be up
1. To have arrived or have been placed at a high or higher position or location. You can only go swimming when the red and yellow flag is up, because it means there's a lifeguard on duty. Following the strong sales of their latest smartphone, the company's stocks have been up at their highest point in 10 years. A: "Hey, that sign was supposed to be up by now. What's going on?" B: "No one from maintenance has had time to come over and hang it."
2. To be awake. I'm up, I'm up, stop shouting! Our son was up all night long with a tummy ache, so everyone is feeling pretty tired today. A: "Hey, did you hear that? Are you up?" B: "No. Go back to sleep."
3. To be used in its entirety. Usually said of a period of time or temporary situation. Once the presentation is up, we'll have a Q&A session followed by tea and coffee. Time is up, everyone, please put your pencils down. Your time as a college student is almost up, so I certainly hope you got a lot out of the experience.
4. To be uncovered or revealed, and foiled as a result. OK, Mooney, the jig is up! We've got the place surrounded! We were going to play a practical joke on David, but when he noticed our car parked out front, I knew that the ruse was up. The jig is up if they figure out how we manipulated the accounts.
5. To be the next person or thing to do something. Nice try, Patrick. OK, who's up next? You guys are up in five minutes—don't go onto the stage until I tell you to. As Ashley neared the end of her presentation, I realized I was up next, and my heart started pounding.
6. To be currently happening or taking place. Used almost exclusively in the phrase "what is up." We've been waiting for nearly half an hour. Pete, go backstage and find out what's up. Hey, John, what's up? I haven't seen you in ages. What is up with this confounded machine? Do you hear that high-pitched whining sound?
7. To be available to read or watch; to be posted. Said of online news articles, blog posts, videos, etc. If you're interested in more, a full review of the movie is up on our main website. I'm making a follow-up video, which should be up later today. Your post isn't up because you scheduled it for 10 PM, not 10 AM.
be up (oneself)
slang To hold an overly high opinion of oneself; to think of oneself as being superior to others. Primarily heard in UK. Mary's new boyfriend is certainly attractive, but he's so up himself, always showing off his money and high-class education. Just because you're valedictorian doesn't mean you need to be up yourself—a lot of us had really good grades too, you know! I'm not surprised that Joe was just bragging about himself the whole time. He can definitely be up himself sometimes.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
be up
v.1. To have reached some high position: Now that all the sails are up, the boat will move pretty quickly. The cat is up the tree again.
2. To be awake: Although it was two o'clock in the morning, I was still up because I had drunk so much coffee.
3. To be in an energetic or positive mood: I was really up about the painting I had finished; it was one of my better efforts. She was tired and worried and wasn't feeling very up that day.
4. To have been used to completion. Used especially of time: Please get off the computer; your time is up. My luck has gone, and all of my chances are up.
5. To be put to an end, especially by being revealed: Your schemes are up; you should just admit what you did.
6. To be next in line for something: I've been waiting to buy tickets for hours, and I am finally up next.
7. To be occurring. Used especially of noteworthy or unusual events: The noises from the cellar are strange; I'll go down and see what is up.
8. be up against To have someone or something as an adversary or challenge: This year our team will be up against yours for the first time. The shopkeepers were up against some serious difficulties when the tax laws changed.
9. be up before To appear in some court of law: Their case is up before the Supreme Court. I was up before the local courthouse for failure to pay my liquor license.
10. be up for To be visiting a place for some purpose: My roommate from college is up for a visit.
11. be up for To be positive about or capable of doing something: Are you up for another coffee before we go home? Don't make them try to walk such a distance; they are not up for it.
12. be up to To have reached some quantity: The temperature is now up to forty degrees. We are now up to four weeks without rain.
13. be up to To have something as a possible upper limit: The prices can be up to three times higher in the big cities.
14. be up to To be doing something: I don't want to know what he is up to in the kitchen. What are you up to this afternoon?
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.