one up
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adjective
having gained an advantage in some way that betokens success, especially over rivals.
leading an opponent by one point or one scoring unit: The home team was one up on the visitors.
one each; tied at a score of one: The score was one up in the ninth inning.
adverb
Printing. with only one reproduction of a form per sheet or on a given sheet: We must print this job one up.
Journalism. using one more column of space than of type.
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Origin of one up
First recorded in 1920–25
Other definitions for one up (2 of 2)
one-up
[ wuhn-uhp ]
/ ˈwʌnˈʌp /
verb (used with object), one-upped, one-up·ping.
to get the better of; succeed in being a point, move, step, etc., ahead of (someone): They one-upped the competition.
Origin of one-up
First recorded in 1960–65
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use one up in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for one up
one-up
adjective
informal having or having scored an advantage or lead over someone or something
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 one up
one up
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.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.