up-and-down

[ uhp-uh n-doun ]

/ ˈʌp ənˈdaʊn /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR up-and-down ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

moving alternately up and down: the up-and-down swing of levers; an up-and-down tune.

having an uneven surface: up-and-down countryside.

changeable: up-and-down luck.

perpendicular or nearly so: a straight up-and-down hillside.

Nearby words

up yours, up-, up-anchor, up-and-comer, up-and-coming, up-and-down, up-and-over, up-and-under, up-bow, up-close, up-do

Origin of up-and-down

First recorded in 1610–20

Related forms

up-and-down·ness, noun

Definition for up and down (2 of 2)

up

[ uhp ]

/ ʌp /

adverb

to, toward, or in a more elevated position: to climb up to the top of a ladder.

to or in an erect position: to stand up.

out of bed: to get up.

above the horizon: The moon came up.

to or at any point that is considered higher.

to or at a source, origin, center, or the like: to follow a stream up to its source.

to or at a higher point or degree, as of rank, size, value, pitch, loudness, brightness, maturity, or speed: to move up in a firm; to pump up a tire; to turn a lantern up; Prices are going up. Speak up! Hurry up!

ahead; in a leading position in a competition: He managed to get up on his opponent by three points.

in continuing contact, especially as reflecting continuing awareness, knowledge, etc.: to keep up with the latest developments in mathematics.

into or in activity, operation, etc.: to set up vibrations.

into a state of emotional agitation or distress: His insults left her all roiled up.

into existence, visible form, etc.: His sample was worked up in the studio.

into view, prominence, or consideration: The lost papers have turned up.

into or in a place of safekeeping, storage, retirement, etc.: to lay up riches; to put up preserves.

into or in a state of union, contraction, etc.: to add up a column of figures; to fold up.

to the required or final point: to pay up one's debts; burned up.

to a state of completion; to an end: She finished it all up.

to a halt: The riders reined up and dismounted.

Baseball. being the player or team batting; at bat.

(used as a function word for additional emphasis, sometimes preceded by it): Go wake your father up. What plugged it up? We laughed it up.

ahead of an opponent or opponents in points, games, etc.: The golfer was two strokes up on his nearest competitor.

each; apiece: The score was seven up in the final quarter.

(of machines or equipment, as computers) working; in working order or in operation.

Informal. without the addition of ice; straight up: Bring me a martini, up.

Nautical. toward the wind: Put the helm up.

preposition

to, toward, or at an elevated place on or in: They went up the stairs. The cat is up the tree.

to, toward, or at a high or higher station, condition, or rank on or in: He is well up the social ladder.

at or to a farther point or higher place on or in: She is up the street. I'm going up the street.

toward the source, origin, etc., of: up the stream.

toward a particular direction or in the interior of, as a region or territory: The explorers were up north.

in a course or direction that is contrary to that of: to row up the current.

adjective

moving in or related to a direction that is up or is regarded as up: the up elevator; the up train traveling north; the up platform of a railroad station.

informed; familiar; aware (usually followed by on or in): She is always up on current events.

concluded; ended; finished; terminated: The game is up. Your hour is up.

going on or happening; taking place; occurring: What's up over there?

having a high position or station: He is up in society.

in an erect, vertical, or raised position: The gate at the railroad crossing is up. The tent is up.

above the earth or ground: The corn is up and ready to be harvested.

in the air; aloft: The meteorological balloons are up. The airplanes are up for their reconnaissance flights.

(of heavenly bodies) risen above the horizon: The sun is up.

awake or out of bed: to be up with insomnia.

mounted on horseback: He knows which jockeys are up in every race.

(of water in natural bodies) high with relation to the banks or shore: The tide is up.

built; constructed: The new museum is up and open to the public.

facing upward: He is resting and his face is up.

sunny-side up.

(of roads, highways, etc.) having the surface broken or removed (usually used in combination): a torn-up road.

in revolt, mutiny, or rebellious agitation: Many territories were up and preparing to send troops against the government.

in a state of agitation: Beware of him when his temper is up.

Informal. cheerful or optimistic; high-spirited; happy; exuberant; upbeat.

Informal. productive, favorable, or profitable: a string of up months for the company.

afoot or amiss: Her nervous manner told me that something was up.

in a state of enthusiastic or confident readiness (usually followed by for): The team was definitely up for the game.

bound; on the way: She was on a ship up for Australia.

resolved in an unfavorable or undesired way: They knew that their game was up.

higher than formerly in cost, amount, degree, etc.: The price of meat was up.

(of age) advanced (usually followed by in): He is rather spry for a man so up in years.

active: The captain wished to set sail as soon as the wind was up.

in a legal proceeding as defendant: He is up for murder.

in operation or ready for use: The theater's lights are up.

(of points or other standards used to determine the winner in a competition) ahead; in advance: He won the game with two points up over his opponent.

considered or under consideration: a candidate up for reelection; a bill that is up before Congress.

wagered; bet: He won all the money up in the game.

living or located inland or on elevated ground: They live in a village two miles up from the coast.

(used with a preceding numeral to indicate that a score is tied in a competition): It was 10 up at the end of the first half.

ahead of an opponent or opponents: They scored three times in a row to go two up.

noun

an upward movement; ascent.

a rise of fortune, mood, etc.

a time of good fortune, prosperity, or happiness: He has had more ups than downs in his career.

an upbound means of public transportation, as a train or bus.

Informal. a feeling or state of happiness, exuberance, or elation.

a person or thing that is in a favorable position of wealth, fortune, etc.: People who were ups in the business world suffered losses in the economic depression.

an upward slope; elevation.

an upward course or rise, as in price or value: The landlord promised his tenants there would be no further ups in the rent this year.

Slang. upper².

verb (used with object), upped, up·ping.

to put or take up.

to make larger; step up: to up output.

to raise; go better than (a preceding wager): to up the ante.

verb (used without object), upped, up·ping.

Informal. to start up; begin something abruptly (usually followed by and and another verb): Then he upped and ran away from home.

(often used imperatively or hortatively) to rise up: Up, men, and fight until all the enemy are defeated!

Origin of up

before 900; Middle English up(pe) (adv.), Old English up(p) to a higher position, uppe in a higher position; cognate with Old Frisian up, Old Saxon up, Middle Dutch up, op, Old Norse upp; akin to Old High German ūf (> German auf), Gothic iup

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for up and down (1 of 3)

up

/ (ʌp) /

preposition

indicating movement from a lower to a higher positionclimbing up a mountain

at a higher or further level or position in or onsoot up the chimney; a shop up the road

adverb

(often particle) to an upward, higher, or erect position, esp indicating readiness for an activitylooking up at the stars; up and doing something

(particle) indicating intensity or completion of an actionhe tore up the cheque; drink up now!

to the place referred to or where the speaker isthe man came up and asked the way

to a more important placeup to London
to a more northerly placeup to Scotland
(of a member of some British universities) to or at university
in a particular part of the countryup north

above the horizonthe sun is up

appearing for trialup before the magistrate

having gainedten pounds up on the deal

higher in pricecoffee is up again

raised (for discussion, etc)the plan was up for consideration

taughtwell up in physics

(functioning as imperative) get, stand, etc, upup with you!

all up with informal

over; finished
doomed to die

up with (functioning as imperative) wanting the beginning or continuation ofup with the monarchy!

something's up informal something strange is happening

up against

touching
having to cope withlook what we're up against now

up and running in operation; functioning properly

up for

as a candidate or applicant forhe's up for re-election again
informal keen or willing to tryshe's up for anything

up for it informal keen or willing to try something out or make a good effortit's a big challenge and I'm up for it

up to

devising or scheming; occupied withshe's up to no good
dependent or incumbent uponthe decision is up to you
equal to (a challenge, etc) or capable of (doing, etc)are you up to playing in the final?
aware ofup to a person's tricks
as far asup to his waist in mud
as many asup to two years' waiting time
comparable withnot up to your normal standard

up top informal in the head or mind

up yours slang a vulgar expression of contempt or refusal

what's up? informal

what is the matter?
what is happening?

adjective

(predicative) of a high or higher position

(predicative) out of bed; awakethe children aren't up yet

(prenominal) of or relating to a train or trains to a more important place or one regarded as higherthe up platform

(predicative) over or completedthe examiner announced that their time was up

(predicative) beating one's opponent by a specified amountthree goals up by half-time

verb ups, upping or upped

(tr) to increase or raise

(intr; foll by and with a verb) informal to do (something) suddenly, unexpectedly, etcshe upped and married someone else

noun

high point; good or pleasant period (esp in the phrase ups and downs)

slang another word (esp US) for upper (def. 9)

on the up and up

trustworthy or honest
British on the upward trend or movementour firm's on the up and up

up oneself slang self-absorbed or arroganthe's so up himself

Word Origin for up

Old English upp; related to Old Saxon, Old Norse up, Old High German ūf, Gothic iup

usage

The use of up before until is redundant and should be avoided: the talks will continue until (not up until) 23rd March

British Dictionary definitions for up and down (2 of 3)

UP

abbreviation for

United Press

Uttar Pradesh

British Dictionary definitions for up and down (3 of 3)

up-and-down

adjective

moving, executed, or formed alternately upwards and downwards

mainly US very steep; vertical

adverb, preposition up and down

backwards and forwards (along)

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

Idioms and Phrases with up and down

up

In addition to the idioms beginning with up

up a creek
up against
up and about
up and at 'em
up a tree
up for grabs
up front
up in arms
up in the air
up one's alley
up one's sleeve
up on something, be
ups and downs
upside the head
up the creek
up the river
up the wall
up to
up to a point
up to date
up to no good
up to one's ears
up to one's old tricks
up to par
up yours

also see:

act up
add up
add up to
all shook up
all up
ante up
back up
ball up
bang up
bark up the wrong tree
bear up
beat up
beef up
bid up
blow up
bob up
bone up
boot up
bottle up
bound up in
brace up
break up
bring up
bring up the rear
bring up to date
brush up
buckle up
buck up
buddy up
build up
bump up
burn up
butter up
button up
buy up
call up
camp it up
card up one's sleeve
catch up
chalk up
charge up
chat up
cheer up
choke up
choose up
clam up
clean up
clear up
clock up
close up
cloud over (up)
come (up) from behind
come up
come up against
come up roses
come up with
cook up
cough up
cover up
cozy up
cracked up
crack up
crank up
crap up
creep up on
crop up
cross up
curl up
cut up
dead from the neck up
dig up
doll up
double up
do up
draw up
dream up
dress up
drum up
dry up
ease off (up)
eat out (someone up)
eat up
end up
face up to
fed to the gills (up)
feel up
feel up to
figure up
fire up
fit out (up)
fix up
fix up with
flare up
fold up
follow up
foul up
from the ground up
fuck up
game is up
gang up
gas up
get someone's back up
get up
get up on the wrong side of bed
get up steam
give oneself up
give up
give up the ghost
go belly up
goof up
go up
go up in flames
grow up
gum up
ham up
hands up
hang up
hard up
haul up
have had it (up to here)
heads up
head up
heat up
hit up
hold one's end up
hold one's head high (up)
hold up
hole up
hook up
hopped up
hurry up and wait
hush up
jack up
jazz up
juice up
keep it up
keep one's chin up
keep (someone) up
key up
kick up
kick up a fuss
kick up one's heels
kiss and make up
knock up
laid up
land in (up)
lap up
lark it up
laugh up one's sleeve
lay in (up)
lead down (up) the garden path
lead up to
leg up
let up
lighten up
light up
line up
live it up
live up to
lock up
look over (up and down)
look up
louse up
make up
make up for lost time
make up one's mind
make up to
mark up
measure up
meet up with
mess up
mix it up
mix up
mop up
mop up the floor with
move up
muck up
not all it's cracked up to be
number's up
one up
on the up-and-up
open up
own up
pair off (up)
pass up
patch up
pay up
pep someone up
perk up
pick up
pick up on
pile up
pipe up
play up
play up to
pluck up
point up
pony up
pop up
prick up one's ears
psych up
pull oneself up
pull up
pull up stakes
pump up
push up daisies
put one's feet up
put someone up to
put up
put-up job
put up or shut up
put up with
rack up
rake up
read up
rev up
ride up
right-side up
right up one's alley
ring up
roll up
roll up one's sleeves
rough up
round up
rub up on
run (up) against
run up
rustle up
save up for
scare up
scrape up an acquaintance
screw up
scrounge around (up)
scrub up
seal off (up)
seize up
send up
serve up
settle up
set up
set up housekeeping
sew up
shack up
shake up
shape up
shine up to
shoot up
shore up
shot up
show up
shut up
sign up
sit up
sit up and take notice
size up
slip up
slow up
smell up
snap up
soak up
soften up
somebody up there loves me
speak out (up)
speed up
spit up
spruce up
square up
stack up
stand up
stand up and be counted
stand up for
stand up to
stand up with
start up
steamed up
step up
stick up
stir up
stir up a hornets' nest
stop up
straighten up
straight up
string up
suck up to
suit up
sum up
take up
take up a collection
take up arms
take up for
take up on
take up space
take up where one left off
take up with
talk up
tank up
team up with
think up
throw up
throw up one's hands
thumbs up
tie up
time is up
tone down (up)
tool up
(up) to the hilt
touch up
trade down (up)
trial balloon, send up a
trip up
trump up
tune up
turn up
turn up one's nose
turn up one's toes
turn up the heat
turn up trumps
wait up
wake-up call
warm up
wash up
what's cooking (up)
what's (up) with
whip up
whoop it up
wind up
wise up
worked up
work one's way (up)
work up
wrapped up
wrap up
write up

Also see underupper.