up

1 /Vp/ adverb

1 towards a higher position from the floor, ground, or bottom of something: She picked her pen up off the floor. | Can you lift that box up onto the shelf for me? | After swimming for several seconds underwater he came up for air. | up you come spoken (=used especially to children when lifting them)

2 at or in a high position: John's up in his bedroom. | The plane was flying 30,000 feet up.

3 into an upright or raised position: Everyone stood up for the National Anthem. | Mick turned his collar up against the biting winds.

4 in or towards the North: We're going to fly up to Scotland from London. | They live up North.

5 towards someone so that you are near, or in the place where they are: He came right up and asked my name. | A man sidled up to her and asked for money.

6 increasing in loudness, strength, level of activity etc: Can you turn the telly up a bit? | Competition between these two companies is really hotting up.

7 so as to be completely finished or used so that there is nothing left: Our savings are all used up. | She won't eat up her vegetables.

8 so as to be in small pieces or divided into equal parts: They divided up the money. | The plane hit the mountainside and broke up on impact.

9 so as to be firmly fastened, covered, or joined: Mr Cain was boarding up the windows.

10 so as to be brought or gathered together: Let's just add up these figures quickly. | Could you collect up the pens?

11 if a surface or part of something is a particular way up, it is on top: right side up/right way up (=with the part that is going to be used, or that has words or pictures on it on top): Put the playing cards right side up on the table.

12 so as to receive attention: The question of a pay rise came up again during the meeting.

13 above and including a certain amount or level: Power was lost from the tenth floor up. | Children of twelve up must pay full fare.

14 up and down

a) higher and lower: The crowd were jumping up and down and screaming excitedly. | look sb up and down (=look at someone in order to judge their appearance or character): Maisie looked her rival critically up and down.

b) backwards and forwards: Ralph paced up and down the room looking agitated.

15 up to

a) up to and including a certain amount or level: Up to six people (=any number between one and six) can sleep in the caravan.

b) also up till 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.

c) clever, good, or well enough for a particular purpose or in order to do something: I'm afraid Tim just isn't up to the job. (=not good enough to do it properly) | Gemma isn't really up to long walks at the moment. (=too ill to do them) | up to doing: My German isn't up to translating that letter.

d) if something is up to a particular standard it is good enough to reach that standard: The new CD is not up to the group's usual standard.

e) doing something secret or something that you shouldn't be doing: The children are very quiet; I wonder what they're up to. | up to no good (=doing something wrong or illegal): I'll bet that Joe and his mates are up to no good as usual.

16 it's up to you spoken used to tell someone that they must make a decision themselves: “Shall we have red wine or white?” “It's up to you.”

17 up to your ears/eyes/neck in informal deeply involved in a difficult or illegal situation: Rona and Colin are up to their ears in debt. (=they owe a lot of money)

18 up the workers!/up the reds! etc spoken used to express support and encouragement for a particular group of people or for a sports team

2 preposition

1 towards or in a higher place: We climbed slowly up the hill. | The water was getting up my nose.

2 towards or at the top or far end of: Her office is up those stairs. | They live just up the road. (=further along the road from here)

3 if you sail or go up a river you go towards its source 1 (4): a boat trip up the Bosphorus

4 BrE spoken used to mean to or at a particular place, although most people think this is incorrect: Do you fancy going up the town?

5 up yours! spoken taboo used to insult someone when they have done or said something that annoys you: “You'll never get promoted, you're not good enough.” “Up yours!”

3 adjective

1 (not before noun) not in bed: Are the kids still up?

2 (not before noun) if a road is up, its surface is being repaired

3 (not before noun) if a computer system is up, it is working

—opposite down 2 (5)

4 (not before noun) if a number, level, or amount is up, it is higher than before: Inflation is up by 2%.

(+ on): Profits are up on last year. | two goals up/three points up (=having two goals, three points etc more than your opponents): United were a goal up at half time.

5 (not before noun) if a ball is up in tennis or similar sports, it has only hit the ground once and therefore can be hit back by the opponent

6 be up and about informal to be well enough to walk about and have a normal life after you have been in bed because of an illness or accident

7 be up to here (with) spoken to be very upset and angry because of a particular situation or person: I'm up to here with this job; I'm resigning!

8 be up and down if someone is up and down, they sometimes feel well or happy and sometimes do not: Jason's been very up and down since his girlfriend left him.

9 be up against to have to deal with a difficult situation or fight an opponent: He came up against a lot of problems with his previous boss. | be up against it: Murphy will be really up against it when he faces the reigning champion this afternoon.

10 be up before informal to appear in a court of law because you have been accused of a crime: He was up before the Magistrates court charged with grievous bodily harm.

11 be up for

a) to be intended for a particular purpose: The house is up for sale. | Even the most taboo subjects were up for discussion.

b) to appear in a court of law because you have been accused of a crime: Ron's up for drinking and driving next week.

12 be (well) up on/in/with informal to know a lot about something

13 spoken if something is up, someone is feeling unhappy because they have problems, or there is something wrong in a situation: I could tell by the look on Joan's face that something was up.

(+ with): Is something up with Julie? She looks really miserable. | what's up?: What's up? Why are you crying?

14 not be up to much spoken to not be of a very good quality or standard: The food in that restaurant isn't up to much.

15 (not before noun) informal if a period of time is up, it is finished: The President may be asked to resign before his four-year term is up.

16 (not before noun) informal when food or drink is up it is ready to be eaten or drunk: Dinner's up!

17 be up and running if a new system or process is up and running, it is working properly: The New York office was up and running in about half the time it took us in Paris.

18 up to speed knowing the necessary latest information or situation: getting top-level managers up to speed on developments in on-line services

4 noun

1 be on an up spoken to feel happy, especially after being upset and unhappy: Kevin seems to be on an up at the moment; I hope it lasts.

2 ups and downs informal the mixture of good and bad experiences that happen in any situation or relationship: We have our ups and downs like all couples.

3 on the up and up informal

a) BrE improving and becoming more successful, especially financially

b) AmE not hiding anything; honest

5 verb

1 (T) to increase the amount or level of something: They've upped their offer by a further 5%.

2 up and ... if you up and do something, you suddenly start to do something different or surprising: up and leave: Without saying another word, he upped and left.