Laxi Dictionary

English Dictionary

Define dictionary terms easily in our powerful online English dictionary.

Searching for...

No matching words found

Try a different search term or browse the dictionary

Definition up in British English

up adjective, adverb, preposition

adjective, adverb, preposition
/ʌp/

Up can be used in the following ways:

as an adverb: Their voices could be heard up in our room.Mary looked up at him.I stood up.

as a preposition: He climbed up the steps.I set off up the road.

as an adjective: the up escalator

after the verb ‘to be’: He was up early the next morning.Food prices are up.I knew something was up.

1

from a lower place to a higher place

1.1

from a lower place to a higher place

Example

Could you help me carry this old trunk up to the attic?

Example

I got off my bike and walked up the hill.

Example

He held the cup up to his lips and slowly sipped the tea.

Example

Pick your clothes up off the floor and put them away.

Example

He raised the child up above his head, which she seemed to enjoy.

Example

Put your hand up if you know the answer.

Synonyms and related words
upward downward ascending
1.2

in a high place, or in a higher place than you, for example near the top of a hill or in the top part of a house

Example

She's up in the bathroom.

Example

He was up the ladder, cleaning the windows.

Example

Further up the hill was a small farm.

Example

The hotel is 1,500 feet up in the Black Mountains.

Synonyms and related words
about across after
1.3

looking, turning, or pointing away from the ground or towards a higher position

Example

We rolled on our backs and looked up at the sky.

Example

I turned my face up towards the sun.

Example

Lynn glanced up from the book she was reading.

Example

A path leads up from the beach to the top of the cliff.

Synonyms and related words
about across after
2

upright, or moving towards an upright position

Example

He stood up and pulled a chair out for me to sit on.

Example

I found Hattie sitting up in bed.

Example

The dog stopped with its ears up and nose twitching.

Synonyms and related words
upward downward ascending
3

in or towards the north of a region or country

Example

I go up to Scotland about once a month.

Example

She's up north with her family on a holiday.

Synonyms and related words
abroad American Anglo-American
4

moving near to someone or something and then stopping

Example

One of the salespeople came up and asked if she could help.

Example

Two women ran up to us, shouting in Spanish.

Example

Just go up to him and say hello.

Synonyms and related words
direct advancing oncoming
5

moving along a road, street, path etc, or at a point along it in a direction away from you

5.1

moving along a road, street, path etc, or at a point along it in a direction away from you

Example

Further up the road was a little country pub.

Example

He lives up the street from me.

Synonyms and related words
away backward outwards
5.2

moving along a river in the opposite direction that the water is flowing, or at a point along it in this direction

Example

We went on a long trip up the Amazon.

Example

Up the river, in the distance, was the rescue boat.

Synonyms and related words
downriver downstream downstream
6

at or towards an increased number, level, or amount

6.1

at or towards an increased number, level, or amount

Example

Total new car sales were up £3 million over last year.

Example

Fuel prices went up by 3 per cent.

Example

Profits for August were slightly up on July's figure.

6.2

becoming louder, stronger, or more active

Example

Billy, will you turn the volume on the TV up - I can't hear anything.

Example

Competition between the production groups is hotting up rapidly.

7

awake and out of bed

Example

We were up bright and early the next morning.

Example

Get up! It's almost 10.00.

Example

I was up till midnight preparing the presentation.

Synonyms and related words
awake conscious waking
8

used for saying that a period of time has ended

Example

Come along now, please! Time's up!

Synonyms and related words
finished completed exhausted
Example

The prize money will be divided up among the team members.

Example

Divorce settlements often involve property that can't be split up easily.

10

completely done or used so that there is nothing left

Example

Eat up all your dinner.

Example

I think it was selfish of me, using up all her free time like that.

Example

The stream dries up in summer.

Synonyms and related words
finished completed exhausted
Example

She kept Albert's letters in a bundle tied up with ribbon.

Example

Did you lock the house up before you left?

Synonyms and related words
closed secure sealed
12

collected, added, or brought together in one place

Example

She was busy gathering up her papers.

Example

Our profits are quite large when you add them all up.

13

above a particular amount, or older than a particular age

Example

Women of sixty and up get a free bus pass for off-peak journeys.

14

a computer system that is up is working properly

Example

By ten o'clock we had the computers up again.

Synonyms and related words
adaptive antivirus asynchronous
15

a road that is up is being repaired and cannot be used

Example

We had to take a different route because Bristol Road was up.

16

in a place that is near where you are

Example

He'll be up at the school talking to parents.

Synonyms and related words
about across after
Definition up in British English

Related Words

Words related to up:

act up (phrasal verb) add up (phrasal verb) amp up (phrasal verb) back up (phrasal verb) bag up (phrasal verb) balls-up (noun) bang up (phrasal verb) bang-up (adjective) bank up (phrasal verb) beam up (phrasal verb) bear up (phrasal verb) beat up (phrasal verb) beat-up (adjective) beef up (phrasal verb) belly-up (adjective) belt up (phrasal verb) bid up (phrasal verb) black up (phrasal verb) block up (phrasal verb) blot up (phrasal verb) blow up (phrasal verb) blow-up (noun) bob up (phrasal verb) box up (phrasal verb) buy up (phrasal verb) cut up (phrasal verb) cut up (adjective) dig up (phrasal verb) do up (phrasal verb) dry up (phrasal verb) eat up (phrasal verb) end up (phrasal verb) eye up (phrasal verb) fed up (adjective) fit up (phrasal verb) fix up (phrasal verb) fry-up (noun) get up (phrasal verb) get-up (noun) gin up (verb) go up (phrasal verb) gum up (phrasal verb) het up (adjective) hit up (phrasal verb) jam up (phrasal verb) lap up (phrasal verb) lay up (phrasal verb) leg-up (noun) let up (phrasal verb) let-up (noun) man up (phrasal verb) man-up (verb) max up (phrasal verb) mix up (phrasal verb) mix-up (noun) mop up (phrasal verb) mug up (phrasal verb) one-up (verb) own up (phrasal verb) pad up (phrasal verb) pay up (phrasal verb) pen up (phrasal verb) pie up (phrasal verb) pin up (phrasal verb) pin-up (noun) pop up (phrasal verb) pop-up (adjective) pop-up (noun) put up (phrasal verb) re-up (verb) re-up (noun) rev up (phrasal verb) rig up (phrasal verb) rip up (phrasal verb) rug up (phrasal verb) run up (phrasal verb) run-up (noun) saw up (phrasal verb) set up (phrasal verb) set-up (noun) sew up (phrasal verb) sex up (phrasal verb) sit up (phrasal verb) sit-up (noun) sun-up (noun) sup up (phrasal verb) tap up (phrasal verb) tie up (phrasal verb) tie-up (noun) tip up (phrasal verb) top up (phrasal verb) top-up (noun) up (adjective, adverb, preposition) up (noun) up (verb) up (adverb) up- (prefix) use up (phrasal verb) zip up (phrasal verb) zip-up (adjective)