pack up
Britishverb
-
to put (things) away in a proper or suitable place
-
informal to give up (an attempt) or stop doing (something)
if you don't do your work better, you might as well pack up
-
(intr) (of an engine, machine, etc) to fail to operate; break down
-
engineering to use packing to adjust the height of a component or machine before it is secured in its correct position or alignment
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The seller today is more willing to pack up and try again later,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
"And if the response is we can't do that, then look, we might as well just pack up our bags and go to some island in the South Pacific and wait for the apocalypse."
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
It’s one of many safety nets in place that should instill confidence when we board planes, cruise ships or simply pack up the car for a weekend getaway.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
My need to pack up and leave was usually caused by souring relationships with roommates or increasing rents.
From MarketWatch ● May 29, 2026
Rolling and tumbling, he tried to keep his pack up so it wouldn’t bang on the ground like every other part of him.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
