upping

Variant of up

up definition

up (up)

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 to one 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
    1. in or into a standing or upright position
    2. out of bed
  8. in or into existence, action, view, evidence, consideration, etc. to bring a matter up
  9. into an excited or troubled state to get worked up
  10. aside; away; by lay up grain for the winter
  11. so as to be even with in space, time, degree, etc. keep up with the times
  12. to the point of completeness; entirely; thoroughly eat up the pie
  13. so as to stop to rein up a horse
  14. Baseball to one's turn at batting; at bat
  15. Naut. to windward put up the helm
  16. Sports, Games ahead of an opponent with reference to the number of points, goals, strokes, etc.
  17. Informal served without ice cubes; not on the rocks: said of a cocktail
  18. used with verbs:
    1. to form idiomatic combinations with a meaning different from the meaning of the simple verbs look up this word; he didn't turn up
    2. as an intensive dress up, eat up, clean up
    3. as a virtually meaningless element added, esp. informally, to almost any verb light up a cigarette, write up a story

Etymology: ME < OE up, uppe, akin to Ger auf, ON upp < IE *upo, up from below > sub-, hypo-, over

  1. to, toward, or at a higher place on or in
  2. to, toward, or at a higher condition or station on or in up the social ladder
  3. at, along, or toward the higher or more distant part of up the road
  4. toward the source of, or against the current, flow, or movement of (a river, the wind, etc.)
  5. in or toward the interior of (a country, territory, etc.)
  6. in or toward a more northerly part of to cruise up the coast

adjective

  1. tending or directed toward a position that is higher or is regarded as being higher
    1. in a higher position, condition, or station
    2. mounted on a horse or horses
    1. above the ground
    2. above the horizon
  2. advanced in amount, degree, etc. rents are up
    1. in a standing or upright position
    2. out of bed
  3. in an active, excited, or agitated state her anger was up
  4. even with in space, time, degree, etc.
  5. living or located in the inner or elevated part of a country, territory, etc.
  6. at an end; over time is up
  7. ☆ at stake in gambling to have two dollars up on a horse
  8. working properly and available for use: said esp. of a computer
  9. Informal going on; happening what's up?
  10. Informal lively; cheerful; optimistic
  11. Baseball having one's turn at batting; at bat
  12. Golf on the green near the hole: said of the ball
  13. Sports, Games ahead of an opponent with reference to the number of points, goals, strokes, etc.

noun

  1. a person or thing that is up, moves upward, etc.; specif.,
    1. an upward slope
    2. an upward movement or course
    3. a period or state of prosperity, good luck, etc.
  2. Slang an amphetamine or other stimulant drug; upper

intransitive verb upped, upping up′·ping

Informal to get up; rise: sometimes used colloquially in the uninflected form to emphasize another, following verb he up and left

transitive verb

  1. to put up, lift up, or take up
  2. to bring to a higher level or cause to rise to up prices
  3. to raise, or bet more than (a preceding bet or bettor)
up Idioms

it's all up with

there is no further hope for; the end is near for

on the up and up

Slang open and aboveboard; honest

up against

Informal face to face with; confronted with

up against it

Informal in difficulty; esp., in financial difficulty

up and around

or up and about
out of bed and resuming one's normal activities, as after an illness

up and doing

busy; active

up for

  1. presented or considered for (an elective office, an election, sale, auction, etc.)
  2. before a court on (trial) or for (some charge)
  3. Informal willing to attend, take part in, etc. (an event, activity, etc.)

up on

or up in
Informal well-informed concerning

ups and downs

good periods and bad periods

up to

  1. occupied with; doing; scheming; devising up to no good
  2. equal to (a task, challenge, etc.); capable of (doing, undertaking, etc.)
  3. as many as up to four may play
  4. as far as up to now, up to his hips
  5. ☆ dependent upon; incumbent upon entirely up to her

up to the ears

or up to the eyes or up to the neck
very deeply: said of involvement in work, debt, trouble, etc.

up with!

give or restore power, favor, etc. to!

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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