up meaning

up as a preposition

1. towards a higher place on
   • climb up the hill

up as an adjective

1. being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
   • the anchor is up
   • the sun is up
   • he lay face up
   • he is up by a pawn
   • the market is up
   • the corn is up

   Opposite: down

   Similar: ahead, aweigh, dormie, heavenward, risen, sprouted, upbound, upfield, upward

2. out of bed
   • are they astir yet?
   • up by seven each morning

   Synonyms: astir

   Similar: awake

3. getting higher or more vigorous
   • its an up market
   • an improving economy

   Synonyms: improving

   Similar: rising

4. extending or moving toward a higher place
   • the up staircase
   • a general upward movement of fish

   Synonyms: upward

   Similar: ascending

5. (usually followed by `on' or `for') in readiness
   • he was up on his homework
   • had to be up for the game

   Similar: prepared

6. open
   • the windows are up

   Similar: raised

7. (used of computers) operating properly
   • how soon will the computers be up?

   Similar: functioning

8. used up
   • time is up

   Similar: finished

up as an adverb

1. spatially or metaphorically from a lower to a higher position
   • look up!
   • the music surged up
   • the fragments flew upwards
   • prices soared upwards
   • upwardly mobile

   Synonyms: upwards, upward, upwardly

   Opposite: down

2. to a higher intensity
   • he turned up the volume

   Opposite: down

3. nearer to the speaker
   • he walked up and grabbed my lapels
4. to a more central or a more northerly place
   • was transferred up to headquarters
   • up to Canada for a vacation

   Opposite: down

5. to a later time
   • they moved the meeting date up
   • from childhood upward

   Synonyms: upwards, upward

up as a verb

1. raise
   • up the ante

   Type of: increase

How to pronounce up

up is pronounced /ʌp/ in British English and /ʌp/ in American English. It has 1 syllable.