follow-upadj.n.
/ˈfɒləʊʌp/, U.S. /ˈfɑloʊˌəp/ A. adj.
That follows up something previously done or made; that serves as a follow up (sense B. 2).
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the future or time to come > succession or following in time > [adjective] > succeeding or subsequent > appropriately following (of subject, etc.)
ensuant1589
subsequent1781
sequent1833
sequential1854
follow-up1897
1897 Official Gaz. (U.S. Patent Office) 4 May 832/1 A follow-up system actuated from the tiller and connected by interposed mechanism with the rock-lever, whereby the amount of movement of the helm is made to correspond with the amount of movement given the wheel by the helmsman.
1905 Ann. Catal. McPherson Coll. (Kansas) 1904–5 27 The independent advertisement writer..produces booklets, circulars, follow-up letters, or plans and executes the advertising campaigns.
1931 Brit. Jrnl. Psychol. July 87 A ‘follow up’ investigation of one thousand particularly gifted children.
1956 C. Willock Death at Flight xvii. 227 Mr. Goss had briefed this team with all the relevant facts necessary for the follow-up story.
1968 Brit. Med. Bull. 24 208/1 A nation-wide follow-up system for samples of patients classified in field surveys.
1984 Washington Post (Nexis) 31 May a17/5 During the initial nine-month follow-up period, not a single case of chicken pox occurred in the vaccinated group.
2018 Augusta (Georgia) Chron. (Nexis) 18 Feb. f1 Ask follow-up questions like, ‘Why do you say that?’
B. n.
1. The action or procedure of continuing to follow up something; spec. the period of time during which a patient, etc., is monitored.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > continuing > following up, through, or prosecution > [noun]
suinga1325
prosecution1545
conveyance1572
through-handlinga1586
carriage1589
pursuita1631
throughing1638
pursuance1642
persecution1647
transaction1655
pursual1878
follow-up1904
follow-through1918
1904 System Feb. 107/1 It is arranged to allow for regular follow-up.
1968 Jrnl. Pediatrics 73 511/1 In the nonsteroid-treated group, symptoms were variable and new ones tended to appear during follow-up.
2006 A. Kuczynski Beauty Junkies xiii. 259 You should be prepared for long-term follow-up, reoperations to treat complications, and personal financial costs.
2. A sequel to, or continuation of, something already done or made; spec. a further examination or observation of a patient in order to monitor the outcome of a treatment.
ΚΠ
1905 System Aug. 163 (heading) A method of conducting a follow-up which saves the work of making and keeping up a list of names.
1929 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 14 Dec. 13/2 It's the follow-up of that injunction gag.
1942 Ann. Internal Med. 16 655 Many cases have repeated hospital admissions and form a long line of ‘follow-ups’ in the out-patient department.
1992 Utne Reader Mar. 120/3 The follow-up to this Dutch band's phenomenally successful debut release..shows none of the slump usually associated with a sophomore effort.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1897