up the river

Idioms  

1. To or in prison, as in They sent him up the river for five years. This phrase originally referred to Sing-Sing Prison, on the Hudson River about 30 miles north of New York City. So used from about 1890 on, it was broadened to apply to any prison by the early 1900s.

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Example Sentences

INÍRIDA, Colombia—A few miles up the river from this border outpost, vast mineral riches are buried in the Venezuelan jungle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

For seven years she’s been an activist fighting to clean up the river as a volunteer with Surfrider, a nonprofit that works to preserve ocean access and cleanliness.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2024

Sunardi's village has been digging up the river bed since June, when the water in their wells ran out.

From Reuters • Aug. 9, 2023

Swan upping - so-called says Mr Barber because they go up the river and pick the swans up out of the water - is a traditional summer spectacle on the Thames.

From BBC • Jul. 17, 2023

He used to come up and feed my dogs when I be up the river fishin’ f-f-for a couple of days.”

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Related Words

• cell
• lockup
• penitentiary
• prison