look up

British  

verb

1. (tr) to discover (something required to be known) by resorting to a work of reference, such as a dictionary

2. (intr) to increase, as in quality or value

   things are looking up

3. to have respect (for)

   I've always wanted a girlfriend I could look up to

4. (tr) to visit or make contact with (a person)

   I'll look you up when I'm in town

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look up Idioms  

1. Search for in a book or other source, as in I told her to look up the word in the dictionary . [Late 1600s]

2. Call on or visit, as in I'm going to look up my friend in Chicago . [Mid-1800s]

3. Become better, improve, as in Business is finally looking up . [c. 1800]

4. look up to . Admire, respect, as in The students really looked up to Mr. Jones . [Early 1700s]

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Example Sentences

So that maybe if we look up, we will.”

From Los Angeles Times

John McPhee, a punctilious user of reference material, has written that he mostly looks up words he already knows to better apprehend their nuances.

From The Wall Street Journal

Someone like Barbra Streisand is someone I’ve always loved and looked up to.

From Los Angeles Times

It tips its head back to look up at him as he says to it softly: "Now we can recognise you anywhere - yes, yes you."

From BBC

So we looked up the phone number, called the fraternity house and asked for him.

From The Wall Street Journal