one up

¹ American  

adjective

1. having gained an advantage in some way that betokens success, especially over rivals.

2. leading an opponent by one point or one scoring unit.

   The home team was one up on the visitors.

3. one each; tied at a score of one.

   The score was one up in the ninth inning.

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adverb

1. Printing. with only one reproduction of a form per sheet or on a given sheet.

   We must print this job one up.

2. Journalism. using one more column of space than of type.

one-up ² American  

[wuhn-uhp] / ˈwʌnˈʌp /

verb (used with object)

one-upped, one-upping

1. to get the better of; succeed in being a point, move, step, etc., ahead of (someone).

   They one-upped the competition.

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one-up British  

adjective

1. informal having or having scored an advantage or lead over someone or something

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one up Idioms  

1. Having an advantage or lead over someone, as in Sara is one up on Jane because she passed algebra in summer school. This expression comes from sports, where it means to be one point ahead of one's opponents. It was transferred to more general use about 1920.

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Etymology

Origin of one up¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Origin of one-up¹

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

But had MacIntyre lost to Sam Burns, with the American one up with one to play in the last match out on the course, then Europe would only have squeezed home by the narrowest margin.

From BBC

When the visiting celebrations began, MacIntyre and Burns left the 17th green with the home player one up.

From BBC

While Bradbury is used to performing for a living, the looming threat of live shows encouraged Webb to genuinely practice and tighten his bass skills, having primarily only picked one up previously to help in the studio from time to time.

From Los Angeles Times

Ask middle-aged or older Americans how they got into investing and many will tell you that it was after reading the 1989 bestseller “One Up on Wall Street,” by Peter Lynch.

From The Wall Street Journal

He must have pumped our opening bowler out of the ground twice, then hit one up in the air and he was out.

From BBC