up

SayUPUK/ʌp//ɐp/

Verbups, upping, upped

61 meanings of up

Practice

1
higher placeadverb
To or at a higher position, whether physically or nearer the top of something such as a page, list, or order.
The cat is up on the roof again.
We drove up into the mountains.
UsageOften with in or on before a place: up in the hills, up on the roof.
Similarupward
Oppositedown
Note
Motion and rest share one word here. We climbed up describes travel, while he lives up in the hills describes a place that stays put.
2
adverbfiguratively
To a higher level of some quantity, price, volume, pitch, or mood.
Rents went up twice last year.
The temperature is going up all week.
UsageUsually with a verb: go up, turn up, cheer up.
Similarhigher, upward
Oppositedown, lower
Note
Height turned into a scale: prices, volume, pitch and mood all rise without anything moving through space, which is why the usage counts as figurative. Once the rise is complete, the "greater" adjective reports the result: gold went up, so gold is up.
3
thoroughlyadverbemphaticintensifier
Used as an intensifier to mark an action as complete or thorough.
Eat up, we're leaving in five minutes.
The river dried up in August.
UsageA noun object can go before or after up: eat your dinner up or eat up your dinner. Put pronouns between: eat it up.
Note
A grammatical job more than a directional one: added to a verb, the particle says the action has run to its end. Mixing, tearing and typing become finished or thorough, and nothing needs to rise. Messed up shows it attaching to failure as readily as to success.
4
adverb
Into one's possession, hands, or attention.
She took up the offer at once.
He picked up three languages while abroad.
5
preposition
Toward the top of; ascending.
Smoke drifted up the chimney.
We toiled up the hill with the shopping.
UsagePut the route or surface directly after up: up the stairs, up the hill, up the chimney.
Oppositedown
Note
Paired with down, it describes a sweep across a surface, such as eyes scanning up and down a page, where the top is only a convention. Its looser relative, the "further along" preposition, drops the ascent entirely.
6
uprightadverb
To an upright or erect position from lying or sitting.
The dog sat up and begged.
He got up slowly, holding his back.
UsageWith body verbs: sit up, stand up, get up.
Similarupright
Oppositedown
Note
Here the word describes a change of posture, not of place: the body rises from lying or sitting but travels nowhere. Get up out of bed ties it to the adjective for being awake, which names the state that this movement produces: once you have got up, you are up.
7
awakeadjective
Out of bed and awake, whether early in the morning or late at night.
Is anyone up yet? I smell coffee.
She was up half the night with the baby.
UsageAfter be or stay: are you up?, stay up late.
Similarawake
Oppositeasleep
8
raise (amount)verbcolloquialtransitive
To increase, or raise the level of, something.
The airline has upped its fares again.
We'll have to up our game to beat them.
UsageDoubles the p: upped, upping. Up your game means do better.
Similarraise, increase, boost, hike, lift
Oppositelower, reduce, decrease, cut
9
adverb
To or in a position level with someone or something, not behind, short of, or away from it; usually followed by to or with.
She caught up with the leaders on the final lap and won by a stride.
A police officer walked up to the car and asked to see his license.
10
adjective
At a higher level, amount or value than before or than usual.
Unemployment is up for the third month running.
The pound is up against the dollar.
Similarhigher
Oppositedown, lower
Note
The result of a rise reported as a state, as in sales are up or my temperature is up. It is the resting form of the "rising level" adverb: what has gone up is now up.
11
preposition
Further along, in whatever direction, with no rise implied.
There's a pub about a mile up the lane.
She walked up the corridor to the last door.
Similaralong
Note
Height has drained out of the word here. Up the street simply means further along it, and the street may well run downhill, since any direction will do.
12
adverb
So that something ends up in bits or portions, following verbs such as cut, tear, break, chop, or divide.
Chop up two onions and fry them slowly in butter.
After her death, the farm was divided up among her four grandchildren.
UsageThe object can go either side, but a pronoun goes between: cut it up (not ~~incorrect: cut up it~~).
Note
Often up adds little to the verb (chop and chop up both make pieces), but it stresses that the job covers the whole thing, which links it with the completion marker in eat up and use up.
13
adjective
Usually with on, well-informed, current, or abreast.
She's up on all the new regulations.
He's not really up on modern music.
UsageOften be up on or keep up on a subject.
Similarinformed, knowledgeable, abreast, conversant
Oppositeignorant, uninformed
14
adverb
Aside, away, into storage, or out of use.
After fifteen seasons in the league, she hung up her skates and went into coaching.
The car has been laid up since the accident.
Similaraway, aside
15
adverb
Toward or at a central place, or any place thought of as up by local features, local custom, or mere habit, whatever the direction or change in height.
He's gone up to the house to get more drinks for the party.
Students from all over the state come up to the capital for the rally.
Oppositedown
Note
Here up has little to do with height or the compass. People go up to a city, up to the house or up the road, and which places count as up is a matter of local habit: a trip from Yorkshire is up to London even though London lies to the south, unlike up to the north. The same trip can be up for one speaker and down for another.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact
London lies south of Yorkshire. en.wikipedia.org
16
adverb
To the north, the direction at the top of a typical map.
Every summer they drive up from Atlanta to spend a month at the lake in Michigan.
By Thursday the storm will have moved up into Maine and Canada.
UsageThe return trip is usually down: drive up to Boston, down to Miami.
Similarnorth
Oppositedown, south
Note
Maps put north at the top, and speech follows the map: someone in Florida goes up to New York, a storm moves up into Maine.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
Maps conventionally put north at the top. en.wikipedia.org
The association between north and up reflects the conventional orientation of maps. en.wiktionary.org

Less common meanings

17
happeningadjectivenot before a noun
Happening, going on, or the matter; used only after a verb.
What's up with the printer? It keeps jamming.
Nobody would say what was up, but the office was silent.
Similarwrong, happening
18
adjectivenot before a noun
Ended, expired, or run out; used only after a verb.
The lease is up in June.
When the two minutes were up, the buzzer sounded.
UsageAfter be: time is up, the lease is up.
Similarover, expired, finished, done
19
aheadadjective
Ahead in a contest, leading or winning.
She was up by ten points with a minute to play.
The challenger is up on all three judges' cards.
UsageUsually with by, or the amount first: up by ten, two goals up.
Similarleading, winning
Oppositedown, behind, trailing, losing
Note
Keep it distinct from the "next in turn" meaning. Smith is up to bat says whose turn it is, while the team is up by two says who is winning.
20
adjective
Of a computer system, running, functional, and available for use.
The network was up all weekend without a hitch.
We keep the backup machine up at all times.
UsagePaired with down; back up means working again.
Similarrunning, operational, functional, working, online
Oppositedown, offline
Note
In computing a machine is usually described as up or down, and this is the first: running and reachable. Back up, as in "is the server back up?", presupposes an outage that has just ended. Engineers speak of a system staying up or being kept up, much as they would a light being kept on.
21
nextadjective
Next in turn; the one whose go it is.
Who's up after the break?
Two more speakers and then I'm up.
UsageOften you're up or up next.
Similaron, next
22
raisedadjective
Raised, lifted, or held in a higher position than its resting one.
The blinds were up and the sun poured in.
Keep your hands up until I say.
UsageUsually after be or have got: the blinds were up.
Similarraised, lifted
Oppositedown
Note
Something described this way has been moved out of its usual lowered position, usually by someone's hand: a drawbridge raised on its chains, a carpet lifted off the floor. Height is not really the point, since a carpet that is up has simply been lifted so the floor can be reached. That is what separates it from the plain "higher level" meaning.
23
adjective
Followed by for: being offered, proposed, or scheduled for something such as a sale, an election, a discussion, a review, or a renewal.
Two seats on the city council are up for election in November.
The new parking rules will be up for discussion at Tuesday's meeting.
UsageCommon in up for sale, up for election and up for grabs.
Note
The phrase puts something on a market or an agenda: a house goes up for sale, a contract comes up for renewal, and informally a prize is up for grabs, available to whoever claims it. Watch for overlap with the "willing" meaning: a seat that is up for election is being contested, but a person who is up for it is keen to try.
24
willingadjective
Usually with for, willing, keen, or ready to take part.
Are you up for a game later?
She's always up for a challenge.
UsageOften up for it, or up for + -ing: up for going out?
Similargame, ready, keen
25
adjective
Of the sun or moon, having risen above the horizon so that it is in the sky.
By the time the sun was up, the fishing boats were already far out in the bay.
With a full moon up, the hikers barely needed their flashlights.
UsageUsually after be: the sun's up, once the sun is up.
Similarrisen
Oppositedown
Note
It marks the time of day as much as the sky, so it often appears in clauses like once the sun's up. J. Meade Falkner's Moonfleet (1898) uses it for a narrator who knows from a thin line of light that the sun was up.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
J. Meade Falkner wrote Moonfleet. en.wikisource.org
Moonfleet was first published in 1898. rookebooks.com
Moonfleet's narrator infers from a thin line of light that the sun was up. en.wikisource.org
26
verbintransitivein compounds
To rise to one's feet, and by extension to act suddenly, often linked to a second verb by and, as in up and leave.
Halfway through the meeting, the director upped and walked out without a word.
Most people don't just up and sell the family farm after one bad harvest.
UsagePast tense upped or up: he upped and left, she up and left.
Note
In the past tense both upped and plain up are heard, as in Banjo Paterson's "Waltzing Matilda", written in 1895, where "the swagman he up and he jumped in the water-hole". The construction suggests the act came without warning.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
Banjo Paterson wrote the words of "Waltzing Matilda". dl.nfsa.gov.au
"Waltzing Matilda" was written in 1895. dl.nfsa.gov.au
The quoted words occur in "Waltzing Matilda", using plain "up" in a past-tense narrative. gutenberg.net.au
27
noununcountable
The direction that runs counter to gravity's pull.
Astronauts have to decide for themselves which way is up.
From here, up is the only direction left.
UsageUsually used without an article: which way is up?
Oppositedown
28
good timenouncountable
A good point, or a spell when things are going well, usually paired with down.
Every family business has its ups and downs, and ours has seen plenty of both.
Every marriage has its ups and downs, and theirs had more than most in that first year.
UsageOften in ups and downs.
Similarhigh, upside, plus, advantage
Oppositedown, low, downside, minus
Note
On an up describes a stretch of good spirits, close kin to the "good mood" adjective.
29
posted onlineadjective
Posted or published online and available to view or use.
The results will be up on the website by five.
Her blog post went up this morning.
UsageAfter be or go: the video is up, the page went up.
Similaronline, live, published
30
adjective
Used before a noun: moving or built to carry people upward, or, on a railway, serving trains that head toward the main terminus.
The up escalator was packed with holiday shoppers, so we took the stairs instead.
The up platform is over the footbridge.
Oppositedown
31
adjective
Facing upward; turned so that a particular side is on top.
Lay the cards face up on the table.
The label should be up when you load the cartridge.
UsageMostly in face up and right side up.
Similaruppermost, upturned
Oppositedown
Note
Orientation rather than position: what matters is which face shows on top.
32
cheerfuladjective
In good spirits or cheerful, the opposite of down.
The whole team was really up after the win, laughing and singing on the bus home.
You seem very up for a Monday.
Similarcheerful, happy, upbeat, buoyant
Oppositedown, low, sad, depressed
33
promoteverbcolloquialtransitive
To promote someone to a higher post.
After two strong years in sales, the company upped her to regional manager.
The paper upped him from reporter to deputy editor after his series on the floods won wide praise.
Similarpromote, elevate, advance
Oppositedemote, downgrade
34
prepositioncolloquial
At a place, especially one felt to be higher up or further from home.
She's up the shops, back in an hour.
I'll meet you up the park later.
UsageIn formal writing, use at: she's at the shops.
Note
In casual speech the preposition can stand where standard English uses at. I'll see you up the snooker club means at the club, with no journey or climb implied. Alan Moore puts it in a character's mouth in Jerusalem (2016): up the Smokers. The place is often felt to lie a little away from home.
Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
Alan Moore wrote Jerusalem. en.wikipedia.org
Jerusalem was first published in 2016. openlibrary.org
The words 'up the Smokers' occur in a character's dialogue in Jerusalem. en.wiktionary.org
35
preposition
Along a river or other waterway, moving away from its mouth toward the place where it rises.
The researchers traveled by boat up the Amazon to reach the most remote villages.
Our cabin sits about ten miles up the river from the harbor.
Oppositedown
Note
On a river, the current decides what counts as up, not the map: traveling up a river means heading against its flow, so on a river that runs north it takes you south. That is where it parts company with the northward sense. The opposite is down, toward the mouth. Without a named river, the adverb up does the same job: they rowed up toward the falls.
Checked 3 Nov 2026 · 1 fact
On a north-flowing river, traveling against the flow takes you southward. home.nps.gov
36
adjective
Having been erected or put together, so as to stand complete in its place.
Six months after the groundbreaking, the frame of the house was up.
Scaffolding was up around the cathedral for most of the year.
UsageUsed after be: the tent is up.
Oppositedown
37
adverb
On a railway, toward the main terminus, usually the way in which mileposts count down.
38
adverbdatedUK
Into residence at a university, chiefly Oxford or Cambridge, as at the start of term.
A precocious mathematician, Babbage was already well versed in the Continental mathematical notations when he went up to Cambridge.
2002, Peter Harman, Cambridge Scientific Minds
39
adverb
Heading into the breeze or upstream against a flow of water.
40
adverb
Toward a river's source, opposite to the way the water flows.
41
adverb
Along the positive vertical axis, in the direction of increasing height.
42
adverb
Out of one's possession or attention, as when handing something over or abandoning it.
43
adverb
In cricket, fielding fairly near the batter.
44
preposition
In the direction of the central or principal point, or of the end where a thing is attached.
45
preposition
Northward through a place, from its southern part to its northern part.
46
prepositionslang
Engaged in sexual intercourse with.
47
adjective
Mounted somewhere high, for example near the top of a wall or overhead.
48
adjective
High in the air, as a flying aircraft or kite is.
49
adjective
On one's feet or in an upright position.
50
adjectiveobsolete
In open rebellion against those in power.
The fearefull newes that whilſt the flame doth but begin, Sad pollicie may ſerue to quench the fire: The Commons nowe are vp in Kent, let vs not ſuffer this firſt attempt too farre.
1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw
51
adjective
Seated on a horse and riding it, especially as the jockey in a race.
52
adjective
Pointing to or representing a bigger amount, as an arrow on a chart does.
53
adjective
In poker, naming the higher pair when a hand holds two pairs, as in 'kings up.'
54
adjectiveUS
Chilled and then strained into the glass so that no ice is left in it.
55
adjectivedatedUK
Studying at a college, chiefly Oxford or Cambridge, during term.
When I was up (1965–68) I had a group of idle friends who occupied their time and mine betting on horses, getting drunk and sprawling about telling creepy tales.
2002, Philip Pullman, “Dreaming of Spires”
56
adjectiveslang
Famous and widely recognized.
57
noun
An up quark, one of the two lightest kinds of quark.
58
noun
A bedroom or other room on the upper floor of a small two-floor house.
59
verbliterary
To lift or raise something.
60
verbarchaic
To climb or rise to a higher place.
"Will ye up, lass, and ride behind me?".
1863, Charles Kingsley, The Water Babies
61
verbslang
To send a file from one's own device to a server or website.

More uses

come upto happen soon

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of up apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

"Up" comes from Middle English "up" and Old English "upp," going back to Proto-Germanic "*upp." It is related to Dutch "op," German "auf," Danish "op," and Swedish "upp," all meaning "up."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

English "up" descends from Middle English "up" and Old English "upp". en.wiktionary.org
The word goes back to Proto-Germanic "*upp". en.wiktionary.org
Dutch "op," German "auf," Danish "op," and Swedish "upp" are cognates of English "up" and all mean "up." en.wiktionary.org