size-up

American

[sahyz-uhp] / ˈsaɪzˌʌp /

noun

an appraisal or estimation, especially as the result of sizing up.

asking for a size-up of the new office equipment.

size up British

verb

(tr) to make an assessment of (a person, problem, etc)
to conform to or make so as to conform to certain specifications of dimension

"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

size up Idioms

Make an estimate, opinion, or judgment of, as in She sized up her opponent and decided to withdraw from the election. This usage transfers measuring the size of something to broader meaning. [Late 1800s]

Etymology

Origin of size-up

Noun use of verb phrase size up

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.

“I’m not trying to size-up against other players,” Adell added.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2023

But perhaps most importantly, he needs to size-up the client.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2014

Having collected her facts about Evita, Fleur said that they only confirmed her first intuitive size-up.

From Time Magazine Archive

John F. Kennedy wanted a size-up, not a summit.

From Time Magazine Archive

The metropolitan dailies had sent their best men to write up the story and to give a "size-up" of the new Governor-elect in fighting action.

From Woodrow Wilson as I Know Him by Tumulty, Joseph P.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023