adverb | preposition | adjective | noun | verb
upup1 /ʌp/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb 1
toward a higher position from the floor, ground, or bottom of something OPP down: He climbed up onto the roof. They both looked up at her.2at or in a high position OPP down: “Where is Alex?” “He’s up in his room.” The helicopter hovered up above us.3into an upright or raised position OPP down: Everyone stood up for the national anthem. His hair was sticking up.4in or toward the north OPP down: We’re driving up to Chicago. My cousins live up north.5toward someone so that you are near, or in the place where he or she is: He came right up and asked my name.up to I walked up to him and said “hello.”6increasing in loudness, strength, level of activity, etc.: Turn up the radio. Violent crime went up by 9% last year.7used with some verbs to mean completely finished or used so that there is nothing left: Who ate up all the chips? The closet’s completely filled up.8used with some verbs to mean in small pieces or divided into equal parts: We’ll split the money up evenly. Why did you tear up the letter?9used with some verbs to mean firmly fastened, covered, or joined: Can you zip up my coat? Let’s cover up the bike in case it rains.10used with some verbs to mean brought or gathered together: Add up these numbers. I picked up all the beads.11used for saying that something has been built: Did you put the tent up?12if a surface or part of something is up, it is on top OPP down: Make sure this side of the box is facing up. Put the playing cards right side up on the table.13used with some verbs to mean “to receive attention”: Elaine brought up the issue of childcare.14above and including a certain amount or level: Power was lost from the tenth floor up. The movie is appropriate for children twelve and up.15up and down a)higher and lower: We all jumped up and down (=jumped repeatedly) for joy. b)first in one direction, then in the opposite direction, again and again: Stop running up and down in the hall. → see also look somebody up and down at look1 (20)16up to something a)up to and including a certain amount or level: Our car can hold up to five people. b) (also up until something) if something happens up to a certain time, date, etc., it happens until that time: She continued to care for her father up to the time of his death. adverb | preposition | adjective | noun | verb
upup2 ●●● S2 W2 preposition 1toward or in a higher place: Go up the stairs and turn right. I dived in, and water went up my nose.2toward or at the top or far end of something: I’ll walk up the road to ask for directions.3if you sail or go up a river, you go toward its source: We spent five days sailing up the Mississippi River. adverb | preposition | adjective | noun | verb
upup3 ●●● S3 W2 adjective 1 [not before noun] not in bed: Are the kids still up?2[not before noun] if a number, level, or amount is up, it is higher than before: up by Interest rates are up by 1%.up on Profits are up on last year.3[not before noun] informal if a period of time is up, it is finished: I’ll give you a signal when the ten minutes are up.4up to somebody depending on someone and what he or she decides to do: I’ll leave the final decision up to Lloyd. “Which sofa should we get?” “It’s up to you.”5up to something a)doing something secret or something that you should not be doing: I have a feeling that Jo’s up to something. I think Ken’s up to no good (=doing something wrong or illegal). b)[in questions or negatives] smart, good, or well enough for a particular purpose or in order to do something: Since the operation, Sue hasn’t been up to playing tennis (=has not felt well enough to play). c)if something is up to a particular standard, it is good enough to reach that standard: This new CD is not up to the group’s usual standard.6up for something available or intended for a particular purpose: The house is up for sale. The topic is not up for discussion.7up and running if a new system or process is up and running, it is working well: Our new factory is finally up and running.8[not before noun] if a computer system is up, it is working OPP down9be up against something/somebody to have to deal with a difficult situation or fight an opponent: Hugh is up against some stiff competition in the race.10[only before noun] moving or directed to a higher position: the up escalator Press the up arrow key.11up to your ears/eyes/neck in something informal deeply involved in a difficult or illegal situation: I’m up to my ears in homework.12informal used for talking about the order in which people will do something, or the order in which things will happen: first/next up First up is a new band from San Francisco.SPOKEN PHRASES13be up on something to know a lot about something: Conrad’s really up on his geography, isn’t he?14be up for something to be interested in doing something or willing to do something: Is anybody up for a game of tennis?15bring/get somebody up to speed to tell someone the latest information about something: Bill, I want you to bring Peter up to speed on the project.16something is up (with somebody/something) used to say that something bad is happening, for example someone is upset, or something is not working: You look upset. Is something up? Something’s up with the computer.17be up and about to be well enough to walk around and have a normal life after you have been in bed because of an illness or accident: It’s good to see you up and about again.18What have you been up to (lately)? used to ask someone what he or she has been doing recently19be up to here (with somebody/something) to be very upset and angry because of a particular person or situation: I’m up to here with your lying. → see also what’s up at what1 (17), what’s up with somebody? at what1 (18) adverb | preposition | adjective | noun | verb
upup4 noun 1ups and downs the mixture of good and bad experiences that happen in any situation or relationship: We had a lot of ups and downs in our marriage.2be on the up and up spoken a person or business that is on the up and up is honest and does things legally adverb | preposition | adjective | noun | verb
upup5 verb (upped, upping) 1[transitive] informal to increase the amount or level of something: They upped their offer by 5%.2up and... spoken if you up and do something, you suddenly start to do something different or surprising: Without saying another word, he up and left.