up*/*/*/

[ʌp] grammar word I

summary:

Up can be: ■ an adverb: Their voices could be heard up in our room. ■ a preposition: He climbed up the steps. ■ an adjective: the up escalator ■ used after the verb ‘to be': He was up early the next morning.

1) higher in or towards a higher position

She's up in the bathroom.[/ex]

I got off my bike and walked up the hill.[/ex]

Pick your clothes up off the floor and put them away.[/ex]

The hotel is 1, 500 feet up in the Black Mountains.[/ex]

We rolled on our backs and looked up at the sky.[/ex]

The kids were jumping up and down on the bed.[/ex]

2) upright upright, or moving towards an upright position

He stood up and pulled a chair out for me to sit on.[/ex]

I found Hattie sitting up in bed.[/ex]

3) north in or towards the north of a region or country

I go up to Scotland about once a month.[/ex]

4) moving near to sb/sth moving near to someone or something and then stopping

One of the salespeople came up and asked if she could help.[/ex]

Just go up to him and say hello.[/ex]

5) further along a road etc further along a road, path etc, in a direction away from you

He lives up the street from me.[/ex]

6) increased in amount/level at or towards an increased amount or level

Total car sales were up £3 million over last year.[/ex]

Turn the volume up – I can't hear anything.[/ex]

Fuel prices went up by 3 per cent.[/ex]

7) not in bed awake and out of bed

Get up! It's almost 10.00.[/ex]

I was up till midnight preparing the presentation.[/ex]

8) at an end used for stating that a period of time has ended

Come along now, please! Time's up![/ex]

9) in or into smaller parts divided or broken into smaller pieces or equal parts

The prize money will be divided up among the team members.[/ex]

10) completely completely done or used so that there is nothing left

He ate up all his dinner.[/ex]

The stream dries up in summer.[/ex]

11) fastened fastened or closed completely

She kept Albert's letters in a bundle tied up with ribbon.[/ex]

Did you lock the house up before you left?[/ex]

12) collected collected, added, or brought together in one place

She was busy gathering up her papers.[/ex]

Our profits are quite large when you add them all up.[/ex]

13) working a system that is up is working properly

By ten o'clock we had the computers up again.[/ex]

The new filing system should be up and running soon.[/ex]

14) happening spoken

used for saying or asking if something is wrong or if something is happening

When Sara didn't come, I knew something was up.[/ex]

You seem rather quiet today. What's up?[/ex]

•

up against sb/sth — competing with someone, or having a serious problem to deal with[/ex]

up and down — 1) backwards and forwards[/ex]

He kept walking up and down the hallway all night long.[/ex]

— 2) sometimes happy and well and sometimes not

'How are you feeling?' 'Oh, up and down.'[/ex]

up for sth — 1) being considered for a particular status or job[/ex]

The senator is up for re-election in 2006.[/ex]

The contract comes up for renewal soon.[/ex]

— 2) available for a particular purpose

Most of the houses are up for sale.[/ex]

— 3) spokenwilling to do a particular activity

I'm planning to stay out late tonight - are you up for it?[/ex]

upto/until/till sth — used for stating the latest time that something can happen, or the end of a period of time[/ex]

Laura was here up until about 5 minutes ago.[/ex]

We can make the delivery any time tomorrow up till about 10 pm.[/ex]

up to sb — if something is up to you, you are responsible for deciding about it or doing it[/ex]

Do you want to stay or go? It's up to you.[/ex]

It's up to all of us to make our streets safe for children.[/ex]

up to sth — 1) used for stating the most that an amount can be, or what level it can reach[/ex]

Some dinosaurs were up to twenty-seven metres long.[/ex]

— 2) used for stating a particular standard that something can reach

I'm afraid the play wasn't up to our expectations.[/ex]

— 3) doing something wrong or secret

When the children are quiet like this, I know they're up to something.[/ex]

— 4) well enough, strong enough, or good enough to do something

She's supposed to leave hospital tomorrow, but I don't think she's up to it.[/ex]

See:

scratch II

II

verb [T] informal

up [ʌp]

to increase an amount, or raise something to a higher level

III noun up [ʌp] ups and downs — informal a mixture of good and bad situations or experiences[/ex] Like all couples, we've had our ups and downs.[/ex]