this letter — Edmund Verney
d. : so as to expose fully a particular side or surface
turns the ace of spades up
2.
a. : in a relatively high position
up in the mountains
brings in a mirror-sharp picture 35,000 feet up — advt
wants to see her name up in lights
only a kid … with that flaming hair of hers just up — Mary Deasy
the ball is up on the green
b. : at a point (as on a river) that is farther away from the ocean
camps up above the rapids
c. : in an upright position ; specifically : on one's feet
standing up in front of a judge — Kay Boyle
3.
a. : so as to cause sound to rise in volume or to be heard
speak up so that she can hear
turns up the radio too loud
b. : so as to cause light to become brighter
turns up the lamp on the desk
4.
a. : to or in a higher or better condition or status
on his way up as a junior member of a law firm — Sara H. Hay
pressure on manufacturers to keep quality up — Current Biography
keeps him up out of sentimental estheticism — Clive Bell
— sometimes used in exclamations
up the workers — Liam O'Flaherty
b. : to or toward an advanced state (as of maturity or skill)
grew up in the city
c. : to or in a state of greater resolution or cheerfulness
brace up and keep going
only buoyed up by the hope … of seeing a junk — Osbert Lancaster
— sometimes used in commands or exclamations
d.
(1) : to or in a state of greater activity or excitement
stirs up crowds
the type that boiled up inside sometimes — E.V.Roberts
(2) — used as a function word usually in combination with it to indicate marked or intense activity
singing and laughing it up with the boys — Arthur Godfrey
e. : to or at a greater speed, rate, or amount
an effort to bring military plane production up — Current Biography
rents would move up or down — S.L.Payne
f. : to or at a higher musical pitch
transposes the melody up a fifth
singing easily up above high C
g. : in continuance (as in time or a series)
indefatigable labors from youth up — D.S. & Jessie K. Jordan
boys from fourth grade up — Gladys Skelley
rent from $50 up — Warner Olivier
highly alert during the night and up through dawn — P.W.Thompson
from early childhood up until the age of 20
h. : into greater prominence or a higher status or estimation (as by means of a specific action)
talks up all the new styles
the quality of the beef is what counts, and the brown sugar is the touch to point it up — C.H.Baker
i. : to or in a state of expansion
a fish that puffs itself up
the ingenious folly of pumping up a poem till it means everything — N.E.Nelson
5.
a. : into existence, evidence, prominence, or prevalence : into operation or practical form
drawings … worked up in the office by several draftsmen — F.J.Mather
saloons went up rapidly — D.D.Martin
a skillful building up of suspense — C.W.Shumaker
the money will turn up somewhere
stokes the fire to get steam up
b. : to the consideration or attention of a person so that a decision or disposition can be made
put the problem squarely and finally up to the states and cities whose immediate concern it is — F.E.Johnson
senators come up for reelection — T.R.Ybarra
the unmanageable gelding went up for raffle — Time
c. : to or at bat
comes up twice in the same inning
6.
a. : into the hands of another
yielded himself up a prisoner — Maria Edgeworth
b. : into one's possession
their licenses can be taken up and returned to authorities in their own state — Birmingham (Ala.) News
c. : in disclosure or confession — used with own, show, or give
7.
a. : to or toward a total number or quantity
counts up all the factors
ran up a big bill
sums up the whole situation
b.
(1) : to a state of completeness or finality
eats up the cake
finds that the land he is interested in is leased up — J.L.Harnon
charge it up to experience
— often used as a function word for emphasis with little addition of meaning
might wake even the bomber boys up — J.G.Cozzens
the pipe is stopped up with dirt
the black water had swallowed me up — O.S.J.Gogarty
to fright the animals and to kill them up — Shakespeare
(2) : to a degree approaching completeness : to a marked degree
show houses were being bought up by the moving picture interests — C.F.Wittke
clean up the house
softening up the enemy with artillery before making the final attack
— often used as a function word for emphasis
the plane's fueling up — Kay Boyle
the roads empty magically while the drivers chow up — Barrett McGurn
8.
a. : in or into a storage place
lays up supplies for the winter
putting up preserves
b. : in or into a condition of closure or confinement
buttoned himself up — John Buchan
wrapped up in a dressing gown — H.A.L.Craig
a fine time to pot up bulbs for forcing — Catalog: Holland Bulb Gardens
cork the bottle up
have locked up and gone home — Brooks Atkinson
c. : in or into a condition of union or combination
sews up the rip
joins up with his friends
d. : by way of remedying or eliminating a defect (as a break)
patched up his old pants
a rather battered sign … we ought to paint it up — Holiday
9.
a. : so as to arrive or approach
comes driving up in a new car
an avenue of trees leads up to the house
b. : in a direction that is conventionally, the opposite of down regardless of difference in elevation : toward, to, or at a place that is regarded as higher: as
(1) chiefly Britain : toward or in a more important place (as a large city, university, or headquarters)
went up to London as professor of surgery — Harvey Graham
(2) : toward the direction from which the wind is blowing : to windward
(3) : toward or in the north
peach cultivation is slowly extending up from the south — American Guide Series: Arkansas
(4) : toward or near the top (as of a sheet of paper)
your rapid pen moved up and down — Edna S.V.Millay
(5) : toward or in an outlying district
went up to the farm for a rest
(6) : toward or at the rear of a theatrical stage — used chiefly in stage directions
offended, walks up — W.S.Gilbert
(7) : to prison
went up in the 1920's … for 20 years — D.W.Maurer
c. : toward or at a forward position
hold their positions up in the trenches
d. : so as to be even with, overtake, find, or arrive at
his horse was fourth but then came up and won
may be traced up to the first beginnings of Greek speculation — Walter Pater
10. : in or into separated parts
break up the road before widening it
tears up newspapers
— often used as a function word for emphasis
the country was divided up into two spheres of interest — A.T.Bouscaren
11.
a. : to a stop — usually used with draw, bring, fetch, or pull
b. : without delay : promptly
didn't wait for recognition but spoke right up
answers up to every question
12.
a. : in advance (as of one's opponent) : ahead
on the next hole he shot a birdie three to go two up — Time
the intellectual's game of being one up on the prevailing interpretation — W.L.Miller
b. : for each side : each
the score is 15 up
13.
a. : in multiples (as copies printed on a single sheet from identical plates at a single impression)
when circulars are ordered in large quantities, it is common to print them two up or four up — Daniel Melcher & Nancy Larrick
— compare gang I 3a(2)
b. : in capital letters : with a capital initial letter
put all of these words up
c. : on a recto page and with the head next to the binding edge — used of the facing of an illustration; compare face II 9
II. ˈəp adjective
Etymology: Middle English uppe, from Old English, from uppe, adverb
1.
a. : risen above the horizon especially so as to be visible : present in the sky
the sun is still up
b.
(1) : standing on one's feet
(2) chiefly Britain : standing and delivering a speech
the chancellor of the exchequer's up — Charles Dickens
c. : risen from bed : being out of bed
is up every morning at six
a man who was just up from an attack of the measles — A.W.Long
was up all last night — Kay Boyle
d. : high with respect to the bank of a stream or a shore
the river is dangerously up
e. : being in a raised position : raised , lifted
all the windows are up
with the thumbscrew in the up position — H.G.Armstrong
her defenses were up — Ethel Wilson
f. : standing above the ground : constructed, built
the two temporary bridges are up — Kay Boyle
g.
(1) : having the face uppermost and exposed : facing upward
(2) : fried on one side
ordered two eggs up
h. : mounted on the back of a horse
with a new jockey up
is up on a long shot — Walter Bernstein
i. : grown or moved above a surface (as of the ground) so as to be visible
the corn is up now
j. : cut and placed suitably (as in storage)
the hay is up , and the turnips thinned — Padraic Fallon
k.
(1) : having the surface broken (as for repairs)
began to unload poles and warning notices of “Road Up ” — Adrian Bell
(2) : removed
finds the track up for several hundred feet
l. : moving, inclining, or directed upward
the up escalator
looked at him with an up glance
m.
(1) : set with a capital initial letter or all in capitals
all genus names are up
(2) : marked by the use of more capital letters than is usual
the style of this magazine is up
n. : held or brushed up toward the top of the head
a new up hairdo, a little fancy for daytime — Budd Schulberg
2.
a.
(1) : marked by a state of revolt, agitation, or excitement
they say the tribes are up — John Masefield
their fighting blood was up — S.H.Adams
(2) : marked by activity : active
let's be up and doing
b. : marked by confidence and good spirits
in his up periods he joked and talked — Cyril Connolly
c. : increased above a former level (as of quantity or price)
bank loans were up six percent — Harvey Walker
Sunday school enrollment is up — Ben Bradford
fever was down, appetite was up — G.W.Gray b. 1886
d.
(1) : marked by greater than usual power or strength
haunts the sandbar now and growls when the wind is up — Laurence Critchell
the lights in the drawing room on the first floor … were up — Margery Allingham
(2) : exerting enough force or power (as for operation)
the ship will sail as soon as steam is up
I'll make a pot of tea. The fire is just up — Katharine Shattuck
e. : sailing on the way : bound
a ship now up for the tropics
f. : effervescent
took a sip to see if the champagne was still up
g. : ready
was up to any party of pleasure — W.M.Thackeray
specifically : marked by a high degree of physical and psychological preparedness
players will be up for the conference opponents and traditional rivals — H.O.Crisler
h.
(1) : going on : taking place
went out to see what was up — Francis Shean
begins to realize something is up — Anne Brooks
(2) : wrong , amiss
there was something up with her voice — Richard Llewellyn
3.
a. : come to an end : completed, ended , terminated
the ringing of a bell in the classroom means that the hour is up — Ralph Linton
his term of duty is nearly up — A.H.Townsend
the game is up at 15 points
b. Britain : adjourned
Parliament was up — C.E.Robinson
c. : come to an undesired end
the game's all up with him
the hunt was now fairly up and a crowd nearly 50 strong was racing down the wharf after them — Max Peacock
d. : set in type
the editorial is all up
4.
a. : standing high (as in status or fortune) : having risen from a lower position
at graduation he was well up in his class
can almost tell which industries are down and which are up , from the gifts — Sanford Brown
choose management material not from men up from the bench but from young college-trained technicians — Time
b. : situated forward with respect to others
his horse is well up
c. archaic : much spoken about
d. : being or having arrived on the same level or at the same point : equal , even
there were no dragging ends in the rear … nobody complaining that food or ammunition was not up — Everybody's Magazine
— often used with to or with
was well up to the average of her class — F.W.Crofts
did not feel quite up to par and proposed to rest — Alexander MacDonald
discovers he is up with the best of them
e. : advanced in age
lived until she was up in the eighties
f.
(1) : well informed through study or experience : quite familiar : abreast — usually used with on
his friends are up on the very latest things in the arts — Geoffrey Gorer
— also used with in or to
well up in these things — J.B.Smyth
(2) : being on schedule : not fallen behind — usually used with on or in
said he was up on his homework
g. : ahead of one's opponent (as in a game)
in spite of being set four tricks they were still up
was three up on the second hole
black is a pawn up
h. : being at or near the top (as of a list)
rehashing … the rumors of names up for rotation — T.H.Phillips
i. : being the higher pair in a poker hand consisting of two pairs
queens up
5.
a.
(1) : bound in a direction regarded as up (as toward the north, an important city, or the source of a river)
caught the up train to town
a very small fraction of the up traffic — Werner Mangold
(2) : of or relating to traffic bound in a direction regarded as up
checked his suitcase on the up side of the station
b. chiefly Britain
(1) : staying temporarily in a more important place (as London)
(2) : resident at a university or a school
was up … with my wife as an undergraduate — W.B.Millen
was still the depth of the vacation, and there were only a few scholars up — C.P.Snow
c. : placed so as to hold the rudder far to leeward
the tiller is up
d. : blowing from a mark used in archery toward the shooter
a strong up wind
e. : confined to prison
6.
a.
(1) : being under consideration (as for the making of a decision)
the bill is now up before Congress
the question is now up to the full cabinet and a decision is expected — H.T.Simmons
(2) : presented for consideration (as for the making of a decision) : due to be considered
is up for reelection — Elmer Davis
is now up for sale — S.P.B.Mais
a labor contract is up for negotiation — Securities Outlook
specifically : present (as in a court) and charged with an offense
is up for rape — Charles Oldfather
b. : placed at stake : bet , wagered
many thousands of dollars were up on the match
•
- up against
- up against it
- up to
III. verb
( upped or in intransitive verb 1 up ; upped ; upping ; ups or in intransitive verb 1 up )
Etymology: up (I)
intransitive verb
1. : to act abruptly or surprisingly — usually followed by and and another verb
he up and married a show girl — Michael Mackay
the jackass upped and died — Springfield (Massachusetts) Union
no sooner is a girl qualified to be a doctor than she ups with some white-jacketed junior bandage wrapper and is off with him to a suburban villa — R.P.Lister
2. : to rise from a lying or sitting position : get up
3. : to move upward : rise , ascend
4. : to raise one's hand or arm especially quickly and aggressively — followed by with
upped with a shotgun and opened some rain holes in the cloth top — F.B.Gipson
transitive verb
1. : to catch a swan in order to put the owner's mark on the beak
2.
a. : to move to a physically higher position : raise , lift
ups flukes and goes down again — W.J.Hopkins
upped sail — John Buchan
b.
(1) : to raise to a higher level : increase , advance
upped the fare from 10 cents to 15 cents a ride — Gus Tyler
cattle growers upped meat production — New York Times
(2) : to put into a higher occupational position : promote
has been upped to general merchandising director — Bennett Cerf
(3) : raise 17
3. : to put (the helm) up
IV. (|)əp preposition
Etymology: up (I)
1.
a. : from a lower to a higher place on or along : to, toward, or at a higher point of
climbing up a tree
building a cogwheel railway up the mountain — American Guide Series: New Hampshire
the heat which is normally wasted up the chimney — Ronald Robson
a child can be shifted horizontally as he progresses up the school — G.B.Jeffery
it might be snowing up the mountain — J.M.Brinnin
b. : up into or in the
go up garret and play — B.F.Taylor
asked was there anything up attic — Robert Frost
2. : in a direction regarded as being toward or near the upper end or part of
a journey up one of the valleys — L.D.Stamp
as
a. : toward or at a point that is closer to the source or beginning of
a steamer groping her way up river — Cicely F. Smith
these fish winter up the river — Biological Abstracts
b. : toward or near the inner part of
walks up the walk — Edna S.V.Millay
advanced up the room — J.G.Cozzens
will find himself trapped up a dead end — H.A.Burr
c. : to, toward, or in the interior of (as a region)
traveling up the country
up country in the coffee and cotton plantations … life is rougher — William Tate
d. : toward the north along or through
lives a few miles up the coast
withdrew his army up the island — H.E.Scudder
— often used in combination with a following noun to form adjectives and adverbs
an auction of up county farm land — Lonnie Coleman
the water would then flow up dip through the more porous strata — C.G.Lalicker
3. : in the direction opposite to : against
up the wind
4.
a. : in a direction parallel to the length of : along
took his arm and they began to walk together up the street — William Fay
b. : nearby on
as familiar as the man who lives up the street
V. ˈəp noun
( -s )
Etymology: up (I) & up (II)
1. : one that is in a high or advantageous position
the savor of the book lies in … figures in the crowd, in the downs as well as the ups — Ernestine Evans
2. : an upward slope
3. : a period or state of prosperity or success
unions always thrive most in times of business ups or business downs — Kiplinger Washington Letter
has had downs as well as ups since he became … commander of the northern expeditionary forces — New Republic
4. : a rise in value or price
•
- in two ups
- on the up
VI. abbreviation
upper
VII. adjective
: being a constituent of nucleons and having the quantum characteristics of an electric charge of + 2/3 and a baryon number of 1/3
up quark
— compare down herein
VIII. noun
1. : a feeling of contentment, excitement, or euphoria
2. : upper herein