go up
1. To increase. House prices in our neighborhood have gone up significantly, so we're thinking of selling. The temperature is supposed to go up to 90 today, so I hope your air conditioner is working! If childcare prices go up any more, I'll have no choice but to bring my kids to work with me!
2. To walk over or up to something. I'll just go up to the salesman and ask how much this vacuum costs. I dare you to go up to Conor and ask him to the Spring Fling! We're underage, so it's not like I can just go up to the counter and buy lottery tickets!
3. To be built or constructed. When will that house across the street finally go up? It seems like they've been building it for months. Don't worry, the Conservatory will stay open while the new wing goes up. A: "Wow, that shed went up fast!" B: "Yeah, it was an easy little job."
4. To climb or ascend something. The kids went up the steps and then slid down the slide. If your hands are super dry, go up and use the hand lotion that's on my nightstand—I'm sure it will help. Whew! I'm winded every time I have to go up to the fourth floor for this stupid class.
5. To struggle to perform something, as before an audience. I memorized all of my lines so that I wouldn't go up on opening night. I don't usually get stage fright, so I didn't expect to go up in front of everyone at open mic night. It's only a sonnet—14 lines. You have it memorized perfectly and won't go up in front of the class, don't worry.
6. To go somewhere north of one's current location. I don't want to go up to Boston in the winter—I much prefer these Florida winters. I do live in Texas now, but I'm actually going up to New York this weekend to visit my family. When are you guys going up to Maine for vacation?
7. To be ignited or burn. Be careful with those candles—I don't want this whole house to go up in flames! It was truly terrifying to watch a car on the highway just go up in flames all of a sudden! A: "I can't believe our favorite restaurant went up in flames last night." B: "I know. An electrical fire after hours—can you believe it?"
8. To begin to happen, typically of something audible. Shouts went up as the burglar took off through the park. I knew the baby was awake when wails went up from the nursery. Cheers went up as the band took the stage.
9. To visit a larger or more bustling city or town. We don't go up to the city too often now that we have the baby. I don't need to go up to Manhattan—I'm perfectly happy in our small town. The kids are very excited to go up to LA for the first time as part of this school trip.
10. To visit some place or thing that is away from the center of the city or town. Has anyone been up to that new restaurant yet? I haven't yet because it's so far away from everything else in town. Do you think people will actually go up to her shop when it's so far from Main Street? You'll be fine if you stay in the city center. Don't go up to any place too far north of that.
11. slang To begin to be affected by a drug. When I go up, I become much more outgoing and love to dance. A: "He's not making much sense." B: "I know he took something when we first got here, so I bet he's gone up." Weed doesn't usually do anything for me. I guess I just don’t go up on it.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
go up
1. Be put up, as in New buildings are going up all over town.
2. Rise; increase. For example, His temperature is going up at an alarming rate, or The costs of construction are going up all the time. [Late 1800s]
3. Also, be gone up. Be destroyed, ruined, done for; also, die, be killed. For example, If we're not back in a week, you'll know we've gone up, or In spite of our efforts, the plans for a new library are gone up. [Slang; mid-1800s]
4. Forget one's lines on the stage or make a mistake in performing music. For example, Don't worry, you know your part and you won't go up, or He went up in the last movement of the sonata. [Slang; 1960s] Also see the subsequent idioms beginning with go up.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
go up
v.1. To ascend something: It became colder as we went up the mountain. Let's go up to the roof deck and watch the fireworks.
2. To travel north: Next summer, let's go up to Alaska where it won't be so hot. We went up and stayed with a friend in Canada.
3. To go to a less central location in a town or city: We went up to the new movie theater to see an art film.
4. To go to some larger town or city: On the weekends we often go up to New York. We went up and saw a show in the city.
5. go up to To extend or to reach some point or time: My new calendar only goes up to December.
6. To approach someone or something: I went up to the counter and asked for a soda. Your friends have arrived—why don't you go up and say hello?
7. To increase in value or intensity: If the temperature goes up, the snow will melt.
8. To begin to burn: A spark from the train lit the nearby brush, and the entire field went up.
9. To be constructed or in the process of construction: New buildings are going up all over the city.
10. To occur or arise. Used of noises made by crowds: We heard a cheer go up whenever the team scored a goal.
11. go up against To be confronted with an opponent or challenge: In the third round, I went up against the best player in the league.
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.