pronunciation note: The preposition is pronounced (ʌp). The adverb and adjective are pronounced (ʌp).Up is often used with verbs of movement such as 'jump' and 'pull', and also in phrasalverbs such as 'give up' and 'wash up'.
1. preposition
If a person or thing goes up something such as a slope, ladder, or chimney, they move away from the ground or to a higher position.
They were climbing up a narrow mountain road.
I ran up the stairs and saw Alison lying at the top.
The heat disappears straight up the chimney.
Up is also an adverb.
Finally, after an hour, I went up to Jeremy's room.
Intense balls of flame rose up into the sky.
He put his hand up.
2. preposition
If a person or thing is up something such as a ladder or a mountain, they are near the top of it.
He was up a ladder sawing off the tops of his apple trees.
The Newton Hotel is halfway up a steep hill.
Up is also an adverb.
...a research station perched 4000 metres up on the lip of the crater.
3. adverb [ADVERB after verb]
You use up to indicate that you are looking or facing in a direction that is away from the ground or towards a higher level.
Paul answered, without looking up.
Keep your head up, and look around you from time to time.
4. adverb [ADVERB after verb]
If someone stands up, they move so that they are standing.
He stood up and went to the window.
He got up and went out into the foyer.
5. preposition
If you go or look up something such as a road or river, you go or look along it. If you are up a road or river, you are somewhere along it.
A line of tanks came up the road from the city.
We leaned on the wooden rail of the bridge and looked up the river.
He had a relation who lived up the road.
6. adverb [ADVERB after verb, beADVERB]
If you are travelling to a particular place, you can say that you are going up to that place, especially if you are going towards the north or to a higher level of land. If you are already in such a place, you can say that you are up there.
[mainly spoken]
I'll be up to see you tomorrow.
He was living up North.
I live here now, but I've spent all my time up in Swaziland.
7. adverb [ADVERB after verb]
If you go up to something or someone, you move to the place where they are and stop there.
The girl ran the rest of the way across the street and up to the car. [+ to]
On the way out a boy of about ten came up on roller skates.
He brought me up to the bar and introduced me to Dave. [+ to]
8. adverb [ADVERB after verb, beADVERB]
If an amount of something goes up, it increases. If an amount of something is up, it has increased and is at a higher level than it was.
They recently put my rent up.
Tourism is up, jobs are up, individual income is up.
Germany's rate has also risen sharply, up from 3 percent to 4.5 percent.
Over the decade, women in this category went up by 120%.
9. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If you are up, you are not in bed.
Are you sure you should be up?
These days all sorts of people were up at the crack of dawn.
Soldiers are up at seven for three hours of exercises.
10. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If a period of time is up, it has come to an end.
The moment the half-hour was up, Brooks rose.
When the six weeks were up, everybody was sad that she had to leave.
11. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
You say that a road is up when it is being repaired and cannot be used.
[British]
Half the road was up in Leadenhall Street, so their taxi was obliged to make a detour.
12. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If a baseball player is up, it is their turn to bat.
13. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If a computer or computer system is up, it is working. Compare down1.
14. exclamation
People sometimes say 'Up yours!' as an insult when you have said something to annoy them or make them angry.
[informal, rude]
'Up yours,' said the reporter and stormed out into the street.
15.
See up and about
16.
See sth is up
17.
See What's up?
18.
See up and down
19.
See ups and downs
20.
See on the up, on the up and up
21.
See on the up and up
22. up in arms
English Easy Learning GrammarPrepositionsA preposition is one of a small but very common group of words that relate differentitems to each other. Most English prepositions have a number of meanings ... Read more
up used in combination as a preposition
(ʌp)
1. phrase
If you feel up to doing something, you are well enough to do it.
Those patients who were up to it could move to the adjacent pool.
He wasn't at all sure Sarah was up to that.
His fellow-directors were not up to running the business without him.
2. phrase
To be up to something means to be secretly doing something that you should not be doing.
[informal]
Why did you need a room unless you were up to something?
They must have known what their father was up to.
Look at what they are getting up to.
3. phrase
If you say that it is up to someone to do something, you mean that it is their responsibility to do it.
It was up to him to make it right, no matter how long it took.
I'm sure I'd have spotted him if it had been up to me.
The choice was up to Paula.
4.
See up until
5. phrase
You use up to to say how large something can be or what level it has reached.
Up to twenty thousand students paid between five and six thousand dollars.
It could be up to two years before the process is complete.
6.
See not up to much
7. phrase
If someone or something is up for election, review, or discussion, they are about to be considered.
A third of the government are up for re-election.
8.
See up against
9. up to your ears
10. up to the mark
11. up to par
12. up to scratch
up verb uses
(ʌp)
Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense ups, present participle upping, past tense, past participle upped
1. verb
If you up something such as the amount of money you are offering for something, you increase it.
He upped his offer for the company. [VERB noun]
Chemist stores upped sales by 63 percent. [VERB noun]
We are talking about upping everybody's pay. [VERB noun]
2. verb
If you upand leave a place, you go away from it, often suddenly or unexpectedly.
A man who for months had been dropping amorous hints about a long-term relationshipupped and disappeared to America. [Vand v]
One day he just upped and left. [Vand v]
up in British English
(ʌp)
preposition
1.
indicating movement from a lower to a higher position
climbing up a mountain
2.
at a higher or further level or position in or on
soot up the chimney
a shop up the road
adverb
3. (often particle)
to an upward, higher, or erect position, esp indicating readiness for an activity
looking up at the stars
up and doing something
4. (particle)
indicating intensity or completion of an action
he tore up the cheque
drink up now!
5.
to the place referred to or where the speaker is
the man came up and asked the way
6.
a.
to a more important place
up to London
b.
to a more northerly place
up to Scotland
c.
(of a member of some British universities) to or at university
d.
in a particular part of the country
up north
7.
above the horizon
the sun is up
8.
appearing for trial
up before the magistrate
9.
having gained
ten pounds up on the deal
10.
higher in price
coffee is up again
11.
raised (for discussion, etc)
the plan was up for consideration
12.
taught
well up in physics
13. (functioning as imperative)
get, stand, etc, up
up with you!
14. all up with
15. up with
16. something's up
17. up against
18. up and running
19. up for
20. up for it
21. up to
22. up top
23. up yours
24. what's up?
adjective
25. (predicative)
of a high or higher position
26. (predicative)
out of bed; awake
the children aren't up yet
27. (prenominal)
of or relating to a train or trains to a more important place or one regarded as higher
the up platform
28. (predicative)
over or completed
the examiner announced that their time was up
29. (predicative)
beating one's opponent by a specified amount
three goals up by half-time
verbWord forms: ups, upping or upped
30. (transitive)
to increase or raise
31. (intr; foll by and with a verb) informal
to do (something) suddenly, unexpectedly, etc
she upped and married someone else
noun
32.
high point; good or pleasant period (esp in the phrase ups and downs)
33. slang another word (esp US) for upper (sense 9)
34. on the up and up
35. up oneself
▶ USAGE The use of up before until is redundant and should be avoided: the talks will continue until (not up until) 23rd March
Word origin
Old English upp; related to Old Saxon, Old Norse up, Old High German ūf, Gothic iup
UP in British English
abbreviation for
1.
United Press
2.
Uttar Pradesh
up- in British English
prefix
up, upper, or upwards
uproot
upmost
upthrust
upgrade
uplift
up in American English1
(ʌp)
adverb
1.
from a lower to a higher place; away from or out of the ground
2.
in or on a higher position or level; off the ground, or from a position below toone at the surface of the earth or water
3.
in a direction or place thought of as higher or above
4.
above the horizon
5.
to a later period
from childhood up
6.
to a higher or better condition or station
7.
to a higher amount, greater degree, etc.
with prices going up
8.
a.
in or into a standing or upright position
b.
out of bed
9.
in or into existence, action, view, evidence, consideration, etc.
to bring a matter up
10.
into an excited or troubled state
to get worked up
11.
aside; away; by
lay up grain for the winter
12.
so as to be even with in space, time, degree, etc.
keep up with the times
13.
to the point of completeness; entirely; thoroughly
eat up the pie
14.
so as to stop
to rein up a horse
15. US, Baseball
to one's turn at batting; at bat
16. Nautical
to windward
put up the helm
17. Sport and Games
ahead of an opponent with reference to the number of points, goals, strokes, etc.
18. US, Informal
served without ice cubes; not on the rocks
said of a cocktail
19.
used with verbs:
a.
to form idiomatic combinations with a meaning different from the meaning of the simple verbs
look up this word; he didn't turn up
b.
as an intensive
dress up, eat up, clean up
c.
as a virtually meaningless element added, esp. informally, to almost any verb
light up a cigarette, write up a story
preposition
20.
to, toward, or at a higher place on or in
21.
to, toward, or at a higher condition or station on or in
up the social ladder
22.
at, along, or toward the higher or more distant part of
up the road
23.
toward the source of, or against the current, flow, or movement of (a river, the wind, etc.)
24.
in or toward the interior of (a country, territory, etc.)
25.
in or toward a more northerly part of
to cruise up the coast
adjective
26.
tending or directed toward a position that is higher or is regarded as being higher
27.
a.
in a higher position, condition, or station
b.
mounted on a horse or horses
28.
a.
above the ground
b.
above the horizon
29.
advanced in amount, degree, etc.
rents are up
30.
a.
in a standing or upright position
b.
out of bed
31.
in an active, excited, or agitated state
her anger was up
32.
even with in space, time, degree, etc.
33.
living or located in the inner or elevated part of a country, territory, etc.
34.
at an end; over
time is up
35. US
at stake in gambling
to have two dollars up on a horse
36.
working properly and available for use
said esp. of a computer
37. Informal
going on; happening
what's up?
38. Informal
lively; cheerful; optimistic
39. US, Baseball
having one's turn at batting; at bat
40. Golf
on the green near the hole
said of the ball
41. Sport and Games
ahead of an opponent with reference to the number of points, goals, strokes, etc.
noun
42.
a person or thing that is up, moves upward, etc.
; specif.,
a.
an upward slope
b.
an upward movement or course
c.
a period or state of prosperity, good luck, etc.
43. US, Slang
an amphetamine or other stimulant drug; upper
verb intransitiveWord forms: upped or ˈupping
44. Informal
to get up; rise
sometimes used colloquially in the uninflected form to emphasize another, followingverb
he up and left
verb transitive Informal
45.
to put up, lift up, or take up
46.
to bring to a higher level or cause to rise
to up prices
47.
to raise, or bet more than (a preceding bet or bettor)
Idioms:
it's all up with
on the up and up
up against
up against it
up and around
up and doing
up for
up on
ups and downs
up to
up to the ears
up with!
Word origin
ME < OE up, uppe, akin to Ger auf, ON upp < IE *upo, up from below > sub-, hypo-, over
up in American English2
(ʌp)
adverb
Sport and Games
apiece; each
used to indicate a score just recently tied
the score is seven up
Word origin
phonetic respelling of apiece, infl. by up1
up- in American English
(ʌp)
up
upbraid, upbringing
Word origin
ME < OE, identical with up, up1
Examples of 'up' in a sentence
up
I glanced up at the ugly, functional clock hanging on the wall.
Hugo Wilcken THE EXECUTION (2002)
I'd woken up that morning with a powerful desire for her, I now remembered.
Hugo Wilcken THE EXECUTION (2002)
She was around thirty-five I'd say and quite good-looking -- I wondered how she'd ended up with someone like Christian.
Hugo Wilcken THE EXECUTION (2002)
I picked up a battered magazine from the glass coffee table, looking for distraction.
Lisa Scottoline RUNNING FROM THE LAW (2001)
When I don't show up- ``There's an answer to that one," interrupted Ziegler without humour.
Jenkins, Geoffrey A DAYSTAR OF FEAR (1987)
If you hadn't shown up- " `You would have thought of something," Joe said.
Carey, M. V. THE TRAIL OF TERROR (THE THREE INVESTIGATORS MYSTERIES NO 39) (1987)
In other languages
up
British English: up /ʌp/ ADVERB
When something moves up, it moves from a lower place to a higher place.
Keep your head up.
American English: up
Arabic: فَوْق
Brazilian Portuguese: para cima
Chinese: 向上
Croatian: gore
Czech: nahoře
Danish: op
Dutch: omhoog
European Spanish: arriba posición
Finnish: ylös
French: en haut
German: nach oben
Greek: πάνω
Italian: su
Japanese: 上へ
Korean: 위로
Norwegian: (opp)over
Polish: w górze
European Portuguese: para cima
Romanian: sus
Russian: вверх
Latin American Spanish: arriba
Swedish: upp
Thai: ในทิศทางขึ้น
Turkish: yukarıya
Ukrainian: вгору
Vietnamese: ở trên
British English: up VERB
If you up something such as the amount of money you are offering for something, you increase it.
He upped his offer for the company.
American English: up
Brazilian Portuguese: aumentar
Chinese: 增加
European Spanish: subir
French: augmenter
German: heraufsetzen
Italian: aumentare
Japanese: 引き上げる
Korean: 금액 등을 올리다
European Portuguese: aumentar
Latin American Spanish: subir
All related terms of 'up'
tot
A tot is a very young child.
D up
to set up a defence
do up
If you do something up , you fasten it.
go up
If a price , amount, or level goes up , it becomes higher or greater than it was.
re-up
to re-enlist
up-do
a hairstyle in which the hair is held away from the face and neck with pins or clips
up on
well-informed concerning
up to
devising or scheming ; occupied with
act up
If something is acting up , it is not working properly.
add up
If facts or events do not add up , they make you confused about a situation because they do not seem to be consistent . If something that someone has said or done adds up , it is reasonable and sensible .
amp up
to increase
bag up
If you bag up a quantity of something, you put it into bags.
bid up
If someone bids up the value of something, they try to increase it, for example by offering to buy it at a higher price than usual .
big up
to make important, prominent , or famous
bob up
to come up unexpectedly; appear suddenly
box up
to keep in; surround or confine
buy up
If you buy up land, property, or a commodity , you buy large amounts of it, or all that is available.
cry up
to praise highly ; extol
cut up
If you cut something up , you cut it into several pieces.
dig up
If you dig up something, you remove it from the ground where it has been buried or planted.
dry up
If something dries up or if something dries it up , it loses all its moisture and becomes completely dry and shrivelled or hard .
eat up
When you eat up your food, you eat all of it.
end up
If someone or something ends up somewhere , they eventually arrive there, usually by accident .
eye up
If someone eyes you up , they look at you in a way that shows they consider you attractive .
fed up
If you are fed up , you are unhappy , bored, or tired of something, especially something that you have been experiencing for a long time.
fit up
If someone fits another person up , they try to make it seem that that person is responsible for a crime.
fix up
If you fix something up , you arrange it.
fry-up
If you fry up food, you fry it, especially in order to make a quick , casual meal .
fur up
If your veins or arteries fur up or are furred up , they become blocked , so that your blood cannot flow properly.
gas up
to put gasoline into the tank of (a vehicle)
gee up
an exclamation , as to a horse or draught animal, to encourage it to turn to the right, go on, or go faster
gen up
to brief (someone) or study (something) in detail; make or become fully conversant with
get up
When someone who is sitting or lying down gets up , they rise to a standing position.
gum up
To gum something up means to stop it working properly or efficiently.
het up
If you get het up about something, you get very excited, angry, or anxious about it.
hit up
to make contact with (someone), often with a view to receiving money, a favour , etc
hop up
to stimulate by or as by a drug
hot up
When something hots up , it becomes more active or exciting.
ink up
to apply ink to (a printing machine) in preparing it for operation
key up
to raise the intensity, excitement , tension , etc, of
lap up
If you say that someone laps up something such as information or attention , you mean that they accept it eagerly, usually when you think they are being foolish for believing that it is sincere .
lay up
If someone is laid up with an illness, the illness makes it necessary for them to stay in bed .
leg up
a push to help someone to climb an obstacle upwards
let up
If an unpleasant , continuous process lets up , it stops or becomes less intense .
lie up
to go into or stay in one's room or bed, as through illness
lit up
drunk
man up
If you man up , you start to be more brave in the way that you deal with a situation .
mix-up
If you mix up two things or people, you confuse them, so that you think that one of them is the other one.
mop up
If you mop up a liquid, you clean it with a cloth so that the liquid is absorbed .
mug up
If you mug up a subject or mug up on it, you study it quickly, so that you can remember the main facts about it.
Chinese translation of 'up'
up
(ʌp)
prep
(= to higher point on)[hill, slope, ladder, stairs]沿 ... 向上 (yán ... xiàngshàng)
he went up the stairs/the hill/the ladder他上了楼(樓)/山/梯子 (tā shàngle lóu/shān/tīzi)
(= along)[road, river]沿着(著) (yánzhe)
a bus came/went up the road一辆(輛)公共汽车(車)沿着(著)路开(開)过(過)来(來)/过去 (yī liàng gōnggòng qìchē yánzhe lù kāi guòlái/guòqù)
(= at higher point on)
[hill, ladder, tree]在 ... 高处(處) (zài ... gāochù)
[road]在 ... 高远(遠)处(處) (zài ... gāoyuǎnchù)
[river]在 ... 上游(遊) (zài ... shàngyóu)
the cat was up a tree猫(貓)在树(樹)上 (māo zài shù shang)
they live further up the street他们(們)住在这(這)条(條)街那边(邊)儿(兒) (tāmen zhù zài zhè tiáo jiē nàbiānr)
adv
(= towards higher point) 往上 (wǎngshàng)
the lift only goes up to the 12th floor电(電)梯只到12层(層)楼(樓)以上 (diàntī zhǐ dào shí'èr céng lóu yǐshàng)
to pace up and down走来(來)走去 (zǒu lái zǒu qù)
(= at higher point) 高高地 (gāogāo de)
up in the sky在天上 (zài tiānshang)
up here/there这(這)/那上面 (zhè/nà shàngmian)
up above再往上 (zài wǎng shàng)
to be up (= be out of bed) 起床 (qǐchuáng) (= be at an end)
[time]结(結)束 (jiéshù)
(= be on the increase)[price, level, amount]上升 (shàngshēng)
what's up? (inf) 怎么(麼)了？ (zěnme le?)
what's up with him?他怎么(麼)了？ (tā zěnme le?)
(= to/in the north) 在/向北方 (zài/xiàng běifāng)
he often comes up to Scotland他常北上去苏(蘇)格兰(蘭) (tā cháng běishàng qù Sūgélán)
how long are you staying up here?你在那儿(兒)住了多久了？ (nǐ zài nàr zhùle duō jiǔ le?)
(approaching)
to go/come/run up (to sb)(朝某人)走去/走过(過)来(來)/跑去 ((cháo mǒurén) zǒuqù/zǒu guòlái/pǎoqù)
up to (= as far as) 直到 (zhídào) (in approximations) 多达(達) (duōdá)
the water came up to his knees水到他的膝盖(蓋)了 (shuǐ dào tā de xīgài le)
I can spend up to £100我可以花到100英镑(鎊) (wǒ kěyǐ huādào yībǎi yīngbàng)
up to 100 people多达(達)100人 (duō dá yībǎi rén)
up to or until直到 (zhídào)
I'll be here up to or until 5.30 pm我会(會)一直呆到下午5点(點)30分 (wǒ huì yīzhí dāidào xiàwǔ wǔ diǎn sānshí fēn)
up to now直到现(現)在 (zhídào xiànzài)
it is up to you (to decide)随(隨)便你(决(決)定) (suíbiàn nǐ (juédìng))
to be up to sth (inf, = be doing) 忙于(於)做某件坏(壞)事 (máng yú zuò mǒu jiàn huàishì)
what is he up to?他在捣(搗)什么(麼)鬼？ (tā zài dǎo shénme guǐ?)
to be up to sth (= adequate for)[task]足够(夠)某事 (zúgòu mǒushì) [standard]达(達)到某事 (dádào mǒushì)
his work is not up to the required standard他的工作未能达(達)到要求的标(標)准(準) (tā de gōngzuò wèi néng dádào yāoqiú de biāozhǔn)
to be up to doing sth胜(勝)任做某事 (shèngrèn zuò mǒushì)
to feel up to sth/to doing sth感到能胜(勝)任某事/感到有力气(氣)做某事 (gǎndào néng shèngrèn mǒushì/gǎndào yǒu lìqi zuò mǒushì)
(in other expressions)
to be up against sb/sth面临(臨)某人/某事 (miànlín mǒurén/mǒushì)
to be up for discussion即将(將)讨(討)论(論) (jíjiāng tǎolùn)
vt
(= increase) 增加 (zēngjiā)
vi
(inf)
she upped and left她突然起身离(離)开(開)了 (tā tūrán qǐshēn líkāi le)
n pl
ups and downs (in life, career) 起起伏伏 (qǐqǐ fúfú)
we all have our ups and downs我们(們)都有盛衰浮沉 (wǒmen dōu yǒu shèngshuāi fúchén)
( car, TV etc ) 出故障 chū gùzhàng ⇒ The TV is acting up again. → 电视机又出故障了。 Diànshìjī yòu chū gùzhàng le.
add up
( calculate ) 做加法 zuò jiāfǎ ⇒ Many young children cannot add up. → 许多幼龄儿童不会做加法。 Xǔduō yòulíng értóng bùhuì zuò jiāfǎ.
back up
( support : statement, theory ) 证(證)实(實) zhèngshí ⇒ Her views are backed up by an official report on crime. → 一份官方犯罪报告证实了她的观点。 Yī fèn guānfāng fànzuì bàogào zhèngshíle tā de guāndiǎn.
bash up
( Brit : beat up ) 痛打 tòngdǎ
bear up
( person ) 挺得住 tǐng de zhù ⇒ He bore up well. → 他咬紧牙关坚持下来。 Tā yǎojǐn yáguān jiānchí xiàlái.