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.

See also: kick, upstairs

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.

See also: kick, upstairs

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.

See also: anything, going, not, on, upstairs

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.

See also: going, much, not, on, upstairs

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.

nothing upstairs

Fig. no brains; stupid. Tom is sort of stupid. You know—nothing upstairs. I know what's wrong with you. Nothing upstairs.

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]

See also: kick, upstairs

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

BRITISH

If 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.

kick someone upstairs

remove someone from an influential position in a business by giving them an ostensible promotion. informal

the Man Upstairs

God. informal humorous

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.

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.

kick upstairs

Slang

To promote to a higher yet less desirable position.

See also: kick, upstairs

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.”

See also: kick

See also:

References in classic literature ?

I didn't remember having seen it when upstairs. I wanted to make sure at once.

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When she had filled it to the brim in a very workmanlike and skilful manner, she crept upstairs again, and chuckled as she went.

As Miggs, however, was deaf to all entreaties, Mr Tappertit leant her against the wall as one might dispose of a walking-stick or umbrella, until he had secured the window, when he took her in his arms again, and, in short stages and with great difficulty--arising from her being tall and his being short, and perhaps in some degree from that peculiar physical conformation on which he had already remarked--carried her upstairs, and planting her, in the same umbrella and walking-stick fashion, just inside her own door, left her to her repose.

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By some extraordinary miracle he awoke of his own accord, when the coach stopped, and giving himself a good shake to stir up his faculties, went upstairs to execute his commission.

'The ladies want you not to say anything to the old gentleman about the young gentleman having been upstairs; and I want you too.'

'Now it's time I went upstairs, and got my lady ready for dinner.'

There was so much to say upstairs, and there were so many plans to concert for elopement and matrimony in the event of old Wardle continuing to be cruel, that it wanted only half an hour of dinner when Mr.

The wine came, and Perker came upstairs at the same moment.

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'Bless the Baby!' exclaimed Miss Betsey, unconsciously quoting the second sentiment of the pincushion in the drawer upstairs, but applying it to my mother instead of me, 'I don't mean that.

My mother was so much worse that Peggotty, coming in with the teaboard and candles, and seeing at a glance how ill she was, - as Miss Betsey might have done sooner if there had been light enough, - conveyed her upstairs to her own room with all speed; and immediately dispatched Ham Peggotty, her nephew, who had been for some days past secreted in the house, unknown to my mother, as a special messenger in case of emergency, to fetch the nurse and doctor.

The doctor having been upstairs and come down again, and having satisfied himself, I suppose, that there was a probability of this unknown lady and himself having to sit there, face to face, for some hours, laid himself out to be polite and social.

Chillip could do nothing after this, but sit and look at her feebly, as she sat and looked at the fire, until he was called upstairs again.

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Now the 74-year-old is unable to get upstairs and is facing a hefty bill,Hull Daily Mail reported.

Desperate plea of woman, 74, forced to go to toilet in kitchen after stair lift broke; Doreen Gritt has been stranded on the ground floor of her Hull home after her stair lift broke down

Julia Evans, manager of ExtraCare, said she thought the intruders may have still been in the upstairs of the shop when she arrived Friday morning.

'Sickening' and 'devastating' raids on three charity shops are condemned

FOR decades Desiree Hatfield wouldn't let anyone go upstairs in the "famous red bricked house" on Pallister Avenue.

A century of secrets hoarded by Desiree

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