measure up

British  

verb

1. (adverb) to determine the size of (something) by measurement

2. to fulfil (expectations, standards, etc)

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measure up Idioms  

1. Be the equal of, as in Is he a good enough actor to measure up to the other members of the cast? [Early 1900s]

2. Have the qualifications for, be of high enough quality for, as in His latest book hasn't measured up to the reviewers' expectations . [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

Though the production considered existing vessels, none of them measured up.

From Los Angeles Times

And analysts say that Takaichi will need to deliver for voters who, having handed her such a big win, will have little patience with her government if it fails to measure up.

From The Wall Street Journal

“How do you measure up to that? Where are the gaps?”

From Barron's

I hadn’t figured out how an applehead doll measured up to a pyramid or how a musical saw stacked up to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

From Literature

I’m not sure how well I measure up, but I do keep a tight, ring-free dining room station and catch a glimmer of my father whenever I set down my glass.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• certify
• enable
• entitle
• meet
• pass
• ready
• score
• train