up

up1 [ ʌp ] function word ***

Up can be used in the following ways:

as an adverb:

Their voices could be heard up in our room.

Mary looked up at him.

I stood up.

as a preposition:

He climbed up the steps.

I set off up the road.

as an adjective:

the up escalator

after the verb to be :

He was up early the next morning.

Food prices are up.

I knew something was up.

1. ) in or toward a higher position

a ) from a lower place to a higher place:

Could you help me carry this old trunk up to the attic?

I got off my bike and walked up the hill.

He held the cup up to his lips and slowly sipped the tea.

Pick your clothes up off the floor and put them away.

He raised the child up above his head, which she seemed to enjoy.

Put your hand up if you know the answer.

b ) in a high place, or in a higher place than you, for example near the top of a hill or in the top part of a house:

She's up in the bathroom.

He was up the ladder, cleaning the windows.

Further up the hill was a small farm.

The hotel is 1,500 feet up in the Black Mountains.

c ) looking, turning, or pointing away from the ground or toward a higher position:

We rolled on our backs and looked up at the sky.

I turned my face up toward the sun.

Lynn glanced up from the book she was reading.

A path leads up from the beach to the top of the cliff.

2. ) in or into an upright position upright or moving toward an upright position:

He stood up and pulled a chair out for me to sit on.

I found Hattie sitting up in bed.

The dog stopped with its ears up and nose twitching.

3. ) north in or toward the north of a region or country:

We're going up to Seattle next weekend.

Max is up north fishing with some friends.

4. ) moving near to someone/something moving near to someone or something and then stopping:

One of the salespeople came up and asked if she could help.

up to: Two women ran up to us, shouting in Spanish.

Just go up to him and say hello.

5. ) along a river, road, etc.

a ) moving along a road, street, path, etc., or at a point along it in a direction away from you:

Further up the road was a little country inn.

He lives up the street from me.

If you go up the street two blocks, you'll see the hospital on your left.

b ) moving along a river in the opposite direction that the water is flowing, or at a point along it in this direction:

We went on a long trip up the Amazon.

Up the river, in the distance, was the rescue boat.

6. ) when an amount increases

a ) at or toward an increased number, level, or amount:

Total new car sales were up $3 million over last year.

go up: Early last month, fuel prices went up by 3 percent.

b ) becoming louder, stronger, or more active:

Billy, will you turn the volume on the TV up I can't hear anything.

Competition between the production groups is heating up rapidly.

7. ) not in bed awake and out of bed:

We were up bright and early the next morning.

Get up! It's almost 10:00.

I was up till midnight preparing the presentation.

a ) up and about out of bed, for example after an illness, and able to live a normal life:

He was up and about again two days after the operation.

8. ) in or into smaller parts divided or broken into small pieces or equal parts:

The prize money will be divided up among the team members.

Divorce settlements often involve property that can't be split up easily.

9. ) completely completely done or used so that there is nothing left:

Eat up all your dinner.

I think it was selfish of me, using up all her free time like that.

The stream dries up in summer.

10. ) at an end used for stating that a period of time has ended:

Come along now please! Time's up!

11. ) fastened fastened or closed completely:

She kept Albert's letters in a bundle tied up with ribbon.

Did you lock the house up before you left?

12. ) collected collected, added, or brought together in one place:

Her papers had blown everywhere and she was busy gathering them up.

I added up all my profits and I was surprised at how much I had made in the year.

13. ) more than an amount or age INFORMAL above a particular amount or older than a particular age:

Women of sixty and up get a free bus pass for off-peak trips.

14. ) working a computer system that is up is working properly:

By ten o'clock we had the computers up again after the power cut.

1

a ) up and running if a system or program is up and running, it is working effectively:

The new records system should be up and running soon.

15. ) in a place near you in a place that is near where you are:

He'll be up at the school talking to parents.

dinner/coffee etc. is up MAINLY BRITISH SPOKEN

used for saying that food/drink is ready

have had it up to here SPOKEN

used for saying that you are extremely annoyed at something someone has done on several different occasions:

I've had it up to here with your lies!

something is up SPOKEN

used for saying that something is wrong or something bad is happening:

It's not like Sara to be so rude. Something must be up.

up against something

in a very difficult situation or with a serious problem to deal with:

The process could take weeks, but I'm up against a deadline.

He was up against fantastic odds he never stood a chance of winning.

up and down

1. ) rising and falling, or from bottom to top:

The children were jumping up and down with excitement.

look someone up and down (=look at the whole of their body): She looked me up and down, but I couldn't tell whether she approved of my appearance or not.

2. ) backward and forward:

He kept walking up and down the hallway all night long.

3. ) sometimes happy and well and sometimes not:

How are things going? Kind of up and down.

up for something

1. ) in a situation to be considered or examined for a particular status or job:

The senator is up for re-election in 2006.

She's up for consideration for a managerial position.

Robinson will not be up for parole for another five years.

The contract is up for renewal next year.

2. ) available for a particular purpose:

Most of the houses are up for sale.

It was agreed that the baby would be put up for adoption.

3. ) appearing in a court of law because you have been accused of a crime:

He's up for armed robbery.

4. ) SPOKEN willing to do a particular activity:

What do you feel like doing? I'd be up for just about anything.

up on something/up with something

knowing a lot about something:

You're really up on the celebrity gossip, aren't you?

up to/until/till something

used for stating the latest time that something can happen, or the end of a period of time:

Laura was here up until about 5 minutes ago.

The building was used as a hospital through the 1960s up to 1972.

We can make the delivery any time tomorrow up till about 10 p.m..

up to someone

1. ) if something is up to you, you are the person who makes a decision about it:

Do you want to stay or go? It's up to you.

2. ) if something is up to you, you are responsible for doing it:

It's up to all of us to try to solve the problems in our neighborhoods.

up to something

1. ) used for stating the most an amount can be, or what level it can reach:

Dinosaurs were up to twenty-seven meters long.

Children are forced to work up to 19 hours a day, 7 days a week in the factories.

We can guarantee 90 percent of a bank loan up to $300,000.

2. ) used for stating a particular standard something can reach:

Employees face dismissal if they fail to match up to the standards set by the company.

I'm afraid the play wasn't up to our expectations.

3. ) doing something wrong or secret:

When he's quiet like this, I know he's up to something.

I wondered what my daughter was really up to.

be up to no good: I don't know what they're doing but I'm sure they're up to no good.

4. ) well enough, strong enough, or good enough to do something:

She's supposed to leave the hospital tomorrow, but I don't think she's up to it.

He's not really up to the job.

up to doing something: I don't think I'm up to doing a ten-mile walk.

up to speed INFORMAL

having the latest information on a situation:

The board of directors will have to be brought up to speed on these new developments.

up to your neck/ears/eyes in something INFORMAL

involved in a difficult situation or with more work to do than you can deal with:

I'm up to my eyes in work at the moment, but I'll deal with it as soon as I can.

up yours OFFENSIVE

used for insulting someone when they have upset you or made you angry

what's up? SPOKEN

used for asking what is wrong:

You're awfully quiet today what's up?

what's up? with: What's up with Larry? Is he scared?

=> SCRATCH 2, MARK1

up

up 2 [ ʌp ] noun

on the up and up INFORMAL

1. ) AMERICAN honest and not trying to trick anyone

2. ) BRITISH improving:

Things are on the up and up we're doing better each year.

ups and downs INFORMAL

a variety of situations and experiences that are sometimes good and sometimes bad:

The company has had its share of ups and downs, but it seems to be doing well now.

up

up 3 [ ʌp ] verb transitive INFORMAL

to increase an amount, or raise something to a higher level:

They've upped taxi fares because of the rise in fuel prices.

up the ante (=raise the level of what is expected, offered, or risked in a situation): Protesters have upped the ante by demanding that Wright resign.

up and do something

to do something suddenly or unexpectedly:

He upped and went, pausing only to thank us with a gracious bow.