Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - up

~1 adv 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 prep 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 source1 (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 adj 1 not in bed  (Are the kids still up?) 2 if a road is up, its surface is being repaired 3 if a computer system is up, it is working  (- opposite down2 (5)) 4 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 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.)  (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 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 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 n 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 v 1 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.)