up Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb raise
    • up the ante
  2. adjective being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
    • the anchor is up
    • the sun is up
    • he lay face up
    • he is up by a pawn
    • the market is up
    • the corn is up
  3. adjective satellite out of bed
    astir.
    • are they astir yet?
    • up by seven each morning
  4. adjective satellite getting higher or more vigorous
    improving.
    • its an up market
    • an improving economy
  5. adjective satellite extending or moving toward a higher place
    upward.
    • the up staircase
    • a general upward movement of fish
  6. adjective satellite (usually followed by `on' or `for') in readiness
    • he was up on his homework
    • had to be up for the game
  7. adjective satellite open
    • the windows are up
  8. adjective satellite (used of computers) operating properly
    • how soon will the computers be up?
  9. adjective satellite used up
    • time is up
  10. adverb spatially or metaphorically from a lower to a higher position
    upward; upwardly; upwards.
    • look up!
    • the music surged up
    • the fragments flew upwards
    • prices soared upwards
    • upwardly mobile
  11. adverb to a higher intensity
    • he turned up the volume
  12. adverb nearer to the speaker
    • he walked up and grabbed my lapels
  13. adverb to a more central or a more northerly place
    • was transferred up to headquarters
    • up to Canada for a vacation
  14. adverb to a later time
    upward; upwards.
    • they moved the meeting date up
    • from childhood upward

WordNet

Up adverb
Etymology
AS. up, upp, p; akin to OFries. up, op, D. op, OS. p, OHG. f, G. auf, Icel. Sw. upp, Dan. op, Goth. iup, and probably to E. over. See Over.
Definitions
  1. Aloft; on high; in a direction contrary to that of gravity; toward or in a higher place or position; above; -- the opposite of down.
    But up or down, By center or eccentric, hard to tell. Milton.
  2. Hence, in many derived uses, specifically: -- (a) From a lower to a higher position, literally or figuratively; as, from a recumbent or sitting position; from the mouth, toward the source, of a river; from a dependent or inferior condition; from concealment; from younger age; from a quiet state, or the like; -- used with verbs of motion expressed or implied.
    But they presumed to go up unto the hilltop. Num. xiv. 44.
    I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. Ps. lxxxviii. 15.
    Up rose the sun, and up rose Emelye. Chaucer.
    We have wrought ourselves up into this degree of Christian indifference. Atterbury.
    (b) In a higher place or position, literally or figuratively; in the state of having arisen; in an upright, or nearly upright, position; standing; mounted on a horse; in a condition of elevation, prominence, advance, proficiency, excitement, insurrection, or the like; -- used with verbs of rest, situation, condition, and the like; as, to be up on a hill; the lid of the box was up; prices are up.
    And when the sun was up, they were scorched. Matt. xiii. 6.
    Those that were up themselves kept others low. Spenser.
    Helen was up -- was she? Shak.
    Rebels there are up, And put the Englishmen unto the sword. Shak.
    His name was up through all the adjoining provinces, even to Italy and Rome; many desiring to see who he was that could withstand so many years the Roman puissance. Milton.
    Thou hast fired me; my soul's up in arms. Dryden.
    Grief and passion are like floods raised in little brooks by a sudden rain; they are quickly up. Dryden.
    A general whisper ran among the country people, that Sir Roger was up. Addison.
    Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate. Longfellow.
    (c) To or in a position of equal advance or equality; not short of, back of, less advanced than, away from, or the like; -- usually followed by to or with; as, to be up to the chin in water; to come up with one's companions; to come up with the enemy; to live up to engagements.
    As a boar was whetting his teeth, up comes a fox to him. L'Estrange.
    (d) To or in a state of completion; completely; wholly; quite; as, in the phrases to eat up; to drink up; to burn up; to sum up; etc.; to shut up the eyes or the mouth; to sew up a rent. ✍ Some phrases of this kind are now obsolete; as, to spend up (Prov. xxi. 20); to kill up (B. Jonson). (e) Aside, so as not to be in use; as, to lay up riches; put up your weapons. ✍ Up is used elliptically for get up, rouse up, etc., expressing a command or exhortation. "Up, and let us be going." Judg. xix. 28.
    Up, up, my friend! and quit your books, Or surely you 'll grow double. Wordsworth.
Up preposition
Definitions
  1. From a lower to a higher place on, upon, or along; at a higher situation upon; at the top of.
    In going up a hill, the knees will be most weary; in going down, the thihgs. Bacon.
  2. From the coast towards the interior of, as a country; from the mouth towards the source of, as a stream; as, to journey up the country; to sail up the Hudson.
  3. Upon. Obs. "Up pain of death." Chaucer.
Up noun
Definitions
  1. The state of being up or above; a state of elevation, prosperity, or the like; -- rarely occurring except in the phrase ups and downs. Colloq.
    They had their ups and downs of fortune. Thackeray.
Up adjective
Definitions
  1. Inclining up; tending or going up; upward; as, an up look; an up grade; the up train.

Webster 1913