# up

Pronunciation: say "UP" US/UK /ʌp/, AUS /ɐp/

## Adverb

1. To or at a higher position, whether physically or nearer the top of something such as a page, list, or order.
   - Simple: To or at a higher place, or nearer the top of something like a page or a list.
   - _The cat is up on the roof again._
   - _We drove up into the mountains._
2. To a higher level of some quantity, price, volume, pitch, or mood.
   - Simple: To a higher level, amount or sound.
   - _Rents went up twice last year._
   - _The temperature is going up all week._
3. Used as an intensifier to mark an action as complete or thorough.
   - Simple: Completely, or all the way to the end.
   - _Eat up, we're leaving in five minutes._
   - _The river dried up in August._
4. Into one's possession, hands, or attention.
   - Simple: Into your hands or your attention.
   - _She took up the offer at once._
   - _He picked up three languages while abroad._
6. To an upright or erect position from lying or sitting.
   - Simple: Into a standing or sitting position.
   - _The dog sat up and begged._
   - _He got up slowly, holding his back._
9. To or in a position level with someone or something, not behind, short of, or away from it; usually followed by to or with.
   - Simple: Level with someone or something, or as far as it, and not behind (often used before 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._
12. So that something ends up in bits or portions, following verbs such as cut, tear, break, chop, or divide.
   - Simple: Into pieces or parts, used after words like cut, tear, break or chop.
   - _Chop up two onions and fry them slowly in butter._
   - _After her death, the farm was divided up among her four grandchildren._
14. Aside, away, into storage, or out of use.
   - Simple: Put away, aside, or into storage, so it is no longer used.
   - _After fifteen seasons in the league, she hung up her skates and went into coaching._
   - _The car has been laid up since the accident._
15. 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.
   - Simple: Toward or at a main place, or any place people call up, even if it is not higher.
   - _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._
16. To the north, the direction at the top of a typical map.
   - Simple: To or toward the north.
   - _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._

## Preposition

5. Toward the top of; ascending.
   - Simple: Toward the top of something, as when climbing it.
   - _Smoke drifted up the chimney._
   - _We toiled up the hill with the shopping._
11. Further along, in whatever direction, with no rise implied.
   - Simple: Further along a road or path, in any direction.
   - _There's a pub about a mile up the lane._
   - _She walked up the corridor to the last door._
34. At a place, especially one felt to be higher up or further from home. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: At a place, often one a little way from home, in British speech.
   - _She's up the shops, back in an hour._
   - _I'll meet you up the park later._
35. Along a river or other waterway, moving away from its mouth toward the place where it rises.
   - Simple: Along a river or stream, in the direction of the place where it starts.
   - _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._

## Adjective

7. Out of bed and awake, whether early in the morning or late at night.
   - Simple: Awake and out of bed, especially very late or very early.
   - _Is anyone up yet? I smell coffee._
   - _She was up half the night with the baby._
10. At a higher level, amount or value than before or than usual.
   - Simple: Higher than before or than usual, as in 'prices are up' or 'the river is up'.
   - _Unemployment is up for the third month running._
   - _The pound is up against the dollar._
17. Happening, going on, or the matter; used only after a verb.
   - Simple: Happening or wrong, in what's up and something is up.
   - _What's up with the printer? It keeps jamming._
   - _Nobody would say what was up, but the office was silent._
18. Ended, expired, or run out; used only after a verb.
   - Simple: Finished or at an end.
   - _The lease is up in June._
   - _When the two minutes were up, the buzzer sounded._
13. Usually with on, well-informed, current, or abreast.
   - Simple: Knowing the latest about something, usually with 'on'.
   - _She's up on all the new regulations._
   - _He's not really up on modern music._
19. Ahead in a contest, leading or winning.
   - Simple: Ahead in a game or contest.
   - _She was up by ten points with a minute to play._
   - _The challenger is up on all three judges' cards._
20. Of a computer system, running, functional, and available for use.
   - Simple: Working and available, said of a computer system or website.
   - _The network was up all weekend without a hitch._
   - _We keep the backup machine up at all times._
21. Next in turn; the one whose go it is.
   - Simple: Next to take a turn, or the one whose turn it is now.
   - _Who's up after the break?_
   - _Two more speakers and then I'm up._
22. Raised, lifted, or held in a higher position than its resting one.
   - Simple: Raised or lifted, not in its lowered place.
   - _The blinds were up and the sun poured in._
   - _Keep your hands up until I say._
23. Followed by for: being offered, proposed, or scheduled for something such as a sale, an election, a discussion, a review, or a renewal.
   - Simple: Being offered for, or due for, something like a sale, an election, a talk or a review.
   - _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._
24. Usually with for, willing, keen, or ready to take part.
   - Simple: Willing and ready to do something, usually with 'for'.
   - _Are you up for a game later?_
   - _She's always up for a challenge._
25. Of the sun or moon, having risen above the horizon so that it is in the sky.
   - Simple: Of the sun or moon, in the sky above the horizon.
   - _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._
29. Posted or published online and available to view or use.
   - Simple: Posted online and available to see.
   - _The results will be up on the website by five._
   - _Her blog post went up this morning._
30. Used before a noun: moving or built to carry people upward, or, on a railway, serving trains that head toward the main terminus.
   - Simple: Going upward, said of an escalator, stairs, or a lift. On a railway, it means going toward the main station.
   - _The up escalator was packed with holiday shoppers, so we took the stairs instead._
   - _The up platform is over the footbridge._
31. Facing upward; turned so that a particular side is on top.
   - Simple: Facing upward, with that side on top.
   - _Lay the cards face up on the table._
   - _The label should be up when you load the cartridge._
32. In good spirits or cheerful, the opposite of down.
   - Simple: Cheerful and in a good mood, 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._
36. Having been erected or put together, so as to stand complete in its place.
   - Simple: Built and standing in its place, not still being made.
   - _Six months after the groundbreaking, the frame of the house was up._
   - _Scaffolding was up around the cathedral for most of the year._

## Verb

8. To increase, or raise the level of, something. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To make something higher or bigger.
   - _The airline has upped its fares again._
   - _We'll have to up our game to beat them._
26. 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.
   - Simple: To get up, or to suddenly do something, often in phrases like 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._
33. To promote someone to a higher post. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To promote someone to a higher job or rank.
   - _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._

## Noun

27. The direction that runs counter to gravity's pull.
   - Simple: The direction away from the ground, as a thing in itself.
   - _Astronauts have to decide for themselves which way is up._
   - _From here, up is the only direction left._
28. A good point, or a spell when things are going well, usually paired with down.
   - Simple: A good point or a good period, often 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._

## Other meanings

- (adverb) On a railway, toward the main terminus, usually the way in which mileposts count down.
- (adverb) Into residence at a university, chiefly Oxford or Cambridge, as at the start of term.
- (adverb) Heading into the breeze or upstream against a flow of water.
- (adverb) Toward a river's source, opposite to the way the water flows.
- (adverb) Along the positive vertical axis, in the direction of increasing height.
- (adverb) Out of one's possession or attention, as when handing something over or abandoning it.
- (adverb) In cricket, fielding fairly near the batter.
- (preposition) In the direction of the central or principal point, or of the end where a thing is attached.
- (preposition) Northward through a place, from its southern part to its northern part.
- (preposition) Engaged in sexual intercourse with.
- (adjective) Mounted somewhere high, for example near the top of a wall or overhead.
- (adjective) High in the air, as a flying aircraft or kite is.
- (adjective) On one's feet or in an upright position.
- (adjective) In open rebellion against those in power.
- (adjective) Seated on a horse and riding it, especially as the jockey in a race.
- (adjective) Pointing to or representing a bigger amount, as an arrow on a chart does.
- (adjective) In poker, naming the higher pair when a hand holds two pairs, as in 'kings up.'
- (adjective) Chilled and then strained into the glass so that no ice is left in it.
- (adjective) Studying at a college, chiefly Oxford or Cambridge, during term.
- (adjective) Famous and widely recognized.
- (noun) An up quark, one of the two lightest kinds of quark.
- (noun) A bedroom or other room on the upper floor of a small two-floor house.
- (verb) To lift or raise something.
- (verb) To climb or rise to a higher place.
- (verb) To send a file from one's own device to a server or website.

## 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."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/up (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).