up
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
How often you will meet it
Rank 57 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 505,325 times across 139,755 chapters — 0.240% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 100 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
adjective
- being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level the anchor is upthe sun is up
- out of bed also: astir are they astir yet?up by seven each morning
- getting higher or more vigorous also: improving its an up marketan improving economy
- extending or moving toward a higher place also: upward the up staircasea general upward movement of fish
- (usually followed by `on' or `for') in readiness he was up on his homeworkhad to be up for the game
- open the windows are up
up in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Christian gathered herself up; her face grew pale again, and her voice steady.
Christian's Mistake · Dinah Maria Mulock Craik · Chapter 1
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I was sitting up in my chair, pointing, my eyes fixed with surprise.
The Betrayal · E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim · Chapter 1
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She brought me up to royalties, and people with stars and garters, and elderly ladies with gigantic tiaras and parrot noses.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1
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There he straightened up and brushed his earth-stained fingers across a dullred splotch on one cheek of his sullen set face.
The Heart of the Hills · John, Jr. Fox · Chapter 1
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People stand up in the carriages, women and men; the fence is loaded with people, often standing, too, to see that tree.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1