upstairs

American  

[uhp-stairz] / ˈʌpˈstɛərz /

especially British, above stairs

adverb

1. up the stairs; to or on an upper floor.

2. Informal. in the mind.

   to be a little weak upstairs.

3. to or at a higher level of authority.

   You may have to take the matter upstairs.

4. Military Slang. at or to a higher level in the air.

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adjective

1. Also upstair of, relating to, or situated on an upper floor.

   an upstairs window;

   an upstairs apartment.

noun

plural

upstairs

1. (usually used with a singular verb) an upper story or stories; the part of a building or house that is above the ground floor.

   The upstairs of this house is entirely rented.

2. a higher command or level of authority.

   We can't take action till we have approval from upstairs.

idioms

1. kick upstairs, to promote (a person) to a higher position, usually having less authority, in order to be rid of them.

upstairs British  

/ ˈʌpˈstɛəz /

adverb

1. up the stairs; to or on an upper floor or level

2. informal to or into a higher rank or office

3. informal in the mind

   a little weak upstairs

4. informal to promote to a higher rank or position, esp one that carries less power

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noun

1. 1. an upper floor or level

   2. ( as modifier )

      an upstairs room

2. informal the masters and mistresses of a household collectively, esp of a large house Compare downstairs

upstairs More Idioms  

1. see kick upstairs.

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Etymology

Origin of upstairs

First recorded in 1590–1600; up- + stairs

Example Sentences

Hale, who has been been listening to and translating Korean and Chinese chatter, dreams of moving upstairs, which will come with the discovery that his head is not entirely his own.

From Los Angeles Times

Bush apparently decided at some unspecified point that the intelligence agencies needed a “watcher” and thus established The Orphanage: analysts downstairs, “mission control” upstairs, the equivalent of an internal-affairs bureau for the clandestine services.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I know he’s upstairs when I need him.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The step up to City's main job could be too big a risk to take for those upstairs.

From BBC

They weren’t on their way home, instead making their way upstairs to Guestlist, a club that opened just two weeks ago.

From Barron's