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

I could tell she was measuring up its shadow to determine the approximate hour.

From Literature

But when it comes to collectibles, there’s frequently a sense they don’t quite measure up as a legitimate asset class.

From MarketWatch

Carey, meanwhile, has generated 692 million streams — not too shabby, of course, but still not measuring up to the Canadian crooner.

From MarketWatch

This reality check can help reduce guilt over not measuring up.

From BBC

“I have enormous respect, as does the Board, for the Ellison family and for the Paramount company. They just didn’t measure up on these bids.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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