upstairs
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be kicked upstairs
To be promoted to a higher role or position in a company that has little actual responsibility or authority. John was kicked upstairs to an assistant manager position so he would stop griping about his pay.
go upstairs
1. Literally, to climb steps to reach a higher level of a building. A: "Where's Susie?" B: "Oh, she went upstairs to bed." When you go upstairs, can you take the laundry basket with you?
2. To go to someone higher in a hierarchy, like one's boss, to seek their authority for a decision or other purpose. I'd go upstairs with that request—we don't have the authority to sign off on something like that.
kick (one) upstairs
To promote one to a position that is higher but undesirable or that has little actual responsibility or authority. They kicked John upstairs to an assistant manager position so he would stop griping about his pay.
not anything going on upstairs
Not very much in the way of intelligence. She seems nice enough, but I get the sense that there isn't anything going on upstairs. Jake's boyfriend is incredibly attractive, but he doesn't have anything going on upstairs from what I can tell.
not anything upstairs
Not very much in the way of intelligence. She seems nice enough, but I get the sense that there isn't anything upstairs. Jake's boyfriend is incredibly attractive, but he doesn't have anything upstairs from what I can tell.
not much going on upstairs
Not very much in the way of intelligence. She seems nice enough, but I get the sense that there's not much going on upstairs. Jake's boyfriend is incredibly attractive, but he doesn't have much going on upstairs from what I can tell.
not much upstairs
Not very much in the way of intelligence. She seems nice enough, but I get the sense that there's not much upstairs. Jake's boyfriend is incredibly attractive, but he doesn't have much upstairs from what I can tell.
nothing going on upstairs
Not very much in the way of intelligence. She seems nice enough, but I get the sense that there's nothing going on upstairs. Jake's boyfriend is incredibly attractive, but he has nothing going on upstairs from what I can tell.
nothing upstairs
Not very much in the way of intelligence. She seems nice enough, but I get the sense that there's nothing upstairs. Jake's boyfriend is incredibly attractive, but he has nothing upstairs from what I can tell.
the Man Upstairs
A lighthearted name for the Judeo-Christian god. (Not always capitalized.) I doubt the Man Upstairs will approve of this, but I don't see any other way of getting this project finished. I only worry about what the man upstairs will think of my actions; no one else's opinion really matters.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
nothing upstairs
Fig. no brains; stupid. Tom is sort of stupid. You know—nothing upstairs. I know what's wrong with you. Nothing upstairs.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
kick upstairs
Promote someone to a higher but less desirable position, especially one with less authority. For example, Paul never forgave the company for kicking him upstairs at age 55. This expression alludes to its antonym, kick downstairs, simply meaning "eject." [Mid-1900s]
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.
kick someone upstairs
BRITISHIf you kick someone upstairs, you give them a job or position which seems to have a higher status but actually has less power, in order to reduce their influence. Peter Greenall becomes managing director succeeding Andrew Thomas, who is kicked upstairs to become deputy chairman. The radicals kicked him upstairs to the then ceremonial job of president.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
kick someone upstairs
remove someone from an influential position in a business by giving them an ostensible promotion. informalthe Man Upstairs
God. informal humorousFarlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
ˌkick somebody upˈstairs
(informal) move somebody to a job that seems to be more important but which actually has less power or influence: They couldn’t sack him, so they kicked him upstairs onto the board of directors, where he could do less damage.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
nothing upstairs
phr. no brains; stupid. Tom is sort of stupid acting. You know—nothing upstairs. I know what’s wrong with you. Nothing upstairs.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
kick upstairs
Slang To promote to a higher yet less desirable position.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
kick upstairs, to
To promote someone to a higher rank with less responsibility in order to get him or her out of the way. Although one may tend to associate this expression with modern business practices, it was already being used in the early nineteenth century. J. W. Croker recorded it in an 1821 diary entry: “Lord Melville informs me that he is about to be kicked upstairs (his expression) to be Secretary of State.”
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer