upstairs

[ uhp-stairz ]
See synonyms for upstairs on Thesaurus.com
adverb
  1. up the stairs; to or on an upper floor.

  2. Informal. in the mind: to be a little weak upstairs.

  1. to or at a higher level of authority: You may have to take the matter upstairs.

  2. Military Slang. at or to a higher level in the air.

adjective
  1. Also upstair . of, relating to, or situated on an upper floor: an upstairs window;an upstairs apartment.

noun,plural up·stairs.
  1. (usually used with a singular verb) an upper story or stories; the part of a building or house that is above the ground floor: The upstairs of this house is entirely rented.

  2. a higher command or level of authority: We can't take action till we have approval from upstairs.

Idioms about upstairs

  1. kick upstairs, to promote (a person) to a higher position, usually having less authority, in order to be rid of them.

Origin of upstairs

1
First recorded in 1590–1600; up- + stairs
  • Also especially British, above stairs .

Words Nearby upstairs

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use upstairs in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for upstairs

upstairs

/ (ˈʌpˈstɛəz) /


adverb
  1. up the stairs; to or on an upper floor or level

  2. informal to or into a higher rank or office

  1. informal in the mind: a little weak upstairs

  2. kick upstairs informal to promote to a higher rank or position, esp one that carries less power

noun(functioning as singular or plural)
    • an upper floor or level

    • (as modifier): an upstairs room

  1. British informal, old-fashioned the masters and mistresses of a household collectively, esp of a large house: Compare downstairs (def. 3)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with upstairs

upstairs

see kick upstairs.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.