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Added 9 October 2026

up

/ʌp/ adverb

In Latin: sūrsum Wiktionary

adverb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about up at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Indicating movement towards or location at a higher place or position. Away from the surface of the Earth or other planet; in opposite direction to the downward pull of gravity.
I looked up and saw the airplane overhead.
Away from the surface of the Earth or other planet; in opposite direction to the downward pull of gravity.
I looked up and saw the airplane overhead.
To or at a physically higher or more elevated position.
All day we climbed up and up.

preposition

Toward the top of.
The cat climbed up the tree.
Toward the center, source, or main point of reference; toward the end at which something is attached.
The information made its way up the chain of command to the general.
From south to north of.
We sailed up the East Coast of England from Ipswich to South Shields.

adjective

Facing upwards.
Turn the cloth over so that the patterned side is up.
On or at a physically higher level.
The flood waters are up again across large areas of the country.
Headed or designated to go upward (as an escalator, stairway, elevator etc.) or toward (as a run-up).
Where is the up escalator?

noun

The direction opposed to the pull of gravity.
Up is a good way to go.
A positive thing, or a time or situation when things are going well.
I hate almost everything about my job. The only up is that it's so close to home.
An up quark.

Origin

From Middle English up, op, oup, from Old English upp, up, ūp (“up”), from Proto-West Germanic *upp, *ūp, from Proto-Germanic *upp, *eup (“up”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian ap (“up”), West Frisian op (“up”), Dutch op (“up”), German Low German up, op (“up”), German auf (“up”), Danish op (“up”), Swedish upp (“up”), Icelandic upp (“up”), Gothic 𐌹𐌿𐍀 (iup, “up”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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