on the up and up

be on the up and up

1. To be honest and respectable. If your behavior isn't on the up and up, no one here will trust you. Don't bother trying to bribe him—he's the only politician in this city who's on the up-and-up. My daughter's fiancé is a very respectable fellow, and his actions are always on the up and up.

2. To be increasingly successful. I'm investing in that company because it's on the up and up these days. Wow, another promotion? Sarah's really on the up-and-up these days, isn't she? A: "What do you know about stocks?" B: "Nothing, but I trust my financial adviser, and he told me this stock is on the up and up."

See also: and, on, up

on the up and up

Often hyphenated as "on the up-and-up."

1. Strictly honest, respectable, and strait-laced. Primarily heard in US. If your behavior isn't on the up and up, no one here will trust you. Don't bother trying to bribe him—he's the only politician in this city who's on the up-and-up.

2. Becoming increasingly successful. Investors are jumping on board after a number of financial analysts predicted that the company's stock was on the up and up. Wow, another promotion? Sarah's really on the up-and-up these days, isn't she?

See also: and, on, up

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

(strictly) on the up-and-up

honest; fair and straight. Do you think that the mayor is on the up-and-up? Yes, the mayor is strictly on the up-and-up.

See also: on

on the up-and-up

legitimate; open and aboveboard. Is this deal on the up-and-up? What's the catch? Everything I do is on the up-and-up. I am totally honest.

See also: on

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

on the up-and-up

Open and honest, as in Dad has always been on the up-and-up with them. The precise allusion in this term is unknown. [Colloquial; c. 1860]

See also: on

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.

on the up and up

AMERICAN

If a person or an activity is on the up and up it is honest or legal. We'd like to know where the money came from. It may have been on the up-and-up. I'm an old man and I'm a pretty good judge of men. If you're honest and on the up and up, I'll be able to tell it.

See also: and, on, up

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

on the up and up

1 steadily improving. informal 2 honest or sincere. informal, chiefly North American

See also: and, on, up

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

on the ˌup and ˈup

(informal)
1 (British English) getting better, becoming more successful, etc: Her health is on the up and up. Soon she’ll be out of hospital. ♢ Business is on the up and up.
2 (American English) honest: Before we give him the job, are you sure he’s on the up and up?

See also: and, on, up

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

on the up-and-up

mod. legitimate; open and aboveboard. Everything I do is on the up-and-up. I am totally honest.

See also: on

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

on the up and up

Honest, frank, and sincere; legitimate. Literally this term makes little sense; why should “higher and higher” mean open and aboveboard? One writer speculates that something that is “up” can be clearly seen. Despite unclear analogy, the term has been around since the mid-nineteenth century, mainly in America. Dashiell Hammett used it in Red Harvest (1929): “He phoned . . . to find out if the check was on the up and up.”

See also: and, on, up

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer